Trincomalee district MP Kapila Athukorala says he strongly believed his attendance at the May 9 farewell event of former Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa would suffice. “Therefore I brought no one from Trincomalee to attend the event with me and neither did I organise any groups of supporters to be brought to Colombo” he said.
While Athukorala had on many previous occasions brought in supporters to ensure the victory of the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna, he says the situation in the country on the day did not warrant it. “Majority of those in my area are farmers.
They had just started cultivation even though there was no fertiliser and fuel prices had skyrocketed. Therefore I did not want to force anyone to come to Colombo with me.
By the time I arrived at Temple Trees at 12.30 p.m the Galle Face Green clash had already taken place. I did not condone it. I remained on the premises for around 15 - 20 minutes before leaving,” he recalled.
Athukorala is the only Sinhala MP for Trincomalee as well as the only SLPP MP from the district.
Heading back to his official MP’s residence on the day, Athukoarala witnessed absolute chaos and destruction.
“I witnessed groups attacking vehicles, setting property on fire and assaulting people. I made haste and arrived at the MP’s residence. I met MP Amarakeerthi Athukorala also on the way. As the news that came in became more troubling I asked him to not leave. But unfortunately he did not heed my advice,” he said.
According to Athukorala hearing what was taking place across the country, he called all Pradeshiya Sabha members and chairmen from Trincomalee asking them to refrain from getting involved in any issues. Informed that his home in Kantale was also to be attacked, Athukorala had called the area SSP, ASP and the HQI asking them to prevent any such incident. “I told them I was not involved in any of the incidents that had taken place on the day,” he said. But it was to no avail.
Athukorala’s house in Kantale also went up in flames on the day.
“The house destroyed by the mob was built by my parents. After I was elected to Parliament I have done no refurbishments to the house with my money. In the last one and a half years since I entered Parliament I have not even gone on a trip with friends or family and not even with my staff. No family member or relative of mine has ever stayed in the MP’s residence in Madiwela given to me or enjoyed any other benefit. Therefore I was deeply saddened that they had to suffer this fate,” he said.
Athukorala said he has worked for the people of Trincomalee setting aside all racial divides. “I visit all areas of the 11 PS divisions in the district to serve the people. Especially during Covid in the light of Trincomalee not having a single Minister in Government, I worked hard for the people. What happened to me can happen to any other politician tomorrow,” he said.
According to Athukorala the allegations of corruption cannot be levelled against all 225 MPs in Parliament.
“While serving as the Pradeshiya Sabha Chairman of Kantale I had never taken a bribe or commission from anyone. If I am forced to return the vehicle given by the Government for district coordination committee work, I will have to take the bus.” he claimed.
Attacked
Athukorala said the people must analyse and understand the country’s reading of politics and politicians if houses of politicians including his own were attacked in this manner. “The continuous political decline of the country will destroy the future of our children. It is easy for politicians to incite their supporters to carry out acts such as these but the social destruction caused through such hatred cannot be rectified easily,” he said.
“I heard around 30 - 40 persons were arrested in connection to the incident. I had no anger towards them but I am saddened by the hurt my mother and family had to suffer as a result.” he said.
Hearing the house may be attacked, Athukorala’s family including his three children had fled in search of safety. “Their school books were saved as my sons had packed them into a bag before leaving in haste to my sister’s home,” he said, revealing that his eldest son is studying at the Kantale Agrabodhi National School. “I haven’t used my privileges as an MP to admit enter my son to a top school in Colombo,” he added.
According to him, his only request of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa was to develop the schools in the district for the benefit of all children living there. He says he wanted to educate his children in schools in the district to give people, especially State sector employees the message that these schools were good and they should send their children to them as well.
“Supporters of almost every party had taken part in the attack on my house. I believe they were motivated to attack my house as they were suffering psychologically.
They released their pressures by attacking houses and setting property on fire. I feel pity for them. I do not like to make hate a habit. But such incidents should not take place in the country,” he said.
Athukorala’s father Mettasena Athukorala was a land officer while his mother Malini Gunawardene was a family health officer. Commencing his schooling at the Kantale Agrabodhi Vidyalaya, Athokarala had to be educated at several schools due to transfers received by parents who were State sector employees.
“When I was in Grade 3, the school was closed as it had to house those who lost their homes after their villages in Dehiwatta and Neelapola were attacked by the LTTE. Later I studied in a school in Kandy. After the IDPs were moved out I came back to Agrabodhi Vidyalaya. Then my mother was transferred to Gampaha so we moved along with her and I entered the Gampaha Bandaranayake College. But I sat for my Advanced Level examination once again at the village school,” he said.
Midwife
During the interview Athukorala recalled his mother’s service to the community as a midwife under tough circumstances. He also recalled his father’s death on June 18, 1996 at the hands of the LTTE while travelling in the Seruwila area on official duty. “At the time he died he was yet to pay Rs. 30,000 on the home loan he had obtained. My mother later paid it off with her salary. It was this home built by my parents that was so heartlessly destroyed,” he said.
But violence is not alien to Athukorala. Three of his family members died in 1989 during a shooting on his uncle M.K.D.S Gunawaradene’s house. Gunawardene was the only Government MP and in fact the only MP from the district in Parliament at that time. Athokrala entered politics in 2011 after being elected to the Kantale Pradeshiya Sabha.
In 2015, his uncle joined Maithripala Sirisena’s camp but Athukorala remained with the Rajapaksas. “As the leader who delivered us from the battle against terrorism I felt I should stay back. In 2020 I was elected to Parliament with the highest number of preferential votes amounting to 31,000 that no other Sinhala MP was able to obtain from the district,” he said.
“It is rare for a poor man like me to be elected to Parliament. I was elected by the people who decided to defeat a powerful and wealthy MP such as Susantha Punchinilame.
That is because they believed I would serve them. My tenure as an MP is five years and therefore no matter the obstacles I face I must continue to serve my people. Everything is temporary according to Buddhism. The attack on my house is also a temporary incident. I am not ready to forsake my responsibility because of it. The people can decide my fate at the next election. I respect that right,” he said.