The presidential front-runner in Sri Lanka promised Friday he would rehabilitate and release all military personnel accused of human rights abuses in the long civil war.
Gotabaya Rajapaksa's manifesto says that Tamil Tiger rebels who are imprisoned for war-related activities would also be released after rehabilitation.
During the war, Rajapaksa was a powerful defense official under his brother and former President Mahinda Rajapaksa. He himself has been accused of condoning rape, extrajudicial executions and abductions, charges he denies. He is considered the top candidate in the elections scheduled for Nov. 16.
Sri Lankan presidential candidate and former defense chief Gotabaya Rajapaksa greets to gathering during the launching of his election manifesto in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Friday, Oct. 25, 2019. The presidential front-runner in Sri Lanka says he will rehabilitate and release all military personnel accused of committing human rights abuses in the long civil war.(AP PhotoEranga Jayawardena)
By mentioning "rehabilitation," his pledge differs from his previous promise to release all detained soldiers soon after he is elected, which was questioned as possibly bypassing legal procedures. It wasn't clear what it meant by rehabilitation and Rajapaksa and his camp have not explained it further.
The manifesto also reiterates his previous pledge that he will not recognize a resolution Sri Lanka co-sponsored at the United Nations human rights body promising to investigate allegations of war crimes against government troops and Tamil Tiger rebels.
"Even though we took steps to pardon, rehabilitate and release 13,784 Tiger members who surrendered with arms, such steps were not taken in relation to soldiers who faced different accusations related to the wartime," the manifesto said.
Former Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa gestures holding a copy of the election manifesto of his brother and presidential candidate Gotabaya Rajapaksa, bottom left, during a function in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Friday, Oct. 25, 2019. The presidential front-runner in Sri Lanka says he will rehabilitate and release all military personnel accused of committing human rights abuses in the long civil war. (AP PhotoEranga Jayawardena)
It says that steps will be taken to "systematically rehabilitate and reintegrate" into the society as free citizens not only the soldiers but also members of the Tamil Tigers who are facing different accusations related to the war.
Sri Lanka's government ordered Tamil rebels and any civilian with remote relationship to the rebel group to surrender after they were boxed inside a narrow strip of land in the final days of the war in 2009. The government released the official number of 13,784 people who surrendered but families say they saw busloads of their relatives taken away by soldiers never to be seen again. A protest demanding information on their missing relatives has continued for years.
Rajapaksa's manifesto does not talk about the missing but speaking to reporters earlier this month, he said that no person had disappeared other than those who participated in active combat, and that included thousands of soldiers. Even though there are different allegations, he said people must forget the past and move on.
Sri Lankan presidential candidate and former defense chief Gotabaya Rajapaksa, center, distributes copies of his election manifesto in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Friday, Oct. 25, 2019. The presidential front-runner in Sri Lanka says he will rehabilitate and release all military personnel accused of committing human rights abuses in the long civil war. (AP PhotoEranga Jayawardena)
Sri Lankan presidential candidate and former defense chief Gotabaya Rajapaksa greets to gathering during the launching of his election manifesto in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Friday, Oct. 25, 2019. The presidential front-runner in Sri Lanka says he will rehabilitate and release all military personnel accused of committing human rights abuses in the long civil war. (AP PhotoEranga Jayawardena)
DETROIT (AP) — The Oakland Athletics no longer have to wonder where they'll play the next few seasons. That won't make the long goodbye any easier.
The A's reacted to the announcement that this will be their last year in Oakland with a mixture of sadness and relief.
“At least as a player, you know where you’re headed,” outfielder Seth Brown said Friday before a game against the Tigers in Detroit. “There’s obviously a lot of moving parts, a lot of stuff we’re not privy to, so it’s just been kind of a waiting game on our end. Where are we going to go? Where are we going to be? So I think just having that knowledge -- at least we know where we’re going to be playing next year.”
Vivek Ranadivé, who owns the Triple-A Sacramento River Cats, and Oakland Athletics owner John Fisher announced Thursday that the A’s will temporarily relocate to West Sacramento's Sutter Health Park for at least three seasons. The A's are moving to Las Vegas after a new ballpark is constructed.
The River Cats, who are affiliated with the San Francisco Giants, will continue to play at the same facility.
Fisher was unable to reach an agreement with Oakland city officials on extending the lease at Oakland Coliseum, which expires at the end of this season. The A's have played in the city since 1968.
“There's direction now, which we've talked a lot about,” Oakland A's manager Mark Kotsay said. “We've got time to kind of reflect on what this really means from an organizational standpoint, the history that we've had in Oakland, with this being now the final season. There's a lot of emotion that goes behind this.”
It will not only cause some upheaval for the players and staff but also members of the organization that work behind the scenes.
“At the end of the day, we know where we're going to be for the next three seasons after the finish this year and that in itself gives a little bit of stability,” Kotsay said. “At the same time, in the present, it's challenging in certain ways to think about the finality of this organization in Oakland.”
Sacramento will be a much smaller environment to house a major league team. Ranadivé said the River Cats venue currently seats 16,000 when counting the stands, the lawn behind center field and standing room only.
First baseman Ryan Noda is concerned with the facilities. He's hopeful that significant upgrades will be made, much like the Toronto Blue Jays did at Buffalo's Triple-A facility. The Blue Jays played at Buffalo's Sahlen Field in 2020 in 2021 during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“New walls, new dugouts, new locker rooms — everything they needed to become a big league stadium,” said Noda, who played some games in Sacramento as a minor leaguer. “As long as we can do something like that, then it'll be all right. But it's definitely going to be different than playing in stadiums that hold 40,000 people.”
Kotsay is confident the upgrades will occur.
“I know it will be of major league baseball quality,” he said. “It's has to be of major league baseball quality. I know the Players Association will make sure that takes place, as they did in Buffalo.”
For the rest of this season, the A's will have to deal with small home crowds and disappointed fans.
“We’re sad for the fans, the diehard fans, who always come to our games, always support us, always support the boys wearing the jersey,” Noda said.
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Sacramento Kings owner Vivek Ranadive, center, shakes hands John Fisher, owner of the Oakland Athletics, before the start of a news conference where Fisher announced his team will leave Oakland after this season and play temporarily at a minor league park, during a news conference in West Sacramento, Calif., Thursday, April 4 2024.The A's announced the decision to play at the home of the Sacramento River Cats from 2025-27 with an option for 2028 on Thursday after being unable to reach an agreement to extend their lease in Oakland during that time. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli)
John Fisher, owner of the Oakland Athletics baseball team, announces that his team will leave Oakland after this season and play temporarily at a minor league park, during a news conference in West Sacramento, Calif., Thursday, April 4, 2024. The A's announced the decision to play at the home of the Sacramento River Cats from 2025-27 with an option for 2028 on Thursday after being unable to reach an agreement to extend their lease in Oakland during that time. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli)
Sutter Health Park, home of the Triple A team Sacramento River Cats, is shown in West Sacramento, Calif., Thursday, April 4, 2024. The Oakland Athletics announced the decision to play at the home of the Sacramento River Cats from 2025-27 with an option for 2028 on Thursday after being unable to reach an agreement to extend their lease in Oakland during that time. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli)
Oakland Athletics manager Mark Kotsay walks to the dugout after making a pitching change during the eighth inning of the team's baseball game against the Cleveland Guardians in Oakland, Calif., Sunday, March 31, 2024. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)
