TRANSCRIPT OF MY STATEMENT
My name is Lionel Bopage. I would like to thank the management of Radio CMS for giving me the opportunity to present my side of the story in response to slanderous remarks that were made by Mr Mahindapala of Melbourne on the Canberra Sinhala radio program of 26 July 2001.
With regard to the allegation made against me by Mr Mahindapala, I refute the overall thrust of his statement which was attention diverting, inciting and blindly one-sided with the idea of generating hatred and vilification. He used partial facts to distort my activities relating to the political history of Sri Lanka and stated only part of a whole story to fit his petty and doubtful political agendas.
I am not at all ashamed of my past. On the contrary, I am proud of my active involvement against social injustice. As a Sinhala youth coming from the rural south of Sri Lanka, I was concerned about the down-troddenness of many oppressed Sri Lankans, including Sinhalese, their sorry state of plight and their helplessness, as a consequence of the dishonesty of the ruling elite. We the down-trodden people of Sri Lanka were discriminated against because we were poor, or because our mother tongue was Sinhala or Tamil, or because we came from the so-called low caste families, or because we were not supporters of the politicians ruling the day.
Rohana and I were convicted and incarcerated. That is true. Not because we had killed or tortured anybody but because we fought back in self-defence, against the political tyranny and military repression of nepotist discriminatory regimes that have ruined the land of Sri Lanka to its current chaotic situation. We were charged at the Criminal Justice Commission, under special legislation enacted on the reverse principle of justice and fairness, ‘assumed guilty until proven innocent’.
The charges levelled against us were conspiring against the Queen; conspiring to overawe the government; and abetting waging war. I am proud that I had the backbone to rise up against discrimination, inequality and injustice. Some others were concerned of themselves, their pockets and their stomachs only. It was the ruling political elite who started using terror against us in the latter part of 1970. When the JVP was agitating to win equal rights for all including the downtrodden Sinhalese and Tamils where were you Mr Mahindapala, who is now said to be championing the rights of the Sinhalese in English? I am proud because I was defending human rights against the local pro-colonial masters. To me Human rights are nothing new. Speaking of terror, torture and murder I recollect so many were killed, maimed, made limbless, raped or sexually tortured in 1971, after arrest. I still remember General Cyril Ranatunga, district military coordinator of Kegalle saying that the military had learnt enough lessons from Vietnam and every JVPer had to be annihilated.
In the same vein I wish to say this, which I have said many a time in public in Sri Lanka, the way we reacted in 1971 against state terrorism was wrong. However that does not in any way absolve the regime of the day, from what they did to protect their class privileges and family political business.
When we were released in November 1977, following the repeal of the Criminal Justice Commissions Act, we started our democratic political campaign. The JVP contested district development councils, municipal, parliamentary and presidential elections, held public rallies and open discussions, printed newspapers, policy documents and so on. I was elected a member and leader of opposition of the Galle District Development Council. These are all intrinsic features of democracy. It was not a terror campaign, as Mr Mahindapala falsifies.
The terror campaign of the late 1980s started with the proscription of the JVP. This was done under the false pretext that the JVP instigated July riots against Tamils in 1983. The JVP did not instigate the 1983 July riots. It is well known that those riots were a conspiracy hatched by the leaders of the UNP. The JVP was banned because it had become a significant and growing political factor and could not be manipulated according to the wishes and fancies of the UNP. Having campaigned against the referendum to extend the term of the Parliament, the JVP filed a petition challenging its legality and requesting an order declaring the results of the referendum null and void.
I was detained incommunicado for many months, with 20 others and later released without any charges against us, when the validity of the detention orders was challenged. Even then the UNP did not lift the proscription of the JVP. Due to ideological and practical differences I had with the JVP leadership, I resigned from the JVP membership and from the District Development Council in February 1984.
The terror campaign began with the disappearance of Mr Sarath Wijesinghe, a youth league member of the JVP. Anuradhapura Police took him into custody in 1984, while pasting posters demanding the lifting of the JVP proscription. He was tortured to death in the police station. Then came the brutal killing by the JVP of Mr Daya Patirana, leader of the Independent Student Movement. And the horrendous killing of two medical students including Mr Srimavitharana allegedly by some government politicians in Ratnapura. I was originally given only two minutes to make this statement. So I cannot deal with this matter at length. But I invite the listeners to read reports of the Amnesty International documenting disappearances and killings in Sri Lanka as and when such incidents occurred.
During the regime of the late President Premadasa, state sponsored vigilante death squads such as ‘Black Cats’ and ‘PRA’ came into the scene. During this period of terror the security forces and death squads were responsible for the killing or disappearance of tens of thousands of Sinhala people. The JVP was also responsible for killing people. I have no doubt that, as editor of “The Sunday Observer” Mr Mahindapala was, and is aware of all these events and many more! But he conveniently forgets one full side of the whole political and military history? Terrorism should be eliminated. However, that should include terrorism of all sides including that of the state!!
Mr Mahindapala talks about the JVP agents in Australia. Having resigned in 1984 I have nothing to do with the JVP anymore. And Mr Mahindapala adds and I quote, "It is not surprising then to find that Janaka Perera’s opponents in Australia are those whom he defeated. He has defeated the JVP and the Tamil Tigers. And they have launched a campaign to get even with him for defeating them." Unquote. Anyone who has eyes to see and ears to listen should know by now that the JVP has become stronger than ever, whether you like it or not. Do I need to tell you about the LTTE?
I have not spearheaded any campaign against Major General Janaka Perera. But several times I have expressed my concern about double standards being applied to different countries by the Australian government’s foreign policy. And as an Australian citizen, I do not think any one can take away my right to do so.
And Mr Mahindapala says that I quote 'The Amnesty International took action to block the appointment of Major General Perera purely on allegation which have neither been tested in court nor proved'. Unquote. When there is no proper investigation, how can one test allegations in court? If the government of Milesovic were in power would there be any testing of allegations against him in court? Evidence was found because the prosecutors looked for evidence. Most of the evidence destroyed by the top military officers involved in war crimes, moving buried corpses from one mass burial ground to another; destroying families who would like to come forward to give evidence; destroying and falsifying official records! Do these sound familiar with regard to war crimes heard in Hague. These are some matters listeners may ponder over.
The Amnesty International has criticised the government, its security forces, the LTTE and the JVP for human rights violations and abuses. Whenever there is a situation involving human rights violations they will act to protect people’s human rights. Nowhere in the world the Amnesty International has prosecuted anybody against human rights violations including war crimes. It is not the Amnesty International's task.
We live in Australia’s multicultural society. We expect the members of the Australian community to treat all migrants without any discrimination. Advocating hatred against members of their country of origin is un-Australian. The allegations of Mr Mahindapala against me are just a part of a campaign of misinformation based on half-truths conveniently distorted to suit extreme political agendas. We request listeners to be guided by facts rather than by falsehoods.
Thank you.
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