Lasantha Wickrematunga

Mr. Lal Wickramatunga, has handed over through a friend living in the UK, a written complaint to the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Ms. Navaneethan Pillay, that the former army commander, Mr. Sarath Fonseka should be held responsible for the assassination of his brother, the formereditor of ‘ Sunday Leader ‘Mr Lasantha Wikramatunga.

Mr. Lal Wikramatunga was speaking to the ‘The Independent’(LK).

Mr Wikramatunga said he had communicated to the UN High Commissioner that President Mahinda Rajapaksa had informed him on three occasions that the former army commander was connected with the assassination of his brother.

Mr. Lasantha Wikramatunga was assassinated on January 08th by an unidentified group of assailants and although four years have elapsed, no arrests have be been made thus far.

In response to a query from ‘ The Independent’(LK) regarding these allegations, the former army commander, Mr. Sarath Fonseka said ‘ it was indeed a serious charge that has been leveled against me… If I was in any way responsible for this, it is rather disturbing as to why the Minister of Defence of this country, and the Secretary Defense, remained silent on this issue not initiate an inquiry for four years’?

‘ To initiate a Criminal inquiry, surely all the pertinent institutions are not under my control. It is under the Minister of Defense who accuses me and says I am responsible and points a finger at me. Similarly the Secretary of Defense is his own brother. Thus the entire authority and responsibility to conduct an investigation, lies with them.

If while petitioning the UN regarding his brother’s assassination, he cannot understand, why Mr. Wickrmatunga cannot publicly demand from the same person who gave him such information, to conduct a complete investigation on this issue says the former army commander.

COURTESY: THE INDEPENDENT.LK