The Indian government has demanded an investigation into reports that an official from the Sri Lanka Red Cross Society (SLRCS) solicited “sexual favours” from Tamil war widows in return for houses from an Indian government-funded project.
The Indian Express reported that Indian foreign ministry officials were taking the matter “extremely seriously” and called for a joint probe with the SLRCS. Instructions were also passed on to the Sri Lankan foreign ministry to prevent the accused individual from leaving.
“We don’t want the accused officials to escape, so the Sri Lankan foreign ministry and their immigration authorities have been informed,” an Indian official said.
“India will not condone any such activity by any of the implementing partners of this project. The Government of India – through its High Commission in Colombo and the consulate in Jaffna – is conducting a joint probe along with the Sri Lankan Red Cross officials,” said an Indian High Commission spokesperson. Another diplomat told the Indian Express that the report would be investigated “expeditiously and thoroughly” and there was “no time-frame”.
The probe comes after the Sunday Times reported SLRCS Kilinochchi Branch Secretary Thampu Sethupathy had received more than 30 written and verbal complaints with similar allegations of demands for sexual favours.
“For the last two months we have been getting this kind of complaint from the public, particularly women,” he said. “Initially we did not consider this as a serious issue until we received some of the complaints which were very sensitive, with a similar pattern. It was thereafter we brought this to the attention of the head office.”
“There are 11 villages in the district. I am afraid there may be many cases in other villages too,” he added.