… raises issue of ‘God Fathers of terrorism’
March 31, 2013, 9:41 pmby Shamindra Ferdinando
Swarna Hansa Foundation has alleged that the appointment of Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC) was a grave mistake on the part of President Mahinda Rajapaksa.
Gallege Punyawardana told The Island that in the absence of a clear mandate, the LLRC headed by former Attorney General C. R. de Silva had failed to examine the accountability of India in forming several terrorist groups, including the LTTE in the 1980s.
Referring to a hard hitting Indian statement at the recently concluded United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) in Geneva, Punyawardana emphasized the Sri Lankan government should have reminded India of what he called its despicable role here. Western powers tend to push for UN sanctions against those countries accused of allegedly promoting terrorism, whereas India, in spite of causing massive loss of lives in Sri Lanka due to its actions, continued to push for accountability on the part of Sri Lanka’s political and military leadership.
The Swarna Hansa activist expressed surprise that none of the Indian political parties had raised the issue of India losing over 1,500 jawans fighting a group trained, armed and financed by successive Indian governments. Unfortunately, the Sri Lankan government and the LLRC had pathetically failed to present facts in correct perspective, Punyawardana said.
Making a scathing statement, Indian envoy in Geneva Dilip Sinha declared before voting for the US resolution: "We call for effective and timely implementation of all the constructive recommendations contained in the LLRC report, including those pertaining to missing persons, detainees, disappearances and abductions, reduction of ‘high security zones’, return of private lands by the military and withdrawal of security forces from the civilian domain in the Northern Province. We reiterate our call for an independent and credible investigation into allegations of human rights violations and loss of civilian lives. We urge Sri Lanka to take forward measures to ensure accountability. We expect these measures to be to the satisfaction of the international community."
Punyawardana said that god fathers of terrorism were asking for explanation from a country, which suffered for over three decades due to their actions.
Accountability hadn’t been an issue as long as the LTTE retained a conventional military capability, Punyawardana said, alleging those around President Rajapaksa prevented him from taking a sensible decision with regard to post-war inquiry. Had the LLRC been empowered to investigate god fathers of terrorism, even India would have had to cooperate with the inquiry, Punyawardana said. Could there be anything as illogical as investigating the final few weeks of a 30-year war, Punyawardana asked, while urging Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa to take tangible action in consultation with President Rajapaksa to break the siege on Sri Lanka.
Punyawardana recalled Swarna Hansa Foundation writing to President Rajapaksa immediately after the conclusion of the conflict in May 2009 calling for the appointment of a commission to inquire into the role played by India and other international players in terrorism here.
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