Presidential Commission on university student's death:

No action against so-called police attack

Disna MUDALIGE

The Ruhunu University Students' Union or any other student union did not take any action against the so-called police attack on Susantha Bandara, and the union protests were started only after the nickname Bassa was mentioned, Management and Finance Faculty Student Union Secretary Indika Basnayeka accepted yesterday before the Presidential Commission to investigate the death of Ruhunu University student Susantha Anura Bandara.

The Commission was presided by Justice D J de S Balapatabendi. Indika Basnayeka said that Susantha's mother told him, when he went to the Badulla hospital to see Susantha on July 9, that the police refused to take down the complaint that she wanted to make. She had also told him that the Students' Unions should come forward to speak on behalf of her son.

Basnayeka said that no complaint was made in the Human Rights Commission and no protest was organized until the name of 'Bassa' was disclosed after Susantha's death. He had removed his SIM on June 23, the day following Susantha's death, while the phone was given to be sold. He said that he neither used a mobile nor maintained a contact number book thereafter.

Basnayeka and Susantha had been in the same room numbered 108 during the first and second years in the university. Later Susantha had shifted to a boarding place. But he had returned to the same room in the hostel once again saying that he was unable to pay boarding fees due a financial crisis that his father went through. The commissioner said that this statement was not given by Basnayeka to the Police statement he made on September 1.

After three to four months, Susantha had moved to room number 341 in the hostel. He further noted that Susantha had complained of a headache several days and when inquired he had said that he obtained medicine by a dispensary at Madawatta junction.

Basnayeka told the commission that he had been in the campus till morning till around 7.30pm on July 16. He had heard the incident of stabbing a student when he returned to the hostel and had gone back to the University.

On June 17 he had participated in the protests and discussions held in the University. He said that the students went to collect their belongings on June 18 when the notice to vacate the University premises was published. Basnayeka also said that no police attack was experienced by him when he came back from the hostel after collecting his belongings, even though he had got into the hostel when he heard that the police were attacking the students.

He said that he went to the temple with Duminda Taraka and U S Wickramanayeka to discuss about accommodation with the chief monk.

The Commissioner stated that Basnayeka had not given this information to the Police and the State Council suggested that he was trying to prove the evidence given by Duminda to the Commission.

Basnayeka had seen Susantha at Matara bus stand trying to get a phone call on June 18 between 5 to 6. When he had inquired Susantha had said that he could escape police attacks and everything was fine. However Susantha had told Basnayeka when he went to see him at the hospital, that the police attacked him, adding that he did not tell it before because it was a shame to mention it after being hit. Susantha's mother, father and another student had also been in the hospital at that time.

Basnayeka had got to know about the death of Susantha and that the name of 'Bassa' was mentioned by him before his death by one of his friends on June 23 around five in the morning.

He had contacted Susantha's mother on 23rd morning and she had said that her son had died.

Later, he had seen the voice cut given to the media by Susantha's mother. Even though he had been talking with Susantha's mother frequently over the phone, he had not attempted to contact her after this incident to tell her that 'Bassa' is his nickname.

He told the commission that he was afraid to do so and was mentally down. Susantha's mother had known him as "Welimada son" and was ignorant of his card.

The Commissioner said at the end of the commission that he could not believe the evidence given by Basnayeka and that there are many gaps in it.