NGOS ONLY PROTECTING RIGHTS OF SUSPECTS, CRIMINALS: JUSTICE MINISTER

Unit to protect victims of crimes and witnesses set up

Amajority of the Human Rights groups and NGOS in the country were only interested in protecting the rights of suspects and criminals instead of looking into the grievances of victims and witnesses, Justice Minister Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe said yesterday.

Addressing the inauguration ceremony of the Victims of Crime and Witnesses Assistance and Protection Division of the Police, the Minister said not a single NGO or civil organization in the country was there to look into the grievances of victims or witnesses of crimes.“that is the sad fact of the matter. Everybody is concerned about the suspects and those who are being imprisoned. That is good. But at the same time they should also think about what would happen if the rights of victims and witnesses are not protected,” he said.

Minister Rajapakshe said that sometimes victims of crimes take the law into their own hands to get justice because they had no confidence in the judicial system. “There will be anarchy if the victims and witnesses are neglected. It has happened in this country before,” he said.

The Justice Minister added that the Crime and Witness Assistance and Protection Law was a historical one because although there were more than thousands of laws to deal with criminals and their offences, not a single law was there to safeguard the rights and interests of victims and witnesses.

Meanwhile, speaking at the same event, Law and Order and Southern Development Minister Sagala Ratnayake pointed out that this new division had an important role to play. He said awareness among the people about this matter was also important. “People will not come forward to testify if they don’t know that they would be given protection if they do,” he said.

Speaking at the event, IGP Pujith Jayasundara noted that Amnesty International and the UN Human Rights Council were constantly looking to address the issue of assistance and protection given to victims and witnesses internationally and they had also focused their attention on Sri Lanka in this regard.

He said the duties of the division would be to provide effective protection to victims of crime and witnesses. “The division will also investigate complaints of allegations or information pertaining to threats, intimidation, retaliations or violation that had been committed against victims of crime and witnesses and property owned by them,” the IGP said.

The new division is located on Mihindu Mawatha in Colombo 12. A two-day awareness programme and a dialogue for police officers was also organized by the National Authority for the Protection of Victims of Crime and Witnesses in collaboration with the Police Department.