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Presenter: Pictures released by the free speech group Journalists for Democracy claimed to
show soldiers in Sri Lanka killing Tamil Tiger fighters at point blank range. The footage which cannot be independently verified has caused outrage amongst human rights groups. It has been filmed by a soldier on his mobile phone. It shows these shocking pictures.
Blindfolded and naked men being shot in the back of the head, the bodies of several others lying nearby. The Sri Lankan Govt which declared victory in the civil war against the Tamil Tigers three months ago denies atrocities were carried out by soldiers against the Tamil community.
Rajiva Wijesinha from the Sri Lankan Govt said the images could be doctored.
With me to talk about the allegations is the Sri Lankan High Commissioner to Britain Nihal Jayasinghe.
High Commissioner, you have seen the pictures what’s your reaction?
High Commissioner: I think it is a load of nonsense because my Govt totally rejects it. The Sri Lankan army, the security forces are well disciplined and they conform to all the standards that is expected of a conventional army. We reject it for a number of reasons – we do
not know the location where this incident took place, we do not know when it took place, we do not who are those people carrying guns, we don’t know who those people are on the ground, we don’t know anything except these pictures and what makes things more difficult for us to
assimilate is the fact that this video clip was filmed as far back as January and it is coming out only in August eight months thereafter.
Presenter: It is difficult to get the pictures out into general circulation certainly, but you say you know nothing about these pictures, so obviously …
High Commissioner: Can I just interrupt. You mentioned about circulation, it is done on a cell phone. It is no big deal to send it by way of email or SMS or carry it in person and I heard somebody say that it was smuggled out. There is no reason for smuggling out things …
Presenter: Well it was filmed in January, when the international media as you know was prevented by your Govt from entering the conflict zone. You didn’t want the international media into the conflict zone. Do you regret not allowing media into the conflict zone in general?
High Commissioner: That is not true because we have not prevented the media from entering the conflict area. As a matter of fact I have personally authorised the granting of visas for various media men. There are media men of the Sri Lankan print and electronic media
functional there, there are various other international organisations again operating in those areas, so to accuse the Sri Lanka Govt of shutting out the media is not true.
Presenter: Would you like to make a call now on Al-Jazeera for an international human rights investigation with the full cooperation of the Govt into this? This will be a good opportunity High Commissioner.
High Commissioner: No, let me say this. There are positions taken up by various international organisations, print media and electronic media calling for an investigation. Investigate into what? We say there is nothing ..
Presenter: But certainly these pictures for a start?
High Commissioner: No, we don’t know the authenticity of these pictures
Presenter: That’s why this should be investigated by an independent and then we will know the truth. I’m sure you will be the first who will want to know the truth of these dreadful pictures.
High Commissioner: Merely because pictures are flaunted in the media it doesn’t necessarily follow that my Govt must step in and say ‘okay come on in, let’s investigate. We have nothing to do and come and see for yourself.’ It doesn’t work that way.
Presenter: Why shouldn’t it work like that? I’m sure you will welcome an independent verification.
High Commissioner: Independent or not our position has always been that we are not guilty of excesses. There are no human rights violations and we being a very disciplined army and we have conformed to a high standard.
Presenter: Do you want the human rights organisations to support that view?
High Commissioner: The human rights organisations are already there. The UN is there, the ICRC is there.
Presenter: Fifty journalists have left the country in the last few months because they fear they are being persecuted. This is not looking good for the Govt.
High Commissioner: Again, who is a journalist? Just because somebody can write, put something on paper, makes him a journalist? This is again not accurate. These pictures have emanated from a group you call it Journalists for Democracy in Sri Lanka, who are they? Where are
they? Where were they all this time? From where are they operating? We don’t know any of these things. You are pushing us (when I say you, the people) to the wall and asking us something that we are unable to explain because we know nothing about it. Who are these people? Are they
asylum seekers? Are they making out a case for asylum here?
Presenter: We have to leave it there. High Commissioner thank you very much for joining us tonight.
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