This whole episode of kidnap and torture of Gunaratnam raises some awkward questions.
Posted on April 13th, 2012
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ George RupesingheƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Belmore
1. Gunaratnam has been going by several aliases. Doesn’t this pointƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ to his dubious background and intentions?
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ 2. How did he obtain Australian passportƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ number N1016123 under aƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ new identity of Noel Mudalige, which he used to enter Sri Lanka onƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ 4 September 2011?ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ 3. If his stated intention was to launch a political party in SriƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Lanka why did he breach the conditions of his visa for over fiveƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ months instead of seeking an extension of his stay?ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ 4. Having made claims of kidnapping and torture by secret police,ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ why did he decide to turn up at the Police Crime DivisionƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ headquarters in Colombo after his “release” rather than take theƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ more credible avenue of seeking refuge at the Australian HighƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Commission?
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ 5. What role did the Australian High Commissioner in Colombo playƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ in this episode apart from seeking information on his whereaboutsƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ after the claim of kidnapping? When interrogated by the police inƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ the presence of Australian diplomats, and told he was to beƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ deported, Gunaratnam said he did not have a passport. The policeƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ requested the High Commissioner to issue him with a temporaryƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ travelƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ document. But, lo and behold, the High Commissioner turns upƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ at theƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ airport the next day with MudaligeƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s Australian passport toƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ facilitate his deportation.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ 6. Under what circumstances did the High Commissioner gainƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ possession of MudaligeƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s Australian passport? Doesn’t this actionƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ suggest the High Commission was complicit in GunaratnamƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s politicalƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ (and other?) forays in Sri Lanka? If so was the High CommissionerƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ acting on instructions from the Australian Government?
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ In his interview by police in Colombo with Australian officialsƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ present, Gunaratnam made no mention of torture but said he wasƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ questioned extensively on the plans of the Frontline SocialistƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Party. But on his arrival in Australia he claimed to have beenƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ tortured.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ This whole episode smacks of a shady political stunt gone wrong.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ The Foreign Affairs Department and the Australian High CommissionƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ in Colombo needs to come up with a credible explanation.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ George RupesingheƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Belmore
April 13th, 2012 at 2:15 pm
If Gunarathnam had more than passport in more than one name and then that is fishy. Again,Why the Australian Embassy kept his passport ? Did he change the name while he was here and so that he had to change passport too.
It looks Australian govt also hides something.
April 13th, 2012 at 3:34 pm
It is a put-up-job to embarrass Sri Lanka. These two people Stinks to high heaven. This is stunt to get some credibility for next insurgency. GOSL has acted swiftly and exposed these rascals. The attempt start another 100,000 murders like 1971 and 1987-89 was foiled.
Sri Lankans should be thankful that nefarious activities are observed and monitored. Sri Lanka need effective counter terrorism mechanisms for a long time. The terrorists living abroad are waiting for any chance to restart killing with vengeance.
April 13th, 2012 at 4:04 pm
If Gunaratnam is a dual citizen of Sri lanka & Australia. According to Australian immigration law I think when a dual citizen commit any office in his or her native country Australia had no authority to meddle with and spend Australia Tax payers money.
April 14th, 2012 at 11:09 am
“In his interview by police in Colombo with Australian officials present, Gunaratnam made no mention of torture but said he was questioned extensively on the plans of the Frontline Socialist Party. But on his arrival in Australia he claimed to have been tortured.”
HE MUST HAVE BEEN TORTURED WHILE ON THE PLANE BACK TO AUSTRALIA !!
April 14th, 2012 at 11:55 am
Also, an important fact conveniently avoided by the international media, is, how did the Australian high-commissioner have in her possession, THE ORIGINAL, stamped, passport, when she visited this person in police?????
Australia has a lot of answering to do… It is up to the government to do the asking.
April 14th, 2012 at 7:09 pm
Reading all these reports about Gunaratnam, the missing man with many names and passports, it is obvious the aim of this drama was to discredit SriLanka. This former JVP terrorist leader Gunaratnam, would have left SriLanka with his new passport under the name of Mudalige, leaving behind the well orchestrated scandal of “Gunaratnam abducted and missing in Sri Lanka” and thereby adding another name to the ever increasing claim of missing persons, which get ready publicity around the Western world wherever the Tamil Tiger Terrorists wield their black money based influence.
In this instance, Australia too has been brought into disrepute and it is the duty of the Australian Govt to investigate the role played by their High Commission in Colombo, as well as Immgration Officers who issued the passport under “Mudalige” instead of “Gunaratnam”.
As for Gunaratnam, he has no right to complain about human rights as the former JVP where he was one of the leaders who escaped to the West, his party had a policy of eliminating all non-JVP SriLankans who were wealthy, or over the age of 40 years, to solve the unemployment problem of unemployed JVP graduates. Before the monster-Prabakaran appeared on the scene, it was the JVP that committed most brutal crimes against helpless SriLankan citizens who did not agree with them. However, they have been eliminated by the previous UNP regime, now in the opposition, using apparently equally brutal methods, and in the process many innocent sinhala youth also lost their lives in the hands of nervous security forces.
Gunaratnam/Mudalige need to be arrested and punished by the Australian government, as well as investigate the role played by Australian media and certain notorious individuals.