|
|
Fury at detentions under Sri Lanka anti-terror rules
Wednesday, 21 February 2007 - 10:42 PM SL Time
|
|
|
Huddled outside a detention camp in Sri Lanka`s far south, relatives of civilians held for months without charge say lives are being ruined by emergency regulations amid renewed civil war.
Some with babes in arms, others carrying a few packets of biscuits for a detained husband or brother, they swelter in the burning sun. Most have traveled all night to see loved ones imprisoned for suspected links to Tamil Tiger rebels.
But months pass and still no charges are brought, and relatives and rights groups are up in arms.
`They still haven`t charged my brother!` said one woman, speaking on condition of anonymity to avoid any retribution, after a weekend visit to Boossa detention camp a few kilometres from the island`s historic southern port town of Galle.
`If they have any charges, then produce him in court!,` she added. `I am so angry that my brother was taken into custody without any charge. If I had a chance, I would kill them!`
Others clustered at a registration desk nearby echo her complaint -- but are afraid to speak out -- and have asked the island`s human rights commission to investigate.
Behind them, heavily armed guards man watch towers and sentry points behind green sandbag bunkers and coils of rusty razor wire that ring Boossa camp, where hardline Marxists were held during a 1980s uprising.
Sri Lanka`s Human Rights Commission says it has received 433 complaints of detentions and arrests in the past year, though not all related to emergency regulations that give security forces extensive powers to detain suspects for months at a time without formal charges being filed.
Some detainees released after a recent round-up complain they were taken away simply because they were Tamil in the island`s south dominated by majority Sinhalese.
HUMAN RIGHTS TRAMPLED?
Security forces have detained hundreds of people, many of them Tamils, during security sweeps amid a new chapter in a two decade civil war that has killed more than 67,000 people since 1983 and which analysts expect to escalate.
Many have been released days or weeks later without charge. But others remain in custody, and rights lawyers say there is a culture of impunity that gives the military and police free rein to detain whoever they want without having to justify on what suspicion.
Sri Lanka`s Terrorist Investigation Division says it has no choice but to hold people without charge under emergency regulations imposed after the assassination of the island`s foreign minister in 2005 and tightened up after an abortive attack on President Mahinda Rajapakse`s brother last year.
It is currently holding around 100 people at Boossa camp -- 70 percent of them minority Tamils.
`Everyone is produced before the courts. According to the emergency regulations, we have the right to keep them in custody for the purposes of investigation,` a top Terrorist Investigation Division official told Reuters on condition of anonymity.
`People have to understand, a terrorist investigation cannot be completed in under 24 hours,` he added.
`No-one will be kept without any reason...We keep detainees here at Boossa for their benefit, to give them more facilities on humanitarian and rights grounds.`
MORE RIGHTS IN GUANTANAMO?
Detentions have surged in recent months in the wake of a series of deadly ambushes and attacks on security forces by suspected Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), who want to carve out an independent state in the island`s northeast.
But many minority Tamils shun the Tigers` violent methods of ambushes and suicide bombings, and some say they are being unfairly singled out.
Visitors say their relatives have not been abused at Boossa and that the conditions are better than small police cells where they were held previously. But that does not calm their underlying anger with the system.
`This is a short-cut for the security forces or the police for them to arrest them and keep them under detention. It`s against the tenets of human rights,` said K.S. Ratnavale, a lawyer who handles detainee cases and is director of rights group the Center for Human Rights and Development.
`I think detainees in Guantanamo are better off, because there, there are legal methods to challenge it. But here, there are legal defense mechanisms in place but only in name.`
Alarmed at a spate of abductions and disappearances which President Mahinda Rajapakse`s government and the Tigers blame on each other, Amnesty International has appealed to the foes to respect international law.
Britain has even warned it could withhold aid if it determines rights are abused.
`The human rights situation has deteriorated in Sri Lanka since November 2005, that`s quite clear,` said Yolanda Foster, Amnesty`s researcher for Sri Lanka. `What Amnesty is calling for is for both parties to the conflict to make sure they follow due process of law.`
`We would be lobbying the Sri Lankan government to follow norms under international law and either file charges against people in custody or release them on bail.`
|
|
|
Dewey
Senior Member
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 3521
Member Profile
|
21 Feb 2007 16:53:37 GMT Report for Abuse
|
Were child protection cops charged by LTTE when they were detained?
Irrespectively, Govt must bring charges against suspects or release them.
Edited By - Dewey - 21 Feb 2007 16:54:40 GMT |
srimal111
Senior Member
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 2600
Member Profile
|
21 Feb 2007 16:55:47 GMT Report for Abuse
|
Visitors say their relatives have not been abused at Boossa and that the conditions are better than small police cells where they were held previously. But that does not calm their underlying anger with the system.
something to cheer about !!
Behind them, heavily armed guards man watch towers and sentry points behind green sandbag bunkers and coils of rusty razor wire that ring Boossa camp, where hardline Marxists were held during a 1980s uprising.
its the same Marxists who now support this sort of activity.
'This is a short-cut for the security forces or the police for them to arrest them and keep them under detention. It's against the tenets of human rights,' said K.S. Ratnavale, a lawyer who handles detainee cases and is director of rights group the Center for Human Rights and Development.
sinhalese lawyers are concerned about this matter.
at times its not fair innocent men will be caught in this.
when i travelled in December to SL. I forgot the National ID. My friend in had to go back to my place get it for me ID as they said they would not release me. thats because i was wearing not nice cloths with a bunch of friends who looked like animals in a car that had rarely seen water. imagine i had no one. I would end up in the police station. But the they were sarcastically polite. I said I am from was in UK and just came and forgot the ID and that made them very angry he he.
Edited By - srimal111 - 21 Feb 2007 16:57:24 GMT |
punchimahinda
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 1281
Member Profile
|
21 Feb 2007 17:12:04 GMT Report for Abuse
|
Mahinda chinthanaya is for PTO .It is against terrorism.Mahinda will not bend his head down before IC.He will first destroy ltte.Then solution.
Edited By - punchimahinda - 21 Feb 2007 17:14:10 |
captain98
Senior Member
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 1012
Member Profile
|
21 Feb 2007 17:13:30 GMT Report for Abuse
|
Dear Sinhalese
you are all welcome to serve for the path to freedom for Tamils, just like many other Sinhalese have
Thank you
Captain98 |
tamilcanuck
Senior Member
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 11872
Member Profile
|
21 Feb 2007 17:15:34 GMT Report for Abuse
|
Tamils living in peace in the south!
Some with babes in arms
hope its a typo!!
Boossa detention camp a few kilometres from the island's historic southern port town of Galle.
i know one dude who was at this camp in the 80's. caught him at his house and SHIPPED him to boosa! along with hundreds.
Edited By - tamilcanuck - 21 Feb 2007 17:17:10 GM |
tarquin
Senior Member
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 1525
Member Profile
|
21 Feb 2007 17:20:04 GMT Report for Abuse
|
The sinhalas say: 'Many tamils are living happily among the sinhalas in the south'
This story tells us different. Also what about the abductions, disappearances and the murders of tamils in the south? |
AnuD
Senior Member
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 13660
Member Profile
|
21 Feb 2007 17:21:35 GMT Report for Abuse
|
It is OK to blow up sinhalas, Destroy the country and and kill SLDFs.
LTTE is innocent Freedom fighters.
Let them do anything.
Don't arrest them and, DEFINITELY NO DETENTION.
Because, they pay money to GRREDY JOURNALISTS who ie prepared to write anything, even they sell their Mot.... for money. |
tamilcanuck
Senior Member
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 11872
Member Profile
|
21 Feb 2007 17:24:17 GMT Report for Abuse
|
| As i have said above many ARRESTED are innocent. collective punishment dished out. what goes around comes around! |
Ruchira
Senior Member
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 2247
Member Profile
|
21 Feb 2007 17:30:04 GMT Report for Abuse
|
| Many JVP MPs in the parliment who were in BOOSSA during 88/89.I didn't hear anything from them sofar about these detention I know why.......... |
|
Search All News and Discussions