Power drunk Rajapakses imitate Hitler killings -6 civilians dead already – investigations falsified
(Lanka-e-News-03.Aug.2013,4.00PM) The investigations into the brutal violence and murders perpetrated by the forces of power drunk Ra- japakses have from yesterday night been brought under senior DIG Anura Senanayake the notorious criminal in the police force and SSP D .R .L Ranaweera of the CCD. This is certainly to tamper with the investigation and make it another evil spurious drama like the one that was staged in the museum artifacts robbery in which the true culprits who were the bigwigs were saved and some stray individuals were substituted as the rogues.

All the records and registers in this regard of the police officers of Weliveriya police have been taken into the custody of this new investigating team of scoundrels , and are already being tampered with to suit the ends of the power drunk Ra –japakses. Even the record made by the Weliveriya police ASP M.R.S.D. Kodituwakku about the peaceful atmosphere that prevailed among the protestors yesterday morning , which was revealed by LeN had been changed.

Now , following the new investigations , the false picture the power drunk Rajapakses are trying to paint is : because a violent group among the protestors shot at the forces the latter retaliated. This is an absolute lie and an attempt to identify the civilians as insurgents which is absolutely wrong. 

Not a single individual was rebellious , and even when the forces were shooting mothers with children went before the violent forces and pleaded not to shoot , and were questioning why they are doing this? The photographs bear testimony.

The people were totally unarmed and peaceful. The media spokesman for the forces , Brigadier Ruwan Wanigasuiya borrowing the crocodile tongue of the Medamulana village crocodiles nevertheless said , there was a third armed group among the people. Dallas Alahaperuma , the dull as ever Hanuman also made an announcement to match the crocodile tongue utterances. He said , the JVP was behind the thirsty people’s request for drinking water .

The leaders of the forces who acted in pursuance of the direct instructions of the power drunk Ra- japakses (Mahinda and Gotabaya) have been identified . This unwarranted ruthless armed attack on innocent civilians is a violation of human rights , rule of law , civil rights , laws of the country and international laws.

The two members of the forces responsible are Brigadier Deshapriya Gunawardena and Army Commando Force Colonel Shamal Silva. This brute of a Brigadier who gave orders to kill was promoted to this post just a year ago and is attached to the Gemunuhewa regiment .During the war he was in the 58-3 and 58- 2 command , and was under Shavendra Silva who gave orders based on Gota’s directive to kill civilians who came with white flags to surrender. That is , this Brigadier is a military coolie with no respect for military rules and ethics.

Mind you to kill the civilians at Weliveriya , this Brigadier coolie had brought 300 soldiers ! When the police tried to get a statement from this Brigadier prior to the CCD taking over of the investigation , he had told he is not bound to make statements to anybody as he appeared on the scene on direct orders of Gotabaya ( the criminal defense secretary).

It is reported that over 7000 civilians participated in the protests at the Weliveriya town . Though water hoses in Bowzers were brought , they had not been used . Neither were the tear gas . Instead they have resorted to using clubs , poles, knives and shot with guns , police say . In fact ,the police had been shocked and dismayed when they saw the forces swooped on the crowd and begun shooting and attacking.

Following the investigations conducted in the morning , the police had been able to find 47 cartridges of AK 47; 117 cartridges of T 56 ; 4 poison fume cluster bombs used during a war which had not exploded ; two helmets of the forces; and one magazine of T 56 . In the magazine there had remained 21 bullets meaning that 9 rounds had been fired.

Subsequent to the CCD taking over the investigations, like during the days of Hitler’s genocide when that was considered just a statistic , evidence is being recorded to play down the killings of the civilians . Reports are being distorted to mention that people came with sand filled bottles and attacked the forces with them . It is also part of the spurious investigation to record that the trucks were shot at by the people after the forces themselves having done that. Meanwhile the Gampaha magistrate had requested the people to come to court and make their statements.

The violence and ruthlessness the people had to face can be inferred from the fact that , even now Weliveriya is under the control of the forces, and except residents nobody else is permitted to enter.

In the circumstances , it has been rendered difficult to get a detailed report of the incident . Even the police are denied that opportunity. In other words everything has been made conducive to the conduct of spurious investigations headed by notorious SDIG Anura Senanayake and his team of criminal members.

Based on reports received so far , the media personnel who sustained injuries as a result of the attack launched by the Forces are as follows : 
Deepa Adhikari (Lankdeepa)
Upali Ranaweera (Lankadeepa)
Chanaka Kulasekera (Adha) 
Sunil Sri Lanka (Lakbima) 
There are also reports that more journalists have been injured apart from the journalists of the regions .

According to unofficial reports , about 6 civilians have died so far from gunshot injuries. A wrong impression is being projected that they are being treated at the intensive care unit (ICU) 

Already, of the four critical victims of this Rajapakse’s Hitler style attack on its own subjects , admitted to the Colombo hospital, one more had died on the same day. Like in the days of Hitler the dictator , this and the other murderous attacks on that day have not been revealed by Rajapakses the murderers .

It is planned to release the dead bodies one by one so that the explosive fury of the people will not explode at once on the ruthless murderers . One such plan of the murderous regime is not to release the dead bodies of others until the funeral of Don Akila Dinesh ,the 16 year old youth is over. In any event if the situation turns too grave against the government , it is decided to destroy the other bodies .

The first step that has been taken to suppress these crimes of the government is : withdrawing all the records of the GHT reports when patients were admitted to the hospital in Gampaha , and the court medical forms yesterday, and have been replaced by new GHT forms introduced by the CCD today.

DIG Anura Senanayake the notorious criminal scoundrel of the police who does all the sordid and murderous biddings of the lawless Rajapakses has gone to the Gampaha hospital met the MOH (medical officer of health) and made all the arrangements in this connection (another Rajapakse bidding). This is an absolutely illegal action because in a provincial hospital where GHT reports are issued , it is only the police there which can issue that report and not the CCD or any other.

Amidst all this , what caused the greatest consternation to the people was the unknown fate of those who were assaulted and taken away at Weliveriya yesterday in the army trucks. There are eye witnesses who confirm that some of those who were taken into the truck were vomiting blood while they were being loaded 

“We asked for water tanks, they sent us war tanks”

August 3, 2013 

A battle for clean water takes a deadly turn, making a small town in Gampaha look like a war-zone the morning after residents clash with military personnel

By Dharisha Bastians in Weliweriya 
Bloody boot prints, now chalked off by police forensic teams, mark the side doorways to St. Anthony’s Parish in Weliweriya. The church walls are pockmarked with bullets. Lampshades in the parish garden have been shattered. Near the grotto at the back of the church, a large black pole lies on the grass.

“Bring Your Own Catheter,” Or Obstetrical Care In Sri Lanka

By Emil van der Poorten -August 4, 2013 |

Emil van der Poorten

Not so long ago I wrote at some length about the fact that my neighbours and I are reduced to repairing the roads supposed to serve us so that even a bullock cart could traverse them.  This continues to require volunteer labour by those who can least afford to forego a day’s wages in such a pursuit.  Not for us roads carpeted for the use of Lambhorginis, BMWs and (after theCommonwealth Heads of Government Meeting) Rolls Royces in which “the chosen” travel!

Now, we have an even more sinister and cruel expansion of the “DIY (Do-It-Yourself)” principle, this one in the sphere of public health, with a slight difference – it is “BIY (Bring-It-Yourself)”

“P,” a middle-aged employee was not her usual cheerful self a few morning’s ago and her ill-humour appeared more than justified when she told my “other half,” the closest thing to a “foster-mother“ our female employees have, what ailed her.

Her youngest daughter was about to have her first baby which would be P’s fourth grand-child.  Due to the intricacies of traditional pre-delivery practices in the matter of who the mother-to-be stays with before the birth and the fact that the father worked away from home, her first-born would be greeting the world at a teaching hospital in the Hill Capital.

Sounded like a good arrangement which would ensure up-to-date facilities and good care by skilled doctors and support staff.

However, all was not, as that old colloquialism has it, “tickety-boo.”        Read More

Twentieth Century Classics By Rajiva

By Chantal Unamboowe -August 4, 2013 |

Twentieth Century Classics by Rajiva Wijesinha is a good introduction to the many authors and the varied genres of literature from the 20th century – dealing with the more famous names such as Arthur Conan Doyle and Agatha Christie to more obscure names like Angus Wilson and Somerset Maugham.

As the introduction quotes, ‘a classic is a book that never finished saying what it has to say’ – thus it is important to ensure that they are always available to new audiences so the messages in them get passed on to new generations and aren’t lost in the sands of time. Sadly, many of the current generation misguidedly view them as old fashioned, stuffy and irrelevant in today’s technology controlled world, and thus many of these literary gems have been left to collect proverbial dust. Sometimes the only exposure to these classics people of today get is due to the compulsory reading lists in school. This book aims to change these misconceptions and encourage more people to take up reading these books for pleasure.                  Read More 

Wary Weliweriya!

• Gota says villagers were provoked by political elements
• CCD to conduct inquiries into allegations of army attack on protestors
• Residents claim security forces stormed Catholic church where demonstrators took refuge
• Blood stains and bullet marks visible at St. Anthony’s parish Weliweriya
• Ground water test results due in 10 days: Minister
• Opposition Leader tours area, expresses concern

By Dharisha Bastians- August 3, 2013 
Residents and authorities yesterday traded blame for the breakout of a mini war in the Gampaha District late Thursday night after a protest by residents in the area demanding clean water took a deadly turn.

At least one person was killed and dozens injured in the clashes that erupted between demonstrators and troops deployed to clear the New Kandy Road in Weliweriya town on Thursday night. Twelve security forces personnel, including the Officer in Charge of the Weliweriya Police Station were also injured in the clashes.
Residents charged that troops advanced on demonstrators firing into the crowd. “They fired tear gas at us to make us disperse and then they shot those who were fleeing,” one Weliweriya resident told Daily FT on condition of anonymity fearing reprisals.
Others claimed protestors who had taken refuge at St. Anthony’s Church nearby were beaten by security forces personnel who stormed the premises later that night.
Residents claimed that during a power blackout from about 9:30 p.m. on Thursday night, security forces personnel blocked side roads and conducted search operations looking for demonstrators. Seven people with severe assault wounds were arrested and bailed out yesterday by the St. Anthony’s Parish Priest Fr. Lakpriya Nonis. Police forensic teams were conducting initial investigations into blood stains, bullet holes and damage to property visible inside the church premises. The villagers of Weliweriya and Rathupaswela have been agitating for a closure of a Hayleys owned factory in the area they claim has contaminated the ground water in the area.
Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa claimed the villagers of the small town in Gampaha had been provoked by elements with vested interest into what he called “needless confrontations.”  The Weliweriya drinking water dispute was settled satisfactorily and the protesting public were satisfied with the solution offered to close a factory which allegedly caused the contamination, but those with political motives provoked some of the residents to stage protests, the Government Information Department quoted the Defence Secretary as saying.
Elite police teams will probe the allegations that the military fired at protestors using live ammunition, Western Province Senior DIG Anura Senanayake pledged in the shell-shocked town yesterday. “The Colombo Crimes Division will take over the investigation. We do not believe it was the villagers who provoked the military personnel. We believe it was an external group trying to cause trouble,” the DIG told reporters in Weliweriya.
Gampaha District MP and Minister of Passenger Transport Lasantha Alagiyawanna said that testing of the ground water in the area the cause of the contamination will be determined by results due in 10 days.
“Till then, the Government will continue providing the Rathupaswela area with drinking water and keep those measures in place,” the Minister said.
Opposition Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe also visited the besieged town last morning, together with MPs John Amaratunge and Ruwan Wijewardane. Wickremesinghe held brief discussions with the Weliweriya police and spoke to residents during his visit.
The US Embassy in Colombo issued a brief statement about the clashes in Weliweriya, urging restraint on all sides. “The US Embassy is concerned about the violence in yesterday’s protest in Weliweriya, and urges the Government of Sri Lanka to respect the rights of people to protest peacefully, and urges restraint from all sides,” the statement said.

Governance, Legitimacy And The Ethics Of 

Violence

By Dayan Jayatilleka -August 4, 2013 

Dr. Dayan Jayatilleka

The ancient Chinese, most notably Confucius, used to call it The Mandate of Heaven. Rulers may rule successfully only so long as they respect and enjoy the Mandate of Heaven.

The last war started when the terrorist Tigers deprived Sinhala farmers of water by shutting off the supply at Maavilaru. The war came home to the South when the same army that was deployed to liberate Maavilaaru was brutally and stupidly deployed against unarmed Sinhala protestors demanding potable water for their daily consumption.

In doing so, the regime has irreparably gashed the social contract. Credibility and legitimacy are leaking through that gash.

More distressingly, by the brutish behaviour of its units deployed in Weliweriya and Balummahara, the Sri Lankan army has damaged its social prestige. The army’s real protection is not its Buffel armoured cars and body armour but the love, respect and support of the citizenry. Without that social support it will be vulnerable to those external forces who wish to haul it up on charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity. The support of society does not rest on eternal gratitude for winning the war against terrorism. It has to be earned daily. In Weliweriya, the army lost the hearts and minds of quite a few Sinhala people and sowed the seeds of doubt in the minds of a great many more.

One cannot resist posing the question in passing: what has done greater damage to the prestige of the Army—the movie ‘Flying Fish’ and its screening at the French Film festival or by the Army’s flying bullets and guns pointed at nuns?                                      Read More

Waterless villagers ask water – Gota answers with assault and bullets –over hundreds injured 1 dead
(Lanka-e-News-01.July.2013, 6.00PM) Even as defense secretary Gotabaya Rajapakse was having discussions with the representatives of Rathupaswala protestors, this criminal defense secretary Gotabaya Rajapakse had acted most criminally by sending his paramilitary armed group to ruthlessly shoot and attack the people staging a peaceful protest with clubs , whereby one youth died , while 40 others were hospitalized , according to reports reaching Lanka e news . The youth had later succumbed to his gunshot injuries.

The protestors were so cruelly attacked simply because they were demanding drinking water during the last several days since they cannot drink the acid polluted water that they were being supplied with .These poor thirsty protestors had been on the streets for several days to get this demand fulfilled . 

Gotabaya had summoned a group of representatives to meet him today at 2.30 p.m. to hold discussions. Despite this invitation and after the representatives have gone to meet him , the murderous paramilitary group of Gota and some others in civil and military uniform had been sent by him to the venue of the protestors ,blocked the road and brutally assaulted them with rods and clubs while also shooting at the protesting crowd .

An officer of Gota who got on to the roof of a jeep had announced that if the crowds do not disperse within 5 minutes they shall be attacked. This Gota’s military low breed stray dog had also told the media not to videotape or take photos of the scene. The protestors have then pleaded ‘ Aney Sir , don’t do that , we are only asking for drinking water . We are faced with a huge problem without water for drinking’. These trigger happy Gota’s groups have ignored their pleas and have started attacking them ,tear gassing and shooting whereupon the protestors have started running helter skelter . 

Though the defense divisions say only rubber bullets were used , it has been confirmed following the death of the youth that he had succumbed to actual and lethal gunshot injuries. Moreover , many of those who sustained injuries are also victims of gunshots .

About 5000 women and small children have panicked and run looking for places to hide. Gota’s ‘hunting low breed dogs’ had searched for them and continued to attack. 40 protestors who fell victims to the attack are admitted to the Gampaha hospital. A Lankadeepa journalist Ms. Deepa Adhikari had also been attacked , and she had been trapped in the melee unable to be taken to hospital based on Lankadeepa reports. . Four other journalists also were attacked.

It is because of the environmental pollution created by the toxic wastes escaping from the Vinigross Industry belonging to Kulappuarachige Don Dhammika Perera , a government strongman , the source providing water to 10 divisions of the district had been contaminated , and rendered unfit for consumption which necessitated the residents to stage these protests. 

In these circumstances , any humane and democratic ruler would have deemed it his duty to do everything to quench the thirst of his subjects , at least by supplying this life sustaining commodity to the thirsty people with the use of Bowzers..

In Sri Lanka however , ruled by a group of lawless brutes and shameless beasts (who would even walk nude like the beasts if that will only contribute to their cruel power augmentation) , this humble human request of its thirsty people for life giving water has been rejected with all the disdainful and atrocious treatment , which no civilized reign would have ever meted out let alone imagined. 

Of course , the ‘cannibals and animals’ of Rajapakses succeeded in instilling fear into the suffering masses as always. Like during the days of Hitler , people were so alarmed and unsettled in the night that they feared even to take calls on their mobile phones. 

These Medamulana village crocodiles that shed tears for Uganda and funded its water supply project by releasing Sri Lankan people’s funds (not Medamulana’s personal funds) amounting to Rs. 20,000 million with liberality , deemed it fit to attack and kill its own people when they demanded pure water for drinking which had been contaminated by toxic wastes from the Industry of its closest crony businessman .

It is a cruel irony that when the new army commander Daya Ratnayake was taking up his new post today , this brutality was unleashed by the armed forces ( no matter the higher up who gave this order ) on the innocent people who staged a peaceful protest based on most justifiable grounds.

Does this augur well for his forces and himself when it augurs ill for the innocent citizens? A little soul searching by the army commnader will do a great deal of good to all. 

An international inquiry shall be conducted into this uncivilized and cruelty motivated actions .

"We asked for water tanks, they sent us war tanks"

Blo

30 NOVEMBER -0001

BY DHARISHA BASTIANody boot prints, now chalked off by police forensic teams mark the side doorways to the St. Anthony’s Parish in Weliweriya.

The Church walls are pockmarked with bullets. Lampshades in the Parish garden have been shattered. Near the grotto at the back of the church a large black pole lies on the grass.

Residents in this Western Province town claim the military cracked down a demonstration demanding clean water using brutal force on Thursday night.

The military was deployed after attempts by the police to disperse protesting crowds blocking the main Colombo Kandy road failed, officials say. Clashes ensued between soldiers wearing flak jackets and carrying assault rifles, claiming at least one fatality according to official hospital estimates. Dozens more have been injured.

Weliweriya residents scoff at these statistics, claiming that at least three more people had been killed in Thursday’s clashes, although not all casualties were at the Gampaha District Hospital.

Twelve security forces personnel, including the Officer in Charge of the Weliweriya Police Station were also injured in the clashes.

Fleeing advancing troops they claim were firing live ammunition into the crowd, demonstrators flooded the parish grounds seeking sanctuary. “The power went off at about 9 p.m. A short while later, the refuge seekers claim they witnessed the terrifying sight of black uniformed armed personnel, their faces masked storming into the church grounds.

“They jumped over the walls and ran in here firing,” residents tell visiting journalists, pointing to bullet marks on the church doorways and pillars. The church remained packed with people who had taken sanctuary there the previous night.

Police forensic teams are on the site, numbering each bullet mark for evidence. Rodrigo, an eyewitness to the assault inside the church premises walks around the parish grounds with the police teams, pointing out evidence of the previous night’s terror. “I watched, as they pulled people out of the church and assaulted them with their weapons and guns. They pulled one group of men out and made them kneel in front of the grotto. Then they assaulted them with these black poles,” he says pointing to the grass. “This is what they call the use of ‘minimum force’.”

The almost hysterical residents in the beleaguered town are accusing the security forces of terrible things. “They fired tear gas at us to make us disperse and then they shot those who were fleeing,” one Weliweriya resident told Daily FT on condition of anonymity fearing reprisals.

Residents admit that when the soldiers fired at them, they attacked advancing troops with stones and bottles. “What else is an unarmed civilian to do in the face of gunfire? We have no weapons. So we retaliated with stones,” one young demonstrator admitted.

Seven demonstrators arrested and released on bail at the behest of St. Anthony’s Parish Priest Fr. Laksiri Nonis yesterday arrived at the church looking bruised and bloody.

The priest tries to use the release of the seven residents to urge the crowds still gathered inside the parish grounds to return to their homes. “The police are telling us that you all remaining here is obstructing their ability to restore law and order. So please, I urge you, go back to your homes now peacefully, nothing will happen to you,” he says.

Rodrigo says it is possible people are afraid to return home after military personnel performed a sweep of residences in the neighbourhood and assaulted suspected demonstrators.

The morning after clashes that raged from 5 p.m. to midnight, a deathly stillness had descended over the Weliweriya town. Charred barricades litter the main New Kandy Road and the small lanes off the highway. Shops and businesses remained shut as police teams swept the area for evidence. Empty rounds of ammunition were being numbered as evidence along the -road. Until noon, the New Kandy Road remained closed to vehicular traffic. The Government continues to deploy large numbers of military personnel and armoured vehicles in the area.

Residents shake their head in disbelief about the brute force used to quell a protest they say was only about a demand for water.

“We asked for water tanks, they sent us war tanks instead,” one woman whose entire family is in hospital says. “This is in no way a proportionate response.”

Ground water contamination in Weliweriya, Gampaha brought residents of some 10 villages in the area out onto the streets a few days ago led by a Chief Monk of a temple in the area. Residents in the area have implicated a glove making plant known as Dipped Products PLC a subsidiary of Hayleys Group in the contamination crisis, although the company has strongly denied the claims. So far there has been no testing to prove the source of the ground water contamination.

Following discussions with the factory management and residents at the Defence Ministry on Thursday evening, the Government ordered the temporary shutdown of the factory. Thus far no official testing has been performed to determine the cause of the contamination.

The first test results will only be released in about 10 days, according to Government estimates. But even high officials like Western Province Senior DIG Anura Senanayake admit that there is something seriously wrong with the ground water in the area.

Residents say the water when consumed makes their mouths burn and causes smarting when it comes into contact with their skin. Many Rathupaswela and Weliweriya residents have privately had the water in their wells tested for contaminants. “In many cases the pH level of the water is 3 or 4 which means it is unsuitable for drinking. Is it not reasonable for us to demand remedial measures,” they claim.

The Government has been providing water to the surrounding villages for several days now. There are no pipebourne water facilities in the area. The residents are demanding that the Government provides this facility and removes the factory from its current location to restore the groundwater in the area to pre-pollution standard.

Among the shell-shocked villagers still gathered at the St. Anthony’s church, there is a profound sense of disillusionment. The patriotic community stood stoically behind the country’s armed forces during the final phase of the conflict. They say they conducted Bodhi poojas and blood drives for security forces personnel fighting the LTTE in the north. But suddenly, there is a great deal of talk about human rights within the group that says it has lost complete faith in the military.

“Today for the first time, we understand what the suffering of the Tamil must have been. If they can kill people asking for water, the same people who supported and respected them, we can only imagine their conduct during the war in the north,” said a young man who had taken part in the protest.

“They go to the world and talk about human rights. If they respect human rights, what kind of response is this to an innocent demonstration demanding clean water?” they ask.

The villagers say they had lost faith in the police a long time ago. But the military had always been above reproach.

“They didn’t behave like war heroes last night,” they tell reporters, in voices filled with shock, “these were thugs.” 

A Patriotic Citizen And A Military Officer

By Malinda Seneviratne -August 4, 2013 

Malinda Seneviratne

Meanwhile in a parallel universe called Humility…

A patriotic citizen obtains perspective

I supported our troops in their efforts to rid the country of the terrorist menace.  I am grateful to them for many reasons.   I cheered their victories for they were my triumphs too.  I sang their praises for they, most of all, were deserving of praise; they put their lives on line for me.  The immense relief of finally being able to live in a terrorism-free country blinded me to some ancient truths.

The security forces that felled Prabhakaran of the LTTE were the same men and women in uniform who had struggled but failed in their mission for a quarter of a century.  Today, as I reflect on the question ‘why not before?’ I realize that all the equipment, training, numbers, intelligence and synergy among the forces would have come to naught without the green-light, confidence and determination of the political leadership.  On that occasion, for once let’s say, the political leadership did not waver, did not lie, and most importantly shared the sentiments of the vast majority of the people.  I knew that terrorism could only be defeated militarily and was confident that our forced could get the job done.  The political leadership shared this view, obviously.   Our troops delivered.  I cheered.

What I forgot in the rush of joy at war’s-end is that it was produced by a key convergence: the sentiments and aspirations of the masses being shared by the political leadership.  That kind of agreement on one matter does not imply agreement on all matters across the board.                Read More

Weliweriya Incident, Gotabaya, And The Priority List Of The People In The Republic

By Thrishantha Nanayakkara -August 3, 2013 

Dr. Thrishantha Nanayakkara

When I was a child, the famous Sri Lankan artist Victor Rathnayaka held a series of musical shows called “Sa”. I joined my family to experience this show in Galle Town Hall, where all important public events were held at that time. Perhaps that was my first experience in a public event. Apart from the memorable artistic experience, I can never forget how people crowded at the entrance and tried to push each other to get in. As a child I stood no chance, because even the well built up adults found it hard to make their way through that perilous fight to get in. None seemed to realize that everyone of them could have moved much faster with much more comfort if everybody lined up and showed their tickets, following a fair system.

Growing up to be an adult, I could notice that the failure to nurture and protect fair systems worked against Sri Lankans in many fronts. Mass victimization due to this failure range from a higher rate of road accidents, environmental pollution due to industries by-passing regulations, disappointment in school entrances, bribery in government services, to losing their own constitutional right to the rule of law.

The Weliweriya incident is a stark reminder of this victimization process. People, at some point was too obsessed with the promise of a wonder of Asia. They were mesmerized by the rising buildings, expanding harbors, and clustering factories. They neglected the fact that a family and their friends and relatives should not have a separate law than the rest of us. They neglected the fact that economic development is not sustainable if it’s priority comes above respect for rule of law, human rights, and constitutional Government. For me, this is quite analogous to what happened at the entrance to Victor Ratnayaka’s “Sa” musical show back when I was a child. What is more worrying is that even some of my educated friends argued that economic prosperity as a priority comes above Western concepts like human rights, rule of law, etc, in Sri Lanka right now. My attempts to explain that the latter list is not mere Western concepts, but can be found even in Lord Buddha’s teachings were not as effective as what is being propagated by State Media.   Read More

US urges GoSL to respect right to protest Crackdown on Weliweriya protest

August 2, 2013, 10:10 pm 

17-year-old victim Akila Dinesh

By Norman Palihawadana and Madura Ranwala

Expressing concern over the violence which broke out during a protest in Weliweriya on Thursday, the United States has urged the Sri Lankan government to respect the rights of people to protest peacefully.

A statement issued by the US Embassy in Colombo said, "The US Embassy is concerned about the violence at the protest in Weliweriya, and urges the government of Sri Lanka to respect the rights of people to protest peacefully and urges restraint from all sides."

Residents of Weliweriya claim that the chemical waste from a factory has polluted their drinking water.

Police used tear gas and water cannon to disperse a group of residents blocking the Colombo-Kandy main road in protest against ground water contamination.

Armed troops were called in to assist the police in dispersing the protesters and that resulted in a tense situation with the protesters refusing to abandon their agitation.

Meanwhile, UNP and Opposition Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe, Democratic Party leader Gen. Sarath Fonseka and several other MPs yesterday visited Weliweriya to meet those affected by Thursday’s violence, while a full scale investigation, into the circumstances under which a 17-year-old boy was killed during Wednesday’s protest, got under way. The army said it, too, would conduct a separate investigation into the incident.

The teenager was identified as Kahadawa Arachchige Don Akila Dinesh of Helanwatta, Weliweriya. Among the wounded were 30 civilians, nine troops and the OIC of the Weliweriya police station. The injured were being treated at the Gampaha, Wathupitiwala and Ragama hospitals. Some of them were transferred to the National Hospital.

Asked what the cause of Akila’s death was, Gampaha Hospital Director, Dr. Sudath Dharmaratna told The Island that the body had been handed over to the Consultant Judicial Medical Officer for the post mortem.

Asked whether the others had sustained injuries due to being shot at by the army, Dr. Dharmaratne said that his staff had treated the patients till early yesterday as there were multiple cuts and wounds on them, but they had not bothered to ascertain who had inflicted them.

The police said they would use pictures and video footage taken by police and army intelligence units, various groups and journalists to ascertain how the protest had turned violent. 

Even yesterday, the area was highly protected with the presence of the Special Task Force, Police and army.

The protesters from ten villages blocked the Kandy-Colombo main road. A court case over the issue was pending and the Defence Secretary had held discussions with some representative from the protesters on the issue of groundwater contamination, the government said..

Second protester dies in Sri Lanka water dispute
Sri Lankan troops chase local residents protesting against the alleged poisoning of drinking water in the village of Weliweriya, on August 1, 2013. A second protester has died from wounds suffered when troops fired on villagers demonstrating against contaminated water supplies, as tensions remain high in the area. (AFP/File)

Published August 03, 2013

AFP

COLOMBO (AFP) –  A second Sri Lankan protester died from wounds suffered when troops fired on villagers demonstrating against contaminated water supplies, police said Saturday, as tensions remained high in the area.

Heavily armed police and Special Task Force commandos were still in the the village of Weliweriya following Thursday's shooting and locals reported people were fearful of leaving their houses.

"People are afraid to go outside of their houses because of the security forces' presence," A. Siridamma, the senior Buddhist monk in the area just outside the capital, told reporters.

Criticism of the army's use of force has mounted since the shootings.

The independent Lawyers Collective on Saturday condemned the crackdown against the peaceful protest by villagers who were demanding clean drinking water for thousands of residents of Weliweriya.

One man died Thursday night from the shooting while another man who was injured died overnight in hospital, police said, raising the death toll to two.

Dozens more protesters were wounded when police opened fire on hundreds of demonstrators. Local television footage showed troops with automatic weapons, some clad in body armour, firing into crowds.

"Evidence clearly establishes that deplorable levels of force, including live bullets, were used on the unarmed villagers," the Lawyers Collective said in a statement.

"The legal fraternity urges the government to control its military and ensure that they are used for legitimate purposes only."

Local media rights group, the Free Media Movement, said security forces also launched an "inhuman attack" against journalists covering the protest Thursday, beating up some journalists and smashing cameras.

The military said it had named a five-member board of inquiry to probe the allegations against the troops.

"The board has been asked to go into all aspects, including whether proper norms have been followed in dealing with the situation, who ordered the troops to deploy and on what basis," spokesman Brigadier Ruwan Wanigasooriya told AFP.

Locals in Weliweriya, 20 kilometres (12 miles) northeast of Colombo, were protesting against runoff from a rubber glove-making plant that they say has polluted their groundwater supply.

The main opposition United National Party also condemned the shooting and said the attack against unarmed civilians was a sign the country was heading for a military dictatorship.

A resident said the protest erupted Thursday because locals felt police had ignored the longstanding complaints that the glove factory was discharging chemical waste.

Dipped Products Ltd, a publicly quoted company that maintains the manufacturing plant, said Friday it was confident the water issue was unrelated to their operations but were cooperating with authorities "for an early settlement of the matter".

Security forces were standing guard at the plant on Saturday.

Sri Lankan authorities are under separate pressure from Western powers to deliver on promises to investigate 

allegations of war crimes and ensure ethnic reconciliation more than four years after militarily crushing Tamil separatists.

Last month, EU lawmakers urged Colombo to ensure accountability in the face of what the UN calls "credible allegations" that up to 40,000 civilians were killed during the final battles in 2009.

Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/world/2013/08/03/second-protester-dies-in-sri-lanka-water-dispute/#ixzz2avrsrp5P