Army crackdown: GR responds to allegations
Posted on August 8th, 2013
By Shamindra Ferdinando Courtesy Island
August 8, 2013, 10:10 pm
Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa yesterday alleged that in the wake of the recent army crackdown on Weliweriya protesters, on the night of August 6, an attempt was being made to strengthen the call for an international war crimes investigation against the Sri Lanka Army.
Defence Secretary Rajapaksa lashed out at the main Opposition UNP for calling for an international investigation into incidents involving the army and those protesting against latex gloves manufacturing factory situated at Nedungamuwa, Weliweriya managed by Dipped Products PLC, of Hayleys Group, which is alleged to have polluted water in the Rathupaswela area.
UNP General Secretary Tissa Attanayake issued a statement on behalf of the UNP early this week calling for an international probe.
Rajapaksa, who is also Secretary to the Urban Development Ministry, said that army headquarters and the police were in the process of conducting separate investigations into the circumstances under which troops had opened fire on the crowd.
Three persons, namely K. A. Akila Dinesh Jayewardene (17), Ravishan Perera (18) and Nilantha Pushpakumara (29) succumbed to their injuries suffered during the crackdown.
The Defence Secretary insisted that the army moved in only after IGP N. K. Illangakoon had requested Chief of
Defence Staff (CDS) for support. “There is a procedure for deployment of security forces in the absence of emergency. And, on any occasion, the mere presence of troops at trouble spots was enough to prevent untoward incidents. Unfortunately, troops reacted when missiles were thrown at them.”
Responding to a query, the Defence Secretary said that action would be taken against anyone, if found guilty of excesses, though individual acts of soldiers shouldnƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢t be allowed to tarnish the image of the army. “There are elements resentful of the popularity of the armed forces and President Rajapaksa. We are mindful of their strategy.”
The call for international probe was meant to bolster the campaign for an external war crimes probe against the armed forces. The bottom line was that those who had been gunning for the government over alleged war crimes since the conclusion of the conflict in May 2009 were now using the Weliweriya incident to justify their allegations, Rajapaksa said.
An irate Rajapaksa pointed out that the Opposition was working overtime to compare the Weliweriya incident with the final battle against the LTTE on the banks of the Nanthikadal in May 2009. He stressed that there was no similarity between the two incidents.
The Defence Secretary regretted that the Opposition had also likened the difficulties experienced by residents of Rathupaswela to those of those deprived of water by the LTTE when Prabhakaran ordered the closure of Mavil-Aru anicut in July 2006. The Defence Secretary said that the Opposition had also demanded that United Nations Human Rights Commissioner Navi Pillay, who was scheduled to visit the country later this month, visit Weliweriya instead of North to inquire into human rights violations. He was responding to a statement attributed to UNP Gampaha District MP Karu Jayasuriya.
The Defence Secretary acknowledged that Rathupaswela residents had a genuine grievance as their water sources were polluted. Having admitted the problem faced by the people, he alleged that an interested party possibly including some of those dismissed from the factory on disciplinary grounds had made the people think the Hayleys Group was responsible for polluting their water.
Following a meeting chaired by him on Aug. 6 at the Ministry of Defence, the management of the factory had agreed to suspend operations pending investigations into polluted water, the Defence Secretary said. “We agreed to get the Industrial Technology Institute, the National Water Supply and Drainage Board, the Geological Survey and Mines Bureau, the University of Moratuwa and the University of Kelaniya to investigate and find out the causes of low pH level in the well water in the area”
The Defence Secretary said an agreement had been reached in the presence of about 35 persons from the Weliweriya area, including Parish priest of Weliweriya, Rev. Fr. Lakpriya Nonis. Fr. Nonis would be able to explain what transpired at the Defence Ministry in the run-up to the protest taking a violent turn, Rajapaksa said.
The trouble started at Weliweriya only after the successful conclusion of the talks at the Defence Ministry, the Defence Secretary said “There were some people who resented our efforts to tackle the issue. Those at the meeting could explain the measures taken to settle the issue,” he added.
The official said that the government had gone to the extent of closing the factory pending comprehensive testing of water samples. “We didnƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢t hesitate to suspend its operations in spite of heavy financial losses to the owning company and impact on the economy as we felt we had to take immediate action to bring relief to the public.”
The Defence Secretary noted that Rev. Fr. Nonis, present at the discussion, had alleged that the army went on the rampage at Weliweriya causing death and destruction.
Meanwhile, Ananda Panwila, Additional Director of Industrial technology Institute (ITI) yesterday told The Island that the ITI was in the process of checking water samples. According to him, the ITI had obtained water samples from wells 300, 600 and 1,000 meters away from the factory soon after the trouble erupted. Panwil said:”We have completed testing water samples taken from wells 300 m away from the factory and are in the process of testing water samples taken from wells 600 m away. We collected water samples from wells 1,000 m away from the factory today.”
August 8th, 2013 at 2:31 pm
“The Defence Secretary noted that Rev. Fr. Nonis, present at the discussion, had alleged that the army went on the rampage at Weliweriya causing death and destruction.”
GOOD!
August 8th, 2013 at 2:33 pm
“The Defence Secretary regretted that the Opposition had also likened the difficulties experienced by residents of Rathupaswela to those of those deprived of water by the LTTE when Prabhakaran ordered the closure of Mavil-Aru anicut in July 2006.”
Whoever said that, it is the SAME EFFECT.
People want clean water not bullets!
August 8th, 2013 at 3:20 pm
There is absolutely no way that Weliweriya can be compared with what happened in Nanthikadal.
By saying this we are giving ammunition to our enemies.
Weliweiya should not and must not be linked with the alleged war crimes atrocities against the Army. They are two different events, poles apart.
Army did not kill 40,000 or a lesser number of innocent Tamils in the North. This is the truth. Dr Navi Pillai and her team should make a firm investigation this time; she will find out the truth. The Government must afford all facilities for her to conduct an impartial investigation. If she is fair-dinkum and brave, she must tell the world the truth before leaves Sri Lanka.
Welcome to Sri Lanka Madam!
We conducted the most disciplined war that no other recent Army has ever conducted.
Weliweriya was a civil dispute. They should NEVER happen again (I mean the civilian deaths).
August 8th, 2013 at 4:24 pm
I agree with Chanaka except for 2 things.
1. “Weliweiya must not be linked with the alleged war crimes atrocities against the Army.”
Weliweiya should not be linked with the alleged war crimes atrocities against the Army. Apples and pineapples.
BUT Weliweiya WILL BE linked with the alleged war crimes atrocities against the Army. These anti-SL terrorists are ACTIVELY LOOKING FOR ANYTHING that can be used against SL. Govt. has given them ammunition.
When TAMIL NP comes she WILL GO to Weliweriya. Remember she is a TAMIL RACIST hell bent on discrediting SL for wiping out her BELOVED LTTE.
2. “Dr Navi Pillai and her team should make a firm investigation this time; she will find out the truth. The Government must afford all facilities for her to conduct an impartial investigation. Welcome to Sri Lanka Madam!”
No way! NO investigation by this PRO-LTTE TAMIL terrorist and her BIASED TEAM.
ANY investigation must be by SLs. Otherwise it will not be independent.
But this woman should be taken to TAMIL GHETTOS in Wellawatta, Kotahena, Dehiwala, Wattala, Negombo. She should also go to DISPLACED MUSLIM villages in Puttlam.
August 8th, 2013 at 6:16 pm
SHE MUST ALSO BE TAKEN TO NANDIKADAL AREA, AND ASKED TO CHECK ON THE 40,000 (forty thousand) GRAVES, TAKE PHOTOS, AND SHOW THE WORLD, AND SHOUT, I found them, I found them.
August 8th, 2013 at 6:24 pm
By calling for an ‘International Investigation’, even though they kept silent when the LTTE blocked Mavil Aru for months, denying water to farms and many thousands of families, UNP’s Tissa Attanayake has now let the ‘cat out of the bag’, exposing the anti Sri Lankan politics his group is engaged in. I wonder why there is no such international investigation called on worst shootings taking place in India, Turkey, Afghanistan, Bahrein, Saudi Arabia, Libya, Iraq etc
I also, believe that Navi Pillai will be happy that the Ranil’s faction of the UNP is trying to internationalise this local issue as a gift for her. She in fact, need not visit Weliveriya as she probably already have a distorted draft report on the incident to discredit the Govt and security forces.
It is amazing to see the same groups including FUTA, BASL, US & UK embassies come out with statements to internationalise any issue, just to make things difficult for the Govt and security forces, that ushered in real peace for these unpatriotic people as well as the entire nation.
August 8th, 2013 at 6:30 pm
“We conducted the most disciplined war that no other recent Army has ever conducted.”
That is what we were told. Nationalism and our sense of patriotism made us swallow hook, line and sinker everything that was presented and represented to us all the time. We glorified the army as an embodiment of our national pride. None of us saw army behaviour in the north. It was what ‘our people’ said as against what ‘the other people’ said. Whereas WE SAW what happened in Weliweriya. We also hear the LIES ‘our people – the ones on top’ are propagating about the incidents. Now we KNOW that there is an abysmal gap between what happened and what ‘our people’ tell us happened.
We SAW how what we believed with whole heart and soul to be ‘the most disciplined’ army conducted its operation at Weliweriya. Belief is about what we do not see. Now WE SAW and belief must fly out of the window.
“There is absolutely no way that Weliweriya can be compared with what happened in Nanthikadal.” …”Weliweriya was a civil dispute. They should NEVER happen again (I mean the civilian deaths).”
What matters is NOT the nature of the dispute. What is in issue is the behaviour of ‘the most disciplined army’ that was our pride. That “Weiweriya was a civil dispute” only aggravates what the army did that fatal day. Certainly what the army did at Weliweriya CAN be compared to what we now CAN IMAGINE as having happened in the north. It is from the visible that we go to the invisible and imaginary. Now what we SAW had rent asunder the veil of invisibility and imagination. It is what we SAW that we tack on what we once believed. What we saw was a BRUTAL army unleashing its instinctive murderous impulses against civilians in its most primitive, pristine sadistic manner.
The behaviour of the army inside the Catholic church and its ferocity against the priests and the nun, the total desecration of the place of worship with stains and even pools of blood within, now mitigates Rayappu Joseph’s decision to carry the statue of the Virgin of Madhu from a vandalizing force to the safety of LTTE territory. Brutes when unleashed act like brutes. That is how the army acted…like primitive brutes. This we now KNOW because we SAW.
It is day dreaming to think that the Pillai woman is going to conduct an inquiry regarding the allegations against the ‘most disciplined army’ of ours. Her look around will be the most superficial possible due to time constraints. Furthermore if we are all bent on Pillai conducting an ‘impartial’ inquiry, why are we loathed to allow an international tribunal or team appointed by her to conduct the same inquiry? Does it not amount to the same?
There comes a time when nationalism and patriotism have to bow before the real evidence, or we will be in the position of the Germans under Nazi rule who bowed to everything that the rulers did until they realized that their entire country had been reduced to rubble.
Mario Perera
Kadawata
August 8th, 2013 at 7:05 pm
“There comes a time when nationalism and patriotism have to bow before the real evidence, or we will be in the position of the Germans under Nazi rule who bowed to everything that the rulers did until they realized that their entire country had been reduced to rubble.”
This is true.
We all should have OUR OWN little compasses.
Look at a compass. It turns NORTH (etc.) no matter where or what time you place it.
We should INDEPENDENTLY know what is RIGHT and what is WRONG.
I often wonder WHY there were NOT ENOUGH Germans in 1930s to 1945 to say NO.
The problem here is LACK of nationalism and patriotism. IF nationalism and patriotism were there, NO ONE would have commanded the army to shoot live bullets, shoot at a church, assault nuns, tell them filth, SMASH cameras, etc.
Loyalty to everything the army does is NOT patriotism.
Our little individual moral compass points to patriotism. What the army did in Weliweriya is WRONG.
Politicians have now WORSENED it by claiming people shot the army and saying it is a FACT OF LIFE.
August 8th, 2013 at 8:36 pm
Every Day, in Every Way, More & More of the Monstrous Atrocities committed by the Tamil Tigers with the support of the Eelamist Diaspora and the Tiger Nominated Agents of the TNA are EXPOSED!
Most of the Military Leaders of the LTTE and their late unlamented SunGod have paid with their lives for these atrocities.
But WHEN … OH WHEN, I ask… are those in hiding abroad in the Sri Lankan Tamil Diaspora, and in Sri Lanka posing as PERMANENT VICTIMS agitating for POLITICAL POWER to be DEVOLVED to them, are going to be held ACCOUNTABLE for their roles in the MURDER & MAYHEM they inflicted on the innocent citizens of Sri Lanka?
Is the GOSL going to DEVOLVE POWER to these murderers via PC Elections so they can do it again?
WHY … OH, WHY., I ask .. are they not being HARRIED FROM PILLAR TO POST, INVESTIGATED, ARRESTED, PROSECUTED, CONVICTED and PUNISHED to the MAXIMUM for their AWFUL CRIMES and TREASON against their country?
Is it NOT OBVIOUS that TERRORIST SEPARATISTS UNPUNISHED are TERRORIST SEPARATISTS ENCOURAGED!
…………….
Dark deeds of Tamil Tigers come to light after 4 years
Qadijah Irshad
KhaleejTimes.com
August 8, 2013
Four years after the end of the war, the Sri Lankan police have arrested a man who revealed the gruesome torture and murder of over 85 prisoners, most of them Tamils, by the Tamil Tiger terrorist group.
Last Saturday the police nabbed a Tiger suspect evading arrest, who provided detailed accounts of massacres of prisoners of war and renegade Tiger combatants, committed by the Tamil Tigers. Three other former Tiger cadres currently in custody corroborated the story, police officials said. According to a statement given by the former rebel to the police, most of the 85 prisoners were ethnic Tamils made up of rebels, some Tamil civilians, an army captain and a high profile Tamil intelligence officer attached to the Sri Lankan police.
The death of Jeyaratnam
Of the prisoners held captive and subsequently shot and burnt in a pyre, was the intelligence officer attached to the Sri Lankan police, T. Jeyaratnam, said the rebel.
Jeyaratnam, an ethnic Tamil from Northern Jaffna was serving in the Sri Lankan police special intelligence unit. Known as “Scotland” Jeyaratnam, he was a key investigator of the activities of the Tamil Tigers with an extensive knowledge of the rebels and their operational methods.
With a knack for tracking down terrorist operatives, he had cracked open cases relating to assassinations and bombings and was instrumental in arresting key Tiger cadres and unearthing explosives caches in Colombo. A top target on the terrorist hit list, Jeyaratnam disappeared from Colombo in 2005, suspected to have been abducted by the Tamil Tigers.
According to the captured rebel, Jeyaratnam was abducted and taken to Kilinochchi, the former terrorist capital in the North, and was executed a year later in a jungle in Vallipuram, Pudukuduirippu. “Several other captives including an army captain, Tamil civilians and Tiger cadres who were suspected of betraying the Tamil Tigers were detained in the Vishwamadu prison compound,” said the former Tiger in his statement.
“In May 2006, 30 of the captives were taken blindfolded to the Oddusuddan jungle and were shot dead. Another group of about 50 prisoners were executed in the same location two months later. Bodies of all the victims were piled together and burned,” he said.
The former rebel confirmed that the army captain who had been imprisoned in a sprawling prison camp in Thottiadi, Vishvamadu, was also executed in 2009, just before the end of the war.
Secret prisons and assassinations
During the three decade conflict, Velupillai Prabhakaran, the Tiger leader ran an entire government in the North. The Tamil Tigers operated their own legal system, parliament, police and security forces, sang their own national anthem and operated vast secret prisons the existence of which no civilian knew of. A visit to one of the secret prisons run by the Tamil Tigers in Vishwamadu, Kilinochchi, where some of the 85 victims were incarcerated reveals the fate of the prisoners. The drawings and graffiti on the walls of families, a woman carrying an infant, a beautiful damsel, churches, verses from the Bible and words of hope and prayer tell their own story. The names and dates of suicide bombing missions inscribed on many of the walls can mean only one thing. The prisoners were trained suicide Tigers who refused to go on a mission.
According to former cadres, in 2009, as the Tamil Tigers anticipated defeat, most of the prisoners in the six single prison cells and 20 group cells which could house 68 prisoners in Vishwamadu, were shot dead, and their bodies burnt.
And it was not an isolated incident. Last month a Northern court in Vavuniya indicted two Tiger intelligence officers for the ruthless killing of 26 Sri Lankan military men during the final phase of the war.
Eighteen Sri Lankan navy and eight army soldiers were held captive at a Tamil Tiger torture camp in Puthukudiyiruppu. The two Tiger cadres had been assigned to capture, torture and interrogate injured soldiers who had penetrated into Tiger territory during the final battle in 2009.
Although the torture camp was protected by mines and claymores, on orders from their chiefs, the two Tiger cadres built a five foot high, 10 foot long pyre, lined up the blindfolded soldiers against it and shot them.
August 8th, 2013 at 8:47 pm
While Tamil Nadu politicians PUBLICLY SUPPORT the Creation of a Tamil Eelam in Sri Lanka, WHY DOES THE GOSL hold PC Elections in Sri Lanka to DEVOLVE POWER to the Tiger Nominated Agents of the TNA who work HAND-IN-GLOVE with the TESO to DIVIDE Sri Lanka?
WHY?
Incurable STUPIDITY … That is Why!
…………………
Boycott Commonwealth Summitt: TESO
TheHindu.com
Aug 08 (PTI) Raising the pitch on the Lankan Tamils issue and attacks on Tamil Nadu fishermen, the DMK chief M. Karunanidhi-led Tamil Eelam Supporters Organisation on Thursday staged protests across Tamil Nadu demanding that the Centre boycott the Commonwealth meeting slated to be held in Colombo this November.
Criticising the Centre for being ‘silent’ , the DMK chief, whose party pulled out of the UPA in March last on the Lankan Tamils issue, said it should not dismiss the protests as ‘mere gatherings’ in various places and “those in power should know that there is a limit to patience.”
“Centre should not take this lightly as mere gatherings in Chennai, Tiruchirapalli, Madurai, Thanjavur, Nagapattinam, Tirunelveli, Coimbatore and Salem. Sri Lanka, too, which is hoping for Centre’s support, should not think that way…” Mr. Karunanidhi said addressing a gathering in Chennai.
The DMK patriarch alleged that everyday fishermen from the state were being shot, killed and abducted and their catch seized and boats damaged.
“For how many days will the Centre remain silent? For how long do we have to tolerate this? Those in power should know that there is a limit to patience.”
The organisation, revived by Mr. Karunanidhi last year, had resolved to press the Centre to boycott the Commonwealth Head of Governments Meeting (CHOGM) in view of the alleged war crimes against Tamils in Sri Lanka in 2009.
It had also called for action from the Centre to take steps to protect Indian fishermen from “being attacked and abducted by the Lankan armed forces.” “If even for this the Centre remains silent, who do we turn to for support and help?” Mr. Karunanidhi asked.
He urged the Centre to come forward to protect Tamils, their arts, their culture and fishermen.
The TESO had insisted that India take the responsibility in ensuring that the island government did not dilute the 13th Amendment on devolution of powers, which was part of the 1987 Rajiv Gandhi-Jayawardhane accord.
August 9th, 2013 at 6:28 am
Well stated, Gota !
Why is the Opposition calling for an International Investigation ? This is an internal matter. We do NOT want to be re-Colonised or the country split up. Neither do we want GoSL & the Army discredited, particularly at a time of Tamil Separatist aspirations.
The intention of the Weliweriya incident appears to be PLANNED de-stabilisation of the country, just like the 1983 Riots (enabled TAMIL EXODUS to west). We suspect that the Weliweriya incident was a TRAP to discredit the Army & the GoSL and give plus points to Tamil Separatists. Some of the 1983 players are still here too.
Some points to note :
(1) The violence started AFTER the talks were concluded between govt. and the representatives of the affected people.
(2) The violence was started IN THE DARK OF NIGHT by some people who WANTED violence, shooting FIRST at the army and throwing petrol bombs at the army. The army merely reacted in self defence.
(3) That 3 people died is deeply regretted, but we still do NOT know who killed these people i.e. both sides were shooting. We have to await the Army report on this.
(4) Some of the well waters of Weliweriya have had a high pH level from just a few weeks ago causing some ill health (no deaths), but the glove factory has existed for some 18 yrs with no pollution from the factory previously. Why pollution at this point in time ?
Far more Serious water pollution has happened in 3 of the Provinces adjoining the Central province causing CKD in thousands of people, but NO violence took place in those areas. Why is that ? Also, the water pollution in these areas have been going on for some 20 YEARS with NO ACTION taken by UNP or SLFP (Premadasa, CBK/Ranil) and other previous govts during the last 20 yrs. – probably because everyone was busy sorting out Tamil Grievances ? !!. NO ONE protested.
The present govt. has addressed the CKD problem fairly well, but much more has to be done such as installation of Reverse Osmosis systems with pipe borne water, perhaps for all Provinces. A long term project, but a worthy one. Water problems must take top priority for the entire Parliament of Sri Lanka, not just for the govt. What the Opposition can do is to request CHOGM to chip in for RO water systems for Lanka.
(5) There is a LABOR problem affecting Sri Lanka too. Cheap Labor from Tamil Nadu (Tamil illegal migrants) is not the solution as it affect SECURITY issues as well as having a permanent de-stabilising effect due to Tamil Separatism by Tamil leaders. Existing LOCAL labor must be called in for talks with GoSL & Opposition, and their grievances sorted out.
(6) Govt. may have to ban all protest meetings till CHOGM is over and Army use rubber bullets only with tear gas in internal riots. Otherwise, unscrupulous elements will continue to trap and discredit the armed forces & GoSL even in the future.
No govt is perfect, but we have to aim for better.
Above written with good intent aiming for welfare of all Sri Lankans. “Truth wins”, however long it takes.
August 9th, 2013 at 6:53 am
P.S.: Those who organise protest rallies will have to make sure that NO ACTS OF VIOLENCE will take place through their protestors. Leaders of the protest rallies ought to be held responsible for all acts of protestors. In future, permission should be sought from the Police or Army to hold protest meetings with leaders of those meetings answerable for entire group by giving signed copies of peaceful gathering only to Police or Army. Acts of violence by the public ought to lead to severe punishment. We hope those who actually fired at the army & police in the Weliweriya incident are caught and charged with undue violence leading to loss of life.
Wonder what the London (UK) or New York (USA) or Paris (France) police & army would have done if protestors shot at the police & army there and threw petrol bombs ??? !!!
August 9th, 2013 at 9:39 am
Hello Fran Diaz,
There are some more reason to believe there was a well rehearsed conspiracy to bring disrepute to Army and the govt at this crucial time i.e, NPC elections & CHOGM.
(7) The Catholic church is openly blaming the Army, tries to show it as a serious violation of HR and demonize SL Army. We must not forget that Catholic population is very much concentrated in Weliweriya area having a very active church activity is going on there. The suicide bomber who tried to kill former Army Commander SF was temporaly sheltered in Weliweriya before she blasted her-self inside Army HQ in Colombo. And more, anti-LTTE Tamil minister (Jeyaraj F) was assasinated while he was about to start a marathon race in that area.
(8) As soon as the DM published photos of the scenes in Weliweliya the following day, one diaspora commentator stated that the situation is exactly the same as that prevailed from Mankulam to kilinochchi prior to May 2009.
(9) A die-hard Catholic commentator in this column has justified the removal of Madhu Statue by Rayappu Joseph to LTTE held are in order to prevent it from discrediting by the SL Army.
Food for thoughts!!
August 9th, 2013 at 11:08 am
Since the moment this Weliveriya water protest commenced and ended in a tragic way, the print and electronic media were inundated with articles and comments based on the contents as well as “singled out and personal opinions”. I have been reading mostly the comments (not that I have excluded the main articles) and I must thank ALOY in making reference to the category called the “HIRELINGS”.
My attention was drawn to one particular comment referring to the MAVI-ARU, in that , how some made their best attempt and showed awesome skill in eloquence to compare that incident with this Weliveriya protest. However when the facts are unfolding those “HIRELINGS” have begun to change the tune and orchestrate a different soft tune to hide away from identification. Yet I wish to remind them that it is not easy to “hide” away, because, according to a village saying, we know how to identify the “difference between the sound of a door cracking noise and the noise of a fart”.
These “HIRELINGS” can now join the movement organized by the Opposition Parties and other civil societies who have come up with the slogan ‘”ENOUGH IS ENOUGH”. For their information the “First MASSIVE Protest” will be staged in front of the Fort Railway station. A call to HIRELINGS. Please join them. You will be more comfortable with them and good luck.
August 9th, 2013 at 11:22 am
Indrajith,
That is why I said : “Some of the 1983 players are still here too”.
August 9th, 2013 at 12:04 pm
Fran, one more point to consider.
(10) None of the protestors were killed. All three were by standers who were waiting for busses to go home. Moreover, two of them are teenage students which bring a lot of outcry and sympathy towards them from all over the world and a lot of wrath for the army. Also, it happened immediately after the govt. of SL initiated the legal action against some SFT personnel involved in the death of 5 Trincomalee students. There’s a good opportunity to show to the world that the Trincomalee death were also done by the armed forces.
August 9th, 2013 at 12:49 pm
Doug, doesn’t the UNP who ordered to shoot at peaceful demonstration let by Dhambarawe Rathansara killing him on the spot in Colombo 3 has any shame to conduct massive protests against this incident which was truly violent and provoked armed forces to retaliate?
Also, please correct point 9 in my previous comment!. it should read as LTTE held area not ‘are’
August 9th, 2013 at 12:51 pm
Sorry, one more correction! Not let by D.R BUT ‘led by Dhambarawe Rathanasara Thero’.
August 9th, 2013 at 1:27 pm
Indrajith: Thanks for reminding that incident. That is why I said those “HIRELINGS” could easily be accommodated with that bunch of “Shameless” protestors and leave some of the electronic media to be used by well informed analysts who could cater to the needs of the people who want to form independent opinion.
August 9th, 2013 at 2:08 pm
Indrajith,
More the pity that bystanders teenagers at that, died for nothing in a crossfire. As I said let’s wait for the Army report on this
incident.
I have said before under a previous article, the Church when asked to help, helps itself.
Also, Tamil Caste Wars which earlier rode on the back of the Cold War, is now riding on the back of Resources (Sri Lanka’s Resources in this case, especially new found ones), and on the backs of those who like our Resources. India is only too happy to have Tamil Nadu dance macabre caste war with Lanka – ‘divide & rule’, India style.
August 9th, 2013 at 2:51 pm
Army shooting unarmed civilians TO DEATH, assaulting nuns, firing on to a church, smashing cameras, using filth to priests who were NOT involved in violence, etc. are WRONG.
MARK MY WORD the govt. will do an investigation and punish these army officers. I’m not going to tell anything more.
It may not happen tomorrow but it WILL conclude within 6 months.
This will acceptance of guilt.
August 9th, 2013 at 7:51 pm
Mr. Indrajith ?
You wrote: (9) A die-hard Catholic commentator in this column has justified the removal of Madhu Statue by Rayappu Joseph to LTTE held are in order to prevent it from discrediting by the SL Army.
Your verbosity reflects on your nature and education, Indrajith. As much as eight words when you could simply have written Mario Perera.
Since when do you contribute your two cents to these columns Indrajith?
“The die-hard Catholic commentator in this column” you refer to too, has been a member of this forum for well over a decade, not only as a commentator with bits and splashes like you but with lead articles that have caught the attention of people of learning the world over. For your information, Indrajith (whatever your surname), NO ONE (until you rushed in like a fool where angels fear to tread) has during more than this decade of my presence on this forum has called me ‘the die-hard Catholic commentator or even a Catholic commentator or just a Catholic. Do you know why Indrajithl? It is because debates are centered around arguments and NOT around the pros and cons, imagined or otherwise, of individuals taking part.
Would you also know, Indrajith, about the saying that when people have nothing to say or the same old thing to harp on like cows chewing the cud, they attack or cast innuendos on personalities? In other words that they spit into the sky? Of course you would know where the spittle end up, or do you?
Who I am and what I am is too abstruse for you to figure out Indrajith. So maybe it is time for your learn to control the ‘tongue’ that is your pen and not to let it wag like a dog in expectancy of a stray bone.
Mario Perera
Kadawata
August 9th, 2013 at 8:36 pm
We have to keep ethnicity and religion of commentators SEPERATE.
They have nothing to do with the discussion.
We are NOT racists to throw racial insults.
August 10th, 2013 at 8:23 am
RANIL IS IN A STATE OF SENILE DECAY. HE HAS NO MORAL AND PHYSICAL STRENGTH TO PUT UP A FIGHT.
SO, HE IS CONSTANTLY IN SEARCH OF THE PROVERBIAL, “SUDU MUGATIYA ” TO FIGHT FOR HIM.
August 11th, 2013 at 7:46 am
Joint Opposition is leading Sri Lanka to hell aided by interested others.
August 12th, 2013 at 6:36 am
Hi Mario,
I am loath to counter responding your comment on me but compelled to give a few answers only to your queries.
1. Yes, I admit I started to comment in this column very recently although I knew the presence of this website for sometimes now and it is doing a great service to the nations. Sorry, I can do only ‘bits and splashes’ at the movement due to time constraints.
2. I’ve a great Sinhalese surname which is not borrowed from Portuguese or Dutch but it is not relevant here.
3. If you’re contributing to this website educating people all over the world for a long time it is great! I’ve no dispute about it.
4. You’ll agree that any authority in SL govt. or the armed forces will pay me for ‘bits and splashes’, therefore the matter of expecting ‘stray bones’ won’t come true. However, I think your writings are so long as to expect such rewards from whatever source.
5. From time to time, I put my ‘bits and splashes’ out of my sheer love for my motherland and its armed forces. Not for anything else!
6. I don’t want to further engage in with you over this issue. Thank you, Mario!
Indrajith – Osaka
August 12th, 2013 at 8:51 am
Dear Indrajith,
Please excuse me for whatever I wrote in the heat of the moment. I have hurt your feelings and I regret it very much.
Mario Perera
Kadawata
August 12th, 2013 at 10:32 am
No problem, Mario. I understand. I too hurt your feelings! Sorry about it! Let’s be friends!
You’re another patriot.
Indrajith
August 12th, 2013 at 7:59 pm
Thank you Indrajith
Your kind words have relieved me of a burden that weighed heavily in my head.
I am a much older man than you and should have known better.
With my warmest feelings
Mario
August 13th, 2013 at 5:01 am
Mario, you’re very welcome!
You’ve a good heart, that’s why so much pain.
I too learned a good lesson not to hurt feelings of other patriots in the future.
I think I was too rush to put up my comments. These are very emotional times as you said.
Have a good day!
Indrajith
August 14th, 2013 at 1:36 pm
Opposition held a SUPER MASSIVE protest against Weliweriya killings, etc. yesterday.
The LARGEST opposition rally EVER for over 5 years!!
People have decided. The govt. DUG ITS OWN GRAVE and gave the DEAD opposition a new life.
Govt. allowed the opposition to come BETWEEN the govt. and the people.
This has another problem. Tamilians in the north have their close relatives in Colombo and some live in both places. Now they too are convinced the massive support of NON TAMILS against the govt. If they had ANY suspicion of govt. getting even 20% of the NPC vote, now they will not.
At least now we must ADMIT the WELIWERIYA STUFF UP.
BEFORE it is reflected in election results!!!