Power of Five

Saturday 17th October, 2020

It is being argued in some quarters that the Easter Sunday carnage could have been averted if the police had been given clear orders to arrest Zahran when a foreign intelligence agency warned of the impending terror strikes. But the long arm of the law has not been able to arrest even Opposition MP Rishad Bathiudeen despite an order from the Attorney General himself. The Colombo Magistrate’s Court has also said he can be arrested without a warrant, given the severity of charges against him. How can it be claimed that the police, who cannot even arrest Bathiudeen, would have been able to bust an elusive terror outfit, whose leader, also had political connections? The Directorate of Military Intelligence has confirmed, according to former Army Commander Mahesh Senanayake, that in 2018 the then yahapalana Minister Bathiudeen’s brother, Riyaj, helped Zahran flee to India by boat. The CID says there is no evidence to prove that Riyaj had links to Zahran’s National Thowheed Jamaath!

The SLPP sought mandates before the presidential and parliamentary elections to restore the rule of law and safeguard national security, among other things. But the police under its watch cannot arrest even an Opposition politician with serious charges against him and those with terror charges are let off the hook.

Those who voted for the SLPP overwhelmingly in the hope that it would take stern action against those responsible for collaborating with terrorists, destroying forests and abusing public funds are disillusioned. The rogues of the previous dispensation, save a few, have gone scot-free for all practical purposes. The incumbent government, like its predecessors, is using the carrot-and-stick method to make the Opposition MPs switch their allegiance. Those who cannot be bought off are frightened into backing the government. Following the change of government, in Jan. 2015, the yahapalana government employed this method successfully to raise a majority in Parliament. A large number of rogues in the Rajapaksa government, who should have been thrown behind bars, got away with their crimes by joining forces with the yahapalana administration, which gave them a choice between accepting ministerial posts and being hounded by the CID and the FCID.

Police Spokesmen’s noses grow discernibly when they answer questions from journalists on the inordinate delay on the part of the police to arrest politically-connected suspects. The incumbent one also trots out lame excuses for their failure to arrest Bathiudeen. We, however, do not blame him. Who wants to tell the truth and be packed off to Kankesanthurai?

The All Ceylon Makkal Congress led by Bathiudeen has five MPs, and they are apparently as powerful as the parliamentary group consisting of 150 MPs, for the police have baulked at arresting Bathiudeen, known for political deal-making. Where are those one hundred SLPP MPs who wrote to the President and the Prime Minister a much-publicised letter, recently, protesting against the release of Bathiudeen’s brother who, the CID said, had aided and abetted Zahran and other NTJ terrorists?

Since the change of government in Nov. 2019, there have been several instances where the CID chose not to carry out arrest warrants or the AG’s orders. Among those they refrained from arresting are Kurunegala Mayor Thushara Sanjeewa, Negombo Prison Chief Anuruddha Sampayo, former Finance Minister Ravi Karunanayake and Perpetual Treasuries owner Arjun Aloysius. All suspects were allowed to evade arrest and surrender themselves either to the police or courts with their lawyers.

Bathiudeen had not been arrested at the time of going to press. One need not be surprised if he admits himself to a private hospital so that he will be arrested and granted bail before being discharged.