Nadarajah Raviraj
Encyclopedia
Nadarajah Raviraj was a prominent Sri Lankan Tamil politician
and human rights
lawyer
. Born in the Jaffna
district in the North of Sri Lanka
, he served as a Member of Parliament
for the Tamil National Alliance
, which is backed by the LTTE, until he was shot dead by gunmen in Colombo
, Sri Lanka
, on November 10, 2006. TNA and others alleged that the Sri Lankan government was involved in this assassination. The Sri Lankan government denied responsibility and strongly condemned his killing.
On November 9, 2006, one day before his assassination, he led a protest
demonstration in front of the UNICEF office in Colombo
regarding the Vaharai bombing
by the Sri Lankan Army
of a school that led to the death of 45 civilians.
. He was enrolled as an Attorney of Law in the Supreme Court of Sri Lanka in November 1988 and appeared in the Sri Lankan Supreme Court, Court of Appeal and in the High Courts of Ampara
, Batticaloa
, Vavuniya
, Trincomalee
, Jaffna
and elsewhere in the south. His law firm, Raviraj & Associates, specialized in cases under the Prevention of Terrorism Act
, and Emergency Regulations. Raviraj also worked as a human rights lawyer for Home for Human Rights
in Colombo, from 1984 to 1990 and again from 1993 until 1999.
in 1987 and became a Central Committee Member of the TULF in 1990, the party's legal adviser in 1998 and a member of political bureau in 2000. He was also appointed as administrative secretary of the party. Raviraj was elected mayor of Jaffna in 1998, a position in which he served until his election to Parliament from Jaffna District
in December 2001 as a candidate of the newly formed TNA. He was reelected to parliament in 2004.
During the last few months Raviraj participated in the Civil Monitoring Committee (CMC), working with Mano Ganesan MP (Colombo District), Vasudeva Nanayakara MMC, Dr.Vickramabahu Karunaratne, and Appapillai Vinayagamoorthy to monitor extra judicial killings, abductions
and disappearances. Raviraj MP has participated in conflict resolution workshops hosted by the Institute of Federalism in Switzerland, the Konrad Adenauer Foundation
in Germany
and the Peace Institute in Austria among others.
Throughout his career, Raviraj was admired by all communities in Sri Lanka at large, for his moderate views. He was severely critical of the Sri Lankan Government, particularly in the weeks leading up to his murder, highlighting, amongst many things, forced disappearances of many civilians and the food and medicinal blockade imposed by the Sri Lankan Government on Jaffna, starving the people. The day before he was killed, Raviraj and other TNA parliamentarians took part in a demonstration in front of the UN offices in Colombo to protest against the killing of Tamil civilians by the military and the mounting toll of abductions and extrajudicial killings. Although Raviraj spoke in favour of the LTTE, and his party, the TNA is believed to be supportive of the rebel group, he also was critical of them.
Yet recently, just before his death, Raviraj publicly criticised the LTTE leadership for sending their children abroad to be educated in luxury while poor Tamil children were suffering in their homeland. In an interview given to the Asia Tribune on October 14, 2006 he reportedly said of LTTE leader Velupillai Prabhakaran
"LTTE leader Prabhakaran's children live a comfortable life abroad, poor Tamil children have to wait in long queues all day without even going to school to get a piece of bread"http://www.asiantribune.com/index.php?q=node/3255.
Raviraj was always supportive of Tamil self-rule and a leading campaigner for Tamil self-rule. Another MP of the TNA
claimed that "This is a clear message to Tamil parliamentarians ... Don't open your mouth" and supported the TNA
's allegations on the government. .
, Sri Lanka by 2 assailants riding a motorbike on November 10, 2006 when he was leaving his home. He had just left his home after returning from an interview between 7:00 am to 8:00 a.m(local time) on the Derana TV Channel
. He was rushed to the General Hospital in Colombo where he succumbed to his injuries at 9:20am. His bodyguard, Police Constable Lakshman Lokuwella attached to the Jaffna Police Station, was also killed in the shooting.
The shooting occurred around 8.45am as he was proceeding to the Elvitigala Road from Martha Road (6°54'7.11"N 79°52'38.26"E) in his vehicle. The assailants escaped leaving behind a T-56 rifle
and a few rounds of ammunition in a bag. The site of the attack was within the Manning Town Complex and was opposite the Sri Lankan Military
Police headquarters.
Upon a request by the Sri Lankan government, the Metropolitan Police Service
(from Scotland Yard
) agreed to send a team of forensic experts to assist the investigation into the killing. The investigations have not yet concluded. However, a local human rights organization has accused that the killer is known to the Government and remain free. It further alleged that the killers belonged to paramilitary TMVP cadres. Many accused the government of not showing any interest in finding the real killers behind this assassination.
Rajavarothiam Sampanthan
, leader of the TNA, a political party widely believed to be a proxy of the LTTE, blamed the government for the murder and claimed "It is government forces or forces aligned to the government, there can be no question "and argued "This is an attempt to stifle... and silence those who can justifiably espouse the Tamil cause." Selvam Adaikalanathan, a fellow TNA MP said "A democratic voice of Tamils has been silenced in Sri Lanka's capital today," and charged that resourceful Tamil politicians, journalists and activists (see State terrorism in Sri Lanka
) are being systematically killed in Sri Lanka. "Raviraj tirelessly worked to improve the conditions of the people living under economic embargo to relieve the humanitarian catastrophe. He had a convincing way of dealing with even the crude bureaucracy of this failed state," Mr. Adaikalanathan said.
The chief spokesman of the LTTE condemned the killing and blamed the government of Sri Lanka for the assassination. The LTTE released a statement mentioning "As a parliamentarian he worked tirelessly for the Tamil nation. He spoke loudly to the world about the Sinhala Buddhist chauvinistic state terror. He shattered the false propaganda of the Sinhala state infusing his arguments with his legal expertise." The LTTE's eulogy to Raviraj added "Death never destroys the great souls who lived their life for truth. They will live for ever in our nation’s soul as heroes of our history."
Nimalka Fernando
, a leading human rights activist in Sri Lanka remarked "We are fast becoming a country of widows". "These killers and the mighty terror of the state are making us a killing field." and the "gunmen got away after stopping traffic in front of a military installation, without fear of being arrested."
United National Party
organizer S.B. Dissanayake, member of the main opposition to President Rajapakse's Sri Lanka Freedom Party
blamed the Sri Lankan government for the killing, claiming the blame cannot be passed onto the Karuna group or any other organization. Dissanayake remarked "It was impossible for such assassinations to take place in broad daylight in the city (Colombo) without the knowledge of the state."
The Asian Human Rights Commission
expressed shock at the killing of N. Raviraj and remarked that in Sri Lanka
, "the rule of law machinery has been in a state of collapse now for a long time it is no surprise that things have gone out of control" and observed "these deaths are just part of a continuous situation of assassinations done by all
parties to the conflict" and "the parties to the conflict claim justification for the deaths they cause and there is no regret in any quarter about what is taking place."
The US State Department deplored the murder of the Tamil MP and urged the Sri Lankan government to promptly investigate, arrest and prosecute those responsible, claiming "It is critical that crimes such as the murder of Nadarajah Raviraj do not go unpunished." and the "The people of Sri Lanka have been unjustly robbed of his energy and talent."
The anti-rebel website, Asian Tribune, alleged that the Colombo-based International Center for Strategic Defense (ICSD) in its analaysis has pointed the finger at the LTTE as the prime source for the assassination http://www.asiantribune.com/index.php?q=node/3255.
The Criminal investigations Department has announced that three suspects have been held with regard to the assassination and investigations are proceeding http://www.nation.lk/2006/11/19/news9.htm.
EPDP Leader and Minister Douglas Devanananda categorically dismissed all allegations leveled against the EPDP regarding the killing of TNA MP Nadarajah Raviraj http://www.nation.lk/2006/11/19/newsfe5.htm.
, claimed that they were near certain that Gotabhaya Rajapaksa
, current Permanent Secretary
to the Ministry of Defence
of the Government of Sri Lanka, was involvement in the assassination. Further, it claimed that Gajanayake ,whose forces work under the Ministry of Defence
, was the main organiser behind the assassination.
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
and human rights
Human rights
Human rights are "commonly understood as inalienable fundamental rights to which a person is inherently entitled simply because she or he is a human being." Human rights are thus conceived as universal and egalitarian . These rights may exist as natural rights or as legal rights, in both national...
lawyer
Lawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
. Born in the Jaffna
Jaffna
Jaffna is the capital city of the Northern Province, Sri Lanka. It is the administrative headquarters of the Jaffna district located on a peninsula of the same name. Jaffna is approximately six miles away from Kandarodai which served as a famous emporium in the Jaffna peninsula from classical...
district in the North of Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is a country off the southern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Known until 1972 as Ceylon , Sri Lanka is an island surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait, and lies in the vicinity of India and the...
, he served as a Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
for the Tamil National Alliance
Tamil National Alliance
The Tamil National Alliance is a powerful minority Sri Lankan Tamil political alliance in Sri Lanka. It was formed as an amalgamation of moderate Tamil parties as well as number of former rebel groups...
, which is backed by the LTTE, until he was shot dead by gunmen in Colombo
Colombo
Colombo is the largest city of Sri Lanka. It is located on the west coast of the island and adjacent to Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte, the capital of Sri Lanka. Colombo is often referred to as the capital of the country, since Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte is a satellite city of Colombo...
, Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is a country off the southern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Known until 1972 as Ceylon , Sri Lanka is an island surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait, and lies in the vicinity of India and the...
, on November 10, 2006. TNA and others alleged that the Sri Lankan government was involved in this assassination. The Sri Lankan government denied responsibility and strongly condemned his killing.
On November 9, 2006, one day before his assassination, he led a protest
Protest
A protest is an expression of objection, by words or by actions, to particular events, policies or situations. Protests can take many different forms, from individual statements to mass demonstrations...
demonstration in front of the UNICEF office in Colombo
Colombo
Colombo is the largest city of Sri Lanka. It is located on the west coast of the island and adjacent to Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte, the capital of Sri Lanka. Colombo is often referred to as the capital of the country, since Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte is a satellite city of Colombo...
regarding the Vaharai bombing
Vaharai Bombing
The Vaharai bombing is a disputed event in the Sri Lankan civil war. It occurred on November 7, 2006 when, according to survivors of the incident interviewed by Reuters, the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam fired artillery at Sri Lankan military personnel from near a school where minority Sri...
by the Sri Lankan Army
Sri Lankan Army
The Sri Lanka Army is the oldest and largest of the Sri Lanka Armed Forces and is responsible for land-based military and humanitarian operations. Established as the Ceylon Army in 1949, it was renamed when Sri Lanka became a republic in 1972...
of a school that led to the death of 45 civilians.
Biography
Born in Chavakachcheri, Raviraj attended Chavakachcheri Drieberg College and St. John's College, JaffnaSt. John's College, Jaffna
St. John's College is a boys private school in Jaffna, Sri Lanka. It was founded in 1823 by British Anglican missionaries.-History:...
. He was enrolled as an Attorney of Law in the Supreme Court of Sri Lanka in November 1988 and appeared in the Sri Lankan Supreme Court, Court of Appeal and in the High Courts of Ampara
Ampara
Ampara is a remote city on the East Coast of Sri Lanka, about 360 km from the capital city of Colombo. It belongs to the Eastern Province of Sri Lanka. It was a part of the domain of Kavantissa and was then known as "Ambaragama", which over the years changed to Ambara to Ampara...
, Batticaloa
Batticaloa
Batticaloa is a city in the Eastern province of Sri Lanka. It is the seat of the Eastern University of Sri Lanka. It is on the east coast, south by south east of Trincomalee, and is situated on an island.-Etymology:...
, Vavuniya
Vavuniya
Vavuniya is a town in northern Sri Lanka. This town is situated in the Northern Province. Vavuniya was often referred to as the gateway to Vanni....
, Trincomalee
Trincomalee
Trincomalee is a port city in Eastern Province, Sri Lanka and lies on the east coast of the island, about 113 miles south of Jaffna. It has a population of approximately 100,000 . The city is built on a peninsula, which divides the inner and outer harbours. Overlooking the Kottiyar Bay,...
, Jaffna
Jaffna
Jaffna is the capital city of the Northern Province, Sri Lanka. It is the administrative headquarters of the Jaffna district located on a peninsula of the same name. Jaffna is approximately six miles away from Kandarodai which served as a famous emporium in the Jaffna peninsula from classical...
and elsewhere in the south. His law firm, Raviraj & Associates, specialized in cases under the Prevention of Terrorism Act
Prevention of Terrorism Act (Sri Lanka)
The Prevention of Terrorism Act of 1978 is a law in Sri Lanka. It provides the police with broad powers to search, arrest, and detain suspects. It was first enacted as a temporary law in 1979, then made permanent in 1982....
, and Emergency Regulations. Raviraj also worked as a human rights lawyer for Home for Human Rights
Home for Human Rights
The Home for Human Rights is one of Sri Lanka's oldest human rights organizations. It was established in 1977, They have been working to defend the fundamental human rights of Sri Lankans in the courts and their communities...
in Colombo, from 1984 to 1990 and again from 1993 until 1999.
Political career
He joined the Tamil United Liberation FrontTamil United Liberation Front
The Tamil United Liberation Front is a political party in Sri Lanka which seeks independence for the Tamil-populated areas of Sri Lanka.-Formation:...
in 1987 and became a Central Committee Member of the TULF in 1990, the party's legal adviser in 1998 and a member of political bureau in 2000. He was also appointed as administrative secretary of the party. Raviraj was elected mayor of Jaffna in 1998, a position in which he served until his election to Parliament from Jaffna District
Jaffna Electoral District
Jaffna Electoral District is one of the 22 multi-member electoral districts of Sri Lanka created by the 1978 Constitution of Sri Lanka. The district covers the administrative districts of Jaffna and Kilinochchi in the Northern province...
in December 2001 as a candidate of the newly formed TNA. He was reelected to parliament in 2004.
During the last few months Raviraj participated in the Civil Monitoring Committee (CMC), working with Mano Ganesan MP (Colombo District), Vasudeva Nanayakara MMC, Dr.Vickramabahu Karunaratne, and Appapillai Vinayagamoorthy to monitor extra judicial killings, abductions
Kidnapping
In criminal law, kidnapping is the taking away or transportation of a person against that person's will, usually to hold the person in false imprisonment, a confinement without legal authority...
and disappearances. Raviraj MP has participated in conflict resolution workshops hosted by the Institute of Federalism in Switzerland, the Konrad Adenauer Foundation
Konrad Adenauer Foundation
The Konrad Adenauer Foundation is a German political party foundation associated with the centre-right Christian Democratic Union . The foundation's headquarters are located in Saint Augustine and Berlin. Globally, the KAS has 78 offices and runs programs in over 100 countries...
in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
and the Peace Institute in Austria among others.
Throughout his career, Raviraj was admired by all communities in Sri Lanka at large, for his moderate views. He was severely critical of the Sri Lankan Government, particularly in the weeks leading up to his murder, highlighting, amongst many things, forced disappearances of many civilians and the food and medicinal blockade imposed by the Sri Lankan Government on Jaffna, starving the people. The day before he was killed, Raviraj and other TNA parliamentarians took part in a demonstration in front of the UN offices in Colombo to protest against the killing of Tamil civilians by the military and the mounting toll of abductions and extrajudicial killings. Although Raviraj spoke in favour of the LTTE, and his party, the TNA is believed to be supportive of the rebel group, he also was critical of them.
Yet recently, just before his death, Raviraj publicly criticised the LTTE leadership for sending their children abroad to be educated in luxury while poor Tamil children were suffering in their homeland. In an interview given to the Asia Tribune on October 14, 2006 he reportedly said of LTTE leader Velupillai Prabhakaran
Velupillai Prabhakaran
Thiruvenkadam Velupillai Prabhakaran was the founder and leader of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam , a militant organization that sought to create an independent Tamil state in the north and east of Sri Lanka...
"LTTE leader Prabhakaran's children live a comfortable life abroad, poor Tamil children have to wait in long queues all day without even going to school to get a piece of bread"http://www.asiantribune.com/index.php?q=node/3255.
Raviraj was always supportive of Tamil self-rule and a leading campaigner for Tamil self-rule. Another MP of the TNA
TNA
TNA may refer to:*Tamil National Alliance, a political coalition in Sri Lanka*The National Archives, in the United Kingdom*The New Amsterdams, a band*Threose nucleic acid, an analog of the nucleic acid DNA*Tonga Nurses' Association...
claimed that "This is a clear message to Tamil parliamentarians ... Don't open your mouth" and supported the TNA
TNA
TNA may refer to:*Tamil National Alliance, a political coalition in Sri Lanka*The National Archives, in the United Kingdom*The New Amsterdams, a band*Threose nucleic acid, an analog of the nucleic acid DNA*Tonga Nurses' Association...
's allegations on the government. .
Assassination
Raviraj was shot in ColomboColombo
Colombo is the largest city of Sri Lanka. It is located on the west coast of the island and adjacent to Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte, the capital of Sri Lanka. Colombo is often referred to as the capital of the country, since Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte is a satellite city of Colombo...
, Sri Lanka by 2 assailants riding a motorbike on November 10, 2006 when he was leaving his home. He had just left his home after returning from an interview between 7:00 am to 8:00 a.m(local time) on the Derana TV Channel
Derana
Derana TV is a Sri Lankan Free-to-air Television channel which was launched on 11 October 2005.Derana broadcasts contemporary content that upholds Sri Lankan values on its “Ape De Rakagena, Aluth De Aragena” platform....
. He was rushed to the General Hospital in Colombo where he succumbed to his injuries at 9:20am. His bodyguard, Police Constable Lakshman Lokuwella attached to the Jaffna Police Station, was also killed in the shooting.
The shooting occurred around 8.45am as he was proceeding to the Elvitigala Road from Martha Road (6°54'7.11"N 79°52'38.26"E) in his vehicle. The assailants escaped leaving behind a T-56 rifle
Type 56 Assault Rifle
The Type 56 assault rifle is a Chinese copy of the Kalashnikov AK-47 assault rifle, which has been manufactured since 1956. It was produced by State Factory 66 from 1956-73, then by Norinco from 1973 onwards.-Service history:...
and a few rounds of ammunition in a bag. The site of the attack was within the Manning Town Complex and was opposite the Sri Lankan Military
Sri Lankan Army
The Sri Lanka Army is the oldest and largest of the Sri Lanka Armed Forces and is responsible for land-based military and humanitarian operations. Established as the Ceylon Army in 1949, it was renamed when Sri Lanka became a republic in 1972...
Police headquarters.
Upon a request by the Sri Lankan government, the Metropolitan Police Service
Metropolitan Police Service
The Metropolitan Police Service is the territorial police force responsible for Greater London, excluding the "square mile" of the City of London which is the responsibility of the City of London Police...
(from Scotland Yard
Scotland Yard
Scotland Yard is a metonym for the headquarters of the Metropolitan Police Service of London, UK. It derives from the location of the original Metropolitan Police headquarters at 4 Whitehall Place, which had a rear entrance on a street called Great Scotland Yard. The Scotland Yard entrance became...
) agreed to send a team of forensic experts to assist the investigation into the killing. The investigations have not yet concluded. However, a local human rights organization has accused that the killer is known to the Government and remain free. It further alleged that the killers belonged to paramilitary TMVP cadres. Many accused the government of not showing any interest in finding the real killers behind this assassination.
Reaction to his assassination
The Sri Lankan government strongly condemned his killing and extended its unreserved sympathies to his next of kin. The President of Sri Lanka Mahinda Rajapakse issued a statement in which he said he "unequivocally condemned the brutal killing of Mr. Nadaraja Raviraj, Member of Parliament of the Tamil National Alliance and his Police bodyguard Lakshman". It also stated that he viewed the killing "as one more reprehensible act by those opposed to dissent and political pluralism in a democratic society". President Rajapakse also extended his deepest condolences to the families of Nadarajah Raviraj and his security officer Lakshman.Rajavarothiam Sampanthan
Rajavarothiam Sampanthan
Rajavarothiam Sampanthan is a leading Sri Lankan Tamil politician, Member of Parliament and leader of the Tamil National Alliance and Illankai Tamil Arasu Kachchi.-Early life:...
, leader of the TNA, a political party widely believed to be a proxy of the LTTE, blamed the government for the murder and claimed "It is government forces or forces aligned to the government, there can be no question "and argued "This is an attempt to stifle... and silence those who can justifiably espouse the Tamil cause." Selvam Adaikalanathan, a fellow TNA MP said "A democratic voice of Tamils has been silenced in Sri Lanka's capital today," and charged that resourceful Tamil politicians, journalists and activists (see State terrorism in Sri Lanka
State terrorism in Sri Lanka
Various non-governmental organizations and individuals have accused the Sri Lankan government of committing state terrorism. These claims allege that much of the Sri Lankan government's handling of insurgent groups dating from 1956, including the civil war against Tamil militant groups and the...
) are being systematically killed in Sri Lanka. "Raviraj tirelessly worked to improve the conditions of the people living under economic embargo to relieve the humanitarian catastrophe. He had a convincing way of dealing with even the crude bureaucracy of this failed state," Mr. Adaikalanathan said.
The chief spokesman of the LTTE condemned the killing and blamed the government of Sri Lanka for the assassination. The LTTE released a statement mentioning "As a parliamentarian he worked tirelessly for the Tamil nation. He spoke loudly to the world about the Sinhala Buddhist chauvinistic state terror. He shattered the false propaganda of the Sinhala state infusing his arguments with his legal expertise." The LTTE's eulogy to Raviraj added "Death never destroys the great souls who lived their life for truth. They will live for ever in our nation’s soul as heroes of our history."
Nimalka Fernando
Nimalka Fernando
Nimalka Fernando is an attorney-at-law and women’s rights activist from Sri Lanka. She is a member of the Democratic People’s Movement in Sri Lanka, which is a coalition of people’s movements, NGOs and trade unions initiating action and dialogue for alternative development paradigms...
, a leading human rights activist in Sri Lanka remarked "We are fast becoming a country of widows". "These killers and the mighty terror of the state are making us a killing field." and the "gunmen got away after stopping traffic in front of a military installation, without fear of being arrested."
United National Party
United National Party
The United National Party, often referred to as the UNP ), , is a political party in Sri Lanka. It currently is the main opposition party in Sri Lanka and is headed by Ranil Wickremesinghe...
organizer S.B. Dissanayake, member of the main opposition to President Rajapakse's Sri Lanka Freedom Party
Sri Lanka Freedom Party
The Sri Lanka Freedom Party is one of the major political parties in Sri Lanka. It was founded by S.W.R.D Bandaranaike in 1951 and, since then, has been one of the two largest parties in the Sri Lankan political arena. It first came to power in 1956 and since then has been the predominant party in...
blamed the Sri Lankan government for the killing, claiming the blame cannot be passed onto the Karuna group or any other organization. Dissanayake remarked "It was impossible for such assassinations to take place in broad daylight in the city (Colombo) without the knowledge of the state."
The Asian Human Rights Commission
Asian Human Rights Commission
The Asian Human Rights Commission is an independent, non-governmental body, which seeks to promote greater awareness and realisation of human rights in the Asian region, and to mobilise Asian and international public opinion to obtain relief and redress for the victims of human rights violations...
expressed shock at the killing of N. Raviraj and remarked that in Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is a country off the southern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Known until 1972 as Ceylon , Sri Lanka is an island surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait, and lies in the vicinity of India and the...
, "the rule of law machinery has been in a state of collapse now for a long time it is no surprise that things have gone out of control" and observed "these deaths are just part of a continuous situation of assassinations done by all
parties to the conflict" and "the parties to the conflict claim justification for the deaths they cause and there is no regret in any quarter about what is taking place."
The US State Department deplored the murder of the Tamil MP and urged the Sri Lankan government to promptly investigate, arrest and prosecute those responsible, claiming "It is critical that crimes such as the murder of Nadarajah Raviraj do not go unpunished." and the "The people of Sri Lanka have been unjustly robbed of his energy and talent."
The anti-rebel website, Asian Tribune, alleged that the Colombo-based International Center for Strategic Defense (ICSD) in its analaysis has pointed the finger at the LTTE as the prime source for the assassination http://www.asiantribune.com/index.php?q=node/3255.
The Criminal investigations Department has announced that three suspects have been held with regard to the assassination and investigations are proceeding http://www.nation.lk/2006/11/19/news9.htm.
EPDP Leader and Minister Douglas Devanananda categorically dismissed all allegations leveled against the EPDP regarding the killing of TNA MP Nadarajah Raviraj http://www.nation.lk/2006/11/19/newsfe5.htm.
Government's involvement
A local human right organization, University Teachers for Human RightsUniversity Teachers for Human Rights
For the figure in Norse mythology, see UrðrThe University Teachers for Human Rights or UTHR was formed in 1988 at the University of Jaffna, Jaffna in Sri Lanka as part of the national organization University Teachers for Human Rights. Its public activities as a constituent part of university life...
, claimed that they were near certain that Gotabhaya Rajapaksa
Gotabhaya Rajapaksa
Lieutenant Colonel Nandasena Gotabaya Rajapaksa, RWP, RSP, psc, GR is a retired officer of the Sri Lanka Army and the current Defence Secretary of Sri Lanka. After serving through the early parts of the country's civil war with Tamil Tiger rebels, he retired from the Army in 1992...
, current Permanent Secretary
Permanent Secretary
The Permanent secretary, in most departments officially titled the permanent under-secretary of state , is the most senior civil servant of a British Government ministry, charged with running the department on a day-to-day basis...
to the Ministry of Defence
Ministry of Defence (Sri Lanka)
The Ministry of Defence, Public Security, Law & Order is the Sri Lankan government ministry responsible for implementation of government defence policy and the headquarters of the Sri Lankan Armed Forces....
of the Government of Sri Lanka, was involvement in the assassination. Further, it claimed that Gajanayake ,whose forces work under the Ministry of Defence
Ministry of Defence (Sri Lanka)
The Ministry of Defence, Public Security, Law & Order is the Sri Lankan government ministry responsible for implementation of government defence policy and the headquarters of the Sri Lankan Armed Forces....
, was the main organiser behind the assassination.
See also
- Human Rights in Sri LankaHuman rights in Sri LankaMajor human rights groups such as Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch, as well as the United States Department of State and the European Union, have expressed concern about the state of human rights in Sri Lanka. Both the government of Sri Lanka and the separatist Liberation Tigers of...
- Origins of the Sri Lankan civil warOrigins of the Sri Lankan civil warThe origins of the Sri Lankan Civil War lie in the continuous political rancor between the majority Sinhalese and the minority Tamils. According to Jonathan Spencer, a social anthropologist from the School of Social and Political Studies of the University of Edinburgh, the war is an outcome of how...
- Black JulyBlack JulyBlack July is the commonly used name for the anti-Tamil pogrom and attacks carried out by mobs in Sri Lanka which began on July 23, 1983. The riots occurred following a deadly ambush by a Tamil militant organization known as Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam which killed 13 Sri Lanka Army soldiers...
- Sri Lankan civil warSri Lankan civil warThe Sri Lankan Civil War was a conflict fought on the island of Sri Lanka. Beginning on July 23, 1983, there was an on-and-off insurgency against the government by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam , a separatist militant organization which fought to create an independent Tamil state named Tamil...
- Sri Lankan Tamils
- LTTE
- Sri Lankan ArmySri Lankan ArmyThe Sri Lanka Army is the oldest and largest of the Sri Lanka Armed Forces and is responsible for land-based military and humanitarian operations. Established as the Ceylon Army in 1949, it was renamed when Sri Lanka became a republic in 1972...