War crimes allegations based on lies - Attorney-at-law
Chaminda Perera
Senior Attorney-at-law S L Gunasekera yesterday said the allegations
of war crimes in the final days of the war on terrorism are completely
based on lies. He said that being a soldier does not have lesser rights
than civilians. Gunasekera added that the Government risked soldiers’
lives by allowing them to enter small pockets of land where civilians
and LTTE leaders were trapped in the final stages of the war on
terrorism.
S L Gunasekera |
He added that the Government had been left with three options at the
later stage of war where the civilians and the LTTE cadres were trapped
to small areas on the banks of Nandikadal lagoon.
Gunasekera said the Government could have bombarded and destroyed
civilians and the terrorists and the war at large would have been ended
within few days. He said the Government never adopted such an option.
Gunasekera was of the view that the Government would have come to an
agreement with the LTTE in the form of a CFA and given them a chance to
regroup and strengthen them militarily. He said that the Government did
not do that too.
He said the Government adopted the final option to enter the narrow
strip of land where the LTTE and the civilians were trapped through
landmines and booby traps.
Gunasekera was of the opinion that the video clip telecast by Channel
04 is a canard. This video clip depicts two men in military attire
shooting naked men. He added that there is no evidence to prove the
victims’ identity.
Gunasekera opined that the LTTE had a very comprehensive propaganda
campaign against the government and the country.
He opined that the Government’s propaganda campaign was weak and the
State policy on the LTTE was mainly dependent on the Government in
power.
He said Governments tagged the LTTE as terrorists during the time the
Government is engaged in military offensives against the Organisation.
“The LTTE terrorists were branded as friends when they are in talks
with the Government,” he added. Gunasekera scoffed at the views of
Bernard Gunatilake who gave evidence to the effect that the CFA caused
factions in the foundation of the LTTE.
Gunasekera added that the LTTE continued kidnapping children from the
East.
He opined that these were several reasons that led to the fraction of
the LTTE breaking away.
Gunasekera stressed that every inch of land in the country belongs to
the people of the country equally and there cannot be “Sinhalese” lands
and “Tamil” lands.
He stressed that the PR system does not represent the wishes of the
people at large. Gunasekera proposed an administrative system based on
village committees. He was of the view that people in the villages
should be given pride of place.
He said the political influence has caused crisis in the diplomatic
service. “Embassies are dumping grounds of unwanted people,” he said.
Gunasekera added that there is no inter communal disharmony. “I do
not think that there is much inter communal conflict in Sri Lanka. There
may be discord within the community we need an intra community
reconciliation today,” he added.
Asked by the Commission Chairman C R De Silva PC whether he accepts
former Minister Colvin R de Silva’s opinion “One country two languages
and two countries with one language’ Gunasekera said he cannot accept
that. |