Marking his first anniversary in office last January 08, the president pardoned Jenivan, who had tried to kill him when he was a minister.
However, the government as well as parties including the TNA have not paid adequate attention to other Tamil prisoners, says the movement’s Fr. Marimuttu Satyavel.
A group of inmates at New Magazine Prison in Colombo are staging a fast and refusing treatment, to bring the authorities’ attention to their plight.
They are demanding speedy court action against them, or acquittal, noting that they were yet to be charged five years after arrest.
They believe their continued detention under the PTA, considered to be having various shortcomings, was a violation of their human rights, said Fr. Satyavel.
Speaking to BBC Sandeshaya, he warned this fast could spread to other prisons too, if no favourable response is given to their demand.
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