Laws needed to protect victims-NCVC

Lakmini RODRIGO

COLOMBO: The National Centre for Victims of Crime (NCVC) emphasised the need to promote legislation on protection of victims of crime and laws to give respect and recognition to the victims.

Addressing the media at the Auditorium of the Justice Ministry yesterday Convenor of the NCVC S. S. Wijerathne said that although there are about 50,000 crimes per annum on record it was regrettable that only four per cent of the criminals are penalised by the courts of law.

"The main reason for the offenders to go unpunished is that the victims and witnesses fear to give evidence against the alleged suspects of the crimes as there is lacuna in law to ensure safety and protection of the witnesses and victims", he said.

He went on to explain who a victim is and said that according to internationally accepted definition a Victim is : "person who individually or collectively has suffered harm including physical or mental injury, emotional suffering, economical loss or substantial impairment of their fundamental rights, through acts or omission that are in violation of criminal laws".

Stressing the need to strengthen the law to control the escalating crime he said the lack of laws proper to deal with such cases further strengthen the positions of the alleged suspects and that give rise to increase in crimes committed and in the end it was the general public that suffer the consequences.

"Hence there is an urgent necessity to give teeth to the existing laws until new laws are passed to meet the situation" he added.

Wijerathne said that a draft bill has been presented to the Law Commission for its perusal and approval. Once accepted by going through the usual procedure in enacting new laws the NCVC was positive that they would be implemented in quick time.

Justice Ministry Secretary, Suhada Gamlath pointed out that the media in this country has a major role to play in sustaining the rights of the victims and assuring the transparency of the law system.

He went on to say that the victims and witnesses didn't even have a safe place to stay when they come to give evidence before the Courts of Law as responsible, conscientious citizens and one could see them lingering in the midst of possible threats to their lives.

"Some victims, specially sexually abused girls or children undergo bitter experiences due to this state of affairs.

Gamlath said that Government has allocated Rs.100 million to build special buildings to assure safety of the victims of crime and the witnesses who come to give evidence.

The Centre has already carried out awareness programmes to enlighten the public, police and the law officials with the main view of protecting the rights of the victims and change the concepts of the society regarding the matter, the NCVC directress Ramani Dotagamuwa said.

The National Centre for Victims of Crime, a brain-child of Chief Justice Sarath N. Silva, Chairman of the Advisory Council, was established in 2002 to provide better protection for victims.

The Media conference was held at the Justice Ministry to inform the media about the new laws that are to be introduced and give wide publicity to enhance the knowledge of public and thereby give protection to likely victims.