Civil Defense Minister Sarath Weerasekara has said that the allegation that they had deliberately blocked aid to the north during the war was false.
He was speaking to the media on Tuesday as the 49th session of the UN Human Rights Council opens in Geneva on February 28.
He said all the allegations began with the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights’ Office’s inquiry report on Sri Lanka.
He noted that the report charged them with eight counts of war crimes, four counts of violating international humanitarian law and four counts of violating international human rights law.
He said he had gone to the UN Human Rights Council alone and denied the allegations.
He also pointed out, for example, that the accusation that they had deliberately blocked aid to the north during the war was false.
The UN says he was in the navy at the time and that hundreds of ships with aid were heading north. He also said that the international community, including Sri Lanka, had praised him for this.
He also said that Malta Sukumar, who was the Mullaitivu government chief, had once admitted that Mangala Samaraweera had been accused of war, despite having three months’ worth of food.
He further said that six internationally renowned war crimes experts have joined hands with the Puranagama Commission to confirm that they have not committed any war crimes and questioned why some countries refuse to accept our war veterans in such a situation.