Tensions escalated in Jaffna’s Chunnakam on Saturday evening after Sri Lankan police officers assaulted several Tamil civilians, including a woman and her 2-month-old baby. The incident, which took place outside a newly established police station, has sparked widespread outrage and demands for justice, drawing attention to ongoing concerns about police brutality in the region.
The altercation began when a Tamil family was driving in Jaffna. As they traveled, two motorcycles overtook their vehicle and collided, causing the riders to fall. The family stopped to assess the situation, and although bystanders explained that the motorcyclists appeared intoxicated, things quickly took a violent turn.
A woman from the family, who was traveling with her husband, sister, and child, explained, “We stopped our vehicle because we weren’t at fault. The motorcyclists were drunk, and passersby said not to worry.” However, as they exited the car, more individuals, including plainclothes officers, arrived at the scene. The officers, who did not identify themselves or wear uniforms, demanded to see the husband’s driver’s license.
“When my husband refused to show it, they started beating us,” the woman recounted. She added that, despite trying to call her brother for help, he too was assaulted upon arriving. “They hit him and my sister. My child fell onto the road, and they picked her up and threw her into the bushes.”
The situation worsened when the family attempted to leave for the hospital. According to the woman, a police officer with a metal pole stood in front of their vehicle and threatened to break it if they moved. As her husband tried to protect their child, the police officer struck him and the woman’s brother.
The woman continued, “If we hadn’t managed to grab our child, they would have stamped on her and killed her.”
Protests and Arrests Outside Police Station
As news of the assault spread, a crowd gathered outside the Chunnakam police station. Many, including local residents and Tamil National People’s Front (TNPF) former parliamentarian Selvarajah Kajendran, demanded that the arrested individuals be treated for their injuries and questioned why they had been detained.
“We’ve never seen such cruelty,” said the woman’s sister, who was also beaten. “I thought they were thugs. They hit a 2-month-old baby. They hit me on both sides of my head. This is anarchy. We are scared. We can’t live like this.”
The family’s fears grew as the arrested men, including the woman’s husband and brother, were taken inside the police station, with no immediate medical care provided. “My brother’s body is covered in bruises,” the woman said, pointing to the station. “We need justice.”
The incident highlights the heavy militarization of the Tamil North-East, where the Sri Lankan military and police presence remains overwhelming despite the end of the armed conflict over 15 years ago. Tamil Eelam, as the region is known, remains one of the most militarized areas in the world, with widespread reports of human rights abuses.
Ongoing Climate of Impunity
The climate of impunity for police misconduct continues to fuel frustration among Tamils, who have long struggled for accountability in the face of government repression. The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights recently criticized ongoing human rights violations, including torture and sexual violence, in Sri Lanka.
At the police station, locals confronted officers, demanding the release of the detained men and their transport to the hospital. One officer was caught on camera dismissively claiming that the crowd was “uneducated” and “drunk,” suggesting that they should go home. In response, a Tamil man shouted, “Is beating civilians part of your duty?”
The confrontation escalated when one officer attempted to provoke the crowd, picking up a rock. The situation intensified, but eventually, the police officers retreated back inside the station, where tensions remained high.
Fears of Enforced Disappearances
The Tamil woman expressed deep concern for the safety of her husband and brother, given Sri Lanka’s history of enforced disappearances, especially among Tamil civilians. “How can I live tomorrow if they kill my brother and my husband?” she asked. “This child could lose her father, and without them, we have no one.”
The family’s fears are not unfounded. Tens of thousands of Tamils have disappeared over the years, many last seen in military or police custody. The absence of justice for these cases continues to fuel anger and anxiety in the Tamil community.
Court Proceedings and Legal Response
The two men arrested in the incident were brought to court on Sunday. N. Kandeepan, a lawyer representing the men, criticized the police’s actions, emphasizing that they had acted outside their authority. “The police, who are supposed to uphold the law, instead acted unlawfully,” Kandeepan stated.
The lawyer also pointed out a troubling pattern of police brutality in the region, citing a previous case involving Officer Sigera, who was accused of murdering a man and disposing of the body in a well. Despite the political change in Sri Lanka, the attorney argued that police brutality and impunity have remained unchanged.
The two men remain in custody, with one receiving treatment for his injuries at Jaffna Teaching Hospital. The police officer accused of the assault has also been hospitalized at Tellipalai Hospital. The case has been handed over to the Deputy Inspector General of Police for further investigation, but given the ongoing climate of impunity, it remains uncertain whether justice will be served.
A Call for Justice
Amid the tense standoff outside the police station, the assaulted Tamil woman appealed for justice, pleading, “We want justice. My brother’s body is covered in bruises. The public won’t come forward as witnesses, but there is CCTV footage.”
The family’s call for accountability reflects a growing frustration with the lack of justice for Tamil victims of police violence and the broader culture of impunity that persists in Sri Lanka. With tensions still running high in Jaffna, the outcome of this case remains uncertain, but the call for justice continues to resonate in Tamil communities across the island.
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