A senior civil society activist has been questioned by the Sri Lankan police for voicing his humanitarian support for the Rohingya refugees who are detained in the Mullaitivu Air Force camp.
Yarsdon Figirado, joint coordinator of the North East Coordinating Committee was questioned over five hours, about his moral support for the Rohingyas who escaped persecution in their home country Myanmar.
The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) inquired about him even as their future fate is in limbo, with the National People’s Power (NPP) government not taking a final decision about their stay.
He was summoned by the human trafficking division of the maritime crime department of the CID in Colombo and was specifically asked if he was motivating the Rohingyas to come into the country.
“They asked me if I was encouraging the arrival of the Rohingya people” Figirado told local journalists. He was part of a protest in Mullaitivu where protestors including local Tamils demanded the Rohingyas should not be deported back to Myanmar.
Figirado says the police told him they are conducting an inquiry into the public protests with regard to the Rohingya people now staying in the country.
When the police repeatedly asked him about his intention to participate in the protest and his statement in their support he said all is in the public domain
“We have said in our statement which is in the public domain that we have never motivated the refugees who have come to Sri Lanka either to stay here or continue to come here. Never encouraged them. However, it would be proper if the people who have arrived here are sent to countries in coordination with the UN that would accept them on a humanitarian basis and according to international laws”.
In his testimony to the police, he however emphasized quoting his statement any action regarding the Rohingyas should be in line with international norms.
The CID had asked him also about the help offered to the detained Rohingya Muslims in the Air Force Camp.
Figirado had replied that he told the police no big help was offered to them. However, for those who arrived, help that was offered was on a humanitarian basis.
“We offered some possible small help through organizations who came forward. Many people are coming and protesting in this regard”.
Those who participated in the protest in the war-torn Mullaitivu included popular human rights activist Rukhi Fernando from Colombo.
On 10 January, a letter was handed over to the Presidential Secretariat by a team led by the Nava Sama Samaja Party, civil society activists, political and trade union leaders calling upon President Anura Kumara Dissanayake not to send back the Rohingya refugees to Myanmar who fled fearing for their lives and safety.
Speaking to reporters in the capital Colombo, Yardson Figrado questioned the rationale of the CID only summoning him while many participated in the protest.
“Nobody else got the summon. But among others only I got it. I was also there at the protest held at Mullaitivu on the 9th. So I raised the question with them ‘Why only for me and not others’. In this regard, the Leader of the Opposition, Sajith Premadasa spoke in the Parliament. Similarly, others also staged a protest in Colombo. Many individuals and MPs also released statements in this regard. So, I raised the question as to why only I was summoned and not others. I asked the investigating officers about this”.
The police, according to him, replied the inquiry was regarding the protests done by organizations and civil society movements.
Yardson Figirado added that such a trend by the police continues in Sri Lanka.
“Investigating civil society is happening not yesterday or today, it has become a pattern in Sri Lanka. Irrespective of whether it is this government or the previous governments, it has become common to investigate and inquire about civil societies, curbing their activities has become a pattern. I don’t accept such things and such a trend is not a good one”.
He termed his summoning as an inappropriate action and said he didn’t accept it and raised a direct question as to why he was summoned for not committing a crime that warrants investigation.
“Summoning civil society activists who are involved in humanitarian activity is an inappropriate action”.
Minister for Public Security and Parliamentary Affairs had recently told Parliament that over 100,000 refugees were expected to arrive in Sri Lanka, but not even one Rohingya Muslim has arrived in Sri Lanka after the 115 people were rescued by Tamil fishermen off the coast of Mullaitivu on 19 December last year.
One infant was born in the Mullaitivu district hospital on 20 January, a month after the pregnant mother along with others were rescued after their rickety boat was adrift in the Sri Lankan territorial waters.
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