By Dasun Edirisinghe

The joint opposition yesterday challenged President Maithripala Sirisena and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe to make public all documents related to the UNHRC report on Sri Lanka’s alleged war crimes.

Addressing a well-attended rally at Viharamahadevi Park in Colombo, organised by the joint opposition, Mahajana Eksath Peramuna leader and Colombo District UPFA MP Dinesh Gunawardena said that the President, Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mangala Samaraweera had betrayed Sri Lankan forces in Geneva by supporting the US-backed resolution against, Sri Lanka.

He said the Sri Lanka government, Sri Lanka’s security forces, the US Embassy in Sri Lanka, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and several other local and international NGOs had information pertaining to the provision of food and other supplies including medicines to the LTTE controlled area while the war was being fought.

“Foreign Minister Mangala Samaraweera, who led the government’s delegation to Geneva, did not have the strength of character to reveal such information and defend the country and he had meekly given in to US pressure,” Gunawardena said.

Former Foreign Minister Prof. G.L. Peiris said Prime Minister Wickremesinghe had even gone against the country’s Constitution by supporting the US-backed resolution.

Prof. Peiris said now the resolution had become Sri Lanka’s own resolution against itself because the government supported it despite several friendly countries advising it not to do so.

NFF Leader Wimal Weerawansa, PHU leader Udaya Gammanpila, LSSP Leader Prof. Tissa Vitharana, Communist Party Deputy Secretary Chandrasiri Gajadeera and Sri Lanka Mahajana Party General Secretary Asanga Navaratne also addressed the gathering.

UPFA MPs Dullas Alahapperuma, Kumara Welgama, Mahindananda Aluthgamage, Bandula Gunawardena, Gamini Lokuge, Namal Rajapaksa, Prasanna Ranatunga, Kanchana Wijesekera, D.V. Chanaka Dilshan, Kanaka Herath, Salinda Dissanayake, Niroshan Premartne, Geetha Kumarasinghe and several UPFA Provincial Councillors also attended the rally.