Maithripala Sirisena vows to protect Mahinda Rajapaksa

Common opposition presidential candidate Maithripala Sirisena today vowed to resist international moves to investigate the Sri Lanka’s human rights record, if he is elected as the President of the country in the election on January 8.

Sirisena, who defected last week from the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) government, said he would not allow Sri Lankans to be tried overseas for allegations of war crimes.

“I will not allow President Mahinda Rajapaksa, Gotabaya Rajapaksa or any member of our armed forces who fought to eradicate LTTE terrorism from our country to be taken before any international war crimes tribunal by the Tamil diaspora,” Sirisena said.

“I must say clearly that I will protect them all,” he said at a press conference in Colombo.