It was on a day like yesterday (31st) that distinctive artist Premakeerthi de Alwis was murdered 25 years ago. A commemoration ceremony was organized at Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation (SLBC) complex. A large number of artistes including Victor Ratnayaka participated. The President was the special invitee. Premakeerthi’s widow Ms. Nirmala Alwis had told the President, “Mr. President, the murderer is on your lap.” Ms. Nirmala Alwis charges that the Chairman of SLBC Hudson Samarasinghe murdered her husband.
Speaking regarding this Ms. Nirmala Alwis later said, “Many commemoration ceremonies are held on behalf of Premakeerthi. However, only a few speak about his murder. After studying regarding this murder for 25 years I had come to a conclusion. I told the President and others through various messages not to sell Premakeerthi’s death for political reasons and that the murder was not committed by the JVP. There was a case regarding the murder. However, it ended in a hilarious manner without even having an identification parade regarding the suspects arrested.
Today, a good ceremony had been arranged. The street between the SLBC and Sri Lanka Rupavahini Corporation was named after Premakeerthi de Alwis. When I was getting ready to come for the ceremony I got a message that there was an exhibition at the beginning of the road organized by Hudson Samarasinghe and it attempts to depict that Premakeerthi’s murder was committed by the JVP. I went for the ceremony. The President, before sitting at the ceremony, went to see the exhibition. I knew it was a scheme. I knew the effort I made for 25 years bearing sorrow and sickness to show that the murder was committed as a personal revenge and not by the JVP would be in vain. Fortunately I had brought the book ‘Premakeerthini’ in which the incident has been described. As I could not bear the injustice I wrote two sentences in the book. I wrote that ‘Mr. President, Premakeerthi’s murderer has taken refuge under you.’
As the President was passing me I spoke to him. He stopped. As I gave him the book I told him, “Mr. President, I won’t ask anything else from you. But do justice on behalf of Premakeerthi. For the murderer is under your refuge. I make this request in front of the world and I hope there would be justice”.