SRI LANKA: THE UNTOLD STORY Chapter 59: Queries over Premadasa's slaying

On May 1, 1993, President Ranasinghe Premadasa was near Sulaiman Hospital, in Messenger Street, Colombo, mixing with the crowds, busy organizing the ruling United National Party's (UNP) May Day procession, which was proceeding towards Galle Face Green, where the president was expected to deliver a keynote address later in the day.  Premadasa urged the slogan-shouting UNP supporters and his party men to march four abreast in an orderly fashion. The time was about midday, when suddenly there was an explosion and in a second, the scene was...

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SRI LANKA: THE UNTOLD STORY Chapter 58: Premadasa indicted

When President Chandrika Kumaratunga came to power, after putting an end to the UNP's 17 years of rule in 1994, she launched a Special Commission of Inquiry into the assassination of Lalith Athulathmudali, which had been an election promise.  On December 7, 1994, Kumaratunga, in a warrant of appointment issued to the commissioners, stated: Whereas Lalith William Athulathmudali, the late leader of the Democratic United National Front was assassinated...

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SRI LANKA: THE UNTOLD STORY Chapter 57: Kittu, the LTTE legend

The modern history of Sri Lanka is not complete without a chapter on Satahasivam Krishnakumar, who was popularly called "Kittu". He is considered a hero and more than a legend by Tamils all over the world. He was a rebel, a freedom fighter and he commanded the forces of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) in Jaffna, and later became a political activist of the organization. The LTTE and the Tamils consider him as a beloved martyr in the...

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