Hybrid court, only one way traffic – Wimal

The hybrid court proposed by the UNHRC targets only one party though the report accuses both the government and the LTTE, National Freedom Front Leader MP Wimal Weerawansa said.

Addressing the media at the party headquarters yesterday, Weerawansa said that the notion of a hybrid court is an insult to court and soldiers who fought for the country’s freedom.

Weerawansa said that it was stated that the UN report on Sri Lanka has identified violations in Sri Lanka between 2002 and 2011, strongly indicating the war crimes and crimes against humanity that were most likely committed by both sides to the conflict.

Though it has been mentioned as both sides, only one side will be entitled to answer as the other side does not exist today. The prominent figures of the LTTE are not alive.

The only allegation against the LTTE is getting children to commit war crimes. That allegation is also made against Karuna Amman, who in a way contributed to the victory of the nation. Therefore the investigation will not include the two parties and only one party will be answerable to all the war crimes charges, he added.

“The era in which we were under the foreigners are gone. In the name of the Hybrid court the present government is trying to bring disgrace to the country. It will be another branch of the UNHRC in Sri Lanka. It will be a part of the international courts and decisions pertaining to the investigation will be taken according to their conventions”, he noted.

Weerawansa said the report states that there are significant shortcomings in Sri Lanka’s implementation of international human rights conventions. The investigation will not be on human rights, but a criminal inquiry .

“The allegations are made against the individuals who saved the country from the 30 year war. The people encouraged the government and the Tri Forces to end the war and today the soldiers who ended it have become the crime doers in the eyes of the international communities. The Tamils who suffered at the hands of LTTE will not provide evidence against the LTTE. The public should insist their representatives in Parliament to stand against the international propaganda irrespective of the prevailing party disputes,” he added.

He said Foreign Minister Mangala Samaraweera called for a new Constitution to help resolve the ethnic conflict, which was not included in their election mandate. It was also stated that a South Africa style Commission will be established to provide remedies to victims and to track down missing people.