By : A.A.M.NIZAM – MATARA

The question being asked by everyone devoid of party politics is why Vijayakala Maheswaran is so precious for the UNP for the Prime Minister Ranil Wickremasinghe, UNP General Secretary Akkila Viraj Kariyawasam, the loquacious Rajitha Senaratne and the frog in the well known as Gonjan” Ramanayake to defend her while many UNP MPs have criticised her recent speech in which she has urged for the revival of the LTTE in the North and East?

Vijayakala is the widow of T. Maheswaran, who was a ship owner who transported goods from Colombo to Jaffna and a Member of Parliament who was assassinated by the Eelam People’s Democratic Party, a government backed Tamil paramilitary group, in January 2008. The assassin John Pauline Wellington, was a former LTTE intelligence carder and was sentenced to death.

During the 2015 election she was accused of along with dean of the Faculty of Law, University of Colombo V. T. Thamilmaran helping a Paedophile who was found guilty of gang raping and murder of a young girl Sivaloganathan Vithya in Jaffna. High Court Judge N. Illancheliyan, in his ruling, noted that Vijayakala had taken steps to secure the release of the main accused when he was captured by residents following the rape and murder.

The United National Party (UNP) group leader for Jaffna district Vijayakala Maheswaran denied reports that one of her campaign vehicle No 65-9815 was exhibiting a poster of the Tamil Ealam map.

Reports said that she strongly denied accusation leveled by the High Priest of Naga Vihara in Jaffna that she had told media that under the UNP rule all police stations in the North would be closed. Down.

Making a special statement in Parliament, the Prime Minister said that what action should be taken against the State Minister Vijayakala would be decided after a meeting with her. Defending the bias attitude displayed by the Speaker in preventing the Parliamentarians to demonstrate their protests amid express their condemnation he said that the Speaker had already taken steps to hold an inquiry with regard to the matter. Referring to the commotion made by the Joint Opposition MPs in Parliament Ranil has said that strict action should be taken against their behaviour.  What he had implied was that pro separatist, terrorist elements are free to say anything under his neo liberal democracy and people in the South should not make any protests over such utterances.

The General Secretary of the UNP Akila Viraj Kariyawasam has said that he spoke to Vijayakala and she has made the alleged speech under emotions and severe stress over the rape and murder of a child in Jaffna and he cannot find fault in her speech.

The political chamelom, loquacious Rajiha Senaratnw who in an earlier occasion described Tiger Terroriss as our own children has said that the Anunayake thero of the Asgiriya asking for a Hitler rule and Vijayakala’s demand for a Probhakaran rule are same and there is nothing wrong in her statement.

The frog in the well known as Gonjan” Ramanayake has held a media conference and during which he has contacted Vijayakala over the phone and has carried out a shameless lovers’ chat defending her.

UNP MP, Kavinda Jayawardena, whose father Dr. Jayalath Jayawardene was the most ardent tiger terrorist supporter next to Ranil Wickremasinghe and even addressed LTTE gatherings in Canada and London has said that he feels that Vijayakala  might have become an ally of the extremist groups in the South and has made her statement in a bid to end the controversy surrounding The New York Times article on Mahinda Rajapaksa and the Hambantota Port. And he wonders if Mr. Mahinda Rajapaksa is behind this..

Commenting on the issue the former President Mr. Mahinda Rajapaksa has asked the government whether thousands of security forces and police personnel sacrificed their lives and limbs for it to welcome the revival of the LTTE. He has pointed out that Vijayakala’s statement clearly showed her motive and the masses were quite aware of her dreams of a Tiger revival.  He has further stated that no right thinking person in this country will forget the services rendered by the security forces during the 30-year civil strife and has added that Security forces, the police as well as the public are disgusted at the statement made by an irresponsible State Minister,.

Patriotic people opine that the views expressed Vijayakala during the ‘Janapathi Nila Mehewara’ gathering in Jaffna, in the presence of the Foreign Affairs Minister Tilak Marapana and Home Affairs Minister Vajira Abeygoonewardene is extremely seditious. They point out that stopping short of calling for separation, she claimed “Now we remember how we lived before May 18, 2009. In the present conditions, she has said that their main intention is to bring back the LTTE. They point out that what she has said was iff they want to live freely, if they want to walk freely, and if they need their children to attend schools and return back”.the need to revive the LTTE They allege that coming from a sitting Member of Parliament and State Minister it pushes the boundaries of free speech to an unacceptable level.. It is hilarious to find a person who was safely ensconced in Colombo with no fear of forcible conscription by LTTE of any of her three children perhaps at least until her husband was killed on January 1sr 2008 about the so-called freedom they had enjoyed under LTTE and she should hae.ve asked that from the mothers of teenagers and young men forcibly conscripted by the LTTE.

The organization of ‘Women for Justice’ demanded the relevant Minister to be sacked and arrested. Addressing a news conference – ‘Women for Justice’ Co-President Sharmila Gonawala said what she had proclaimed could not be condoned because she wanted the LTTE, a prohibited organization to come again and put the people of this county in danger.

We can’t remain silent when such controversial statements were being made by State officials. She must have forgotten the miserable era we had during the time of war. We never want such an era again,” Gonawala said.

She said they hoped to lodge a complaint to the Terrorist Investigation Division (TID) over the statement of the Minister. ‘Women for Justice’ Secretary Savithri Gunasekara said MP Vijayakala is not even eligible to hold the post of MP She being the State Minister of Child Affairs said the children of the North and East would be safer when the LTTE would come again. She has forgotten how the children were deprived of their education and forced to join the LTTE military groups by wearing cyanide capsule during the war,” Gunasekara said. They insisted the Government to take prompt action over her statement

The National Sangha Council has demanded that Vijayakala be arrested immediately over her recent statement in Jaffna, where she called for revival of the LTTE.

NSC National Organiser Ven. Waga Vijitha thera  has said that her declaration reflected the thinking among the UNP and SLFP parliamentary groups which constitute the so-called National Unity Government.

The thera alleged that a section of the government was taking advantage of an extremely weak National Unity Government to promote separatism.

The JVP which is reported to be having closing links with separatist elements in the North now and had joint May Day functions n Jaffna this year has said that the government has created an environment, which is used by people to make various statements similar to the one made by Vijayakala.  Without blaming or condemning her JVP MP and Propaganda Secretary Vijitha Herath has told a media conference that the breaking down of the rule of law had left room for Vijayakala to make such a statement. He has said it was the government which was responsible for the breakdown of rule of law and order.

Sri Lanka’s top constitutional lawyer Manohara de Silva, PC, commenting on the issue said that the Attorney General could file an indictment in accordance with Article 157 A against State Minister for child affairs, Vijayakala Maheswaran. He emphasised that the Attorney General could act on his own and in case the Attorney General refrained from acting in this instance, the Court of Appeal could be moved by an interested party.

The Attorney General could be made to fulfil his obligations by filing a writ of mandamus, Counsel De Silva said..He also stated that in accordance with Article 157 A, indirectly supporting secession was also an indictable offence and the police could not take action as only the Attorney had the power to indict a person. Mr. Manohara de Silva pointed out as there was sufficient evidence that the primary objective of the LTTE was to divide the country on ethnic lines, reviving the terrorist group therefore amounted to encouraging terrorism.

To concude this article, here is an extract from the Lanka Web weekly editorial dated 2^nd July which excellently covers the whole issue:

State Minister of Child Affairs Vijayakala Maheswaran  has had the audacity make a public statement to the effect that the LTTE needs to be revived ‘ which is a mind boggling suggestion by her that is not only treasonous but also a violation which points to a suggested breach in National Security and incitement to the Tamil people to help  reorganize the LTTE  and calls for a full investigation.

There should be zero tolerance towards such irresponsible people especially those holding public office .It is treasonous as it suggests a revival of the ineffective terror group which almost destroyed the Nation but was quelled and annihilated with the brave and concerted efforts of a forceful President and his Armed Forces.

She has said in a public statement obviously with no decorum , insight nor intelligence that quote –

” It is seen that there is a huge need of reorganization of the LTTE in the North and East, while addressing the ‘Janapathi Nila Mehewara’ event at the Weerasingham Hall in Jaffna.

She  has said that reports relating to traces of LTTE reorganizing are heard regularly as a result of the people in the North and the East not willing to discard the LTTE from their hearts”. However it needs to be said that it could well be an expression of her own sentiments where she has no right to such, as it portrays her as an LTTE sympathiser where her puerile dogma is plainly visible and  should never be tolerated remembering the atrocities of the LTTE.

She also says Now we remember how we lived before May 18, 2009. In the present conditions our main intention is to bring back the LTTE If we want to live, if we want to walk freely, if we need our children to attend schools and return back.,” which has a touch of ingratitude to it considering how well the Tamils of Sri Lanka are treated today and perhaps a misinterpretation on her part where she takes kindness for weakness.

She pointed out that a 6-year-old child had been raped and killed and now people feel why they appointed the present President into power.” a whole collection of worthless  albeit typical  LTTE jargon without a semblance of related truth to it beyond speculation and innuendo where the perpetrators of such atrocities could well be LTTE supporters.

She said that they ( presumably the Tamils) had committed a lot to appoint the President ( food for thought indeed ! ! ) and despite not protecting the people, he is working to protect party matters..

PS: Latest reports said that this terrorist tigress has handed over her temporary resignation letter to her confidante Sirisena and the matter should not be allowed to rest with.  People should hold strong demonstrations throughout the country including North shutting down schools, closing down offices and work places including with the participation devoid of party politics demanding to present her in the Courts amid mete out the highest punishment..