(Lanka-e-News- 26.March.2017, 6.00AM) Three members of the army responsible for brutally attacking and injuring 39 victims including journalists , and killing three villagers at Rathupaswela by shooting during the lawless Rajapkse era when those villagers were demanding clean drinking water were arrested by the CID on the 24 th. Among these ruthless criminals were two army sergeants.
After the suspects were produced before Gampaha magistrate court they were ordered to be remanded until 3 rd of April by Gampaha acting magistrate Vasantha Gunasekera .
At the initial trial in the magistrate court some years ago following the preliminary post mortem examination the killings were declared as not murders and as fake.
The despotic bestial Rajapakse regime that kept the people oppressed under their iron heels during that period sent its war tanks instead of water bowsers to quench the thirst of the Rathupaswela residents when they were requesting clean drinking water.
Because the drinking water of the Rathupaswela villagers were contaminated due to the acid wastes of Hayleys Dip products factory , the residents only wanted pure drinking water based on their most human and justifiable demand . The lawless ruthless Rajapakse regime at that time paid no heed to their requests , and instead of sending water bowsers sent its war tanks targeting the protestors , consequent upon which innocent villagers died , and many others as well as journalists were injured.
The brutal bestial Rajapkse gave orders on 2013-08-01 to fire at the Rathpaswela villagers who were protesting from morning. On that same day the new army commander Daya Rathnayake who was appointed , as his first task dispatched murderous brigadier Dehsapriya Gunawardena to Rathupaswela to shoot down the unarmed villagers. Following the shooting , two school students , Akila and Ravishan ,and a father of a child Pushpakumara who had come to that village for employment lost their precious lives. In addition, as a result of the fierce assaults launched by the forces on 39 individuals including journalists who sustained injures had to be admitted to hospital .
Even today the Rathupaswela residents are questioning , how come Brigadier Deshapriya who led the attack , as well as accomplices Gotabaya and Daya Rathnayake who gave illegal orders are still Scott free ? This is a most pertinent question because the army firing at unarmed protestors all of a sudden is absolutely unlawful.
Under the law ,it is an SP of the police who should summon the army. In this instance , no such requests have been made by the police. It is only if the protests are riotous and cannot be controlled after use of high pressure water cannons , tear gas and rubber bullets , orders can be given to shoot below the knees. That too , only after warnings are issued three times using the loudspeaker or giving notice. None of these legal requirements were followed in the Rathupaswela incident . Brigadier Deshapriya the brute as though he was a law unto himself ignored all the established laws , surrounded the residents with his murderous group and attacked the civilians with clubs and fired at them.
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by (2017-03-26 00:30:00)
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Charges must commence wisely from one end - the lower, as in this instance and when water-tight
statements are recorded in Courts, the next level of culprits, backed by black coats can take the
stand and face the music. Lets be a little patient and watch how MS is going to safe-guard the
Forces here, with his backbone, as opposed to what too place in NP. This will be further proof for
Foreign Judges in UN accusations.
-- by punchinilame on 2017-03-26
More than who committed the murderers, the Citizens are interested to find out why and who gave the orders to do so.
-- by Namal Perera on 2017-03-26