(Lanka e News -24.Aug.2015, 10.30PM) Four high ranking army officers responsible for the abduction and murder of Lanka e news journalist Prageeth Ekneliyagoda were arrested by the CID this afternoon.
The four suspects arrested are : Lieutenant Colonel Kumararatne who was in charge of the Giritale army camp, Lieutenant Colonel Siriwardena, Staff Sergeant Rajapakse and Corporal Jayalath.
Earlier on the CID arrested two army intelligence division officers and a retired sergeant major Ranbanda. Based on their statements , the CID requested the army to produce the four army officers to the CID for interrogation , but the army went on delaying , and finally responded only today.
The CID following the arrests have taken the four officers for questioning. Meanwhile intense pressures have been brought to bear on the CID from various quarters to release them , based on reports reaching Lanka e news.
After the exposure that the army intelligence division and the ‘illegal murder unit’ are connected with this Ekneliyagoda murder , it is learnt that the army commander is moving heaven and earth to suppress the investigation . The contention of the army commander and Rajapakse stooges is , if this investigation is conducted , there is a possibility for the army intelligence division to break down.
Needless to mention, the salaries of the officers of the country’s intelligence division are paid out of people’s tax collections. Hence , nobody has the right to use the name of the army or the intelligence division to abduct or murder or cause disappearances of innocent citizens. The army that is paid salaries out of people’s funds should therefore be there to provide security and protection to the citizens , and not to exterminate them no matter who gives them the illegal orders. The army therefore has no right whatsoever to abduct citizens or kill them ruthlessly like exterminating rats, cats , dogs and cockroaches. It is the duty of the present army commander to respect this unassailable truth and abide by the laws of the country , for no one is above the law , including himself.
May we recall that Lanka e news warned at that time itself when Krishantha De Silva a bootlicking stooge of the Rajapakses was being appointed as the army commander that he is not suitable for the post. In support of this claim, we revealed how Krishantha gave false evidence before the military court against former army commander Sarath Fonseka , consequent upon which Fonseka was sent to jail ; and the other ground we cited to substantiate our claim was , according to army traditions , an officer of the engineering force division is never appointed as an army commander.
In spite of this unsavory antecedence of Krishantha , it is learnt that the latter had even been given an extension of another year in service since 22 nd by the defense minister president Maithripala Sirisena. Owing to this extension , the search for the culprits responsible for the Ekneliyagoda abduction and murder is hampered.
Editor's Note:
We are fully aware that these army chiefs who are now in custody in connection with the murder of Ekneliyagoda did not have any personal grudge or enmity against the victim to commit this brutal heartless murder. Hence we urge that the individual at the top who gave the orders to commit this ruthless murder be tracked down and exposed; and the true criminals involved be brought to book .
If such action is not taken ,may we warn not only the lieutenant Colonels aforementioned , even their wives, relatives, children , grandchildren will have to face the same sentence some day .
Therefore we ask from the army leaders to reveal who gave them the orders. At the same time Lanka e news urges its readers and civil organizations to compel the relatives and families to make their army leaders to reveal the true culprit at the top operating from behind the scenes. Shortly we shall publish the names and addresses of the relatives and families.
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by (2015-08-24 17:15:43)
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2 discussion on this news
Dear Mr Sandaruwan,
(1) If You like, you dont have to publish this as a comment. However, if you could publish, that too would be ok. BUT more important, please maintain MEDIA ATTENTION on this matter.
(2) I congratulate and commend you for this Article. It is Websites like LeN who can play a valuable role in matters such as this.
(3) The Print Media in Sri Lanka, today, 26 August, have SELF-CENSORED themselves and not given the names of the 4 army personnel who were arressted!!!
(4) These 4 (quite JUNIOR) Army officers are NOT the ones who must be PROSECUTED for Prageeth's death. They were Majors in 2010!!!! An Army Major will NEVER do anything like Prageeth's Death without ORDERS from senior Officers. The cHAIN OF COMMAND RESPONSIBILITY can be traced. Above this Major would have been the Director Of Inteeligence at that time Maj Gen Hendavitharana. Above him the then Army Commander, General Jagath Jayasuriya. Above him, Mr. Gotabhya Rajapakse. Above him, the Commander -n Chied, President Mahinda Rajapakse. These senior ArmyOfficers and Def Secretary, and President are the people TOTALLY RESPONSIBLE FOR PRAGEETH'S Death. NOT these Junior personnel.
(5) PLEASE, YOU MUST KEEP EMPHASISING THIS. YOU MUST EDUCATE THE NORMAL CITIZENS OF SRI LANKA ABOUT THIS. This fact is NOT well understood by the Normal Citizens of Sri Lanka. Especially the Rural folk.
(6) General Jagath Jayasuriya is to be sent as one of SRI LANKA'S AAMBASSADORS!!! This should be stopped. EVEN IF HE DOES MANAGE TO GET SENT - Which the present Govt should stop - you, we, all Citizens must begin a CAMPAIGN in that country (supposedly Brazil) agaiNst General Jayasuriya. GEN. JAYASURIYA WOULD HAVE KNOWN ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED TO PRAGEETH. And, while he himself is the Father of Children, he REMAINED SILENT!
(7) Geeral Daya Ratnayake is another senior officer who would have known about Prageeth's fate. He did NOTHING. Gen Ratnayake too is scheduled to be sent abroad as an Ambassador.
(8) What nonsense is this? In NO OTHER COUNTRY DOES THIS TYPE OF THING HAPPEN.
(9) BOTH these Officers, AND other Officers should remain in SriLanka to be called as WITNESSES in the prosecutions that SHOULD FOLLOW. The AG must take forward the Prosecutions.
(10) We must NOT allow these relatively Junior Officers to be made to take all the Punishment. But sadly, this is what has happened - and contiues to happen - in Sri Lanka. In the case of Prageeth, of lasantha Wikrematunge, and the dozens of other's who have been killed, we must STRIVE FOR AS LONG AS IT TAKES - 10-15 YEARS - for JUSTICE to be done.
Thank you,
well done,
Keep up the Good Work.
-- by J.Samaranayake on 2015-08-26
What about Mahinda Balasuriya (former IGP). He is a culprit too. Better to question him too.
-- by Indrani on 2015-09-03
