by Our Correspondent in Colombo
The detention of former Intelligence Chief Suresh Sallay in connection with ongoing investigations into the Easter Sunday attacks took on a deeply personal dimension today, Monday, as his elderly mother, a Catholic woman in her eighties, joined a satyagraha outside the Pettah Railway Station and delivered an emotional appeal on behalf of her son. She is a mother of four, with three of her sons having joined the army, one of whom was seriously wounded in battle, while another continues to serve in the military.
Amid a gathering of supporters, activists, and members of the public, she spoke of a man she described not as a former intelligence chief or a subject of investigation, but as a son who had devoted much of his life to military service. Her remarks brought a human story to the forefront of a case that continues to generate public attention years after the devastating Easter Sunday bombings.
Fighting back tears, she recounted her son’s decades in uniform, describing a military career marked by sacrifice, hardship, and danger. She recalled periods during his service in the Army when entire platoons were lost in combat and only a handful of soldiers survived. According to her account, the severe explosions he encountered during military operations left him permanently deaf in one ear.
She portrayed Sallay as a man who served throughout the country’s conflict years without seeking recognition or public praise. While many know him through his later role in intelligence leadership, she focused instead on the personal cost of his service and the toll his detention has taken on his family.
Having come directly from hospital treatment to attend the demonstration, she said she felt compelled to represent her son publicly. Speaking emotionally, she asked those present to consider the suffering of a mother whose child was being held in detention. She said she often found herself hearing his voice in her mind during the night and struggled with the thought of him being in custody.
Her remarks also highlighted her family’s long association with military service. She noted that three of her four children had served in the armed forces and described them as individuals who had dedicated themselves to the country.
The protest unfolded as debate continues over the basis of allegations linking Sallay to matters connected to the Easter Sunday attacks. Supporters at the demonstration argued that no presidential commission reports or official investigative findings had established evidence directly implicating him in the attacks. They contended that accusations against the former intelligence chief were built largely on social media speculation and claims that emerged through external sources rather than on findings publicly identified in official reports.
Among the issues repeatedly raised by supporters was the 2023 documentary broadcast by Britain’s Channel 4, which featured allegations relating to the Easter Sunday attacks. Those allegations generated significant public discussion and political controversy, but supporters of Sallay maintain that the claims remain disputed and unverified. They argue that no conclusive findings establishing his involvement have emerged from official investigations or commission reports made public to date.
Addressing the crowd, Sallay’s mother went beyond personal reflections to challenge what she viewed as the motivations behind the continuing focus on her son. She alleged that political interests were influencing the investigation and accused certain individuals of using the Easter Sunday tragedy for political purposes.
Identifying herself as a lifelong Catholic, she spoke of her religious faith and her longstanding connection to the church in Kochchikade, one of the locations devastated by the Easter Sunday attacks. She said her faith remained central to her life and argued that some of those involved in public discussions surrounding the case failed to understand the suffering experienced by families caught up in the controversy.
Her comments reflected a broader sentiment expressed by many participants in the protest, who argued that intelligence officers who served the country in sensitive and often secret roles should not be judged solely through allegations that remain contested.
The demonstration also drew support from nationalist organisations. In a statement issued on the same day, Dr. Gunadasa Amarasekara, Convenor of the National Organizations Alliance, called on member organisations to participate in the campaign launched in support of Sallay.
Amarasekara described the actions taken against the former intelligence chief as part of a broader effort to target members of the security establishment. He argued that Sallay’s role in intelligence operations during the conflict against the LTTE had made him a significant figure within the country’s security apparatus and asserted that actions against him could have wider implications for serving and former security personnel.
His statement framed the issue as extending beyond one individual, presenting it as a matter that supporters believe affects perceptions of military and intelligence service more broadly. He urged organisations that had historically supported the security forces during the conflict to join the ongoing satyagraha campaign.
As the protest continued outside the busy Pettah Railway Station, the most striking image remained that of an elderly mother standing before cameras and supporters, speaking not about intelligence operations or political disputes, but about the pain of a parent concerned for her child.
Years after the Easter Sunday attacks reshaped Sri Lanka’s political and security landscape, investigations and public debate surrounding the tragedy continue. The detention of Suresh Sallay has become the latest focal point in that wider discussion, drawing responses from family members, supporters, activists, and political figures. For his mother, however, the issue was expressed in simpler terms: a plea for justice, delivered through tears, faith, and a conviction that her son’s decades of service should not be forgotten as investigations proceed.
