Sri Lankas Failure To Respond Darusman Report
By Rajiva Wijesinha -June 21, 2014
Prof. Rajiva Wijesinha MP
The failure of government to respond sensibly to the Darusman report and the unfair attacks on the Sri Lankan and UN leadership during the conflict
Given the various responses being now made, officially and unofficially, to the appointment by Navi Pillay of a panel to look into Sri Lanka, I thought it would be useful to look at how we got ourselves into this mess. The fountainhead of the proceedings against us in the UN Human Rights Council was the Darusman Report, which we reacted to foolishly. Instead of reading it carefully, understanding what precisely was going on, rebutting the many falsities and exaggerations in it, and dealing ourselves with the few items of substance, we engaged in indiscriminate aggression combined by sanctimoniousness that never seemed sincere.
What we should have done instead was deal with the issue forthright. The President realized when Darusman came out that sensible responses were needed, and immediately put me on the team to negotiate with the TNA, as well as on the Inter-Ministerial Committee to implement the interim recommendations of the LLRC. However, as noted previously, when negotiations were proceeding more successfully than previously, it was made clear that I was not welcome on the team. Read More
The Premadasa Assassination
By Rajan Hoole -June 21, 2014
Rajan Hoole
Political Murders, the Commissions and the Unfinished Task – 3
The suicide bomber who killed
Premadasa on 1st May 1993 was said to be Kulaveerasingam Veerakumar (23) alias Babu, from Jaffna. Nearly all the details given to the Press came from Amarasena Rajapakse, DIG, CID. He had the distinction of being kept on extension 3 years past the mandatory retirement age of 60 by the Premadasa government. He disclosed in a statement to the Press on 4th June, that at 12.45 PM on 1st May while Premadasa was supervising a feeder procession for the UNP May Day rally at the Armour Street-Grand Pass Junction, Babu left his bicycle near Premadasa’s vehicle and walked towards Premadasa. Three of Premadasa’s security men tried to stop him, when his valet E.M.P. Mohideen signalled the security men to let Babu pass. Just then, Babu exploded a device strapped to him, killing besides himself, Premadasa, Mohideen, SSP Ronnie Gunasinghe and several others. Evans Cooray, a journalist who usually accompanied Premadasa, is said to have survived because he went to make a telephone call. Read More
