Minister's brother CID probe impartiality questioned
[TamilNet, Friday, 06 July 2007, 08:19 GMT]
Investigation by Criminal Investigation Department (CID) into alleged involvement of Mr. Nisantha Gajatheera, the brother of Minister Chandrasiri Gajatheeera, in recent abductions will not be conducted in a transparent and impartial manner, said United National Party (UNP) Member of parliament from Kandy District Laxman Seneviratne, speaking at the emergency debate in parliament on Thursday, parliamentary sources said.
Mr.Seneviratne alleged the ransom obtained from the abductees is deposited in a bank in one of the Caribbean islands, and that a large portion of this money is in the personal account of one of the high ranking official in the government.
Anurakumara Tissanayake, JVP parliamentarian from Kurunagala interupted the speech and pointed out that the said official was Mr Gotabaya Rajapakse, the Defence secretary.
Mr.Seneviratne added that he agreed with Mr.Tissanayake and said all problems in Sri Lanka are viewed as terrorism related and the political rights of Tamils are being denied.
Nisantha Gajatheera is a close friend of Sri Lanka's President Mahinda Rajapakse. Mr.D.W.Pirathab Singh, head the CID was a Sri Lanka Freedom Party candidate in the parliamentary elections.
"Pirathab Singh investigated our party MP Jayalath Jayawardene as well the ex- cabinet minister Sripathy Sooriyarachchi recently evicted from SLFP. Only our party and not the CID or the government, offers protection to the parliamentarians belonging to our party," Mr.Seneviratne said.
The proposal to extend the emergency regulations was passed with a majority of 109 votes. Jathika Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP), Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC), Jathika Hela Urimaya (JHU) and Ceylon Workers (CWC) supported the motion. While UNP abstained from voting, members Tamil National Alliance (TNA) as well as Mano Ganeshan leader of Western Province People Front (WPPF) voted against the motion.
Vino Nogarathalingam, TNA parliamentarian from Jaffna district commenting on the recent statement by Mr. Jeyaraj Fernandopulle, Minister of Trade, and Commerce & Consumer Affairs that some of the members from TNA will soon defect and join the ruling party, said this was a figment of imagination of the minister and in the tradition of TNA, there is no history of any one from their party joining the government to obtain ministry positions and receive petty privileges.
Mr.T.Kanagasabai, Batticaloa district Tamil National Alliance (TNA) parliamentarian, said that while parliamentarians from his party are fighting for the rights of Tamils amid escalating abductions and human right violations against Tamils, he finds the Minister's statement laughable.
The proposal to extend the emergency regulations was passed with a majority of 109 votes. Jathika Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP), SRI Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC), Jathika Hela Urimaya (JHU) and Ceylon Workers (CWC) supported the motion. While UNP abstained from voting, members Tamil National Alliance (TNA) as well as Mano Ganeshan of Western Province People Front (WPPF) voted against the motion.