Emerging clues of Thajudeen, Lasantha killings:

UNF plans a grand ‘national Govt’

Sunday Politics with Rasika Jayakody

Wasim Thajudeen, a prominent rugby player, who is believed to have been assassinated, has begun to haunt former President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s election campaign. Although Rajapaksa or his family members have not been mentioned as suspects in the case so far, fingers have already been directed at the previous regime over the murder of the rugby player. It is crystal clear that the Police, which was an emasculated body under Rajapaksa’s watch, painted a wrong picture at the time of Thajudeen’s death three years ago.

It does not require Einstein’s wisdom to understand that such distortions by the Police do not happen without political interference. The death was brushed under the carpet by merely calling it an ‘accident’. Although Thajudeen’s wallet was found nearly 1.5 km away from the place where he was found dead, Police turned a blind eye to that vital piece of evidence. After that, the incident was reduced to mere subject of gossip in Colombo’s dinner circuit.

In a startling turn of events, Thajudeen’s death re-surfaced when the Criminal Investigations Department decided to launch a fresh investigation into the case in February, this year, after the new government’s ascension to power. The investigations were carried out by the Criminal Investigations Department without any political pressure and after a few months, the teams handling the investigation concluded that it was a murder and that the rugby player had been brutally tortured prior to his tragic death.

Siriliya Saviya jeep used to abduct Thajudeen?

Court has already permitted the Police to exhume the rugby player’s body and it will be done tomorrow (10) in the presence of a panel of Judicial Medical Officers, including the Chief JMO of Colombo Ajith Tennakoon and forensic experts including Dr. H. D. N. Hewage and Dr. Jeeva Perera. Police are of the strong belief that exhumation of Thajudeen’s body would give concrete evidence to find the perpetrators who committed this murder most foul.

Meanwhile, Police launched another inquiry to ascertain whether a jeep belonging to the Siriliya Saviya Foundation had been used to abduct Thajudeen before the murder. The vehicle, police sources said, had been handed over to the Foundation by a non-governmental organization operating in Colombo. However, the CID is yet to make an official statement before the court in this regard. The Siriliya Saviya Foundation made headlines over the past few weeks as its chairperson, former First Lady Shiranthi Rajapaksa’s was under investigation over an apparently ‘false’ ID card number.

Thajudeen’s murder has already sent ripples across political circles. JVP Leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake was the first to fire cannons at the former first family over the murder. Addressing an election meeting last week, Dissanayake said the sons of former President Rajapaksa are linked to the controversy surrounding the rugby player’s murder. He demanded the Police to take swift action to take the culprits before the court of law.

In addition to Dissanayake, several key UNP candidates, who addressed elections meetings over the past few days, were quite vociferous about Thajudeen’s murder.

Former President Mahinda Rajapaksa, after he launched his campaign for the Parliamentary election, was careful enough to swiftly respond to any allegation that came his way. But, when it came to Thajudeen’s murder he has maintained a stony silence. He never uttered a word about allegations levelled against his family members when he addressed election meetings over the past few days. The only member of the Rajapaksa family who made a statement responding to allegations levelled against the Rajapaksa family was UPFA Hambanthota District candidate Namal Rajapaksa.

During an interview with BBC Sandeshaya on Friday, Rajapaksa vehemently denied allegations over Thajudeen’s murder saying he was a family friend and a ‘brother’.

Thajudeen’s death ‘merely an accident’

Meanwhile, a seemingly pro-Rajapaksa website (mahinda.info) operated by a group of associates of the former President published a story distancing the Rajapaksas from Thajudeen’s murder. Citing initial police reports, it said Thajudeen’s death was an accident and his car crash on to a wall near the Shalika Grounds, Colombo 5.

Quoting from Yasara Abeynaike’s interview with website Asian Mirror in 2014, the report said she had no connection whatsoever with Thajudeen and the story was spread by some websites as part of a hate-campaign against the former President and his family.

However, the report makes no reference to certain revelations made by the CID before the Colombo Magistrate on the manner in which Thajudeen was brutally tortured to death. All the evidence unearthed so far points to murder.

Therefore, the report appearing in the pro- Rajapaksa website seems like an attempt to defend the former first family in the face of serious allegations.

However, the person who jumped the gun was ex-Parliamentarian and UPFA national list candidate Dilan Perera, who addressed a press briefing in Colombo on Friday. In an interesting turn of events, Perera said exhumation of Thajudeen’s remains was ‘haram’ (an Islamic injunction) and claimed that his family did not want such a process! It was quite clear that Perera was trying to exploit the religious affiliation of Thajudeen’s family to block the path of investigations.

The question is: why does MR ally Dilan Perera want to raise a question about the ‘morality’ of the exhumation? It was common knowledge that Police wanted to exhume Thajudeen’s as part of the ongoing investigation into his death.

As long as the UPFA stalwarts try to portray it as a mere accident without supporting ongoing investigations, suspicions will inevitably be directed at the former first family. It is now becoming clear that with friends like Dilan Perera, the Rajapaksas may not need any “enemies” when it comes to crucial matters of this nature.

DIG Anura Senanayake’s role

Another key stakeholder of the controversy over Thajudeen’s death is retired senior DIG Anura Senanayake who headed investigations into the case in May, 2012. Senanayake was widely known as a close associate of former Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa and he came under severe criticism from the country’s opposition for his ‘questionable role’ in the Police Department. Police sources told the Sunday Observer that Senanayake, who retired from service early this year, is likely to be questioned in connection with the murder.

Although the former President has kept mum over Wasim Thajudeen’s murder, last week he challenged the government to conduct inquiries into the murder of Lasantha Wickramatunge and disappearance of Prageeth Eknaligoda. He asked whether the government was reluctant to conduct inquiries into these cases as the “culprits” had aligned themselves with the new government.

Eknaligoda’s disappearance and the former Sunday Leader Editor’s assassination were key topics among opposition’s campaigners over the past five years and Rajapaksa’s challenge to the law enforcement authorities in this regard seemed ironic.

Two top Army officers involved?

A few hours after the former President’s statement, it was revealed that Police had taken into custody two intelligence unit members over Prageeth Eknaligoda’s disappearance. The two members were previously affiliated with former Minister Vinayagamoorthi Muralitharan alias Karuna Amman who was the head of the LTTE military wing in the East. They had joined the Army following Karuna Amman’s defection from the LTTE.

Preliminary investigations have revealed that Eknaligoda had been abducted in Rajagiriya on January 24, 2010, two days before the Presidential election.“We have received information that he had been handed over to an Army camp in the North Central Province following the abduction,” Defence sources told the Sunday Observer.

Based on the revelations made by these two intelligence unit members, two senior Army officers are also likely to be questioned within the next few days in connection with the disappearance of Eknaligoda. The officers, to be questioned, were attached to an Army camp in the North Central Province during the time of the abduction.

Police investigations are also underway to ascertain the ‘authority’ who gave orders to abduct Eknaligoda. Police sources, commenting on the matter said, inquiries were moving in the direction of an influential official who played a crucial role in the country’s defence establishment over the past 10 years.

Meanwhile, another Tamil officer attached to the intelligence unit was to be taken into custody by the CID yesterday. But, the officers handling investigations found out that the intelligence unit member had gone missing since last night.

However, all these investigations have surfaced at a crucial time as the Parliamentary election is just eight days away. One has every reason to believe that revelations made by investigators have a debilitating impact on the UPFA campaign as disappearances and white van abductions were considered as ‘trademarks’ of the Rajapaksa regime.

National government formation

Both major political camps conducted surveys last week on the ground situation with regard to Parliamentary election. In addition to the main political camps, several independent groups and political activists have also conducted surveys and opinion polls on the possible outcome of the election which has been dubbed by many as a ‘close race’.

However, all opinion polls and surveys indicated that the UNP-led alliance will secure the biggest share in Parliament. Most of the independent opinion polls said the UNP-led alliance would secure around 105 seats in the new Parliament. However, internal surveys conducted by the party showed that the UNP would be able to obtain 115 seats, securing an absolute majority in Parliament.

However, irrespective of the outcome of the election, a section of the UPFA MPs are ready to extend their support to President Maithripala Sirisena to form a national government with the UNP-led alliance.

A strong indication in this regard came after the UPFA’s inaugural rally in Anuradhapura, chaired by former President Mahinda Rajapaksa. Over 25 ex-UPFA MPs, who were singing hosannas for the Rajapaksas visited Duminda Dissanayake’s house for dinner. Dissanayake was the only candidate who boycotted the rally in Anuradhapura in protest over the naming of Rajapaksa as a candidate at the election.

The UNP believes that it can form a government with ease if the party manages to get 105 seats. Pre-election surveys have already confirmed that it is not a daunting task.

Meanwhile, the UNP has already made plans to draw the support of the JVP and the TNA for the new government. It comes with the Prime Minister’s proposal to convert the entire legislature into a government through a Parliamentary committee system. It was similar to the system introduced by the Donoughmore Commission in 1931. The opposition parties who are not inclined to join the government will be given responsibilities to chair Parliamentary committees looking into key sectors of the country’s economy and administration.

By giving them important roles concerning the country’s administration, they will be encouraged to work hand in hand with the government. This approach, needless to say, will further diminish Rajapaksa’s hopes of coming to power after August 17.

Commenting on the matter, UNP’s Chairman Malik Samarawickrama said every political party would be invited to join a national government after the election, regardless of political differences. He said the plan would remain unchanged even if the UNP secured an absolute majority in the House.

“There was a necessity to re-introduce the system as we identified the need of working together – irrespective of political differences – to strengthen the economy. This is the best opportunity to overcome our challenges on the economic front and the new system will present the ideal platform for collaboration. Our duty is to invite all political parties to form a bational government after the election. But, the final decision will be theirs,” Samarawickrama explained.

Enter CBK

Former President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga, a patron of the SLFP, dropped a bombshell last week by making a statement on the forthcoming election and the future of the country. In her statement, the former President made her views very clear by stating that all SLFP members should protect the “January 8 revolution” and the party’s core principles.

In her statement, she also explained why the SLFP supporters should defeat members of the Rajapaksa family and their allies at the Parliamentary election on August 17.

Kumaratunga’s statement was very much in line with the statement made by President Maithripala Sirisena on July 14. It is now quite evident and Kunaratunga and President Sirisena, two key figures of the ‘January 8 revolution’, are more or less on the same page about defeating the Rajapaksa faction.

While reiterating her commitment to the SLFP, the former President also stressed the need of protecting “respectable” candidates fielded by the party to contest the Parliamentary election. She said the influence of the Rajapaksa faction had created a lot of disappointment among respectable candidates of the party, who are engaged in a tough battle at the current election.

It is naïve to believe that former President Kumaratunga’s statement would change the minds of “die-hard” Rajapaksa fans. But, her statement came as a serious disappointment for those who “temporarily” aligned themselves with the Rajapaksa camp, targeting the Parliamentary election. Their disappointment was reflected in the counter-statement issued by SLFP National Organizer Janaka Bandara Tennakoon saying former President Kumaratunga had become the ‘media spokesperson’ of the UNP.

Following are the most salient points of Kumaratunga’s statement in which she strongly criticized her successor and expressed her views on the plight of her own party:

“Mahinda Rajapaksa entered the elections armed with state power, state resources, the armed forces, the police, the public service and the state media. He misused all public institutions for his election campaign. He used religion for his advantage and unleashed racism. When a country is being governed by a leader who is determined to remain in power forever, that the country is destined for isolation. It is a dangerous condition and it would have totally darkened the future of the country.

Therefore, it is the absolute responsibility of all citizens who truly love their dear country to keep aside all differences and protect the victory achieved on January 8, with numerous sacrifices.

Amidst the objection of the majority of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party members, I handed over the party and the government to Mahinda Rajapaksa with a certain faith. But it was most unexpected when Mahinda Rajapaksa, acquiring the power, betrayed democratic governance and entirely destroyed the noble vision of our party, senselessly abandoning all its progressive qualities and moved towards an autocratic path. I observed with so much regret the way in which our party was subjected to decadence.

In such a situation, I decided to join the forces that were willing to commit themselves to reclaim democracy and good governance in our country, which had become a playground of one family and its henchmen, misusing state power and the state resources. We worked together to build the foundation for a new political culture based on the participation and agreement of all parties against confrontational politics.

Our ultimate ambition was to establish a national government and rebuild the nation under essential political reforms. It was also to reorganize the Sri Lanka Freedom Party. With the victory achieved on January 8, all citizens were fortunate to enjoy good governance. But it is unfortunate that the loser is once again shamelessly scheming for a counter-revolution. He is trying to interfere with the political reforms and obstruct the country’s future with the help of some of the leaders of our party and the United People’s Freedom Alliance. He began to violate good governance with various threats. It is to be accepted that amidst that entire unpleasant, unethical practices, the new government was able to achieve some significant victories for the betterment of the general public.

Investigations have been commenced and are now proceeding amidst challenges to find offenders of the corrupt deals of the former government. Controlling drug and ethanol trafficking and abolition of the culture of killing opponents cannot also be minutely considered. While the pathways are cleared for public friendly good governance, the Rajapaksa henchmen in the parliament conspired and interrupted the noble tasks of the government.

The parliament had to be dissolved amidst the endless conspiracies of the loser. It ultimately turned out into a most unexpected and complicated situation.

I understand that this situation might have created a shock among the abiding citizens of our country. It is challenging for the respectable candidates of the party that the person who was defeated by the majority of citizens of the country and his fellow criminals are once again trying to come back to power. Today I am bewildered that some senior members of the party have no intention to properly reorganize the Sri Lanka Freedom Party. I am absolutely bewildered at their decadence.

However, at this critical instance I would like to explain my stand to all patriotic followers of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party. The dilemma we are facing at this instance, is deciding whose side we would take. Whether to stand with the reactionary group who would once again destroy the noble policies of the party and the country or whether to stand with the group that is committed for the victory of the nation, who has the relevant vision and commitment to do so.

After considering this deeply, my conclusion is that in order to protect the party first we must protect the country.

I appeal to all the followers of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party to join the forces that has the ability and commitment to protect the victory achieved on the 8th of January, to keep aside all differences and commit towards creating a new political culture with the participation and agreement of all parties, against confrontational politics.

I strongly believe that it is essential to defeat the vicious forces that terrorize the society with false illusions for the greed of power.”