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Selected Writings -
S. Makenthiran
Rape - A Weapon of Ethnic Oppression
29 December 2007 [also
in Word Format]
Many cases of rape and torture of Tamil men and women by the Sri
Lankan army and police have gone up to the courts, though many more are not
reported.
As an example of this ghastly phenomenon is the case of a young
Tamil woman Yogalingam Vijitha of Kayts aged 27, who was subjected to the worst
forms of sexual torture by the Sinhalese policemen in Negombo. The Supreme Court
found the police guilty on August 23, 2002, and awarded her compensation of SL
Rs. 250,000 (US $ 2,650 approx.).
The courts ordered the state to pay two-fifth of it and three
Sinhalese police inspectors Messrs Wijeyesekera, Saman Karunaratna and Arachige
Muditha, one-fifth each.. The three police criminals have got off lightly with
having to pay only a few hundred dollars (US$ 530 approx.), while many other
culprits involved in the brutalities have gone free. This is the value placed on
life and honour of Tamil women in Sri Lanka.
The policemen unaccompanied by any women , illegally arrested Vijitha in
Trincomalee in mid-2000 and brought her to Negombo in handcuffs. She was kept
handcuffed and severely assaulted with poles all over her body and trampled with
boots. She was stripped and her face was covered with shopping bag containing
chilli powder filled with petrol, tightening and loosening it to make her suffer
in suffocation. Her hands were tied to the roof of the room and while hanging,
her body was battered with poles. Her hands and legs were tied together and she
was left to hang on a horizontal pole inserted between her hands and legs,
making her swing in pain.
She was forced to lie on a table and while four policemen
pressed her down, others were pricking her finger nails and toes simultaneously
with pins making her bleed with unbearable pain.
As an ultimate torture, Vijitha�s clothes were removed and four
policemen held her hands and legs apart on a table in the torture chamber, while
another was mercilessly inserting a hard sheath soaked in chilli powder into her
vagina and tortured the helpless girl causing her burning sensation and pain
till she bled and fainted. When she regained consciousness after the torture she
was forced to sign sheets of paper typed in Sinhala, which she did not
understand. Later in the night she was allowed to return to her cell with strict
warning that she should not wash herself.
This young woman�s health is ruined and her life shattered. According to medical
reports, she suffers from continuous bleeding from the vagina, pain in the lower
abdomen and frequency of urine with pain, constant headache, depression, loss of
sleep and appetite, fear and nervousness. The heartrending experiences of
Vijitha shows to what low depths of bestiality the Sinhalese policemen had
descended in the treatment of Tamil detainees. Incredibly, it was reported in
the Island newspaper that she was under remand in Negombo Prison even after the
matter went up to courts.
The above is a typical case how Tamil detainees are treated by Sri Lankan police
and army to extract confessions which is used against them for conviction under
the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA), which is still in force despite the
ceasefire. A doctor has reported that there are about 400 torture victims in
Trincomalee district alone needing treatment. There are numerous such victims in
other Northeast districts, and is a social problem for the Tamil community,
requiring attention.
The cases of rape of Tamil women and girls including children by the Sinhalese
armed forces is endless. Sarojini, a mother of two children in Amparai district
was tortured by the Amparai police and detained in Welikada. Her relatives
complained that a pipe rubbed with chilli powder was inserted into her vagina
during the investigation, but no action was taken on the complaint.
Velu Arasadevi, a 28 year old widow with two children from
Passara, in the Upcountry was gang raped by the police in Colombo and awarded
compensation by the Supreme Court of SL Rs, 150,000 (US $ 1,590 approx..).
Koneswary a mother of three children was gang raped by the Central Camp
policemen in Amparai and a grenade was exploded in her genitals to obliterate
evidence of rape.
Ida Carmelita a young girl of Mannar was gang raped and shot
through her vagina. Sivamani and Vijikala two married women with children were
arrested in Mannar. The police gang including the Inspector in charge, stripped
them naked and subjected them to humiliation, torture and rape. The cases came
to light only after the Bishop of Mannar, and a Tamil MP intervened. Vijitha�s
husband Ehambaram was tortured by a policeman inserting barbed wire into his
anus. This form of torture is commonly resorted to by Sri Lankan police.
Teen-ager Krishanthi a Jaffna schoolgirl was gang raped and killed, as also her
mother, brother and neighbour who went to look for her. One of the army men
divulged in the courts, that when the young girl was being gang raped
continuously by the Singhalese soldiers, she begged the rapists to at least let
her rest for five minutes.
Sarathambal 29 (a Hindu priest�s daughter) of the island of
Punguduthivu , Poomani aged 70 of Neerveli, Rajeswary (35) of Thenmaradchi,
Pushpamalar a child aged 12 of Chavakachcheri, Kalanithy (26) of Mirisuvil,
Thanalakshmi (42) of Meesalai, Ajanthana (17) of Arialai, Thankanayaki (49) of
Amparai, Santhirakala (20) a teacher of Jaffna, Velan Rasammaa (34), her sister
Velan Vasantha (28), Sivasothy (31) and Nageswari (37) of Batticaloa, Rajani
(22) of Urumpirai, Lakshmi Pillai of Trincomalee, Subashini (19) and
Vijayalalitha (14) arrested at sea, deaf and dumb Selvarani (28) of Meesalai,
Rathykala of Polonnaruwa, are some of the many Tamil women raped or gang raped
by Sinhalese police and army. Many Tamil women were killed after rape to erase
any evidence.
There are hundreds of other cases, which are not revealed. Young and old were
not spared. The Bishop of Mannar told reporters that Sinhalese police and army
personnel, to satisfy their sexual desires, spot good looking Tamil women and
bring up an allegation against them as being involved with the Tigers to detain
them and sexually abuse them. Only in the one single case of Krishanthy, due to
immense publicity and agitation, were the rapists convicted. All the other
offenders are free. Cases are transferred to Sinhalese areas and as the
witnesses find it difficult to travel, the accused escape conviction. Some of
these criminals are defended by Sinhala Urumaya, a racist organization directly
encouraging degradation of Tamil Women.
Many young Tamil women with infants are in detention without trial and the kids
are growing up in jails for no fault of theirs. The army killings has made
thousands of Tamil children orphans, but the Colombo media are shedding
crocodile tears alleging that LTTE are using child soldiers. Whether these
allegations are true or not, it is not possible to say. However, it is extremely
baffling that child soldiers can destroy a well armed Sri Lankan armed forces of
150,000, and smash all the way through the jungles of Vanni, from Nedunkerny to
Manalaru, Omanthai, Mannar, Poonahari, Elephant Pass, Palai, Chavakachcheri and
hammer at the gates of Jaffna within a few days during operation �Unceasing
Waves 3' by the LTTE. In The Island newspaper of 6 September 2002 the Editor
refers to them as barbarians storming the gates of Jaffna peninsula and airport.
This shows the depth to which the racial venom against the Tamils is harbored by
this war mongering journalist to malign them.
Tragically, the Tamils are victims of conspiracy and complicity by some
Sinhalese magistrates, doctors and senior police officers and others who should
protect victims. Yogalingam Vijitha stated in her petition to the courts, that
she was mercilessly assaulted by Sub Inspector Saman Karunaratna in the presence
of Superintendent of Police Gamini Dissanayaka. She was prevented from speaking
when she was taken before a magistrate, who remanded her after the torture and
forced confessions. Even Human Rights Commission has failed to take effective
action on complaints. She had a chance to complain about her torture to a Tamil,
Dr. Sivasubramaniam, Assistant JMO, whose report probably saved her from further
torture.
Every time there are anti-Tamil riots, the Sinhalese mobs indulge in an orgy of
violence and rape of Tamil women. The army and police force, almost all
Sinhalese, are hostile to Tamils. The police force of 60,000 has only a few
hundred Tamils. In the army there are hardly any Tamils. Sinhalese and Muslim
home guards and Tamil groups armed and paid by the government were guilty of
further atrocities. It is to the credit of the Tamils, that not a single case of
rape of Sinhalese women by LTTE or Tamil civilians has been reported.
The Sri Lankan government has encouraged atrocities against Tamils by rewarding
those guilty with promotions. Protests by Tamil Parliamentarians and mass
protests by Tamils have been ineffective. Men accused of war crimes like Janaka
Perera, Rohan Daluwatte and Lal Wijeyesuriya were made ambassadors, despite
allegations of being responsible for mass graves as in Chemmani.
All nations and organizations that are interested and promoting peace in Sri
Lanka should take serious note of past happenings. The Sinhalese government,
police and army cannot be trusted to protect the Tamil civilians. A change of
government in the South dominated by racists like JVP, Sinhala Urumaya or the
Budhist clergy and SLFP has become more dangerous for the Tamils. Unfortunately,
the foreign governments are supplying arms to the murderous Sri Lanka government
and abetting the crimes against Tamils.
Any political solution therefore has to be designed to permanently safeguard the
Tamils against Sinhalese state and mob terrorism. If the country is to remain
undivided, the Tamils homeland and rights should be recognized and proper
autonomy granted within a federal set up. For the protection of the Tamils, they
should have their own police, judiciary and army in the Northeast, and
sufficient Tamils should be recruited to the police and army by the central
government to serve in the Sinhalese provinces according to the ethnic
composition.
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