Deputy Solicitor General briefs UN Human Rights Council:

NGO spreads falsehoods

Chamikara Weerasinghe

Deputy Solicitor General Yasantha Kodagoda on Monday dismissed International Educational Development official Karren Parker’ s statement regarding Sri Lanka at the 10 th session of the UN Human Rights Council as “completely false”.

Kodagoda said Parker’s presentation only supported lobbying by an internationally infamous and ruthless terrorist outfit like the LTTE.

Kodagoda told the Council in a Right of Reply exercised by Sri Lanka during the debate on human rights situation, that the spokesperson for International Educational Development has uttered complete falsehoods at the Council regarding the prevailing situation in Sri Lanka, as she has done in the past.

Kodagoda stated that Parker’s allusions that the situation in Sri Lanka is genocidal in nature is a total distortion of the actual ground situation. She was unfortunately backed by Franciscans International and Pax Romana.

Kodagoda also said, it is very clear as to why the LTTE and its lobby groups are attempting to distort the actual ground sitiuation and trying to mislead the the United Nations Human Rights Council and the international community.

He said UN Humanitarian Coordinator on Humanitarian Affairs Sir John Holmes has directly observed the situation and there is no genocidal situation in Sri Lanka.

“The Government is engaged in a legitimate military and humanitarian operation to liberate its people from the grip of LTTE terrorists,” Kodagoda said.

He said it is beyond proof that the LTTE have positioned themselves in the No Fire Zone.

They have installed military hardware such as artillery guns inside the Zone.

He told the Council he has visual proof that he would like to share with any interested delegate acting in good faith. “These will clearly show how the LTTE is attacking the Security Forces from No War Zone to have been declared by the Government,” he said.

He said over 50,000 civilians were held captive by the LTTE against their will. “They use them as human shields.

“Some have escaped and come to secured areas. They are treated and looked after by the security personnel and the Government”, he said.

Some of them have been killed by the terrorists as they tried to escape .

Sir John Holmes and the UNCHR have personally visited villages and sites where Internally Displaced Persons have been looked after by the Government.

”It is misleading to refer to such humanitarian facilities as detention camps,” he added.