Hunger strike by Lankans in special camp

By G Saravanan

Published in The New Indian Express, Chennai, on May 11, 2010:

CHENNAI: More than 10 Sri Lankan inmates lodged in the Chengalpattu special detention camp on Monday began an indefinite hunger strike pressing for the lone demand to allow them to live with their family members in normal camps and seeking Chief Minister M Karunanidhi’s intervention in the issue.
Their fast for freedom received support from an unexpected quarters - Williams, a citizen of Netherlands, who has been lodged in the camp in connection with an expired visa case.
According to sources, of the 17 inmates (including Williams), 10 were now on fast demanding the government to allow them to live with their family members in other Lankan refugees’ camps.
The protestors were identified as Sivarooban, Arun Gnanadasan, Ponibas, Edward Jayakumar, Saint James, Arulseelan, Krigan, Rahulan, Kannan and Vijayaneethan.
Of them, three inmates, Sivarooban, Arun Gnanadasan and Ponibas does not have any cases pending against them and others for their suspected links with the banned outfit LTTE, sources said.
It is learnt that the fast was in response to the State Government’s failure to keep its promise of shifting them from Chengalpattu special camp.

After allowing two of their colleagues to move to other camps on March 18, the camp authorities reportedly told the remaining (Lankan) inmates that they would also be allowed to go to other camps in a month.

Since the promise was not kept even after 50 days, 10 inmates had sent a detailed representation to the CM to consider their plea on allowing them to reunite with their family members living in other camps.
Meanwhile, a tahsildar visited the camp and assured the protestors of immediate response from the State. But the inmates were continuing their protest inside the camp, sources added.