Sunanda Deshapriya | 22 September 2025
The connection between the Tripoli Army Camp and the Gunside Navy Camp to past crimes is now being substantiated before the courts. The evidence is mounting, and the time for whitewashing is over. Those responsible must be stripped of the immunity they have long enjoyed, and justice must be served.
Rule of Law and the Public Mandate
Exactly one year ago, on September 21, the people elected the National People’s Forces government with a clear mandate: restore the rule of law. That aspiration is now being tested as long-concealed information about politically sensitive crimes begins to surface.
A Constitutional Crisis and Its Timing
Following the February 2018 local government elections, an unconstitutional attempt was made to appoint Mahinda Rajapaksa as Prime Minister. If not for the resistance led by Austin Fernando, then Secretary to the President, President Maithripala Sirisena would have proceeded. The appointment was eventually made on October 26, 2018, and later struck down by the Supreme Court.
This timeline is significant. Reports indicated that several high-profile cases—including the murder of journalist Lasantha Wickramatunga—were reaching critical stages in February–March 2018. The defense establishment appeared nervous then, and remains so today.
Arrests and Gunside Revelations
Last Thursday morning (18), posters appeared across Colombo demanding the release of former Navy Commander Nishantha Ulugetenne, who is currently in remand custody. He and former Navy Intelligence Director, Retired Rear Admiral Sarath Mohotti, were arrested by the CID and produced before the Polgahawela Magistrate’s Court. Both are now in judicial custody.
Their arrests relate to the abduction and disappearance of a man from Kegalle, who was reportedly held at Gunside—a restricted area within the Trincomalee Navy Camp. This same location is central to the 2008 case involving the disappearance of 11 youths from Colombo and its suburbs.
Karannagoda and the Supreme Court Challenge
Former Navy Commander Wasantha Karannagoda was named a defendant in the 2008 case. Although the Attorney General’s Department later moved to remove him from the indictment, the parents of the missing youths challenged this decision. Their petition was rejected by the Court of Appeal, prompting them to approach the Supreme Court.
On Monday, Justices Arjuna Obeysekara and Sampath Wijeratne ruled to hold a hearing on the legality of the Attorney General’s decision. The case now reopens a critical question: can high-ranking officials be shielded from prosecution despite credible evidence?
Evidence and Internal Testimonies
In 2019, the Attorney General filed charges against 14 defendants, including Karannagoda. New evidence confirms that the youths were held at Gunside—the same location linked to the Kegalle disappearance.
CID investigations into the 2008 abductions from Kotahena, Wellawatte, and Dehiwala led to charges against several Navy officers. Ten years ago, police revealed that Karannagoda’s personal security officer was directly involved in five abductions. CID officer Nishantha Silva testified that Karannagoda was aware of these operations.
Former Navy Commander Travis Sinniah also gave a statement to the CID, asserting that he was denied access to Gunside while overseeing the Eastern Province. He claimed that D.K.P. Dassanayake, Karannagoda’s personal assistant, controlled all activities in the area.
The Irony of the Initial Complaint
It was Karannagoda himself who initially filed the complaint with the CID regarding the abductions. The move was reportedly part of an internal campaign against his personal assistant—a former Army officer.
( This artiele is based on a Sinhala language news story published by Shalika Wimalasena)
Context:
Enforced Disappearances and the Sri Lankan Navy
Between 2006 and 2009, during the final years of Sri Lanka’s armed conflict, the Sri Lankan Navy’s intelligence units were implicated in a series of abductions and enforced disappearances, particularly targeting Tamil youth in urban areas like Colombo, Dehiwala, Kotahena, and Wellawatte. These operations were allegedly coordinated through clandestine detention sites, most notably the Gunside facility within the Trincomalee Naval Base.
Gunside: A Secret Detention and Torture Site
According to numerous reports, Gunside operated as an illegal detention and torture site under the control of Navy intelligence. Detainees were held without charge, subjected to physical and psychological abuse, and in many cases, never seen again.
Legal Proceedings and Delays
In 2008, the CID began investigating the disappearance of 11 youths, leading to a case filed against 14 Navy officers in 2019. Among the accused was Admiral Wasantha Karannagoda, though the Attorney General later moved to remove him from the indictment, sparking legal challenges from victims’ families.
Families Still Searching
The UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) continues to highlight the legacy of enforced disappearances in Sri Lanka. Families—especially mothers and wives—have spent over a decade searching for answers, staging protests, and filing petitions, often facing intimidation and legal roadblocks.
Why These Cases Matter
- They represent emblematic examples of state-linked enforced disappearances.
- They expose institutional impunity within the military and intelligence sectors.
- They test the credibility of Sri Lanka’s legal system and its commitment to transitional justice.
These cases are not isolated—they are part of a broader pattern that continues to haunt Sri Lanka’s reconciliation efforts. The reopening of proceedings against senior naval officials marks a critical juncture in the pursuit of accountability.