Youths held in Jaffna SLA detention centre escape

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 29 April 2009, 16:49 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army (SLA) in Jaffna said that a number of youths held in the SLA detention centre in Nelliyadi Maththiya Mahaviththiyalayam escaped Monday and Tuesday into residential areas in Vadamarraadchi. SLA is engaged in announcing over loudspeakers fitted to vehicles instructing the escapees to surrender, informing that the escapees would be granted general amnesty, since Monday in Vadamaraadchi, sources in Jaffna said.

The youths had escaped detention in fear of being abducted after the severe interrogation of youths by SLA intelligence personnel carried out in the detention centre, sources in Nelliyadi said.

A similar situation prevailed in Vavuniyaa district too where youths have escaped from some of the SLA detention centres, sources in Vavuniyaa said.

Meanwhile, SLA intelligence unit personnel are attempting to take away the remaining youths in the detention centres to SLA camps for interrogation, the sources added.

Despite the general amnesty offered by the SLA so far none of the escapees has surrendered to the SLA in Vadamaraadchi.