Douglas Devananda, Minister of Traditional Industries & Small Enterprise Development and also the leader of the Eelam People’s Democratic Party has taken exception to The Country Report For Human Rights Practices 2011 released by US State Department on 25 May 2012, where it has been alleged EPDP as one of the pro-government paramilitary groups which committed killings and assaulted civilians.
Minister Douglas Devanada told Asian Tribune that to date EPDP was never convicted for any criminal activities and there are no paramilitary group with the EPDP.
The Leader of the EPDP further said, EPDP is a registered political party and after the Indo – Lanka Agreement in 1987 July, he has entered the mainstream politics and participated in the democratic process and EPDP as a political party was organized under the acceptable democratic norms.
Minister said that he is presently consulting his lawyers about the course of action he should take against The Country Report For Human Rights Practices 2011 where under the Country Report – Sri Lanka, it was alleged that EPDP ( Douglas Devananda as Minister of Social Services and Social Welfare – 2010; but he was appointed as Minister of Traditional Industries & Small Enterprise Development immediately after the April 2010 Parliamentary General Elections) as a pro-government paramilitary organization involved in killings and assaults of civilians.
Minister recalled that he has already taken legal measures against the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission for making more or less a similar allegation against EPDP in their final report.
By K.T.Rajasingham
– Asian Tribune –