Activities of the Grease Man should be probed into by a presidential commission

[An open letter to the President Mahinda Rajapaksa]

| by V. Anandasangaree

(September 09, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) It is with deep concern that I wish to bring to your notice, of the fear and tension created among the people of the North especially among the woman- folks and the children of Jaffna. The presence of the Grease Man operating in several parts of the Jaffna Peninsula and that too simultaneously in many places, give the impression that there is an organized gang operating with the blessings of some authorities for a specific purpose. With the presence of the army and the police operating all over the Jaffna Peninsula, having several check points almost at all junctions, it is not that easy for anyone to hoodwink the Security Forces and take forward their nefarious activities. Almost in every incident, when the public gave chase to the offender or arrested the offender, either the army or the police, and in some cases both the army and the police intervened and saved the culprit by either taking charge of him or by releasing him. When the enraged civilians showed resentment they were brutally assaulted causing grievous hurt to many. Woman too were assaulted and insulted in filthy language. A police officer was heard shouting at the other policeman to beat them all to death. Some of those in the Forces are trying to give a communal twist to these incidents. No one can find fault with anyone for arresting or dealing toughly with an intruder who dares to enter into a house at odd hours in the night. Your Excellency is aware that in our country, like in many others, there is provision in our legal system, for the public to arrest an offender who tries to escape after committing an offence and hand him over to the police and not to brutally assault those who help to arrest the offender. In these incidents no man will tolerate an intruder into his house at night, without a valid reason.

The civilians in some areas have nothing to complain of against the army personnel in charge of their areas. I too agree with them. But in some other areas there are some black-sheep who bring discredit to the entire Forces by getting involved in brutal attacks on the innocent people. There are many god-fearing, decent and cultured men in the Forces who deserve to be praised...

The army maintains that no such incidents are taking place and that the civilians are imagining things but the civilians swear that their allegations are true and increasing day by day. The public also firmly say that the brutality of the Forces also have exceeded all limits. Some innocent people had been tortured in the most uncivilized manner. Some have their limbs broken. The civilians in some areas have nothing to complain of against the army personnel in charge of their areas. I too agree with them. But in some other areas there are some black-sheep who bring discredit to the entire Forces by getting involved in brutal attacks on the innocent people. There are many god-fearing, decent and cultured men in the Forces who deserve to be praised. They are very strict with the soldiers under their command. It is very unfortunate that the army command keep on totally denying any involvement in these incidents, but continues to safeguard the culprits, without condemning these acts that had caused a lot of grief for the poor civilians. Most of them complain that they do not have a wink of sleep till four in the morning and lament that at this rate most to them will have a nervous break down. Further more young girls are reluctant to go to school and the woman folks prefer to remain indoors from sunset.

Your Excellency, you as President of the country has a moral duty to protect the civilians and to reprimand the officials who had failed to give the due protection to the civilians. There had been a number of incidents out of which three can be classified as very serious and more brutal, in which many innocent men and woman were severely attacked in the presence of their screaming Children. The incident that took place in Navanthurai, Gurunagar and Kokuvil are so serious and deserve to be inquired into by a Presidential Commission, so that events of this nature will not be repeated and also will give guarantee of peaceful life for the people, who had undergone untold hardships in several ways. I strongly urge that a Presidential Commission is appointed forthwith to go fully into this matter to prevent repetitions in the future and also to identify the real culprits and their motive for behaving like this.

(The writer, President, Tamil United Liberation front )