TRO collects details of released PTA detainees

[TamilNet, Saturday, 01 February 2003, 13:56 GMT]
The Tamil Rehabilitation Organization (TRO) is planning to collect names and other details of Tamil youths and others arrested under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) and released after languishing several years in prisons in the south of the country without trial, for want of evidence and for other reasons, sources said.

The Trincomalee district co-ordinating secretary of the TRO Mr.K.Mathavarajah Saturday appealed to all who were charged under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) released from prisons in the Trincomalee district to register themselves with necessary details at the Trincomalee office of the TRO located at 41, Thakkiya Lane, Trincomalee before 1 st of March this year.

Mr.Mathavarajah issued a press statement Saturday in this regard, sources said

Hundreds of Tamil youths continue to languish in Kalutara and other prisons in the south even after the ceasefire agreement between the United National Front (UNF) government and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) came into force in February last year, human rights activists said. Several youths are detained solely on their confessions taken by security forces under torture or threat of violence, human rights sources said.

Tamil political prisoners now being detained at Kalutara prisons held hunger strike on several occasions demanding their release immediately. However the Tamil youths agreed to giveup their hunger strikes after promises were given by Tamil politicians and UNF government ministers that they would be released without delay.

Meanwhile the Defence Minister told categorically in parliament recently that it is not the opportune time to repeal the Prevention of Terrorism Act. He made this statement when the parliament was debating a private member motion moved by a Tamil National Alliance (TNA) parliamentarian Mr.A.Vinayagamoorthy demanding the removal of the PTA from the Statute Book.