Sri Lanka
28.06.01
Urgent Interventions
Sri Lanka: rape by two policemen of a widowed mother of two
VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN
LKA 280601.VAW
The International Secretariat of OMCT requests your URGENT intervention in the following situation in Sri Lanka.
Brief description of the situation:
The International Secretariat of OMCT has been informed by a reliable source of the rape by two policemen of "Rani" (pseudonym used in order to protect the victim's confidentiality) a widowed mother of two.
According to the information received, on Saturday 23 June while on her way home from work in the company of a colleague, Rani was stopped by police at a check point on the Maradana Borella Road and asked to produce her identity card. At approximately 3 am on Sunday 24 June, two unarmed policemen and an armed member of the military all of whom are attached to the check point, came to the residence (Chamarry) where the victim was staying in order to perform a routine check.
After interrogating all of the persons staying in the Chamarry, the three officials came to Rani's room and told her that she was not allowed to stay there as she is a Tamil. The policemen then said that they were going to take Rani and her colleague, who accompanied her for security reasons, to the Maradana Police Station.
While en route to the police station, the officials stopped at the Maradana Borella checkpoint and sent Rani's colleague to purchase some tea for them. After he had gone, the two policemen took Rani into the bunker, forced her to lie down on the concrete floor and raped her. The incident was over before her colleague returned.
OMCT is gravely concerned about reports of torture, including rape, and arbitrary detention of women at the hands of Sri Lankan police and armed forces. Previous similar cases in Sri Lanka have often gone unpunished.
Action requested:
Please write to the authorities of Sri Lanka urging them to:
i. guarantee the physical and psychological integrity of Rani and her family, and ensure that they receive adequate reparation;
ii. guarantee an impartial and exhaustive inquiry into the arbitrary arrest and rape, bring those responsible before a competent and impartial tribunal and apply the penal, civil and administrative sanctions provided by law;
iii. adopt immediate measures to put an end to all acts of arbitrary arrest and detention, and torture including rape and other forms of sexual violence;
iv. ensure respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms at all times and in all circumstances in accordance with national laws and international human rights standards.
Addresses:
Her Excellency President Chandrika B. Kumaratunga, Presidential Residence, Colombo 3, Sri Lanka Fax: 94 - 1 - 333 - 703
Mr. Mangala Samaraweera, Minister of Posts, Telecommunications and Media, Old CTO Building Lotus Rd, Colombo 1, Sri Lanka
Inspector General of Police, Police Headquarters, New Secretariat, Colombo 1, Sri Lanka
Hon. Ambassador, Permanent Mission and Consulate General of Sri Lanka, 56, Rue De Moillebeau, 5th Floor, 1 209, Geneva 19, Switzerland, Fax: (41-22) 734 9084, E-mail: mission.srilanka@itu.ch
Hon. High-Commissioner, The High Commission of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka 13 Hyde Park Gardens London W2 2LU United Kingdom Fax: (0171) 262-7970, E-mail: lancom@easynet.co.uk
The Embassy of Sri Lanka in your respective countries.
Kindly inform the International Secretariat of any action undertaken quoting the code of this appeal in your reply.
Geneva, 28 June 2001
LKA 280601.VAW
The International Secretariat of OMCT requests your URGENT intervention in the following situation in Sri Lanka.
Brief description of the situation:
The International Secretariat of OMCT has been informed by a reliable source of the rape by two policemen of "Rani" (pseudonym used in order to protect the victim's confidentiality) a widowed mother of two.
According to the information received, on Saturday 23 June while on her way home from work in the company of a colleague, Rani was stopped by police at a check point on the Maradana Borella Road and asked to produce her identity card. At approximately 3 am on Sunday 24 June, two unarmed policemen and an armed member of the military all of whom are attached to the check point, came to the residence (Chamarry) where the victim was staying in order to perform a routine check.
After interrogating all of the persons staying in the Chamarry, the three officials came to Rani's room and told her that she was not allowed to stay there as she is a Tamil. The policemen then said that they were going to take Rani and her colleague, who accompanied her for security reasons, to the Maradana Police Station.
While en route to the police station, the officials stopped at the Maradana Borella checkpoint and sent Rani's colleague to purchase some tea for them. After he had gone, the two policemen took Rani into the bunker, forced her to lie down on the concrete floor and raped her. The incident was over before her colleague returned.
OMCT is gravely concerned about reports of torture, including rape, and arbitrary detention of women at the hands of Sri Lankan police and armed forces. Previous similar cases in Sri Lanka have often gone unpunished.
Action requested:
Please write to the authorities of Sri Lanka urging them to:
i. guarantee the physical and psychological integrity of Rani and her family, and ensure that they receive adequate reparation;
ii. guarantee an impartial and exhaustive inquiry into the arbitrary arrest and rape, bring those responsible before a competent and impartial tribunal and apply the penal, civil and administrative sanctions provided by law;
iii. adopt immediate measures to put an end to all acts of arbitrary arrest and detention, and torture including rape and other forms of sexual violence;
iv. ensure respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms at all times and in all circumstances in accordance with national laws and international human rights standards.
Addresses:
Her Excellency President Chandrika B. Kumaratunga, Presidential Residence, Colombo 3, Sri Lanka Fax: 94 - 1 - 333 - 703
Mr. Mangala Samaraweera, Minister of Posts, Telecommunications and Media, Old CTO Building Lotus Rd, Colombo 1, Sri Lanka
Inspector General of Police, Police Headquarters, New Secretariat, Colombo 1, Sri Lanka
Hon. Ambassador, Permanent Mission and Consulate General of Sri Lanka, 56, Rue De Moillebeau, 5th Floor, 1 209, Geneva 19, Switzerland, Fax: (41-22) 734 9084, E-mail: mission.srilanka@itu.ch
Hon. High-Commissioner, The High Commission of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka 13 Hyde Park Gardens London W2 2LU United Kingdom Fax: (0171) 262-7970, E-mail: lancom@easynet.co.uk
The Embassy of Sri Lanka in your respective countries.
Kindly inform the International Secretariat of any action undertaken quoting the code of this appeal in your reply.
Geneva, 28 June 2001