Public Security Minister Ananda Wijepala yesterday told Parliament that while the government would not permit the promotion or glorification of the LTTE, it would not prevent people from commemorating their deceased relatives who had been LTTE cadres.

The Minister made the statement in response to a question raised by Jaffna District MP Archuna Ramanathan, who condemned the arrest and detention of Tamil rapper Sangeethsan Ganeskumar, under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA), and called for his immediate release and reiterated demands for the repeal of the legislation.

Ganeskumar, popularly known as Hiphop Sangee, was arrested earlier this week following a police investigation into videos uploaded to social media after a performance at a temple festival in Chavakachcheri, Jaffna.

Wijepala said that a discussion between the Inspector General of Police and the Attorney General would be held regarding the circumstances surrounding the arrest, and that further action would be determined, based on the outcome of those consultations.

by Saman Indrajith

The report on Channel 4 carried in yesterday’s issue of this newspaper was based on a previously published story recirculated on social media. The Sri Lankan High Commission in London has noted that it is not of recent origin.

The UNP has suggested that a parliamentary delegation visit Maj. Gen. (retd.) Suresh Sallay to take stock of the situation.

The UNP has said that such a step will be appropriate as ill-treatment of the one-time State Intelligence Chief, arrested under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA), in connection with the Easter Sunday carnage, has received the attention of the public here as well as the international community.

“The issue today is not whether he is involved in or responsible for the allegations being charged against him. The issue today is how an arrested person is being treated,” the UNP declared.

The text of the statement: “Former Chief of State Intelligence Major General Sallay has been arrested and is currently admitted to the Colombo National Hospital due to his health condition.

Major General Sallay’s wife and son have now publicly disclosed the facts regarding his medical condition. Based on the details they have revealed, it can be concluded that the health condition of the former Chief of State Intelligence is not good.

After working in Malaysia, Major General Suresh Sallay served the country as the Chief of State Intelligence during the administrations of former Presidents’ Gotabaya Rajapaksa and Ranil Wickremesinghe. During that period, at no time were allegations levelled against Mr. Sallay like the ones being levelled today.

The issue today is not whether he is involved in or responsible for the allegations being now levelled against him. The issue today is how an arrested person is being treated.

According to the information received since the hospitalisation of Major General Sallay, it indicates that he has been treated in the most inhumane manner. The torture and inhuman treatment of an arrested person is completely contrary to Article 11 of the Constitution. It is also a violation of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) of 1966.

An arrested person should be treated in a manner that is consistent with Article 11 of the Constitution and the above international covenant. Otherwise, the problem will not end here. This incident has already reached the attention of the international community.

Section 9(b)(1) of the PTA states that it is the responsibility of the Magistrate “to ensure that the suspect is entitled to the protection provided by the Convention for the Prevention of Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, No. 22 of 1994.”

Accordingly, any interrogation conducted in violation of the Act and the Constitution can be considered as Contempt of Court and legal liability will be incurred in this regard.

The United National Party strongly condemns the treatment of Major General Sallay in violation of the Constitution and international conventions.

Since this is an issue that has reached the attention of the international community, it is appropriate to send a Parliamentary team to examine the treatment of Sallay.

We also see the dangerous situation here. If the treatment of Sallay is normalised, the same situation will be applicable to opposition groups as well. It is a very dangerous trend.

At a time when the NPP government is making a huge effort to control the Buddhist religion, this trend may also be implemented against Buddhist monks. All these situations have received the close attention of the United National Party.

The UNP states that any action taken against Major General Suresh Sallay must be in accordance with the Constitution and international conventions. The United National Party is very vigilant about the way the government is acting in this regard.”