repression

The abduction of activists and relief workers has undercut the message of compromise and reconciliation from the president of Sri Lanka, Mahinda Rajapaksa, rights groups said yesterday.

Magistrate Gihan Pilapitiya ordered the release of the Tamil-language Sudar Oli newspaper editor after police investigations found no evidence to charge him, the journalist's attorney K.V. Thavarasha said.

Police arrested Nadesapillai Vidyadaran on Feb. 26, six days after Tamil Tiger rebels sent a pair of light aircraft packed with explosives on a suicide mission to attack two air force bases in the Colombo area. The planes were shot down before reaching their targets and four people were killed, including the two pilots and two civilians who were hit by anti-aircraft fire.