SLA arrests 98 youths in Vavuniyaa detention centre

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 29 April 2009, 04:01 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army (SLA) intelligence unit officers arrested and took away Tuesday 98 youths among the civilians from Vanni held in SLA Ne'lukku'lam detention centre in Vavuniyaa despite the strong protest of the detainees numbering more than 3,000, sources in Vavuniyaa said. The enraged detainees attacked the government and other offices and employees in the centre, the sources added. The SLA officer-in-charge of the detention centre said that he has no information of the 98 youths taken away, the sources further said.

Vavuniyaa district key SLA officials who visited the detention centre Tuesday expressed their apology to the detainees for the incident and said that they will hold themselves responsible for the safety of the youths taken away.

However, hundreds of youths are being taken away by the SLA intelligence unit after interrogation from the various detention centres in Vavuniyaa causing fear and anxiety among the detainees, sources in Vavuniyaa said.