“We decided the case and punishments” “නඩුත් හාමුදුරුවන්ගේ – බඩුත් හාමුදුරුවන්ගේ”
For 16 years, Sandya Ekneligoda has fought relentlessly for justice for her missing husband. Yesterday, she received a chilling death threat under the current NPP government.
This was not just a threat—it was a vile attack on her dignity, laced with obscene language.
On 13 January, Sandya wrote to President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, warning that an accused in the Prageeth Ekneligoda disappearance case was set to be promoted. Days later, a caller claiming to be a “retired major” phoned her on 16 January and said:
“Know that… we decided the cases and punishment!”
He threatened to kill her and humiliated her by asking for the “length and width” of her body in a crude, degrading manner. The caller said that Prageeth was killed because be became too much (swelled පිම්බුණා)so that she should not get her self swelled (පිම්බෙන්න එපා).
If victims seeking justice still face death threats, if power remains in the same hands, where is the promised change?
As 24 January marks 16 years since Prageeth’s disappearance, Sandya now faces fear and humiliation instead of justice. Different rulers, same blood-stained path—will it ever change?