Issues
BREAKING NEWS: Rajapakse will not answer, summons published on pro LTTE websites says media chief
“Neither President Rajapakse nor I on his behalf will answer questions on war crimes, Director of the Presidential Media Unit told Lanka Standard today. The defiance from the Presidential Secretariat came
President Mahinda Rajapakse. Will he answer to the gods?
when Lanka Standard asked the President’s spokesperson how the President reacts to the new order by the US District Court on alternative service of summons.
Slammed by litigation and police investigation into war crimes Sri Lanka’s beleagured President is running scared. In New York’s Buddhist Vihara this September, the 65 year old Rajapakse refused to alight from his vehicle until two agents, there to serve summons on him in the Manoharan case filed in the US District Court of Washington DC, had been safely escorted out of the premises and the vicinity by his body guards.
Now, due to leave to the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting later this month Rajapakse has more on his plate. The International Commission of Jurists, Australia has passed on a dossier of war crimes to the Australian Federal Police. The Federal Police we learn is now studying this dossier even as the Australian government is pressurized to take action against Sri Lanka. For H.E. Mahinda Rajapakse, life is getting uncomfortable – if not at home then at least when he travels abroad. Something we know the Rajapakses love to do. After all that is a part of the charm of being all powerful.
In the meantime the US Courts last week granted Plaintiffs Manoharan et al their motion to serve summons on Sri Lanka President Mahinda Rajapakse by publication or alternative means. In granting Plaintiff’s motion filed October 1, judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly said the Plaintiffs were authorised to complete service upon defendant Rajapakse in his personal capacity by publishing in two Sri Lankan newspapers with the largest circulation and on the main page of the Tamilnet website.”
On calling the Presidential media unit and asking to be directed to Rajapakse’s media spokesperson this correspondent was directed to Mr. Lucien Rajakarunanayake.
On being asked whether the government or President Rajapakse will take action against any local newspapers that published the summons and the full 29 page complaint, Rajakarunanayake refused to answer any questions saying all allegations were baseless.
“In US none of the journalists are even allowed to talk to Obama and that is their democracy. But here anyone can talk to President Mahinda Rajapakse but he will not answer and is not answerable to these allegations. These summons have been published in pro LTTE websites. There are certain protocols to be followed. Speak to our Ambassador in Washington ,” he said.
Rajapakse pleads the fifth
“Neither President Rajapakse nor I on his behalf will answer any questions on this matter,” he further said.
The Plaintiffs in the said case are seeking damages in excess of $30 million against President Rajapakse for actions allegedly occurring under his command responsibility as Head of State and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces.
The complaint alleges that President Rajapakse held command responsibility for the extrajudicial killings of Ragihar Manoharan, the son of Plaintiff Dr. Kasippillai Manoharan, Premas Anandarajah, a humanitarian aid worker for Action Against Hunger, and first husband of Plaintiff Kalaiselvi Lavan, and four members of the Tevarajah family, all relatives of Plaintiff Jeyakumar Aiyathurai.
40 Comments to “BREAKING NEWS: Rajapakse will not answer, summons published on pro LTTE websites says media chief”
December 14, 2011 at 8:42 pm
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December 12, 2011 at 7:49 am
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December 8, 2011 at 7:09 am
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December 7, 2011 at 7:25 pm
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December 6, 2011 at 6:13 pm
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December 6, 2011 at 8:48 am
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November 26, 2011 at 4:01 pm
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November 25, 2011 at 12:58 pm
The info is right on, Great stuff, I’ll be back.
November 24, 2011 at 6:45 am
The info is pretty good, a couple of things I don’t agree with, but not bad.
November 8, 2011 at 2:28 pm
Thank you but we will manage without outside pressure in Sri Lanka
November 8, 2011 at 6:46 am
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November 8, 2011 at 6:43 am
Not another MR story
November 8, 2011 at 6:10 am
Keep it up sonali, good work
November 8, 2011 at 3:45 am
There are some fascinating legal points here and I hope for that alone this case gets taken up for hearing
November 8, 2011 at 1:29 am
welcome to Sri Lanka the friends of the Gaddafi family
November 8, 2011 at 12:59 am
Great article
November 8, 2011 at 12:13 am
Well he will not be able to escape the gods
November 8, 2011 at 12:12 am
He will continue like this till his own people get sick of him
November 8, 2011 at 12:12 am
This is a good reliable website great stuff especially for Sri Lankan news.
November 8, 2011 at 12:11 am
If it is legal then how can he refuse?
November 8, 2011 at 12:11 am
thanks, your article is very informative.
November 8, 2011 at 12:11 am
Interesting article.
November 8, 2011 at 12:10 am
It sounds like you’re creating problems yourself be careful
these are killers
November 8, 2011 at 12:10 am
Great articles & Nice a site….
November 8, 2011 at 12:09 am
keep it up Sonali good work
November 7, 2011 at 8:38 pm
Rajapakse will have to answer sometime. And now if they want all websites registered with the media ministry – good luck with that – all the summons wil only ned to be on the websites
November 7, 2011 at 6:49 pm
Who cares what the media chief says but patience will get Rajapakse if nothing else will. All the victims just wait. Already the people are rising against many dictators
November 7, 2011 at 12:42 pm
Good one Lucien
November 5, 2011 at 3:26 am
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October 20, 2011 at 11:48 pm
[…] in Rajapakse case, the Court has authorized the Plaintiffs to serve summons by publication in Sri Lanka papers and in T… in Vathsala Devi v. Silva there has yet to be evidence of any involvement by the US State […]
October 20, 2011 at 9:00 am
[…] Court of Southern District of New York (SDNY). Both are civil cases. While in Rajapakse case, the Court has authorized the Plaintiffs to serve summons by publication in Sri Lanka papers and in T… in Vathsala Devi v. Silva there has yet to be evidence of any involvement by the US State […]
October 20, 2011 at 2:38 am
[…] in Rajapakse case, the Court has authorized the Plaintiffs to serve summons by publication in Sri Lanka papers and in T… in Vathsala Devi v. Silva there has yet to be evidence of any involvement by the US State […]
October 18, 2011 at 10:09 pm
Ms Amali ou are talking like soothsayer that is good considering the Rajapakses are gripped by mumbo jumbo anyway
October 18, 2011 at 10:08 pm
We will have to be patient because the entire world is merely playing politics. But justice will come even though slowly, the blood spilled will be avenged, the widows and orphans will be avenged it will come to the Rajapakses. In the meantime all this talk is good for the media to have something to write about. But whether they write or not, whether lawyers file cases or not Rajapakses time will come
October 18, 2011 at 10:05 pm
We know the true answer what ever he says. This is like asking who killed Lasantha? Thr whole world knows who killed lasantha. These murderers will not be able to hide for long. There is always a day of reckoning. In the meantime CHOGM is a good place to make them feel uncomfortable. I hope CHOGM will have more guts than HRC in Geneva and the UN in New York. The US is playing double game. THe State Department is playing a double game but Australia should play it straight despite thier high commissioner in Sri Lanka trying to curry favour with the Sri Lankan government.
October 18, 2011 at 9:54 pm
Rajapaksas will soon have no more places to run to. The truth will surveil. Next will be court action against brother Gotabhaya.
October 18, 2011 at 7:56 pm
Precisely because he is president he should answer questions put to him by journalists on behalf of the people since he says he is the peoples president
October 18, 2011 at 7:54 pm
Mr Rajapakse does not have to reply that is his prerogative. He s the President
October 18, 2011 at 7:53 pm
superb questions lanka standard put them on the spot. I’m interested to know what they will say instead of blathering as usual and evading the question