Batticaloa District Court has ordered for the continued detention of 9 Eelam Tamils detained under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA), who were arrested for commemorating Maaveerar Naal.
Responding to these arrests, Human Rights Watch issued a statement condemning the continued crackdown on Tamil memorials.
“The Sri Lankan authorities’ use of a counterterrorism law against Tamils commemorating those who died in the civil war is cruelly abusive and further marginalises a community that already faces persistent government discrimination,” said Meenakshi Ganguly, deputy Asia director at Human Rights Watch.
She added:
“President Ranil Wickremesinghe speaks of ‘reconciliation,’ but his government’s actions only serve to deepen ethnic divisions”.
Tamil National People’s Front leader, Gajen Ponnambalam has been seen attending the Batticaloa Court.