Prisoners write to the Pope

Tamil political prisoners detained for months under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) have written to the Pope and the Catholic Bishops in Sri Lanka seeking their intervention for a Presidential pardon or to be released on bail.

In the letter addressed to Pope Benedict XVI and Catholic Bishops in Sri Lanka, a copy of which was obtained by Daily Mirror online, the Tamil political prisoners said that despite it being one year since the war was over the authorities have failed to address their concerns.

The letter claims that several hundred political prisoners remain behind bars at prisons around the island and among the prisoners are women with children, elders and youth. The prisoners say they want to live in freedom and peacefully in this country like any other citizen.

The Tamil political prisoners claim that repeated requests to President Mahinda Rajapaksa himself for justice has gone unheard and urged the Pope to intervene on their behalf.