One week after former CID Director SSP Shani Abeysekera was enlarged on bail by the Court of Appeal, questions remain about his safety in Sri Lanka, said Ahimsa Wickrematunge, daughter of slain journalist Lasantha Wickrematunge, who added her voice to international concerns expressed for the senior investigator’s security following his release.
In an interview a few days after SSP Abeysekera’s release, Ahimsa Wickrematunge noted that “powerful people” were desperate to conceal information his daring investigations had uncovered about atrocities committed when President Gotabaya Rajapaksa served as Defence Secretary.
Earlier this week the Core Group on Sri Lanka at the UN Human Rights Council also called on the Government to ensure Abeysekera’s safety.
Lasantha Wickrematunge was assassinated in Colombo in January 2009. His murder was one of the high profile emblematic cases the CID investigated under SSP Abeysekera’s leadership. The CID investigation led to damning evidence that Wickrematunge was murdered by a military intelligence death squad allegedly operated by then Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa.
Since SSP Abeysekera’s arrest in July 2020, Wickrematunge’s daughter Ahimsa has been one of the most consistent voices in defence of the top investigator. Now that he is on bail, Ahimsa says she continues to be concerned for his safety. “I have no doubt that those who kept Abeysekara imprisoned for nearly a year on fabricated charges tried to refuse him medical attention when he contracted COVID-19 and suffered a serious attack and led a slanderous and falsified campaign of propaganda against his credibility and his work, will continue to find ways to harm him,” she said in the interview.
Shani Abeysekera
Ahimsa Wickrematunge said Abeysekera’s investigations came too close revealing the truth about perpetrators behind atrocities committed when the Rajapaksa Government was last in office. “Powerful people have a vital interest in concealing the information Abeysekara and his team uncovered during their criminal investigations. For this reason, I do not believe he will ever be safe in Sri Lanka, as long as perpetrators like my father’s killers, Prageeth’s abductors and Keith Noyahr’s torturers remain at large,” the campaigner said.
Responding to questions about finding a way to tell her father’s life story as a journalist through film or biography, Wickrematunge said if she were to ever undertake a book project, it would be the story of trying to bring Lasantha Wickrematunge’s killers to justice. Documentaries could be tricky, she warned, cautioning victim families to work only with reputable professionals from her family’s own negative past experience.While the stories needed to be told, victim families should not be exploited for commercial gain, she explained. ” Maybe one day the right person or team, someone ethical with true passion and dedication will come along and we can explore starting from scratch, but I am not thinking of documentaries right now. I’m thinking of justice,” Ahimsa
maheshs / June 26, 2021
Shani is one of the most capable police officers we have ever had. What he has been put through for seeking justice for these victims families who have gone through hell is a crime. Disgusting to read that there are people who are exploiting and causing more negative experiences for them! What kind of documentary makers are these! Much strength to you and your family
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nimal fernando / June 27, 2021
Sinhala_Man,
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You believe schools/language can civilize savages ……… what success, your puny little school by the sea that churn out short little dark Lankan men with good English and bad accents has had? :))
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Mahinda too thought as much ……… sent his brood there ………. the outcome?
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Ended up murdering one of their own fellow schoolmates!
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Did the language/school/culture “culture” the savages ……. or did the savages savage the culture?
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Or is there a self-manufactured world/reality beyond good and evil ……. where we pretend we don’t know ……. we don’t see? Eh? :))
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leelagemalli / June 27, 2021
I thought an apolitical candidate would do it better. But hitherto outcome proves well, it is even worst than that of polonnaruwa man, who behaved like a bad soldier who took a loaded weapon to his own hand. Alone the public speech delivered tot he nation day before yestreday filled with BLATANT LIES… his crew should have misled him there…. My elders repeated, if a man would not know the basics, with a least knowledge about many things, could cause even huge losses that would never be able to repair again…… my elders are right…
I have no doubt many of you also had some hopes. People s naivity and vulnerablity were abused as no others did in the past since indepedence. However, the key architect of all the mess, none other than, brutal Mahinda Rajapakshe was seen sitting like a RAHATH MERMENT, listening to Bana being preached by a sinhala buddhist monk on POSON poya day ……. Wow… what a wonderful scence.. who do they think they are to contnuouusly fool – kaliamma contrlled majortiy oft he people in this god punishe dcountry ?
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However, after strengthening the power as the president, or in other words „ defacto president Nandasena, for a stupid majority dominated srialnka“, his performance has restricted to his election manifasto only. How can his men and 6.9 millions of voters tolerate his behaivour today ?
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chiv / June 26, 2021
Way to go Ahimsa. You seems to have the courage and resilience which many Lankans lack. Lets see Hirunika’s stand on releasing Duminda, who murdered her father.
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chiv / June 26, 2021
All women seeking justice including Ahimsa, Hirunika, Sandhya, murdered/missing journalist, post war missing persons, journalist who left country (Bastian) and like minded women should join hands in forming a common activist group . to pose a formidable challenge to Rajapaksa Mafia.
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leelagemalli / June 26, 2021
Dear daughter Ahimsa,
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Please dont give up your fight against injustice.
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Hirunika has lost today, not being able to bear the the injustice destined by her family. Hirunika would be happier when thinking at least few of jail was the case with convicted high criminal Duminda De silva.. but Thajudeen s family has not reached it… as you and the family face it yet today. Ekanaligoda s would have to live with the same torment of tantalus… so long Rajapakshes are live and human shielded by our stupid people.
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This is no surprise in a country over 6.9 millions of voters (meaning real voters that should have studied it before going to vote for criminals) did it… amidst heavy warnings by CT and other forums of good nature. People dug their gave by their own, because GOTABAYA s profile was not overlooked. MaRa s records in terms of high crimes, mlechcha politics were all public secret. However, a nation domnated by stupid and gulible people, can become easy prey of anyone as of today.
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Look at the manner how the CHINESE army men fearlessly, shamelessly involve in civil service in the southern srilanka, with SO CALLED POWERFUL pinguththara COMMUNITY is yet thrown a hibenation mode. would this have been permitted if Good governance continued ?
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Ajith / June 26, 2021
It is sad that only Ahimsa, the daughter of the murdered Lasantha Wickrematunge still fighting for justice but in fact the whole country including the Mahasangha, Buddhist Monks, Opposition, Left movements and even the lawyers should have fought until justice is delivered to Lasantha. There are number of similar murders are covered up and it is shame on those who called them as civilised, Buddhist, Democratic people representatives.
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sitrep24 / June 26, 2021
What a hopeless country that imprisons those upholding justice and releases convicted murderers. Don’t fool yourselves, the 69 lakh 🐃 aren’t kicking themselves for the backward debt ridden beggar position sri lanka has been put into, this is exactly the society they voted for.
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If the moda SBs and extremist buddhist monk-eys had their way they’d fill the entire parliment with murdering raping degenerates to implement their extremist sinhala buddhism in the land. Any news you hear that moda SBs or the extremist sinhala monk-eys are angry at this government is because this government has sold sri lanka to china in what is a irreversible cowardly move, they are have no problem with murderers being released.
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cugan / June 26, 2021
US should revoke his and his families citizenship,how they traumatised the minorities,even though they all fellow citizens,how our Young Prince condemned the judges verdicts,now thug is free to do the dirty work what a special Poson sadu sadu
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Simon / June 26, 2021
Mr. Shani Abeysekera was “Demoted” and transferred to assume duties as the “Personal Assistant” to Gall DIG. just two days after “Sir” Nandasena Gotabahaya Rajapakse was installed as the “President”. The charge was, “Falsification” of evidence against another “Buddy” of the President, DIG Anura Senanayake who was convicted of the murder of a Muslim Businessman. The next step was to “Arrest” him and placed him on “No Pay” which order is still in force. The several legal attempts to get him bailed out failed until it was finally decided on June 16th on an appeal to the Court of Appeal. The Appeal was heard by two judges – Mr. Bandula Karunaratne and Mr. Ratnapriya Gurusinghe. In granting the bail application, the two Judges “WROTE”:
“The allegations against the suspect Shani Abeysekera are a result of falsification and embellishment and a creature of an afterthought”.
It is undoubtedly a “Direct” hit at the President who “Engineered” to “Demote”, “Arrest” and place on “No Pay” Shani Abeysekera who performed his duties diligently to “Unearth” the “TRUTH” of the “Murder” of Lasantha Wickramatunga. The question is: Will “GOTA” stop or take a “Step” back and “Engineer” another “Deadly Blow” on Shani? My opinion is: GOTA will not “STOP” but “STRIKE” back harder than ever so that even the “Judiciary” will be left without “Answers”.
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cugan / June 27, 2021
We have seen how our Ranavitous gave biscuits to young Balachandran made small hole in his chest in return makes more medals carry the sin saduu saddu
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Ravindu / June 27, 2021
I am horrified to hear anyone could exploit or harass Lasantha’s family 😳
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Sugandh / June 30, 2021
As long as SL has to endure being ruled by the Rajapaksa gang of murderers and thieves, this needs to be said:
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An incompetent, death threats-uttering psychopath like Gotabaya Rajapaksa had no business running for this country’s presidency.
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Gotabaya Rajapaksa secured himself impunity buy selling the message of hate and bigotry that much of the 6.9million willingly accepted as the best thing for this country.
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Yes, we should be very concerned about the safety and well-being of Mr. Shani Abeyesekera.
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Hope Shani has recorded and communicated all that he knows about the criminal acts committed by the members of the Rajapaksa family and their henchmen to all parties, including foreign agencies, who can safeguard as well as use the information should the worst happen to Mr. Abeyesekera.
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Perhaps strategically getting the information out to the right people may buy Mr. Abeyesekera sometime!… while he can, if he can. Gosh, so much uncertainty.
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I think it is safe to say, as far as the Rajapaksas are concerned, Mr. Abeyesekera is a walking, talking time bomb.
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