A protest held against the then government when former rugby player Wasim Thajudeen’s remains were being exhumed in 2015. The killing of Thajudeen is always cited as an emblematic case of politically sponsored crimes.
Underworld has been a phenomenon in Sri Lanka since the United National Party (UNP) administration of President J.R. Jayewardene who was voted in in 1977
Every issue the current government encounter is a legacy of the past, as it is too early for it to create its own legacy
The killing of Ganemulle Sanjeewa, who is described as an underworld leader at a courtroom of the country’s main Hulftsdorp court complex on Wednesday was not the first of its kind.
The officer in charge of the Weerangula police station and his uncle was killed inside the Attanagalla Magistrate court in early 1990. In another incident, Dammika Amarasinghe, a witness of a case involving a high-profile businessman was shot dead within a Hulftsdorp court house on January 9, 2004.
Interestingly, the assassins of Dammika Amarasinghe and Ganemulle Sanjeewa were said to be army deserters and in both incidents the shooter had come to the courtroom dressed as a lawyer. Both incidents took place in the same court complex.
The Opposition parties that are desperate in finding issues to put the ruling National People’s Power (NPP) down were seen in a hurry to describe the situation as a breakdown of national security, despite the incident being isolated.
During the aftermath of the Easter Sunday terrorist attacks in 2019, the then Army Commander Lieutenant General Mahesh Senanayake told media that “lone wolf attacks” might occur anywhere in the world anytime. Yes, those who are behind such an attack need only a committed man and a gap in the security system.
Needless to say, Wednesday’s shooting incident was very serious, yet, it is not something impossible to happen in Sri Lanka or it did not indicate the breakdown of national security. On 12 October 1984, the Provisional Irish Republican Army (IRA) attempted to assassinate members of the British government, including the Prime Minister, Margaret Thatcher, at the Grand Hotel in Brighton, England. And later, the IRA ended its statement on the incident with the words “You have to be lucky all the time. We only have to be lucky once.”
Iranian President Mohammad Ali Rajai, Prime Minister Mohammad Javad Bahonar and six other senior officials were killed in a terrorist attack on August 1981, India’s former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi was assassinated by her own bodyguards in 1984. Another Indian Prime Minister, Rajiv Gandhi was assassinated by a suicide bomber in 1991, Indian Parliament building was attacked by five terrorists in December 2001, two Presidents of Sri Lanka were targeted by suicide bombers where one was killed. These were highly serious incidents, but did not indicate a breakdown of national security.
It is nothing but ludicrous to note the leaders of the past governments, some of whom had been godfathers of the underworld expressing shock over the shooting incident in the courtroom on Wednesday, as if this was the first such incident in the Sri Lankan history. They attempt to describe the recent underworld activities were a scenario that emerged from nowhere following the ascension of the NPP to power, which is not the case.
Underworld has been a phenomenon in Sri Lanka since the United National Party (UNP) administration of President J.R. Jayewardene who was voted in in 1977. Criminals were paid and nurtured by politicians, especially those in power thereafter. Soththi Upali, Gonawala Sunil were most powerful gangsters sponsored by the politicians of the Jayewardene regime. It was during that period that the precious Jaffna Library, one of best in Asia was set on fire by the goons brought from the south. Leaders of successive governments have then maintained their own underworld run by famous goons.
The following long list of nicknames is living evidence of the underworld figures many of whom received political backing since Jayewardene administration; Soththi Upali, Gonawala Sunil, Chinthaka Amarasinghe, Dammika Amarasinghe, Kalu Ajith, Kaduwela Wasantha, Moratu Saman, Nawala Nihal, Wambotta, Olcott, Dematagoda Kamal, Kimbula-ela Guna, Thel Bala, Pamankada Asoka, Prince, Anamalu Imtiaz, Beddegana Sanjeewa, Wele Suda, Makandure Madush, Kanjipani Imran, Ranale Samayang, Angoda Lokka, Keselwatte Dinuka and Kosgoda Tharaka. Many other names have been omitted due to space constraints.
There have been stories of Presidents attending the funerals of drug kingpins, convicted rapists being released on Presidential pardon to be appointed as Justices of Peace and mobsters running the underworld from Temple Trees. There was a time when areas such as Biyagama and Mahiyanganaya were out of bound for Opposition politicians due to death threats by the criminals sponsored by politicians. It is pertinent to recall that an Omani investor in Katana had decided to leave the country in 2023, due to threats from a local politician.
Later politicians, especially the leaders of the local government bodies themselves became leaders of the underworld and the members of the armed forces were also used to carry out crimes. During Mahinda Rajapaksa’s tenure, one Pradeshiya Sabha Chairman was said to have hosted a party after raping 100 girls. A British citizen was murdered and his Russian girlfriend was gang raped by a group led by another local council leader who was not arrested until the then British Prince Charles intervened.
Tamil politicians such as Nadarajah Raviraj, Thiyagaraja Maheswaran and Joseph Pararajasingham were killed in broad daylight. Journalists Richard de Zoysa and Lasantha Wickrematunge, were killed and many others were abducted and tortured while media houses were also attacked. Killing of rugby player Wasim Thajudeen is always cited as an emblematic case for politically sponsored crimes.
It must be recalled that the last government of President Ranil Wickremesinghe commenced a crime busting operation called “Yukthiya” which was suspected by many as a ruse for the suppression of opponents. However, the very operation along with the history cited above challenge the Opposition’s attempt to paint the current situation as unprecedented. Every issue the current government encounter is a legacy of the past, as it is too early for it to create its own legacy.
There is a culture of impunity in Sri Lanka not only in respect of incidents that have taken place in the separatist war theatre, but also with regard to isolated crimes. Interestingly, there have been a plethora of crimes without criminals. This impunity is worse than crimes as it encourages more crimes. The proliferation of small arms with the northern and southern rebellions has deteriorated the situation.
The NPP leaders must realise that the guns blended with drugs and politics would turn against anybody who acts against its interests. Money is power which has a long arm that might stretch into any fortified fortress. Only a dedicated campaign with a committed and genuine political will could contain it.
Source:The Daily Mirror
