"SELF DETERMINATION IS KEY TO THE WORLD PEACE"
Murdered Sri Lanka politician’s family hail MP warrant
[Thursday, 17 November 2011 23:19] Featured, General, News17 November 2011 Last updated at 12:03
Duminda Silva (left) was closely connected to the heart of the Sri Lankan government
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Sri Lanka After War
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- War in pictures
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- Profile: Mahinda Rajapaksa
The daughter of a Sri Lankan politician shot dead last month has welcomed a court move to arrest an MP in connection with his killing.
Speaking to the BBC from an undisclosed location outside Sri Lanka, Hirunika Premachandra said that the news had restored her faith in the judiciary.
Her father Bharatha Lakshman was killed during a shoot-out in Colombo.
The court issued a warrant for the arrest of Duminda Silva MP who was present during the incident.
Mr Silva was injured when shooting broke out in the capital between rival members of the governing party.
On Tuesday a court said that Mr Silva should be arrested and produced before a court even though his name is not among the list of 15 police suspects wanted in connection with the violence.
He is currently believed to be receiving medical treatment for severe injuries in a hospital in Singapore.
Gun culture
"I think this is the first time I felt happy since my father passed away," Ms Premachandra told the BBC Sinhala service.
"It is not because somebody is being sent to prison but because we can still trust the judicial system in Sri Lanka.
"I salute the judge for making us still believe in the judiciary."
Presidential adviser Mr Lakshman was among four people killed when shooting broke out within the governing United People’s Front Alliance as local elections were being held in a suburb of Colombo on 8 October.
Police said on Tuesday that there was not enough evidence to arrest Mr Silva and that he was "not of sound mind".
However, considering the evidence, the magistrate ordered the MP’s immediate arrest.
Police quoting Mr Lakshman’s driver said that Mr Silva blocked Mr Lakshman’s vehicle and shot him. But, the officer said, other eyewitnesses had contradicted this.
The BBC’s Charles Haviland in Colombo says that several other people have been detained in connection with the violence, including Mr Silva’s bodyguard and a man widely described as an "underworld figure" who was with Mr Silva at the time.
Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa countered widespread allegations against Mr Silva by saying he was "not a known underworld king pin or some drug dealer – he’s an elected MP".
But Mr Rajapaksa admitted that politicians in the area where the gunfight took place had connections with the underworld and its gun culture.
Sri Lanka After War
-
UN panel report: Main allegations
-
War in pictures
-
Q&A: Post-war Sri Lanka
-
Profile: Mahinda Rajapaksa
-
After the Tigers
-
Election a family affair
-
Child soldiers’ second chance
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Global Peace Support Group UK Ltd is a registered organisation based in London. The organisation dedicated to be involved in humanitarian and other related issues. We also work along with other similar organisations to promote peace and harmony among various societies..
GLOBAL PEACE SUPPORT GROUP - UK - TIRELESSLY WORK ON THE CONCEPT OF:
"SELF DETERMINATION IS KEY TO THE WORLD PEACE"
MOURNS ON THE CONTINUED TRAGEDY OF THE PEOPLE OF North & East of Tamil EELAM WITH THE HOPE OF ALL OF OUR ENDEAVOURS WOULD BRING AN END TO THOSE SUFFERING DURING THE YEAR AHEAD.
The International community has a duty towards the long suffering Sri Lankan Tamil population to restore their rights of SELF DETERMINATION.
Global Peace Support Group - believes that this is the ONLY way for a permanent PEACE in Sri Lanka.
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