Tuesday, April 10, 2012

Abducted activist of Sri Lanka's Frontline Socialist Party speaks to media following release

Abducted activist of the Frontline Socialist Party of Sri Lanka today described her ordeal today at a special press briefing.

She said she was abducted in April 06 evening close to her house in Godagama by a group that came in a white van. She said she was blindfolded and gagged.

"I was questioned and when I remained silent they attacked me. They took me while questioning to a far away place that I suppose a place linked to military. They took me to  an upstairs. Questioned about two hours about the international relations of the Movement for People's Struggles, about the bank accounts of the passbooks that were in my bag, about the activists of the party and later put me into a room both hands and legs handcuffed.

"Later in the early morning, I was taken to a room and questioned. There was Kumar Mahattaya also. They questioned both of us. They wanted to know about armed wing, future plans and party convention scheduled on April 09.

"We were questioned for around two hours and I was put back to the room.

"In the night of April 07th, they took me in a van to another place close to a main road in a residential area, I suppose. They brought Kumar Mahattaya also in the van as I perceived. We were kept their until I was freed.

"Last night, a new official who had not questioned me earlier came and said to me that Kumar Mahattaya would be deported to Australia. He further said to me that I would also be released after that after observing if Kumar Mahattaya would behave as they asked him to do. They asked me to get ready to go last night also but I noticed they would not take me.

"In the morning, they took me in a van and asked me not to try to trace them or the vehicle number. They dropped me on a by-road in Thalapathpitiya. I came to this office in a three wheeler.

"They always highlighted that they had no links with the government or military. They repeatedly questioned about armed activities, links with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Ealam (LTTE), about Lalith and Kugan etc. They also highlighted that they had no links with Gotabhaya Rajapaksa.

"The last official that questioned me said that they had understood that FSP had no link with the LTTE and it is not receiving funds Tamil Diaspora.

"Answering questions of the journalist, she said that she saw two persons with blue uniforms as she was arrested. She also said that She added that two persons got down on the way from the vehicle who spoke pro-JVP. They said that this was the punishment for me for breaking away from JVP."

She said that it was clear for her that this (abduction) was a (part of an) official and non official process to suppress activists who work against the government.

Dimuthu Atigala said she joined the JVP in 1988 as a student of Bandarawela district. Later she worked as an English teacher for sometime and joined the JVP as a full time activist after 1994.

She said that the abductors told her that JVP was providing them information to suppress FSP.

Dimuthu Atigala said she would continue politics.

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