Kapila Jeyasekara, alleged killer of Trinco-5 students, appointed Vanni DIG

[TamilNet, Sunday, 17 March 2013, 10:16 GMT]
H.D.K.S. Kapila Jeyasekera, who rose in ranks as the Superintendent of Police (SP) from the Special Task Force (STF), and who was alleged to have been responsible for the extra-judicial execution of five Trincomalee students in 2006, and other killings in Trincomalee during 2006, including the ACF-17 killings, has been appointed as the Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) to the Ki'linochchi and Mullaiththeevu district, Jaffna Tamil daily Uthayan reported. Mr Jeyasekara is also a close ally of Sri Lanka's Defense Secretary, Gotabhaya Rajapakse, and has been kept out of visible public presence after Jeyasekera was accused of a serious security lapse involving India's Prime Minister during his visit to Colombo in 2008.

Kapila Jayasekera (TamilNet archives 2004)

Mr Jeyasekera was appointed as the main security detail to India's Prime Minister Manmohan Singh during the SAARC summit visit in August 2008, and was involved in a serious security lapse for having failed to turn-up after the Prime Minister completed his official engagements at the summit.

Colombo-based political observers said, Mr Jeyasekera was interdicted due this security failure, and has been pushed to the background until he re-emerged with the menacing news in Uthayan that he has been appointed as the new guardian of law-enforcement to the Tamil districts in the Vanni.

• TAG Report: Trincomalee executions

Dr Manoharan, whose son Ragihar was one of the five students in the Trinco-5 killings, told TamilNet: "As I have said in my affidavit, I have no doubt that Mr Kapila Jeyasekera is responsible for killing my son. Jeyasekera was the key Police operative receiving orders from the higher political positions in targeting key Tamil activists and witnesses, and once Jeyasekera was transferred from Trincomalee, the killings of Tamil civilians suddenly decreased remarkably," Dr Manoharan said.

Dr Manoharan said he has been following closely his son's case (DR-11/1-2006) that was supposed to be making progress in the Trincomalee high court, and nearly six months ago, when the CID submitted that there is no evidence implicating any of the defendants, the Magistrate closed the case. Manoharan also assailed the "shamelessly untruthful" campaign being carried out in Geneva by Sri Lanka's representative, Minister Mahinda Samarasinghe, who announced that the Trinco-5 case is still proceeding in the Trincomalee High Court and that the Sri Lanka law enforcement is "still collecting evidence."

Kapila Jeyasekera (right) at his office near Iranaimadu tank (Courtesy: Uthayan 20th Feb 2013)

Excerpts from Dr Manoharan's affidavit on Kapila Jeysekara follows:

• Within a very short time I was aware of the pick- up truck moving towards the Ghandi statue. I learned later from other people that this pick-up belonged to SP Kapila Jeyasekera. I never knew SP Kapila Jeyasekera before this time, I would not recognize him and I cannot describe him. This matter is not mentioned in the inquest report, because our lawyer advised us not to give this information now because of our situation. We were very vulnerable at that time.
• After that I saw the pick-up truck of SP Kapila Jeysekara pass by, again I did not know, at that time, it belonged to him I heard it was his later. I saw that there were about six or seven armed soldiers being carried in the open backed rear section. They were wearing full-face masks, which we call ‘monkey masks’ – only holes for the eyes. The Navy personnel at the checkpoint said to each other, words to the effect, “Kapila Jeysekara has gone, now we can go into the area.”
• On May 14 2006 at 11:45 hours SP Kapila Jeyasekera’s pick up truck was parked in front of my house. On the 25 May 2006 I was not there, but army officers came to my house and said to my wife words to the effect “We demand to see your husband.”
• Some months ago I heard some new information that a retired sergeant who was working on the 2nd of January 2006. It was said that he was standing near the Trincomalee bus stand to collect his dinner at about 18:30 hours. At the same time SP Kapila Jeyasekera and his team passed by and stopped his pick-up truck in front of the Sergeant. Kapila Jeyasekera supposedly said that there was some problems near the beachfront and ordered him to return immediately to barracks. I found this strange because at that time there had been no incident near the beach, it is for this reason that I think that SP Kapila Jeyasekera planned the bomb attack. If this information is true, I question why Kapila Jeyasekera would have said that an hour before the explosion took place.
• I personally believe that these murders were carried out by the STF under the supervision of SP Kapila Jeyasekera. One of the reasons I believe this is because, in the area of my son’s murder, around 50 to 60 soldiers were present at the time of the killings, as far as I am aware the police only seized 13 or 14 guns for further examination during their inquiries.

Some relevant statements related to Kapila Jeyasekera in the two reports produced by UTHR, follow (refer to the reports in the links or in the Dublin document for more details):

• Early on, many in Trincomalee with police contacts pointed to SP (Operations) Kapila Jayasekere as having played a central role in the crime. The Magistrate’s proceedings make it clear that he was on the scene, but do not record when he arrived. Police and naval personnel at the checkpoints leading to the scene have testified when and which police vehicles entered the area. But there is total silence on the arrival of Kapila Jayasekere in his conspicuous unmarked pick up. Any effective investigation should have followed this important lead and established his time of arrival.
• Inspector Zawahir, an experienced police officer in a conflict area saw nothing, heard nothing and asked nothing. He was only following directions from Kapila Jayasekere. The one thing he did not fail to find was the unexploded hand grenade apparently planted with the intention of incriminating the victims. The whole purpose of the Police direction of the case seems to have been to expunge gunshots, bullets and bullet wounds, and make them disappear from the records.
• ...In fact Bulanawewa claimed not to have known anyone there. He significantly did not mention the presence of SP Kapila Jayesekere who had assigned him to Vas Perera, although he claims to have left the scene with Vas and his men. It was left to Vas Perera to tell us about Kapila’s presence for his own excellent reasons.

In a classified memo written by US's Sri Lanka Ambassador Robert Blake in October 2006 to Washington, ten months after the extra-judicial execution of five students, Basil Rajapakse, had told Ambassador Blake that Special Task Force (STF) was responsible for the killings, according a Wikileaks document.

"Evidence is overwhelming that high level officials, including those in the U.S., have information that implicates Sri Lanka military and police of involvement in the killings of the Trincomalee students. Dr Manoharan has vowed to keep the fight alive, and the Rights organizations have an obligation to force the international community uncover the truth and bring the perpetrators to justice," said a spokesperson for Tamils Against Genocide (TAG), a US-based organization that seeks legal redress for Tamils affected by war.

Related Articles:
02.01.13   Extra-judicial killings of Trinco-5 students by SL military ..
02.01.12   Extra-judicial execution of Trincomalee students, Sixth anni..
02.01.11   Fifth Anniversary of Trincomalee Students execution
02.01.10   Fourth Anniversary of Trinco Students' extra-judicial killin..


External Links:

UTHR:		Unfinished Business of the Five Students and ACF Cases – A Time to call the Bluff
UTHR:		Official Secrets and Blind Justice: Fourth Anniversary of the Trinco Five Students’ Case
UTHR:		The Five Students Case in Trincomalee
UTHR:		ACF Masscre 3rd Anniversary - A Travestied Investigation, Erosion of the Rule of Law and Indicators for the Future of Minorities in Lanka
IE:		India complains of ‘security lapse’ at SAARC summit
UTHR:		A Bullet for a Fig Leaf

திருகோணமலையில் பெயர்ப் பலகையில் தமிழ் அழிப்பு

திருகோணமலையில் பெயர்ப் பலகையில்

 தமிழ் அழிப்பு

பதியப்பட்ட நாள்May 24th, 2012 நேரம்: 20:03

திருகோணமலை பட்டினமும் சூழலும் பிரதேச சபையினால் அதன் எல்லைக்குட்பட்ட சிங்கள மக்கள் பெரும்பான்மையாக வாழும் நான்காம் கட்டை மற்றும் ஐந்தாம் கட்டை ஆகிய பகுதிகளில் உள்ள வீதிகளுக்கு போடப்பட்ட தமிழ், சிங்கள மற்றும் ஆங்கிலம் என மும்மொழிகளிலான பெயர்ப்பலகைகளில் தமிழில் எழுதப்பட்ட பெயர்கள் அழிக்கப்பட்டு வருவதாகவும், இவ்வாறான இனக் குரோதச் செயல்களில் ஈடுபடுவோர் மீது பொலிஸார் உரிய நடவடிக்கை எடுக்க வேண்டும் என்று கோரிக்கை விடுக்கப்பட்டுள்ளது.

திருகோணமலை நகர சபையின் தமிழ்த் தேசியக் கூட்டமைப்பு உறுப்பினர் சி.நந்தகுமார் இக் கோரிக்கையை விடுத்துள்ளார்.

திருகோணமலை பட்டினமும் சூழலும் பிரதேச செயலக நிர்வாக எல்லைக்குள் பட்டினமும் சூழலும் பிரதேச சபை அமைந்துள்ளது. மூன்று மொழிகளிலும் எழுதப்பட்டிருந்த வீதிப் பெயர்ப் பலகைகளில் இருந்த தமிழ் மொழியில் எழுதப்பட்ட பெயர்களை கடந்த வாரத்திலிருந்து இனந்தெரியாவதர்கள் அழித்து வருகின்றனர். இது கவலைக்குரியது என்றும் இப் பிரதேசத்தில் நிலவும் இன ஐக்கியத்தை விரும்பாத விஷமிகளே இதன் பின்னணியிலிருந்து செயற்படுவதாகவும் நகர சபை உறுப்பினர் நந்தகுமார் தனது அறிக்கையில் தெரிவித்துள்ளார்.

வெவ்வேறு சமூகங்கள் தங்களுக்கு இடையேயான பேதங்களை மறந்து ஒன்றிணைவதைத் தடுக்கும் செயலாகவே இதனைக் கருத வேண்டியுள்ளது. இவ் விஷமிகளுக்கு தமிழ் மொழி மீது ஏன் இந்த கொலை வெறித்தனம் என்பது எமக்குப் புரியவில்லை. என்று நகர சபை உறுப்பினர் நந்தகுமார் அறிக்கையில் கேட்டுள்ளார்.

யாருடைய குற்றம்? திரிகோணமலையில் 220 தமிழர்கள் தளையிடப்பட்டனர்.

220 Tamils arrested in SLA combing in Trincomalee

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 25 April 2012, 17:53 GMT]
The occupying Sri Lanka Army and Police, backed by special teams of the ‘Terrorist Investigation Department’ from Colombo, have been entering selected houses in the villages of Trincomalee district, detaining ex-LTTE members since Saturday evening. The SL forces have detained around 220 Tamil males and females from their houses. The detained men have been taken to Welikande and the females have been taken to Poonthoaddam in Vavuniyaa, informed sources told TamilNet Wednesday. Ex-LTTE members who had left the movement more than 10 years ago have also been detained. The arrested also include returnees from Tamil Nadu and those who have been detained earlier and released for reunification with their families. While India and the West talk only about the North nowadays, the operations of genocidal Colombo in the East largely go unnoticed.

The SL Police said 160 persons have been detained, but civil sources said at least 220 persons have been taken from their houses in Cheanapuram, Ki'liveddi welfare centre, Paddimeadu, Kumpu'rup-piddi, Thampalakaamam, Anpu-vazhi-puram, Paalaiyoottu, Nilaave'li, Panku'lam and Eechchilam-pattu. The search operations have been going on during nights.

The ‘arrested’ men have been sent to Sevanapitya SLA camp in Welikanda and the women have been sent to Vavuniyaa Poonthoaddam camp, police officials said.

In the meantime, the SL police sources in Trincomalee said they had received strict orders from Colombo to nab former LTTE members and send them off to ‘rehabilitation programme’.

Anyone who have ‘failed’ to go through the SL government ‘rehabilitation programme’ would be sent to welfare centres and would be registered as former cadres of LTTE, the SL police sources further said. But, the civil sources said the members who have earlier undergone such programmes have also been detained once again. Only some of the families have received, ‘confirming’ the detention of their family members. Even such papers are said to be ‘unofficial’ and cannot be used in legal context, according to the affected families.

Meanwhile, Sri Lankan officials in Colombo have recently gone on record saying that if they were to adhere to the LLRC recommendations, they would have to again detain all the former LTTE members and subject them to ‘rehabilitation programmes’.

Tamil politicians in the East blame the international community for not voicing for the rights of the Tamil people.

India and the West purposefully exclude the East in order to divide the country of Eezham Tamils and are engaged in a campaign that return of normalcy and ‘civilian rule’ are problems only of the North, they said.

Chelvanayakam statue decapitated in Trincomalee

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 01 November 2011, 00:14 GMT]
The statue of Thanthai Chelva (SJV Chelvanayakam) located near the Sivan Temple at Thirugnaanasampanthar Street in Trincomalee was decapitated on Sunday night. People who were enraged to notice the desecration on Monday morning placed a cloth on the headless statue. Local people suspect genocidal elements occupying Trincomalee for timing the act, when the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) team led by Mr. R. Sampanthan, MP for Trincomalee, is on an international visit seeking solutions for the national question of Eezham Tamils. The statue is located in a recently Sinhalicised part of the Trincomalee city.

The occupying SL military has razed down all traces of the memorials including burials of the Eezham Tamil war heroes, while grand memorials were built for the genocidal SL military and the Indian ‘Peace Keeping’ Force (IPKF).

The desecration of the legacy of the Tamil struggle has now been extended even to the memorials of the leaders of non-violent struggle, civil activists in Trincomalee commented.

Residents of Sivan Koayil area had seen the chopped head of the Chelva’ statue at the feet of the statue Monday morning.

The memorial was destroyed once before allegedly by the occupying SL military and was reconstructed later.

The entire Tamil population was shocked to see the head of the late Tamil leader S.J.V.Chelvanayakam was chopped off from the statue erected at Thanthai Chelva Memorial at Thirugnanasampanthar Road in the heart of Trincomalee city Sunday night.

Thanthai Chelva’s birthday in April this year was observed by garlanding the statue at the memorial by former Trincomalee district parliamentarian K.Thurairatnasingham, UC Chairman S.Selvarajah and Vice Chairman S.Sriskandarajah.

SL Police registers details of residents in Trincomalee city

[TamilNet, Monday, 31 October 2011, 11:12 GMT]
The occupying Sri Lanka Police in Trincomalee has started registering residents in Trincomalee city and its suburbs from Saturday evening. SL Police personnel were seen visiting households in Trincomalee city Sunday handing over printed forms to the chief occupant and asking him or her to write names of persons residing in the house.

The forms are printed in three languages with the title “Declaration under Police Ordinance-Section 76”. 

Chief occupants have been asked to provide the names of persons residing permanently and temporarily with them and their occupation.

Related Articles:
29.10.11   SL Police registering people in Batticaloa causes fear among.

Siddha Medical Faculty in Trincomalee to come under Colombo University

[TamilNet, Thursday, 20 October 2011, 06:52 GMT]
The Colombo government is taking steps to bring the Siddha Medical Faculty now under the Trincomalee campus of the Eastern University with the University of Colombo. Academics in the East blame the move as a design of cultural genocide by Colombo that seeks to undermine the traditional medical science of the Tamil country. The transfer of the Faculty to Colombo will be affecting the education in the eastern province, complains R.Thurairatnam, a member of the Eastern Provincial Council (EPC) in a memorandum sent to SL Minister of Higher Education.

Mr.Thurairatnam has appealed to the Higher Education Minister not to interfere in the EUSL administration for political gains and to serve the people of Eastern province without affecting their education.

58 students are now undergoing a three-year course in the Siddha Medical Faculty at the Trincomalee campus of the Eastern University.

The University Grant Commission has allocated funds to enroll 20 students every year for this course.

The EUSL administration is now led by a Competent Authority, a Sinhala person, who receives instructions from Colombo overriding the authority of the EUSL's Vice Chancellor, who is a Tamil.