Arrested 4 Jaffna University students still held in the Rehabilitation Centre

Whilst the arrested 4 Jaffna University students are still held in the rehabilitation centre, the Tamil political parties in the North exploit the plight of those University students to make political gains out of their arrest.

Arrest and detentions of the 4 University students has been fully exploited and Tamil Political parties are presently involved in a continuous protest campaign earn political mileage.

It is learnt that a Tamil National Alliance delegation is expected to leave for Washington, USA in the fourth week of January 2013 and meet with US officials and brief them of the deteriorating political situation in the country and also it is expected that they will bring it to the notice of the US Officials of the 'illegal arrests' and detentions of the University students too.

It is learnt that the TNA leaders are preventing parents of the 4 arrested students not to meet with the Government sources and plead for the release of their children and not to give any written or oral undertaking for the release of their children.

Also it is learnt that Church leaders in the North too have told the parent of one of the students that they are also taking steps for the release of the arrested students.

In the meantime It is learnt that the Tamil National Alliance has decided to file a case for the release of the 4 University students who have been arrested and presently held at the Welikanda Rehabilitation Centre.

A plaint is expected to be filed soon according to reliable Tamil sources for the release of the arrested 4 Jaffna University students - V. Bavananthan, P. Tharshananth, K.Janamaejaynth, and S. Solomon.

Asian Tribune learns that the TNA intends to plead that the University Students were arrested in violation of laws and TNA legal experts are expected to give their side of the legal interpretation.

According to TNA sources, though the Emergency Regulations are no more in force, but some important draconian and controversial clauses in those regulations are now included in the Prevention of Terrorism Act.

Accordingly, under one clause 1721:5 which is presently included in the Prevention of Terrorism Act, the TNA sources pointed out, that under that clause only Jaffna University students are being detained at the rehabilitation centre.

After the removal of the Emergency regulations, 4 clauses of the Emergency Regulations are included in the Prevention of Terrorism Act and one of such clause 1721: 5, allows those surrendered persons to be held at the Rehabilitation Centre.

Legal experts of the Tamil National Alliance pointed out that under the above clause, one can be arrested and statements obtained under duress and claimed as one surrendered and held in a rehabilitation centre.

According to TNA sources it is learnt legal action is expected to be filed in the first week of January 2013.

While TNA and its constituent political parties are involved in continuous protest campaigns for the release of the 4 arrested University students, the military sources insist that they will be released only after students undergo a rehabilitation program.

- Asian Tribune -