A petition with 18,000 signatures was submitted to Sri Lankan president Anura Kumara Dissanayake by the Poraalihal Welfare Association, calling for the immediate release of Tamil political prisoners detained under the draconian Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA).
The large-scale petition saw thousands of individuals, including families of detainees, activists, and concerned citizens, join the call for the release of those imprisoned under a law that has long been condemned by human rights organisations.
The members who signed the petition reminded Dissanayake of his own past struggles under oppressive laws, including the PTA, which was historically used against political dissidents, including those from his own party. They highlighted how the National People’s Power (NPP), now in government, was formed through a "revolutionary political tradition".
The signatories noted that his party itself took up arms twice and lost thousands of comrades in its struggle, drawing a parallel between its own past and the situation of Tamil political prisoners today.
In their plea, the signatories stressed that the Tamil nation never sought violence or armed conflict, but was instead forced into it by oppressive political ideologies and rulers. The petitioners argued that Tamil youth who took up arms did so not for personal gain, but in pursuit of a political cause—a fight against state oppression and for self-determination. They further emphasised that their struggle was never aimed at undermining other communities but was instead a response to the systematic discrimination and oppression faced by Tamils for decades.
The Poraalihal Welfare Association submitted the petition with the hope that Dissanayake would act on humanitarian grounds to secure the release of all Tamil political prisoners detained under the PTA.
"For years, Tamil families have endured the pain of separation, waiting endlessly for their loved ones to return," the petitioners stated. "The decision of the president alone can end the suffering of parents and family members who have waited for decades to be reunited with their loved ones."
Despite years of protests and demands, successive Sri Lankan governments have failed to act. The PTA remains in place, continuing to be used as a tool to detain Tamils arbitrarily, often without charge or trial.
