Defending his comments that British Prime Minister David Cameron may have been ‘misled’ over human rights issues in his country, Sri Lankan cricket legend Muttiah Muralitharan says that it is better to “forget and forgive” and move on than to dig up the past and make more enemies.
Muralitharan met the British Premier on Saturday (16) at the Colombo Cricket Club and had reportedly suggested the Prime Minister had been “misled” about the latest situation in the war-scarred north of the island.
Speaking to Channel 4 presenter Jon Snow on his views, Murali stated that war is a two side battle and that anything could happen. He stated that no one has answers for the question regarding what happened during the conflict and that nobody will be able to find out.
The popular sportsman stated that Cameron had never visited previously Jaffna or even Sri Lanka and was being told by other people as to what allegedly happen and what is happening there. “So that’s why he wants to go see Jaffna.”
The British Prime Minister was mobbed by a large number of demonstrators brandishing photographs of missing relatives, letters and petitions while he toured the Northern Province.
Murali stated that just because of 20-30 mothers had come crying to him does not exactly mean that is the truth. “You don’t know, because these people can also mislead,” the legendary spin bowler said, adding, that “the truth is very difficult to find.”
Murali, who took a record 800 test wickets, says his reconciliation charity is not about the past its about moving on and enabling people to live and work together
“Why dig the past and make more enemies out of it? That’s my policy not anybody’s policy.” He stated that the past is gone and that there is no point in thinking about what has already happened.
Murali stated that he too can think of past because as a Tamil and he was also affected by the 1977 riots, when their houses were burnt. “So I’m not thinking about my past. You can forget and forgive and move forward,” he urged.
