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Lankan girl who died in Japan: Family demands detention centre footage

03 Aug 2021

  • Conducts protest in front of Japan’s Justice Ministry
By Pamodi Waravita The family of Wishma Rathnayake, a Sri Lankan student who died in a detention centre in Nagoya, Japan on 6 March, staged a protest outside the Justice Ministry of Japan last week, demanding access to the video footage of Rathnayake’s last days in the Japanese detention centre. Supporters and volunteers who helped her during her last days have alleged that severe mistreatment by the officials in the detention centre had led to her death. “We came to Japan in May, hoping to view video footage of our sister’s days in the said detention centre. We have not received any report or video so far from any authority. Please give us a proper date for when we will receive the report or the footage. We will not leave until we see that, as it is important to our family,” said Wishma Rathnayake’s sister, Wayomi Rathnayake, at the protest. Rathnayake had been detained for overstaying her student visa, which had been reportedly revoked in 2018 when she had been unable to pay her tuition fees. She was arrested in August 2020 by Japanese Immigration officials, when she had sought the help of the authorities to escape from an alleged violent domestic situation involving a Sri Lankan male. He was reported to be an intimate partner of Rathnayake’s and, according to a volunteer at the START organisation which works with immigrants in detention centres, had also been held in a detention centre, but had subsequently been given provisional release. Rathnayake’s death caused serious concerns in both Sri Lanka and Japan, with many accusations levelled against the authorities at the detention centre for reportedly turning a blind eye to her medical issues, and refusing to help her seek medical assistance. While some reports show that she had suffered in pain while the officials had not given her emergency medical care moments before she died, her family members have also alleged that the authorities are attempting to hide the truth of her death. Akemi Mano, a volunteer for the START organisation, told The Morning earlier this year that it was “difficult to look at Wishma Rathnayake during her last days, as she was suffering from dehydration and illness”.  


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