I can't understand' allegations says Rajapaksa to Al Jazeera
Asked about Navi Pillay's criticisms of Sri Lanka following her visit, Rajapaksa said:
"This is what I can't understand. For last five years we've had about 19 elections. Provincial council election, then the parliamentary election. Every four years - my term is 6 years - but last year I went for election at 4 years. And it is up to the people to decide on governments."Apparently perplexed by Navi Pillay's assertion that critical voices are often attacked or permanantly silenced, Rajapaksa said:
"No I reject all that. I mean this is what I can't understand when a person come here. We have an opposition. You must remember in a democratic country - it's not like, a dictatorial country, where a dictator is there - so there are other views. So the opposition is always trying to defeat the government, whether it is with the international community, or inside the country."Asked about the harassment and intimidation of people who spoke to Navi Pillay during her visit, Rajapaksa said:
"No. I asked, she never told us this. Otherwise I would have enquired into it. She never mentioned that to me, 'til she came out in public. When she met me she could have told me. If that happened, I don't know why she said this, because we will never do that. We would have stopped her coming, but we allowed her to go anywhere, allowed her to meet anybody she wants."Commenting on the TNA's victory at the Northern Provincial Council election, he said:
"We knew, it will happen, I knew, I told this... I told even the TNA leader that we are going to give you the election. You will win. We know our results, but we want to have it. we want you to take on the responsibility. Anybody can criticise, let them deliver now."