he has not been engaged in any illegal activity but he was concerned about his identity for his safety. Gunaratnam, who went missing on the 6th after he was allegedly abducted and returned Tuesday morning, addressed the local media today from his residence in Australia, after he was deported by the Sri Lankan authorities yesterday. He said that he was unable to live freely after some media institutions had published false reports about him. He added that it was natural for people to be suspicious about him when persons he has worked with for over 30 years in the JVP had said they did not know such a person. However, Gunaratnam said there was no problem about his identity during the tenure of former President Chandrika Kumaratunga and when the JVP was affiliated to the government. According to Gunaratnam, the government should have taken measures to take legal action against him if he was involved in any illegal activity. He further noted that members of security forces abducted him at gunpoint, sexually assaulted and tortured him. He said if it weren't for the Australian government's efforts he would have been killed by his captors just like his brother who was killed during the Marxist uprising in the '80s. Gunaratnam had entered Sri Lanka under a passport bearing the name Noel Mudalige in September 2011. He was deported to Australia yesterday for overstaying his visa r after recording a statement from him by the Colombo Crimes Division.
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