FSP claims Gunaratnam abducted by “forces linked with govt.”

Missing political activists and leaders of the People’s Struggle Movement Dimuthu Attygalle (Left) and Premakumar Gunaratnam (Right).

The Frontline Socialist Party, formed by JVP dissidents, claims its leader Premakumar Gunaratnam and party member Dimuthu Attygalle were abducted by forces “linked with the Government” and that both activists were under intense Government surveillance, prior to their disappearance.

Political activists and leaders of the JVP dissident group, People’s Struggle Movement, Premakumar Gunaratnam and Dimuthu Attygalle had reportedly disappeared on April 06.

The FSP claims its party members have received “credible information” that both activists were under intense surveillance by the Government, shortly before their disappearance and as a precaution had always informed party members of their whereabouts and never switched off their mobile phones.

“FSP party members believe that Mr. Gunaratnam and Ms. Attygalle have been abducted by forces linked with the Government since the party has campaigned actively against human rights abuses by the Government, particularly against the Tamil minority in the North,” the party said in a statement.

Gunaratnam was a key leader of the People’s Struggle Movement (PSM) and Attygalle was the Secretary for Women’s and International affairs of the organization, which was a forerunner to the Frontline Socialist Party (FSP).

Prior to their disappearance both activists were said to be preparing for the inaugural convention of the Frontline Socialist Party, the party formed by a breakaway faction of the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP).

The party was due to be launched officially on April 09 while Gunaratnam was expected to be appointed as its head. 

The Frontline Socialist Party further states that the Australian High Commission in Colombo has been informed of Gunaratnam’s disappearance, as he is an Australian citizen, as well as media, diplomatic community and human rights groups.

MP Ajith Kumara yesterday (07) had filed a complaint with the Police Head Quarters in Colombo regarding Gunaratnam’s disappearance, and also filed a separate complaint regarding Attygalle’s disappearance.

Police spokesperson SP Ajith Rohana yesterday stated that neither of the two had been taken in for questioning or arrested by the Police, and that investigation had commenced into their disappearance.

The FSP release also states that Gunaratnam is believed to have been abducted from his temporary residence in Kiribathgoda and was last seen by a party member who had dropped him at his residence at around 5 pm on April 06. 

At around 11 pm that day, Mr. Gunaratnam had phoned the same party member asking to be picked up from his residence at 5 am the following day (April 07).  “Mr. Gunaratnam has not been seen or heard from since.” 

The party member who arrived at Gunaratnam’s residence at around 4.30 am the following day had discovered that air had been let out of all four tyres of Gunaratnam’s vehicle and that the door locks had been broken.

“A neighbor had told police that 4 or 5 armed men had come to the house at around 4.30am on the morning of 7th April and instructed her to shut off lights and stay indoors. When she had looked out around 5.15am, she had seen nothing unusual,” the release added.