Namal's arrest is illegal - Gammanpila

Former Member of Parliament Udaya Gammanpila stated this today (05) while holding a special press conference.

"Yesterday, MP Namal Rajapaksa was arrested in a very unjust and illegal manner by this oppressive Malima government.

Not only was he arrested, but he was also remanded.

The accusation against him is that he received eight hundred thousand US dollars from the commission paid by Airbus to Priyanka Wijenaike, the wife of the CEO of SriLankan Airlines, when SriLankan Airlines purchased aircraft from Airbus.

Now, is there any evidence for this accusation? I say with utmost responsibility that investigators have no evidence for this accusation.

Then what is the basis for the arrest?

In 2014, Priyanka transferred a portion of the commission paid by Airbus to Priyanka Wijenaike from her account to Nimal Perera's account, who lives in Australia. That is eight hundred thousand US dollars.

When questioned about this, Nimal Perera says, "I gave that money to MP Namal Rajapaksa."

How was it given? He allegedly went when no one was around and placed eight hundred thousand US dollars on his table!

Apart from that statement, no other evidence has been found that such eight hundred thousand US dollars was given to MP Namal Rajapaksa.

So, is there evidence that Airbus paid a commission to Priyanka Wijenaike? Answer: Yes.

Is there evidence that Priyanka Wijenaike gave a portion of the commission she received to Nimal Perera? Answer: Yes.

Is there evidence that Nimal Perera gave the commission he received to MP Namal Rajapaksa? Answer: No.

So, without arresting Nimal Perera, for whom there is evidence of receiving the commission, MP Namal Rajapaksa is arrested based solely on Nimal Perera's verbal statement.

This is a very dangerous instance of repression.

Giving MP Namal a commission of eight hundred thousand US dollars is a Malima lie, just like saying dollars were hidden in Uganda.

Or it's a Malima lie, just like saying Chichi launched a rocket with public money.

Or it's a Malima lie, just like saying Chichi imported a golden horse from England and gave it to his girlfriend for her birthday.

Furthermore, it's a Malima lie, just like saying 19 Lamborghini vehicles were unloaded from the port in MP Namal Rajapaksa's name on December 12, 2012.

If the government wants to arrest someone this way, all they have to do is get a statement from Nimal Perera saying that he gave a portion of the commission he received to that person.

Because of this, not only MP Namal Rajapaksa but also the entire population of 22 million in this country are in danger. They are insecure.

Why? There is a risk that any person could be arrested at any moment for an unknown accusation.

Through this incident, no person in this country can any longer think, "I don't steal, I don't commit violence, I haven't engaged in debauchery, so I am safe, no one can arrest me."

Now there's only one way to get arrested. What is it? Just having your name in Nimal Perera's statement. If that happens, even if you haven't committed a crime, you will not only be arrested but also remanded without being able to obtain bail.

Because magistrates are also helpless. If presented under the Public Property Act, there is no possibility of granting bail unless there are exceptional reasons.

So, Madam Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya, not only are we in the opposition insecure, but you too are insecure. If by any chance the President thinks that Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya is a threat to him, all the President has to do is get a statement from Nimal Perera saying that he gave a portion of the commission he received to Madam Harini Amarasuriya. Without bail, Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya will also be in remand prison!

Considering this, not only the Prime Minister and MP Namal, but the entire 22 million people of this country have been pushed into an insecure situation.

This could spread further in the future. An arrested drug trafficker might say, "I gave my money to that opposition politician."

The police themselves will make them say, "If you want to become a state witness and escape, say that your money is with that opposition politician; we will make you a state witness and save you."

In this way, all opposition politicians who pose a threat to the government can be arrested based on their names being mentioned in various statements, remanded, and the government will be able to silence anti-government forces.

Let's say Nimal Perera actually gave eight hundred thousand US dollars to MP Namal Rajapaksa. Now, how does that become a commission?

Now, Priyanka and Nimal Perera shared the commission. Mr. Nimal Perera can donate the money he received to a temple, a welfare society, a sports club, a political party, or even a beggar if he wishes.

One can spend the commission received in any way they like. Now, if accepting such a donation is also illegal, not only politicians but even beggars will become insecure.

One day in the future, if someone gives a beggar 10 rupees, the beggar might say, "Sir, if you can't give me an affidavit stating that this 10 rupees was not earned through commissions or trafficking, then take your 10 rupees back; I can't go to jail for 10 rupees."

We do not oppose every arrest made by this government. However, we must oppose every illegal and unjust arrest.

Today it's Namal, tomorrow it could be you.

If you do not oppose this illegal arrest today, tomorrow when you face this injustice, there might be no one to speak up for you.

I must once again remind you of the famous poem by Pastor Martin Niemöller about the repression of Adolf Hitler's Nazi party in Germany, which I constantly recall:

"First they came for the socialists, and I did not speak out—because I was not a socialist. Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak out—because I was not a trade unionist. Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out—because I was not a Jew. Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak for me."

To prevent that situation from happening to us, we must speak out against this.

You might dislike the politician Namal Rajapaksa. You might reject MP Namal Rajapaksa's politics. But even if you dislike Namal Rajapaksa as a person, if you love yourself, you must oppose this.

It is clear to all of us why they arrested MP Namal Rajapaksa without basis and illegally. Last night, MP D.V. Chanaka invited me to participate as a guest speaker at the rally to be held in Anuradhapura on the 12th to oppose this injustice.

I accepted that invitation. Because this is not a problem between political parties, but a matter of citizen security. Therefore, I will take the stage at the Pohottuwa rally on the 12th to oppose the repression of this unjust government.

I urge every justice-loving person in this country to come to the Anuradhapura rally on the 12th and join your protest against the repression of this unjust government."