Court orders enhanced security to Mano Ganeshan

[TamilNet, Friday, 15 February 2008, 11:57 GMT]
Sri Lanka's Court of Appeal Thursday made an interim order directing the defense authority to immediately provide at least eight security personnel with a back-up vehicle to Mr.Mano Ganeshan, Colombo district parliamentarian and leader of Western Peoples Front. The petitioner was directed by the court to report and confirm on March 3 whether he had been provided with the security as ordered by the court.

The Court of Appeal comprised Justice K.Sri Pavan and Justice Rohini Perera made the interim order when the Fundamental Rights application filed by Mr.Mano Ganeshan came up for further inquiry. The Defense Secretary, Inspector General of Police and some senior police officers have been cited as respondents in the petition, legal sources said. The petitioner in his petition had begged court to order the defense authorities to provide security as at on December 18, legal sources said.

The State Counsel on the last date of inquiry informed court that the defense ministry was unable to provide more than seven security personnel and that also without a back-up vehicle. The respondent cited reason that more security personnel, are needed to beef up security in the Batticaloa district due to the forthcoming local election.

However, the Appeal Court told the State Counsel to positively consider the recommendation by the court.

Security of Mano Ganesan MP was reduced by the government along with those of late parliamentarian T. Maheswaran and SLMC leader Rauf Hakeem MP immediately after the budget voting in the parliament.

Ms. Hina Jillani, special representative of the UN sectary general for the defense of the human rights defenders had expressed her deep concern over the reduction of security to Mano Ganesan and had said in her letter to the government saying that "She is concerned for the life and security of Mr. Ganesan, which is more at risk without adequate security. The security reduction to Ganesan is linked to his high profile work against human rights violations and may be an attempt to curtail his HR work."

Ganesan won the runner up award for his human rights campaign from the US department of state. Secretary of state Condeliza Rice made the relevant announcement in last December on the international human rights day December 10th.

Chronology: