‘We never deported him; he could have stayed but he wanted to leave the country’-Gotabhaya Rajapaksa
by Shamindra Ferdinando
Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa yesterday said
that many of those listed missing during the war could have obtained
new identities courtesy foreign governments.
The recent Gunaratnam affair revealed how Australia had issued a
passport (N 1016123) to the leader of the newly formed Frontline
Socialist Party (FSP) under a different name in spite of knowing his
real identity, the Defence Secretary said.
Asked whether he could prove complicity on the part of Australia in helping Gunaratnam to slip into the country, the Defence Secretary told The Sunday Island that the Australian High Commissioner in Colombo Robyn Mudie identified the missing Gunaratnam as Noel Mudalige, while acknowledging his Australian citizenship.
Asked whether he could prove complicity on the part of Australia in helping Gunaratnam to slip into the country, the Defence Secretary told The Sunday Island that the Australian High Commissioner in Colombo Robyn Mudie identified the missing Gunaratnam as Noel Mudalige, while acknowledging his Australian citizenship.
“Don’t forget the Australian HC also revealed that Gunaratnam arrived
at the Bandaranaike International Airport on September 4, 2011.”
The war veteran said that foreign governments, including Australia
had refused to assist Sri Lanka in investigations aimed at locating
missing persons now living overseas under new identities. Thousands of
Sri Lankans had received new identities, particularly in Europe, he
said.
Even the identities of those arriving illegally in Australia and
other countries seeking political refuge were protected, thereby denying
Sri Lanka an opportunity to target organized criminal gangs responsible
for sending people abroad.
External Affairs Minister, Prof. G. L. Peiris told The Sunday Island
that Gunaratnam had also obtained a Sri Lankan passport under a
different name, while giving yet another name in his marriage
certificate. The bottom line was that Gunaratnam had used at least three
other identities, Prof. Peiris said, alleging an attempt to bring the
GoSL into disrepute in the wake of unsubstantiated war crimes
accusations.
The Defence Secretary said that he had told the Colombo-based
diplomatic community of LTTE cadres, including those tasked with suicide
missions, taking refuge in new identities both here and abroad.
According to him, recent recovery of a suicide jacket at a rest house
in Kataragama led to the arrest of an LTTE suicide cadre, who lived in
Galle as a Muslim, while his parents had reported him missing. The
Defence Secretary said that the suicide cadre, under interrogation, had
admitted that he was tasked with assassinating President Mahinda
Rajapaksa.
After returning to Australia, Mudalige alleged that he was
handcuffed, blindfolded and physically and sexually tortured during his
three day detention.
The Defence Secretary said that the police recorded Mudalige’s
statement in the presence of Australian HC Mudie at the CCD
headquarters, at Dematagoda. Mudalige could have made that allegation in
the Australian HC’s presence, the Defence Secretary said adding that
the Immigration and Emigration imposed a fine on the Australian national
for overstaying his visa, though he didn’t pay the fine claiming he
didn’t have money.
“In fact, we never deported him. He wanted to leave the country. He
could have stayed back after paying the fine but he decided to leave the
country.”
The Defence Secretary said that the FSP took almost 12 hours to
report Mudalige’s disappearance, while Dimuthu Attugalle’s alleged
abduction was brought to the notice of the law enforcement agencies
about 24 hours later.
He pointed out that as the FSP had claimed that Dimuthu Attygalle had
disappeared 8 pm on Friday (April 6) the party should explain why
Mudalige was left alone at a partially built house. Any political party
conscious of security wouldn’t have acted the way the FSP did, the
Defence Secretary said, alleging a conspiracy to embarrass the
government.
In their complaint, the missing person was identified as Premkumar
Gunaratnam and there was no mention of Australian national Noel Mudalige
being abducted, the Defence Secretary said.
The Defence Secretary said that it would be interesting to know at
what stage the Australian HC in Colombo was informed of the alleged
disappearance of Mudalige, when Australia provided the Sri Lankan a new
identity and whether he would now seek another identity from Australia
or some other country as his Australian identity was exposed courtesy: The Sunday Island
