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Are foreign women safe in Sri Lanka?

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10 March 2017 02:17 am - 0     - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

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Sri Lanka is one of the best known tourist destinations in the world. Many tourists love Sri Lanka; in the past, Sri Lankans were considered very hospitable and friendly. The restrained, friendly nature of Sri Lankans is believed to be due to the influence of Buddhism.   
But what has happened to this majority-Buddhist country with a proud history? Cases of murder, rape, abuse, fraud, cheating and corruption are heard of everywhere, everyday. This was a country where a woman wearing her finest jewellery could walk in a city at night without fear.   
But things have changed for the worse. Now foreign women too have become targets of a few criminal-minded Sri Lankans, just like their local counterparts. 
 

 

  • Many travel sites such as Lonely Planet warn foreigners who plan to come here about issues such as bus travel and dress codes outside Colombo

  • Frequent complaints have been recorded against the harassment and abuse of foreign women and this number has been increasing over time

Nearest black mark

A Russian woman bathing in the Mount Lavinia sea was sexually harassed by two Ministerial Security Division (MSD) officers on January 28 of this year. With the support of the Mount Lavinia Coast Guard and the Police, the two suspects were captured as they tried to escape. The arrested suspects are a police constable and a driver aged 27 and 47 respectively, attached to the MSD and residents of Mirihana and Kanthale. After the arrest, one suspect was released. On Sunday 29, the case was heard in the Mount Lavinia Magistrate’s court. By now, both suspects have been released on bail and the next hearing is to be held on March 18.   
A reliable source told the Daily Mirror about what happened to the Russian tourist at the Mount Lavinia beach:  
On the evening of January 28, people were seen gathered around a foreign woman and the police inquired about this. As told by the victim, she had been bathing in the water when a group of people surrounded her and one by one, began sexually harassing her. When she sat on the beach crying, people had gathered around her and the police had arrived.   
At the time, she remembered saying that Sri Lanka was a good country and requested protection from police to continue with her bath. The police agreed and she got into the water. The abusers came close to her again and she had shouted and pointed out the suspects to the nearby lifeguards and three wheeler drivers. With their help, the police had arrested two people while they were trying to escape. According to the source, one of the two people identified by her had nothing to do with the incident.   
The victim was in Sri Lanka for a two week tour and had been invited by a friend living in the country. Police Media Spokesperson Priyantha Jayakody said there had been no abduction and two off-duty police officers who were bathing near the foreigner had been arrested for sexual harassment and interfering with the police officers’ duty.
   Many travel sites such as Lonely Planet warn foreigners who plan to come here about issues such as bus travel and dress codes outside Colombo. Some foreigners had negative views but most visitors remained positive about holidaying in Sri Lanka.   


Expectations Vs Reality

Sri Lanka is expecting 4.5 million tourists in 2020, according to long-term development plans. Many new economic and development projects focus on tourism.. If we expect to earn from tourism, we should maintain a friendly image and an ideal environment. Never mind the facilities; can we at least protect tourists?  
According to the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA) reports, only 219,360 tourists arrived in Sri Lanka in January 2017. 224,791 tourist arrivals were recorded in December 2016.  
Frequent complaints have been recorded against the harassment and abuse of foreign women and this number has been increasing over time. Sri Lanka used to be famous for the wrong reasons, because of notorious incidents from the past such as the Rita Jones murder case. Many foreign women have issued warnings about coming to Sri Lanka.
     Apart for the 2017 incident, a huge black mark was added to Sri Lankan tourism history in 2011, with the murder of a British Red Cross employee and the brutal assault and rape of his Russian girlfriend by a gang of eight men, including a provincial council MP, at a Tangalle tourist hotel. Though the government tried at first to hush it up, the suspects were imprisoned for 20 years following international pressure.   
Yet many harassment and abuse cases have gone unnoticed because “the Sri Lankan legal system is too slow”. (Internet) 

 

 

 


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