In what he called one of the most difficult press briefings of his life, Pivithuru Hela Urumaya leader and lawyer Udaya Gammanpila addressed the media from party headquarters, not as a politician—but as a lawyer. His purpose: to publicly defend Sivanesathurai Chandrakanthan, better known as Pillayan, the former Chief Minister of the Eastern Province, now detained under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA).
“This isn’t politics,” Gammanpila began. “This is about justice. I met Pillayan at the CID as his legal counsel—not as a political ally. And what I witnessed has left me deeply alarmed about how far the rule of law has deteriorated in this country.”
According to Gammanpila, while he was still inside the CID, news of his visit had already surfaced on social media. Even more troubling, he alleged that a CID sub-inspector named A.L.M. Fahim had begun sharing opinions online about his presence at the premises. “We’ve reached a point where confidential legal visits are being leaked in real time by law enforcement officers,” Gammanpila said. “There are credible reports that even senior police officials are selling information to social media outlets. This is state surveillance turned spectacle.”
He described how the CID administrative officer had requested him not to reveal the meeting to the press, to which he responded, “Don’t worry, I understand legal ethics.” Yet, the incident became public immediately. That leak, Gammanpila insisted, was not accidental—it was orchestrated. “The system that once valued confidentiality now thrives on political theatre,” he remarked.
The real concern, however, is what Gammanpila alleges is the government’s ulterior motive: to link Pillayan to the 2019 Easter Sunday bombings in a last-minute effort to save face.
“Let’s be clear. Pillayan is being kept in CID custody without access to his lawyer or family. That’s a violation of PTA provisions. Section 10A(1) allows legal access. Section 10A(2) allows family visits. Both were denied,” he emphasized.
Gammanpila then detailed how he personally intervened after Pillayan’s original lawyer and junior counsel were denied entry. After citing legal grounds and filing a written request, Gammanpila said he was granted permission within three hours to meet Pillayan on April 13. “The CID Director responded promptly to my request, for which I’m grateful. But the broader question remains—why was access denied in the first place?”
Even more disturbing, he says, was how the meeting transpired.
“I was allowed to speak to Pillayan, but with four officers present—taking notes. That violates attorney-client privilege. Despite pointing this out, the officers remained. At least now there are four witnesses to what was said.”
And what was said, Gammanpila claims, paints a painful portrait.
“Pillayan, eyes filled with tears, told me how he risked his life to fight the LTTE. How others from the LTTE now live freely—as businessmen, MPs, NGO leaders—while he, the man who broke from the LTTE and fought to save the country, sits in custody yet again.”
According to Gammanpila, the public has forgotten who Pillayan is. “He was kidnapped and forcibly recruited by the LTTE at age 14. He was a child soldier. He and Karuna Amman defected in 2003, bringing 6,000 fighters with them. Their defection turned the tide of war. That victory in the East allowed us to defeat the LTTE in the North. Today, we enjoy peace because of men like Pillayan.”
But instead of being remembered as a patriot, Gammanpila claims Pillayan is being punished for betraying the LTTE. “Tamil separatists view him as a traitor. Their goal is to destroy him—and they’ve found a willing partner in this government.”
Gammanpila pointed to Pillayan’s current arrest, tied to the 2006 disappearance of Eastern University Vice Chancellor Professor Subramaniam Ravindranath. “For 18 years there were no allegations. Suddenly, in January 2025, a relative of Deputy Minister Arun Hemachandran makes a statement. That’s the basis for this arrest.”
He continued, “The Vice Chancellor went missing in Colombo on December 16, 2006. Pillayan told me he was stationed in Maduru Oya during the height of Eastern operations, which began in July 2006 and ended in July 2007. He was leading battles—not walking the streets of Colombo.”
Gammanpila then delivered his most scathing criticism yet.
“This is not about the disappearance. This is about scapegoating Pillayan for the Easter attacks. The President said on March 30 that those responsible would be revealed before April 21. With that date fast approaching, they need someone to blame. And now they’re trying to pressure Pillayan into confessing—just as Kondaya was beaten into confessing the murder of Seya Sadewmi. If there had been no DNA evidence, that would’ve gone into the books as a solved case.”
He read from Pillayan’s detention order aloud.
“There’s not a single word in here about the Easter attacks,” he said. “Yet the Minister of Public Security and the President publicly claim he has given information about it. That’s not just a lie—it’s a calculated deception. It proves this is a political witch hunt.”
Gammanpila further argued that while actual terrorists from the North and South now sit in Parliament or even in the presidency, Pillayan—who helped defeat terrorism—is being hunted. “Why? Because this is a government formed by terrorists. They protect their own. And they despise those who fought to dismantle them.”
He closed with a warning: “If we punish those who defect from terror to fight for peace, who will ever do it again? Who will risk their lives to protect this country if betrayal is their reward?”
In Gammanpila’s view, this isn’t just an attack on Pillayan—it’s an attack on every Sri Lankan who dared to believe that justice and loyalty still meant something. And with April 21 just days away, the question now is whether the government is manufacturing its scapegoat—or merely exposing its fear.
