Violations increasing in Trincomalee -HRC

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 14 August 2001, 12:21 GMT]
Complaints against armed forces, police and state institutions received by the Trincomalee regional office of the Human Rights Commission (HRC) of Sri Lanka this year up to June has increased by eight fold compared to last year, states a report to the Head Office of the HRC in Colombo. "In last year 28.5 percent complaints were against the Police, 21 percent against the three armed forces and the rest against the state institutions in the Trincomalee district " said the report filed by the Trincomalee regional office of the HRC.

"Seventy two percent of complaints received last year were inquired into and action was taken. Inquiries into the rest of the complaints are being delayed due to lack of interest shown by complainants. In some cases, complaints were not properly lodged with necessary documents. In some instances enough evidence was not supplied to continue further investigations" HRC sources said.

The report further states,"there is a marked decrease in the arrests and detentions of persons by armed forces and police during the first six months of this year. Last year the HRC received complaints of 228 arrests and detention in the district. This year up to June only 22 arrests and detentions had been reported."

Referring to the disappearances, the report states, "this year during the first six months nine persons were reported missing to the HRC authorities compared to last year 26 reported disappeared in Trincomalee district."

"However, during this period complaints from civilians in Trincomalee about arrests detention and persons missing increased eight-fold" HRC sources said.