TNA urges inquiry into East killings

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 19 September 2007, 15:05 GMT]
The Tamil National Alliance (TNA) Parliamentary Group leader R. Sampanthan told the Sri Lanka Parliament Tuesday, the Government of Sri Lanka should appoint a commission, consisting retired judges, to investigate the killings of the Tamil civilians during the recent military offensives in the East, parliamentary sources said. He suggested that a Muslim should lead the commission with members appointed from three communities, Tamil, Muslim and Sinhalese.

Mr. Sampanthan raised the issue while answering the statement made by Susanha Punchinilame, the Minster of National Reconstruction, during the parliamentary debate on current situation in NorthEast held. Mr Punchinilame said there were no civilian casualties in the East during the recent military offensives.

Mr Sampanthan condemned the statement made by the Minister and submitted the reports of Human Rights Watch and other human rights organizations consisting a list of details of 300 Tamil civilians killed during the offensives in the areas of Moothoor East, Eechchilampaththu, Vearukal and Vaaharai in last April.

He also pointed out the cases of forced disappearances. He accused that while the Tamil people are subjected to gross human rights violations, a responsible Minister in the Government lied in the Parliament.

The Minister replied that in a time of war, civilian casualties are natural, and that the military chiefs engaged in the Eastern offensives had told him there were no civilian casualties.