Australia blocks war-crime bid against Rajapaksa
Source: Agencies |
October 26, 2011, Wednesday
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THE Australian government yesterday vetoed an attempt to bring a private war crimes prosecution against Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa while he is visiting the country this week.
Rajapaksa arrived on Monday ahead of a 53-nation summit in the west coast city of Perth on Friday.
Sri Lankan-born Australian citizen Arunachalam Jegatheeswaran had lodged a war crimes indictment against the president in a Melbourne court accusing Sri Lankan forces and Rajapaksa of committing war crimes during their final 2009 offensive against the Tamil Tiger rebels.
The attempted prosecution comes as Australian police investigate war crimes allegations submitted by the International Council of Jurists rights group against the president and against the Sri Lankan ambassador to Australia, Thisara Samarasinghe, a navy admiral during the war. Both have denied any wrongdoing.
Attorney-General Robert McClelland said in a statement that he has refused to give the necessary consent to carry out a prosecution against the president because it would breach domestic law and Australia's obligations under international law.Rajapaksa enjoyed diplomatic immunity from arrest and from the Australian criminal justice, he said.
Rights groups and countries, including the United States, have repeatedly urged Sri Lanka to investigate the allegations stemming from the final months of the 26-year war with Tamil Tigers separatists.
Prime Minister Julia Gillard, who will chair the biennial meeting of Commonwealth countries which Rajapaksa is in Perth to attend, said she shared concerns about the persistent war crime allegations. "Australia and like-minded countries have been urging and will continue to urge Sri Lanka to address the serious allegations," she told Australian Broadcasting Corp radio.
But Rajapaksa's spokesman Bandula Jayasekara ruled out a need for any inquiry. "This is laughable because here is a leader who defeated terrorism and brought peace to his people."
Rajapaksa arrived on Monday ahead of a 53-nation summit in the west coast city of Perth on Friday.
Sri Lankan-born Australian citizen Arunachalam Jegatheeswaran had lodged a war crimes indictment against the president in a Melbourne court accusing Sri Lankan forces and Rajapaksa of committing war crimes during their final 2009 offensive against the Tamil Tiger rebels.
The attempted prosecution comes as Australian police investigate war crimes allegations submitted by the International Council of Jurists rights group against the president and against the Sri Lankan ambassador to Australia, Thisara Samarasinghe, a navy admiral during the war. Both have denied any wrongdoing.
Attorney-General Robert McClelland said in a statement that he has refused to give the necessary consent to carry out a prosecution against the president because it would breach domestic law and Australia's obligations under international law.Rajapaksa enjoyed diplomatic immunity from arrest and from the Australian criminal justice, he said.
Rights groups and countries, including the United States, have repeatedly urged Sri Lanka to investigate the allegations stemming from the final months of the 26-year war with Tamil Tigers separatists.
Prime Minister Julia Gillard, who will chair the biennial meeting of Commonwealth countries which Rajapaksa is in Perth to attend, said she shared concerns about the persistent war crime allegations. "Australia and like-minded countries have been urging and will continue to urge Sri Lanka to address the serious allegations," she told Australian Broadcasting Corp radio.
But Rajapaksa's spokesman Bandula Jayasekara ruled out a need for any inquiry. "This is laughable because here is a leader who defeated terrorism and brought peace to his people."
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