Critical Questions on Weliveriya Incident

The news from Weliveriya is really distressing and the whole country is in a state shock hearing the impact of Army-Police assault on the civilians. The exact number of deaths is not known as yet. At first it was said that one and several were injured. Later it was reported that 4 or 6 are dead. The country has a right to know the exact number of the dead and the injured.

Even if the number of dead is just one, should such killings be tolerated? Could such a protest by the Innocent and unarmed civilians on a just cause drinking water in this instance, be targeted with bullets? In my view the killings at Welveriya cannot be justified on any ground.

Who gave the orders to kill? Nobody in sound senses would order to confront the citizens with bullets when their demand is drinking water, a harmless demand of about citizens of 10 villages.  

People have neither acted on imagination, nor got mobilized by sheer selfish political interests but motivated by a real need, water without which survival is impossible.  The monks who participated in this struggle vouched that the need is genuine. Only those in power consider it otherwise.

This is not the first time that Rajapakha regime used bullets to wound or kill innocent citizens in the land when the citizens asked for their just demands. The killing of FTZ worker Roshen Chanka at Katunayaka and causing injuries to hundreds of others and fishermen at Chilaw were the previous instances. It has now happened at Weliveriya.

After seeing the images of police and military operations against the civilians on TV, one can imagine what had happened to the Tamils in the North and East for past few decades. What did the Tamils demand? They asked for freedom to use their language and political freedom to manage their affairs. The response of our rulers was retaliating with bullets.

Another aspect of this incident is that the priority of the authorities has been protecting the polluters rather than remedying the damage caused to the sources of water.

What has been the role of the Environmental Authority in finding a solution to this issue? Was it unaware that there has been contamination of underground water for some time now? Or did it overlook because the factories are owned by some economically powerful individuals.

These events prompt us to question also the policy of the government over the democratic right of people to protest. Has the Mahinda Chinthanaya withdrawn it and the new policy is to confront the protesting civilians with bullets?

Can this happen is a democracy. The behavior of the government in these instances tells where it is leading us to. In this path of darkness creating a ‘culture of silence’ using bullets become an effective strategy.  Hasn’t the people being in a slumber too long?

Human Rights of People of Weliveriya and Rathupawela

The struggle of people at Rathupaswela for weeks against the factory which has polluted the drinking wells in the area, culminated in three deaths of young people as a result of shooting by the army personnel.

The three dead were two students and a young worker who took shelter inside the Church premises. Today the case regarding this matter was to be heard at the Gampaha magistrate courts but was postponed for some reasons.

Both, the deprivation of sources of drinking water to the villagers and the killings of two students returning home after school and a young worker returning home after work and causing gunshot injuries to many others, were acts of severe injustices and therefore they have to be condemned without any reservation.

Having realized the gravity of this matter the members visited the area on several occasions to meet people and to explore the possibilities for involvement by CSM to support the cause of the victims of these injustices. The CSM was informed also that the villagers of Rathupaswela and Weliveriya are now like the “sheep without shepherds” and that the presence of the members of the clergy will be greatly appreciated specially by the Catholic community in Weliveriya.

So last Monday one decision among a few others was to attend the hearing at courts on the 8^th November as a sign of our solidarity with the victims. It was heartening that 15 members of the Christian clergy (5 men and 10 women) were present at the court premises. However, there was a feeling of sadness in everyone when informed that the case has been postponed.

Yet, seeing the importance witnessing to value of Justice and being present with the victims, everyone agreed to come again on the next day of the hearing.

Now Wild Statements Have Been Attributed To Bishop Rayappu!

April 29, 2013 | Filed under: Colombo Telegraph,Opinion | Posted by: COLOMBO_TELEGRAPH

By Fr. Sarath Iddamalgoda -

Fr. Sarath Iddamalgoda

Bishop Rayappu of Mannar diocese has been accused again. The Nation paper says, ‘the Bishop, TNA resurrect LTTE’s ISGA demand’.

Who can challenge the source of reporting, when the ‘Nation’ is totally depending on the army intelligence?

I have been at several meetings where Bishop spoke his mind on the national issue. But he never stood for a separation of the country. He strongly stood for a political solution which respects the Tamil identity.

However he is deeply committed to cause of the Tamil community. For an example very bravely he stood by the Mullikulam people when their land was appropriated by the security forces quite unjustly. Due to such instances, many have misunderstood the Bishop because he takes up unceasingly the cause of the Tamil community despite of the threats he faces from different quarters including the intelligence services. Bishop strongly believes in the cause of Justice. That indeed is the Faith of Christian community which believes ‘Let justice roll on like a river, righteousness like a never-failing stream’. (Amos 5/24)

For some voicing on the rights of the Tamils equals Tigers or supporters of separation.

The real problem lies not with the Bishop but with the government who has no political will to draft a political solution. In fact, it is the opinion of the commission that cause of the crisis is the politicians who governed this country after independence. So far we have not seen any serious attempt on the part of the government to implement the recommendations of the LLRC which was appointed by the President himself.

Now wild statements have been attributed to bishop Rayappu! No one can prevent such accusations. But we can see that the nation paper is having a biased mind and an agenda to destroy the good name of the bishop.

It is a well known that Bishop Rayappu is one of the strongest voices of the Tamil community.  Branding him as a Tiger voice can be a strategy to silence such voices. If one vilifying Bishop Rayappu with that intention, he/she will have a short victory.

An unjust regime can harm Individuals as it is happening in the case of Bishop Rayappu but the prophetic voices cannot be stopped.  Church leaders have a calling to ‘speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute’ (Proverb 31/8).

We pray that Bishop Rayappu be continually blessed to continue his prophetic mission.

Violence against Citizens at Hultsdorf

The government’s behavior in handling the impeachment motion demonstrates that it has no respect for the rule of law. Although, its spokesmen repeatedly declare that everything was done according to the law it has failed to convince the legal community and the civil society within and outside the country.

Another clear instance of government’s disregard for the rule of law is the violence unleashed on the peaceful demonstrators on the 10^th January by the political goons sponsored by the government.

Those thugs with poles and stones in hand arrived there with a clear purpose of committing violence. Indeed their violent actions were really shocking. The fact that they were committing those criminal activities in the presence of hundreds of police officers placed there to maintain law and order, was most surprising. The police inaction to prevent such attacks amounted to police giving protection to those criminals.

This surely would not have happened unless the police had orders from the higher political authorities, to allow a free hand to the attackers and overlook the crimes they were commissioned to commit. The  behavior of the attackers in the streets of Hulsdorp betrayed the fact that they had the blessings of the authorities and had enjoyed the privilege of total immunity.    

Can this happen in a democracy? The right to a peaceful protest is an intrinsic part of a democratic society and is a long and respected tradition even in Sri Lanka. The freedom to hold peaceful demonstrations is a right guaranteed by the constitution. According to the chapter three of our constitution every citizen is entitled to the freedom of speech and expression and the freedom of peaceful assembly.

Therefore everyone who loves democratic traditions should immediately condemn this attack by the Government’s goons and the failure on the part of the State to provide protection to its citizens who arrived there to express their views in the form of a peaceful assembly which is one of their fundamental rights guaranteed by the constitution.

Now the attack has already taken place. One of the unfortunate victims was Thilak Kariyawasam. Fortunately, he was physically strong enough to face the numerous brutal attacks made by the goons with their hands, legs and sticks. Anyone else he would have died on the spot. 

The Police if interested can easily identify the attackers from the images provided by the media. But no action has been taken so far against these brutal attacks. The citizens ought to thank the media personnel for publishing the images of the political goons attacking the peaceful protesters at the hills of Hultsdorf.

Referring to the Chief Justice, the government spokesmen have been heard to reiterate that every wrong doer has to be punished. Although the allegations have not been proved, she has been punished in an illegal manner. 

But no action has been taken against the wrong doers who committed violent criminal acts on those who came to demonstrate in the defense of the independence of the judiciary.

Does it mean that the government is giving a message to the citizens of this country that it has no respect for citizens’ rights and is prepared to unleash goon violence to crush any opposition to its hegemony? This is a sign that we are going to be ruled by political goons! 

Fr. Sarath Iddamalgoda