eliyagoda police refuses to arrest monk accused of raping a woman
(Lanka-e-News -01.Feb.2013, 3.00PM) Ambanpola Seelarathana, chief monk at the Shanthi Viharaya in Kelaniya, Sri Lanka is accused of raping a 43-year-old woman. The incident reportedly happened on January 4, 2013.

The prosecutrix, a mother of two, has complained that she had known this monk for some time. It is alleged that 4 January, the prosecutrix went to meet the monk, seeking some advice. To her surprise, the monk Seelarathana is alleged to have suggested to the prosecutrix, that she should have sex with him, which she eventually refused. The prosecutrix claims that, thereafter, Ambanpola Seelarathana forcibly took her to a room and assaulted her on her head and stomach. At this, it is reported that the prosecutrix kneeled before the monk and begged him not to assault or harm her further. It is alleged that the monk did not agree, and then he forcibly removed the prosecutrix's cloths and raped her several times. The prosecutrix alleges that she was able to escape only much later when the door of the room was unlocked.

The prosecutrix lodged a complaint to the police on the next day and she was admitted to the Ragama hospital. She was hospitalised for seven days. During her stay at the hospital, a Judicial Medical Officer examined the prosecutrix. At the hospital, the police questioned the prosecutrix and recorded a statement. At once stage the police tried to suggest to the prosecutrix that whether she was mentally fit. The prosecutrix however denied the accusation that she is mentally ill.

On her return from the hospital, the prosecutrix tried to get the police to act on her complaint. At this the police took her in their vehicle to police station and interrogated her for about six hours. However, she noticed that the police were not writing down any of the things that she revealed. She also found that the questions that the police asked were demining and further insulting her morally. The prosecutrix alleges that the questioning by the police made her feel that the police were asking questions merely for their enjoyment. She insisted several times that her statement should be recorded.

Meanwhile, the police, also interrogated the prosecutrix's sister and son (17-year-old). The police are accused of having attempted to convince the prosecutrix's sister to pressure the prosecutrix to withdraw the complaint, as this monk was very powerful.

In the meanwhile Ambanpola Seelarathana is alleged to have contacted the prosecutrix and threatened her that he will use "Gurukam" (witchcraft) to make her mad and asked her not to pursue the complaint since according to him, the Gurukam cannot succeed. Despite several attempts by the prosecutrix and her relatives, the police have not taken any actions against the monk. Her relatives are living in fear, that she could be harmed by the monk or his supporters.

The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has written to the Inspector General of Police in Sri Lanka requesting him to intervene in the case and to ensure that an impartial and sensible investigation into the incident is undertaken

Video: Probe import of ‘Rolls Royce Ghost’ car- UNP

FRIDAY, 01 FEBRUARY 2013 

The United National Party (UNP) yesterday urged the government to investigate the import of a ‘Rolls Royce Ghost’ luxury vehicle.

UNP parliamentarian and economist Harsha De Silva told a news conference that the entire transaction needed to be investigated because of the discrepancy between the price listed by the Rolls Royce Company and the price stated in the Customs declaration.

“The Customs has released the car after a payment of Rs.61 million by way of taxes on the declaration made by the importer that the luxury vehicle cost only US$175 000. But the Company says otherwise. It states that the Rolls Royce Ghost car costs nearly US$350 000, which means that the tax has to be twice the amount paid. We are not complaining or saying that anyone has stolen anything, what we are asking is for a transparent investigation into the matter,” Dr. De Silva said.(Yohan Perera and Lahiru Pothmulla)

Japan Provides Rs.90 Million to a Livelihood Project for Returnees in the Northern and Eastern Parts of Sri Lanka

01 Feb 2013

ReliefWeb

The Government of Japan has extended US$723,568 (approximately Rs. 90 million) to the “Project on Livelihood Assistance for Returnees in the North and East of Sri Lanka” to be implemented by JEN, a Japanese NGO, in order to improve the livelihood of the resettled communities in the North and East under the Japan-NGO cooperation Grant scheme funded by the Government of Japan.

The project titled “Project on Livelihood Assistance for Returnees in the North and East of Sri Lanka” will support to rehabilitate and uplift livelihood of the people through constructing agro-wells and providing necessary tools such as water pumps, and seeds and plants as well as workshops. It is envisaged that theproject would facilitate stable water supply, ensure livelihood and food security, and improve income of nearly 350families directly and indirectly.

As a nation which commits itself and also contributes to global peace and prosperity, Japan focuses its assistance in Sri Lanka on consolidation of peace and reconstruction as well as medium and long-term vision for development. In this context, Japan has given high priority to support the reconstruction of the Northern and the Eastern provinces and to improving the living conditions of the people. Japan also extended its fullest support towards the peace process since it firmly believes that peace and reconciliation are pre-requisites for sustainable development and prosperity of Sri Lanka.

Ms. Watanabe, Administration and Finance Officer of Colombo Office of JEN, said: “JEN is an international NGO established in 1994 to provide victims of conflicts and natural disasters with emergency assistance and support for self-reliance across the globe. In Sri Lanka, JEN started its operations in the aftermath of the Tsunami in 2004. Soon after completing the operation, JEN has focused on assisting the people affected by the conflict in the East since 2007 and in the North since 2009.
From 1st February 2013, JEN starts a new 1-year project “Project on Livelihood Assistance for Returnees in the North and East of Sri Lanka”.

The story of the weeping widows

Rathika Introduces Tamil Heritage Month Act

By Colombo Telegraph -February 1, 2013

Rathika Sitsabaiesan Canadian MP for the Scarborough Rouge River Riding, yesterday tabled a Private Member’s Bill designating January as Tamil Heritage Month in the Canadian parliament. Rathika is known for a series of firsts, being the first Tamil Member of Parliament in Canada. 

Rathika Sitsabaiesan

Text of Bill:

HOUSE OF COMMONS OF CANADA

BILL C-471

An Act to designate the month of January as Tamil Heritage Month
Whereas Tamil Canadians have established deep roots and flourished in communities across the country, thereby enriching Canada’s social, cultural, economic and political fabric;
Whereas the month of January is an opportunity to celebrate the contributions of Canadians of Tamil heritage to our communities as well as to raise awareness of Tamil history and culture;
And whereas the people of Canada wish to honour the contributions of Tamil Canadians to Canada;

Now, therefore, Her Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate and House of Commons of Canada, enacts as follows:

SHORT TITLE

1. This Act may be cited as the Tamil Heritage Month Act.

TAMIL HERITAGE MONTH

2. Throughout Canada, in each and every year, the month of January is to be known as “Tamil Heritage Month”.

Canadian First Nations activist exposes ‘multicultural’ deception of New Nations

[TamilNet, Thursday, 31 January 2013, 23:05 GMT]
The so-called New Nations such as the USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand etc., created by European colonialism bulldozing indigenous nations, their sovereignty and territoriality in those lands, are now in the forefront in preaching ‘multiculturalism’ of their understanding even to the contexts of nations facing genocide in the Old World. In an exclusive interview to TamilNet, Ms Sylvia McAdam of the Nehiyaw nation in today’s Canada, while exposing the deception in the kind of multiculturalism the Establishments preach, asserts the identity of indigenous nations, their territory, their right to protect environment and their sovereignty not ceded or surrendered. Sylvia makes contrast to Canadian ‘multicultural’ minister avoiding the issues of genocide, colonization, grab of land and denial of sovereignty faced by the nation of Eezham Tamils. 



“My people are called Nehiyaw, we’re referred to as the Cree Nation from what is called Canada now, but we call it Turtle Island,” said Ms McAdam, beginning her interview. 

Referring to other such indigenous nations in Canada, Sylvia said, “First Nations is a term given to us by the Canadian State […] but we prefer to call ourselves in our language.”

Explaining her visit to London, she said that it was to tell London citizens what the Monarch [the Monarch of the UK is also the Monarch of Canada] and the Canadian State are doing to the First Nations.

“For the First Nations people we’ve experienced colonialism and genocide, and part of that colonialism and genocide is that the resources are being extracted from our lands and the Indigenous people do not get anything– they get nothing out of that. But the biggest issue here is the land and the resources and the waters are getting damaged because of colonialism and the genocide that is happening to Indigenous people,” Sylvia said. 

She referred to a treaty the First Nations had with the Monarch of England and said that the treaty is not honoured. 

A part of honouring the treaty is [accepting] that “our resources and our lands are un-ceded and un-surrendered, and that’s not what’s happening” Sylvia said.

On the talk of multiculturalism, Sylvia said Canada’s practices don’t support what it tells the world.

“For the longest time we were not allowed to practice our culture; we were jailed or we were fined, and this continued until the later 1960’s,” she said, adding that what is happening right now is Canadian parliament passing an omnibus bill that is going to damage the waters and environment of the First Nations and thus going to affect their culture.

Ms. McAdam said that another reason for her visit to London was to connect to other indigenous nations in the world facing similar situations.

“Ever since Idle No More [the organisation co-founded by her] began, there’s other Indigenous nations contacting us and telling us they’re facing very similar things, so we’re learning,” she said.

When asked what is her message to refugees coming to Canada and think that by cooperating with the Canadian Establishment justice could be get, she replied: “I would suggest that they get informed about the history of the colonization in Canada and then make their own decision.”

“Because there are good things about Canada, it does provide good things; but there are things that are not good about it either. So they need to get themselves all of that information and then make a decision for themselves,” she added.

Her words to Eezham Tamils in the island were that they should maintain the language, care for the land, and never give up their foundations of nationhood and indigenous sovereignty. 

Diaspora activists who went through the video of the interview commented that it should be an eye-opener to sections of elitists in captivity in the island and in the diaspora, who try to relay that certain fundamentals are negotiable and could be ceded or surrendered just because some Establishments of vested interests press for it.

Never commit the historical blunder of formally giving up the sovereignty and territoriality of the nation of Eezham Tamils in the island, the diaspora activists said, adding that the Eezham Tamils should realize that the World is full of Nations sharing their plight and they should only know how to get mobilized. 

The interview also is a message to the diaspora to consciously take care of certain symbolic matters such as asserting to the Eezham Tamil identity and rejecting the Sri Lankan identity even in ordinary speech, they commented further. 

* * *

Full text of the interview follows:

TamilNet: Hello Sylvia McAdam, so let me start the interview with a very important question to your people and your nation, a question about identity. How do you identify yourself as?

Sylvia McAdam: My people are called Nehiyaw, we’re refered to as the Cree Nation from what is called Canada now, but we call it Turtle Island.

TamilNet: Why do you call it Turtle Island, and why not Canada? 

Sylvia: Before the Europeans came to our lands that’s what we called it, is Turtle Island; it translates into Turtle Island. 

TamilNet: Now there are different terms which have been used, both by Europeans and by your own people to describe your people. Yes?

Sylvia: Yes

TamilNet: For instance, I will just give you a very brief list of the different terms used: Tribes, Aborigines, Minorities, and First Nations. Why have you chosen the terms which you have chosen to describe your nation? 

Sylvia: Because that is what we called ourselves before the Europeans came to our territories. That’s our traditional names. 

TamilNet: Can you elaborate a bit more on that?

Sylvia: It’s a part of our Indigenous sovereignty, to refer to ourselves, to our Indigenous names. I cannot call other nations Nehiyaw, because they’re distinct as well. There is the Dakato, Nakota, Lakota, the Dene, Nakawey, the Soodo, the Ojibwe are all different nations. 

TamilNet: Could you elaborate a bit more on the idea of First Nations? How is it different from the new nations?

Sylvia: The First Nations is a term given to us by the Canadian state. So, it’s a political term not an inherent, pre-existing, before European contact name. 

TamilNet: So the term First Nation is based on European contact? 

Sylvia: Yes

TamilNet: How is it different from the European concept of nation? 

Sylvia: It’s not that different, but we prefer to call ourselves in our language. But it is almost the same. If I wanted to translate it into English, I guess that’s the term people will use. 

TamilNet: Now let us talk about the politics of Canada or as you would call it, Turtle Island. Now as you know Canada is also a preferred destination for many other refugees, especially Tamils. Some of these new refugees who themselves have fled from genocidal regimes have tried to coopt themselves into Canadian politics, they prefer to work with the Canadian establishment. Do you think that is a successful strategy? They think that by cooperating with the Canadian establishment they can win their rights. Do you think it’s a very successful strategy? 

Sylvia: For the First Nations people we’ve experienced colonialism and genocide, and part of that colonialism and genocide is that the resources are being extracted from our lands and the Indigenous people do not get anything– they get nothing out of that. But the biggest issue here is the land and the resources and the waters are getting damaged because of colonialism and the genocide that is happening to Indigenous people. That is one of the reasons I am here, to tell the London citizens what the Monarch and the Canadian state are doing. There is a treaty in place with the Indigenous people and the Monarch of London and that is not being honoured; and part of honouring that treaty is that our resources and our lands are unceded and unsurrendered, and that’s not what’s happening. 

TamilNet: Yes, but what would be your message to those refugees who think that by cooperating with the Canadian establishment they can get justice. Do you think that is possible, or do you think they’ll have to explore alternative methods?

Sylvia: I would suggest that they get informed about the history of the colonization in Canada and then make their own decision. Because there are good things about Canada, it does provide good things; but there are things that are not good about it either. So they need to get themselves all of that information and then make a decision for themselves. 

TamilNet: Now, Canada has a history of celebrating multiculturalism, for instance even the Canadian Minister for Multiculturalism, Jason Kenney, he says that Canada is a place where we tolerate diversity, pluralism, and all of that. What is your opinion on the Canadian version of multiculturalism? 

Sylvia: Well, I’ll give you an example. There is something called the Indian Act that governs the lives of Indigenous people. For the longest time we were not allowed to practice our culture; we were jailed or we were fined, and this continued until the later 1960’s. So for Canada to put to the world that they are multicultural, when their practices don’t support that…? The other thing that’s happening to Indigenous culture right now is that there are bills going through parliament, right now, that don’t support our culture. Our waters, there is an omnibus bill – C45 – that has become law, and it is going to damage the waters because the environmental assessments have been lowered. Therefore, water is fundamental to Indigenous culture and the water and the use of the water, when the companies come in they damage the water and the land so that makes it difficult for Indigenous people to practice their culture if the land and the water is damaged. 

TamilNet: Your movement speaks a lot about preserving Indigenous cultures and traditions, how do you do that?

Sylvia: You see there is this idea out there that Indigenous people do not have laws, but we do, we have laws and those laws tell us to protect the land and the water. And part of protecting the land and the water protects the animals, the trees, all these different environmental things. Because Indigenous people we still eat from the land, our medicines are growing from the land, there are certain medicines that are picked and used by water – fresh water that comes from the ground. The animals are needed for our ceremonies; there are some ceremonies that we cannot do without having animals, the food, the meat and different things like that. As well as our drums, our ceremonial items, they are made from animal skins and animal bones, so our culture is integral to the land and the water. 

TamilNet: Do you connect to other oppressed Indigenous communities and other oppressed nations which are facing similar overt forms of oppression? 

Sylvia: We’re trying now. We’re trying. Ever since Idle No More began there’s other Indigenous nations contacting us and telling us they’re facing very similar things, so we’re learning. That’s one of the reasons why I am in London as well, to connect with other Indigenous people. 

TamilNet: Let us talk about Idle No More. What are the primary and secondary goals of Idle No More? 

Sylvia: The primary goal of Idle No More is the resurgence of Indigenous sovereignty and the protection of land and water. The secondary, is to resist those bills that are going through Parliament that are devastating to the land and to the water, that is the immediate, immediate effect and impact of those bills. 

TamilNet: You are one of the co-founders of Idle No More. 

Sylvia: I am. 

TamilNet: How did you start from a group of women to such a large grassroots mobilization?

Sylvia: Three of the women are Indigenous, and the other one is a white woman she is part of our group. We tell people, we tell them, we don’t want them to join our movement – we don’t want them to join this movement – out of guilt or anger or feelings of not being peaceful. We want people to join this movement for the love of the land and the water, and for the love of all children. Every child deserves clean water and land that is safe for them to go to. That’s what we tell people, and so far it seems to be working. 

TamilNet: What is your strategy for such large scale mobilizations which has been very successful?

Sylvia: We do what we call teach-ins, and I am going to be doing that right away here. We teach people, we provide information: what is bill C-45, how is it going to impact people. Immediately it’s going to impact Indigenous people and Canadian citizens in Canada, but on a bigger scale we all share the same water. If the water in Canada becomes contaminated – and it has the biggest fresh water bodies of water and waterways – if those become contaminated it is going to effect the whole world. 

TamilNet: As a last question, the Eelam Tamils are a nation who are facing a protracted genocide in their homeland, which is currently occupied by the Sri Lankan military. Now one of the aspects of this genocide is a corporate-military nexus, which is robbing the resources of the Eelam Tamils and involving in environmentally unfriendly activities: deforestation, land grabs, and building up of business resorts and tourism resorts. This is changing not only the demography of the Tamil homeland, but also the ecology of the Tamil homeland. What is your message as a representative of the First Nations, who has suffered genocide, to these people? 

Sylvia: Maintain your language. Care fore your land. Teach your children your songs. Teach your children your ceremonies. Talk to your land, nurture it and heal it through your ceremonies and through your songs, and through your language. Go to your elders and understand the laws of your land, understand the laws of your ceremonies, because those are the ones that are the foundations of your nationhood, and the foundations of your Indigenous sovereignty. Never give those up. And always maintain your peace, because the trees, the land, the medicine, they all have a spirit; and if you attend to them and nurture them in a peaceful way, your lands will begin to return to you. 

TamilNet: Thank you very much Sylvia McAdam, it was a pleasure having you here. 

We pleaded, but in front of our eyes, our houses were demolished by the forces. Waligamam north people complain to Saravanabawan MP

We pleaded, but in front of our eyes, our houses were demolished by the forces. Waligamam north people complain to Saravanabawan MP

We pleaded the forces not to break our homes but they demolished out houses, stating orders from hierarchies was the complaint made by the Waligamam north people to Tamil National Alliance parliament member E.Saravanabawan

From Thondamanaru to Kankesanthurai, the abodes which were inside the permanent security fence were demolished was the complaints made to parliament member and Waligamam north divisional council Chairman S.Sugirthan.

25 thousand and 328 persons from 7 thousand and 60 families are still   displaced for the past 23 years from Waligamam north citing national security and the forces deny access for the displaced people to get resettled in those areas.

Meanwhile the people’s lands which are in the possession of forces are utilized for cultivations, opening a new "Yoghurt production factory" and a variety of other relevant assignments by the forces.

Further from Thondamanaru to Kattuwan, Ottagapulam till Kankesanthurai, on the high security zone periphery, the forces have constructed permanent security fence.

Sand dams were visible inside the permanent security fence. But now activities are advanced to demolish these sand dams by Bulldozers to make the land flatten. During this demolishing, the houses which come under their activities are getting demolished.

The forces were in the activities of demolishing dwellings yesterday at Kattuwan locality.

At that time two house owners visited the locality and pleaded with the forces, to refrain from demolishing their homes, but they informed that they have got  orders from hierarchies and in front of their eyes, their  houses were demolished and the land was flattened.

Tamil National Alliance Jaffna district parliament member E.Saravanabawan and Waligamam north divisional council Chairman visited the area where the incident occurred, and observed the situation personally.

At that time the people complained to the parliament members concerning the forces unprincipled activities with tears.

Concerning the peoples complain, parliament member had a discussion with high officials’ from the forces.

Later he visited the Tellipalai divisional secretariat and had a discussion with Divisional Secretary K.Srimohan. Regarding this he brought to the attention of Government Agent.

Sinhala Families Settle in Puthumaththalan; with the Military support.

As such the people of Mullivaikkaal who faced severe losses during the final war are now in a state of fear.

2nd Annexure. Sinhala Families Settle in Puthumaththalan; With the Support of the Army.

A section of Sinhalese fishermen from the South along with their families reached the Puthumaththalan area yesterday (29-1-13). Puthumaththalan was one area where the final war between the army and the LTTE.

The fishing families from the South had gone to Puthumaththalan to be resettled in the area and engage in fishing activities. This had created a tense situation between the fishermen of the Puthumaththalan area and the Sinhalese fishermen from the South.

After a tense situation in the area the Sinhalese fishermen went back saying that they will come back and engage in fishing activities, when the President Mahinda Rajapakse will be visiting the Mullaithivu area on the 3rd of next month (February)

As such the people of Mullivaikkaal who faced severe losses during the final war are now in a state of fear.

The Sinhalese fishermen who had taken their boats and other fishing gear with them had kept them in the army camps in the area for safe keeping, according to the GTN reporter.

Iranaippalai close to Puthumaththalan is a place which has link roads to the sea. 350 families reside there and are engaged in fishing.

The people had lost almost everything in the war and are slowly getting back towards normalcy.

This area is under the constant monitoring of the army and is under the firm control of the army as well. The above incident had taken place in the midst of the people losing their livelihood as well.

People were allowed to resettle in the Puthumaththalan area only recently and now the Sinhala fishermen have started invading into their areas where they were engaged in livelihood activities.

Vendors of scrap iron recently invaded into this area in search vehicle parts and iron ore. and the Sinhalese fishermen have now started fishing in the shore area from Mullaithivu town to Kokkilai, and the Tamil people

are very badly affected by this.

This has caused a tense situation among both the parties. This invasion by the Sinhala fishermen from the South has now spread to Puthumaththalan, says the GTN reporter- GTN

Global Tamils to continue push against oppressive GoSL rule

January 31, 2013

Tamil political and civil society representatives and Diaspora groups would continue to push for an end to the oppressive Government of Sri Lanka rule, the Global Tamil Forum (GTF) said in a statement issued yesterday.

Full text of a statement issued by GTF spokesperson Suren Surendiran on behalf of all organizations, which participated at a two-day conference in Berlin: "Tamil political and civil society representatives, and Diaspora groups had convened in Berlin on January 26 and 27, 2013 for progressive discussions on how to end the Sri Lankan State’s continued agenda of destruction of Tamil people’s identity (genocidal), the heightened oppressive conditions, the threat to Tamil’s claim of the North and East of the island being their area of historic habitation (homeland) and to achieve consensus on addressing the legitimate aspirations of the Tamil people through a negotiated political solution.

"This is a continuation of on-going discussions between Tamil groups that first began in November 2012. Representatives from Tamil political parties, the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) and Tamil National People’s Front (TNPF) and Tamil Civil Society from Sri Lanka, joined representatives from Diaspora groups International Councils of Eelam Tamils (ICET), Transnational Government of Tamil Eelam (TGTE) and Global Tamil Forum (GTF) in the two rounds of dialogue.

"These discussions will continue and progress with wider participation to bring together more Tamil and Tamil speaking people’s organisations in the months to come."

Navi wants to send more rapporteurs

FRIDAY, 01 FEBRUARY 2013

United Nations Human Rights High Commissioner Navi Pillay has sought to dispatch ten special rapporteurs to Sri Lanka to assess the implementation of the recommendations by the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC), the Daily Mirror learns.

This is in addition to last year’s visit of three officials from the High Commissioner’s office to Sri Lanka.  Hanny Megally and Oscar Solera are the two officials who came to Sri Lanka in September last year.

However, it is learnt that the government of Sri Lanka has turned down the latest request to send special rapporteurs from the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC). Instead, the External Affairs Ministry has insisted that Ms. Pillay should visit   the country first to see for herself the progress being made in the post war area.

“It is the initial stand. First, a team of officials from her office arrived in the country and held talks with all the stakeholders. They came here to do the groundwork for her visit. We stick to   that stand. It is impossible to endorse further missions by special rapporteurs,” an authoritative source said.

Ms. Pillay has been critical of Sri Lanka in recent times. Also, she sent a strongly worded letter to the government, criticizing the procedure adopted in the impeachment of former Chief Justice Shirani Bandaranayake.

The UNHRC adopted the United States-sponsored resolution on Sri Lanka in March, last year.  According to it, the High Commissioner is required to submit a report to the next session of the UNHRC regarding the progress on the implementation of measures outlined in the resolution.

Besides, the US has announced that they will move yet another ‘procedural resolution ‘on Sri Lanka at the next session to strengthen the previous resolution. The government is waiting to know the content of the proposed resolution to plan its next course of action. (Kelum Bandara)

UN HRC March Resolution: Govt outsource counter campaign, US & Lanka both confident of India Support, GL ask why us?

UN HRC March Resolution: Govt outsource counter campaign, US & Lanka both confident of India Support, GL ask why us?

Govt. to hire PR team --THURSDAY, JANUARY 31, 2013
The government is planning to spend whopping millions to hire reputed Public Relations agencies, to counter the charges levelled against Sri Lanka by the Western powers, at the upcoming sessions of the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) in Geneva. A team of professionals and several reputed overseas PR agencies, backed by Sri Lanka's missions abroad, will face the challenges posed by the resolution to be brought against Sri Lanka by the United States at the UNHRC sessions, Ceylon Today learns. 
"Sri Lanka is pretty much on track to face outside challenges having prepared the groundwork, come what may be the situation in Geneva," said Secretary to the Ministry of External Affairs, K. Amunugama.
  
He said, "The US resolution on Sri Lanka would be as tough as last year, but we have done the groundwork, however challenging it would be. A smaller team of professionals, compared to last year, will be present in Geneva. Also, several reputed overseas PR agencies will be present there to campaign for Sri Lanka, backed by our foreign missions. "We are working on the recommendations made by the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC) constantly and have made substantial progress with the support of the committee chief, President's Secretary Lalith Weeratunga and we are set for a strong argument in Geneva," he said.

"We knew something would come up in Geneva, but what we did not know was what sort of thing it would be.

"The last review was about the implementation of the LLRC recommendations and High Commissioner for Human Rights, Navi Pillay wanted us to report back on the LLRC progress, which we did. We were expecting a reply from her and we do not know what is in there. But we sensed that anyhow it would be negative and nothing positive in it," he added.

By Sulochana Ramiah Mohan
  
 CT

U.S. sure India will go with it again in new Sri Lanka resolution
 
The United States is sure that India will support a country-specific resolution sponsored by it in the coming session of the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva.

The U.S. representatives revealed here that it had “decided to sponsor a procedural resolution at the March 2013 session of the U.N. Human Rights Council along with international partners”.

U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of State James Moore told select media here that “the resolution will be straightforward; it will be a procedural resolution, and it will build on the 2012 resolution which called on Sri Lanka to do more to promote reconciliation and accountability. The resolution will ask the government of Sri Lanka to follow through on its own commitments to its people, including the implementation of the LLRC [Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission] recommendations.” Responding to a question, a transcript of which has been posted on the U.S. Embassy website, Mr. Moore said he was sure that India and all the countries that voted with the U.S. last year would follow the same lead this year: “And the reason there would be another resolution this coming March is because we and the other 23 members of the Human Rights Council who voted for the resolution in 2012 believe that the government of Sri Lanka needs to fulfil the commitment that it’s already made through the LLRC to its people,” he said.

“So this new resolution would reflect our support for those commitments, our continued support. And for the people of Sri Lanka as they continue to face these important issues,” he said.

Official confirmation of the Indian stand was not available. But it is reliably learnt that the issue did figure in all the recent high-level engagements. Sri Lanka has responded to the U.S. announcement, saying that it will defend its rights record. Significant progress has been made, it contended, in implementing the recommendations of the LLRC, which went into the causes of the war with the Tamil Tigers.

 R. K. Radhakrishnan 
The Hindu

Sri Lanka feels India will support it at UNHCR
Colombo, Jan 31 (IANS) Sri Lanka is confident that India will support it in the face of a US-backed resolution on human rights issues at the UNHRC meet in Geneva this year.

Media Minister Keheliya Rambukwella was insistent that India would side with Sri Lanka despite Indian media reports to the contrary.

"Our position is that India is our greatest friend and closest neighbour and they have been extremely supportive in many issues and they have been a friend indeed. So we believe that stand," he told the media.

"Of course last time they had to opt out, they had given certain reasons, all this we discuss at a diplomatic level. 

"From time to time international relations change for a variety of reasons. But we still believe they are our greatest friend and we have had that cordiality right throughout," he added.

In 2012 India voted for a US-backed resolution at the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) in Geneva pulling up Colombo over widespread rights abuses during the war and seeking reconciliation measures. 

The Indian vote tipped the balance against Sri Lanka, leading to Colombo's defeat.

After the Indian vote, bilateral relations between the two countries chilled to the point of President Mahinda Rajapaksa openly criticizing the Indian government. The issue was later smoothed over.

On Thursday, an Indian newspaper quoted US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State James Moore as telling Sri Lankan journalists that he was confident India would back the new resolution.

Rambukwella was adamant that the US resolution would not have a negative impact on the economy and insisted that foreign direct investment (FDI) would not be affected.

"As far as FDI is concerned, I don't think human rights are the reason because there are people investing in countries with wars. There are other reasons as well like infrastructure, which we are doing...

"So there are much bigger reasons or more concerns which have to be addressed," he said. "Human rights are part of it but it's not the one and only reason."

The minister said Sri Lanka was confident could lobby enough votes from member countries to defeat the US-backed resolution.

"There is no guilty conscience... We are very confident. In the event that something happens, we feel it is an (US) agenda they are working on. 

"And these agendas have been there, and we are very mindful of it," he said. "We are content with what we have been doing, and we shall continue to meet the challenge as it arises."
 MT

Why a different set of rules for Sri Lanka? asks GL

External Affairs Minister Prof. G. L. Peiris yesterday said that the visiting US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State James Moore had an excellent opportunity to compare the situation in Sri Lanka as he was based in Colombo during eelam war IV.

 Moore was Deputy Chief of Mission from 2006 to 2009 and headed the mission during the absence of the then Ambassador Patricia Butenis.

 Prof. Peiris was addressing the visiting delegates, Moore and Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Jane Zimmerman and Ambassador Michele J. Sison, who succeeded Butenis. 

However, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defence for South and Southeast Asia Vikram Singh wasn’t present, though he was a member of the delegation.

The minister pointed out that since the conclusion of the conflict there had been a tremendous change,  with the country making rapid progress in the resettlement of internally displaced persons, reintegration of the ex-combatants, de-mining and reviving the northern economy.

 Yesterday’s meeting at the External Affairs Ministry took place in the wake of Moore announcing the US decision to sponsor a ‘procedural resolution’ on accountability issues in Sri Lanka at the March UN Human Rights Council sessions, which would be based on the resolution passed by the UNHRC in March 2012 on this country on the same set of questions. The announcement was made at a round table discussion with the media at the US embassy on Monday. 

Having met the delegation, Prof. Peiris told The Island that the visiting delegation had acknowledged the significant progress made since the end of the conflict. The minister said that economic wellbeing of the north would be of pivotal importance in ongoing reconciliation efforts. The government had focused its attention on the economic revival of the northern region, with substantial investment made on the infrastructure development.

 Prof. Peiris reiterated the government’s commitment for an early resumption of talks with the Tamil National Alliance (TNA), while highlight the importance of the TNA joining proposed parliamentary select committee on constitutional reforms. Prof. Peiris said that it had to be an all-inclusive process. The minister pointed out that the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC), too, had recommended the PSC on constitutional reforms.

Responding to a section of the international community targeting the GoSL, Prof. Peiris asserted that excessive pressure would be counterproductive. The minister said that the success of the domestic healing process would depend on the country being given time and space to continue the ongoing domestic process.

 The minister reiterated the call for a level playing field while pointing out that all countries should be treated with dignity.

 The minister explained that the GoSL had always engaged the UN and cooperated fully with the world body, hence there was no need to apply pressure. Presidential Secretary Lalith Weeratunga had briefed the Colombo based diplomatic representatives about three weeks ago and another briefing was scheduled for third week of February, the minister said.
by Shamindra Ferdinando
IS