The Tamil campaigner Balendra Jeyakumari and her 13-year-old daughter Vipoosika, who were arrested yesterday after a police raid, are being held by the Terrorist Investigation Division (TID) under the draconic Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA), local sources said on Friday.
According to other sources in Sri Lanka, Ms Jeyakumari last year submitted a petition on disappearances to the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) Office in Colombo. The report was submitted whilst the UNHRC met in March for its regular sessions.
The Woman's Action Network (WAN) in a statement on the issue also said,
"Both the mother and daughter have been in the frontline of many protested organized by Mannar citizens committee and families that are looking for missing and disappeared members. She and her daughter have been featured in many video documentaries on disappeared including the Channel 4 that was released in Nov. 2013. Beside Jayakumari has been the leader of mobilizing the families in Killinochchi for various hearings, public protests and meetings. She has met many visiting diplomats and media persons. Jayakumari’s one son was killing in Trincomalee, the second one died of a shell attack in Mullivaikal. She handed over her third son (Balendran Mahinthan) to SL army in May 2009 and at that time he was 15 years old. "
See related articles:
Tamils fearful after disappearances campaigner and daughter arrested by SL police (13 March 2014)
Tamil 'Disappearances' campaigner and 13y daughter held by Sri Lankan military (13 March 2014)
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