‘People Will Decide’ – Suresh Premachandran 

Monday, July 28, 2014

Despite the fact that President Mahinda Rajapaksa has broadened the scope of the Presidential Commission on missing persons, the Tamil National Alliance shows no faith in the government that they carry out proper investigations. Referring to previous Udalagama Commission, the TNA pointed out, that it is a glaring example that appointment of international experts would not make any difference if they are not allowed to act independently.

TNA MP Suresh Premachandran toldThe Sunday Leader that they question the government why they waited all this long till the UN launched its investigation on Sri Lanka, to expand the mandate of the commission and to appoint international experts.

Excerpts of the interview:

By Waruni Karunarathne

Q: The Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights has announced that it is going to conduct its investigation from New York, Geneva and Bangkok. Do you think India would be a better option?

A: India certainly would be a better option. If India agrees to let the investigations to be carried out from India that would be good. But if India disagrees the UN has to carry out the investigations from Bangkok and other places.
Q: Is the TNA open to work with the Presidential Commission for Missing Persons by sharing information related to the war, especially since three international experts are being appointed? 

A: The TNA is yet to discuss the new mandate of the Presidential Commission on Missing Persons. The Commission was appointed earlier to investigate into missing persons but now the scope of the commission is being enlarged. The question is why the government took all this time to do that.
Previously under several occasions the government appointed commissions and international experts to overlook investigations but none was implemented successfully.

With regard to Udalagama Commission, the government did not let the experts to overlook the investigations and act independently. We have previous examples why we cannot rely on the government. We do not know exactly what is going to happen to this Commission. Therefore we will need to discuss its new mandate.

Q: Will the TNA facilitate Tamils to give evidence before the Presidential Commission or the UN led Commission?

A: We are already encouraging Tamil people to give evidence before the UN led Commission. Last few months we have been working on that. The Presidential Commission’s mandate expanded only recently.

The problem is not with encouraging people to give evidence but with protection for the witnesses. It is the government who has to encourage people to give evidence by assuring protection for witnesses. The government needs to come out and say that people are free to give evidence before both commissions. Then, people will decide whether to give evidence before one of the commissions.

Since the government formed the Presidential Commission on Missing Persons and expanded its mandate it is their duty to encourage people to give evidence and provide protection to those who come forwards to give evidence.

Q:   Does the TNA feel that the Tamils will get closure of the scars of the war simply by UN conducting investigations?

A: We believe that based on the investigation they will produce a report which will lead to a proper settlement and put an end to the issue. We hope that the report will lead to a political settlement.

Q: Some Indian political parties are putting pressure on the Indian government that they should initiate a resolution at UN on Sri Lankan Tamil issue. Do you think there is a necessity for India to initiate such resolution?

A: There is lot of pressure from Tamil Nadu. If the India is willing to come out and do something about the Sri Lankan Tamil issue we will be very happy. However, the Indian government refrained from voting for the resolution at the UN.

There is no point thinking of India to initiate anything right now. In the near future we do not expect them to pass a resolution. The UN has already passed a resolution on Sri Lanka and the UN led investigation is already launched.