SRI LANKA’S LEADING AUTHOR GUNADASA AMARASEKERA SAYS UNITED NATION’S ALAN ROCK LIED AGAINST SRI LANKA ABOUT CHILD SOLDIERS

By Walter Jayawardhana

Sri Lanka’s leading author ,novelist and short story writer Dr. Gunadasa Amarasekera charged that the statement of Alan Rock, the special adviser to the UN Representative for Children and Armed Conflict, that accused the Sri Lanka Army of complicity in the recruitment of Child soldiers was a big lie.

He said it has been done as a sinister move to lessen the true charges against the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam( LTTE) of its notorious recruitment of children for war for many years.

He said his investigations has shown that Alan Rock’s accusations have no basis whatsoever and simply could be called a big fabrication to bail out the true offenders, the Tamil Tigers of their notorious crime, the forceful recruitment of children for the war and create an impression that both the country’s army and the terrorist movement commit the same offense.

Dr. Amarasekera was speaking at a press briefing called by the Manel Mal Movement to expose Rock’s statement that the Sri Lanka’s army has helped a rival rebel movement of the LTTE or Tamil Tigers to recruit children for its war against the Tamil Tigers.

Dr. Gunadasa Amarasekera said the BBC after exaggerating the story some more has broadcast this baseless lie as direct recruitment of children by the Sri Lanka army.

The ulterior motive of these lies is to bring in foreign troops into Sri Lanka and show to the world that there was no difference between the legitimate Army of Sri Lanka and the terrorist movement of the LTTE, Dr. Amarasekera charged.

Dr. Amarasekera said Alan Rock should make himself subjected to cross examination to test the veracity of his story at an inquiry.

Amerasekera said that Alan Rock, a former politician with links to supporters of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam in Canada has repeated what he has heard from vested interests to tarnish the image of Sri Lanka internationally with ulterior motives.

Gunadasa Amerasekera was commenting on Alan Rock’s statement which said that, "The complicity of the [Sri Lankan government] security forces with the Karuna group is common knowledge. It corrodes respect for rule of law and creates space for more abductions of children."

Amarasekera said Rock has spent only few hours in the alleged area where a splinter group of the LTTE, the Karuna group operates, and simply repeating hearsay irresponsibly without proper investigations.

Venerable Omare Kassapa , a Buddhist monk speaking at the same press briefing said Rock’s statement has been made with an ulterior motive of tarnishing the image of Sri Lanka and it has no base whatsoever.

Venerable Kassapa said , this false charge by Allen Rock has been made due to a conspiracy in preparation for a future invasion of Sri Lanka and should be condemned with utmost contempt.
Venerable Bengamuwe Nalaka another Buddhist monk said Alan Rock’s false statement against Sri Lanka should be fully investigated and he should be exposed internationally.

Meanwhile Mrs. Padma Wettawa of Sri Lanka’s Child Protection Authrotiy separately has stated that Alan Rock’s statement that the Sri Lanka Army helping any paramilitary group for the recruitment of children has no base whatsoever.