DEFENSE SECRETARY Gotabhaya Rajapaksa has instructed Health Secretary Dr. Athula Kahandaliyanage to carry out a Departmental investigation into the conduct of the three Regional Directors of Health Services who spoke to the press in favour of the LTTE during the recent past.
The three RDHSs, Dr. T. Sathyamoorty, Dr. Varatharajah and Dr. Shanmugarajah were arrested and held in custody when they crossed from LTTE controlled areas to government held areas along with the internally displaced people about two weeks ago. But, later they got themselves admitted to the National Hospital under Police custody.
Well informed sources in the Health Ministry said yesterday (25) that the Investigation Unit and the Flying Squad of the Ministry were carrying out investigations into their behaviour. They were suspected of giving derogatory statements to the media and the international community in favour of the LTTE.
The three doctors had allegedly claimed that civilians in Wanni were dying of starvation, that government forces were shelling hospitals and the internally displaced persons in LTTE controlled areas. They are also alleged to have claimed there was shortage of drugs for the IDPs in the then LTTE controlled areas, sources said.
The Health Secretary had called for their explanations. They had not replied to any of the letters sent by him. When the LTTE controlled areas were liberated by the government forces the three crossed over along with the IDPs to the Army held areas They were arrested by the security forces and remanded. (Courtesy: The Island)
