12 April 2019 09:24 pm Views - 4256
Roy Samadanam, a Sri Lankan now holding Canadian citizenship said he had filed action in the US against former defence secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa through the International Project for Truth and Justice with the intention of obtaining compensation for his arbitrary arrest and the torture he suffered on the alleged orders of then defence secretary Rajapaksa.
He expressed these views during an interview held at Pamlico in Central London.
Mr. Samadanam said the action he had brought against Mr. Rajapaksa should in no way interfere with the renouncing of his American citizenship and would not prevent him from realizing his dream of becoming the president of Sri Lanka, but it is regrettable to note that Mr. Rajapaksa’s supporters are attempting to use this case as a cause to win public sympathy.
He said with his arbitrary arrest he underwent torture and much suffering.
“I was arrested in 2007 under the Prevention of Terrorism Act and detained at the Boossa Camp. I was tortured there. I was acquitted in 2010 and as I could not live any further in Sri Lanka I went to Canada. While in Canada I obtained legal advice from an institution connected with International law. I submitted a petition to the United Nations Human Rights Council in 2013. This council investigated my petition and in 2015 informed the Sri Lankan Government of its ruling. The ruling said I was subjected to torture and the Sri Lankan Government should pay compensation within six months. But up to now the government had not taken any action regarding this ruling. Therefore, I waited patiently until an opportunity presented to me to obtain justice and after so much waiting I filed action in America”.
“I was taken into custody by the IGP acting on the orders of Mr. Rajapaksa. I made several attempts to bring them to Court but he slipped away using his position as the defence secretary. Despite Mr. Rajapaksa visiting the US on several occasions I could not file court action, and thought that this time it was opportune to file action in obtaining justice. I was taken into custody not on a court order but on the orders of Mr. Rajapaksa and I was subjected to torture. Therefore, he is responsible. I was the one who underwent so much suffering and therefore, I am trying to obtain the compensation due to me,” he said. (A P Mathan in London)