Where have all the assassins gone?

Where have all the assassins gone?

Gamini Dissanayake, R. Premadasa,

D.M. Dassanayake, N. Raviraj and T. Maheswaran

By Dilrukshi Handunnetti

and Arthur Wamanan

In the history of assassination politics in Sri Lanka, it is not just the frequency of the gory murders alone that had helped create an appalling record but also the absence of credible investigations leading to the apprehension of criminals.

The criminality in the country has experienced a steep increase since the war broke out in 1983 which by now has paved the way for a culture of impunity to take root, with offenders of all levels going unpunished. Furthermore, if the law enforcement agencies were free of involvement and blame in some of the sensational killings this country had witnessed so far, the situation has drastically altered since then.

State complicity

By now, the law enforcement mechanism also stands accused of complicity as well as alleged aiding and abetting in some of the violent VIP deaths, though legally not established. It will also prove impossible to establish the same given the attitude of condoning paramilitary groups, renegade factions of the LTTE, armed political extensions and even individuals who collectively contribute to the country's increasing criminal statistics.

The new year began with a bang - or a boom so to say, with UNP Colombo District MP Thyagaraja Maheswaran being assassinated inside a famous Hindu temple while offering pooja. A week later, Nation Building Minister D.M. Dassanayake fell victim to a claymore attack.

On Christmas eve in 2005, TNA MP Joseph Pararajasingham was assassinated inside a church in Batticaloa during service, while in 2006, TNA's Natarajah Raviraj was killed on a public highway within a high security zone in Colombo.

Sadly, three out of the four cited cases have been marred by serious allegations of complicity by the armed forces. The investigations have drawn a blank so far.

To point out the direction Sri Lanka has taken, we publish a chart today. The chart certainly speaks for itself.

Top politicians

These names belong to mainstream politicians who were killed due to ethnic violence from both sides of the divide. The killing of Nalanda Ellawala alone was linked to election violence.

The listed 29 names here include 17 Tamils, bringing in an ethnic dimension to the culture of assassinations, 11 Sinhalese and one Muslim.

They also happened to be some of the finest politicians this country ever produced and held high public office at some point of time. We also confine the chart to legislators, both elected and nominated.

Having worked with zeal and ambition, those listed fell either to a gun or a bomb. The singular exception being former President Chandrika Kumaratunga Bandaranaike who was lucky to survive having sustained the loss of one eye. Among those who survived assassination attempts are Ministers Douglas Devananda and Nimal Siripala de Silva.

Our list also includes one President, Ranasinghe Premadasa, an Opposition Leader, Gamini Dissanayake and ministers including one Foreign Minister, Lakshman Kadirgamar.

Tracing their origins to the country's ethnic strife, over 23 years, Sri Lanka has silently borne its grief as politicians continuously got physically eliminated.

The loss caused by successful assassination attempts is one issue. But compounding the obvious holes in our security network is the unpalatable truth that their death probes have drawn a blank, failing at least to appease the curiosity of society and to provide some answers to the near and dear ones of the assassinated.

Abandoning investigations

While deaths do happen, and in a country where an estimated 65,000 people have been killed prior to the 2001 truce, it is pertinent to raise the point as to why we have made a habit of abandoning investigations into these dastardly killings.

The prevailing situation only adds to the cynicism that governments collectively promise things but they never see to it that there is indeed afinal outcome. In recent times, there have been serious allegations leveled against the security forces aiding these crimes that only prove system failure.

For example, President R. Premadasa was assassinated on May 1, 1993 and upon requesting for a presidential inquiry, there was none. The probe was also abandoned on grounds of lack of material evidence.

According to defence sources, it is very difficult to complete investigations and to apprehend the perpetrators as most are suicide operations. "There would be no material evidence. A suicide cadre won't leave clues for others to find out information about whoever lent a hand to him/her to carry out the operation," the source explained.

Inside sources from the Defence Ministry unofficially confirmed that most investigations were still underway and that meant, they would take a long time to conclude. That is if they ever really conclude.

Following TNA Parliamentarian Natarajah Raviraj's killing, in the heat of the moment Scotland Yard was invited to probe the killing. Meanwhile, there is deafening silence over the killing of Batticaloa District TNA Parliamentarian, Joseph Pararajasingham that occurred on December 24, 2005.

Scotland Yard

It is important to note that this was not the first time that a Scotland Yard probe has been pledged in connection with prominent politicians' killings - though there is little hope of an independent probe actually taking place.

Now there is a renewed called by civic organisations and the international community to probe these assassinations.

Interestingly enough, the government was quick to pin blame on the LTTE long before an inquiry was launched into Thyagaraja Maheswaran's killing. He was killed just 12 days after his 19-member security was reduced to a mere two policemen by the authorities.

Meanwhile, the young assassin Thomas Collin Valentine alias Wasanthan is believed to have been a former EPDP cadre turned Ministerial Security Division (MSD) officer and also served as personal security officer (PSO) to both Douglas Devananda and Maheswaran himself. These details have since been denied by the government.

Likewise, Minister D.M. Dassanayake's assassination probe too is dragging along, with the investigating authorities happy to pin responsibility on the LTTE. Often, that's where our investigations stop.

Following these killings, most TNA legislators and WPF Leader Mano Ganesan have left the country complaining of inadequate security.

Hit list

In the meantime, defence sources say that there is a list of 40 VIPs who receive maximum protection due to a 'high risk' factor.

Handling VIP security is a special concern. There are some trained specifically to provide that as a service, and Sri Lanka also has three companies discharging this special service.

According to defence sources, all politicians receive protection and this aspect is completely handled by the Ministerial Security Division (MSD). Only a few receive Special Task Force (STF) security, which is a special assignment.

According to a top Special Task Force (STF) source, the STF provides security only to VVIPs such as the President, Prime Minister and Ministers such as Rohitha Bogollagama, Keheliya Rambukwella and former President Chandrika Kumaratunga.

"Most of the security is provided by the MSD. Therefore they handle most security issues. The STF provides security only to the VVIPs," the source said.

It was added that to MPs such as the late Gamini Dissanayake, a part of the president's security, along with the STF was provided to protect him.

"Security is deployed to MPs based on a threat assessment. At times a part of the presidential security is extended to provide security to the MPs though very little now," the source added.

STF record

According to him, nobody who received STF security had so far died a tragic death. That he considers to bea matter of pride, one that had enabled the VVIPs who received STF protection to live secure lives. "When we protect, we really protect," the STF source said.

While the non-completion of the death probes remains a huge problem, the government is coming under severe criticism for its lax attitude. And some even blame the government for having no interest in establishing thetruth possibly due tothe government's decoys being implicated.

Speaking earlier to The Sunday Leader, TNA MP Suresh Premachandran alleged that the assassination of TNA MP Joseph Pararajasingham remained unresolved even after the TNA provided the names of the two main suspects to President Mahinda Rajapakse himself. It is learned that these suspects have not been arrested or questioned todate.

Reduced to statistics

The TNA also claims that with the death of Natarajah Raviraj, the party called for Scotland Yard to conduct investigations, as local investigations appeared biased and driven by political interests than to verify the truth.

As far as Raviraj's and Pararajasigham's death probes go the TNA harbours the same old fear - that these killings would only form statistics with no identification of the assassins possible.

Every time a death occurs, there would be the temporary noise - slogans, protestsand promises - and deafening silencethereafter. Just like all else, it is a foregone conclusion that the killings of Thyagaraja Maheswaran and D.M. Dassanayake too would be soon forgotten.

Top politicians killed

Member of Parliament Place Date killed

S Dharmalingam Manipai 02-09-1985

K Alalasundaram Kopai 02-09-1985

A Amirthalingam Colombo 13-07-1989

V Yogeswaran Jaffna 13-07-1989

T Ganeshalingam Jaffna 28-01-1990

Sam Thambimuthu Batticaloa 07-05-1990

V Yogasangaree Batticaloa 10-06-1990

K Kanagaratnam Pottuvil 15-07-1990

Ranjan Wijeratne Thimbirigasyaya 02-03-1991

Lalith Athulathmudali Kirulapone 23-04-1993

R Premadasa Armour Street 01-05-1993

Gamini Dissanayake Grandpass 24-10-1994

G.M. Premachandra Grandpass 24-10-1994

Weerasinghe Mallimarachchi Grandpass 24-10-1994

Gamini Wijesekara Grandpass 24-10-1994

Ossie Abeygunasekara Grandpass 24-10-1994

Nalanda Ellawala Kuruwita 11-02-1997

A. Thangadurai Trincomalee 05-07-1997

Mohammed Maharoof Trincomalee 20-07-1997

S. Shanmuganathan Wanni 15-07-1998

N. Thiruchelvan Borella 29-07-1999

A. Nadarajan Jaffna 02-11-1999

C.V. Gunaratne Colombo 08-06-2000

Lakshman Kadirgamar Cinnamon Gardens 12-08-2005

A. Chandraneru Batticaloa 09-05-2005

Joseph Pararajasingam Batticaloa 25-12-2005

Nataraja Raviraj Colombo 17-11-2006

T Maheswaran Kotahena 01-01-2008

D M Dassanayake Ja Ela 08-01-2008

Probe incomplete - Premadasa

The assassination probe on former President Ranasinghe Premadasa has headed nowhere.

The Premadasa family has made renewed requests to the authorities to conduct inquiries but has received no response. Son of late President Premadasa, UNP Hambantota District Parliamentarian Sajith Premadasa told The Sunday Leader that requests were made to renew probes and to conduct them in earnest to no avail.

"The investigations naturally went for a six as soon as they cleaned up the place where my father was assassinated," Premadasa alleged.

No expectations - Dissanayake

The Gamini Dissanayake family too does not pin many hopes on the investigative process into their family member killed in Grandpass during a presidential election rally.

While much is not expected, they are also not aware of the present state of the investigations.

Son Mayantha Dissanayake told The Sunday Leader that the family did not expect an outcome anytime soon but insisted that the assassination pattern had all the tell-tale signs of a LTTE suicide attack.

"I'm actually unaware of the state of investigations. It was definitely a LTTE suicide killing. This kind of investigation may take several years. It doesn't lead to the apprehension of culprits either. Anyway, the assailant is killed," he said.

Futile exercise - Mrs. Maheswaran

While rapid investigations commenced following the assassination of Thyagarajah Maheswaran, 27 days after his killing, the family has no clue at what stage the inquiries are.

The slain MP's wife, M. Maheswaran told The Sunday Leader that police officials frequently visited the household after the assassination and having withdrawn the MP's personal security in December, had two personnel to stand guard near the house after the killing.

She also said that while it was necessary to do something to ascertain the truth, it was impossible to place trust in the investigating process.

"They (police) come here very often and record statements. But we don't know where the investigation is heading. The family was never briefed. Some times we feel that it is a futile exercise which will never lead to the actual assassin. The only truth is that I will never get my husband back and my children their father," she said.

Enhanced security for MPs - MSD

The Ministerial Security Division (MSD) is currently working out the details on assigning personnel to parliamentarians.

The regular practice is to provide two PSOs which has now been increased to four following a recent call by the Speaker to enhance the security of all legislators, irrespective of parties represented.

The parliamentarians representing the north and east have a five-member unit which has not been enhanced still. The party leaders also have more security but some legislators have more numbers depending on 'threat assessments.'

Interestingly, some ministers enjoy a contingent of 200 personnel while some reach even the parliament chamber with armed bodyguards, a privilege denied to most others.

"To enhance security, we need to recruit more. The present numbers are inadequate and even when we have the numbers, they need to be specially trained in VIP security. It is a totally different task," an official said.

http://www.thesundayleader.lk/20080127/POTSHOT.HTM