Dear friends,
The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) wishes to bring to your attention the killing of a police inspector and his wife following his alleged attempt to inquire into drug related crimes. Though the inspector was previously charged for colluding with underworld drug dealers, he and six of his fellow officers maintained their innocence and said that they had been implicated by police personnel who were themselves in collusion with the drug dealers. In the aftermath of the killing of the inspector and his wife, their relatives have now filed a fundamental rights petition before the Supreme Court.
Inspector of Police, Mr. Douglas Nimal and six other police officers were arrested in late December 2005 on the information that they had helped underworld drug dealers. They were released last month on the recommendation of the Attorney General on the basis of lack of evidence. They maintained that they were falsely implicated by certain police officers who were in fact, in collusion with the drug dealers. The officers further maintained that they were investigating the drug deals and the false information about them when arrested which was for the purpose of preventing the investigations. Such arrests would have been done with the connivance of some high ranking police offers involved in such deals.
Following the arrests the Inspector General of Police (IGP) remarked that the greatest barrier to investigations into drug deals is the very involvement of the police in such deals. He further promised to conduct investigations until everyone was brought to book. However, like many other statements of the present IGP these words were only meant for the media and nothing in fact was done by way of any serious investigations. The result now is the alleged pursuit of those police officers who are making complaints of foul play into these matters. It is also reported that Mr. Nimal and other police officers had maintained that they were to pursue cases for violations of their rights. Mr. Nimal was to meet the president of the Inspector’s Union shortly. However, before that was possible he was assassinated, together with his wife.
The newspapers reported today that the relatives of the slain inspector and his wife have filed a fundamental rights petition before the Supreme Court against Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Sarath Lugoda, the IGP, Chandra Fernando and 15 others as respondents. The family has complained that no proper investigation has been conducted into these murders and that no one has been arrested.
SUGGESTED ACTION:
Please write letters of complaint to the relevant authorities listed below.
To support this case, please click here: SEND APPEAL LETTER
SAMPLE LETTER
Dear _________,
SRI LANKA: Killing of a police inspector and his wife for allegedly inquiring into drug related crimes
I am shocked to learn that a police inspector and his wife have allegedly been killed following the inspector's attempt to investigate into drug related crimes.
The family and even the Police Inspector's Union have expressed concern that the deaths were caused with the connivance of some very senior officers in the police. A public statement to this effect has been made by many persons since the murders. However, no proper inquiries have been conducted into these murders and no one has been arrested.
These murders, which are widely known in the country, would have caused a chilling effect amongst the law enforcement agencies as well as on all those who are working against drug related crimes in Sri Lanka and pursuing complaints against the abuses by police officers. The open allegation that the very senior officers of the police may be involved in this crime, and that this serious allegation has not been reputed by anyone, makes matters even worse.
The Inspector General of Police himself has gone on record stating that drug abuse in the country cannot be controlled due to police involvement in the drug trade. Although the President himself called for a proper inquiry into this case, to date there has been no compliance with the President's demand. Under these circumstances it is essential that the government take proper action to demonstrate their willingness and capacity to execute the wrath of the state to investigate and prosecute criminals whether they be senior police officers or criminal gangs.
Not only justice in this case but also the maintenance of law and order will depend on the manner in which that wrath is executed.
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
7. Piyasena Ranasinghe
Director General
Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption
36, Malalasekera Mawatha
Colombo 07
SRI LANKA
Tel: +94 11 2 586 851
Fax: +94 11 2 595 045
8. Mr. Philip Alston
Special Rapporteur on Extra-judicial, Summary, or Arbitrary Executions
Atten: Lydie Ventre
Room 3-016, c/o OHCHR-UNOG
1211 Geneva 10
SWITZERLAND
Tel: +41 22 917 9155
Fax: +41 22 917 9006 (general)
Email: lventre@ohchr.org
Thank you.
Urgent Appeals Programme
Asian Human Rights Commission (ahrchk@ahrchk.org)
