The Politicians who gave promises and the political prisoners who were abandoned: TPPS
The Tamil Political Prisoners (TPPs) in a statement released today said they have been pushed in to an unfortunate situation of boycotting the special court formed by the Government.
“If no action is taken on a Humanitarian basis, we shall be forced to take suitable action ourselves” they said.
Since the President had failed fulfill his promise on releasing the TPPS announced Thursday that, they had decided to take up again, their fasting protest on the 8th.
Negotiations were undertaken when the TPPs took up fasting protest during last December. Leader of the opposition, Era Sampanthan in concluding the fast said I believe in the President. You believe us and stop the fasting.
However these promises are yet to be fulfilled. Hence, the TPPs had decided to go into the fasting again. They have informed the Commissioner of Prisons, regarding their fasting protest, in writing.
The Full text of the statement is available below:
We, who were arrested during the last 25 years under Prevention of Terrorism Act and Emergency Act , lost all our young days within the dark prison walls, without inquiries or without release , sick and afflicted with physical and mental diseases, frustrated and burdened by grievances and with a title of “Political Prisoners”, and also living like living-dead .
In a context where 120,000 former Militants were rehabilitated and integrated into the society, after the end of the war, Mahindha’s regime, for reasons only known to them, had turned a “Nelsonian eye” on the matter of detained political prisoners . Although we submitted several memorandums and took up several struggles, the state did not take any interest.
On the contrary, he expressed a notion that we are not political prisoners but, are core terrorist who had engaged in ultimate Terrorist Acts.
It is in this context that the 2015 presidential election was announced. At the time, when the Minority Races, Public Organizations and Trade Union came forward to put an end to the family rule, corruption, Frauds and misuse of power in the Mahindha regime and to establish a good governance Government, we the political prisoners also contributed in every way possible to us in establishing a good Governance Government. With a very high voting of the Tamil minority, Hon. Maithiripala Sirisena was elected as the good governance President .After that, during Parliamentary election, two national Parties got together and formed a national reconciliation government, Mr. Era. Sammanthan, the Leader of the Tamil National Alliance, which was the sole representative of the Tamil people became the leader of the Opposition. We, the Tamil Political Prisoners also had made a major contribution towards this political change.1
Time passed on. In a context where , the Good Governance Government completing 8 months in power and no constructive action being not taken regarding our releases, all the political prisoners, in 14 prisons all over Sri Lanka ,Joined together in a fasting protest , insisting our release , in the Months of October and November last Year.
Several Public Organizations and Mass Media, Who, understanding the sentimental nature of our fasting protest undertook several country wide protest rallies, in support of us, and full Hartals were undertaken in the Northern and Eastern Province. It is notable feature that, intellectuals and religious dignitaries, forgot all race and religious discrimination and raised their voices in support of us. As the result of the National reconciliation Government , realising the potency of our struggle, the Minister of Prisons and Rehabilitation Hon.Swaminathan , Minister of Justice Hon. Vijayadasa Rajapakse , The Secretary of the Prime Minister Saman Ekanayake , The minister of the National Language Reconciliation, Hon. Mano Ganesan ,The Minister for State and Children and women’s Affairs, Hon Wijayakala maheswaran , The Leader of the opposition Era .Sampanthan , members of the Parliament, and the Officials of the Attorney General Department approached us, ,gave several promises and made us to give up our fasting protest .The Minister of Prisons and Rehabilitation, Hon.D.M Swaminathan Promised that, those who are not charged in courts will be released immediately and those who are charged in the Courts will be rehabilitated for one year and released . In accordance with his promises, 90 Application forms from people voluntarily opted for rehabilitation were prepared and handed over to the Secretary of the Minister. It is notable that, during this activity of the Minister, a high Level official of the Attorney General’s Department, Deputy Solicitor General, Hon. Sugath Gamlath was with him. Further Hon. Era Sampanthan who concluded our fast also promised that he will some or the other, find a way to release us, under some strategy before 2015.11.07. It is a sour truth that, although November had changed into December, no minister could fulfil his promises. Also, the politicians who gave us promises had vanished into their air. It is fairly true that we had been abandoned and isolated. Further as an interim relief, a special court was constituted. But the Activities of this court had pushed us into a position of “ jumping into fire from frying pan”
We have already informed about the activities of this court through, Prison Department to relevant politicians and the Ministers. Hence, if no action is taken on a Humanitarian basis, we shall be forced to take suitable action ourselves. We also inform you that we have been pushed in to an unfortunate situation of boycotting the special court formed by the Government.
