A senior Sri Lankan defence official has made it clear that if there was any evidence on crimes committed by military personnel, then, the government would not hesitate to take action.
Addressing a large gathering of diplomats and the international community, Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa said that the government was committed to follow through on its responsibilities in terms of accountability. He pointed out that during the civil war that ended in May 2009 with the defeat of the Tamil Tigers investigations were conducted on all allegations, including those concerning major offences including murder, rape and sexual abuse.
“Swift action was taken by the military to punish those individuals found guilty of such crimes. Action was also pursued in the civil courts. If, in future, any substantial evidence is provided on crimes committed by its personnel, the Sri Lankan military will not hesitate to take appropriate action,” he said and added that the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission had examined the entire gamut of issues. “If there are any specific allegations or evidence of crimes therein, investigations will be undertaken and necessary action taken against those involved. The Government is also committed to implement general recommendations made by the LLRC with regard to reconciliation,” he added.
To act on own accord
Delivering the keynote address at the first national conference on ‘Reconcilitation: The way Forward for Post-Conflict Sri Lanka,’ at the Lakshman Kadirgamar Institute for International Relations and Strategic Studies, he warned against external interference. “It must be borne in mind that on all these matters, Sri Lanka will act on its own accord. As a sovereign nation with a rich culture and a proud heritage, Sri Lanka does not need external guidance to achieve reconciliation. This will be achieved through an organic, local effort consistent with our culture and our values, and not based on external ideas others try to impose on us,” he said.
On the number of deaths during the war, that statistics put out by most organizations are “arbitrary” and have “no basis in reality.” The government had taken up a “professional” assessment.
Govt. Census
The Government had asked the Department of Census and Statistics, which is the official Government arm for these matters, conducted a complete census of the concerned area. “With the completion of the census, it has been possible to identify, specifically by name, all such persons. The census is now in the process of finalisation, and the relevant information will be released in the near future,” he said.
Admitting that there could have been “deaths due to military action,” he said that “it is only for the deaths of people in this…category that the Sri Lankan Military can bear any responsibility. As a result of the census, we already know that the real number of dead and missing is far too small to provide any substance to the absurd allegations of genocide and war crimes that have been made against our military by the rump of the LTTE and their cronies.”
