SLA Commander's deposition provides convincing evidence of war crimes- TAG
[TamilNet, Monday, 07 June 2010, 00:21 GMT]
Tamils Against Genocide (TAG), a US-based activist group, claimed in a press release issued Saturday, that it has obtained a 100-page long sworn affidavit from a senior commander of the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) who has fled Sri Lanka seeking asylum for himself and his family. Noting the sensitivity of the evidence, TAG said that the affidavit was recorded by a court reporter but declined to reveal the name of the commander or the modalities used in obtaining the affidavit. The sworn testimony contains "clear and convincing evidence" that Colombo committed war crimes, and this document can be made available to "other independent organizations which can demonstrate serious intent in pursuing legal action against Colombo officials," TAG spokesperson told TamilNet.
Full text of the press release follows:
Tamils Against Genocide (TAG) has in its possession a 100-page long sworn affidavit from a Senior Sri Lankan Army (SLA) Commander who is in hiding, and is seeking asylum in an undisclosed country. Due to the sensitive nature of the document and the potential threat to the Commander’s security, TAG would like to keep the details of the document and the modalities involved in obtaining the document confidential.
The affidavit contains credible evidence that can be used in a court of law to establish that several officials of the Sri Lanka Military hierarchy are culpable of committing war crimes during the war against the Liberation Tigers.
TAG expects to use the affidavit in its pursuit to file civil and/or criminal charges, in the U.S. and through its partner organizations in Europe, against Sri Lanka military and political officials alleged to have committed war crimes, crimes against humanity, genocide and torture.
SLA Commander’s affidavit contains incriminating information in several areas including:
- Description of chain of command, how documentation procedures were eliminated, and details surrounding orders to execute hardcore LTTE cadres, including those who surrendered.
- Details of people involved in the torture and killing of LTTE leader Pirapaharan’s 12-year old son, and his five body guards who surrendered to the SLA during May 2009.
- Order from the top to burn bodies to eliminate evidence.
- Plans to be carried out through Sri Lanka Army in establishing Sinhala settlements in Tamil areas.
- Details of Colombo sponsored assassination squads in Colombo, and person(s) in charge.
TAG will be willing to provide the affidavit to other independent organizations which can demonstrate serious intent in pursuing legal action against Colombo officials.
TAG appreciates the support provided by the sponsors and the many well-wishers.
Signed, Director, TAG.
A TAG spokesperson added that "TAG's mission is to pursue war-crimes charges against identified Sri Lanka officials in a court of law outside Sri Lanka, both in international forums and in countries where extra-territorial or universal jurisdiction is exercised by the local courts. TAG will continue to seek eye-witnesses and other disgruntled members of Sri Lanka armed forces to accumulate evidence towards establishing the culpability of Rajapakse administration in slaughtering nearly 40,000 Tamil civilians.
"While Colombo continues to destroy evidence on the ground, TAG believes that credible eye-witnesses will emerge who will be able to provide evidence that will ultimiately trump any defense by Colombo," TAG's spokesperson said.
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