A group of professionals said in Colombo that the call for an independent monitoring of the human rights record of Sri Lanka is not only welcome but also justified. “In this modern age the President of Sri Lanka can’t rule the country as if a kingdom “ said prominent writer Gamini Viyangoda.
He said that governments need to be accountable to the international community if they want to be part of it “If the Rajapaksa government doesn’t want to have its matters discussed at the UN it should first resign from the UN,” said Viyangoda
He said that governments need to be accountable to the international community if they want to be part of it “If the Rajapaksa government doesn’t want to have its matters discussed at the UN it should first resign from the UN,” said Viyangoda
A number of Journalist organizations criticised the state media for naming those who favour investigations into human right abuses as traitors.
“The state media is carrying out a campaign of hate against human right activists,” said Sunil Jayasekara, Convener of the Free Media Movement.
The Journalist organizations also pointed out that many attacks on journalist have been suppressed without proper investigations.
The government has a responsibility of safeguarding the lives of rights activists who have been the target of the hate speech by state media said the general secretary of the Sri Lanka Working Journalists Assosiation, Lasantha Ruhunage.