Observers say asylum-seekers are suspected by Sri Lankan authorities of having lent support to the LTTE, as evidenced from questioning of returnees by security officers. NGOs say the risk to returnees has increased since the introduction of the Emergency regulations banning the LTTE in January 1998, which provide that support to the Tigers is a punishable offence with imprisonment of seven to twelve years.
Despite the concerns and absence of proper monitoring procedures, deportation of asylum-seekers from other countries continues. According to reports, on 4 June, Australia deported two asylum-seekers held at the Villawood Detention Centre in Sydney from 1997, without adequate notice to their legal representatives. Human rights agencies in Colombo say that Australian officers accompanying a deportee handed him over to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), who produced him in courts alleging LTTE connections.
Human rights agencies have long been complaining about the lack of arrangements to monitor refugees returned to Sri Lanka. Observers say UNHCR’s “passive monitoring” is totally inadequate, particularly in view of continuing arrests, widespread torture by security forces and death of detainees as recorded by Amnesty International. Sixteen Tamils were arrested on 19 June following the discovery of a bomb on Central Road in Colombo’s Pettah suburb.
Sri Lanka Red Cross North-East Coordinator Sivanathan Kishore, currently in police custody, filed a fundamental rights application in the Sri Lankan Supreme Court in early June, alleging illegal arrest and detention. Mr Kishore was taken into custody in April on suspicion of LTTE links. Red Cross driver N Eeswaranathan is also in detention. Another Red Cross officer, R Ramesh was arrested in Vavuniya on 11 June.
Mr Kishore says that he did legitimate work such as transport of patients in the war zone and handing over bodies of combatants killed in battles. Mr Kishore, who also served as an Inquirer into Deaths, denies involvement in activities inimical to national security.
On 15 June, Mr Kishore was taken to his home at Rambaikulam in Vavuniya by officers of the Terrorist Investigation Department (TID) and his wife Suganthy was questioned in his presence. The Red Cross alleges that a campaign to tarnish the image of the organisation is underway and has complained to President Chandrika.