28 March, 2024

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Terrorism & Arrests With Elections At Hand

By C.V. Wigneswaran

C.V. Wigneswaran

Someone asked “There are sudden arrests taking place in Malaysia and Sri Lanka of those sympathetic to the Tiger cause. How do you see them?” 

My response was: A dangerous question to answer. Anything said sympathetic towards those arrested or suspected could be used against me too since I am a politician now. So let me tell something that happened in my judicial life. When I was the High Court Judge of Colombo a person was brought before me as a dangerous suspect. The man was in trousers. He had a red scarf tied around his head. He was moving inside the prisoner’s cell very much like a tiger or lion in its captive cell. As soon as I sat down on the Bench the Court Police Officer came and whispered into my ears “Sir! he is a very dangerous criminal. He is the brother in law of Rohana Wijeweera. He is violent. The best thing to do would be to re-remand him for two weeks. Otherwise he might start becoming violent in Court.” Just at that time the Prisoner stopped pacing within the Prison Cell, looked sharp at me and shouted “Sir! Could I have a word with you?”. I said. “Yes! Go ahead.“ “Sir! I am a London qualified Medical Doctor. I happen to be the brother in law of the late Rohana Wijeweera. For political reasons I am being harassed. A politician in Gampaha where I practice medicine is behind my arrest and harassment. They put me in the stinking Prison toilet in the nights under a powerful light above my head and when I huddle in a corner trying to take a few winks of sleep someone comes and pours urine water on me in a bucket soaking me with it. This has been happening daily for some days now. They are harassing me because I am a brother in law of late Rohana Wijeweera. I have done no wrong.” I asked him to put in writing what he had to say with the help of a Court officer. I asked him to be kept in custody in an adjoining Court room until he finished writing and asked the Mudaliyar to call the Case thereafter. He wrote in good English what he had to say. I made order to have the Prisoner examined by a Doctor and noticed the Prison Superintendant to be before me immediately. He came. I told him of the allegations made. He tried to deny. I asked him if he made night rounds to ascertain whether incidents of this nature were taking place in the Prison. He kept silent. I wanted a credible Report on the allegations made. If any complaints came to me that the Prisoner has been treated unjustly because he had complained to me, steps would be taken against the Superintendent. I told him the Prisoner was only a suspect. His Case is still to be inquired. 

Subsequently the Case came up for inquiry. It was found that the Doctor had done no wrong but a false Case had been mounted on him for political reasons. The complaining Police Officer faired really bad during his cross examination. So much so the political forces which engineered the Case against the Doctor out of sheer exasperation immediately transferred the officer to the North. That was War time around 1990 or so.

When political complaints are made against persons, sections of the Press go to town thanks to the lavishness of the political forces engineering such cases and paint the suspects taken into custody as dangerous criminals. Their criminality when tested later judicially are found to be zero in many cases. By the time their cases come up for inquiry or trial the persons taken in to custody have been painted pitch black. In recent times the fashion is to paint them as Terrorists. 

Who is a Terrorist? A man is said to have been killed by Mr.X. There is the normal Law of the Country. He could be taken into custody and tried under the normal Law. But when he is brought under the Prevention of Terrorism Act what happens? Mr. X is said to have committed not a murder but a terrorist murder. Who decides whether Mr.X is a Terrorist or not? The Police, Politicians and the State of course! Is there a proper definition as to who a Terrorist is? I used to have cases where persons had given a meal or a glass of water to a so called Terrorist. When I ask the Police why do you call such person a Terrorist, they reply he is indeed a Terrorist. Then I say “Alright! Has he been convicted of any Terrorist offence?” They say “no”.  But they still maintain he is a Terrorist. So Terrorism and the identity of a Terrorist is subjective. There are no objective tests which can identify a person as a Terrorist. You come to hear someone is a Terrorist. Then you arrest a person for having given a meal or water to such Terrorist. That person may have been wrongly identified to the Police or People in authority as a Terrorist for political reasons. But that is not investigated. 

The arrests you refer to are similar to the arrests made just before the Elections in 2015. Suddenly lots of so called Terrorist activities come to light at the time of Elections. After Elections nobody bothers about such so called Terrorist acts nor activities. Someone must do a Research on the effect of Politics on the growth of Terrorism!

So the idea seem to be Tigers have reincarnated. They did not come to life all these ten years but suddenly during Election times, whether in 2015 or now, they suddenly resurrect from their death beds. After Elections they again pass away into their graves!

What we see on the Press is that some Terrorists or those involved in Terrorist activities have been arrested. Evidence of their involvement has been established by recovering incriminating materials. Not that their identity of being a Terrorist (whatever that may mean) has been established. Often when they go to prove their Terrorist activities the Prosecutors fail for want of proper evidence. Curiously it is normally a Tamil or a Muslim who would fall under that category unless a Sinhalese has rubbed a man in authority on the wrong side. The answer to your question is I see them as political antics and/or electoral gimmicks!  

*Justice C.V. Wigneswaran – Former Chief Minister Northern Province and Secretary General Thamizh Makkal Kootanii

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Latest comments

  • 13
    3

    a very good piece : 2500 muslims are in jail under false terrorism charges. Most from poor families who cannot post bail. The toilet story is the truth. its also happening now. and sexual abuse is rampant. The police and politicians are the once creating terrorist. Sri Lanka has a bad reputation of looking after prisoners. more prisoners have been killed in prison. Police need to be reformed. most are under-educated political stooges.

    • 2
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      Jehan did you care to find out why these Muslims are in jail under false terrorism charges. It is because to protect influential Muslims among politicians, businessmen and professionals who have funded and supported Islamic terrorists. Top Sinhala politicians of both sides do not want to take action against them because of money paid to them and for their vote banks. How do you explain the somersault done by the retired army commander to protect Badurdeen. When Tamils demanded that police powers to be devolved to them, none of the Muslim MPs supported it. If that had been done, at least innocent Muslims in north and east would have not been subjected to this suffering. Follow Malaysian example where Chinese and Tamils stand together as a bulwark against Malay Islamic racism.

    • 1
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      Where is this figure of 2500 from? Are you confusing Sri Lanka with Saudi, Iraq or Syria? Please provide a link or stop spreading rumours.

  • 1
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    Wiggie completely ignored the part where suspected terrorist were detained by Malaysia. Are we to assume that those arrests were politically motivated too? What ulterior political objective would the Malaysian government achieve by arresting suspected LTTE men?

    • 4
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      Sandun, what is happening in Malaysia is revenge. India has castigated Malaysia for supporting Pakistan on Kashmir and has imposed a 50% cut on palm oil imports. Also India has attacked Malaysia for harbouring Islamic terrorist wanted by India for hate speech. Since Malaysia cannot do anything to India, they are doing this to Tamils. Three Tamils were shot dead by police for no reason and the government is covering it up to protect this police atrocity. Innocent Tamils including two state legislators have been taken into custody on false charges of having contact with LTTE sympathizers and collecting funds to resurrect LTTE. Can you see a similarity between what is happening in Sri Lanka and Malaysia both confirmed racists states.
      There is a rumour that Sri Lanka government has instigated Malaysia about LTTE resurgence. Unfortunately for Malaysian government some of them are members of Democratic Action Party (DAP) dominated by Chinese. They have instituted a habeas corpus action in Malaysian supreme courts and are going to take it up in Parliament as DAP is a constituent member of the government. Unlike in Sri Lanka minorities in Malaysia are together in stalling Malay Islamic racism. Malaysia is barking up the wrong tree and will soon find its mistake. There are several Malay Muslims who are supporting Islamic terrorists in Thailand and Phillipines, but no action has been taken against them. In Sri Lanka too this subject of LTTE resurgence was never heard since 2015, and now has raised its head. Prior to 2015 it was a common ploy by the then government to use LTTE resurgence to arrest and to kill Tamils in order to suppress them. Strangely this LTTE resurgence and discovery of old weapons have surfaced after appointment of Shavendra Silva as the Army commander.

    • 3
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      “Are we to assume that those arrests were politically motivated too? “

      Quite possible. Now you know why Malaysia and Singapore are miles apart in progress and quality of life.

      • 0
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        All debating the arrests and incarcerations are denying the victims due process of the law. FACT is there is NO recourse from the law for an unbiased hearing for these unfortunate persons. Every man is innocent until PROVEN guilty by the Law of the Land. The Demonic PTA is a Law befret Of upholding Human Dignity and Rights. Oppressive Repressive Regimes Of Despotic Rulers practice them. Sri Lanka is one.
        We are on the threshold of electing to continue.

  • 8
    3

    Statistically these muslims were framed by the government and the opposition for practicing their religion. As the terrorist were friends and employees of the military intelligence units, even Gotabaya was in first name basis with zaharan. This is a fact. The muslim were arrested to show as the government is doing a job of eradicating terror, if they are doing this, they will arrest gnansaraya who is openly calling for genocide.

    • 6
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      How do you define a terrorist? It will be prudent for the government to define a terrorist and sent their findings to all the police stations to be displayed prominently. Maybe a full-page advertisement should be inserted in the newspapers in all three languages. This will enable those who may be accused of terrorism, to be cautious before committing a crime and the police to stop harassment of the innocent.

      • 5
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        Biggest terrorist organisation in Sri Lanka is the government with its goon squads and armed services. State terrorism is not only violence but also legislative, executive and judicial. At present only state terrorism prevails being unleashed on Tamils.

      • 1
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        A terrorist is some one who attacks unarmed civilians to create terror. The individuals who came and massacred Muslims in Prayer in Kattankudy, individuals who blew up buses, trains , Dalada Maligawa are terrorists. Prabhakaran who began all this is a terrorist. Those aid and abet such activities, or promote such activities are also terrorist proxies.

        • 3
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          Chingkallams and Thullkans who killed more than 300000 Thamizh civilians, raped looted and ethnically cleansed many Thamizh Hindu villages in the east, destroyed Hindu temples are the biggest terrorists. You seem to be very quiet. Even according to your government statistics the LTTE killed less than 3000 Chingkallams and Thullukka civilians , however the Muslims home guards and the Sri Lankan state had killed over 300000 Thamizh civilians around 40000 in May 2009 and ethnically cleansed and chased away over a million Thamizh from the island and reduced the Thamizh population from around 28% in the 1950s to 16% within 70 years. This is called genocide and war crimes and is being investigated by the UN. The Kattankudi mosque was a hot bed of Islamic terrorism then as now. The Thulluka home guards were hiding their weapons there and used to gather there for prayers and collect their weapons , before attacking neighbouring Thamizh villages. This why the LTTE attacked the mosque. You know the truth. Now the chief person who planned and attacked the mosque Karuna is the darling of the Chingkallams and Thullulkans. Charge him them

          • 2
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            “Terrorist is some one who attacks unarmed civilians to create terror”. According to this definition the first act of terrorism was committed by Sinhala goons with support of the then government in June 1956, by attacking unarmed Tamils who were performing Satyagraha, peacefully protesting against Sinhala only bill. Since then several major and minor riots have taken place against Tamils where the government had complicity. Since 1984, security forces have attacked Tamil unarmed civilians to create terror. Going into houses and shooting people dead, arresting people, lining them and summarily executing them, Firing haphazardly into crowds of Tamils killing them, rolling barrel bombs from helicopters onto houses, indiscriminate shelling into villages killing civilians, bombing of churches, schools and hospitals by planes, Kumudini boat murder of 36 Tamils by Navy personnel are acts of terror. This is why Sri Lanka government is the worst terrorist organization.

      • 2
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        There is no definition for terrorism. The definition is given by the power who controls . Was Mandela a terrorist, US had him listed as one. One person’s terrorist is another persons resistant fighter. The broad definition gives leeway for abuse by the police on minorities, which influences the minorities to resist, which leads to confrontation, which the power then calls terrorism. 1983 was a state sponsored terror on the Tamils.2014 was a state actor sponsored terror on Muslims. Sri Lanka needs more educated politicians, not security type guards, who’s world knowledge is repeating the same old garbage.

    • 3
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      Where is Gnanasara openly calling for genocide? Please provide a link.

    • 3
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      Jehan since 1985 during the war with LTTE, Muslim terrorism was funded and nurtured by successive governments. As long as the Muslim terror was on Tamils, it was OK for the government, but after 2009 with defeat of LTTE, they were of no use. Some of them who were home guards and military informants carried on their activity. It has been revealed that since 2009 Muslim extremists were funded and nurtured by the then government to harass Tamils, in the same way as Sinhala extremists were funded and nurtured to harass Muslims. The present government continued with it turning a blind eye despite several complains made. The Easter carnage was organised by MR and Gota with Sirisena’s assent in order to create trouble and topple the government. Government knew about it and wanted it to happen in order to take pressure off commitments to UN regarding accountability and reconciliation. All top Sinhala politicians on both sides and top security chiefs knew about it. Unfortunately it went against the original plan of bombing churches and tourist resorts in eastern province where victims will be Tamils and Europeans. Why should Muslim extremists attack Tamils and Sinhala Catholics when it was Sinhala Buddhists who had committed atrocities on Muslims. This proves that though the perpetrators were Muslims, the instigators were Sinhala Buddhists who wanted to achieve their aims on the blood spilled by Tamils and Sinhala Catholics.

  • 4
    1

    Politicians thinks they are above the law. Hakim, Hisbolla, Badudeen, Asad, Safi, etc are getting on with their shenanigans, and the police haven’t even taken a statement from them of Easter day Muslim terrorism.

  • 11
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    What is ironic here is that i have seen many sinhalese call Wigneswaran himself a terrorist. I myself was called a ‘bloody terrorist’ when i said tamil existed in Sri lanka before sinhala.
    An anonymous investigative journalist (certainly a tamil) released an article claiming he had visited several buddhist viharas in the south of the island, where he said there was proof they were built on the ruins of ancient hindu temples. He was called a terrorist also.
    If you are from a minority and show any kind of defiance against the sinhalese, even if it is just an opinion, you are a ‘terrorist’
    Sinhalese love throwing the word terrorist at minorities, when in reality they are the biggest terrorists on the island with a longer track record of terrorism.
    LTTE terrorism existed for a maximum of 30 years (late 1970s to 2009). Sinhala terrorism in recent history has now surpassed 100 years (1915 – present) and is still ongoing. 1915 was when the first documented communal riot occurred when sinhalese went on the rampage against muslims. After that they focused their violence on tamils till 2009. Remember that sinhalese were also committing atrocities to match the LTTE. Then afer 2009 they began to attack muslims again. And they are now planning to go all out against muslims after the next elections.

  • 1
    15

    Wiggy is not a proper Sri Lankan. He is more of a fabricator.

    • 3
      1

      Udesh, How to identify a ‘proper Sri Lankan’? Teach me the trick! Thank you.

      • 1
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        Well he does’nt beleive this is a Sinhala Buddhist country though he knows deep inside it is. He must realize that at some point his ancestors came to Sri Lanka as slaves..

        • 0
          1

          Udesh, Udesh, You disappoint me. Teach me, how to identify a ‘proper Sri Lankan’. Once I get to know that I would be able to determine if Hon. Wigneswaran or you is a good citizen. Don’t disappoint me, again.

          • 1
            0

            The answer is given above whether you like it or not.

  • 1
    3

    A terrorist is someone who poses a severe threat to the public safety. Because of the severity of the threat, the police and CID don’t have time to go before a judge and get an arrest warrant. Hence, the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA). Unfortunately, 99% of all suicide attacks in Sri Lanka were carried out by Tamils. So the PTA was used to arrest Tamils more than anyone else. But you cannot argue the PTA is “racist”, since 60K Sinhalese youth were rounded up and executed arbitrarily during JVP times. All terrorists get treated the same. Same torture, same interrogation, same prison, etc.

  • 4
    1

    When a crime is committed by a Sinhalese (JVP) they are branded as insurgents, whereas when a Tamil commits that crime he is branded as a terrorist. This was JR’s version those days. Both insurgents and terrorists have created a fear in the minds of the people. Both commits the same crime for the welfare of a section of the people. Can anyone draw the distinction between the two. However, a freedom fighter becomes a terrorist no sooner he crosses the line of being a terrorist when he kills a law abiding citizen. But if he kills for a political objective then he is branded as a freedom fighter. Both the terrorist and the insurgent are keen on over throwing a government. But if an army overthrows a government by way of a coup, how will the army be branded? At the same time if politicians swindle public money in a grand scale, what is the difference between that politician, terrorist and insurgent? Can a traitor also be branded as a terrorist as he also failed to account to the Income Tax Department for illegal accumulation of wealth? Can some one give a clarification?.

    • 2
      2

      LTTE and JVP were treated the same. JVP were tortured, burned alive & bodies dumped in Kelani Ganga. This proves that there was never any institutional (State) racism towards Tamils. When you try to overthrow a government or form a secessionist movement, expect a harsh response. This is true not only in Sri Lanka, but all over the world. Colombia, India (Kashmir), Palestine/Israel, China (Muslims), Northern Ireland, Scotland, etc. No need to distort basic facts with semantic games.

  • 4
    1

    Terrorism has existed in Sri Lanka from 1971 onwards.

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terrorism_in_Sri_Lanka

    Gotabaya R as Secretary of Defence was the enforcer of the Prevention of Terrorism Act.
    He ordered imprisonment of hundreds who were accused of Terrorism, without any proof in a court of law. Many thus arrested died in custody.
    Those still alive are called “political prisoners’.
    There is no evidence against them and thus they cannot be tried in a court of law.
    This is our glorious democratic socialist republic.
    Gotabaya wants to be in charge of it.

  • 4
    0

    Hi Wiggy, I have no qualms with this piece of writing and I applaud. As a judiciary, you have no issues of pointing out right from wrong when all the facts are presented before you. As a politician, as you call yourself now, you are absolutely pathetic and you should not delve into politics anymore as you make the Tamil suffering more because of your ideology.
    Wiggy, you not a person of integrity.

  • 3
    1

    When truths unfold from the pen of a retired judge it becomes bitter pill for many patriots. What C.V. revealed was from the actual records from court rooms. War period spanned for almost three decades during which police had its part to frame many innocent youths as terrorists. It was a common occurrences that police treated the detainees shabbily by soaking them with cold filthy waters in the nights as revealed by many detainees. Most often medias were biased and miserably failed to expose the atrocities of police that led to numerous human right violations that put our country into perilous situation.

  • 0
    1

    Since 1994, the United Nations General Assembly has condemned terrorist acts using the following political description of terrorism:

    “Criminal acts intended or calculated to provoke a state of terror in the general public, a group of persons or particular persons for political purposes are in any circumstance unjustifiable, whatever the considerations of a political, philosophical, ideological, racial, ethnic, religious or any other nature that may be invoked to justify them.”

    This includes state terrorism

  • 0
    1

    He is an opportunistic scumbag preaching not reconciliation(?) but hatred towards major ethnic group.

  • 0
    0

    In other news Liberal Gary Anandasangaree has won a second term in Toronto’s Scarborough-Rouge Park with 63 percent of the votes.

  • 3
    1

    [Udesh, How to identify a ‘proper Sri Lankan’? Teach me the trick! Thank you.]

    Oh Thappu,

    it is very simple. Very fair complexion, mongoloid facial appearance, brown eyes, ruthless lying, eternal stealing and plundering public property and a desire for killing. I am sure Udesh will be happy and contended with this REAL Sri Lankan anthropetry or even the Sinhala sri lankan? For example look at the great Sinkala family of Matara that owns Shri Lanka or the great patriotic journalist who is hiding in down under, his most ruthless HLD Mahindapala.

    • 1
      0

      only because Mahindapala is married to a Tamil lady – who does not
      speak Sinhala and therefore kept down-under, I mean State.

  • 2
    1

    [A terrorist is some one who attacks unarmed civilians to create terror.]

    Bodin Naana,

    how about the mercenary Naanas who were killing the tamil civilians on behalf of sinhala terrorists to take over from tamils? How about the sinhala terrorists from 1956 running amok along with Naanas burning , looting Tamils and killing them? So who are the real terrorists? Terrorists or the counter terrorists? Only VP taught you how to behave but sadly because of his stupidity he messed up things and once again let lose the terrorists. Do you remember Badudin naana and his mediawise standardisation with Sirima the kussy amma and how you are getting the rewards from Gnanasara and other great patriots.

  • 0
    0

    Media is controlled by the elite, who if jailed are in the hospital jail, and food provided by the hotels, bu Uber.The poor who are in jail are treated worst than animals by the police, torture is so common, it has been accepted. Muslims are dunk in urine water and kept in dark rooms, even though they are innocent, no conviction, just a mafia state. This will have blow backs.

  • 0
    2

    A conspiracy now involving SL and Malaysia. Even USA has joined by exonerating Gota………Good material for an action packed movie……

  • 2
    1

    Terrorism & Arrests With Elections
    By C.V. Wigneswaran –
    C.V. Wigneswaran
    Someone asked “There are sudden arrests taking place in Malaysia and Sri Lanka of those sympathetic to the Tiger cause. How do you see them?”
    Hi “ Wiggy”
    This is Cheap Electioneering( I have commented on this before) and that is to be expected when the War Criminal “ Shavendra” is in charge serving his old masters but they are now going round with “ Pichai Pathitam “ asking the UN to life the ban on Peace Keeping duties . But there is more to come under Gotha. We are vulnerable to any scrupulous Intelligence Services headed by a Criminal and blessed by another Criminal to plant bombs and arrest them for their own personal gains.
    Goth has promised many things and how is he going to deliver them . I cant wait to see.
    1) Bring back China with the danger of Indian Army arriving at Jaffna International Airport to be given Tea & Coffee,
    2) Gotha says that only Rajapaksas can take care of Security. This is coming from a man who is habouring a known Terrorist “ Karuna” who single handedly killed 2000 Soldiers in one battle alone.
    I call upon the 2000 and more Widows to march and agitate and demand Justice from Gotha to try Minister “ Karuna “
    Wonders in Sinhala Lanka never cease to exist. I am writing to Mr.Modi and other World Leaders sending copy of Mangalas Article highlighting Gothas Commitment to Human Rights . The Bugger doer doesn’t even understand what that means. Please make representation to all the World Leaders and bring it to their attention.

  • 2
    3

    Native Sinhalayo would like to remind TNA Wellala politicians who demand self-determination that they are the descendants of indentured labor brought from Malabar by Portuguese, Dutch and British illegally to this country. Colonial Parasites called them ‘Malabars’ until a guy named Ponnambalam Arunachalam involved in preparing the Census Report in 1911 changed the term ‘Malabar’ to ‘Ceylon Tamils’. Malabars are originally from Hindusthan and have no right to seek self-determination in Sri Lanka. Unfortunately, there isn’t a single Sinhala politician with a spine to tell this to Malabar Demalu.

  • 1
    1

    Blind eagle Parangiya aka HLD Parangiya, not sure what you are lamenting. If you guy give up this jathaka then do you have anything else to say or talk?

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