War crimes allegations based on lies - Attorney-at-law

http://www.defence.lk/new.asp?fname=20100814_03

War crimes allegations based on lies - Attorney-at-law

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.
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.
Courtesy : Daily news