Statement issued by MP Mano Ganeshan
The current government has been given overwhelming power by the people. This government released a former soldier of the SL army who had been convicted and sentenced for the murder of civilians in Mirusuvil. The government states that it has obtained the mandate of the people for this, through its election manifesto.
Similarly, former president Maithripala Sirisena pardoned a person who was convicted for the murder that took place at Royal Park Residencies.
In the above backdrop, the petition for the release of Duminda Silva contains the signatures of not less than 150 MPs. I signed the said petition in an attempt to use the resulting publicity to shed light on and bring to the attention of the nation, the plight of almost 100 Tamil Political Prisoners who have been imprisoned all over the country for the past several decades.
The issue of these Tamil Political Prisoners does not get the attention or publicity it deserves and I saw Duminda’s Petition as an opportunity to turn the country’s focus towards this issue. Accordingly, after signing Duminda’s petition, I contacted two members of a leading Tamil political party in Sri Lanka to prepare a similar petition in relation to the said Tamil Political Prisoners which can then be submitted to the president in the same way that Duminda’s petition will be presented to the president. However, my request for a petition for the release of Tamil Prisoners, did not receive a positive response.
The two members that I contacted are Hon. M. A. Sumanthiran and Hon. Selvam Adaikalanathan. Hon. Sumanthiran was of the opinion that this is not the correct time for such a petition regarding Tamil Prisoners, while Hon. Selvam Adaikalanathan informed me that he will consider the proposal and come back. I respect my parliamentary colleagues’ right to their opinion considering their circumstances.
A portion of the People have misunderstood my intentions behind signing Duminda Silva’s petition. They have not placed their trust in me despite my history of defending human rights in the face of personal threats and never switching or changing political allegiances in my 20-year political career.
Additionally, I have also received complaints from a segment of the Tamil community that I have equated “Political Prisoners” to “Criminals”. I would like to remind such persons that even though you refer to the Tamil prisoners as “Political Prisoners”, the majority community refers to them simply as “Terrorists”. It is a global phenomenon that One man’s political prisoner is another man’s criminal. We cannot ignore this reality and also achieve progress.
In my frank and honest opinion, controversial issues faced by the Tamil and Muslim Communities can only be solved with the understanding of the majority Sinhalese Community.
My signing of Duminda Silva’s Petition has given rise to confusion and my political enemies have used this confusion to spread falsehoods about me and call into question my integrity and sincerity by ignoring my history in the political arena.
Therefore, in these circumstances, I completely and absolutely withdraw my signature for Duminda Silva’s Petition. I had hoped to use this as a vehicle to highlight the issue of Tamil Prisoners, which does not receive the attention of the government and Southern Sinhala Brethren. But with a heavy heart I admit that my intention has been miscommunicated and misunderstood.
Nevertheless, my attempts to find a solution for the issues faced by the Tamil Prisoners, will continue. I declare that I will continue to remove the obstacles faced by us in living together as Sri Lankans in one country.
Mano Ganeshan
29th October 2020.
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