‘Sri Lanka’s Killing Fields’ to be screened in California

Posted by Karthiyayini on February 4, 2012 in Americas

California, Feb 4 (TruthDive): ‘Sri Lanka’s Killing Fields’ is a powerful documentary produced by UK Channel 4 Broadcasting Corp. It is scheduled to be screened at Ventura Community Centre, 3990 Ventura Court, Palo Alto, California on Saturday, February 18, 2012 between 7-9 pm.
The special guest speakers are Jim McDonald Amnesty International USA’s (AIUSA) country specialist on Sri Lanka and Krishanti Dhamaraj (Principal, SamasaMdhi Fund). The event is being co-hosted by the local chapters of Amnesty International, Group 19 Palo Alto, Group 35  San José and Group 466 San Mateo.
The event will commence with a brief introduction of Sri Lanka’s history and background. Jim McDonald from Chicago, will attend the screening of ‘Sri Lanka’s Killing Fields’ and lead the panel discussion after the movie. After the screening of the controversial movie, he will lead a Q & A session. Attendees will also have the opportunity to sign action letters calling for an international inquiry into human rights abuses in Sri Lanka.
Directed by Callum Macrae, the film was first aired in British television in June 2011. The film captures horrific footage and extensive interviews with witnesses. The disturbing documentary reveals the atrocities committed against civilians during the Sri Lankan Armed Forces’ final war to crush the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) in early 2009.
It includes graphic footage of alleged war crimes, deeply disturbing abuse and murder of Tamil women fighters, disposal of mutilated bodies and crimes against humanity, filmed by the murderers themselves as prized footage.
“Sri Lanka’s Killing Fields” is believed to be the most horrific footage Channel 4 has ever broadcast, featuring devastating video evidence of war crimes committed by Sri Lanka.
Those looking to participate in the event can mail  to jgshurt69@aol.com.

President relates gleefully how he took India for a ride: 'There is no 13 plus I know of' he says

(Lanka-e-News-01.Jan.2012, 11.45PM) President Mahinda Rajapakse who promised to the Indian foreign Minister Krishnan on the 17th January that he would provide a 13 plus solution to the Sri Lanka East –North issue had announced the very following day that he took India for a ride. The President had given this as an answer to questions posed by the Ministers about Krishnan’s statement ,when he attended the function on 18th on the occasion of the Birthday of Minister Anura Priyadharshana Yapa. ‘There is no 13 plus that I know of. That is to take them for a ride. A Dharusman report was brought forward . I dragged that for about two years , and then introduced to the LLRC.. Now where is Dharusman? Thirteen plus will also meet with the same fate. They can be taken for a ride over and over again this way for another two years on the thirteen plus.’. The President had made these remarks with a loud hearty laugh at the function. One of the Ministers who was present on the occasion had whispered to another Minister ‘ By trying to apply the Medamulana theories in relation to the world , he is some day going to court a disaster much worse than that of Gaddafi. (These Photographs from that Minister Anura Priyadharshan’s

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Rajapaksa says 'imported solutions' won't work in Sri Lanka

Saturday, February 4, 2012,

Colombo, Feb 4: With differences over a political solution hampering Sri Lanka's efforts to resolve the Tamil issue, President Mahinda Rajapaksa on Saturday said participation in a parliamentary panel and not an "imported solution" was the way to heal the ethnic woes.

In a reference aimed at the stalled talks with the TNA over the India-supported devolution of power to Tamil-majority areas, the President asked the Tamil party to join the political process rather than utilising "foreign influences".

"We believe that the mechanism for solving the national question is the parliamentary select committee," Rajapaksa said in comments marking Sri Lanka's independence day.

The government's talks with the Tamil National Alliance have been struck over the latter's demand of giving revenue and police powers to the Northern and Eastern provinces under the 13th Amendment plus approach.

It is to be noted that the 13th Amendment solution has been promoted by India.

"It is the duty of all parties in the country to solve problems according to people's wishes by participating in this Parliamentary Select Committee rather than relying on imported solutions and utilising foreign influences," Rajapaksa said.

TNA has refused to nominate its members to the parliamentary committee as it feels the process would be meaningless unless its key demands were met.

Rajapaksa's comments came in variance with the stand of the Indian government, which has advocated full implementation of the 13th amendment to the constitution adopted as part of an Indian initiative to bring peace to Sri Lanka.

Attacking the pro-LTTE Diaspora, the President said, "Conspiracies and propaganda of terrorists based overseas have not abated. They expect to achieve in Sri Lanka certain results that happened in some countries," an obvious reference to the Arab Spring demonstrations which led to regime changes.

Rajapaksa, whose main achievement remains his military success over the LTTE, said no solution can be found by accommodating extremist views.

"What is required today is the formulation of policies based on a vision that is commonly applicable to the whole country," he said.

The independence day celebrations took place in the historic kingdom of Anuradhapura with a colourful ceremony presided over by Rajapaksa.

Sri Lanka's colonial history dates back to 1505 when the Portuguese landed in the island.

They built the Colombo Fort in 1517 and expanded control over the island's coastal areas. The Sinhala majority resisted the Portuguese throughout the 16th century. The main grouse was that the Sinhalese were forced to convert to Christianity.

In 1602, the Dutch arrived in the central kingdom of Kandy and by 1660 the Dutch controlled the whole island except the kingdom of Kandy.

Robert Knox, a British sea farer's chance arrival in 1659 was to later lead to British colonisation of the island. The British occupied the coastal areas of the island they called 'Ceylon' by 1796.

By 1802, the Dutch areas of control were ceded to Britain and the island became a crown colony. In 1803 the British invasion of Kandy was thwarted but in 1815 Kandy came to be occupied by the British.

The British domination in the island continued till 1948 when Ceylon was granted independence.

PTI

Independence Day: A Day For Action, Not Mourning

Colombo Telegraph

IN JOURNALISM TRUTH IS A PROCESS

By Brian Senewiratne -

February 4^th , the day Sri Lanka (then Ceylon) got so-called “Independence” from Britain in 1948, is a day for action, not regret or mourning.

The British irresponsibility

Of all the irresponsible acts of the colonial British in Sri Lanka, by far the most serious was leaving the country in the hands of the Sinhalese majority. If Britain was the cause of the problem, then it has to be part of the solution. To support the blatantly anti-Tamil Sri Lankan government, is to compound the problem, not to resolve it.

It is absurd to claim that the British were unaware of the anti-Tamil stance of the Sinhalese ‘leaders’ such as D.S. Senanayake, leader of the United National Party (UNP), who took over from the British. Senanayake’s anti-Tamil stance (and actions) was clearly evident. This included altering the demography of the Tamil East by relocating Sinhalese from the South to make places like Amparai, a Tamil area, into a Sinhalese area.

It is absurd to claim that the British were unaware of the anti-Tamil stance of the Sinhalese ‘leaders’ such as D.S. Senanayake

Sinhalese leaders have never been inspired by any desire to create a common nationalism out of ethno-religious diversity. They peddled the Sinhala-Buddhist jingoism of blatant anti-Tamil propagandists such as Anagarika Dharmapala, based on an exaggerated vision of the Sinhalese past.

It is important to focus on this ethnic intolerance since this is what is happening today more so than it ever has, and has to be addressed.

Anagarika Dharmapala was a confused, quixotic Buddhist with a crusading missionary zeal. He even renamed himself for the purpose. Originally Don David Hewawitarne, he took on the name “Anagarika” (in Pali “the homeless one’),

“Dhamapala’ (guardian of the doctrine). His propaganda was based on distortions, half-truths and blatant lies, peddled as historical evidence of the glories of the ancient Sinhalese.

A single example will suffice. In 1911, Dharmapala proclaimed “The Country of the Sinhalese should be governed by the Sinhalese”. In his view, the Tamils and others had no place in Sri Lanka. Every Sinhalese leader has peddled this ethnic chauvinism with increasing virulence, to get the electoral support of the Sinhalese majority (74% of the population). The British were well aware of this. Indeed concerns about the plight of the minorities were raised, not once but twice, by those in the British Colonial Office before Independence was given.

Continue reading »

Of all the irresponsible acts of the colonial British in Sri Lanka, by far the most serious was leaving the country in the hands of the Sinhalese majority. If Britain was the cause of the problem, then it has to be part of the solution.

The Critical Situation facing the Tamil People in Sri Lan

Colombo Telegraph

IN JOURNALISM TRUTH IS A PROCESSNOVEMBER 6, 2011

By Brian Senewiratne – Brisbane, Australia 

What is alarming is that a regime guilty of some of the most serious war-crimes and crimes against humanity, is getting away with it.

Brian Senewiratne

The humanitarian situation in the Tamil-speaking area in the North and East, more than two years after the so called ‘end’ of the war, between the Government of Sri Lanka (GoSL) and the Tamil people, is the most serious the Tamils have faced in their 2,500 years of recorded history. In the six decades that I have campaigned for the rights of the Tamils to live with equality, dignity, safety, and now to live at all, I cannot think of any period in which they have been in such a dreadful situation.

deo (see below). The entire objective is to force the Tamil people to accept Sri Lanka as a Sinhala- Buddhist Nation.

Ban ki-Moon to claim that he has no power to implement the recommendations of his Panel of 

s is arrant nonsense

Despite feeble claims by the GoSL that the evidence presented was fabricated, there are few, if any, who would doubt the authenticity of what was shown since the original recordings have been checked by international experts. This is evidence which will not go away, as the GoSL hopes it will.

Sinhalese political opportunists from the entire Sinhalese polity, and ethnoreligious chauvinist bigots among the politically active Buddhist monks, and conducted by Sri Lankan Armed Forces

All problems are ‘settled’ by the State by unleashing violence delivered by State ‘Security Forces’, the Police, gangs of hoodlums and paramilitary groups

Continue reading »

UK parliamentarians, European parliamentarians, Lords and Diplomats are moved by the Photo Exhibition in Westminster.

Thursday, February 2nd, 2012

Parliament Exhibition 31/01/2012

The All Party Parliamentary Group for Tamils (APPGT) in collaboration with the British Tamils Forum (BTF) held an exhibition on 31st January 2012, at the UK Parliament building. The exhibition highlighted the current situation of the Tamils in Sri Lanka; and why, the Lesson Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC) report recently published by the Sri Lankan Government will not deliver justice to the Tamil civilians for the crimes committed by the Sri Lankan Armed Forces during the final stages of the war in 2009.

The event in portcullis house was well attended by MPs from all the major parties, Members of European parliament, Peers from the House of Lords and diplomats from various foreign missions in London and journalists.

Photos, books, publications, documentaries and videos were on display. There were also key eyewitnesses to the bloody war in Sri Lanka present at the event. Over one hundred invited honourable guests attended the event and were given information pack containing reports, documents and photographs. A printed version of Tamil National Alliance (TNA) response to the LLRC was also given to the visitors.

This BTF coordinated effort was used as a launching pad for the March 2012 UN Human Rights Council session to push for political will in the UK and also coincides with the so-called Independence Day remembrance of Sri Lanka.

The exhibition is part of the project ENLIGHTEN, which was started in Nov 2007 and continues to publish informative materials.

British Tamils Forum (BTF), Canadian Tamil Congress (CTC), Holland Tamil Forum (HTF), UK Tamils Youth Organisation (TYO UK) and Tamil Information Centre (TIC) helped in research and fact compilation for this exhibition.Documentaries named “My neighbour a Sri Lanka Tamil” by 3rd eye productions and “Mullaitheevu Saga” by S. Someetharan was screened in the exhibition room.

UN Experts Panel Report on Accountability in Sri Lanka had presented that substantial evidence exists for war crimes and crimes against humanity charges against the Sri Lankan Army during the war in 2009. Panel recommended further investigation into these allegations. The Sri Lankan Government refused to conduct any such investigation and on the contrary, continues to silence those who clamour for independent investigation into this matter, through murder, intimidation and enforced disappearances.

Recently released Sri Lankan government’s Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission report failed to investigate any of the war crime charges yet, cleared the Sri Lankan military and its command structure from any accountability for these charges. In June 2011,

Speaking after the transmission of Channel 4’s documentary ‘Sri Lanka’s Killing Fields’, Foreign Office Minister for South Asia Alistair Burt said: “I was shocked by the horrific scenes I saw in the documentary that was broadcast on 14 June.

The recent UN Panel of Experts’ report, this documentary and previously authenticated Channel 4 footage, constitute convincing evidence of violations of international humanitarian and human rights law. The whole of the international community will expect the Sri Lankans to give a serious and full response to this evidence.

UK has called for an independent, thorough and credible investigation of the allegations that war crimes were committed during the hostilities and the UK Government expects to see progress by the end of the year. If the Sri Lankan government does not respond we will support the international community in revisiting all options available to press the Sri Lankan Government to fulfil its obligations.’’

The above deadline given by the minister to Sri Lanka had passed and the participants requested that the UK government consider all the available ‘’options’’ now. The Sri Lankan government seems determined to disregard all international human rights conventions and embolden by the international inaction, has resorted to abductions, threats and unlawful executions while continuing its programme of structural genocide on the Tamil people in Sri Lanka. It has also resorted to unlawful and undemocratic means to silence the call for justice by those few amongst the Sinhalese community as well. If the international community fails to act now, the Tamil population and their identity would be completely wiped out from Sri Lanka within a short period, completing the structural genocide.

Most of the MP’s present from all the major political parties in the British parliament called on the international community to come together and take immediate measures to establish an international independent investigation through the multilateral agencies like UNHRC and ICC.

Some comments and quotes from the honourable guests

John Mc Donnell MP said ‘‘this exhibition helps to expose the suffering and oppression the Tamil people have endured for decades. The world must stand up to support the Tamils right to justice’’.

Ms Heidi Alexander MP said “The need for an international independent investigation into the crimes and atrocities that have taken place in Sri Lanka is clear from your exhibition and the UK has a responsibility to act to make this happen.’’

Jim Dowd MP said that a full independent international investigation is both necessary and a pre-requisite for ensuring that peace, freedom and liberty can be expected for all in Sri Lanka.

Lord Kennedy said that a full independent inquiry by the UN is required as soon as possible into what happened in Sri Lanka.

Teresa Pearce MP said that the efforts of the organisers of the exhibition has made her determined to re-double her efforts to make sure that we have an independent international investigation.

Paul Goggins MP said that the exhibition tells a horrific story and a whole series of circumstances that needs to be thoroughly investigated so that justice can be established and it can be a foundation for future peace.

Robert Halfon MP wrote: “A very special exhibition. We must stop the genocide of the Tamils. The world must stop the barbarism of the Sri Lankan regime.”

Lee Scott MP, Chairman APPGT wrote: “I will continue to fight for justice.”

Mike Gapes MP said that the international community has failed so far to bring about an international independent inquiry. It is disgraceful that the UN Human Rights Council has not gone further on these. The British government should continue to press with the UN and its institutions for an international independent inquiry.

Gavin Barlow MP said that what comes out of the exhibition is a genuine need for an independent international investigation to bring to justice those that are responsible for war crimes and to begin a genuine reconciliation in Sri Lanka.

John Mann MP said that having seen the atrocities taking place in the Tamil community in Sri Lanka, I support the call for an independent international investigation.

Shadow Foreign Secretary Douglas Alexander MP also visited the exhibition.

Adrian Baily MP wrote: This display illustrates that persecution and injustice still prevail in Sri Lanka. They underline the need for international investigation and action.

Pat McFadden MP wrote: The images shown here are heartbreaking. It is vital that there is a future in which all the people of Sri Lanka feel they belong.

David Fineberg, said “I fully support the Tamil community. Being Jewish and seeing similar things happen in Sri Lanka makes me want to cry and shout to the world that this should not be happening.”

Ms Amanda Cox wrote, “Where is the international community?”

Paul Abbott wrote, “I hope you get a proper UN inquiry, it’s outrages that it hasn’t happened already.’’

Cllr Tania Solomons wrote: We are devastated to see what is going on. The exhibition is a very extraordinary eye opener. I pray that we can have an International Independent Investigation.

Posted in BTF Press Release, News