Fonseka’s appointment shows Govt. protects suspected military leaders: HRW

New MP Sarath Fonseka greets the Speaker Kau Jayasuriya

The Government’s appointment of Field Marshal Sarath Fonseka as an MP signaled that the Government may protect senior military leaders suspected of widespread abuses said Human Rights Watch (HRW) yesterday.

In a statement HRW Asia Director Brad Adams said Fonseka’s appointment whose forces were implicated in widespread abuses contradicts pledges to investigate alleged war crimes.

“The Government should meaningfully demonstrate to the Sri Lankans and the United Nations that it’s serious about accountability and not on the road to a whitewash,” Adams said. 

He also added that Fonseka’s appointment was a breach of trust for victims and families who believed in current Government’s commitment to deliver justice for war crimes.

“President Maithripala Sirisena and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe were sending worrying signals on accountability at a time when they should be presenting themselves as leaders determined to achieve justice for all Sri Lankans. By giving Fonseka a seat in the Parliament and the highest military rank, they threaten the goodwill their Government has generated since coming to power,” Adams stated. 

The statement further states that under the UN Human Rights Council Resolution adopted on 1 October 2015 Sri Lanka agreed to establish various mechanisms with the assistance of the international community to deliver justice, reconciliation and respect for human rights.

“President Sirisena has recently elicited concerns about his commitment to justice by saying that it would not be possible to include foreign judges and prosecutors in a justice mechanism, a key component of the resolution”, Adams said.

The statement also said Fonseka’s appointment was announced the day that President Sirisena met with the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein and renewed his commitment to justice and accountability for wartime abuses.