President Maithripala Sirisena has reiterated to loyalists at an event held on May Day that he would be taking steps to arrest former Secretary to the Ministry of Defence Hemasiri Fernando and IGP Pujith Jayasundara for their security failures that he claims led to the Easter Sunday bombings killing 250 people.
Fernando
Speaking with loyalists after a May Day event at the Sri Lanka Foundation Institute on 1st May President Sirisena said that he had received the interim report by a special investigation committee headed by sitting supreme Court Judge Vijitha Malalgoda.
This is reiterating what the President said to security officers at the Defence Ministry two days ago even before he had received the interim report from the committee investigating security lapses that led to the bombings. The statements by the head of state who continues to desperately seek a scapegoat even though he has maintained full control of the entire security apparatus since October 2018 indicate that he was planning to put the entire responsibility for the attacks on the two officials and wipe his hands clean of responsibility.
Colombo Telegraph learns that Fernando is unwell and may seek medical treatment even as the first citizen of the country continues to blame him for the cold blooded murder of 250 people in order to protect himself and his pet police official SDIG Nilantha Jayawardane who heads the State Intelligence Service.
Colombo Telegraph has already revealed that Jayawardne briefed Sirisena on the intelligence reports about the impending suicide attacks on at least three occasions. The SIS head has also given testimony to the special investigative panel. However according to sources SDIG Jayawardane has tried to deflect blame on to the former Defence Secretary for the security lapses while whitewashing President Sirisena.
“They will protect each other,” said a Government official “Nilantha knows he told the president. The President knows Nilantha briefed him. Obviously the two of them cannot rat each other out so someone else has to be the fall guy,” the official said adding that the President’s actions were morally disgusting. According to the official the President was aware of the threat as early as 10 April when he was addressing a public gathering and seemed nervous to remain very long at the meeting. He seemed anxious and ill at east. Sources said the president may also have taken a longer holiday overseas in the belief that he was the actual target of the suicide attacks.
After Sirisena’s unconstitutional effort to make Mahinda Rajapaksa Prime Minister was defeated in December, he refused to give the Police Department and the Law and Order Ministry back to the UNP. To date he holds the police Department under his defence ministry unconstitutionally since the constitution as amended by the 19th Amendment only permits him to hold three ministries – Defence Environment and Mahaweli. However illegally Sirisena moved to gazette the police department under his defence ministry. The UNP and its Prime Minister has failed to resist this move or challenge the President’s unconstitutional actions in Court for the past six months even after the political crisis ended. Which these irresponsible and incompetent actions by the Prime Minister have been widely condemned by the public at large, the responsibility has to be borne by the President who has jealously guarded his Minsitry fo Defence and access to high level security officials and intelligence agencies refusing toe allow his prime minister and even the IGP to even attend National Security meetings even though the composition of the NSC includes both the PM and the Head of the Police.
Related posts:
Easter Sunday Bombings: Resigned Defence Secretary Hemasiri Fernando To Be Arrested
Saman / May 3, 2019
This is ridiculous.
Not Hemasiri but Sirisena must be definitely arrested and put him in a jail for life.
Now Sirisena is trying to preach as he always does but people must understand this man is a traitor.
When this tragedy happened Sirisena was in Thirupathy but he did not come what he did was he went to Singapore and ordered his security council not to meet Ranil.
Sirisena must be killed now
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Shrikharan / May 3, 2019
Will Mahinda Rajapakse also be arrested as according to his election promise for the ‘crimes’ he supposed to have done during his Presidency, which was the single promise made him win the Presidential election?
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Soam / May 3, 2019
To all Sri Lankan, for god’s sake it is Your Country , Your President , Your Prime Minister, Your Parliamentarians and Your Constitution. It is You, who can make the difference. Go to your polls say enough is enough and elect a GOOD and Visionary Sri Lankan. You have the intellect to do so. Let this be the last of the catastrophe to fall on the beautiful island and say it loud ” We are all Sri Lankans” and let us do what is good for the country.
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JIM / May 3, 2019
SOAM, thank you for the pearls of wisdom, your input is a welcome change during this dark era.
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monte cristo / May 4, 2019
If this was another Country the population would take to the streets like in Paris, in Argentina, in Indonesia, in Hong kong or in many middle Eastern Countries and DEMAND that Sirisena gets out and is hauled before an International Court to face charges of Treason, Murder, and Criminal activity for murdering of over 250 citizens of this Country and Other Country’s of the world, and for the maiming and injuries caused to a further 500 and over persons. Consequent to his inaction he has caused detriment to the economy of our Country and the destruction of infrastructure, the causing of untold mental misery to thousands of family, and Public persons, and the lives of Sri Lankan Citizens as a whole.
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Puka Banda / May 3, 2019
Keep your hands off Hemasiri you MY3 bull. You are a liar of the first degree. Why not some of the intellectuals impeach the rascal. He misled parliament and caused chaos in October. He was the acting minister in 2009 when he unleashed the military on the innocent Tamils. His place is the gallows. Banda
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Banda / May 3, 2019
Keep your hands off Hemasiri you MY3 bull. You are a liar of the first degree. Why not some of the intellectuals impeach the rascal. He misled parliament and caused chaos in October. He was the acting minister in 2009 when he unleashed the military on the innocent Tamils. His place is the gallows. Banda
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Pon Kulendiren / May 3, 2019
Ranil is trying to avoid another crisis with the President again. If the President is acting against the constitution by bringing under his control important ministries. what is the Parliament doing? . Are they not taking any action to impeach him He has decided to do maximum damage to the country before the Presidential election
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Douglas / May 3, 2019
Eagle Eye: Thank you. You seem to be well aware of the facts on how the “Intelligence Arm” has been paralyzed by this Government. In the same way, I too saw, how our “Legal System” very effectively paralyzed the implementation of the “Law Enforcement” when the ex Defense Secretary Mr. Gotabahaya Rajapakse obtained a “Court Order” to preventing him being taken into custody on a case of “Fraud”. In the same way you and I saw how the ex Rear Admiral of the Navy, Mr. Wasantha Karannagoda too obtained a “Court Order” preventing him being taken into custody on that “Abduction and Murdering” those 11 youths Unfortunately, the others (Intelligence Unit Officers) in “Remand Custody” on criminal charges committed during and after the “War” with LTTE were not “AWARE” of that “Facility” and not “HELPED” by the “Patriotic” politicians and Lawyers. In both these case a very able “Lawyer” – the PC Mr. Ramesh de Silva appeared for both the “accused” and was very successful in “Courts”. In the “EYE” of the public, that could be different. However, the ex Defence Secretary, Mr. Hemasiri Fernando and IGP Mr. Pujitha Jayasundara (now on suspension) must be reminded of that “FACILITY” available to them in “Courts” , if their “Arrest” is imminent. Perhaps, PC Mr. Ramesh de Silva must be already “In Action”.
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Good Sense / May 4, 2019
This is a national tragedy. In the hindsight I would have preferred RW, who was in the country and MY3 out of the country should have communicated with each other and issued a joint statement to the effect that there was some information and both of them apologises to the public for the inability for the state machinery act decisively in this matter. That course would have been more honorable and acceptable to the public instead of finding scapegoats or saying that they were not invited to meetings. DAMN IT TOP TWO! Even now stop your bickering and put the act together putting the past aside for the moment.
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Douglas / May 4, 2019
Interesting NEWS: Now both ex Defense Secretary – Mr Hemasiri Fernando and “Suspended” IGP Mr. Pujitha Jayasundara have been charged in Supreme Courts along with the AG as the 3rd respondent by a “Businessman” named Mr. Janath S Vidanage. Both Mr. Hemasiri and Mr. Pugitha were not present in courts, while the AG was represented and who stated in open courts that she is only representing the AG; but not the other two respondents. It is also interesting and noteworthy to observe that the Minister of National Security & Law and Oder Mr. Mithripala Sirisena and the Prime Minister, Mr. Ranil Wickramasinghe were not named as “RESPONDENTS”. One among the “PLEADINGS” is to direct the AG to take legal action and prosecute the “1st & 2nd” respondents, but again interestingly not the Minister in-charge and the Head of the Government – the Prime Minister. I invite any reader/readers who could educate me as to WHY the Minister of National Security, Law & Order and the Head of the Government – the PM were not PROSECUTED and named as “3rd” & “4th” respectively and shift AG to be the “5th” Respondents? The case is to be taken up again on 21st.
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Sanathdes / May 5, 2019
Yes, every excuse will be made, and scapegoats will be made. Sadly, this ‘declaration of emergency’ will be made to good use by this (useless) government. They will delay the elections indefinitely. This will be the only goal for these sorry asses who rule the country.
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Arul Sivapalan / May 6, 2019
THIS ADVICE TO THE GOOD PEOPLE OF SRI LANKA –
POLITICIANS AND DIAPERS MUST BE CHANGED OFTEN
FOR THE SAME REASON – Mark Twain
The people have the vote and so use the vote to discard the rotten thieves as
you would discard a stinking diaper!!!
Arul
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Jude Dias / May 6, 2019
The Buck stops with the President. He does not comprehend the enormity of his position.He thinks that he is playing games with the lives of his countrymen.
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SheltonW / May 9, 2019
The sad part is that having an elaborate Intelligence Apparatus we have to depend on foreign warnings, of brutal scheme which according to F M Sarath Fonseka, took years to plan and execute. This the more important question not the heeding or not of warnings. It seemedthe euphoria of defeating LTTE blinded us to future risks.
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