The much dreaded ‘white-van’ culture of the former regime under Mahinda and Gotabaya Rajapaksa, appears to be slowly raising its ugly head once again, this time under incumbent President Maithripala Sirisena and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, amidst increasing complaints from the North and East about ‘white van’ style abductions in recent few weeks.
File photo
Civilians from the North and the East have complained about the reemergence of white van style abductions, including several instances where even rehabilitated LTTE cadres were ‘abducted’ instead of being arrested in the proper manner by the Terrorism Investigation Division, in white vans.
Meanwhile, a protest organized by the Families of the Disappeared outside the United Nations Compound in Colombo on Tuesday, demanded UN intervention to end the re-emergence of the white van style abduction of civilians from the North and East, which was rampant during the previous regime.
The protestors said that in the recent weeks there have been several incidents of white van style abductions in Jaffna, Ampara as well as Negombo, where even civilians were arrested in white vans. Seeking the immediate intervention of the UN, the protestors also handed over a petition to the UN protesting against the reemergence of the white van culture.
The protestors warned that if the current trend continues it could lead to another war, and therefore Sirisena and Wickremesinghe should take immediate steps to put an end to this white van culture which appears to have re-emerged.
Early this month, the National Peace Council also expressed concern over the failure by the authorities to follow proper procedure when arresting civilians as well as rehabilitated LTTE cadres. In April alone there were over 23 arrests, a significant number of which had being carried out in an illegal manner using white vans.
During the Rajapaksa regime, white vans were used rampantly to abduct critics, including journalists, and activists among others. Former President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s brother, Gotabaya, who was the ex-Defence Secretary, is alleged to have had a hand in the white van abductions, which were mainly used to silence critics. ( By Munza Mushtaq © Colombo Telegraph)
BBS Rep / May 11, 2016
Well, with the re-emergence of the ‘White Van’ culture Yahapalanaya almost completes the mirror imaging of MARA’s administration style. Yahapalanaya cabinet is packed with unelected fraudsters from the MARA mafia. Nepotism is rampant. Corruption is rampant. Yahapalanaya continue to prop up massive loss making government enterprises such as SriLankan Airlines. Torture is widespread. Nothing new with this piece of news.
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Carl Marks / May 11, 2016
BBS Rep, you said it – “Yahapalanaya cabinet is packed with unelected fraudsters from the MARA mafia. Nepotism is rampant. Corruption is rampant. Yahapalanaya continue to prop up massive loss making government enterprises such as SriLankan Airlines. Torture is widespread”!
All the excuses we tried to make in support of the present lot, hoping against hope that we were not drifting back to those awful times under the Rajapakse regime, looks to be in vain.
What a dilemma we are in to be sure!
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nimal fernando / May 11, 2016
Few things,
Whatever happens there will never ever be LTTE again. Prabakaran was LTTE and LTTE was Prabakaran. The LTTE died with Prabakaran.
Due to blindness through pure hatred, many are incapable of assessing him objectively, but for good or bad, Prabakaran was the most remarkable political figure to emerge in SL in the past 100 years. A Black-Swan if ever there was one! If not for Prabakaran the “Tamil insurgency” with any other tin-pot leader would have fizzled out in a few years like the ham-fisted JVP “Sinhala-insurgencies.” He, in one man, possessed a combination of attributes – good and bad – as rare as hens teeth. Even if anyone adopts the name LTTE, it will never resemble the old. So, any notion of re-emergence of the LTTE is as crazy as resurrection of good old VP; pie in the sky.
Transnational Government of Tamil Eelam are just posers just as Mahinda is a poser. Good for laughs.
“Yahapalanaya cabinet is packed with unelected fraudsters from the MARA mafia. Nepotism is rampant. Corruption is rampant.”
However much they call themselves “Yahapalanaya,” if the “leaders” do not practice it, no one is going to subject themselves to any form of good-governance that is not practiced by their rulers. It’s crazy if the “leaders” think they can appoint brothers and do corrupt deals and expect citizens to follow rules/laws/regulations/ethics to the letter.
It’s like a priest preaching a religion he himself does not practice
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max / May 11, 2016
Carl Marks, even Friedrich Engels would agree with the fact that, so called “MaRa”s era is better, compare to “MS-RW-CBK” era of present day in almost all the angles! Economy is down. National security is jeopardized. Sorry one section of the society is better. Homosexuality. A festival of them coming soon to Colombo, according to some social media reports. So enjoy Carl Marks!
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Carl Marks / May 11, 2016
Oi max, you’re addressing the wrong guy. This is Carl (not Karl) Marks (not Marx).
And anyway, how would you know what Engels would have thought?
As far as I am concerned your “MaRa’s era” was notorious for all manner of crimes that included ripping off the country and your “MS-RW-CBK era” has not quite reached that “era” stage, but they are trying hard to emulate their predecessors.
Your homophobic remark reflects more about yourself than the rest of your comment. As a pal of mine (Siggy Sangfroid) mentioned, ” the most rampant homophobes are usually terribly repressed homosexuals fighting to convince themselves that they are ‘straight'”. I bet you’re just waiting for that “festival”!
Have a nice day!
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Daham / May 12, 2016
Max, the only thing you prove by making your comment is that you are an uneducated piece of shit.
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Murugan / May 11, 2016
What a country we are living in ,they all same what a corrupt country we are living in.
Corruption everywhere from school grade one to uni.that is what the child learn from apart from education.
These so call monks MPs police judge etc bloody unprofessional junarls
Corrupt where are the so called proud sri Lanka’s etc
You have seen whats happening in parliament what do you expect
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Lankan / May 11, 2016
Murugan,
It’s unfortunately ingrained in the nature
of the people of this region.
What’s to be done? Bring back the colonial masters
maybe?
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janaka / May 11, 2016
Units of military acting on orders from helping hambantota filth?
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max / May 11, 2016
If that becomes the truth, what a NEWS and a relief to you janaka noh?
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shankar / May 11, 2016
at least they should change the colour no.
a red van means you know you are done for and no point in your family going to all the police stations.
A orange van means you might come back in one piece,but badly damaged.
a green van means that you are only going to get a sensual same sex massage.
Just because gota copied from the mayor of davos who is now the philipino president,does not mean that maithri/ranil must copy from gota.
If you are copying at least be a bi innovative and try to show it is your own original idea and that you are not a just a copycat modaya.
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paul / May 11, 2016
I think white vans started in the Eighties under JR, to indicate an ata sil observing dharmishta society.
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Shrikharan / May 11, 2016
May be there is a truth what Mahinda said that My3 not only cheated him but the people as well.
Now I understand Executive Presidency is to stay and My3 will contest again to be reelected after his current term ends.
I cannot understand why our TNA is still with Government. They should strongly protest and leave. It reminds me what Thanai Chelva said, Never to trust any of these guys and the only option is to fight for freedom.
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KA Sumanasekera / May 11, 2016
23 members of the Avee Gang were nabbed in recent days, in the North , the East and even a couple in Negambo’
13 were nabbed prior to this, after the explosives were found in a 2007 Lankadeepa , or is it Sunday leader I am not sure.
One was picked up in my home town too. He has committed a few heinous crimes in the South after his stint as a senior under Pirahaparan.
A few had escaped to a LTTE stronghold in Thamil Nadu.
The UNP Police spokesperson who was doing a fine job up until then got his ass blown out for divulging this escape.
Wonder whether these are also White Van jobs.
Or are they done by the book with Yahapalana warrants obtained from Mr Siripavan’s Courts..
Wonder where the Yahapalana PM Batalanda Ranil isnowadays ,, Is he on paternity leave..
Because poor Prez, Bodhi Sira is doing all the heavy lifting in recent times ,to sell Yahapalanaya to the South and the rest, bar North and the East.
In fact he did a bloody marvellous job to organize the Yahapalana May Day Rally in my Home Town.
And Present his buddy, Batalanda Ranil to our inhabitants there.
Although Some say nearly all of the 15 thou who were crammed into Samanala Palama ( Butterfly Bridge ) Grass Patch, were migrants from the North , East and even from Pollonaruwa,
Wonder whether his soothsayers alerted Bdhi Sira to the fact that Dutch used to park the Beef Cattle there, before they were slaughtered for Sunday Lunch in the Fort, after Mass in those beautiful Dutch Churches .
And it was later used by the well heeled in Galle to creamte their departed.
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I must thank my Elders for this bit of history of my Home Town.
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justice / May 11, 2016
KAS,
OK.
But, none of the arrested persons have been produced in courts yet.
When do you think this will happen.
Will they be allowed access to lawyers.
Will their places of detention be communicated to their families.
Will their families allowed to visit them.
More important, are they being treated humanely, in detention?
This is what not only Tamils, but all citizens desire, but often does not happen.
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Ranjan F / May 12, 2016
Justice, how can they produce them in courts? Now the problem is to silence them. No one wants them to spill the beans. Or else the whole plot by GR and his acolytes will be out.
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Native Vedda / May 11, 2016
KASmaalam KA Sumanasekera
“23 members of the Avee Gang were nabbed in recent days, in the North , the East and even a couple in Negambo’”
Are you sure they are LTTE cadres?
In the last two or three weeks few former LTTE cadres were arrested it turned out to be working for Military unintelligence.
By the way, Basil and Yoshitha Rajapaksa were also nabbed by the police. Are they guilty of wrong doing?
Do you know anything about Basils’ recent activities such as meeting with many Army generals? Is he plotting to overthrow the democratically elected government?
Do you think he would crown himself as the king of thrice blessed land of crooks? What is going to happen to the crown prince in waiting?
“A few had escaped to a LTTE stronghold in Thamil Nadu”
Where exactly?
If true it seems the Hindians may be cooking up something.
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Truth / May 11, 2016
RW and MS are the re-branded version of the Saviour of the country the number 1 thug MARA.What we see is just talk talk and talk. They have completed almost 18 months in reign not a single rogue, murderer or saboteur has been charged.
Everyone is enjoying this stupid so called freedom found only for the political thugs.SF talks big nothing happened. Ranatunghe brothers are ransacking the state institutions nothing happened.
There is no justice for the people let alone people from North and East.Everyone is looking after his.her pocket.
Look at the size of the cabinet. It is no better than the MARA and Company.I bet nothing will happen> what did they do with the lunatic son and the daughter of MS. They misuse their father’s position. MS himself is guilty of promoting his son where ever he went.
Look at the murderer GR, he is making bold statements and challenging the Government.
UK national anthem says GOD save the Queen. We have to rephrase it here to sing God save poor and unfortunate because nothing has improved.
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PROUDMAN / May 12, 2016
well said Truth
You are true to your name even if it is only a pseudonym
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Adrian / May 11, 2016
This is a ploy by MR2 to control the public from questioning their personal economic prosperity. When there is bigger threat from the uneducated legislators to the society in terms of inability to draft and implement any plans of productivity, MR2 and the clan is plundering the wealth and instilling fear psychosis to divert attention from the blunders and possible crash of the economy in the near future. People must vote out both SLFP and UNP at the next election before they swindle the little left by electing learned individuals.
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Ranjan F / May 11, 2016
There are two forces that exist in Srilanka from my own observations.
1) the police force under a new IGP, being converted to be Loyal to My3 and Ranil. They are the ones who are trying to investigate this suicide jacket that emerged in Chava in an acceptable manner.
2) meanwhile the armed forces who are still loyal to the old regime and GR, who planted the suicide jacket from their old collection, using their former LTTE agents in their payroll, are now out again in the white vans travelling in Civil, abducting away the possible eye witnesses who could spill the beans.
This was why recently the armed forces were heard moaning that the Police are acting on this matter without reference to them. They want to work with the connivance of police as they did in the past.
Can’t you see that the whole find in Chava was timed to coincide with the removal of armed forces from the security of MR?
We were not born yesterday MR and GR? You can fool some of us all the time, but not all of us all the time.
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Analyst / May 11, 2016
Ranjan F
What about the idea of a ” beginning of a ” Coup ” by MARA passa & Co with the help of their loyal servants ?
Good their request was rejected with the hindsight I suppose by MS .
Remember the ” Coup ” which was plotted on the 8 th Jan 2015 at the ” Temple trees ” which was hushed up.
Anything can happen in this Dutugemunu land of Blood Letting!!!
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Plato. / May 11, 2016
nimal fernando.
Your line…..
Whatever happens there will never ever be LTTE again.
Prabaharan was LTTE and LTTE was Prabaharan.The LTTE died with Prabaharan….
Absolutely correct! I could not have said it better.
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