A prominent Buddhist monk has called for the release of Sri Lankan military intelligence officers, who are currently being investigated for the disappearance of cartoonist Prageeth Eknaligoda.
"They have been held on remand without charges for over 300 days," said Bengamuwe Nalaka, president of the National Movement for the Protection of War Heroes.
Addressing reporters in Colombo alongside National Freedom Front MP Jayantha Samaraweera, the monk went on to state, "Sirisena-Wickremesinghe government in order to fulfil its obligations to the LTTE backers and the international community for bringing it to power, were harassing the state intelligence officers."
"They are behind the prolonged detention of the brave intelligence officers," he added, stating that intelligence personnel had played a vital role during the armed conflict, which saw the deaths of tens of thousands of Tamil civilians in its final stages.
The case of the missing Sinhalese journalist has led to the detention of several military personnel and inflamed Sinhala nationalist sentiments across the island. In December, recently ousted Sri Lankan president Mahinda Rajapaksa visited army officials detained over the disappearance.
However, current Sri Lankan president Maithripala Sirisena hit back against the criticism earlier this year, saying, “Some narrow-minded political extremists are accusing me stating that I am trying to break the country into two parts by arresting the members of intelligent sections and thereby destroying the national security”.
“But, I refuse all these allegations as the commander of the tri-forces who is responsible for the security of the country,” he added.
Mr Sirisena also pledged that investigations regarding mass atrocities will never be aimed at “war heroes or the members of the intelligent service”.
"They have been held on remand without charges for over 300 days," said Bengamuwe Nalaka, president of the National Movement for the Protection of War Heroes.
Addressing reporters in Colombo alongside National Freedom Front MP Jayantha Samaraweera, the monk went on to state, "Sirisena-Wickremesinghe government in order to fulfil its obligations to the LTTE backers and the international community for bringing it to power, were harassing the state intelligence officers."
"They are behind the prolonged detention of the brave intelligence officers," he added, stating that intelligence personnel had played a vital role during the armed conflict, which saw the deaths of tens of thousands of Tamil civilians in its final stages.
The case of the missing Sinhalese journalist has led to the detention of several military personnel and inflamed Sinhala nationalist sentiments across the island. In December, recently ousted Sri Lankan president Mahinda Rajapaksa visited army officials detained over the disappearance.
However, current Sri Lankan president Maithripala Sirisena hit back against the criticism earlier this year, saying, “Some narrow-minded political extremists are accusing me stating that I am trying to break the country into two parts by arresting the members of intelligent sections and thereby destroying the national security”.
“But, I refuse all these allegations as the commander of the tri-forces who is responsible for the security of the country,” he added.
Mr Sirisena also pledged that investigations regarding mass atrocities will never be aimed at “war heroes or the members of the intelligent service”.
