![\"Chief](\"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/JohnAmaratunga.jpg\")
<\/a>Chief Opposition Whip, UNP MP John Amaratunga<\/p><\/div>\n
\u201cThe UNP was compelled to abstain from participating in the vote today due to the government\u2019s non-acceptance of amendments suggested by the UNP that would have helped preserve Sri Lanka\u2019s sovereignty,\u201d Chief Opposition Whip, UNP MP John Amaratunga said.<\/p>\n
MP Amaratunga in his statement listed out the suggestions made by the UNP to which includes annulling the joint statement issued by President Mahinda Rajapaksa and UN Secretary-General Ban Ki Moon on May 23 2009, effective implementation of the LLRC action plan, re-implementation of the 17th Amendment provisions, the inclusion of Latimer House principles to the constitution and the implementation of mechanisms that would assure the right to information.<\/p>\n
\u201cUnfortunately, all of these suggestions were rejected by the government,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
He stated that the UNP is strictly against any international intervention on the country\u2019s domestic processes irrelevant of political affiliations, but added such threats can only be avoided if democracy, human rights, rule of law and judicial independence is upheld in the country.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe rejection of our proposals has made it evident that the government is not ready for such a transformation,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
While describing the vote taken up today on the OHCHR probe as a feeble attempt by the government to accomplish their underhand motives through a few backbench MPs, he said that despite the government\u2019s pledges to uphold sovereignty, it was the joint statement issued by the President and UN Secretary-General Ban Ki Moon that paved way to call for an international inquiry into Sri Lanka.<\/p>\n
\u201cDespite our repeated advises to the President to reject the clause that welcomed an investigation into the war, the President proceeded with the joint statement \u2013 a fact that has been pointed out by UPFA MP Rajiva Wijesinghe himself,\u201d he said while describing the 2009 joint statement as the \u2018gravest betrayal of Sri Lanka\u2019 since the Kandyan Convention of 1815.<\/p>\n
MP Amaratunga went on to state the UNP is however not surprised at this \u2018betrayal\u2019 since it is the incumbent President, who made a complaint before the UNHRC against the then-UNP government while pledging to go before any\u00a0 international organization to uphold human rights, as an Opposition MP in 1990.<\/p>\n
He pointed out the Government blunders did not stop there but were continued, with the persistent engagement with UN processes to probe the conflict in Sri Lanka through the sponsorship and approval of UNHRC resolution S-11\/1 and cooperating with the UNSG\u2019s Panel of Experts led by Masuki Darusman that probed alleged human rights violations and international humanitarian law during the conflict in country.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was these doors that the government swung wide open to the UN that has now been exploited to pave way for the UNHRC resolution that mandated the OHCHR probe against Sri Lanka in March,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Speaking further he said that Sri Lanka doesn\u2019t need an international investigation to solve human rights issues in the country.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere was a strong in place in Sri Lanka to protect Human Rights and we believe this probe can be evaded if that mechanism is revived,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n
Following a two-day debate on the mandated OHCHR probe on alleged violations of human rights and international humanitarian law in Sri Lanka, a vote was taken up in Parliament this afternoon. The motion was signed by nine UPFA members to which includes Achala Jagoda, Malini Fonseka, Janaka Bandara, Udith Lokubandara, Shantha Bandara, J.R.P. Suriyapperuma, Nimal Wijesinghe, R. Duminda Silva and A.H.M.Azwer was presented by UPFA MP Janaka Bandara in Parliament. It was seconded by UPFA MP A.H.M.Azwer.<\/p>\n
Amendment moved by Mangala Samaraaweera in Parliament today<\/h1>\n
Rejecting an international investigation can only be done acceptably if there is a credible domestic mechanism : credible and independent democratic institutions must be restored to address the issues of accountability as a matter of national urgency.<\/p>\n
It is in this context the UNP is moving the following amendment to resolution No.P.212\/14 of 13th June 2014.<\/p>\n
” The house regrets that the government failed to consult Parliament prior to<\/p>\n
- \n
- Issuing a joint communique with the Secretary General of the United Nations on 23rd May 2009.<\/li>\n
- Jointly sponsoring a reseloution at the UNHRC bearing No.S 11\/1 in May 2009 and the matters agreed upon and<\/li>\n
- Making written submissions to the Darusman panel.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
And the Parliament calls upon the government to:<\/p>\n
- \n
- Bring the relevant bills to before the house within two months;<\/li>\n
- Fully implement the totality of the LLRC recommendations.<\/li>\n
- Revive the provisions of the 17th amendment to the constitution.<\/li>\n
- Incorporate Latimer House Principles as an integral part of the constitution and<\/li>\n
- Make provisions for the freedom of information.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
[…]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":22,"featured_media":126278,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[3,1,2375],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-126277","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-colombotelegraph","category-news","category-stories"],"yoast_head":"\n
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