2ND LEAD

Sri Lanka breaches Tamil residential, monetary rights in Colombo

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 13 February 2008, 16:38 GMT]
Sri Lanka Police in Maradana, Colombo, is embarked upon issuing time stipulated temporary residential 'visas' to all Tamils living in their police jurisdiction while Mukaththuvaram police insists the Tamil residents in their area to provide their personal bank account details in addition to other information, Attorney-at-Law Sumanthiran told the panel of Judges of the Colombo High Court Wednesday. Appearing on behalf of Ceylon Workers Congress (CWC), the Attorney pointed out that it was against the Sri Lankan law for the police to collect such particulars or to limit the time of residence. He added that the procedure will be counted as a gross violation of human rights.

Mr. Sumanthiran submitted the above information when he appeared on behalf of the CWC which had filed a writ application against the arrest and custody of a large number of Tamils, legal sources in Colombo said.

The attorney submitted copies of the 'residential visa forms' issued by the Police authorities of Maradana and Mukaththuvaaram.

When the High Court Judges questioned the Additional Solicitor General, Palitha Silva, about the matter raised by Mr. Sumanthiran, he replied that the Solicitor General is not aware of the practice and that the new procedures are being implemented without consulting the Solicitor General.

The Panel of Judges proposed the setting up of a Commission of Inquiry consisting of a representative of the Solicitor General and a representative of the Ministry of Justice to investigate into the said controversial issues.

The Court further issued directives to inform the Secretary to the Ministry of Defence and Inspector General of Police about the inquiry commission.

92 Tamils arrested in Colombo and other densely populated areas are still held in remand prison, the attorney who represented the plaintiffs informed the Court.

The panel of judges, after considering the matters presented, directed the police to expedite inquiry and to file cases on persons found to have committed the crime.

The Court fixed the next trial on the writ application to 4th March.