Archives

by Kalutara group correspondent

The hunger strike by the 139 LTTE detainees held under Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) at the Kalutara Remand prison, continued their strike for the second consecutive day, authorities said yesterday. Four detainees were on roof tops of the prison demanding their release or early hearing of their cases, authorities said.

The PTA detainees began the hunger strike on Monday evening.

Prison authorities said the prisoners in a letter to the Prison Commissioner General informed about the hunger strike and demanded their early release.

The Prison Commissioner is reported to have informed the Ministers.

The prisoners demanded that they be freed promptly as those who detained under the PTA are now being released.

Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, at a tea party at Temple Trees for released Security Forces personnel, instructed the Attorney General to review cases against the PTA detainees to release them soon. The High Court Judge in Trincomalee early this week also released five PTA detainees as State Counsel had withdrawn charges against them on the Attorney General Department's instructions .

The PTA detainees in Kalutara and Batticaloa remand prisons launched a hunger strike earlier too demanding their early release but stopped the strike after an assurance by the TNA MPs that their request will be forwarded to the Prime Minister.

News | Business | Features | Editorial | Security
Politics | World | Letters | Sports | Obituaries |

Produced by Lake House
Copyright 2001 The Associated Newspapers of Ceylon Ltd.
Comments and suggestions to :Web Manager