Dear friends,
The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has learned that a man has been beaten and arbitrarily detained by Urubokka police officers. He was hospitalized after the assault, which has caused severe damage to his hearing.
CASE NARRATIVE:
According to information from the victim and a local NGO, on 16 May 2010 Samarasinghage Koranelis was visited at home by an officer from Urubokka Police Station at about 5.30pm. He was instructed to report to the station on the 21 May at 10am, regarding a complaint leveled against him by his brother, Dharmadasa Samarasinghe, who we are told had worked at that police station three years earlier.
Koranelis reports that he did so, and before being taken to the investigation room, was verbally abused by a P.C. Dayaratne. The complainant’s wife and children were reportedly instructed to leave by a Sub Inspector (SI) Bandupala, on the reasoning that he would not be able to use abusive language in their presence.
Koranelis was accused by his brother of assaulting their mother, though the victim claims that he had not seen in six years. During the questioning the SI reportedly struck him strongly to the head a number of times. P.C. Dayaratne was summoned and told to place Koranelis in a police cell, which he did aggressively, dragging and then punching the victim. Koranelis says that he then lost consciousness in the cell.
The detainee was released after about ten minutes after the intervention of the Officer-in-Charge (OIC), Mr. Chandrasena. We are told that he voiced strong concerns that Dharmadasa had fabricated the complaint. The OIC reports that Koranelis’ mother had already left a statement with him that refuted the complaint. At 11.30pm the OIC took the necessary statements from all parties and released Koranelis.
Since then the victim has visited Heegoda Government Hospital a number of times, and was warded from the 22 to the 27 May due to ear and headaches. He continues to be treated regularly at the Ear, Nose and Throat Clinic at the Matara Government Hospital, and says that he is struggling to work.
Written complaints have been made to the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka, the Inspector General of Police, the Assistant Superintendent of Police in the Southern Province, the Senior Superintendent of Police in Matara and the Officer in Charge of UrubokkaPolice Station. We are told that a police inquiry was launched on 3 July 2010 at the officer of the Matara SSP, and that another inquiry started at the officer of the Matara branch of the HRC on 28 of July 2010 (case no HRC/MT/169/10/V). We urge that the investigation be carried out thoroughly and impartially, monitored by officers of a senior rank, and that the police officers proven to have been involved face legal action.
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SAMPLE LETTER
Dear __________,
SRI LANKA: A man is arbitrarily detained and assaulted by Urubokka Police
Name of victim:
Samarasinghage Koranelis, age 48; a mason. Resident of Thuththiripitiya Hena, Pasgoda, in Matara
Names of perpetrators:
Sub Inspector Bandupala and Constable Dayaratne of Urubokka Police Station, Matara Division, Southern Range
Date of incident: 21 May 2010
Place of incident: Urubokka Police Station, Urubokka.
I am writing to voice my deep concern regarding the beating and arbitrary detention of a man by Urubokka police.
According to information from the victim and a local NGO, on 16 May 2010 Samarasinghage Koranelis was visited at home by an officer from Urubokka Police Station at about 5.30pm. He was instructed to report to the station on the 21 May at 10am, regarding a complaint leveled against him by his brother, Dharmadasa Samarasinghe, who I am told had worked at that police station three years earlier.
Koranelis reports that he did so, and before being taken to the investigation room, was verbally abused by a P.C. Dayaratne. The complainant’s wife and children were reportedly instructed to leave by a Sub Inspector (SI) Bandupala, on the reasoning that he would not be able to swear in their presence.
Koranelis was accused by his brother of assaulting their mother, who he claims he had not seen in six years. During the questioning the SI reportedly struck him strongly to the head a number of times. A P.C. Dayaratne was summoned and told to place Koranelis in a police cell, which he did aggressively, dragging and then punching the victim before he was put in the cell. Koranelis says that he then lost consciousness.
The detainee was released after about ten minutes after the intervention of the Officer-in-Charge (OIC), Mr. Chandrasena. I am told that he voiced strong concerns that Dharmadasa had fabricated the complaint. The OIC reports that Koranelis’ mother had already left a statement with him that refuted the complaint. At 11.30pm Chandrasena took the necessary statements from all parties and released Koranelis.
Since then the victim has visited Heegoda Government Hospital a number of times, and was warded from the 22 to the 27 May due to ear and headaches. He continues to be treated regularly at the Ear Nose and Throat Clinic at the Matara Government Hospital, and says that he is struggling to work.
I understand that written complaints have been made to the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka, the Inspector General of Police, the Assistant Superintendent of Police in the Southern Province, the Senior Superintendent of Police in Matara and the Officer in Charge, Urubokka Police Station.
I am pleased to hear that in response a police inquiry was launched on 3 July 2010 at the officer of the Matara SSP, and that another inquiry started at the officer of the Matara branch of the HRC on 28 of July 2010 (case no HRC/MT/169/10/V). However due to the impunity that remains rampant in the Sri Lankan police force I remain skeptical that these investigations will result in the prosecution of the police officers proven to have been involved.
I accordingly urge that the investigation be carried out thoroughly and impartially, monitored by an officer of a senior rank.
Yours sincerely,
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PLEASE SEND YOUR LETTERS TO:
Mr. Mahinda Balasuriya
Inspector General of Police
New Secretariat
Colombo 1
SRI LANKA
Fax: +94 11 2 440440 / 327877
E-mail: igp@police.lk
Mr. Mohan Peiris
Attorney General
Attorney General’s Department
Colombo 12
SRI LANKA
Fax: +94 11 2 436421
E-mail: ag@attorneygeneral.gov.lk
Secretary
National Police Commission
3rd Floor, Rotunda Towers
109 Galle Road
Colombo 03
SRI LANKA
Tel: +94 11 2 395310 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting +94 11 2 395310 end_of_the_skype_highlighting
Fax: +94 11 2 395867
E-mail: npcgen@sltnet.lk or polcom@sltnet.lk
Secretary
Human Rights Commission
No. 36, Kynsey Road
Colombo 8
SRI LANKA
Tel: +94 11 2 694 925 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting +94 11 2 694 925 end_of_the_skype_highlighting / 673 806
Fax: +94 11 2 694 924 / 696 470
E-mail: sechrc@sltnet.lk
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Thank you.
Urgent Appeals Programme
Asian Human Rights Commission (ua@ahrc.asia)
