Sri Lankan police arrested the leader of the Tamil National People’s Front (TNPF) as he stood outside a store in Jaffna earlier today, accusing him of “violating election regulations”.
Party leader Gajendrakumar Ponnambalam was in Nelliady, Jaffna, when Sri Lankan police arrested him. Video footage from earlier today shows a Sri Lankan police officer, speaking entirely in Sinhala, confront the party leader on the streets.
“I was merely standing on the pavement waiting for a shop owner who I know to come for me to buy something,” Ponnambalam told the Tamil Guardian. “Our party fellows were distributing leaflets on the road. I was arrested for merely being in the vicinity.”
“I had no election related matters on my position. Nor had I solicited any votes with anybody.”
Ponnambalam was detained at the occupying police station in Nelliady and then subsequently released on bail.
Sri Lanka’s election regulations mean candidates themselves cannot take part in house-to-house campaigning. Ponnambalam is clear however that he did not violate any regulations and was simply waiting outside a store when he was arrested by the police.
“Three meetings that I had organised got cancelled as a result,” Ponnambalam continued. His party has previously been the target of the Sri Lankan security forces, with fellow former parliamentarian Selvarajah Kajendren arrested last month, as he campaigned for a boycott of the Sri Lankan presidential elections.
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Sri Lankan police surround Kajendren in Mullaitivu earlier this year.
Last year, Ponnambalam himself was arrested by Sri Lankan police at his Colombo home. That arrest sparked worldwide concern, with British parliamentarians from across the political spectrum condemning it. Ponnambalam was due to table a special motion in Parliament at the time, regarding an assault and threats to life issued towards him by Sri Lankan police.
“Clearly shows there is absolutely no change in the attitude of this government regards the Tamil people who stand for their rights!” Ponnambalam said after he was released on Thursday. Such people will continue to be harassed and persecuted.”
