President Maithripala Sirsisena is slated to chair an all party meeting on Thursday to seek political party leaders’ views on the setting up of a Hybrid court to carry out prosecutions on human rights violations during the war as proposed in the recent UN Human Rights Council resolution on Sri Lanka.
However, according to early indications a stormy session is on the cards with some political parties, especially the UPFA affiliated parties other than the SLFP which are backing former President Mahinda Rajapaksa opposing the move.
Invitations have been already sent to all the political parties which have representatives in parliament for the meeting, according to sources at the Presidential Secretariat. The meeting will take place at 5.00 pm.
The President is to discuss with political leaders on the parameters of the legal mechanism to be set up and the extent of the involvement of foreign judges, prosecutors, lawyers and investigators.
Prior to the above meeting the President will meet the Parliamentarians of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party to discuss the issue.
In addition the President will also seek the views of religious leaders and intellectuals on the matter.
The government in a joint resolution which was supported by the US at the recent 30th UNHRC sessions in Geneva undertook to investigate credible allegations of laws-of-war violations by both government forces and the LTTE.
These include unlawful killings, enforced disappearances, sexual and other gender-based violence, the forced recruitment of children, the unlawful targeting of civilian and other protected objects, unlawful deprivation of liberty, and the intentional denial of humanitarian assistance.
For this purpose the UN High Commissioner on Human Rights has proposed the creation of a “hybrid special court” “integrating international judges, prosecutors, lawyers and investigators” with an independent Sri Lankan investigative and prosecuting body, defense office, and witness and victims’ protection program.
Meanwhile the inaugural rally organized by the United Opposition against the proposed Hybrid mechanism to investigate the alleged war crimes is currently being held in Colombo.
National Freedom Front (NFF) leader Wimal Weerawansa, Pivithuru Hela Urumaya leader Udaya Gammanpila, Dinesh Gunawardena, Prof. Tissa Witharana, Vasudeva Nanayakkara, DEW Gunasekara, Prof. G.L Peiris, Tissa Attanayake are attending the meeting.
Piyasena / October 19, 2015
I need my friend’s permission to eat my own shit! THE JOKE OF THE MILLENIUM.
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Real Peace / October 20, 2015
Here we go! Co-sponsor a hybrid mechanism at the UNHCR and then come home and ask the opinion of the party leaders if this mechanism is ok!! Aney My3, o’ya pawoo neitha!!!
A pariah state in the making!!
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curtis hellfire / October 19, 2015
If it aint gonna please the international community and it turns out to be a traditional Sri Lankan whitewash.
Sanctions Sanction Sanctions.
The Country will become a hybrid Haiti, Somalia.
A venerable pariah state, where the only interaction with the outside world will be the the regular arrival of a rusty ship dropping rotten food parcels to the majority of the forlorn people still harbouring disgusting supremacist principles!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Unless our Chinese friends step in !!!!!!!!!!!!!
God forbid!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
We really haven’t literally got a leg to stand on !!!!!!!
Thank you SWRD your pipe smoking at Oxford University ruminating on what Lee Wan Kew termed Sinhalese Nativism has brought us a helluva long way.
God or Lord Buddha help us cos whoever knows we need it!!!!!!!!!!
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Burt / October 19, 2015
There is a time when you have to reach consensus and there is a time to show leadership. This is a time to show leadership. If there is to be a discussion in setting up the court it should be with the legal advisors not politicians. We are in this mess today because of the politicians, by co-sponsoring the resolution SL became an active party to the resolution and now talking to political leaders is not going to do anything by drag it on until the international community say enough is enough and go for sanctions.
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Patriot / October 20, 2015
How can a person without a backbone show leadership?
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Shamil / October 20, 2015
Patriot, If a person has noble attitudes the world see him as backboneless. Thats the way the world is working. We know how MR, GR and their followers had backbones. Because of their backbone there were genocide, killings and rapes etc etc. When NR got backbone he could only get into ladies school and showed his backbone. This is the way backbone is working in SL.
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Patriot / October 20, 2015
Is gutlessness is a noble attitude?
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justice / October 20, 2015
This whole exercise of ‘opinion-getting’ is to prevent the armed forces personnel being named by this ‘hybrid court’.
The armed forces are/have been ‘sacred cows’ of all governments and have been deified so much that, any criticism – let alone naming in any court, is like committing sacrilege.
Meanwhile, citizens continue to live under the jackboot of the military in the northeast.
It is reported that when police arrested army personnel in civvies who had been robbing metal supports of hoardings in the north, army personnel in uniform had surrounded the group of police and those arrested, demanding their release.
Finally, after police managed to produce them in court, they had been freed on bail, unlike what may have happened had civilians been the accused.
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K.A Sumanasekera / October 20, 2015
Can Bodhi Sira bend our Constitution to make room for imported Judges,Prosecutors, and Expert witnesses?.
Isn’t it obvious these Westerners are coming to find our brave Armed Forces guilty of eliminating Mr Pirahaparan and his mighty Soldiers.
Will these Westerners get dual Citizenship?.
Because poor Geetha can’t sit in her own country’s parliament, let alone on the High Court Bench, because she has become a citizen of Switzerland…
Will they learn our official language Sinhalese, because even our Commanders will struggle to work out what goes on among these imported Judges, Prosecutors and the Witnesses. when they sort out whether the decommissioned Officers will be spending their retirement in Bogambara or Botswana….
Did they mention the recruitment of Child Soldiers or did I read incorrect.
If they did,, will the Mentor and aunty of the Tamil Tiger Girl Soldiers appear at least an an Expert Witness?….
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Native Vedda / October 20, 2015
KASmaalam K.A Sumanasekera
“Can Bodhi Sira bend our Constitution to make room for imported Judges,Prosecutors, and Expert witnesses?.”
When you want quality product and services, what do you do? Do you manufacture them?
Motor vehicles, computers, arms, planes, fighter jets, toilet papers, ….. – imported.
Technical know how, consultants, …. mega city, port city, airports built with foreign design and consultancies.
Whats wrong with importing quality lawyers, judges, prosecutors, … ?
PS
Kasmaalam – Synonymous with “idiot”(the idiot being a litote).
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K.A Sumanasekera / October 20, 2015
Dear Native,
I know, your new idol Batalanada Ranil also seem to think like you.
But he only imports gone past the use by date American Wheat Flour .
to feed the Dalits ,
And get them fit to do assembly jobs for Germans.
BTW ,can you tell us the growth rates in Employment,and GDP and the Per Capita income , since Batalanda Ranil got control of our independent Nation…
Just give us figures for the same period last year, so that your Elite,and Anglican mates can see how Yahalanaya is delivering them the goods.
Vellalas of course couldn’t give a crap about those figures.
Because once Sambandan gets his Eelaam from the Hybrid Court,your ex Tiger mates will be shipping container loads of Canadian , Pommy and Norwegian Dosh to make the Dalits in the North richer than the Elite in Wellala Gardens.
See how clever your Vellala mate, Sambandan is.
He is even outsourcing the Opposition duties from the JVP….
And paying the JVP Leader good Santhosams like Mercs,,for his excellent performance. .
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Native Vedda / October 21, 2015
KASmaalam K.A Sumanasekera
“BTW ,can you tell us the growth rates in Employment,and GDP and the Per Capita income , since Batalanda Ranil got control of our independent Nation…”
Please direct all your economic related queries to “ramona mother therese fernando” who is fluent in Economics as you are in finance.
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Ranil Wijeyesekera / October 20, 2015
Government JVP and IPKF missing in action.RIP.
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Sensible Citizen / October 20, 2015
Winning the war is one thing but the excesses committed are not in the interest of the fellow Srilankans. We punish our children for the wrong. We need to grow up and have the courage to say wrong is wrong.
If it means a sacrificial lamb, lets be realistic and practical in building a better Srilanka for all its citizens. More debates we have on this worse for the targeted culprits.
We had enough politics, lets find the way to end this stalemate and move on. However we need to balance good with bad find a way to help the culprits admit the mistakes, apologize and get a concessionary verdict within the legal boundaries. No one is above the law. Any one promoting bias within the legal context will regret big in the long run. We witnessed with our own eyes what happened in the north against the tamil civilians gradually diffusing in the south against political opponents or any one who disagreed with the mafia.
At the end it is up to all Srilankans to determine the right path and live with the consequences. My only encouragement for all fellow citizens is to imagine the worst case scenario on the choices and determine the better of two evils. It is important to be vocal as much as possible once you make the decision.
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D.Nimal / October 21, 2015
President M. Sirisena has study UN so-called report of “human right and war crime” by himself.
Before you seek other consultations, deliberation and consensuses with other that you have to have own POLITICAL TASK FORCE search many sides repercussions on survival of state of Sri lanka.
This is prime duty and accountability as President of an Island, has been elected by majority voters 2015 January 9th. You have to know that the gravity of survival of democratic governance of the country.
This proposed of Unauthorized and unmandated that by UN human Rights reports will be ultimately lead to dissolution of Sri lankan nation by US agenda of created New Eealm regime.
It is obvious fact that UNP-Ranil W… has different political road map with US political dominations in Our Island. Are working with similar and identical agenda with UNP-RW and CBK ?
This type of politics is not working 21st century —– democracy.
We want long term political decisions to land of Sri lanka.
That is your accountability of politics. There is simple fact that your power drive from people choice of votes–Democracy , NOT FROM US power of hegemonies.
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Vanguard / October 21, 2015
There is nothing wrong with obtaining views of all parties. Some Sri Lankans are so afraid of talking to the opposition. Afraid of democracy.
Talking does not mean doing what they want. It is what the international community wants that matters, right?
Mr President, excellent move. You are answering to the people of Sri Lanka as well as the larger international community. A difficult task. Listen to your advisers!
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vis8 / October 21, 2015
Too little, too late, noh? The ‘resolution’ has already been signed. Mr. Sirisena is now being made a scapegoat by the two who blundered: RW and gon Samaraweera. In their haste to send MR to the gallows, and to kiss up to the west, these two did not even read the ‘resolution’ before agreeing to and signing it.
What ‘far-sighted’ leaders we have :) :- They are blinded by hate.
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