Shavendra denies accusations

30 January 2011 07:07 am Views - 8132

Sri Lanka’s permanent deputy United Nations Representative Major Gen. Shavendra Silva denying accusation of war crimes against him said that if there had been any violations it will surface one day.

“If there had been any violations ... it will surface one day. If there were, then the military will take action against those responsible,” Major General Silva said at a Church in Framingham, USA on Saturday.

Winchester resident and native Tamil Suba Suntharalingam and a handful of others protested Silva's visit, holding signs at the intersection of Maplewood and Elm streets before going inside to listen.

When reached for comment, a church official said yesterday that leadership was unaware the building had been booked for political purposes.

In his speech, Silva cautioned Sri Lankans in the crowd about the various eyewitness reports about the last days of the conflict, in which critics of the government allege the military killed innocent Tamil civilians while it attempted to wipe out the Tigers.

Silva, who was flanked by bodyguards, said the operation was actually a humanitarian effort, with his forces rescuing civilian Tamils "from the jaws of (Tiger) terrorists."

He said Tiger fighters took hundreds of thousands of civilians hostage during their final stand, placing them in a circle around their ranks as a "human shield" against military bullets.

Silva said the government succeeded in freeing the civilians, and that the only civilians killed were shot by Tamils as they fled from their captors.

Suntharalingam, however, said the government is responsible for human rights violations, pointing to an incident that allegedly occurred May 18, 2009, when the government is accused of killing Tiger officials after they surrendered.

"They held up white flags, and (Silva) ordered them shot," said Suntharalingam, who raised the issue with Silva during a question-and-answer period following his speech.

"I am glad that you have the courage to ask that question," Silva told Suntharalingam. "I'm so proud we have Sri Lankans of your nature."

Silva said that although some military officers have been arrested and accused of killing innocent civilians, the military as a whole acted in the best interest of the Tamil "hostages."

"If there had been any violations ... it will surface one day," he said. "If there were, then the military will take action against those responsible.

"If I am a war criminal as you say, one day I'll be investigated ... and punished," he added.

Silva said he thinks his surviving a 2009 attempt on his life by a suicide bomber is a sign of his innocence.

"I escaped because I know, in my heart, that I am not a murderer," he said.

Silva encouraged those concerned about human rights to "be patient" and wait for the results of an government committee's investigation of the conflict.

Deacon Shelly Cichowlas said the church was unaware when it rented the space that it was doing so for the purpose of political discussion. (Source : The MetroWest Daily News)