May 09 violence: Explanation sought from State Defence Minister over security lapses

National security oversight committee head slams HRC, questions US Ambassador’s conduct

By Shamindra Ferdinando

Chairman of Parliamentary Sectoral Oversight Committee on National Security retired Rear Admiral Sarath Weerasekera, MP, has alleged that flaws in the government’s defence strategy particularly security lapses contributed to the unprecedented crisis that forced President Gotabaya Rajapaksa out of office on 13 July 2022.

In a letter to State Defence Minister Pramitha Bandara Tennakoon, former Public Security Minister has called for a thorough inquiry with the focus on incidents at Rambukkana on 19 April 2022. Prasanna Ranatunga served as the Public Security Minister at the time of Rambukkana protests.

The then government’s response to Rambukkana violence and particularly the decision to take punitive measures against the police for opening fire at a mob that tried to set two fuel bowsers ablaze on a railway track may have had a detrimental impact on law enforcement officers and the military, MP Weerasekera has said.

The former Navy Chief of Staff has underscored the need to investigate whether irresponsible handling of the Rambukkana violence discouraged police and the military men from taking tangible measures to counter unruly mobs. Rambukkana erupted the day after Prasanna Ranatunga took over as the Public Security Minister following Weerasekera’s resignation from that post on April 03.

According to MP Weerasekera, the killing of SLPP MP Amarakeerthi Atukorale by a gang led by serving Army commando and an Army deserter on May 09, last year in Nittambuwa should be examined taking into consideration the total mishandling of Rambukkana incidents. In the run-up to May 09 violence, Weerasekera resigned as Public Security Minister. The MP alleged that a group of fully armed troops including two officers who had been witness to the violence taking place had refused point blank to intervene in support of the police regardless of the Nittambuwa OIC personally requesting their support.

MP Weerasekera told The Island that he expected the State Minister to take up the issues raised by him at the highest level. “I have copied the letter to the Secretary, Ministry of Defence, service chiefs and the IGP,” the former minister said, underscoring the responsibility on the part of the government to bring investigations to a successful conclusion. The Colombo District MP noted that Public Security Minister Tiran Alles is on record as having said that the police were conducting a fresh inquiry into May 09 incidents.

Responding to another query, MP Weerasekera said that Minister Alles made that declaration after a group of lawmakers withdrew a court case filed against the failure on the part of the government to protect their property. The issues at hand were taken up with the State Defence Minister after the Sectoral Oversight Committee under his chairmanship discussed the entire gamut of issues with the participation of Secretary Defence and service commanders in parliament.

MP Weerasekera dealt with the Rambukkana incident with the focus on courageous effort made by police to bring the situation under control in the absence of active support from the Army as well as the Special Task Force (STF), highly irresponsible statement made by US Ambassador Julie Chung that encouraged mobs and the irresponsible stand taken by the Human Rights Commission.

According to MP Weerasekera, a mob that caused damage to public property at Rambukkana had taken control of two fuel bowsers and parked them across a railway track around noon that day. The mob had tried to set the two fuel bowsers ablaze after the then senior officer at the scene SSP K.B. Keerthiratne declared that petrol couldn’t be sold at a cheaper rate than the market price following the latest price revision, MP Weerasekera said.

SSP Keerthiratne ordered the police to fire in the air and shoot the person about to set fire to one of the fuel bowsers below the knee around 4.30 pm after all their efforts to control the crowd failed, MP Weerasekera said alleging that the Army and Special Task Force in spite of being present at the scene declined to assist the police.

Twenty police officers, including Keerthiratne, received injuries during clashes with protesters. Referring to the Judicial Medical Officer’s report on the death of the person due to gunshot injuries received at Rambukkana on April 19, MP Weerasekera said that the JMO stated that the bullet that entered the body of the victim ricocheted from a steel advertising board. The military veteran said that if not for the timely action taken by Keerthiratne, Rambukkana would have experienced a catastrophe and he could have been held responsible for the loss of life and major damage to private and public property in case of a major fire.

Regardless of them saving Rambukkana, the SSP and three constables were arrested and produced in court, the MP said, questioning why those in uniform who risked their lives had to meet legal expenses on their own.

MP Weerasekera has asked the State Minister whether the police and the military did nothing on May 09 when mobs killed eight persons, including one MP and set 150 houses ablaze due to mishandling of Rambukkana or special directive given prohibiting intervention at any level by a particular interfering diplomat in the internal affairs of this country that allowed mob rule.

MP Weerasekera also questioned the failure on the part of the Attorney General’s Department to represent SSP Keerthiratne in court. The former minister has explained the legal provisions under which SSP Keerthiratne could have taken appropriate measures to quell Rambukkana riots.

Weerasekera has strongly recommended that police should reimburse the SSP and the constables who had been forced to spend their own funds for their defence.

The ex-minister in his capacity as Chairman of the Sectoral Oversight Committee on National Security flayed the Human Rights Commission over its one-sided report on the incident. Weerasekera said that the HRC approach undermined national security by discouraging law enforcement authorities and the Defence Ministry should challenge HRC’s flawed report.