Lawyers for Democracy disagrees with Amendment to Criminal Procedure Code

Friday, 08 June 2012

The Government of Sri Lanka is planning to amend the Criminal Procedure Code permitting police to keep a suspect in police custody for 48 hours, without being produced before a judicial officer. Lawyer for Democracy (LfD) is deeply concerned about this move and urges the government not to resort to such an amendment, which has far reaching consequences on the liberties of the citizens.

LfD is of the view that the proposed amendment increasing non judicial custody from 24 hours to 48 hours is another step to curb the fundamental rights and freedoms of citizens of the country. Section 34 of the Criminal Procedure Code, which prohibits the detention of an arrested person for more than 24 hours and the provisions in the Criminal Procedure Code on arrest, search and investigation of offences, provisions of the Evidence Ordinance regarding the non admissibility of confessions to police officers and presumption of innocence are pillars on which our criminal law is built from time immemorial. These rights were protected under the Donoughmore and Soulbery Constitutions and were respected by all branches of the state. It is unfortunate that while the second Republican Constitution has been in operation under "democratically elected" leaders of our own country, there is presently a complete breakdown of Rule of Law and respect for human rights. The instance move to amend the Criminal Procedure Code should be viewed in that background and should be rejected by all those who respect Rule of Law. LfD is also mindful of the fact that long detentions at police stations have also resulted in torture and degrading treatments at the hands of the police.

LfD therefore opposes the proposed Amendment and call upon the Government to withdraw the proposed amendment. We also call upon the Bar Association of Sri Lanka to register its opposition clearly and without any further delay.

FirstpostJun 7, 2012

Human rights: Commonwealth ready to help Sri Lanka

London: A day after Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa was forced to cancel his speech here in the face of protests by Tamil groups, the Commonwealth today said it had offered support to the country to promote reconciliation in the trouble-torn country.

Rajapaksa’s scheduled speech at the Commonwealth Business Council was cancelled, while he was jeered by Tamil groups protesting against human rights violations when he arrived at a lunch hosted by Commonwealth secretary general Kamalesh Sharma in honour of Queen Elizabeth yesterday.

Richard Uku, Commonwealth spokesman, told PTI: “Respect for fundamental human rights is one of the Commonwealth’s core values. Commonwealth leaders have repeatedly reaffirmed their commitment to the respect of human rights”.

He added: “We encourage Sri Lanka to implement the recommendations of its Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission report. “We note that the government has prepared a roadmap for prioritising implementation. We have offered our support in this regard to Sri Lanka in the past and we remain available to assist if the Sri Lankan government wishes us to do so”.

Yesterday’s lunch was attended by more than 70 guests, including heads of government such as the Sultan of Brunei, high commissioners, heads of Commonwealth organisations and former Commonwealth secretaries-general at the Marlborough House on Pall Mall.

Uku said Sri Lanka was aware that the Commonwealth had considerable expertise in areas such as “promoting reconciliation between communities, constitutional and legal assistance, strengthening the capacity of national human rights organisations, and advising on models of devolution and local government”.

The only country not invited to the lunch was Fiji, which remains suspended from the Councils of the Commonwealth due to lack of progress towards democracy.

Demonstrations by pro-LTTE groups in December 2010 had forced the cancellation of a lecture to be delivered by Rajapaksa at the Oxford university union.

Meanwhile, reports from Colombo said that Channel 4‘s Head of Diversity, Stuart Cosgrove, and his wife, Shirani Sabaratnam, were expelled from the country yesterday.

The channel, which broadcast allegations of human rights abuse in the country, was accused of harming the country’s reputation.

Channel 4, however, said it stood by its coverage, which Cosgrove had no connection with, and added that his wife did not work for the channel.

After visiting London, President Rajapakse is scheduled to fly on to Rome, for an audience with the Pope at the Vatican.

PTI

Extended time in police custody – Is it Necessary or permissible?

by Neil Dias

( June 08, 2012, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) The decision of the Justice Ministry to amend the law relating to the period of detention of people arrested and to extend it to forty eight hours instead of the existing twenty four is alarming and unjustified to say the least. The statement of the Bar Association of Sri Lanka issued through its President is more alarming and also saddening because it points to the fact that the justice Ministry has not thought it necessary or fit to consult the said association before embarking on this course of unprecedented action. Secondly the Bar Association as they normally should, have studied the legal position here and in other civilized countries before rushing into readily express their unqualified approval to this kind of legislation. The casual way the President has reacted shows that the Bar Association has failed to consider this matter in depth before expressing its unqualified approval. It follows that the President will not speak on the subject in Parliament except to approve the provisions.

This kind of limiting freedom should not be allowed in respect of any person. . This is contrary to all forms of criminal justice throughout the world. It is also a defiant refusal to heed the peoples suffering seriously specially in the formerly war ravaged areas.

Read More »

SRI LANKA: A diplomatic representative of the nation or just a rascal?

June 8, 2012
The former Attorney General, Mohan Peiris, last November told the United Nations CAT Committee that he knew personally, through a reliable source that Prageeth Eknaligoda was living in a foreign country. However, last week when giving evidence before the Homagama Magistrate's Court he said that he does not know whether Prageeth Eknaligoda was dead or alive.

The United Nations treaty bodies, of which the Committee against Torture is one, gives enormous importance to their discussions with the representatives of the nations they negotiate with. The idea of being a representative of a nation carries a great weight with the United Nations and for that matter, in any diplomatic circles. 

It would have been with that kind of seriousness that Mr. Peiris was treated when he was the chief spokesman for Sri Lanka before the Committee against Torture at its 48th Session. It would have been with the utmost seriousness that the UN officials conducted their dialogue with the representative of the sovereign nation of Sri Lanka. 

Reducing the sublime to the ridiculous, Mr. Peiris took it all as a joke and told something to the committee that he himself did not believe. Is this now the way Sri Lanka as a nation, conducts its diplomatic negotiations? Surely no nation deserves to be represented in this manner. 

Similarly, a court conducts its sessions with the utmost seriousness. This is particularly so when the task given to the court is assigned by a higher court and the task is about the finding the whereabouts of a citizen who has gone missing. That was the serious task that the Homagama Magistrate's Court was dealing with. 

Facing such a task when the court is calling upon a witness who has claimed to have some knowledge of the whereabouts of a missing person the court would have treated such a witness with great seriousness. Such expectation is even more justified when the witness so called upon was the former Attorney General of Sri Lanka and also the person who represented Sri Lanka before the United Nations. 

However, Mr. Peiris did not face the situation with the same degree of seriousness. Even after the Court of Appeal ordered him to appear before the Homagama Magistrate's Court and answer the questions he was making all kinds of arguments through his lawyers as to why he need not answer the questions posed to him. The honourable Magistrate had to make an order to him to answer the questions. 

And what did he answer? His answer was that his statement to the United Nations was based on hearsay from an intelligence source and that he could not remember what that source was. That was ho seriously he had done his research before he went to the United Nations to represent his country and to provide to that august body information for official purposes. 

To add to it all he ended his statement saying, "Only God knows whether Prageeth Eknaligoda is dead or alive." First of all Mr. Peiris is unlikely to know what God knows or what God does not know. However, he as an ordinary citizen let alone the fact that he is the former Attorney General would know that whosever abducted Prageeth Eknaligoda would know what happened to him. This means that there are people in Sri Lanka who, in fact, know what happened to Prageeth Eknaligoda.

It was the state that has failed to bring to the court the abductors and whoever directed their work. It was this that the former Attorney General should have explained to the court. Why did the state fail to identify the abductors? 

If the matters related to the diplomacy of the country before the highest bodies in the world on the one hand and matters relating to habeas corpus, which is considered the most important remedy under the common law are treated in this manner what is there to be expected of this nation? 

Why has Sri Lanka allowed itself to be so ridiculed and mocked by its public officials? Mr. Mohan Peiris wanted the courts to treat him as a public servant. Technically speaking that was a correct claim. However, what would happen to a country which is 'served' by such public servants?

If just any rascal can be a public servant can such a nation survive as a nation?

Sri Lanka: Rajapaksa’s Action Replay in UK
07-June-2012

by Col. R. Hariharan

President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s key note speech at the Commonwealth Economic Forum organised by the Commonwealth Business Council (CBC) and the City of London today was called off by the organisers “due to pressure of pro-LTTE elements in London” as the Sri Lanka High Commission claimed. Though the Scotland Yard was ready to provide assured security, the CBC “decided it was not in their interest to stage the event” according to media reports. However, CBC website merely said: “After careful consideration, the morning sessions of the Forum… will not take place.''

The President is visiting UK to attend the Diamond Jubilee celebrations of Queen Elizabeth’s reign. The cancellation of his CBC speech is reminiscent of his disastrous December 2010 visit. On that occasion his address at the Oxford Union Debating Society was cancelled by the organisers in the last minute for security reasons in the face of mounting protest from Tamil Diaspora organisations and human rights activists. The protesters wanted international action against the President for alleged war crimes by Sri Lanka army during the final stage of Eelam War.

However, President Rajapaksa and Mrs Rajapaksa participated in a number of other events organised on the occasion; these included the thanks giving service at the St. Paul Cathedral in London, the welcome ceremony for heads of state organized in the Buckingham palace and a lunch for the Queen organised at the Commonwealth Secretariat. There were protesters as well as counter protesters outside the hotel where he was staying.

Before the President leaves UK on the next leg of his visit to Rome, Tamil campaign groups in the UK – Global Tamil Forum (GTF) and the Tamils Against Genocide (TAG) - appear determined to launch legal efforts to highlight the responsibility of the President in the alleged human rights excesses committed in Sri Lanka.

The GTF in a letter to the Home Secretary sought the withdrawal of visas of two police officers in the President’s retinue as it was planning to prosecute them under the convention against torture. On the other hand, the TAG has written to the Metropolitan Police making a formal complaint against the President for alleged involvement in war crimes and requesting an investigation. As the President enjoys absolute immunity from prosecution, the move was clearly to embarrass him.

Timed to cause maximum damage on the occasion was a story splashed in The Guardian that dramatically described the two-week ordeal of torture of a Sri Lankan Tamil asylum seeker at the hands of Sri Lankan authorities after UK deported him last year. This story coincides with the forcible deportation of Sri Lankan Tamil asylum seekers by British authorities which has been on the increase.

The continuing woes of President Rajapaksa in handling allegations of gross human rights violations remind me of the ending of Hollywood director Mark Robson’s 1956 classic ‘The Harder They Fall.’ This last movie of veteran actor Humphrey Bogart based on the sleazy world of rigged prize fighting, is said to have had two endings.

Sportswriter Eddie Willis (Humphrey Bogart), who abets crooked boxing promotion, is troubled by his conscience in the end and demands that boxing be banned altogether. In the other ending, Eddie merely insists that there be a federal investigation of the prize fighting business.

The video version is said to contain the "harder" ending, while many television prints ended with the "softer" option. In the case of Rajapaksa’s human rights woes, Tamil Diaspora and human rights INGOs appear to have opted for the “harder” ending - promoted by Channel 4 videos and want Rajapaksa and company to be hauled up before the International Criminal Court, no less.

On the other hand, the majority of countries who voted for the UNHRC resolution asking Sri Lanka to be more accountable for its conduct and investigate the human rights allegations, appear to have opted for the “softer” ending, leaving Sri Lanka the option to impartially investigate the allegations.

In the context of Rajapaksa’s dilemma, a memorable dialogue in the movie by Nick Benko –the crooked boxing promoter – comes to my mind. He tells: “The people, Eddie, the people! Don't tell me about the people, Eddie. The people sit in front of their little TVs with their bellies full of beer and fall asleep. What do the people know, Eddie? Don't tell me about the people, Eddie!”

Unfortunately for the President, the people seem to know what they are talking about. There is no alternative for thorough and impartial investigation of all allegations – whether they are home grown or international. That seems to be the only answer. Otherwise, the “soft” option could turn “hard” and Rajapaksa’s future visits to the UK – say for the Olympic Games may well end up in yet another action replay.

Rajapaksa’s reluctance to squarely face the allegations of human rights excesses and take follow up action is not understandable. He is required only to follow the advice he dished out at the UN Day of Vesak Celebrations in Bangkok on June 2. On the occasion he said the teachings of the Buddha are relevant today as they were twenty six centuries ago. If the leaders of our modern world are to embrace this advice, many of today’s conflicts, both domestic and international, could be resolved for the benefit of mankind.

He added: “Justice and the Rule of Law are not alien concepts for those of us who from our childhood are nurtured by the doctrine of Buddha.  These are, therefore not concepts that need to be preached to the converted.” All the so-called detractors of Sri Lanka are asking for is justice and rule of law. So what is the problem?

Sri Lanka’s problems are not going to be solved by cosmetic action like deporting two Channel 4 journalists from Colombo or organising counter protests. More serious action is required as time for introspection seems to be running out.

(Col. R Hariharan, a retired Military Intelligence specialist on South Asia, served as the head of intelligence of the Indian Peace Keeping Force in Sri Lanka 1987-90.He is associated with the South Asia Analysis Group  and the Chennai Centre for China Studies. E- mail:colhari@yahoo.com  Website: www.colhariharan.org)

Rajapakse Besieged In London, After Gota Denies Tamil Region

June 8, 2012

By Dushy Ranetunge -

Dushy Ranetunge

On the eve of the Presidents visit to the UK to attend the Queens Diamond Jubilee,Gotabaya in his usual finger wagging style told the BBC that the north cannot be recognised as a “Tamil” region.

In the run up to the first Presidential election, Mahinda Rajapakse told his Sinhala Buddhist electorate that he is from the “south”. Was he not indicating that he was from the Deep South, which is hard line Sinhalese?

By denying that the North is a Tamil region, the Rajapakse’s are denying to the Tamils, what the Sinhalese take for granted in their perceptions of the Deep South and elsewhere.

The “Tamil” identity of the North is no different to the Kandyan identity of the central highlands or the Rohona identity of the South. It is folly to deny them, as they are deep-rooted identities, which are embedded in the psyche of the different communities that inhabit this island. It was the Kandyans who first wanted federalism.

The response one could expect in denying the “Tamil” identity of the North is no different to the response the Rajapakse’s could expect, if they were to deny the “Kandyan” identity of the highlands.

On the eve of Mahinda Rajapakse’s visit to the United Kingdom to attend the Queens diamond Jubilee, one would have expected that the BBC interview would have been made use of to build bridges and to hold out the hand of reconciliation towards the Diaspora Tamils. It could have been a great strategic opportunity to demonstrate the administrations credibility in terms of reconciliation.

Instead, brother Gotabaya gave his finger-wagging lecture to deny the basic identities of our northern community, enraging and mobilising the Diaspora against the Sri Lankan state, which insists on exposing itself as a republic, which has been seized by the dominant tribe, and is administered to perpetuate majoritarian prejudices.

Denying Tamil citizens their legitimate rights based on the majoritarian fears of separatism is feudal, akin to denying a wife her rights based on the fear that she might run away. These are not acceptable democratic behaviour in the 21st century.

The BBC and other TV stations interview Gotabaya knowing very well that he will not fail to shoot himself and Sri Lanka in the foot and he obliges every time. The last BBC interview was no exception.

Sections of the Tamil Diaspora in London would have mobilised against Mahinda Rajapakse with or without Gotabaya’s BBC interview, but unfortunately what Gotabaya did was to enrage ordinary Tamils, in the same manner he would have enraged the Kandyans if he had denied the Kandyan identity of the Highlands.

Gotabaya’s comments indirectly assisted the more radical elements, in enraging ordinary Tamils towards their cause. There was no reconciliation here. He was adding fuel to the fire.

President Mahinda Rajapakse was at the receiving end even before he left for London as large numbers mobilised against the Sri Lankan state at Heathrow anticipating his arrival. His speech at the Commonwealth Business Council was cancelled on the morning of the 6th, as the British did not want any unpleasant incidences during the Queens Diamond Jubilee celebrations.

The British authorities obviously had prior intelligence of what was brewing later that afternoon. There was a massive lightening demonstration as thousands of Tamils marched on Marlborough House, where a luncheon was to be held attended by the Sri Lankan President. At 3.00pm my English neighbour complained to me that the Sri Lankan President was responsible for blocking the streets in central London where he had been held up.

By late afternoon, the Evening Standard Newspaper had screaming headlines “’Killing fields’ protest in central London hits Queen’s Diamond Jubilee lunch”. Channel 4 news at 7.00pm had a field day. The following daymost major British newspapers carried the story.

Eggs and rotten tomatoes had been hurled as the beleaguered President fled from the Park Lane Hilton under heavy police escort to participate in various events and High Commissioner Nonis rode to the rescue with a photo opportunity with some British MP’s to save the day. Informal discussions were held between Prime Minister Cameron and President Mahinda Rajapakse on the sidelines at Marlborough House. Mahinda Rajapakse stood next to David Cameron during the Commonwealth group photograph, a thrilling prospect for a beleaguered President yearning for international recognition. There were meetings with the Maldivian President and the head of the Commonwealth.

Unfortunately Cuba, China, Russia and Iran are not members of the Commonwealth.

A small group in the hundreds loosely linked to the High Commission put up a counter demonstration, which was dwarfed by the demonstration by the Tamil Diaspora, which exceeded over a thousand. The pro-High Commission counter demonstration had sent e-mails out previously canvassing support but was unsuccessful in making any impact on the British press.

The Park Lane Hilton is unlikely to offer accommodation to the Sri Lankan President in the near future, considering the inconvenience caused to their clients.

All other heads of state attended the Diamond Jubilee Celebrations in vehicles, which displayed their respective national flag. For security reasons Mahinda Rajapakse was sneaked around under high security in a Range Rover without the national flag. He was later seen smiling in the same vehicle being driven to the airport. The President left for Rome for an audience at the Vatican, perhaps yearning for solace.

The British as usual managed that fine balance between the right of the citizen to protest and the rights of a member nation of the Commonwealth with no violence in law enforcement. They have and continue to fine tune their law enforcement and policing strategies.

If High Commissioner Nonis’s strategy was to tread softly ignoring the war crimes issue and focusing on the positives of Sri Lanka, then the 6th of June was a massive embarrassment before the entire Commonwealth and the British public who had up to then enjoyed a peaceful Diamond Jubilee free of such incidents and unpleasantness. Her Majesty would not have been amused.

For Nonis who has no prior diplomatic exposure it would have been a baptism by fire. But thanks to his British public school education, he delivered with a stiff upper lip, where many would have failed.

Referring to the Tamil Diaspora as “terrorists” or “terrorist rump” is a failing outdated strategy, which only exposes the political bankruptcy of the Rajapakse administration, which seem increasingly incapable of guiding Sri Lanka strategically away from the present morass. Sri Lanka needs a paradigm shift in strategy to defeat the challenges that confronts her. The present tinkering is too little, too late.

BBC News | Gota:Take My Word, I’m The Secretary Defence

May 31, 2012

Gotabhaya Rajapaksa

Take My Word, I’m The Secretary Defence , says Gotaghaya Rajapaksa.

BBC HardTalk Sri Lanka 6-9: Democracy Sri Lankan Style – 11 June 2010

‘Eelam is our ultimate goal’

By Paul Newman   08 Jun 2012

Posted 08-Jun-2012 Vol 3 Issue 23 Sivagnanam Shritharan, 43, is the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) Member of Sri Lankan Parliament from Kilinochchi. Elected in 2010, he was earlier the head master of the Kilinochchi Mahavidyalayam in Kilinochchi, where LTTE leader Velupillai Prabakaran’s children had studied. An ardent advocate of peace who loses no opportunity to criticise the flawed Sinhala polity, unidentified gunmen made an attempt on his life in March last year near Anuradhapura. Shritharan survived an attempt on his life, but still fights for his people He survived, and still remains the man he was, bold and committed to the cause of his people. Having climbed the political ladder from the grassroots, the Tamils of Sri Lanka, both in their homeland and among the Diaspora, have pinned a lot of hope on him. Many still remember his maiden speech in Parliament, when he said: “A race that subjugates another race cannot live in peace itself. That country too can never achieve liberation. Further by the actions taken to subjugate, they will be enslaved by other nations.” In an exclusive interview to Dr. Paul Newman, he reiterates his position that securing Tamil Eelam is the ultimate goal of TNA. 1. As an elected leader of the Tamil people do you believe the Sri Lankan state can render justice to the Tamils? Can you update on the situation in the Tamil areas? Read More

EDITORIAL: HAS SRI LANKA MADE THE RIGHT TURN AT LAST?

by I.S. Senguttuvan 

(June 02, 2012, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) The Govt-owned English Daily “The Ceylon Daily News” of June 02 splashes in its front page what must be one of the most welcome pieces of news the much divided country has heard for a long time. It quotes the Governor of the bifurcated Northern Province General G.A. Chandrasiri listing a series of developmental and infra-structural projects. For the record -Jaffna District is part of the earlier North-East Province now de-merged violating the solemn Indo- Lanka Accord of 1987) The news will be received by the predominantly Tamil people of the Province with much appreciation.

The Governor confirmed over Rs.1 million on each family has been spent under the Uthruru Wasanthaya (Awakening of the North) Programme by the government to benefit the 1.5 million people of the District in the past 18 months. The areas listed are those designed to build Bridges and to repair old ones, Roads/Highways, Improved Water facilities, New Electricity lines, Hospitals, Transport services and Railway lines. Most of these are new and on-going Projects, it is claimed.

This news will be welcome not only by the people of the area but also of the entire country concerned with the decades long complaint of the people of the area being denied their share of the country's development budgets. The news will be equally welcome by our friends in the international community and the region – who have shown keen interest in many different ways in the past 30 years to see Sri Lanka regain her peace and unity.

It will serve a useful purpose f NGOs and other agencies located in the area specializing in economic matters - such as the VVT Chamber of Commerce - and the various other Trade Chambers in Jaffna, MPs as well as the political formations in the area confirm the good news after a careful study and analysis of programmes on the ground. This should ideally include dates the projects began, the nature of the projects and their value, location, details of progress made supported by photographic evidence. To a country where the people have been disappointed with merely Opening Plaques and Boards such positive evidence will go a long way to create confidence and hope.

This excellent piece of information – once confirmed by those concerned – should. ideally, receive maximum media coverage so that people in the four corners of the country are told much to heal the wounds of the past are being done by the Rajapakse regime.

The enormous and varied infra-strucutural investments followed by the many commitments by the private sector take off - some of them should have starting showing results by now - there will be much needed employment opportunities created in the overwhelmingly Tamil-populated District that saw some of its impatient youth take to arms only because they were denied equal economic opportunities. A long alienated people also will see their future role in the national political scene in a different perspective if they are to see the fruits of accelerated development enumerated by the Northern Governor.

The greatest beneficiaries of the change will be President Rajapakse and his brothers for sometime under global strictures for allegations of deliberate acts of political and economic discrimination against an important section of the once united Nation.

China says ready to help Sri Lanka

People’s Liberation Army (PLA) of People’s Republic ofChina (PRC) is prepared to provide Sri Lanka with any assistance whatsoever incase of any emergency, catastrophe or otherwise,  General LisngGuanglie, Minister of National Defence, PRC said during a meeting held at the PLAGeneral Headquarters on Thursday (7) with Sri Lanka’s Army Chief currently inBeijing.

 Lieutenant General Jagath Jayasuriya, Commander of theArmy, who arrived in Beijing Wednesday (6) afternoon at the invitation of thePLA of People’s Republic of China set about continuing his formal itinerary Thursday(7) morning after paying a courtesy call on General Ma Xiaotian, Deputy Chiefof General Staff, PLA and General Lisng Guanglie, Minister of National Defence,PRC at the PLA General Headquarters.

General Guanglie, PRC’s Minister of National Defence  elaborated the roles and tasks, assigned to him in the PLA as well as in thesphere of Chinese defence and its related strategic planning in his capacity asMinister of National Defence.

General Ma Xiaotian, Deputy Chief of General Staff,PLA and several senior PLA senior officers were also associated with themeeting with the PRC’s Minister of National Defence.

Minister of Defence and State Councillor, GeneralGuanglie during exchange of views assured Sri Lanka and her Armed Forces of anyassistance whatsoever in case of any emergency, catastrophe or otherwise. Healso recalled historic ties that have been in existence between both nationsand instances where China closely co-operated with the Sri Lankan leaders andvice versa.         

General Guanglie, who is also a member of the powerfulCentral Military Commission (CMC) of the Communist Party of China (CPC) underwhich the PLA (Chinese Armed Forces) is formally operating, is one of the mostrespected legendary military leaders still serving in China.

At the PLA Headquarters on Thursday (7) morning, theArmy Chief from Sri Lanka was accorded a colourful Guard of Honour on arrivaland the parade commander in conformity with military traditions, invitedLieutenant General Jagath Jayasuriya to inspect his troops after the visitingdignitary received the salute from a special dais.         

The Sri Lankan delegation, headed by LieutenantGeneral  Jayasuriya is comprised of Brigadier K Gunawardena, GeneralOfficer Commanding, 11 Division, Brigadier P.W.B Jayasundera, Commandant, SriLanka Military Academy, two more officers and Mrs Manjulika Jayasuriya, thespouse of Lieutenant General Jayasuriya and President, Seva Vanitha ArmyBranch.

On Wednesday (6) afternoon, the visiting Sri LankanArmy Chief was warmly received by several senior PLA officers at the Beijingairport, together with the ambassador for Sri Lanka.

Pope Urged To Raise Killings Of Catholic Priests In Sri Lanka

June 7, 2012 

“While the Sri Lankan President is visiting you to get your blessings, his government is killing and disappearing Catholic priests and threatening the Bishop of Mannar. We urge you to ask for the whereabouts of the abducted Catholic priests and secure a guarantee for the protection of Bishop Dr. Rayappu Joseph, says Visuvanathan Rudrakumaran in a letter to the Pope.

Pope Benedict XVI

Pope Benedict XVI was urged by the Prime Minister of the Transnational Government of Tamil Eelam (TGTE) Visuvanathan Rudrakumaran to raise abduction and killing of Catholic priests and threats against the most reverend Dr. Rayappu Joseph, the Catholic Bishop of Mannar, with the visiting Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapakse.

Rudrakumaran further said that an influential pro-government Buddhist political party JHU has publically called for the arrest of Bishop Dr. Rayappu Joseph, for a letter Bishop wrote to the United Nations about the mass killing of Tamils. That letter highlighted the fact that 146,679 Tamils were unaccounted for when Sri Lankan forces attacked the Tamil people in 2009. A representative of this Buddhist political party JHU is a senior Cabinet Minister in the Sri Lankan President’s Cabinet.

Recently, another Cabinet Minister publicly threatened the Bishop and intimidated him for his humanitarian work. There are also reports of Buddhist statues being erected in the Mannar district. Mannar district has the largest Catholic population in Sri Lanka. The historic Madu Church, one of the ancient churches in Asia, is located in Mannar.

In addition, Sri Lankan security forces have assassinated several Catholic priests. Several priests were also abducted and disappeared. There are concerns that some of the priests may still be alive and the government is holding them in secret detentions.

Some of the Catholic Priests who either disappeared or killed are:

• Father Mary Bastian, shot dead.
• Father Eugene John Herbert SJ, abducted & disappeared.
• Father S.Selvaraja, abducted and killed.
• Father Thiruchelvam Nihal Jimbrown, abducted & disappeared.
• Father Pakiaranjith, assasinated.
• Father Xavier Karunaratnam, assassinated
• Father Francis Joseph, disappeared since 2009. Rev. Fr. Francis Joseph is a former Rector of St. Patrick’s College, Jaffna and he was seen taken by Sri Lankan Security forces.

“While the Sri Lankan President is visiting you to get your blessings, his government is killing and disappearing Catholic priests and threatening the Bishop of Mannar. We urge you to ask for the whereabouts of the abducted Catholic priests and secure a guarantee for the protection of Bishop Dr. Rayappu Joseph” said Rudrakumaran.

“We also appeal to you to raise war crimes and genocide committed by the Sri Lankan President against the Tamil people in 2009. According to the UN, troops under his command killed over 40,000 Tamils in five months and raped Tamil women” said Rudrakumaran. Tamils were singled out to face these abuses simply and solely on account of their nationality.”

War Crimes and Genocide committed by the Sri Lankan Government:

Tamils have faced repeated mass killings since 1958 and the killings in 2009 prompted UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon to appoint a Panel of Experts to report on the scale of killings. According to this UN report over 40,000 Tamils were killed in five months in 2009, due to deliberate and intense carpet bombing of areas designated by the government as “no-fire zones”, areas where Tamils assembled for safety.

Hospitals and food distribution centers were also singled out for bombings. The Sri Lankan Government used cluster bombs and restricted food and medicine for Tamils, resulting in large numbers of people dying from starvation and many of the injured bleeding to death. Independent experts believe that there are elements of these abuses that constitute an act of genocide.

According to the UN, Tamil women were sexually assaulted and raped by Sri Lankan forces. According to a recent UK government report there are over 90,000 Tamil war widows, many facing abuses. There are also reports that detained Tamil women are being used as sex slaves by the Security Forces.

According to Bishop Dr. Rayappu Joseph, 146,679 Tamils were unaccounted for when Sri Lankan forces attacked the Tamil people in 2009. Members of the Sri Lankan Security forces are almost exclusively from the Sinhalese community and the victims are all from the Tamil community.

Fifty rooms at Hilton Hotel in London for the President’s security

Friday, 08 June 2012

President Mahinda Rajapaksa has booked 50 rooms at the Hilton Hotel in London where he was residing during his visit to the UK to attend an economic forum organized by the Commonwealth Business Council. The rooms had been booked for the President’s security. Each room has been allocated to the families of SLFP members residing in the UK.

SLFP members living in London have therefore taken their families and settled themselves in rooms at the Hilton Hotel during the period.

The President after visiting the UK to attend the Queen’s 60th anniversary celebrations was to also deliver a speech at the economic forum organized in London by the Commonwealth Business Council. The speech was scheduled to be delivered on the 6th morning, but the organizers have decided on the 5th to cancel the session the President was to attend.

The session was held on the 6th afternoon after canceling the morning session, which the President was to attend.

The session was cancelled due to pressure from the Tamil Diaspora in the UK.

Hence, the President was engaged in a media circus on the 6th morning. MP Sajin Vass Gunawardena had asked all the SLFP families living at the hotel to stand outside the hotel carrying Sri Lankan flags. The media circus saw the President walking up to the people standing with Sri Lanka flags outside the hotel.

The President had to face a similar situation when he visited the UK in 2010 to address the Oxford Union.

However, a senior official at the Sri Lankan High Commission in the UK said that one day of the President’s visit to London had cost more than the monies allocated by the government for 2012 to maintain the High Commission and its staff.

He explained that apart from the Hilton Hotel, 35 rooms in adjoining hotels have also been booked for the President’s entourage during the UK visit.