“Fonseka Killed Lasantha” President Told Lal Three Times: Uvindu Tells Navi Pillay
By Colombo Telegraph -
President Mahinda Rajapaksa told Lal Wickrematunge three times that his brother Lasantha, the founding editor of The Sunday Leader newspaper who was assassinated in January 2009 was killed by Former Army Chief Sarath Fonseka, exiled Sri Lankan Journalist Uvindu Kurukulasuriya told UN Human Rights Commissioner Navi Pillay in London yesterday.
lasantha2
Lasantha just before he died
Pillay who delivered a lecture at the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) on Friday on the Freedom of Expression and Hate Speech: What International Human Rights Law Says was informed of this publicly by Kurukulasuriya following her speech.
Kurukulasuriya said that Lal Wickrematunge had informed him that President Rajapaksa had divulged Fonseka’s hand in Lasantha’s murder three times and he had responded that if so, why the former Army General was not being prosecuted if that was the case. He said Lal Wickrematunge had wanted this conveyed to the UN Human Rights Commissioner when it was possible.
Pillay responded that she gets thousands and thousands of complaints and is very concerned about human rights defenders. “Legitimate speech is threatened by certain governments and we are looking for measures to expose these practices and find solutions,” the UN High Commissioner said.
Refering to yesterdays shooting she said;”that is clearly an extreme form of repression of freedom of speech”
Sunday Leader Journalist Faraz Shaukatally was shot by an unidentified group last night. He was admitted to the Kalubowila hospital.
Later at the dinner, Uvindu handed over a copy of Lal Wickrematunge’s letter to Navi Pillay for further investigation, the Colombo Telegraph learns.
Lasantha Wickrematunge was killed on the way to work on January 8, 2009 in Colombo. His killers were never apprehended.
Last month Uvindu wrote for Lasantha’s fourth death anniversary; ”Two weeks ago when I interviewed Ranil Wickremasinghe he confirmed what he said at Lasantha’s funeral. He re-confirmed that the killers were four army persons. But in my opinion, even if Fonseka is responsible for the Lasantha killing what are the steps the other two people above him have taken so far? The President himself is the Minister of Defence, His brother Gotabaya is the Secretary to the Ministry of Defence, both positioned above Fonseka. Killing Lasantha cannot be one of Fonseka’s own decisions. He may have deployed the killers but killing such a high profile journalist is a political decision. That is why nothing is happening about his killing, I am forced to conclude.”
Great work Uvindu…you’ve made Pillay shoot herself in the foot re Faraz Shaukatally being shot. People wear many hats, journalists included. She’s jumped the gun here and has yet again shown her fixation for putting both feet in her mouth. What a soup-face she is!
Malinda Seneviratne - February 16, 2013
3:00 pm
“Rajapaksa had divulged Fonseka’s hand in Lasantha’s murder?”
Why didn’t Lal Wickramatunga reveal this to the nation right away? Why go via, via and via to Navi Pillai after such a long time. All are playing games with a dispicable crime?
Is General Fonseka responsible for journalist Faraz Shaukatally too then?
All of this is work of Rajapassa clan. Nobody else. Blaming it on General Fonseka is the easiest way out for them.
Ben Hurling - February 17, 2013
2:12 pm
RAJAPAKSE IF YOU KNOW THAT FONSEKA MURDERED LASANTHA, FRAME CHARGES
AGAINST HIM IN A COURT OF LAW AND IF FOUND GUILTY, HANG THE BUGGER.
YOU GET THE OPPORTUNITY TO TRY OUT YOUR NEWLY APPOINTED “HANGMAN”.
DO IT IF NOT YOU WILL GET THE “NOOSE” ROUND YOUR NECK.
AYMAN - February 28, 2013
5:34 pm
On what basis would you condemn Pillay, Milinda? What did she say which is wrong? You talk to any Sri Lankan on the streets, you will hear the same feelings Pillay has demonstrated. Tell me the instances even when the President appointed committees to inquire into various attacks, did one produce any result? Never. Even the LLRC commission which was appointed by the President presented their report, the first response of the President was that it was a fair report and Sri Lanka had nothing to fear about. Then when the UN asked Sri Lankan government to implement the recommendation, another committee was appointed by the President or his brother Gotha through the Army and they condemned the LLRC report. Why is this? Only two reasons come to my mind. One President appoints committees after committees until he gets the result he wants or Gotha is more powerful than the President.
park - February 17, 2013
4:34 pm
JOB WELL DONE,
CONTRACTOR ??????????. WHAT IS THE REWARD???????????
CLIENT ?????????????. WHAT IS THE PRODUCTION, PROFIT???/.
I HAVE OBJECTIONS, AS MY BOSSES ARE DEVOTED SINHALA BUDDHISTS.
THEY GO TO [WAR CHIP] BUDDHA GAYA TEMPLE, THIRUPATHI, SAWVRI MALAI KOVILS WITH 100 OF ENTOURAGE TO GET GOD’S BLESSINGS, NOT CHEAT VOTERS ,
SO DO NOT THROW FALLS ALLEGATIONS TO SAINT LIKE DEVOTED POLITICIANS.
JULAAMPITYE AMARAYA - February 18, 2013
2:58 am
Thank you Milinda. This woman is desperately looking for anything to sabotage the peace gained for the SriLankan nation. Lal Wickrematunga now have a person to believe anything he wants to tell but he must realise, this woman has no credibility and seems an apologist and a propogandist for the Tiger Separatists. She has no love for Wickrematunga either, but will use the incident to topple the Govt that defeated the separatists. By the way Late Mr Lasantha Wickrematunga was not a high profile journalist. He was the editor of a bankcrupt “Leader” newspaper which was kept afloat one time with UNP funds. Though no one condones his death, his hands are not clean as his venomous articles helped in the killing of many security officers who helped to defeat the brutal terrorists.
Raja - February 18, 2013
3:08 am
Malinda Uvindu is not LILIY White . Read what he has written to the end He has arrived at the conclusion that he would have been carrying out instructions .The reason given for SF not to have been prosecuted.
kumudini - February 19, 2013
4:49 am
Uvindu who is this character. They all profit from murder. Pillai or no Pillai we keep the LIEon flag flying high chaps. That is where our expertise is. Now nobody knows what the truth is.
Lanka Liar - February 19, 2013
2:34 pm
Lasantha was killed by an assassin named ‘power at any cost’ this assassin has many avatars!
Bedrock Barney - February 19, 2013
7:56 pm
YES, BECAUSE THE INNOCENT BABY; CHUBBY AUNTY MAHINDA WAS HURT & HER 7/11 COMPUTER SIS GOTA WAS HARASSED, THATS WHY SARATH AIYA WAS ONLY CAPABLE OF PUTTING A STOP, BECAUSE THESE AUNTIES AND AKKIS WERE SO HELPLESS.
THATS WHY LASANTHA WAS BLAGARDED IN FILTH WITH DEATH THREATS BY BABY AKKA; NOW THEY CALL IT SWEET-TALK.
Malini - February 24, 2013
10:45 pm
[Pillay shoot herself in the foot, Shaukatally being shot,She’s jumped the gun]
Hey Malinda your fixation with guns and shooting interesting.I can guess the hat you got on.
len - February 26, 2013
12:34 pm
Thank you Malinda
Basil Jarapaksha - February 16, 2013
3:32 pm
Quote [Killing Lasantha cannot be one of Fonseka’s own decisions. He may have deployed the killers but killing such a high profile journalist is a political decision]
How does Uvindu arrive at this conclusion & why did he wait this long to expose this personal message of Lal Wicks??
Why must Lal Wicks hand over any letter of his through Uvindu??
[Refering to yesterdays shooting she said;”that is clearly an extreme form of repression of freedom of speech”]
How does Pillay arrive at this conclusion………
Uvindu … neither your opinion or Pillay’s speculation are required.
Uvindu stooping low before Pillay to look at what ????????????
A damn cheak skate.
dicky Bird - February 16, 2013
4:04 pm
Well said Bird.
There is nothing new here, and it is more than 4 years since Lasantha died. Ranil is not the “Sherlock Holmes” of SL.
I won’t write any comments about Uvindu’s racist-chauvinist editor friends since he protects them at this website and will use his “Censor Knife”.
What a shame.
We might all have to wait for another 4 years to hear the “Handana Kathawa’s” between Sonali and Uvindu. Lol. Publish the whole truth and not the “tit bits” and Sonali is silent about Lasantha being a paid RAW Agent? A few pygmy journalisy in Colombo might enjoy the “crap”.
As for Lal, he has NO Freaking credibility and did he have Katte Pittu to ask Uvindu to convey messages to Pillay? Isn’t he the chairman on Sunday Leader still? He had his very own Frederica as Editor of the SL to write/convey messages to Pillay. I guess he was too freaking busy all those years?????
Give us a break here, my friend, Uvindu.
Donald J Gnanakone - February 16, 2013
8:23 pm
you mean uvindu hahaha with sonali……
ramon.veera - February 16, 2013
9:38 pm
Well done Uvindu! Stand up for Sri Lankan sinners with out B…s! If the President is sure Fonseka killed Lasanta, those brothers hate Fonseka, they would have found the evidence to lock Fonseka up for life and throw away the keys.
RW the shit hole says four army people killed LW . Sri Lankan ,not suckers know that the army took direct directions from , the best known killer of Sri Lanka.( white flag case)etc. plus they even take credit for the war victory. So basically army was sent by whom? Could it be that the directions to go never came from Fonnie? If it did what ever he said to the Kangaroo court he faced he could have been lynched hanged or worse. That did not happen so who gave the orders?
Those greedy pigs who are robbing the country do not know they are not taking this money with them any where. They leave it to their children, but those guys can not enjoy it either. Look at the past examples around you. Look at the ex ministers children. I mean ckildren of, those thieves .Has any one gone to a prestigious university? Has any one done any thing for that matter, other than , prostrating them selves before ! king for a chance to further rob the nation?
So Uvindu stand up for what is right. Help meter out justice to thieves.,and murderes. All those rotters are of no use to the country. In the guise of patriotism they rob this nation. So go for it let those dogs bark!
P.B - February 17, 2013
4:01 am
Lie lanka Maatha….
Lanka Liar - February 19, 2013
2:35 pm
This confirms the complicity of all our top people in the extra judicial killings, abductions and extortion. If Fonseka was guilty why was justice not allowed to take its course? Now that this matter has been placed before the UN and public, may we have detailed statements from the top people concerned. Also it will shed light on other acts of violence and killings of innocent civilians. Ther is no need for commissions and investigations, if our leaders know the truth, please divulge to the public.
Safa - February 16, 2013
4:14 pm
President, Defence Secretary and Army Commander are clearly the prime suspects. This is nothing new; it was said all over Colombo from day-one. Nothing will be done to investigate by this government.
EW Golding - February 16, 2013
6:32 pm
E.W.Golding:
The REAL tragedy here is that, even if there is a change of government, the truth will not come out because that appears to be the nature of Sri Lankan politics!
Aney Apochchi! - February 17, 2013
12:21 am
THATS TRUE.THE NEXT GOVT. JUST CARRIES ON. SINCE INDEPENDENCE NO GOVT. HAS BROUGHT TO BOOK THE SCOUNDRELS IN THE EARLIER GOVT. THIS IS PART OF SINHALA CULTURE!!!!!
AYMAN - February 28, 2013
5:39 pm
They are the prime suspects of many many murders happened in Sri Lanka. Nothing will be done all murderers will bet go free. That is how MR Government works.
Swarna - February 20, 2013
6:48 pm
It is all good. Now, why can’t the President come out and take Sarath to Court? Oops – is he worried that the Lawyers would ask why the Government didn’t punish him? If Sarath were guilty, so were the Rajapakses.
Rohan - February 16, 2013
10:20 pm
The whole episode will come out from horses mouths one day……including Nanthikandal mass murder.
Jayantha - February 17, 2013
12:21 am
To all who want SF dealt with. How could they? because SF was their ‘Miniha’ then. Even now if SF is taken to task, SF will reveal who the Rajapaksa’a are and all those killed and about the Hoax of a LTTE war they fought while the LTTE buried all their heavy arsenal wrapped in polythene, where they were displayed to the euphoric public at the ‘Deyata Kirula’ exhibitions.
gamini - February 17, 2013
2:46 am
Yes Gamini ,you are correct. The saner people[ not the gullible
euphoric public] are now beginning to realise the truth that the war victory where Rajapaksa heroism was purported to be on show was a hoax.Fought without witnesses , ended with at least 40000 murdered civilians and without achieving the peace everyone expected, the “victory” was merely the spring board to power for an evil regime.
The truth may be revealed only in an international investigation and Sarath Fonsekaand maybe others, may get a chance to reveal how the war was fought and ended.Hope the call for an International Investigation is accepted and enforced and that the real culprits are brought to book.
Cynthia - February 17, 2013
11:35 am
SF amy be their ‘Miniha’ ir our ‘Miniha’. Being so called brave Army Commander why he has to wait till government accuse him of anything. As a gentleman he can come clean giving all the information he has. Afterall he is a civilian now. All this is a joke to slander Sri Lankan politicians before the UN human rights session. You are suggesting all SF did was with the approval of the President. Then government brought court martials to punish him of wrongdoings you are the very people who oppose it. Now just say another storey. Not substantiated or without any evidence. Double standards in your screwed up thoughts.
Raju - February 17, 2013
3:31 pm
President doesnot take people to any where. He send a white van. That is it.
Lanka Liar - February 19, 2013
2:36 pm
All I can say is that this brutal regime under Mahinda-the-murderer is begining to crack. This regime is leading itself into a dead-end in the same way VP did.
Real Peace - February 16, 2013
10:47 pm
Any locals that are being paid by foreign powers are on the legitimate target list… It is just pest control… lol.
Watcher - February 17, 2013
1:47 am
Thats right even the tsunami was created by foreign powers.
Lanka Liar - February 19, 2013
2:37 pm
Either Fonseka did it under the orders of his masters, or if he did this on his own accord, then the Rajapakses for sure would have pinned it on him and he would be in prison today.
This is all an attempt to blur the entire situation. Apart from Lasantha there are many journalists missing, kidnapped or killed even during Fonseka’s time in prison, so who is responsible for that, and why is no one arrested for those crimes? It seems our police force is incompetent. Murders go unsolved and murderers unpunished.
Panda - February 17, 2013
2:08 am
Uvindu is wrong. Lasan the was killed by Mahindas Rajapaksa using his brother GOTABAYA. GOTABAYA used Fl. Lt [Edited out] who was Gotabayas body guard with another six Air. force NCOs. They committed the murder near Air Force base at Rathmalana, and the Air Force seminaries were ordered to be away from thei post. What ever Uvindu says now the truth is Mahindas wanted him out. Read my article, Why Sunday Leader Editor is doing business with Rajapakasa and accuse Fonseka for the killing. Why Uvindu after failing to prove this theory on many occasions is now trying to create some help for Mahindas at the UNHCR in Geneeva.
Gunadeera. Rajakaruna - February 17, 2013
5:40 am
Honorable sir,for the sake of all Sri Lankans I respectfully implore you with bended knees to reveal the names of Lasantha!s killers.If you cannot go public Write a parable like Serasinghe today.
Gayan Wijesena - February 17, 2013
12:58 pm
Sir why not disclose the killers of Lasantha.Looks you know every thing about the killing and this will definitely put your life at risk.Country knows that the killers have the full blessing of the family regime.If you can please leave the country and disclose every thing to a foreign media.You can come back to the country as a hero once Srilanka get herself free from this despotic regime.
Lion - February 18, 2013
12:13 am
Hello Gunadeera Rajakaruna,
You either need your spectacles changed, a brain transplant or you are completely senile.
Uvindu is not accusing anyone of killing Lasantha here, he is only the messenger who conveyed a message from Lal Wickrematunge to Navi Pillay.
The message was “President Mahinda Rajapaksa told Lal Wickrematunge three times that his brother Lasantha, the founding editor of The Sunday Leader newspaper who was assassinated in January 2009 was killed by Former Army Chief Sarath Fonseka”
What is being implied is that the Rajapaksas had Lasantha killed and is now accusing Sarath Fonseka of it.
Now do you understand? You had better because I can’t make it any clearer.
Mahadana Muththa (Jnr) - February 18, 2013
3:34 am
thanks uvindu me self from mt lavania,, illegal activites were done at faraks lodge. he is the owner of this lodge. why he was shot in humanright session
sarath fernando - February 17, 2013
8:50 am
If fonseka killed lasantha as uvindu claims we must think why he did it. Well I am sure strath fonseka did what’s best for the country
Christian t - February 17, 2013
2:22 pm
These 3 trusted each other and did lots of bad things. Now they are scared of each other. USA knows evry thing.
The man in upstairs knows every thing and nobody can’t play the fool with him.
What ever goes up has to come down.
I leave the rest to the reades to decide the rest.
Sarath - February 17, 2013
2:35 pm
Colombo Telegraph you make me vomit publishing news items to damage Sri Lanka. What are you going to get a few million rupees of blood money from terrorist front Agencies in foreign countries. Is it worth the damage you are causing to Sri Lanka?
Charles Perera - February 17, 2013
2:42 pm
Charles
Which part of the above article damages Sri Lanka? Please tell us.
The article only highlights the damage done by Rajapakse and his clan to Sri Lankans and Sri Lanka.
I suggest you stay in France and contribute to the bigots on LW with their heads in the sand.
Chandra - February 17, 2013
3:14 pm
CHARLIS;
TO DAMAGE SRI LANKA?????????????????????.
ARE YOU DREAMING IN YOUR SLEEP
ALREADY YOUR BOSSES HAVE EATEN WHOLLY, SRILANKA FULLY. AND DAMAGED DONE ALREADY.
SO WHAT THE HECK YOU YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT.
ASK THEM, WHERE IS THE BLOOD MONEY THEY GOT FROM KILLER PIRAPAHARAN ????????.
YOU CAN APPLY FOR A FUTURE SAINT.
JULAAMPITYE AMARAYA - February 18, 2013
3:12 am
Charlie boy vomit all you like. Better if it is all over those murderers!
P.B - February 19, 2013
3:40 am
oh oh wait and see in the future all secret will come out of killers mouth. then whole country will know about who are they . they talk they love Sri Lanka but they do murders innercent people now they are in big post. there is God he knows every thing the truth will come out one day theat day is near .
mohamed - February 17, 2013
2:46 pm
All what I can say is that if you do care for your precious life behave like a deaf,blind and dumb fellow. If questioned and if you want to open your mouth say nothing but; ‘yes sir, yes sir two bags full sir!’ that far and not further!
Long live Sri Lanka!
SHM - February 17, 2013
3:02 pm
Why Uvindu cant you speak about Julian Assange?If you do no more assylem to you,
routard - February 17, 2013
3:19 pm
Chandra, It is no use replying to some people. There are lot of Uvindus amoung us. It is thanks to Rajapakse’s you can walk on the roads with your head up. It is because of Rajapakse’s you have the freedom to write against the government. It is because of Rajapakse’s that Sri Lanka is different from what it had been before. It is because of Rajapakse’s that we can call ourselves proud to be Sri Lankans ? These are some of it is because of Rajapakse’s……..But r$there are lots blind to reality for some reason or other, but not at all for rightful selfless reasons !!!!
Charles Perera - February 17, 2013
4:47 pm
I smell a rat. Why is this Uvindu coming up with this story just before the UNHCR mmeeting and that too with the Navi Pillay woman?
carl - February 17, 2013
4:52 pm
Hello we want (truly patriotic Sri Lankans) the murderers who get heads of young children bashed six feet under!
P.B - February 19, 2013
3:43 am
The entire democratic World is aware that you are the biggest liar in the World who is an expert taking from both ends. However much you try to implicate others in murders your family committed, does not help you at all. May you and your family rot in hell.
Namal Perera - February 17, 2013
5:12 pm
So, slowly buy steadily the wheel of justice is grinding towards the real culprit(s). If Fonseka killed Lasantha, who killed Mahinda’s [Edited out] in 1970, Two politician in Tangalle in 1990. We will wait till Mahinda slowly walks into the trap. He has chosen a path of no return and he has to try all means possible, what other remedy or ways he has? Jaya Wewa Mahinda Putha!
SUBRAMANIAM MASILAMANY - February 17, 2013
5:22 pm
Fundamentally Navi Pille should remove from involving Sri Lanka’s HR issues as she is a Tamil and very biased in the case of LTTE issue. As she is biased, every thing related to HR she used to put into government’s account without any valid evidence like our opposition.
How can she say referring to yesterdays shooting;”that is clearly an extreme form of repression of freedom of speech”. Can anybody say at this stage (early), the exact reason without seeing the possibilities i.e.it has happened due to his personal related issue or a 3rd party who wants put GovSL into a trouble or GovSL did. We should see all aspects.
The writer also says “He may have deployed the killers but killing such a high profile journalist is a political decision”. If GovSL had a plan to kill him it would have done by using a single person without telling Fonseka because Lasantha didn’t have security.
Sapumal Bandara - February 17, 2013
5:44 pm
oi fool, don’t talk a load of bollocks. i wonder why do you think that everyone is biased against you. if anyone has opposing views in your opinion they are either traiters or biased. you never attempt to reform yourself but you go on accusing and blamiung others. this sort of behaviour is as a result of a massive inferiority complex. stop moaning you ignorant fool.
Rama - February 17, 2013
8:24 pm
Using your style of arguement I can say a Sinhala President should be removed from office because as a Sinhalese he will not take tough action against the Sinhala army that committed the war crimes……??
Real Peace - February 17, 2013
10:09 pm
You are right. The Sinhalese too remove themselves from any inquiry about the murders. So the best thing is to have an independent inquiry. We can even call Pakistanies Chinease .. there aren’t many independent left now. Even you can volunteer. You can tell that you are a Mongolian, no body will come to know that. We do that very well in Sri Lanka.
Lanka Liar - February 19, 2013
2:44 pm
Uvindu, you have done a great job. There is a grearter service you still can do to the Country.Expose the sordid vindictive “Kuppa” part played by MARA and his siblings to oust Dr. Shirani Badarnayake, under false guise of an invalid Impeachment. Please initiate immediate;y.
Padmawathi - February 17, 2013
6:04 pm
Can Uvindu collect a list of all those who signed the CJ impeachment motion on a blank paper without been given access to read the charges and who really instigated the CJ impeachment…….and the real reason behind it.(not the fake Golden key house purchase or discounts etc.)
We know Uvindu has first hand information and also not be feared of Gota/ Mara death squads.
Jayantha - February 17, 2013
8:32 pm
This comment was removed by a moderator because it didn’t abide by our Comment policy.For more detail see our Comment policy
http://www.colombotelegraph.com/index.php/comments-policy-2/
rashan - February 17, 2013
6:43 pm
can we appoint aryawathy as the u n high commissioner for human rights. i undestand she suffered years of physical abuse as a maid at the hands of an arab master.
Rama - February 17, 2013
7:19 pm
I’m wondering why all this information could not have been used by the Rajapaksas against Fonseka, when they were bringing out so many other charges against him and then jailing him.
This would have been the easiest to prove, it the Rajapaksas knew what really went on, right?
This is an after thought by the regime, most probably to fire a canard before the Geneva meeting.
It will be good if the Rajaspaksa brothers can come out with what happened to Prageeth Eknaligoda and ther other journalists too.
Neomal - February 17, 2013
7:50 pm
100 black monkeys have been assembled to invade geneva to defend the pariah state of sri lanka. these black monkeys are going to deny everything that happened in the final stages of the civil war. these black monkeys will lie through their teeth saying that they were angels and there were zero civilian casualties. monkeys will deny that any knowledge abductions or disappearances ever took place in sri lanka. before lying monkeys will drink bell whisky to prepare themselves to fight with civilised people. they will say the bogus army commission appointed by war criminals and the members of the commission who are war criminals themselves have absolved the army from any wrong doing. monkeys will also say they have repaired roads and bridges as part of a reconciliation process with the tamil community. after a while monkeys will fall asleep after heavy drinking and start snoring. end of story.
Rama - February 17, 2013
8:44 pm
Monkeys will be snoring until the noose slowly gets tighten around the neck. Already lost EU GSP status loosing over 100,000 jobs and counting. Also IMF 1.5 Billion Dollar Loan decline is getting the noose getting more tighter while the monkey still snoring.
Come Geneva and Loosing the US GSP status, Tourists and business boycott, Economic and stock market boycott,restriction of currency transaction will strangulate the snoring monkey.
The Biggest white elephant ever is planning to be inagurated on March 18th wih opening Mattala Airport. This will outdo all the other projects including the Norochcholai power plant which closed down 12 times in first year with a loss of 86 Billion rupees to the economy.
With each plane landing and take off burning 4000 gallons of jet fuel going to cost average two million rupees per plane leave alone tire wastage, cabin pressure maintenance, additional logistics both inside and outside air plane,re fueling, airport costs, maintenance and logistics, airport Utility costs(Just to air condition the airport building in Mattala humid and high heat weather will be three times more than what is spent at Bandaranayake Airport) and other security, maintenance and administrative costs.
Also passengers who wish to go to ME and Europe will boycott the airlines that land at Mattala due to extra stay in tarmack for one and half hours doing nothing in an inconvenient seat and humid weather condition.( I have experience of staying in an airplane in tarmac for over one hour and it is not good experience)
Therefore the bookings for both Sri Lankan and Mihin will drop due to this added off route. Already bot Sri Lankan And Mihin Air are loosing 25 Billion rupees per year…..and adding Mattala could be a nightmare.
THE MONKEYS ARE BORN AND NEVER BE CORRECTED WHILE STRANGUULATING THEMSELVES TO THEIR OWN NOOSE AND TO THEIR OWN STUPIDITIES AND NO ONE ELSE TO BLAME…
AWAIT FOR ANOTHER MAHINDA CHINTHANA MONKEY NOOSE STRANGULATION PART 4.
Jayantha - February 17, 2013
10:56 pm
I thought they are LIEons not monkeys
Lanka Liar - February 19, 2013
2:45 pm
So we are to think that everything that spews out of MMM(Mahinda Maama’s Mouth)is the gospel truth.Why is that?It is because mahinda never lies.
If Fonseka is the killer then why not have added that charge too to the other frivolous ones he was charged with when he fell out with the president because he wanted to become the president?he could have been hanged like Zulfikar Ali Bhutto was by Zia ul haq. What an opportunity missed by the Rajapakshe clan,nailing two birds with one stone.
Why did the Rajapakshes offer bribes of release form custody and foreign postings etc to an intelligence operative in custody if he testified to Fonseka’s complicity in lasantha’s murder?This man when he was brought before the magistrate told this sordid details?
Fonseka has gone through enough for his sins.Does one more matter?
shankar - February 17, 2013
10:20 pm
Yes all the bad events are blamed on Fonseka, and all the good things come for Rajapakse.
Amith - February 17, 2013
10:57 pm
All these stories are written and directed by despot.he will dance the way he wants for some time but not for ever.
Lion - February 18, 2013
11:14 pm
Lasantha’s wife is not doing enough to give him justice. I guess now she is living[Edited out] . Not even go for UNHRC meeting with a banner. See how Prageeth’s wife behave. Difference between real and fake wife. What happen to actor Viyaya happened to Lasantha due to wrong wife selection. If Viyaja did not marry CB he still alive today.
Ganesh Vignarajh - February 18, 2013
12:08 am
Just another stunt by that attention seeking ego maniac – Uvindu !
Don Quixote - February 18, 2013
12:57 am
“Three things cannot be long hidden: the sun, the moon, and the truth”.
Lord Buddha
Sharmini Serasinghe - February 18, 2013
5:05 am
Sharmani you are very correct.Truth will come out one day.My worry is will the offenders get justice.?
Lion - February 18, 2013
11:16 pm
That is my worry too.
But looking back to the very recent issues in the past, no doubt about that offenders wont get justice
((
Anja - February 19, 2013
9:18 am
Sharmini these are Lanka Sun, Lanka Moon, and Lanka truth
Lanka Liar - February 19, 2013
12:46 pm
Why can we blame this on the LTTE
Lanka Liar - February 19, 2013
2:30 pm
There was a very unusual participant at last month’s Black Friday which marks the event where journalists were killed, abducted, assaulted and intimidated years ago. Lasantha was murdered in broad daylight. Namal Perera, a free lance journalist and Mahendra Ratnaweera Political Secretary of the British High Commission were severely assaulted. There were other leading journalists who were in the hit list. Assassinations were planned and they fled the country. Some are out. Others have come back.
Who is this participant? It was none other than General (five star) Sarath Fonseka VSV psc etc etc. When he was presidential candidate, he was even at the ceremony to remember Lasantha.
The Government could not nail him. The reason – the key witness who knew all this and assigned people did not consent to spill the beans. He was offered money and plum positions. He refused. The man who was serving in uniform overseas was recalled and that the last he was heard. He is no in an insiginificant position.
I can vouch what Uwindu saying is the absolute truth and nothing but the truth. I am not a crusder for this government. The only reason why they could not fix Fonseka was because the butcher who assigned men
and carried out operations has gone quit. The plot hatched in Manning Market will one day come out. Even Lasantha will not look lily white when it does. Lal is well known for what he is.
Tight Lipped Rambo - February 18, 2013
7:59 am
Mlinda is right. Navi Pillay really has shot herself in the foot, jumping to the conclusion that the shooting of Faraz Shaukatally was necessarily related to his work as a journalist. There is no evidence – only suspicion – to support that view. Clearly, this lady is not competent to hold the position she holds if her judgement can be so easily based on suspicion and gut feelings. Someone in her role needs to be objective and sound of judgement and to think before she opens her big mouth.
fred - February 19, 2013
9:08 am
February 18, 2013
Dear Mr. Wickramatunge and Mr. Kurukulasuriya,
I refer to the letter written by Mr. Wickramatunge and delivered to Ms. Navi Pillai, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, through Mr. Kurukulasuriya in London. Since we will be circulating this letter to the general public I am adding the link to the article published in the Colombo Telegraph, hereunder, for reference purposes.
http://www.colombotelegraph.com/index.php/fonseka-killed-lasantha-president-told-lal-three-times-uvindu-tells-navi-pillay/
According to the above letter, President Rajapaksa has told Mr. Lal Wickramatunge, not once but three times, that it was Gen. Sarath Fonseka who was behind the murder of late Mr. Lasantha Wickramatunge! A few hours after the article was published two retired officers from Sri Lanka Police, currently living in Europe called me to reveal some startling facts about the murder of Lasantha Wickranatunge , and what the government did and did not do to resolve this murder.
In fairness to the chair of the president of Sri Lanka, I gave the presidential secretariat time to dispute Mr. Lal Wickramatunge’s claim. 72 hours have lapsed and there is no clarification so far from the President’s office and perhaps just as he accused Gen. Fonseka and his campaign team of an armed uprising after the presidential elections in 2010, I am compelled to believe, that he had indeed told Mr. Wickramatunge this story about Gen. Fonseka.
I am thankful to those two retired officers for calling me and giving me the opportunity to reveal the facts behind the assassination of Mr. Lasantha Wickramatunge and at least this account will establish that the government clearly persecuted Mr. Lasantha Wickramatunge. I sincerely hope that the senior officials of the CID at that time would now come forward and tell the world how unusual it was for the murder investigation of Lasantha Wickramatunge to be carried out by the TID instead of the CID! Below is the account of the events surrounding Lasantha Wickramatunge’s murder as related to me by the two ex police officers, who were not aware of each other’s calls to me, yet they corroborated each other’s accounts.
a) During early morning hours of December 21, 2007, a group of people carried out an arson attack on the Leader printing press. No suspects were ever found but some strange events took place during the subsequent months. Superintendent of Police Edison Gunathillaka who was in charge of the investigation was promoted to the rank of DIG over many other senior SSP’s and within the same year was made a Senior DIG. The senior police officers believe that he was rewarded by the government for protecting the perpetrators!
b) In 2008, after a critical coverage of the president of Sri Lanka appeared in the Sunday Leader newspaper, the president of Sri Lanka called Lasantha Wickramatunge and shouted at him using obscene words unbecoming for a leader of a nation. The president threatened Lasantha that he would be killed if the coverage did not change. A recording of this conversation exists.
c) In 2008 Gotabhaya Rajapaksa filed a defamation lawsuit against the Leader newspaper for a series of articles reporting improper arms deals by Gotabhaya Rajapaksa. When these articles appeared Gotabhaya Rajapaksa has asked the CID to take Lasantha Wickramatunge into custody. The veteran CID officer Mr. Sisira Mendis who was the director of the CID and DIG Asoka Wijetillake both knew that there was no provision for them to detain Mr. Wickramatunge and they officially sort a directive from the Solicitor General, Mr. C.R. de Silva who informed them that it should not be done. When this was conveyed to Gotabhaya Rajapaksa he had been very angry and stated “Well, I have people who are prepared to do this.” Fearing that the government might kidnap and kill Lasantha Wickramatunge, the CID decided to take him into custody and one of the officers who respected media freedom informed Lasantha when he would be arrested and to be prepared for it. Lasantha Wickramatunge gathered a large group of journalists and was awaiting the arrival of the police but after being informed of this development, Gotabhaya Rajapaksa recalled the police party already on the way to Lasantha’s place.
d) Gotabhaya Rajapaksa realizing that the information leaked out of the CID, transferred almost all the officers of the CID, including the Director Sisira Mendis. He was subsequently brought back to the CID on the insistence of the IGP.
e) Lasantha was assassinated on January 08, 2009 and a few weeks before his murder a funeral wreath was delivered to him with a note which said “If you write, you will be killed.”
f) The most strange event took place at this stage. The investigation of Lasantha’s assassination was handed over to the TID (Terrorist Investigation Division) without summoning the CID, which was the standard practice. The TID had no experience in investigations of this nature and they remained passive for almost 6 months, according to the CID, killing evidence and leads that may have helped them to solve the crime. (It was the CID under Sisira Mendis who tracked down the terrorists who took part in the airport attack. A tiny clue found on two pieces of paper was cleverly put together by the CID to find a telephone number that finally directed the detectives to the culprits.) Overlooking all these achievements of the CID, the investigation was handed over to an alien department.
Finally, if the government had proof of General’s involvement in this assassination, they would have definitely used that evidence to lock him away forever, without concocting stories about white flags, armed uprisings or doing politics while in uniform. The question is – why are these allegations leveled now?
The couple of months ahead are really critical for Sri Lanka. UNHRC is preparing to grill us again. IMF has refused to lend us any more money to support our budget. Last night the European Union confirmed that they will support the resolution against Sri Lanka. This resolution originated in the United States and we did not muster proper diplomatic efforts to nip things at the bud. It is rather unfortunate that mission here, perhaps the most important capital in the world, is manned by a person to whom ignorance is a bliss! It looks like the Commonwealth summit will not be held in Sri Lanka although government sponsored media is trying to portray a divine outlook of our country and the family presiding over her populace. We all know that Duminda Silva will return to Sri Lanka soon and will be pardoned. Mervin Silva will never be punished for committing murder. Our Executive systematically controls every organ of governance, especially the Judiciary, reminding us of Nazi Germany under Hitler.
Do they want to detain General Sarath Fonseka again and start an international media circus? It certainly does remind me of the burning of the Reichtag and Giorgi Dimitriov.
Sincerely,
Sanath de Silva
CC: Ms. Navi Pillai – United Nations Human Rights High Commissioner
Sanath de Silva - February 19, 2013
2:13 pm
Sanath de Silva, On behalf of the silent majority I thank you for your effort.
gamini - February 20, 2013
3:02 pm
I thank your effort too. We need more brave people like you in Sri Lanka
Swarna - February 20, 2013
6:53 pm
We have sent you an email please reply. We need credible evidence re your allegation, before publish your comment. – CT
MB Ekanayake - February 20, 2013
10:18 pm
A ” very funny situation”
CT publishes an article about the involvement of SF in Lasantha´s murder
Malinda, like Dayan or Rajiva, who does lobby work for MR to enjoy the priviledges in this corrupted regime, writes his usual comment as always he does
And we are all away from the real topic
People like Malinda, Dayan and Rajiva supported all the corrupted regimes from Hitler to Polpot, not to undermine their part.
They are the real murderers of SL regime
Thava - February 21, 2013
3:44 pm
It would be extremely unlikely that those running the Leader at time of the presidential election had not heard rumours of Fonseka’s involvement in Lasantha’s death. Nevertheless, the paper supported Fonseka’s presidential campaign.
During the White Flag trial, Frederica Jansz, the then editor of the Leader, said that she had directly asked Fonseka if he knew who had killed Lasantha and could not get him to give an answer.
This did not come out in Jansz’s answers under cross-examination in the High Court. On the 6th of October 2010, according to the Sunday Times (October 10 2010), she said she went to the interview with Fonseka accompanied by a “trainee reporter” (she denies this, saying it was Raknish Savan Wijewardene, a journalist at the time and not a trainee), a photographer and Lal Wickrematunge , chairman of Leader Publications (Lasantha’s brother). The “trainee journalist” had “taken down notes of the interview, except on the question about the ‘white flag’ issue”.
At one point, [Lal] Wickrematunge had asked Wijewardene and the photographer to leave as he wanted to raise a personal issue with Fonseka. Lal asked Fonseka who was responsible for killing Lasantha. Jansz said in response to questioning in the High Court that she “did not pay attention to what was said by Fonseka in response to that question”. Ms Jansz is a very experienced investigative journalist who over the years has been the scourge of many a corrupt businessman and many criminals. Her paper had been running a long campaign to bring to justice the killers of Lasantha. Lasantha’s brother directly asked a man linked with the crime who killed his brother and Frederica drifted off like a distracted teenager!
She said that she normally did tape recordings of interviews but the paper’s recorder had been given to someone going to interview the Western Provincial Council minister. Did the paper’s budget not run to buying a second recorder? Was the interview with the provincial minister more important than an interview with a presidential candidate who was accusing his own soldiers and government of a war crime and who was also suspected of involvement in the murder of the paper’s editor?
padraigcolman - February 24, 2013
4:59 am
THERE WAS NOTHING PERSONAL BETWEEN LASANTHA & FONSEKA
GENARA WAS BUDDY FIGHTING THE WAR TO BE INVOLVED WITH THESE PETTY ISSUES
MAHINDA & FAMILY THOUGH HAD BAD BLOOD WITH LASANTHA
THIS IS AN ATTEMPT TO ‘WHITE-WASH’ BY THE ‘WHITE-VAN’ MAN !!
Sumith - February 26, 2013
12:01 am