Three Plantation Tamils arrested

[TamilNet, Saturday, 24 February 2007, 16:05 GMT]
Several plantation Tamils were taken into custody in cordon and search operations conducted Friday morning by Sri Lanka security forces in Talawakelle, Pundoloya and Lindula in the central province. All were released after their identities were checked except three Tamils who are being detained in police stations and being questioned, sources said.

Meanwhile, Mano Ganeshan, leader of the Western Peoples Front (WPF) and Colombo district parliamentarian brought to the notice of the Government of India that Tamils of Indian origin are being arrested indiscriminately in Colombo and upcountry under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA), in statement issued in Colombo.

He appealed to the Government of India to take immediate steps to stop harassment of Indian Tamils in Sri Lanka, sources said.

In the meantime, T.V.Sennan, President of the Sri Lanka Workers United Front (SLWUF) addressing meeting at Passara office of the SLWUF said the arrest of upcountry Tamil youths and girls is on the increase and it has become a routine exercise for the security forces.

Plantation Tamil youths working in Colombo and other parts in the south are forced to consider quitting their jobs due to fear of harassment and arbitrary arrest by government security forces, sources said.