2ND LEAD (Correction, Update)

New office for Assistant Superintendent of Police opened in Jaffna

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 22 January 2008, 15:20 GMT]
"The lack of at least one police officer proficient in Tamil language is the cause for the public's reluctance to seek police assistance to have their needs attended," Jaffna magistrate Mr. R. T. Vicknarajah said, speaking at the official opening ceremony of the new office for Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) at the Jaffna police station premises Tuesday around 2:00 p.m. According to the 13th amendment of the Sri Lankan constitution, the Tamil language also shall be the official language of Sri Lanka. Despite this, the status of Tamil as an official language has not been implemented for the past 20 years.

"It is a farce that the new APRC proposals are to be based on 13th amendment that has not been implemented by the Government of Sri Lanka, which has failed for 20-years in honoring a such crucial clause," an attorney-at-law in Jaffna told TamilNet, commenting on the implementation of Sri Lanka's official language policy.

Jaffna Magistrate requested the new ASP, Poojitha Jayasundara, to ensure that at least one officer proficient in Tamil language is posted in the police stations in Jaffna peninsula, legal sources in Jaffna said.

All the magistrates in Jaffna peninsula participated in the opening of the new ASP office by Mr. Jayasundara who assumed duties as the new ASP for Jaffna region Tuesday.

Jayasundara said in his speech that he will shortly hold special meetings with the representatives of social organizations in Jaffna and government authorities to identify the needs and problems of the public. This will help the police to function effectively and smoothly, he added.

The Jaffna magistrate also pointed out the difficulties the magistrate courts in Jaffna peninsula faced due to the lack of police officers proficient in Tamil language.

The office of the ASP located in Kaankeasanthu'rai (KKS) will function in the new office opened in Jaffna police station premises from Tuesday.

The Sri Lanka Army closure of the A9 land route had significantly curtailed the functions of the police in Jaffna peninsula.