SRI LANKA: Is the police spokesperson, SP Ajith Rohana, living on the moon?

June 4, 2012

Today, June 4, in the Daily Mirror on line edition the police spokesperson, SP Ajith Rohana is quoted as saying "Generally as a practice torture never takes place in Lankan Police stations." This police spokesperson, who is also said to be an Attorney-at-Law, is further quoted as saying, "Torture is often misconstrued by the Media and the public. When the Police go to apprehend a suspect if there is resistance the Police will use force in order to arrest him. This isn't torture nor is using force to prevent damage to public or private property torture".

Perhaps this Attorney-at-Law and the police spokesperson may have never read any of the judgements of the Supreme Court regarding the torture that has taken place in Sri Lankan police stations. These cases are in the hundreds and the kind of physical torture includes assaults which have resulted in kidney failure (the case of Gerald Perera), instances where oedema on the brain has been caused due the victim head being placed beneath heavy books which were then struck with bars (the case of Lalith Rajapakse) and so many deaths which have happened after custodial torture, one of the most recent being that of the death of Mr. Chandrasiri Dasanayaka of Thalpitiya at theWadduwa Police Station and the killing at the Dompe Police Station which lead to the people attacking the station and so many hundreds of other cases.

SP Rohana seems to be a police spokesperson that does not appear to read. The Daily Mirror on the very same day reported in its print version several cases of torture until the title 'Suspects claim police brutality after arrest'. One of the suspects is in serious condition and the also been admitted to a hospital.

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