Lawyers Condemn Attack On Disappearances Protestors On HR Day
December 17, 2013
‘Lawyers for Democracy’ has condemned the attack on a group of people who were gathered to demonstrate regarding their grievances on International Human Rights Day at the Trincomalee bus stand saying intolerance of dissent and diversity is violence, especially in a multi ethnic, multi religious and multi cultural society.
“What is of deep concern is the impunity with which these criminal acts are committed in the presence of police officers and in the view of the public. There is no problem in identifying the culprits as video pictures of these incidents were widely telecast in the electronic media. What concern us is the statements made by the media spokesman of the police in every case of attack on people by armed groups is that the police is investigating these incidents but up to now not a single prosecution has been instituted against the culprits in such incidents,” the LfD said in a statement.
The legal group said; the obvious inference was that the authorities concerned are under pressure from powerful sources to desist from proceeding against such attackers. Incidents of this nature demonstrate to the whole world the helplessness of the people of our country who tries to exercise their fundamental right of assembly and expression. We call upon those who are involved in the enforcement of law and order to take immediate action to bring the culprits before the law.
WikiLeaks: Sri Lanka Appreciated US Support In The Fight Against LTTE – US State Department
December 17, 2013 |
“Blake and S/WCI Ambassador Rapp met later on September 15 with Sri Lankan Ambassador to the U.S. Wickramasuriya and DCM Tissa Wijeratne to inform them about the upcoming report. Like Bogollagama, Wickramasuriya expressed concern about the impact of the report on relations with the U.S., suggesting that the report would be received badly by the media and public. 
While news of the report stings more coming from a friendly country like the U.S., Wickramasuriya stressed President Rajapaksa’s determination to maintain strong U.S.-Sri Lanka ties, expressing appreciation for U.S. support in the fight against the LTTE. Wickramasuriya noted that the decision to end definitively the war against the LTTE would, in the long run, ease the suffering faced by all Sri Lankans, in particular Tamils. He also maintained that the decision to pursue a dangerous ground offensive against the LTTE, rather than aerial bombardment, reduced civilian casualties but lost twenty thousand troops in the Sri Lankan Army as a result.” US State Department wrote to US Embassy Colombo.
While news of the report stings more coming from a friendly country like the U.S., Wickramasuriya stressed President Rajapaksa’s determination to maintain strong U.S.-Sri Lanka ties, expressing appreciation for U.S. support in the fight against the LTTE. Wickramasuriya noted that the decision to end definitively the war against the LTTE would, in the long run, ease the suffering faced by all Sri Lankans, in particular Tamils. He also maintained that the decision to pursue a dangerous ground offensive against the LTTE, rather than aerial bombardment, reduced civilian casualties but lost twenty thousand troops in the Sri Lankan Army as a result.” US State Department wrote to US Embassy Colombo.
A classified diplomatic cable which details a meeting the US Assistant Secretary for South and Central Asian Affairs Robert O. Blake and Ambassador at Large for War Crimes Investigations Stephen Rapp had with Sri Lankan Ambassador Jaliya Wickramasuriya on September 15, 2009. The Colombo Telegraph found the related US diplomatic cable from the Secretary of State section of the WikiLeaks database. The cable is classified as “Confidential” and signed by Hillary Clinton.
