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FUTA and FSP claim Govt. exploiting Police

15 Aug 2021

  •  FUTA asks public to keep Police in check
  • FSP complains to Human Rights Commission
By Pamodi Waravita The Federation of University Teachers’ Association (FUTA) yesterday (15) made a public appeal from the Sri Lankan people to intervene and stop the “private mercenary” behaviour of the police force, while the Frontline Socialist Party (FSP) on Friday (13) requested the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka (HRCSL) for an immediate investigation into the alleged threats that activists are facing from the Police. This follows several arrests of education sector activists and protestors by the Police over the past few days. Activists Koshila Hansamali Perera and Chameera Koswatta were arrested on 3 August, while Inter University Students’ Federation (IUSF) Convenor Wasantha Mudalige was arrested on 5 August. University of Sri Jayewardenepura General Student Association President Amila Sandeepa was arrested on 5 August near the University of Sri Jayewardenepura and held at the Thalangama Police Station. IUSF representative Udara Sandaruwan and former IUSF Convener Rev. Rathkawwe Jinarathana were allegedly threatened on a number of occasions over the past two weeks. In a written statement to the media, the FUTA claimed that the Government is “exploiting and prostituting” Sri Lanka Police to crack down on dissent. “We observe that there is a growing wave of popular sentiment against the Government’s bungling of the education sector. The Government, unable to contend with this movement, is exploiting and prostituting the police force of this country. The police force has a duty to safeguard the rights of the citizenry but instead we observe that at the moment it is being used as a mechanism to stifle democratic dissent.” It added that the best example that illustrates the Government’s “repressive approach” is its response to the protest walk and rally organised on 3 August with the participation of academics representing the FUTA. “The Police is carrying out a witch-hunt against Dr. Mahim Mendis and 15 other activists who participated in this peaceful protest walk and rally which culminated in the symbolic burning of a coffin and the pushing down of a few barriers.” Thus, the FUTA appealed to the Sri Lankan public, especially the legal community, to “demand that the police force, which is behaving like a private mercenary force of the Government, be immediately reformed to perform its constitutionally enshrined duty of safeguarding the rights and liberties of the people of this country”. FSP Education Secretary Pubudu Jayagoda expressed similar sentiments, pointing out a number of incidents of the Police allegedly oppressing activists. “Over the last few days the Police has been hunting our comrades in civil clothes, in vehicles that are not their official vehicles. Our families and party offices are also getting unidentified phone calls from people claiming to be attached to the intelligence units. They are saying it is regarding the protest on 3 August. However, they are also searching for people who were not involved in the protest. Sujith Kurawita has a complaint filed against him by the Thalangama Police in the Kaduwela Magistrate’s Court. Although they have not asked for a warrant, they have searched his home. Kavinda Mudalige, a member of our party’s working committee, was not mentioned in the ‘B’ report by the Police. However, police officers in civilian clothes have visited both his parents’ home in Hambantota and his house in Nittambuwa,” said Jayagoda. Jayagoda stressed that since it is clear that the Police are behind the oppression of activists, the FSP’s complaint at the HRCSL has named Inspector General of Police (IGP) C.D. Wickramaratne and Western Province Senior Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of Police Deshabandu Tennakoon as respondents. Both the FSP and the FUTA also highlighted that the Government is engaged in propaganda to brand activists and dissenters as criminals and terrorists. “We would like to warn the Government that, instead of attempting to resolve the crisis created by the KNDU (Kotelawala National Defence University) Bill and instead of meaningfully intervening to resolve the teacher-principal issue, if the Government continues to stifle the constitutionally enshrined right of the people to dissent, the days of this Government are numbered and its political future will be in serious jeopardy,” warned the FUTA. The KNDU Bill has received widespread criticism from various quarters for its alleged threats to free education and the militarisation of education. A range of demonstrations have taken place throughout Colombo over the last month in protest of the Bill which was tabled in Parliament on 7 July, where over 31 arrests were made. Although the Bill was due to be taken up for a vote on 6 August, State Minister of National Security and Disaster Management Chamal Rajapaksa postponed it, saying that more time is needed to consider the Bill.


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