Ven. Elle Gunawansa, flanked by Gevindu Cumaratunga (left), Manohara de Silva and Gemunu Gunawardena, addressing the media (pic by Nimal Dayaratne)
By Shamindra Ferdinando [Island]
Civil society organization, Yuthukama, yesterday called for a thorough investigation into the circumstances leading to the Easter Sunday suicide bombings.
Yuthukama Convener Genvindu Cumaratunga said that the public was aware of the identities of suicide cadres and their relatives as well as the National Thowheed Jamat’s alleged links to ISIS (Islamic State of Iraq and Syria). But the real issue was who actually decided to carry out the Easter Sunday operation in Sri Lanka, he told the media at Sri Sambudda Jayanthi Mandiraya, Thunnmulla.
Cumaratunga was flanked by Ven. Elle Gunawansa Thera, Manohara de Silva, PC and Gemunu Gunawardena, also of Yuthukama.
Cumaratunga also asked why two suicide cadres had targeted Shangri-la, whereas all other targets, three churches and two more hotels were hit by a bomber each. The civil society activist said that the attack on Shangri-la by two suicide bombers should be thoroughly investigated.
Cumaratunga emphasised that a thorough investigation was needed to find out who had ordered the Easter Sunday operation. According to him, the decision to carry out an unprecedented coordinated operation couldn’t have been Zaharan’s, but someone else’s.
Yuthukama leader said April 21 atrocities had been blamed on two groups comprising some 140-150 active members whereas both President Maithripala Sirisena and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe repeatedly discussed Sri Lanka being a victim of an international terrorist plot.
Therefore, the government couldn’t under any circumstances shirk its responsibility to identify the masterminds of Easter Sunday slaughter, Cumaratunga said.
Sri Lanka as a nation should know the truth, Cumaratunga said, pointing out that the government owed an explanation as to why tangible measures had not been adopted taken to prevent the April 21 bombings in spite of being alerted by a foreign intelligence service over two weeks before the strike.
Cumaratunga explained how the 19th Amendment to the Constitution, enacted in early 2015, with the blessings of all political parties in parliament, had weakened the country. He said that the Constitutional Council established in terms of the 19th Amendment caused chaos. He recalled the controversial circumstances under which the CC picked Pujith Jayasundera as the Inspector General of Police (IGP).
Pointing out that the President couldn’t even remove the IGP in the wake of Easter Sunday carnage, Cumaratunga asked what would have been the situation if there were nine Provincial Services in terms of the 13thAmendment to the Constitution. The Yuthukama Chief asserted that the current system of parliamentary governance was inimical to national interests. He said that the current system was nothing but a joke.
The need of the hour was a strong stable government capable of ensuring the safety and security of all communities, Cumaratunga said, explaining how minority political parties shamelessly exploited the current system for their advantage regardless of the consequences.
Cumaratunga said the lowering of the cut off point from 12.5 per cent to 5 per cent had allowed minor political parties to exploit major political parties. Now those who couldn’t poll even one per cent of vote could secure representation in Parliament, Cumaratunga said, pointing out the absurdity in maintaining these parties at public expense.
He pointed out that the UNP in spite of the ACMC, SLMC, JHU et al still couldn’t secure a simple majority in current parliament. Cumaratunga recalled abortive bid made by Sirisena-Rajapaksa combine to prove simple majority in parliament during political turmoil caused by Premier Wickremesinghe’s sacking.
Yuthukama called for far reaching constitutional amendments to save the country from the current mess. Sri Lanka required a stable government with the capacity to address contentious issues, Cumaratunga said, reminding Muslim political leadership to re-examine its position on Sri Lankan identity. No community couldn’t have an agenda detrimental to national cause, Cumaratunga said, explaining how some inadvertently or deliberately pursued policies detrimental to the society.
Referring to SLMC leader and Minister Rauff Hakeem calling for compensation for the Muslims affected by violence in the Wayamba province and Minuwangoda area, Cumaratunga said that as a senior member of the cabinet he should have been equally worried about other communities.
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