The Hon. Shanakiyan Rajaputhiran Rasamanickam

¶ 01 Hon. Minister, you have provided a very lengthy response on this matter; it went on for over 20 minutes. I think the Hon. Speaker will permit me to highlight a few issues related to this matter.

¶ 02 In my first question, I raised the issue of the number of people who went missing towards the end of the war in 2009. According to the Tamil people, that number exceeds 100,000 — up to 160,000 persons have been disappeared. According to the UN and international organizations, it is 60,000-70,000. But the Government of Sri Lanka says 2,764 persons are missing. That is absurd. I do not wish to go into every detail here. You also know that the human remains recovered during excavations in 1995-1996 are still in research institutes in Scotland, Ireland and England. Why have you not allowed internationally recognized DNA testing on the remains recovered from the Chemmani mass grave? All that the Government has to do is to give consent to do DNA testing on the already exhumed skeletons. So, what is the point in exhuming skeletons, if you are not going to do anything about them?

¶ 03 Then, Hon. Minister, I understand that the Government can only have a position. I appreciate your response; it was a very lengthy response. As the Minister, you can only provide what the Government is doing. But, unfortunately, to the victim community, Hon. Minister, it seems that it is only lip service that this Government is also paying. In my Question itself, I have very clearly said that the victim community rejects any domestic mechanism. You continuing to speak about a wholly rejected domestic mechanism makes no sense. Hon. Minister, you spoke of budgetary allocations and the Office on Missing Persons. There is not a single word in your answer about justice for those killed, disappeared and abducted. There have been no measures mentioned about justice in your response, Hon. Minister. It was about reparations and social welfare. Where is justice? What is the accountability that you propose? Like I said, I do not think Tamil people voted for your Government merely to eradicate corruption. Those affected by these killings expected justice from your Government. You could tell those in the NPP/JVP that “we were also part of the Government during 2005 when these massacres took place; so do not investigate.” You may have that option. I know you are not the JVP. Still, Hon. Minister, in your answer, with regard to the SLAP — Sri Lanka Accountability Project — there is a contradiction between your initial statement and your response. If you are genuine and if you really want to get to the bottom of what had happened — you said you could only go by the information you have and that you were not in the Government at that time — the SLAP has enough information for you to use, but you are refusing to acknowledge it based on a domestic process that you propose.

¶ 04 Okay, let me now come on to the Office for Reparations. You mentioned about understaffing. Hon. Minister, for the Office for Reparations, the Government has appointed three members connected to the military, out of five. The victims were victimized by the military. Now, through the Office for Reparations, the military will be the one to investigate and provide reparations to those victimized by the military. In consideration of time, I will conclude with just a few direct questions.

¶ 05 I do not want a lengthy response from you, Hon. Minister. I only have two or three questions for you. 1. Is your Government fully opposed to an international mechanism? Will you never agree to international mechanisms; will you not accept any international mechanisms? If that is your Government’s position, please state it plainly. Otherwise, there is no point, because the victim community has rejected domestic mechanisms. 2. Even if you propose a domestic mechanism, is there a judicial mechanism under that? There is no mention of anything to do with the Judiciary. So, where would any of these criminals be tried? Even though we do not agree with it, would you be having that in your plans? You only spoke about reparations. 3. Lastly, while we speak about oppression and crimes committed against people, Hon. Minister, yesterday, three Jaffna University students were summoned to the TID for hoisting a black flag on Independence Day within university premises. That is their right. This is a free country. The three students were Dharmaseelan Yadurshan, A. Abhishek and Dayabaran Lajithan. One student was harassed and intimidated; officers showed photos of his house and relatives, pointed to a street and asked, “Isn’t this where you live? Will you continue protests against the Government?” These things are happening while you are the Minister of Justice. There is no justice for those killed in 2009; you also do not accept international intervention for investigations.

¶ 06 Again, I thank you, Hon. Minister. I know that in your capacity as Minister, you have provided the information that is available to you. And, there is nothing personal here.

¶ 07 Thank you.