Wednesday, 31 July 2013 00:25
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President Mahinda Rajapaksa yesterday declared that he was not under any internal or external pressure in deciding to probe alleged mass disappearances during the final stage of war against terrorism.
The President last week directed Secretary Lalith Weeratunga to take necessary measures to constitute a commission to look into disappearances during the conflict period, a move which some alleged was due to international pressure as it was timed ahead of the visit by a top UN official next month and the Commonwealth Heads of Government Summit in November.
“If I do something good, it is reported as being under pressure. Such interpretation is normal and expected. However, it is I who in the 1980s championed the cause against missing persons. I have remained firm on various stands that I have taken during my political career. That hasn’t changed after I became the President,” Rajapaksa told a meeting with editors yesterday at Temple Trees.
