A former Sri Lankan minister who was part of the Rajapaksa administration has admitted that surrendered Tamils, including civilians and LTTE cadre, were executed by the military during the end of the armed conflict in 2009.
Speaking at a press conference in Colombo on September 13, the former higher education minister, S B Dissanayake highlighted the case of the LTTE military commander, Col. Ramesh.
“Ramesh surrendered, and Ramesh was killed," Dissanayake told journalists, JDS reported.
“Ramesh phoned me 10 minutes before he surrendered. I am going to surrender to the army, he told me.”
Dissanayake made the statement "in a very casual manner", JDS stated.
His comments confirm video footage broadcast by Channel 4 which showed Col Ramesh alive in military custody, followed by footage of his dead body.
Meanwhile the former minister of foreign employment promotion and welfare, Dilan Perera, accused the former military commander, Sarath Fonseka of "killing not only journalists, but also innocent people."