
By Malinda Seneviratne –
Julampitiye Amare is not an anomaly. And that is the definitive statement of the culture of immunity that describes thugs and thuggery, assassins and assassination in Sri Lanka over the past several decades.
The court observed that the man had not been arrested despite dozens of warrants being issued. That’s not news. What’s news is that the Police had the gumption to say ‘Only five warrants were issued’, as though the smaller number somehow explain inability to arrest the man. It is clearly not only a case of the police lacking skills to track him down; it is about the police having its hands tied. That’s a political reality. And that’s not something peculiar to this government. However, the crimes of omission and commission of previous governments do not confer license to follow suit.
Where did Julampitiye Amare get the guts? To answer that we could consider the harassment meted out to Dr. Nirmal Ranjith Devasiri, President, Federation of University Teachers’ Associations (FUTA). Dr. Devasiri has complained to the IGP that some strange men, claiming to be from the Ministry of Defence (MoD) had made unwarranted inquiries from his neighbours.
It is not uncommon for academics, journalists and NGO activists to concoct such stories as part of political strategy to demonize governments and open up avenues to ‘flee’ to greener pastures. Dr. Devasiri, even his most ardent ideological and political opponents will agree, does not belong to that despicable tribe. A simple man, with simple needs, he conducts himself in line with the decorum and decency one associates with civilized, democratic practice. His complaint has to be taken seriously.
What of the ‘MoD’, though? It is a claim, yes let us repeat, a claim, made by some shady characters. Does this mean the MoD is somehow implicated? No. What it means, however, is that a situation has been created where things are said and done in the name of the MoD and in all probability without the MoD having any inkling of what’s happening and what’s being done in its name.
Turning claim into fact is big business and bigger politics. This too is known. What’s most disturbing is the fact that the Government is doing little to help its case in these and related matters. Time and again, we’ve seen thuggery go unpunished. Time and again persons directly associated with the government or close to high ranking ministers have acted as though they were above the law, and indeed the law, in its breach, has helped confirm that they were. Investigations into acts that could cause embarrassment to the Government have been painfully slow with little or no results to show for effort.
It is in this context that some two-bit thug can legitimately reason thus: ‘The bosses apparently don’t mind.’ Others could reason, ‘It’s in the best interest of the boss, so it has to be considered a moral obligation’. But what if it’s not a minion’s do-good ethic that’s at work? What if the thug was under contract? When nothing is done and when nothing has been done for years, to stop the rot it would be silly for the Government to imagine that people will give it the benefit of the doubt. Make no mistake, the people, whether or not they’ll howl in protest, will conclude: The government is behind this!
What’s the signal, then, that Julampitiye Amare gives the radical youth of this country? He tells them, ‘Look, democracy is old hat; it’s gun-talk and nothing else!’ Remember the 80’s, when the then UNP regimes operated as though its sole intent was to give that very same message to the youth of the country? Remember what happened? A revolution? No! We had a bloodbath, the regime emerged bruised but unbowed, and the country walked a couple of decades backwards. We cannot afford a repeat, but a repeat is what is looming ahead of us.
The MoD, common sense tells, is not stupid to go around intimidating Dr. Devasiri. Someone was bold enough though and that someone was smart enough to pass the buck to the MoD. There are many ‘someones’ and much passing of buck, to the MoD and, more seriously, to the President.
The longer the Government is silent, the more apparent the foot-dragging in bringing to book these thugs, the more the Government will incriminate itself. It is this political sloth perhaps more than anything else that will convince people that the likes of Julampitiye Amare are but following orders.
As for the police and the lame excuses that are being trotted out, it clearly shows that the general public as well as law and order have suffered and continue to suffer on account of the absence of a truly independent Police Commission. People don’t trust the police and when that Police-Public connect is gone, it is open season for thuggery, theft, murder and indeed all manner of crimes. The finger will point towards the Government and umbrage will in the end be addressed to the President. Undeservedly, perhaps, at this point, but most certainly not without cause if nothing is done.
chathura / June 24, 2012
Yep,guys in the private sector get bored,they just happen to know Devasiri’s address,get a office van (white preferably)and go ask neighbours questions?
Or the local hood thinks he’ll have some fun with his friends,they all dress up,hire a van (white being the color of choice)happen to have his address and go ask neighbours questions?
Or was it a white school van that got lost in the area and driver was asking:Devasiri,does he live here?
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James Bond / June 24, 2012
This Malida fellow is a moron of the highest order, and a Rajapakse apologist to boot. So whats new you have to be a moron to pretend that Gota the white van goon did not know about the white vans his goons are operating. God these guys do miss the LTTE their favorite whipping boy to blame all these white van crimes on these days!
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Donald Gnanakone / June 24, 2012
Well said James Bond.
Malinda is singing for his supper shamelessly.
Otherwise he will lose his job and no trips to Geneva for the free loaders.
What a disgrace. The dogs are taking over the country and the country is going to the dogs.
Not just dogs, but Rabid pariah dogs, and will not discuss the pedigree of those dogs. That is purely a Sinhala Buddhist problem.
Good Luck. My sympathies are with Dr. Nirmal D.
I guess now it is the turn of the JHU, Trade Unions from the Sinhala side, and the Muslims.
Enjoy the White Van ride and the Ring. (I mean Hammer-ring).
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Citizen / June 25, 2012
They wrote a book on “Gota’s war”. When are they going to write a book on “Gota’s white vans”?
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PresiDunce Bean / June 25, 2012
@Citizen
To read the book “Gota’s white vans” we will have to wait until this ‘One Family Government’ is kicked out of power. How long that will take I really don’t know. But I hope it won’t take as long as it took to dispose off the Gaddafi Family.
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PresiDunce Bean / June 25, 2012
Gota had a ‘White Van!’
(sung to the tune of “Mary had a little lamb”)
Gota had a ‘White Van,’
It was as white as snow!
And everywhere Dr.Devasiri went,
The van was sure to follow!
It followed him back home one day,
And then abducted him,
His family searched high and low,
But there was no trace of him!
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Thalaivar / June 24, 2012
Why Devasiri is this scared ? What does he do wrong ?
I think, many things happens in Sri Lanka finally end at politicians.
I think journalists should target the govt system. It is no point of leaving Mahinda Rajapakse behind because he is the president. He has a humongous team of advisors, hundred odd ministers with and without portfolios, he appointed every ministry secretary, he has the control over provincial councils and municipal councils (CMC) like things. He had 2/3rd power and he appointed the Judiciary, Finally he is the executive president with powers from the 18th amendment.
So, still he cannot change things, then there is no one else who can do that.
Police cannot do anything I suppose, because, every Gangster who has a infamous recognition has political backup.
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DesperateSL / June 24, 2012
In other words – as Opposition leader advocated latey –
It is the anarchy in the coountry today. Who to be blame if not current regime ?
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Punchinilame / June 24, 2012
This journalist is in the pay of GOSL to do some white-washing on the
side.
Is not the DS capable of ordering the Police to investigate the
charges implicating the MoD – if they do not have anything to
do with the suspicious complaints?
Definitely it is in the interest of the State to fight any form
of Trade Union activity, initially by concealed threats and
the thugs it has – a modus operandi of Gota. The track record is
undisputable Mr. Malidna.
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DesperateSL / June 24, 2012
When reading the article, This comes to my mind, that MOD under the incumbent regime could well be comparable to what the Former Estern Germany assigned – STASI- spying agency to monitor the activities who would go againt the rulers^ totalitarian activities.
If this incident related to mass criminal gang leaders like Amare will no longer sweep in the carpet – also had been the case with the murder of Israeli tourist murdered by gangs run by MR s son in Hamabantota area.
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makalu / June 25, 2012
Hello dear friends!
This is Sri Lanka with 80% Sinhalese Buddhists including me too.This is it’s law. The problem is, where are we going to end.
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mango / June 25, 2012
Malinda? Just another kept journo.
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Mahen Silva / June 25, 2012
I like to commend Malinda for his courage to finally express the truth about what is happening in the country. Malinda might get some threatening calls from his Masters and Handlers. If he continues this line of writings he might soon lose the privileges he enjoys now, being a defender of the corrupt government. But Malinda has to be happy that he has spoken against unjust corrupt rulers who continuously try to fool ordinary citizens of our country.
Well done Malinda! Way to go! Sri Lankans will be proud of you if you use your writing skills to expose corruption and human right violations of the most corrupt government Sri Lanka ever had. We like
Malinda to be a defender of SriLankan people( Nation ), not the currupt rulers.
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Malinda Seneviratne / June 25, 2012
To those who like to call me names….go ahead. Amuses me no end. It tells that these people are ashamed of their own names AND are fighting shy of stating their biases. So go ahead and vilify. Bothers me not one bit. But Gnanokone, the LTTE-lover, needs to be exposed.
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Against B.S. / June 25, 2012
If I was to address Malinda Seneviratne accurately, this response would be censored.
This man is truly without shame.
He has supported this murderous regime from day one, has BEEN EMPLOYED BY RAJAPAKSA’S BLOOD RELATIONS at the Nation and has the unmitigated brass to sneer at people trying to conceal their identity from his masters’ white vans by using pseudonyms. Unbelievable, even from an indescribably sycophant like him.
HOW MUCH ARE YOU BEING PAID AS EDITOR IN CHIEF OF THE PAPER THAT THE PRESIDENT HIMSELF DESCRIBED AS “OURS” AND WHAT OTHER SOURCES OF GOVERNMENT REVENUE DO YOU HAVE? These are not just rhetorical questions, they are more than relevant given your status as a paid lackey of the single most corrupt and violent regime ever to control this nation.
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Ranjan Alwis / June 26, 2012
A spade should be called a spade wheather it bothers it or not. You are a dirty racist and it should be exposed. The people should know that the chief editor of Nation is nothing but a third grade racist.
Make hay when the sun is shining because it will not last long and you will never have another chance. People like you are a damn disgrace to journalism.
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Ainsley Abeywickreme / June 25, 2012
Yes, Gnanakone the LTTE lover oight to be exposed – and in fact, has been exposed.
But so too exposed are you Malinda, for your hatchet jobs on people who speak the truth (I remember a shameless article of yours berating Shanie some months back and calling her an LTTE supporter whch she is not as her writings clearly show). It is because of things like this that you are know to be a paid journo of the govt, or more specifically, of the Information Dept.
People like you are definitely responsible for the mess this country is in now so don’t play the moralist at this stage. As much as pro-LTTE NGO’s had to hand their heads in shame in later years, paid MR apologists like you and Rajpal Abeyneyake will also be held accountable by an unforgiving public. Let us be honest about this.
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Ranjan Alwis / June 26, 2012
This Malinda guy is an expert in manufacturing lies and spinning yarns out of them. He is the blue eyed boy of his guru, the old insane rabid racist leader of Patriotic National Movement Gunadasa Amarasekara.
His guru’s mission is to keep the ethnic groups Sinhalese, Tamils and Muslims divided and with the help of these [Edited out] journalists like Malinda he is doing it very well, thousands of gullible believe what these racists says as the gospel truth. “Nation” is another racist rag just like “The Island”.
These people are as worst as the terrorists who destroyed the country for thirty years. They are continuing to create monsters such as a new ultra-nationalist racist generation in Sri Lanka. The consequences will be felt only in the long run when the country gets further ruined.
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Imdika / June 25, 2012
freedom of expression guys
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Against B.S. / June 25, 2012
Imdika:
Allowing “people” like Malinda a platform is NOT “freedom of expression.”
It is giving the Goebbels of this country a free platform for their messages of hate which ultimately result in DEATH. Let’s not mistake vermin of this description for “dissenting voices” or some such thing!
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sajeeva samaranayake / June 25, 2012
Malinda
if you have nothing to say – don’t say it
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Jim Hardy / June 28, 2012
Malinda just count the comments for you & against, it shows how unpopular you have become, you who promoted this corrupt thug regime.
Dont bring LTTE shit for dissent views, you cant compare Donald with Karuna, Pillayan, & KP etc, all Tamils are not LTTE.
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