• SJB wants probe committee report soon 

A local civil society organisation has requested the Royal Thai Embassy in Sri Lanka to take measures to launch an investigation into the allegation that a stock of weapons that belonged to the late Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) Leader Velupillai Prabhakaran had been transported to Sri Lanka via Thailand, noting that a formal investigation should be launched into the Thailand Customs to verify the allegations.

Referring to the allegation levelled by Opposition Parliamentarian Dr. Ramanathan Archchuna earlier this month, the request submitted by the Citizens of the People’s Struggle organisation read that the allegation could tarnish Thailand’s name as a supporter of terrorism and that an investigation is therefore crucial.

The organisation’s General Secretary Chanaka Bandara Gunathilaka told The Daily Morning that if a terrorist attack takes place on civilians in Sri Lanka, it could be attributed to the said weapons, and that Thailand will also be blamed for the same. He opined that such an eventuality could affect bilateral relationships between the two countries as well.

According to Dr. Archchuna, the containers alleged to have contained the LTTE’s weapons were among the 323 containers that were released without being subjected to Customs checks during the port congestion reported earlier this year.

Meanwhile, the main Opposition, the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB), urged the Government to publicise the report of the committee appointed to investigate the release of 323 containers without conducting the relevant Customs checks. This was stated by SJB’s Kandy District Organiser and Assistant Legal Secretary, attorney Yohan Ariyawansha during a press briefing held yesterday (17), where he raised concerns about the transparency and accountability in the probes into the containers in question. He opined that the Government seems to be complacent about the issue despite its seriousness.

Earlier this year, the Finance Ministry had appointed a committee led by Deputy Treasury Secretary A.K. Seneviratne to investigate the release of 323 containers.