Activist harassed by Police calls for action

An activist who was organizing an event to advocate peace among communities at Jaffna claimed  he was harassed by police and no action had been taken by the authorities.

The activist Deeman Ananda, told Times Online that though he had written to the Inspector General of the police, and to the police commission no action had been taken yet.

Activist Ananda who had organized a banner exhibition at Jaffna recently advocating peace among communities, and the banners he was exhibiting  had pictures of the late queen Elizabeth the second, few other royals and other international leaders. The slogans  banners were calling for the support of the internationals to Create peace and reconciliation.

Mr Ananda as usual had taken lodgings at Nagavihara temple at Jaffna with the permission of the monk in charge, yet a team of police officers had come and told him that he cannot stay at the temple. However later  the  monk in charge had told the police allow the activist to stay.

Following that the officer in charge of the crime division had visited the temple and acknowledged activists work and told him to visit the police office to have tea and lunch next day.

The following day the Mr ananda held his exhibition and visited the jaffna police as the OIC told that they would provide him lunch, but when he went to police a sergeant had threatened him and abused him with bad language saying there is no food for him.

However the Crime OIC had intervened and shared his meal with the activist.

Later when the activist held the event next day, group of officers from Jaffna police had said that images of the royals can not be exhibited.

However after he returned to the temple that night his belongings were taken out of the room by police Mr. Ananda claimed. And he was told vacate the place during the absence of the monk in charge.

Then when activist Ananda went to a bus stop to spend the night some policemen had followed him. He added that as he feared for his life at that point called a friend and got help from the army officers to escape the place.

Later Mr Ananda was handed over to Jaffna police, where the crime officer in charge took charge of him. The OIC had told Mr Ananda to lodge a complaint to a superior officer as  the Jaffna police can not record his complaint. 

Thereafter Mr Ananda was sent to Colombo via Colombo bound bus.

Mr Ananda has complained to the Human Rights commission as well and says he is awaiting justice.