PSC on Easter Sunday attacks: Mahinda rejects fresh invite to nominate members

Opposition Leader Mahinda Rajapaksa today (04) rejected a fresh invitation by the Government to nominate MPs from the United People’s Freedom Alliance (UPFA) to the Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) investigating the Easter Sunday terrorist attacks.

By Sandun Jayawardana

Opposition Leader Mahinda Rajapaksa today (04) rejected a fresh invitation by the Government to nominate MPs from the United People’s Freedom Alliance (UPFA) to the Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) investigating the Easter Sunday terrorist attacks.

Mr Rajapaksa rejected the invitation made by Leader of the House Lakshman Kiriella to nominate members to the PSC on the grounds that the PSC hearings were exposing intelligence operatives and endangering their safety.

Mr Kiriella urged Mr Rajapaksa to appoint members to the PSC as the obstacles for them participating in the PSC has now been removed.

The Opposition Leader however, said the PSC hearings were carrying out a betrayal in the same vein of the infamous “Millennium City” raid that exposed the identities of intelligence operatives. “We can’t support such an exercise. We urge the Government to reconsider the decision to conduct the PSC hearings publicly,” he stressed.

The PSC currently has seven MP from the Government and one each from the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna and the Tamil National Alliance.