The death of former Minister Nandana Gunathilaka has ripped the veneer off the “clean politics” image currently being projected by the present government and the leadership of the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP), bringing a dark and gruesome reality back into the public discourse. A note left by Mr. Gunathilaka, once a prominent figure and a former presidential candidate for the JVP, claims that his life was being hunted by “Killing Squads” allegedly operated by a group including JVP General Secretary Tilvin Silva.
This isn’t merely a political accusation; it is a chilling indictment of the insecurity faced by dissenting voices under the current administration. A serious public debate has erupted over why a leader of Mr. Gunathilaka’s stature, who even ran as the JVP’s presidential candidate, was left to die in utter destitution, unable to pay hospital bills, and why he feared fatal threats from his former comrades until his final moments.
Critics argue that while the government came to power promising a “System Change,” their actions after assuming power are reminiscent of the country’s past eras of terror. Attempts to silence journalists and civil activists using repressive laws such as the Online Safety Act and the ICCPR Act have drawn sharp criticism from international human rights organizations.
Furthermore, the forceful seizure of the Frontline Socialist Party (FSP) office in Yakkala, Gampaha, by groups allegedly loyal to the government—with accusations of state and police support—further confirms that this regime has embraced “political repression” over democracy. While Tilvin Silva and his associates seek public favor by referencing past crimes like “Batalanda,” their silence on the “Killing Squads” allegations leveled against them speaks volumes about their true nature.
The black shadows of terror, reactivated by Nandana Gunathilaka’s death, are now exposing the authoritarian and fiercely repressive face that lies beneath the present government’s democratic façade for the entire world to see.
