Youth returns back to HRC for protection

[TamilNet, Thursday, 24 January 2008, 10:57 GMT]
A youth, who was earlier placed in protective custody in the Jaffna prison by Human Rights Commission (HRC) after seeking protection due to death threats by Sri Lanka Amy (SLA) troops and SLA-backed paramilitaries, and later left the custody, surrendered at the HRC again asking them to provide protection as unidentified armed men had allegedly tried to kill him, HRC sources said.

The youth who surrendered at Jaffna HRC is a resident staying in a camp at Uduppiddi for Internally Displaced Persons.

Many civilians placed under protective custody chose to leave the prison due to lack of basic facilities and health hazards.

Some of these who left the prison on their own will had been killed.

Many who left the custody, mostly from Chaavakachcheari and Madduvil in Thenmaraadchchi, are seeking HRC protection again, civil society sources in Jaffna said.

Some of the civilians seeking HRC protection seek protection to their family members also.

Conditions in Jaffna prison is worsening due to the increasing number of inmates.

No attempt has been made by the Sri Lanka government to improve conditions in Jaffna prison or to find an alternate place for the inmates though several representations have been made, an official in Jaffna HRC said.