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UN: staff held in Sri Lanka

COLOMBO: The United Nations on Saturday said two of their national staff in Sri Lanka had been arrested though it was not aware of the charges levelled against them even as the government is gearing up for yet another ceremony to felicitate President Mahinda Rajapaksa at the Independence Square on successful completion of Eelam war IV.

In a statement here, the UN said, “The two employees, one from UNHCR and one from UNOPS, were reported as missing 8 days ago, after which it emerged that they had been taken into custody.

“We are not aware which if any charges have been laid, and nor are we aware of the details of any accusations. The UN is in contact with the government over the matter, and has requested details as to their well-being and the basis on which they are being held. We are providing all assistance possible to the authorities in the interest of due process”.

The statement came a day after the state-run English paper Daily News said investigations had revealed that the bomb that exploded in Kollupitiya targeting Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa (in December 2006) was brought to Colombo from Kilinochchi in a vehicle belonging to CARE International, an INGO.

The report said the Kotahena Police informed the Colombo Chief Magistrate Court about the matter on Friday. “The vehicle and all suspects involved in transporting the bomb have been taken into custody. The police also produced before Chief Magistrate Nishantha Hapuarachchi a copy of the detention order signed by President Mahinda Rajapaksa as the Defence Minister in respect of Chandrabose Selvachandran alias Michael alias Selvarasa.

“Kotahena Police also informed the Court that the Police have detained suspects Sivalingam Arunan, Patmanathan Iiyer Sriskandaraja Sharma and Arunasalam Arumugam Perumal at the Foreshore Police Station for further investigations in connection with this assassination attempt.

“While Dharmalingam Dharmadaran and Rasiah Kannan, employees of CARE International have transported the bomb from Kilinochchi to Colombo, Sivalingam Arunan had been looking for a safe place to keep it. When a safe house was found through one of his friends at Rudra Mawatha, Wellawatte the bomb had been transported in a CARE International van and buried there. Later, it was transported to Modera and fixed to the three-wheeler of the suicide cadre Lateef Mohamed Faris”.

The report said that the other parts that were fixed to the bomb had also been transported to Colombo in the same vehicle.

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