TNA briefs Pillay on militarisation, lack of political solution
Saturday, 31 August 2013 00:04
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During an hour long discussion, the Tamil National Alliance yesterday briefed visiting UN Human Rights Chief Navi Pillay about the military rule in the north and informed her of the threats faced by civilians who spoke with her during her visit to the region earlier this week.
TNA MP M.A. Sumanthiran said the TNA drew High Commissioner Pillay’s attention to the Joint Statement between President Mahinda Rajapaksa and UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon in 2009, specifically the commitments made by the Government with regard to an investigation into alleged rights abuses during the war and the promise of a political solution to the Tamil problem.
“It’s been over four years since the war ended but none of these promises have been kept,” Sumanthiran told journalists. He said the TNA had also briefed the UN Envoy about how military rule in the north was causing severe problems for civilians in the area and explained that some IDPs had not been resettled. “We also highlighted the land acquisition that is ongoing in the north,” he explained.
The meeting took place at the Cinnamon Lakeside Hotel at 8:15 a.m. yesterday. TNA Leader R. Sampanthan, MP Sumanthiran and NPC Chief Ministerial Candidate C.V. Wigneswaran attended the meeting.
The TNA also informed the UN High Commissioner of the fact that several people who spoke to her during the visit to the north have been threatened after her departure. (DB)
