The Daily Telegraph's chief political commentator Peter Oborne has called on British politician Lord Naseby to withdraw his comments made on Sri Lanka, stating that he has "misled parliament, and thus given comfort to perpetrators of state-sponsored terror."
Oborne, saying that Naseby has “ become an apologist for the Sri Lankan government”, noted it was, “essential to adhere scrupulously to the facts when it comes to an event as grave and sensitive as the massacre of the Tamils in the final stages of the Sri Lankan civil war”.
He went on to detail Naseby's allegations in the British parliament, noting that he was a "receiver of Sri Lankan government hospitality" and had relied on evidence from a propaganda booklet "Corrupted Journalism".
In particular Naseby's comments over Tamil TV presenter Isaipriya, which appeared in the harrowing Channel 4 documentaries, were troubling said Oborne, commenting,
Oborne, saying that Naseby has “ become an apologist for the Sri Lankan government”, noted it was, “essential to adhere scrupulously to the facts when it comes to an event as grave and sensitive as the massacre of the Tamils in the final stages of the Sri Lankan civil war”.
He went on to detail Naseby's allegations in the British parliament, noting that he was a "receiver of Sri Lankan government hospitality" and had relied on evidence from a propaganda booklet "Corrupted Journalism".
In particular Naseby's comments over Tamil TV presenter Isaipriya, which appeared in the harrowing Channel 4 documentaries, were troubling said Oborne, commenting,
“Channel 4’s footage shows her dead, naked, with a single head wound and her hands tied behind her back – a clear victim of sexual abuse and summary execution. To treat a captive in such a way is a hideous breach of the Geneva Convention and her human rights; her political status is completely irrelevant.”Stating that the position of Lord Naseby was "absurd", Oborne concluded,
“Lord Naseby has given misleading testimony to the House of Lords, and his remarks have been picked up in Sri Lanka and are being used in defence of the regime.”
“The rules are clear. Those who make misleading statements to Parliament must correct the record at the first opportunity. Lord Naseby has misled parliament, and thus given comfort to perpetrators of state-sponsored terror. He must return to Parliament and withdraw his allegations.”Read his full piece here.
