Mahinda has a short memory

DR.Vickramabahu Karunaratne-2016-04-28

Former President Mahinda Rajapaksa advised the new Inspector General of Police (IGP) that he should be alert on police officers who act according to the whims of the government and harass those with dissenting political views, expecting favours in return.

It is very interesting, because may be a decade ago, when Pujith was DIG Colombo division something very interesting happened. One evening around 8 p.m. two Tamil girls informed me that men in Army Uniforms came in a white van and threatened them to produce the bother of one of them. These uniformed men had indicated a certain specific place and a time. Boy should be there, if not they promised unpleasant consequences. I immediately telephoned Pujith and gave this information. He coordinated well and got the uniformed men into his custody. They were Army intelligence people working disregarding the law and order powers of the police! Within few days Pujith was transferred to Kurunegala and the issue was suppressed. Mahinda has a short memory. He made these remarks related to Pujith at a function held in, Embilipitiya area on the occasion of the birthday celebrations of Ven. Pusulpitiye Suneetharathana Thera. He began addressing the crowd present after wishing the chief prelate long life, said that he had witnessed the new development in the temple and attributed it to the efforts of the Thera. He recalled the past, by calling to memory the brutal killings of the youth that took place during the JVP insurgency, and how bodies were burnt on tires lit. He hinted that his own houses in Medamulana and Hanwella were subjected to attacks by these groups, and he was provided security by former President J.R. Jayewardene and the then Defence Minister Ranjan Wijeratne. How strange he failed to recollect how youth died when he started the war against terror! Of course in different areas but in our beloved motherland Lanka!

Self-sufficiency in food
He also revealed that his government launched a mass development programme with the aim of achieving self-sufficiency in food. But he failed to mention how corruption almost negated the purpose and increased the debt of the country. It had now become a serious issue with the idea of using organic fertilizers and traditional methods for agricultural purposes; and the water stored in tanks not been released for other purposes, except agricultural and related activities. However, he did not try to raise chauvinist issues, instead he compared the festive periods celebrated under his rule where there was plenty and the farmers having received a high price for their harvest were in the forefront of the celebrations. But, he claimed this year it was different as the paddy prices hit rock bottom and fertilizer was beyond the reach of these farmers. He countered allegations by the opponents that he was criticizing the government, but said that these were mentioned to help guide this government!
However, Mahinda group has used the inspection made by the Opposition Leader to arouse racism.

A group of people which included the Leader of the Opposition has entered an Army Camp without any resistance. The camp's main entrance was open and the group of more than 50 persons including Opposition and TNA Leader R. Sampanthan, TNA MPs S. Sritharan, and M.A. Sumanthiran entered the Paravipachchan camp around 3.00 p.m. on 16 April without obtaining prior permission. They remained in the camp premises for several hours. Following the incident the Army lodged a complaint with the Kilinochchi Police and another complaint with the Senior DIG of the Northern Range. A special team of policemen under an ASP was appointed to investigate the incident. The officers and men of the Paravipachchan camp were asked to visit the Kilinochchi Police to make statements.

However, later it was announced that police investigations into a complaint that a group of more than 50 persons led by Opposition and TNA Leader R. Sampanthan forcibly entering an Army Camp at Paravipachchan in Kilinochchi on 16 April have been stalled as the Army has been ordered not to pursue the case. Police said that officers of the Paravipachchan camp had been summoned to Kilinochchi Police to record their statements on the incident but the camp officers declined to cooperate saying that they had been instructed not to proceed with the case. Police said they could not proceed without statements from the camp authorities and men who were manning the entry point to the camp. May be these soldiers had assumed that the Leader of the Opposition and crowd were coming with due permission and respectfully allowed them into the camp!