Thursday, October 20, 2011
Wednesday, October 19, 2011
Sri Lankan president under investigation !
Thisara Samarasinghe, who was a commander in the Sri Lankan navy during the conflict which ended in 2009, said the report now in the hands of the Australian Federal Police would not harm relations between the countries.
But quoted in the Sydney Morning Herald, the high commissioner (ambassador) asked: “For whose purpose are they doing this? Are the poor Tamil people in the north (of Sri Lanka) getting any benefit from this?
“I don’t know what the agenda of these people is. These types of things give oxygen to people who have a vested interest.”
The dossier, prepared by the International Commission of Jurists’ Australian chapter, contains testimony from Sri Lankans now living in Australia that they were attacked by government forces during the war.
The body said the evidence was initially collected for an independent war crimes tribunal but it was passed onto the Australian Federal Police because one had not been established.
Australia can prosecute serious war crimes offences, where Australia has custody of a person and where immunity does not apply, according to the ICJ.
The dossier comes as Australia prepares to host a Commonwealth leaders’ summit later this month which Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapakse is expected to attend.
Sri Lanka has persistently denied that its troops committed any war crimes while battling the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, who were crushed in an offensive that ended in May 2009, bringing the 26-year conflict to a close.
Sri Lankan president under investigation !
Thisara Samarasinghe, who was a commander in the Sri Lankan navy during the conflict which ended in 2009, said the report now in the hands of the Australian Federal Police would not harm relations between the countries.
But quoted in the Sydney Morning Herald, the high commissioner (ambassador) asked: “For whose purpose are they doing this? Are the poor Tamil people in the north (of Sri Lanka) getting any benefit from this?
“I don’t know what the agenda of these people is. These types of things give oxygen to people who have a vested interest.”
The dossier, prepared by the International Commission of Jurists’ Australian chapter, contains testimony from Sri Lankans now living in Australia that they were attacked by government forces during the war.
The body said the evidence was initially collected for an independent war crimes tribunal but it was passed onto the Australian Federal Police because one had not been established.
Australia can prosecute serious war crimes offences, where Australia has custody of a person and where immunity does not apply, according to the ICJ.
The dossier comes as Australia prepares to host a Commonwealth leaders’ summit later this month which Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapakse is expected to attend.
Sri Lanka has persistently denied that its troops committed any war crimes while battling the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, who were crushed in an offensive that ended in May 2009, bringing the 26-year conflict to a close.
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
United States government had invited a Tamil political party
The Tamil delegation has also reportedly planned to meet with US Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs Robert Blake, who visited Sri Lanka and met with the TNA last month. During his visit Blake reiterated the “need for a credible process of accountability” and expressed concern about human rights and paramilitary forces on the island.
Reported to be discussed during the meetings with the US officials is the issue of the TNA’s talks with the government, which were stalled after government officials were reported to be too busy with campaigning for local elections.
Suresh Premachandran of the TNA said,
“We are disappointed that the talks are getting delayed.”
“They (government) postponed the talks after a date had been set but they have not yet given us a new date so we are still waiting,”
Premachandran also stated that this was the first time that the United States government had invited a Tamil political party from Sri Lanka to visit Washington for talks.
United States government had invited a Tamil political party
The Tamil delegation has also reportedly planned to meet with US Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs Robert Blake, who visited Sri Lanka and met with the TNA last month. During his visit Blake reiterated the “need for a credible process of accountability” and expressed concern about human rights and paramilitary forces on the island.
Reported to be discussed during the meetings with the US officials is the issue of the TNA’s talks with the government, which were stalled after government officials were reported to be too busy with campaigning for local elections.
Suresh Premachandran of the TNA said,
“We are disappointed that the talks are getting delayed.”
“They (government) postponed the talks after a date had been set but they have not yet given us a new date so we are still waiting,”
Premachandran also stated that this was the first time that the United States government had invited a Tamil political party from Sri Lanka to visit Washington for talks.
