The nine Tamil National People's Front (TNPF) members, including lawyer Kanagaratnam Sugash, were released on bail today after the were arrested for protesting the illegal construction of a Buddhist temple in Thaiyiddy, Jaffna.
TNPF MP Selvarajah Kajendren was arrested alongside them but was released on the spot while the others were taken into police custody by Palaly police.
The protesters were demanding the immediate removal of the Tissa Rajamaha Vihara which was built illegally and on occupied land. 12 acres of land surrounding the temple are owned by 14 farming families but are currently also occupied.
While the TNPF members remained in police custody, Kajendren remained at the protest site as he continued ongoing calls to remove the Tissa Rajamaha Vihara.
பாராளுமன்ற உறுப்பினரின் இன்றைய நிலை நள்ளிரவு 1.30 செல்வராசா கஜேந்திரன் தையிட்டியில்..@mrpaluvets @jil_jank @iThamizhi @KuganY@TnpfOrg @GGPonnambalam @MASumanthiran pic.twitter.com/j3Lq1gnTz9
— TAMILKINGDOM (@sakkaravarththi) May 23, 2023
"No matter what happens, I will remain in this spot and will continue this protest. The nine people who were arrested must be released and the activities at Rajamaha Vihara must stop and the occupied land must be released," Kajendren said.
"We will rightfully continue our protest," he added.
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.
