SLFP, UNP exchange rights accusations

[TamilNet, Thursday, 23 July 1998, 23:59 GMT]
During the adjournment debate on alleged mass graves in Chemmani in the Sri Lankan Parliament, both main Sinhala mainstream parties, the UNP and the SLFP, attacked each other for human rights violations in their respective terms in office, said sources.

Meanwhile the Tamil parties, urged the government to expedite the investigations into the Chemmani mass graves claims.

Rauf Hakeem, Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC), Siddarthan of People's Liberation Organisation of Tamil Eelam (PLOTE), R.Sampanthar of TULF, Chandrakumar of EPDP Jaffna also spoke during the debate.

The UNP members said that the government was trying to hide what had happened in Chemmani, because it had occurred during its term in office.

Replying to this, Mr. Jeyaraj Feranandopillai, Ministrer of Parliamentry Affairs, said that the Police had started investigations into the alleged Chemmani mass graves.

He said further that the UNP had no right to talk abut this, and that only the Tamil and Muslim parties could do so.

He also asked the UNP members whether investigations were conducted to find out what happened during the July 1983 violence in which large numbers of Tamil people were killed.