Jaffna Tamil petitioners allege they were forced to sign statements
Sunday 13 May 2012
The era of the grease yaka back in focus
The Supreme Court on Thursday granted leave to proceed with petitions filed by 51 Jaffna Tamils who allege that the military and police assaulted them in the aftermath of the ‘grease yaka’ (devils) incidents in the peninsula last year.
The petitioners also say that their fundamental and language rights were violated by the police forcing them to sign statements in Sinhala, which they do not understand. The first respondent in this case is Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa. The others include the army commander, the security forces commander, Jaffna, the inspector general of police, commander of the 51 division, commander of the 512 brigade, and other army and police officials.
Significantly, it is the first time since the war ended that the SC gave leave to proceed to such a large number of people, all of whom are taking on the security establishment. The breadth of violations include torture, arbitrary arrest, detention and language rights which are areas covered in the report of the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission. The bench comprised Chief Justice Shirani A. Bandaranayake, Justices N.G. Amaratunga and K. Sripavan.
Rise in violence
The Naavanthurai cases (better known as the ‘grease yaka cases’) relate to incidents on August 22, 2011 when more than 100 persons from the said area were allegedly rounded up by the security forces. The cases were filed in September 2011. Interestingly, it took eight months for the Supreme Court to grant leave to proceed. They will now be taken up on November 15.
Full Story>>>
Sunday 13 May 2012
The era of the grease yaka back in focus
The Supreme Court on Thursday granted leave to proceed with petitions filed by 51 Jaffna Tamils who allege that the military and police assaulted them in the aftermath of the ‘grease yaka’ (devils) incidents in the peninsula last year.
The petitioners also say that their fundamental and language rights were violated by the police forcing them to sign statements in Sinhala, which they do not understand. The first respondent in this case is Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa. The others include the army commander, the security forces commander, Jaffna, the inspector general of police, commander of the 51 division, commander of the 512 brigade, and other army and police officials. Significantly, it is the first time since the war ended that the SC gave leave to proceed to such a large number of people, all of whom are taking on the security establishment. The breadth of violations include torture, arbitrary arrest, detention and language rights which are areas covered in the report of the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission. The bench comprised Chief Justice Shirani A. Bandaranayake, Justices N.G. Amaratunga and K. Sripavan.
Rise in violence
The Naavanthurai cases (better known as the ‘grease yaka cases’) relate to incidents on August 22, 2011 when more than 100 persons from the said area were allegedly rounded up by the security forces. The cases were filed in September 2011. Interestingly, it took eight months for the Supreme Court to grant leave to proceed. They will now be taken up on November 15.
Full Story>>>
