Parliamentarians of the Tamil National Alliance (TNA), including its leader R. Sampanthan and Suresh Premachandran, Democratic People’s Front (DPF) leader Mano Ganeshan and its Secretary-General Dr. Kumar Guruparan on Thursday met the diplomatic community, from certain Western countries, to discuss the death of a Tamil detainee Ganeshan Nimalaruban, who succumbed to injuries sustained in an assault by prison authorities at the Vavuniya Prison last week.
He died on Wednesday (4) at the Mahara Prison Hospital.
Among the diplomats present at the discussion were those from the USA, Germany, France, The Netherlands, Australia and even the UN based in Colombo. The others who were also present were attorneys Nimalka Fernando and Sherine Xavier.
Dr. Guruparan told The Island yesterday (6) that the mother and sister of the deceased were kept at the Ragama Police Station and were not permitted to meet any lawyers.
The police had requested the Mahara Magistrate order that his funeral be held in Mahara taking into consideration a possible breakdown in law and order, If it was held in Vavuniya.
He said that they had decided to appeal to President Mahinda Rajapaksa to permit lawyers to meet them and also permit Wimalaruban’s body to be taken to Nelukulam in Vavuniya. Another post mortem examination too had been requested on the deceased.
The Tamil political parties will meet the diplomatic community again very soon depending on the outcome of their appeal to President Rajapaksa.
By Lal Gunesekera
IS