A Brief Colonial History Of Ceylon(SriLanka)
Sri Lanka: One Island Two Nations
A Brief Colonial History Of Ceylon(SriLanka)
Sri Lanka: One Island Two Nations
(Full Story)
Search This Blog
Back to 500BC.
==========================
Thiranjala Weerasinghe sj.- One Island Two Nations
?????????????????????????????????????????????????Thursday, August 30, 2018
Face Off – SDIG Latiff Vs. FM Sarath Fonseka & Rtd. SDIG Nimal Lewke
“Power Does Not Corrupt, Fear Does. Perhaps The Fear Of A Loss Of Power” – John Steinbeck
Contemplated
defusing the situation in private, but changed my mind when matters
looked a lot more complicated. It all started (at least in the open),
when National List MP and Field Marshall Sarath Fonseka (SF)
made a statement at the Parliament on August 24, 2018, vilifying Senior
DIG Latiff for the arrest of his supporters few weeks prior for
allegedly having links to underworld crimes and/or for engaging in the
narcotics trade.
While
it is a common practice for the Sri Lankan Police Department to frame
innocent people and implant narcotics as evidence, it is always welcome
when real kingpins and dealers are nabbed in the process. A month ago, I
personally had to intervene at the Mount Lavinia Police Station when a
dozen teenagers were arrested at a party by the beach for confronting
the police team when their party was raided. And not surprisingly and
maliciously they were charged for possessing Ganja (weed) for which the
sentences would have been a jail time and/or permanent criminal record
should they decide to admit guilt and save the hassle of a litigation.
As a result of behind-the-scene attempts, the DIG of Mirihana Police
intervened and the case was withdrawn and I believe the arresting
officer(s) was interdicted. I let the matter to rest once the detainees
were discharged at the courts.
But many such victims are not fortunate enough to have such an audience
to listen to their desperate pleas or have funds to pay for lawyers. And
when SF berated in public over the arrest of some of his supporters
over a similar circumstance, it did draw my attention.
President Sirisena calling for the death penalty and
PM Ranil Wickremesinghe having a zero-tolerance policy for drug
offences has indeed driven the Special Task Force (STF) and the Police
Narcotics Bureau (PNB) to expand their efforts. But when the STF, PNB
and fighting organized crimes falls under the purview of one single man –
SDIG Latiff, and when teams under him in their enthusiasm target only
supporters of SF when similar anti-social elements identifying
themselves with other Parliamentarians are left alone, I believe SF’s
frustration is justified…, especially when some of the criminal charges
are cooked up.
When police teams raid or arrest particular suspects, the SDIG in charge
is not informed prior to such actions necessarily. Hence, the SDIG
cannot be held responsible for such actions as a rule. It must be also
mentioned that SL Police Department is highly politicized and can act
and they certainly do act in most cases under instructions from
political masters. A clear example would be the current ‘Yes-Sir,
No-Sir, Three-Bags-Full-Sir’ Inspector General of Police (IGP), Pujith
Jayasundara who promises
to prevent the imminent arrest of a particular Nilame under strict
political instructions from then-Minister of Law and Order, Sagala
Rathnayake.
Fortunately, SDIG Latiff does not hail from such a background and is
known for being honest and fearless and was never known to have bowed
down to politicians or their influences when carrying out his duties.
But unfortunately, he is less tactful when he has to maneuver through
political waters. And it is this handicap and honorable conduct of this
SDIG Latiff that made me do a bit of investigations and pen the
following…,
Field Marshal Sarath Fonseka – Minister of Sustainable Development, Wildlife & Regional Development
SDIG Latiff being verbally attacked by SF should not come as a surprise.
SF is on record to have said many things of importance and only to have
retracted later on or said something on the contrary after some time.
And during his last speech at the Parliament, SF accused a relative of
SDIG Latiff of being complicit in a drug heist. And on August 25, 2018, I
called SF on his mobile phone and I asked him to provide evidence to
support his accusations. He merely gives me the B-report number of a
police case and nothing more. Now I am not sure if SF has memory loss
issues or if it is related to a possible Post-Traumatic-Stress-Disorder
(PTSD) experienced after his retirement from military service. Either
case, I believe it would be helpful if he is reminded of the following:-
- Praises the ex-Secretary to Minister of Defense, Gotabaya Rajapaksa to the hilt soon after the war, only to run him down when SF becomes a Presidential candidate in 2010.
- Praises the current President and helps him win the Presidential Elections in 2015, only to berate him later for not being appointed the Minister of Law and Order.
- Goes out all against the Rajapaksas but accepts a pardon from the same.
- Claims Sri Lanka belongs to the Sinhalese while soliciting for votes of minority communities and claiming to be the rightful leader of a multi-racial, multi-religious nation.
- Claims to fight for a corruption-free nation, but helps his son-in-law win a questionable 200,000 USD plus contract to supply equipment to the military.
- Claims to be transparent in financial dealings, but questions remain unanswered to-date over Rs. 75 million in foreign currency found stashed in a bank deposit box, supposedly to be that of illegal campaign funds being used for personal use.
- In his blind hatred towards the Rajapaksas, confides to then Editor of Sunday Leader of the validity of the ‘white-flag’ incident at the last stages of the war, only to retract it later when realizing that he too would be implicated should there be an International War Crimes Tribunal.
- I saved the best for last. SF makes a big hue and cry over the recent arrests and claims they were innocent supporters and absolves them of any crimes. But SF’s most trusted lieutenant and Secretary during SF’s Presidential bid was none other than Senaka Haripriya De Silva, an army officer who was convicted of armed robbery and who spent 3 plus years from a lengthy sentence behind bars. He is also wanted in Belgium over a cheating case for which the Sri Lankan government failed to extradite him due to the absence of an Extradition Treaty between the two nations. Interestingly, when a thief and a cheat currently lives at JAIC Hilton Residencies, would it also not beg the question of how he sustains himself? For SF’s sake, I just hope 2010 Presidential Elections campaign funds have nothing to do with it. Maybe it is about time we sign that Extradition Treaty with Belgium after all.
I can live with all of the above…, but when SF in a fit of anger accused
the relative of SDIG Latiff being involved in a drug raid that took
place a couple of years back, the first question that came to my mind
was how on earth did SF come to know of such and the case number
particularly of the B-Report. Based on my investigations, the alleged
suspect(s) in the drug raid happens to be a SIM card customer of a
vendor who also happens to be a CCTV installer for the said relative.
Phew, some connection that is. And if SF have some problems or a special
interest about this particular slow pace of this case, he should have
contacted the AG’s office or got in touch with the concerned prosecuting
authority. Instead, he uses his parliamentary privileges and shoots his
loose cannon of a mouth not knowing that it would boomerang on him
eventually. And as for the rat who leaked the case number etc., enter
SDIG Nimal Lewke!