April 21, 2025 – April 27, 2025 | Vol.15, #15
Events: On April 2, a 26-year-old man Sathsara Nimesh died under suspicious circumstances while in police custody at the Welikada Police Station.[1][2] On April 4, an inmate at the Boosa Prison in Galle died after an alleged attack by another inmate.[3][4][5]
On April 8, former State Minister Sivanesathurai Chandrakanthan, also known as Pillayan, was arrested by the CID as part of an ongoing investigation into the alleged abductions and disappearances of individuals including the case of South Eastern University Vice Chancellor Ravindranath Subramanium.[6][7]
On April 22, police announced that Dan Priyasad had died after being admitted to the Colombo National Hospital following a shooting incident.[8][9] Later in the same day, Police Spokesperson SSP Buddhika Manathunga clarified that Priyasad was still alive but under intensive medical care.[10] On April 23, Dan Priyasad succumbed to his injuries and was officially pronounced dead.[11][12]
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Analysis
Last week’s Sinhala media coverage – spanning investigations into the Easter Sunday attacks, the arrest of Pillayan and the assassination of Dan Priyasad among other such killings – prompted a discussion in the mainstream and social media spaces.
This week’s MPA examines three concerns that emerged in this discussion affecting sentiments about the government.
Who was Dan Priyasad? Dan Priyasad was the leader of the ultra-Sinhala nationalist New Sinha Le.[1] He had a history of links to anti-Muslim activities, including accusations of hate speech in 2016, involvement in the mob attack on Rohingya refugees at a UN safe house in 2017, instigating violence during the Digana anti-Muslim riots in 2018 and racial tensions during the Kuliyapitiya riots in 2019.[2] In 2022, Priyasad, a supporter of the SLPP, was arrested in connection with the violent attacks on peaceful protesters at Galle Face on May 9.[3] In 2023, he was also observed fuelling tensions surrounding the Mullivaikal Remembrance Day commemorations.[4] At the time of his death Priyasad was contesting for the Kolonnawa Pradeshiya Sabha under the SLPP in the upcoming local government elections.
(1) Concern with custodial deaths
The Sri Lankan police is widely and increasingly seen as an institution operating extra-judicially and without accountability. The recent spate of custodial deaths has heightened the perception that law enforcement institutions are operating outside of the law. Despite the expectation of the public that the government will address these issues, as promised during the election campaign, it has failed to deliver on it, thus undermining broader public confidence in the government’s ability to ensure the rule of law.
(2) Concern with organised violence
The growing number of shootings, including the assassination of Dan Priyasad, has amplified public concern about organised violence in which elements of the state might also be complicit. It has also reflected negatively on the NPP government which had held out a promise of addressing rogue activities of the security sector and establishing a better regime of law and order.
(3) Concern with Easter Sunday attacks investigations
There has been concern about the progress of the investigations into the 2019 Easter Sunday attacks. The NPP government also faced criticism for invoking the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) in the arrest of Pillayan, who is allegedly linked to the ongoing investigations into the Easter Sunday attacks. This has raised concerns about the inconsistency in the NPP’s stance, given that the party had previously campaigned against the PTA and promised to repeal it.[5]
While the above three concerns appear to be independent of each other, they are tied together by a common denominator – the deep state continuing to obstruct justice, protect criminal networks and subvert the rule of law. The public widely perceived previous administrations as having a connection to these rogue elements and forces of organised crime. The NPP government, however, is not associated with corruption or criminal networks.[6] Nevertheless, the government’s inability to address the above concerns and deliver on its promise of ensuring law and order is seemingly creating a challenge to its perceived capability.
[1]https://economynext.com/dan-priyasad-released-43354/;https://www.dailymirror.lk/breaking-news/Dan-Priyasad-dies-after-shooting/108-307146.
[2] For more information, see: https://www.colombotelegraph.com/index.php/police-arrests-saviour-of-the-sinhalese-who-threatened-to-bomb-muslims/, https://www.colombotelegraph.com/index.php/un-safe-house-attack-dan-priyasad-and-3-others-arrested-buddhist-monks-roam-free/, https://www.csohate.org/2024/11/08/islamophobia-in-srilanka/ and https://economynext.com/dan-priyasad-released-43354/.
[3] For more information, see: https://web.facebook.com/watch/?v=407793034312030.
[4] For more information, see: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Ye0uqLum7I&ab_channel=NewsCutter.
[5] See TMA Vol.13, #14, 15 & 16 and https://www.dailymirror.lk/breaking-news/PTA-will-be-repealed/108-303395.
[6] See TMA Vol.14, #05 and Vol.12, #15 & 16.
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