Rishard Bathiudeen: Innocent or illusive

Rishard Bathiudeen

The release of former Minister Rishard Bathiudeen’s brother Riyaj Bathiudeen who had been in the custody of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) for more than five months seems to have created an embarrassing situation for the leaders of the government including President Gotabaya Rajapaksa. Several government leaders along with the President had been compelled to issue clarifications on the matter.   
Riyaj was arrested on the Sinhala and Hindu New Year day by the police over his alleged links with the suicide bombers who had attacked three Christian churches and three luxury hotels on last year’s Easter Sunday (April 21). Police spokesman Jaliya Senarathna told media then that they had received credible evidence that Riyaj had links with one of the suicide members.   

"Claiming that his government did not have any deal with Rishard, the President in the same Facebook post had stated that he would take action to rectify any omissions or mistakes made by the relevant authorities"

Five and a half months later, the same police spokesman told the same media on October 2 that Riyaj was released as there was no sufficient evidence for them to prosecute him. This led to the pro-government as well as Opposition politicians to question the contradiction in the two statements by the police spokesman. In fact there was a difference between the questions raised by the pro-government and the Opposition politicians. The former who preferred to believe the police spokesman’s first statement made in April questioned his second statement whereas the Opposition politicians did the other way around.   

Opposition leader Sajith Premadasa sarcastically said that authorities had evidence against Riyaj before the Parliamentary election and once the election was over they lost all evidence. What he meant was that the government in order to score brownie points with the Sinhalese electorate arrested the controversial politician’s brother and now having achieved it, they have released the man.   
The government seems to have been highly perturbed by a statement made by the Archbishop of Colombo Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith who said at a press conference at the Archbishop’s House in Colombo on October 3 that release of the suspect of the Easter Sunday carnage smacks of a deal. Despite the Cardinal not having referred to the parties of the deal which he suspected, it prompted President Gotabaya Rajapaksa to issue a statement as a Facebook post on October 4 claiming that his government had not entered into any deal with Parliamentarian Rishard Bathiudeen.   

The Cardinal seems to be of the view that the arrest of Riyaj was warranted but the release was not. It also suggests that he has strong reasons to believe that there has been a link between Riyaj and the terrorists who cold-bloodedly killed over 250 innocent men, women and children last year.   
Suspicions might have been fueled in him with some of the pictures published in social media of an event that took place in Vavuniya on October 2 – the same day on which the police spokesman announced the release of Riyaj – where Parliamentarian Rishard Bathiudeen was seen smilingly talking to State Minister of Defence and President’s eldest brother Chamal Rajapaksa. Social media also highlighted a speech made at the event by Defence Secretary Retired Major General Kamal Gunaratna in which he referred to former Minister Bathiudeen as well, but not in a bad light.   

"He was also given a clean chit by none other than Acting IGP Chandana Wickremeratna in a message to the Parliamentary Select Committee that was appointed during the previous government to probe the Easter Sunday Terrorist attacks"

These incidents happened amidst speculations that the government was attempting to get the support of a few Opposition MPs to adopt the 20th Amendment to the Constitution Bill. Despite the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) and its allies having won 150 seats at the August 5 Parliamentary election, one of the SLPP members is serving as the Speaker. Although the solitary member of the Our Peoples Power Party (OPPP) who has gone missing after the election might vote in support of the Bill, making its passage a reality, the possibility of anything untoward such as members falling ill cannot be ruled out.   

 It must be recalled that it was a single vote that defeated the Throne Speech in Parliament in 1964, resulting in the fall of the Sirima Bandaranaike government. Later, Passara MP, Amarananda Ratnayake who represented the ruling party had said that breakdown of his vehicle on the way to Parliament prevented him from voting for the Throne Speech.   
Therefore, Opposition members’ votes are still precious for the SLPP, despite the party’s unprecedented victory at the recent general election. Hence, the speculations that the government has approached Rishard Bathiudeen’s All Ceylon Makkal Congress (ACMC) are not unfounded. Besides, fueling these speculations, Rishard had told media that his party would take a decision on the 20th Amendment independently as there were Articles in it with which his party can agree.   

The speculations prompted State Minister Chamal Rajapaksa and Defence Secretary Gunarathna to clear the air on shaking hands with Rishard and the reference of him in a speech. The State Minister said at a press briefing that he spoke with Rishard about problems of the people in Wanni and not about the 20th Amendment while the Defence Secretary in a press release said that he did not praise Rishard at the Vavuniya meeting but only referred to him as the former Minister of Resettlement. 

"It was a single vote that defeated the Throne Speech in Parliament in 1964, resulting in the fall of the Sirima Bandaranaike government "

While claiming that his government did not have any deal with Rishard, the President in the same Facebook post had stated that he would take action to rectify any omissions or mistakes made by the relevant authorities or officials. On the same day the Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Nuwan Wedasinghe was transferred from the CID and appointed as the DIG of the Western Province-North. Media Minister Keheliya Rambukwella said on Tuesday that Wedasinghe’s transfer was a Presidential request in relation to the release of Riyaj Bathiudeen. And State Minister Chamal Rajapaksa stated in Parliament that Riyaj would be re-arrested if fresh evidence against him surfaces.   

Rishard Bathiudeen and his family members have been accused of deforestation and financial corruption since he was a member of the Mahinda Rajapaksa government. And they have been accused of espousing terrorism as well since the Easter Sunday attacks occurred. Yet, he was not arrested even after the new government led by President Gotabaya Rajapaksa assumed power. Interestingly, he was cleared of allegations of deforestation in Wilpattu by the Supreme Court on August 17, 2017. The Court had observed that the resettlement in the disputed area had taken place according to the law and civilians were resettled on the original lands of the settlers which they had inhabited before the evacuations took place during the 30-year war against the LTTE.   

"The Cardinal seems to be of the view that the arrest of Riyaj was warranted but the release was not. It also suggests that he has strong reasons to believe that there has been a link between Riyaj and the terrorists"

He was also given a clean chit by none other than Acting IGP Chandana Wickremeratna in a message to the Parliamentary Select Committee that was appointed during the previous government to probe the Easter Sunday Terrorist attacks, when he was accused of having dealings with terrorists. Following the fast unto death by Ven. Athureliya Rathana Thera in May/June last year demanding the ouster of Rishard from the ministerial post and two other Muslim politicians, Azath Salley and M.L.A.M. Hisbullah from their Governor posts, alleging they were espousing terrorism, the then government appointed a three member committee of senior police officers to entertain complaints against the three politicians. And the police later said that no complaints that warranted at least questioning of the trio were received by them.   

However, the general perception, especially among the Sinhalese on Bathiudeens is highly negative. Then what is happening? Either the media has created a demon out of unsubstantiated allegations or hands of the successive governments are tied by some invisible power.