Nalani’s Story: Removing Lice

" In an interview she said that when she was taken into the prison she was wearing a white saree. A female prison officer forced her to change it saying it was not suitable dress for a prison. The conditions in the prison were unbearable and awesome. There were more than 40 women including the convicted, pre trial detainees and infants. For all of them there were only three toilets. Some of the female prison officers use to assault the prisoners. They also used these inmates to remove lice from their heads and comb their hair."

by Harshi.C.Perera

(September 25, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) Nalani is a 58-year-old mother of five children from the southern part of Sri Lanka. On 13 April this year at around 8.30pm several criminals had entered her house forcefully and robbed her of her belongings including jewels, four mobile phones, and a camera.

These criminals assaulted both her and her family members before running away. In self defence she threw acid at her attackers. When she complained about this incident to the police she was remanded because of the incident of throwing acid. She was released on bail on 19 May 2010.

In an interview she said that when she was taken into the prison she was wearing a white saree. A female prison officer forced her to change it saying it was not suitable dress for a prison. The conditions in the prison were unbearable and awesome. There were more than 40 women including the convicted, pre trial detainees and infants. For all of them there were only three toilets. Some of the female prison officers use to assault the prisoners. They also used these inmates to remove lice from their heads and comb their hair.

The prison welfare society had donated some sewing machines to the women’s ward but they used to sew dresses for the prison officers although the main purpose of the donation was to develop the sewing skills detainees.

Visitors were used to bring things like milk packets and soap. Some of the prison officials confiscated them and handed them out to their favorites. These female officers forced inmates, including pregnant and mothers of infants, to work.

At one night someone touched Nalani’s leg while she was sleeping. She switched on the light and caught the woman. Nalini complained of this incident to a prison official but no action was taken. Nalini had told this to her family members and they complained to the prison authorities. As a result of this the authorities reprimanded the female prison officer.

There were only two or three bad female officers in the women’s ward. The others were good. If they were to transfer the corrupt ones then it would be good for the entire prison.

Nalini gave this interview with the intention of making a change in the prison system so that future prisoners might be treated as human beings.

Considering the Prisons Ordinance and the Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners adopted by the first U N Congress, Prison Officers are bound not only to perform such duties for the purpose of preserving discipline and enforcing diligence, cleanliness, order and conformity to the rules of the prison, but also to treat the prisoners with kindness and humanity. (SL LR 40 Vol 1 of 2005)