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Sri Lanka:
Minister regrets bias in reporting HR violations
Permanent Mission of Sri Lanka - Geneva -
Switzerland
14th November 2007
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Defence Spokesman Kehelya Rambukwella addressing the
media today in Colombo, remarked that it is a matter of
regret that there is some bias in reporting human rights
violations in Sri Lanka.
Bringing up the issue of double standards, he referred
to the photograph of a child soldier present at the
funeral of the late S.P. Thamilselvan, former head of
the LTTE’s ‘political wing’. He said that it is well
known that the LTTE uses children not only as combatants
but as human shields and found it strange that no agency
or organization advocating human rights raised the issue
of human rights violation in this instance.
He also pointed out that UNICEF has been aware of the
use of child soldiers in warfare for at least the past
two years ago.
“Not a single worthwhile vibrant voice was raised
against this matter. There were mothers, mothers with
infants used even in military operations, but the
silence over such activity, was rather shocking and
regrettably sad.
“Recently, Alan Rock who visited Sri Lanka, said that
the Government of Sri Lanka was helping Karuna’s faction
to enlist child soldiers. This was detrimental to the
sovereignty of a government which had no connection to
such activity. The use of children at Thamilselvan’s
funeral displayed enough evidence boldly to the world of
the attitude of the LTTE in violating Human Rights
openly.” |
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Referring to a rumor spread this morning in Sri Lanka
and abroad through news items that two LTTE light air
crafts took flight in Vauvniya was a piece of
irresponsible news circulated without any foundation.
Around 5 am today, the Air Force was having their usual
air rehearsals, so that if any other aircraft appeared
on the scene, they would have spotted the same. What was
spread at 5.12 a.m was only a mischievous rumour. No
aircraft was spotted in Anuradhapura, the Minister said.
Speaking on the security situation, he said that the
LTTE has been trying to enter the Forward Defence Line
in Muhamalai for the last one and half months. More than
an attack it was an attempt on entering the Sri Lankan
territory, he pointed out.
Referring to the incidents in Yala, in the South, the
Minister explained that it could be a group of LTTE
cadres, who were fleeing Thoppigala but who could not
retreat to Jaffna, making their way down to the South to
cause panic and create a fear-psychosis. There were a
few isolated incidents and the Army was making further
investigations,which would be released to the media
soon.
The Government will give a fuller picture of the LTTE
infiltration in to Yala soon, he promised. |
(Courtesy : Department of Government Information )
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