Tamil Solidarity demands the immediate release of Janahan Sivanathan from Morton Hall Immigration Removal Centre (IRC) where he is currently being held. Janahan is an active member of Tamil Solidarity and detention and the threat of being returned to Sri Lanka pose a serious risk to his life.
Janahan has been severely affected by the Sri Lanka civil war and has been horrendously tortured. He mental state is very unstable and he has a history of self-harm and suicide attempts.
Janahan has a history of mental health problems and suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Detention in the IRC will exacerbate this. We understand that his lawyer has submitted a fresh claim with new and compounding evidence outlining his medical condition. Given this and given his health condition we ask the Home Office to take this into consideration and release him from the detention centre immediately.
Janahan has been politically involved with the Tamil Solidarity campaign and this puts him at an even greater risk if he is deported to Sri Lanka.
Earlier this year, a new regime took power in Sri Lanka but still the situation for Tamils and for democratic rights has not improved significantly.
A recent independent report found that the Sri Lankan government is systematically violating human rights. The report confirms that the north and east of Sri Lanka (where Tamils live traditionally) is under heavy military occupation by at least 160,000 mostly Sinhalese soldiers, one for every six Tamils.
Six years after the war and thousands of people are still missing. A 2012 UN report referred to more than 70,000 missing while another estimated twice that number. (Full report can be read at: http://www.oaklandinstitute.org/sites/oaklandinstitute.org/files/OI_The_Long_Shadow_of_War_0.pdf
Jahanan was held in Morton Hall last year. His previous detention led him to self-harm. He has burned his arm with cigarettes and is covered in scars. Returning him to the same prison-like environment means his life and health are at serious risk.
Solidarity action
Please contact the Morton Hall and ask for Janahan Sivanathan to be released and to enquire about the state of his health letting them know the concerns. Telephone number: 01522 666 700
You can also send protests to the Home Office to demand his immediate release and to protest the deportations of Tamils to Sri Lanka: complaints@homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk and to the Home Secretary Theresa May: Email: mailto:mayt@parliament.uk or Phone: 020 7219 5206
Model protest
Dear sir/madam,
We strongly protest against the detention of Janahan Sivanathan, a young political activist of Tamil origin (Sri Lanka) in the deportation centre of Morton Hall Immigration Removal Centre (IRC). Detention poses serious risks to his fragile mental health state as is known by the Home Office. Deportation would pose a risk to his life.
As a political activist Janahan is playing a role in the activities of the Tamil community in Britain and has been active in many campaigns against transgressions of human rights in Sri Lanka.
The new Sri Lankan regime continues to discriminate and persecute the Tamil minority in the country. There are hundreds of political prisoners and others are missing. If Janahan is sent back, he will undoubtedly be persecuted by the Sri Lankan regime. He should not be sent back. We request you to allow him to stay in the UK and continue his invaluable contribution to the Tamil community.
Sincerely,
…”
Solidarity messages
Let Janahan know you support him and the campaign to liberate him. Send your message to info@tamilsolidarity.org and we will get it to him.