"Gotabhaya will never ask pardon for my father's death" -- letter by Ahimsa

"Gotabhaya will never ask pardon for my father's death" -- letter by Ahimsa

Daughter of Lasantha Wickrematunga who was assassinated, Ahimsa Wickrematunga has come into the spotlight because of a letter written about her father's assassination. It is Prime Minister Ranil that she addresses in this case. What is at the basis of it is the statement made after Gotabhaya Rajapaksa being nominated as Presidential candidate the instance when Prime Minister Ranil brought
to memory the Lasantha murder.

A translation of the letter written in English is seen below: 

August 13, 2019 

Hon. Mr. Ranil Wickremasingha,

Prime Minister of the Republic of Sri Lanka, 

Araliya Gaha Mandiraya,

Colombo 3. 

Hon. Prime Minister,

In one of your political speeches made yesterday (12) it was mentioned about my father and a close friend of yours, Mr. Lasantha Wickramatunga who was subjected to assassination on January 8th, 2009. You questioned whether he would ask pardon for my father's assassination and that of other macabre crimes if he would assume the position of President thus creating an environment free of fear. In the instance of a Rupavahini discussion he only became a proud character and in no way even gave a hint of begging for pardon. Actually he had made up his mind not to ask for pardon. But you ... Prime Minister would you yourself be protecting the very person whom you call a mass murderer for four and a half years ask pardon? 

You used his name as a trump card to win votes ... from the date my father was assassinated. The parliamentary election campaign of 2015 Presidential elections and parliamentary elections in which you were appointed a Prime Minister you became buttress. You brought President Sirisena into power and won parliamentary powers by promising justice to my father's murder. 

No sooner you assumed power your priorities changed. When I met you at Araliya Gaha Mandiraya in the month of February, 2015 to ask for your support that justice would be meted out in the case of assassinators of my father, what you told me was that as there are 'other priorities' justice is not limited only to Lasantha. I then observed what your other priorities were. Gotabhaya Rajapaksa who came under your direct subject of your leader, the police was not bringing Gotabhaya Rajapaksa before the law. Assassination of my father was a great backing to prove the revelation of the Mig transaction. But ta corrupted officer of the criminal investigation department (CID) has complicated the Mig affair under your knowledge and removed Gotabhaya's name from it. 

As this is the election period, you have begun to attack him in public. When you are involved in this process, a chief of your ministry, Sagala Ratnayaka and other MPs have visited him in his home and spent hours there while your government has released unlawful identity cards and passports to him. In the same way, your senior associate and sister in law has promoted election campaign activities of Gotabhaya Rajapaksa in public across social media. 

This then is the treatment offered by your staff to persons whom you identify as murderers. Whatever it is, when help was necessary for my father's case, you were not even to be seen. When the army and intelligence services refused to provide support to this investigation ... where were you? What did you do when you offered protection to anyone who came forward to supply censorious information about Gotabhaya Rajapaksa ... what did you do? When police inspector Nishantha Silva, chief investigator of murders was chased away from the crime investigation department (CID) by the President, without pointing your finger of protest why did you keep silent?

Now for a period of months your attorney general has by force stopped investigations into Gotabhaya Rajapaksa and Tripoli murderous clan and having thrown their mediation under the carpet has resorted to taking a course of action against soldiers of a low grade. Even when two officers had confessed that Gotabhaya Rajapaksa had privately ordered the abduction of Mr. Ekneligoda, Gotabhaya Rajapaksa was exonerated from the case. This vow or confession was not questioned about from Rajapaksa in the least. Though Upali Tennakoon was assaulted by utilising four motor-cycles ... it was only two junior soldiers who paid the penalty of being accused. Rajapaksa and the Tripoli group were set free. Did you do something meaningful to search with responsibility? No. Instead, while Gotabhaya Rajapaksa continued to keep connection with members of your family and staff, you say that he is a murderer. If by any chance you happened to be elected to the position of President or else remain as Prime Minister, my belief is that Gotabhaya Rajapaksa would enjoy further freedom under your sanction. 

While the person who boasted about my father's demise has become a Presidential candidate in a formal manner, under his rival of justice, law of a similar refuge and matured, responsible administration and honest and courageous politician ... I wish. There is one last hope for me who was subjected to atrocity and others. Which is that it is a contestant who would throw a challenge to Gotabhaya Rajapaksa and defeat the contestant who is dedicated to carry out justice while in government, and not a person who takes undue advantage of the sufferer with the motive of enjoying victory in elections and not be a person who accuses them as murderers only in his official residence for the sake of consoling the minds of the masses. To mention in simple terms, if this country remains under you or your new friend Gotabhaya Rajapaksa justice will not be meted out to your old friend, my father Lasantha Wickramatunga ... on which I place no trust. 

Sincerely yours,

Ahimsa Wickramatunga

c.c. Members of United National Alliance parliamentary group

c.c. Members of executive committee of United National Party