Sri Lanka's former army commander at the end of the armed conflict, General Sarath Fonseka, rejected the conclusions of the report of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights' Investigation into Sri Lanka (OISL) that “incidents of sexual violence were not isolated acts but part of a deliberate policy.”
In an interview to The Hindu, Mr Fonseka said “these things never happen in an organised manner with the knowledge of superiors.”
“It is not part of our thinking or tactics to do such things," he added.
Stating that he was receiving foreign advice in legal matters, Mr Fonseka said he was ready to face a domestic inquiry.
"If there are allegations against military operations, I am ready to face anybody and present the right picture. There is no problem. My conscience is clear," he told the paper.
“If we are sincere, let us follow the proper legal procedures. We do not have to cover up [anything] or hush up," he added.
See more here.
We need your support
Sri Lanka is one of the most dangerous places in the world to be a journalist. Tamil journalists are particularly at threat, with at least 41 media workers known to have been killed by the Sri Lankan state or its paramilitaries during and after the armed conflict.
Despite the risks, our team on the ground remain committed to providing detailed and accurate reporting of developments in the Tamil homeland, across the island and around the world, as well as providing expert analysis and insight from the Tamil point of view
We need your support in keeping our journalism going. Support our work today.
For more ways to donate visit https://donate.tamilguardian.com.
