Manorani Saravanamuttu, who was more popularly known as Richard De Soyza’s mother, passed away on 14th February 2001. Richard was a poplar figure in Colombo, Sri Lanka a young journalist, film and dramatic actor who was kidnapped by government security personnel. His body was later found by the seashore and identified by Monrani.
Richard was killed on the night of February 17th/18th 1990. The speculation is that his dead body was dropped from a helicopter flying at a certain height with the expectation that the body would sink to the bottom of the sea and never be found. Manorani identified one of the kidnappers as one Ronnie Gunasinha by seeing his picture on a TV broadcast.Gunasinha was a senior security officer of the late president Premadasa.He was among those who died in the explosion that killed the President on 1st of May 1993. (Though some saw this as divine justice, Manorani was much more humane, and even showed sympathy for Gunasinha’s children. A commentator who has spoken to her mentioned she preferred justice meted out in a court of law, which would have helped people achieve genuine reconciliation.)
Richard De Soyza’s killing was part of huge number of disappearances which took place between 1988 and 1991, the number of which is estimated by the state as around 30,000 and by the civil society organizations as 60,000. Manorani will be remembered as one who symbolized the mothers of the disappeared who rallied to demand justice. She saw her son’s death as part of a wider phenomenon: the collapse of the Sri Lankan society, rule of law and morality. Though by family and by profession she was a medical doctor belonging to the elite of the country, as a mother Manorani transcended the class barrier at the moment she lost a son.During the last 11 years of her life she played a very strong part in raising fundamental issues regarding the Sri Lankan society which will remain valid until these problems are finally resolved. In the days of intense terror she courageously and fearlessly worked throughout the country, in solidarity with tens of thousands of mothers who lost children in similar circumstances to her. She became a powerful spokesperson. The following are her words: ” Whether they know why they are doing it, I do not know. Whether they have been told today is the night for so and so. They probably do not question why we are doing this. What has this fellow done to us that we should go and take him, and kill him. That I do not know. But they come. They come with their eyes that are empty of everything. They come with their guns. They come with their assurance that they will not fail in their missions.
They come and knock at doors. Ring bells and they look at you, and frighten you, and threaten you….. If I had thought for one moment that they had come to take my son I would have died there at the door…..It’s the women who bear the brunt, and its the women who are the strong ones, because, when you lose a child you lose yourself ” (quoted from a video interview by Nimal Mendis)
“It is the most devastating experience to have a child pulled out of your arms. My boy ‘disappeared’ and 48 hours later his mutilated body was found. Since then I have received numerous threats, anonymous letters, telephone terror and I am also certain that my telephone is tapped. I want to pursue my son’s case. Many friends and colleagues have asked me to stop: “the one who seeks the battle should not complain about the wounds”. But I know there are tens of thousands of relatives who have been affected by the violence. I will never advise the women I work with to forget, I will tell them that they must speak. 20.000-30.000 did not join, out of fear of reprisals to other relatives”. (quoted from Linking Solidarity).
She was persistent in her call for justice. In this she was bitterly betrayed. Even those who made use of the anger and bitterness of the mothers whose children disappeared for electoral purpose betrayed their call for justice. Sri Lanka remains one of those countries where the justice system is too weak to provide a response to such calls for justice.
It is unable even to respond to the extent of Chile or Argentina.This not just a weakness of the justice system but of the society as a whole. Sri Lankan society remains in a primitive state, unable to deal with the fundamental forms of in injustice entrenched in it. It is only the mothers facing such problems who can make the best critique of society, morality and justice systems. The best way to honour them is to face the questions that turn their lives into tragedies. To not do so is to dishonour them as a society and as individuals in the society.
Let us remember Manorani by committing ourselves to work towards the reform of society, morality and the Justice system (comprised of Police, Prosecutions and Judiciary) that have betrayed Manorani and thousands of other like her.
Asian Human Rights Commission
19 February 2001
Hong Kong
