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Can
children 'frame' adults?
By
Ranee Mohamed
When
the assistant director, SOS children's village in Piliyandala summoned
the 13-year-old girl on Sunday, July 4 to his quarters around 3 p.m,
she had been weak at her knees.
It
was as bad as going to see one's school principal, but here it was
even worse. He was the 'authority' in the place she lived - someone to
be revered and frightened of. In her little mind, her whole life
depended on him.
Rude
shock
As
the girl stood at the door of the living quarters of the director, she
wondered why she had been called to his living quarters. The
authorities were trusting and so was the little girl. The assistant
director in his mid 40's, lived
with his wife, an employee of the insurance trade. They were
childless.
The
little girl hoped that she would get something nice to eat, for it was
only once a month that their adopted mothers bought sweets from the
home budget.
But
the girl got nothing to eat. In fact, the 13 year old had been too
shocked to do anything when the wife of the director made her remove
her panties.
Then
the director had parted the legs of the young girl and played with her
private parts. "He inserted his finger into me while his wife
held a torch," the perplexed young girl told the officers of the
Center for the Prevention of Abuse of Women and Children.
We
are likely to think that the 13 year old has made a mistake, or that
she may be speaking an untruth.
Then
what do we say to the nine year old girl who arrived from Avissawella
after her father was remanded? Traumatised by poverty and hardship,
she waited till she was given a place at this child care institution,
when the assistant village director had called her in to his quarters
and kept her overnight on June 24. The young girl told police that the
assistant village director had made her lie down on a bed, removed her
panties and played with her private parts while his wife looked on and
helped her to remove her clothes.
Immediate
action
When
the 13 year old girl came back to her 'adopted home' in the village
she had told her adoptive mother what had happened and the
'mother' had notified the
national director of the S.O.S. Childrens Village. National
Director Cedric de Silva acted immediately. He
took the prescribed legal action and informed the probation
care authorities and the Centre for the Prevention of Abuse of Women
and Children.
The
police officers at this centre situated at Sir Baron Jayatilleke
Mawatha, acting on the directives given by SSP Sarath Jayasundera took prompt action to investigate
into the case.
"These
are only two reported cases," pointed out a police officer who
said that the police are concerned about whether other such cases of
sexual abuse went unreported.
S.I.
Jayawardene inquiring into the case said that the centre is concerned
about such cases involving children in sex play.
The
assistant village director and spouse have been remanded as the
offence involves sexual abuse, pointed out the police. When contacted,
police officers said that this foreplay, though not rape is serious
because it involves the abuse of a minor for a sexual thrill. This
assistant director has reportedly told police that all this is part of
a 'plot' to overthrow him.
The
couple, now in remand custody, will be produced at the Magistrate's
court no. 1 Hulftsdorp on July 28.
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"He
said that he was practicing his biology."
National
Director, SOS Children's Village when contacted said that this
assistant director was taken into their employment two years ago
and that 'in fact they respected him' and never imagined that he
would engage in such activity. It was National Director Cedric
de Silva who immediately informed the authorities about the
matter the moment it was brought to his notice.
He
said that it is very unlikely that two children will be engaged
in a plot to frame two adults. He said that the moment the
matter was brought to his notice a preliminary inquiry was held
on Monday, July 5 and on July 7. This assistant director has
admitted to 'examining' the children and said that he had done
biology and bio science and was practicing such fields of study.
He had also given a signed letter admitting that he has examined
the children, according to De Silva. Director Cedric de Silva
said that this assistant director had handed over his letter of
resignation and left the premises of the SOS Children's Village
in Piliyandala. Cedric de Silva said that the village is deeply
concerned about this issue and that it is the first time since
its establishment in 1979 that such an incident has taken place.
"This has resulted in additional safeguards for the
children with us. We give total care for orphaned and abandoned
children and have five children's villages in Moneragala, Galle,
Nuwara Eliya, Anuradhapura, and Piliyandala. The director said
that he is moved and concerned by the trauma that the children
had to undergo at the 'examination' and the investigations, and
that he is also concerned about this single incident tarnishing
the good image of the SOS Children's Village.'
The
SOS Children's Village has 120 children and provides total care
for children in a family environment with a mother in every
home. There are 429 villages all over the world and the head
office is in Austria. The SOS Children's Village has had
an unblemished record since its inception. |
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