Sri Lankan newspaper Daily Mirror has reported that the South Africa-based International Truth and Justice Project (ITJP) wants former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa arrested for his role in human rights violations during the nation’s civil war.
The ITJP has filed a criminal complaint against Rajapaksa with the Attorney General in Singapore, saying that the deposed leader had committed serious violations of the Geneva Conventions in 2009 when he was the country’s defence chief.
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Rajapaksa, who was the president of the Indian Ocean island nation fled to Singapore a fortnight back after his official home and office were stormed by the public after months of protest over rising prices, little fuel, long powercuts and a severe economic crisis. After fleeing the island for Maldives, Rajapaksa again left for Singapore from where he tendered his resignation as the president.
The deposed president was earlier Sri Lanka's army chief and was largely responsible for ending the country's civil war that had lasted decades. Sri Lanka has been under an international glare for the human rights excesses committed against the Tamils during the civil war. The UN too has condemned Sri Lanka for its violations during the civil war.
The Daily Mirror quoted Reuters, saying: “The criminal complaint that has been filed is (based on) verifiable information on both the crimes that have been committed, but also on evidence really linking the individual in question, who is now in Singapore,” Alexandra Lily Kather, one of the lawyers that drafted the complaint, told Reuters by telephone from Berlin.
In response to questions from Reuters, a spokesperson for the Attorney-General’s Chambers said it had received a letter from the ITJP on July 23.
Both the Maldives and Singapore governments have come under criticism for giving shelter to Rajapaksa. However, the Singapore government made it clear that Rajapaksa had entered the country on a private visit and has not been granted asylum.
Rajapaksa's brother Mahinda Rajapaksa, who was the prime minister too had been deposed by an angry crowd that had stormed the prime ministerial office. Mahinda had to be evacuated by the defence forces and taken to a naval base for safety. He is, however, in Sri Lanka and had voted in the country's presidential poll last week.
With the Western countries staying away from the country with former president Rajapaksa's moving closer to Beijing, the island nation has largely only been supported by India with a $3.8 billion support in the form of food, medicines and fuel. Best friend China has sought to stay away from the country's grave financial and economic mess. After many promptings and appeals by the deposed regime, Beijing made noises to provide loans but no aid or grants.
