The Kumara saga: Govt.'s credibility further eroded

Another major international row over alleged abduction of JVP breakaway group leaders

By Our Political Editor

Most Sri Lankans enjoying the Avurudu festivities may be unaware that the country's security establishment has been preoccupied for weeks now about the changing political firmament. The cause -- as exclusively revealed in the Sunday Times of September 18 last year and for weeks thereafter -- was the split in the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP). Whilst the moderates led by Somawansa Amerasinghe were heading a formidable group, another breakaway faction, equally formidable, was perceived to be taking a militant line. After failing to seize control of the JVP, the latter decided time was now ripe to go its own way by forming a new party and launching a membership drive. Dimuthu in conversation with Gunaratnam via Skype at their party office. Pic by Saman Kariyawasam The leader of that Frontline Socialist Party (FSP) was going to be the elusive 47-year-old Premakumara Gunaratnam better known among his colleagues as Kumara. He was one of the most wanted men in Sri Lanka. He had a number of other aliases. Among them: Ratnayake Mudiyanselage Dayalal, Wanniyakalage Daskon and Kumnara Karunaratne. With just 72 hours before he assumed leadership of the FSP, a heavily armed unknown group abducted Kumara and his party colleague, Dimuthu Attygalle. Coming as it does in less than a month after the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) adopted a resolution calling upon the government to enforce recommendations of the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC), the alleged abduction was breaking news worldwide. The LLRC report had dealt extensively on the need to address human rights issues. read more..