Kohona-Moon OK internal probe

Sunday 15 May 2011

Kohona-Moon OK internal probe

ALLIED TO LLRC ANTI LANKA MOVES AVOIDED By Christy Mahesh de Silva The government of Sri Lanka and the United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon have already held joint discussions enabling war crimes charges leveled against the security forces by the Marzuki Darusman Advisory report to be examined by a special investigative body affiliated to the LLRC, (Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commision), diplomatic sources said. These sources said that if any alleged war crimes are proved to have been committed during the last stages of the government’s war against the LTTE, beyond any reasonable doubt, the special investigative body commissioned by LLRC could act within the laws of the country. A discussion on this issue had been held recently between the UN Secretary General and Sri Lanka’s Permanent Representative to the UN Palitha Kohona. The diplomatic sources further revealed that Palitha Kohona had also assured the UN Secretary General of the government’s intention to implement certain proposals recommended in the controversial Marzuki Darusman report commissioned by Ban Ki-moon. It has also been revealed that both Kohona and Moon had held lengthy talks on the pros and cons of the Darusman report, and that the former had not agreed to certain other recommendations in the report that are considered  detrimental to the country, during his talks with the UNSG.

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Wanni’s post-war LEAP-TWO YEARS AFTER THE WAR

By Ranga Jayasuriya

Kilinochchi is, nowadays, a boom town. Two years after a brutal war reduced it to rubble and the government interned its entire population in the closely guarded camps, this one time administrative capital of the Tamil Tigers is limping back to life. New shops have sprung up where war ruins were once scattered. A man clutching a mannequin in front of his trendy clothe store complains that so many new shops are being opened that his initial fortune has declined.
“Now everyone, from Jaffna, Colombo and elsewhere come here to do business. We have to share our business with them,” he quips.
But, if anything, mushrooming new businesses are also an indicator of the air of optimism in the town.
Not every one in the Wanni is optimistic. Wanni District TNA Parliamentarian, Sivagnanam Sritharan, who recently survived an assassination attempt complains:       Full STORY>>>

Two Years After Mullivaikkal – Kiribath Or Paal Soru?

Sunday, May 15, 2011
Sri Lanka was sent a very confidential message by US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton through Assistant Secretary for Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs, Robert O’ Blake Jnr. and US Ambassador here in Colombo from 2006 till the war was concluded on the banks of the Nanthikadal lagoon in Mullivaikkal, May 2009.
Blake met with the External Affairs Minister one to one in his hotel suite to convey Madam Clinton’s message to President Rajapaksa, say informed sources, after a formal meeting with the Minister and his senior staff.

Hillary Clinton

That’s two years after the war when the UN Secretary General’s Advisory Panel Report is held out like a menacing hand. Two years, when most post war issues should have been managed and brought under control. That responsibility ignored with PR manipulations beyond the shores of Sri Lanka, professorial glib talk to satisfy the gullible middle class here, Sinhala heroes’ playing for local media and vernacular rhetoric aired for the poor and the innocent Sinhala majority, the world of the Rajapaksas revolve with increasing war crimes accusations. Taking umbrage against the UN and its SG instead of resolving issues at home, has only allowed piling of carefully sifted and documented evidence against this regime, during the past two years.Read More »

Two Years After Mullivaikkal – Kiribath Or Paal Soru 

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President Fears A Regime Change

Ban Ki-moon, Sarath Fonseka and Mahinda Rajapaksa

Mahinda Rajapaksa met with the committee appointed by him to handle the Ban panel report, last Tuesday.  He made it clear that the report had a hidden agenda. He felt that the report was to facilitate a change of regime in Sri Lanka.
He did not forget to say that there were several nations behind this conspiracy but he was confident of himself and even if anyone got upto tricks within parliament he would not be dislodged.      President Fears A Regime Change »    Read More
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Lasantha, The President And Sarath Fonseka

By
Frederica Jansz

President Mahinda Rajapaksa has on numerous occasions with editors at closed door meetings said, “Everybody knows who killed Lasantha – yet, those very people who suffered as a result of his (Fonseka’s actions) later went and backed him.”

He added for good measure, “the two at the Nation and Lal.” Referring to the incident in which The Nation’s defence correspondent Keith Noyahr was abducted and brutally attacked, Rajapaksa’s comments referred to former CEO of The Nation newspaper Krishantha Prasad Cooray and its former Editor-in-Chief Lalith Alahakoon.

 Full STORY>>>

Lasantha Wickrematunge, Namal Perera, Upali Tennakoon, Keith Noyahr, Mahinda Rajapaksa and Sarath Fonseka

Switzerland, Canada reject protest

Sunday, May 15th 2011
Canada and Switzerland have countered complaints by Sri Lanka that their governments summoned meetings in Geneva to discuss matters relating to the UN Advisory Panel’s report on alleged war crimes in Sri Lanka.
Among those invited for such meetings, the External Affairs Ministry has learnt, were Sri Lankan human rights activists. Canada’s High Commissioner Bruce Levy and Swiss Ambassador Tomas Litscher were called to the External Affairs Ministry to be told of Sri Lanka’s concerns over the meetings. EAM Secretary, Karunatilleke Amunugama conveyed it during different meetings because such moves, according to him, are unfriendly acts. Sri Lanka’s diplomatic missions in Ottawa and Berne also conveyed similar concerns.
Mr. Levy told the Sunday Times his government had periodic multilateral consultations in Geneva. It was part of its diplomatic initiatives to consult a broader spectrum to determine various viewpoints in the conduct of diplomacy. “We have explained our position,” he said.
Swiss Ambassador Litscher is away from Sri Lanka. Charge d’ Affairs Franz Schneider told the Sunday Times that an “informal meeting” between Ambassador Litscher and the Ministry of External Affairs took place earlier this month with “an exchange of views regarding the UN panel report.”
He said: “Switzerland appreciates the fact that the United Nations in general and the Security Council in particular are addressing another aspect of the protection of civilians more systematically, which is the duty to investigate allegations of violations of international humanitarian law or human rights and to hold persons accountable for breaches of these rules.
The recent referrals of situations to the International Criminal Court are striking examples of this positive trend. Switzerland welcomes the report of the Panel of Experts mandated by the Secretary-General of the United Nations on the accountability of the parties in the conflict in Sri Lanka in 2009.”
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Panel report: Be realistic and have dialogue with UN

 By Our Political Editor          May 15th 2011 

On Thursday, Sri Lanka completes two years after the military defeat of Tiger guerrillas. In that span, the government has taken several measures to ensure the memories of a victory against the scourge of terrorism remained live in the minds of the public. In this backdrop, the annual Victory Day parade will take place at the Galle Face green on this day. A three-day international seminar on "Sri Lankan experiences in defeating terrorism" expected to be attended by representatives of some 55 countries will begin on May 31.

•   Panel report: Be realistic and have dialogue with UN    - Political column Full Story...

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India wants police and land powers for PCs

Delegation postpones visit as New Delhi tells Lanka to respond positively to UN panel report

By Our Political Editor    May 15th 2011

India is to ask Sri Lanka to implement the 13th Amendment to the Constitution giving full land and police powers to provincial councils as part of measures to address Tamil grievances. The move comes as the government gave the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) a blueprint this week on what it believes is one of the key issues it would address. It is the setting up of a second chamber or a senate within the provisions of the existing constitution. India wants police and land powers for PC      Full Story>>>

UN is aware Gota trespassed on laws and war crimes were committed when issuing orders irrespective of any other available evidence

     (Lanka-e-News, -14.May.2011,6.00AM) According to reports reaching Lanka e news , the UN Organization is aware based on reasonable suspicion irrespective of other available evidence, that the Defense Secretary Gotabaya Rajapakse had exceeded his legal limits , acted over and above the officers officially giving commands and trespassed on the laws when issuing orders during the war thereby committing war crimes and violating human rights then and now.

It is learnt that the reason for this suspicion is based on the ugly and deplorable protests which were organized against the UN office in Colombo on the 09 July 2010 , as related by the UN chiefs themselves . On that day morning none other than a Govt. Minister Wimal Weerawansa along with a violent gang of goons laid siege to the UN office and staged demonstrations , and later even erected a stage near the UN office and performed a fast unto death .

It is an internationally accepted legal requirement that every country where the UN offices are situated, security for those offices should be provided by that country , and SL is also bound by that . It is the DIG of that area who is responsible to provide security to that Institution. He has no need to take instructions from anyone when it comes to providing security. On that day , the DIG Pathirane who was responsible arrived at the scene with a group of policemen ,when Weerawansa telephoned defense Secretary Gotabaya and complained during the violent scenes against the police seeking to establish peace and order. The Defense Secretary who then telephoned the DIG began furiously berating him as follows :

Gota : Who asked you to go there ? Don’t step into that area. Why did you go there ?
DIG Pathirane : ‘Sir, Sir …. IGP only told me to visit the scene.
Gota : Take the police and vanish from there immediately.
DIG : Yes Sir. I shall.
Gota: withdraw every police vehicle and get out.
DIG : Right Sir.
Gota : useless piece of work. Today itself IGP should be removed from there.
(See: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tC5EOEs6b6A)

This episode became known to the whole world following the video footage . This was a clear demonstration of the unlawful orders issued by the defense Secretary overriding the officers who were truly eligible to duly give commands. As this order was given by Gota , one of the Weerawansa stooges taking advantage gave a blow to the high ranking law enforcing officer’s head that the much respected official cap of his got thrown to the ground.
Consequently , the UN top rung officials have reasonably concluded based on justifiable suspicion that if this defense Secretary who is expected to be in full overall charge of the law and order situation of the country is so blatantly , in broad daylight and with complete impunity breaking the laws giving orders which are in absolute violation of legal precepts and is disdainfully overriding the law enforcing authorities , the mounting allegations of war crimes , human rights violations then and now committed in SL should be given credence to and are to be expected..

It is noteworthy ,legally , a defense Secretary post is not a position where any official orders can be issued to security divisions. 

Japan wants Lanka to work with UN

By Kelum Bandara               Friday, 13 May 2011 00:48 The Japanese government has asked Sri Lanka to work towards national reconciliation and fulfil its accountability while maintaining close consultations with the United Nations, an official said yesterday.
Responding to a Daily Mirror email request for comments on the UN Advisory Panel Report, Japan’s Foreign Affairs Ministry Deputy Media Secretary Hidenobu Sobashima said his country would closely observe the responses by the UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon.
“Japan expects the Sri Lankan government to make concrete efforts towards national reconciliation through its domestic process of the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission while maintaining close consultations with the UN.
Countries such as India, China and Russia, which Sri Lanka considers its friends, have made statements on the report described by Sri Lanka as the controversial Darusman report.
India has said it would be studying the report while China said on Saturday that it believed the Sri Lankan government and the people would carefully handle the problems arising from the civil war and urged the international community to desist from complicating the issue.
Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei had made the remarks when asked by the media to comment on the advisory panel report published last week on the armed conflict in Sri Lanka. External Affairs Minister G.L. Peiris is expected to visit India on Monday and China on May 24.
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May 12, 2011

Jury scuttles 'jolly Raj-er'

William Farrington

HIGH ON THE HOG: Raj Rajaratnam, yesterday after his insider trading conviction, owns a Greenwich mansion and a Sutton Place co-op.

Greed is not only bad, it could land you in prison for 20 years or more.
A federal jury yesterday clipped the wings of high-flying billionaire hedge-fund guru Raj Rajaratnam, convicting the Galleon Group founder of 14 insider-trading and conspiracy charges -- a landmark prosecution that has sent shivers through Wall Street's corridors.
"Rajaratnam was among the best and the brightest -- one of the most successful and privileged professionals in the country," said Manhattan US Attorney Preet Bharara, whose office prosecuted the burly, 53-year-old trader with damning evidence that included testimony from co-conspirators and wiretapped calls.

Read more: http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/manhattan/jury_scuttles_jolly_raj_er_aWcgxz1r66nCKLuqkpaRkN#ixzz1MIG2dua1

Human rights: Belarus, Azerbaijan and Sri Lanka

  

Human rights − 12-05-2011 - 17:04
Plenary sessions 

 

The Belarus regime's harassment of journalists and opposition leaders, the plight of human rights activists in Azerbaijan and the fate of Tamil citizens in Sri Lanka were the three topics selected for urgent debates and resolutions by the European Parliament on Thursday.

Call for EU sanctions on state-owned companies in Belarus

Amid concern at "the persisting climate of fear and intimidation" of journalists and opposition leaders in Belarus, Parliament calls on the Commission to broaden EU sanctions against the regime to include targeted economic sanctions against state-owned companies.

MEPs condemn the constant arrests and trials of presidential candidates and emphasise that the EU needs to find new ways to assist the political opposition against the Lukashenka regime. The ongoing procedure to close the weekly newspapers Narodnaya Volia and Nasha Niva and the independent internet portals Karta '97 and Bielorusskij Partizan must be also halted, says Parliament.

Azerbaijan authorities criticised for treatment of activists

A few weeks after the two young activists Jabbar Savalan and Bakhtiyar Hajiev used Facebook to call for antigovernment protests in Azerbaijan, charges brought against them for alleged possession of drugs or evasion of military service could result in jail terms of up to two and a half years. MEPs denounce both cases along with the worsening human rights situation in the country, in a resolution that blames the Azerbaijani authorities for increasing harassment and intimidation of journalists and political activists.

MEPs call for the release of the two young bloggers and the newspaper editor Eynulla Fatullayev. They urge the government to drop the illegal charges against them and guarantee the protection of journalists in the country.

A European Parliament delegation headed by President Jerzy Buzek will visit Baku next week. Negotiations on an EU-Azerbaijan Association Agreement were launched on July 2010 and are ongoing.

Investigation needed into human rights violations in Sri Lanka

Two years after the civil war in Sri Lanka ended with the surrender of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), Parliament urges the Sri Lankan government to take active measures to protect the Tamil people so that they can look forward to "a bright and prosperous future, on equal terms with their Sinhalese fellow citizens".

Following a recently published UN report which finds credible the allegations that both government forces and the LTTE conducted military operations with "flagrant" violations of human rights, MEPs call for a full, impartial and transparent investigation. The EP urges the Sri Lankan government to implement the recommendations suggested by the UN panel of experts and conduct a genuine investigation.

Procedure: Resolutions (Rule 122) 

         European Parliament resolution on Sri Lanka                                  

                MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION

UN Panel Report, Sri Lanka and India

13-May-2011

Guest column by Sivanendran

“The first step is to penetrate the clouds of deceit and distortion and learn the truth about the world, then to organise and act to change it. That’s never been impossible and never been easy” - Noam Chomsky

On April 25^th the United Nations officially released a report of the UN Secretary General's Panel of Experts on Accountability in Sri Lanka. The report alleged that both the Sri Lankan government and LTTE were responsible for possible violation of humanitarian and human right law. The ethnic conflict gives context to the UN's report that the Sri Lankan Army (SLA) slaughtered Tamils during the last phase of the war.

 A draft of the report was given to the Government of Sri Lanka (GOSL) for their review and response prior to publication. It was intended to incorporate their response in the final document. The government obviously rattled by the findings in the report, leaked it to their slavish press and sought to mobilise the Sinhala masses  against the UN and the West.  The government used all tactics in their armoury to prevent its publication, and using the period before publication to hurl abuses at everyone connected with the report. The press instead of investigating the mass of information in the report and examining its recommendations -  as it is their function in a democracy - set about ridiculing and vilifying the panel members for its contents. Sri Lankan media have been especially frantic in their attacks on UNSG Ban ki Moon for commissioning the report. They have dismissed the document as a "fabrication," and contend that the UN researchers that documented the massacres of innocent Tamil victims of SLA are pursuing a vendetta against the Sri Lankan State. 

Full Story>>>
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theage.com.au

'Walk to the troops': SMS sent Tamils to their death 

Ben Doherty  May 14, 2011

Dr Palitha Kohona, a dual Sri Lankan-Australian citizen, denies Tamil allegations that he is a war criminal. Photo: Andrew Taylor

BEATEN and with nowhere left to run, they received the text message just before 9 o'clock on a Sunday morning.
It came, through an intermediary, from the Sri Lankan foreign secretary, apparent instructions for a surrender: ''Just walk across to the troops, slowly! With a white flag and comply with instructions carefully. The soldiers are nervous about suicide bombers.''
At dawn the next day, a group of nearly 20 - Tamil Tiger soldiers and civilians - scrambled from behind their defensive sand embankment, walking under white flags towards the Sri Lankan army's 58th Division.

Read more: http://www.theage.com.au/world/walk-to-the-troops-sms-sent-tamils-to-their-death-20110513-1emin.html#ixzz1MGcPTn9v

Full Story>>>

The Sri Lankan government failed to effectively address impunity for past human rights violations,

Annual Report 2011

The state of the world's human rights

Sri Lanka   

The Sri Lankan government failed to effectively address impunity for past human rights violations, and continued to subject people to enforced disappearances and torture and other ill-treatment. The authorities imposed severe restrictions on freedom of expression, assembly and association. Thousands of Tamil people suspected of ties with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) remained detained without charge. Both sides in the conflict that ended in May 2009 have been accused of war crimes; Amnesty International called for an independent international investigation.

Background

President Mahinda Rajapaksa was elected to a second term in January in the first peace time election in 26 years. His main opponent, former Army Chief of Staff Sarath Fonseka, was arrested after the election and charged with engaging in politics while in military service and corrupt arms procurement, for which he received a 30-month prison sentence in September. Sarath Fonseka also faced criminal charges, including that he made false accusations in a local newspaper that Sri Lanka’s Defence Secretary had ordered the killing of surrendered LTTE members in May 2009. Journalists and trade unionists suspected of supporting the opposition were victims of a post-election crackdown.
In March, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon announced plans to establish a Panel of Experts to advise him on accountability issues in Sri Lanka. President Rajapaksa protested against the announcement and appointed an ad hoc Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC) to examine the failure of the 2002 ceasefire, but its terms of reference made no mention of seeking accountability for violations of human rights or humanitarian law. Sri Lanka lost its preferential access to the EU market in August because it failed to respond to a set of conditions laid down by the European Commission to address shortcomings in its implementation of three UN human rights conventions.
The outcome of the April parliamentary elections, subsequent cabinet appointments, and new legislation consolidated power in the immediate Rajapaksa family, which controlled five key ministries and more than 90 state institutions. A Constitutional amendment in September removed the two-term limit on the presidency and gave the President direct control of appointments to institutions important to human rights protection, including the National Police Commission, the Human Rights Commission and the Judicial Services Commission.
The authorities continued to deny access to human rights organizations and other independent observers to visit the country to conduct research. In October, Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch and the International Crisis Group declined an invitation to testify before the LLRC, noting its severe shortcomings, including the Commission’s inadequate mandate, insufficient guarantees of independence, and lack of witness protection.
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Friday, May 13, 2011

Impunity prevails despite end of war - AI

13 May, 2011

Police and security forces in Sri Lanka "continued to torture or otherwise ill-treat" detainees and some died in custody after being tortured, says AI Sri Lanka authorities failed to address past human rights violations despite the end of the war, the Amnesty International said. The government continued to subject people to torture and enforced disappearances, the watchdog said in its annual report. "Enforced disappearances and abductions for ransom carried out by members of the security forces are reported in many parts of the country," the report said. On Thursday, the UN said Iniya Bharati, an advisor to President Mahinda Rajapaksa, is running a faction of the TMVP paramilitary group that still forcefully recruits children. Full Story>>>

25 suicide bombers from Kelaniya in the ready to against Moon –Minister Dr. Mervin

(Lanka-e-News 11.May.2011, 1.30PM) Minister Dr.Mervyn Silva yesterday warned Ban Ki Moon not to stick his neck out into Sri Lanka, and if he does he has 25 suicide bombers already with him at Kelaniya in readiness to deal with it.

He made these comments when he launched a signature in blood campaign at Kandy on the 10th against Ban Ki Moon.

Mervyn in his characteristical vermin style added, Darusman was not born to a mother but an offspring of a scoundrel. = = = = = = = =Peace for the World ! Your War Our Lives = = = ???

‘Tamils for Obama’ join P’karan commemoration at UN
May 10, 2011, 9:58 pm


By Shamindra Ferdinando

LTTE activists are planning to hold a major rally and protest next Wednesday (18) at the United Nations, New York, to coincide with the defeat of the LTTE on May 18 two years ago. Sri Lankan officials say the Transnational Government of Tamil Eelam (TGTE), headed by a former LTTE lawyer has organised the event. Among the groups involved in the protest are United States Tamil Political Action Council (USTPAC), Canadian Tamil Congress (CTC), National Council of Canadian Tamils (NCCT), Ilankai Tamil Sangam (ITS), Naam Thamilar - North America, World Thamil Organization (WTO), Tamils for Obama and Tamils Against Genocide (TAG).

The events in New York including a vigil, would be held to commemorate those who died fighting for the LTTE, especially its leader Velupllai Prabhakaran.

Responding to a query by The Island, intelligence sources said that United States Tamil Political Action Council, involved in the New York campaign, had facilitated a meeting between Assistant Secretary of State Robert Blake and the Global Tamil Forum (GTF) led by S.J. Emmanuel on March 28 at the State Department. The GTF delegation comprised Emmanuel, Dr. Elias Jeyarajah (President USTPAC), Grace Pusparani Williams (US) and Suren Surendiran (UK). Surendiran also met UNSG Ban ki-Moon on behalf of the GTF.

Sources said that ‘Tamils for Obama’, engaged in the May 18 campaign, had backed Obama at the last presidential election and was engaged in a dialogue with the current administration. Sources said that the group had been pushing the US to adopt a Sudan style solution to Sri Lanka’s problem.

Sources said that the Tamil Diaspora of North America would use the rally to pressure UNSG Ban ki-Moon to order an independent, international investigation against Sri Lanka

Citing announcements made by the pro-LTTE groups over the past few days, sources said that the New York gathering would allege the extensive use of banned chemical weapons, killing of 40,000 civilians in three days, torturing of civilians and ex-LTTE cadres, gang rape of civilians and ex-LTTE cadres and extrajudicial killings.

Tamils may have lost the battle but will win the war: Delhi convention on UN report

[TamilNet, Thursday, 12 May 2011, 00:39 GMT]
While the Sri Lankan media view that the UN panel report has provided the Indian establishment with new bargaining power and facilitates the ‘shopping list’ of the officials from the Indian establishment visiting Sri Lanka soon to go beyond KKS harbour in Jaffna and Champoor power station in Trincomalee, a convention organized in New Delhi by the Delhi Tamil Students Union Thursday, resolved that action should come out of the report at the international level, genocide in the island should be recognized, Indian government should come out with a white paper of its own dealings and all democratic forces in India should raise concern over the happenings in the island. The participation of the convention by progressive forces of India generates hopes that the situation will not be hijacked, commented Eezham Tamil political circles.

“Tamils may have lost the battle, but they will definitely win the war”, said Prof Jagmohan Singh, former editor-in-chief of World Sikh News.

Several speakers recognised what has taken place in the island of Sri Lanka against Tamils is a genocide.

Meanwhile, civil society institutions comprising prominent grassroot political activists, educationalists, writers, social workers, media persons and mainstream media artists also have come out with a similar demand from Tamil Nadu.

The Tamil Nadu civil society persons in their statement, citing Sri Lanka media reports, accuse that the Indian establishment has currently formed an outfit to help Sri Lanka to escape from the war crimes indictment.

Political observers are of the opinion that the Indian Establishment in complicity with the genocidal state in Sri Lanka will try to diffuse the situation by harping on partial implementation of the failed 13th Amendment of Sri Lanka’s unitary constitution enacted nearly a quarter century ago.

The Indian establishment’s hoodwink to come has the support of the designs of the West that has half-baked understanding of the intentions of the genocidal state in the island or has sinister ideas of exploiting the outcome, political observers said.

Mahinda Rajapaksa shows better understanding and genuineness in rejecting the 13th Amendment, as he knows well that it will not satisfy the Tamils after all what the Sri Lankan state did to them and the possibility for him within the given system is only to pursue further genocide. He cannot be fully blamed for the predicament to which India and the West have put him in.

The civil society in South Asia, making the best use of the space provided by the UN panel report, may have to think beyond the panel report in materialising results that would be trend-setting to entire humanity, political observers further said, adding that the war crimes investigation demand without the call for liberation of Eezham Tamils will only facilitate the designs of the powers. 

Key speakers at New Delhi convention were: Rajinder Sachar, former chief justice of High Court of New Delhi and a member of the Dublin war crimes Tribunal, Professor Jagmohan Singh, former editor-in-chief of World Sikh News, Ram Vilas Paswan, the president of the Lok Janshakti Party and a Rajya Sabha MP, Malem Ningthouja, chairman of Campaign for Peace and Democracy in Manipur (CPDM), Swapan Mukherjee, CPI(ML) Central Committee Member, Professor Manivannan from the University of Madras, New Delhi based journalist and writer Satya Sivaraman and Prof. Nagari Babiah a human rights activist from Bengalore.

As EU Notes UN Report, Sri Lanka Scoffs At Do Gooders, Navy's Idle Hands

Updated May 10, 2011 8:59 p.m.

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, May 10 -- As Sri Lanka's Permanent Representative to the UN Palitha Kohona walked out of the UN Security Council on Tuesday, Inner City Press asked him about the European Union's statement on the UN Panel of Experts war crimes report, and about reported “militarization” of Colombo.

   The EU statement is that "The Panel has concluded that there are credible allegations that major violations of international human rights and humanitarian law were committed on all sides in the conflict.

  The EU reiterates its view that an independent process to address these extremely serious allegations should contribute to strengthening the process of reconciliation and ensuring lasting peace and security in Sri Lanka."

   Kohona scoffed that it is the statement of “international do-gooders” trying to clean “their conscience.”

  About the Sri Lanka Navy taking over management even of public parks in Colombo, Kohona argued that “there are 200,000 of them with nothing to do,” that the military assembled for the conflict must now be re-trained in civilian work. Parks: the new growth economy.

Ban previously taking hand off from Kohona, response still not shown

  Kohona was one of more than 50 speakers on “Protection of Civilians” in the Security Council on Tuesday. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon's November 2010 report on the topic stated, at Paragraph 91

“In the case of Sri Lanka, instead of establishing a fact-finding or accountability mechanism, I appointed in June 2010, as follow-up to my May 2009 joint statement with President Rajapaksa, a panel of experts to advise me on Sri Lanka’s efforts to address violations of international humanitarian and human rights law that may have occurred during the conflict.”

  So Ban Ki-moon decided against “establishing a fact-finding or accountability mechanism.” No “international do-gooder,” he....

   
Oppdatert: 07.05.11 kl. 10:46  Publisert: 07.05.11 

17.05.2009: NORTHERN SRI LANKA SITREP 74

Rajapaksa refused to accept mediated surrender on the grounds 

Ambassador contacted senior GSL officials throughout the day, including Secretary of Defense Gothabaya Rajapaksa and Foreign Minister Bogollagama, to urge acceptance of a mediated surrender of the remaining Tigers and maximum restraint on the part of the military to avoid further civilian casualties, particularly after the reports from the Bishop of Mannar of continued high numbers of civilians in the safe zone. Rajapaksa refused to accept mediated surrender on the grounds that the fighting was all but over, but said troops had been instructed to accept anyone who wishes to surrender. Ambassador spoke to Presidential Advisor Basil Rajapaksa to request access for the ICRC to evacuate dead and wounded. Rajapaksa refused, contending the GSL could manage on its own. Four government of Sri Lanka doctors and an Additional Government Agent escaped from the conflict zone on May 16 and were taken into custody by the military. One doctor with serious wounds was airlifted to Colombo, two or three other doctors were held for interrogation at Omanthai, and the Additional Government Agent was taken to an IDP camp. UNSYG Chief of Staff Nambiar, now in Colombo, was promised access to live UAV footage of the safe zone. He also has requested to visit the safe zone and the camps in Vavuniya. He said the GSL has agreed to both in principle. See final paragraph for proposed USG statement to be released at the end of the armed conflict. End summary.                        Full Story>>> 

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South Asia

10 May 2011 

Wikileaks: Sri Lanka 'rejected rebel surrender offer'

The Sri Lankan government rejected a surrender offer by Tamil Tiger rebels at the end of the war, reports released through the Wikileaks website say.

They say that Defence Secretary Gothabaya Rajapaksa dismissed US pressure to allow a mediated surrender with the words "we're beyond that now".
The leaked US cables suggest requests for the International Red Cross to go into the war zone were refused.
                                  Full Story>>>

India regains bargaining power on SL

Wednesday, 11 May 2011 01:27 
The Indian troika comprising National Security Advisor Menon, Indian foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao and Defence  Secretary, Pradeep Kumar reckoned as India’s policy making body are due to arrive in SL shortly. The Indian troika came to SL on an earlier occasion when the war was just about to be concluded. On that occasion, only Menon of the present delegation came with that troika. Menon was the Foreign Secretary at that time, while security advisor Narayanan wielded most power in the troika. He had a thorough knowledge not only of the SL war but also of Prabhakaran. After relinquishing his post as security advisor he is now made a Governor. Some say, he was obliged to resign his security advisor post in the wake of the terrorist attack that was launched on Mumbai, India. Speculations were rife then, that he was pressurized by the Congress Govt. to tender his resignation accepting responsibility for the inefficiency and inadequacies in the security divisions. Some charge him of trying to steer the Indian policies pertaining to the SL war according to his unilateral fancies whereby the Indian Govt. lost its grip and leverage over SL to accomplish a political solution for the SL Tamils. Specially, he lost focus on the China’s ramifications into SL during  the process of providing aid to SL Govt. blindly to destroy the Tamil Tigers and Prabhakaran.       Full Story>>>

Miltary used to 'promote tourism'

09 May, 2011

	Constructions in Mohottuwarama threaten environment

Fisherfolk in Kalpitiya in the coastal district of Puttlam say that the tourist industry is utilising the Navy to take hold of land.

The navy checkpoint in Mohottuwarama, Kalpitiya set up since the interest of tourist industry threatens 500 fishing families and their livelihoods, local fishermen told Prasad Purnimal of BBC Sandeshaya.

Sri Lankan navy set up a check point in a netting area threatening the fishing industry.

Speaking to BBC Sandeshaya President of the United Fishermen’s Society Joseph Kennedy Jayamanna said “only after this tourism project the Navy got stationed here”.

	'Projects are destroying the environment' WFF

“During the war we did not have a Navy check point, so why do we need a Navy checkpoint now?” he questioned.

The Kalpitiya tourism promotion zone is 'Sri Lanka's biggest Tourism development project' according to the Sri Lanka Tourist Development Autority (SLTDA)

According to a villager there are sixteen fishing nets in Mohottuwarama alone that provides the livelyhood for at least five hundred families.

MH Ayub of Save Mohottuwarama campaign claimed that Mohottuwarama is divided among businesses to build tourist hotels.

“Authorities are not investigating allegations on environmental damages” he added.

Environment damage

A fact finding mission by World Fisherfolk Federation (WFF) found that the projects are destroying the environment in the area.

Representative of the WFF, Herman Peiris told BBC Sandeshaya that the projects are not carried out in a sustainable manner.

Mangroves and coastal erosion is caused by the construction work, he added.
SLTDA has already earmarked 14 Islands spread over 4,000 acres in the proposed Kalpitiya tourist zone.

 Full Story>>>

Buddhist monks 'should learn Tamil'

BySaroj Pathirana BBC Sinhala service

AIPTA says the Govt should pay attention to the immediate needs of the Pirivena education at a time it is celebrating 2600 anniversary of Sambudhdhathva Jayanthi

It is necessary that the new generation of Buddhist monks in Sri Lanka learn the Tamil language to help reconciliation between communities after decades of war, teachers of Buddhist scripture say.

All Island Pirivena Teachers Association (AIPTA) made of teachers of Buddhism told BBC Sinhala service, Sandeshaya that the Buddhist monks should be able to communicate with the Tamils in Sri Lanka.

“They should be able to communicate in Tamil and spread the message of peace to the Tamil community,” said Kompitiye Suseela thero, president of AIPTA.

The thero expressed hope that Buddhist monks communicating in Tamil will help prevent another bloody conflict in Sri Lanka.    Full Story>>>

Global Tamil Forum formerly met with Senior Civil Servants at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in London

Global Tamil Forum

உலகத் தமிழர் பேரவை

By: Media External Document

As part of bringing awareness to the current plight of Tamils in Sri Lanka and the wider engagement of governments around the world, the Global Tamil Forum (GTF) met with senior civil servants at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) in London, yesterday.

Mr. Andrew Patrick, Director for South Asia, Deputy Director William Middleton and Ms. Christine McNeill, the Head of Sri Lanka Desk at the FCO were met by the GTF delegation lead by its President Rev. Father S.J.Emmanuel, members of British Tamils Forum (BTF), British Tamil Conservatives (BTC) and Tamils for Labour.

Father Emmanuel shared the gratitude of the Global Tamil Community for the explicit stance the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office has taken by welcoming the UN Panel Report commissioned by the UN Secretary General and the call for an independent and credible inquiry to establish the truth so that sustainable reconciliation can be achieved. The main focus of the meeting was on the UN Panel Report. However the GTF delegation also shared information regarding their forthcoming activities, engagements and further evidence revelations of crimes committed and the current ground reality in the North and the East of Sri Lanka.

Media Contact: Suren Surendiran
Tel: +44 (0) 7958 590196 or +1 917 512 2992
Email: media@globaltamilforum.org

Notes to Editors:
Global Tamil Forum exists to harness the skills and the knowledge of the members of the forum, well-wishers and others including mainstream decision makers in the international governments, institutions and organisations with the aim of alleviating the suffering of the Tamil community in Sri Lanka and to further their right to self-determination (as defined by Article 1.1 ‘United Nations: International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights’ 1976) within a democratic framework under pinned by international law, its covenants and conventions. The forum was set-up in 2009 with the support of many International Tamil community organisations.

For more information please contact:
info@globaltamilforum.org and/or
visit: www.globaltamilforum.org

Courtesy: Global Tamil Forum - May 6, 2011
Published on: May 09, 2011 20:10:19 GMT

Anti-UN sentiment in Jaffna: Fact or fiction?

 

*groundviews journalism For citizens

The Uthayan newspaper runs a revealing story on its website which suggests that on 8th May, the campaign to collect a million signatures against the UN Panel’s report basically forced people to sign up to the campaign. Groundviews has already covered this bizarre, mindless campaign when it started in Colombo, before in fact the UN Panel’s report was officially released! The story in the Uthayan reveals that bereft of any public support, the minister and his goons are now ostensibly forcing people to sign their names, and this too in the regions most affected by war. Much like the outrageously wasteful ‘record breaking’ kiri-bath (milk rice) made to celebrate the President’s second term in office, this continuing display of insensitivity and brutishness by members of government speaks volumes. As we noted in our story on the signature campaign,

“This petition, and others that will invariably follow after the report’s official publication, is emblematic of Sri Lanka’s peculiar democracy, where highly emotive issues ratcheted up by expedient politicians with little or no grounding in actual fact are actually able to whip up mass appeal and support. Whether this is true over the long-term remains to be seen, but in the short-term, the mere fact that if successful, this petition will generate a million signatures of Sri Lankans who know little or nothing of what they oppose reflects the significant challenge of reconciliation and accountability, post-war.”

A translation into English of the Uthayan story follows, and is based on this Sinhala translation.

Unrest in Jaffna city yesterday afternoon: In pursuit of signatures
The campaign to generate signatures against the UN Panel’s report was in Jaffna yesterday (8th) and went in pursuit of people to get their signatures.
More details are as follows.
The campaign to collect signatures against the pointed allegations in the UN Panel’s report can be seen across the country. As one stage of this campaign, a programme to elicit signatures from the people of the North was organised yesterday under the leadership and presence of the Minister for Private Transport Ratnayake and his team in Jaffna.
This group forcibly generated signatures from the people in Kilinochchi, Mulaitivu and other places, and even gave promises that relief and aid would be provided if they signed up to the campaign. When they came to Jaffna, this group in Sundukuli and Columbaitur blocked the main road and forced people travelling on it to sign up for the campaign. People used alternative routes in order to avoid this group on the main road.
Under the full protection of the Army, this group shouting volubly slogans against the UN made their way towards the central bus stand in Jaffna. The group proceeded to go behind commuters waiting for buses and forced them to sign. The behaviour by this group caused consternation amongst civil society in Jaffna and also heightened anxiety and fear. Even before this, a multi-religious group had asked people in the North what they thought of the UN Panel’s report. The Minister and his group had come to Jaffna after this. Anti-UN sentiment in Jaffna: Fact or ficti… 

As UN SC Blindspots Critiqued, Oxfam Excludes Sri Lanka Due to “Sensitivities”

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, May 9 -- The UN Security Council's intentional blindspots on the protection of civilians are sampled in a report released today by the UK-based organization Oxfam -- a study which itself has blindspots.

To its credit, Oxfam compares some numbers to what's on the Security Council's agenda:

Full Story>>> 

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  9-May-2011
Sri Lanka: Upcountry Tamils recede into the shadows

Guest Column: Dr Kumar David

Though unnoticed, commentaries on the Upcountry Tamils (UcT) or Mallai-naatu Thamilar, also referred to as Indian Tamils or Tamils of recent Indian origin, have been sparse in both media and scholarly periodicals in the recent decades. Focus on the war has hogged headlines and pushed everything else out of view; but this is not the only reason. Changes in the socio-economic fabric and the political landscape have contributed to the eclipse of the UcTs from the limelight. This essay will explore how an introversion of the Sinhalese political psyche induced by war and war victory, demographic changes, the very fact of some economic advancement in the 1980s and 1990s, and declining Indian interest, have worked to relegate the upcountry Tamils to the sidelines.                           Full Story>>>

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[TruthDive]Balanced News & Analysis 

Srilanka war crimes -Reconsidering May 2009 UN HRC resolution 

 May 8, 2011 – 7:45 pm  By Guest Writer Sidharth Goutham Sundar

The Save Tamils.org organised a Conference on ‘UN Advisory Panel Report – Eezham Freedom Struggle in Geo – Political Web’ on Saturday at Layola College Chennai.
Dr. Paul Newman, eminent Professor in Politics and Human rights from Bangalore presented and explained salient features of the UN Expert report on war crimes in Srilanka. Prof. Manivannan from Madras University spoke about the politics in this crisis.    Fll Story>>>