By Saman Indrajith

The Frontline Socialist Party (FSP) yesterday announced that it would mobilise all social, civil society and human rights organisations that had pledged their solidarity with them to secure the release of party leader Kumar Gunaratnam, who is now in remand custody for violating immigration laws.

Addressing a press conference at the Centre for Society and Religion in Colombo, party’s Propaganda Secretary Pubudu Jayagoda said that they were now convinced that the government was getting ready to deport Gunaratnam.

“But, we reiterate that the matter is entirely political and would mobilise all forces to secure Gunaratnam’s release,” Jayagoda said.

“The UNP during its opposition days fought against the then government which abducted Comrade Gunaratnam. It declared that our leader had a right to engage in politics here. But, the UNP has made an about-turn.

“The government has done nothing so far about the complaint we lodged with the Police Headquarters asking for the resumption of investigations into Gunaratnam’s abduction in 2012.””

Jayagoda pointed out that the Jaffna Magistrate had on Friday issued warrants to arrest former Minister Keheliya Rambukwella for not being present in the Court when a case filed by the FSP was taken up for hearing. “We filed a case with regard to a statement made by former minister on the disappearance of FSP member Lalith Weeraraj and Kugan Murugananathan. Even the JVP’s Sunil Handunnetti went all the way from here to Jaffna and appeared before the courts but Rambukwella was not present for the hearing. The Magistrate ordered the police to arrest Rambukwella. Imagine what would have been the situation had the arrest warrant been issued against an ordinary civilian. The government has the law enforced selectively.” Another example is that it had not been able to investigate at least a single incident where people had been used to abduct people under the previous government. Thus, the FSP could not expect justice from the government, Jayagoda said.

FSP Central Committee Member Duminda Nagamuwa said: “This is a political issue. Even the Kegalle Court said that the decision to permit Gunaratnam was in the hands of the subject minister and not under the purview of the court when he was produced there last time. He did nothing wrong and he has a right to engage in politics.”

Asked why Gunaratnam had been in hiding if he had not done anything wrong, Nagamuwa said: “Comrade Gunaratnam was not in hiding. He was taken into custody at his house in Kegalle. That is the address he had given to immigration department when he applied for Lankan citizenship stating his consent to revoke his Australian citizenship. When a person is taken into custody at his home, how can anyone claim that he had been in hiding?”

Gunaratnam is currently in remand for violating immigration laws and his case is scheduled to be taken up again on Nov. 18 at the Kegalle Magistrate’s Court. Gunaratnam’s 50th birthday fall tomorrow.

He was arrested at his ancestral home in Kegalle by police on Nov 4. Gunaratnam arrived in Sri Lanka on Jan. 01, this year using an Australian Passport (N 1016123) bearing the name, Noel Mudalige.

Courtesy:The Island