Dissolve panel, say MPs

Forty four MPs yesterday urged United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon to dissolve the panel of experts appointed to advice on issues alleged to have taken place towards the end of the conflict in Sri Lanka.

The MPs in a letter said: “We, the undersigned Parliamentarians of Sri Lanka, wish to raise the following issues with you with a view to impress on you that violation of the sovereignty of our country by the action you have taken on the above matter.

The Government of Sri Lanka had already taken initiative to look at the identical matter which you addressed by appointing the Lessons Learnt and reconciliation Commission.

In these circumstances, we are concerned to know why you have appointed such a panel of Advisors.

The publicity given to the appointment of this Panel internationally is obviously disproportionate to the functions they are mandated to carry out.

In the light of the foregoing, in combination with your inaction in other similar instances gives us the unavoidable impression that you by this action have used your office to put Sri Lanka on the dock internationally.

It is also to be noted that you haven’t received even an indication from the principal bodies of the UN to initiate this move, viz Security Council, Human Rights Council and the General Assembly.

Therefore, we request you to dissolve this panel you have appointed unwarrentedly.” The signatories are Vasudeva Nanayakkara, AHM Azwer, Mohan P de Silva, Achala Jagoda, Romesh Pathirana, T Ranjith de Zoyza, DSB Amunugama, Hemal Gunasekara, Roshan Ranasinghe, Duleep Wijesekera, Tharanath Basnayaka, Kanake Herath, Neranjan Wickramasinghe, Wijaya Dahanayake, Ven. Ellawala Medhananda Thera, Janaka Bandara, Chandima Weerakkody, Silvastri Alantin, Sudarshini Fernandopulle, YG Padmasiri, Sajin de Vass Gunawardena, Sriyani Wijewickrama, Malani Fonseka, Vidura Wickramanayaka, Hunais Farook, Ruwan Ranatunga, Kamala Ranatunga, Nishantha Muthuhettigamage, JRP Suriyapperuma, Arunaike Fernando, GYAC Pushpa Kumara, Shantha Bandara, Wasantha Samarasinghe, R Duminda Silva, Sarath Weerasekara, Eric Weerawardhana, Shehan Semasinghe, Chamika Buddhadasa, Vijitha Berugoda, S.C. Mutukumarana, VADL Wasantha Perera and Navin Dissanayake.