Published on Mar 27, 2013
This documentary tells a story of silent agony, trapped screams and repressed mourning. A story of women forced to deny their identity -- who are trapped in between a government which sees them as "Tigers," and a society whose norms they are no longer deemed worthy of.
These women fought bravely alongside men as members of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) during Sri Lanka's bloody thirty-year civil war. From protectors and defenders of their families, villages and nation, thousands of female ex-combatants have now returned home to assume more traditional roles as mothers, wives, widows, and teachers -- in communities where they are perpetually shunned. Through several powerful voices, "Haunted by Her Yesterdays" allows a few to share their pain and suffering -- the wounds that remain unhealed, the scars that are impossible to ignore and the hearts that still burn with pain, passion and grief -- for the world to hear. This film is a gripping tale of loss, betrayal and struggle, but --above all else -- it is a search for inspiration and a call for action. As the country's war-torn North and East struggles to rebuild itself, this documentary tells a deeply moving story that has been overlooked for far too long.
These women fought bravely alongside men as members of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) during Sri Lanka's bloody thirty-year civil war. From protectors and defenders of their families, villages and nation, thousands of female ex-combatants have now returned home to assume more traditional roles as mothers, wives, widows, and teachers -- in communities where they are perpetually shunned. Through several powerful voices, "Haunted by Her Yesterdays" allows a few to share their pain and suffering -- the wounds that remain unhealed, the scars that are impossible to ignore and the hearts that still burn with pain, passion and grief -- for the world to hear. This film is a gripping tale of loss, betrayal and struggle, but --above all else -- it is a search for inspiration and a call for action. As the country's war-torn North and East struggles to rebuild itself, this documentary tells a deeply moving story that has been overlooked for far too long.
Ambassador Blake cannot reverse Tamil genocide: Prof. Boyle
[TamilNet, Wednesday, 27 March 2013, 00:43 GMT]Responding to the statements made during the U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for South Asia, Robert Blake's, interview with the BBC, where Blake appears to characterize the "GOSL’s mass extermination of over 100,000 Tamils in Vanni in 2009" as nothing more than “some of the negative trends that have occurred with respect to rule of law and human rights in Sri Lanka," that needs to be "reversed," Professor Francis A. Boyle, an expert in international law, said, while Blake cannot reverse the genocide, the "start of “revers{ing}” them is to establish an International Investigative Commission in order to prosecute them." Blake also denies in the interview that he [and the international community] had any knowledge of the magnitude of the casualties during the final months of the war.
Ambassador Blake makes the following statement to the BBC:
 Ambassador Blake's BBC interview |
Professor Francis A. Boyle, University of Illinois
"In other words, as far as the United States government is concerned, the GOSL genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes against the Tamils are just “ some of the negative trends that have occurred with respect to the rule of law and human rights in Sri Lanka” that should be “reverse{d}.” But how does the GOSL or the United States “reverse” genocide, war crimes, crimes against humanity and 100,000 exterminated Tamils? The start of “revers{ing}” them is to establish an International Investigative Commission in order to prosecute them!
"Article I of the 1948 Genocide Convention clearly requires contracting parties such as the United States and Sri Lanka “to prevent and to punish” the GOSL genocide against the Tamils. Obviously the United States maliciously failed and refused “to prevent” the GOSL genocide against 100,000+ Tamils in 2009 in egregious violation of its obligation to do so under Article I of the Genocide Convention.
"Today the very least the United States can now do is “to punish” the GOSL genocide against 100,000+ Tamils in Vanni in 2009 as also required by Genocide Convention Article I.
"Have Blake and Kerry maliciously failed and refused to read the Genocide Convention?" Boyle asked.
