Indemnity Act to counter war crimes charges: PHU

15 September 2015 12:52 pm - 7 - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

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Pivithuru Hela Urumaya (PHU) General Secretary and UPFA MP Udaya Gammanpila said today an Act of Indemnity (AoI) would be presented in parliament as a private member's motion in case the OHCHR report calls for war crimes charges to be levelled against security forces personnel.

“The Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) report on Sri Lanka will be published tomorrow. If the report calls for war crimes charges to be levelled against our war heroes, we will present an Indemnity Act in parliament to provide them legal immunity,” he told a news conference.

Mr. Gammanpila said an Act of Indemnity was presented by the British Parliament in 1700s to prevent government officials from being questioned in case they had taken measures to protect the country and to maintain law and order.

"South Africa and Bangladesh has also adopted such an Act to protect their officials," he said.

“This Act is not something new. Even Sri Lanka has implemented it at least thrice to protect our officials. Once it was brought in 1915 by the State Council with regard to the Sinhala, Muslim riots and twice by UNP governments to protect officials from being questioned for any action taken during the 1977 and 1987 riots."

Mr. Gammanpila asked security forces personnel to remain calm and assured that the PHU's Ranaviru Legal Aid Foundation was ready to protect them. (Lahiru Pothmulla)

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Comments - 7

ziyard Tuesday, 15 September 2015 08:10 PM

Mr.Gammanpilla,some of our armed forces personnel have committed mass scale murder and rape with impunity,indemnity bill does not provide any relief for those crimes.

Sapu Tuesday, 15 September 2015 09:10 PM

Desperate political orphan without a real party

Bob HARRIS Tuesday, 15 September 2015 09:13 PM

Come on, this is to protect the guilty, immunity will not satisfy the people or the international community.

sarath Tuesday, 15 September 2015 09:57 PM

Yep! definitely the right step towards reconciliation!!!!! (sarcasm. in case you are wondering)

Supun Wednesday, 16 September 2015 06:58 AM

Udaya Gammanpila is setting a dangerous precedence by proposing the Act of Indemnity. This creates an escape route for anyone in the armed forces who commits a CRIMINAL ACT!

Sarwan Wednesday, 16 September 2015 04:02 PM

Can they walk into a Sinhalese village, kill all the Sinhalese and have AOI? where is democracy and justice? Is this not Ultra Sinhala racism?

anonymous Wednesday, 16 September 2015 04:05 PM

He wants to go back to MR regime days which will never come back.

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Indemnity Act to counter war crimes charges: PHU

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