The ‘Deep State’ in Sri Lanka and Its Role in the Easter Sunday Tragedy

Bedgar Perera

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Digging in for information  on the origin of the DS concept, it is found that it originated in Turkey from the  phrase “ Derin Devilet”, ( lit.”deep state”). “Deep State”  meant  an “ alleged unauthorized network of military, intelligence, and bureaucratic elements operating independently of elected officials to maintain a particular ideological or political status quo”. This is not limited to Turkey and  many countries do have it in different forms, operating  secretive power structures behind the scenes, ironically and mostly financed by the public purse.  It so happens that Sri Lanka is no exception.

The establishment of the DS in Sri Lanka appears to have been  initiated  by the gradual erosion  in attitude of public servants starting at the senior levels,commencing from the late 1970s. This was when some senior officials  started not only pandering and bowing down to political authority, and  also benefited from political corruption in countless ways,as disclosed in excruciating detail in corruption cases before courts.

The aforesaid public servants also include those from the security establishment plus the intelligence services, benefiting from and  intent on protecting those political masters and others who have committed crimes. The whole lot, along with the rich entrepreneurs who benefit from whichever party that comes to power, constitute the DS.It has to be  stressed that it is only some public officials, security/ intelligence officials that get involved in the DS, and not the whole relevant agency as such.

Irrespective of the outcome of an election,it is the DS that is bent on controlling the way that the government in power  progresses,  as the aim of the DS is to go for its political objectives. This is while the government’s attempt naturally is to deliver what was promised.By the early 2000s,the DS had got well rooted  and by 2015 it was firmly in place, so much so,that the golden  opportunity that Sri Lanka had after the 2015 election to break free and go for a genuine change of governance was sadly messed up. This was again most possibly due to the DS in operation.

In the Sri Lankan case, and perhaps in other countries too, in addition to the political DS, there is also a commercial DS. This is  set up and facilitated by the richest entrepreneurial class,involving high level policy makers, and bureaucrats in the government and the  banking sector. Purpose is that whatever government comes to power, the specific relevant policies in vogue, will not be a hindrance to their commercial interests.This is most evident here in general, irrespective of government changes and continues even under the present regime.

Anyhow, political DS is the more vicious and it has been in operation in Sri Lanka, since the early 2000s, and has been most active since 2015.The Easter Tragedy of 2019,which needs no elaboration,was  reportedly planned well ahead, by the political DS. It was  committed to create a situation where the national security clearly appeared to be  at great risk (after the Easter bombing)  under the then incumbent government. This was with  the group re-claiming power, staking the claim that they are the ones solely capable of restoring the lost national security, if they win at the Presidential Election, then round the corner. All in all, “national security” was the main bone of contention at the  Presidential Election that followed in November 2019. Henceforth, the candidate who claimed, within a week after the bombing, that he can re-establish national security and also bring to book,without delay, the brains behind the Easter tragedy which was then the main topic, won the saddle. This was as per the strategic plan executed, at great cost of human lives (279 deaths) and suffering ( approx.500 injured/maimed), plus untold economic and social  damage. Almost immediately upon coming to power, the first formal action of the new regime was to transfer out and even penalize key police personnel who were carrying out the inquiries into the Easter tragedy, quite methodically.With this initial stroke of a pen,everything stalled.This was the first clear obvious sign that the clan that won power constituted the brains behind the Easter bombing.

In fact in addition to the planned details of the bombing which the political DS must have been  aware of, the Indian Intelligence too sent detailed information on this in advance to  the Head of the State Intelligence Service (SIS) of Sri Lanka, well ahead of the D-day and also on that fateful Easter Sunday morning. But no action was taken to initiate follow-up action to avert the disaster, at least by keeping the Church authorities informed, in which case, the Easter Sunday services could have been easily canceled and those innocent lives could have been saved.     

The rest is history and with the new administration, inquiries into the bombing got  dragged on, with some written records of the inquiries  also getting lost  as to be expected. With the lapse of time, we are now in the 8^th year after the tragedy, with two subsequent government changes, and no early solution in sight.

However, since the current new administration took over, and with key officials who were in charge initially now back in place, there has definitely been appreciable improvement in the inquiry process. Hence, the Catholic Church, His Excellency Rt.Hon. Dr. Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith  in particular has expressed the view that with the inquiries getting into the proper tract, the  Church is looking forward, to the legal process being accelerated towards an early  solution. This is important, as the time lapse since D-day is too long, and  “justice delayed is justice denied.”

As the spiritual leader of the Catholic community  in Sri Lanka, His Excellency Cardinal Ranjith performs an exemplary role by sustainably standing up right through,unabated over the years, to get the authorities to elicit the truth  in order to identify those responsible for the tragedy  and bring them to book.His noble responsibility as the shepherd  of the flock is, towards the 279 devotees who lost their precious lives and those who were maimed/injured numbering approximately 500, plus the families who were affected.

Meanwhile,with the progress of the inquiries, vital information is being elicited. It is reported that those who were involved in the bombing had in fact been  on the pay roll of the State Intelligence Service (SIS) over a significant period. When some of them got involved in some litigation, SIS funds had apparently  been used  to pay lawyers’ fees and bail money.An Intelligence official had also been engaged for taking the bombing personnel to churches & temples in the Negombo area, for inspection, and  photographing of the same,for the purpose of selection of the ideal one for the evil purpose. It is known that the St.Sebastian’s Church, Katuwapitiya had ultimately been selected fatefully.

On the day of the bombing, an intelligence official had been following the bomber who could not detonate himself at Taj Samudra Hotel and later blew himself up in a hotel at Dehiwala. There is clear evidence that intelligence officials had been involved in the planning of the bombing and had been following up the progress of the same on that fateful day. It is also reported that intelligence officials continue to threaten the witnesses in the court cases in respect of the Easter tragedy. All this point to the fact that the DS continues to be involved in the Easter tragedy, from planning to facilitation of execution and follow up work of relevance. Ironically, all this had been financed out of state funds, virtually using people’s money.

Incidentally, with one of the key accused, who is a top military official  held under detention order, it should be of interest to know from him,under whose directions or for whose ultimate benefit the bombing spree was planned. This is  because a government military official will not stand to gain anything personally, from such a dastardly crime and there should have necessarily been a political objective for the bombing.

Getting back to the inquiry process, in spite of improvement in the same, the concern is that, parts of the well installed DS still appear to be active and hindering of  the progress of the inquiry process is quite apparent at different stages. In fact,a then key military official who has been cited in the report of the Presidential Commission on the Easter Tragedy and who is now in the relevant political hierarchy of the current regime holding a key position in the security machinery, has been identified by the Catholic Church as a hindrance to the inquiry process.Hence,  the   Church authorities have formally requested that he be relieved of the post held, to facilitate the inquiry process.This is an example where the DS is still active at present, and action with regard to this request is still awaited. There could be still other instances where bottlenecks put in place by the DS are active and the government has to be on the watch out, without taking it easy, assuming everything is hunky-dory.

It has also transpired that some highly confidential statements made by witnesses in an Easter case, in person to the Magistrate, have been leaked to the attorneys of the accused, and this constitutes a serious breach of  laid down legal procedure. This can lead to a situation where the lives of witnesses could be brought under threat and future witnesses in this case may get  discouraged from giving witness before court. Leakages like this also can be attributed to the DS in action and suitable action needs to be quickly executed to thwart the same and identify the responsible officials and hold them accountable.

The greatest doubt that many people still have is whether this situation will continue in the same way as it thrived through the previous administrations. In that event,the errant persons will remain scot-free, perhaps eagerly awaiting the next election. This is because they must naturally be expecting a post-election change of government as usual, to enable them to achieve the usual NIDOSCOTA NIDAHAS KIREEMA, and live happily ever after, having committed such a dastardly act.

Easter tragedy is  a good  example of the political DS in action across governments. It is hoped that, given the DS in operation,the current administration will accordingly strategize  and ensure that  a final solution to the Easter tragedy will be forthcoming in the near future as we are now in the 8^th year since that D-day.

In closing, let us hope and pray that law and order will hold strictly and equally for  all. This is with the relevant responsible agencies inclusive of those in charge of justice, being allowed to function without interference, as per the ruling party’s  main pre-election promise. It is also what the  majority of the voting public expected,in order that the  brains behind the Easter tragedy, irrespective of who they are, and others that facilitated it will be brought to book. This is to  ensure   that those who are errant as per the law of the land will receive the due punishment. After all, justice must also be seen to actually prevail early in practice,equally for all, in the public eye.Better late than never !! Praise the Lord !!

Bedgar Perera …. bedgarperera@gmail.com )

AFTERMATH OF THE BOMBING OF THE ST. SEBASTIAN’S CHURCH, KATUWAPITIYA ON 21 APRIL 2019 – ANOTHER ACTION INITIATED BY THE DS IN SRI LANKA  ….image 1

ILLUSTRATION DEPICTING THE “DEEP STATE “ IN THE US SHOWING IT APPROPRIATELY “UNDER” THE CAPITOL HILL, THE SEAT OF THE GOVERNMENT  ……. image 2