By N. Lohathayalan –
N. Lohathayalan
Even as this new government gives a full pardon to the convicted throat-slitting murderer of a 5 year old boy in Mirusuvil, much order parents who have abandoned children are denied such an amnesty. The amnesty was confirmed at a press conference at the UNP’s Sri Kotha by former Minister Ajith P. Perera on Sunday 12 Jan. where he mentioned that many had been given amnesty. This article in large part was written immediately after President Gotabaya Rajapaksa assumed office but was not printed because there was no hard confirmation that he really would let the murders of Tamil children loose. Alas!
On 19 Dec. 2000, eight persons including four children had had their throats slit by army Staff Sergeant Sunil Ratnayake. While Ratnayake has been pardoned, the father of two children in Kilinochchi, Sudhaharan by name, is languishing in prison without the father or mother.
At the time some persons had gone to Mirusuvil to see how their properties were faring after they had to flee as forces moved in. Army Sergeant Sunil Ratnayake at the sentry point down their street had stopped them for questioning. Eight of them had gone to the soldiers as ordered, while the ninth pretended to be a lone pedestrian going down the street and had thereby escaped. This was Ponniah Maheswaran of the same village of Mirusuvil.
Mass Murder Convict Staff Sergeant Sunil Ratnayake
These eight who had been detained in the evening had not returned home even after sunset. Relatives set out to look for them the next morning by when they had still not returned but could find no trace of them. They filed a complaint with the police after the army denied having seen them. Consequent to that, the police instituted a search. That eight persons had been detained came to be known widely and the police intensified their search.
Magistrate Inspecting Septic Tank with Bodies
As a result, on 24 Dec. 2000, some bodies were found in the septic tank of a toilet by the side of the army camp. The matter was then reported to the Chavakacheri Courts. When the judge inspected the scene, four youths under the age of 18 were discovered besides four men with decomposed bodies, throats slit and eyes blindfolded. Some had their legs and hands chopped off. One had his skin peeled, looking pink. Among the eight murder victims was five-year-old Visvarayan Prasath. Even the most hard-hearted could not fail to be moved by the sight.
Further to it, an inquiry was held at the Chavakacheri Magistrate’s Court and a report was sent to the Attorney General’s Department. The Attorney General filed action in the Jaffna High Court. A direct and important eye-witness was Ponniah Maheswaran, besides others. Staff Sergeant Ratnayake was given a death sentence. Appeal to the Supreme Court failed.
At the same time, former LTTE member Sudhaharan is languishing in jail. Two of his children are struggling under the care of their mother who has married again.
The former President’s promise to release him soon seems forgotten. There are 103 Sudhaharans in jail whom no one seems to care for and they too remain forgotten.
At this time some politicians in the North have met the relatives of these persons in prison and given them the false promise to release them soon. Now they say it will be done after April. Recall, the next election will be in late April or so! Tamils are not such fools.
What is the message in the presidential pardon? Is it not that Tamils, even Tamil children, may be murdered and the killers celebrated?
Among the promises the president made before the elections was that no soldier would be punished. That is why the Sinhalese voted for him. How proud now are the Sinhalese who voted to let child murderer Ratanayake go free?
navaratna / January 17, 2020
some thing was rotten in srilankan for nearly 30 years until it was eradicated in 2009,now people are relatively free
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shankar / January 20, 2020
navaratne
mahinda eradicated the symptons only.After that he should have become a lee kuan yew and eradicated the root causes and transformed the country with a vision like lee did.he did not do that and behaved like a playboy and allowed all the clan to have a lovely time at our expense thinking he will get a third term because of war victory.
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Kugan / January 17, 2020
The reason for his relealese is his charactor is fit fot Gotas intelligent officers.
These officercess have Free hand now,its being passed through parliment that they are being well protected for any wrong doings-all in the name of Country’s security..
Sajith P already pledge his support for Govnt as folllow the SLFP.
Mahanayakas wants rebirth of Hitler but not Buddha.
Election commisiner says its not his buissness to check the ca’ndidates Citizenshops.its like selling alchahol is the only matter but not to whom it can be sell.
10 yrs gone where are we now thats the question
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chiv / January 17, 2020
Raj UK, yes it was a sarcasm. Because I find, that is how Lankans perceive and try normalizing such crimes and murders when it comes to their own political leaders. Their denial makes them to not only normalize and accept such crimes but encourages further to give excuses and defend their criminal leaders.(which you would have observed plenty here in CT too). I have frequently heard such comments as he did it before but now he is a changed person, Yes his brother did but not him, so what the other has killed many where as mine killed ONLY a few —-etc. Same with who stole more, who is less corrupt (how stupid this sounds),who caused less damage to nation ?????. It is never about who is not corrupt, who is not a criminal, who is honest or who is not a murderer?????. Bro, this is not just happening now , it has been there for years and it has just got worsen. I wrote in such way because even , if people did not like my comment, its still ok , because they must be disgusted by it (a good sign). Raj, if you agree with this, I am interested in knowing your opinion on what does it say about the voting public (mentality/psyche)?? if you disagree, feel free to criticize.
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Raj-UK / January 17, 2020
Chiv
I agree with you totally. I fail to comprehend the mentality of those who hero worship politicians & other so-called national heroes. Certainly, we can acknowledge heroism & statesmanship but I find licking arses for personal gain or otherwise, as despicable. I can understand those who benefit from their ‘loyalty’ but for the general public who voted for GR in spite of his questionable citizenship, allegations of misuse of public funds, abuse of power, massive corruption, & worse, kidnap & murder of those who provoked his wrath, I have no words. Yes, there was no credible opposition for GR & it was a Hobson’s choice for the voter but I would have some respect for GR if he cleared his name first (which obviously he can’t) instead of arrogantly brushing it under the carpet with his ‘forget the past, ask about the future’ rhetoric. The excuse that ‘it was not him but his brother’ doesn’t cut any ice either because now the same brother is the powerful PM. It’s the same regime, only the chairs have been swapped.
However, considering the Trump supporters & Brexit supporters who voted for joker Boris Johnson, it seems the average SL voter is not alone. It is clear that the overwhelming support for Brexit was the immigration factor. To many Brits, foreigners, whatever the colour, are not welcome. Nevertheless, despite the general discrimination sometimes, we are able to live without harassment in UK, yet, there are some Sinhalese, even professionals amongst them, living a comfortable life in UK, unable to accept the fact that minorities born in SL too have rights in their country of birth to live in a safe environment & everybody deserves justice for their grievances
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The distorted understanding of Buddhism & unsubstantiated history depicted in Mahawamsa has led to a Sinhala Buddhist supremacy mindset (just like the Christian white supremacists in US) to the extent of supporting thugs & yobs as saviours of the Sinhala race & ‘1000 year’ culture. Ignorance or hypocrisy, or both?
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kali / January 17, 2020
This is a slap in the face for the Tamils, Tamil politicians and the UN .and this is the shape of things to come under Gotha . Under the CROOK MS the War Criminal Shanvendra was elevated to the top resulting in Sri Lanka being removed fro peace keeping role. His appointtment was also endorsed by Sajith. I hope Gotha takes Shavendra to the UN to argue his case. I am pining my hopes on Modi to deliver 13th Amendment and MR has been summoned to Delhi to discuss that and other things including further Chinese Investment without which the development programmes will grind to a halt as no other Country will invest in a Country under a CRIMINAL.
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Adrian / January 19, 2020
Indian Government has just agreed $50m of aid to Sri Lanka to buy weapons. Well done Tamil Eelam lobby, dream on.
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Native Vedda / January 20, 2020
Adrian Aged 13 3/4
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On the last ship departing Trinco Harbour Lt-General Amarjeet Singh Kalkat asked by a reporter, was it right to arm EPRLF’s lumbun army to protect the Tamils to which he replied, eventually the arms will reach where it is intended to reach. Within a couple of days EPRLF lumbun army collapsed, LTTE collected every piece of arms.
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Weapons are supposed to be two edged.
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anonymous / January 20, 2020
“Indian Government has just agreed $50m”
Are they ‘Sinhala Buddhists?’ from ‘Bodhgaya?.
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JD / January 17, 2020
LOHA DAYALAN: It is Tamils who have tribal customs caste related customs that treats even children and women as THRASH. it is common even now in India showing your Indian Heritage. Sri Lanka also has that one teenage school girl was gang raped by Tamils and two politicians saved those rapists by involving between them. They escaped saying we were only there until Police arrives, because high caste were raping low caste women. Before the LTTE war, there are cases that high castes were killing low castes. Even Police ( I think Tamil Police) did not care to attend, probably, they know what is happening. Here, there are lot of information, looks, Loha-dayalan is purposely hiding and not reporting.
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Rohan / January 18, 2020
Rantings from the Sinhalese racist lunatic fringe , that supports this racist war criminal president and Sinhalese racist Fascism. Thank god from the comments there are many Sinhalese who are also just and fair. Sadly they are in a minority.
Read this
https://www.colombotelegraph.com/index.php/caste-and-exclusion-in-sinhala-buddhism/
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Abhaya Premawardena / January 18, 2020
There are 103 Sudhaharans in jail whom no one seems to care for and they too remain forgotten.
no ones forgotten. Let them rot
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JD / January 18, 2020
Abahya Premawazrdane: All are intended to be suicide bombers who were caught before the blowing up or refused both to blowing up and taking the Cyanide capsule and also Black tigers who were scared to bite the capsule. Ask how many innocents they each killed.
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shankar / January 18, 2020
nothing surprising.One psycho pardoning another psycho.Birds of a feather flock together.
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truthhurts / January 18, 2020
Need to safeguard our self until they become civilized.
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Jehan / January 18, 2020
We have got kangaroo courts, a dictator, clean streets, col sky high, Colombo will be affordable only to millionaires, outskirts for the holy Polly.A security state, what Is truth and justice, gone to the garbage . Good people in jail.cowards don’t talk. Masses want to leave the country.monks in bmws with there girlfriends. Talking Buddhism.
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Adrian / January 18, 2020
In the book KMS The British Mercenaries Who Got Away with War Crimes, Lt Col Richard Holworthy, Britain’s former defence attache to Sri Lanka, says that helicopters bombed Tamil civilians using grenades placed inside wine glasses. No wonder there will never be war crimes investigations, the West must not be embarrassed. Gota can pardon whoever he likes, nobody will complain.
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JD / January 18, 2020
Now Many are upset. That is understandable. The problem is many of these things had begun in the PM Ranil’s office in Temple trees. Up to now we do not have idea about what the foreign groups inside the Finance ministry, again Ranil, did.
Ranjan was just a BIG MOUTH NATIONAL LIST MP. How did he get powers to phone Magistrates, High court Judges, Former FCID bosses, to demand/request case files of other politicians, Who were behind giving permission to do this. It is known that Ranjan had backing of some NGOs. UNP parliament was full of foreign agents.
Rishad Bathiuddin is very confident because he had distributed DINAR bundles among prominent politicians.
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Agnos / January 19, 2020
I have advocated the creation of a pro-bono legal defense committee to protect the victims of such atrocities and to hold the criminals accountable to the extent possible within the constraints of the flawed and tainted legal system in SL. The new regime headed by a war criminal makes it all the more important. It might become possible for the victims to file new cases even after the criminals have been pardoned.
Such a committee can also assist the Tamil political prisoners who are being held more than a decade after the end of the war. Mr. Lohathayalan should talk to Sumanthiran and other lawyers about this. The committee should include activist-minded lawyers from all communities who will give their time pro bono, but the diaspora can help with some costs, including court and travel costs, by creating a legal defense fund in support of such a committee. Once in place, with proper record keeping and accounting, it will be easier to get diaspora support for this cause.
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shankar / January 19, 2020
This is kind of pardonings by gota and sira is sending the wrong message to our already deteriorated loo and order situation in the country.Even great lowyers like namal won’t be able to rectify it.
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