 The Defence Ministry today challenged the international human rights
group Amnesty International (AI) to release the allged media hit list in
it's possession to the public in order to prove that such a list
actually exists.Defence Spokesperson Minister Keheliya Rambukwella told Daily Mirror
online that for the past four years, gross allegations were being made
against the government and organizations such as AI were continuing this
trend.
“Sri Lanka has been a country which has defeated terrorism. Because we
had the power to do it, some organizations have been badly hurt by this
and AI may be one of them. If they have the hit list, we challenge them
to prove it,” Minister Rambuwella said.
He further accused AI of being biased despite the government having
discussions with them in the past.
AI claims it is in possession of a “hit list” believed to be compiled by
the Sri Lankan intelligence unit with names of at least 35 leading
journalists and NGO officers.
The organisation, in a statement, claimed that the list then grades each
of them according to their importance to the intelligence services. AI
fears that the leak was a deliberate move by the government to
intimidate and harass journalists in the country.
Meanwhile in a statement released by the Presidential Secretariat, it
stated that after having made its own inquiries into these allegations,
the Office of the President has not found evidence of any such list of
persons prepared by the State Intelligence Service as stated or by any
other law enforcement authority.
"Any investigation by the authorities on alleged or suspected illegal or
criminal activities are, and will be, conducted strictly in accordance
with the law," the statement said.
The statement added that the government remains totally committed to the
principles of democracy and the protection of Fundamental Rights
guaranteed by the Constitution, and all inquiries conducted by the law
enforcement authorities are done fully in keeping with the law, and not
in breach
of accepted standards of Human Rights, with all citizens having full
recourse to the Courts and due process.
Source: Dailymirror Online
|
:: 
:: 
::