Revealing tale

By Chris Kamalendran and Chamintha Tillekaratna

• Security a must but not humiliation
• What they saw
• Competent Authority advises The Sunday Times
• What should be done
• How to check a woman

The story of a woman suspected of being a suicide bomber, being stripped for a security check has sparked off a debate on how authorities should act in the face of such an event and the protection of individual rights.

Barely 24 hours after The Sunday Times of March 19, exclusively reported the incident, human rights groups voiced their outrage over it.

Meanwhile The Government Information Director, Ariya Rubesinghe charged that 'The Sunday Times' had violated censorship regulations by publishing the story.(See box story for his comments)

Meanwhile the woman who went through the ordeal, 29-year-old Manchanayake Appuhamilage Sriyalatha -the mother of a ten-year-old-told The Sunday Times she had left Thelambiyawa, a farming village off Kurunegala, three years ago hoping to find work in Colombo. But when she got here her life turned into a living nightmare.

"I didn't have a place to go or any job. In my search for work I encountered some sex workers who took advantage of my position. I was forced to join them in their trade to make ends meet," she said.

Born into a family of two brothers and a sister, Sriyalatha said she received little support from them ever since her lover's death. Without a marriage certificate to prove her relation to her dead lover, there was no way of getting his salary. "I struggled to feed my ten year old son. Finally, I made up my mind to hand him over to a child care center in Kurunegala," she said

With no options left she was forced into the sex trade for the sake of her son. "For more than a year, I stayed at a probation center where I met others who were in a similar plight."

During the day Sriayalatha says she relaxes in a small boutique where she has been allowed to stay. Due to the lack of a permanent residence, she walks the streets of Colombo when the boutique is closed. At night, her life turns into a nightmare when she is forced to spend it with a man whom in most instances she has met for the first time.

"Usually I am satisfied with a few rupees in my hand, because this assures me of a place to stay the night. If I don't have a client then, the only option left for me is to sleep at the central bus stand," she said.

She said she had lost her NIC and was unable to apply for a new one due to the lack of a permanent residence and no supporting documents to prove her identity.

"Last Saturday I came to meet a client in Union Place but he did not arrive. I am not familiar with the area so I decided to walk along hoping to find other prospective clients," she said.

But, what awaited her at that point was something she least expected. "While I was walking along I was stopped by two airmen who arrived on a motorbike and asked for my identity card," she said.

Then, they had asked her to raise her arms but fearing that they would shoot her she had kept still. "With guns pointed at me from a distance they ordered me to raise my kameez ( blouse). Similarly, they asked me to take off my undergarments. They simply stared at me while I stood semi-naked on the street," she said.

She claimed she was assaulted by those who bombarded her with questions for which she had no answers. She said she suffered this treatment for four days until she was produced at the Fort Magistrate's court where she was released on Thursday.

She also said ICRC officials had visited the Slave Island police and recorded a statement on the incident.

Security a must but not humiliation

The Chairperson of the NGO Protecting Women and Children, Maureen Senevi-ratne said, "I am outraged. The police say that her blouse was raised and that she was not stripped. What do they mean? The whole idea was to demean women and womanhood. It could have been done in a different form, as security is a must these days."

A spokesperson for The Women's Coalition for Peace said although security was important the state had no right to humiliate individuals. "This violates personal dignity. People need to be treated more respectfully. If people who are expected to safeguard law and order do not treat citizens equally then whom can we turn to?" she asked.

"The authorities must follow more humane ways of carrying out search operations. Guidelines should be introduced and personnel should be educated on how not to violate a person's dignity," said Mangalika de Silva, head of the Gender Studies Department of the Social Scientists' Association.

Meanwhile the Democratic People's Congress has called on President Kumaratunga to immediately launch an inquiry into the incident.

"This is not an isolated incident in a country facing a protracted ethnic conflict and a war . We are well aware that women of all communities face rape and sexual harassment with the intensification of the war. We have also seen the murder of a woman solider recently," it said in a statement.

What they saw

A photographer of The Sunday Times was among about 100 people who were present at the time the woman was ordered to take her clothes off. "When I heard a suspected suicide bomber had been trapped I rushed to the scene, close to the Gangarama temple It was shortly after 10.30 a.m.

"People were scared but they stayed on. There were also Buddhist monks and CMC depot workers amidst the crowd.

"The woman was dressed in a pink Shalwar Kameez. The officers searching the woman asked her to put her hands up, but she did not obey the order. It was at this point that they threatened to shoot her and the woman started crying. At this point she was asked to strip. She first raised the upper parts of the clothing and thereafter the lower garments were taken down. Soon after she was asked to get dressed and they got closer to check her," the photographer J. Weerasekera said.

"I was on duty at a nearby company when this incident took place," N.G. Perera a security guard told 'The Sunday Times'.

"It was around 10.45 a.m. when I suddenly spotted a woman standing on the center island of the road. She was dressed in a pink colour Shalwar Kameez - a dress similar to those worn by suicide bombers.

"At least half an hour passed with authorities frantically trying to alert their officers using their communication equipment. She was then asked to get to the other side of the road.

"She was then ordered to raise her hands. She refused to do so, making the onlookers more suspicious. One of the officers pointed a gun at her threatening to shoot her. She started crying and shouted in Sinhalese 'Mata Wedithiyanna epa. Mata lamayek Innawa' (Do not shoot me. I have a child).

"She was then ordered to raise the top part of her dress and also ordered to raise the brassier. Thereafter she was told to take down the lower part of her garment including the nicker up to her knees. She was then asked to dress after which she was thoroughly checked.

Competent Authority advises The Sunday Times

Director Information, Ariya Rubesinghe says The Sunday Times has violated Emergency Regulation No1 of 1998 (Prohibition on Publication and Transmission of Sensitive Military Information) by publishing the story about a woman being stripped for security purposes.

In a letter to The Sunday Times he said, "I wish to refer to the story that appeared in your journal on March 19, 2000 under the caption " Wary police strip woman suspect". Please be advised that this particular news item is violative of the above regulation.

The Sunday Times sent a reply to Mr. Rubesighe's letter requesting him to further clarify the allegation.

"I would be most grateful if you could enlighten me further by stating what the specific violation is," the reply said.

In response to the Sunday Times' letter dated March 22, Mr. Rubesinghe says The Sunday Times has violated Emergency Regulations by referring to the conduct of the military personnel.

The Sunday Times has asked Mr. Rubesinghe whether all material referring to statements pertaining to the official conduct of any member of the Armed Forces or the Police Force....'in the preservation of National Security' must be submitted to him for approval prior to publication."

"We would like to bring to your notice that this has not been the practice. For instance, when the Rajagiriya suicide-bomb attack took place on March 10, all newspapers and TV crew, including state media did not submit material for your approval," The Sunday Times said in its letter.

What should be done

Bomb experts in the security forces say if civilians spot anyone they suspect is a suicide bomber, they should inform the closest police post without arousing the attention of the suspect.

They said they were unable to divulge the procedure adopted in disarming a suicide bomber as it would be counter-productive.

How to check a woman

According to Police Headquarters spokesman SSP Rienzi Perera, although the procedure regarding the search of a female suspect has not been codified, one is expected to use common sense.

"It has to be done in the presence of a female military officer. This is a must. If a female officer is not available a voluntary female civilian should be at hand for this purpose. It is also essential that women are searched behind a screen or in a covered place," he said.

"Portable screens should be made available at police posts," SSP Perera said.

More News/Comment

Return to News/Comment Contents