Prisoners continue fast unto death in protest:

13 in critical condition

by P. Krishnaswamy

While the Tamil political prisoners' fast-unto-death demanding their unconditional release under a presidential common amnesty continued for the seventh successive day yesterday, the TNA-led hartal Friday crippled the entire Northern and Eastern provinces.

All activities, including essential services, ground to a halt in the eight districts of Jaffna, Kilinochchi, Vavuniya, Mannar, Mullaitivu, Ampara, Batticaloa and Trincomalee. Shops remained closed and government offices and hospitals only provided skeletal services due to low attendance of staff.

TNA sources told the Sunday Observer that the people of the North and East and all Tamil political parties fully cooperated and supported their call for the hartal and the party would work out on future plans in consultation with the parties and representatives of the people.

While Transport Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva has sounded a warning that the ongoing agitations and hunger campaigns on the issue were posing a threat to the UNFGG government's reconciliatory efforts, the TNA, which supported the government in both the January 8 Presidential election and August 17 general election with the political prisoners release as one of its preconditions, is meeting today (Sunday) to discuss on further steps on the matter.

Northern Provincial Council (NPC) Minister Balasubramaniam Daniswaran who accompanied NPC Chief Minister (CM) C.V.Vingeswaran's delegation that met President Maithripala Sirisena at the presidential secretariat, speaking on behalf of the CM, told the Sunday Observer that their discussions were mainly focussed on the release of the political prisoners and the President explained to them the political issues that he was facing from rival political groups.

Minister Daniswaran said that they were making all efforts to secure the release of the prisoners. He said they would persuade them to give up their hunger campaign assuring them that every effort was being made to secure their release.

Meanwhile, of the prisoners on fast-unto-death, five from the Anuradhapura prison and four from the Bogambara prison have been warded in hospitals because their condition was deteriorating.

As a latest development in the campaign, all prisoners have refused medical treatment and they include 13 who are in a serious condition at the Bogambara prison, according to reports.