Gajendra Kumar Ponnambalam, leader of the Tamil National People’s Front (TNPF), called on parliament yesterday (22) to transfer prisoners to Jaffna or Vavuniya for their safety as prison officials have failed to ensure the safety of these Tamil prisoners detained under the Prevention of Terrorism Act.
The request was made by the leader of the Tamil National People’s Front (TNPF) who is questioning the government’s stance on Lohan Ratwatte’s visit to the Anuradhapura prison to make death threats to Tamil prisoners.
Ponnambalam called for the transfer of Tamil political prisoners in accordance with Nelson Mandela’s rule. The Nelson Mandela Rule is one of the 122 standard rules adopted by the United Nations in 2015 regarding the treatment of prisoners.
“Searches should never be used to harass, intimidate or unnecessarily interfere with a prisoner’s privacy. In order to ensure accountability, the prison administration must properly record all searches, especially those carried out with taking off clothes of prisoners, and searches and search of prison cells, as well as the reasons for such searches, the needs of those who conducted the searches, and their results. Rule 51 of the Nelson Mandela Rule explains prison searches.
Lohan Ratwatte has resigned as Minister of State for Prisons and Welfare but is still holding the post of Minister of State for Gems and Jewelry. Ponnambalam has called on the Sri Lankan government, which has agreed to international law and conventions to protect prisoners, the removal of state minister who made death threats to prisoners without giving him any ministerial post.
The TNPF leader was the first to reveal that Lohan Ratwatte, while serving as the Minister of State for Prisons and Welfare, had entered the Anuradhapura prison and summoned eleven Tamil political prisoners, knelt down, and threatened them with a pistol .
Condemning Lohan Ratwatte’s Minister of State for breaking into the prison and making death threats to prisoners, Justice Minister Ali Sabri said the Cabinet had approved an independent inquiry under a retired High Court judge.
The TNPF leader was the first to reveal that Lohan Ratwatte, while serving as the Minister of State for Prisons and Welfare, had entered the Anuradhapura prison and summoned eleven Tamil political prisoners, knelt down, threatened them with a pistol and threatened them.
In a similar way, Minister of State Ratwatte had forcibly entered the Colombo Magazine Prison and threatened its inmates. He later resigned from half of his state portfolios in the face of opposition.