IUSU demands release of Northern youths detained or disappeared

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 13 October 2010, 06:00 GMT]
Inter University Students Union (IUSU) president Uthila Premaratne said that a demonstration demanding the release of young men and women of the North detained by Sri Lanka government or gone missing is to be held in Jaffna, in a press meet in Jaffna town Tuesday. He appealed to the families of the youths detained or disappeared after arrest by Sri Lanka armed forces to join in the protest demonstration that is to be held in Jaffna in the end of October. Similar demonstrations will be launched in Colombo, he said. Meanwhile, Sri Lanka Criminal Investigation Department (CID) officers had interrogated the media men and local daily reporters who attended the press meet. It is also alleged that the CID officers had intimidated the owner of the lodge where the IUSU group are staying in, media sources in Jaffna said.

“Thousands of young men and women, particularly in the North, have disappeared or are under detention and IUSU demands the immediate release of the youth detained,” Uthila Premaratne said.

In June 2010 unknown gunmen on motor cycles speaking fluent Sinhalese threatened Inter University Students’ Union (IUSU) representatives as they were returning after being denied entry into Jaffna University for the second time during the week-end.

Jaffna University Students Union (JUSU) in a media report 15 June had expressed its deep discontent against Inter University Student Union representatives being denied entry into Jaffna University premises to hand over relief goods they had brought from South for the war affected Vanni undergrads.