Jaffna is in the throes of terror by the sword swinging Ava Group. Some say it is the police who run the campaign of terror, giving drugs and money to young men to do robberies on their behalf. Another band of citizens discussing crime allude to large sums of gold being sent south by policemen. Others say they went to the police station to report an Ava Group crime and beat a hasty retreat upon seeing the same men they went to lodge a complaint against, chatting to the policemen at the police station.
However, there is little that is proven and much of it is hearsay. Yet, because the police have been seen by identifiable witnesses not interfering during daylight robberies and assaults by the Ava Group, these stories are all believed although we do not really know if the non-intervention was because of fear or collusion on the part of the police.
The IGP on viral videos assaulting his own Police Department staff member for not attending his bajan at police headquarters and not being punished despite the video evidence, strains police credibility as guardians of law and order.
Chief of Defence Staff Ravindra Wijegunaratne, now being on bail as a suspected accessory in the murder of 11 Tamils, makes our faith in law and order worse. That is because the same man could have been jailed long ago for assaulting a reporter in Galle before cameras but was not touched. These incidents show the importance of immediate punitive action and the fallout from immunity.
This crime wave is a major issue confronting the police and our law and order machinery, and it questions their integrity. If the police take no action, the Police Commission needs to step it.
Arson in Kopay (8 December)
As we wondered about all these things, on 29 Nov., in the quiet and peaceful neighborhood of the Nallur Kandasamy Temple, in a by-lane down Wyman Road, some vehicles were parked for the night. Then early that morning the vehicles, trishaws both, were set on fire by unknown hands. A fuel had been used to accelerate ignition.
Some private rivalry, we all said dismissing the matter from our minds. The absence of the use of swords, the hallmark of the Ava thugs, helped ease our minds. Until today that is.
What changed? This morning, 8 Dec., the incident was repeated in Kopay. The modus operandi was exactly the same in every respect. This time it was a van and a trishaw.
The difference this time is that there is no peace. Has the Ava Group moved into new territory? New crimes? Whether Ava or a new group, the Police Commission needs to get engaged. “If we cannot trust the police,” said a Jaffna resident, “we are better off without the police. For they too are criminals.”
Responded another resident, “The Police Commission needs to work on restoring trust with the public in an era where parliamentarians use knives and chili powder on each other, and go unpunished.” (By Special Correspondent)
Native Vedda / December 8, 2018
CT
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Gota’s boys are probably active as they failed to impress their masters as Grease Yakkas in their previous incarnation. Organised crime is near impossible in the North East as the state has its ears and eyes firmly embedded in every house, street, junctions, public places ….. unless of course it is organised by elements within the state security apparatus or those who close to them.
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The unproductive security forces need such incidents in order to justify their existence/presence in the North as well as rest of the island .
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Dr. Gnana Sankaralingam / December 8, 2018
It is openly clear that Sinhala armed forces and police are creating trouble to Tamils in order to suppress them. Both sword wielding groups similar to Janjaweed militias unleashed by Sudan government on south Sudanese and grease yakkas similar to Ninja Turtles unleashed by Indonesian government on East Timorese were creation of the Sinhala government. Recent killing of two policemen in Batticaloa was done by military intelligence people to cause a backlash on Tamils but it failed as people knew who the real perpetrators were. Like what happened in the past, two ex LTTE combatants were made scape goats by arresting them and placing the blame on them. This is exactly what Mahinda / Gota did few years ago under their rule by creating violence and then killing two ex LTTE combatants saying that they are trying to resurrect LTTE. Mahinda / Gota and their faction want to instigate anti-Tamil violence, and will stoop to any low level to achieve it.
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thrishu / December 9, 2018
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Dr Dolittle / December 9, 2018
Native Vedda,
“the state has its ears and eyes firmly embedded in every house, street, junctions, public places …..”
Paranoia?
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Naman / December 9, 2018
NV IS RIGHT & so is Gnana
Dr Dolittle is living in cuckoo land!
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Native Vedda / December 9, 2018
Naman
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Dr Dolittle knows little hence please forgive him.
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Mallaiyuran / December 8, 2018
Isn’t the Chief troublemaker was there to open the ADB Funded Inranai Madu?
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K.Pillai / December 8, 2018
{“Terror By Arson In Jaffna: Police Collusion?”}
All along the belief was that ‘violent gangs’ are being used to terrorise people.
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The Lankan Armed Services and Police considered themselves above the law. They chose which GoSL to be loyal to, until recently that is, when the Chief of Defence Staff had to defend himself in the court.
Remember the Army Commander, Lieutenant General N.U.M. Mahesh W. Senanayke, saying “Give me more power to control the Ava”? There was a media report that Mahesh bragged that he ‘crushes skulls and blows up ears’ in routine operations’.
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If as reported here, fire accelerant was used in the recent arson attack, how come the Police are not attempting to find out where the arsonist/s got it from?
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Uthungan / December 8, 2018
There are different types of fire accelerants. They cannot usually be obtained easily from the corner shop. Their use is only be permitted to specific users. A proper investigation could reveal results easily about the type of accelerant used and to whom it was permitted and the source who possibly leaked the substance etc.etc.
If there is a will, there is way.
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Dr. Gnana Sankaralingam / December 9, 2018
When did the racist Sri Lanka government had the will to investigate and bring to justice Sinhala perpetrators who committed crimes on Tamil. I will take a bet that as a cover up, scape goats among former LTTE cadres will be arrested and blamed for it.
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Dr Dolittle / December 9, 2018
Uthungan,
“There are different types of fire accelerants.”
My guess is that the “fuel” used was quite simply petrol or kerosene oil. Very difficult to trace.
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Native Vedda / December 9, 2018
Dr Dolittle knows little
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The modern forensic science could not only trace the source of fire but also the type of accelerant used in the arson attack.
In the future science would be so advanced it could tell you who is planning to set fire to what, when and how.
So please don’t try, and avoid libraries.
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R. Varathan / December 9, 2018
If the Army, the Police and the armed forces in Jaffna (there is no legitimate Govt in Sri Lanka) believe the innocent and peaceful people of Jaffna can be controlled and ruled through a Reign of Terror, they are gravely mistaken. The people of Jaffna have endured the most abominable State-sponsored HR violations against them for decades, a little more is not going to scare them.
R. Varathan
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Dr Dolittle / December 9, 2018
R. Varathan,
“If the Army, the Police and the armed forces in Jaffna (there is no legitimate Govt in Sri Lanka) believe the innocent and peaceful people of Jaffna can be controlled and ruled through a Reign of Terror, they are gravely mistaken.”
Let us not forget that “Reign of Terror” worked in the past in the North and East.
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Native Vedda / December 9, 2018
Dr Dolittle knows little
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“Let us not forget that “Reign of Terror” worked in the past in the North and East.”
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How could we forget 1971 and between 1987 and 1991, rivers of blood, tyre pyre, mass graves, Udugampola, Green Tigers, 30 years of state terror, ……………. ?
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K.Anaga / December 8, 2018
I won’t be surprised if the Jaffna Library is set on fire once again.
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Dr. Gnana Sankaralingam / December 9, 2018
Jaffna library was set on fire in 1981 to burn the ola leaves which had the details of the history of Tamils, thereby destroying the evidence. Therefore there is no necessity for armed forces or police to burn Jaffna library again as there are no ancient documents. They may burn pre-Buddhist Hindu temples like Naguleswaram in Keerimalai.
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Native Vedda / December 9, 2018
K.Anaga
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Keep an eye on Windbag Wimal, Dinesh, Udhaya, Gota, Shavendra, Channa Jayasumana, Kamal Gunaratne, Deepthi Bogollagama, Dayan, Waduge, HLD M, somass, eagle blind eye, Lal loo, ……………………..
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soma / December 9, 2018
Aiyo Native
I am the only Sinhalese in this forum who supports a separate Homeland for Tamils (all Tamil speaking people irrespective of their religion, caste or the date of arrival scattered across the island}. What stands in the way is this Tamil desire to live among the Sinhalese.
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Soma
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Dr. Gnana Sankaralingam / December 9, 2018
Soma you are a hypocrite, pretending to be fair but in effect want to scuttle the process of Tamils getting a separate homeland for themselves by coming out with your unreasonable condition. Just because there should be a separate homeland for Tamils does not mean that any Sinhalese who want to live there cannot do so. Similarly any Tamil who wants to live among Sinhalese must be allowed to do so even if there is a large section left behind. Look at UK where there are over 100,000 Sinhalese living, despite Sinhalese getting a homeland separate from British.
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soma / December 10, 2018
Who is a hypocrite?
Me or Sumathithran?. Who ‘scuttles’ the process of creating a separate Tamil Homeland? . Me or those +50% of your people who refuse to go there.?
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Soma
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Native Vedda / December 10, 2018
somass
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Where are the other Sinhalese who destroyed Tamil’s property, life, ………… in riots and wars?
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I assure you, we will relocate you and your fellow Sinhala/Buddhist fascists to your mutant homeland in deep South.
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Kumar R. / December 8, 2018
As long as the intelligent, informed Sinhala majority chooses to ignore these politically inspired and politically expedient state atrocities against the minorities, the country will continue to destruct itself. If the majority is still to learn these fundamentals even after five decades of self-destruction and home-wrecking by the extremist political strategists, even God can’t save this nation.
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Yes, unfortunately the chauvinistic majority extremes will first set fire to minority’s properties and lives (as happened in ’57), but invariably the fire will turn on the entire nation ultimately.
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If the Sinhala majority thinks that the extremists on either side can be reformed or will reform on their own, that is a pipe dream. It is the intellectual, informed majority that has the key responsibility to collectively establish and preserve democracy – just blaming and castigating extremists serve little purpose!
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Native Vedda / December 9, 2018
Kumar R
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“If the Sinhala majority thinks that the extremists on either side can be reformed or will reform on their own, that is a pipe dream. “
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Yet our fellow commentator Douglas believes we should respect the ideas of
“ONE COUNTRY”, “ONE NATION”, “STATE”, “GOVERNMENT” however he never bothered to define these abstracts.
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Ajay / December 8, 2018
Gota and his elements in military intelligence and in the armed forces and police in the north must be thinking they’re too smart. But it is quite transparent to any observer that whenever they’re facing a political setback in the south they stage these kinds of FALSE FLAG incidents in the north to whip up racism in the country. Resorting to such obvious tactics is a measure of their desperation. Gota and the racist monks who back him don’t care about the lives of ordinary citizens – especially those from minority communities – in their pursuit of power. They’re lambs to be slaughtered for the glory of Sinhala-Buddhism.
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Douglas / December 8, 2018
In news: “IGP is removed from the Security Council”. In another “NEWS”. “The Police Officers who rescued a “DOG” (on a complaint made) for “STARVING” the animal, have been IMMEDIATELY transferred”. Now on these complaints of “Terror By Arson: Police Collusion” – The ENTIRE POLICE FORCE in Jaffna would be “IMMEDIATELY TRANSFERRED” out. By “WHOM”? Perhaps, “The President” who at this moment runs the entire Governmental Functions. Mr. “President” why not “SHOW OFF” your MIGHT. If you can “Appoint” a PM, “Prorogue” and “Dissolve” Parliament, as per your “OPINION”, what is this problem for you. I believe it is much more simpler than consuming those “Ballatawat Kanna Beri Kaju” (even the dogs cannot eat that Kadju) served on board Sri Lankan Airline.
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Dr Dolittle / December 9, 2018
Douglas,
“The Police Officers who rescued a “DOG” (on a complaint made) for “STARVING” the animal, have been IMMEDIATELY transferred”.”
Police officers rescued a dog, did not feed it and for this they were transferred? Or they rescued a starving dog and were transferred because of their action? Has the dog been fed? Some of these law enforcement cases are really complicated.
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JD / December 8, 2018
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Nada / December 9, 2018
May be TNA and UNP setting the systematic fear in people head before the forthcoming elections to grab Tamils vote again.
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Native Vedda / December 9, 2018
Nada
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Maybe Gota’s spin doctor’s have already started manufacturing consent among the Sinhala/Buddhists the need to blame the victims.
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Are you tempted to accuse C V Wigneshwaran, Trinco Sam’s grandma, Ananti, Sivajilingam, C V Wigneshwaran’s mother in law, …………….. for violence in the North?
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shankar / December 9, 2018
it is the fault of sampanthan/sumanthiran and wignesvaran.They have never asked the government or the international community to fully implement the 13th amendment.Instead they are asking for federalism.same mistake made by GG ponnambalam when he asked the british for 50:50 (50 percent for sinhala bhudhists and 50 percent for the rest)instead of asking for federalism.Again mistake made by prabahharan/amir asking for eelam and not federalism.Mistake after mistake by tamil leaders.
perasai perum tharithirum.
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Naman / December 9, 2018
NV IS RIGHT & so is Gnana
Dr Dolittle is living in cuckoo land!
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Dr Dolittle / December 9, 2018
“Special Correspondent”,
“Chief of Defence Staff Ravindra Wijegunaratne, now being on bail as a suspected accessory in the murder of 11 Tamils, makes our faith in law and order worse.”
Is it not a good sign that he was finally remanded for some days after facing a judge?
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Native Vedda / December 9, 2018
Dr Dolittle knows little
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The thug in uniform was bailed out a few days ago.
He should have been charged and sentenced for neck snapping unarmed journalist months ago.
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Thiagarajah Venugopal / December 9, 2018
Scenario 1 . Well this looks like the scenes I am familiar in 70’s (born 1963). Jaffna was just that…….always…. Nothing to do with southern politics/GOSL then……….all the blue/porn movie/rape /sexual abuses / thuggery /violence / theft / non political killings / political killings / Bollywood rubbish / all Tamil Nadu media publications were all rampant /there were hardly any armed forces present and the police hardly venture into dangerous spaces…………..this was even before the violent politics in Jaffna. Anyone who does not know this please do not claim to be a Tamil nor a Jaffna man/woman please appreaciate.
Scenario 2. After 2009/ 2013/specifically 2015 – The entire TNA (FP/TULF/PLOTE/TELO……) and the Indian Consulate in Jaffna / GOSL / Jaffna Municipality / Northern Provincial Council members / SL and Indian secret services in Jaffna / Police / Judiciary / local public / New Suthenthiran news paper investigative journalism / Diaspora / heavy military presence do not know who is behind the crimes.
Now we bench mark both the scenario and can only say (1) nothing changed of the thuggery culture (2) now the crime must be committed by the “aliens” who come and go without being noted by the Indian and Sri Lankan security apparatus? a radar problem then. (3) we have a drug issue that was not epidemic until 80’s? in the North and the South and then the war ensued elevated level no one ever evaluated how our children were doing what they did and this is becoming more obvious/exposed now no war situation..addiction….the suppliers continue their drug business unabated as the known demand is there all along?? LTTE is no more. The fact TNA does not have a clue on the crime affecting the public daily life is demonstrating the obvious regards to the problems and the mindset of the public who elect them could be questionable too? Gone back to the good old days?
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Thiagarajah Venugopal / December 9, 2018
We do not need democracy abused by the National Question lot but need President Rodrigo Duterte for a week will cleanse the land of the scums/trash/killers the system never brought to justice in the first place. Tamil crime vs Tamil an outstanding action item for the past 40+ years no one ever discussed to date out of fear politics or by design????. SL government never liberated the people of Jaffna from the National Question lot is the curse we will always live by?? compounded by the NPC to say the least……..for peace and harmony in Sri Lanka hope the world can lend the ears to the people of Jaffna without the gun trotting kids around please… knowing my peoples history for what it is will help you help us. Thuggery unaddressed in all the segments of the SL socities is what caused all the problems……but given interesting language and religious names to cover up the mafia mindset….nothing whatsoever to do with the general public. All our discussions are so misplaced and will never have answers. Rape of a child not so long ago is a good example. Did we plan loads of diaspora attending the funeral? bus loads of the rest of the country attending the funeral? parliament attending the funeral??
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Thiagarajah Venugopal / December 9, 2018
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BGkRWHwT2JE
for those who is not sure about problems and solutions away from the National Question please listen….listen to all other youtube stuff by the same Leader too……….from 2009 if we all worked together could have changed SL into a paradise by now……delivered all the jutsices to all our children died and the living………did you ever hear anything like this from our elected officials from Jaffna ever??? Sinhala this and Tamil that speech after speech for 70 years will result what we have today??
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Naman / December 9, 2018
Tamils in the North know very well that State SECURITY service in Tamil areas are there to NARCOTISE them and prevent the youth advancing in their studies. Burglaries, vandalism, sexual violence should be a very rare thing in NPC, with so much MILITARY INTELLIGENCE unless they are behind the scene.
What’s TNA & Wigneswaran doing? –Sorting a southern PROBLEM?
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Douglas / December 10, 2018
Dr, Dolittle: Sorry if I did not make it clear. The complaint was against a house holder (mind you, one from a very “elite” class) to the police. The police took immediate action to bring the dog to the station. But another wife of a “VVIP” who associates that “Elite” . got every police officer who rescued the dog transferred out. Hope I made myself clear. Thanks.
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