6.3Eiser stelt dat de autoriteiten in Sri Lanka in het algemeen geen bescherming kunnen bieden en stelt dat verweerder ten onrechte niet in de beoordeling heeft betrokken dat de autoriteiten niet genegen zijn om op te treden bij kasteproblematiek en dat de Ava-groep in verband wordt gebracht met de autoriteiten. Eiser verwijst allereerst naar pagina 14-15 van het hiervoor genoemde algemeen ambtsbericht van de minister van Buitenlandse Zaken van oktober 2014. Eiser verwijst tevens naar het rapport ‘In Caste Discrimination and social Justice in Sri Lanka: An Overview’, waar op pagina 6 wordt vermeld:
“The caste system among Sri Lankan Tamils in Jaffna can be seen as the most rigid and the one with clearly defined patterns of inequality, discrimination and social rejection driven by a religiously articulated notion of untouchability.”
Op pagina 15 staat vermeld:
“The Constitution of Sri Lanka (1978), under Article 12 (2), prohibits discrimination against persons by reason of his/her caste, work or decent to any disadvantage with regard to access to shops, public restaurants and places of public worship of his/her own religion. Partly influenced by the temple entry struggles by Panchmar castes in Jaffna, the Prevention of Social Disabilities Act was passed by the Colombo Government in 1957. This Act made it an offence for any person to discriminate against another on the ground of his/her caste in the matter of access to places of worship, shops, public eating houses and hostels, public wells, hairdressing salons, laundries, and cemeteries or for purposes of education and employment. In 1971, the Act was amended to strengthen its effectiveness and impose heavier punishment. Initially, there were some prosecutions under this Act in the Northern Sri Lanka but there was a tendency for the police not to take action against violations and it is said to have had limited impact in terms of safeguarding the rights of depressed caste communities (Silva and Hettihewage 2001).
Eiser verwijst in dit kader verder naar het rapport 'Caste Discrimination: A Global concern' van september 2001 van Human Rights Watch voor de the United Nations World Conference Against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance waarin wordt vermeld:
“In 1957 the government of Sri Lanka passed the Prevention of Social Disabilities Act
making it an offense to deny access to various public places to persons by reason of their
caste. A 1971 amendment imposed stiffer punishments for the commission of offenses
under the 1957 act. According to the U.N. Subcommission’s working paper: Initially
there were some prosecutions in the North but there was a tendency for the police not to
take action against violations”.
Ook merkt eiser op dat The International Movement against all forms of discrimination and racism op 15 augustus 2016 aan de VN als volgt bericht:
"Caste-based discrimination is deep-rooted in public and private spheres. The lack of State measures including the prosecution of caste-based attacks and human rights education to combat the specific discrimination has affected many aspects of life such as marriage and religious briefs”.
Eiser verwijst voorts voor wat betreft de Ava-groep naar pagina 12 van het ambtsbericht waar onder meer staat:
“Paramilitaire groeperingen waren -soms samen met criminele bendes- actief in het hele land maar met name in gebieden waar hoofdzakelijk Tamils wonen, zoals in het noorden en oosten. Deze groeperingen zouden regeringsgezind zijn en nauwe banden hebben met de veiligheidstroepen. Zij worden in verband gebracht met mensenrechtenschendingen als moord, ontvoering, aanranding, mishandeling, corruptie en intimidatie van burgers”.
“Eén bron geeft aan dat er geen paramilitaire groeperingen meer actief zijn maar dat het om criminelen en bendes gaat die wapens bezitten”.
Eiser verwijst verder naar een bericht op de website UK Tamil News ‘Gang in Jaffna is linked to military intelligence’ van 26 oktober 2016, waarin onder meer staat:
“
Law and Order Minister Sagala Rathnayake walks Out of Press Meet When Asked Whether "AAVAA” Gang in Jaffna is Linked to Military Intelligence
Ava Group was created by Mai. Gen. Mahinda Haturusinghe!
It has now been revealed that the Ava Group, the gang of criminals in motorcycles in Jaffna, was secretly created during the Rajapaksa regime by the then north’s security forces commander Mai. Gen. Mahinda Haturusinghe, sources say. […] Sources say that several other gangs too, are operating in the north since the end of the war. In the style of South Indian films, these sword and kris-knife wielding gangsters in motorcycles are carrying out attacks. […]”.
Ook verwijst eiser naar een bericht van de Tamil Guardian ‘Former defence secretary created gangs in Jaffna - Sri Lankan minister’ van 4 november 2016 waarin staat:
“Sri Lanka's Health Minister stated that former defence secretary Gotabhaya Rajapksa masterminded the creation of Tamil gangs in Jaffna, in a press conference earlier this week.
Speaking to the media Rajitha Senaratne said the gang was created by Mr Rajapaksa during the armed conflict in order to battle against the LTTE. He went on to state that the group had acted with the full knowledge of the Sri Lankan military. “Why it is active in the peace time?,’’ he questioned. “What they expect by creating a fear psychosis among the civilians in the North?’’ Mr Rajapaksa meanwhile dismissed the minister’s claims, saying, “such statements will only increase the allegations against the Sri Lanka Army”. “Now Tamil politicians are also trying to make allegations, taking advantage of those statements,” he
said, adding “there is no need to refute Minister Senaratne, because the answers to such questions should be given by President Maithripala Sirisena, the present Defence Secretary and the Commanders of the Armed Forces”.
Tevens verwijst eiser naar een soortgelijk bericht in de Sri Lanka Guardian ‘Jaffna's Ava group was formed by military officer’ van 26 oktober 2016. Ten slotte heeft eiser gewezen op verschillende recente berichten waaruit volgt dat de Ava-groep nog altijd actief is.