Weiss spreading lies claims govt

Friday, 12 February 2010 22:20

By Dianne Silva

The government said today that former UN spokesman in Colombo Gordon Weiss was spreading false information, about the last stages of the war. “That is absolutely wrong information,” Director General of the Media Centre for National Security Lakshman Hullugalle told Daily Mirror.

Weiss stirred up controversy by telling ABC news that as many as many as 40,000 civilians could have been killed during the final stages of the war, last year.

Hullugalle stated that there was sufficient information provided at the time and months thereafter to confirm that such a large number of civilian deaths did not occur. “We were able to show journalists through live footage how the LTTE were harassing civilians and how we were ensuring the safe passage of civilians,” he said.

Gordon Weiss said his information came from reliable sources that had a presence inside the battle zone, not Tamil civilians or fighters. However Hullugalle insists that no other organizations made such claims in the past 8 months since the war. “There were so many foreign and local journalists allowed in those areas. Therefore if there is any truth in this no one would have waited 8 months to talk about it. And we have had no such complaints coming from any organization,” he told Daily Mirror.

Meanwhile Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama rejected all claims made by the former spokesperson and stated that Mr.Weiss had previously made such false statements. “He is someone who has been making such false statements and we wholly reject these claims. He is also someone who has been sent out of the country,” Bogollagama said.

Weiss also accused the government of saying things which were either “intentionally misleading, or were lies” and that the LTTE was also regularly killing civilians to prevent them from fleeing.

The former UN spokesman in Colombo Gordon Weiss has stirred up controversy by claiming today that as many as many as 40,000 civilians could have been killed during the final stages of the Sri Lankan civil war last year.

In an interview with Australia’s ABC news, Gordon Weiss also accused the government of saying things which were either “intentionally misleading, or were lies” and that the LTTE was also regularly killing civilians to prevent them from fleeing.

Mr Weiss has resigned from the UN after 14 years and returned home to Australia. He’s now free to speak openly about the situation in Sri Lanka, for the first time.

Comments

-73+15 # Guest 2010-02-12 22:22

TRue! Not only Wiess, but all the foreign hyenas were spreading lies!!!

-1+1 # Guest 2010-02-15 10:27

So what about the S.F.He spread same here against s.l govt

-11+45 # Guest 2010-02-12 22:24

OK Well Said Mr.Director General !!! Let's make this another Afghanistan or Iraq!!! Deny What ever they say. They will get scared that we will come to a war with them.

-8+39 # Guest 2010-02-12 22:27

Yaa.. look who is telling the TRUTH.

-8+52 # Guest 2010-02-12 22:29

Oh yeah, we know that! Lies, what others say are just lies. But everything what you say come straight from Lord Buddha.

-55+11 # Guest 2010-02-12 22:30

Is he a friend of SF????

-8+43 # Guest 2010-02-12 22:34

Only goverment spreading false information to inocent srilankan citizen.Relase the SF truth will come out.

-9+51 # Guest 2010-02-12 22:41

Who is speaking the truth ? if Gordon speaking lies and Alston is speaking lies , you mean Mahinda Rajapaksha ,his family members and his goon ministers are speaking the truth ?

-7+41 # Guest 2010-02-12 22:43

Everybody else is lying but the Sri Lankan Government. thats good we will all die and go to heaven in this country!!!!!!

-5+31 # Guest 2010-02-12 22:43

This what exactly Mr. Weiss said. Lies and dennials.

-5+28 # Guest 2010-02-12 22:45

I didn't know they let in Journalists during the war???? someone needs to teach these guys how to lie better

-3+39 # Guest 2010-02-12 22:45

Of course! Anyone who disagrees is a liar and a traitor!

-52+6 # Guest 2010-02-12 22:46

The white masters are trying to back up their Silly Foolish puppet's lies and insinuations!

-5+37 # Guest 2010-02-12 22:50

is only the government is telling the truth?

-5+36 # Guest 2010-02-12 22:50

Smoke will not come without fire..............!!!

-41+6 # Guest 2010-02-12 23:01

Weiss is laying the ground work prior to publishing a book,claims and lies to boost sales ?
Today,head of MI5 intelligence in Britain has said that false propaganda is used by Britains foes,this is true of Lanka.

-41+10 # Guest 2010-02-12 23:02

We never tell lies. All others do........ because they are on the payroll of LTTE (sic), Norway, US or the European Union.

-4+42 # Guest 2010-02-12 23:19

Oh Yes everyone lies , EXCEPT the Government in power!!! They only speak the "truth".

-4+28 # Guest 2010-02-12 23:56

I am fully aware, who can lie and frame people.

-15+97 # Guest 2010-02-13 00:07

Mr.Lakshman Hullugalle, most of the educated Sri Lankans and the rest of the world know who is, truly, spreading lies!

-126+17 # Guest 2010-02-13 00:09

LTTE mouthpiece in Australia - just ask him to get lost!

-4+40 # Guest 2010-02-13 07:15

You know the pain when you lose some ,those 40000 people are some to you, that's you are giving such a inhuman comments

-4+42 # Guest 2010-02-13 09:17

Your comments are so immature. Put you head back in.

-10+97 # Guest 2010-02-13 00:54

The Tamils know the losses because it was their kith & kin who died.

-62+15 # Guest 2010-02-13 08:55

Dear Mr Ratnam. They also know how the Tamils kiled the Leaders of Sri Lanka and India along with the innocent pasengers on the road.

-104+13 # Guest 2010-02-13 02:21

Weiss, you are not wise ... your LTTE slip is showing !

-7+79 # Guest 2010-02-13 02:57

The civilized world knows who are the true murderers and babarians and what the truth is.

-45+7 # Guest 2010-02-13 10:15

The so called civilized world is still bombing Afganisthan and is still resposnible for the mess created in Iraq! no right to poke fingers in other peoples business

-3+23 # Guest 2010-02-13 10:57

is that Sri Lanka can continue with the way its being ruled now? Do we need to follow their footsteps and oppress the people of Sri Lanka?

-4+28 # Guest 2010-02-13 06:58

Yes, Jayasinghe, it will be convenient for you if every body "got lost" - got lost like Lasantha perhaps?

-3+25 # Guest 2010-02-13 07:10

so why not appoint an independent inquiry to show that weiss and all other global consipirators are liers! and only Gota and Basil speak anything but the truth.

-50+4 # Guest 2010-02-13 07:10

Gordon Weiss again trying to spread his misleading and mischievous propoganda by many misrepresentati ons in his 30 minute program.

He calls "Hindu LTTE" most of the LTTE hierarchy was Catholic including Prabhakaran.

These Colonial maters do NOT GIVE UP DO THEY??

They still want to divide Sri Lanka.

Thnks to President MR Sri Lanka is in safe hands!

-4+32 # Guest 2010-02-13 07:16

when people talk the truth justis and human rights you call them liers and mouthpiece of LTTE or unpatriotic is this what you call democracy in srilanka...? wake up srilanka.

-40+4 # Guest 2010-02-13 07:17

Weiss wastes our time.

-5+34 # Guest 2010-02-13 07:25

Govt: is the best liar. Ministers are the best. Do not bring respected foreign diplomats into your own standard. Wake up you guys..

-5+41 # Guest 2010-02-13 07:34

Mr. Hullugalle, this is too big to hide!.. truth is comming out day by day..

-30+5 # Guest 2010-02-13 07:51

While Weiss is employed by the UN, he cannot speak openly. He leaves the UN and he can say anything he likes, however he likes, substatantiated or otherwise. I too had "undisclosed" and "reliable" sources in the war zone who said all kinds of things to me; But I NEVER saw with my eys so I keep my mouth shut. What good is being done by this kind of talk?! All we need to do now is to mend fences and move on. This era was a dark patch in our nation and the sooner we move on, the better.

-3+30 # Guest 2010-02-13 08:14

Weiss is lieing , these guys are telling the truth!

Go home, Vote riggers.

-39+6 # Guest 2010-02-13 08:51

This is a smll lie when compared to the lie told by Powell in the UN Council about WMD. Since then UN is a factory of lies..

-7+29 # Guest 2010-02-13 09:05

If it false why you all scared to face the world wide accusations. Tamils knows the truth because they are wise

-4+28 # Guest 2010-02-13 09:07

Sri Lanka must honestly account for its conduct of the war if the country is to start on the path to a more stable future no matter what this politically appointed spokesmen of the GOSL is talking about.

Australia as a democracy as well as the home for large continent of Sri Lankans on the ethnic divide should take a stand against Sri Lanka's slide from democracy & human right abuses.

Australia has so far merely said it was watching developments closely. This passive attitude could be easily confused with a willingness to pander to Colombo out of fear that any criticism could jeopardise Sri Lankan co-operation with Australia on immigration matters. It would be a greater betrayal of the Sri Lankan people should Australia be seen to abandon support for democracy in order to preserve relations with an increasingly authoritarian regime back home.

Dr. Kumara, K., VIC.

-4+36 # Guest 2010-02-13 09:16

TRUTH IS BITTER

-3+24 # Guest 2010-02-13 09:29

It is simply a matter of letting in independent observers to check up on the facts. The government's attempt to block foreign reporters itself is an indication that they are the ones who are spreading lies.

-3+34 # Guest 2010-02-13 09:30

Lies? Let independant people to investigate and verify the truth. Why from Gotha to MR is shievering for any independant investigation? Only stupid will go by the claim made by this government.

-3+24 # Guest 2010-02-13 09:44

Here we go again, Deny the truth and speak lies. Enough is enough. The whole world knows what these diabolical administration is doing., WE WANT CHANGE.

-21+3 # Guest 2010-02-13 09:56

As Niward Kabral Said about economy to develop is a time mater, This is also a time matter.

-3+21 # Guest 2010-02-13 10:12

Can this government misnisters trust?
They are trying make fool of all srilankans as well as international community.
Defence secretary was accusing for involving U.S. and Norway for funding and helping? Forigen minister is accepting that U.S. and Norway rejection. Who is laiying ? Same govenment ministers are giving conrtadictory false informations?

-35+3 # Guest 2010-02-13 10:15

My gosh, ain't we all surprised to hear this guy make a speak of civilian killings on the last stages of the war. Looks like he has awoken after a long slumber. He does not know if he is coming or going, let alone comment on an international statement.

-3+14 # Guest 2010-02-13 10:26

Everybody is telling lies, its only MCNS tells truth always.

-4+34 # Guest 2010-02-13 10:36

The whole world knows that this is a terrorist government. As ruthless as the LTTE. No difference at all.

-1+0 # Guest 2010-02-15 10:04

If he is lying you tell the truth to the world let them decide.Mr.Laxman ,remember Sri Lanka is a part of the world and not world is part of Sri Lanka. The truth always win.

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