Geneva resolution - showdown or damp squib?

Sunday March 11, 2012

By Lasanda Kurukulasuriya

As discussions proceed at the 19th sessions of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, it becomes evident that the US may not have as much support as it anticipated for its disputed resolution against Sri Lanka. While the draft has reportedly been circulated to member states of the HRC, clearly there are divisions of opinion in the Council over the US and EU backed move. While the Sri Lanka government's lobbying efforts may have had their effect, it would appear that opposition is being expressed towards the resolution for reasons that go beyond a mere desire to show solidarity with Sri Lanka. There seems to be a sense that this country-specific resolution would possibly undermine the cooperative, dialogue-oriented workings of the HRC, politicize the intergovernmental body and set a precedent for interfering in the internal affairs of sovereign member states. Tamara Kunanayakam - Sri Lanka's UN Ambassador On the same day as the speech by US Under Secretary of State Maria Otero, who called for the Council to act with regard to Sri Lanka, statements were made by delegates on behalf of both the Non Aligned Movement (NAM) and Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), mentioning Sri Lanka and expressing opposition to external pressures being brought to bear on its domestic reconciliation process. Both are large blocs of states representing the majority world and it is significant that in their brief statements Sri Lanka was mentioned by name. Both groups acknowledged and welcomed the Sri Lankan government's commitment to a domestic reconciliation process. read more..

Sri Lanka: The irrelevance of India in Geneva

Guest Column: Dr Kumar David

No one knows how India will vote on the US sponsored resolution at the UNHRC in Geneva but its jellyfish like slithering has become such a farce that how it votes has become irrelevant. Delhi has shown such prevarication and slobbered so much, that it has shown its hand; it is lost, confused, at sixes and sevens and does not know where it stands.   

Since it is at a loss for words, whichever way it eventually raises its robot hand makes little difference, it does not signify anything important. Is it not amazing that the presumed regional power is dumb about what is intends to do? It has been said that Delhi was blind to the nature of the Rajapakse regime and deaf to the wails of the miserable dregs of humanity in the Vanni; now it has compounded its ailments by going dumb. Deaf, blind, and now dumb in Geneva!

 Eventually Delhi will have to make a statement of sorts and vote one way or the other, or abstain, but it has made itself so juvenile that truthfully it does not matter what it does. Like a many limbed Hindu deity it wants to be all things to all men, but will end up a cipher to everybody. It may still believe that best way to keep the Chinese at bay is to mollycoddle real and potential dictators, vide Burma! Or it may be terrified of resolutions that identify specific countries – meaning Indian atrocities in Kashmir, in tribal areas, or in the red belt. The rout of Congress in the state elections in Uttar Pradesh, Punjab and Goa may drive it to further obfuscations on the foreign policy front.     Full Story>>>

The lies need to stop, at least now

By Kishali Pinto Jayawardene

The continued shrill beating of the nationalist drum in regard to the resolution tabled this week before the United Nations Human Rights Council by the United States of America, calling on Sri Lanka to set a time frame for the implementation of the recommendations of the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC), is stupendously counterproductive. Interjection of local politics into international diplomacy So indeed is the unwise framing of the ongoing diplomatic event as a ‘battle’ or a ‘war’, which is what we are hearing from Sri Lanka’s mission in Geneva, as its representatives abandon even the façade of diplomatic niceties on the one hand while scurrying around for favourable votes on the other. Meanwhile, taxpaying citizens back at home foot the bills of a massive delegation which includes quarrelling ministers and their hangers-on, those desperately trying to sustain political favours by lying through their teeth and those simply there for the entertainment.   This is crude strategy of the worst kind. First, whether we like it or not, the interjection of local politics into international diplomacy in such rude posturing only lumps Sri Lanka into the same category as Sudan and Somalia for example, which classification is becoming far too common for comfort now. This is a sad reality for a country which once had well seasoned diplomats of the likes of a Lakshman Kadirgamar and a Neville Kanekaratne. read more..

While Emperor Asoka’s son preached HR in Mihintale, what would have resulted if Devanapiyatissa burnt Mihindu’s effigy ?

(Lanka-e-News-10.March.2012, 8.30PM) The much talked about draft of the US proposals against Sri Lanka was presented to the on going Geneva International human rights Council conference at its 19th session on the 7 th of March. The draft contained three grounds which the US State Secretary had earlier conveyed by cable communication to SL.  More >>

SLA re-confiscates land ‘declared’ resettled in Jaffna HSZ

[TamilNet, Saturday, 10 March 2012, 11:56 GMT]
The Sinhala state occupying the country of Eezham Tamils will never observe any of the ‘reconciliation’ hoodwink it simulates to the outside world. This becomes explicitly evident with the Sri Lanka military re-occupying villages ‘declared’ for resettlement in the Valikaamam High Security Zone, to create an extensive and fenced militarized region along the northern coast of Jaffna, news sources in Jaffna exposed. Several traditional villages of Jaffna in the fertile red-soil belt will be lost forever in the creation of an extensive Sinhala military region in the most strategic and economically important part of the country of Eezham Tamils, and civil officials in Jaffna are gagged to open their mouths on the blatant grab that takes place after showcasing resettlement to the world, news sources further said. 

Freshly-laid permanent fence for the Sinhala military region in the northern coast of Jaffna

Resettlement will never take place in the Valikaamam HSZ, people are realizing now. Even the semblances of the resettlement activities are now silenced. In the last four months no resettlement has taken place.

It was not only the politicians and officials of occupying Colombo, but was also the diplomats of the international abetters of the genocidal state, who were showcasing the ‘rehabilitation’ of the IDPs in the HSZ, with a big noise until sometimes back.

But now the SLA is silently re-occupying the territory with permanent fences built to seal off the entire region.

From Achchuveali and Vazhalaay to Keerimalai– a large tract including Palaali, Kaangheasan-thu’rai (KKS), Mayiliddi North, Thaiyiddi North, parts of Maaviddapuram, Kurumpachiddi, Kuddiyappulam etc.– will make the new SL military enclave, and people will never be allowed in the region, Sinhala military officials told the people struggling to get back their lands and villages.

15 villages completely and 8 villages partially will make the Sinhala military region carved out in the north of Jaffna peninsula. 

Thousands of occupying troops work day and night with an incredible speed in fencing the Sinhala military region.

The fences go through even the so-called resettled villages and horticultural lands, cutting them through and isolating them from one another. 

The resettlement showcase took place only in some patches and even they are now either lost or cut through and are discouraged for use of people. As the resettled people in the pockets cannot communicate with one another they simply leave.

De-mining stopped in bordering villages of the HSZ

Only 30 per cent of the HSZ was earlier declared for resettlement and even that is now either re-occupied or made uninhabitable. 

De-mining in the Valikaamam HSZ and in some other strategic parts of the peninsula has also been stopped, ostensibly citing financial constrains of the de-mining organisations, but actually to excuse from resettlement.

Organisations involved in de-mining are now reluctant in undertaking work in villages bordering the Valikaamam HSZ. Earlier, de-mining work has been stopped at Naakar-koayil and Vadamaraadchi East.

New areas demarcated for the High Security Zone. After more than two decades of SL military occupation, the once densely populated Tamil villages have now become a semi-forest region.

Concrete posts – barbed wire fences being currently laid at Oddakap-pulam locality of Vasaavi'laan.

Even the Tamil politicians have become silent as they too have been ‘convinced’ by the masters of the ‘inevitability’ of the land grab for the need of the genocidal agent state and its imperial masters, new generation political circles in Jaffna said. 

The US-resolution at Geneva that talks of de-militarisation of the North avoiding de-militarisation of the East where Trincomalee is located, needs careful perusal by all, the political circles in Jaffna pointed out, adding that the US is trying to benefit by the Sinhala militarisation of the East.

Mahinda Rajapaksa was on record for saying that he had fought India’s war. He may now try to show that even the militarisation of the North is for India’s benefit.

By giving Hambantota to China, Trincomalee to the USA and KKS to India, Rajapaksa regime and the Sinhala state is trying to achieve its historical obsession of the genocide and annihilation of the nation of Eezham Tamils, the political circles in Jaffna further said.

Sri Lanka's large military establishments that choke Jaffna peninsula and threaten Indian security. Sinhala colonisation is carried out in places no 11, 13, 14, and 16. The locations: 1. High Security Zone, Valikaamam North, 2. Kaarainakar naval base, 3. Vallan, Pungkudutheevu, 4. Periyathu'rai and Saamiththoadda-munai, Delft (Key location for Kachchatheevu and Rameswaram), 5. Kunthavadi, Delft, 6. Thalai-mannaar, 7. Mannaar Fort, 8. Tha'l'laadi, 9. Poonakari Fort, 10. Elephant Pass, 11. Vettilaikkea'ni, 12. Naakarkoayil, 13. Ariyaalai East and the opposite sandbar Ma'n'niththalai, 14. Naavatkuzhi, 15. Ma'ndaitheevu and 16. Jaffna city. The innumerable small military posts and the newly planned cantonments in Vanni are not shown in the map. [Satellite Image courtesy: NASA, Visible Earth. Legend by TamilNet]

The Sri Lankan military occupied High Security Zone (HSZ) along the northern coast of Jaffna peninsula, that evicted a large number of Tamil civilians from their homes for two decades now [Satellite image courtesy: Google Earth]

A map revealing the status of mine clearing within the High Security Zone obtained by TamilNet in December 2010

Should England's cricket team tour Sri Lanka?

Saturday 10 March 2012

As England's cricket team sets off for Sri Lanka, Channel 4 News Foreign Editor Ben De Pear asks whether the tour should be going ahead given the country's human rights record?

Andy Flower has departed for Sri Lanka today as manager of an England team reeling after a test whitewash in the UAE to Pakistan and nervous about playing on yet more slow and turning pitches.

However events off the pitch could be even trickier to handle. Sri Lanka's cricket board is allegedly ridden by corruption, and the grounds England will play on are now run by a military that Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, the United Nations and the US State Department say should be investigated for allegations of perhaps the most serious war crimes and crimes against humanity committed this century.

With the upcoming broadcast of "Sri Lanka's Killing Fields; War Crimes Unpunished", the follow up to the award winning "Sri Lanka's Killing Fields" film made by ITN Productions for Channel 4 last year, on Wednesday, and a move by the US to push for a UN war crimes investigation, the England tour comes at a hugely controversial time. Andy Flower admitted he had seen the first film and had been shocked by it as Foreign Affairs Correspondent Jonathan Miller gave him a copy of the new film at the team's Heathrow press conference this morning.

As Zimbabwe’s star batsmen at the 2003 world cup Andy Flower, along with team mate Henry Olonga bravely and famously wore a black armband to protest against what they saw as the death of democracy in Zimbabwe.

Read more: Sri Lanka's Killing Fields - UK urges war crime probe

It was a symbolic stand made at the Harare sports club quite literally in front of Robert Mugabe whose Presidential residence State House faces the ground. It earned him and Olonga forced retirement from the sport, and ended Flower's international career when he was arguably the best batsman in the world and certainly the best player of spin.

This morning when asked by Jonathan Miller about how he felt about touring a country with an appalling human rights record he was straight forward: "As I understand it, those investigations by the UN are still on-going, it is certainly not my position here to take a political stance.

"I know yours is a human rights question, but it's my position here not to take a political stance.

"I understand to a certain extent the history of Sri Lanka's troubles and have much sympathy with both sides. However we are going to Sri Lanka to play cricket and we will be limiting our focus to that."

As the Zimbabwean manager of the England cricket team, Andy Flower could rightfully say it is not his place to discuss Sri Lankan politics or human rights.

However as a man who made a brave and principled stand he is unlikely not to think long and hard about this issue, and whether England should be touring Sri Lanka at this time. In November the Sri Lankan military took over the running of all three of Sri Lanka's cricket stadia after the country's heavily indebted cricket board said it could no longer afford to do so.

As for the ECB a year after Flower's protest, England refused to tour Zimbabwe after British journalists were banned from entering by the Mugabe regime. After a 48-hour stand off in Johannesburg, the Zimbabwean authorities relented, and the team entered along with the journalists.

The players were perturbed by the stand-off and what they were hearing about what was happening in the country. As one of the banned journalists I remember quietly briefing some of the players in their Johannesburg hotel about what I had seen in Zimbabwe. Like all athletes, they did not want to get mixed up in politics and looked to the management for leadership and decisions, but they were distinctly uneasy about touring a country with an appalling human rights record. This morning they seemed perturbed again when questioned by Jonathan Miller about the allegations of war crimes in Sri Lanka.

Sri Lanka's war lasted 30 years but came to a bloody conclusion in a tiny spit of land in the country's north-east in 2009.

The UN estimates at least 40,000 people, mostly civilians were killed in a matter of weeks. The Sri Lankan military effectively sealed off the north east of the country as it sought to destroy the Tamil Tigers of Ealam, a rebel army which had sought independence for Tamils but terrorised the country in the process, pioneering the use of suicide bombers and child soldiers.

The Tamil people however paid a very high price for this; as the Sri Lankan military tightened its grip around the tigers, up to 300,000 civilians were trapped in the area the government named the "no fire zone", which was anything but. Videos and footage broadcast by Channel 4 News which became the basis for the award winning Sri Lanka's Killing Fields showed horrific scenes of field hospitals shelled, civilians seeking cover under trees, and a number of executions of bound and blindfolded prisoners.

At Channel 4 News we have not applied for accreditation for the England cricket tour of Sri Lanka. Since May 2009 when our crew was deported from the country we have not been allowed in and the government has repeatedly criticised the footage and stories we have broadcast as "lies", "faked" and appalling journalism, despite repeated UN reports backing our findings and calling for proper investigations.

The England players management, and the journalists following the team will find it difficult to talk openly about these subjects in the country, let alone report them; the country has one of the worst records in the world for press freedom and does not tolerate criticism.

Geneva Conspiracy : As You Sow So Shall You Reap

Colombo TelegraphMARCH 10, 2012

By Uvindu Kurukulasuriya -

Forget about all NGO/ INGO/ UN Expert panel / Paid and unpaid human rights activists/ Tamil Diaspora/ Channel 4/ Sarath Fonseka’s white flag claim/ exile journalists and “traitors” claims with regard to war crimes and international law.

Last week several thousands of government supporters have shouted “hands off Lanka” protesting on the streets across

 the country against the US-sponsored resolution. Protests were held throughout the island slamming the US move at the UN Human Rights Council as interference in Sri Lanka’s internal affairs.

The most ridiculous thing was the acting Minister of External Affairs himself took part in the protest with the people who shouted “US don’t support terrorism”, “international conspiracy against motherland.” Regardless of Sri Lanka’s  streets protests and those of the Sri Lankan delegation in Geneva, The United States this week submitted the draft resolution.

The resolution states; Guided by the Charter of the United Nations, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the International Covenants on Human Rights, and other relevant instruments, Reaffirming that States must ensure that any measure taken to combat terrorism complies with their obligations under international law, in particular international human rights, refugee and humanitarian law, as applicable, Noting the Report of Sri Lanka’s Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC) and its findings and recommendations, and acknowledging its possible contribution to Sri Lanka’s national reconciliation process, Welcoming the constructive recommendations contained in the LLRC report, including the need to credibly investigate widespread allegations of extra judicial killings and enforced disappearances, de-militarize the north of Sri Lanka, implement impartial land dispute resolution mechanisms, reevaluate detention policies, strengthen formerly independent civil institutions, reach a political settlement involving devolution of power to the provinces, promote and protect the right of freedom of expression for all, and enact rule of law reforms, Noting with concern that the LLRC report does not adequately address serious allegations of violations of international law,

Continue reading »

MaRa regime’s white van criminals caught red handed when trying to abduct Kolonnawa UC chairman

Saturday 10 of march 2012
(Lanka-e-News-10.March.2012, 11.30PM) For the first time , the Rajapakse regime white Van criminals had been caught red handed by the people. Bayagotha’s armed group is now moving heaven and earth to get them released.

According to reports reaching Lanka e news , the white Van episode in this case is as follows :

A group of 4 criminals had arrived in a white Van at about 10.00 p.m. tonight and tried to abduct the Kolonnawa local council Chairman, Raveendra Udayashantha, when he was in Meetotamulla area . Udayashantha who had somehow escaped has with the support of the people of the area surrounded the criminals and not allowed them to escape. The criminals had been handed over to the Wellampitiya police. The number of the vehicle in which the criminals have arrived is W P CC 8649.

Later , an army truck that came to the police station where the white van is held in custody , is taking every step to get the white Van inmates released . Meanwhile the people have surrounded the police and are demonstrating strongly against these criminal activities of the regime.
The telephone No. of the Wellampitiya police is 011 2572222.

Incidentally , some time ago , the brother of the Chairman Udayashantha was similarly abducted in the white Van at Meetotamulla. Until today , his whereabouts are not known.

Read: http://www.lankaenews.com/English/news.php?id=12658

Why We Should Be Talking About Sri Lanka

ISHARA S.KODIKARA / AFP / GETTY IMAGES

Sri Lankan Muslim children attend a protest against the U.N. on March 2, 2012, in Colombo

As 47 countries meet in Geneva to take stock of the world’s human-rights performance, Sri Lanka finds itself in the dock, haunted by the legacy of a fierce civil war that spanned two and a half decades and came to a violent end three years ago. The Sri Lankan government is under fire for failing to investigate human-rights violations said to have taken place in the final months of the military’s scorched earth offensive — a relentless battle that destroyed the separatist Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam but left behind a bloody trail of civilian casualties. Ratcheting up the international pressure, the U.S. has introduced a resolution to the Human Rights Council calling on the island nation to take steps for reconciliation recommended by Sri Lanka’s own domestic investigation and, perhaps more crucial, to bring to book those responsible on both sides of the conflict for crimes that activists say killed 40,000 civilians in the final stages of the war in 2008 and ’09. (The government figure stands at 9,000.)

Read more: 

WikiLeaks: Gota Has Been Punishing Army For Rape And Murder

Colombo TelegraphMARCH 10, 2012

By Colombo Telegraph - 

“In an October 6 meeting with Ambassador, Defense Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa said the president “could” appoint a new commission to look at complaints or use some existing mechanism, such as an ombudsman. He also noted that, contrary to widely held impressions, the army had investigated and prosecuted individual soldiers for individual crimes (presumably stealing, rape, murder, etc.) committed during the war, and Major General Peiris heading the military legal department could provide more information. (NOTE: Embassy will be following up with the general as soon as possible. END NOTE.)” the US Embassy Colombo informed Washington.

The Colombo Telegraph found the leaked US diplomatic cable from WikiLeak database. The Cable is classified as “confidential” and written by the Ambassador Patricia Butenis on October 7, 2009.

Read the cable below for further details;Continue reading »

What a disgrace ! to take revenge on Bishop Joseph, mother Mary’s statue is desecrated by pouring black oil

(Lanka-e-News-10.March.2012, 11.30PM) Following the letter addressed to the Geneva human rights conference by Mannar Bishop Rayappu Joseph underlining the necessity to hold an impartial investigation into the war crimes, it is reported that this action of his has provoked a most deplorable and disgraceful vengeful reaction against him – an army group had broken into the small church that is situated in the Mannar Bishop’s zone and committed a most shameful sacrilegious act.

A small church that is situated in Ilamarudam kulam ,a remote village in Vavuniya north known as Maga church had been raided by the Army group of soldiers on the night of the 8th., and the statue of Mother Mary taken out from the church . They have then poured black oil on it , filled it with dirt and damaged it. Thereafter they have left. At the time this savage sacrilegious act was committed , no one had been in the church.

The villagers who saw the incident had reported it to the Bishop’s quarters. A police investigation is now on , reports say.

AIADMK, DMK to raise anti-Lanka resolution issue in Parliament

Saturday, Mar 10, 2012  Place: Chennai | Agency: PTI

Bitter rivals AIADMK and DMK have found common cause on India's stand over US-backed resolution against Sri Lanka in the UN Human Rights Council meet for alleged war crimes with both parties determined to raise the issue in Parliament during the Budget Session commencing on Monday.

A customary pre-session briefing by Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and AIADMK supremo J Jayalalithaa to her party MPs heldtoday is understood to have discussed the issue among others.

Both Jayalalithaa and DMK President M Karunanidhi, whose party is a key constituent of the UPA, have been pressing the Centre to support the US-backed resolution and condemn the alleged violation of human rights targeting Tamils during the last stages of the civil war in Sri Lanka in 2009.

Jayalalithaa had shot off a letter to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh taking exception to India's reported stand that it was against 'country-specific' resolutions at the UNHRC and said this would amount to bailing out Sri Lanka, which is facing war crimes allegations.

The DMK has given a notice for short duration discussion on India's stand at the UNHRC against Colombo.

Among other issues, the AIADMK MPs would be raising the centre's move for setting up a National Counter Terrorism Centre (NCTC) and the power crisis in the state.

Slamming the creation of NCTC as an "attack on the federal structure of the Constitutional framework," Jayalalithaa had written to Singh demanding a meeting of Chief Ministers to discuss the issue.

Karunanidhi had yesterday said India should, without any further delay, announce its support to the resolution tabled by America when it is put to vote.

DMK sources said the party would among other things would also raise continued attack on Tamil Nadu fishermen allegedly by Sri Lankan Navy, Katchatheevu issue and state autonomy and federalism.

'What Sri Lanka is...': acknowledging the ethnic conflict in post-war reconciliation

The term 'local reconciliation' may seem benign, but recent research amongst Tamils in the north of the country highlights the damaging silence hanging over the survivors of the conflict, and a determination to reach justice through transparency over past and present wrongs.

The Sri Lankan government has appropriated the term ‘reconciliation’ to construct a narrative of post-war Sri Lanka in which the rights of non-majority communities are being protected, and their concerns addressed. In reality, the policies and acts of the state show scant regard for the rights of non-majority communities, dismissing the ethno-political nature of the conflict and the need for a political solution as irrelevant.

The argument presented by Sanka Chandima Abayawardena in ‘Reconciliation in Sri Lanka means the youth must lead the way’ – that reconciliation initiatives should be conceived and driven at the local level by Sri Lankan youth – appears reasonable and benign. However, the experience of people in the conflict-affected northern areas illustrates the extent to which Abayawardena has disregarded complex ground realities, while calling upon pressure groups to understand ‘the nature of the country – what Sri Lanka is…’.

This article focuses on recent research conducted among the Tamil community in the north.

Full story

Accountability for war crimes 'vital' in easing ethnic tension

Thursday, 08 March 2012 

News.Az interviews Gyorgy Tatar, chairman of the Foundation for the International Prevention of Genocide and Mass Atrocities.

Could you tell us a little about a recent conference on the role of international jurisdiction in the Western Balkans and the South Caucasus? What were the final conclusions?

The conference on the role of international jurisdiction in the Western Balkans and the South Caucasus was arranged by the Embassy of Azerbaijan in cooperation with the Foundation for the International Prevention of Genocide and Mass Atrocities in Budapest on 16 February. The event was designed to highlight the lessons learned in legal processes in the Western Balkans on the genocide committed in Srebrenica in1995 and the fact that the legal approach has played a vital role in easing ethnic tensions and punishing war crimes.

Read more...