Rajapaksa denies giving money to LTTE

Former Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa has denied allegations that he gave money to the LTTE, saying the ruling coalition leaders have been trying to “mislead voters” ahead of the parliament elections next month.

JVP or People’s Liberation Front leader, Anura Kumara Dissanayake, had said at an election rally that President Maithripala Sirisena told him that if a Presidential Commission of Inquiry finds former President Rajapaksa guilty of having given money to the LTTE, he could be deprived of his civic rights.

Dismissing the allegations, the former President’s office in a statement said, “JVP speakers have been trying to mislead voters by saying that there was no point in voting for the UPFA because Rajapaksa could lose his civic rights. The public should be vigilant about such falsehoods being propagated by bankrupt politicians.”

“Firstly, former president Rajapaksa did not give money to the LTTE. On the contrary, it was he who defeated the LTTE. Secondly, no Presidential Commission has recommended that Rajapaksa be deprived of his civic rights. Thirdly a Presidential Commission of Inquiry cannot deprive anybody of his civic rights unless parliament passes a resolution to that effect with a two thirds majority,” Rajapaksa’s office was quoted as saying by the Colombo Gazette.

The former president lost the presidential elections in January to Maithripala Sirisena.