Matara NHRC protects torture perpetrators.

| by Harshi

(September 13, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) Nalani Nagahawatta is a 60 years old mother of three children. Sisira Kumara Dissanayaka is her eldest son of 27 years old. Nalaka Bandara Disanayaka, 24 years old, is her second son and Tharidu Lasantha Disanayaka is the youngest who is 23 years old. They reside in Katagoda closer to Udugama junction,Galle.

On 17.06.2011, Udugama police arrested Nalani’s three sons to satisfy a home guard named Ms. Deepani Jayasekara. In the police station, all three sons were tortured inhumanly. Her eldest son is a heart patient and the second son suffers from physical disability. After torturing them, the police made fabricated charges and remanded them inGalle prison.

They were held in the H ward at the Galleprison. According to them, the condition of the H ward is awful and unbearable for human beings.

Nalani made written complaints regarding police torture, fabrication of charges to the relevant authorities including the Human Rights Commission.

She received a notice from Human Rights Commission, Matara. So, Nalani and two of the three sons who were bailed out, went to the Matara HRC on 17.08.2011 as requested in the notice. The inquiring officer of the Commission, instead of inquiring into police torture and fabrication of charges, pointed that some sentences in the complaint were wrong. Further, he frightened Nalani, saying that her sons would be remand again.

This true incident shows as to how the officers in Human Rights Commission, Matara who lead a pleasant living on tax payers money, protects torture perpetrators, specially the police. The main purpose for establishing HRC is to protect and promote Human Rights in Sri Lanka. It seems that these purposes have gone astray.

By introducing 18th amendment to 1978 Constitution, President Rajapaksha pulled away the last remained tooth of the HRC. Now it has become a toothless tiger. Its officers work to protect the state perpetrators and limit the entire Commission only to a board labeled institution, as “Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka, Regional Centre, Matara.”