State Minister Escapades on International Prison Justice Day

Celebrating World Prisoners’ Day in style

While Sri Lankan delegation to the 48^th session of the United Nation’s Human Rights Council (UNHRC) in Geneva was in a desperate attempt to save the face, in defending human rights record of the country against an array of charges as to human right abuses alleged by the council, an ugly drama involving the State Minister of Prison Management and Prisoners’ rehabilitation unfolded in Sri Lanka, not only putting the emissaries in a deep embarrassing position but in a quagmire over Sri Lanka’s credibility over the very affair of human rights. This is notwithstanding the fact that Chief of UNHRC was already armed with a detailed report about this incident when Sri Lankan delegation was testifying before the council.  Lohan Ratwatte, State Minister of Gems and Jewellery, Prison Management and Prisoners’ Rehabilitation was invited to be part of low key International Prison Justice day celebrations organized by the Prison Authorities at Anuradhapura on 12^th September. He would have been a gracious Chief Guest during the day time celebrations but turned a devil within hours.   In a bizarre event, the State Minister chose to gatecrash the prison in the twilight with a group of accomplices or friends in their shorts heavily drunk and literally played hell at the prison.  Then, he was said to have taken two inmates imprisoned for LTTE activities out of their cells and threatened with death if they are up to any mischief in the future.  This was just a repetition of what he did a few days before where he accompanied by his friends and a female companion who was a beauty queen of controversy, had gone to the Welikada Prison and demanded to see the gallows.  It was reported that the prison authorities objected to his untimely call and as a result, it transpired that some heated arguments exchanged between two parties. 

Possessing best credentials 

In fact, Lohan Ratwatte is no stranger to the prison. He was remanded twice previously over murder charges.  Judging by this yardstick, he was the best choice for this ministerial post.  In 1997, he was arrested for murder of Papua New Guinean Rugby player Joel Pera outside a Colombo Casino after an altercation.  PNG Player who was married to a Sri Lankan was gunned down by his security detail in broad view of the public. Hailing from a strong politically influential aristocratic family, he had no issue in escaping unscathed this time around. Then, his father late General Anuruddha Ratwatte was the powerful Deputy Minister of Defense in Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunge government.  In 2001, during the election campaign for general elections, a van carrying young Muslim supporters of an opposition party was waylaid and slain in Udathalawinna in Kandy district, setting stage for communal riots which was shelved by the government with much effort. The names of Ratwatte sons were implicated in the incident and were thus arrested.  Lohan Ratwatte was among those who were remanded.  In a robust facebook post put up by Priyantha Jayakody, former Senior DIG of Police, recalls how the late General had mustered an army of thugs and accommodated them in a bungalow owned by Petroleum Corporation in Kandy who intimidated voters and resorted to vote rigging.  This saga is somewhat unbelievable but it exposes the nudity of our political culture. Besides, it is sad to note that it spoke of the criminal track record of Ratwatte clan in clear terms.  This is only one such element in local politics but there can be scores of such political goons in every nook and corner. 

Aftermath of denials, acceptance and whitewashing

What is more amusing is the events that unfolded in the aftermath.  Mr. H.M.T.N Upuldeniya, Commissioner General of Prisons denied in public ever having incidents of such nature at Anuradhapura or Welikada Prisons, involving the state minister in question.  Later, Media Spokesman of Prisons, Acting Prison Commissioner Chandana Ekanayake having convened a media briefing attempted to mitigate the seriousness of the two incidents, asserting that the incidents were of insignificant.  At the outset, State Minister Lohan Ratwatte too tried a failed attempt to alienate himself from the incidents to no avail.  Having done the offence in no uncertain terms, he said that he was not a fool to create a rumpus at two Prisons as reported in the media.  However, 3 days later, he resigned from the post of the State Minister of Prisons Management and Prisoners’ Rehabilitation, admitting the responsibility for two incidents.  Following the submission of resignation papers, he was reported to have called the President Gotabaya Rajapakse to inform him of his decision.  He was taken to task by the President as reported in the local media with a stern warning that if he had not resigned, the President would have sacked him from the post.  Now, it is interesting to see what action will be taken by the government against the Commissioner General of Prisons and his media spokesman for trying to cover up the incidents in a bid to save the state minister. And it will be more interesting to see what disciplinary action, the government will be taking against the miscreant state minister, given the strong family bond of Rajapakse and Ratwatte families for generations.  Mr. Sagara Kariyawasam, MP, the General Secretary of Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna stated that the government awaits the premier Mahinda Rajapakse to take an appropriate action on his return from current official visit to Italy.  Since the state minister resigned only from one portfolio related to prisons, opting to retain the state ministerial post of Gem and Jewellery, there are two predictable likelihoods in this scenario.  He will either be stripped of the remaining ministerial position or the matter will slowly submerge with time as news making events take place in every split second in Sri Lanka nowadays. 

Adding salt to the wounds

In the wake of these two ugly incidents, the human rights and prisoners’ rights groups are up in arms against the state minister’s escapades to the prisons in the very week in which the international prisoners’ rights day fell.  Meanwhile, the main opposition party contemplates legal action against the state minister. This suit will follow with other right groups mulling similar action as widely reported in the media.  Besides, Tamil political parties and forums have called for transfer of ex-LTTE activists to a prison in Tamil speaking areas for safety reasons.  The government has no status to defend themselves.  Now, it is a matter before UNHRC.  Amidst all these developments, the President Gotabaya Rajapakse is billed to address the 76^th session of the UN General Assembly for the first time on 21^st September 2021. Will there be any trumps up his sleeves to impress the august assembly of UN on Sri Lanka’s human rights record? That is a million dollar question which needs a magical answer.