Udaya says NPP govt. in catch-22 situation
Police spokesman ASP F.U. Wootler said that they respected people’s right to protest and demonstrate but the law enforcement authorities couldn’t turn a blind eye to any efforts to disrupt civil life. Attorney-at-law Wootler said that they would be closing watching the situation.
The Police Spokesman said so when The Island sought their response to the ITAK’s plan to ‘shut down’ the Northern and Eastern provinces tomorrow (15) in protest against the killing of 32-year-old Ethirmanasingham Kapilraj, whose body was found floating on the Muththaiyankaddu tank on 09 August.
ASP Wootler said that law enforcement authorities would decide how to respond, depending on the situation. In addition to the ITAK, the Tamil Progressive Alliance (TPA) has declared its support for the ‘hartal’ called by former parliamentarian and General Secretary of ITAK M.A. Sumanthiran, PC.
TPA leader Mano Ganeshan reiterated their support for Friday’s action. Both Sumanthiran and Ganeshan blamed the Army for the killing, while calling for troop reduction in the former war zones. The main Opposition Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) accommodated Mano Ganeshan in Parliament, through its National List, at the last general election.
Army spokesman Brig. Varuna Gamage flatly denied accusations. According to him, troops, based at the camp, manned by the Sinha Regiment, located on the Oddussudan- Muththaiyankaddu, were not responsible for Kapilraj’s death.
Former Minister and Attorney-at-Law Udaya Gammanpila pointed out that the National People’s Power (NPP) government was in a catch-22 situation. Obviously the government couldn’t take effective counter-measures as it wielded political power in the Northern and Eastern provinces, though the ITAK made some gains at the last Local Government polls. “The NPP is facing an acid test,” the former parliamentarian said, emphasising the responsibility on the part of the government to ensure a no holds barred investigation into the allegations.
By Shamindra Ferdinando