The Office for National Unity and Reconciliation (ONUR) denied the current head of department, former President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga, stated that the sexual exploitation of Tamil women by the army would jeopardise the reconciliation process.
Military Spokesperson Brig. Roshan Seneviratne claimed that the “head of an ethnic reconciliation body” said sexual exploitation and abuse of Tamil women by the army in the post-war context would jeopardise the reconciliation process.
“ONUR would like to categorically deny that the former president Kumaratunga did not make a statement as alleged by Brig. Roshan Seneviratne and at no point did she mention or accuse the military, as a whole, of sexual exploitation of women in the North,” ONUR statement read.
“Answering a series of questions from reporters on accountability and justice, former president Kumaratunga mentioned various examples including the disciplinary actions taken during her time as President by enforcing a Zero Tolerance Policy with regard to violence against civilians, within the forces, to ensure action of some do not bring disrepute to the entire military. Elaborating what has happened in the last decade or so she shared her experience of working with the Tamil community, stated that the people are not singling out war crimes courts as the single-most important matter while some in the Tamil diaspora do,” ONUR further stated.
“We are surprised that a senior army official has not thought it fit to peruse and understand the news reports of a statement allegedly made by a former Head of State and Commander in Chief.”
The ongoing issue of sexual violence perpetrated against Tamil women by security forces was recently brought to the attention of the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW).