When Premkumar Gunaratnam alias Noel Mudalige, a Tamilian responsible for killing many Indian soldiers over two decades ago, was forcibly put on a plane at the Colombo airport at 7.40 a.m. on Tuesday, it raised quite a few questions.
A reconstruction of the events is roughly as follows: Premkumar arrived here on September 4, 2011 on an Australian passport with the mission of splitting the JVP (Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna); Premkumar, who had collaborated with the Premadasa regime to kill members of the Indian Peace Keeping Force, apparently outlived his utility after he split the JVP — he went missing on April 6, three days before he was to formally inaugurate the breakaway faction, the Frontline Socialist Party; he was dumped at Kolonnawa in Colombo district possibly early on Tuesday morning; police say he surrendered, was taken to the airport and put on an flight out of the country.
Australia's response
The primary question is how much did the Australian authorities know? The Hindu e-mailed a questionnaire to the Australian Foreign Affairs and Trade office in Canberra, to find out if this was a simple case of name change; when was he was given citizenship and under what provisions; whether Australia was aware that the person was involved in subversive activities in Sri Lanka including the killing of 14 IPKF soldiers; and if Australia believed that Sri Lankan security forces abducted him.
In response, a spokesperson of the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade said: “We can confirm a 42-year-old man from New South Wales who was reported missing in the region of Kiribathigoda, Sri Lanka, is safe and well.
“The Australian High Commissioner in Colombo escorted the man to the airport and confirmed his departure from Sri Lanka…The department of Foreign Affairs and Trade is unable to provide any further information on this matter due to our privacy obligations to our consular client.”
Government version
Blaming Premkumar and ‘malicious campaigners', Colombo contended that the abduction was possibly not a fact, given that the police were approached long after the abduction. In a statement to diplomatic missions and international organisations, the Foreign Ministry said Premkumar was deported because he was violation of immigration laws.
To drive home the point that there is more to him than what meets the eye, Sri Lanka said Premkumar appeared to have changed his name thrice. In the passport obtained from Sri Lanka his name is Rathnayake Mudiyanselage Dayalal. His marriage certificate claims he is Wanninayake Mudiyanselage Daskon.
The Foreign Ministry press note said he was subjected to a “detailed interrogation”, implying he was in custody for some length of time. This is where the version put out by the police — and reported in the media — and the version of the Foreign Ministry do not tally.
“Whenever a person chooses to withdraw from the community for personal reasons, or with the deliberate intention of causing embarrassment to the Government, it is grossly unfair to arrive at the conclusion that there has been an abduction and to point a finger at the State,” the release said. “This has happened on many occasions and now seems to reflect a recurring pattern. The objective is clearly to target Sri Lanka in international fora…The Government asks nothing more than that objectivity and basic fairness should be the criteria governing reactions to these irresponsible and malicious campaigns,” it added.
White-vanned
According to Groundviews, a website on Sri Lankan current affairs run by the non-governmental organisation Centre for Policy Alternatives, 29 disappearances have been reported in Sri Lankan media between February and March 2012. Leader of the opposition in Parliament Ranil Wickramasinghe has said that the total number of disappearances reported in the last six months is 56. Not one case has been solved so far. A new term has been coined to qualify the disappearances: “white-vanned”. Most of those who disappear are last seen being dragged into a white van of a particular Japanese make.
Keywords: Premkumar Gunaratnam missing, Premakumar Gunaratnam deportation, Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna, Frontline Socialist Party
@Leela:
"As in most other kidnapping cases in Sri Lanka, there is proof
beyond doubt that either this Gunaratnam or alias Mudalige must have
eloped with Dimutu Artigala who is said to have gone missing 10
hours before him for a quickie or organised their own kidnappings to
gain publicity for their flagging political cause."
Right. And they decided to stop their drama the moment Australia
pressed Sri-Lanka on their whereabouts. I suppose continuing with
their drama for a few more days or even weeks would not have helped
their cause? All this for a quickie? And what exactly is that "proof
beyond a doubt"? Can you give us that proof please, or will it take
time to make up that proof? Is it any wonder that the world does not
believe Sri-Lanka anymore?
@S. Wijeyaratna:
"Lastly, at any cost we should not allow foreigners to run our
political parties. (If they have taken citizenship of other
countries..they better work for those countries) This is a serious
violation of Sri Lankan systems. We have to be very careful from
now"
Gothabaya and Basil have taken citizenship from another country, the
US. When are you going to strip them of their offices?
Moreover, this article is highly flawed. Premkumar is not Tamilian, he
is Sinhalese.
Few comments about this article.
First of all its a good eye opener for Sri Lankan Government to act, implement and
invest good percentage of money for its intelligence work and systems ( same or
near israel style system )
Secondly Sri Lankan Government should take actions to identify individual and
collective threats building against Sri Lanka n overseas countries with or without
the help of those countries and authorities. They should be well documents as
references at all levels to identify those involved.
Thirdly we have to take this matter very serious, because we see a hidden agenda
of the Australian Embassy in Colombo behind this campaign. Australian Embassy
had some unknown details of this complete drama at some points.
Lastly, at any cost we should not allow foreigners to run our political parties. (If
they have taken citizenship of other countries..they better work for those countries
) This is a serious violation of Sri Lankan systems. We have to be very careful from
now
First Greas devil. Now white van. Any way this is a good story. Now we can also understand its not only the GOSL who is white vaning.. I'll be realy happy if you follow this case to the end. what Australian got to do with this and how he got his citizenship? ect:
Premkumar Gunaratnam alias Noel Mudalige in principal has violated two vital immigration rules as :
- Using an identity other than his real identity,
- Overstaying in a country without a proper visa requirements.
Thus, Sri Lanka got the legitimacy to deport him to wherever he belongs. But, the involvement of a foreign mission to put pressure on a sovereign state to bail out one of its citizens who should have been prosecuted under the judicial system in Sri Lanka for the offenses that he committed and deport him later. Sri Lanka, the time has come to look straight at your enemies eyes and say this has to be done in our way and certainly not in your way ..
Hindu, one of the oldest dailies of India, has every right to report this and its up to readers to sort grain from the chaff.If a truth is bitter, there is no point in showing opposition to the same
There is no proof to find this man connected to any illegal activity.
The western countries levy hefty penalties for money laundering.
But this is a clear case of terrorist laundering - where the Aussie govt allows known criminals/terrorists to adapt a new name travel back and continue with dubious activity while integrating in to the society as innocent people.
These expatriates should never be allowed in to the country without extensive grilling.... preferably sent back.
They should live their life in Australia with the rest of the criminals.
Well done Sri Lanka.
Hindu is a yellow paper, full of gosips and no subtance. waste of time reading this crap
Hindu In a mighty hurry you jump to the rescue of your friend Gota! Is he of the same ilk as you are? Does your esteemed Daily advocate, the course of abducting, torturing and killing people? Why don't you use your power to advise your friends 'Rajapakise clan' to use the Power they wield and use their legal means to implement law and order?
We must get to the bottom of this episode. Australian Govt: must explain how Premakumar's original passport was with the High Commissioner for Australia in Sri Lanka. Looks like Aussies were playng a double game.
What has the South African lady got to do with this? Amazing connection!May be it is GOSL logic, No wonder the country is in this mess.
How do you know Premkumar is responsible for the killing of 17 Indian soldiers ? Is there any proof ?
what ever he has done there are legal means to handle wrongdoing done by him or we can set up a case as we did against General Fonseka. It is dictatership to abduct people in white van and assassinate them.
Please get comments from South African tamil lady (MS Navam Pillaia @ UNHCR)
This confirms the so called 'White van' abductions are fake. People with vested interests play around this 'white van' myth for their political and mo so for their personal gain.
Australian Govt: has a lot of explanations to forward on this incident.
This is stupid ! Who told your correspondent that Gunaratnam is responsible for killing Indian soldiers 2 decades ago ? This person Gunaratnam has nothing to do with the LTTE. The JVP in 1987-90 opposed Indian intervention and created mayhem in the South of SL. They are accused of killing political activists who supported devolution of power and not IPKF soldiers. Hindu editor should brief its correspondents on the history of the IPKF and the LTTE before they file stories with total lies.
If we are to believe reporting by the West and its lapdogs paid
journalistic stooges, Gunaratnam is a political man that the
government had abducted to prevent him forming a popular party that
would have brought milk and honey to Sri Lankans.
Leave out his sneaking into Sri Lanka a few months back under a
different name and married earlier in another name and obtained a
passport in yet another name, 'The Hindu' allege he was a leader of
JVP in the East in 1988 when he had killed 14 IPKF soldiers while
they were trying to disarm LTTE.
As in most other kidnapping cases in Sri Lanka, there is proof
beyond doubt that either this Gunaratnam or alias Mudalige must have
eloped with Dimutu Artigala who is said to have gone missing 10
hours before him for a quickie or organised their own kidnappings to
gain publicity for their flagging political cause.
It seems from his photograph and the photographs of his mother and wife, Premkumar Gunaratnam alias Noel Mudalige is not a tamilian as quoted by Hindu. Out of the 4 names he has assumed only the last one sounds like a tamil name while the other three are definitly singala names. It looks he has assumed the tamil name to hide his past which is probably subversive or criminal.
The Sri Lankan government repudiated, according to the Shanghai Daily that there were no abduction of Mr. Premkumar as reported in the Australian media. The colour of the van was not even white. It was almost silver in colour, off-white.
Sri Lankan High Commissioner, Ret. Admiral Tissa weerasinghe is in constant contact with the Australian Dept of Foreign affairs in thi regard.
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