Zeenews Bureau
Colombo: Sri Lanka’s ex-army chief Sarath Fonseka, a day after his release on Tuesday in an interview to BBC said “Sri Lanka must co-operate with any international investigation into alleged war crimes.”
After spending two years behind the bars for crossing swords with President Mahinda Rajapaksa and for intervening into political matters, the Sri Lanka's war hero was released on a special presidential pardon.
Rajapaksa on Saturday had signed papers of pardon for his former Army commander turned political rival and the withdrawal of Fonseka's appeals were mandatory to the presidential orders coming into effect.
Fonseka further said some Sri Lankan leaders were "hiding their faces" over the conduct of the war, as if they were guilty.
Fonseka, the man credited with leading the Sri Lankan Army who put an end to 26 years of brutal civil war when they defeated the separatist Tamil Tigers in May 2009 was under detention since February 2010.
Although the separatist Tamil Tigers were always on the wrong foot but in the final phase of the war, between SL Army and LTTE was under controversy, with both sides accused of war crimes.
According to BBC reports, Human rights groups estimate that up to 40,000 civilians were killed in the final months of the war.
The Srilankan government recently released its own estimate, concluding that about 9,000 people perished during that period.
First Published: Tuesday, May 22, 2012, 18:38