TheSundayLeader:GTF Wants Judicial Review Of FCO
A group of Tamil diaspora activists who have pushed for legal action against the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO), continue to claim that there is “credible evidence” of Sri Lankan Army General turned diplomat, Major General Prasanna de Silva’s involvement in alleged war crimes. Major General de Silva presently serves as defence adviser to the Sri Lankan High Commission in London, but is expected to return to the country shortly. Following the refusal of British Foreign Secretary, William Hague, to declare Major General Silva persona non gratae and deny him diplomatic immunity, the Global Tamil Forum (GTF) has now pushed for a judicial review of the FCO’s actions. “Of course we believe evidence against Maj. Gen. Silva is credible,” the GTF’s spokesperson, Suren Surendiran, said in an email interview last week. “However, let a court decide whether he is guilty or not guilty. By avoiding facing justice, one cannot prove his or her innocence. By running away from the UK, that’s exactly what Mr. Silva is avoiding. If he or the government has nothing to hide, they must get these charges proven wrong, rather than hiding behind immunity and complaining.”