Foreign Minister Managla Samaraweera says that a few in the military hierarchy was responsible for crimes and human rights violations during the war against the LTTE and by and large and overwhelming majority of the country’s security forces had behaved in a very humane and responsible manner.
Foreign Minister Managla Samaraweera
Samaraweera in a statement says that the reputation of the vast majority of Sri Lanka’s military cannot be tarnished by the wrongdoings of a few.
Samaraweera issuing a statement on the tabling of UN Human Rights Council Resolution on Sri Lanka, says “the international community recognises this fact and the unfortunate reality that the reputation of the vast majority of the armed forces was tainted in the recent past because of the system and culture created by a few in positions of responsibility,”.
To read the Foreign Minister’s full statement click here
Prem / September 26, 2015
But you won’t allow international investigation, (why)
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Native Vedda / September 26, 2015
Managla Samaraweera
“says that a few in the military hierarchy was responsible for crimes and human rights violations during the war against the LTTE”
Could we have the names of those few who had actually committed crimes and human rights violations.
A former army major was caught with 35 Kilograms of cannabis yesterday. Is he one of the war criminals?
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Dr. Gnana Sankaralingam / September 27, 2015
The statement that only a few in the hierarchy was responsible for crimes and human rights violation during the war against LTTE is totally wrong. In fact crimes by security forces on Tamils were a norm than exception and carried out mostly by lower rung.
Since the war against LTTE was declared in April 1984, members of the security forces have committed eeveral atrocities against non combatant Tamils. I was a medico-legal officer in the war zone in the early part of the war and a medical witness to these crimes.
If a fair trial with witness protection is held, truth about the crimes will come to light. Government is not prepared to have independant judges because it is trying to cover up the crimes under Srilanka judicial system which is institutionally racist.
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Native Vedda / September 27, 2015
Dr. Gnana Sankaralingam
If what Managla Samaraweera says true let him publish the names of the perpetrators.
Then of course one with a sense of intelligence could map out the pattern of behaviour of the armed forces.
Please note the Army also investigated itself and found no evidence of war crimes no crimes against humanity.
He wouldn’t name them as he has become part of the ruling establishment.
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Antany Peter / September 27, 2015
Same war, same crimes, and same accusations, but the resolution has nothing major against Sri Lankan government. Because China has been isolated. It is a victory for the West, but defeat for Asia. Tamil leaders are used and fooled by the West; but they are not smart enough to understand they have been used and fooled. Statements no 2, 15, 16, 21, 22 and 26 have been deleted from the amended draft resolution. This resolution is nothing but an eyewash for Tamil diaspora and TNA.
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sama / September 27, 2015
CT is mean to attack Mangala this way-
alone their choice of the picture for the article says everything.
Please CT- dont fall on to the same track of Groundviews. CT is the main platform that we used against Anti Raja and his broad day light crimes until 8th of January.
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Shrikharan / September 26, 2015
Quoting the Foreign Minister Mangala Samaraweera who said, ” a few in the military hierarchy was responsible for crimes and human rights violations during the war against the LTTE and by and large and overwhelming majority of the country’s security forces had behaved in a very humane and responsible manner”
Isn’t that what is called influencing the verdict. How did Mangala come to that conclusion without giving a chance to the inquiring body. Already the limits are drawn for the judges, and only a few could be found guilty if at all.
Don’t you think one should go with an open mind without any preconceived preferences and ideas. The fundamental flaw is when an interested party cannot sit in judgment of the case especially when one is either the accused or even the victim. Either party cannot be the judge at the same time when also being the accused or the victim. Such a provision is not acceptable in the teaching and practice of law.
It is better to wait without a hearing than have a mock trial humiliating the very respect of mankind.
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taraki / September 26, 2015
Excellent. They are preparing to through a few criminals to the wolves in exchange for an end to it all.
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Native Vedda / September 26, 2015
taraki
Thank Hindia and USA as I told you many moons ago Sri Lanka’s guardian angle is Hindia.
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Walt / September 28, 2015
yes as you predicted the inevitable has happened.
this is not the time of ww2 where the american with its marshall plan told the fallen empire what to do and how to do.
the Tamils failed to strengthen the hands of usa by woeing the hindians.
gtf catholic holds a visa ban too.
It seems the same old low down caste wars is bogging them in its first step to reconciliation with the hindians.
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Kumar R. / September 26, 2015
Mr. Samaraweera,
If you already knew that how come you remained silent all this time?
Why rush with such a pre-emptive conclusion now when you can just allow a fair and free investigation to dig out the truth?
The past regime’s idotic proclamations such as “zero-civilian casualty” and the back-boneless silence from the likes of you have completely eroded any credibility in SL state – so, plese take a deep breath and stay mum.
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Nirmala N / September 26, 2015
Well said Kumar R.
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curtis hellfire / September 26, 2015
Surely that is the whole point of holding an open and unbiased inquiry into what happened at the end of the War.
Nearly all of our service personnel conducted themselves to the highest standards. So when they read about atrocities being committed by a few, it must be so hard for them to bear.
The the vast majority of the good are being tarred by the barbaric acts of the few-the bad and the ugly.
It is not a witch-hunt of the entire Armed Forces but to root out the war criminals who held responsibility.
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Shrikharan / September 26, 2015
curtis hellfire
You are right. If it is only a few bad eggs in the military who had committed the atrocities, then why fear an International Inquiry and let them clear the majority of the military of any wrong doing. Any verdict arrived by a local set of judges who never had a reputation anyway with people like Sarath N Silva, Mohan Peiris being chief justice will never clear the ‘good name’ of the military!
It is going to be waste of time. It is very clear Mangala Samaraweera very well knows the truth and they have lots to hide and want to protect the criminals.
All previous inquiries were a mere sham only purpose was to clear the military. There are many eye witness accounts when military had taken away members of families informing they will be sent back home after a small inquiry, but never to return. Family members have never seen those taken away since. This did not happen at one location in the war areas but in many places. This is not an isolated incident. Other forms of crimes too took place. Ample video evidence is available. The families are still crying and weeping for their loved ones and what audacity for Mangala to come out with this rubbish that only a few were involved.
He must remember the victims are Sri Lankans and he is doing a great damage to the country by not protecting its own citizens any siding with the criminals. The holy task is to protect the innocent citizens and not the corrupt Military for their inhumane conduct. Mangala do not play gallery politics. Do the correct thing now and do not regret and repent later.
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Pacs / September 26, 2015
USA and world in total, approve mass killings of Tamils in past, present and in future. Any one can ritually perform torture , rape, killings and take all the belongings of the Tamils. That is not a crime but appreciated benevolent act.
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Walt / September 28, 2015
the hindians sowed the seed of arming you to play the game like the irish.
you shot the sherif for them…
logic without insight vis a vis is inhuman.
hindians multiply like super rats so they have no interest in the rights but what the war has left.
tamils never tried to woe them over again and its paying the price.
(the pauper bas**rds could easily be purchased and the world knows it.)
tamil leaders wrong people wrong place and just like the muslim.
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MR / September 26, 2015
Why should we have an enquiry when Mangala has given the judgement. Just punish a “few” and release them through the back door as J R did to the Naval personnel who attacked Rajiv Gandhi.
By the way who will be punished on the LTTE side? K.P is the money lender to the govt; Karuna is Vice President of SLFP; Pillayan was advisor to Mahinda. Not heard of Daya Master these days. So only two people I could find are Sampanthan and Abraham Sumanthiran. Tamils would not mind seeing them punished. This will make way to a Sinhalese to become an opposition leader as well. Come on Mangala hurry up!
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Piranha / September 26, 2015
If you already knew who committed war crimes why support the investigation? Arrest the bastar*s and take them to court. How do you know there were only a few? Who conducted the investigation and why wasn’t it made public?
The few he claims who committed the crimes surely includes those who had command responsibility such as Jagath Diad, Shavendra Silva who are now holding important higher positions in the military after being promoted by the new government of which Mangala is the Foreign Minister.
Don’t forget those politicians who gave the orders – Gota the barbarian and his thief in chief brother Mahinda,
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Pacs / September 26, 2015
“says that a few in the military hierarchy was responsible for crimes and human rights violations during the war against the LTTE”
each and every soldiers were involved in subjugating the tamils and committing crime against them. all those actively and passively supported it also commit crime , =all srilankans and world media have committed crime. It is a privilege for them. No one wants to look at the root causes.
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Peeranki / September 26, 2015
That photograph is very insulting to the minister. Looks very similar to something on the pavement scratching its ears to get rid of ticks.
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Jim softy / September 26, 2015
Dumb Politicians are just talking dumb.
Remember how he found $ 18 billion, $ 4 billion stashed away by Rajapakses, and he paid some millions to NGO guys find out that moeny, said, US would help to find that money.
Now, this time this.
First Mangala Samaraweera has to prove;
Who did Sri lankan army fight with ? Was it is a conventional army or a Terrorist group Who blew up every where and every one. Those days, he was living guarded by hundreds of the same soldiers of that army. So, he was safe.
Now, he comes and in order to protect his but, just jabbering here.
What dishonest thieves.
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Jim softy / September 26, 2015
In Sri lanka, any stupid child of a politician can become a legislator. They are screwing up the country.
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Native Vedda / September 27, 2015
Jim softy
“In Sri lanka, any stupid child of a politician can become a legislator. They are screwing up the country.”
Not exactly, blame should be placed squarely where it belongs:
Tamil tribes
Vellala
Indian Tamils
Tamil Diaspora
SJV Chelva
GGPonna, Kumar Ponna, Gajenran Ponna
Tamil Arasukkatchi (FP)
Amirathalingam
VP & LTTE
Sampandan
Sumanthiran
New born Tamil Baby
Pettah Tamil Mudalali
Thondaman
CV Wiggy
……
……….
Tamil Nadu Tamil Tribes
Vaiko
M Karunanithy
J Jayalalitha
…..
…..
USA
UK
Norway
Canada
….
….
Navipillai
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Jim softy / September 27, 2015
Native Vedda:
As every one is at fault, just shut up and stay away.
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Native Vedda / September 27, 2015
Jim softy
“As every one is at fault, just shut up and stay away.”
Is CT a Sinhala/Buddhist ghetto. I don’t think so. In fact you should increase the frequency of knocking the keyboard which hopefully confirm your idiosyncrasy beyond doubt.
By the way
Idiosyncrasy also means – an abnormal physical reaction by an individual to a food or drug. In your case the minorities.
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Jim softy / September 27, 2015
Is CT a Sinhala/Buddhist ghetto. I don’t think so. In fact you should increase the frequency of knocking the keyboard which hopefully confirm your idiosyncrasy beyond doubt. By the way Idiosyncrasy also means – an abnormal physical reaction by an individual to a food or drug. In your case the minorities.
NATIVE VEddha:
first learn English.
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Native Vedda / September 27, 2015
Jim softy
“NATIVE VEddha: first learn English.”
Yes please can you teach me.
I am planning to stay native.
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punchinilame / September 27, 2015
Are they? The very ex-Commander of the Army, now Field Marshall Fonseka welcomes an
invetigation for the sake of Justice – what better? (or has he also an axe to grind?) The Commonwealth legal luminaries may sit in judgement, including those from INDIA. Will Regulations be framed anew and can they be applied retrospectively?
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Jim softy / September 27, 2015
It looks in order to make these guys look good, they are trying to harass and victimize some fellows from forces.
These high way robbers never talk the truth.
It is the people from forces who went though all that mayhem. They simply were ready to sacrifice their lives in order to have the present situation. They had to face their colleges getting blown up into pieces and their families getting devastated.
These back bone less people want to forget the reality.
Now, they do what is called “kana pathe renawa”. Because, they want to justify killers and their supporters are right and those who saved them have done something wrong.
Why don’t you people become petite- thieves. People will respect, because, you people have to live too.
but, not this way.
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Jim softy / September 27, 2015
I have lot of respect for Cuban leaders. A small country just underneath the big bad wolf has the strength to fight for the freedom.
Sinhala rulers are all dikless.
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Native Vedda / September 27, 2015
Jim softy
Now Cuba has agreed to have close relation with USA.
“A small country just underneath the big bad wolf has the strength to fight for the freedom”
Yet unable to liberate its Guantanamo Bay from Uncle Sam. You should help Castro to chase the Yankees out of the bay by sending your gallant war criminals.
“Sinhala rulers are all dikless.”
So were the Castros.
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Jim softy / September 27, 2015
NAtive Veddha:
Now Cuba has agreed to have close relation with USA
I agree, You idiot journalists do not know what really going on is.
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Walt / September 28, 2015
cuba the people are enslaved while the family and relatives are free to murder loot ….. with the internet the people are aware like North Korea.
lanka sinhala government is like the Muslim mujaheddin or Taliban even today.
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Agnos / September 27, 2015
The UNHRC report says the crimes were systemic. That doesn’t fit Samaraweera’s claim. Systemic means it was so pervasive and institutionalized within the Army. That is why the UNHRC spoke about command responsibility.
But one has to cut Samaraweera some slack; he is a cabinet minister and is part of a political party that had a thin margin of victory; he has to say something in support of the SLA for his own survival. That he, with a constituency in the deep south (an area known for hardline Sinhalese nationalism) has been willing to go as far as this much, in itself is something that ought to be appreciated.
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Walt / September 28, 2015
“”Military In General Not Guilty Of War Crimes: Foreign Minister Managla Samaraweera””
War Crimes Lankan government of warlords need to be exposed by FBI.
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vishvajith / September 28, 2015
If the position is correct, then these people have brought the Nation and the Armed Forces to utter disrepute.
So, what to do now ? Investigate, take action ? If found guilty the courts can decide their punishment and then the President can give them a Pardon.
Worst, those convicted won’t be able to visit most countries, for they will have criminal convictions.
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