False complaints hamper investigations in abductions
– President
[Saturday, June 02, 2007 - 14.30 GMT]    

 
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For example, of 11 complaints of disappearances received at the Panadura Police alone, 08 complaints had been later withdrawn.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reports of alleged abductions, there was no similar reportage when such persons returned or when such complaints were withdrawn.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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Last Updated Date: June 02, 2007 - 14.30 GMT