ஊடகவியலாளர் பிரகீத் ஹெக்நேலியகொட கடத்திச் செல்லப்பட்ட சம்பவத்துடன் அமைச்சர் ஒருவர் தொடர்பு.

இலங்கை ஊடகவியலாளர் குறித்து எவ்வித தகவலும் இல்லை என மனைவி புகார்

இலங்கையில் கடந்த ஜனாதிபதி தேர்தலுக்கு இரண்டு தினங்களுக்கு முன்னர் காணாமல போன ஊடகவியலாளர் பிரகீத் எக்னலிகொட தொடர்பில் இதுவரை எவ்வித தகவல்களும் இல்லையென அவரது மனைவி கூறியுள்ளார்.

ஜனாதிபதி தேர்தலின் போது எதிரணிகளின் பொது வேட்பாளர் ஜெனரல் சரத் பொன்சேகாவிற்கு ஆதரவாக செய்தி இணையதளமொன்றில் கருத்துக்களை எழுதி வந்த நிலையில் பிரகீத் காணாமல் போயிருந்தார்.

இந்த நிலையில் அவர் காணாமல்போய் ஒருமாதம் கடந்துள்ள போதிலும் பொலிசாரின் விசாரணையில் எவ்வித முன்னேற்றமும் இல்லையெனவும் அதிகாரிகளிடம் அவரை கண்டுபிடிப்பதற்கான நடவடிக்கைகளை மேற்கொள்ளுமாறு கேட்டுக்கொள்வதாகவும் ஊடகவியாளர் பிரகீத்தின் மனைவி சந்த்யா எக்னலிகொட குறிப்பிட்டுள்ளார்.

இதற்கிடையில், அவரைக்கண்டுபிடிக்கும் பணியில் நீதிமன்றம் தலையிட்டு நடவடிக்கை எடுக்க வேண்டும் எனவும் அவர் சில தினங்களுக்கு முன்னர் மனுவொன்றை தாக்கல் செய்துள்ளார்.

ஊடகவியாளரை கண்டுபிடிக்கும் விசாரணைகள் தொடர்ந்தும் மேற்கொள்ளப்பட்டுவருவதாக இலங்கைப் பொலிஸ் பேச்சாளர் பிபிசியிடம் கூறினார்.

Pregeeth Ekanaliyagoda is a journalist, political analyst and visual designer who worked for a well-known web publication, Lanka E-News. He was abducted in September 2009 and released on the basis that he had been taken by mistake. During the detention, he was kept in some underground place, handcuffed to the ground. He was released after talking to a person who was identified as a higher officer. He is again missing from the 24th of January 2010. Despite of complaints being made, no credible inquiry has been made into his disappearance. The family suspects that he has been abducted by a government agency due to his work with Lanka E-News, which was supporting the joint opposition campaign of retired General Sarath Fonseka for the presidential election held on January 26th. What would independence mean to the families and colleagues of these two persons? The exercise of basic rights to participate in public affairs is considered good enough reason to make people disappear. The state does nothing to prevent disappearances or to inquire into disappearances. That is the kind of freedom that anyone with any kind of initiative and public spirit can now expect from his country. – AHRC

Naturally, these problems are felt more acutely in the north and the east which was devastated by the internal conflict during the last decades. It is in these areas that also political problems are being created once again to prevent the emergence of independent voices and the development of civil society in order to deal with the problems they are facing. The political pressure brought on the population in these areas virtually prevents the peoples’ own initiatives for resolving their problems and protecting their lives.

The political development of the country, instead of trying to address the serious problems affecting society in every aspect, is in fact, going in the opposite direction. Petty interests, corruption and small mindedness is so wide spread that every initiative taken by the citizens themselves to improve their lot is being discouraged. The very nature of the politics that emanates from the top demoralizes and disintegrates society. Petty divisions are encouraged and used for the purpose of maintaining political power. Destructive impulses and a counterproductive mentality are being constantly regenerated to serve the interests of the few.

Under these circumstances the political system and the legal system together deprives the country of the meaningful realisation of its independence. The younger generation of the country, have no experience of a parliamentary democracy or of the independence of the judiciary. They have seen both the parliament and the judiciary being subjugated to serve the interests of one institution known as the executive presidency. They also do not have the experience of seeing credible investigations into crime. Instead they have witnessed the criminal elements having the upper hand in society and being rewarded.

The younger generation of today sees the vulgar use of the national media. Day in and day out national television and radio engage in political propaganda and the broadcasting of personality cults. The language habits and the cultural attitudes imparted by the national media create a demoralization and degeneration of the mind and the spirit.

It is under such circumstances that Independence Day is celebrated this year.

Asian Human Rights Commission
19/F, Go-Up Commercial Building,
998 Canton Road, Kowloon, Hongkong S.A.R.
Tel: +(852) – 2698-6339 +(852) – 2698-6339 Fax: +(852) – 2698-6367