South Asians for Human Rights

Promoting Democracy, Upholding Human Rights

The police have denied allegations raised by a British NGO saying they were involved in human rights (HR) abuses in Sri Lanka.

Police headquarters said the allegations raised by a not-for-profit research group Corporate Watch were baseless.

The Herald Scotland reported that more than 3500 Sri Lankan police officers – including some senior commanders – have received training from the Scottish Police College (SPC) since 2007 through projects funded by the UK and Scottish governments.

An investigation by Corporate Watch found the SPC is involved in spearheading a project to help to set up a National Police Academy in Sri Lanka.

Most of the training involves Scottish officers travelling to the island, but in some cases Sri Lankan police are brought to Scotland.

Amnesty International in Scotland has details of Sri Lankan police assisting government commandos who opened fire on civilians, and the murder of detainees in police custody.

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay last week launched an attack on the Sri Lankan government’s human rights record following a week-long visit, citing police intimidation of priests, journalists and human rights advocates. Pillay also talked of dissenting voices being “permanently silenced”.

Phil Miller from Corporate Watch, said: “She reported the country was heading in an increasingly authoritarian direction and complained about how the police had been harassing people who she had been trying to interview.

Source: The Sunday Leader – 15.09.2013 – http://www.thesundayleader.lk/2013/09/15/police-reject-hr-allegations/