Sri Lanka’s Attorney General department will appear in court on behalf of an army commander alleged to have been directly responsible for the disappearances of more than two dozen Tamil youths in 1996.
The petitioners in the habeas corpus case regarding the disappearances from Navatkuli objected to the Attorney General appearing for then Lieutenant General and now Major General Duminda Kepetiwolana, who is alleged to have been directly responsible for the disappearances as officer-in-charge of Navatkuli Army Camp.
The Jaffna High Court dismissed the objections and ruled that the AG department could appear for the respondent.
“[It is] very disappointing that the Attorney General considers it fit to appear for an official against whom there is compelling material [regarding] involvement in enforced disappearances,” said the petitioners’ attorney and Tamil Civil Society Forum spokesperson, Guruparan Kumaravadivel.
“The gap between Sri Lanka's Geneva posturing and realities on the ground is remarkably clear if it wasn't before,” Mr Kumaravadivel said on Twitter.