John Argue: Comments on Capt. Ravindra Bandanage’s defection
Posted on December 2nd, 2012
Asoka Weerasinghe Kings Grove Crescent . Gloucester . Ontario . K1J 6G1, Canada
2 December 2012
John Argue
Sri Lanka Coordinator
Amnesty International Canada , Toronto, Ontario
Dear John:
Re:ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Sri LankaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s Army Captain Ravindra Watudura Bandanage : Refugee Claim denied in Canada
You intrigue me always when you try to push and twist the Canadian Tamil Congress sponsored Amnesty International knife into Sri LankaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s multi-ethnic body and hurt it more.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ If you had wanted to see it bleed, you were out of luck, John.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Sri LankaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s bleeding stopped on 19 May 2009, when the MasterƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s that bled Sri Lanka drop by drop every day for 27 years, were wiped out militarily by the Sri Lankan Government’s armed force.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ They were the Tamil Tigers, the most ruthless terrorists in the world according to the UN.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-Drum roll pleaseƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚¦.Eat your heart out Al-QaedaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚¦And now for the Most Ruthless Terrorists in the WorldƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚¦ and the Winner of the Terrorist Oscar isƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚¦Sri LankaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s Tamil Tigers with 388 suicide bombings, assassination of two heads of state, Rajiv Gandhi of India, and President Premadasa of Sri Lanka and his Foreign Minister, a Tamil,ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Lakshman Kadirgamar, and also life long friends of the Nobel Peace Prize winner, Amnesty InternationalƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚. ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ You remember them John?ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ They were the friends of your Amnesty International whose rump in Canada are still AIƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s friends.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ After all they gave you guys $50,000 two Septembers ago, didnƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢t they?
You have been quoted saying ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-I think itƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s very significantƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ of the ex-soldiersƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ allegations.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-I hope it gets discussed publicly because then we get closer to what really happened in the last stages of the armed conflict and could have a serious discussion about accountability.ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚
John, I too believe this ex-army guyƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s allegations are ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-significantƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ and should be discussed publicly, for different reasons.
This Tamil Eelam war has produced millionaires, who picked up quick bucks by, like human smuggling; like selling forged passports to come into Canada; buying and selling arms for the Tamil Tigers as well as the Sri Lankan army, navy and air force; and not particularly millionaires but still money grabbers like Gordon Weiss writing a book on the war and peddling it around the world where he had a target audience, the Tamils, who would buy the book.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ And then among the Tamil refugees this war has produced more young millionaires and some who are almost there, who are in their 20s like Credit Card scammers; multi-million dollar Auto Insurance Scammers; users of fake pay-slips to obtain bank loans;ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Hindu temple Mafia, you name it, this war has produced rogue cults among the Tamil refugee community. And there are NGOƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s who profited from this war, like Amnesty International getting their palms oiled with CTCƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s green Canadian dollar bills amounting to $50,000, and selling your conscience so that you bunch can afford to eat an Angus steak for dinner and not just a Schneider beef wiener Hot Dog.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ This is the naked truth.
And now this guy Bandanage comes along and feeds more reasons to keep this immoral intrigue going, growing and mutating.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ You said that this guy BandanageƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s refugee claim is significant and want to have a public discussion: ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ HereƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s what I want to know as I happen to be the public.
1:ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Bandanage says that he fled to Canada as his life was in danger ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-because he had complained to police about a prominent politician and his connection to drugs and prostitution.ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚
John, HmmmƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚¦. ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-prostitutionƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ he said.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ This guy is a snooping son-of-a-bitch isnƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢t he?ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Find out John, was this guy jealous because the ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-prostituteƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ rejected him as she was after big money to sell her wares that this Bandanage couldnƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢t afford and the prominent politician could afford. I, the ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-publicƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚want to know.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ If that is the case and jealousy is the motive, then how reliable is this guy, Bandanage?
2.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ So he fled to Canada, 15,000 miles away, and not to India which was 24 miles away, or Pakistan, or Bangladesh, or Australia or New Zealand, or Malaysia, which are much closer countries than Canada.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Was he in search of greener pastures as most Sri Lankan Convention refugees have been doing; only to get on the next plane to their persecuting Sri Lanka for a holiday no sooner they get their Canadian passport?ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ And that is a reality check for you John.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ I donƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢t think AI has the gumption to challenge me on that statement.
This Bandanage took the easy route to flee.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ HereƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s my problem and I am ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-publicƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚, and I want to know.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ This guy I am told is a Martial-Arts Wushu champion.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Competitive spirits are in his bloodƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚¦he wants to win, no matter what.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ So this guy wanted to be part of the winners circle who defeated the invincible Tamil Tiger Terrorists, which happened on 19 May 2009. And it looks like he didnƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢t want to flee before then.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ IfƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ BandanageƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ was repulsed and disgusted with the Sri Lankan armyƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s alleged torture and rape of Tamils, et cetera,ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ from what I gather he still stayed with the Army during June, July, August, September of 2009,ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ unless he was discharged from the army before then, throwing his palm out at the end of each month for hisƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ monthly pay cheque. And then OctoberƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ 2009 arrives, and the 10th World Wushu Championship was happening in Toronto.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Toronto is in Canada, which is soft on Sri Lankan Tamil refugees. And he understood that right.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ So what better opportunity to support the Tamil refugee cause by lying through his teeth, saying yes that all the alleged atrocities against the Tamils by the Army did happen so that the anti-Sri Lanka Tamil Diaspora can use him and help him to stay.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ And to say, ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”I donƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢t want to go back to that Human Rights violating country either, as my life too is in danger because I ratted on a senior parliamentarian.ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ This is enough cause for an Immigration Lawyer to take up and spin his case.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ So thatƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s the scenario.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ John, if you see it differently, then let I, the public, know.
Surely John, there must be a motive to wait for five months in army uniform and boots, or did he,ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ until he was cleared to get to Toronto to participate at the 10thWorld Wushu Championship for Sri Lanka with all the government perks.
The questions that go begging are – Did he have relatives in Canada? Did he come to know that Canada has been soft on refugees and the monthly welfare cheque that refugees receive is substantive that one could live on it as well as put aside a few dollars for a rainy day?ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ That the Medicare system is free, that as a former army guy he could easily find a job in a Security Guards Firm without having to flip hamburgers at a McDonalds to earn a living.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Or, perhaps, he was sure that he would be hired as a Wushu instructor in one of their Academies in Canada.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ If that is the case how reliable is this guy with his fairy tales?ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ John, I the public want to know.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ You, representing Amnesty International said that his story is ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-significantƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Alright then John, prove to me that this Bandanage is significant and relevant to this Sri LankaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s sordid story that anti-Sri Lankans keep spinning.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ If you canƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢t then AI should pull back and shut up and not pursue this story any further and dump this guy as a no goodƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ clipped-winged Fairy who is hiccupping on his Fairy Tales.
3.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ I think it would be smart for you to find out more about this Army deserter to establish how significant this guy is and how truthful he is. Or whether he is another God damn liar been blown through the Pipe of the Sordid, searching for a green dollar pasture, paved with Klondike gold nuggets.
HereƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s what I know of this guy, Sri Lankan Army Captain Ravindra Watudura Bandanage John and you better let the ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-publicƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ know your Amnesty International story about him.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Is he reliable?ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Is he another monkey-on-his-back joker who sings at street corners ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” arapung Lucia dhora, Malu kade Jora mumma, suruttu paththu karaganda arapungko dhora.ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ , and let the monkey walk around his audience with a tin cup to collect money; or is he is stringing you Human Rights guys alongƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ for you all to look like a bunch of fools?ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Let me know, I am ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-publicƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ of your final conclusion.
This guy had joined the army as a cadet in 1993 having been recognized for his prowess in the martial arts Wushu. After completing his training as a cadet he was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in 1994.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Sounds good so far.
This guy was provided the opportunity by the Army to represent the Army and Sri Lanka at international Wushu competitions.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ I like that!ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ So he was trusted by the Government and Army to return home after each international competition without seeking refugees status in countries he was competing as did a few other Sri Lankan International competitors.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Some Sri Lankan sports-persons did stay back as refugees even in Canada and this is not unusual, and no doubtƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ it will happenƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ again in the future.
I am told that this Bandanage was a controversial character who was caught cheating at promotion exams and other actions which were deemed unbecoming for a soldier and a gentleman.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ So he didnƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢t get his promotions.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ So he must have been frustrated watching his batch mates climbing up the ladder of commissioned officers who were smart and honest at exams, and leaving this guy behind as a Captain after 16 years in the army.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ I am public, John, do you as AI representative have any views other than mine on the above?ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Speak out!
I am also told that this guy was never in the battle field theater not involved in operational matters, and anything that he says about what went on in the north like torture of the Tamils, raping Tamil women are all hearsay.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Unless he can prove it, his words should be rejected as barrels full of stinky jardi.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ I understand that Bandanage had been assigned to a desk job in Colombo since 2006 until he defected.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ And the Eelam War 4 began in July 2006.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ So it would be easy to conclude that this guy never saw any action in the battle field.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Anything that he refers to the war is hearsay and should be dismissed until he can produce some definite proof.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ These allegations are not jokes.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ They are serious.
I also gather that most ofƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ BandanageƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢sƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ duty time was involved in training Wushu together with the national pool members.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ AndƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ if this is true, then his claim of his knowledge on Tamils being tortured and beaten up in nothing short of Humbug and hearsay.
And if this guy Bandanage says that he did witness a Tamil woman being raped by a soldier, then Canada should track this raped Tamil woman, bring her over, get Bandanage by his short curlies, get her to tie him on to a stake in a public square in Toronto, pull his pants down and let her whip his behind until it turns black and blue for not stopping her been raped by his army men in kaki.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ And AI shouldƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ get him for war crimes.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Let the public have your Amnesty International views on it John.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ You said that this guy is significant to Sri LankaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s story.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ How significant is he?
Since this guy Bandanage was posted as an administrative officer in Colombo, I have my doubts that he was asked to plant a bomb in a TNA MPs house.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ LetƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s have this peer Colonel officerƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s nameƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ who had asked him to plant this mythical bomb, and letƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s get his version.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ This might give us a chance to assess the veracity of BandanageƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s statements, and whether it is truthful orƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ a mouth-foaming a load of lies. This is when your word ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”significantƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ comes to play.
I am also told that this guy Bandanage went continuously AWOL (absent without official leave) on several occasions in 2009.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Due to his long absences he had been discharged from the Army and Commission withdrawn in absentia.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ I donƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢t have a date for this.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ You might have this.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ What was this guyƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s problem?
I am glad that the Canadian Immigration Officials saw through his lies, and denied his claim to be a refugee and a queue jumper.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Canada should sendƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ him on the next plane out of the country with an application formƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ to apply for immigration, and a pen to fill it.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Give him the required rupees to take a Tuk-tuk from the airport to the Canadian High Commission Immigration office to hand them his application to Immigrate.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Do you agree, that there was nothing significant about his cods-wallop, John, and stop being fooled again by these Sri Lankan refugee claimants, and turn lobster pink with embarrassment when I throw a question at you and you have difficulty to reply, because Asoka Weerasinghe was right.
Sincerely,
Asoka (Weerasinghe)
December 2nd, 2012 at 5:56 pm
Asoka, don’t forget, Pramadase was a Major in the LTTE army and got Garmini Dissanayake, Pramchandra and Lalith Athulathmudali killed. Now how can you call Pramadase from Suchritha Muddukuwa, a president of SL? Pramadase personally supervised the method used to kill General Kobbekaduwa. Read Rohan Gunarathna’s speecch. THINK before you call Mudukuwa Pramadase, President again.
December 2nd, 2012 at 7:47 pm
Mudukkuwe or not Premadasa was a president of Sri lanka and it is true that he was killed by LTTE and therefore Asoka is not lying here. As Sri Lankans, we must be proud of a fellow from the pavement or the mudukkkuwa became prsident of Sri Lanka using vote rather than weapon. Jealousy may work in sick heads of those whom may have been born to rich families whose blood was contaminated by Btitish and other Suddas.
However the topic here is not about where Premadasa came from or what he has done (which is a different topic and accusations are mostly rumors; some Sri Lankans can say very accurately who Premadasa’s father was without even checking his DNA ! That is how accurate some fools are.
Asoka has given a great answer back to AI beggers who are running around looking for the slimmest chance to justify their existence. AI is busy enrolling people with contaminated blood into their dirty cause to survive. This was one such example. Things can backfire!
Asoka well done on your research and please continue your good work.
December 2nd, 2012 at 7:59 pm
Kit,
But UNFORTUNATELY he was a president.
There was no one better to stand against him and he won thanks to the JVP election boycott. After that he killed all the JVP jokers before they could reveal the conspiracy.
LTTE NEVER attempted to kill him!! He was killed by his own housemate who happened to be Tamil and a tiger which Premadasa knew!!!
But he did many good things as well.
e.g. He PIT Tamil terrorists agsinst Jinhadis in the east and north under clear instructions from “M” secret service of Israel.
e.g. He put restrictions on trade for north. SL lost NOTHING from it but GAINED alot. People in the northern province NEVER pay tax. Even today. Premadasa’s trade restrictions FORCED them to pay an indirect “tax” which was very good for SL. Part of it went to defence!!!
A clever way of using the enemy to pay for the war against it!!
e.g. Premadasa fooled everyone about “M” secret service of Israel. They all thought he chased them away but in real life he INCREASED ties with them!! He closed the Israel embassy but operated directly with them from his office. Another very clever strategy. But I think SLMC later came to realise they were fooled and pulled out from his government and joined the other camp.
He gave Iranavillu to VOA and the “M” secret service of Israel’s broatcasting operations totally disregarding R&AW crap. People were fooled to believe they were going to have more TV chanells to watch!!
Garmini Dissanayake, Pramchandra were killed by Run-NIL & LTTE company. Premadasa was not there at that time. I remember that day because there was a school holiday following the bomb.
December 2nd, 2012 at 8:16 pm
Wahabism has now married Tamil Elamism.
We need to kill BOTH by PITTING them against each other.
There is no better, skilled, EFFECTIVE strategists against them than the “M” secret service. Get their help. We need the devil to fight the devil.
But the foolish govt. will not until sh*t hits the fan.
December 3rd, 2012 at 7:42 am
Splendid letter indeed! Bravo!
I have a question Asoka.. You write to these brilliant letters to these people including the LTTE oiled Amnesia International, HRW, ICJ etc.
Do they reply you back? It would be interesting to know that. Because, if they have an iota of self-respect, they won’t be able to reply you with a straight face.
We know they are there for the money and to do the dirty duties of their masters, but can they defend with a straight face?
December 3rd, 2012 at 12:32 pm
“Sources from Jaffna University of Sri Lanka say that the students of the majority Sinhala community have begun to leave the tension stricken university in the Tamil dominated city.”
They have been threatened by Tamil students. No army in Jaffna to protect them now.
It is happening once again after 35 years later.
But Tamil students are still in Colombo university!!! So who is at fault, Sinhalese or Tamils?
Jaffna is the racist den of SL ALWAYS opposed to INTEGRATION, PEACE and RECONCILIATION.
Have a multi ethnic Jaffna university or close the damn thing down until they are ready to embrace harmony.
By allowing it to become 100% Tamil only from 99% is a crime. Teach them reconciliation the hard way. Otherwise we are heading for a REPETITION.
December 3rd, 2012 at 1:23 pm
Mr Bandanage should have applied for Citizenship in Canada in the usual way, i.e. fill in the forms and found a Sponsor. That way he may have got his citizenship without telling whoppers about his Motherland Sri Lanka, the country that supported and nurtured him all his life. Here is the report on the matter from the Island, 3 Dec 2012 :
“Army decries Wushu champ’s political asylum attempt in Canada
Sinha Regiment Captain in unprecedented move
December 2, 2012, 10:09 pm
By Shamindra Ferdinando
A Sinha Regiment deserter, seeking permanent residency in Canada, has accused the Sri Lankan army of widespread atrocities against Tamil speaking people during the Eelam war IV (Aug 2006-May 2009).
Captain W. B. R. Priyashantha, aka Ravindra Watudura Bandanage, has also claimed that he has received instructions from a Colonel to place bomb making material at the residence of TNA MP M. K. Sivajilingam during the conflict. However, he didn’t identify the Colonel or reveal his regiment.
The National Post website, last Friday (Nov. 30), published an article captioned “Sri Lankan Army deserter gives ‘rare’ insider account of government forces torturing civilians.”
“I think it’s very significant,” National Post quoted John Argue, Amnesty International Canada’s coordinator for Sri Lanka as having said of the ex-soldier’s allegations.
“I hope it gets discussed publicly because then we get closer to what really happened at the last stages of the armed conflict and could have a serious discussion about accountability.”
The Sri Lankan forces routinely framed government opponents during the war to discredit them and justify their arrests, The National Post quoted Gary Anandasangaree, a Toronto lawyer, as having said. Gary is the only son of TULF leader V. Anandasangaree.Bandanage told the Immigration and Refugee Board (IRB) that his life was at risk if he went back to Sri Lanka. The IRB dismissed Bandanage’s refuge claim. The Federal Court of Canada dismissed the deserter’s appeal.
Responding to allegations, the Defence Ministry yesterday said that Bandanage had sought asylum after entering Canada in Nov. 2009 as Sri Lanka’s Wushu coach. Bandanage was with the Sri Lankan team for the 10th World Wushu championship.
A senior MoD official told The Island that as Bandanage had left the hotel where the team was staying even without settling bills, his colleagues returned to Colombo at the conclusion of the conflict leaving him behind. “We lodged a complaint with the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) and brought this to the notice of the Canadian High Commission in Colombo,” the official said.
Having joined the army in 1993, Bandanage served in various parts of the country, though he was stationed in and around Colombo during the Eelam war IV (Aug 2006-May 2009), the official said. The bottom line was that Bandanage was nowhere near operational areas, he said. According to the official, the asylum seeker hadn’t been involved in cordon and search operations mounted against the LTTE, though he spoke of security operations in a bid to deceive the Canadians”.
December 3rd, 2012 at 2:14 pm
Till the Northern Universities are multi-ethnic, should other Unis in Lanka be multi-ethnic ?
December 3rd, 2012 at 2:37 pm
Good point Manjula, I admire Premadasa for his “no-nonsense” stand against the New Delhi parippuwas and the JVP puppets/idiots. On one occasion when the white-worshipping Dahl Sahibs of North India were lecturing the Sinhalese on how to behave, Premadasa told them it was none of their business as he had no relationship whatsoever with the North or South Indians and his roots were in Sri Lanka only! Manjula, while we criticize the white colonials, we must also break free of the North (and indeed South Indian) yoke. No true Sri Lankan claims such connection and grovels to New Delhi! I personally, trace my ethnicity directly to the Yakka community that is 100 percent indigenous culture and language, that pre date the Indianised (Sanskritised and Tamilised) Sinhala identity. I suspect the majority of Sri Lankans have Yakka or non-Indian roots but unlike Premadasa, are ashamed of their own roots!
December 3rd, 2012 at 2:52 pm
Lorenzo claims Wahabism has married Tamil Elamism. The very strange marriage is of the girl child Elam to the dirty grand daddy Wahabism and to be blessed by Fr. Emmanuel, the dowry paid by the LTTE diaspora and the honeymoon in a New Delhi, a training camp in Himachal Pradesh and finally in a ghetto in London!
December 3rd, 2012 at 4:38 pm
Good point Fran.
Either ALL SL universities must become multi ethnic or mono ethnic. This selective nonsense will discrimnate the MOST peaceful comunity – Sinhalese AND peaceful Muslims (Muslims have been peaceful in universities SO FAR. TRUTH MUST BE TOLD.)
As all Sinhala students in Jaffna university have been forced to leave it (a stupid situation), Tamil students in Colombo University, Peradeniya University and Moratuwa University must voluntarily make their way (a stupid situation) to Jaffna university.
ONLY then everyone will realize how stupid and disgusting to seperate people along ethnicity.
Until then NO ONE WILL CARE and this EVICTION business will continue!!
In 1977 Jaffna people evicted Sinhalese and possessed the land they left behind. Free land!! Yahooo!!
Nothing happened.
Encouraged by the inaction, in 1990 they chased away Muslims and possessed their land too!! Free land!! Yahooo!!
Nothing happened.
Further encouraged by the inaction in 1995 they chased away ALL “other” ethnic people and possessed their land too.
Now Jaffna is TAMIL ONLY. There are more non-Tamils in Tamil Nadu than in Jaffna district!! Disgusting!!
December 3rd, 2012 at 4:53 pm
Good one Voice123.
None less charismatic than Hillary Rotten Clinton de Levisky too attended it. She could have stayed the full ceremony if not for the stench from Jeyalalitha Jeyaram.
December 3rd, 2012 at 8:04 pm
I forgot to add. Guest of Honour at the London festivities will be Keith Vaz, pretend Briton, Labour Party candidate and LTTE supporter; Sonia Gandhi from the mob and Adele Balasingham the Tamil’s “Vellei goddess”.
December 3rd, 2012 at 9:16 pm
Lorenzo, this is for your info, again don’t kake my word for it. Why did Pramadase kill Ranjan Wijayaratne, then defence minister? When Ranjan Wijayarathna went to Pakistan to buy up to date military equipment, Pramadase ordered the military to give Prabhakeran any weapon he wanted from the military base in Jaffna. Prabhrakeran used these weapons for the killings at Aranthalawa and Kithultuduwa. The good things that you write, I will need some proof, like TAX etc and the money he got deposited by Arabs for closing of Israeli consulate. You say Pramadase loved SL! This what he told JR “If you do not give me the presidency I will set fire to the whole country and Indians will take over the whole Island.”
December 4th, 2012 at 1:01 pm
Kit,
Premadasa killed Wijeratna to AVOID war crimes investigations. That was the END of the UNP.
Arantalawa terrorist attack happened in 1987 BEFORE Premadasa became president.
If Arabs gave him money, they were fooled. But not for long. They soon realized it. He closed the Israeli Interest Section at US embassy but operated directly with them from his office. A master of disguise which was good for the country. Soon they together managed to PIT Jihadis against Elamists. A vital breakthrough in war.
I NEVER said Premadasa loved SL. He did NOT. But he had his good and bad.
December 4th, 2012 at 9:42 pm
People migrate to other lands for various reasons and the commonest could be for economic reasons. Law abiding citizens with self respect would go through normal channels and would use their skills and qualifications to enter another nation. Those who do not have any skills required by the targeted nation and are prepared to lie and resort to corrupt practices have now identifird the weakness of Western developed nations and are exploiting it to the maximum, with generous support from organisations like the UNHRC, AI, HRW and a host of corrupt politicians, journalists, immigration officials and NGOs. All dishonest Tamils across the world could use the method of claiming that they are SriLankans (though may not even have stepped on SriLankan soil) and would be persecuted and tortured if sent back to SriLanka, as they or their kith and kin are connected to the LTTE terrorists. Some “prove” this with bogus documents and SELF INFLICTED injuries such as cigarette butt burnings, scars from lashes on the back arranged with a friend etc. Corrupt Sinhalese however, cannot claim this connection to LTTE terrorists and have now discovered another easy way, such as making bogus claims against the Govt, palatable to the hostile Western nations and NGOs or insulting a politician and then claiming he/she would be tortured if sent back etc. What a joke! I would blame the naive and/or corrupt Western Nation officials, even more than these shameful illicit immigrant, slandering their motherland.