Attempt to arrest Harsha

( February 26, 2014, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) There is an attempt to arrest UNP national list MP Dr. Harsha de Silva on a charge of provoking the public into violence by holding media briefings and spreading falsehoods against the government, a very reliable source reports to us.

The most immediate reason for this attempt is the media conference he has held to expose the grabbing of Colombo land and the awarding of the project for a Colombo port city by reclaiming 580 acres, without calling for tenders to China Communication Constructions Company (CCCC), which has been blacklisted by the World Bank. Following the UNP MP’s detailed exposure, the Chinese government had asked the Sri Lankan authorities to take immediate action against him.

Defence secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa has forwarded to head of the State Intelligence Service, DIG Chandra Nimal Wagista, with a ‘strictly confidential’ stamp, a letter sent to him by the Presidential Secretariat asking him to take appropriate action with regard to Dr. Harsha de Silva. In that letter, the defence secretary has made a note, ordering the SIS chief to immediately arrest Dr. Harsha de de Silva and produce him before courts on a charge of provoking the public by spreading falsehoods. The head of the SIS received the letter yesterday (24) afternoon, and summoning several of his officials and showing them the letter, he has ordered them to act immediately.

On the order of DIG Wagista, SIS officials are presently investigating as to what charges can be filed against Dr. Harsha de Silva. As soon as that investigation is complete, they hope to arrest the MP.

Although there is no evidence to support the charge against him, Dr. Harsha de Silva is going to be arrested purely to appease the Chinese government.