(Hong Kong, November 19, 2007
Sr. Amithreni, a Tamil Catholic nun has sought assistance from the state authorities and human rights groups against threats of abduction as she has received many threatening calls and has reason to believe that she is being followed by some unknown persons.
According to a letter issued by Sr. Amithreni these things happened after there was an attempt to seek a ransom from her sisters family on October 15, 2007. The family received several telephone calls demanding Rs. 150,000/= (US$ 1,500).
Earlier the family of Sr. Amithrenis cousin started receiving threatening calls demanding 7.5 million (Rs. 7,500,000/= approximately US$ 75,000). They were able to leave for Norway within two days after receiving their threats and according to Sr. Amirthreni the Norwegian Embassy provided security for the family up to the airport. Since these incidents she feels that she has been followed. Sr. Amithrenis letter states as follows:
When I was coming back to Matale I got the bus at Colombo, a group of boys were following me and shouting in the bus. I phoned to the sisters to come to the bus stand they came. The next day I went to the court for a case and I saw one or two of them in the Kandy courts after the case was over I came with a Rev. Fr. to Matale and one boy was near the convent gate.
When I was going for my classes to Kandy one boy was following me at the class room. After that I went to Colombo on the 07th Wednesday when I was going to hospital with my parents I saw somebody following me. On the Saturday 10th, I came to Kandy Mahaiyawa home for the elders convent. The next day I went to the class. That day also somebody was following me when I got down from the bus one boy was waiting near the convent.
Now this nun and her parents have been receiving threatening calls and have made complaints to the police at the Wattala police station but so far, she states that she has not received any protection and she is unaware of any inquiries that might be going on into the complaints she and her family have made.
“Threats of kidnapping for ransom have become a common feature in Sri Lanka and that is particularly so for Tamils who have relatives abroad or who come for visits to Sri Lanka during their holidays,” said MOON Jeong Ho, Programme Officer of the Asian Human Rights Commission.
The Asian Human Rights Commission has written to the Sri Lankan authorities requesting inquiries into her complaint and for protection for her and her family.
