President Maithripala Sirisena’s cavalier statement that the top-brass of the previous government fled the country during the last days of war has unexpectedly implicated him in the war crimes issue.
Sirisena, while speaking to the Sri Lankan community on Thursday, said he gave orders to military forces during the last two weeks of war as former President Mahinda Rajapaksa, former Prime Minister Rathnasiri Wickremanayake, former Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa and former Army Commander Sarath Fonseka left the country due to ‘explosion fears’.
He said all of them left the country during the last two weeks as they sensed a plan by the LTTE to launch terrorist attacks on Colombo using light aircrafts operated from South India.
Sirisena pompously said it was him, as the acting Minister Defence back then, of who knew everything about what happened during the last days of war.
This statement has now implicated Sirisena in the war crimes controversy as serious questions still remain unanswered on atrocities committed by the armed forces during the last days of war during which scores of Tamil militants were killed.
Sri Lankan government, despite repeated assurances to the international community, has still failed to carry out a credible investigation into the allegations of war crimes and International humanitarian law violations.
Sirisena’s foolish bravado, has plunged himself to the centre of a controversy that that contributed to increased international pressure on the Sri Lankan government.
“As Sirisena has now implicated himself in the matter, he should be questioned on the atrocities committed against civilians and prisoners of war. His name should be added to the long list of possible perpetrators including Mahinda Rajapaksa, Gotabaya Rajapaksa, Sarath Fonseka and other brigade commanders who led the Army when they committed such atrocities ” a prominent human rights activist told Colombo Telegraph, commenting on the development.
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Gamarala / October 2, 2018
I think this guy has got possessed by the ghost of Premadasa!
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Sheriff / October 2, 2018
This is “dharma chakra” turning , The leaders are made according to the situation and era. We have had always a person to do the job. DS was doing a yeoman service to our agriculture he went looking for tanks and upgraded them for paddy cultivation, Premadasa gave the concept of roof over your head for every citizen, Chandrika was the first person to give media freedom in spite of she being ridiculed so cheaply. Then came the king and his team to flush out the terrorists, killing the big tiger and showing his half blown head to the world. Whilst robbing the state wealth. Then we have these empty talking set of Yahapalana, who aimlessly failed in their main task as promised and this was the very reason they were sent by the people and divinity. They failed the mission to recover the loot and jail the thieves, scavengers as promised to the people. You lot will have to now vacate before the election results are out. Masses hate you. What ever you try to start now will fall like a pack of cards. It’s very clear you all are ruining each other, by word and deed. Self destruction and it will happen. All of you will have to pay like in many Asian countries from South Korea ,Japan to Thailand, Philippines or Pakistan. So be prepared and start doing good without muttering muck.
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