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Due to a large number of complaints of abductions being
made for narrow political reasons, Police investigations
into the genuine complaints about abductions had been
hindered, said President Mahinda Rajapaksa when he met
the wives and family members of allegedly abducted persons
at Temple Trees yesterday ( June 1).
President
Rajapaksa said this with reference to the observations
by the Mahanama Tillekeratne Commission on Abductions,
Attacks on Civilians and Killings.
He emphasized
that a large number of the complaints made alleging
that persons who had disappeared had been abducted,
were incorrect.
According to the Commission on Abductions and Disappearances
etc., it had been reported that nearly 90 % of such
persons had returned. In a large number of these cases
Police records showed that the alleged victims had been
domestic servants who left the homes of employers, instances
of eloping by lovers, and husbands or wives who left
home due to domestic disputes.
For example, of 11 complaints of disappearances received
at the Panadura Police alone, 08 complaints had been
later withdrawn. In the Kebitigollawa Police area all
11 persons reported disappeared had later returned.
The Commission had observed that although there was
considerable media coverage about reports of alleged
abductions, there was no similar reportage when such
persons returned or when such complaints were withdrawn.
This meeting of the President with the wives and family
members of the disappeared person was arranged by representatives
of the Government and Opposition who are taking a special
interest in the issue of the disappeared persons and
alleged abductions.
The members of the affected families explained to the
President that their husbands and sons had been abducted,
and in some instances extortion money had been demanded
before the alleged abductions.
The President assured that the Government acted with
a commitment to ensure the safety of all citizens and
that the Police would act with speed to investigate
the complaints of those affected by disappearances.
He explained that neither the Government nor the Security
Forces had any necessity to carry on illegal acts of
abduction, and that the Government always acted in keeping
with the law.
It was further explained by the President that any person
arrested in connection with involvement in terrorist
activities, is taken in under valid detention orders.
It was also
explained that there were several groups engaged in
dealings with terrorist organizations and the underworld,
as well as those working to achieve diverse political
ends.
President Rajapaksa drew attention to the fact that
the harassment of the Tamil people only made them move
closer to Prabhakaran, rather than his rejection. Therefore,
the Police and the Security Forces were engaged in treating
the Tamil with equal status as other citizens and assuring
their security, and were not engaged in harassing them.
Following the wives and family members of disappeared
persons explaining their problems to the President,
he instituted a committee to be coordinated by the Minister
Human Rights and Disaster Management Mahinda Samarasinghe,
comprising Ministers Rajitha Seneratne and P. Radhakrisnan,
and Mr. Vasudeva Nanayakkara, to inquire into the problems
of these families and recommend necessary relief and
welfare measures.
The Inspector General of Police who was present at this
meeting said that all details regarding disappeared
persons would be obtained on a special form and quick
action taken to carry out necessary investigations.
Lodgings
In response to a question to the President by Mr. T
Maheswaran MP, whether it had been decided to remove
all those resident in lodgings in Colombo and its suburbs,
the IGP explained that the Police had not issued any
such instructions, but investigations would be done
regarding those who were not permanent residents of
Colombo, and the purpose of their continued stay in
Colombo without any reasonable cause.
The IGP explained the difficulties in establishing whether
any person is an ordinary citizen or was engaged in
terrorist activity, and therefore the Police and Security
Forces were required to take action to establish the
identities of persons who move about in a variety of
places.
President Rajapaksa said he regretted difficulties caused
to any persons due to actions taken arising from genuine
security concerns, but explained that persons who made
allegations of human rights violations based on false
complaints, as well as those who were seeking to reduce
foreign aid for Sri Lanka were doing so for narrow political
gains. He appealed to them not to help the cause of
terror in any manner.
Among those present at the meeting with the President
were Mr. Vasudeva Nanayakkara, Ministers Rajitha Senaratne,
Douglas Devananda, P. Radhakrishnan, P. Chandrasekeran,
A. H. M. Fowzie, Mahinda Samarasinghe, Mr. T. Maheswaran
MP, the Chairman of the Presidential Commission on the
Disappeared Mahanama Tillekeratne, and the IGP.
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