( December 8, 2012, Colombo, Sri Lanka
Guardian) Civil Society Statement Condemning the Arrest and Unlawful Detention
of Four Students from the University of Jaffna, and Calling for their Immediate
Release
We the undersigned members of civil
society strongly condemn the arrest of four students of the University of
Jaffna (UoJ) by the Terrorism Investigation Department (TID) on 29th
of November 2012. While welcoming the
release of Kanesamoorthy Sutharsan, a student of the Jaffna Medical Faculty on
the morning of 4th December, we condemn the continued detention of
the remaining three Jaffna University Student Union members, Sanmugam Solaman
(24 years), Kanagasundram Jenamajenth and Paramalingam Tharshaanan (24 years,
Student Union Secretary).
The four arrested students are part of a
group of seven Jaffna university students who were summoned by the Kopai Police
(in the Jaffna District,) on 29th November, 2012, in connection with
an alleged arson (petrol bomb) attack on the office of the Sri Tamil Eelam
Liberation Organization (TELO), believed to be a Para-military group with close
links to the Sri Lanka Army (SLA), in Thirunelvely, Jaffna. Sri TELO had opened
its office at Thirunelvely, near the Jaffna University, only a week prior to
the alleged arson attack. The students were later also charged with allegedly
putting up posters around the Jaffna University, relating to Maaveerar Naal
(LTTE heroes/martyrs day) which fell on 27th November.
Following the summons, Sanmugam Solaman
and Kanagasundram Jenamajenth surrendered to the Kopai Police at 1pm on 29th
November, accompanied by two Jaffna University lecturers and a lawyer. At the time of arrest, the lecturers were
shown a document in Sinhala which appears to be the written summons issued by
the Officer in Charge of the Kopai police, dated 30th November (Ref
No. OIC/KP/ODB/6067/2012), to the head of security at the Jaffna University,
which states that the seven students listed in the document, must appear at the
Kopai Police station to make a statement on 30thNovember, in
relation to a complaint made to the Kopai police on 29th November.
The two students Shanmugam Soloman and Kanagasundram Jenamajenth, were
subsequently handed over to the TID office in Vavuniya (Vavuniya District) on
30th November. Two more students, Paramalingam Tharshaanan and
Kanesamoorthy Sutharsan were arrested by the Kopai Police at 1am on 30th
November, from their temporary residences in Kaladdi and Urumpirai (in Jaffna
town) respectively and handed over to the TID office in Vavuniya on 31st
November.
All four students are currently being
held at the Vavuniya TID office. The
families of the students have so far not been provided with any official
document relating to their detention or charges. The students have also not
been produced before either the Vavuniya or Jaffna Magistrate to date. We are
therefore deeply concerned with regard to the legality of their continued
detention. The parents of one student met
all four students at the Vavuniya TID office on 3rd December. The Vavuniya Police have assured the students
and the parents that they would be released subject to their being produced
before the Vavuniya Magistrate. The
parents and the four students waited at the Vavuniya police station from 8am to
3pm on 3rdDecember, for the Vavuniya Magistrate to return from Colombo. However
the students have not been produced before the Magistrate so far.
We are concerned by information that the
university authorities have been informed by the Deputy Inspector General for
the Northern Province, that detention orders have been issued for the four
students as on 2nd December. The parents of the students have not
been provided a copy of the detention order to date.
On 30th November, the police
raided/ransacked the houses of two other students from the Jaffna University.
These student’s names were not included in the summons dated 30th November.
According to the students the raid was carried out by Police officers and
persons in civilian clothes who did not disclose their identity. One student was also subjected to
intimidation and questioning by the officers. The other students’ house was
ransacked twice on the 30th morning and on 1st early
morning. Since the student was not at home on both occasions, the officers
instructed his parents that he must surrender to the Point Pedro Police
immediately.
Of the three remaining students summoned
in the document dated 30th November, two students have already
graduated from the University of Jaffna and are employed under the Government
Graduate Scheme in Nedunkeny, Vavuniya. Six of the seven students named in the
summons have been active and outspoken members of the Jaffna University Student
Union post war. The students have organized and participated in several
protests and campaigns against human rights violations committed by the SLA in
the North. On 28th November,
they were involved in organizing the Silent Protest against the intimidation
and attacks by the SLA on university students on the 27th of
November. So far no charges or evidence has been produced linking the students
with the alleged arson attack.
In light of the facts above, we are
deeply concerned that the student’s arrests are baseless and politically
motivated and constitute an act of reprisal against their activism and campaign
against human rights violations by the SLA.
Jaffna University students are presently carrying out a protest campaign
against these arrests and several acts of intimidation and attacks carried out
by the SLA against Jaffna University students.
Students have boycotted their classes in protest and many students have
left the hostel premises in fear of further attacks or arrests. We are also deeply concerned about the impact
of these actions by security forces on the Jaffna University which has been
brought to a virtual standstill and the adverse repercussions on the students’
academic work and their safety and security within the
university.
We reiterate the call by the University
Teachers Association of Jaffna in its Open Letter to the Vice Chancellor of the
University of Jaffna – to take all measures to ensure the immediate release of
the detained students and obtain assurance that any further student arrests
will be made by security forces; to ensure the immediate removal of the
presence of military, police and security checkpoints visible in the university
environs since 27th November, and ensure that no outside person,
particularly military and police personnel, be permitted to enter the Jaffna
University and hostel premises without the prior permission of University
authorities – in order to create a more secure and conducive environment for
teaching and learning within the University.
We therefore call on the Sri Lankan
Government to;
§
Release
with immediate effect the remaining three students unlawfully detained at the
TID office in Vavuniya in the absence of clear evidence linking them to the
alleged crime
§
Ensure
the safety and physical and mental well being of the students currently held in
detention
§
Permit
the students access to legal assistance and regular visits by their family
members
§
Put
an immediate halt to any further acts of intimidation, harassment and reprisals
carried out by the SLA on students from the University of Jaffna.
§
Stop
all interference by security forces and law enforcement authorities in the
internal administration of the University of Jaffna and its student body.
Signed by:
INFORM
Ruki Fernando
Dr. Paikiasothy Saravanamuttu -
Executive Director, Centre for Policy Alternatives (CPA)
Nimalka Fernando
Sudarshana Gunawardana - Rights Now
Collective for Democracy
Human Rights Defenders Network, Sri
Lanka
Brito Fernando - Families of the
Disappeared
Philip Dissanayaka - Right to Life Human
Rights Center
Deanne Uyangoda
Marisa de Silva
 Civil Society Statement Condemning the Arrest and Unlawful Detention of Four Students...){kind=link}