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Visa information leaked out to kidnappers
Thursday, 17 May 2007 - 4:53 AM SL Time
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President Mahinda Rajapakse yesterday said there was credible evidence that there were instances of financial information furnished to foreign embassies by visa applicants being leaked out to criminal elements responsible for some of the abductions reported from various parts of the country.
Addressing a meeting of newspaper editors and heads of electronic media institutions, President Rajapske said the government had information that certain kidnappers had, in interrogating their victims, used virtually carbon copies of financial documents submitted together with their visa applications.
The presidential revelation comes four months after The Island exclusively reported on January 16 in its main news item under the caption, `Visa info leaked to kidnappers through embassy channel`, that visa information was being leaked out to underworld elements through some embassies. We said: `Speculation in the defence circles is that a gang involved in a series of recent abductions may have access to documents handed over to embassies through a third party to obtain travel documents. The operation had come to light after the abduction and the release of a person whose family had paid about fifteen million rupees to secure his release.` The gang had, we reported, asked him questions, which he believed, were based on documents he had submitted to an embassy, Visa information
containing details of his financial assets. Several others had had similar experience but none had reported that matter to the police for fear of reprisals.
Speaking further on abductions, over which the government has drawn heavy flak from the international community, President Rajapakse said the government had taken a number of steps to curb the reportedly high incidence of abductions. Some arrests had been made and investigations were being conducted into a number of cases. `I am in a position to tell you with confidence,` he said, `the situation is being blown out of proportion. Some of the persons reported as abducted have, in fact, gone abroad. We can prove that.` He said in the case of some complaints, the police had no way of conducting investigations to a conclusion, as they had no access to those parts of the country where the LTTE was operating. `When a person from Mullaitivu is reported as missing, how can the police visit that area to verify the information they receive?` he asked.
Asked what action had been taken against the suspects taken over the killing of four Tamil youth in Trincomalee, the President said, the police had made arrests acting on a telephone call and the suspects had been kept in police custody for nearly two months for witnesses to give evidence. `While they were being kept,` the President said, `I was inundated with letters and calls from their parents and friends demanding to know why we were holding them without any evidence against them. You should understand my position. On one hand I am under pressure to safeguard human rights and when I order the arrest of suspects and keep them in custody, I am asked why I am doing so without any evidence against them.`
He said the government was ready to ensure witness protection and urged the public to give evidence. Not even the TNA parliamentarians had come forward, he said.
Asked about the Eastern University Vice Chancellor S. Ravindranath who has gone missing since December 15 last year, the President said the police had not abandoned the search for him. `The situation is very complicated,` he said, `there are various groups operating. Even with the LTTE there are factions, as you know. If you think all Tigers are Tamil you are mistaken. There are Sinhalese and Muslims working for them. The incident reported from Polonnaruwa involving a lawyer is a case in point. The calls demanding money had originated from London. Mind you, I am telling you this not by way of an excuse. It is our responsibility to put and end to abductions and we are working towards that. We are also arresting suspects and I don`t deny that fact. We have to resort to such measures as we are legally bound to do so to protect the country.
The President said a high level probe had been ordered into the recent disappearances reported from the North.
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saliya
Joined: Mar 2005
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17 May 2007 01:44:40 GMT Report for Abuse
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| Unfortunately some of our officers are greedy on money and pass confidential information to unathorized person for money. Even military officers have involved with these dirty work. That is why present Army commandr was injured due to suicide bomber. Any person can do any stupid work and escape with a help of political leader. |
Vishnu
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17 May 2007 04:52:05 GMT Report for Abuse
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It is good that president understand that these are not excuses, and similarly how can he wipe his hands saying that there is no access to Kilinotchchi for investigation, Why? because it is covered with Amazon forest?
Isn't it his duty to gain immediate access to Killinotchchi, which is entirely within the borders of his jurisdiction? |
Damed
Joined: Jun 2006
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17 May 2007 06:16:12 GMT Report for Abuse
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How come MR stop kidnapping and Extortion when he is getting backing from corrupted ministers who work with criminals.
GOSL should introduce back capital punishment to reduce first degree crimes.
Sri Lanka yet to introduce laws to curb selling or passing personal data without permission. |
kiwikanga
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17 May 2007 07:28:28 GMT Report for Abuse
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Damed,
There is no such thing as 'First Degree Crimes' in the SL law books. May be in the US! |
nirupam
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17 May 2007 08:42:14 GMT Report for Abuse
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Foreign Governments have to right to advise SL President on Human Rights violations.
Another divertionary tactics to tarnish the image of foreign High Commission in the aftermath of telling the Govt to investigate the Human Rights Violations and other kidnappings and murders. |
alwaysalion
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17 May 2007 15:15:48 GMT Report for Abuse
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| MR should give names of the embassies and people involved so that people can take precautions! |
magha
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18 May 2007 04:24:40 GMT Report for Abuse
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You guys have missed the point which MR is trying to highlight with diplomacy.
The western countries including Canada and USA had hired Sri Lankans for translation and other clerical works as non diplomatic mission. Who are those ? 99.9% are Tamils. The logic they bring hiring exclusively Tamils is that they are the people who could do interpretation work to both the Singhlaese speaking and Tamil speaking population of Sri Lanka. We cannot fight the legitimate logic, but it is those Tamils working in foreign embassies of Sri Lanka leaking information to LTTE and other Tamil para military groups of their choice.
Singhalese have hard time getting visas when Tamils have no much problems for the same reason.
In 1990, I went to UK. The personal who usually took the applications at British embassy was a Tamil Lady. One day I had some spare time in the morning and already had my application filled at home and I thought of dropping it at the British Embassy. I parked my old beetle at liberty plaza, walked up to the high commission, and the security guard asked me to go ahead and submit my visa application. At the counter was not a Sri Lankan on that day but a British woman. She took my application and asked me why I have not filled the application in black ink. I told her if the application did emphasize that it should be filled in black ink I would have gladly done so but I have only a blue pen. Then she said I need to give three photographs of mine and not two. My reply was that if the application said so I would have gladly done that but I have only two photographs. Then she asked me if I have any documents to prove the need of my visit to UK. I told her that I came to submit my application and not for an interview but I do have my documents to prove that my visit to UK is legitimate to do the PLAB exam but unfortunately they are in my brief case which I left in my car, parked at Liberty plaza. She found out that I am a tough nut and asked me to bring those wright away. I did another trip to Liberty plaza , brought them to the embassy and handed them to her. She took them without even looking at those and asked me to come back at 3.00 pm. I went at 3.00 PM and my Visa was ready.
Edited By - magha - 18 May 2007 04:46:10 GMT |
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