Minister of Interior, John Amaratunga, has mounted a major police campaign to deal with child abuse. The campaign will be conducted with the National Child Protection Authority. An action plan has been drawn up. Implementation will coincide with the Universal Children’s Day, commemorated on October 1.

The National Child Protection Authority was created under an act of Parliament and is under the President. It is charged with all aspects of child protection including investigation and prosecution.

A Special Police Unit composed of police personnel specially trained on child abuse issues, has been established in the headquarters of the NCPA, 330 Thalawathugoda Rd, Madiwela. It will initially consist of 15 police officers but will expand, as resources permit. It will work closely with NCPA on investigation, monitoring and prosecutions. The new police unit will be declared open by Minister Amaratunga at 4.00 p.m. on October 1, Universal Children’s Day. He will also issue the first day cover and cancel a stamp issued to mark the occasion.

At least one trained officer will also be posted to each police station, initially in the tourist areas, so that prompt action is taken to facilitate the investigation of cases of child abuse. All police stations will have a direct link with the special police unit of the NCPA. The NCPA is equipped with state of the art facilities like video recording of visuals of child cruelty, which is admissible evidence in courts under the NCPA Act. All police officers selected to deal with child abuse will receive continuous training to update their capabilities.

According to the Chairman NCPA, Prof. Harendra de Silva, last year 1200 cases of child abuse were handed to Attorney-General. The ACPA also has Cyber Watch Unit, which scans websites for advertisements soliciting children under 14 years. It will be noted that employment of any person below 14 years, even as domestic servants, is prohibited.

Minister Amaratunga said that though several cases of child abuse like sexual abuse, cruelty to children, use of child labour, use of children in drug trafficking had been reported yet there were many which go undetected due to lack of personnel for investigations as well as follow up action to prosecute the offenders. Lack of sufficient public co-operation in providing information is also an inhibiting factor. Since children are the future senior citizens it is necessary to use all efforts to tackle this problem now or else the children, who fall prey to abuse, will take to crime when they grow up.

The Minister also appealed for public co-operation for bringing instances of child abuse to the attention of nearest police station or telephoning or contacting the National Child Protection Authority. Details of such instances could be given to the NCPA on telephones 778911-3 or Fax 778915.

Minister Amaratunga finalized the action plan, on gearing police to tackle child abuse, following intense discussions with Chairman NCPA, his officials and the police.