Fight against terrorists:

Call for international protocol

Chaminda PERERA

Former Peace Secretariat Chief and Ambassador Jayantha Dhanapala yesterday stressed the need of having an international protocol to deal with Armed Forces fighting terrorism instigated by non State actors.

He was of the opinion that the international community should develop a protocol that can deal with Armed Forces fighting terrorism. He added that the forces should not be charged with war crimes when they launch offensives against the terrorists.

Dr Dhanapala was making representations before the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission which met at the Kadirgamar Institute in Colombo yesterday.

Dr Dhanapala stated that some members of the international community are interfering in the internal affairs of other countries by way of aiding and abetting terrorism and financing them.

He opined that the international community should come for a viable program that can protect the countries victimized by the export of terrorism.

He added that the international community should take action against such countries.

He stated that such interference is a clear violation of the principle of non-interference in the internal affairs of other countries.

A former Sri Lankan Ambassdor to the United States, Dr Dhanapala was of the view that the concept of Responsibility to Protect (R2P) should be promoted by new ideas to assist the vulnerable nations faced with difficulties in their fight against terrorism unleashed by non-state actors.

Dr Dhanapala commended the Mathata Thitha program launched by President Mahinda Rajapaksa and stressed that the Government should initiate a program (Aviyata Thitha ) to prevent proliferation of unauthorized small arms and light weapons in Sri Lanka.

“President Rajapaksa’s laudable ‘Mathata Thitha’ has brought in good results. Now that the conflict is over the government should launch a program, ‘Aviyata Thitha’ to prevent proliferation of unauthorized small arms and light weapons in Sri Lankan society.”

He lauded the Security Forces sacrificed their lives to save more than 300,000 civilians in the last stage of humanitarian operation.

He said the Security Forces put their lives at risk to liberate the lives of people who were trapped in a small pocket of land in the final stage of the operation.

He said the brave soldiers saved the lives of these civilians who were used as a a human shield by the LTTE disregarding all norms of war.

He opined that there might have been carnage if the Security Forces had not exercised extreme restraint in face of LTTE’s provocative attacks in the last stage of the operation.

Dhanapala was of the opinion that members of all political parties should emulate President Mahinda Rajapaksa who addresses the minority communities in their own language.

Dhanapala added that Sinhala and Tamil languages should be taught in school from the beginning of education.

He added that the Race and Religious Relations Act existing in other countries would be a model to enhance reconciliation among the communities.

He said that law enforcement authorities can prosecute individuals or groups of people who indulge in hate campaign against the fellow religion or race.

Dhanapala also said that this kind of Act would instill a sense of reconciliation among the communities.

He said that diplomatic missions should be well briefed of what is happening in Sri Lanka . He said the procedure of the Lessons Learnt Commission itself should be conveyed to the international community and stressed that the country needed to recapture the high moral ground that Sri Lanka had in the past.

He was highly critical of all political parties for deviating from the practices of good governance.

He opined that all parties should formulate a collective apology for failing to comply with principles of good governance.