Colombo's CIDs grill TNA MP behind recent protests

[TamilNet, Friday, 29 June 2012, 17:28 GMT]
Sri Lankan Police investigators in the notorious 4th floor at the Colombo Police Headquarters on Thursday interrogated Tamil National Alliance (TNA) MP Sivagnanam Sritharan, who has been behind the recent protest at Thirumu'rika'ndi against Colombo's genocidal land grab undertaken through occupying SL military in Vanni. The SL CIDs interrogated Mr Sritharan for three hours confronting him with questions about an interview to a diaspora radio in Tamil, an alleged interview in English in Tamil Nadu, his interactions with the Tamil diaspora in Western countries and his diplomatic connections with the foreign missions, especially his recent interactions with the US Embassy in Colombo, TNA sources said.

A recent interview given by Sritharan was given a twist and published in an Indian media, which was later used by the SL intelligence establishment to lay a ‘legal’ trap against Mr Sritharan.

According to the 6th Amendment to the Sri Lankan Constitution, anyone who speaks against the ‘territorial integrity’ of the Sri Lankan State, whether inside or outside of the island, is punishable.

All unitary constitutions enacted in the island since the introduction of universal adult enfranchise in 1931 were rejected by Eezham Tamils in the island on the question of ethnic majoritarian rule.

The 1972 constitution, virtually declaring a Sinhala Buddhist State, was the height of the contention, paved way for the 1976 Vaddukkoaddai Resolution, calling for an independent Tamil Eelam, which was democratically endorsed by Eezham Tamils in the 1977 General Election.

The response of the Sinhala Buddhist State was the draconian Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) of 1979 and the 6th Amendment of the SL Constitution in 1983 that prevented any democratic expression of Eezham Tamils against a ‘united’ State.

The freedom of expression of Eezham Tamils in this regard is gagged and vilified in the island ever since the 1977 General Elections.

In the meantime, sources within the TNA alleged that a politician ‘articulating’ for dropping the independence claim of Eezham Tamils within the TNA, had warned Mr Sritharan in advance about a possible CID investigation against him.

Chronology:

01.07.12  Data reveals scheme for Sinhala military colonies ..

30.06.12  20% of Mannaar faces genocidal land grab, TNA acti..

29.06.12  Colombo's CIDs grill TNA MP behind recent protests

27.06.12  SOS of Eezham Tamils seeks global Tamils, world hu..

26.06.12  Political parties protest against SL military land..

25.06.12  SL military goes amok on uprooted civilians in Van..

LLRC accused of disclosing list of Tamil witnesses to CID

LLRC accused of disclosing list of 

Tamil witnesses to CID

[TamilNet, Sunday, 13 November 2011, 15:26 GMT]
Tamil witnessess who gave evidence at the sittings of the Sri Lanka’s Lessons learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC) and whose evidence was taken under the oath of secrecy have now been singled out for interrogation by the Sri Lanka's Criminal Investigation Department, sources in Colombo said. The LLRC, in contravention to the agreement with the witnesses, has allegedly disclosed the witness details to law enforcement authorities, placing lives of witnesses in danger, as revealed by the summons issued by the CID to 45-year old Ratnam Poongoothai, to appear before the CID in Colombo, legal sources said.

Details of alleged violation of witness privacy by the LLRC, emerged the CID issued summon through the Kalmunai Police to Poongoothai, mother of four children of Kalmunai in Ampaarai district to appear on November 25 before by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of Sri Lanka Police in Colombo.

LLRC directed Poongkoathai to appear at the Kalmunai Police Station instead of travelling to Colombo following her inability to travel to Colombo and meet the CID due to fear of her security and her dire fianancial situation. She said that she is thinking of making a statement to Kalmunai Police accompanied by human rights commission officials and with a lawyer to avoid further harassment.

Poongkoathai gave evidence before the LLRC and pleaded to locate her sister, mother of three children, who had been abducted by Iniyapaarathi, a cadre of the Karuna para military group.

Iniyapaarathi now holds the post of Ampaarai district coordinating officer of Sri Lanka President Mahinda Rajapakse.

Poongoothai also was abducted along with her sister but she fortunately escaped after ten days.

Poongkoathai recalled an incident that took place under the then UNP regime in which her sister was subjected to sexual assault by ten persons. Since then her sister has been in mentally deranged state. She added that her husband and two brothers also suffered in that incident.

Poongkoathai further revealed that after 2007 Iniyapaarathy came to her house and attacked her mother and three sisters and dragged them out of their house and kept them in their custody for ten days. She and members of her family underwent untold hardships, Poongkoathai said.