Features
Was Madush kneeling or upright when death claimed him?
by Hemantha Randunu
“Let’s get out of here Muthumali, Danny Mahattaya is going out of control; his henchmen won’t leave us alone!” Madush told his wife Muthumali, foreseeing the shape of things to come. Yet his wife pooh-poohed his demand.
In 2002, the Chairman of the Southern Provincial Development Authority was Danny Hiththetiyage, a well known politician in the South. Hiththetiyage had begun to stealthily take over several lands belonging to Madush’s father. Due to this land issue, a rift had developed between Madush’s and Danny Hittatiyage’s families. Yet not in his wildest dreams would Madush have thought that this would change his life forever.
Samarasinghe Arachchige Madush Lakshitha was born on February 24, 1979, in Gathara outside Kamburupitiya. He was educated at Kamburupitiya Maha Vidyalaya and Karandeniya National School. Madush had a sister and a brother. His father, Samarasinghe Arachchige Lakshman, was an engraver, a peaceful man from Gathara. His mother was Malani Samarasinghe, an active member of the JVP.
By 1989, Madush had turned 10. He was very close to his mother and used to follow her wherever she went. During the 88/89 insurgency, government security forces were hard line in their policy of bumping off JVP members. Madush’s mother was killed after returning home from a JVP rally. Her untimely death traumatized Madush. His father had little interest in his children. He just let them be.
Madush’s aunt was the saving grace for him and his siblings. She and his grandmother took the responsibility of raising them. During that time Madush and his family had to face various hardships despite which he passed the GCE Ordinary Level Examination. But due to persistent economic issues, he had to drop out of school and face the challenges of life quite early on.
Cupid then made its move on Madush. He went through a whirlwind romance with a woman called Dayani Muthumali but they did not receive the blessings of their elders. Muthumali’s parents did not want to give their daughter in marriage to Madush who was loafing around Kamburupitiya without a proper education or job. All he wanted at the time was to marry the woman he loved and to do this he knew he would have to find a job, and establish himself as a suitable spouse.
Madush tried his luck as a tractor driver and then drove a three-wheeler and was an employee at Nihal Motors; later he was a truck driver under a businessman called Amarasinghe in Ratmalana. He returned to his village as a private bus driver. He was not satisfied with any of the jobs he had. He wanted to earn a lot of money, but with his lack of qualifications he found this hard to achieve. Nevertheless, he continued to woo Muthumali.
Madush married her in 1998 when he turned 19. The couple returned to his home in Kamburupitiya. They both got minor jobs at Matara Hospital. Around this time the rift between his and Danny Hiththetiyage’s families surfaced and widened.
With all this drama going on, Madush became a father in 2002. His first son was born with health problems. There were other problems too. Muthumali began to encounter several advances from a relative of Hiththetiyage.
That enraged Madush. He vowed to teach the Hiththetiyages a lesson. After the birth of their son the couple lived in Makandura at Muthumali’s parents’ house and in Kamburupitiya in turn.
“If I do not teach them a lesson, my wife and child will not be able to live in peace,” he said to himself. So he decided to teach a lesson to Upananda, a brother-in-law of Danny Hiththetiyage, who tended to harass Madush’s family frequently. In 2002, Madush shot Upananda at Kamburupitiya. This murder turned out to be his first crime. After the shooting, Madush parted from his wife and child and fled.
He knew an underworld criminal called Unathurupe Shantha. Having fled Kamburupitiya, he met Shantha and revealed everything that had happened. Shantha took Madush under his wing and recruited him to a life of crime. Money and the promise of riches was what Madush was after, and as events later transpired, he was to have both in life.
Along with Shantha and his gang, he started robbing financial institutions and leasing companies across the country. They were soon loaded with cash. More than ten leasing companies and financial institutions in Negombo, Kuliyapitiya and Galle were raided and robbed of tens of millions of rupees by their gang.
In 2006, the OIC of the Peliyagoda Crimes Division was Priyantha Jayakody, currently the Deputy Inspector General of Police in charge of the Crime and Organized Crime Division. Jayakody and his officers had been conducting operations for months to nab the gang. Eventually, this gang, including Madush and Unathurupe Shantha, were captured while hiding in a cave in Wariyapola. At the time Madush was merely known as “Madush of Kamburupitiya.”
While being questioned by OIC Jayakody, Madush revealed his bitterness towards his enemy: “Sir, it was Danny Hiththatige who dragged me into this life. I will send him to the afterlife someday. I can’t sleep until he’s gone.”
Later Jayakody took the initiative to inform Danny Hiththetiyage about the impending threat which went unnoticed and worse, unheeded. The gang, including Madush, were meanwhile jailed. Madush, in the Negombo prison began plotting to murder the Chairman of the Southern Province Development Authority.
At the Negombo prison Madush befriended Nissanka, a deserter from the Army Commando Unit. Madush realized at the time that Nissanka, imprisoned for several crimes, was the right person to use to kill Danny Hiththetiyage. Madush presented his plan to Nissanka, a talented marksman, and took steps to get him bailed out and set his plan in motion. On June 11, 2006, Nissanka and another underworld gang member shot and killed Danny Hiththetiyage in front of his house in Makandura.
The assassination of Danny Hiththetiyage shook not only the Southern Province, but also the whole country. The murder was initially suspected to be part of a political conspiracy, but the truth of the matter was later revealed.
Madush paid Nissanka Rs. 350,000 for his services. After this incident Madush acquired notoriety throughout the underworld. During his time in prison he established various connections among criminals, among them the LTTE member, Ice Manju who was plotting to assassinate then President Mahinda Rajapaksa. Ice Manju wanted help from Madush to carry out this plan offering him five million to do the job. But for some reason the plan did not proceed. Makandure Madush, who was held in the Negombo Prison for five years, was released on bail in 2011.
At that time the plot to assassinate Mahinda Rajapaksa by the LTTE was being investigated by the Terrorist Investigation Division. The TID revealed that after his release from prison, Madush conspired with the LTTE and he was arrested again by them and held for a year and a half.
He had to be released after the authorities failed to prove the conspiracies surrounding the assassination attempt on the president. His association thereafter with Maligawatte Kanjipani Imran and Kotahena Tipdon, who had become the masterminds of the Colombo heroin network, changed Madush’s life.
“There is no point in breaking into houses and robbing them and carrying out contract murders to earn a living. You have to do something big,” they told Madush who was recruited as their partner in the drug trade. At that time there are where several underworld gangs after him together with the military and the forces; so he quickly moved to get out of Sri Lanka and, with the help of Kanjipani Imran and Tipdon, established himself in Dubai.
He managed the Sri Lankan underworld from Dubai with the help of his henchmen here. After a while Kanjipani Imran also came to Dubai and the duo began to spread their wings over the heroin trade, not only in Sri Lanka but also in foreign countries like Maldives, Malaysia, and Thailand. Although he took a second wife, Madush took care of his legal wife and child by providing financial assistance. He continued his underworld activities with great precision all the way from Dubai.
It was Madush who drew out and executed the plan to assassinate Samayan by attacking the prison bus at Ethanamadala, Kalutara. The attack took place exactly as Madush had planned. Following the attack, Madush arranged for Angoda Lokka and Ladiya to be brought to India by sea from Kalpitiya. With the help of the members of his international heroin network, Madush was able to bring Angoda Lokka and Ladiya to Dubai.
After Madush’s friend Riskhan was killed by the Kaduwela underworld, he took every possible step to find the killer: Kos Malli. He kidnapped him and proceeded to cut his head off and to have it delivered to the Court Complex in Colombo, displaying his cruelty as well as his power. The extravagant funeral of Madush’s father showed the extent of the man’s power and wealth as well.
Madush’s mission of ambushing the narcotics officer in Piliyandala using a spy inside the Narcotics Department showcased his knowledge and proved why he was known as the Godfather of the Sri Lankan Underworld. His elaborate plan to loot a diamond worth seven million rupees was the biggest such case in the history of the country.
Meanwhile in Dubai, Morrill, one of Madush’s rivals, received information that Madush’s small daughter’s birthday party was being held on a grand scale at a hotel in Dubai. Morrill was in close contact with several senior Dubai police officers at the time. He also knew that drugs including cocaine would be brought to this party. He gave an anonymous tip to the Dubai Police and Madush and his henchmen were captured. After several months, the Dubai government finally extradited the Godfather of Sri Lanka home, in deference to requests made by the Sri Lankan Police.
Under the supervision of Senior DIG in charge of the Western Province Deshabandu Tennakoon, Director of the Colombo Crimes Division SSP G. J. Nandana, ASP Neville Silva, and other officers, Madush was taken to the Colombo Crimes Division and two days later, on information provided by him, heroin worth over Rs. 100 million was uncovered in Kotikawatta. Madush was held by the CID for a year and a half.
The police continued investigations to seize more stocks of heroin. On information provided by Madush, he was taken to the Lakshitha Sevana housing scheme in Maligawatta allegedly to ferret out another stock of heroin. But this time Madush found not the drug stash but death. The Godfather of the Sri Lankan underworld died by a bullet through his head, at last reaping what he had sowed.
(Tranlated by Uditha Devapriya)
by Dr Gotabhya Ranasinghe
Senior Consultant Cardiologist
National Hospital Sri Lanka
When we sought a meeting with Hon Dr. Ramesh Pathirana, Minister of Health, he graciously cleared his busy schedule to accommodate us. Renowned for his attentive listening and deep understanding, Minister Pathirana is dedicated to advancing the health sector. His openness and transparency exemplify the qualities of an exemplary politician and minister.
Dr. Palitha Mahipala, the current Health Secretary, demonstrates both commendable enthusiasm and unwavering support. This combination of attributes makes him a highly compatible colleague for the esteemed Minister of Health.
Our discussion centered on a project that has been in the works for the past 30 years, one that no other minister had managed to advance.
Minister Pathirana, however, recognized the project’s significance and its potential to revolutionize care for heart patients.
The project involves the construction of a state-of-the-art facility at the premises of the National Hospital Colombo. The project’s location within the premises of the National Hospital underscores its importance and relevance to the healthcare infrastructure of the nation.
This facility will include a cardiology building and a tertiary care center, equipped with the latest technology to handle and treat all types of heart-related conditions and surgeries.
Securing funding was a major milestone for this initiative. Minister Pathirana successfully obtained approval for a $40 billion loan from the Asian Development Bank. With the funding in place, the foundation stone is scheduled to be laid in September this year, and construction will begin in January 2025.
This project guarantees a consistent and uninterrupted supply of stents and related medications for heart patients. As a result, patients will have timely access to essential medical supplies during their treatment and recovery. By securing these critical resources, the project aims to enhance patient outcomes, minimize treatment delays, and maintain the highest standards of cardiac care.
Upon its fruition, this monumental building will serve as a beacon of hope and healing, symbolizing the unwavering dedication to improving patient outcomes and fostering a healthier society.We anticipate a future marked by significant progress and positive outcomes in Sri Lanka’s cardiovascular treatment landscape within the foreseeable timeframe.
by Fr. Emmanuel Fernando, OMI
Jesuit Fr. Aloysius Pieris (affectionately called Fr. Aloy) celebrated his 90th birthday on April 9, 2024 and I, as the editor of our Oblate Journal, THE MISSIONARY OBLATE had gone to press by that time. Immediately I decided to publish an article, appreciating the untiring selfless services he continues to offer for inter-Faith dialogue, the renewal of the Catholic Church, his concern for the poor and the suffering Sri Lankan masses and to me, the present writer.
It was in 1988, when I was appointed Director of the Oblate Scholastics at Ampitiya by the then Oblate Provincial Fr. Anselm Silva, that I came to know Fr. Aloy more closely. Knowing well his expertise in matters spiritual, theological, Indological and pastoral, and with the collaborative spirit of my companion-formators, our Oblate Scholastics were sent to Tulana, the Research and Encounter Centre, Kelaniya, of which he is the Founder-Director, for ‘exposure-programmes’ on matters spiritual, biblical, theological and pastoral. Some of these dimensions according to my view and that of my companion-formators, were not available at the National Seminary, Ampitiya.
Ever since that time, our Oblate formators/ accompaniers at the Oblate Scholasticate, Ampitiya , have continued to send our Oblate Scholastics to Tulana Centre for deepening their insights and convictions regarding matters needed to serve the people in today’s context. Fr. Aloy also had tried very enthusiastically with the Oblate team headed by Frs. Oswald Firth and Clement Waidyasekara to begin a Theologate, directed by the Religious Congregations in Sri Lanka, for the contextual formation/ accompaniment of their members. It should very well be a desired goal of the Leaders / Provincials of the Religious Congregations.
Besides being a formator/accompanier at the Oblate Scholasticate, I was entrusted also with the task of editing and publishing our Oblate journal, ‘The Missionary Oblate’. To maintain the quality of the journal I continue to depend on Fr. Aloy for his thought-provoking and stimulating articles on Biblical Spirituality, Biblical Theology and Ecclesiology. I am very grateful to him for his generous assistance. Of late, his writings on renewal of the Church, initiated by Pope St. John XX111 and continued by Pope Francis through the Synodal path, published in our Oblate journal, enable our readers to focus their attention also on the needed renewal in the Catholic Church in Sri Lanka. Fr. Aloy appreciated very much the Synodal path adopted by the Jesuit Pope Francis for the renewal of the Church, rooted very much on prayerful discernment. In my Religious and presbyteral life, Fr.Aloy continues to be my spiritual animator / guide and ongoing formator / acccompanier.
Fr. Aloysius Pieris, BA Hons (Lond), LPh (SHC, India), STL (PFT, Naples), PhD (SLU/VC), ThD (Tilburg), D.Ltt (KU), has been one of the eminent Asian theologians well recognized internationally and one who has lectured and held visiting chairs in many universities both in the West and in the East. Many members of Religious Congregations from Asian countries have benefited from his lectures and guidance in the East Asian Pastoral Institute (EAPI) in Manila, Philippines. He had been a Theologian consulted by the Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conferences for many years. During his professorship at the Gregorian University in Rome, he was called to be a member of a special group of advisers on other religions consulted by Pope Paul VI.
Fr. Aloy is the author of more than 30 books and well over 500 Research Papers. Some of his books and articles have been translated and published in several countries. Among those books, one can find the following: 1) The Genesis of an Asian Theology of Liberation (An Autobiographical Excursus on the Art of Theologising in Asia, 2) An Asian Theology of Liberation, 3) Providential Timeliness of Vatican 11 (a long-overdue halt to a scandalous millennium, 4) Give Vatican 11 a chance, 5) Leadership in the Church, 6) Relishing our faith in working for justice (Themes for study and discussion), 7) A Message meant mainly, not exclusively for Jesuits (Background information necessary for helping Francis renew the Church), 8) Lent in Lanka (Reflections and Resolutions, 9) Love meets wisdom (A Christian Experience of Buddhism, 10) Fire and Water 11) God’s Reign for God’s poor, 12) Our Unhiddden Agenda (How we Jesuits work, pray and form our men). He is also the Editor of two journals, Vagdevi, Journal of Religious Reflection and Dialogue, New Series.
Fr. Aloy has a BA in Pali and Sanskrit from the University of London and a Ph.D in Buddhist Philosophy from the University of Sri Lankan, Vidyodaya Campus. On Nov. 23, 2019, he was awarded the prestigious honorary Doctorate of Literature (D.Litt) by the Chancellor of the University of Kelaniya, the Most Venerable Welamitiyawe Dharmakirthi Sri Kusala Dhamma Thera.
Fr. Aloy continues to be a promoter of Gospel values and virtues. Justice as a constitutive dimension of love and social concern for the downtrodden masses are very much noted in his life and work. He had very much appreciated the commitment of the late Fr. Joseph (Joe) Fernando, the National Director of the Social and Economic Centre (SEDEC) for the poor.
In Sri Lanka, a few religious Congregations – the Good Shepherd Sisters, the Christian Brothers, the Marist Brothers and the Oblates – have invited him to animate their members especially during their Provincial Congresses, Chapters and International Conferences. The mainline Christian Churches also have sought his advice and followed his seminars. I, for one, regret very much, that the Sri Lankan authorities of the Catholic Church –today’s Hierarchy—- have not sought Fr.
Aloy’s expertise for the renewal of the Catholic Church in Sri Lanka and thus have not benefited from the immense store of wisdom and insight that he can offer to our local Church while the Sri Lankan bishops who governed the Catholic church in the immediate aftermath of the Second Vatican Council (Edmund Fernando OMI, Anthony de Saram, Leo Nanayakkara OSB, Frank Marcus Fernando, Paul Perera,) visited him and consulted him on many matters. Among the Tamil Bishops, Bishop Rayappu Joseph was keeping close contact with him and Bishop J. Deogupillai hosted him and his team visiting him after the horrible Black July massacre of Tamils.
Sri Lanka-Singapore Free Trade Agreement
By Gomi Senadhira
senadhiragomi@gmail.com
“You might tell fairy tales, but the progress of a country cannot be achieved through such narratives. A country cannot be developed by making false promises. The country moved backward because of the electoral promises made by political parties throughout time. We have witnessed that the ultimate result of this is the country becoming bankrupt. Unfortunately, many segments of the population have not come to realize this yet.” – President Ranil Wickremesinghe, 2024 Budget speech
Any Sri Lankan would agree with the above words of President Wickremesinghe on the false promises our politicians and officials make and the fairy tales they narrate which bankrupted this country. So, to understand this, let’s look at one such fairy tale with lots of false promises; Ranil Wickremesinghe’s greatest achievement in the area of international trade and investment promotion during the Yahapalana period, Sri Lanka-Singapore Free Trade Agreement (SLSFTA).
It is appropriate and timely to do it now as Finance Minister Wickremesinghe has just presented to parliament a bill on the National Policy on Economic Transformation which includes the establishment of an Office for International Trade and the Sri Lanka Institute of Economics and International Trade.
Was SLSFTA a “Cleverly negotiated Free Trade Agreement” as stated by the (former) Minister of Development Strategies and International Trade Malik Samarawickrama during the Parliamentary Debate on the SLSFTA in July 2018, or a colossal blunder covered up with lies, false promises, and fairy tales? After SLSFTA was signed there were a number of fairy tales published on this agreement by the Ministry of Development Strategies and International, Institute of Policy Studies, and others.
However, for this article, I would like to limit my comments to the speech by Minister Samarawickrama during the Parliamentary Debate, and the two most important areas in the agreement which were covered up with lies, fairy tales, and false promises, namely: revenue loss for Sri Lanka and Investment from Singapore. On the other important area, “Waste products dumping” I do not want to comment here as I have written extensively on the issue.
1. The revenue loss
During the Parliamentary Debate in July 2018, Minister Samarawickrama stated “…. let me reiterate that this FTA with Singapore has been very cleverly negotiated by us…. The liberalisation programme under this FTA has been carefully designed to have the least impact on domestic industry and revenue collection. We have included all revenue sensitive items in the negative list of items which will not be subject to removal of tariff. Therefore, 97.8% revenue from Customs duty is protected. Our tariff liberalisation will take place over a period of 12-15 years! In fact, the revenue earned through tariffs on goods imported from Singapore last year was Rs. 35 billion.
The revenue loss for over the next 15 years due to the FTA is only Rs. 733 million– which when annualised, on average, is just Rs. 51 million. That is just 0.14% per year! So anyone who claims the Singapore FTA causes revenue loss to the Government cannot do basic arithmetic! Mr. Speaker, in conclusion, I call on my fellow members of this House – don’t mislead the public with baseless criticism that is not grounded in facts. Don’t look at petty politics and use these issues for your own political survival.”
I was surprised to read the minister’s speech because an article published in January 2018 in “The Straits Times“, based on information released by the Singaporean Negotiators stated, “…. With the FTA, tariff savings for Singapore exports are estimated to hit $10 million annually“.
As the annual tariff savings (that is the revenue loss for Sri Lanka) calculated by the Singaporean Negotiators, Singaporean $ 10 million (Sri Lankan rupees 1,200 million in 2018) was way above the rupees’ 733 million revenue loss for 15 years estimated by the Sri Lankan negotiators, it was clear to any observer that one of the parties to the agreement had not done the basic arithmetic!
Six years later, according to a report published by “The Morning” newspaper, speaking at the Committee on Public Finance (COPF) on 7th May 2024, Mr Samarawickrama’s chief trade negotiator K.J. Weerasinghehad had admitted “…. that forecasted revenue loss for the Government of Sri Lanka through the Singapore FTA is Rs. 450 million in 2023 and Rs. 1.3 billion in 2024.”
If these numbers are correct, as tariff liberalisation under the SLSFTA has just started, we will pass Rs 2 billion very soon. Then, the question is how Sri Lanka’s trade negotiators made such a colossal blunder. Didn’t they do their basic arithmetic? If they didn’t know how to do basic arithmetic they should have at least done their basic readings. For example, the headline of the article published in The Straits Times in January 2018 was “Singapore, Sri Lanka sign FTA, annual savings of $10m expected”.
Anyway, as Sri Lanka’s chief negotiator reiterated at the COPF meeting that “…. since 99% of the tariffs in Singapore have zero rates of duty, Sri Lanka has agreed on 80% tariff liberalisation over a period of 15 years while expecting Singapore investments to address the imbalance in trade,” let’s turn towards investment.
Investment from Singapore
In July 2018, speaking during the Parliamentary Debate on the FTA this is what Minister Malik Samarawickrama stated on investment from Singapore, “Already, thanks to this FTA, in just the past two-and-a-half months since the agreement came into effect we have received a proposal from Singapore for investment amounting to $ 14.8 billion in an oil refinery for export of petroleum products. In addition, we have proposals for a steel manufacturing plant for exports ($ 1 billion investment), flour milling plant ($ 50 million), sugar refinery ($ 200 million). This adds up to more than $ 16.05 billion in the pipeline on these projects alone.
And all of these projects will create thousands of more jobs for our people. In principle approval has already been granted by the BOI and the investors are awaiting the release of land the environmental approvals to commence the project.
I request the Opposition and those with vested interests to change their narrow-minded thinking and join us to develop our country. We must always look at what is best for the whole community, not just the few who may oppose. We owe it to our people to courageously take decisions that will change their lives for the better.”
According to the media report I quoted earlier, speaking at the Committee on Public Finance (COPF) Chief Negotiator Weerasinghe has admitted that Sri Lanka was not happy with overall Singapore investments that have come in the past few years in return for the trade liberalisation under the Singapore-Sri Lanka Free Trade Agreement. He has added that between 2021 and 2023 the total investment from Singapore had been around $162 million!
What happened to those projects worth $16 billion negotiated, thanks to the SLSFTA, in just the two-and-a-half months after the agreement came into effect and approved by the BOI? I do not know about the steel manufacturing plant for exports ($ 1 billion investment), flour milling plant ($ 50 million) and sugar refinery ($ 200 million).
However, story of the multibillion-dollar investment in the Petroleum Refinery unfolded in a manner that would qualify it as the best fairy tale with false promises presented by our politicians and the officials, prior to 2019 elections.
Though many Sri Lankans got to know, through the media which repeatedly highlighted a plethora of issues surrounding the project and the questionable credentials of the Singaporean investor, the construction work on the Mirrijiwela Oil Refinery along with the cement factory began on the24th of March 2019 with a bang and Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and his ministers along with the foreign and local dignitaries laid the foundation stones.
That was few months before the 2019 Presidential elections. Inaugurating the construction work Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe said the projects will create thousands of job opportunities in the area and surrounding districts.
The oil refinery, which was to be built over 200 acres of land, with the capacity to refine 200,000 barrels of crude oil per day, was to generate US$7 billion of exports and create 1,500 direct and 3,000 indirect jobs. The construction of the refinery was to be completed in 44 months. Four years later, in August 2023 the Cabinet of Ministers approved the proposal presented by President Ranil Wickremesinghe to cancel the agreement with the investors of the refinery as the project has not been implemented! Can they explain to the country how much money was wasted to produce that fairy tale?
It is obvious that the President, ministers, and officials had made huge blunders and had deliberately misled the public and the parliament on the revenue loss and potential investment from SLSFTA with fairy tales and false promises.
As the president himself said, a country cannot be developed by making false promises or with fairy tales and these false promises and fairy tales had bankrupted the country. “Unfortunately, many segments of the population have not come to realize this yet”.
(The writer, a specialist and an activist on trade and development issues . )
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