Police scout for Tamil interpreters among ex-public servants

Ranil Wijeyapala and Rafik Jalaldeen

COLOMBO: The Police Department has called for retired Government servants who are competent in Tamil and English languages to join their service as Tamil interpreters.

Application forms could be obtained from the OICs of the local police stations, Police Spokesman Senior DIG Jayantha Wickramaratne said.

He said the Police Department was facing an acute shortage of Tamil speaking personnel.

“When a Tamil speaking civilian wants to lodge a complaint or obtain a report at a police station he faces difficulties. This is due to a lack of Tamil speaking officers at police stations,” DIG Wickramaratne said at the weekly security media briefing.

“It is only a temporary measure and we have already started remedial action such as long and short term language courses for the police officers and for new recruits,” he said. This temporary measure was decided on by IGP Victor Perera on a directive of Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa.

DIG Wickramaratne said the Tamil language would be taught to Sinhala speaking policemen. “There are many Tamil civilians who face difficulties when they arrive at police stations to lodge complaints. It is a violation of fundamental rights. To fulfil this immediate requirement we have to recruit around 400 retired Government servants,” the DIG added.

The Tamil interpreters will be posted to different stations across the country on an eight hour duty and paid Rs.500 per pay.

This temporary measure will be continued until police officers are trained in Tamil and English languages. Tamil language training will be given to new recruits along with their basic training at the Police Training College, DIG Wickramaratne said.

The DIG also asked the public to be wary of various application forms ostensibly printed by the Police department currently in circulation at various places with the help of corrupt police officers. “We ask the public not to buy such application forms. This is illegal and any one in possession of such forms will be subject to arrest,” he added.