Civil Monitoring Commission seeks CBK’s support in the international arena

The Civil Monitoring Commission (CMC) which is monitoring abductions, disappearances and extra judicial killings has asked former President Chandrika Kumaratunga to support its cause in an international arena due to the country’s deterioration of law and order.

Former President Chandrika Kumaratunga

The commission met with President Kumaratunga at her official residence in Colombo 7 on Thursday and had handed over its latest report. The former President met with Civil Monitoring Commission convener Mano Ganeshan and its senior member TNA Parliamentarian Suresh Premachandran.

At the meeting she said that even during her regime there were human rights violations but this was the first time that human right violations were recognised as a national policy. She commented on the Government by saying “Pare yana thakkadiyo wage hasirenna be” (you can’t run a country like thugs on the streets).

The CMC convener Mano Ganeshan told The Sunday Times that the Government should take swift action to stop the increasing human rights violations.“We will keep fighting and bring this matter up in anyway to restore the country’s law and order. Even though the Government says that abductions don’t take place it is yet a common phenomenon and there is no improvement,” he said.

In its latest report PAFFREL has recorded 25 disappearances, 800 questionable arrests and 14 abductions for the period June 1, 2007 to August 15.