Dear friends,
The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information regarding the refusal of the Dodangoda police to register a complaint. On 24 May 2006, L Sarath Vijitha was assaulted by an anti-narcotics squad for the sole reason he knocked their van. Accordingly he requested to lodge a complaint but allegedly, the police refused to do so.
On May 24, at around 7 am, Mr. Vijitha was opening his shop. As he was doing so, he noticed a white van parked near his shop. There were about 10 people in civilian clothing inside the van.
Suddenly one of them shouted, Hey, you knocked our van door, do you know who we are. Mr. Vijitha said that he was sorry if he knocked their vehicle door. But the men would have nothing of it and grabbing him by his hair, knocked his head against their van. In particular, one person assaulted him several times. They also verbally abused him in obscene and derogatory language. His wife and father also witnessed the incident. The people then got into the vehicle and drove away. Mr. Vijitha wanted to discover the identities of his assailants so he got on his bicycle and followed the van, which he saw stopping near an illicit liquor-selling place. He then realised they were the anti-narcotics squad of the police. He also noted the vehicle number as viz. 62Sri1686.
Immediately he, together with his wife, went to the Dodangoda police station, where he saw the van bearing no. 62Sri1686. At the time, the station Officer In Charge (OIC) was not present. But the deputy OIC and another policeman escorted him to the white van and said, Did you come to lodge a complaint? then also threatened that if he talked too much they would fine him 2500 rupees (about USD25). Later the OIC called Mr. Vijitha into his room and told him not to make a fuss about the assault on him. When Mr. Vijitha insisted about his violated fundamental rights, the OIC said that he was going on leave for five days and referred him to the deputy OIC who told him to return to the police station that evening for an inquiry into the incident. However, when he went no such inquiry was done and instead he was simply transferred from one person to another, but for no reason. His request to lodge a complaint was denied. They also told him that it was not possible to enter a complaint against the police.
SUGGESTED ACTION:
Please write a letter to the relevant authorities listed below and urge them to intervene in this matter. Speedy measures should be taken to investigate this entire case and stern legal action must be taken against the alleged perpetrators. Also ask them to take necessary steps to suspend or transfer those responsible policemen from their work while the investigation is going on.
To support this case, please click here: SEND APPEAL LETTER
SAMPLE LETTER
Dear __________,
SRI LANKA: Dodangoda police refuse to register complaint
Name of victim: L Sarath Vijitha, 44-years-old, married with two children; occupation: trader in timber goods; address: Rendapola, Dodangoda
Name of alleged perpetrator: Policemen attached to Dodangoda police
Date of incident: 24 May 2006
I am writing to you to express my deep concern regarding the refusal to lodge a complaint by Dodangoda police.
According to the information I have received, on May 24, at around 7 am, Mr. Vijitha was opening his shop. As he was doing so, he noticed a white van parked near his shop. There were about 10 people in civilian clothing inside the van.
Suddenly one of them shouted, Hey, you knocked our van door, do you know who we are. Mr. Vijitha said that he was sorry if he knocked their vehicle door. But the men would have nothing of it and grabbing him by his hair, knocked his head against their van. In particular, one person assaulted him several times. They also verbally abused him in obscene and derogatory language. His wife and father also witnessed the incident. The people then got into the vehicle and drove away. Mr. Vijitha wanted to discover the identities of his assailants so he got on his bicycle and followed the van, which he saw stopping near an illicit liquor-selling place. He then realised they were the anti-narcotics squad of the police. He also noted the vehicle number as viz. 62Sri1686.
Immediately he, together with his wife, went to the Dodangoda police station, where he saw the van bearing no. 62Sri1686. At the time, the station Officer In Charge (OIC) was not present. But the deputy OIC and another policeman escorted him to the white van and said, Did you come to lodge a complaint? then also threatened that if he talked too much they would fine him 2500 rupees (about USD25). Later the OIC called Mr. Vijitha into his room and told him not to make a fuss about the assault on him. When Mr. Vijitha insisted about his violated fundamental rights, the OIC said that he was going on leave for five days and referred him to the deputy OIC who told him to return to the police station that evening for an inquiry into the incident. However, when he went no such inquiry was done and instead he was simply transferred from one person to another, but for no reason. His request to register a complaint was denied. They also told him that it was not possible to enter a complaint against the police.
In light of the above, I am calling on you to intervene in this matter. Speedy measures should be taken to investigate this entire case and stern legal action must be taken against the alleged perpetrators. Also I ask you to take necessary steps to suspend or transfer those responsible policemen from their work while the investigation is going on.
Yours sincerely,
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PLEASE SEND YOUR LETTERS TO:
1. Mr. K. C. Kamalasabesan
Attorney General
Attorney General's Department
Colombo 12
SRI LANKA
Fax: +94 11 2 436421
Email: attorney@sri.lanka.net
2. Mr. Chandra Fernando
Inspector General of Police
New Secretariat
Colombo 1
SRI LANKA
Fax: +94 11 2 440440/327877
Email: chandralaw@police.lk
3. Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka
No. 36, Kynsey Road
Colombo 8
SRI LANKA
Tel: +94 11 2 694 925 / 673 806
Fax: +94 11 2 694 924 / 696 470
E-mail: sechrc@sltnet.lk
4. Mr. J Thangawelu
DIG Legal
Police Headquarters
Colombo 1
SRI LANKA
Fax: 94 11 2381 394
Email: legaldiv@police.lk
5. National Police Commission
3rd Floor, Rotunda Towers,
109 Galle Road
Colombo 03
SRI LANKA
Tel: +94 11 2 395310
Fax: +94 11 2 395867
E-mail: polcom@sltnet.lk
6. Mr. Mahinda Rajapakse
President
Socialist Democratic Republic of Sri Lanka
C/- Office of the President
Temple Trees
150, Galle Road
Colombo 3
SRI LANKA
Fax: +94 11 2472100 / +94 11 2446657 (this is contact for Secretary to President)
Email: secretary@presidentsoffice.lk
Thank you.
Urgent Appeals Programme
Asian Human Rights Commission (ahrchk@ahrchk.org)
