Rajapaksa denies Army killed Balachandran
Submitted by Walter Jayawardhana
Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa has denied that the Army killed LTTE chief Prabakaran’s 12-year-old son Balachandran.
“Had it happened, I would have known [it]. It is obvious that if somebody [from the armed forces] had done that, I must take responsibility. We completely deny it. It can’t be,” he told The Hindu in an exclusive interview.
On new evidence of wrongdoing in the final stages of the war in 2009, collated by international organisations and media outlets, he said that putting out such reports and videos was their job. “We must not merely look at one side. They must not merely listen to one group and the Opposition [in Sri Lanka]. So they [the Opposition] are trying to get the support of other countries to create an ‘Arab Spring’ here. That won’t happen in Sri Lanka.”
Provincial elections
Asked whether he would hold the Northern provincial elections in September, as he had told this newspaper, Mr. Rajapaksa said: “Yes, we will hold [the poll] in September. That’s why we have postponed the other [provincial] elections too. I did not want to face the criticism that I was doing it only because I had no intention of holding the Northern provincial elections.” The North would have powers which are “not more, not less” than those enjoyed by the eight other provinces.
On the coming U.S.-sponsored resolution at the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC), Mr. Rajapaksa said Jaffna was provided with all infrastructure just three years after the war ended. “Who did this within three years? Anybody who has come and seen it has talked about it positively and has commended us.”
Even India was “harassed” by the UNHRC over Kashmir, he said. “Sri Lanka is like a volley ball. Everyone is taking turns punching it to cover up their sins.”
On the issue of a political solution for the Tamil people, he said that unless the Tamil National Alliance (TNA), an umbrella group of Tamil parties, joined the Parliamentary Select Committee, there could be no way forward. “Without TNA [on the committee], I will not be able to do anything… Earlier, all the leaders gave their solutions from the top. It has failed. The 13th Amendment has failed. Everything has failed,” he said.
Mr. Rajapaksa allayed fears that MPs of the majority community would hijack the agenda, pointing out that some individuals and parties in the government would not allow it to happen.
The President said he had not discussed with India its support to Sri Lanka at the UNHRC. “India must know its duty, as a neighbour…, as a friend of Sri Lanka. I can’t dictate to India.”
Referring to External Affairs Minister Salman Kurshid’s comments in Parliament on accountability for alleged human rights violations in Sri Lanka, he insisted that Sri Lanka had held people accountable for excesses. “We have filed cases… We have handed down punishments. But this can be done only as per the laws of this country…I have released 14,000 [LTTE] prisoners, who had serious charges against them like murder, after a process of rehabilitation. Had I filed cases against the 14,000 people, what would have happened? I am a Buddhist. We have tolerance and compassion. There are still some more people [of the LTTE] in prison. We are examining ways…to release them.”
Sri Lanka’s relations with India were fine after the 2012 vote in Geneva. “There are many incidents to show that the relationship is good. We don’t hold… Indian fishermen who routinely fish in our waters…Thousands of fishermen are crossing and fishing…We sent so many Indian prisoners back home. Despite incidents in Tamil Nadu [where Sri Lankan pilgrims were sent back], there has not been any incident [involving] Indians in Sri Lanka. I understand that there are people who want India to have some confrontation with Sri Lanka… It is all politically motivated,” he said. (Courtesy: The Hindu)
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http://buddhism. about.com/od/ theprecepts/a/ The-Fourth-Buddhist -Precept.htm
The Fourth Buddhist Precept is written in the Pali Canon as Musavada veramani sikkhapadam samadiyami, which usually is translated “I undertake the precept to refrain from incorrect speech.”
The Fourth Precept has also been rendered “abstain from falsehood” or “practice truthfulness.” Zen teacher Norman Fischer says the Fourth Precept is “I vow not to lie but to be truthful.”
The Buddhist Precepts are not rules everyone must be compelled to follow, like the Abrahamic Ten Commandments. Instead, they are personal commitments people make when they choose to follow the Buddhist path. Practice of the Precepts is a kind of training to enable enlightenment.
Mr.President,
All these past stories were gone with the wind. You yourself invited all these problems to the country. I don’t have to say the reason or reasons again and again. Now you have to solve all these problems or othervise you have to pay the price. “MODAKAMATA BEHETH NEHA”
Dayaratne Bandara.
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Hon President does not have to defend the honour of the heroic security forces of SL time and again, who totally wiped out the worst terrorist force in SL who were aided by Norway, Tamil Nadu and the neo-colonialist imperial West allies led by yankee USA. Let the enemies of SL and the diaspora Tamils say what they want parrot-wise against SL. It will not change the status quo one iota.
USA and Britain are hypocrites who are guilty of the worst war crimes and crimes against humanity and gross violation of human rights ever since the deliberate blanket bombing of Germany during WW2 killing millions of innocent citizens, Vietnam war, Iraq, Afghanistan wars. They continue to commit these atrocities with no UN or UNHRC to even condemn them and bring resolutions against them. They toppled the good govt of Libya to grab they rich oil and gas and are now doing the same in Syria. They are funding the rebels and even helping them with arms and training with their military specialists on the ground. The rebels are fundamental Islamists comprising of Al Qaeda and Muslim Brotherhood etc. These are the very terrorists who are a threat to the West. But in their greed for Syria’s oil and gas the USA, Britain and France aid the rebels to topple the lawfully elected govt of Syria. Why don’t they aid the rebels of Bharain and Saudi Arabia against the evil royal regimes of these countries? This is because the imperial West is friendly with these evil royal regimes. This is the hypocrisy of the West. To hell with them! I hope one day the Jihadists will teach the imperial West a good lesson when they strike hard with a dirty nuclear bomb.
Mr.D.B. is a one of singhala kotti..Like ranil Wickramasinghe..who gave the part of srilanka to tamil tigers.we real srilankan very much like our president M.R.
he is the one who gave all srilankan to Rebirth,Having finished world most ruthless terrorists call Tamil tigers.
Thank you mr.President and god bless you…
Pillayan,
You are absolutely correct when you refer to D.B. as sinhala koyiya. Unfortunately there are a lot of singhala hotiyas in our motherland who are trying to oust MR at any cost. There don’t give a shit even if the whole world gets together and boycott SL. What they do not realise is that if this keeps on our kids will also suffer the consequences. None of these idiots seem to have a brain just big mouths and malice in their hearts.
“MODAKAMATA BEHETH NEHA”… Hmm, yes, after reading dayaratne banda’s post, I think it is very true.
President is right. The west is having an agenda to topple current government because the current government did not heel to their demands. We’ll see who wins. Sri Lankans (well…, most of them except Ranils, Dayaratnes etc) are not stupid.
There are many campaigns against SL under the umbrella of this UN resolution, even attacks happened to embassy in KL (Malaysia) few times. Many protests, still happening and will be happening.
In Italy and all other countries too.. They are well organized, but are we?
But I haven’t seen any proper propaganda against LTTE ruthless murderers. GOSL can take all the bombardments, suicide missions which killed many civilians, children who don’t know what a WAR….is why it’s not happening?
Dear president, do this in big scale spend least some percentage from the funds that govt has.