12-03-2003, 06:12 AM
URGENT: Three Indian youths detained in Maldives, one killed by inhuman torture and others waiting for death sentence!
Dear Friend
Rajan, an Indian national, left for Maldives on March 24, 2002 with a work visa and was employed in Maris Construction in Male. A few days after his arrival in Maldives, the body of a young woman had been found near the place where he was staying along with his two friends. The woman had been raped and murdered.
On April 8, 2003 Police arrested Rajan (27), Saravanan of Tiruchi and Kamal of Thanjavur, (all from Tamil Nadu, India) and charged them with rape and murder of the girl. Despite their protest of innocence, they were beaten up and lodged in a jail.
One of them Saravanan had died due to the ``inhuman torture in an unknown land.'' Other two are living under the perpetual threat of death.
Rajan had written a letter to the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu on a piece of newspaper, which had been washed to remove the print, since Indian prisoners in Maldivian jails are not given writing materials, seeking assistance to get him released.
The barely legible letter to the Chief Minister in Tamil says that he (Rajan), a citizen of Tamil Nadu, had been falsely implicated in a case along with two others and was living under the perpetual threat of death. The three men were taken to an island where they were beaten and Saravanan was made to sign a confession statement despite his demand for forensic examination. Saravanan had been beaten to death, Rajan said. They did not understand the language of Male and no assistance was provided to translate what they had stated.
Rajan noted, ``We have no belief in the judicial system of this country and I am afraid that the same fate that befell Saravanan awaits us. We are being tortured in this jail and they are planning to kill us also. Mother, please save us from these wild beasts''.
In a letter smuggled out of prison, Rajan had said that he and his friends had nothing to do with the rape and murder and had been falsely implicated and tortured.
So the two young men from Tamil Nadu continue to languish in the Maldivian prison, under the shadow of death.
`We request you to take action for the following case; your action will save lives.
With regards
R. ARUL, Director
TAMIL MIGRANTS INTERNATIONAL,
CDP, Post Box No: 6075, Nungambakkam,
CHENNAI -600 034,
Tamil Nadu, INDIA.
Email: tamilmigrant@yahoo.co.in
(Ref: for Press Clippings)
Tamil Nadu youths detained in Maldives on rape and murder charge
Friday November 28 2003 00:00 IST
MADURAI: Though the Indian High Commission in Male has said that Indian prisoners in the Maldivian jail were being treated well, reports reaching here present a bleak picture. The latest victims of Maldivian atrocities are three young men from Tamil Nadu, one of whom is no more.
The other two are S Rajan of Varukkananvilai in Kanyakumari district and Kamal. When reports last came in they were being held in a Maldives prison on a charge of rape and murder.
Rajan, son of Sundaram, left for Maldives on March 24, 2002 with a work visa and was employed in Maris Construction in Male. A few days after his arrival in Maldives, the body of a young woman had been found near the place where he was staying along with his two friends. The woman had been raped and murdered.
Police arrested Rajan (27), Saravanan of Tiruchi and Kamal of Thanjavur and charged them with rape and murder of the girl. Despite their protest of innocence, they were beaten up and lodged in a jail. Rajan had written a letter to Chief Minister Jayalalithaa on a piece of newspaper, which had been washed to remove the print, since Indian prisoners in Maldivian jails are not given writing materials, seeking her assistance to get him released.
The barely legible letter to the Chief Minister in Tamil says that he (Rajan), a citizen of Tamil Nadu, had been falsely implicated in a case along with two others and was living under the perpetual threat of death. They were arrested on April 8, 2003 and despite their plea of innocence, they were beaten and lodged in the prison.
The three men were taken to an island where they were beaten and Saravanan was made to sign a confession statement despite his demand for forensic examination. Saravanan had been beaten to death, Rajan said. They did not understand the language of Male and no assistance was provided to translate what they had stated.
Rajan noted, ``We have no belief in the judicial system of this country and I am afraid that the same fate that befell Saravanan awaits us. We are being tortured in this jail and they are planning to kill us also. Mother, please save us from these wild beasts''.
Ranjitham, mother of Rajan, had also been knocking at all doors but no succour had been forthcoming.
In a letter smuggled out of prison, Rajan had said that he and his friends had nothing to do with the rape and murder and had been falsely implicated and tortured. Representations to the Maldivian mission in India and our High Commission in Male brought no relief.
Ranjitham had also written to the Prime Minister which was forwarded to the Ministry of External Affairs for action. Meanwhile, Rajan's father Sundaram had also approached Pon Radhakrishnan, Union Minister of State for Urban Development and Poverty alleviation, who had made representations to the Indian High Commission in Male to help Rajan.
In a letter to Sundaram, the First Secretary to the High Commission has said that Rajan had been arrested on a charge of rape and murder and had advised the father to contact one of the law firms to appear on his behalf. (The mission had also furnished a list of lawyers' firms).
In a desperate move, Ranjitham had approached Peace Trust in Dindigul, which has been involved in the releasing of Indian prisoners in foreign prisons. J Paul Baskar, chairman of Peace Trust, wrote to five of the lawyers' firms requesting that they take up the case of Rajan. Two of the firms had declined to accept the brief while there is no reply from the others.
So the two young men from Tamil Nadu continue to languish in the Maldivian prison, under the shadow of death.
http://www.newindpress.com/NewsItems.asp?I...=11%2F28%2F2003
Jaya writes to PM on Tamil Nadu youth's plight in Maldives
Sunday November 30 2003 00:00 IST
CHENNAI: Two days after this website's newspaper reported the plight of two Tamil Nadu youth in prison in the Maldives on charges of rape and murder, Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa has sought the intervention of the Prime Minister to secure their release.
In a letter to the Prime Minister, Jayalalithaa pointed out that three youth, S Rajan of Kanyakumari, S Kamal of Thanjavur and S Saravanan of Tiruchi, had been arrested by the Maldivian authorities for the rape and murder of a young woman whose body had been found near the place where Rajan was staying. The youth had been badly beaten up despite their pleadings of innocence, and one of them Saravanan had died due to the ``inhuman torture in an unknown land.''
She also pointed out that attempts by the youth to contact her (Jayalalithaa) were reportedly thwarted and the efforts made by them as well as Rajan's mother to approach the authorities, including the Maldivian Mission in India and the Indian High Commission in Male had been futile.
Stating that the ``gruesome death of one Tamil youth and the illegal confinement of two men of Indian origin are to be condemned in the strongest of terms,'' she sought the immediate intervention of the Prime Minister.
``The Government of India should immediately move the authorities in the Maldives to ensure that justice is meted out to these Tamil youth and that they are released from detention immediately. Further, action will have to be taken to ensure that legal help is made available to them to represent their case and for their safe return to India,'' she said.
The Chief Minister also demanded that the Indian Government should ensure that the Maldivian Government paid adequate compensation for the ``brutal treatment which has caused the death of a person in custody in the prime of youth.''
Jayalalithaa also said she was greatly concerned about the spurt in such incidents involving people from Tamil Nadu in Singapore, Malaysia and the Maldives.
``I do wish the Government of India will take swift action to stop this trend,'' she said in her letter to Vajpayee.
http://www.newindpress.com/Newsitems.asp?I...il+Nadu&Topic=0
Save jailed Tamils in Maldives, Jayalalithaa tells Centre
By Our Special Correspondent
CHENNAI NOV. 29. The Chief Minister, Jayalalithaa, today wrote to the Prime Minister, A.B. Vajpayee, to bring to his attention the plight of two jailed Tamils in the Maldives. Another had reportedly died of torture.
She wanted the Centre to ensure their release and also legal help is made available to them there once the youth come back.
Also, the Government should ensure that the Maldivian Government paid adequate compensation to the next of kin of the youth who died in custody.
In the letter, Ms. Jayalalithaa said S. Rajan (Kanyakumari), S. Kamal (Thanjavur) and S. Saravanan (Tiruchi) — came to the Maldives for work in a construction company.
They were reportedly charged with rape and murder of a woman whose body was found near the place where Mr. Rajan was staying. ``It is reported that they have made desperate attempts to contact me, but their efforts seem to have been thwarted...Representations to the Maldivian Mission in India and our High Commission in Male have also brought them no relief.''
Ms. Jayalalithaa said she was ``greatly concerned'' over the spurt in such incidents against Tamils in Singapore, Malaysia and the Maldives.
``I do wish that the Government of India would take swift and assertive action to stop this trend.''
http://www.hindu.com/2003/11/30/stories/20...13003840400.htm
Tamil Migrants International is a grassroots group working for the rights of all migrants and members of their families, but the focus is Tamil Migrants.
As you know that Migration, globalization and human rights have emerged as central social, economic and political challenges reshaping the world at the turn of the century. The most immediate challenge facing societies and governments worldwide is the frightening rise in violence against migrants and restrictive government measures directly undermine the fundamental basic human rights of millions of families.
Millions of Tamils are living out side their country of origin, particularly from Southern India and Sri Lanka. Tamil Migrants are being scape-goated, targeted for violence and excluded from legal protection in many places.
In this grim situation we have started “the Tamil Migrants International” to promote the recognition and respect for the rights of Tamil migrants and members of their families worldwide.
We need your advice and support.
Dear Friend
Rajan, an Indian national, left for Maldives on March 24, 2002 with a work visa and was employed in Maris Construction in Male. A few days after his arrival in Maldives, the body of a young woman had been found near the place where he was staying along with his two friends. The woman had been raped and murdered.
On April 8, 2003 Police arrested Rajan (27), Saravanan of Tiruchi and Kamal of Thanjavur, (all from Tamil Nadu, India) and charged them with rape and murder of the girl. Despite their protest of innocence, they were beaten up and lodged in a jail.
One of them Saravanan had died due to the ``inhuman torture in an unknown land.'' Other two are living under the perpetual threat of death.
Rajan had written a letter to the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu on a piece of newspaper, which had been washed to remove the print, since Indian prisoners in Maldivian jails are not given writing materials, seeking assistance to get him released.
The barely legible letter to the Chief Minister in Tamil says that he (Rajan), a citizen of Tamil Nadu, had been falsely implicated in a case along with two others and was living under the perpetual threat of death. The three men were taken to an island where they were beaten and Saravanan was made to sign a confession statement despite his demand for forensic examination. Saravanan had been beaten to death, Rajan said. They did not understand the language of Male and no assistance was provided to translate what they had stated.
Rajan noted, ``We have no belief in the judicial system of this country and I am afraid that the same fate that befell Saravanan awaits us. We are being tortured in this jail and they are planning to kill us also. Mother, please save us from these wild beasts''.
In a letter smuggled out of prison, Rajan had said that he and his friends had nothing to do with the rape and murder and had been falsely implicated and tortured.
So the two young men from Tamil Nadu continue to languish in the Maldivian prison, under the shadow of death.
`We request you to take action for the following case; your action will save lives.
With regards
R. ARUL, Director
TAMIL MIGRANTS INTERNATIONAL,
CDP, Post Box No: 6075, Nungambakkam,
CHENNAI -600 034,
Tamil Nadu, INDIA.
Email: tamilmigrant@yahoo.co.in
(Ref: for Press Clippings)
Tamil Nadu youths detained in Maldives on rape and murder charge
Friday November 28 2003 00:00 IST
MADURAI: Though the Indian High Commission in Male has said that Indian prisoners in the Maldivian jail were being treated well, reports reaching here present a bleak picture. The latest victims of Maldivian atrocities are three young men from Tamil Nadu, one of whom is no more.
The other two are S Rajan of Varukkananvilai in Kanyakumari district and Kamal. When reports last came in they were being held in a Maldives prison on a charge of rape and murder.
Rajan, son of Sundaram, left for Maldives on March 24, 2002 with a work visa and was employed in Maris Construction in Male. A few days after his arrival in Maldives, the body of a young woman had been found near the place where he was staying along with his two friends. The woman had been raped and murdered.
Police arrested Rajan (27), Saravanan of Tiruchi and Kamal of Thanjavur and charged them with rape and murder of the girl. Despite their protest of innocence, they were beaten up and lodged in a jail. Rajan had written a letter to Chief Minister Jayalalithaa on a piece of newspaper, which had been washed to remove the print, since Indian prisoners in Maldivian jails are not given writing materials, seeking her assistance to get him released.
The barely legible letter to the Chief Minister in Tamil says that he (Rajan), a citizen of Tamil Nadu, had been falsely implicated in a case along with two others and was living under the perpetual threat of death. They were arrested on April 8, 2003 and despite their plea of innocence, they were beaten and lodged in the prison.
The three men were taken to an island where they were beaten and Saravanan was made to sign a confession statement despite his demand for forensic examination. Saravanan had been beaten to death, Rajan said. They did not understand the language of Male and no assistance was provided to translate what they had stated.
Rajan noted, ``We have no belief in the judicial system of this country and I am afraid that the same fate that befell Saravanan awaits us. We are being tortured in this jail and they are planning to kill us also. Mother, please save us from these wild beasts''.
Ranjitham, mother of Rajan, had also been knocking at all doors but no succour had been forthcoming.
In a letter smuggled out of prison, Rajan had said that he and his friends had nothing to do with the rape and murder and had been falsely implicated and tortured. Representations to the Maldivian mission in India and our High Commission in Male brought no relief.
Ranjitham had also written to the Prime Minister which was forwarded to the Ministry of External Affairs for action. Meanwhile, Rajan's father Sundaram had also approached Pon Radhakrishnan, Union Minister of State for Urban Development and Poverty alleviation, who had made representations to the Indian High Commission in Male to help Rajan.
In a letter to Sundaram, the First Secretary to the High Commission has said that Rajan had been arrested on a charge of rape and murder and had advised the father to contact one of the law firms to appear on his behalf. (The mission had also furnished a list of lawyers' firms).
In a desperate move, Ranjitham had approached Peace Trust in Dindigul, which has been involved in the releasing of Indian prisoners in foreign prisons. J Paul Baskar, chairman of Peace Trust, wrote to five of the lawyers' firms requesting that they take up the case of Rajan. Two of the firms had declined to accept the brief while there is no reply from the others.
So the two young men from Tamil Nadu continue to languish in the Maldivian prison, under the shadow of death.
http://www.newindpress.com/NewsItems.asp?I...=11%2F28%2F2003
Jaya writes to PM on Tamil Nadu youth's plight in Maldives
Sunday November 30 2003 00:00 IST
CHENNAI: Two days after this website's newspaper reported the plight of two Tamil Nadu youth in prison in the Maldives on charges of rape and murder, Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa has sought the intervention of the Prime Minister to secure their release.
In a letter to the Prime Minister, Jayalalithaa pointed out that three youth, S Rajan of Kanyakumari, S Kamal of Thanjavur and S Saravanan of Tiruchi, had been arrested by the Maldivian authorities for the rape and murder of a young woman whose body had been found near the place where Rajan was staying. The youth had been badly beaten up despite their pleadings of innocence, and one of them Saravanan had died due to the ``inhuman torture in an unknown land.''
She also pointed out that attempts by the youth to contact her (Jayalalithaa) were reportedly thwarted and the efforts made by them as well as Rajan's mother to approach the authorities, including the Maldivian Mission in India and the Indian High Commission in Male had been futile.
Stating that the ``gruesome death of one Tamil youth and the illegal confinement of two men of Indian origin are to be condemned in the strongest of terms,'' she sought the immediate intervention of the Prime Minister.
``The Government of India should immediately move the authorities in the Maldives to ensure that justice is meted out to these Tamil youth and that they are released from detention immediately. Further, action will have to be taken to ensure that legal help is made available to them to represent their case and for their safe return to India,'' she said.
The Chief Minister also demanded that the Indian Government should ensure that the Maldivian Government paid adequate compensation for the ``brutal treatment which has caused the death of a person in custody in the prime of youth.''
Jayalalithaa also said she was greatly concerned about the spurt in such incidents involving people from Tamil Nadu in Singapore, Malaysia and the Maldives.
``I do wish the Government of India will take swift action to stop this trend,'' she said in her letter to Vajpayee.
http://www.newindpress.com/Newsitems.asp?I...il+Nadu&Topic=0
Save jailed Tamils in Maldives, Jayalalithaa tells Centre
By Our Special Correspondent
CHENNAI NOV. 29. The Chief Minister, Jayalalithaa, today wrote to the Prime Minister, A.B. Vajpayee, to bring to his attention the plight of two jailed Tamils in the Maldives. Another had reportedly died of torture.
She wanted the Centre to ensure their release and also legal help is made available to them there once the youth come back.
Also, the Government should ensure that the Maldivian Government paid adequate compensation to the next of kin of the youth who died in custody.
In the letter, Ms. Jayalalithaa said S. Rajan (Kanyakumari), S. Kamal (Thanjavur) and S. Saravanan (Tiruchi) — came to the Maldives for work in a construction company.
They were reportedly charged with rape and murder of a woman whose body was found near the place where Mr. Rajan was staying. ``It is reported that they have made desperate attempts to contact me, but their efforts seem to have been thwarted...Representations to the Maldivian Mission in India and our High Commission in Male have also brought them no relief.''
Ms. Jayalalithaa said she was ``greatly concerned'' over the spurt in such incidents against Tamils in Singapore, Malaysia and the Maldives.
``I do wish that the Government of India would take swift and assertive action to stop this trend.''
http://www.hindu.com/2003/11/30/stories/20...13003840400.htm
Tamil Migrants International is a grassroots group working for the rights of all migrants and members of their families, but the focus is Tamil Migrants.
As you know that Migration, globalization and human rights have emerged as central social, economic and political challenges reshaping the world at the turn of the century. The most immediate challenge facing societies and governments worldwide is the frightening rise in violence against migrants and restrictive government measures directly undermine the fundamental basic human rights of millions of families.
Millions of Tamils are living out side their country of origin, particularly from Southern India and Sri Lanka. Tamil Migrants are being scape-goated, targeted for violence and excluded from legal protection in many places.
In this grim situation we have started “the Tamil Migrants International” to promote the recognition and respect for the rights of Tamil migrants and members of their families worldwide.
We need your advice and support.