Investigate Second JVP Insurrection and Communal Riots of 1983

Senior Deputy Inspector General of Police, Mr. Merril Gunaratne and four other policemen have been sent on compulsory leave following the findings of a Special Presidential Commission that investigated alleged torture and killing of JVP suspects, it was reported, yesterday

While we refrain from commenting on the action taken against these policemen, we once again raise the question whether only policemen and servicemen found guilty of offences committed should be punished and the JVP terrorists who were responsible for committing ghastly crimes and bringing the country to the point of anarchy should be permitted to roam the country freely.

It could be that most of the JVPers responsible for such crimes have been killed by the security forces but certainly there will be many still free and are being wooed by politicians once again.

This is indeed lopsided justice that is being dispensed by the government,because the policemen and servicemen were obeying orders and meeting a situation created by political terrorists whereas JVP terrorists precipitated the crisis.

Unlike the first JVP insurrection where JVP leaders were brought to trial and the world got to know-- at least to a certain extent the crimes committed by these juvenile ' liberators', a full scale judicial investigation of the Second JVP insurrection has not been done. Ad hoc investigations into particular acts have resulted in only the servicemen and policemen being in the dock

The government should set up an independent commission to probe the second JVP insurrection not only for the purposes of historical record but also for a wider dispensation of justice.Such an independent probe that would take a macro view of the investigation would also prevent the tragic events being exploited now for political purposes.

Another vital issue that has not been investigated is the Communal riots of 1983. It would not have been prudent to launch an investigation into the events immediately afterwards because that would have opened up old wounds and brought about communal disharmony once again.These tragic events,which are once again being exploited for political purposes should be investigated for the sake of history and justice, even though 15 years have lapsed.

Beating the Lords at Lords

You can beat them in the playing fields of the Antipodes--- Auckland, Adelaide, Sydney, Brisbane or Perth; you can beat them in Africa at Durban Pretoria, or Harare; you can beat them in India- Calcutta, Mumbo or Chennai; you can become world champions at the Gaddafy Stadium in Lahore; but as a cricketing nation Sri Lanka is still considered a minnow among cricketing nations. Will last Thursday win over the Lords of Cricket, at Lords,the Mecca of the game, finally result in Sri Lanka being treated an equal among the big brothers of cricket ?

Ever since we won the World Cup at Lahore, we keep repeating that we are world champs. It is repeated so often by our cricket commentators to a point of embarrassment. But still the Big Brother of the game while including us in the triangular series which we won on Thursday have given us only one Test game. Apparently, Sri Lanka is still considered a pip-squeak who managed to snatch away the World Cup under fortuitous circumstances.

Sri Lanka has beaten England before. Remember the crushing win over England in the World Cup ? That was of course with a weak English team and England's captain, Mike Atherton in tears as the end was drawing near. But last Thursday, it was Atherton at his best as he scattered our bowlers all over the ground. The British Lion indeed did roar at the start at Lords,.However, ultimately it was the triumph of the Lanka Lion. And we do hope that cricket moguls of the MCC will consider Sri Lanka on equal terms with other test playing nations.

However, there is still some more to be done. As a Test playing nation, we have not been as successful as in limited over cricket and Sri Lanka faces a challenge in the forthcoming Test.

Failure could undo all what has been accomplished on this English tour so far.

Let not the brilliant performance of our cricketers on this English tour be used to vindicate the stupid and vindictive act of the selectors -- or whoever who is responsible for it--- for dropping Mahanama from this tour. As some cricket commentators have pointed out, it would be as stupid as dropping the star fieldsman Jonty Rhodes from the South African team.

The Island's congratulations go out to this team which have once again brought fame and honour to Sri Lanka.