Special Discussion On The Issue Of Problems Faced By The Public In A Large Number Of Villages Including Rathupaswala In Weliveriya, On Having Discovered A High Level Of Acidity Or Toxic Chemicals In The Water In Their Wells
August 6, 2013
Wide publicity was given recently through newspapers and the media recently into an incident related to drinking water in a large number of villages including Rathupaswala in Weliveriya. It was reported that water in the wells of these villages was found to contain high levels of acid or toxic chemicals, that even though the villagers complied to the relevant authorities, no action was taken by them, that a public demonstration ensured as a result during which some people had to pay with their lives.
The Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka decided to monitor this matter, especially the steps taken by the relevant authorities upon their intervention in this matter, the reasons for development of such a situation, the incidents which occurred on the relevant date and the steps that the authorities propose to take in the future.
As a preliminary step, the HRCSL held a discussion with relevant authorities at 10.30 a.m. on 05.08.2013 and hopes to have further discussions on this matter with civil societies, religious dignitaries and the public and take necessary steps in the future
by PREMALAL WIJERaTHNA and Ishara Ratnakara-2013-08-06
The Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka (HRCSL), which has launched a probe into the incident that took place in Weliweriya, has asked the Army to share with the Commission, the findings of the inquiry ordered by the Army Commander into the incident. HRCSL yesterday also summoned representatives of the Army, Police and 24 other public institutions and civil society groups to a meeting at the Commission.
The protest by area residents over ground water contamination in Rathupaswela, Weliweriya, turned violent on Thursday (1) following the deployment of Army personnel to disperse the crowds blocking the Colombo-Kandy road.
Three persons were killed and dozens injured in the incident. The HRCSL on Friday launched an inquiry into the clash in Weliweriya, and has appointed a five-member panel to probe the incident.
The HRCSL has also instructed the Gampaha District Secretary to share the report of a separate inquiry he had initiated into the incident.
Meanwhile, the Maligakanda Additional Magistrate, Lloyd Gray, yesterday ordered the Judicial Medical Officer (JMO) to conduct a post-mortem on the third victim of the shooting, N.A. Nilantha, who died at the Intensive Care Unit of the Colombo National Hospital, on Sunday (4). The Magistrate who visited the morgue of the Colombo National Hospital to conduct the preliminary magisterial inquiry, observed that the deceased bore wounds in the head and that no other wounds were visible on the body. He ordered the body be handed over to the spouse of the deceased after the post-mortem.
The victim, a father of one, was shot during the Army crackdown on the protesters, and died after being in a coma for three days. He had been on his way to report to duty in a factory at the Katunayake Free Trade Zone, when the shooting took place.
