What did Norwegians tell Sampanthan and team?
By Gagani Weerakoon- JUN 24 2018As the country was busy debating the morality of a leading Buddhist monk advocating a rumoured 2020 presidential candidate to be like Hitler and a ‘barbaric act’ of killing a leopard in the former de facto tiger capital Kilinochchi, the United States of America (USA) pulled out of the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC), calling it a “cesspool of political bias”.
Nikki Haley, the US envoy to the UN, said it was a “hypocritical” body that “makes a mockery of human rights”.
Formed in 2006, the Geneva-based council has faced criticism in the past for allowing member countries with questionable human rights records.
But activists said the US move could hurt efforts to monitor and address human rights abuses around the world.
With USA pulling out from UNHRC, many in Sri Lanka were attempting to analyze, its impact on Sri Lanka and the US co-sponsored resolution on alleged human rights violations in Sri Lanka during the last phase of the war.
The United States (US) withdrawing from the United Nations Human Rights Council will be positive for Sri Lanka in light of the predicament it has faced at the Council, Co-Cabinet Spokesman and Minister Dr. Rajitha Senaratne noted when asked as to what the Government’s stance is on the matter.
Addressing weekly Cabinet media briefing, Minister Senaratne said that with the US departure, the pressure on Sri Lanka to adopt and implement the recommendations set forth by the UNHRC and its Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) will diminish exponentially.
He noted that the US was one of the influential Member States that imposed the recommendations of the UNHRC resolution on Sri Lanka and therefore with its withdrawal, the pressure on the country will reduce greatly and have a positive impact.
“Despite former President Mahinda Rajapaksa signing and ratifying various human rights-related international Conventions there was no observable implementation of those which resulted in the immense international pressure on the country.
However, in my opinion, if we have agreed and accepted international accords, we have to abide by them no matter what others might say. If not, we have to leave,” he opined.
According to a US Embassy statement Ambassador Atul Keshap met senior Sri Lankan officials to convey the assurance of the United States Government that they will remain fully engaged with the Sri Lankan Government to help it meet its continuing and standing commitments to the international community to advance the cause of reconciliation and lasting peace for all Sri Lankans.
Sri Lanka co-sponsored with the United States two UN Human Rights Commission Resolutions: 30/1 in 2015 and Resolution 34/1 in 2017, and the United States continues to extend its support to Sri Lanka to fulfil these important commitments and obligations as articulated and reaffirmed in these resolutions.
Sri Lanka’s continued progress towards fulfilment of these international commitments will facilitate further growth of our bilateral relations and enhance Sri Lanka’s ability to engage with friends and partners around the world.
“We will follow Sri Lanka’s progress closely and look ahead to engaging with Sri Lanka between now and March 2019 in the spirit of friendship that has marked our recent relations.
As Sri Lanka takes further steps outlined in the Geneva resolution, the United States will also support and expand our bilateral partnership”.
Commenting on the decision by the United States to quit the UNHRC, Tamil National Alliance (TNA) said the party would work with other countries that co-sponsored the resolution on Sri Lanka to ensure that its provisions were implemented.
According to the TNA, there were four key countries that co-sponsored this resolution – the United States, Britain, Montenegro and Macedonia.
TNA Parliamentarian M.A. Sumanthiran said, in the absence of the US in the UNHRC, the other three countries would follow it up.
He also said the resolution on Sri Lanka was adopted unanimously on two occasions.
“Sri Lanka also co-sponsored it twice. Therefore, there should be no dispute on that. Sri Lanka has committed itself twice to the international community. To that extent, it will be obliged,” he said.
Asked whether it would be challenging without the US, he said the role of that country was crucial when votes were taken on resolutions on Sri Lanka in 2012 and 2013. However, he said that there was a consensus resolution at the moment.
TNA-Norway in talks
The visiting Norwegian State Secretary for Development Cooperation Jens Frølich Holte met the Tamil National Alliance Delegation led by the Leader of the Opposition and the Tamil National Alliance R. Sampanthan on Friday (22) at the Office of the Leader of the Opposition in Parliament.
Sampanthan briefed the Secretary on the status of the political affairs in the country.
While appreciating the support and partnership extended by the Norwegian Government in the past in rebuilding Sri Lanka especially in the area of a political solution to the national question, Sampanthan briefed the Secretary on the efforts taken to have a new Constitution and said as representatives of the people they cannot throw away the opportunity that has come their way.
Opposition Leader Sampanthan feared that any failure in this process will lead to further divisions among communities in the country.
“I am not ruling out the chances of having a new Constitution, but we are disappointed about the delays in the recent past in taking this process further.
This Government can achieve what they couldn’t achieve in the past if they are genuinely committed and have the political will do so, Sampanthan added.
“We have been governed without our will and consent; from 1956 onwards our people have repeatedly voted for a change in the structure of Governance in this country. These democratic verdicts have been continuously ignored and rejected,” he said.
He also stressed that the TNA is well within the international laws with regard to their demands for power-sharing.
Further the process of framing a new Constitution has been there since 1988 and every successive Government has worked on this, he said. We cannot entertain any further undue delays in this matter.
The draft Constitution must be presented to Parliament and debated and upon receiving a two-thirds majority, it should be approved by the people at a referendum, he added.
The people who think on racial lines are not the majority in this country but unfortunately, they are heard more than the moderates but if the moderate forces work together in these matters, mustering a two-thirds majority and passing a Constitution is possible, Sampanthan said.
Responding to a question Sampanthan said: “We have not been given equal opportunities in terms of development and employment and our people are frustrated; on the contrary if power is devolved then these socio-economic issues could be addressed more effectively and meaningfully”.
Speaking on the release of lands in the North and the East the TNA Leader has said there had been progress in this regard but things can be speedily addressed given the fact that it has been over nine years since the war came to an end.
“Armed forces are cultivating in these lands and the crops are sold to the very owners of these lands which is harmful to achieve peace and reconciliation in this country,” he added.
Sampanthan also brought to the notice of the delegation that people in several places in the North and the East are staging protests over land, persons in custody and the issue of missing persons.
These are matters that are of concern to our people and we want the international community to play an important role in finding solutions to these issues, he added.
The Norwegian Delegation led by the State Secretary for Development Cooperation Jens Frølich Holte comprised of Thorbjørn Gaustadsæther, Ambassador to Sri Lanka, Dagny Mjøs, Senior Adviser, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Kjersti Nordskog Nes, Senior Adviser, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Monica Svenskerud, Counsellor/Deputy Head of Mission. Along with the Tamil National Alliance Leader, Parliamentarians M.A. Sumanthiran and Selvam Adaikalanathan also participated at the meeting.
MR on listing 14 LTTE supporters
The Government issued an Extraordinary Gazette on Wednesday (20) listing 14 individuals as designated persons who have connections with the LTTE in terms of terrorism-related activities and funding and financing of terrorism, to the List of Designated Persons.
The Gazette which was issued by Defence Ministry Secretary Kapila Waidyaratne, adds amendments to the List of Designated Persons under Regulations 4 (7) of the United Nations Regulations No. 1 of 2012.
According to the Gazette, the names and designations of the 14 people are:
LTTE intelligence Leaders Nadaraja Sathyaseelan alias Seel Maran, Antonyrasa Antony Calistor alias Parathan and Jeewarathnam Jeewakumar alias Siranjeew, Members of LTTE Air Wing, Velaudan Pradeepkumar alias Kaleeban, Siwarasa Surendran alias Wadann, Sivagurunadan Murugadas alias Kadirawan, Thirunilakandal Naguleshwaran alias Pushpanadan, Flying Instructor Maheshwaran Ravichandran alias Mendis alias Thirukkumaran, International Financial Leader Sivasubramaniyam Jeyaganesh alias Ganesh alias Samraj and Money Collector Ponnasami Paskaran alias Jeyakaran.
Commenting on the Government issuing an Extraordinary Gazette Notification, placing 14 individuals, suspected of links with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, and now living abroad, on a list of designated persons, banned from entry to Sri Lanka, former President, Parliamentarian Mahinda Rajapaksa said that the move comes in the wake of the 14 arriving in the island, travelling to Kilinochchi, getting what they wanted done and leaving with monies.
The former President noted that in light of this, the issuing of the Gazette was laughable as it was akin to closing the stable door after the horse has bolted.
“At a time when the majority of the countries in the world are acting against terrorism, why is the Government of Sri Lanka following a lax policy and according to whose agenda?” he queried.
“The service of the military intelligence is important when paying attention to national security. The Government is imprisoning military intelligence officers who contributed to defeating terror.
The Government is destroying national security and pleasing the pro-Tigers,” the former President said.
Maithri on dictators President Maithripala Sirisena says on 8 January 2015, the people of this country contributed to the change the administration of the country which was increasingly moving towards a dictatorship.
Those who forgot those experiences will once again appeal to bring the dictatorial regime again in the country but the President emphasized that he will not allow tarnishing the aspirations of the people of this country they bestowed on 8 January, 2015.
He made these remarks addressing a ceremony held in Nikaweratiya, on Thursday (21).
President Sirisena said that ending an era of a dictatorship, the freedom and democracy demanded by the people have been ensured not only 100 per cent, but 200 per cent in the country.
He added that even though some attempted to interpret the present regime as a lenient administration, all of them must understand it is a journey with freedom and democracy.
President Sirisena further said that although some attacked the Gvernment using the freedom given and democracy in the country in a wrongful manner, he will further strengthen the required correct political and development path for the country joining hands with all those who value democracy including the scholars and intellectuals.
President Sirisena who mentioned that it was possible to bring a lot of victories and to bring back the international community close to the motherland which was distant from freedom and democracy ensured in the country for the past three and a half years said that no one should contribute to reverse the journey towards the future commenced by the country.
President Sirisena’s remarks come at a juncture where it was given a massive publicity to a part of a sermon delivered by Anunayaka of the Asgiriya Chapter, Ven. Wendaruwe Upali Thera which requested former Defence secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa to even resort to becoming a ‘Hitler’ and run a military rule and build the country.
He said this at the religious ceremony and alms giving held on the 69th birthday of Gotabaya Rajapaksa at his residence in Mirihana. A group of Bhikkhus representing the Three Chapters, attended the occasion where all four Rajapaksa brothers - former President Mahinda Rajapaksa, former Speaker Chamal Rajapaksa and former MInister Basil Rajapaksa were present.
