Wednesday, February 8, 2012

Maldives ex-president Mohamed Nasheed was 'forced out'

Continue reading the main story Supporters of former Maldivian President Mohamed Nasheed help a wounded protester as soldiers man a barricade near Republic Square in Male, Maldives, Wednesday, Feb. 8, 2012.

Supporters of former Maldivian President Mohamed Nasheed help a wounded protester as soldiers man a barricade near Republic Square in Male, Maldives, Wednesday, Feb. 8, 2012.

Dozens were injured in clashes as protests were held in support of the former president

Wednesday February 8, 2012

Tribute to 26-year-old K. Muthukumar in Chennai last year.

(SALEM) - The day Mohamed Bouazizi set himself ablaze in Tunisia, the fire sparked an historic revolution known as the Arab Spring.

Mohamed Bouaziz's public suicide lit the
Arab Spring, however the self-immolation
of Indian journalist K. Muthukumar, over
the Genocide of Tamils in Sri Lanka, was
scarcely covered in U.S. news reports.
Photo courtesy: The Dotted World

Our writer, Kourosh Ziabari in Tehran, wrote that Bouazizi's painful self-immolation, "... sparked the rage and irritation of the Arab nations in the Middle East and North Africa and somehow invited them to rise up and stand against their corrupt, authoritarian governments..."
The truth is that repressive Middle east governments of Tunisia, Bahrain, Syria and other countries have serious problems, but they weren't facing charges of ethnic cleansing- actual genocide.
K. Muthukumar, who self-immolated on the campus of the government of India in January 2009, dying later that same day at Kilpauk hospital, sacrificed his life in an attempt to raise public awareness, and prevent the Genocide of Tamils in Sri Lanka.

Sri Lanka's Army hauls female victims to a mass grave.

It absolutely didn't work.
Tens of thousands of civilians were brutally massacred by the iron hand of state terrorism at the time of his death, and over the next several months in Sri Lanka things got worse, much worse.
40,000 to possibly more than 100,000 human beings were mass-murdered, directed into "safe zones" and then bombed- repeatedly. According to the salvageable records, more than 160,000 people ceased to exist after this brutal civil war carried out by the government against its own citizens.
There are terrible counts of rape and sex abuse, some of which was recorded on video cameras and later recovered and published on YouTube. The still frame on the right is of a truckload of women and girls, all in varying states of nudity, who were loaded onto the truck by smiling, gawking Sri Lankan soldiers who laughed about having raped them. At least one of the women in the video on her way to a mass grave is still alive. This is just a snapshot of the horror that was called for and carried out in an island nation that relies on tourism, and is a 'friend' of the U.S.

Fiery Death of a Vietnamese Monk

Journalist Malcolm Browne's photo of Thích
Quảng Đức's self-immolation. - Wikipedia

The death of a Vietnamese Mahayana Buddhist monk who burned himself to death at a busy Saigon road intersection on 11 June 1963, left a searing impression on both the American and world public. Thích Quảng Đức's self-immolation- over the persecution of Buddhists by South Vietnam's Roman Catholic government, left millions shocked and horrified.
An exceedingly naive public was both moved and repulsed by the image and the very idea of a person sacrificing their own life in such an agonizing way over a political cause. It happened at a critical time in history, the year before the U.S. officially began its military campaign against North Vietnam.
While the promises Vietnam's President Ngô Đình Diệm made at the time in reaction to the event were not honored, this human sacrifice led to both a violent military crackdown on Buddhist temples, and the eventual arrest and assassination of Diệm.
This monk's self-immolation left a blazing impression in Vietnam that is lasting, and both the car he drove to the spot in Saigon, and the remains of his heart, which did not burn and were placed in a glass chalice, were taken to Xá Lợi pagoda where they remain today.
Knowing this history of attention brought about by self-lit human fires, and that a genocide of epic proportions hung in the delicate balance at this time, it leaves the burning question...

One of the four pages of K.
Muthukumar's final statement-
distributed before his sacrificial act

Why didn't a world-scale revolution kick into gear when this 26-year old journalist, K. Muthukumar, self immolated at Sastri Bhavan, Chennai, India on the 29th of January 2009? Before his death, he distributed a four page statement in the Tamil language calling attention to the peril Sri Lankan Tamils faced from their own government.

26-year-old K. Muthukumar

In his statement, K. Muthukumar wrote:

Va'nakkam! I am sorry at having to meet you at this juncture when you are hurrying to work. But there is no other option. My name is Muthukumar. I am a journalist and an assistant director. Right now, I am working in a Chennai-based newspaper. I am also one like you. I am just another average person who has been reading newspapers and websites of how fellow Tamils are daily being killed, and like you I am unable to eat, unable to sleep, unable to sleep and unable to even think. While his ancient land of Tamils lets anyone coming here, like the Seths, to flourish, our own blood, the Tamils in Eelam are dying. When we lend our voices to say the killings should be stopped, Indian imperialism maintains a stony silence and does not give out any reply. If India's war is really a justifiable one, they can wage it openly... Why should they do it stealthily?
- From Last statement of Muthukumar (Burnt himself for Eela Tamils) - NowPublic.com
Incredible Cruelty

Post-war Tamils crowded in refugee camp.

The north of Sri Lanka is still a war zone and while some Tamils regained some semblance of what they had, they live with martial law, an ongoing military occupation and many other problems and challenges that result from a war conducted on civilians without the slightest hint of decency or adherence to international law.

Victims of Sri Lanka Tamil Genocide.

The Genocide carried out by Sri Lankan Sinhalese Buddhist government forces swept over Sri Lanka's Tamil population of Hindus and Christians like a terrible nightmare that was all too real. The number of Tamil dead from the government attacks are unprecedented and actually began in 2005 with the election of President Majinda Rajapaksa- an ally of both George W. Bush and Barack Obama.
The United States was well aware of what was taking place, and by 2009, when Muthukumar suffered a painful fiery death, the population's entire existence was threatened with extinction.
Then something happened in Sri Lanka that would bond K Muthukumar's life and death even more closely with the Tamil Genocide; that was a massive program carried out by Rajapaksa's henchmen to rid Sri Lanka of all journalists who were sympathetic toward the suffering of the Tamils.
They were tortured, murdered, newspapers and Internet news groups were closed and censored, (as they are today) and many journalists and editors and other media employees disappeared in the famous 'white van' incidents which still take place.
Legacy

Courtesy: TruthDrive

K Muthukumar's death anniversary was observed in Chennai last week, reports Guest Writer Sidharth gautham Sunder in aTruthDive article titled: Muthukumar’s Fire burns Sinhala Flags. The story cites how the continuing campaign against Sri Lanka has gathered momentum in Tamil Nadu. Quite obviously by its name alone Tamil Nadu, India has a vast population of Tamils, unlike Sri Lanka where the population is estimated at only about 15%. However Tamils have lived on the Island now called Sri Lanka for thousands of years.
Regarding K. Muthukumar's death, Wikipedia states:

“His funeral attracted thousands of mourners including Indian politicians such as Vaiko, Thol Thirumavalavan and S. Ramadoss amongst others. The state government offered monetary compensation for the family, which was rejected. His death led to a number of other attempts of self immolation in Tamil Nadu during the protesting. His death also led to further protests by students across Tamil Nadu.”

A report written by William Baptist, at Now Public contains an excellent compilation of data regarding the self-immolation of this young man. It is titled: Last statement of Muthukumar (Burnt himself for Eela Tamils)

“ According to reports in the Indian media, 26-year-old K. Muthukumar was a reserved and intelligent person. He had abstained from visiting his family the night before his self-immolation and had preferred to stay back at office. He lived with his sister Tamilarasi and her husband Kakkaivelu in Kolathur and worked in a Tamil magazine.
He had earlier worked in television production.
Just before he had doused himself with several litres of petrol at 10.40 a.m. on Thursday, he flung several copies of his four-page note in which he protested the Indian government's war in Sri Lanka against the Tamils.
Police officials later told media that Muthukumar had not experienced any fear or wavering, he had been resolute in his decision to sacrifice his life to highlight the need for a permanent ceasefire.
When a doctor had asked him why such an educated person like him committed self-immolation, he had replied that several thousands of more intelligent and educated Tamil people were dying in Eezham and that he intended to save thousands of lives by sacrificing himself.
He succumbed to 100% burn injuries 90 minutes after he set himself afire.”
Read Full Article

Iran sanctions - put up or shut up?

By Lasanda Kurukulasuriya Sunday February 5, 2012

When the United States passed a law to impose sanctions on financial institutions dealing with Iran's central bank, thereby effectively obstructing other countries buying Iranian oil, it claimed its intention was to hurt Iran and not others. But clearly things have not worked out this way, if President Mahinda Rajapaksa's remarks to foreign correspondents at Temple Trees on Tuesday are anything to go by. The president protested that the US and EU combined sanctions were not punishing Iran, but "punishing us, small countries."

File Photo: President Mahinda Rajapaksa and his Iranian counterpart Mahmoud Ahmedinejad and entourage during a visit to the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation oil refinery at Sapugaskanda.

Though a small buyer in terms of Iran's overall oil exports, Sri Lanka depends on Iran for over 90 percent of its crude oil imports, and hence is badly hit by the embargo. The situation is worsened by the fact that the refinery at Sapugaskanda, which is over 45 years old, can only handle crude oil from Iran and certain varieties from Saudi Arabia. Petroleum Industries Ministry officials who met with US Deputy Assistant Treasury Secretary Luke Bronin in Colombo on Thursday have, according to Minister Susil Premajayantha, explained the circumstances and sought a waiver of the sanctions. In the meantime, the ministry is exploring ways to make good the shortfall with imports from Oman and Saudi Arabia.

Sri Lanka is probably not alone in this 'third party' predicament, through no fault of its own. Sri Lanka enjoys friendly relations with Iran which has helped out with a seven month credit facility for oil imports, besides being a major buyer of tea and assisting in various development projects. On the other hand the US is the country's biggest trading partner. "We don't want to antagonise any country," Premajayantha said, asserting that Sri Lanka had longstanding good relations with all concerned. India and China, the emerging Asian giants, have chosen to ignore the US sanctions while exploring other routes by which to channel oil payments to Iran.

The US's objectives in imposing these measures seem to be lacking in a clear rationale. Along with the European Union's direct ban on oil imports from Iran, they are ostensibly aimed at punishing the Islamic republic for its nuclear program. This is on the basis that Iran is believed to be developing a nuclear weapon. However US officials themselves in their more candid moments are on record admitting that Iran does not have a nuclear bomb. US Defense Secretary Leon Panetta, on CBS's 'Face the Nation' 8th January, when asked if Iran was developing a nuclear weapon said "No, but we know they are trying to develop a nuclear capability."

By all accounts there is no solid evidence at all to justify the claims upon which the west has imposed the sanctions, which have only succeeded in causing turbulence in the markets and serious inconvenience in developing economies like that of Sri Lanka.

"There is in fact no reliable evidence that Iran is engaged in a nuclear weapons programme," wrote Seumas Milne in the UK Guardian. The latest International Atomic Energy Agency report once again failed to produce a smoking gun, despite the best efforts of its new director general Yukiya Amano - described in a Wikileaks cable as "solidly in the US court on every strategic decision."

The alarming aspect of the sanctions is that they are seen in many quarters as a precursor to military action. Henry Sokolski, executive director of the Nonproliferation Policy Education Centre was quoted in "The Daily Beast " saying "You don't propose and go about doing an oil embargo unless you are serious about taking the next step, and the next step for the administration is clearly some form of military action …"
Analysts warn that a US or Israeli strike against Iran's nuclear facilities could ignite a major conflagration in the Middle East, since Iran would most certainly retaliate with the support of its allies in the region. Panetta himself had earlier said that an Israeli attack could "consume the Middle East in a confrontation and a conflict that we would regret." That statement was met with outrage by the Israelis who lodged a formal diplomatic protest with Washington.

One interpretation of the ratcheting-up of anti-Iran rhetoric is that it is related to the upcoming US presidential election in November. Most Republican candidates have been vying with each other to adopt a militant stance in relation to Iran. But candidate Ron Paul, taking an independent line, has told voters that the sanctions amount to "acts of war" that could lead to an actual war and that Iran was justified in retaliating by threatening to shut down the Strait of Hormuz.

The strategically located strait is the channel through which some 40 percent of the world's oil transits. Ron Paul's attitude to foreign policy, that "the US should mind its own business" and "stop trying to force other nations to meet its demands" would probably find favour in much of the developing world, even if it does not win him too many American votes.

The western tendency to demonise Iran is at odds with the reality. Iran, while it has not invaded anyone in recent history, has itself been the site of several 'mysterious' attacks on its nuclear scientists in the past few years. The most recent victim was Mostafa Ahmadi Roshan who was killed by a bomb placed on his car by a motorcyclist in Tehran on 11th Jan. Iran has accused the CIA of involvement; the US has denied the charge.

One might ask, why this intense focus on Iran's nuclear program? Iran asserts its right to develop nuclear technology for peaceful purposes, and is a signatory to the Nuclear Non proliferation Treaty. The only nuclear power in the Middle East is in fact Israel, believed to have some 300 nuclear warheads. If anyone is under threat, by any realistic assessment, it would seem to be Iran, and not the west or its Middle Eastern allies. Indeed if Iran does develop a nuclear weapon, it could be argued that it was western war-mongering that pushed them to do so in self defence. A nuclear armed Iran would certainly tilt the balance in Middle East standoff. But the real reason for the hostility towards Iran would seem to be simply the fact that the Islamic state adopts an independent policy, resists western influence and keeps company that the US does not like.

Boyle: Appointing alleged war-criminals to UN posts, a violation of UN Charter

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 08 February 2012, 05:30 GMT]
While Ban Ki Moon's spokesman Martin Nesirky insisted that Ban is powerless to stop the proposed appointment of alleged war-criminal Shavendra Silva to an UN adviser position, Professor Boyle, an expert in international law, said, "U.N. Secretary-General has a Charter obligation to determine that the terms of article 101(3) have been satisfied before he appoints someone to the Staff irrespective of any alleged recommendation by the General Assembly," and therefore, "Ban to appoint a presumptive war criminal to his Staff would be ultra vires his powers under the terms of article 101(3) and thus a violation of the Charter itself."

Professor Francis A. Boyle, University of Illinois

Text of the legal note Professor Boyle sent to TamilNet follows:

The United Nations Charter establishes Six Independent Organs: The Security Council, the General Assembly, the Economic and Social Council, the Trusteeship Council , the Secretariat, and the International Court of Justice. The U.N. Charter was deliberately drafted so that no one Organ had the right to order around any other Organ. Chapter XV of the Charter sets forth the independent powers and responsibilities of The Secretariat. According to article 97 thereof, the Secretary-General is the chief administrative officer of the United Nations Organization. Article 101 of the Charter provides: "The staff shall be appointed by the Secretary-General under regulations established by the General Assembly." However, these General Assembly regulations cannot trump the terms of the Charter itself. In this regard, article 101(3) clearly states: "The paramount consideration in the employment of the staff and in the determination of the conditions of service shall be the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity." The U.N. Secretary-General has a Charter obligation to determine that the terms of article 101(3) have been satisfied before he appoints someone to the Staff irrespective of any alleged recommendation by the General Assembly. Certainly the U.N. Secretary-General has a Charter obligation to reject a presumptive war criminal for appointment to the Staff on the grounds of his prima facie absence of "integrity." ef Indeed, for the U.N. Secretary General to appoint a presumptive war criminal to his Staff would be ultra vires his powers under the terms of article 101(3) and thus a violation of the Charter itself. For these reasons, the U.N. Secretary General must reject both Silva and Kohona for any U.N. Staff Appointment.Inner City Press reported that even many member states describe the appointments as a travesty or a "new low," and say they are pushing Sri Lanka to pull Silva back, even if only to replace him with Permanent Representative Palitha Kohona, who also played a role in the White Flag killing of prospective surrenderees, along with Ban's chief of staff Vijay Nambiar.

Professor Francis A. Boyle taught United Nations Law in the College of Harvard University during the 1976-1977 Academic Year, and later for several years at the University of Illinois College of Law in Champaign. See his Foundations of World Order(Duke University Press: 1999).

‘Sri Lanka’ protest moves to Lenasia

February 8 2012
By Fakir Hassen

INLSA

Demonstrators illustrate their point at a protest in Lenasia.

The Tamil Federation of Gauteng (TFG) has moved their protest against the persecution of Tamils in Sri Lanka, to Lenasia, south of Johannesburg.

This was done after a last-minute withdrawal of permission to stage a peaceful protest opposite the Pretoria hotel where the Sri Lankan High Commission was celebrating the country’s 64th Independence Day.

Local community leaders, surrounded by scores of placard carrying supporters, joined officials of the TFG to lay a symbolic wreath at the Signet Terrace in Lenasia on Saturday.

It was in memory of the estimated 100 000 Tamil people killed during the three-decade civil war.

“Today, February 4, 2012, Sri Lanka celebrates Independence Day and projects to the world that it has a stable country with a democracy. But while it looks fine from the outside, within the country it has inequality among its citizens, no freedom of speech or association, people in transit camps, and no meaningful democracy,” TFG President Nadas Pillay, told those gathered.

“With this oppressive regime we see a ray of hope that comes from the United Nations report.

“We in particular would like to emphasise the fundamental recommendation from the report that highlights the call for an international investigation within Sri Lanka.”

Said Pillay: “Today we lay this wreath for all the people that have lost their lives, people that were persecuted, mercilessly killed, and for those people that to date have families who don’t know if they are dead or alive. Our role is to create awareness to the people of South Africa and the world.”

He called for Sri Lankan leaders responsible for atrocities against their fellow citizens to be brought to justice.

“Therefore we are asking the South African Government and other governments that are part of the Security Council to vote in favour of an international investigation. This fight is not about the Tamil-speaking people but a fight for humanity.”

Palestinian Solidarity Organisation representative, Naazim Adam, pledged support for the call by the TFG.

Sri Lankan High Commissioner Shehan Ratnavala, who is himself of Tamil origin, said that such protests were not helpful at a stage when his government was making every effort to win the peace back.

He invited the leaders of the TFG and other protesters to visit Sri Lanka and see for themselves the efforts that are being made to establish peace. - Post

WikiLeaks: Karuna And Local Criminal Gangs Had Taken Over The Business – Basil To US

Colombo Telegraph

IN JOURNALISM TRUTH IS A PROCESS

By Colombo Telegraph –FEBRUARY 8, 2012

“‘We have had trouble with other Tamil groups,’ Rajapaksa explained, naming Douglas Devananda’s Eelam People’s Democratic Party (EPDP) and the Karuna Faction who ‘might have weapons.’” the US Embassy Colombo informed Washington.

Rajapaksa explained, naming Douglas Devananda's EPDP and the Karuna Faction who ‘might have weapons.’"

The Colombo Telegraph found the related leaked cable from the WikiLeaks database. The cable is classified as “CONFIDENTIAL” and recounts details of a meeting US Ambassador to Colombo has had with President’s advisor and his brother Basil Rajapaksa on October 04, 2006. The cable was written by the US Ambassador to Colombo, Robert O. Blake.

WikiLeaks: Karuna And Local Criminal Gangs Had Taken Over The Business – Basil To US

Under the subheading “Douglas and Karuna, control your cadres.” the ambassador wrote “Basil addressed the September 29 arrest of a Karuna cadre for the kidnapping-for-ransom of a Colombo businessman. He said that arrest had led to the arrest of 13 other Karuna cadres with the help of a newly appointed 100-officer police division to investigate abductions. He speculated that the LTTE has long run an extortion ring targeting Tamil businessmen, but that now Karuna and local criminal gangs had taken over the business.”

Paramilitary leader and LTTE’s K P advised to infiltrate diaspora Tamil organisations

by Our Correspondent in Colombo

( February 08, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) During his visit to Jaffna after the Independence Day celebrations in Anuradhapura, President Mahinda Rajapakse has requested the government Minister and the paramilitary leader Douglas Devanada to get his men to infiltrate into the government hostile Tamil organisations in the Tamil diaspora to disturb their activities. The President is said to have quoted the names Transnational Government of Tamil Eelam and the Global Tamil Forum.

Douglas Devananda in turn has asked for financial support and safe passage of his men to the western countries. According to a source close to Douglas Devananda, the President has asked the minister to contact his brother Gotabaya Rajapakse to facilitate the request.

The source also confirmed that former LTTE’s arms procurer KP who have the government hospitality is doing his part to influence diaspora Tamil organisations. As the founder of the Transnational Government of Tamil Eelamm he is said to have some influence and the President is said to have quoted some instances of creating troubles within the TNGTE.

Tuesday, February 7, 2012

How the SC decisions in SL are ‘fixed’ by filthy lucre exposed: One 'Broker' is an Astrologer

Tuesday 7 of February 2012

(Lanka-e-News-07.Feb.2012, 11.45PM) It has come to light that the Supreme court (SC), that is , the highest court in Sri Lanka is also not immune from corruption, and its decisions can be changed via filthy lucre. Lanka e News is in receipt of information pertaining to one of the methods adopted in this sordid manipulation.

The chief justice (CJ) of the SL supreme court is Dr. Shiranee Bandaranaike. Her husband is Pradeep Kariyawasam who was a spare parts vendor of United Motors for some time. Being a marketing manager, he later became the General Manager of United Motors. Subsequently when he became a bosom pal of President he was appointed as the Chairman of Insurance corporation. Currently, he is the Chairman of the National Savings Bank. He holds the rare and ignominious distinction as the only chairman of a Bank who hasn’t any knowledge of finance or Banking management.

Mind you the most ludicrous aspect in these appointments is, that an astrologer is also holding the post of Working Director in that recognized Banking Institution. The whole world must be enjoying this joke when they learnt that it is a bogus astrological calculation wizard and not a financial wizard who is holding a Director post in a premier Bank in SL. This astrological wizard is Sumanadasa Abeygunawardena born in Morawaka and who has obtained his education at Morawaka Maha Vidyalaya. The only qualification (or rather disqualification) he has is that he is the astrologer who reads the astrological charts of the regime chief , Mahinda Rajapakse.

This bogus astrological wizard, the working Director of the Bank and the Chairman of the Bank are extremely close friends .

Now let us revert to our first paragraph of our news :

Sumanadasa Abeygunawardena charges exorbitant fees . May be because he reads the charts of the ‘Maharaja’. The lady who related this sordid episode has also gone to this astrologer to read her chart (kendaraya). She had been made to understand that she can know how to extricate herself from her litigation involvement via the chart reading. After the fees demanded by Abeygunawardena had been paid , the latter had stated that like how he can read where the stars are in the chart , he can also change the position of the stars. In other words he had told that he is capable of changing the decision of the Supreme court if payments are duly made.

The astrologer Sumanadasa Abeygunawardena had told directly and categorically that if she would make the payment demanded, he could ‘fix’ even the SC decision.

This is how it was exposed that the CJ takes bribes through an agent of her husband. They are of course not frightened. After all the bribe is being taken by the CJ herself and the agent is none other than the astrologer for the regime chief. Hence, they must be therefore thinking , under such circumstances when the bigwigs of the judiciary and the Executive are involved , why fear .

When the legal climate and the judiciary has descended this low, it is clear that in SL now, though there is a supreme court there are no supreme legal traits and traditions which characterized it
earlier.
Although it is well and widely known unequivocally that the independence of the SC no longer exists. This truth was further confirmed to the whole wide world by SC justices Dr. Shiranee Bandaranaike, Nimal Gamini Amaratunge and Suresh Chandra , when on the day the regime chief’s son took oaths , these justices instead of being on the bench of the SC or in their official chambers , were in their official cloaks joking and shaking hands with the raw lawyer and tumbling over each other to take photographs with him , and attending parties on that occasion. That is, their conduct was not like that of judges of the highest court of SL, but rather like clowns in a circus arena. This scenario was deplorably unique because it had no parallel anywhere in the world in the judicial sphere for its stupidity and absurdity pertaining to behavior of judges of the highest court of the land. Every nook and cranny in the world became aware how like crooks and nannies these judges behaved in Sri Lanka .

It is well for every law abiding citizen of this country to realize that the time has come for them to put their foot down and take a momentous decision against the present SL climate when judicial decision s of the SC can also be changed via bribes.