CBK fires on all cylinders!

Tuesday, 30 December 2014 02:36 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Threatens legal action against IGP and Police
Lawyers fire letter to IGP Illangakoon
Ex-President vows to resist State-sponsored thuggery
Says rocks were hurled at her vehicle in Beruwela with ‘deliberate intent’ of harm
Alleges attack was part of bigger plan to cause her grievous harm.
State of lawless evident by attack on former President, say CBK lawyers
Letter claims riot squad arrived in response to call by CBK security, but did nothing to stop mob

By Dharisha Bastians Former President Chandrika Kumara-tunga’s lawyers have threatened legal action against the Inspector General of Police and the department if they fail to act against perpetrators who attacked her vehicle in Beruwala last week. Election monitors said both the former President and Western Provincial Councillor HirunikaPremachandra had been attacked in Beruwala and their vehicles damaged by the mob. Kumaratunga has instructed her lawyers to inform the IGP that the failure to take action against her attackers was wilful and part of a larger conspiracy to cause her grievous physical harm. “This is apparent from the threatening statements made by certain politicians including Cabinet Ministers against my client amounting to physical harm,” a letter from her lawyers to IGP N.K. Illangakoon states.

Paul Ratnayake Associates, lawyers for Kumaratunga, told the IGP that a mob led by Chairman of the Beruwela Urban Council MilferCaffoor and UPFA Organiser MarjanFaleelHadjiar had hurled abuse and threats at her while she was at another residence. “When my client and the convoy accompanying her were leaving after dinner, the mob which was inside the residence of Mr.MarjanFaleelHadjiar hurled bricks and rocks at the vehicle of my client from over the wall. Two vehicles KW-0461 and KV-6807 were damaged from the attack. The said vehicles are those allocated by the State to my client,” the lawyers said in their letter to the IGP dated 28 December 2014. “It is evident that my client’s vehicle was specifically targeted by the attackers, as several vehicles in which others were travelling were in front and behind her vehicle were not attacked. It is clear that the rocks were hurled at my client’s car with the deliberate intent of harming her,” the lawyers asserted. Paul Ratnayake Associates said their client had instructed them that MilferCaffoor has inexplicably been given a security detail of six officers of the Special Task Force, who were also present at the scene, displaying their weapons several hours before the former President’s arrival at the scene. “The mob hooted and shouted threats and abuse at my client for over half an hour from the house of Mr.Marjan. The STF detail stood outside Marjan’s gate with their weapons, giving protection to the mob,” the lawyers said. The letter said that OIC of the former President’s Security division C.I. JagathChandrakumarahad requested the ASPBeruwala Division for a riot squad, which was sent immediately. “They stood around the road and did nothing to control the mob. The mob shouted abuse and threats at my client and at the occupants of the house of Mr.Jameel, obviously with the intention of intimidating them,” the lawyers for Kumaratunga noted. “My client also wishes to point out that the state of lawlessness is evident when she a former President of Sri Lanka is being subject to such intimidation and physical attacks, which were perpetrated while the Police looked on,” the letter stated. The lawyers reminded the IGP that as Head of the Police Department he and his officers were under a legal duty to prevent acts of violence and to take action against the perpetrators according to law. “My client notes that it is regrettable that the Police have shown a remarkable lack of independence and impartiality and a lack of will to tackle acts of violence – especiallythose perpetrated by supporters of President Rajapaksa against the Opposition,” the letter notes. The lawyers said that the offences committed by the mob at Beruwala include being members of an unlawful assembly, attempted grievous hurt, criminal assault and criminal intimidation all of which are punishable under the Penal Code. “Nevertheless she demands that immediate action be taken by you and your subordinates to bring the perpetrators to book. Both FaleelHadjiar and Caffoor were members of an unlawful assembly and cannot escape criminal liability, having acted with the common object of intimidating my client. “If you fail to take action forthwith, my client will be compelled to take legal action against you and your subordinates for failure to perform your duties according to law,” the letter added. Kumaratunga instructed her lawyers to stress that she would not be deterred by acts of violence and thuggery and that she had in the past and would in the futurecontinue to resist State-sponsored thuggery. (DB)

Faizer’s verdict tomorrow?

Deputy Minister for Investment Promotion Faizer Mustapha is likely to pledge support to Opposition Candidate Maithripala Sirisena at the upcoming presidential election, highly-placed sources told the Daily FT. The announcement is likely to take place on Wednesday, the sources added. Speculation was rife that Mustapha had met with Sirisena yesterday, but sources close to the Deputy Minister said the picture in circulation was an older one from a recent event. Mustapha only returned from Singapore yesterday morning and Sirisena was busy campaigning in the east all day, the sources said. The Deputy Minister played a role in trying to broker a compromise between Muslim residents and Buddhist temple authorities in Grandpass and Dambulla, but the Government had failed to deliver on any of the promises they had made, Mustapha’s confidants explained. The Government will struggle to win the Muslim vote at the 8 January election after stalwarts Rauff Hakeem and Rishad Bathiudeen quit the ruling coalition and pledged support to the Opposition candidate, analysts say.

TNA endorsement today?

The Tamil National Alliance will endorse a candidate at the 8 January presidential election at a special media briefing scheduled today. The TNA held a final round of discussions last week in Vavuniya regarding which candidate to ask the Tamil people to back at the forthcoming poll. The TNA announcement will coincide with Opposition Candidate Maithripala Sirisena’s series of rallies in the Northern Province today. Sirisena, together with former President Chandrika Kumaratunga and UNP Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe will attend campaign events in Mannar, Vavuniya, Kilinochchi, Mullaitivu and Jaffna all day today. (DB)