{"id":43323,"date":"2015-10-01T19:45:21","date_gmt":"2015-10-01T23:45:21","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/dbsjeyaraj.com\/dbsj\/?p=43323"},"modified":"2015-10-01T19:46:45","modified_gmt":"2015-10-01T23:46:45","slug":"alleged-failures-of-rajapaksa-regime-to-address-accountability-issues-does-not-justify-external-intervention-via-hybrid-courts","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dbsjeyaraj.com\/dbsj\/?p=43323","title":{"rendered":"Alleged Failures of Rajapaksa Regime to Address Accountability Issues does not Justify External Intervention via Hybrid Courts"},"content":{"rendered":"

By Shamindra Ferdinando<\/strong><\/p>\n

Pivithuru Hela Urumaya Leader Udaya Gammanpila yesterday said that failures and shortcomings on the part of the previous government in handling accountability issues was not the reason for external intervention by way of a hybrid court to inquire into alleged atrocities committed during the conflict.<\/p>\n

The military had brought the war to a successful conclusion in May 2009 and since then, the US had moved three resolutions at the Geneva-based United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) beginning 2012 finally leading to an external investigation last year, he said.<\/p>\n

Parliamentarian Gammanpila claimed that the previous government turned a blind eye to the looming threat though the likes of him repeatedly urged the powers that be to change the direction of the SLFP-led UPFA coalition.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

The former JHU heavyweight was responding to a query by The Island whether those who were still faithful to former President Mahinda Rajapaksa sought remedial measures in the wake of a section of the international community pushing for war crimes probe here. The Island also queried from the MP whether he had ever proposed any remedial measures to overcome the challenges faced by the country.<\/p>\n

Gammanpila emphasized that the on-going efforts to intervene here shouldn\u2019t be justified or accepted under any circumstance.<\/p>\n

The Sinhala nationalist accused the Maithripala Sirisena-Wickremesinghe government of giving into Western pressure at the Geneva-based United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC), thereby acting contrary to national interests.<\/p>\n

Gammanpila switched allegiance to the then President Mahinda Rajapaksa in the run-up to the January 8, 2015 presidential polls. Subsequently, Gammanpila entered parliament having successfully contested the Colombo District on the UPFA ticket at the August 17, 2015 parliamentary polls.<\/p>\n

Responding to another query by The Island, MP Gammanpila asserted that the new administration shouldn\u2019t have succumbed to Western pressure as Sri Lanka could have always had the Chinese and Russian backing at the Security Council to thwart Western intervention or punitive economic sanctions. The MP side-stepped a question as regards the US and its close allies resorting to unilateral action regardless of strong opposition from China and Russia on a number of occasions.<\/p>\n

The MP said that the Geneva body lacked the power to act against countries. The MP compared the Geneva handling issues pertaining to Israel with that of Sri Lanka. The attorney-at-law said that Geneva had never taken Israel or the US to task for a range of human rights violations committed over a period of time.<\/p>\n

Asked to clarify its position regarding war crimes probing mechanism, MP Gammanpila strongly countered UN assertion that the local judiciary lacked the capacity to investigate war crimes. Citing several instances of successive governments moving court against military personnel accused of atrocities committed during the JVP led insurgencies as well as the northern war; Gammanpila insisted that local judiciary could handle the task.<\/p>\n

He alleged that Western powers and the Maithripala Sirisena-Wickremesinghe government were working closely to establish a federal state encompassing Northern and Eastern districts. The MP predicted that they would even exploit the plight of disabled security forces personnel to propagate their agenda by threatening that those who had risked their lives in the battle against the LTTE would face war crimes charges unless the government and the Opposition accepted a federal state.<\/p>\n

The UPFA MP claimed that the government was planning to bring family members of serving, retired and wounded military personnel before the media soon to cause a major outcry. Gammanpila said that the on-going project to link the accountability issues with proposed devolution of powers to the regions should be opposed. The MP warned of dire consequences unless the masses rallied around them to thwart Western designs meant to divide the country on ethnic lines.<\/p>\n

Courtesy:The Island<\/em><\/p>\n

Tweet<\/a><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By Shamindra Ferdinando Pivithuru Hela Urumaya Leader Udaya Gammanpila yesterday said that failures and shortcomings on the part of the previous government in handling accountability issues was not the reason for external intervention by way of a hybrid court to inquire into alleged atrocities committed during the conflict. The military had brought the war to …<\/p>\n

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