Kalutara prison hunger strike suspended

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 17 April 2002, 14:44 GMT]
The Tamil political prisoners at Kalutara prison Wednesday afternoon suspended their one-week-old hunger strike on the assurance their demands would be considered that was given by a team of Justice Ministry officials. The Additional Solicitor General Mr.Rienzie Aresakularatne and Justice Ministry Secretary Ms Thahara Wijetilake Wednesday visited Kalutara prison and held three hour long discussions with the Tamil political prisoners who had been on hunger strike.

The Justice Ministry team gave an undertaking to the detainees that action would be taken to solve their problems within three months. The detainees accepted the assurance and suspended their hunger strike for three months, prison officials said.

Dr.Jayalath Jayawardene, Minister for rehabilitation and Resettlement also visited the Kalutara prisons Wednesday.

The detainees began their hunger strike last week demanding that that those indicted in courts should be transferred to prisons which are closer to their home areas and those who have been detained without any charges should be released forthwith.