HRC inquires into police assault on LTTE cadre

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 08 April 2003, 00:05 GMT]
The Jaffna regional office of the Human Rights Commission (HRC) of Sri Lanka Monday held an inquiry into a complaint of Police assault on a Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) cadre, Mr. Iyaivaanan on March 29, sources said.

The inquiry was held by the HRC regional co-ordinator Mr.Ruwan Chandrasekara at his office Monday morning, sources said.

Mr. Iyaivaanan , when he was assaulted, LTTE sources said.

During the inquiry LTTE official, Mr.Nishanthan, said the complainant Iyaiwaanan was engaged in political work at Kodikamam-Kachchai area in Thenmaradchchi division had when he was assaulted by the said constable.

The constable had no reason for assaulting Mr.Iyaivaanan, LTTE official added.

The Police replied that the constable did not know that the complainant was an LTTE political cadre at the time of assault and that the complainant did not obey the constable's order to move out from the scene of incident on the particular day, sources said.

The HRC regional co-ordinator Mr.Ruwan Chandrasekara told the Police that the police have no right to assault a person when he disobeyed their order. Instead they should have dealt with the matter under the existing law, sources said.

At the conclusion of the inquiry, the LTTE representative wanted the transfer of the said constable from Kodikamam police. The OIC, Kodikamam Mr.Senadhira undertook to furnish a report within one week to the HRC in Jaffna regarding the transfer of the said police constable, sources said.

HRC sources said that this was the first time that the LTTE had made a complaint to the HRC officially regarding police assault on one of its political cadre.