Sri Lanka harass visiting Tamils at the Colombo airport

By Rajasingham Jayadevan

(June 11, London, Sri Lanka Guardian) Tamils visiting Sri Lanka are being selectively taken into custody by the Sri Lankan intelligence officials and put under tormenting interrogation for several hours before they are allowed entry.

The Tamils visiting from the European countries, Canada and USA are subject to humiliating investigations by the authorities.

According to a victim, 15 Tamils arrived from UK were taken into custody and held in incommunicado detention for nearly two weeks to find out their connections with the LTTE operatives in London. They were subject to humiliating questioning and accused of involving in the demonstrations in London. One of the victim said, he went on four week holiday and two weeks were wasted in the cells for no reasons.

He had no connections with the LTTE or its fronts and had not participated in any campaigns in London. He was arrested randomly and said to be treated in an appalling manner by the authorities.

In another incident, a Tamil lady in the mid 20’s was stopped and searched and held for three hours for interrogation. The officials had shuffled some photographs of the demonstrations in London and asked her to identify her in them. She stood very firm and told them that she did not participate in any of the demos and after three hours she was released.

In a separate incident a Tamil visitor from London was asked to part with some of his foreign currencies by the immigration official. He was allowed to go despite his refusal. When he reached his relatives place, he was told an official from one of the Ministries had phoned to find out whether he had arrived. Soon after his arrival a person identifying himself from one of key ministry had demanded 2million rupees from him and had threatened if he does not pay the sum he will be arrested.

The person fearing serious consequence had agreed to settle and paid the sum next day.

-Sri Lanka Guardian