SLA, STF, police accused of sexual harassment in Aaraiyampathi

[TamilNet, Thursday, 03 July 2008, 14:01 GMT]
The Sri Lanka Army (SLA) troops, Special Task Force (STF) commandos, and policemen who visit homes in Aaraiyampathi area during daytime for interrogation, elicit information about men in the family, and visit the homes that do not have any males, on pretext of night patrol, subjecting widows and women to sexual harassment, residents in Aaraiyampathi in Kaaththaankudi police division in Batticaloa district said. The victims do not complain to the police or speak of their suffering due to fear of being killed by the troops and policemen.

The STF commandos stationed in Aaraiyampathi have been sexually harassing women who are alone in their houses in the areas around their camp including Chelvaanakar, Aaraiyampathi Maariyamman Koayil Veethi, Church Veethi, Suppirama'niya Viththiyalaaya Veethi and Kalveedduthth Thi'n'naiyadi Veethi (T.C.Road), during the last week.

Meanwhile, some armed men who entered the house of the doctor of Aaraiyampathi Hospital attacked her husband and robbed cash and jewelry from the residence.

Inicidents of intruders escaping by scaling parapet walls around the houses when residents shout, are also common, the residents of Aaraiyampathi said.

The STF, SLA troops and police have been conducting joint cordon and search operations in Aaraiyampathi area, section by section, for the last month.