Lawlessness threatens property rights

The continuing harassment of a Pastor's family at Ward Place

(August 12, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) The Rev. Rudge Pereira and his family have been living in Ward Place in their ancestral property for over 51 years. Since 2008 a group of people have been harassing the family during the day and night in an attempt to force them to leave the premises. This harassment, the family believes, is aimed to force them out with the view to sell the property and thus to make a profit. The family has attempted to obtain the assistance of the police who seem to have preferred to cooperate with this criminal gang. The Sunday Leader published the story of their harassment on April 25, 2010 (kindly see Strangers in their Garden). Despite of such publicity and the interventions of many persons the police continue to turn a blind eye to this serious threat to the lives and property of this family.

The Asian Human Rights Commission has, for over 15 years now, constantly drawn the attention of the Sri Lankan public to the ever deepening situation of lawlessness in the country. We have also pointed out that while threatening the lives of citizen's lawlessness will also finally threaten property rights. From around the country there are stories of the way in which the criminal elements, almost always with the support of the police, have threatened the property rights of many families and on some occasions such threats have resulted in serious crimes such as the murder of those who resist the expropriation of their property. When the legal system fails bewildering situations such as this become common occurrences. The underground elements acquire a power to decide the fate of people and their property.

The case of the abduction and disappearance of Upali Mendis also illustrates how the situation of lawlessness is manipulated by unscrupulous persons in order to expropriate the properties of others with the view to make a large fortune. Upali Mendis who refused to sell his property at Galle was later abducted in July 2010 and his whereabouts remain unknown.

A prayer notice sent by the family of Rev. Pereira is as follows:

Dear friends in Christ,

This is only a Prayer request.

We are the Pereira family. We are undergoing terrible harassment by a politically influential group who forcefully and illegally acquire innocent peoples land and homes and sell to powerful business people. This is a way for a protected under world group to earn quick money in large scale. Our home is in Ward Place, Colombo 07 also known as a prime residential aria in the city of Colombo. We are victims of one such group who is trying to chase us away from our home. At present they are prisoning us in our own home by blocking the entrance gates and restricting relatives, friends and members of our congregation they have broken our telephone wire and trying to stop our water line they tried to disconnect our electricity but failed by Gods grace.

We are not the only ones victimized by this group as there are many but are afraid as their lives are at risk. We have received many death threats and even worse incidence I cannot mention as for the police they turn a blind eye to us innocent victims and eagerly support the illegal corrupt force who torment innocent lives

With this note is an attachment of a article that was published in the news paper THE SUNDAY LEADER on 25th April 2010 www.thesundayleader.lk/2010/04/25/strangers-in-their-garden/

Please note that we do not want Money but your kind prayers to stop protected corruption

The Asian Human Rights Commission urges the Sri Lankan government to effectively intervene to protect the family of Rev. Pereira. However, such effective protection is possible only if the government seriously studies the colossal lawlessness that has spread throughout the country. As long as this lawlessness remains the government itself will be responsible for the threats to the lives and property that arises from the criminals who will naturally manipulate the situation to their advantage. Such manipulative capacity on the part of criminal elements can be subdued only by a genuine and serious strategy on the part of the government to intervene in dealing with the police and criminal nexus. A dysfunctional policing system gives rise to unlimited opportunities for unscrupulous police officers to cooperate with the criminal elements at the risk of threatening the lives and property of innocent citizens.

The final challenge however is with the people of Sri Lanka themselves. Today threats from criminals are not only against the poor and the marginalised but also towards all in different socials spheres including the middle class and the rich. There is a reason for all citizens to come together to fight for their very survival. Today lawlessness threatens everything. The only survival strategy under such circumstances is for the society as a whole to get together and to put their resources towards the fight against the destruction of their lives and their society.

Source: Asian Human Rights Commission