On 16th May 2023, novelist Sivalangam Arooran, falsely imprisoned for attempting to assassinate Gotabaya Rajapaksa in 2006, was acquitted of all charges by Colombo High Court.
Judge Navaratne Marasinghe delivered the verdict that the confession by Arooran was not voluntary, and hence dismissed by the court. Arooran was imprisoned under the Prevention of Terrorism Act for fourteen years. The Act was initially enforced by JR Jayewardene temporarily in 1979, before being made permanent in 1982, and was modelled on South Africa’s Apartheid-era legislation.
Arooran developed his skills as a writer during incarceration, penning seven works in Tamil and one in English. Two of his novels which were written in prison - namely ‘Yalisai’ from 2016 and ‘Athurasalai’ from 2022 - have been granted the State Literary Award for best Tamil novel.
We need your support
Sri Lanka is one of the most dangerous places in the world to be a journalist. Tamil journalists are particularly at threat, with at least 41 media workers known to have been killed by the Sri Lankan state or its paramilitaries during and after the armed conflict.
Despite the risks, our team on the ground remain committed to providing detailed and accurate reporting of developments in the Tamil homeland, across the island and around the world, as well as providing expert analysis and insight from the Tamil point of view
We need your support in keeping our journalism going. Support our work today.
For more ways to donate visit https://donate.tamilguardian.com.
