Tamil family from Kalmunai arrested in Horana

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 02 July 2008, 13:59 GMT]
Horana police arrested a Tamil family of five including a one-year-old child from Kalmunai who had come to Horana for a wedding, Rajaratnam Lawrence, the youngest member (son) of the arrested family, said in his complaint to P. Rathahkrishanan, Deputy Minister for Vocational Training and Industrial Education. The Inspector in charge of Horana police, Jayantha Wickramaratne, verbally abused Rev. Patrick Lawrence, the priest who was to conduct the marriage, when he appeared at the police station to attest that the family had come to participate in the marriage, the complainant said.

The arrested are identified as Rajamani Rajaratnam, 57, a native of Berth Estate in Horana, Rajaratnam Christopher Pirinith, 27, Rajaratnam Christopher Prasalini, 23, Arun Tharmini Solomon, 23 and Franklin Thesera, 01.

The complainant told the Deputy Minister that his father and the others who had come to Horana by train from Kalmunai for the wedding in Berth Esatate in Horana were arrested at Horana bus terminal.

Though the family had shown their National Identity Cards, a letter from their Grama Sevaka (Village Officer) and the wedding invitation, they were arrested because they were Kalmunai Tamils.

Police Sergent Bandara of Horana police said that Tamils coming to Horana from outside have to obtain prior permission, a violation of human rights, the complainant said.

The Deputy Minister had sent a letter to the newly appointed Inspector General of Police, Jayantha Wickrema, of the arrest of the family.