Wickremesinghe said the Foreign Minister at the Geneva session this week pointed out that the local judicial system has been recognised by the international community and therefore Sri Lanka not ready to accept an international court against war crimes. But, former President Rajapaksa totally agreed to the resolution by then Secretary General Ban-ki-Moon to set up such a court in 2009, he said.
He said however, after being electing to office, the present government in 2015 said that it would take necessary action against military personnel and the LTTE terrorists through the local legal mechanism if they had committed any wrongs during the war.“The present government instead of sending soldiers to the International Court of Justice was able to send troops to the United Nations Peace Keeping Army in Mali. I have asked the State Defence Minister and the Army Commander to pay attention towards sending a full brigade of soldiers to Mali in the future as well,” he added.
Stating that today the war heroes of the country can visit foreign countries without any hindrance and they can even work for the UN, Premier Wickremesinghe also said that “This is what we have done and we learnt it from late Hon. D.S. Senanayake”. D.S. Senanayake Commemoration Committee Chairman Speaker Karu Jayasuriya stressed that it was the need of the hour for all political leaders to sit around one table to discuss the country’s future and reach to an agreement.
“Engaging in cheap politics by dividing into various parties is now enough. All political leaders have to find solutions to the burning issues in the country before the on set of elections rather than engaging in voice-cut-politics in front of media,” he said.He also said that the absence of such an agreement has been the cause for the International Diaspora to line up the other powers against us.
The Speaker said that late D.S. Senanayake firmly believed in national unity and added that Sri Lanka would not achieve the expected future if it fails to come an agreement as soon as possible. The floral tribute to the late Prime Minister’s statue was paid by the Colombo Mayoress Rosy Senanayake. Ven. Maha Sangha including Prof. Pitigala Vijitha Thera, former Minister Rukman Senanayake, Ministers and MPs including MP Wasantha Senanayake, members of the Senanayake family and party supporters were present.