Vigneswaran’s statement tantamount to contempt of court - Gen Mahinda Hathurusinghe

by P. Krishnaswamy

Reacting strongly to TNA chief ministerial candidate C.V. Vigneswaran’s statement that the Army was involved in the polls-related shooting incident at Chavakachcheri last month, Jaffna Security Forces Commander General Mahinda Hathurusinghe said that the statement was mischievous and tantamount to contempt of court because the suspect in the incident had already been remanded by the Chavakachcheri Magistrate.

Ironically, Vigneswaran, a former Supreme Court Judge himself should know that it is illegal to pass judgement in his personal capacity while a case is pending before a court of law, Hathurusinghe said. The TNA’s allegations that the Security Forces had taken over large extents of private lands and refused to release them to the owners is totally incorrect and misleading because almost 85 percent of the lands that the Forces took over during the war against terrorism had been released to these rightful owners and only some lands are being occupied in the Varani Division in Jaffna by the Army cantonment.

Alternative locations in both Vadamarachchi and Thenmarachchi are now being explored and the properties will be released on or before September 16, he said. Security Forces camps in Palaly and one or two other locations will be maintained for security reasons, like in any other country, and compensation at the current market value will be paid to the rightful owners of the lands, General Hathurusinghe said.

The TNA leadership, its polls candidates and party supporters such as Mano Ganeshan live in Colombo and visit Jaffna only occasionally on political agendas whereas the Security Forces had been with the people for several years helping them in distress and providing them security.