JHU wants general amnesty for military personnel, LTTE cadres

The Jathika Hela Urumaya(JHU), an ally of the government, today called for a general amnesty to all the military personnel and LTTE cadres charged for war crimes.

Its stalwart Megapolis and Western Development Minister Patali Champika Ranawaka told a news conference that the Attorney General's Department should determine war related crimes in this case.

He said the members of Tamil parties that helped the military should also be granted such an amnesty under this.

He said the consent of all the Tamil political parties should be secured in this regard.

However, he said neither had an Act been brought to Parliament to rehabilitate and release LTTE members nor was there a Cabinet approval and said that some 12,000 LTTE members were released.

On such grounds Minister Ranawaka said the enforcement of law only against state security forces had led to public disappointment.

The JHU proposed to the Government to appoint a committee comprised of specialists under the aegis of the Attorney General’s Department, to identify war crimes and crimes committed for private motives, during the civil war. (Thilanka Kanakarathna)