(Lanka-e-News -27.Dec.2015, 11.30PM) It is a well and widely known fact that president Maithripala Sirisena who is now the defense secreatary cum commander in chief of the three forces ,during the last two elections made loud and proud announcements on election platforms that all those responsible for unlawful murders during the Rajapakse criminal era would be brought before the law duly. Now however , we are reluctantly constrained to reveal a most diametrically opposed deplorable, despicable stance of his which certainly will be detested by the whole country and will earn the bitter displeasure of the people that despite being the president of the country and the chief of the commanding forces , he is taking measures which are in favor of the members of the army who committed ruthless cold blooded murders on behalf of the murderous Rajapakses , thereby creating a stigmatic record that deserves a place in the Guiness book of igominious records of brutal leaders who betrayed the country wholesale after winning elections on grandiose promises.
One such most regrettable and disdainable move of his is: the legal division of the army appearing officially in court on behalf of the criminals (the army officers) serving in the Girithale army camp who abducted journalist Prageeth Ekneliyagoda and committed the murder. Besides , legal aid is being provided on behalf of these criminals.
Recently , when this case was heard in the Homagama court , the State counsel himself pointed this out with grave concern.
The state counsel Dileep Peiris addressing court stated thus:
''The DIG of the north Vaas Gunawardena was taken into custody, and the case was heard, but nobody as a lawyer appeared on behalf of the police department . There are other cases too like this. No Institution reckons that it is an issue of the Institution and hence its lawyers should defend when a member of its staff is taken into custody over a crime committed. It is very unfortunate that the army is engaging in this type of action in this case. ‘On the other hand , I deem it a great honor to appear against the army criminals who use their official position and their social patriotic opinions to commit crimes,'' Dileep Peiris emphasized.
Previously too , courts of Sri Lanka had heard other controversial cases of murders committed by the army.The murder of beauty queen Manamperi taking advantage of the 1971 insurrection ; the murder of Embilipitiya students during the 1988-89 insurgency ; killing of Chrishanthi Coomaraswamy exploiting the northern war; mass murder at Mirisuvil and others were some . These cases were heard against the army officers, and punishment meted out. In all those cases , no matter what ranks the army criminals belonged , no legal aid was provided to them officially .
The Mirisuvil case was filed during the tenure of office of ex president Chandrika Bandaranaike ,and even though it was fully heard and concluded during the murderous Rajapakse extremely militarized regime , the army did not provide legal aid or lawyers to appear in court on behalf of the army wrongdoers.
In the circumstances , president Maithripala Sirisena as defense minister cum commander in chief of the armed forces has no moral or legal right to use the legal division of the army under him to appear on behalf of the army criminals in court . Besides , he has most shamelessly and dishonorably broken the solemn promises he gave to the nation when seeking to become the president, and made a wholesale betrayal of the trust the people reposed in him.This is the first time such a criminal move had been made by a president . If he has any need to enter the Guiness book of records by being the ‘first’, surely there are better ways to do so- certainly not through the Guinness book of ignominious records to the detriment of the nation !
Mind you , such diplomatic blunder will certainly not be committed by an individual with 40 years experience in State administration or even an infant.
Be that as it may.
When an Inland revenue department is there to collect national revenue for the government, a group led by its Commissioner deprived the government of its revenue in billions through a VAT fraud. Case was heard and the Commissioner who was a most high ranking officer of the government was punished with a jail sentence. Mind you , though the Inland revenue department was equipped with a top flight legal division , the lawyers of that division did not appear on behalf of its criminal Commissioner in court.
The Forces are there to safeguard the country and its people from the enemies.They have a right to annihilate the enemies, but certainly they do not have the right to abuse that power and murder a civilian . What the army officers did in the calculated abduction and cold blooded murder of journalist Prageeth Ekneliyagoda, a civilian is much worse than the crime of Vat Fraud committed by the Commissioner of Inland revenue, because this is a cold blooded murder - a most precious human life is involved. In these circumstances no government department or Institution comes forward on behalf of the criminal on the same lines as in the Inland revenue case mentioned hereinbefore.
Yet , it is most unfortunate , the highest in the hierarchy of the country , president Maithripala Sirisena , the defense minister cum commander in chief of the forces has taken upon himself the task of transgressing the State ‘s fundamental administrative ethical code.
The deputy defense minister post is held by the UNP which is the other partner of the present government , and therefore are jointly responsible for this deplorable and abominable action. Neverthless even to report about Ruwan Jayawardena the deputy defense minister is unavailing. Sadly he is not worth his salt.Though Jaffna was rescued from the terrorists by a deputy defense minister , Ruwan Wijewardena the present defense minister has completely disclaimed his responsibilities thereafter.
This was best illustrated by his conduct in connection with this recent record breaking budget debate, he is the one who created a disgraceful scenario by not uttering a word on behalf of the budget. On the occasions when the defense Minister president Maithripala was not present in Parliament during the budget debate , it is the deputy defense minsiter who ought to be present to answer questions in parliament , but Ruwan Wijewardena came to parliament always late daily.His late arrival was chronic. Moreover , he left parliament earlier than scheduled. In short , he did not know how the parliament begins or ends. During the last budget sessions , he gave only one or two answers , and did not ask a time allocation for a speech. Hence , to question such a joker on his lapses is itself a jocular affair, because he is an ignoramus.
In conclusion , one fact needs to be underlined, the army providing legal aid , and its legal division appearing in court officially on behalf of the army criminals is a most serious issue. This in other words is giving permission to the lawless scoundrels of the forces to continue committing crimes, and marks the beginning and not the end of criminalities of the forces , as well as legalizing crimes. What a shame !
The leaders of civil organizations and the intelligentsia instead of battling over trivial issues such as saving a few rupees , must instead focus their attention on this serious issue which holds grave portents to all law abiding citizens. They must rise against this .
---------------------------
by (2015-12-28 01:04:08)
Read 59178 Times
Leave a Reply
0 discussion on this news
