Jaffna Judge advices people to complain to the courts
Jaffna judge Srinithi Nanthasekaran, issued an advice to the Jaffna public to complain to the courts about disappearances, and unlawful arrests. The judge’s advice in brief is as follows:
“Cases of disappearances in Jaffna are on the increase. Investigations into the cases related to Chemmani and Kopay mass graves have not progressed. Families of the victims have not made any complaints either to the police or to the courts. When complaints are made after a long time lapse, it is harder to locate the disappeared person alive. The complaint also loses its original degree of validity. More than 50 people have disappeared in Jaffna since December. None of these disappearances have been lodged with the courts. The law permits people to complain at the courts about disappeared people. According to legal code 136 subsection 1A, a relative of the disappeared can make a verbal complaint at the courts. If such a complaint is made then the courts has the power to investigate and order the police to submit a report on it every fortnight. People should not be frightened about making complaints at the courts. Confidentiality will be maintained. Police must investigate and record evidence. This evidence cannot be hidden away. People can obtain certified copies of these documents. These documents can be used for claiming political asylum in other countries. If someone goes missing, people should not stop with complaining to the Human Rights Commission. They must also lodge complaints with the courts. The courts have greater powers to investigate cases of disappearances. Therefore other organizations must also advise and encourage people to lodge complaints with the courts. If the Sri Lankan military or other groups issue death threats, people must approach the courts. The courts might be able to stop it. If threats are issued through telephone, then if the victim’s name and his/her phone number is given to the courts, courts will be able to take action to protect the victim and also disconnect the phone from which the threat was issued. People are ignoring unlawful arrests that they are witnessing out of fear. This must change. Recently six young men were arrested at Kallady which many people witnessed. Yet, no one has given any complaints about this to the police, courts or the GS. People must change this and start to give complaints to the appropriate sources about what they witness. Military cannot torture those they arrest. Anyone arrested on suspicion must be immediately handed to the police. The arrested can be interrogated only in lawful recognized places after obtaining permission from the judge. When people immediately give information about the arrest of a person to the Human Rights Commission, ICRC, and the courts, it is possible to obtain dependable evidence about the arrest. Evidence given to the police by the people comes to the courts after long delays. We have instructed the police to provide the information given to them by the people without delay”.
23 June 2006
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Europe which has a total population of 800 million is made up of 45 language based nation states. South Asia which has a total population of one billion, (1000 million) is comprised of four states. Who is preventing and therefore benefiting by limiting new nation-states in South Asia?
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