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The Sri Lankan Government Says: “The US invaded Iraq with the excuse that the country had chemical weapons. But there were no such weapons. In Kashmir 10.000 have already disappeared and nobody talks about it. They want to probe into a disappearance of mere 1200 in Sri Lanka as they do not have a big market in Sri Lanka,” Dr. Senaratna charged.
The committee appointed by the President to Investigate Disappearances and Abductions yesterday asked the West and US in particular to first investigate the 600,000 disappearances in Iraq and another 10,000 in Kashmir before coming to Sri Lanka to investigate 1200 of disappearances that had allegedly taken place here.
Addressing the media yesterday at the Information Department, member of the Committee and Engineering and Construction Services Minister Dr. Rajitha Senaratna said the International Community would not initiate an investigation in Iraq or Kashmir as they are big markets.
“The US invaded Iraq with the excuse that the country had chemical weapons. But there were no such weapons. In Kashmir 10.000 have already disappeared and nobody talks about it. They want to probe into a disappearance of mere 1200 in Sri Lanka as they do not have a big market in Sri Lanka,” Dr. Senaratna charged.
The appointment of the four member committee by President Mahinda Rajapaksa on June 1 has tremendously helped to contain disappearances and abductions. He said while noting that disappearances and killings are common in a war situation. Under former President Chandrika Kumaratunga’s regime there were countless abductions, killings and disappearance sans a war. Media personnel were killed and abducted under her with impunity, he said.The committee has visited the Boosa Detention camp recently to investigate the condition of detainees. During the visit the committee has been able to release 45 detainees with the assistance of the police and security forces as there were no charges against them. And another 21 referred to remand custody in order to frame charges against them. Right now there are only 54 detainees at the Boosa detention camp, Dr. Senaratna added.
The committee has a list of 141 persons reported missing without a trace. However the government has been able to contain abductions, killings and disappearances with many a remedial measures such as the appointment of committees to look into the disturbing trend. It is pertinent to note that all these violations of Human Rights are taking place at a time the country is going through a war. The motive of a big majority of abductions and killings has been personal and for ransom, Minister Senaratna stressed.
The committee will next week go to Jaffna on a fact finding mission on Tamil detainees who have been surrendered to the Red Cross and handed over to prison authorities. The government is keen on their welfare, Dr. Senaratna emphasized.
Sandun A Jayasekera for Daily Mirror
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