Govt. attempting to establish 'Police state' - MR

18 November 2017 08:17 am - 30 - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

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Referring to the recent revelations on phone records at the Bond Commission, former president Mahinda Rajapaksa said yesterday the government was attempting to establish a ‘Police State’ by tapping phones.

He told the media outside the Welikada Prison that all phones were tapped and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and the government should clarify this matter.

Mr. Rajapaksa said when considering what was happening now it was doubtful whether the phones of the Prime Minister and President Maithripala Sirisena were also tapped.

“We thought that only the phone conversations of the opposition parties were tapped, but now it is evident that even government parliamentarians and ministers, members of the opposition, businessmen and lawyers are subjected to this treatment,” he said.

Mr. Rajapaksa said this could be regarded as a dangerous situation though some people may consider it a joke and the government was on a mission to collect information even though people could not understand it.

He said the Prime Minister should be summoned to the Presidential Commission of Inquiry (PCoI).

“Another important issue has arisen, where, while an investigation is pending in Parliament, the parliamentarians were reported to have to those involved in the bond issue. It is another question now,” Mr. Rajapaksa said and added that it was evident they were listening to phone conversations which could be considered as a dangerous situation, and it was a threat to the privacy of the people. (Kalathma Jayawardhane)

Video by RM

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Comments - 30

ceylon Friday, 17 November 2017 09:27 PM

just like you had. via DM Android App

Expatriate Saturday, 18 November 2017 08:41 AM

If this is true about phone tapping then the Prime Minister must have learnt it from the "Democratic" Britain,where the paronoid governments tap telephones and watch people 24/7 such that the minute you leave home for work and return in the evening all your movements are recorded by thousands of CCTV. Then they say that it is a "Free"country.

Ferdi the Bull Saturday, 18 November 2017 08:44 AM

This guy is talking as if he has just been dropped from heaven. All clean and without sin

TONY Saturday, 18 November 2017 08:56 AM

YOU SUGGEST THAT PM SHOULD BE SUMMONED TO PCOL, BUT YOU DID NOT PRESENT YOURSELF IN THE SIL REDHI CASE TO DEFEND OUR SECRETARY AND OWN UP THAT IT WAS YOU WHO GAVE THE ORDERS

ex-despot Saturday, 18 November 2017 08:58 AM

Ah, remembering the good old days...

S.P.RAMKUMAR Saturday, 18 November 2017 08:59 AM

Early time Singapore also had been called Police State, However Law and Order to be finally implemented by Police. If any misused is happened you can go to courts.

SR Saturday, 18 November 2017 10:57 AM

Yes,if you go to court the judge would support you against the police?You are an idiot.

Kingsley Wijesinhe Saturday, 18 November 2017 09:10 AM

I think the former President has got a bit mixed up. Maybe senility is setting in.Extracting phone data from phones and telecom providers' records in the course of a criminal investigation, on the authority of a court order, is quite different from tapping phones in real time. The former is legal, the latter is not.

TONY Saturday, 18 November 2017 09:10 AM

LIKE HOW YOU HAD GOTA STATE OF WHITE VAN STATE

Kadiya Saturday, 18 November 2017 09:17 AM

We stopped you from doing just that together with your brothers, didn't we?

Dhammika Saturday, 18 November 2017 09:20 AM

During your time it was MR state WORSE than a Police state . Dont forget this is not your fathers or mothers country MR .

Ravi Saturday, 18 November 2017 09:21 AM

Not a comment that should be done by an intelligent leader

Nissanka Saturday, 18 November 2017 09:22 AM

Seems you are growing old fast Mr.Ex President if the civilians recall their memory we chased you away since you had a worse unsecured situation for the citizens. Better retire asap and do some good for the families of the soldiers who laid their life for the sake of the country's freedom.

jaliya Saturday, 18 November 2017 09:25 AM

It would be acceptable to have all phones tapped by the investigating authority to collect evidence of a corruption drug or murder case. It would be also understood that in order to tap someone's telephone the investigative authority must obtain a court order. If you have done nothing wrong don't worry .... MR you have a worried face ... WHAT HAVE YOU DONE ??

private citizen Saturday, 18 November 2017 09:34 AM

Yes, but we got rid of 'FAMILY OF THIEVES', 'MILITARY JUNTA' and the 'WHITE VAN DEATH SQUADS'.

Dee Saturday, 18 November 2017 09:37 AM

Look who's talking! Why now you also have the RDS syndrome? Can't you remember what you did?

kge19 Saturday, 18 November 2017 09:50 AM

Phone call details can be obtained from any phone service provider under a court order, there is no need to tap phones.

ANTON Saturday, 18 November 2017 10:00 AM

MAMATH OHOMA KALA HATI MATHAKAY ........ MATA HONDA HATI MATHAKY.

Lord Wolfstein Saturday, 18 November 2017 10:07 AM

Much more worst is a WHITE VAN STATE

Wise Donkey Saturday, 18 November 2017 10:13 AM

I am tickled to laugh, see who is talking? OMG !

SnowBall Saturday, 18 November 2017 10:14 AM

Yes Sir. We do not want a police state, religious state or a military state. We do not public toilets or parks with a board outside saying it is the property of the "Defense Ministry". We still have these toilets and the boards.

voter Saturday, 18 November 2017 10:23 AM

Look who's talking. Has he woken from slumber. He must be worried that they will use the same techniques when it comes to inquiring his corrupt dealings. This process doesn't make SL a police state but it was heading towards one during his tenure.

TJ Saturday, 18 November 2017 10:28 AM

But you tried to establish an authoritarian state

B S Perera Saturday, 18 November 2017 10:43 AM

Our former president doesn't know what he is talking about. The bond phone details were not "Tapped" information. Those are from Service providers data. Cannot understand why reporters interviewed him do not correct him or ask about the cronies he visited

Conking Saturday, 18 November 2017 12:56 PM

The previous govt under MR can easily find out the worng doers of this govt because they have done this sort of things when they are in power.

Hasal Saturday, 18 November 2017 01:26 PM

Koheda Yanney Malley POL!Is MR so stupid to think that you need to TAP calls in order to know who called whom? Just getting the phone records from the Telecom companies is enough!TAPING was done by him!!

People Saturday, 18 November 2017 02:20 PM

What happened to the 'white van state'?

johan Sunday, 19 November 2017 12:27 PM

Under your regime it was Army state

KEKILIYA. Sunday, 19 November 2017 07:01 PM

FAMILY RULE. OR. POLICE. WHICH. IS. BETTER. FOR. SRILANKA. via DM Android App

ceylon Sunday, 19 November 2017 10:59 PM

present governments idiots accusing white van but never arrest any one for those white van kidnappings and killings.sirasa attack etc. via DM Android App

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Govt. attempting to establish 'Police state' - MR

Comments - 30

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