Priests join protest against police brutality

Priests have joined civic groups in demonstrating against police brutality after video footage was released apparently showing a policeman assaulting a mentally challenged youth, resulting in his death by drowning.

Two priests and a nun join civic groups in protesting against police brutality

“People are tired and scared of the immunity enjoyed by the police force,” said Father Terrence Fernando of Colombo archdiocese.

The video, released on television and the Internet, showed the youth chased into the sea by policemen wielding sticks, with one policeman actually hitting him.

Media reports say the youth was depressed following a failed love affair and was undergoing treatment. He was throwing stones at trains and vehicles when the police made their move.

Some 700 human rights activists, Christian priests, nuns, laypeople and politicians demonstrated in front of the harbor railway station in Colombo on Nov. 4 in the incident´s aftermath.

They held placards with messages such as “Khaki-uniform killers” and “Bring all to book.”

Sri Lanka has been under emergency rule for decades due to the civil war with Tamil separatists in the north. Critics say this has led to an authoritarian culture with extended police powers and the suspension of constitutional rights that provides immunity for the police.

Father Fernando said there are thousands of cases of human rights violations by the country´s security forces, including police, in which no one has been prosecuted.

“It is a total misuse of power by police. It is the time for religious leaders to raise their voices for the people,” he said.

“Now that the war mania is over, (police) should be trained on how to deal with the people,” says Sister Noel Christine from Shramabimani center, an NGO.

Video shot of policemen cornering a mentally challenged youth

Anglican Father Marimuthupillai Sathivel, parish priest of St. Michael´s Church, also joined the demonstration and condemned the incident.

Catholic Father Sarath Iddamalgoda told UCA News that the elected government is responsible for “murders” because of its “continued neglect in dealing with police criminality.”

Incidents of alleged police brutality are growing.

In August, two youths, Danushka Aponso and Dinesh Tharanga Dernando, died in Angulana village on the outskirts of Colombo after being arrested on a minor offense. Their bullet-ridden bodies were discovered a short distance from the police station.

Later the same month, Nipuna Ramanayake, a student of Sri Lanka Institute of Information Technology (SLIIT) was allegedly abducted and tortured for several hours by police constables. The student claims they beat him with cricket stumps until they broke and kicked him in the face.

Anglican Bishop Duleep de Chickera of Colombo condemned the most recent killing and said that “public confidence in our law enforcement authorities must be maintained under all circumstances otherwise the country can quickly descend into a state of lawlessness.”

Police Inspector General Mahinda Balasuriya has promised “the police will look into the problem.”