A new book describes Gotabaya Rajapaksa as “mentally disturbed and the most awful and unpleasant person” A book about Sri Lanka, with a focus on the situation for journalists covering the conflict, will be released in Sweden in February. Lasantha Wickrematunge, one of the many journalists murdered in Sri Lanka, is on the cover of the creative non-fiction book called “When They Kill Journalists”.
The book, first to be released in Swedish language, is based on Johan Mikaelsson’s experiences, visiting Sri Lanka from 1997 on. As a journalist Mikaelsson has been writing for daily newspapers, news agencies and magazines, mainly in Sweden, and also made a Sri Lanka documentary in 2002.
Many of the people interviewed in the book have spoken about the roles of the two main press freedom murder suspects Gotabaya Rajapaksa, the Defence Secretary, and his older brother President Mahinda Rajapaksa.
One of them is the outspoken Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission Head Ulf Henricsson, a former Swedish Colonel. In 2006 he experienced how monitors were stopped by the military and the Defence ministry to investigate crime whenever the armed forces were behind them and how the police was forced to fail with its investigations. The most gruesome example is the killing of the 17 aid workers in Muttur.
Henricsson in a quote in the book describes Gotabaya Rajapaksa as “mentally disturbed and the most awful and unpleasant person I have ever met”. Henricsson added he had met quite a few awful people in various war-zones, Mikaelsson explained.
The last few years Johan Mikaelsson made fresh visits to the island and covered events in the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, when Sri Lanka was on the agenda.
Mikaelsson said he had hoped the book could be released January 8th, as a commemoration of Sunday Leader’s slain editor Lasantha Wickrematunge.
– I was surprised to see that this day was chosen for the presidential election, as the present administration is suspected to be behind the murder and have done nothing to solve it, Mikaelsson said.
The reason for writing the book, Mikaelsson said, is that impunity is unacceptable.
– Many journalists got in harm’s way in Sri Lanka. This is a country with impunity on targeted crimes against media institutions and journalists. That is completely disastrous, if you don’t want to kill democracy that is, Mikaelsson said.
From his first visit he saw the quite obvious cover-up of the real situation in the north and east of the island. The state wanted full control and did its best to stop both local and foreign journalists from visiting those areas.
– I can’t compete with the local journalists. My perspective is the outsider’s. I have tried to see and hear all, but it is clear that the Tamil side has suffered immensely in Sri Lanka and continues to take a beating as long as the northern areas are heavily militarized and there is no real political solution to the conflict, Mikaelsson said, adding that most journalists killed were Tamils.
The central characters in the conflict are either interviewed or were heard at press conferences. Several journalists, among others Dharmeratnam Sivaram and Iqbal Athas, were interviewed when the conflict was on-going. After the end of the conflict Mikaelsson has interviewed peace monitors, peace brokers, human rights lawyers, government representatives, activists, journalists and a LTTE peace secretariat official, who came out alive from the war zone.
Events where Mikaelsson attended, for example Prabhakaran’s press conference, peace talks in Europe, CHOGM and the crucial sessions in Geneva are also covered.
– I have finished the manuscript in Swedish. Now it is time to start translating it to English and to find a publisher in England, the U.S or Canada, he said.
Many of the people interviewed in the book have spoken about the roles of the two main press freedom murder suspects Gotabaya Rajapaksa, the Defence Secretary, and his older brother President Mahinda Rajapaksa.
– One of them is the outspoken Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission Head Ulf Henricsson, a former Swedish Colonel. In 2006 he experienced how monitors were stopped by the military and the Defence ministry to investigate crime whenever the armed forces were behind them and how the police was forced to fail with its investigations. The most gruesome example is the killing of the 17 aid workers in Muttur.
Henricsson in a quote in the book describes Gotabaya Rajapaksa as “mentally disturbed and the most awful and unpleasant person I have ever met”. Henricsson added he had met quite a few awful people in various war-zones, Mikaelsson explained.
Together with photographer Olle Melkerhed he made a documentary in 2002 about the peace process and the situation in the war-torn areas, called “The Year of Peace in Sri Lanka”. Mikaelsson in 1999 wrote a master thesis in journalism on internal war reporting, called “Building Bridges or Adding Fuel to the Fire”.
Matilda Ellepola / January 8, 2015
The ruthlessness and psychopath tendency together with the political backing from this elder brother may have won a bloody war on paper when there is no value for human life.
If Sri Lanka wants to move on as multi ethnic and multi religious society, they need to send MaRa and GoRa to the Hague to face the justice for the crime against humanity like killing thousands with multi barrel rickets, killing the convicts in high security Welikda Prison, killing and shooting the protesters at the Rathupassala and White van killings together with journalists etc.
/
mechanic / January 8, 2015
Fortunately, by far the vast majority in Sri Lanka do not posses your warped mentality.
/
Samuel Jayaweera / January 8, 2015
Homo sapiens need sytems to get tamed- equally to other animals. So long recorded bad governance is there, nothing would help in terms of improvement of the people s attitudes. In contract,all these will even make it worst them bringing to backward – so how would we name it – UNCIVILIZED nation… or what ?
Man in power currently would not even worry at the time his oppotion was stoned – he even publicly made it clear – ” just because small stone was thrown to opposition stage – they need not to be worried”. This was the case with toy pistol mayor who attacked visiting fact finding mission – for the incumbent, all these are familar – nothing to be worried while talking big about creating better environment for future nation. Predominantly buddhist nation will no longer stay dumb to his way of violent practises being allowed – is what I felt me also being a buddhist.
/
sach / January 8, 2015
Ungrateful nicompoop!
If not for Gota you will be in pieces.
/
Tamil from the north / January 9, 2015
Hey Sach, the same applies to you. If it was not for this rowdy Gota, you will be cleaning toilets in a western country.
/
dcn / January 8, 2015
That is why we need a change, which looks a more reality now. Let us hope and pray no rigging and the elections are free and fair and a smooth transfer of power to the winner.
/
thondamannar / January 8, 2015
Matilda…. Matilda………. Matilda take Mara & Gora run to Venuzuvela.
If unable, just learn to put up.
/
Saman / January 8, 2015
Gotabaya is very cruel and ferocious man.
He is the man who virtually displayed and disclosed to our well cultured and well mannered society by taking revenge from Our War Hero General Sarath Fonseka.
When you swatch and listen to his all BBC interviews you can see the real murderer and uneducated mannar in his true character.
Now they must face the consequences and repercussions. Gotabaya can not run away from the reality.
Gotabaya has used the power in a wrong and unacceptable way which human society disgracefully rejects and refuse.
What Goes Around Comes Around.
/
sach / January 9, 2015
Gota may not be a saint. But he is undoubtedly a great son of this country. When terrorists were killing people everywhere he took the leadership and coordinated well with the army and made SL won the war…
I have many criticism against him but none can question his contribution to the country.
/
Abu Mukarram / January 9, 2015
do you know theeaning of word GREAT?
/
SCOTIA / January 12, 2015
As a foreigner and outsider, it is very plain to all and sundry that this bloke Goatie or whatever else his name maybe, and his brother Percy you president are nothing more than thugs in the same vein as Papa Doc Duvalier of Haiti. I thought you buddhists were supposed to be peace loving and would not hurt a fly yet; you have done a good number on the northern Tamils; men women and children. I would like to know what is in it for you sacha. I bet your tongue is brown as brown can be.
/
Derby / January 26, 2016
Scotia, what about the good number the Tamils did on the Sinhalese and the Muslims? Whole villages were massacred by the Tamil terrorist Prabakaran and his tamil terrorist companions!!! Pregnant women’s bellies were cut open, babies taken out and smashed against the walls, so were breast feeding babies and little children. Muslims and Sinhalese were kicked out of the North and the East by creating genocide against the Sinhalese and the Muslims living in the North and East. A bus load of Sinhalese Buddhist monks were burned to death by the tamil terrorists! Sinhalese worshiping at their temples were massacred. The Tamil terrorist suicide bombers killed their own political leaders as well as Sinhalese political leaders. A tamil suicide bomber blasted the Prime Minister of India Rajiv Gandhi to bits of flesh. Scotia, you should shut up if you cannot be fair in this war! Just because there is a good international arm of the LTTE terrorist organization spreading lies, you should not blind yourself to what actually happened in the island. Most of all, it was the tamils who started this war – not the Sinhalese. The tamils killed 13 Sinhalese policeman and sent their bodies to the South of the country to show what they can do. This is how the war began.
/
Plato. / January 8, 2015
There were two PSYCHOPATHS operating in the country at about the same time.One was VP the other is GOTA.
/
dcn / January 8, 2015
Of what has been said some may be truth similarly some may be exaggeration or untruth. It is appropriate to quote Buddhist philosophy, “nothing is permanent in this world”. Unfortunately, most of our politicians forget this or do not want to remember when they are in power. Everything has to come to an end which is the universal truth.
/
Taraki / January 8, 2015
Who should Sri Lanka send to the Hague for the torture and murder of thousands of Singalese in the Eighties?
/
Marwan / January 8, 2015
We have seen Gota’s interviews on BBC and on many other channels as well, specially soon after Lasantha’s killing. His arrogance and conceit is intense. He is definitely a deranged man. Even his intimidation and threats to Fredrica Janz is well documented. The still missing journalist Eknaligoda and the many other white van abductions, grease yaka antics (just to mention a few) were all his own brainchild. He certainly loves to terrorize the public and the BBS, RB and other goons serves his agenda to the letter. There will be many more that will come to light when he is ousted. Just mark my word. He can go to China to hide himself as in any other country, he will be smoked out.
/
Spring Koha / January 8, 2015
We must also not forget to send the perpetrators of
May 1958,
August 1977 and
July 1983.
Whilst were at it, let’s not forget
April 1971, and
the glory years 1987-1989.
They will have to build a much bigger Hall of Justice in the Hague.
/
Native Vedda / January 8, 2015
Spring Koha
Thanks for your reminder, however you have stolen my clothes. I don’t mind being naked as long as you put them to good use.
Now why have you forgotten to include one of the most heinous crimes committed in this island, the burning of Jaffna library and the books UNP thugs brought to Colombo?
Were you friends with Dutta Gamini?
/
Spring Koha / January 8, 2015
O Gracious Native Vedda, I would never knowingly steal your, or any man’s, clothes. The sight of you naked, in all your natural splendour, must indeed be a sight to behold.
Of course, burning a library (or books) would be one of the highest crimes a person could commit. A mere mortal like me can only depend on the Almighty to mete out the highest punishment on the bastards who perpetrated such a dastardly act. May they rot slowly in the hottest part of hell!
/
Tamil from the north / January 9, 2015
Hey NV the jungleman, you never wore any clothes before we arrived in the island and told you to wrap yourself up. You being naked is a gross sight and quite unkind to humanity. Spring Koha has given you a reply and I hope you will shut up with that. Merely because you have found a computer with a keyboard attached to it while you were rummaging through KA Sumanasekeram’s garbage, does not mean you need to show your stupidity here on CT. What the heck do you understand what the country lost with the burning of the Jaffna library. Do you care about the history of Tamils? Didn’t you equate the Tamils of the north to people from north Pakistan. Then why do you care about our books? IDIOT!!!
/
Javi. / January 12, 2015
“Then why do you care about our books? “
Those books would be proof that you are kallathoni smugglars- the VOC Dutch came that way after they setup 19 posts in India and they came from Indonesia with Golden Balls for Kandy Plains not to see your pulli padde.
All you can boast about is a few missionary schools Johns, Patrick . Ananda Coom is respected in the west for his knowledge of Hinduism art and culture and he lived and died anglo saxon.
JT’s Emil Soundra.. Raj Ratnam also set infamous world records.
While a simple poor moor AJM Laffir became world champion.
Your stupidity is showing… want more??
/
Javi. / January 12, 2015
“They will have to build a much bigger Hall of Justice in the Hague. “
spring please for once bear in mind that Den Hague is not a place for yakkas and yakkos from Middle East or East or Sri Lanka.
Europe has done away with death so they all hide here in Europe after war crimes because Den Hague has payroll too- human rights for all. Culture my friend has to be addressed in all aspects not just Suddha keep off don’t meddle with us.
You need home grown style like what Goo’ta `Boo’ts and the first insurrection and murder led by Sepala the skyjacker at magazine.
We guys got a canning at school if we erred and if we had a fight and went home our parents spanked us for entering a quarrel- those beautiful days are gone. During the 60’s Indian and Pakistani women had to have cavity check at UK airport while our passports were simply for butterflies.
Today your SL passport is not worth the paper its written on and at worst you are seen as a terror suspect or prospective economic refugee.
/
Ranjan / January 8, 2015
Rohana Wijeweera, but he is dead. And how many Sinhalese were bombed by artillery and multi barrels? None.Crimes committed by both JVP and LTTE are same. However JVP is allowed to openly do politics and remember their dead ones and form pacts to create government. But if LTTE were to do it it’s a sure “no no” and are called terrorist.
Killing innocents is terrorism, going by that standards JVP should be banned from politics. Why do we not see that happening?
/
Native Vedda / January 8, 2015
Taraki
“Who should Sri Lanka send to the Hague for the torture and murder of thousands of Singalese in the Eighties?”
Check National Archives, three reports commissioned by Chandrika which I am told gathering dust.
Gota, Fonseka, Udugampola, Somawansa, ………and many others who are still alive can provide you with details if you really want to know. Otherwise don’t waste time.
/
Taraki / January 8, 2015
‘Otherwise don’t waste time’
Tamil Veddah Keyboard Warrior, what are you doing? Contributing to our economy?
/
Javi. / January 12, 2015
Contributing to our economy? “
Surely you are in your smelly sevura dhurning patriotic wars to fill your coffers and belch and fart.
No matter what excuse politicians dream up for waging war, the underlying cause of all wars is economic in nature.
/
Tamil from the north / January 9, 2015
@Taraki, Who should Sri Lanka send to the Hague for the torture and murder of thousands of Singalese in the Eighties?
Answer: Another Sinhalese goon called Premadasa was responsible for the murder of 85000 rural Sinhala youths. But he is dead, so send his skeleton to the Hague, it must be in some grave. While you are digging for his skeleton, look for that dirty planter bugger Ranjan Wijeyaratne, Ronnie Goonesinghe’s skeletons as well.
/
Bensen Burner / January 8, 2015
Gotabhaya the most despicable of all psychopaths. Bensen
/
Banana Pruner / January 8, 2015
Despicable Me: Banana!!! Banana!!!
/
Javi. / January 12, 2015
“psychopaths”
Don’t you ever use that name again as he would miss the noose at home and jail abroad.
You scum made the mistake of calling the familial King and he cutely proclaimed it in its full glory.
Where have all the flowers gone… when will you ever learn??
/
Senthil / January 8, 2015
Hope MR will be defeted today. Is any one could have immagined that sadam and his relatives would be hanged in Iraq by his own people. The punishments are not to take revenge on the killers but to teach future to be killers – they have to think twice before attemoting to do anything against humanity. Why MR did not think, the reason for the previous rulers did not adopt the same method as his. Because they are intelegent to konw that they can not hide their heads inside the sand dune and think they are safe. If MR wins this time, he will drag ordinary people also with him to suffer like LTTE did. LTTE could have stopped fighting at an appropriate time which could have saved their’s and thousands of innocent civilian’s life, same with MR. MR is responsible for whatever Gotha or Army did.
/
patriot / January 8, 2015
most of the articles in CT are not healthy to read, bad for the mind. sadu sadu.
/
patriot / January 8, 2015
so many comments, how many have actually meet Gota in person, zero I suppose, writing out of imaginations.
/
Sha / January 8, 2015
Did you meet Prabakaran in person?? he he
/
sama / January 8, 2015
I believe many americans should have met GOTA enough while going to get tanked their vehicles, at the time brutal man had been working as a road side gasoline station – though 2 decades ago.
Else, recalling the BBC interview in which GOTA lost his temper – may have destroyed that office men – being unable to see how how much aggression is packed in the unique creature – who is born to spread hatreds to enitre humanity.
/
thondamanar / January 8, 2015
The wonderous psycopath is a man of God in S.J.Emmanuel who sacrificed our tamil Youth & Children for a piece of land called Eelam that we never got.
They were finally neither martyrs nor from the god’s fighters the ltte.
Now lets compare this rogue priest who destroyed the basis of the catholic faith, innocent Tamil Youth & Children and Gota.
Who will decide the villain? The grieving parents of these innocent children or You & Me?
/
sach / January 9, 2015
SLMM, monitoring mission headed by Ulf Henricsson was always criticised for being biased towards LTTE. SLMM very openly supported LTTE. During their peace keeping LTTE violated CFA 3006 times. But they did not act against or even spoke against LTTE.
It is tragicomedy these people talk about impunity in Sri Lanka when they had been biased against SL from the beginning and supporting LTTE.
‘The organisation has been criticized by persons from various sides of the conflict for not being impartial and for appeasing the parties. Locally, SLMM is criticized for not taking action to end cease fire violations by the LTTE.’
‘The SLMM’s reaction on this fact (that the majority of violations is done by the LTTE) is that the parties have the responsibility for the CFA (Cease Fire Agreement). The SLMM’s role is documenting CFA violations, assisting the parties in local mediation and supplying Norway and the co-chairs of the peace process with facts.’
‘The Sri Lankan president once strongly complained to the Norwegian Prime Minister of Colombo’s Norwegian Ambassador Jon Westborg. Former foreign minister Lakshman Kadirgamar was critical of the role played by Norway, and demanded them to leave if Norway was unable to bring democracy to LTTE controlled areas.’
‘SLMM has ruled that LTTE has violated the CFA 3006 times, as opposed to 133 times by the Government, as of 30 June 2005.[6] Despite the high number of CFA violations committed by the LTTE, the SLMM routinely issue statements urging “both parties” (meaning the LTTE and the Government) to observe the CFA.’
‘After a Chinese ship was attacked off the northern Sri Lankan coast, on 20 March 2003 it was widely believed to have been carried out by the LTTE.[7] Based on a recorded telephone conversation between the LTTE and General Trond Furuhovde, a Norwegian and then Head of SLMM, SLMM is accused of having indirectly suggested to the LTTE to put the blame on a “third party with stolen uniforms”.[8] No such “third parties” have previously carried out such attacks in Sri Lankan seas. SLMM later issued a statement blaming a “third party” without naming who that third party was.’
‘the Sri Lankan navy was pursuing a suspected LTTE arms vessel, and an SLMM officer on board the Navy boat informed the SLMM HQ about the raid via a satellite phone. The SLMM HQ checked with the LTTE, which made the LTTE aware that the navy was pursuing the arms ship. The LTTE arms vessel escaped eventually. The Opposition party lodged the strongest protest and demanded government to declare the SLMM monitor in question as “Persona non grata” accusing ‘SLMM leaking information about navy’s pursuing to the LTTE’
These SLMM fellows enjoyed full freedom under UNP government under RW and supported LTTE openly. LTTE especially Sea tigers gained many advantages during that time.’
But once Gota became the defence secretary, things changed and they found it difficult to support LTTE….
Being the tough battle hardened man, Gota is, SLMM found it difficult.
Their dislike for Gota is understandable and any patriot would applaud GR for that.
/
justice / January 9, 2015
One needs to have a warped mind and pitiless psyche to send people into oblivion – secret incarceration under the PTA – every three months without any trial in a court of law.
Similarly, to ignore the hundreds who vanished without trace after arrests at the end of the war in full view of their close relatives.
Also, to order killings of those who surrendered with ‘white flags’.
http://white-flags.org/
/
Sinhala Banda / January 9, 2015
Justice (aka Jos-stick)
Carryiong white falg by LTTE saints after 30 odd years of practising real justice against poor and innocent Sinhalease, Thmils and Muslims against their will.
I do not blame GOTA, Sarath F or anyone for what happened to those LTTE saints bearing so-called white flags. Thoese LTTE saints received the same medicine that they gave others for 30 odd years in this country.
Thanks for whoever did that to those LTTE saints in the name of this country. Otherwise SL goverment has to bear more money to keep them in jails.
/
vis8dd / January 9, 2015
Oh God! Another westerner hell-bent on destroying Sri Lanka, now smacking his lips: my3 is a spineless man, repeating the words of the despot ‘kuveni’ ms. kumaranatunga
/
MacGregor / January 12, 2015
This Westerner isn’t hell bent on destroying Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka and it’s natives are doing a bloody good job of destroying itself. Box on boys.
/
Sylvia Haik / January 9, 2015
Henricsson in a quote in the book describes Gotabaya Rajapaksa as “mentally disturbed and the most awful and unpleasant person I have ever met” I think he was spot on. A third term at the helm would have irreparably wrecked our beloved country. The Gods have been looking after us indeed.
/
Aaraon / January 11, 2015
It is so sad that the world watched a mentally disordered person killed our people . And the people who support those barbarians are more barbaric. Shame.
/
Melanie Nanayakkara / January 27, 2016
I am writing this just to clear some misconceptions. I am Sinhalese who had face incidents where I had to face the Tamil Tigers. I was a resident of one of those villages where supposedly tigers killed us. We were asked to leave as those were lands from where Tamils were chased out. Even when some of us were against their demands shooting never happened except when our military came and started shooting. Still the shooting was aimed at military. Had to be reasonable. Another incident where my fiance a military personal was captured. I went to Jaffna against my relatives wishes to meet VP even though I didn’t have any clue about how to meet him. The tamils helped me out to figure out how and when to meet him. The tigers were very courteous and VP really was helpful. Me and my husband want to take this opportunity to tell them how grateful we are for our now wholesome family. If you consider these actions as terrorism, the current happenings elsewhere in this world should be given a worse name. These experiences of ours are not abnormal incidents. I can relate so many which are related to me by our friends who were in similar circumstances. Please let’s be fair. Don’t rely on the propaganda of our politicians. Our country is a beautiful country and we all, Sinhalese and Tamils should be blessed to be born here. Lets unite and chase off these warmongers and develop our country to become a developed nation.
/