Sivajilingam and Jaffna students’ representatives meet President

A group including Northern Provincial Councillor K. Sivajilingam who recently protested in Jaffna hoisting black flags met with President Maithripala Sirisena at the Presidential Secretariat on Thursday where they presented him their demands.

The group requested the President to grant a presidential pardon to the Tamil prisoners who are in jail now for their actions during the period of armed conflict without trial and those who are facing trial for similar criminal acts.

The delegation also requested to keep these suspects separated from other prisoners who have been convicted for various corruption charges including drug smuggling and provide them an opportunity for vocational training.

Pointing out that the case filed in relation to the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) has been taken up for hearing at the Vavuniya Court and later transferred to the Anuradhapura Court, the group requested the President to transfer the case back to Vavuniya.

The meeting was followed by another meeting with representatives of the Tamil Students Association of Jaffna University, where they too requested President Sirisena to retransfer that PTA case to the Vavuniya Court. The students attributed protests carried out in the area to this factor.

Taking this request into consideration, the President directed the Attorney General’s Department to examine the possibility of taking appropriate action in this regard. 

President Sirisena noted that both parties can get a clearer idea of the issues at hand through discussion, adding that dialogue helps to avoid misunderstandings.

Sirisena further said he would make a statement regarding the solutions that can be given to all related issues through the discussions with the Attorney General, the police and the courts.

Minister Sagala Rathnayake, State Minister Ruwan Wijeyewardene, Governor of the Northern Province Reginald Cooray, Secretary to the President Austin Fernando, Defence Secretary Kapila Waidyarathne and the Attorney General Jayantha Jayasuriya were among those who attended this meeting.