Our duty to Sri Lanka, and human rights

 
It is not just Sri Lanka's people that the UN Human Rights Council must serve this week, but the cause of international law
Desmond Tutu and Mary Robinson   Sunday 26 February 2012

Sri Lankan soldiers inside the war zone in the north of the country at the end of the civil war in May 2009. Photograph: AFP/Getty Images

This week the UN Human Rights Council has an opportunity and a duty to help Sri Lanka advance its own efforts on accountability and reconciliation. Both are essential if a lasting peace is to be achieved. In doing so, the council will not only be serving Sri Lanka, but those worldwide who believe there are universal rights and international legal obligations we all share.

Nearly three years since the defeat of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) by the Sri Lankan government there has still been no serious domestic investigation of the many allegations of war crimes and crimes against humanity committed by both sides during the civil war's final stages. These tragic events cannot simply be ignored.

A report in April 2011 by a panel of experts appointed by the UN secretary general documented government forces' large-scale shelling in "no-fire zones" where civilians had been encouraged to gather. Government forces also shelled a UN hub and food distribution lines. The same report says the LTTE used civilians as human shields, refused to allow people to leave conflict areas and forcibly recruited adults and children as young as 14 to fight. Credible sources cited in the UN report have estimated that around 40,000 civilians may have perished in the final months of the conflict.This tremendous civilian toll covers thousands of stories of suffering and strength, the vast majority of which are untold. One verified story chronicles the experiences of a family who were forcibly displaced more than seven times in eight months between September 2008 and May 2009. They repeatedly sought shelter in government-declared "safe zones" (which were then shelled), buried five relatives, including a six-year-old girl, in unmarked graves, and saw many of their fellow civilians killed and injured.

While the Sri Lankan government's own report from its Lessons Learned and Reconciliation Commission, published last December, includes important findings on reconciliation, and represents a potentially useful opportunity to begin a national dialogue on the conflict, it is disappointing in its failure to address seriously accountability issues. The recent announcement that the army intends to investigate its own actions during the conflict is not the kind of independent inquiry that is required.

In the absence of a credible and independent investigation into what happened in Sri Lanka, the Human Rights Council has an obligation to uphold human rights law and international humanitarian law during its upcoming 2012 sessions. As the UN report said: "The conduct of the war by both sides represented a grave assault on the entire regime of international law designed to protect individual dignity during both war and peace. The victory of one side has emboldened some to believe that these rules may now be disregarded in the cause of fighting terrorism."

Against this background, and continuing reports of human rights violations by the authorities, we urge the council to support a resolution that seeks accountability for the terrible violations of international law that have taken place, and establishes mechanisms to monitor progress on the steps the government is taking on accountability. If there is insufficient progress by the government in establishing a credible accountability process in the near future, we urge council members to support the establishment of an independent investigation.

At the same time, the council should support efforts to achieve meaningful reconciliation, human rights and democratic freedom for all Sri Lankans. Their country is a beautiful jewel of an island, rich in culture, history, resources and human talent. But we fear that if nothing changes, the crimes that remain unaddressed will continue to haunt Sri Lanka's people and could ignite violence once again.

Finally we want to emphasise that Sri Lanka's recent history is an issue that concerns all of us. Whether or not the Human Rights Council is able to summon the will to act on one of the most serious cases of human rights violations to have occurred since it was founded in 2006 could have ramifications for the global standing of human rights and international humanitarian law – and for the prestige and authority of the council.

• Archbishop Desmond Tutu and former Irish President Mary Robinson are members of The Elders, global leaders working for peace and human rights

Regime’s representatives pitted against each other- demons oppose the Geneva recommendations but deities support them

Sunday 26 of February 2012
(Lanka-e-News-26.Feb.2012,11.45PM) While the sessions of the United nations human rights Council (UNHRC) are scheduled to commence tomorrow (27) in Geneva, it is reported that the representatives of the ruling regime of Sri Lanka (SL) who have gone there have split into two hostile groups whereby they are plunged in dire straits and in a serious muddle.

This rift has arisen between foreign Minister Dr. G L . Peiris and President’s special representative Minister Mahinda Samarasinghe who are both there.

As the President’s special representative is getting the opportunity to address the UNHRC conference at the beginning , and the foreign Minister is only to make his address subsequently , this dispute had flared up , and the rift had deepened between them, it is learnt.

At any rate , the recommendations which the SL Govt. is being pressurized to implement are being taken up at the concluding stages of the conference. These recommendations have by now become public knowledge. Those who have even an iota of thinking power will not construe them as a conspiracy against SL.

The recommendations are given hereunder :

1. Calls on the Government of Sri Lanka to implement the constructive recommendations in the LLRC report and additionally to take immediate steps to fulfill its relevant legal obligations and stated commitment to address serious allegations of violations of international law by initiating credible and independent investigations and prosecutions of those responsible for such violations,
2. Requests that the Government of Sri Lanka present a comprehensive action plan before the 20th session of the Human Rights Council detailing the steps the Government has taken and will take to implement the LLRC recommendations and also to address alleged violations of international law,

3. Encourages the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights and relevant special mandate holders to provide, and the Government of Sri Lanka to accept, advice and technical assistance on implementing those steps.
The third recommendation herein is very important. It has been proved beyond doubt that any group appointed by SL regime chief sans international assistance turns out to be puppets and dummies of the regime , and stoops to any sordid and unscrupulous activities. A case in point is the Committee appointed to probe the colossal blunders tainting the recent G C E exam results .

Though these recommendations are deemed as poison by the regime , its racialists and politicians, yet , to the people in this country these recommendations are too lenient, akin to a drop of water being given as relief to the people suffering in a torrid desert who are helplessly witnessing the following atrocious lawlessness and crimes committed openly in their midst: 

Suspects in cases being abducted in the white Van with impunity while being within the court precincts; Presidential advisor getting killed in broad daylight on the main highway while police chiefs are watching from behind tinted glass in vehicles; media personnel abducted unendingly; media Institutions being torched and bogus stories concocted by the police that condoms were found in the charred premises ,instead of apprehending the criminals who are still scot free even nearly two years after the incident; a most responsible President ,the highest in the hierarchy most ruthlessly and irresponsibly telling openly ‘ I have given orders to attack him and finish ’ against his own supporter , before his MPs; when people ask for a reasonable price for fuel and oil , and request not to prune down their salaries , police resorting to shooting until killing and blowing the heads of civilians into smithereens.

When demons and donkeys are opposing these recommendations, deities and humans are supporting them

Based on information reaching us from foreign diplomatic circles , these recommendations are sure to succeed.

Meanwhile the ruling regime is to stage protests tomorrow against these recommendations. All Govt. employees have been forced to participate. Leave as well as full salary are being approved to them in this regard.

Extermination of Eelam Tamils of Vanni in May 2009 by Sri-Lankan Sinhala Government was Genocide

By: Dr C P Thiagarajah

The genocide of Tamils that culminated in the mass murder of over 40000 civilians in May 2009 was well planned ahead by Mahinda Rajapakse (MR) as early as the latter part of 2008. The American ambassador Robert Blake (at the time President Obama was newly elected to office), Japan the European Union, Norway and India would have been quite aware of it as they had provided military help and advice regarding the on coming military onslaught on the LTTE. Having well equipped themselves with heavy and weapons of mass destruction the Sinhalese were waiting for a lame excuse to tear away the five year old Peace Agreement between the LTTE and the government against all international protocol and start a war. It is important to note that peace agreement was brokered by Norway and the other aid giving nations, EU, Japan, USA in 2002. Mavilaru water Tank dispute in the East was the trigger. Mahinda Rajapakse sent about 40000 of its armed forces against the de-facto/de-jure government of the LTTE that had reigned in Vanni for nearly two decades. The whole world knew about it.

Full Story>>>

‘Offensive respect’ mania of defense secretary Gota infects his new’ brother in law’ who wreaks havoc

(Lanka-e-News-26.Feb.2012,11.45PM) Lawyer Chandra Liyanaraachi , the new ‘brother in law’ of defense Secretary Gotabaya Rajapakse has also demanded that the ‘offensive respect’ given to defense Secretary be extended to him too, according to reports reaching Lanka e news.

This Liyanaraachchi who is possessed by the devilish respect attaching to Gota has threatened another Lawyer .

Based on reports , Liyanarachi has demanded instead of commanding respect as follows :

While Liyanarachchi was reading a newspaper in the Lawyers rest room , he had begun yelling out at and scolding another Lawyer who had courteously asked him to pass the newspaper to him after he had finished reading.

Liyanarachi has in his mad fury dashed the newspaper on the ground and screamed at the Lawyer who asked for the newspaper without using any provocative words ,’ you are the one who is ruining our family. It is you who is passing news to the websites. You shut up. I will teach you a good lesson’, Liyanarachi has shouted at the top of his voice.

Chandra Liyanarachchi is the father of the girl whom Gotabaya’s son married recently. It is a fact that so far nothing has been posted in the websites , Rajapakses apart , against Liyanrachchis. If Liyanarachchi has taken upon himself the insults following the charges made against his ‘brother in law’ Gota , then he too is possessed by the ‘offensive respect’ starving demon of Gota, in which case he must blame Gota and not outsiders , for it is Gota’s demon that has possessed him and not anybody else’s.

The suspicion harbored by Liyanarachchi that those around him are passing information to websites is a serious paranoid mental condition deserving treatment from a mental asylum doctor. Apparently he has been infected by this same psychotic condition that afflicts the Rajapakses who have also become suspicious of all those around them , including the Govt.’s own Ministers and MPs, since of late.

On the other hand if Liyanarachchi and Rajapakses are diagnosed as sane , then there is another cure for their maladies , they taking measures to rectify their own countless faults. 

The plight of another patriotic officer of the Army –victim of venom and vengeance of masquerading ‘patriots’

(Lanka-e-News-26.Feb.2012, 7.30PM) While the cardboard patriots of this MaRa regime are screaming against foreign conspiracies , the true patriots – the armed forces are being subject to the worst vindictive victimization by this regime. Lanka e news is in receipt of yet another sorrowful tale of such victimization and the pathetic plight of an officer of the Forces.

During the final phase of the war , a decisive battle took place when the 58th Corp from the Karayamulli Waikkal approached Mulitivu north and the group from the 59th Corp from Sarvathottam advanced towards its South and fought out against the LTTE who had besieged the entire eastern coast of SL near the Wadduwan bridge at that time. It was Lieutenant Colonel Ramesh Fernando the commanding chief of the 583 regiment during that period who gave orders to the 58th Corp.

He was the officer in charge of the 7th Sinha regiment. Now he holds the position of a Colonel. But , that is only until today (24). After that he will be ‘kicked out’ from the forces. This is the result of the paranoia and fear gripping the sinister defense Secretary Gotabaya better known as Bayagotha , who can see no one who is a friend of the great war hero Sarath Fonseka direct in the eye without self - guilt and suspicion . Gota’s inordinate fear in respect of them has made him a psychotic maniac before them out of sheer guilt and fear.

Ramesh Fernando was the officer in charge of the 7th Sinha regiment. Now he holds the position of a Colonel. But , that is only until today (24). After that he will be ‘kicked out’ from the forces. This is because of the paranoia and fear gripping the sinister defense Secretary Gotabaya better known as Bayagotha , who can look at no one who is a friend of the great war hero Sarath Fonseka direct in the eye without self - guilt and suspicion . Gota’s inordinate fear in respect of them has made him a psychotic maniac before them. .Bayagotha who views every officer in the Sinha regiment under former army Commander Gen. Sarath Fonseka , the true war hero with apprehension and suspicion, has dismissed this officer from service with effect from 1st March without adducing any reason.

He was an officer who fought day and night under Gen. Sarath Fonseka in the battle to capture the Jaffna Fort. He spent 80 % of his Army life in the battle field . It is a cruel irony that such a patriotic officer in the Army is coming under the wicked axe of a traitorous officer (now defense secretary) who fled the country in fear of the war and remained abroad for 15 long years without sparing a single thought for the country during the raging war. It is indeed unfortunate that this patriotic officer Ramesh Fernando is being permitted to be victimized by a traitorous officer of the country , Gotabaya Rajapakse who fled in fear and came back to take the kudos of the war victory , when it ought to be the other way around.– Ramesh Fernando the conscientious and dedicated Army officer is being discarded like coconut refuse after all his loyal service.

There are so many superior officers of the Forces who have met with similar fates after the war was won. Even their pensions had not been properly arranged. All of them are in dire financial straits.

The cardboard patriots like Weerawansas and Champikas make loud speeches (though empty) about the war events and victory . But when all the Commanding chief officers of the Forces who directly spearheaded the war operations are being dismissed ruthlessly and sent home un-ceremonially , are these cardboard patriots so deaf and blind as not to know the sufferings and abysmal hardships faced by these officers? Are the gaze of these cardboard patriots fixed on looking for ways and means how to line their pockets and gain a cheap political plus point only? This truly patriotic Army Colonel Romesh Fernando sent home yesterday was the last so far in the long line of patriotic officers by this so called regime of (cardboard) patriots .

Among those Commanding chiefs who were involved in the final battle against the LTTE , only training division Director Brigadier Ralph Nugera and STF commanding chief Colonel Harendra Ranasinghe have been permitted to continue with their tasks. This is because these officers abjectly surrendered to bootlicking the regime and stooping to any low sordid levels to do the biddings on behalf of the regime.

In the circumstances Weerawansas and Champikas who are masquerading as great patriots and screaming about foreign conspiracies must at least now remove their cheap masks bought from pavements to cover their shamelessly disgraceful identities . It is not too late , and isn’t it time now for the true patriots to come forward and chase these traitors once and for all who are selling the country and the honor of the war heroes, and rescue it from the clutches of these masqueraders and accomplished hypocrites?

TNA to visit New Delhi, not Geneva

Sunday February 26, 2012

The Tamil National Alliance (TNA) yesterday called off a proposed visit to Geneva, ahead of the UN Human Rights Commission, but will go ahead with its plans to visit India. The visit to Geneva was called off at the last moment by the party saying ‘ the TNA considers it imperative that in the present situation calm should be maintained, and that nothing should be done which could exacerbate tensions’.

The TNA said it has publicly stated its commitment to a reasonable workable and durable political solution within the framework of a united and undivided Sri Lanka and reiterates its commitment to its position.

“The TNA has constructively engaged with the Government to evolve such an acceptable solution for over a year, but has not achieved any progress due to the Government’s lack of sincere commitment towards the evolution of an acceptable political solution,” the TNA said.

A TNA spokesman said the delegation headed by TNA group leader R.Sampanthan will leave for New Delhi for a meeting with Indian Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh next week. He said the invitation was extended during the last month’s visit of the Indian External Affairs Minister S.M.Krishna.

The spokesman said that the TNA will be explaining to the Indian government about the reasons for the stalling of the TNA talks with the Sri Lankan government on reaching a political settlement to the ethnic conflict.

The other members of the five member delegation are Mavai Senathiraja, Selvam Adaikalanathan, Suresh Premachandran and M.A. Sumanthiran.

Devolution without land and police powers is no devolution

Sri Lanka – China nexus: The Secret Story

Posted by Karthiyayini on February 24, 2012

Colombo, Feb 24 (TruthDive): With Sri Lanka occupying the fourth place in Chinese strategic planning in South Asia, more than 50 per cent of the overseas funding for construction and development projects for Sri Lanka since President Mahinda Rajapaksa came to power has been siphoned in from China.

China, in its attempt to build a strong presence in south Asia and to fuel its long-term strategic ambitions is backing infrastructure projects in Sri Lanka.

Colombo has started seizing large areas of lands to build an airport of international standards for which China has presented models of the airport for approval, revealed TNA parliamentarian Mr. Sritharan.

Sri Lanka plans to invite China to build an airport of international standards at Poonakari in the north of the country which is the traditional homeland of Eelam Tamils, to balance India’s projects centering around KKS harbour and Palaali airport in the northern coast of Jaffna peninsula.

Poonakari ,the ‘city of flowers’ is situated in a controlling location linking Vanni with Jaffna Peninsula, with Palk Bay and Jaffna lagoon on either side. It is also located close to Rameswaram and Thondi of the Tamil Nadu coast.

China has been chosen for the task, considering the advantage of the location of Poonakari to check any ‘enemy attacks’ from Tamil Nadu or India, political observers said.

Yoshitha Rajapaksa, the son of Sri Lankan president Mahinda Rajapaksa and an officer in the Lankan Navy is playing a role in maintaining the interests of Colombo, sources added.

Meanwhile, China has also been accorded a construction project for a tourist resort in the Neduntheevu Island off Jaffna and close to Kachchatheevu and Rameswaram in the Palk Bay.

Additionally, Mr. Rajapaksa had also secretly inaugurated a contentious China-backed project in Maathakal under the eyes of Sri Lanka Navy, without any public knowledge, sources reveal.

The controversial project is aimed at installing windmills and solar panels along the coastal stretch from Thiruvadinilai to KKS which is the closest coastline to Tamil Nadu in Jaffna.

In October 2011, as a part of Malaysian Prime Minister’s US$ 10 billion economic cooperation initiative with China, the agreement was drawn between the Malaysian corporate, KLS Energy China Machinery and Engineering Corporation to ‘develop’ wind/solar hybrid power project in Jaffna.

The Malaysian organization of Chinese connection will set up windmills and solar panels to produce electricity and ‘sell’ it to the people of Jaffna, permanently replacing the coastal people and the graceful Palmyra palms that now dot the coast.

New wave of abductions and dead bodies in Sri Lanka

*groundview journalism For citizens 26 Feb, 2012

In the past 5 months – October 2011 to February 2012 – there has been a disturbing rise in the number of abductions, especially in and around the capital, Colombo. Out of 29 abductions and 3 missing persons reported in media, most have not returned to their homes and families, rendering them ‘disappeared’ persons.

The manner of these abductions has sent alarm bells ringing within the Sri Lankan human rights community, recalling the twin phenomena of the ‘white van’ and the unidentified gunman’ which plagued the country in the period from 1987/1989, and which prompted two visits to the island by the UN Working Group on Enforced and Involuntary Disappearances in 1991 and 1992.

The discovery of a charred body of a man on a small street in Narahenpita, Colombo 5, on the morning of February 13 has served to heighten these concerns. There have been 10 bodies discovered in February in addition to the 7 abductions and one missing person in Jaffna who was later found dead.

Among those abducted have been social activists, businessmen and those identified by the Police as criminals and ‘underworld’ characters. Labeling abducted persons as belonging to the underworld points to a disturbing new element of ‘social cleansing’, which is being used to garner public support for these killings and to divert attention from the fact that these abductions are an expression of the collapse of the rule of law in Sri Lanka.

The abduction and killing of individuals from the so-called underworld can be in some way linked to the public altercation between ruling party MP Duminda Silva and Presidential Advisor and former MP Bharatha Lakshman Premachandra, in which the latter was shot and killed. Some of those abducted, ‘disappeared’ and killed were linked to these two individuals and were either suspects or witnesses to the shooting, which took place on October 8 during campaigning for local government elections in Colombo.

Amongst others who have been abducted are those who have in any way challenged the authorities on issues of impunity and on-going human rights violations. Lalith Kumar Weeraraj and ‘Kugan’ Muruganandan, two political activists, were abducted in Jaffna on December 9, while engaged in preparations for celebrating Human Rights Day. On February 11, Ramasamy Prabaharan, a Tamil businessman was abducted in Colombo, two days before a fundamental rights case filed by him against the Police was due to be heard. Mr Prabaharan, who was released from prison in September 2011 after two years in detention without any charges being filed against him, was challenging this arbitrary detention and torture while in custody; he had received threats asking him to withdraw the case. On February 12, Chandrapala alias Mervyn, who had been brought to Colombo’s court complex in Hulftsdorf for a bail application, was abducted in the vicinity of the Courts while being accompanied by Prison Guards. A full list of the 32 abductions which have been reported in media is attached.

Most of the abductions have taken place in broad daylight, in the capital, Colombo, and in its suburbs. 4 are from Gampaha district, close to Colombo. All 3 missing cases and 3 of the abductions have taken place in the North, with 5 in Jaffna. Of the 32 abducted and gone missing. 7 bodies were found in public places; most of them bore marks of execution. One body was found on the east coast following abduction from the Western province. 5 persons have returned home.  In many cases the Police investigations are inconclusive and pending. Out of the 32, one has been identified as a woman, two are not clear and 29 have been identified as men.

Special Feature: The Meaning of Religion in Sri Lank-An unexpected snapshot into the madness of life in a dominant Buddhist culture.

Sunday February 26, 2012
Short Story by Roma Tearne for Salem-News.com.

The photographs are taken from an archive of found images of people no longer alive.

(LONDON) - Sunday Times journalist Marie Colvin, who was killed in Syria in recent days, lost an eye covering operations in Sri Lanka in 2001. Her dedication and loss to this place, and the 2009 rape and Murder of Shoba, who was better known asIsaippiriya, in Sri Lanka, a journalist with TamilNet, (Two of Sri Lanka's Foulest War Crimes) brought an unexpected response; a fictionalized short story from an author in London; it is gut-wrenching and fascinating, literary expression.

I am very pleased to introduce A Second Short Story For The Western Sponsors Of The Galle Literary Festival. The Birthday Party by author Roma Tearne, of London. This is a fictional day in the life account of a family in Sri Lanka, the country of Roma's heritage. It isn't part of our regular news, however it is more relevant than most reports as a current information piece.

Sri Lanka experienced a terrible civil war that ended in mid-2009. The Tamil population that accounts for 15-20% of the people in Sri Lanka, was decimated by the Sinhalese Buddhist government' Sri Lanka Army (SLA). Sri Lanka maintains that the people its army was sent to kill were either part of the separatist Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), or 'human shields' that the 'Tamil Tigers' forced into the war zones.

Many solid accounts of the final push in this war exist, they are all very consistent. The Tamil people were just slaughtered, that is the truth of what happened. There does appear to some validity to the human shield allegation, according to the UN, however that is one of the oldest tricks in the books for any government to spin while engaged in damage control after being exposed for involvement in the ethnic cleansing of civilians. The human shield allegation is a page out of Israel's war game book, that's for sure.

Tragically, terrible accounts of widespread rape and abuse are interwoven into this horror story of Genocide and state terrorism on the otherwise stunning and beautiful island nation known for many years as Ceylon. The average American, I believe, considers Buddhists among the kindest and gentlest of people, however in Sri Lanka nothing could be farther from the truth. Roma Tearne sent this to Salem-News.comto republish and I hope to bring our readers many similar pieces in the future.
-forward by news editor, Tim King

From: romatearne.blogspot.com>

Intoxicated Monk Behind The Wheel

The vehicle, Ven. Thripalagama Pannajeewa, Chief Incumbent of Gothami Viharaya AND Bitter truth revealed

Last Week, a Buddhist monk  was involved in a head on collision on the High Level Road in Pannipitiya was found to be under the influence of liquor.

Ven. Thripalagama Pannajeewa the Chief Incumbent of Gothami Viharaya, Jambugasmulla Mawatha, Nugegoda was involved in a head on collision with a Toyota Land Cruzer bearing registration number 31 Sri 4563 on Thursday, February 23 around 11 pm.

The monk was at the wheel in his metallic coloured Suzuki A-star car, bearing registration number WP KS 0593 and he was intoxicated at the time of the accident, Police Spokesperson SP Ajith Rohana said.

“I was on my way to Maharagama from Kottawa when this car came at high speed and crashed into my jeep. The car was coming towards Kottawa from Maharagama,” Jude Thyagarajah the driver of the Toyota Land Cruzer told The Sunday Leader.

According to Thyagarajah, it was this Buddhist monk who was behind the wheel and he was bleeding from his nose after the crash.

“I was on the left corner lane when the Suzuki car slammed in to my vehicle, turned many rounds before it came to a halt. When I went to his car to see as to what had     Read More »

Monk sentenced to death after 50ars

A Buddhist monk has been sentenced to death by the Tangalle Magistrate over the murder of a farmer.

Another suspect was also given the death sentence over the murder of the farmer by the Tangalle Magistrate today.

This is the first time that a monk has been sentenced to death since 1962, the Magistrate had said.

In 1962 a monk was sentenced to death over the assassination of former Prime Minister S.W.R.D Bandaranaike.

Bandaranaike’s assassin Talduwe Ratugama Rallage Weris Singho better known as Talduwe Somarama openly converted to Christianity, just weeks prior to being hanged in the Welikada gallows. Read More »

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Child abuse hearing in April

The child abuse case against Chief Buddhist monk of Thames Buddhist temple Ven. Pahalagama Somaratana is to begin on 10th April at Feltham crown court.

The monk who was intially charged with one count of rape of a female under 16 and three counts of indecent assault during his tenure at Chiswick temple

Further charges

Subsequently on Friday, 11 November he was further charged with 8 counts of Indecent assault on a female under 14 between 01/01/1985 - 31/12/1986 at an address in Croydon.

65 year old Somaratana thero appeared at Isleworth Crown Court on Wednesday for an initial hearing.

Court sources told the BBC that both cases involving two different alleged victims would be heard together.

Monk had pleaded not guilty to all charges against him.   Full Story>>>

A Criminal Monk To The Police Commission

Colombo Telegraph FEBRUARY 20, 2012

IN JOURNALISM TRUTH IS A PROCESS

Highlighting concerns raised when the Eighteenth Amendment was passed, the recent appointment of the Police Commission shows just how unacceptable the new framework for independent bodies is. The appointments to the new Police Commission includes the Buddhist monk Elle Gunawanse. It is difficult to imagine someone more unsuitable to serve in the Police Commission, of all things. Truth, sometimes, is really stranger than fiction. 

Continue reading »

Sri Lankan monk is condemned to death for murder

Theravada Buddhist monks play a prominent public role in Sri Lanka

Full Story>>>

Some thoughts on the Buddha and his teaching

May 16, 2011

by Professor Emeritus
Y. Karunadasa PhD         IMPROVE MORE

Sri Lanka-US: A Catch 22 Situation

Sunday, February 26, 2012

• US lobbying for Resolution on Sri Lanka
• Government pushes for patriotism

In the run up to the 19th session of the UN Human Right Council (UNHRC) in Geneva, Switzerland, Sri Lanka and the US have commenced heavy lobbying amongst the diplomatic community.
The US is lobbying for support and a sponsor to present the motion on Sri Lanka being backed by the country.
Sri Lanka on the other hand is on an aggressive campaign to explain the Sri Lankan government’s cause to the countries represented in the Council.
Nevertheless, it is a Catch 22 situation for both the Sri Lankan and US governments.
The proposed Resolution backed by the US deals mainly with the issue of the recommendations of the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC), its implementation and the action plan.

Read More »