Returned academic blasts the capitals cops
being a Tamil in Colombo
Tamils to be safe from police harassment in Colombo need good
social connections or money to pay says recently returned academic Dr
Ratnajeevan Hoole in a hard-hitting article in the capitals Island
newspaper this month.
In "Being a Tamil in Colombo" Dr Hoole
describes how his sister and her husband were picked up at Pettah bus
station because her hairstyle reminded police of an LTTE suspect. Both were
abused and intimidated. His sister, a lecturer at Jaffna University, was
struck by a prison warders=92 baton and forced to raise her skirt by a
voyeuristic investigating officer.
Ignoring pleas to inform their
families, the couple were produced before a magistrate and remanded for
further investigations for ten days in Welikade prison where hundreds of
LTTE suspects are held without trial, some for over four years. Welikade
was overcrowded and insanitary and drugtaking and casual violence were
routine. Someone with prison connections informed Dr Hoole who with the
support of human rights NGOs and a friendly attorney effected their
release. As a final indignity, his brother-in-law had to pay Rs 50 to avoid
appearing in court in handcuffs to have his case dismissed.
It could
have been very different if no one had informed Dr Hoole or if they had no
friends or no money. Security officials believe the Tigers have secreted
hundreds of suicide commandos among the 150,000 North-east refugees who
have fled to Colombo. Hundreds are screened every day in police sweeps and
some arrested on suspicion. The unlucky fall into the hands of corrupt
officers who want to extort a bribe or torture a "confession" from
them.
The challenge before the government says an Island editorial
is to maintain high security while ensuring that Tamils held on suspicion
are treated humanely and released when there is no evidence against them.
After the Wellewatte train bomb last month which killed 62, a more
enlightened approach is unlikely.
Over 100 young Tamils were
arrested in Fort and Maradana in early August and 25 in a search of
Wolfendal St. a week later. Tamil group PLOTE has renounced its security
role in protest at the government=92s screening methods.
Four
alleged Black Tiger suicide cadre were captured by Colombo police in mid
August and intelligence that two other suicide bombers were in the capital
triggered a city-wide crackdown. A Tamil millionaire businessman was also
arrested for allegedly smuggling LTTE operatives to Germany on false
documents.
Two other Tamils trying to claim asylum in Germany were
arrested at Colombo airport on 18 August after being deported from
Singapore. Over 15,000 Tamils fled Sri Lanka last year to seek asylum in
Western countries.
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