The crucial question is "Why is Gota conducting himself in this fashion?"

(Sanka Vidanagama photo)

Victor Ivan’s explanation of Gota’s excesses

Kumar David

In my piece last week (Black Hand or Manic Folly) I summarised a much canvassed view that a conspiracy was in progress to stir up trouble as an excuse to declare a state of emergency and set in motion a dastardly plot to impose dictatorship. I did not use names for obvious reasons but Victor Ivan in Ravaya of 22 June has taken the plunge and pointed the finger at Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapakse (GR); Victor accuses GR of being insensitive, heavy handed and brusque, not of intentional conspiracy.

Sri Lanka: Court summons JMO on Aluthgama postmortem reports

(Photo: Shehan Gunasekara)

 The Judicial Medical Officer (JMO) who submitted the postmortem report on one of the victims killed during the Aluthgama violence has been summoned to court after his report was disputed.

Lawyers had informed the Kalutara Magistrate’s Court today that the report by the JMO noted that the victim had died of cut injuries but there were indications he died of gun-shot wounds. President of the Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL) attorney-at-law Upul Jayasuriya said an order was also sought from the court to exhume the body.

Pussyfooting when the country burns - Editorial, Ceylon Today

Muslim pre-school

If the unchecked sectarian violence that erupted in Aluthgama and Beruwala a week ago left three dead, over 80 injured and thousands displaced, there was more to be seen last Saturday when a popular garment retail outlet in Panadura burned to the ground. Though people see this as sabotage, foul play or retaliation for the hartal launched by the Muslim community in Colombo and in other major towns on Thursday by unruly elements, the police say initial investigations have the fire it could have been caused by a short circuit.