Marauding policemen sexually harass FTZ women at Katunayake

File Photo: In an area where more than 20,000 female workers live working in the Free Trade Zone, many of them in boarding houses, police personnel from the Katunayake Police appear to have found some reasons to raid their places under some pretext or other.

The Lanka Guardian exclusively received a desperately urgent message pleading for help against marauding policemen from the Katunayake Police against women Free Trade Zone workers in the vicinity of the Bandaranaike International Airport last evening.

In an area where more than 20,000 female workers live working in the Free Trade Zone, many of them in boarding houses, police personnel from the Katunayake Police appear to have found some reasons to raid their places under some pretext or other. But it was obvious they were up to mischief of the meanest kind and was hell bent on harassing them for sexual reasons.

There were no women police officers among them.

“It was 1. 30 am when one of the officers banged opened my room with a crash,” said one of the victims. She was sharing her room with her sister. “We thought he was intent on robbing and sexually attacking us.” Later more joined him and it was when she shrieked, they claimed they were from the Katunayake Police who had to search her room. “I have seen one of them at the Katunayake Police on my way to work,” she added.

Later we found that attempts were made by the marauding party to sexually harass some of the ladies and the whole experience has been absolutely traumatic. Some of the victims have provided detailed information including vehicle numbers. Lanka Guardian states quite categorically that unless the Inspector General of Police Victor Perera takes immediate action, they will, in the interests of the public, be forced to publish these details.

This police action if ignored could hurt the Free Trade Zone because hundreds of Board of Investments (BOI) factories are located in Katunayake.