Gruesome Murder of Canadian Citizen in Sri Lanka

For Immediate Release

May 17th 2012

Gruesome Murder of Canadian Citizen in Sri Lanka

The Canadian Tamil Congress is dismayed by the tragic murder of Mr. Antonipillai Mahendrarajah, a Canadian citizen who was visiting Sri Lanka. Mr. Mahendrajah had travelled to Sri Lanka to reclaim his familial property located in the town of Killinochi, an area formerly controlled by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE). After the end of the armed conflict, Mr. Mahendrajah learned that the Sri Lankan security forces had taken over possession of his ancestral property and went to Killinochi to reclaim it. However, on the night of May 3rd, Mr. Mahendrarajah was forcibly taken from his residence. The next day his mutilated body was found in a nearby lane.

Mr. Mahendrarajah was murdered in a highly militarized zone, heavily guarded by the Sri Lankan military. The Government of Sri Lanka has repeatedly failed to investigate atrocious crimes committed against its minority Tamils and the culture of impunity remains intact. In such circumstances, the Canadian Tamil Congress calls for a high level inquiry, coordinated with the Canadian High Commission, to investigate how this gruesome murder could have taken place in a heavily militarized zone. The Sri Lankan government has often proclaimed that life is starting to normalize for Sri Lankans after the military defeat of the LTTE in May 2009. However, this shocking murder of a Canadian citizen is indicative of the human rights abuses that still remain a facet of life for Tamils in Sri Lanka. The International Crisis Group recently stated that "Instead of giving way to a process of inclusive, accountable development, the military is increasing its economic role, controlling land and seemingly establishing itself as a permanent, occupying presence" in Sri Lanka's North.

This incident demonstrates that Sri Lanka not only continues to be an unsafe place for Tamils living in Sri Lanka, but the country can be dangerous for Canadians traveling to Sri Lanka. The Canadian Tamil Congress would like to caution all Canadians to be highly aware and cautious of their safety if they choose to travel to Sri Lanka.

“Mr. Mahendrarajah’s Canadian passport was not able to protect him from the violence that he was subjected to on Sri Lankan soil,” said David Poopalapillai, National Spokesperson for the Canadian Tamil Congress. “We urge the Canadian government to utilize all diplomatic means to compel the Sri Lankan authorities to promptly investigate this murder of a Canadian citizen, bring those responsible for this horrendous act to justice, and provide compensatory measures to their affected family members in Canada.”

The Canadian Tamil Congress wishes to provide our deepest sympathies for the family of Mr. Mahendrarajah. Mr. Mahendrarajah’s remains have been repatriated to Montreal, Canada, and details of the funeral service are as follows:

Viewing details: Friday May 18th, 2012 Time: 5:00pm- 9:00 pm Rideau Memorial Gardens 4275 Boul des Sources Dollard des Ormeaux Roxboro, QC H9B 2A6 (514) 685-3344

Funeral details: Saturday May 19th, 2012 Viewing Time: 9:00 am- 10:00 am Funeral Service: 10:00 am St. Thomas A Becket 4320 Sainte-Anne Rue Pierrefonds, QC H9H 4Y7 (514) 626-4111

Burial Service- Following Church service Lakeview Memorial Gardens 701 Donegani Pointe Claire, QC H9R 5G6 (514) 694- 9294

For more information please contact, Canadian Tamil Congress at (416) 240-0078 

Published on: 05/16/12 22:29

‘Tamil struggle will determine the future of democracy in Sri Lanka, both for Tamils and also Sinhala community.’ - Dr. Jude Lal Fernando

Dr. Jude Lal Fernando is a Research Fellow and Lecturer at Irish School of Ecumenics, Trinity College, Dublin, Ireland. Charles Devasagayam interviewed him recently while he was visiting Toronto. The full interview is given below:

* Freedom in the Tamil people’s context is nationhood, self-determination and homeland.
* There is a difference between ‘mother India’ and ‘other India’. ‘Mother India’ led by New Delhi is following the US/UK axis and is no more a friend of the Tamil struggle, but ‘other India’ is.
* Tamil Canadians should join hands with the other struggles of the Canadian people and build solidarity for the collective political aspirations of the Tamil people.

Charles Devasagayam: What made you to get involved with the Tamil struggle?

Dr. Jude Lal Fernando: It has two phases and the first one is 1983 July riots. As a Sinhala youth, I saw what was going on and it disturbed me deeply and my only response at that time was to learn the Tamil language and try to understand more and more deeply the issues between the Sinhala governments and the Tamil people.

The second one is the 1987 - 89 Insurrection that took place within the Sinhala society by the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) where the same military that militarized the North and East of the Tamil people and attacked, raped and liquidated the villages, did similar kind of things. Of course they did not liquidate the (Sinhala) villages, but abducted, tortured, raped and killed the Sinhala youth. However, the JVP who led the Sinhala insurrection never recognized the Tamil struggle.

[ full story | ]

Justice or its travesty ? – a historical black mark on judiciary: people’s fundamental rights denied
(Lanka-e-News-16.May.2012, 11.55.P.M) The fundamental rights petition filed against the ban imposed on websites was rejected in toto without citing any grounds in support of the decision by the court . This was the first occasion in court history where such a unilateral biased verdict had been delivered so openly and shamelessly confirming again to what sordid level the judiciary in SL has descended. The Supreme court (SC)and the chief justice (CJ) should hang their heads in shame over this injustice .

This case was filed by the Free media campaign against the banning of 5 websites by the Telecom Regulatory Commission on the ground that the ban constituted a violation of the fundamental right of the people to receive information . Senior Lawyer J C Weliamuna appeared on behalf of the Free media campaign.      Full story >>

International Justice Is Needed – Even If It Takes 100 More Years To Perfect It

May 17, 2012 

By Philippe Sands -

Prof.Philippe Sands

It sometimes feels like a week doesn’t pass without some former head of state or other alleged outlaw on the front page as a new international trial opens. This week alone there’s Charles Taylor’s sentencing hearing at the special court for Sierra Leone, the opening of Ratko Mladic’s trial at the international criminal tribunal for the former Yugoslavia, and Khaled el-Masri’s extraordinary rendition case at the European court of human rights.

These and other cases are the product of a century-long effort towards the creation of an international judiciary. A first wave began in the 1920s, with the creation of an international court in The Hague to hear disputes between states. Many early cases involved allegations of the mistreatment of minority groups in various parts of Europe. The end of the second world war unleashed a second wave, starting with the international military tribunal at Nuremberg and Tokyo and the creation of human rights courts in Europe and elsewhere.

A third wave came in the 1990s, following atrocities in the Balkans and Rwanda, the catalyst for creating the Yugoslav and Rwanda tribunals and – after five decades of effort – the Rome statute of the international criminal court. This was also the moment for the House of Lords’ ruling that Augusto Pinochet was not entitled to claim immunity for international crimes alleged to have occurred while he was head of state, a reminder of the enduring and predominant role of national courts.

Two developments are under way, distinct but proceeding hand in hand. The first is that the new international institutions are necessary appendages to police the global rules that most people agree are needed for the proper functioning of our embryonic international order. International courts are not limited to human rights and crime: others function in the economic sphere, to enforce free trade rules, intellectual property rights and foreign investments. Ironically, many of those who are on the front lines criticising human rights and criminal courts for excessive interference in sovereign affairs are leading defenders of international courts that protect economic rights.

The second trend is the recognition of the growing place of the individual in the new order. In this way, the individual is both a holder of rights that can be enforced against the state that is said to have done wrong – the Masri case – and obligated to avoid international crimes. A century ago this was unthinkable; only in the last decade does it approach normality. As recently as the 1930s, sovereignty was seen as being nigh on absolute: sovereignty meant a state could do pretty much whatever it wanted to its own nationals, including torturing and killing them on a mass scale. The post-second world war settlement changed that: sovereignty was seen as limited, not absolute, as individuals got rights and international bodies protected those rights. It’s not quite a linear relationship, but the direction is clear.

These developments are not free from criticism, one of globalisation’s discontents. Sovereigntists worry about outside interference by unaccountable, unknown international judges. Internationalists worry about delay and cost. Certain international judgments are not to everyone’s liking, going too far or not far enough. But there is no court in the world that is free from such critique.

A Bosnian woman cries over newly dug graves of her two sons during preparation in July 2010 for the mass burial of victims of the Srebrenica massacre. Photograph: Dimitar Dilkoff/AFP/Getty Images

The more serious concern is the danger of lopsided international justice, a world of laws that are “spider webs through which the big flies pass and the little ones get caught”, as Balzac put it. Look on the website of the ICC and see who is in the dock. Every one of the faces and names is African. Yet Africa plainly does not have a monopoly on international crime, and this unhappy and lopsided picture tends to give force to the critique that international justice is pro-western and controlled by the victors. One wonders quite what it will take, for example, for a proper international investigation of the well-documented allegations of torture and other abuse at Bagram and elsewhere in Afghanistan, a country that has been a party to the ICC statute since 2003.

Hopefully these will come to be seen as teething problems. Today’s international courts, and this week’s news stories, are the product of ideas generated long ago, in the 1940s and even before. It took centuries to create the system of English courts. Warts and all, our international courts do a good job in difficult circumstances. They won’t end international crime or wrongdoing any more than local courts can make national crime disappear. They do make a difference, however, and it’s difficult to see a better alternative. They are here to stay. They will be better, stronger and even more legitimate when the playing field is more level.

Philippe Sands QC is professor of law at University College London. His next book is on the remarkable lives of those who brought crimes against humanity and genocide into international law. ( Courtesy Guardian)

National Council of Canadian Tamils


(NCCT)

NCCT

Tamil community members, members of parliament, international delegates and human rights activists to re-affirm call for justice on War Crimes Day

Tributes to war reporter Colvin at London service

YAHOO! NEWS Wed, 16 May, 2012
A handout picture obtained in London on February 22, 2012, from British newspaper …

War reporter Marie Colvin was described as the "bravest of the brave" at a memorial service in London on Wednesday for the Sunday Times journalist who was killed while covering the conflict in Syria.

The packed congregation at St Martin-in-the-Fields in Trafalgar Square heard Sunday Times editor John Witherow describe the American correspondent as the "greatest war correspondent of her generation".

"Marie inspired love, affection and respect wherever she went. She had a gift of friendship and she nurtured many friends with as much love as she cared for her journalism," he said.

"She always seemed to have unlimited time for young journalists at the outset of their careers and so we will be setting up a Marie Colvin scholarship in her honour."

He added: "Everyone here knows we have lost someone unbelievably special and our lives are poorer for not being able to see that smile, hear that throaty laugh and simply enjoy the company of a remarkable woman who was the greatest war correspondent of her generation."

Colvin, who was 56, was killed along with French photographer Remi Ochlik on February 22 when the building that served as a makeshift media centre in the Syrian city of Homs was struck by a Syrian army mortar.

Her mother Rosemarie and sister Cat made the journey from the United States to attend the service, while Foreign Secretary William Hague and his predecessor David Miliband were among the high-profile congregation.

Journalist colleagues also paid tribute to Colvin, who had covered many of the bloodiest conflicts of the past 30 years and wore a black eye-patch after losing an eye in a grenade explosion while covering the civil war in Sri Lanka in 2001.

Veteran BBC correspondent Lyse Doucet, who had worked with Colvin in Israel, Iraq, Afghanistan, Egypt and Libya, said: "The bravest of the brave was also the kindest of the kind.

"Marie never thought of gender when it came to the way she reported and the way she travelled.

"She worked with the best of the veterans in this business, the most talented and the young, both women and men."

SLA expands occupation of Mannaar with two new camps

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 16 May 2012, 23:42 GMT]
The occupying Sri Lankan Army in Mannaar has started constructing two new large camps in Murungkan in appropriated lands, civil groups in Mannaar mainland complain. Hundreds of SL Army soldiers have come into agricultural settlements occupying water supplies and appropriating lands adjacent to lakes. Tamil and Muslim females complain that they are unable to move in their villages in evening times due to the heavy presence of occupying Sinhala soldiers. Questioning why the SLA is constructing two large camps in the same village, civil activists expressed fear that the move was part of a larger design to occupy and Sinhalicise the entire area comprising fertile agricultural lands of Tamils and Muslims. 

One camp is being set up in a private land of 4 acres near Murungkan Bazar area at 14th Mile Post. 

The other camp is being set up also in the public land of 4 acres surrounding an agricultural lake at Chemma'n-theevu. 

Large structures are being constructed, according to eyewitnesses. Civil groups allege that the SL military is occupying their village on a permanent basis. 

Murungkan is situated in Naanaaddaan Piratheasa Chapai (PS). 

The same trend of occupation is also observed in in Ki'linochchi district, where the Tamil people who have lost their lands to SL military's expansion, are deprived of engaging in livelihood in the surroundings of the Ira'naimadu Tank. 

In Murungkan, the SL military has blocked civilians from engaging in agriculture. Water supplies are being systematically militarised from Mannaar to Kokku'laay. 

Civil groups in Mannaar have urged Tamil politicians and SL authorities to exert pressure on Colombo to relocate the camps. 

Meanwhile, the Sinhala SL Government Agent in Mannar, has given permission to construct Buddha statue at the historic Saiva site Thirukkeatheesvaram. 

All the GAs along the border districts of the country of Eezham Tamils, from Mannaar to Trincomalee, including Vavuniyaa and Mullaiththeevu, will soon become Sinhalese to carry out the structural genocide agenda of Colombo, informed circles in the island said.

Is this another crime against humanity?

The plight of war affected women’s in the northern Sri Lanka

| by Robinhood

( May 16, 2012, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) The aftermath of the war between the Tamil tigers and the SL government forces the plight of the war affected women is getting deteriorated or worse. Due to the fear of child recruitment by the LTTE many young girls and boys were given in marriage at early age of 15 & 16. During the last stages of the war many young people (teenagers) were forced by LTTE to go to the battlefront leaving their parents, wives and kids. When the government forces won the war most men and women who were young LTTE carders did not return home, may be killed, captured, surrendered or detained by government forces which there are no official record

As soon the war ended the government did not show any interest to develop the mindset of the rescued people in the Vanni. The GOSL (Government of Sri Lanka) said it was carrying out a rescue mission to save the people kept as a human shield or trapped in the conflict zone. As soon they were rescued they crossed the Nadikadal lagoon with greatest difficulty were put in menik farm in Vavuniya and immediately started to screen for suspects. During this many young people were taken into custody by force as suspects for possible involvement with the LTTE and forcibly taken away separating them from parents and wives. Some people who were engaged for one day were taken as suspects and detained. There were no proper records for those who were captured, surrendered in the vanni and detained in the Menik farm. There was no way for the people to contact or complain to whoever taken into custody by force.

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A different take from the Sangha: The dhamma and religious co-existence in Sri Lanka

A different take from the Sangha: The dhamma and religious co-existence in Sri Lanka

Groundviews

When first put online by Young Asia Television after it was broadcast on Sri Lankan TV,Groundviews requested the producers to sub-title this video in English to make more widely accessible what Rev. Dambara Amila Thero has to say about the practice of the Dhamma in Sri Lanka today, his views on political Buddhism and religious co-existence in Sri Lanka.

What he says is particularly important and resonant in light of the outrageous violence spearheaded by the Chief Prelate of the Dambulla temple a few weeks ago.

This interview is essential viewing for those who expressed their condemnation over the violence in Dambulla, and refreshing take on the Dhamma over what is today the popular fashion of publicly worshipping the Buddha to bestow blessings on even the most heinous of deeds and men. At around 18 minutes into the interview, Rev. Dambara Amila Thero also supports religious co-existence and comes out strongly against religious extremism – noting that anyone who is such, is not really a Buddhist.

Please also consider signing up to Not In Our Name, joining over 1,500 others against the violence spearheaded by members of the sangha in Dambulla, a few weeks ago.

Global Tamil Forum gets state welcome in South Africa

Wednesday, 16 May 2012

The state welcome received by the spokesperson of the Global Tamil Forum, Sruen Surenthiran in South Africa when he visited for the funeral of South African Minister for Public Administration, Radakrishnan (Roy) Padayatchie on the 5th, is a victory achieved by the Sri Lankan Tamil Diaspora, political analysts say.

Suren Surenthiran is also the head of the powerful British Forum.

In his speech at the funeral, the South African President said Padayatchie’s sudden death was a great loss to South Africa and the African National Congress.

A South African with Tamil origins, Padayatchie (Roy) has practically stood for equal rights for Tamils in Sri Lanka.

It is the Global Tamil Forum that received an invitation to make a speech at the funeral as the only outside political movement.

It is also reported that the South African President had embraced Surenthiran, which is usually shared between two heads of state.

Political sources who attended the funeral said the Tamil Diaspora was building a strong link with South Africa, which is the power base in Africa.

The Lion Flag, Lion Is The Vehicle Of Kali And The May Day

May 16, 2012

Dr. Vickramabahu Karunaratne

The leaders of the opposition claimed that the Jaffna May Day rally and the protest was a grand success. Over ten thousand have participated in the rally inspite of campaigns of the government jacked up by racist campaign of Premadasa. Latter was exposed as the crowd he mobilized, with all such drama, was not more than two thousand. His treachery cannot be concealed. Military leaders kept on saying that under the cover of democratic opposition, terrorists are working. Implication was that those who attend the rally would be classified as terrorist suspects. There were search operations in Batticaloa and Trincomalee, where youth nearly 200, were taken into custody and kept under illegal arrest. On the other hand, pro government Tamil leaders who were accused of Para military terror were intimidating people openly. Disregarding all that repression, a significant number of Tamil people have attended the meeting. Hence there was a positive message that was given to the oppressed and suffering Tamil people, by this anti racist united mass rally. NSSP contingent that militantly participated in the march and the rally, was led by Thirunawakarasu and Dharmasiri Lankapeli. Both were expected to address the rally. Unfortunately only Dharmasiri could speak; that also without a Tamil translation. In addition a Lion flag was brought to the stage suruptiously and displayed by Ranil and Sampanthan. There was no agreement among the parties that participated, to such an action, as the meeting was considered to be a protest and a May Day. Neither occasion requires such a symbol, which is not accepted as an expression of a democratic unity of the Lankan people. TNA leaders said that it should not be taken so seriously and disputed; in any case as Lion is the vehicle of Kali it can have a different meaning! But today Lion symbolizes the domination of Sinhala, claimed to have originated from a Lion man in ancient Bengal, and not Dravidian authority of Kali Amman. Any way if Tamil nationalist leaders can be pleased with the Lion flag why should others bother.    Read More 

Jaffna Tamil petitioners allege they were forced to sign statements
Sunday 13 May 2012


The era of the grease yaka back in focus
The Supreme Court on Thursday granted leave to proceed with petitions filed by 51 Jaffna Tamils who allege that the military and police assaulted them in the aftermath of the ‘grease yaka’ (devils) incidents in the peninsula last year. 
The petitioners also say that their fundamental and language rights were violated by the police forcing them to sign statements in Sinhala, which they do not understand. The first respondent in this case is Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa. The others include the army commander, the security forces commander, Jaffna, the inspector general of police, commander of the 51 division, commander of the 512 brigade, and other army and police officials. 
Significantly, it is the first time since the war ended that the SC gave leave to proceed to such a large number of people, all of whom are taking on the security establishment. The breadth of violations include torture, arbitrary arrest, detention and language rights which are areas covered in the report of the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission. The bench comprised Chief Justice Shirani A. Bandaranayake, Justices N.G. Amaratunga and K. Sripavan.

Rise in violence
The Naavanthurai cases (better known as the ‘grease yaka cases’) relate to incidents on August 22, 2011 when more than 100 persons from the said area were allegedly rounded up by the security forces. The cases were filed in September 2011. Interestingly, it took eight months for the Supreme Court to grant leave to proceed. They will now be taken up on November 15. 
Full Story>>>