News
NPC: Ensure law is applied equally regardless of ethnicity or religion
The National Peace Council (NPC) has said that leader of the Tamil National People’s Front Gajendrakumar Ponnambalam has been arrested while his counterparts in Parliament have been treated with deference in spite of their misbehaviour brings in the ethnic dimension which has been a long term and fatal flaw in the Sri Lankan body politic.
The following is the statement issued by NPC: “The arrest of Jaffna parliamentarian and leader of the Tamil National People’s Front Gajendrakumar Ponnambalam is another incident that feeds into the sense of unequal treatment of individuals and communities in the country. The parliamentarian was accused of obstructing police officers from performing their duties. The incident arose when MP Ponnambalam challenged two persons in civvies who came in unannounced at a meeting he was having with his constituents in a public park who declined to divulge their identity. This incident has revived sentiments within the Tamil community that they are treated differently and less favourably than others.
The surveillance of political and civil society activities in the North and East of the country is a common practice which the people in those parts find offensive and intimidating. There is a sense of helplessness of people in the face of a large presence of uniformed
personnel armed with guns, cameras and legal authority even 14 years after the end of the war which is indicative of the need to win their hearts and minds to ensure national security, if that is the government’s concern.
The National Peace Council calls on the government to treat the people of the North and East no differently from those in the rest of the country as equal citizens entitled to the same human rights.
The fact that a political leader from the minority Tamil community was arrested when his counterparts in Parliament have been treated with deference despite their misbehaviours brings in the ethnic dimension which has been a long term and fatal flaw in the Sri Lankan body politic. The arrest of parliamentarian Ponnambalam is indicative of the unequal application of the law and begs the question, one country one law or one country two laws. This is a phenomenon that is seen increasingly in the government’s use and misuse of the ICCPR Act (meant to give effect to the world’s foremost human rights instrument—the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights) to prosecute those who offend the sensibilities of the majority community, and ruling politicians, but not the reverse.
We urge the government to establish an equality and pluralism commission in keeping with the 21st Amendment to ensure that there is equal treatment and non-discrimination in all walks of life. We also urge the holding of the long postponed provincial council elections and full implementation of the 13th Amendment so that police and land powers may be assigned as per the constitution and to train government officials including the police in the values of pluralism and inclusive service delivery to minimize the possibility of high-handed behaviour of state officials based on ethnicity and religion. Such an institutional arrangement can increase the trust between the state and the people and also represent the values of the country beyond our shores.”
The countrywide dengue outbreak has intensified, with the death toll rising to 50, by July 16, as the number of reported infections surpassed 73,000, according to the National Dengue Control Unit (NDCU).
The country has recorded 73,455 dengue cases so far this year, with the case fatality rate standing at 0.07 percent, highlighting the severity of the ongoing outbreak.
The Western Province continues to remain the worst affected region, accounting for more than half of the total cases, with 38,700 infections. The Gampaha District has recorded the highest number of cases in the province with 15,341, followed closely by Colombo with 14,625.
The Southern Province has reported 11,382 cases, while the Sabaragamuwa and Central provinces have each recorded more than 6,000 infections.
Dengue cases have shown a sharp increase in recent months, with June recording the highest monthly total of 21,538 cases, while July has already reported 18,076 infections. In comparison, 8,590 cases were reported in May, and 5,651 in April.
Health authorities have identified 175 Medical Officer of Health (MOH) areas as high-risk locations during the 27th epidemiological week. An average of 2,677 new dengue cases are being reported daily, prompting authorities to intensify prevention and mosquito control measures.
The Colombo High Court yesterday (17) resumed hearing the money laundering case filed against Yoshitha Rajapaksa, son of former President Mahinda Rajapaksa, under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act.
The proceedings were held before High Court Judge Udesh Ranatunga, where evidence was recorded from prosecution witnesses, under the direction of Deputy Solicitor General Janaka Bandara.
President’s Counsel Sampath Mendis, appearing for Yoshitha Rajapaksa, cross-examined the witnesses during the hearing.
After recording evidence, the court ordered that further examination of evidence be postponed until July 24.
The Attorney General has filed indictments, alleging that Yoshitha Rajapaksa committed an offence, under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, by purchasing five plots of land in Dehiwala and Ratmalana, valued at more than Rs. 73 million.
Former IGP Chandana Deepal Wickramaratne died after sustaining a gunshot injury at his residence, in Thalangama, yesterday (17), with police saying preliminary investigations indicate that the incident was a suspected suicide.
Kaduwela Magistrate Aruna Indrajith Buddhadasa, on Friday, ordered the Officer-in-Charge of the Malabe Police Station, Police Inspector Pradeep Ranasinghe, to conduct a formal investigation into the death and submit a report to court on its progress.
The order was issued after the Malabe Police Station presented facts before court regarding the incident.
According to police, the Malabe Police Station received information from the Police Unit of the Colombo East Base Hospital, in Mulleriyawa, that Wickramaratne, who resided in the Thalahena area, within the Malabe Police division, had died after being admitted to hospital, with gunshot injuries.
Police Spokesman ASP F.U. Wootler said Wickramaratne had allegedly used the firearm of his personal security officer and shot himself at his residence.
Police said the shooting had taken place at his residence on Parakum Road, Thalangama, on Thursday morning, before he was due to leave for his regular exercise routine. He was rushed to the Colombo East Base Hospital, in Mulleriyawa, with serious injuries but was pronounced dead upon admission, police said.
The deceased’s remains were placed at the Colombo East Base Hospital, where a post-mortem examination was scheduled to be conducted.
ASP Wootler said three police teams have been appointed to investigate the incident. Further investigations are being conducted by the Crime Division of the Western Province South Range and the Malabe Police Station.
Wickramaratne, 63, served as the 35th Inspector General of Police of Sri Lanka from November 27, 2020, to November 23, 2023.
He joined the Sri Lanka Police in 1986 as a Probationary Assistant Superintendent of Police and later served in several senior positions.
A graduate of the University of Colombo and the General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University, he also served as Acting IGP for more than a year, from April 28, 2019, before being appointed IGP, in November 2020.
He retired from the post of Inspector General of Police, in November 2023.
by Norman Palihawadane ✍️
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