By The US imposed travel sanctions against Major Prabath Bulathwatte who was arrested on suspicion that he had assisted in the abduction and torture of senior Sri Lankan journalist Keith Noyahr in 2008 may be a signal to many others who have been implicated in human rights abuses.
The US state department has once again retreated that it will take action to promote accountability for human rights abuse around the world.
According to the State Department, Prabath Bulathwatte, former head of a clandestine Army platoon, known as the ‘Tripoli Platoon’ is suspected to be involved in the torture and/or cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment or punishment of Sri Lankan journalist Keith Noyahr in May 2008, the office of the spokesperson of the US Department of State said.
According to submissions at the Dehiwala Mt lavania
By the Attorney General’s department several members of Major Bulathwatte’s platoon had kept Noyahr under surveillance as he traveled throughout Colombo on Monday, May 21, and up to his return to Dehiwela on the night of May 22, before abducting him as he tried to enter his residence at around 10 p.m. Telephone records, thereafter, showed the abduction team had been traveling to Dompe at high speed.
The CID, thereafter, found the safe-house, which matched the description provided by Noyahr, and had been taken on rent by two members of Major Bulathwatte’s platoon, with the rent paid for by Military Intelligence. Investigators also recovered the vehicle in which Noyahr was abducted, which had been leased by Bulathwatte’s cousin.
