[NOTICE: The AHRC have developed a new automatic letter-sending system using the “button” below. However, in this appeal, we could not include e-mail addresses of Ministry of Education and local Education department of Sri Lankan authorities. We encourage you to send your appeal letters via fax or post to those people. Their fax numbers and postal addresses are attached below with this appeal. Thank you.]
SRI LANKA: Child assault; alleged sexual maltreatment
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Dear friends,
The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information regarding complete negligence of a school principal into a complaint by the parents of a 16-year-old girl who was allegedly sexually mistreated by her Math teacher. We were also informed that the school principal further physically assaulted the girl instead of inquiring about the complaint and taking action against the alleged teacher. Due to these incidents, the girl is reportedly suffering from mental trauma. Please urge the Sri Lankan authorities, in particular the Ministry of Education, to immediately intervene into this matter.
On 20 October 2006, 16-year-old B.T.F. (only the victim’s name initial is quoted for her privacy) attended her Prime Minister’s Girls’ (Agamethi Balika) School in Panadura. That day, the morning session was allocated for rehearsing events for the English Day. After rehearsals, B.T.F. returned to her class when her class teacher Ms. Rohini instructed her to go to the principals office. Ms. B.T.F says in accordance with the instructions, when she visited the principals office, the Principal Nandani Jayasundara, without much ado, reportedly grabbed her cane and struck her several times on her arms and legs.
She was reportedly not only physically injured by this assault but also severely mentally traumatized. She returned home and told her parents who accompanied her that evening to the Panadura police where they lodged a complaint against the school principal. Then in accordance with police advice they also admitted her to the Panadura hospital where she was subjected to an examination by the Judicial Medical Officer (JMO).
According to the girl’s father, a few months ago a female Math teacher at school on the pretext of affording private tuition to his daughtersexually molested her. Ever since, B.T.F suffered has from severe mental trauma and recently wrote to a friend and her English teacher about her intention to commit suicide due to what that teacher did to her. However, her parents did not complain the incident to the police or other state authorities due to the sensitive nature of the incident and in order to save their daughter from further trauma. Instead, they afforded her counselling at an organization Sumithrayo (friends)’ to help her to cope with her mental agony. They also complained about the incident to the school principal, who did not take the matter that seriously. Instead of inquiring into the girl’s parent’s complaint, the principal instead opts to further victimise the already traumatized child by her senseless and cruel act.
SUGGESTED ACTION:
Please write the relevant Sri Lankan authorities, including the Ministry of Education, listed below and urge their immediate intervention into this case. Please urge them to ensure that prompt and thorough inquiry is conducted both in the case of alleged assault of the victim by the school principle and the alleged the sexual maltreatment by her Math teacher. Please also urge them to take proper action to ensure that proper disciplinary and legal action is taken against the school principle and the Math teacher if the allegations are proven to true.
To support this case, please click here: SEND APPEAL LETTER
SAMPLE LETTER
Dear __________,
SRI LANKA: Malicious assault of a 16-year-old girl by her school principal
Name of victim: Miss B.T.F (only the victim’s name initial is quoted for her privacy), aged 16, the grade 11 student at the Panadura, Prime Minister’s Girls’ (Agamethi Balika) School, daughter of a 45-year-old senior manager of the Metropolitan Company, Panadura
Alleged perpetrator: Ms. Nandani Jayasundara, Principal of the Prime Ministers Girls School, Panadura
Date of incident: 20 October 2006
Place of incident: Within school premises; inside Principals office
I am shocked to learn about the complete insensitivity of the school principal mentioned above regarding an 16-year-old school girl, who allegedly suffered from sexual mistreatment at the hands of her Math teacher. Despite the girl’s parent’s complaint about the matter, the school principal reportedly assaulted the victim instead of inquiring about the incident and taking action against the concerned teacher.
According to the information I have received, on 20 October 2006, the school principal reportedly called B.T.F. (only the victim’s name initial is quoted for her privacy) to her office and grabbed the girl’s cane and struck her several times on her arms and legs. I was also informed that the girl was not only physically injured by this assault but also severely mentally traumatized during this time.
I was further informed that the girl’s parents lodged a complaint with the Panadura police on the same day and admitted her to the Panadura hospital where she was subjected to an examination by the Judicial Medical Officer (JMO).
According to the girl’s father, a few months ago a female Math teacher at school on the pretext of affording private tuition to his daughtersexually molested her. Since then, the victim suffered from severe mental trauma and recently wrote to a friend and her English teacher about her intention to commit suicide due to what that teacher did to her. The victim also had to receive counselling to cope with her mental agony. The parents then complained about the incident to the school principal.
However, Instead of inquiring into their complaint and then taking strong action against the concerned teacher, the principal further victimised the already traumatized child by her cruel act.
I therefore strongly urge you together with the Ministry of Education, to inquire about this case and take proper disciplinary action against the school principle. Inquiry should also be conducted into the allegation of the sexual maltreatment of the victim by her Math teacher and if it is proven to true, strong sanction must be taken against the responsible teacher. I also urge the police department to conduct a thorough investigation into the two incidents and ensure that legal action is taken against the school principal as well as the concerned Math teacher.
Sincerely yours,
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PLEASE SEND YOUR LETTERS TO:
1. Dr. Hiranthi Wijemanne
Chairperson
National Child Protection Authority
330, Thalawathgoda Road
Madiwella
SRI LANKA
Tel: +94 11 2 778912/13/14
Fax: +94 11 2 778975
E-mail: ncpa@childprotection.gov.lk
2. Minister for Education
Ministry of Education
SRI LANKA
Tel: + 94 11 2 785 617
Fax: + 94 11 2 784 846
3. Mr. Marcus Fernando
Chief Secretary
Western Provincial Council
Sravasthi, 32, Mawatha,
Colombo 7
SRI LANKA
Fax: 94 11 2694667
4. Ms. Amanda Coomaraswamy
Provincial Education Director
Western Province Education Dept.,
76, Mawatha, Colombo 7
SRI LANKA
Fax: 94 11 2693894
5. Secretary
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
6. Mr. Victor Perera
Inspector General of Police
New Secretariat
Colombo 1
SRI LANKA
Fax: +94 11 2 440440/327877
Email: igp@police.lk
7. Mr. K. C. Kamalasabesan
Attorney General
Attorney General’s Department
Colombo 12
SRI LANKA
Fax: +94 11 2 436421
Email: attorney@sri.lanka.net
8. Bo Viktor Nylun
Head of Child Protection
UNICEF Sri Lanka
P.O. Box 143, Colombo
SRI LANKA
Tel: +94 11 2 555 270 (6 lines)
Fax: +94 11 2 551 333
E-mail: colombo@unicef.org
Thank you.
Urgent Appeals Programme
Asian Human Rights Commission (ahrchk@ahrchk.org)
