The Sri Lankan government's announcement of a domestic inquiry to investigate mass killings that took place during the final phase of the armed conflict is an attempt to “misdirect the people,” said Tamil National Alliance member T Thambirajah.

Speaking to Ceylon Today Mr Thambirajah said, “We know that genocidal killings have taken place, and that the international community is concerned about it”.

“An international inquiry was carried-out because the previous government did not agree to launch a local inquiry”, he added. “Now the international inquiry has preceded and the international community is at a stage to release the report. At this stage the government is emphasizing on a local inquiry to misdirect the people.”

Mr Thambirajah, who also heads the Democratic Organization Against Oppression, went on to say, “We continue to urge the international community to release the report on war crimes and we welcome them to release it by September this year as they promised”.

When asked about the question of the genocide of Tamils taking place, Mr Thambirajah pointed to the Northern Provincial Council resolution passed earlier this year.  Stating that Chief Minister of the Northern Province  C V Wigneswaran had laid out all the evidence, Mr Thambirajah noted that “even members of the UPFA who represent the South have agreed to the resolution and it was passed unanimously”.

In his interview, the TNA member also touched on the issue of land being occupied by the Sri Lankan government, stating “we believed that the current government would definitely release each and every land and hand over to owners in the North and the East”. “People of the North and the East have played a major role in changing the regime,” he said, adding “however, most of their issues are yet to be properly addressed”.

See his full interview here.