The Lawyers for Democracy has today condemned the attack on an unarmed disabled person by two police officers at Kahatagasdigiliya.
Lal Wijenayake – Convener of the Lawyers for Democracy
“The attack as shown in almost all television channels is a disgrace to the police force. Specially at a time when after 8th January there is a determined effort to see that there is no interference in the functions of the police and that the police is allowed to act independently without any political or other interference.” said Lal Wijenayake, the Convener of the Lawyers for Democracy.
He said; “The attack itself was bad enough but the statement by the official spokesman to the police has made it worse. He tried ashamedly to defend the attack on the basis that the victim was riding a motor cycle after consuming liquor and that he was a person convicted of several offences and that many more cases were pending against him. This statement from a senior police officer and the spokesman for the police shows the ignorance of the police regarding their powers and duties. It is accepted in every civilized country that minimum force that is necessary to arrest a person should be used and it is not the duty of an arresting officer to punish the offender. It is his duty to bring the offender before court to be dealt with under law. This principle is laid down in the ‘International Convention on Use of Force and Firearms by law enforcement officials.’
“The behavior of the police and the reasons given by him defense of the action shows the necessity to educate and train police officers on the principles that should govern them in performing their duties.”
Shamil / September 25, 2015
Why these lawyers didnt condemn the killings of unarmed civilians in No Fire Zone in the North during January to May 2009 Genocide.? People who are protesting for that [Edited out]called seya why didbt protest for the sexual abuse of thousands of Tamil sisters and mothers in 2009? Such a strange planet no??
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Stranger / September 25, 2015
yeah strange world. lunatics and arrogant shits of your sort who can even think of calling a kid [Edited out] raising your concerns about alleged war crimes.
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Native Vedda / September 25, 2015
Shamil
“People who are protesting for that [Edited out] called seya why didbt protest for the sexual abuse of thousands of Tamil sisters and mothers in 2009? “
What the hell are you talking about?
Please withdraw your nasty comment and apologise for what you have typed.
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Uthungan / September 26, 2015
It is an utter shame for CT to high light such comments instead of returning them to the same individual with a stinging rebuke. Shame,shame,shame!
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srilal / September 25, 2015
Don’t get carried away 2009 war with every thing else , it’s extremely offensive to write such derogative comments on the deceased little angel Seya .
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The Rogue Ayer / September 26, 2015
Shamil,
“People who are protesting for that [Edited out] called seya why didbt protest for the sexual abuse of thousands of Tamil sisters and mothers in 2009?”
Small bitch? Please seek treatment ASAP.
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bulath / September 26, 2015
What a disgusting excuse for a human Being you are , You just confirmed why LTTE shit heads like you are not needed in this world ,Tamils dont need the Likes of you..
Like Native Vedda said Please withdraw your comment ,
to CT you have a responsibility to moderate at least some of what is written here in the comments
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Kamal / September 27, 2015
What Shamil said is the bitter truth. There were 1000s of children brutally killed by shelling in war zone, are they LTTE?. All Sinhalese were silent like they swallowed Jack Fruit’s Nut, But for a single child they are shouting like they are facing a Genocide? Why all these media were silent at that time.? Aren’t they children even? Media is fooling the people, Like what happened in that Syria child Aylan. Even though 1000s of children died in that war why only special coverage for that single incident? Why people cant watch anything with brain though the media is doing some propaganda?
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fake / September 27, 2015
First you call yourself shamil ,now you call yourself Kamal ..Get a life !!! what do you mean by
“All Sinhalese were silent like they swallowed Jack Fruit’s Nut” ?
upi think like all LTTE cohorts were silent when they were murdering all & sundry?
you just spelt out who you really are, it is you who need a brain , not anyone else
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Chamini / November 20, 2015
Shamil…the news article and your comments have no links whatsoever .
In future keep the comments within the subject matter. If you read all the replies to your comment..no one liked it! because you try divert the news to something no relevant to the subject.
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Dissanayake / September 25, 2015
Lawyers can do two things regarding this; one is to do press release and condemn; second one is file the case against police. This is violation of article on 11 of constitute(it says; Free from Torture) and it’s go against international principles.
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Paul / September 26, 2015
The third is to pontificate loudly on the outrageous police tactics and do nothing. The lawyers have their careers to think of.
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Snowden Edward Asange / September 25, 2015
STOP talking act NOW !… IT was NOT necessary to use EXCESSIVE FORCE on a” differently abled” person.. Now they want to pin the “HE was drunk” tag on him… shame on the OIC of ths station…WHAT were the people around doing instead of protesting and shielding this man from being physically abused?
They came for the man in the opposite to me…I didnt stand up for him..
They came for my neighbor I didnt stand up for him.
when they finally came for me there was NONE who would stand up for me….
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gamini / September 25, 2015
Police BRUTALITY at it’s best. I heard the Police in order to justify has said that there are nine charges against this victim. First and foremost Police has no right to assault a citizen. If they believe they have the right, it will not be long before the citizens also have the right to assault the Police and would be done very discreetly in the future.
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srilal / September 25, 2015
Absolutely Gamini , New police spokesperson bears the typical arrogant out look which we had in the 70 s and 80 s , even though Ajith Rohana was a mere MR’s parrot , at least he had a pleasing out look , new police spokesperson needs to be told off that he is not addressing his subordinates or criminals at police stations when issuing press statements , i listened to his live interview with Hiru News paper reader in the morning couple of days ago , it was appalling , basically he was reprimanding the interviewer and the whole SL media for doing their job , that man needs to get off from the air , period.
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anonymous / September 25, 2015
Immediate suspension, courts, fine, prison for ABH/GBH and finally dismissal without pay or pension. If not we will sue the IGP for incompetency.
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Naga / September 25, 2015
I am simply outraged at the cowardly act of these police fellows beating a handicapped person for no reason. I viewed the video several times and it is clearly evident that the handicapped person was just trying to get up from the pavement when the policeman started attacking him. It is also evident that this man was trying to touch the legs of the policeman perhaps in an attempt to plead for mercy. But the two police fellows have no mercy and continued to repeatedly attack him. The handicapped man appears to be dimunitive and slightly built compared to these hefty policemen. This is certainly cruel and degrading treatment of a person and a clear violation of his human rights.
Sri Lankan policemen routinely beat people mercelessly and they all escape without any punishment.
The subsequent statement by a DIG to defend his men deserves to be condemned in no uncertain terms. I believe these policemen engage in this type of cruel behaviour because they know well that their superior officials like this DIG will always support them.
I hope that the Convenor for Lawyers for Democracy will immediately file a fundamental rights application claiming damages and reparation from these two policemen as well as the Polic Department including that DIG who justified the actions of these two police bastards.
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The Rogue Ayer / September 26, 2015
Naga,
I agree.
There is some hope because more and more people are using their smart phones for useful purposes.
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Sensible Citizen / September 25, 2015
No wonder the popular name given to any police officer is Kossa (broomstick) We have fair number of good, educated and duty bound police officers in the force, It is important that the police enforce their code of conduct to the letter and get rid of officers who have such conducts that mar the confidence and destroy the trust among the civilians. The hierarchy of the police should stop defending their officers and a special unit of police should be set up to investigate the officers if there are charges of overuse of power by the officers. This practice exists in many western countries
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Sapumal / September 25, 2015
Thank you Lal for your enlighten legal points here. I hope Police will take them into consideration. It is very sad to see Sri Lanka Police still in the colonial mentality and darkness. It is very grave and timely need to change entire police force need a upside down change and restructuring process. The need to train law, ethics, about international agreements, conflict resolution, analytical thinking and many more. What they are doing is not even doing under a dictator rule. We need to change their uniform too. It is still remind me how they oppressed people under colonial era. Gandhi and his movement.
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Siri / September 25, 2015
Hi Friends – Lawyers for Democracy,
Yes, you are lawyers, this video evidence i more than enough, file a public interest case against these cops, and get justice for the victim.
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Sena / September 25, 2015
Good, Citizen Journalists are at work, they not only watch the police but also all the servants as well.
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Snowden Edward Asange / September 26, 2015
Being a citizen Journalist is a good thing.I suggest each and everyone register with “newsfirst.lk” as a “U report” contributor..this way we can keep a tab of police brutality and other misdeeds..including reckless bus drivers who could be recorded and sent to the media, whereby the authorities have proof to dismiss the drivers..
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The Rogue Ayer / September 26, 2015
Snowden Edward Asange,
“Being a citizen Journalist is a good thing.I suggest each and everyone register with “newsfirst.lk” as a “U report” contributor..this way we can keep a tab of police brutality and other misdeeds..including reckless bus drivers who could be recorded and sent to the media, whereby the authorities have proof to dismiss the drivers..”
Thanks for the tip. I will buy a large memory card to catch all that is going on in Jaffna.
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Karthigesu M. Nirmalan-Nathan. / September 26, 2015
When I was in Sri Lanka between the years of 1990 and 1994 I was privy to the investigation of skills of Sri Lankan Police. I was locked up on suspicion purely because I was a Tamil, under the Prevention of Terrorism Act. I can believe every word every body is saying about the police. They bring the suspects in and beat the crap out taking it in turn to do so. They openly demand bribes. Bribery is in fact I feel is built into the pay structure. There is a saying that if you pay peanuts you only get monkeys to work for you.
They should increase the entry requirements academically and Physical attributes. Start paying a decent Salary. As suggested those goons in the video should be suspended forthwith and take disciplinary action and make it transparent and send out a statement to the public no such action will ever be tolerated.
Immediate evaluation is needed of police standards. Law and order should be given priority if our nation is to be truly reformed.
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The Rogue Ayer / September 26, 2015
Karthigesu,
“Law and order should be given priority if our nation is to be truly reformed.”
Are you not the one who only some days ago called for actions that disrespect rule of law, freedom of expression, democracy and good governance?
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Paul / September 26, 2015
All Ranil has to do is pick up the phone and insist that the law take its course and that nothing is swept under the carpet. If the cops are convicted, imagine how his reputation will soar. Will he do this simple thing that will benefit him and the government? No.
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Common Citizen / September 26, 2015
I am ashamed once again to view the brutality (which is more common than usual) of the Sri Lanka Police force, this time on the web. It is even more of a shame to hear the response of the Police higher-ups to this incident. I remember very well, how these primitive, inept, poorly trained barbarians treated the young people in 1970’s revolutionary’ uprisings. I was living a few doors from a Police station at that time. They had little or no tact/intelligence to extract any information they were seeking from the young people in their custody. I still hear in my mind the screams of the young men and women who were in their custody. Everyone living around us knew what was going on in the confines of the police station. These policemen are a disgrace to the country I love.
The citizen reporters can be of great help to expose them and bring police institution to the 21st century. We need reform everywhere, at all ranks in the Sri Lanka Police.
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Adrian / September 26, 2015
Sri Lankan Police means legalised criminals of the state.
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Rio Ziegelaar / September 26, 2015
It is a shame on the Police forces, but then what have these morons been all these years? Scum bags. It is even a bigger shame that people stood by and looked silently.
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Spring Koha / September 27, 2015
IGP Illangakoon, may WE the people bring to you attention the following, taken from your website http://www.police.lk/index.php/vision-a-mission
“For a People Friendly, Professional, Prestigious, Police Force”
Each letter that makes the word “POLICE” comprises different interpretations.
P – Politeness
O – Obedience
L – Loyalty
I – Intelligence
C – Courtesy
E – Efficiency
May WE the people suggest that you now change “POLICE” to
P – Profligate
O – Obdurate
L – Licentious
I – Impunity
C – Cowardice
E – Extra Judicial
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valballa / September 29, 2015
We react to this like as if this doesn’t every day. haven’t we heard of the 4th floor of the police stations. I have absolutely no respect for the policemen in Sri Lanka. It is thuggery in Uniform.
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Upali Wickramasinghe / November 15, 2015
Lal,Let us keep aside the assault by the police for the time being.
This problem had been in thee air over the past two years.There were two assaults on the students by the police on this subject matter.
I am interested on another aspect.
The students would have applied for enrollment based on an advertisement by the UGC.There would have been expenses the students would have had to bear upto the point of enrollment. Then there is the fact that the UCG, when they published the advertisement created in the minds of the students a projected plan for their future.In other words there was a contract between the UCG and the students.
Why was no action taken to seek solace in the courts as the UCG had breached a contract.Isit not honourable on the part of the lawyers to help the students to get the perpetrators of this problem punished?
That will be a warning to people with a false sense of power to be more careful in the future.
Secondly These are students are at a higher education institute. Have they confined themselves to cramming notes and read nothing else that will enhance their general knowledge?
I am reminded of a comment by another senior lawyer ” . I HAD THREE LAW GRADUATES PRODUCED BY G L PEIRIS WHO DID NOT KNOW WHO CHURCHILL WAS. THE FOURTH ASKED WHETHER IT WAS THAT “GARMAN HADAYA”. ON FRIDAY LAST I WENT INTO …… BANK ON ……. ROAD AND ASKED THE RECEPTION GIRL WHETHER SHE HAD HEARD OF CHURCHILL. SHE HAD’NT – WHAT HAS JR DONE TO US? “
With this type of students from higher education institutes, one can expect repetition of the saga at Ward Place again and again.
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