By Shamindra Ferdinando
The Joint Opposition (JO) yesterday said that it had received an assurance from President Maithripala Sirisena that the controversial International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearances Bill wouldn’t be taken up for debate on Thursday (21)
The Bill is to give effect to the ‘International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance’, to which Sri Lanka became a signatory on Dec. 10, 2015.
Addressing the media at a temple at Punchi Borella, JO spokesman Bandula Gunawardena said a delegation led by their parliamentary group leader Dinesh Gunawardena had made representations to President Sirisena on Saturday night. MP Gunawardena appreciated President Sirisena’s promise not to take up the Bill that had been listed for debate.
Gunawardena said the JO had sought an emergency meeting with President Sirisena on the instructions of wartime President Mahinda Rajapaksa.
The JO delegation comprised Dinesh Gunawardena, Bandula Gunawardena, Dallus Alahapperuma, Prof. Tissa Vitahrana and Jayantha Samaraweera.
Former External Affairs Minister Prof. G.L. Peiris told The Island that the government was bending backwards to appease a section of the international community at the expense of national interest. Referring to the discussion, the JO had with President Sirisena on Saturday night, Prof. Peiris emphasized that the government adoption of the enforced disappearances bill would result in international intervention here.
Prof. Peiris strongly disputed Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe’s recent declaration that the proposed bill wouldn’t apply to past incidents and was meant to inquire into future violations.
The internationally distinguished former Law Professor said that the recent operationalization of the OMP and the move to adopt International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearances Bill should be examined against the backdrop of UN human rights chief Prince Zeid bin Ra’ad warning of universal jurisdiction in case of Sri Lanka failed to implement Geneva Resolution 30/1.
Prof. Peiris warned of dire consequences if the government adopted the disappearances bill in accordance with Geneva Resolution 30/1. The former minister pointed out that Section 8 of the proposed bill would make it mandatory for Sri Lanka to hand over those who had been wanted overseas in respect of allegations received by foreign bodies.
Prof. Peiris pointed out that an armed forces officer against whom accusations had been made in respect of accountability issues couldn’t even enjoy the right extended to Arjun Aloysius not to give evidence before Presidential Commission of Inquiry (CoI) probing Central Bank bond scams as the OMP would be set up outside the local law.
Courtesy:The Island