An eye witness describes the cowardly attack on Bahu

by V Thirunavakarasu

(January 07, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) I was informed by Dr Vickramabahu Karunarathne that he has been invited to participate in the 88th Birthday Remembrance celebration of Pro. Reg Goodwin, a former Dean of Darwin College of Cambridge University, held on 04th December. I knew that Vickramabahu as one, who read for his Ph.D (Electro Magnetic theory) at Cambridge during Goodwin's tennre, accepted an invitation from Goodwin’s Family members and left for London on 21st of November 2010. As a leader of the Nava Sama Samaja party I monitored the schedule of Vickramabahu and I knew that he took the opportunity also to meet with the NSSP London Branch as well as London-based supporters and sympathizers of the NSSP. He addressed several meetings at the request of the NSSP London Branch.

Back home, false and fabricated reports were published in some sections of the media to say that Vickramabahu participated in a demonstrations and meetings held in December 2010, in London; reportedly organized by some sections of the Diaspora to promote terrorism and division of the country. 6. I was informed by Vickramabahu that he would arrive on 7th December 27, 2010 in Qatar air ways, plane no QR 302 arriving around 4pm. I went to the Airport, and there were around 40 persons comprising leading Party members, Lawyers, some members of the clergy etc, at the airport to greet him.

Coming out of arrivals while Vickramabahu was proceeding towards his vehicle, a gang of persons, some of them wearing uniforms with their official identity cards hanging from their breast pockets, started shouting “Tiger”, “Kotiya” etc. against him. They said he betrayed the Motherland to Tamils. Vickramabahu countered that it was the Rajapaksa Government which has betrayed the country with its subservience to the dictates of neo-liberal global forces, the IMF etc. at the expense of the poor masses of this country. He then got into the vehicle; and left the airport followed by 4 vehicles carrying most of those that received him at the airport.

However, the last vehicle with myself and several others inside was prevented by the Police from leaving the Airport premises. Those who were in the van were pressured to lodge an entry with the Airport Police before they left. The Police rejected their refusal to do so. So the process of recording statements took well over 2 hours and it was past 7.30 PM. by then and there were visible signals of threat to their security and physical safety. However no Police protection what so ever was given despite assurance given by the DIG Dayananda.

When this last vehicle no 253 - 7286 Town Ace left the Airport it was at once chased on the heels by 2 vehicles. I saw clearly intention to attack our vehicle. On the way the chasing vehicles tried their utmost to block and attack our vehicle. At a certain point between Ja-ela & Kandana where there was a brief traffic jam, occupants of the two vehicles alighted and came in front of our vehicle and blocked it. Those who blocked our vehicle, with iron rods and an axe, mercilessly attacked our vehicle causing extensive damage.

No sooner than the traffic jam eased, with my instructions our vehicle was driven through at break-neck speed to escape from those enemy vehicles. We arrived at the party office in Colombo around 9.00 pm

( The writer is a political bureau member of the New Sama Samaja party )