Human rights activists continue to be summoned to CID even under new govt.
Police crackdown on activists based in Sri Lanka’s north and east appears to be continuing under the new government.
A non-governmental organization (NGO) activist has been summoned to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) for his role in organizing a protest demanding to stop the removal of Rohingyas to Myanmar.
The Rohingya’s rescued by fishers in war-affected Mullaitivu are currently detained at the Mullaitivu Air Force Camp. The group of 115, which includes children, had survived the prevailing violence in Myanmar and had fled that country. They have been living in the camp for over 21 days.
A message, issued on 12 January, 2025 via a police 265 message form, had informed North and East Coordinating Committee’s (NECC) Joint Coordinator Jesumaney Yardsan Figurado to appear before the CID to record a statement. It had further said that information needs to be obtained regarding the protest held in front of the Mullaitivu District Secretariat on 9 January, 2025.
The message had further informed Figurado to meet the CID’s Human Trafficking, Human Smuggling, and Maritime Crimes Division’s Officer-in-Charge (OIC) at 9 a.m. on 15 January 2025 at the old Police Headquarters building in Colombo Fort where the CID is located.
The NECC Joint Coordinator had informed CID that he will be present on the 17th as he is unable to make it on the requested date.
Leading human rights activist Ruki Fernando based in Colombo, had also participated in the protest launched on 9 January, 2025 in war-affected Mullaitivu.
Groups including civil society activists, political leaders, and trade union leaders staged a protest in front of the Presidential Secretariat in Colombo on 10 January, 2025 (Friday) and handed over a letter to the Secretariat urging that the group of Rohingya people, who had fled Myanmar due to persecution, not be repatriated. The protest had been led by the Committee to Investigate the Disappeared affiliated with the leftist Nava Sama Samaja Party.
