World

Winners are never tried for war crimes, say Sri Lankan government

by Tamiya | August 21, 2009 at 03:18 pm

315 views | 11 Recommendations | 5 comments

The Sri Lankan governement's Foreign Secretary, Palitha Kohona, said that winner of a war never tried war crimes in an interview to Daily Mirror.

“If you look at the history of war crimes there isn’t one instance where a winner of a war has been tried before a Tribunal. They have always been set up for losers. And if you were to take winners then the start would have to be taken elsewhere. Sri Lanka did not drop atom bombs or destroy entire cities during the war,” said, Sri Lanka’s foreign secretary and newly appointed permanent representative to the UN, Palitha Kohona in an interview to Daily Mirror, Thursday, outlining the diplomatic prospects of Colombo in engaging the officialdom of the world, in negating political solutions to the Tamil national question. “There is this thinking that all our problems can be solved by applying a political solution. I fail to see the logic behind this,” he said.

Sri Lankan government continues to test the limits of international community, ofcourse except China & India, in resettlement of over 250,000 Tamil IDPs.

Government risks losing international support- Blake

However, Sri Lankan government is well immune to criticisms of the international community as China and India competes to support Sri Lankan government in their geo-political war of influencing the tiny Island in the Indian ocean.

1 See all footage | View Slideshow

Share: email story | add to any | | facebook | stumbleupon

recommend This comment thread is now closed

Babel-Fish

at 17:32 on August 21st, 2009

One country was a winner for a long time and when it lost many where punished for war crimes. Germany!

158

at 19:31 on August 21st, 2009

The LTTE started the war, committed many war crimes and pro;onged the war long after it was clear they had lost. They ear 90% of the blame.

Uncle Sam (not verified)

at 03:35 on August 22nd, 2009

I love Palitha Kohona..!

Suranee

at 08:44 on August 22nd, 2009

Dr Palitha Kohona, an Australian citizen and Sri Lanka’s Foreign Secretary has now assumed duties as the Permanent Representative of Sri Lanka to the United Nations, New York. This new appointment follows the retirement of M.G.S. Palihakkara due to personal reasons. The appointment is no surprise as Kohana played a strong hand in the recent 2009 blood-bath in Sri Lankan and is a close advisor to war savy Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa. Kohana is one of the culpable Individuals who has been accused of War Crimes in Sri Lanka, who is now posted to a diplomatic post. To date, Sri Lankan Government has posted 3 such high ranking officers who were directly involved in the massacre of Tamils. Kohana has been in charge of preventing international investigations brought forward by Britain, the EU and the UN rights chief into whether Sri Lanka committed war crimes by firing on civilian targets, including hospitals.