{"id":198897,"date":"2019-02-14T03:56:56","date_gmt":"2019-02-13T22:26:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/?p=198897"},"modified":"2019-02-15T06:29:43","modified_gmt":"2019-02-15T00:59:43","slug":"gota-says-two-behind-lasantha-murder-who-was-the-other","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/index.php\/gota-says-two-behind-lasantha-murder-who-was-the-other\/","title":{"rendered":"Gota Says Two Behind Lasantha Murder: Who Was The Other?"},"content":{"rendered":"

By Suranimala Umagiliya<\/a> –<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Daily Mirror newspaper of 12th February carried an interview with Gotabaya Rajapaksa<\/strong><\/a> nestled in the front section. The interview would have been better placed in the TV section. The infantile explanation was straight out of Aesop’s Fables.<\/p>\n

Gotabaya says that Lasantha murder, Keith torture and assault and the Prageeth Ekneligoda<\/strong><\/a> disappearance were done by two people. Who? He does not say. Is this the humbug that we want as a President of this country? He knows who murdered\u00a0Lasantha Wickrematunge<\/strong><\/a>. He knows who abducted, tortured and released Keith Noyahr<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0after Karu Jayasuriya called his brother Mahinda who was the then President. He knows who made Prageeth Ekneligoda go missing.<\/p>\n

“I won’t tell. Make me President and I will tell all”.<\/p>\n

It’s the same story from Gotabaya. “If I am made the candidate to run\u00a0for President, I will give up my American citizenship. If not I am\u00a0American. Freedom is not enough without discipline”….blah blah.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

Gota<\/p><\/div>\n

Pretence at being a patriot is not lost amongst the intelligent section\u00a0of the Sri Lankan populace. Gotabaya and Mahinda banks on the\u00a0rest of the population to bring them back in to power.Sprinkled amongst them are the racist elements.<\/p>\n

Let us assume that the Yahapalanaya government has failed.Even dismiss\u00a0the democratic freedoms emanating from the Independent Commissions. Does that necessitate a return to the old vomit?<\/p>\n

The international standard for a new paved road costs around Rs 7.5 million per km. The roads Rajapaksha’s built cost Rs 27 million a km. Does Gotabaya know that? This American states that the infamous MiG purchases were between\u00a0the Government of Sri Lanka and the Government of Ukraine as recent as\u00a0last week. He says this despite the Ukrainian Government denying that\u00a0they NEVER sold any aircraft to the Sri Lankan government<\/strong><\/a>. That was a statement made to the Sri Lankan investigators inquiring in to the purchase of MiG\u00a0aircraft<\/strong><\/a>.Of course MiG aircraft were brought to Sri Lanka via a third party who made a killing and we know who that was. Gotabaya has now the very same lawyer who appeared for Lasantha in the same case defending him after the murder of the newspaper editor. Money talks.<\/p>\n

Rajapaksa family has the gall to say that murder is rampant in Sri Lanka\u00a0since the Yahapalanists took over. Have they forgotten the killing of Bharatha Lakshman\u00a0Premachandra<\/strong><\/a>? Lasantha Wickrematunge? Nimalarajan? Nineteen journalists from the North? Abduction and torture of Keith Noyahr? Assault on Upali Tennakoon<\/strong><\/a>?<\/p>\n

Prageeth Ekneligoda gone missing, probably murdered too? Not forgetting\u00a0the rampant drug trade flourishing aided and abetted by their regime ?<\/p>\n

The glitz and glamour connected with the Mahinda Rajapaksa regime was but a cloak which covered the dirtiest,corrupt and an immoral period in our history.\u00a0Money, however dirty was respected and became a fashion to be emulated. Even cricket was not spared. The International Cricket Council confirms Sri Lanka is the most corrupt cricketing nation. Such degradation of a nation encouraged and nurtured by Rajapaksa’s will take decades to correct.<\/p>\n

Is Ranil the answer? Or is it Karu Jayasuriya, Sajith Premadasa maybe even\u00a0Maithripala Sirisena? None have shown strength or courage to turn the tide.\u00a0Probably waiting for Godot.<\/p>\n

Be that as it may, ( Lasantha in his writing often used this phrase) Gotabaya knows that two people were behind the murder of Lasantha. One was himself.<\/p>\n

Who was the other?<\/p>\n

The American must speak now or hold his tongue forever.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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