SF statement that DS had ordered the killing of LTTE leaders who offered to surrender has led to a war crimes investigation that is to be prepared.!!!

Media Minister blasts General Sarath Fonseka

By Olindhi Jayasundere

Media Minister Lakshman Yapa Abeywardena said yesterday that the recent statement reportedly made by General Sarath Fonseka that the Defence Secretary had ordered the killing of LTTE leaders who offered to surrender has led to a war crimes investigation that is to be prepared against Sri Lanka.

He said that soon after General Fonseka made the controversial statement, a great amount of discussion took place in the international sphere. “The BBC, CNN and Al Jazeera have highlighted this careless statement of his. This statement was made with the aim of depicting the President in a negative way. However, what such statements would do is harm the country and the future Governments of Sri Lanka,” he said.

The Minister said that General Fonseka had done this in an attempt to fulfil his own political aspirations.

“We worked hard towards removing the war crimes allegations that were made against us. We worked painstakingly with other countries such as China, Russia and Vietnam who supported us all the way.

However, General Fonseka has now brought the issue to the forefront again. He has ignited the fire that we worked so hard to mitigate,” he explained.

The Minister said after the statements were made the General stated that the Media had misunderstood him and quoted him incorrectly.

The Minister said however that when his statement was initially printed in a Sunday newspaper, when contacted the Editor of the newspaper had insisted that the statements made by General Fonseka were accurate.

“He is clearly not taking the responsibility for the statements that he had made. Fonseka can say such things and then wipe his mouth clean. It is the Government that has to clean up the mess that he had made,” he said.

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