Kalutara prisoners protest

[TamilNet, Saturday, 18 September 1999, 11:54 GMT]
Twenty five Tamil political prisoners got on the roof of the Kalutara maximum security prison this morning in support of twelve of their colleagues who have been on a protest fast from September 14. The condition of three is serious said prison authorities.

Tamil political prisoners at this maximum security prison south of Colombo have protested many times in the past against being incarcerated indefinitely without being charged in court for anything.

"File the case or release" is the slogan of the Tamil political prisoners held at Kalutara who say that they have been denied the due judicial processes.

There are 750 Tamil political prisoners in the Kalutara maximum security prison.

The fasting prisoners had informed the Commissioner of Prisons before they had begun fasting in the B ward of the prison on September 14.

They told a visitor today that there was no response from the prison authorities so far.

Meanwhile, sources said that the Commissioner of Prisons has asked Mr.T Suntharalingam of the Human Rights Commission to mediate with the protesting prisoners.

The following are nine of the twelve fasting prisoners:

• Thambipillai Yoganathan Pandiruppu in the Ampara district.
• Vallipuram Manoharan of Valvettithurai Jaffna
• Kalimuththu Selvarajah Talawakella, Central province
• Ponnambalam Selvarajah Kokkaticholai, Batticaloa
• Nallaiah Rasalingam Palugamam, Batticaloa
• Thambippillai Ravichandran Kallady, Batticaloa
• Vanniasingham Akilarajan Thirukkovil in the Ampara district. Shanmuganathan Kamaleswaran Kallady, Batticaloa
• Kanthan Kidnan of Thambiluvil in the Ampara district.