|
|
|
 |
 |
 |
| Friday, 25 February 2005 |
 |
|
 |
News | |
| News Business Features Editorial Security Politics World Letters Sports Obituaries
|
UNP contestant's brother came out of polling centre with pistol in hand - Amunugama by Sandasen Marasinghe Finance and Planning Minister Dr. Sarath Amunugama said he saw Rajah Senanayake, a brother of UNP contestant Kesara Senanayake come out of Gandhi College Polling Centre with a pistol in hand at the 2001 General Election. He made this observation when he was examined by President's Counsel Wijedasa Rajapakse before the Trial-at-Bar hearing the Udatalawinna Massacre Case. The Trial-at-Bar comprises High Court Judge Deepali Wijesundara (President) and High Court Judge Sunil Rajapakse. Dr. Amunugama in his evidence said he was a student at Trinity College, Kandy and read for his Degree at the Peradeniya University. Later he read for his Phd at the Paris University, France and also at Harvard. After having passed the Civil Service Examination in 1972, he worked as a Department Director and Secretary to the Information Broadcasting and Tourism Ministry. He also served as Lake House Chairman and was a Director of UNESCO for five years. He said he joined party politics on the invitation of his friends Lalith Athulathmudali and Gamini Dissanayake. In 1993 he became a Provincial Councillor of the Central Province. In 1994 he contested the General Election from the UNP and became a Member of Parliament. He continued to be an Opposition MP until he crossed over in 1999 with a few others of the UNP to establish a National Government after discussions with the President and was subsequently sworn in as a Minister. "A General Election was held in 2000 in which our Party established a government but Parliament was dissolved and another General Election was set to be held in 2001," Amunugama said. The Minister said his seat in Kandy was the smallest in terms of voters of all the 13 seats in the Kandy district. He also said he knew General Anuruddha Ratwatte since school days. Amunugama said the competition took an ethnic twist in 2001 and this was after Rauf Hakeem's arrival to Kandy district as a contestant. Prior to that all ethnic groups worked together at elections. Both UNP and SLFP parties obtained the support of Tamils and Muslims. Witness and General Ratwatte too were popular among the Muslims. He said General Ratwatte participated only in a few meetings due to security reasons. Ratwatte was a target of the LTTE. Amunugama said he was informed that LTTE cadres were hiding in the Mahaiyawa area and he informed this to General Ratwatte. The Minister said he cast his vote at Nugawela Polling Centre on December 5, 2001 and he went to several polling centres as a contestant. At Gatambe Polling Centre, the situation was tense. He saw some persons turning away. Subsequently he went to the Gandhi College Polling Centre where he saw Rajah Senanayake, a brother of UNP contestant Kesara Senanayake and son of E. L. Senanayake coming out with a pistol in his hand. He reported this to the DIG and visited several other polling centres. Around 4 p.m., he went to General Ratwatte's residence at Mahaiyawa. He met General Ratwatte and stayed there for about 20 minutes in the verandah and saw General Ratwatte's sons Lohan Chanuka and Mahen in the visiting room. Cross-examined by Deputy Solicitor General Palitha Fernando, witness said he knew Ratwatte for 50 years. Witness was the Finance and Planing Minister. Asked as to whether he was a strong member of the People's Alliance and the SLFP, he smilingly answered in the affirmative. He said the SLFP did not encourage ballot rigging and the party held such conduct to be reprehensible regardless of the perpetrator. He has not been involved nor witnessed anything of this sort. Neither was he aware of any persons in Army Uniform who caused trouble at polling centres or rigged ballot boxes. No one informed him of such malpractises. Witness said they performed a Sathyagraha near a temple in Kandy since he believed that General Ratwatte and his children were drawn into this incident unjustly without reason. Even the Muslims in the UNP did not like Rauf Hakeem contesting from the UNP in 2001. Amunugama denied suggestions by the prosecution that he was only saying that he saw Ratwatte's sons at his (Ratwatte's) residence on the day in question due to his close association with the General. When President's Counsel Wijedasa Rajapakse re-examined Dr. Amunugama, the latter said the Police on their way to Colombo after the election stopped them at Yakkala and spoke to them as they were offenders. Deputy Solicitor General Palitha Fernando and State Counsel Ayesh Ariyasinghe appeared for the Attorney General while President's Counsel Wijedasa Rajapakse, Anil Silva and Sudath Karavita for the Defence. |
|
News | Business | Features
| Editorial | Security
Produced by Lake House |
