The Tamil National People’s Front (TNPF) have said that their Kilinochchi organiser was arrested on Friday to prevent the party from holding a demonstration it had planned for Monday, to demand the resettlement of displaced Tamils in their own homes.

“The government tried to use intimidation to stop a democratic demonstration that had been organised according to the law. The arrest took place since the party and affected people stood firm in going ahead with the demonstration legally. This arrest was undertaken with the intention of halting the democratic demonstration planned by our party, and of crippling our activities in Kilinochchi," the TNPF said in a statement on Saturday.

Since the announcement of the demonstration, army officials had threatened the party’s Kilinochchi organiser, Thangavel Jegatheeswaran, several times at his home. Displaced people and party supporters had also been experiencing intimidation, the TNPF said.

The Officer in Charge of the police station at which Mr Jegatheeswaran was held demanded that he call the protest off. Despite an official announcement of the demonstration handed to Kilinochchi police, TNPF were told that they would not have permission to hold it due to the expected visit of “an important figurehead” at the same time.

“The state is trying to use its military and police powers to crush all forms of democratic activities undertaken by the Tamil people," said the TNPF.

Calling on the support of people, regardless of party preferences, the party said, "while we condemn this arrest, we urge the international community to take action to secure [Mr Jegatheeswaran’s] release.”

See full statement here (Tamil).