12 December, 2024

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Sri Lanka – Yet More Problematic Military Promotions: ITJP

The Sri Lankan President has promoted to Major General, former military intelligence director, Tuan Suresh Sallay, who allegedly forced a Tamil doctor in custody in 2009 to give false testimony by denying him medical treatment and threatening him. Dr. Thurairajah Varatharajah was a government doctor who served in the war zone in 2009 and was then detained for approximately 100 days at the end of the war. Such prolonged detention without trial constitutes cruel and inhuman treatment or punishment, in violation of the Convention against Torture. 

Dr. Thurairajah Varatharajah

“The alleged conduct – prolonged detention without trial, psychological torture and deprivation of medical treatment – is a violation of the Convention Against Torture to which Sri Lanka is a signatory and for which those with command responsibility can be held accountable including under universal jurisdiction,” said the ITJP’s Executive Director, Yasmin Sooka. “Dr. Varatharajah is an extremely brave former government servant whose medical team saved many thousands of lives at huge risk to themselves – he deserved a medal, not to be locked up”. 

Dr. Varatharajah, who is now treating Covid-19 patients in the United States where he fled for his safety, identified Suresh Sallay as the military intelligence officer responsible for his torture and who coerced and prepared him to give false testimony in a staged news conference in Colombo where he and other doctors were forced to deny the extent of civilian casualties in the war. 

“Colonel Suresh threatened us all with many years’ imprisonment… Our families were also threatened,” stated the doctor, who says Suresh made it clear he was acting on the orders of Gotabaya Rajapaksa who was the powerful secretary of defence at the time. 

In addition to threats, Dr. Varatharajah alleges Suresh Sallay used as leverage the fact that he needed essential surgery on his arm which was very badly injured in the war to compel him to participate in the news conference against his will. The delay in allowing the doctor to have the surgery caused permanent residual damage to his hand in the form of pain, sensory issues and loss of fine motor movement required by a surgeon.

The Tamil doctors who stayed in the war zone to treat casualties were recognised at the time by the media watchdog Reporters Without Borders as fulfilling an essential role during the war providing vital information to the world’s news media. This role made them targets when the war ended. On 8 July 2009, the doctors including Dr. Varatharajah were forced to lie in a news conference and were then bizarrly rewarded by their handlers with a surreal trip to eat at a Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurant before being returned to their cells. 

US leaked telexes acknowledged at the time that most international observers doubted the veracity of the doctors’ “confessions”. A telex published by Wikileaks said the doctors had told an embassy contact that they had been pressured to give the press conference and had been “heavily coached for the press conference, given specific lines to say, and even practiced with several members of the local media beforehand”. In addition the telex reported that the doctors “said they were visited and questioned several times by the Secretary of Defense while in custody”.

Absurdly the doctors were instructed to say at the news conference that there were only up to 650 deaths in the last five months of the war even though the Government itself later admitted the death toll was higher. Indeed a mere count of photographs of corpses would easily exceed that number, let alone the UN’s meticulously cross checked casualty estimates up until April 2009. As US diplomatic telexes commented at the time, the Government of Sri Lanka appeared “to be continuing its efforts to downplay the extent of civilian suffering and deaths during the last weeks and days of the war”. Diplomats at the time worried the doctors, when finally released, were at risk of abduction or extrajudicial killing.  

In addition, Suresh Sallay was summoned to appear in court in 2016 in connection with the investigation into the 2009 murder of the Sunday Leader editor, Lasantha Wickrematunge. Sallay’s top aide was reportedly picked out as a suspect in the Lasantha case in an identification parade in 2016 while a second suspect, Kandegedara Piyawansa, was kept on Sallay’s personal staff. 

He has also been summoned to court in connection with the disappearance of cartoonist Prageeth Eknaligoda in 2010 whom police found was abducted and detained by Military Intelligence. There were allegations raised in the Sri Lankan press that Suresh Sallay had attempted to help the suspects obtain bail by getting the state counsel removed in the  case. Reports at the time said the Criminal Investigation Department of the Sri Lankan police accused Suresh Sallay of not cooperating with their investigations, with the result that civil society groups urged he be replaced as Military Intelligence Director.

Last week, the Sri Lankan President appointed Prasanna de Alwis as the new Director of the Criminal Investigation Department, who is another close ally of the President Gotabaya Rajapaksa also alleged to be complicit in torture. Alwis too was questioned regarding the murder of journalist Lasantha Wickrematunge after Suresh Sallay’s staffer, Kandegedara Piyawansa, made a statement in open court in 2016 alleging that Alwis had tried to influence him into implicating the former Army Commander Sarath Fonseka in the journalist’s assassination, with the promise of being made a state witness and given overseas employment. 

“What we are seeing is a complex web of alleged perpetrators who have spent years in the security services protecting each another now being promoted to the highest office by the President,” said Ms Sooka. “Impunity is now so deeply embedded that it’s impossible to talk of any kind of institutional reform.”

*Issued by The International Truth and Justice Project

Latest comments

  • 92
    9

    A well known war criminal and a murderer was the choice of majority of the majority community (Buddhist Sinhala ????) as their leader. What do you expect from that leader?

    • 20
      90

      “What do you expect from that leader?,”
      Save us from Prabakarans and Zaharans.
      We have had enough of living under fear.

      Soma

      • 75
        9

        Soma,
        Over 60000 Sinhalese were buried under the soil by your leader! Tamils have had enough of living under fear for over seven decades and still living under fear.

        • 9
          2

          Nissanka Senadipathy chairman Avant Garde, testifying before commission on political victimization has made a complaint that former navy commander, Admiral Ravindra Wijegunaratne in decembr 2015, had demanded money from him through intermediary and on his refusal to pay had threatened him by sending two of his armed guards. Will Gota take action against the culprit for intimidating his lackey.

      • 52
        7

        Dear Soma:
        Those who have lived under state run terrorism are also fed up with the threat of more of it in light of the knowledge that those executioners of past state run terror are enveloping this government.

        Is there anything worse than your own government targeting and terrorising a group of its citizens? In my own experiences, the answer is… no.

      • 41
        6

        somass

        “Save us from Prabakarans and Zaharans.
        We have had enough of living under fear.”

        Then drain every cents out of the treasury,
        beg for grants from Hindians,
        deny every human rights that is on UN charter,
        war criminals pardoning every war criminal on this island,
        grab every piece of land from those who are considered weaker section of society, …. control the country and state by a a tripartite coalition government,
        illegal military occupation,
        more immoral, illegal, blasphemous, criminal … facistic activism of the saffron clad thugs
        more thieving … more violence, more arson (yesterday was the 39th anniversary of burning of Jaffna library, whether you are physically present at the premises or not you are the kind of person who would have welcomed and celebrated the destruction) ……………………………………………

        • 7
          20

          One Nila Eththo has dispatched a team to catch a kallathoni guy pretending as a ‘Native Vedda’ and jabbering rubbish against their Sinhala relatives with whom they lived for thousands of years in the Land of Sinhalayo and Vedda Eththo. He considers this ‘Fake Vedda’ is an utter disgrace to Vedda community.

          • 17
            2

            Eagle Brain Dead Blind Eye

            Dumbass if you belong to this island you would protect and preserve everything that is pride of all people.

            You and your fellow descendants of Kallthonies went all the way to Jaffna hired by your Nayaka racist and a alien lead thug Mathews like shamelessly behaved like your ancestors the invading Chola Pandya who ransacked the island pillaged the treasures and raped ….

            As the descendant of Chola mercenary now converted and believes in Sinhala/Buddhism you continue to behave just like your ancestor Vellaikkara Padei.

            Dumbass watch this clip which is freely available and learn:

            Burning Memories 2008 Full Documentry
            https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ACffbb2KPCA&feature=youtu.be

            I am still unable to understand how the Library hurt the stupid Sinhala/Buddhists deserving such planned destruction in the hands of drunken thugs all on 31 May 1981.

            Please don’t respond with your stupid parochial mind.

            • 2
              13

              Native (Fake) Vedda,
              * I am unable to understand how Dalada Maligawa hurt the stupid ‘Para’ Demala Hindu/Christian terrorists to bomb and destroy.
              * I am unable to understand how Sri Maha Bodhiya hurt the stupid ‘Para’ Demala Hindu/Christian terrorists to spray with bullets.
              * I am unable to understand how the Central Bank hurt the stupid ‘Para’ Demala Hindu/Christian terrorists to bomb and destroy.
              * I am unable to understand how tens and hundreds of books written in ‘Ola Leaves’ stored in temples in Anuradhapura and Polonnaruwa hurt the stupid ‘Para’ Demala invaders from Hindustan to burn them.

              Compared with the destruction carried out by ‘Para’ Demalu starting from 3rd Century BC, what you mention are insignificant. Yet, I condemn burning down the library in Yapanaya.

              “I am still unable to understand how the Library hurt the stupid Sinhala/Buddhists deserving such planned destruction in the hands of drunken thugs all on 31 May 1981.”

              • 7
                1

                EE,
                .
                why is that your colour blindness problems seem to be far from healing? The kind selective amnesia is common in our god punished land today than any times in the past. They as a whole dont want to consider facts ?
                :
                You attack almost every minoratarian person adding the prefix PARA – why not you yourself study the genealogical outcome about the folks in SRILANKA hitherto. I miss my brother AMARASIRI here, he could teach you whole lot of things about the outcome of epidemiological research on the ethnic SULAMULA of all living in SRILANKA.
                .
                Why you guys stand against the facts and figures as if your behaviours are no different those astrologists that loot the last cent of the destititute in that country yet today ?

      • 21
        4

        They dont care about the laws, but do anything they think is right violating laws.

        That so called medica tourism being promoted by them for those patients from Seychellen… that led me to find the information below.

        Seychellen is a smaller country with 100 000 (one lack of people) living in that island nation.

        Srilanken govt under MR adminstraion has set a bank of ceylon in that country. Can you imagine ?

        Dubious state affairs.
        —————————————————————————————————
        For more details :

        Oliaji Trade Centre,

        Francis Rachel Street

        POBox 1599, Victoria,

        Mahe, Seychelles

        Country Manager

        Mr. Lasantha Dissanayake

        Tel: 00248 4611880 (Office),

        00248 2814955 (Mobile),

        E-mail: agmseychells@boc.lk

        SWIFT CODE: BCEYSCSC

        Deputy Manager

        Mr. J.G.P.Kumara

        Tel: 00248 4611889 (Office),

        E-mail: dmseychelles@boc.lk

        SWIFT CODE: BCEYSCSC

        IT & Finance Manager

        Mr. B.Sethusanker

        Tel: 00248 4611890

        E-mail: itmseychelles@boc.lk

        Operations & Credit Manager

        Mr. J.M.M.J.P Kumara

        Tel: 002484611884

        E-mail: crseychelles@boc.lk

        • 6
          16

          leelagemalli,
          If Lloyds Bank can have a branch in Isle of Man which has only about 85,000 people, why Sri Lanka cannot have a BOC branch in Seychelles?

          • 11
            2

            Eagle shit,
            The Sri Lankan BOC branch was opened to hide all the money looted by Rajapakse scoundrels. Your stupid brain dont understand this. I have suggested you better fix your head with a car mechanic.

          • 7
            3

            Stupid Mahindapala coming out with absurd analogy. Lloyds bank is a British bank and Isle of Man is British territory. When Bank of Ceylon UK is not doing well with nearly 200,000 Sri Lankans in UK, on what basis was a branch opened in Seychelles with handful of Sri Lankans there, other than for money laundering. Recent arrival of people from Seychelles on the false pretext of getting medical treatment, may be to do with laundering their money in Sri Lanka, making use of the no questions asked foreign currency deposit scheme.

          • 8
            2

            Eagle Brain Dead Blind Eye

            Bank of Ceylon can have as many branches as it wants as long as the Central Bank of Seychelles has no objection independent of Lloyds Bank’s decision to operate a branch in Isle of Man.
            Please note Seychelles is not part of this island.
            Seychelles has no status of ‘crown dependency.
            Seychelles’s inhabitants are not citizen of this island.
            Seychelles is an independent country.

            Why are you trying to be too chummy with Seychelles?
            Any cunning idea I should know about?

          • 5
            0

            EE,
            .
            There are lot more facts – regarding those so called ” medical tourists”, …. but sounds to be so dubious of affairs.
            :
            Coming colour is no good for BPs, wait and see. Yesterday s verdict of the SC would not change the attitudes of the masses that are now over 60% or more of locals … almost 8 out of 10 in lanken society are criticising BPs today… they are totally dissapointed by every means. What is your opinion btw ?

        • 1
          9

          Mr. leela ge …..,
          .
          Anything else from GTE Yellow Pages…..?

    • 7
      54

      Mr. Ajith
      .
      If it is Problematic for ITJP we have promoted the correct man.

      • 20
        3

        S. C. Passqual

        “If it is Problematic for ITJP we have promoted the correct man.”

        True, you have promoted the correct man to do the driving, snaring, ….. torturing, butchering, cleaning up, the laundry, .. then hiding behind Sinhala/Buddhism.
        Hope he does not deliver what your master hired him for.

    • 23
      4

      Dear Ajith,
      .
      I do remember Dr. Varatharajah, and how he ministered to the injured at the end of the war. Some of the details that I remember were gruesome; operations having to be performed without anaesthesia. I guess it’s like that in any war. I refuse to re-live those horrors.
      .
      It may be that I won’t be able to resist looking and commenting again. However, please don’t count me in as one of those who approved of the horrors inflicted on people.
      .
      I don’t exactly mourn the death of Prabhakaran, but that is a complex issue. Where so many unnecessary deaths are concerned, however, I do feel guilty.
      .
      As for Dr. Varatharajah, I hope that he sees this. I salute him as a hero.
      .
      Tuan Suresh Sallay – how can I possibly comment without reading up more? So, for now, at least, let me desist from commenting.
      .
      Please, all Tamil readers, we need reconcilliation; however, if you ask me “What reconcilliation in these circumstance?” I won’t know what to say.
      .
      Panini Edirisinhe (NIC 48 3111 444V) aka “Sinhala_Man”

      • 16
        3

        Dear Sinhala_Man,
        Thanks for your positives.
        You made a request to Tamil readers about reconciliation. I think on one thing Tamil readers are common is that true reconciliation is necessary for this country and almost all the Tamils will agree that reconciliation is about giving up something and taking up something by both sides of the political leadership. At the end of the war in 2009, there was a real chance and it was missed. Tamils including Pirabhaharan love/d this island more than Sinhalese love. No one wants to divide this country but a proper devolution is resolve most of the problems. Tamil political and military leadership wanted a proper devolution which will benefit the whole nation.

        • 6
          4

          Thanks, Ajith, for understanding my plight. I’m scared of guys like “Soma” (real name Gamini Somaratne, about 65 years of age, and having some involvement with Avant Garde ) because I fear that the argument that he often puts forward is “specious”. What is strange about his attitude is that he had started his schooling at STPS, Kollupitiya. (“Soma” – if any of this is wrong, I’m sorry, please correct me). At this moment, I have a running battle with “Walter Bagehot”, below the Arjuna Mahendran article, and that has to do with certain false assertions he made (regarding the current Headmaster of that school, Rev. Dushantha Rodrigo). The one argument that can’t be countered for the existence of these supposedly elite schools is that those who attend them end up with a broader than normal outlook, but both “S&WB” seem to talk in terms of “Sinhala-Buddhists”.
          .
          All that I have asked Bahehot for is his real name. In Bandarawela and Gurutalawa there are two horrible Priest-thugs, Reverends Balraj and Nesakumar who were cheating at elections.
          .
          https://www.colombotelegraph.com/index.php/challenging-three-cheating-thomian-pharisees-and-not-doing-it-from-behind/
          .
          Most of the current problem is there, but I had predicted with uncanny accuracy here:
          .
          https://www.colombotelegraph.com/index.php/some-thomian-pharisees-are-adamant-on-the-need-to-cheat/
          .
          tbc

        • 4
          4

          More than with you, I agree with “sri krish” below. I dare not say it, because I’m rather a coward. Nevertheless, I shall sign off here with my real name and NIC number; all that I want “WB” to do is to clearly identify himself since the assertions that he makes in relation to an election are false. Just as there can’t be meaningful reconcilliation unless both sides compromise, and all are treated as absolutely equal humans, so in an election you can’t have only one candidate, and that guy known only to those in the Colpetty school, with two-thirds of the “electorate” in Uva ignorant of even the name of the sole candidate who was the victor. With nobody else willing to contest I said that I was a candidate, but the Uva teachers were too terrified to nominate me.
          .
          Relevant, because there was no even playing field. So, it true that I distributed my “manifesto” without formal approval in Bandarawela, but outside the College gate in Gurutalawa, with Nesakumar’s knowledge. The view of the Headmasters is that they can decide since most of their teachers are ignorant and from Maha Vidyalaya backgrounds.
          .
          Panini Edirisinhe (NIC 483111444V)

          • 4
            3

            Dear Panini, Mahinda in an interview to an Indian media stated that merger of north and east amounts to separatism. Here he not only has displayed ignorance due to his racial bigotry, but also taken a position worse than previous claim of Sinhala racists that federalism amounts to separation despite supreme court saying no. Problem is Tamil leadership is not articulating their demands clearly and when someone tries to do it, they are put down. Tamils must emphasize that they are demanding that their lost sovereignty and territory be restored back and that they are prepared that be accommodated without a division of the land. Secondly on the basis of equality, they must say if the country cannot be divided, the same rule must apply and Tamil homeland cannot be divided. To answer the question of territory, they must say that in the modern world, no ethnic group can claim land on the basis of altered demography either by planned colonization eg Israel or ethnic cleansing eg Bosnia. Sinhalese or Muslims can say that their areas be not linked with north, but cannot say that Tamil areas should not be. If they still refuse north east merger, then demand that the demographic pattern which has been deliberately altered be restored to give Tamils the majority.

            • 3
              2

              GS, You may want to reword your complaint. You say, ‘Problem is Tamil leadership is not articulating their demands clearly and when someone tries to do it, they are put down’. This is incorrect and only seemingly so. Hon. Sampanthan, as the man-in-charge of making the complaints, knows that his language and conduct is under constant scrutiny. He has his restraint imposed on him by powers whose support matters to us Tamils. Further, however much he articulates our position, there is not a single Sinhalese political leader willing / prepared to ‘listen’. You and I are ‘free’ to say whatever we want, and in whichever manner we like. Hon. Sampanthan does not have that advantage / freedom.

              • 4
                3

                Nathan, thirty years ago a Sinhala accountant friend told me that India will never settle Tamil problem, because it wants the conflict to simmer so that the country will not become prosperous. Has he not hit the nail on the head, which you are unable to understand. Take it from me, if India wants to settle the problem, they can do it. India used Tamils 30 years ago to bring Sri Lanka to its knees and when JR surrendered, forgot about Tamils. It will be the same if Sri Lanka does it now. India expected UNP government to get rid of China, but they cheated India and India will never trust Ranil Wickremasinghe anymore. India has put restraint on Sampanthan for their benefit to please Sinhalese. Last five years TNA was asked not to rock the government, but India never insisted on Tamil problem. I lived among Sinhalese since birth, and would say that except handful of them, rest want to keep Tamils suppressed. Sinhalese friends want us only for socializing and not to talk about our rights. Our hope is the new world order that is going to emerge after the pandemic, where there will be free for all with brazen violation of international laws. Is Modi going the same way as his predecessor of only requesting Sri Lanka to implement 13th amendment and build on it, and not doing anything further.

                • 5
                  0

                  Siva Siva Sankara

                  *** It looks like you have had a couple od days rest and back with a vengence. Who says Sri Lanka is poor. There are hundreds of Billionaire with MR heading the list with $18 billion and all driving Limousines.
                  As for your Presidency of the Ceylon Medical Associaton ( now SLMA) I have done my research but Icouldnt find your name. So I have e mailed SLMA and will update you when they confirm. Perhaps you can tell me the year so that I can narrow it down.

              • 3
                0

                “TNA has moderated its political stance in a so far futile attempt at gaining incremental concessions from the Sri Lankan State. Despite this, they appear far from reaching a solution acceptable to the Tamil people.
                Repeatedly falling short of its stated goals, while continuing to pay mere lip service to Tamil nationalism, is increasingly hurting the party and trust in its politicians. The recent fallout from Sumanthiran’s comments suggests that strategic duplicity on Tamil nationalist principles may be losing its viability as a long-term strategy” https://www.tamilguardian.com/content/what’s-wrong-tna

            • 3
              10

              Dr. Gnana Sankaralingam,
              Descendants of Dravida slaves brought to Sinhale by colonial parasites after 1505 talking about a ‘Tamil Homeland’ and ‘Lost sovereignty and Territory’ is a big joke. The land occupied by ‘Para’ Demalu in Yapanaya was under the King of Kandy before Portuguese occupied Yapanaya by force. After Portuguese and Dutch were kicked out, Malabar Wellala Demalu grabbed that land and applied Malabar customary law called ‘Thesawalamei’ to prevent land going out from their control. Under ‘One Country, One Law’, Thesawalamei should be scrapped and the land should be given to the tillers of soil.

              “Tamil homeland cannot be divided.”
              “their lost sovereignty and territory”

              • 1
                0

                When are you going to do your DNA ?

            • 3
              0

              Dr. Gnana Sankaralingam

              “Tamils must emphasize that they are demanding that their lost sovereignty and territory be restored back and that they are prepared that be accommodated without a division of the land.”

              I am sorry I never understood the idea of sovereignty. Could you explain to me what it exactly means and what does it bring to you given that sovereignty didn’t prevent Corona piggy backing on people, movement of people, goods, services, capital, people drug and arms smuggling, globalisation …. transnational crimes, ……

              What did you do to convince Thesiath Thalaivar to accept the accord at least for a few months to give some time to observe/achieve tangible changes on the ground.

              Time and again he had proven himself to be a practising psychopath. Why didn’t you suggest him some sort of treatment.

              • 6
                3

                Native Veddha, when Indo-Lanka accord was signed in 1987, Jaffna civil society told Prabaharan to accept it and build on it, but Prabaharan flatly refused. He fought IPKF to save his life and not in the interest of Tamils. When the accord collapsed, I got fed up and left the country in 1990. Since then I have been telling Tamils that Prabaharan is going to ruin Tamils and bring disgrace to them. This is exactly what happened at the end. You have correctly labelled him psychopath. When Balasingham could not convince him to accept Oslo accord, how anyone else could have done to convince him. Problem was that he was surrounded by yes men on the ground and sycophants abroad. I pity those youth who sacrificed their lives being taken for a ride by this maniac. My suggested treatment for him was euthanasia. Now another psychopath Gota is wielding his might surrounded by yes men, supported by sycophantic crowd in the country. Please try to convince him to act rationally.

                • 5
                  2

                  Here is something I could agree with you, GS.
                  _______________
                  The struggle for freedom started on the right track. At some stage – too long to elaborate here – Prabaharan hijacked it, out of his ego, and put himself above the cause.
                  ________________
                  Our defeat commenced the day Rajiv Gandhi was murdered. It was a selfish act on the part of Prabaharan, for the manner in which RG treated him during Thimpu.
                  ________________
                  I told those who visited me on that fateful day, seeking my thinking, that we could bid goodbye to our liberation.
                  ________________
                  About 20 years ago, a leading journalist from India, visited me on this subject. I told, at that time, that it would take 40 years for the wounds of that murder to heal.
                  _______________
                  India is in no hurry to liberate Tamils. It will wait as long as it takes for us to make India feel that we sincerely regret that wrongful act.

                  • 3
                    0

                    Nathan

                    “About 20 years ago, a leading journalist from India, visited me on this subject. I told, at that time, that it would take 40 years for the wounds of that murder to heal.”

                    Whether people remember the wound or not the Hindian establishment will keep it a open wound.

            • 5
              0

              I suggest a status quo ante to the time of independence must be restored in the east. All the Sinhala and Muslim settlers in the east must be removed and the ethnic ratio at the time of Independence must be restored before North and the east are remerged.

              I will also suggest with hind sight the Srimavo Sastri pact is abrogated and all the hill country Tamils who were forcefully expelled from Srilanka should be allowed to return with their progeny.

      • 8
        1

        Real reconciliation is possible only among equals.

        Prerequisite is that

        Tamils should be equal not only in words but in deeds as wellrecoviliation could

      • 6
        1

        https://www.ctvnews.ca/sri-lankan-official-says-army-shelled-hospital-1.366060

        Look at it in another way: he served his people without thinking of his wellbeing and living true to his oath.
        Now he is blessed to live in a free country and prosper and his children will have the freedom and safety he never had.
        This is true for majority of Tamils that left.

    • 15
      2

      I dont know about others but we never expected other way around. Let us now ” are u happy now “… those 6.9 mio of people would have to be interviewed to collect their thoughts.
      If they are sane, would share their thoughts wihthout being biased.
      :
      Criminals would hire criminals – is what my grand ma repeated to me then. It is just that they can t get on with others with their conditioned mind set
      .
      This is what I felt after reading this updates.

      “What we are seeing is a complex web of alleged perpetrators who have spent years in the security services protecting each another now being promoted to the highest office by the President,” said Ms Sooka. “Impunity is now so deeply embedded that it’s impossible to talk of any kind of institutional reform.”

      *Issued by The International Truth and Justice Project

    • 7
      13

      Ajith,
      Today (02 May) is the 33rd anniversary of the massacre of 31 Samanera Monks at Aranthalawa by Tamil LTTE terrorists. The Head Monk had pleaded to Tamil terrorists to spare the Samanera Monks and kill him but the Tamil terrorists brutally massacred Samanera Monks.

      Tamil terrorists and their sympathizers cannot escape from brutal crimes they committed against Sinhalayo by repeating that the leader chosen by Sinhala Buddhists is a war criminal and a murderer. Our leader eliminated Tamil war criminals and murderers.

      Instead of barking at the wrong tree, Yasmin Sooka should expose the real war criminals and murderers to the International Community.

      “A well known war criminal and a murderer was the choice of majority of the majority community (Buddhist Sinhala ????) as their leader.”

      • 9
        2

        Eagle Eye,

        I can list the number of Anniversaries of massacre of innocent Tamils by Sinhala military, Sinhala thug terrorists since 1958. I don’t deny the massacre of those monks by LTTE. Unfortunately, the terrorist who lead this massacre and even the attack on Daladha maligawa is now free and enjoy all the benefits similar to the military leader who was responsible for the massacre of Tamils in 2009 is now the president. Other than a few LTTE leaders, a sunk of LTTE leaders have gone out of the country after paying bribe to Mahinda Family or become friends of Mahinda family and doing murders for them.
        True terrorists of both sides are now the choice of Sinhala Buddhists.

      • 7
        2

        Dear EE:
        Never to be condoned in any way, shape or form as a reasonable reaction to the years of many a brutality of Singhalese Buddhist violence/state run terror on the Tamils that preceded the Aranthalawa Bhikku Massacre.
        Inhumane is inhumane. It was simply brutal and deserving of complete condemnation. Loathsome.
        ——————
        LTTE was proscribed as a terrorist group because of such acts. LTTE has been alleged (rather undisputedly) to have committed war crimes; many Tamils themselves will attest to it.
        In fairness, in our recent history, SriLankan state officials and military personnel have also been formally alleged to have committed acts of war crimes, and crimes against humanity.
        ——————
        But countless numbers of government officials and SLAFs personnel who directly or indirectly committed brutal crimes against the Tamils have gotten away with their crimes unchecked, under the radar, without the world’s watchful eyes over the numerous decades in this country’s earlier history.
        ——————
        Anniversaries of numerous events of brutality by SLAFs go by every year unbeknownst.
        ——————

        • 2
          8

          Sugandh,
          Demala people who committed most heinous crimes against Sinhalayo are coming out with all sorts of fabricated stories to blame Sinhala Buddhists and the Armed Forces. There are formally alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity but no concrete evidences to prove those charges. They are based on hearsay evidences.
          I must say that ‘Tamil Diaspora’ carried out their propaganda campaign all over the world against Sri Lanka, Sinhala Buddhists and Armed Forces using fabricated stories very effectively and misled the International Community. I witnessed what they did in few European countries and in few instances, I confronted them.

          • 1
            0

            EE:
            I haven’t had to look beyond my own family, relatives, friends, neighbours, community, all of whom I knew closely, for concrete evidence.
            ——————
            Brutalities experienced by my circle of witnesses wasn’t just confined to those inflicted by Sinhalese communal violence and SLAFs‘ atrocities, but also IPKF’s and those of LTTE. Many lives that I personally knew were lost; some at the hands of SLAFs, some to unimaginable communal violence and a few to the cowardly IPKF. A friends’ cousins were shot down in the conflict between LTTE and another Tamil separatist-organization; the friend joined the SL army thereafter and was injured in the front lines. Two known Sinhalese families; both families lost a loved one serving in SLAFs on the frontline; one, an only child to his parents’, was married to my cousin, spoke of the camaraderie the SL Navy shared with the LTTE during the ceasefire period.
            ——————
            Hope you’ll agree that accountability of crimes of all parties during the entire period of the war is a must. We must seek the whole truth and nothing but the truth. The government and SLAFs must show accountability; their cowardly denials mustn’t continue on.
            ——————

      • 6
        0

        I suggest a status quo ante to the time of independence must be restored in the east. All the Sinhala and Muslim settlers in the east must be removed and the ethnic ratio at the time of Independence must be restored before North and the east are remerged.

        I will also suggest with hind sight the Srimavo Sastri pact is abrogated and all the hill country Tamils who were forcefully expelled from Srilanka should be allowed to return with their progeny.

      • 7
        1

        Eagle Modaya

        LTTE killed at the most 2000 Sinhalese civilians all through out their existence. If you want I can list all the attacks on Sinhala civilians by the LTTE, where as the Sinhala army and the Sinhala thugs killed over 200000 Tamil civilians since 1980. During the Last days of the war ( only in 2009) the Sinhala army killed well over 80 thousand Tamil civilians this didn’t include the Tamil armed combatants.

        In 1971 during the JVP insurrection nearly 60 thousand Sinhalese youths were killed by Srimavo’s government and in 1987-1988 once again during the second JVP insurrection almost a similar number or more Sinhalese youths were massacred by Premadasa and his Hench men like DIG Udugampola. This what you call Karma what goes around comes around. pretty soon Srilanka is going to be going to the dogs if not to the Chinese.

  • 46
    4

    WTF ? This brutal fellow is seen day after day wearing white and visiting Buddhist temples and prostrating before rogue monks, putting his butt up in the air. Then in the night, in the cover of darkness, he’s gathering all his cold-blooded murderers for some hush-hush session. What’s going on ? What is he up to ? What is he planning to unleash on the gullible Sri Lankans who fall at his feet and let him touch their precious toddlers?

    • 33
      3

      Ajay:
      Evil is often a product of a bruised ego; here we have a rather heavily inflated ego very bruised by most of the world. The world over branded a war criminal. It’s that bruised, inflamed ego that is constantly trying to please and appease itself. It’s called cowardly vengeance. About half the country is hiding under that cowardly vengeance and calling it patriotism!

    • 37
      4

      Ajay
      Namal has openly said that Sri Lankans need to choose between Democracy and Military Rule ie Rajapaksa dynasty rule.

      There is something cooking up under the covers of curfew.

      • 5
        3

        What Namal said was Mahinda’s game plan, which is, kick out Gota and his military gangsters and empower Mahinda and his elected catchers. This is sure to happen.

    • 5
      26

      The brutal fellow you are referring to was brought into playing a prominent position by you Tamils. As you must be aware, at one point the Tamil elite in Colombo was wondering why nothing was done to Lalitha and Gamini by LTTE. Then they were bumped off, Similarly you bumped off Ranjan and most probably Kobbekaduwe as well.
      Finally this man came into the fill the vaccum. Though he lacks the colour of the laliths and gaminis he was probably more effective.
      The truth is he is very popular(At the moment) among an overwhelming majority of Sinhalese. This is no different to how you Tamils loved Prabhakaran.(Who was a terrorist to the sinhalese). He may well have a few rogue monks around him, but I know for sure there are many brave monks (who never fled the sinhala villages in the east and Weli Oya during terra days ) are also with him. Behind him are brave lankan soldiers who led from the front like Kamal Gunaratne, Shavendra Silva, Prasanna Silva, Jagath Dias etc.

      You are smarting from defeat man.

      Me Sinhala apage ratai.. apa ipadena marena ratai…

      • 17
        2

        RAVI PERERA
        Sinhala speaking Demela

        Did you investigate Ranasinghe Premadasa’s henchmen about Lalith Shit Bomb Mudali’s assassination? Did you also investigate Lalith Shit Bomb Mudali’s security forces about Ranasinghe Premadasa’s assassination?

        Take a walk to your friends in Hindian High Commission in Colombo who could confide in you.

        • 2
          12

          We all thought Prema was involved at the time. But now we think it was by LTTE.
          Great Lalith was a sad sad killing. Thopita honda wede -what gota did for what you did to Lalitha and Gamini

          • 5
            1

            RAVI PERERA
            Sinhala speaking Demela
            Where have you hidden those stolen Jaffna Library books/manuscripts that you brought to South, probably to Kurunegala?

            • 2
              6

              Vedda,

              You are a tamil ?

              • 2
                0

                RAVI PERERA
                Sinhala speaking Demela

                “Vedda, You are a tamil ?”

                I know you are stupid however I didn’t know you are that stupid?
                What sort of stupid question is this?
                You haven’t answered my question.

                Where have you hidden those stolen Jaffna Library books/manuscripts that you brought to South, probably to Kurunegala?

      • 15
        0

        Yes, I agree. He has fixed the Tamils. Now he’s dealing with the Muslims. BALAGENA HITTU ! Next THOPEY Turn !!

      • 5
        11

        Ravi Perera,
        Not only to Sinhalayo but even to Demala people Prabhakaran was a terrorist. He killed more Demala people than the number of Demala people that got killed during the military operation to eliminate Tamil terrorists. He eliminated all those who stood against him. He recruited about 3000 children as child soldiers. He kept about 300,000 Demala civilians as a ‘Human Shield’ and shot anyone who tried to escape. Prabhakaran and Pol Pot were ‘eka walle pol’. Killing was their hobby.

        “This is no different to how you Tamils loved Prabhakaran.(Who was a terrorist to the sinhalese). “

        • 4
          11

          Take on board sir

        • 6
          3

          Eagle Brain Dead Blind Eye

          “He killed more Demala people than the number of Demala people that got killed during the military operation to eliminate Tamil terrorists.”

          Thank you.
          Could we have the detailed comparative analysis of who killed whom report.
          The Security forces were/are strict followers of Gowthama/Ghanthi hence they never used violence to kill the innocent and the terrorists.

          On the other hand in 1971, between 1987 and 1991, and 30 years to 2009 the innocent people and the terrorists collectively committed suicide and then blamed the security forces.

  • 6
    43

    Yes.
    .
    If it is Problematic for ITJP we have promoted the correct man.
    .
    Congratulations sir.

    • 19
      4

      Ms SCP.
      .
      correct man ?# MY FOOT NO doubt, YOU ARE standing your head (or your anatomical part may not be called as HEAD, but something else ?).

      1) Could you please come with the definition for ” CORRECT MAN”.? Correct man who has failed to do the due sofar ?
      .
      2) Many known to me down there and my eyes prove me

      so called correct men have failed to be exemplary in THONDAMAN funeral gathering in compliance with the containment of COVID 19 virus spread

      So called correct men have failed not being able to provide the DAILY needs in this unexpectedly critical situation fo the country.

      So called corret men have failed fully not having done the little compared to the 100-day program achievements of the previous govt which was attacked by local media on the pay roll of Mr 10% Basil BP Rajakshe .. on and on.. until the fake SOCIAL perception was made.

      Today, BPs have failed to supply over 300 medical drugs to the people… people are forced to struggle without essenital medicine
      .
      All these are NOT gone to the PEOPLE because SELF ADULATIONS and SELF CONGRADULATIONS are on the top of their fake headlines.

    • 14
      3

      S. C. Paasqual

      Where were you on the night of 31 May 1981?
      Were you with somass, RAVI PERERA, Cyril Mathew, Dutta Gamani, … Edward Gunawardena, ……………… ?

  • 16
    3

    There are many such cases handled by ITJP. Intimidating government Tamils servants through military power is nothing new to Sri Lanka., Mahinda dynasty has that culture, Thye even applied to minority professional like the Kurunegal doctor case. Dome Singhala doctors are used for that purpose. It is shame in the part of Sri Lanka. Who is responsible for the world to laugh at the behavior of Singhal politicians. Of course many know the answer but the rural masses are in the dark. It is a SHAME, Bash Mahinsa dynsty movement should start in Sri Lanka to educate true Singhal Buddhists who want peace in the country with all communities

  • 17
    2

    I would not be surprised if Sunil Ratnayake, who was convicted by the Supreme court for his role in the murder somewhere in the Jaffna area and who was later pardoned will also be promoted as whatever!

    • 15
      2

      Plato,

      very likely SUNIL Rathanayaka,Juliampitiya Amraya together with Duminda De Silva and that tourist murderr from Tangalle will all become Ambassadors of the future cabinet.
      :
      To whom should we be grateful if not to those 6.9 mio of PUNNAKU drinkers.

      Is this what they expected by making a former petrol shed assistant as the leader of the nation ?????????????????????????????????????????????????

  • 15
    3

    Violence and hate cannot bring anything positive.

    High time Tamils accepted Muslims back into their homeland of Jaffna. That will frustrate fringe elements that support the dictatorship regime. Otherwise Tamil speaking people will be divided and pit against each other.

    • 4
      8

      GATAM,
      “High time Tamils accepted Muslims back into their homeland of Jaffna.”

      Good idea! But be careful. You can expect a ‘Population Explosion’. That could be more devastating than claymore mines LTTE used to blow up Sinhalayo into pieces.

      • 6
        0

        All people who were really displaced should be allowed to return to their homes and lands. This includes the 12000 Muslims who were displaced from Jaffna ( not the hundreds of thousands that certain Muslim organisations claim) around 38000 around the Mannar area, However the more than 100000 Tamil Hindus( and Christians) who were ethnically cleansed from the east ( Trincomallee and Amparai) by the Muslim home guards , the state sponsored illegal Sinhalese settlers and Sri Lankan Armed forces should also be allowed to return to their villages lands and homes, to accept Tamil unity

  • 10
    1

    Nothing new. What grabbed my attention is “heavily coached for the conference, given specific lines to say, and even practiced with several members of the LOCAL MEDIA before hand”. Now we now how reliable our local media is and for whom they are working for ??? I am happy the good doctor is alive today, without being forced to disappear. Today news is govt has given orders to print ballot papers , regardless of SC decision. Prof David any comments ???

  • 16
    4

    Today is the anniversary of the Burning down of the Jaffna Library 31st /1st June 1981. By Gamini Dissanayake and Cyril Mathews.

    One of many dark days in the history of racist Sinhala Buddhist Sri Lanka

    • 8
      1

      Rajash

      “Today is the anniversary of the Burning down of the Jaffna Library 31st /1st June 1981. By Gamini Dissanayake and Cyril Mathews.”

      You are 24 hours late.

      • 3
        0

        Native – “You are 24 hours late”
        …it’s always in my mind….

    • 3
      9

      According to Kumar Ponnambalam Gamini was not involved

      • 2
        0

        RAVI PERERA
        Sinhala Speaking Demela

        “According to Kumar Ponnambalam Gamini was not involved”

        Please take a walk across the street and meet your mates at the Hindian High Commission as they know more about this island and every individual of this island.
        Your mates across the road know more about the state, crooks, thugs, … of this island than you or your snoopers ever will know and Dutta was their highly placed source. They also what Dutta told the up country Thonda about Hindians.

        This is how he threatened Tamils:

        “Who attacked you? Sinhalese. Who protected you? Sinhalese. It is we who can attack and protect you. They are bringing an army from India. It will take 14 hours to come from India. In 14 minutes, the blood of every Tamil in the country can be sacrificed to the land by us.”

        Actually prior to IPKF’s invasion he along with his mate Athulath Shit Bomb Mudali supported JR against Premadasa on the issue of Indo Lanka treaty. IPKF stayed on this island for about 32 months he did nothing to evict the invading forces while single handed Shavendra was hiding among presidential security.
        Dutta never condemned Indian invasion.

        Shameless Ranaviruses were either hiding behind women folks or behind VP’s fat bum.

        I suggest you stop gloating about cowards, opportunists, …..

  • 7
    1

    Real reconciliation is possible only among equals.

    Prerequisite is that,” Tamils should be equal not only in words but in deeds as well

    Reconciliation could commence step by step with a mutually agreed implementation programme

  • 9
    1

    Dr. Yasmin Sooka’s accolade to Dr. Varatharajah is of the highest. The brave Surgeon couldn’t have broken his silence a day earlier. The community’s tribute to him.
    Khaki bestrides little Sri Lanka and yet no stir permeates. “Fear is the parent of revolution” said Harold Laski unequivocally; “for it inhibits that temper of accommodation, which is the essence of successful politics”. Of ‘reaction’ as well, the commoner would add, though academics would differ and dither. The tempo in Germany was measured in the thirties. Educational levels made them sedate. Speedier pace in Sri Lanka can be seen from June this year.
    If Parliament dies, it will be interred unwept and unsung. The inept of the 21st century, is in contrast to the vibrant and the learned of the fifties. Charles I ruled England without a Parliament for 11 long years from 1629 to 1640. Incompetent members proved their redundancy and sealed their doom. Oliver Cromwell, then commanding the army marched into Parliament and saying “You have sat here for far too long, to have done any good for the country. In the name of God depart”; kicked out the members of the Short Parliament in 1942, deposed the King and assumed rulership.

    • 5
      0

      A typo error in the last line needs correction to 1642.

  • 2
    6

    It is in order for the ITJP to bring out the statement of the Doctor Varatharajah. If the statement can be verified by independant means then the allegation is serious and merits legal action. If it remains unverified then the allegation can be countered as a sob story for one to seek asylum in greener pastures. Therefore if the ITJP is serious in seeking justice in this case, then it must use its resources to get independant verification. Otherwise the good name of the doctor too is tarnished, perhaps adding insult to injury.

  • 10
    1

    Although Pohottuwa and the Rajapakses speak as if Gotabaya won with a large majority, in actual fact he won only with 6% difference against those voters who did not vote for him. 6% is not a large victory, usually its a difference that could be counting or marginal error. Now such a person who won the election with a narrow margin is today acting in a dictatorial manner is only because there is no Parliament. Now who made the decision to close the Parliament, its the President. So he is acting as the Judge and the Jury. What can you expect from such a person other than taking illegal, unconstitutional actions.

  • 1
    10

    Absolute Poppycock, since Sallay is one of the brains in SL’s Military Intelligence and highly respected warrior within all of Sri Lankan circles. Even US taking lessons from this person re. tactics in urban warfare.
    Re. this article, its to do with framing core military people in Sri Lanka by unsavoury characters since Dr mention here was on record re. the whole different story.
    Again CT need to verify facts before publishing concocted stories.

  • 5
    8

    Prabhakaran was a murderer guilty of genocide. The Sinhalese Rajapakshe government are also murders guilty of genocide. That is the bottom line. The more Machiavalian nasty outfit won due to being the state. Here are some other fun facts. The state killing machine functioned under the direct orders of the then secretary of defense and supposedly bypassing the commander of the army. However, before the war ended the state inducted into its own ranks Karuna Amman the second in command of the LTTE and also guilty of genocide with no questions asked and remains in their ranks. Another fun fact, Zaharan and Co. was on the pay role of the defense ministry as informants as if Karuna was not a big enough informer. They were paid from a secret black ops account managed by one Handawitharana under the direction of the then defense secretary. Here is fun fact number three. Ismail Hajjiar, a business man donated Rs.200million to the election Campeighn of the said former defense secretary. He also made 571 calls to one of the Zaharan’s fellow bombers Mohamed Ibrahim Inshaf. I repeat 571 times! This was the second bomber who went to the Shan-Gri-La hotel. This hotel is owned by the Chinese government.

  • 6
    2

    Eagle Eye
    “Not only to Sinhalayo but even to Demala people Prabhakaran was a terrorist. He killed more Demala people than the number of Demala people that got killed during the military operation to eliminate Tamil terrorists. He eliminated all those who stood against him. He recruited about 3000 children as child soldiers. “
    This is the sing-song of Eagle Eye recycled ad nauseam. If this is true, why there are no garlands by the Tamils to those who killed Prabhakaran and his cadres? Why both Mahinda and Gotabaya continue to be decisively rejected by the Tamil voters in all the elections held since 2009?
    At the last Presidential elections, Gotabaya polled a paltry 23,261 (6.24%) votes which nullify the argument that Rajapaksas liberated the Tamils from the clutches of the LTTE.
    Granted that Prabhakaran and LTTE are terrorists, how come Premadasa gave planeloads of weapons and money to the same terrorists? Why did Mahinda Rajapaksa give a cheque for Rs.500 million drawn on the Central Bank in favour of Emil Kanthan, alleged proxy of LTTE to boycott the 2005 Presidential elections? The cheque was supposed to be used to build houses by the TRO for families affected by the tsunami but it turned out the address of the company and the company itself were both bogus.

    • 1
      3

      “At the last Presidential elections, Gotabaya polled a paltry 23,261 (6.24%) votes which nullify the argument that Rajapaksas liberated the Tamils from the clutches of the LTTE.”

      Who the f…..k cares. He won with Sinhala votes.

      • 2
        0

        RAVI PERERA
        Sinhala Speaking Demela

        “Who the f…..k cares. He won with Sinhala votes.”

        Day by day you are turning into a dumbass.
        Gota with all his overvalued and bloated credentials won only 43% of the eligible votes and 57% of the voters didn’t vote for him.
        You must hire a few Mrrgamuve Gaenu to lament his failure to substantially win votes. What a shameful achievement.

  • 0
    0

    Eagle Modaya

    LTTE killed at the most 2000 Sinhalese civilians all through out their existence. If you want I can list all the attacks on Sinhala civilians by the LTTE, where as the Sinhala army and the Sinhala thugs killed over 200000 Tamil civilians since 1980. During the Last days of the war ( only in 2009) the Sinhala army killed well over 80 thousand Tamil civilians this didn’t include the Tamil armed combatants.

    In 1971 during the JVP insurrection nearly 60 thousand Sinhalese youths were killed by Srimavo’s government and in 1987-1988 once again during the second JVP insurrection almost a similar number or more Sinhalese youths were massacred by Premadasa and his Hench men like DIG Udugampola. This what you call Karma what goes around comes around. pretty soon Srilanka is going to be going to the dogs if not to the Chinese.

  • 5
    0

    Dr.Varatharajah

    Sri Lanka – Yet More Problematic Military Promotions: ITJP

    *** It was waiting to happen and for Gotha grip on Power is complete. Up to now the only institution which had some independence was the Judiciary but with a knock on the door at Midnight by Gothas Gestapo even the Supreme Court Judges have fallen line to deliver Justice to the King which was a forgone conclusion as to which way the Judicial Scale will tilt.
    Other controversial appointments started with a kiss with the appointment of the War CRIMINAL Shavendra even though it cost the Country Rs. 700 when Sri Lanka was kicked out of peace keeping duties. Then the defiance of the Supreme Court when the Convicted Killer was Pardoned., then the promotion of Slit Throat Sign Soldier who was found Guilty by Feltham Magistrate. It all adds up to Sri Lankas woes and COVID 19 couldn’t have come at the Worst time for Gotha. NO money and not a care in the World by 6.6 million Gotha Lovers.
    Gotha has lied about the COVID fatalities and I highlighted this in my Comment comparing Sri Lankas 0.07% and India Just under 3% with similar weather conditions. I wouldn’t want to wish ill on innocent Sri Lankans ( both from Majority & Minority ) who are stuck in Arab Countries numbering 49,000 all illegals with no food no food and where to sleep. This may be Gods Last hurrah.

  • 2
    0

    Is the Police or any other forces the savers. POLICE = Protection Of Life In Case of Emmergency

    Forces Provoking a community terrorism, Inhuman treatment or punishment causes intense physical or mental suffering as we see the world is protesting for shocking incident caught on video that has George Floyd in Minneapolis incident in US, The police cannot understanf pressing the neck is blocking the wind pipe.after the man was handcuffed, suffocation of George Floyd and disturbed by the injustice and fear that suffocate the world

  • 0
    0

    Gnana Sankaralingam is writing arrant nonsense when he claims that “India has put a restraint on Sampanthan for their benefit to please Sinhalese. Last five years TNA was asked not to rock the government, but India never insisted on Tamil problem.”
    The fact of the matter is India is solidly behind Tamils to the extent its external relations with Sri Lanka will permit. Don’t forget India built more than 40,000 houses to the victims of war. It has financed development projects like the KKS harbour and Jaffna International Airport. India has built a Cultural Centre in Jaffna at LKR 1.2 billion!

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