General Weerasooriya’s Presence In SA Is Outrageous: SATF

December 4, 2014 

The South African Tamil Federation (SATF) has written to the organizers of the Association of Military Christian Fellowships – Global Interaction 2014 over the arrival of former Sri Lanka Army General Srilal Weerasooriya in South Africa, who has been held responsible for the genocide of over 70,000 Sri Lankan Tamils in the 90s.

General Srilal Weerasooriya and his wife Dilhani

In a letter, the SATF Joint Secretary Marie Pillay-Ramya – representing the interests of Tamil speaking people residing in South Africa has said they believe General Weerasooriya’s presence in South Africa is ‘outrageous’ as his past conduct has been ‘unbecoming’ of a ‘born again Christian and a God fearing man’.

They have pointed out that a man who should be tried and convicted for human rights violations on Sri Lankan people being present in South Africa to participate in the event organised by the Military Christian Fellowships organisation, has concerned them greatly and is a matter that has brought disdain adn disappointment to the Tamil speaking community living in the country.

The SATF has gone on to state that substantive proof and testimony exists to Weerasooriya’s atrocious involvement in the genocide of between 70,000 and 100,000 Tamils in Sri Lanka and that they hope the SA government would back the ongoing international investigation against Sri Lanka on the continued oppression of the Sri Lankan Tamils.

Weerasooriya was appointed the Commander of Sri Lanka Army in 1998 and was previously in command of the Jaffna peninsula throughout 1995 and 1996. His involvement in the genocide of Tamils and particularly his involvement in the Chemmani mass killings have been extensively documents by the University Teachers for Human Rights in Jaffna organisation as well as international media.

Sri Lanka: Making A Case For Change

By Asanga Abeyagoonasekera -December 4, 2014 

Asanga Abeygoonasekera

The final month of the year 2014 began with the news of Egyptian dictator Hosni Mubarak. He was found not guilty of the massacre of civilians who protested for his overthrow in the 2011 Arab Spring. Society’s expectation for a total change in political culture was proven difficult to materialise due to numerous issues, of which Egypt is an example.

In the political landscape of Sri Lanka, as previously predicted, the presidential race begins on the road to the polls with a decision to be taken on 8 January 2015. Senior party member Maithripala Sirisena, a member ofthe President’s own party, crossed over to challenge him as the opposition common candidate. The common candidacy presents a grand coalition of political forces. The joint opposition coalition harnesses the support of former President Chandrika Bandaranaike and the opposition leader Ranil Wickremesinghe. It promises an overhaul of contemporary political culture within a 100 days of assuming Presidency. The centre of this change lies in the abolition of the Executive Presidency.Read More