Saving Sri Lanka

Thug Minister Threatens Local Chairman July 22, 2009

This man is Mervyn Silva, Sri Lanka’s Minister of Labour Relations and Manpower. He’s a controversial figure because of his use of strong-arm tactics and the numerous violent crimes, including assaults and rapes, allegedly attributed to him. Not a nice person.

Last week, giving a speech at the opening of a car dealership, Silva both claimed responsibility for the murder of journalist Lasantha Wickrematunge and threatened to do the same to a local chairmen who opposed Silva.

Here were his words: “Lasantha from the Leader paper went overboard. I took care of him. [Freedom campaigner and government critic Poddala Jayantha] agitated and his leg was broken. Now a fellow in my electorate is trying to stand against me. I now tell him in his own hometown, I will give him only seven more days. If he does not resign as chairman of the [district of] Kelaniya, don’t blame me later on. You’ll don’t find fault with me. If this fellow goes against what I say, I will send him to the place where I sent Lasantha.”

Several days later, an unidentified group of armed men stormed the local chairman’s house and smashed the place up.