Ex-soldier who set himself on fire in protest against UNHRC probe dies September 3, 2014, 12:00
Posted on September 4th, 2014

By Madura Ranwala  Courtesy Island

Retired army Sergeant (73) who set himself on fire in front of the Kollupitiya police station on Tuesday (September 02) died at the National Hospital, Colombo in the night.

The police identified the victim as Thellambura Vithanage Piyasena of No. 164/2, Pannipitiya Road, Halagoda. The postmortem examination was to be conducted last evening.

Addressing a media conference at the Media Centre of the Ministry of Defence and Urban Development at Kollupitiya, Brigadier Ruwan Wanigasooriya said that he had retired on January 07, 1984 after serving the army for 22 years.

Brigadier said that he was a retired pensioner and had a very clean record.

According to police investigations, he had become a human torch after pouring petrol on himself complaining of unfair war crimes investigations being pressed against Sri Lanka by the UNHRC, the SSP said.

One of his daughters has told police that he had been worried and resentful that the UNHRC had launched ‘an unfair war crimes probe against Sri Lanka’. She has told police that her father told her and her sister that he would even die to defend the President, who had saved the country from terrorism for the benefit of all communities.

A few hours before he died, Piyasena told two TV channels while being treated at the Colombo National Hospital that he wanted to sacrifice his life in this manner because of the anti-Sri Lankan investigations against his motherland and he criticised an opposition Parliamentarian in Matara for partying with the anti-Lankan compaign.

2 Responses to “Ex-soldier who set himself on fire in protest against UNHRC probe dies September 3, 2014, 12:00”

  1. Lorenzo Says:

    This is DISGUSTING.

    SL people are NOT used to self immolation which is a TAMIL, Tibetan and Vietnamese tactic. Now this disgusting practice is spreading in SL. Sickening!

    UNHRC will not give a flying fart. A life wasted.

  2. Nanda Says:

    This foolish man intended to go to Araliyagaha Mandiraya ( President’s Palace), but stopped before because of police wouldn’t allow further.
    Nevertheless this shows the depression and anguish in the minds of soldiers who really fought.
    MR will not give a flying fart. A life wasted.

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