“Suresh is an innocent man suffering for no reason” – Manori Sallay

Suresh Sallay

• “Today, he has developed high blood sugar, elevated cholesterol levels, and a skin rash after being compelled to sleep on the floor of a rat-infested six-by-four-foot cell.”
• “The issue of torture has been highlighted in more than seven separate sections of the JMO report, yet none of the medical recommendations for his condition have been adhered to.”
• “He is not calling for the abolition of the PTA. Rather, he is requesting that it be amended to ensure that detainees are not subjected to the kind of inhumane treatment that he has experienced.”
• “Investigations conducted by the FBI, the Australian Federal Police, and several Presidential Commissions did not mention Suresh’s name in connection to the Easter Sunday attacks.”
• “Many social media users have already convicted him in the court of public opinion, despite the fact that no court of law has found him guilty of any offence.”

By Kamanthi Wickramasinghe

Former Director of the State Intelligence Service (SIS), Retired Major General Suresh Sallay has been detained for over 105 days under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) due to allegations of direct connections to the 2019 Easter Sunday carnage. While in Criminal Investigation Department (CID) custody, Sallay started a fast-unto-death in protest of his confinement conditions while demanding amendments to the PTA. He was later transferred to the Colombo National Hospital and has been kept under medical supervision since. However, his family has raised concerns regarding his deteriorating health condition and has urged the government to intervene and to stop treating him in an inhumane manner. In a candid interview with the Daily Mirror, his spouse Manori Sallay spoke about his health condition, his service to the country, why he doesn’t deserve to be treated in this manner and why the allegations leveled against him are baseless.   

QYour husband started a fast-unto-death with a demand to amend the PTA to safeguard the rights of the detainees. Following his deteriorating health condition he was transferred to the Colombo National Hospital. How is his health condition as of today?

I visited him on Saturday (June 13th), and his health condition continues to deteriorate by the day. He appears extremely frail, and in addition to the other complications he is facing, he has developed an infection and a fever. There is a risk that the infection could become septic. As a result, the medical staff discontinued treatment through cannulas yesterday and inserted a nasogastric tube today to provide the necessary sustenance.   

It has now been nine days since he commenced his fast, and he continues to refuse both food and water. He is experiencing slight breathing difficulties and is also finding it increasingly difficult to speak.   

QWhat is the family going through at this moment?

As a result of these deeply distressing circumstances, our family is going through severe psychological trauma and emotional distress. They arrested a man who was physically and mentally healthy. Today, he has developed high blood sugar, elevated cholesterol levels, and a skin rash after being compelled to sleep on the floor.   

When a person abstains from food and water for an extended period, there is a significant risk of electrolyte imbalance, which could result in a stroke or heart attack. At present, we are all fearful for his life. He is an innocent man who is suffering for no reason.   

QA panel of psychiatrists has been appointed to investigate on allegations of mental torture while he was kept in CID custody. Have you observed any signs of torture?

My husband was continuously subjected to inhumane conditions and degrading physical and psychological treatment while in the custody of the Criminal Investigation Department.   

At the time of his arrest, we requested permission for food to be provided by the family. That request was refused by the Director of the CID on purported security grounds. Thereafter, he was not properly fed, and the food provided was often inedible. He was even made to eat food served on paper placed on the floor.   

Today, he is not the same man who left home on the day of his arrest. He has lost a substantial amount of weight, his eyes have become sunken, and he is mentally traumatized and has lost hope.   

While at the CID, he was confined to a rat-infested 6x4-foot cell. The lights remained switched on 24 hours a day, resulting in sleep deprivation, and the cell lacked proper ventilation. He was strictly prohibited from using bathroom facilities between 10.00 p.m. and 6.00 a.m., causing constipation and other related medical issues.   

The Judicial Medical Officer’s report clearly recommended that he be exposed to sunlight due to Vitamin D deficiency, but this recommendation was never implemented. The report also directed the Director of the CID to permit him 30 minutes of physical exercise outside the cell each day. In addition, a nutritionist prescribed a specific meal plan to improve his condition. None of these recommendations were adhered to.   

The issue of torture has reportedly been highlighted in more than seven separate sections of the JMO report. It is unfortunate that he is being subjected to such treatment when there is, in our view, no credible evidence establishing any wrongdoing on his part.   

He was arrested based on allegations made by an individual who is an asylum seeker residing overseas, and is subject to a travel ban, has an outstanding arrest warrant in relation to a rape allegation, and is himself facing criminal proceedings. It appears that certain CID officers are attempting to alter aspects of that individual’s previous statements to fit my husband’s geographical whereabouts and timeline. In doing so, however, that individual’s credibility has suffered irreparable damage.   

QAlthough he’s now demanding to amend the PTA he has used this law to detain certain people in relation to the Easter Sunday attacks some time ago. What are your thoughts?

At the time the Easter Sunday attacks occurred, my husband was not even in Sri Lanka. He was in India. He did not use the PTA to detain any individuals in relation to those incidents.   

He is not calling for the abolition of the PTA. Rather, he is requesting that it be amended to ensure that detainees are not subjected to the kind of inhumane treatment that he has experienced.   

He has also requested that the ongoing investigation be transferred from the purview of the incumbent Director of the CID to another investigative unit within the Police Department, as it is our position that the investigation has become highly subjective. In addition, my husband has requested that he be transferred from CID custody to prison custody.   

QDo you think this is some kind of political revenge?

I believe this is more a matter of personal revenge than political revenge. Shani appears to have a personal vendetta against Suresh.   

The audio recordings circulating on social media, together with submissions made on behalf of the State in court, create that impression. Counsel appearing for the State reportedly stated in open court, “If Shani could remain in remand custody for ten months, why can’t he?” In our view, that statement clearly reflects a personal grievance against my husband.   

It is also noteworthy that while in CID custody, Suresh has not been questioned regularly. Instead, he has remained in detention while being subjected to continuous harassment and ill-treatment, perhaps in an attempt to compel him to make a confession that conforms to a predetermined narrative.   

The intervals between questioning sessions were often as long as three weeks. He has now been detained for approximately 105 days. During this period, I have written to the President on two occasions requesting the cancellation of the extended detention order due to his deteriorating health condition.   

QYour husband was detained due to his alleged involvement in the Easter Sunday attacks. How do these allegations make you feel?

When the attacks took place, my husband was not even in the country; he was in India.   

The President Dissanayaka came to power on a promise to identify and prosecute those responsible for the Easter Sunday attacks. At the time of the attacks, Shani Abeysekara and Ravi Seneviratne held office as Director and SDIG of the CID respectively.   

Investigations conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Australian Federal Police, and several Presidential Commissions did not mention Suresh’s name.   

However, one of the inquiry panels appointed by the State reportedly found fault with Shani Abeysekara and Ravi Seneviratne for failing to take action to prevent the attacks and recommended that legal action be considered against them.   

Therefore, the very individuals who were criticized in relation to the handling of those events have now been entrusted with conducting the investigation. In our view, this is unprecedented.   

Why would the Director of the CID travel overseas to obtain a statement from an asylum seeker who is facing a rape allegation and is the subject of an outstanding arrest warrant? That is the irony of the situation.   

We are not opposed to any lawful investigation. Our position is simply that Suresh should be treated humanely and afforded the protections guaranteed by law.   

QBut President Dissanayake said that an independent probe would be launched to investigate the Easter Sunday attacks…

In our view, this does not appear to be an independent investigation. Rather, it appears politically driven.   

The Director of the CID, who is heading the investigation, is perceived by many to be politically influenced. Furthermore, the investigating officer assigned to the case is reportedly a former cellmate of the Director.   

The President has made commitments regarding the Easter Sunday investigations, and there are widespread rumours concerning external influences and expectations. Consequently, there appears to be pressure to identify someone as being responsible for the attacks rather than focusing solely on uncovering the truth.   

QDoes that mean that he’s hoodwinking families of victims and survivors of the Easter Sunday attacks?

That is certainly how it appears to us. There are many rumours and public discussions suggesting as much.   

In our opinion, the families of the victims and survivors are being misled. Questions have also been raised regarding the assistance and aid that flowed into the country following the attacks and how those resources were utilized. Certain proposed investigations in that regard never materialized.   

As a result, it appears that the Easter Sunday tragedy is being used as a political tool rather than being investigated solely for the purpose of establishing the truth.   

QThere are claims that he was close to former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and that he carried out operations under his instructions. How do you respond to these claims?

Suresh served under five different Presidents. He was a trusted and dedicated officer who devoted his career to serving the country. He was widely regarded as one of the most experienced officers within Sri Lanka’s intelligence apparatus.   

He earned recognition through his work, professionalism, and analytical capabilities. Between 2006 and 2009, we lived in France. During that period, he played a significant role in bringing several former LTTE cadres before the courts, which was a landmark achievement in a European jurisdiction.   

He was always recognised for his professional accomplishments and was never anyone’s henchman. He is not afraid of investigations. What concerns us is the inhumane treatment he is being subjected to and the subjective manner in which the investigation is being conducted.   

QSeveral prominent Opposition politicians staged a satyagraha demanding the release of Suresh Salley and to remove Shani Abeysekara as the investigating officer. Don’t you think that they are taking some political mileage out of his detention?

If one examines the matter objectively, those politicians represent a broad cross-section of political parties and ideologies. Many of them are familiar with the service Suresh rendered to this country over several decades.   

He worked tirelessly in the national interest without seeking recognition or reward. Throughout his military career, he maintained an unblemished record of service.   

Today, however, there appears to be an effort to construct and promote allegations against him that we believe are entirely baseless.   

QThe family made an appeal to visit him regularly. Has the government responded?

We have not received a written response. However, I was verbally informed that the family would be permitted to visit him for fifteen minutes each day.   

His lawyer, however, is allowed access only on Wednesdays. We believe this is unfair because he requires regular legal advice and support in order to prepare his defence and protect his rights.   

QWhat is your message to the government and the general public?

There appears to be a systematic campaign aimed at creating the public perception that Suresh is the mastermind behind the Easter Sunday attacks.   

When one examines the profiles and affiliations of many of the individuals involved in promoting this narrative, it becomes apparent that a significant number of them appear to be aligned with the present political establishment. We find this deeply troubling.   

Many social media users have already convicted him in the court of public opinion despite the fact that no court of law has done so.   

If the government genuinely wishes to uncover the truth, it could request further assistance from the FBI or revisit the findings of the Presidential Commission reports.   

We urge the authorities to stop subjecting an innocent man to what we believe is inhumane treatment and to transfer the investigation to a different investigative unit. Suresh remains a detainee against whom allegations have been made; he has not been convicted of any offence.   

The government must establish the truth before reaching conclusions. In most parts of the world, a person is presumed innocent until proven guilty. Unfortunately, in Sri Lanka today, it often appears that a person’s guilt or innocence depends on what those in power wish the public to believe.