Wednesday, July 31, 2013

VIOLENT DISRUPTION OF EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMME DEMONSTRATES THREAT TO PLURALISM, MULTI-CULTURALISM AND RELIGIOUS TOLERANCE

MEDIA RELEASE-31.07.13

As part of its post-war peace building initiatives the National Peace Council (NPC) has been conducting an educational programme on the LRRC report in different parts of the country, including Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa, Colombo, Matara, Galle, Jaffna, Vavuniya, Mannar, Puttalam, Ampara, Kurunegala, Batticaloa and Trincomalee. These LLRC workshops have been very popular with community leaders and local level government officials of all ethnicities. On Saturday July 27, 2013 a workshop discussion between community leaders and experts on land law and policy conducted by the National Peace Council in Batticaloa was forcibly disrupted by a Buddhist monk of the area and his supporters.

The workshop that was disrupted was part of NPC’s follow-up activities, done at the request of the participants themselves. Its purpose was to educate these community leaders on the government’s rules and regulations and provide a legal point of view on land issues. There were religious leaders and community leaders from resettlement areas representing different ethnic and religious backgrounds. The disruption of the NPC event is similar to that experienced by other civil society groups who have faced similar obstructions. The pattern of incidents that have taken place in the recent past, and of which NPC has been the latest victim, is an indication of the threat to pluralism, multi-culturalism and religious tolerance in the country.

The function of the Police is to act under the Criminal Procedure Code and the Police Ordinance and uphold the Rule of Law. However, the general ethos in cases such as the one NPC encountered is to let the perpetrators off without legal action leaving space for them to act again with impunity. The right to freedom of association and free speech is guaranteed in the constitution. At this time, when the country is preparing for the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Sri Lanka, and also for the Commonwealth People’s Summit (in which NPC is playing a supportive role by being a part of the sub-committee), we ask the government to take the necessary steps to protect the space for civil society groups to function freely, without fear and harassment.

Governing Council
The National Peace Council is an independent and non partisan organization that works towards a negotiated political solution to the ethnic conflict in Sri Lanka. It has a vision of a peaceful and prosperous Sri Lanka in which the freedom, human rights and democratic rights of all the communities are respected. The policy of the National Peace Council is determined by its Governing Council of 20 members who are drawn from diverse walks of life and belong to all the main ethnic and religious communities in the country.

Forgetting Black July

Photo courtesy BBC

I was born ten years after Black July. I am a Singhalese. A week or so ago, as the thirty-year anniversary approached, for curiosity’s sake, I did a small experiment. I asked some of my peers a question: “What do you know about Black July?” Of twenty-two Sinhalese, eighteen did not know what it was. I asked eight Tamil friends, all of whom knew, and had family experiences to share. Here are a few of those responses.

Forgetting Black July by nelvely

Black July: Thondaman & Muttetuwegama

By Rajan Hoole -July 31, 2013

Rajan Hoole

Sri Lanka’s Black July – Part 7 -

The clearest statements about the violence giving the lie to Jayewardene’s line of a spontaneous Sinhalese uprising came in early August from Mr. S. Thondaman, a cabinet minister and leader of the Ceylon Workers’ Congress representing the Hill-Country Tamils in Parliament, and from Sarath Muttetuwegama, the only Communist Party MP in Parliament.

Thondaman’s statement carried in the Sun of 3rd August and also in the Island, was titled “None but the blind can avoid shedding tears” : “At a time when the community of people of Indian origin has been torn asunder of its roots where it had existed for over 100 years, we are constrained to look at the claim which some make that the recent pogroms are a Sinhalese uprising against us … In our thinking it is the work of well organised groups who had gone on the rampage, rioting, looting and setting on fire … It is more than unfortunate that these elements of disaster, these squads of goondas [thugs] and rabble have been allowed to parade the streets freely causing havoc and inflicting misery of such proportions with impunity…” Thondaman thus directly contradicted Jayewardene’s claim of a Sinhalese uprising.

Sarath Muttetuwegama made his speech in Parliament on 4th August when the 6th Amendment banning separatism was taken up for discussion. By then his party along with two others had been banned. He said: “Everybody knows Sir, the houses and the areas that were attacked, that State CTB (Ceylon Transport Board) buses came with thugs. Surely, I am not telling this to make some point. If you go and ask your friends in those areas you will know. Electricity Board vehicles brought thugs to Agalawatte. I am not saying the Electricity Board Chairman or somebody else or the Minister gave an order. That is not the point. The State apparatus was used…”Read More

Part one - Sri Lanka’s Black July: Borella, 24th Evening

Part two - Sri Lanka’s Black July: What Really Happened At Kanatte?

Part three - Black July: ‘Api Suddha Kara’ – JR’s Failure To Declare Curfew

Part four - Sri Lanka’s Black July: The Cover Up

Part five - 30th July 1983: The Second Naxalite Plot

Part six - Black July: The Testimony Of Lionel Bopage, Then General Secretary Of The JVP

*From Chapter 9 of Rajan Hoole‘s “Sri Lanka: Arrogance of Power - Myth, Decadence and Murder”. Thanks to Rajan for giving us permission to republish. To be continued tomorrow ..

Colombo accelerates Sinhala colonisation in Batticaloa: TNA MP

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 30 July 2013, 23:54 GMT]
The Colombo government is accelerating the Sinhala colonization in the Batticaloa district. More than one hundred Sinhalese families were brought down from Ampaa'rai district and have been settled down in Kevu'liya-madu village in Paddippazhai DS division, according to Batticaloa district Tamil National Alliance parliamentarian Mr. P. Selvarasa.

Kevu'liya-madu is a traditional Tamil village.

Tamil farmers were engaged in Cheanai-cultivation (rain fed) in the village since 1970.

They were uprooted from the village several times and lost their belongings when they fled from the village seeking safety elsewhere.

Now, only 21 Tamil families have resettled in the village due to their personal efforts though they were not provided with basic facilities by the Sri Lankan authorities.

Already, 227 Sinhala families are living in the village with voting rights.

The Tamil National Alliance vehemently opposes the move by the government to colonize the village with more Sinhalese from other parts of the island.

Attempts made by the Paddippazhai DS division in taking legal action were proved futile.

The Sinhala settlers ordered by the court to vacate their lands in the village are being provided with houses constructed with bricks.

The Sinhala families living in the village for years also blame that the latest illegal settlement of Sinhalese as disturbing the prevailing ethnic harmony in the village, Mr Selvarasa, who recently visited the village told media.

Batticaloa Mangalarama Viharathipathi Ambitiya Suma Ratna Thera was giving support to the illegal Sinhala settlers.

Colombo government should take immediate steps to evict those Sinhalese families who have encroached lands in the village. The uprooted Tamils and Sinhalese who have been living in the village legally since 1970 should be provided with basic facilities, the TNA parliamentarian said.

Tamils for Obama: Tamil Nadu is the Key to saving Tamils in Sri Lanka

The world reacts only when it cannot continue to ignore a dreadful situation, said Tamils for Obama in a letter to Chief Minister Jayalalithaa of Tamil Nadu. Outsiders reacted to Serbian ethnic cleansing in Kosovo when they could no longer turn their eyes away, and popular opinion in Tamil Nadu will be the key to making the international community notice what is going on with the Tamils of Sri Lanka.

Students of Loyola College during their protest in Chennai, India

We at Tamils for Obama believe that the influence and support of the Tamils in Tamil Nadu and their elected leaders will be decisive in determining the fate of the Tamils in Sri Lanka.

New Yrok, New York (PRWEB) July 30, 2013

"To make the world react to an appalling situation," said a spokesman for Tamils for Obama, "you have to make them see it first. We think that Tamil Nadu--its people and its leaders--will be the ones to make the world see what has been going on in Sri Lanka for decades."

The Tamil American organization wrote a letter to Chief Minister Jayalalithaa of Tamil Nadu urging her, and the people of Tamil Nadu, to continue to draw the world's attention to the persecution of their Tamil cousins in Sri Lanka.

The letter began "We at Tamils for Obama believe that the influence and support of the Tamils in Tamil Nadu and their elected leaders will be decisive in determining the fate of the Tamils in Sri Lanka."

The letter then explained that "The Colombo government's persecution of the Sri Lankan Tamils has always had the aim of minimizing the Tamils' numbers, significance, and cultural weight. The violent oppression of the Tamils has had the aim and result of making those Tamils who can afford to flee leave Sri Lanka for other countries and to make the lives of those Tamils who remain dangerous and miserable. This has been a largely successful ethnic cleansing campaign, and we believe that making the world see it as it is may be the only way to keep it from becoming a totally successful ethnic cleansing campaign. We think that the efforts of our cousins in Tamil Nadu and their leaders will be crucial in pointing the world's eyes toward our distress."

Tamils for Obama then stated their reasoning: "We think that when the world is forced to see a ghastly truth, they sometimes react to put an end to it. When Serbian (Yugoslavian) oppression of the Albanians in Kosovo could no longer be ignored by Europeans, NATO intervened to stop the oppression by Serbia. Tamil Nadu is fortunate to be in a democratic state (India) that hears their voice. India is one of the world's most important countries; when Tamil Nadu forces India to see the atrocities going on at their door step, the rest of the world will have to see also."

The letter concluded "We think that this may be the only way to save Tamil culture and lives, and we think that Tamil Nadu and leaders like yourself will be the key in causing this rescue to happen.

"We thank you and all the people of Tamil Nadu for what you have been doing. You are the Tamils' hope and strength. We urge you to carry on."

Tamils for Obama is a politically active group of Tamil Americans. They believe that over 70,000 Tamil civilians were massacred during the last weeks of the Sri Lankan civil war. They have also watched the behavior of the Sri Lankan Singhalese victors after the war, and strongly conclude that Tamils in Sri Lanka will only be safe when this unfortunate island is divided into two states.

To contact the group, call at (516) 308-2645 and speak to, or leave a message for, the Communication Director, Tamils for Obama.

http://www.TamilsForObama.com

Email: info(at)TamilsforObama(dot)com

Tamils and Palestinians: Parallel realities of occupation

BY KRISNA SARAVANAMUTTU-31 JULY 2013

At the close of 2008, I joined thousands in Toronto to protest Israel’s attack on Gaza, and even spoke at some of the rallies. Like people all over the world, we called for an immediate end to the war. At York University, where I was a student, we mobilized the campus to stop the bombing and to defend Palestinian rights. Only a few months after the siege, the bombs dropped again, but this time, they were falling on my own people – in the Vanni region of northern Sri Lanka. And once again, we hit Toronto’s streets in protest.

Tamils and Palestinians Parallel Realities of Occupation by nelvely

Initiation Of Independent Commissions

By Kamal Nissanka -

Kamal Nissanka

17^th Death Anniversary of Dr Chanaka Amaratunga -July 31, 2013 |

The seventeenth death anniversary of Dr Chanaka Amaratunga , founder leader of the Liberal Party falls on 1^st of August.. He died under tragic circumstances 1996. Among his contributions to constitutional reform debate in Sri Lanka the idea of independent commissions is of great importance though he was not among us to see the passing of the 17^th amendment to the constitution in October 2001 without any serious division in the parliament of Sri Lanka.

The 18^th amendment to the constitution achieved two goals on the part of the incumbent President namely abolition of the constitutional council , related commissions and the lifting of the limits of contesting the presidential election by a president who enjoyed two terms of presidency..

Chanaka

The constitutional council and related commissions enshrined in the 17^th amendment to the constitution was basically initiated by United National Party and Peoples Liberation Front (JVP) with the help of government members of parliament under former President Mrs. Chandrika Kumaratunga. So the passing of the 17^thamendment was unique because it was the first time since the introduction of the 1978 constitution that an amendment was passed in parliament without having a two third majority to the government party. There were lots of shortcomings regarding practical operations of the 17 amendment. This was because of lack of understanding of constitutional theory on the part of the framers of this amendment. Some might have thought that the new amendment would bring a kind of a reduction of power in the hands of former President Mrs. Chandrika Kumaratunga. Yet the spirit shown in the introduction of the 17^th amendment by the former president and members of parliament both government of the day and opposition should be commendable without any hesitation. Read More

‘Lalith Vs Austin’: Response To Dr. Sudath Gunasekara

By Austin Fernando -July 31, 2013

Austin Fernando

A friend drew my attention having seen a response by Dr. Sudath Gunasekara to an article I wrote in Divaina (a response to a Twitter interview by President’s Secretary Mr. Lalith Weeratunga), of which an English translation was published later in Colombo Telegraph (CT). Had Sudath posted his commentary in CT, sometimes I would have responded earlier. In fact, I did so for a response by my friend Mr. Ariyaratna Hewage (Chairman of the Finance Commission), written with his valuable professional finesse.

Summarily, what I wrote was my convictions on how the PCs became to be called ‘white elephants’ and why I tag such consequence to the ‘centralsaddantha white elephants,’ and a plea to the latter to pull the PC white elephants off the muddy groove, for which I invited Lalith to contribute, as a capable person.

Therefore, I was surprised to see Sudath giving a “political battle twist”, with the header ‘Lalith Vs, Austin’, as if my writing was like the ‘Rumble in the Jungle’. Knowing Lalith as a gentleman, I do not think he would have considered my writing in that manner, which was nothing personal. I was entitled to express my convictions like any other. Same entitlement stands in good for Lalith and Sudath too. The culprit for weakening of PCs was not Lalith, but many politicians of all governments, administrators at all levels, media and PC politicians themselves.

TISL wants Polls Chief to prevent abuse of all types of State property

July 31, 2013

Transparency Internat-ional Sri Lanka (TISL) has made an appeal from Election Commissioner Mahinda Deshapriya to prevent the use of all types of State property (including civil and military) in a wrongful manner for election purposes.
TISL Executive Director S. Ranugge in a letter to Election Commissioner also appealed for the guarantee that all candidates contesting the elections declare their assets and liabilities when they submit their nominations.
Following is the full
text from the letter:

Holding an election within a democratic framework provides an excellent opportunity for the public to elect their representatives. In particular, it is a special occasion for the voters in the north who underwent severe hardship during the longstanding conflict. Everyone who respects democracy commends the Government for providing this opportunity.
Transparency International Sri Lanka (TISL) appeals to you to ensure that a free and fair election that will strengthen the confidence of the people is conducted. For this purpose, we earnestly request you to take the following steps:
1. Prevent the use of all types of State property (including civil and military) in a wrongful manner, for election purposes.
2. Guarantee that all candidates contesting the elections declare their assets and liabilities when they submit their nominations.
3. Ensure that public officials on election duty, particularly in the north, are allowed to carry out their legitimate duties without any form of undue influence either from the Government or any other party.
4. Do not permit the appointment or transfer of public officials in the areas where the elections are held, without your approval, and be vigilant about such acts.
We assure that we will extend out fullest cooperation in whatever steps you take in conducting a free and fair election.

Senior police officer seeks political asylum in Australia

[ Wednesday, 31 July 2013, 12:12.43 PM GMT +05:30 ]

Senior police officer of the Sabragamuwa province visited foreign country fail to return home.

Police officer has obtained holiday from the police department on June 29 visit his son at Australia and fail to report to his duty on July 10.
Due to this police department decided to take over the official vehicle on July 16.
Previously this officer served as police media spokes and made controversial statements in the country. Due to this he faced political pressures in the island.
However police department believe that officer might applied for political asylum in Australia and conduct further investigations this regard.

Health Ministry sexual abuse cases handed over to police

Moved aimed at preventing TU interference

By Don Asoka Wjewardena-July 30, 2013, 9:41 pm

The police would be called in to probe all allegations of sexual abuse against health workers, Health Minister Maithripala Sirisena said. The ministry would not handle those investigations, he added.

Minister Sirisena said he had taken that decision to ward off trade union interference.

Addressing a workshop on Gender-Based Violence, organised by the WHO and the Estate Human Development Fund held at Hotel Galadari on Sunday,

Minister Sirisena said trade unions always stepped in to protect culprits whenever a probe into an allegation of sexual abuse was conducted.

Minister Sirisena, however, said there wasn’t a single department or ministry where sexual offences had not been committed. He said he saw many high officials in departments and Ministries never did anything to eliminate sexual offences committed against women in their respective organisations.

Bodu Bala Sena To Recommence Its Battle Against Halal

July 31, 2013

The Bodu Bala Sena will recommence its battle against the Halal Certification to root it out entirely from the country, one of the organisation’s leading monks has pledged.

Galagodaaththe Gnanasara

General Secretary of the BBS, Buddhists monk Galagodaaththe Gnanasara said that although the group had stepped away from the battle against Halal because of the intervention of the Maha Sanga, the problem has not yet been resolved.

He said that although the All Ceylon Jamaiythul Ulema had promised to remove the Halal logo from products in the Sri Lankan market that promise had been broken. Although the authorities were still permitting products bearing the Halal logo to be available in the market.

A Buddhist Monk Sri Lanka | File Photo

uly 31, 2013 |

On Saturday July 27, 2013 a workshop discussion between community leaders and experts on land law and policy conducted by the National Peace Council in Batticaloa was forcibly disrupted by a Buddhist monk of the area and his supporters.

Violent disruption of educational programme demonstrates threat to pluralism, multi-culturalism and religious tolerance, says the Peace Council .

We publish below the NPC statement in full;

As part of its post-war peace building initiatives the National Peace Council (NPC) has been conducting an educational programme on the LLRC report in different parts of the country, including Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa, Colombo, Matara, Galle, Jaffna, Vavuniya, Mannar, Puttalam, Ampara, Kurunegala, Batticaloa and Trincomalee. These LLRC workshops have been very popular with community leaders and local level government officials of all ethnicities. On Saturday July 27, 2013 a workshop discussion between community leaders and experts on land law and policy conducted by the National Peace Council in Batticaloa was forcibly disrupted by a Buddhist monk of the area and his supporters. Read More

Malaka Silva gets a dose of his own medicine: PSD Tissa President’s crony mauls him

(Lanka-e-News-31.July.2013, 6.00PM) It is none other than the Presidential security division (PSD) officer Major Tissa , an extremely close henchman of the President and a group of officers of the forces attached to the Presidential security division who were responsible for the attack launched on Malaka Silva , the son of Minister Dr. Mervyn the notorious vermin, according to information reaching Lanka e news inside information division. Malaka was cut with a knife and assaulted when he was at the parking bay of the ODEL shopping center on 29th.

This same Tissa the favorite of the President was also responsible for the deaths caused by a supposed accident last October at Imbulgoda junction wherein two University students died.

It is the harassment inflicted on Tissa’s lover within ODEL premises by Malaka and his security officer Singha of the Navy that had triggered this attack.

When Tissa’s alluring lover had arrived at ODEL alone , Malaka and Singha had begun teasing by throwing brassieres at her, whereupon she had complained to her powerful Fiancé via her mobile phone. Tissa had then taken 9 members of the PSD in two defender vehicles to pummel the pests who badgered his fiancée . He had arrived at ODEL and moved from his vehicle to the other defender vehicle after parking his own near ODEL gate . The first pest to get pummeled was Singha . After the attack he was forced into a defender vehicle. Malaka like his father who is tough only with his gangsters are around had him turned meek when he realized he was alone . After realizing who he was dealing with he had begun tendering his apologies.

The assailants had in any case tried to give him two or three shots and force him into the defender vehicle when Malaka had taken a Rambo knife from his vehicle and attempted to attack them. Tissa’s group had wrested the knife from Malaka and started cutting his face, body and head. When they were trying to cut his mouth , the onlookers have begun screaming. Instead of the mouth they have cut his face then. At that juncture the police had arrived.

The Tissa group had then abandoned Malaka , and taken Singha along with them . On the way they have thrashed Singha until he pleaded ‘enough is enough’. They have then put him out from the vehicle at Punchi Borella Junction. It is well to recall that it was this same Singha who during the past elections made the opposition party supporters of Kelaniya to kneel down in public and urinated on their heads.

Malaka was of course admitted to hospital . The police is fully aware of all what happened , but they are tight lipped and all what was videoed by the CCTV cameras of ODEL had been deleted.

Lanka e news had in the past exposed the toughie Tissa the bosom pal of President Medamulana Mahinda . Tissa is an individual who had committed crimes on behalf of Medamulana Mahinda ,and been in and out of remand custody over ten times. After he was given appointment in the PSD , he was given a post of Major. It is to be noted he did not become a Major after military training or passing the relevant exams. In his village he is known as Podi Tissa .

Meanwhile Mervyn the vermin who is prepared to sell his soul, honor (if he has any) and even his son only to ingratiate himself into the favor of his Medamulana Lokka , the ‘King Thuttu deke kunu’ who he calls as King Dutugemunu for hypocritical reasons , had gone for the Weliveriya people’s protest campaign yesterday. Mervyn the shameless political pimp who earlier said, his son was discharged from hospital on the 29 th had , for obvious reasons , to score plus points with his ‘King Thuttu deke kunu’ had made a contradictory announcement in Weliveriya ‘ I have come here despite my son being in hospital.’

The putrid history of Mervyn the vermin who would stoop to any level even sniffing Dhutu dhe kunu loin cloths ( stench immaterial) if he can make selfish gains , cannot be forgotten easily:

Mervyn the vermin tied innocents to trees. Afterwards forced that victim to state that he tied himself. Some months later , his demonic son assaulted a Major of the forces until his head was split at several places and then forced the Major to say he was not assaulted by anybody. Now , Malaka is at the receiving end. He has been assaulted by a more powerful group.

Now , it is time for moron Mervyn and his demon son Malaka to say in unison , this assault was launched by Malaka on himself.

All these incidents only go to demonstrate and underscore the lawlessness prevailing under the Medamulana barbaric regime with their favorite brutes like Mervyn indulging in endless violence and crimes with impunity .

Rajapaksa sons attack Mervyn’s son

Details: Created On Wednesday, 31 July 2013 09:56; Category: General

A senior government minister says that there’s speculation that the military style attack on Minister Mervyn Silva’s son, Malaka Silva was carried out by the Rajapaksa sons.
Following Malaka Silva’s attack on an Army Major, Mervyn has ensured that some of his ministerial security division (MSD) personnel always accompany his son. Mervyn Silva has also assigned a Defender vehicle as an escort for the security personnel to accompany Malaka.
In this backdrop, it would only be a Rajapaksa who would have the power to attack Malaka and it is believed that a personal rivalry between Malaka and Namal during St. Thomas’ College days have prompted the attack.
This speculation has increased due to the fact that the CCTV cameras at the Odel clothes store, which is a place frequented by many people, had not recorded the attack on Malaka that took place in the car park.
Meanwhile, addressing a press conference, UNP General Secretary Tissa Attanayake expressed doubts over the security of the public in the country when there are armed groups that attack ministers’ sons and escape.
When inquired as to whom he suspected to have carried out the attack on Malaka, Attanayake has said that people would know very well who is behind the attack when the police fail to take any action to find and take action against the culprits.

Ceylon Today journos manhandled

By Menaka Indrakumar-2013-07-31

Two Ceylon Today journalists were manhandled by Malaka Silva's bodyguards as they were covering the incident where Malaka Silva was assaulted at the premises of a leading shopping mall in Colombo on Monday.

The duo had followed Malaka to the private hospital when they were confronted, threatened and manhandled by the bodyguards till the police had come to their rescue. The journalists – Kasun Ganewatta and Gayantha Wanasinghe – were at the Tower Hall when they were informed about the assault on Minister Mervyn Silva's son. The journalists rushed to the scene to cover the incident. "When entering the shopping mall, we were informed that Malaka Silva was admitted to a private hospital," Kasun said.

Kasun and Gayantha, who immediately rushed to the hospital, had looked for the whereabouts of Malaka.

"As we were unable to find the room that Malaka was admitted to, we followed the officers of the Ministerial Security Division (MSD) who were walking in the corridor. However, the hospital security officer informed the MSD that we were following him," Gayantha said. Kasun had proceeded to the floor where Malaka was admitted and had found Malaka's room guarded by the police and the MSD. Kasun had not proceeded further, as they had the necessary information to write the story.

"I proceeded downstairs to meet Gayantha. I looked for him everywhere but couldn't find him. However, when I called his mobile phone I could hear someone questioning him and at once I knew he was in serious trouble," Kasun said.

"Thereafter, I immediately rushed towards Gayantha, and found him surrounded by the police," he said. Apparently, Gayantha, who spotted Minister Mervyn Silva entering the hospital to check on his son, followed him till he was caught videoing the minister.

"I saw the hospital staff bringing Malaka out from the X-Ray room, and immediately switched on my phone camera and started videoing," Gayantha explained.

Though he was discreetly videoing, a bodyguard had spotted him and tried to snatch the phone from his hand. The furious bodyguard then threatened Gayantha and had wanted him to show him the footage.

Gayantha said, "I told him that my friend is waiting at the entrance but the guard was asking for my identity and shouting at me, demanding that I show what I had captured on the phone. He kept demanding for the footage, while I came up with all sorts of excuses but he was determined to see the video footage. After a while, I was surrounded by a group of people who had come in with the minister."

Gayantha was questioned by the angry bodyguard, and his ID card and phone were taken away from him. They had also attempted to delete all the data from Gayantha's phone, before handing him over to the police following numerous threats, as they believed that Gayantha was part of the group who had assaulted Malaka.

"I told them that I am employed at Ceylon Today, but I was handed over to the police. Kasun and I were taken to the Slave Island Police, and then the police contacted one of our Directors who was known to the OIC. We were subsequently released. We were lucky to have the police coming to our rescue. If not, it would have been a different story altogether," they quipped.