by
Saman Indrajith
The lives of innocent school children and youth who had been killed or injured in the Weliweriya army crackdown, on a demonstration, could not be valued in terms of money. The Government should take action to expeditiously pay a satisfactory compensation to those who had been killed and injured, Opposition Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe said yesterday.
Making a special statement in Parliament, Wickremesinghe said that there were a number of methods to disperse a public demonstration or a protest.
“Deployment of riot control groups, water attacks, tear gas attacks, rubber bullets etc. can be used. Warnings should be issued in all three languages before shooting. But, it appears that none of these alternatives have been put to use,” he said.
Full text of the statement: “Over two weeks ago the people around the Haleys factory in Rathupaswala area continued to carry out demonstrations demanding potable water. After that demonstration, on 1st August, the Weliveriya Town turned out to be a battle field. The clash between the Army and the people around, including those who are residing in the area, dragged on until the night. Military attacks had been made even on those who had gone to the church for their safety and shooting had been done even inside the church. Not only that, shots had been fired in the air while going along the road around the area. Those who held discussions with me and those who came to see me explained about these shootings.
“There are many questions that have arisen over this clash. The Police say that there are a number of other teams linked to this clash. Anyhow, the Government should be responsible for this incident. It cannot get away from this problem.
“Why did the Government not seek a solution to this problem by having discussions with relevant parties before it turned out to be a battle?
“There was a demonstration also in the Belummahara area over the same problem of potable water. After conclusion of the demonstration, there was no block whatsoever of the transportation along the Kandy Road. If so, why did they enter the Weliveriya area and create unrest? Why did the Army go to that area?
“Why was the Army, rather than the Police, deployed to the Weliveriya area?
An explanation must be given as to why, in the first place, was the Police not deployed to settle this clash.
“There are a number of methods to disperse a public demonstration or a protest. Deployment of riot control groups, water attacks, tear gas attacks, rubber bullets etc. can be used. Warnings should be issued in all three languages before shooting. But it appears that none of these alternatives have been used.
“The students named Akila Dinesh Jayawardena and Ravishan Perera, and Nilantha Pushpakumara took no part in this demonstration. The student, Akila Dinesh Jayawardena succumbed to that attack when he had gone to take his mother back home from her work place and the student Ravishan Perera had encountered this sad lot while returning home after classes. Nilantha Pushpakumara has been subjected to this attack while returning to his abode after the day’s work. The student, Ravishan Perera who was getting ready to sit for the GCE Advanced Level examination this year has died due to this attack.
“Not only that, the attacks on the journalists should also be investigated.”
The Opposition Leader asked whether there was any proof available to say that the clash was instigated by other groups. An independent investigation acceptable to the whole country should be made on this incident, he said and requested the Government to promptly resolve the drinking water problem of those people. “Although the lives of the innocent school children and the youth cannot be valued in terms of money, I request the Government to expeditiously pay a satisfactory compensation to those who have been killed and injured.”
COURTESY:THE ISLAND