The police and the Army jointly checked Tamil areas and lodges as large-scale search operations began in mid-May in the city. Over 400 LTTE suspects were taken into custody. The government, fearing that the Tigers may launch bomb attacks in Colombo as troops advance in Operation Jayasikurui in the Vanni, drafted more policemen from other provinces. The police arrested over 100 beggars following intelligence reports that Black Tigers were disguised as down-and-outs.
At least 10% of those arrested are detained for further enquiries. In late May the Human Rights Task Force (HRTF) recorded over 810 Tamil detentions in Colombo and Kalutara prisons and at the police headquarters. Colombo human rights agency the Movement for Inter-Racial Justice and Equality (MIRJE) says that cordon and search, random arrests and house-to-house searches take place almost every day. According to MIRJE many more Tamils are currently held in police stations.
Vadivel Vethanayagam who refused to give his lorry to a police inspector was arrested in December and is held under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA). Mr Vethanayagam says he was tortured and his three year-old daughter was also detained at the Crime Detection Bureau for two months.
Velsamy Vigneswaran, held in Colombo Magazine prison alleges in a fundamental rights application to the Supreme Court that he was arrested on 7 February and brutally tortured. Student Thiraviyam Sutharshan, 22, arrested on 25 January in a refugee camp in Vavuniya alleges he was hung by his legs and beaten by the Army. Over 70 people were arrested in the Hill Country town of Kandy in a search operation on 20 May. Police say many of them were unable to produce their national identity cards and proof of police registration. Under current Emergency regulations all residents must register with the police. MIRJE says only Tamils are checked for registration.
Hill Country resident Palaniyandy Kanagasivam’s wife Mallika says in a fundamental rights application that her husband, arrested on 9 January, was sent illegally to a rehabilitation centre when he refused to sign a prepared confession. She also says that her daughter Thamilvani is detained at the Kandy police station since January and forced to sign a confession under threat of torture.
A protest fast by Tamil prisoners in Magazine prison on 28 May against torture in custody ended two days later after the Prisons Commissioner promised appropriate action.