GL to diplomatic community on Darusman Report:

Allegations presented as a narrative

External Affairs Minister Prof G L Peiris yesterday noted that the allegations in the Darusman Report are presented as a narrative account of events during the last stages of the Humanitarian Operation, instead of under their legal classification.

The events are therefore recounted as a true “horror story” aimed at rousing emotion and causing revulsion and contempt.

The minister was briefing the diplomatic community on the Darusman Report.

He said the government does not consider the Darusman report as a UN document, as it has not been mandated by any inter-governmental or multi-lateral forum. The document is a product of a personal initiative taken by the Secretary General.

Furthermore the mandate of the panel is purely advisory in nature, as stated in its terms of reference.

The minister stated that the government questions the fundamental legal basis of the conclusions arrived by the Panel. The report itself states that it is not a fact finding or an investigative body. Notwithstanding this, the Panel comes to the preposterous conclusion that violations of international humanitarian law have occured in Sri Lanka and the “credible” evidence of violations is available to them.

Minister Peiris noted that the Darusman Panel on its own accord, expands its mandate to compile what amounts to their unique and flawed version of the contemporary socio-political history of Sri Lanka. The entire conflict of the LTTE is erroneously and dangerously characterized as a “struggle for existence of the Sinhalese and Tamil people.

This creates no doubt as to the panel’s ultimate intentions, particularly when the Panel proceeds to characterize the LTTE as “the most disciplined and most nationalist of the Tamil militant groups.”