Saturday, August 5, 2017

Hundreds of STF troops and police deployed in Thunnalai crackdown

05 Aug 2017

Over 200 Special Task Force troops and police officers have been deployed to the Vadamaradchi town of Thunnalai, resulting in two arrests and the seizure of several vehicles.

Last month a Tamil man from Thunnalai was shot and killed by Sri Lankan police, resulting in protests and tensions boiling over between locals and police across the Vadamaradchi region.

A police crackdown in the region last week resulted in 13 arrests, citing violent infractions during protests.

This morning’s search and round-ups by mostly heavily armed security force personnel have so far seen two arrests as well as the seizure of 11 motorcycles and 4 canter vehicles.

Local sources reported that the operation had sparked fear and anxiety among villagers, noting that the size of the operation was comparable to war-time military numbers.

CHAIRMAN OF THE NPC C.V.K. SIVAGNANAM REFUTES IGP RE LTTE REGROUPING

Image: Chairman of the NPC C.V.K. Sivagnanam,

For the profusion of lies Poojith says of AAWA, any other government would have packed him home un- ceremonially !

05/08/2017

Chairman of the Northern Provincial Council (NPC) C.V.K. Sivagnanam has told Ceylon Today that generalization and coming to the conclusion that a revival of the LTTE is taking place in the country especially in the North is false.

He has stressed that connecting the entire lot of rehabilitated LTTE militants with recent criminal activities in Jaffna is malicious and unreasonable and urged all concerned to refrain from doing so.
“An unknown power wants to keep this part of the country in tension. There is information that some of the people who are so-called rehabilitated ex-militants are allegedly used as informants and military intelligence agents.

It’s possible that those people may have got into such anti-social activities but the blame should not be attributed to all those poor fellows,” he has said.

He has added that “I have met several former LLTE cadres who have come for assistance. They are striving hard to exist and they want to live with their families.

They are not receiving support from anybody but they are blamed for all criminal activities in the North.”

Sivagnanam has said that the former militants are trying to survive within a framework of a peaceful society.

He has also stressed that the Northern Provincial Council has failed to reform and support the ex-militants due to lack of resources.

“At Provincial Council and Central Government levels we have failed to assist them. We have failed to reform them because we have no resources. We do not have the resources to assure them of a normal life,” he has said.

Media Spokesman for Crusaders for Democracy, Ganeshalingam Chandralingam has told the same news paper that “before 2009 the LTTE had a separate administrative unit with 300,000 people and more than 35,000 soldiers. However the entire administration was destroyed in 2009.

LTTE was disarmed at the end of war. Currently, we don’t even own a small piece of land. In such a situation how can the LTTE regroup? We condemn the move to create the public impression that it is regrouping with 15-20 people,”

Former LTTE cadres have accepted the political structure and entered into mainstream democratic politics in the post-war period, he has added

“Former LTTE members are trying to strengthen themselves in the political sphere. We will do our best to explain our democratic ideologies to those who are living abroad but the Government should refrain from creating any disruptions by randomly arresting our members,” he has further said.

Some Diaspora groups are trying to maintain the tension in Sri Lanka for their political agendas, he has said.

IGP Pujith Jayasundera however had said earlier this week in Jaffna that terrorism had not been eliminated completely from the country and attempts made by the LTTE to stage a comeback should be defeated at any cost.
CT

Supreme Court snubs new IR Bill

Five clauses in new Act inconsistent with Constitution – SC
Treasury official says will revise Bill to be consistent with Constitution

By Ashwin Hemmathagama – Our Lobby Correspondent-Saturday, 5 August 2017

The Supreme Court has shot-down the proposed Inland Revenue Bill highlighting inconsistencies with the Constitution.

The Bill was tabled in Parliament for the imposition of income tax for any year of assessment commencing on or after 1 April, 2017, and introducing a new income tax structure aimed at closing existing loopholes in revenue collection.

Supreme Court snubs new IR Bill.docx by Thavam on Scribd

Recognition Of Universal Rights Is The Path To Prosperity In Sri Lanka

By G K Nathan –AUGUST 5, 2017

Dr. G K Nathan

The Island at the Southern tip of Indian subcontinent is known by different names: Sri Lanka, Ceylon, Eelam etc., where Sinhala and Tamil people have lived for many millennia, having many things in common. Unfortunately, post-independent era politics have brought about conflict between both Nations and followed economic downfall, compared to pre-independence days. Looking back, Indian subcontinent, Australia and Sri Lanka were part of the Lemuria continent in the Indian and Pacific Oceans; it is also called Kumari Kandam in Tamil. The Boxing Day Tsunami of 2004 revealed, along Tamil Nadu coast, part of archaeological remains that were swallowed by the rising ocean in the p, many thousands of years ago. Also emerging recent archaeological evidence of old Tamil civilization in the West coast of Indian Sub-continent and in current Tamil Nadu atKeeladi, prove the antiquity of Tamil Nation and Language. Beyond any doubt, it is comparable to Mohenjo-Daro Indus Valley civilization. The links given here are sufficient evidence to prove the ancient heritage of Tamils and their language. The Tamils have become a global community that has been widely recognized. Initially, brought about by large scale migration of Tamils to Malaysia, Singapore, Fiji, Mauritius and South Africa, mostly from Tamil Nadu and Sri Lanka, during the British colonial era. In post-Independent Sri Lanka, the discriminatory policies practised by successive governments and repeated pogroms, forced Tamil Nation to follow a migratory route to distant lands, like many other Nations in the world. The most successful group that comes to mind is Jews, in many ways there are some similarities, after many hundreds of years, the Jews established their homeland in Israel following the end of 2nd World War. Discriminatory policy of successive governments of Sri Lanka against Tamils has indirectly strengthened the Tamil Diaspora and helped the Diaspora to expound and strengthen our language and culture, worldwide. Also, Tamil Diaspora has become economically strong, following the footsteps of forbearers who achieved economic success in their new homelands during colonial era. Tamil Diaspora is duty bound, like the Jewish Diaspora, to assist the people in their former homeland, to become economically independent followed by recognition of political rights. Tamil Diaspora’s political contacts in their new homelands can be made use for economic advancement and to promote political resolution in our old homeland in Sri Lanka.

Sri Lanka has been under occupation at different periods for about two thousand years, initially it was under the Tamil kings of Pandya and Chola dynasty of South India at various periods throughout the history. Also, occupied by European colonial powers for about half a century, from the beginning of 16th century. At that time, there were three Kingdoms in different parts of Sri Lanka. One in the South and the other in Central Sri Lanka both were Sinhala Kingdoms, the third one was a Tamil Kingdom in the North. The Central Sri Lanka Kingdom finally had Tamil Kings because of marital links between South Indian Royals. Southern part of the Island came under the occupation of Portugal and later expanded to include Northern Sri Lanka after the conquest of Tamil Kingdom that had contact with Tamils of India via common heritage. Holland took over from Portugal and finally ended up with Great Britain. British unified the Island when the Kandyan Kingdom in the Central part of the Island came under their control and the surrender document was signed in Tamil by the last King. Island of Sri Lanka that has been a divided land most of the time, became united country and part of British empire that ruled the Island for about 140 years. On the 4th of February 1948, Sri Lanka became an independent country, at the time of Independence there were different nationalities, Sinhalese, Tamils (Ceylon and Indian), Muslims (mostly Tamil speaking) and Eurasians (Burghers) etc. The proclaimed constitution did not fully protect the rights of different groups made up of multilingual (Sinhala, Tamil, English), multiethnic (Sinhala, Tamil, Muslim, Burghers etc.) and multireligious (Buddhism, Hindus, Christians, Islam) people. Sri Lanka was a success story at the beginning of post-colonial era in the field of education, economic activities etc. First Prime Minister Lee Kwan Yew of the small Island of Singapore that was too a multilingual, multiethnic and multireligious country like Sri Lanka; Mr Lee wanted to emulate Sri Lanka’s success story. Unfortunately, Sri Lanka’s communal and short sighted policy of domination of minorities by subsequent governments took Sri Lanka, backward to the bottom of the heap of countries that became independent after colonial occupation. Today Sri Lanka is standing with a begging bowl. In contrast, Singapore recognizing everyone’s rights became a success story and a fully developed country in the world. Sri Lanka can learn a lesson from Singapore to put the country in the right path to regain the past glory.

Faltered History of Post Independent Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka’s adversarial politics between majority Sinhala Buddhists and minority Tamil Hindus dominated the post independent era. Both the majority and the minority communities who were only used to monarchist rule could not make the necessary adjustment to a democratic rule, where majority power is exercised with the consent and/or accommodating the minorities rights and wishes. The political parties of the Sinhala majority community to capture power against their opponents in the Parliament, promised more to the Sinhala population at the expense of rights of minority communities that led to peaceful protests followed by repeated communal violence and pogroms. This is contrary to the understanding between different communities prior to granting of Independence to Sri Lanka under a unitary constitution by the British colonial power. To prevent the discriminatory laws being enacted against the minorities, Soulbury commission provided a safeguard which became Section 29(2) of the Soulbury Constitution. At the time of first Parliamentary election, Sinhala community had 63.3% of the parliamentary representation, thus denying them two third majority to make amendments that would be adversarial to minority communities. Following adversarial acts passed by the Parliament and actions taken by majority Sinhala Buddhist governments, it gained almost 80 percent of parliamentary representation. The domination of parliamentary representation resulted in proclamation of a new constitution and further denial of rights to minorities. Major acts of unilateral declaration by the Sinhala majority led to the following:

A Look Back with Fresh Hope

Photograph courtesy Al Jazeera

DEVANESAN NESIAH AND RAJAN HOOLE on 08/05/2017

Introduction

Many Sri Lankans trace the ethnic problem back to the movement for ‘Sinhala Only’ and the passage of the Official Language Act in 1956. In fact, the problemneeds to be traced back to at least the first year of Independence in which over one million people of recent Indian origin but well settled in the plantation districts, were deprived of citizenship and voting rights. Perhaps the conflicts need to be traced further back to the anti-Muslim riots of 1915. Curiously, the Sri Lankan Tamil leadership (with a few exceptions) as well as the Muslim leadership weresupportive of the acts against the Up Country Tamils, and the Sri Lankan Tamil leadership was also indifferent to the plight of the Muslim victimsof the 1915 riots. In fact, in the first general electionafter Up Country Tamils were deprived of citizenship and franchise rights, the Tamil party which opposed these acts was routed in the North and East. In the years that followed, Up Country Tamilshave faced discrimination on many fronts; moreover, in all the anti-Tamil pogroms they were the most vulnerable and suffered greatly.

A Look Back with Fresh Hope.docx by Thavam on Scribd

The era of Perpetual Ignorance

by Lucien Rajakarunanayake- Aug 5, 2017

War is peace. Freedom is slavery. Ignorance is strength ~ George Orwell

( August 5, 2017, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) If there is one lesson that the Perpetual Penthouse Minister has given us all, it is the value of ignorance.

Not knowing is the path to progress, which is shown so well by his having been chosen as the Best Finance Minister of Asia Pacific. He must have displayed to the judges in that selection game that he knew nothing of national budgeting and even less on matters of finance.

Just now he must be ignorant of anything to do with Foreign Affairs, having a bigger interest in having Visumpaya as his official residence. Foreign Affairs to hell; who wants to know or remember how one should deal with India, Pakistan or Bangladesh… or even the US, UK and Russia? All that is best left forgotten. We must know that Foreign Policy is not built on knowledge, but ignorance.

One should also decidedly forget the background of those who are appointed as ambassadors to foreign countries, because knowing or remembering will be more than embarrassing.

Know not what you do, and even less of what your wife and daughter, who re business partners in the same company do – That is the stuff of Perpetual Success.

Real knowledge is to know the extent of one’s ignorance. – Confucius

This could well be a new trend for Yahapalana Governance.

There must be political strategists of the Amathaka Deshapalana school who are already advising the President and Prime Minister that it is best to take a lesson from the Perpetual Success of Ravi Karunanayake, and forget, or at least say they don’t remember, or are even wholly ignorant of any promises made to elect the Common Candidate as President in January 2015.

Why do anything to fight corruption if you don’t know about making any such promise to the people?

Why should the President even have to consider whether he will run in the next presidential poll, if he does not know he told us all that this would be his only term as President? We are the fools to know or remember such details of crooked politics.

Why on earth should he recall or know today what he told the country at the funeral of the late Ven. Maduluwawe Sobitha Thera, about putting an end to the Executive Presidency and fighting corruption? As time goes on in politics, it would appear that some things are best forgotten or not known at all. I’m sure the President can learn a lot about Good Ignorant Governance by giving Minister Ravi Karunanayake, a few more attachments beyond lotteries so that he could have nothing to do with foreign affairs. Imagine the problem in the future if there has to be a presidential commission to probe into ministerial actions in the foreign ministry?

The whole world would be interested, not like today.

The Perpetual Penthouse stuff of ignorance could well be the stuff of governance in the coming days.

All you need in this life is ignorance and confidence, and then success is sure. – Mark Twain

Ravi K, of those perpetual phone calls, must also be having a lot to teach his own party chief, none other than Ranil Wickremesinghe, just now celebrating his 40 years in politics.

The big lesson is that Ranil must be ignorant of what his own ministers are doing, and especially what Ravi K does.

Ranil must also learn to forget or not to know what he has said about wanting to be like Lee Kuan Yew, who was so strong in his fight against corruption. Such memories are bad in politics, especially of the Good Governance type that is being peddled today by him and the President.

Although not as far ago as the pro- Lee Kuan Yew thinking, he must also forget or erase from his mind whatever he knows about his Singaporean friend, who was made Governor of the Sri Lanka Central Bank. The Master Mahendran, who has in-law links to the Perpetual Crook.

It is certain, in any case, that ignorance, allied with power, is the most ferocious enemy justice can have. – James A. Baldwin

Bond Scams, especially when the EPF has been played out to the tune of many millions, are not the stuff you must know or remember. All that is best lost in forgetfulness or the ignorance of the Perpetual Politics of the Crooked that has been given a special boost by the masterly ignorance of Ravi K.

Are we moving to a stage of Perpetual Governance, where ignorance that is the stuff of crooked politics and even worse governance, will take this country on to a period of abysmal ignorance that cannot be elevated by any religious chants? Are we moving to a new age of the Star Gazers who will be planning the policies of government based on the movement of planets and ignorant of reality? Is anyone trying to tell us that we have abandoned the era of family rule of the Rajapaksas, and moving to the Era of Blissful Ignorance and a Perpetual Disaster?

The truth is incontrovertible. Malice may attack it, ignorance may deride it, but in the end, there it is. – Winston Churchill

Asiri hospital Dental doctor ‘sex Kumaraya’ explores contours of female patient while examining the tooth !

(Lanka-e-news - 04.Aug.2017, 8.35 PM) A young patient (female) who visited Asiri hospital , a private popular hospital in Colombo for dental care was sexually molested by a dental doctor of the hospital while giving dental treatment. She had complained to the hospital officials that she was molested. The name of the dental doctor is Kumara Kaluarachchi (photo herein) .

Ms. Priyanthi Jayasinghe a relative of the victim had made written complaints to the Director, Asiri hospital , Sri Lanka (SL) Dental association and SL Medical Council in this connection (a copy of the complaint sent to Lanka e news is published herein) .

It is reported that this Dr. Kumara Kaluarachchi (Athavara Kumaraya) has been involved in such molestation in the past too ,and the victims in those instances have been young female patients . Because of this doctor rascal’s sex starvation and misconduct , his legal wife had left him and gone abroad.

Dearth of doctors in SL notwithstanding , steps must be taken by authorities to sack such scoundrels from their posts as well as cancel their licenses so that the lofty profession’s dignity can be safeguarded. In addition they must be taught an unforgettable lesson by recovering from them the monies of the tax payers spent on these shameless two legged tie coat animals to provide them free education in the medical Colleges of the government.

It is because these doctors are pampered at public expense they do not know the worth of the public and the care they should lavish on patients. They are like over indulged pigs and Swines living only to gratify their lust , or their selfish self serving interests even staging heartless strikes on the slightest pretext compromising professional dignity and their duties to the detriment of the entire country .

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by (2017-08-04 15:07:53)

President To Save ‘RK’ Amidst JO’s Right Royal Fuck Up

AUGUST 5, 2017

President Maithripala Sirsena has requested for a full transcript of Foreign and ‘Lotteries Board’ Minister Ravi Karunanayake‘s statement and evidence given before the commission to investigate the Bond Scam. He had told his close confidantes that he cannot come to a judgment based on what is published in the media Colombo Telegraph reliably learns.

This move came after President’s close advisors had pointed out that the media cannot cover an entire investigation in one published page, especially after Minister Ravi Karunanayake was grilled for nearly six hours.

“The media simply publishes only the juicy parts of the story,” President Sirisena was advised.

The sources close to the President’s house refuted the story titled “President asks Ravi to resign” which was published as the today’s lead story in the popular Sinhala daily newspaper Lankadeepa.

“Even the President won’t be able to read the entire transcript, I think he is just trying to buy time, a SLFP minister told Colombo Telegraph.

But the sources close to the President went on to elaborate that whilst President Sirisena denied ever saying that, all he had said was that he had requested for the full transcript of the investigation and the lawyers cross examination of Minister Karunanayake.

Sources close to the Commissioners said that it will take around one month to compile this information and also if the full transcript is to be made public it will require the agreement of the lawyers representing both parties.

Meanwhile a high ranking Minister of the current government accused the Joint Opposition for continuing to protect Minister Karunanayake.

Speaking to Colombo Telegraph he said “There was a strong possibility that Minister Karunanayake would have resigned on his own with all this existing pressure. But the Joint Opposition (JO) Members of Parliament by filing a ‘No Confidence’ motion, it only now prevents Minister Ravi Karunanayake from resigning. If and when a vote is to be taken in parliament the government MP’s won’t raise their hands and vote against Ravi Karunanayake. Look at the people who signed the petition. 90% of them are corrupt bastards who are serving bail on corruption charges. All they are trying to achieve is to cover up their sins through Minister Karunanayake”.

Proposal to establish "Corruption Court" stuck at Cabinet

Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe accused of sabotage

Rajitha

by Zacki Jabbar-August 5, 2017, 7:13 pm

A proposal to establish a separate court to hear corruption cases has got bogged down at the Cabinet, with Justice Minister Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe accused of sabotage.

Minister of Health and Co-Government Spokesman Rajitha Senaratne confirmed on Friday that a Memorandum to create a "Corruption Court", that would deal exclusively with mega cases had been presented to the Cabinet of Ministers.

With regard to Deputy Minister of Power and Renewable Energy Ajith P. Perera having accused Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe of preventing the passage of the "Corruption Court" proposal, Senaratne said that the people expected answers.

He emphasized that regardless of any opposition , the Sirisena- Wickremesinghe government was determined to create a mechanism to expedite hearing of the big corruption charges.

The masses were critical of lack of sufficient progress, despite evidence, on the allegations that had been leveled against several members of former President Mahinda Rajapaksa regime and some leading Ministers of his government, Senaratne said.

"What you saw on January 8, 2015 was only a change of government. Some influential persons in the public service are trying to bail out the Rajapaksa family."

Deputy Minister Ajith P Perera said that a separate Court would not only be able to hear corruption cases continuously, but also ease the workload of the other courts.

How My Father’s Driver Became A Billionaire Within 10 Years?

Case against Rohitha Abeygunawardena fixed for January 31

Lies Lies And More Lies; I Remember The Day My Father Punched You Mr. Ravi K !

May 24, 2017

Achini Ediriweera, daughter of Ediriweera Premaratne, Former Deputy Minister of Buddha Sasana is writing to the Colombo Telegraph about the way her father’s then driver Raththaral alias former Cabinet Minister Rohitha Abeygunawardhana became a billionaire within 10 years.

She is telling that Rohitha Abeygunawardhana who came to her house in a push bike and won her father’s heart was able to stack up billions within 10 years.

Hope he was smart and made up papers like others do. But, this man I tell you, is a Disgrace, she said.

In her own words,

Being my driver isn’t the case, but the point is he fooled my father into thinking he is a good person. My father, who didn’t bring his wife or sons into politics, or give relatives any positions at his office or ministry, due to his principles, gave this man the opportunity. He told my father how much he loved to be in Politics, and how he admired my father’s views. My father appointed HIM instead of my older brother or mother! He made HIM the chairman of the Beruwala council! As the chief organiser for Beruwala/ Kaluthara District, he gave HIM the ticket for the next election at the provincial council, and my father told Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga who refused to give him a chance at the parliamentary election, that “Here is my resignation letter, If you don’t give this man the chance in my district!.” Sadly my father didn’t see what Chandrika saw that moment! There are many who were present when this happened, who can prove this! My father then gave him the seat of Beruwala and said “it would be best if you took my seat, Beruwala, cause I have set this up for you now and made you here, and I will move to Agalawatte.”

This was done by my beloved father, because he believed you don’t need to come from a rich background to be what you want! You don’t have to inherit the right to become a politician, you need to have only the “passion” and “hunger to serve the people” and he though a poor man would know BEST ! Like my father did when he came in as a 13 year old. Which minister today gets on a stage and say about his driver, “This is my son in politics” “I see you making your sons and wives a political career, but, This here is my son! Vote for him! I appoint him for you, my Beruwala people!”

His success was not something my father would ever be jealous of because that is what my father gave him, without giving even his own older son or his wife, like many others did! My oldest brother’s dear friend was already in the parliament back then, and today he is the secretary to the SLFP, whilst my father chose to stand by his principles. Prathipaththi, and trust that this Raththaran would never steal from the nation!

Today his entire generation is in politics, and made billions for his family, and disgraced my father.

We don’t need politics to survive because we got a life beyond that. We are disgusted that he does everything that my father never dreamt he would do when handing him this life! Something no one today would do.

I will NEVER support this rouge or any rouge who steal from the innocent people of this country!

Falil Hajiar uncle (from Beruwala) he was your worker first, and you gave him to my dad because he said that he admired my dad, so he can be my dad’s driver. Then when my dad made these moves and got fooled by his talk, you warned my father, who thought naturally anyone would be jealous. I thank you for that, Today.

Former Cabinet Minister Rohitha Abeygunawardhana is currently under investigation on several counts of fraud by the Bribery commission.

My Dear Onella

By Gamini De Silva –AUGUST 5, 2017

Even though it is admirable that you took it upon yourself to be the savior of your beleaguered family, you have failed miserably in your attempt to whitewash a man that is clearly beyond redemption. As a daughter I do feel for you but as a citizen of this beautiful country, I am shocked and amazed how you and your father both think that the voters of this country are imbeciles. Let me elaborate to you why I came into this conclusion .

Onella Karunanayake

You have mentioned in your statement that your Father is a “Fall man” used by vested parties. Let me first give you the definition of a “Fall guy” as per the oxford dictionary and I quote “Fall guy is a colloquial phrase that refers to a person to whom blame is deliberately and falsely attributed in order to deflect blame from another party”. I would now like to ask you who the “other party ” is ? Are they not the same people who belong to your father’s esteemed United National Party or are you referring to the President who is also the head of the rainbow coalition your father helped place on the map.

You have also said and I quote “Does everyone really believe for the last couple of years everything in the government is just one man and that we have been getting hit cause we deserve it or that maybe there is a pattern to this madness now?”. What you are trying to sordidly imply is that this government that the poor people of this country brought to power has many unsavory accusations and your father is the one getting “hit” and singled out. Has power made you lose every fragment of common sense you have left? Just because others steal and don’t get caught, it’s absurd that you are hurt that it is your father who couldn’t cover up his tracks !

You speak so highly about freedom of speech and how it is been abused but do you really expect the people of this country to watch and wait while you and your family live in an apartment which was paid for by the orchestrator of the biggest Scam this country has ever seeing ? Have you never heard of the term “conflict of interest” ? What is even more shocking is the statement your father made at the Commision making you and your mother scapegoats to this disgraceful and pathetic episode. Are you really telling me that you and your mother did not know that Arjun Aloysius was under investigation? Did you not know that he was the son in law of the governor of the Central Bank? Did you not think that if this was going to come out, that your father would have to resign? If you did not know any of these things, I suggest you attend classes to help and rehabilitate pathological liars.

You and your family are classic examples of what “nepotism” really is. You have stolen or watched your father steal and plunder what belongs to our people. You have tried shamelessly to whitewash a man that you know is corrupt, a man that blamed the Rajapaksas for every fart they made while living in luxury in a Penthouse paid for by cash that was robbed from us, the people.

Sagala is protecting Vijayakala?

Another revelation on Lalith Jayasinghe; a luxury hotel built with policeman’s salary

Aug 05, 2017

Children’s affairs state minister Vijayakala Maheswaran has asked for help from law and order minister Sagala Ratnayake to prevent her from being arrested over an accusation of having harboured Mahalingam Shashikumar alias Swiss Kumar, the main suspect in the gang rape and murder of Jaffna schoolgirl Sivaloganathan Vidya, reports say. After president’s counsel Kalinga Indatissa made submissions before courts about her having helped Swiss Kumar to escape from Punkudutivu residents, who had captured him, the court ordered the CID to question him. She avoided presenting herself at the CID on July 31 as ordered, saying to the media that she did not receive the summons. For the duration of the past whole week she did not go to the CID.

She has told her friends, “I have told the prime minister and minister Sagala about this. Sagala told me not to be frightened.” If this remark is true, it is very deplorable that the law and order minister had interfered and obstructed the course of justice. It is the country’s state minister of children’s affairs who is facing the accusation. If the law and order minister disrupts the process of her being brought before the law, the president and the prime minister should answer as to whether that was consistent with its good governance principles.

Isn’t the CID’s lethargic attitude towards questioning Vijaakala shows that the subject minister, Sagala Ratnayake, is involved?