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Ratwatte’s prison raids: Probes a farce, State Minister protected, TNA alleges

Published

5 years ago

2021/09/27

Sahan Weerasooriya

‘Govt. actions make promises on domestic mechanisms a joke’

By Shamindra Ferdinando

The Tamil National Alliance (TNA) yesterday (26) accused the government of having suppressed a proper investigation into death threats the then Prison Management and Prisoners’ Rehabilitation State Minister Lohan Ratwatte issued to a group of ex-LTTE cadres held at the Anuradhapura prison on the late afternoon of 12 Sept.

Batticaloa District TNA lawmaker Shanakiyan Rajaputhiran Rasamanickam told The Island that the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) was yet to record the statements of those threatened by Ratwatte, who continued to be the State Minister of Gem and Jewellery related industries.

Rasamanickam said so after meeting eight of those who had been threatened by the Kandy District MP. He accompanied TNA MP M.A. Sumanthiran and Acting General Secretary of the party on Saturday (25) to Anuradhapura, where they spoke to eight out of the 10 ex-LTTE cadres threatened by MP Ratwatte.

Responding to another query, MP Rasamanickam said they had been able to meet only eight inmates. One of them informed the TNA delegation that he didn’t want to cause himself further trouble.

MP Rasamanickam said that the prisoner’s concerns were quite legitimate as the police proved incapable of handling the investigation.

Referring to a special statement made by Public Security Minister retired Rear Admiral Sarath Weerasekera on Sept 17 regarding IGP C.D. Wickremaratne being instructed to initiate an inquiry into the complaint in respect of MP Ratwatte received by the CID on the previous day, MP Rasamanickam asked for the status of the inquiry.

The Committee for Protecting Rights of Prisoners (CPRP) lodged a complaint with the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) on Sept 16 urging the immediate arrest of MP Ratwatte. CPRP President Attorney at Law Senaka Perera yesterday told The Island that in terms of the Criminal Procedure Code Section 109 (1) the police could have initiated an inquiry without receiving a complaint. Perera alleged that Commissioner General of Prisons Thushara Upuldeniya and Commissioner Chandana Ekanayake were guilty of dereliction of duty as public officers of the State by both aiding and abetting in Ratwatte’s actions. Perera also pointed out that the CID never contacted them in spite of issuance of the receipt for having recorded their statement.

MP Rasamanickam said that ex-LTTE cadres requested that they be moved to the Jaffna prison and cases against them heard as quickly as possible. The TNA spokesperson said that Anuradhapura incident on Sept. 12 wouldn’t have taken place if the Prisons administration took tangible measures following MP Ratwatte’s drunken raid on the Welikada prison on Sept 6. The government should explain its failure to respond to the Sept.6 raid, MP Rasamanickam said, pointing out the absurdity in underscoring the importance of domestic accountability mechanisms at a time those in judicial custody weren’t safe. The TNA would take up Ratwatte’s matter with the visiting EU delegation.

Asked whether the TNA would use Welikada and Anuradhapura drunken escapades by a Minister to push for required amendments for the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA), MP Rasamanickam pointed out that they had been campaigning against the PTA for some time. “There is absolutely no connection between our representations to the EU and other members of the international community as regards the PTA and the death threats directed at ex-LTTE cadres,” MP Rasamanickam said.

The EU delegation is scheduled to meet the TNA tomorrow (28). MP Rasamanickam asserted that the EU delegation would primarily take up the apparel workers’ conditions at apparel factories and the PTA. Those who had received death threats from an intoxicated lawmaker brandishing a weapon at Anuradhapura prison couldn’t tell the TNA delegation the full story as two jail guards sat with the lawmakers throughout their interaction with the prisoners. MP Rasamanickam quoted prisoners as having told them they were ordered out and directed to sit down on ‘L’ shape. Later, the MP repeatedly demanded them to tell him the truth.

MP Rasamanickam alleged that the Prisons Department would have quietly hushed up the incidents if not for the print and electronic media coverage and the social media taking it up. Asked whether he appreciated the appointment of retired High Court judge Sarojini Kusala Weerawardena to inquire into the incidents, MP Rasamanickam said that no such investigation was required if the police moved against the wrongdoer in terms of the Criminal Procedure Code.

The MP pointed out the continuing controversy over the government failure to implement the recommendations of the Presidential Commission of Inquiry (PCoI) into 2019 Easter Sunday carnage. “What happened to the investigation undertaken by retired HC judge Weerawardene into the Mahara prison riots in late Nov. 2020,” MP Ramamanickam asked. That committee also included the Chief Legal Advisor to the Justice Ministry U.R. de Silva, PC, a former President of the Bar Association of Sri Lanka, MP Rasamanickam said, urging the government not to suppress the investigation.

The TNA MP said that by the time they met Anuradhapura prisoners, their statements had been recorded by the Prisons Department and the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka. Well informed sources said that the appointment of a retired HC judge to probe prison incidents had been made on the recommendation of the cabinet. MP Rasamanickam said that the incidents involving the State Minister has set a new record. “Now in addition to the promised police investigation, the Prisons, HRC and retired judge are inquiring into the Ratwatte affair,” MP Rasamanickam said, adding that the much touted pohottuwa slogan ‘One country, one law’ is nothing but a joke.

Ratwatte incidents in the run-up to the 48th Geneva sessions and 76th session of the UNGA ruined the country’s image, the lawmaker said. The TNA spokesman challenged the government to prove its sincerity by taking tangible measures pertaining to prison raids.

The SLPP’s response to the prison raids should be compared with its demand to Energy Minister Udaya Gammanpila to resign over his announcement regarding fuel price increase in June. The SLPP found fault with Minister Gammanpila for making an announcement on behalf of the government. But, the same party had no issue over one of its members threatening prisoners in judicial custody.

MP Rasamanickam said that among those held at Anuradhapura prison were ex-LTTE cadres from Batticaloa. However, State Minister Ratwatte was seen in Batticaloa on Saturday, MP Rasamanickam said. How can there be a proper investigation when the prisoners and prison department personnel realize the possibility of Ratwatte returning to the Prisons Management and Prisoner’s Rehabilitation Ministry MP Rasamanickam asked.

The first-time entrant to national politics said the TNA would pursue this issue both in and outside parliament.

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News

Patali alleges NPP conspiring to put off elections indefinitely

Published

6 hours ago

2026/08/27

Sahan Weerasooriya

* Govt. lacks plan to meet IMF targets

By Shamindra Ferdinando

United Republican Front (URF) leader Patali Champika Ranawaka has alleged that the 22nd Amendment is aimed at enabling the National People’s Power (NPP) to perpetuate its rule without conducting elections.

The former Minister was addressing the media at the Flower Road Office of UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe on Tuesday (25). Alleging that the Pelawatte-based ‘red junta’ spearheaded the operation to enact the controversial 22nd Amendment, the ex-parliamentarian pointed out that neither President Anura Kumara Dissanayake nor Health and Media Minister Dr. Nalinda Jayathissa, who is also the Cabinet spokesman, never denied declarations made by various members of the NPP parliamentary group that elections wouldn’t be conducted for 10, 20 years.

The President and the Cabinet spokesman never clarified that such declarations were not the position of the government, Ranawaka said. The URF leader pointed out that some NPP/JVP members told those receiving appointments that they would also retire under the same administration.

Addressing the media after former External Affairs Minister Prof. G. L. Peiris, convenor of the Joint Opposition, said that the government recognised them as the real opposition. Referring to Dr. Jayathissa’s recent claim that they conspired at the residence of Prof. Peiris and challenged them to come on to the streets, ex-lawmaker Ranawaka thanked the Minister for the recognition at the expense of the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB). The government accepted the challenge posed by them in spite of the main Opposition party, in Parliament, having 40 MPs, the URF Chief said, urging the government to reveal the identities of those who clandestinely led the ruling party.

The former MP said that the country was now aware of their conspiracies during the past six decades. Blaming the government for its inordinate delay in conducting the Provincial Council polls, and the failure to take tangible measures to do away with the executive presidency, as repeatedly promised in the run-up to the national elections in 2024, Ranawaka alleged that the government was busy conspiring to roll back the electoral map. He also alleged that President Dissanayake was leading the operation.

According to Ranawaka the government was keen to postpone elections indefinitely as its members feared to face the law under a different government.

Commenting on the economic situation, Ranawaka explained how under President Wickremesinghe tough measures were taken during the 2022 to 2024 period to stabilise the country with the backing of the International Monetary Fund (IMF). “However, the country cannot go on beyond 2027 under the current setup. In terms of the agreement with the IMF, the debt repayment was stopped. However, the country will have to start repayment in 2028,” the ex-MP said, pointing out the country’s reserves were down to USD 6.4 bn.

The ex-MP said the IMF expected Sri Lanka to maintain foreign reserves at USD 6.8 bn and to increase the reserves to USD 12 bn next year. In terms of the IMF’s recommendations, the foreign reserves have to be increased to USD 15 bn by 2028, Ranawaka said, recollecting how former President Ranil Wickremesinghe, at a recent book launch, explained the daunting challenges faced by the country on the economic front.

Ranawaka was referring to Wickremesinghe’s speech at the launch of former Minister Ranjith Siyambalapitiya’s book launch at the BMICH, where the former President warned of dire consequences if the government failed to adhere to the IMF formula.

The former Minister disputed the government’s much touted claim that corruption was dealt with. The person who caused an unprecedented gas crisis, in 2021, by promising to supply gas at a much lower price than what was paid by the then government at that time and ended up causing countrywide panic due to “accidental” blasts of domestic gas cylinders, received protection from this government.

The government conveniently refrained from initiating action against that person, Ranawaka said. Referring to the developments leading to President Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s government declaration of bankruptcy in April 2022, the ex-Minister claimed that the IMF, in a letter dated 7 March, 2022, alerted the Secretary to the President, the Finance Ministry and the Central Bank, of the impending economic collapse. The NPP government failed to take action against those responsible for creating the 2022 crisis, Ranawaka said.

News

August 15 Super Dvora tragedy: Search continues for missing officer’s body

Published

6 hours ago

2026/08/27

Sahan Weerasooriya

Super Dvora Mark III Fast Attack Craft

Navy headquarters yesterday said it was continuing the search for Lt. Thilina Udayapriya, second-in-command of the Super Dvora Mark III Fast Attack Craft (FAC), which sank in the seas off Angulana, on 15 August, 2026. Of the 12-member crew, 11 were rescued but so far SLN efforts to locate the missing officer’s body had failed, sources said.

They said that the salvage operation of the sunken craft, taken delivery from Israel after the end of the war, is continuing amidst gruelling weather and rough sea conditions, and the sunken vessel is now off Bambalapitiya.

Sources said that the vessel collided with a sunken ship MV Thermopylae Sierra that sank in August 2012, during a monsoon storm. The ill-fated Super Dvora Mk III has gone over the ship wreck in spite of it being clearly demarcated in the nautical chart, aka hydrographic chart available to the ill-fated vessel’s crew. But authorities had failed to mark the site with a buoy to warn maritime traffic, in spite of public appeals. (SF)

News

Tripartite MoU to expand free cardiothoracic surgeries at KDU Hospital

Published

6 hours ago

2026/08/27

Sahan Weerasooriya

The Ministry of Defence, Ministry of Health and Mass Media, and the General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University (KDU), have signed a tripartite Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to facilitate the expansion of free cardiothoracic surgery services by utilising the facilities of the General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University (KDU) Teaching Hospital.

The Defence Secretary Air Vice Marshal Sampath Thuyacontha (Retd), Secretary to the Ministry of Health and Mass Media Dr Anil Jasinghe, and Vice Chancellor of General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University Rear Admiral H. G. U. Dhammika Kumara, signed the agreement on behalf of their respective institutions.

The Defence MInistry said that the initiative, implemented in accordance with a Cabinet proposal submitted by the Minister of Health and Mass Media Dr Nalinda Jayatissa would reduce congestion and address the lengthy waiting list for cardiothoracic surgeries at the National Hospital of Sri Lanka (NHSL).

The Ministry stated: “Under the arrangement, specialist doctors and clinical staff of the Cardiothoracic Unit of the National Hospital will conduct free heart and thoracic surgeries and provide specialised treatment for patients at the KDU Teaching Hospital. KDU will provide the necessary infrastructure, medical facilities and specialised equipment, while the Ministry of Health and Mass Media will provide the required medicines, medical supplies and specialised medical care.”