Terrorism: All Sides Must Be Held Accountable!
By Pitasanna Shanmugathas –October 3, 2016
Pitasanna Shanmugathas
This article is an attempt to clarify misunderstandings people have from an earlier article I wrote.
I have been vocal in criticizing both the LTTE and the Sri Lankan government for committing egregious human rights violations. Both sides must be held accountable. Violence on both sides is unjustifiable.
The LTTE has committed egregious human rights abuses such as using civilians as human shields, killing political dissidents (such as Neelan Tiruchelvam and Rajini Thiranagama), forcibly conscripting children to fight, killing leaders of rival factions, the forcible expulsion of Muslims, among other egregious atrocities. As a member of the Tamil community, I am extremely critical of the actions committed by the LTTE because the main victims of their actions have been innocent Tamil civilians.
In no way or form have I ever whitewashed the human rights abuses committed by the LTTE. Prabhakaran, and the senior leadership, committed egregious human rights abuses and there must be accountability in this regard.
In addition, I have also published articles on Colombo Telegraph exposing the atrocious human rights violations committed by the LTTE: some of my articles are the following: The LTTE’s Forced Recruitment of Children, Sampanthan Calls for Human Rights Accountability (for both the LTTE and GOSL), I even wrote an article where I interviewed the TGTE leader and criticized him for refusing to apologize for crimes committed by the LTTE. In addition, I have also conducted interviews with several individuals such as Erik Solheim, Bob Rae, Jo Becker (Human Rights Watch), Rohan Gunaratna, Samapanthan, Thulasi Muttulingam (aid worker stationed in the North) among other individuals who speak about crimes committed by both the LTTE and Sri Lankan government.
It must also be recognized that along with the LTTE, the Sri Lankan government has committed egregious human rights abuses. The Sri Lankan government during the final stages of the war, according to the UN among other credible agencies, used cluster bombs, shelled hospitals, and violated Geneva Conventions by killing those who surrendered during the final stages of the war. In addition, the Sri Lankan government has killed journalists such as Lasantha Wickrematunge, killed politicians, and indefinitely detains individuals under the Prevention of Terrorism Act, militarily occupies land in the North, among other egregious human rights violations.
Both sides must be held to account for egregious and inexcusable human rights abuses. This has always been my position. I have never moved away from this position.
However, we must recognize that the use of term “terrorism” is a political tool. I will now expand on why this is so in hopes to clarify doubts and accusations expressed by Laksiri Fernando among other individuals who have clearly misunderstood what I wrote.
