Military Police barge in to “SENEHASA” to inquire about sexual abuse

- Sep 15, 2015

Military Police has gone for an inspection visit today 14th for a child care center which was meant to take care of mentally retarded and children affected with psychiatric disorders of the families of the security forces.

The military police made this sudden inspection visit based on an allegation of sexual abuse and irregularities.

The “Sathhanda” Newspaper yesterday exposed that there are children’s getting sexually abused in the “Senehasa” child care centre.

By now it is reported that the military police is questioning the officials of the “Senehasa”. These questionings are conducted by the orders of the army commander Major General Krishantha De Silva.
Following is the “Sathhanda” News

Army’s sexual abuse 
“Sathhanda” reports that children’s living in the “Senehasa” child care institution, an organization attached to the Sri Lanka Ranaviru Athority situated at Matha Road Narahenpita are getting regularly abused by the members of the armed forces.

It is being learnt that Children’s who are currently living in “Senehasa” are insecure and has been continuously molested for many years. Higher authorities of the institution are preventing the news exposed.

Senehasa Education Resource Research and Information Center was established during the war time to protect the retarded children’s of the families of the security forces. The mission of this institution is to provide education and discipline for the children’s who cannot be kept at home. Thirty children’s are forwarded by parents to get this service.

The institution was initially established by Anoma Fonseka the wife of the former army commander Sarath Fonseka who was the chairman of the institution. Following the removal of Sarath Fonseka as the army commander, all the institutions which was under the Ranaviru Seva, functioned without adequate supervision. A worker said “Senehasa” too was functioned without proper guidelines.

Children’s, who were five or six years during that time, has now become ten or twelve years and those children are believed to have been molested in the recent years. Now this institution has been opened for children’s who are not in the security forces. Teachers in this institution has complained to Anoma Fonseka about the members of security force who work in the institution molest and sexually abuse the children’s after getting drunkard. However, so far no credible steps have been taken to restrain the situation.

Children’s are not safe here – Anoma Fonseka 
When we inquired about the problem caused to the “Senehasa” institute from its former chairmen Anoma Fonseka, she said the situation of the place is not a suitable environment for children’s. She said she has not got any complains about sexual abuses but since the institution is managed by the army it is not conducive for the psyche of the children’s. Further stressing the situation she said.

“When I went there I thought it is not proper for the children are to be in a military environment. The place is not expected as we thought. I informed that to the current army commander as well”