Govt. failed to protect those entrusted to their care: SJB

• Parliamentarian Indunil says Govt. has to accept responsibility for Mahara Prison unrest 
• Insists on transparency, including post-mortems on the deceased to find out cause of death

By Asiri Fernando

Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) Parliamentarian Thushara Indunil yesterday charged the Mahara Prison unrest highlighted the Government’s failure to protect those entrusted in their care. 

“The Mahara Prison incident underscores the inefficiency of this Government. It shows that the Government failed to secure the lives, health and wellbeing of the prisoners and remandees in their care,” Indunil argued. 

The Opposition MP made the comments while addressing a press conference held yesterday at the Opposition Leader’s office. He charged that the Government was trying to hide behind the COVID-19 outbreak and not take responsibility for the deaths of 11 persons in their care.

Indunil questioned the validity of allegations levelled by Industries Minister Wimal Weerawansa that the inmates of Mahara Prison turned violent after abusing medication that was given to them. 

“Wimal Weerawansa claims that the prisoners behaved violently after taking medication that was in the prison. Is he a qualified medical professional to make that allegation? You can’t cover up what happened with fairy tales. The Government must take responsibility,” the SJB Parliamentarian said, arguing that the Government was trying to save their image by using COVID-19 as a smokescreen. 

The Sri Lanka College of Psychiatrist (SLCP), issuing a press release on Monday (30 November), rejected the allegation that use of prescription medication kept at the Mahara Prison’s medical ward to treat inmates with various health issues may have contributed to the unrest. 

“The inmates of Mahara protested demanding PCR tests because like any human being, they want to be healthy. Instead of looking after their health and wellbeing, they were treated with bullets,” Indunil stressed, arguing that the Government had failed to look after the health and wellbeing of those in prisons despite repeated warnings from civil society and other stakeholders since the initial outbreak months ago. 

“The professional body of psychiatrists released a statement, pointing out that the said medication is widely used, proven and does not cause persons to react violently,” the Opposition MP said, questioning why post-mortem examinations of those who were killed during the incident has not yet been carried out. 

“The new minister in charge of prisons said in Parliament that the deceased died due to injuries suffered during a brawl in the prison. How can he say that? Is he a medical forensics officer? Was it he who performed post-mortem examinations on the dead? Where is the report by the Judicial Medical Officers?” Indunil questioned, stating that the Government was trying to dispose of evidence by cremating the dead under the COVID-19 regulations.