Being Part Of The Ultimate “Faith Minority” In Sri Lanka

By Emil van der Poorten -March 2, 2013

Emil van der Poorten

The emergence of the Bodu Bala Sena (BBS) on Sri Lanka’s landscape has been a very logical political development given the Sri Lanka government’s constant and consistent use of red herrings, animate (as in the case of the Buddhist priest leading the BBS, the racists – in the form of Udaya Gamanpilla and Wimal Weerawansa) and inanimate as in the case of the hate material either issued or leaked to the public and media from time to time.  The purpose?  Simply to divert the attention of Sri Lankans from the REAL issues of the day.

To repeat: all of this is intended to confuse a gullible population and conceal whatever facts might be evident.  If nothing else, there is a consistency to all of this: it has fed on malice against “the other” since the time of independence from the British Raj and even before.

The military defeat of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE/”Tigers”) left a vacuum in the matter of a communal target because successive Sri Lankan governments had, very successfully, made the terms “Tamils” and “Tigers” interchangeable in the minds of the Sri Lankan nation – particularly the Sinhalese Buddhists.  What is left of the Tamils sans a physical presence such as the Tigers, hardly produces enough grist for the unprincipled racist mill of our current regime, having long passed its “best before” date.

As ham-handed as the efforts have been, I have little doubt in my mind that they are already successful, will become even more so and spawn off-shoots of similar virulence as the days go by.  Particularly given a cowed and frightened population – frightened of being “disappeared” as the last couple of three-wheeler drivers whose services I’ve used  assured me would be the fate of anyone being critical of this lot.  This is an endeavour that will, doubtless, be very successful for one major reason: it caters to the lowest common denominator – venting one’s frustrations on the least powerful segments of the population in a situation where there is no law and order and those usually responsible for safeguarding the weak and helpless are conspicuous by their absence or, worse yet, complicit in the conduct of the law-breakers.  The treatment of the BBC crew covering the BBS rally at Maharagama by the storm troopers of that organization should give pause to anyone doubting the potential for mob violence by these supporters of the “territorial/religious integrity” of the land we live in.  More important yet is the fact that the police present actively supported the goons in seeking to take the BBC crew hostage!

As one with no affiliation to any formal religious entity, I would be stupid not to consider the current Sri Lankan “reality” as having implications for such as myself. Given the new religious fundamentalism that Sri Lanka is giving birth to, the simple reality is that for every action by the Bodhu Bala Senas of this land there will be a reaction from victimized religious groups, fundamentalist or otherwise, because they are left with little other choice.  Those of us consciously rejecting formal religious affiliation or being seen as doing so will, in the end, be permitted the least leeway by those who wear their “faith” on their sleeves. We could well end up between the jaws of that particular vice.  Not a fate to be anticipated with much glee!

You might well ask, “So what?  You’ve chosen to criticize and oppose the bullying criminals and those who believe in violence as the solution to the problems of this country and yet another set of enemies shouldn’t make too much of a difference, should it?”

Before I deal with this contention, though, a couple of facts need to be recorded.

One of these is that those who have no formal affiliation to any of the recognized religions in Sri Lanka – Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam, Christianity and their many branches and off-shoots – are going to be targets whenever the harassment of the current “other” minority has run out of steam.  Also, those who owe no affiliation to Temple, Church, Kovil or Mosque will, thanks to the very nature of the country, be the ultimateminority.  And in a country that has made Majoritarianism a virtual religion, this is a bad place to be.  After all, aren’t those of no identified religious affiliation easiest to identify as belonging to “the other,” particularly since every adherent to denominational religion is able to differentiate themselves from the free-thinkers, atheists and agnostics, “jointly and severally” as the old legal expression has it?  All denominational religionists could well be united against a common enemy – those not declaring allegiance to any of their faiths.  The ideal “common enemy,” if you will.

In all reality, being a target of “militant Buddhists,” (no matter how dichotomous the term!),  those who believe in Jihad being the solution to the problems of the world, the adherents of the Hindutva or those who believe that heresy of any kind should be dealt with by burning at the stake is NOT going to be fun!

Throughout history we’ve had the phenomenon of minorities being persecuted because of their geographic location, beliefs or some other superficial factor.  It seems that, in relatively modern times, particularly since the advent of Christianity, the primary targets have been those in a minority insofar as religious affiliation is concerned.  That these have, more often than not, been ethno-religious groups is also a fact.  What is symptomatic of the Sri Lankan reality is that there also appears to be no acceptance of the fact that a citizen may NOT belong to one or the other of the formal religious groups.  The next time anyone reading this column has the opportunity to do so, it would be salutary to check any government (or other?) form requiring personal identification because you will NOT find provision for entering “Agnostic,” “Atheist,” “Free-thinker” or any such term!

Welcome to the Sri Lankan version of the New World (Dis)order!  One that does not recognize the fact that the vast majority of the world’s population does not adhere to any formal religion!

Chilling documentary accuses Sri Lanka of war crimes

March 2, 2013-The WestPowered by Yahoo!7 News

AFP © Chilling documentary accuses Sri Lanka of war crimes

GENEVA (AFP) - The Sri Lankan military committed numerous war crimes during the final months of the country's 26-year civil war, according to a documentary aired for the first time Friday, amid vigorous protests from Colombo.

Using graphic video and pictures taken both by retreating Tamil Tiger rebels, civilians and victorious Sri Lankan troops, "No Fire Zone -- The Killing Fields of Sri Lanka" presents a chilling picture of the final 138 days of the conflict that ended in May 2009.

Filmmaker Callum Macrae insisted before the screening that the film at the UN Office at Geneva that it should be seen as "evidence" of the "war crimes and crimes against humanity" committed by government troops.

"The real truth is coming out," he said.

Sri Lanka's ambassador in Geneva, Ravinatha Aryasinha, strongly protested the screening of the film on the sidelines of the ongoing UN Human Rights Council.

He described it as "part of a cynical, concerted and orchestrated campaign" to influence the debate in the council about his country.

Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International, which hosted the screening, are calling for the council to order an international probe.

They charge that Sri Lanka's domestic Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC) has glossed over the military's role.

The film for instance alleges that a "no fire zone" set up by the government in January, 2009, basically functioned as a trap for the hundreds of thousands of civilians who flooded into it in the hope of finding safety.

The area was heavily shelled, and in the film maimed and bloodied bodies, of men, women and children, lay strewn.

The UN has estimated that some 40,000 people were killed in the final months of the war, most of them due to indiscriminate shelling by the Sri Lankan military.

Peter Mackay, a UN worker who was trapped inside the zone for two weeks, questioned in the film why the government would set up the "no fire zone" within range of all of their artillery.

"Either you don't care if you kill the people in that safe zone or you are actively targeting them," he said, adding that he believed the latter was true.

He and others describe how aid-centres and make-shift hospitals were shelled soon after UN or Red Cross workers informed the government of their coordinates, which is ironically standard practice to ensure that such places are spared in bombing campaigns.

The footage provided by the retreating Tamil Tigers and civilians is devastating, showing parents wailing over their dying and dead children, but the images provided by the government forces are perhaps even more shocking.

Video of a Tamil commander first being interrogated, and then a picture of his mutilated body in the dirt; naked and bound prisoners coldly executed; dead, naked women, who have clearly been sexually abused filmed amid degrading comments by onlooking soldiers.

And then there is footage of the 12-year-old son of Tamil Tiger leader Velupillai Prabhakaran, Balachandran, whose body is seen with five bullet holes in his chest.

He was not caught in cross-fire: a separate video shot two hours earlier, shows him sitting in military custody in a bunker eating a biscuit.

The Sri Lankan government has cast doubt on the authenticity of the footage, with Aryasinha insisting Friday it was of "dubious origin".

Macrae however insisted that all the footage had been carefully checked and analysed to ensure none of it had been tampered with.

"All of it is, I'm afraid, genuine," he said.

Shooting blanks

02 March 2013

Cairn Lanka has abandoned an oil exploration well in the Mannar basin, after no traces of oil or gas were found.

“The well was plugged and abandoned and the rig is being demobilised. The Petroleum Resourced Development Secretariat (PRDS) is being notified,” said Cairn India, which owns Cairn Lanka

In an interview to the Daily Mirror, Cairn India and Cairn Lanka Director Sunil Bharati said that there were several paths Cairn Lanka could take in going forward.

Graphic courtesy of DailyMirror.lk

“Depending on the results of the second phase, there could be two or three different paths available to us, as envisaged in the Petroleum Resources Agreement. Either we can choose to proceed to the third phase, which will again require drilling a commitment well and have a time period of one to two years, or not to enter the third phase but enter into an appraisal phase followed by a development phase.”

“If we opt to enter the development stage, we will have to do a detailed appraisal to establish the volume of oil or gas available in the block, which will take one to two years. Only then will we know whether the block is commercially viable,” he said.

Meanwhile Sri Lanka is preparing to auction more blocks in the Mannar and Cauvery basin.

Patterns Of Censorship: Gothabaya Rajapaksa Off Limits?

By S. Ratnajeevan H. Hoole -March 2, 2013 

Prof S. Ratnajeevan H. Hoole

As a columnist for The Sunday Leader I noticed an absolute fear of Defence Secretary Gothabaya Rajapaksa in the Editor. Anything critical about him would be cut even when it was not subject to defamation suits. These cuts in otherwise critical articles give the impression that comment is free in Sri Lanka, when it certainly is not. This self-censorship situation brought about by editors is worse than in our shameful times of censorship when editors would mark out the censored parts in black or with the word CENSORED so that readers know we have no freedom and can make out what was removed. Now we are given the false impression that there is press freedom.

It has come to my attention that there could be pattern with other newspapers also treating Gothabaya as off limits. I reproduce below the original article of the weekly (Saturday) column by Shanie in The Island of 02 March, 2013 with the censored paragraph about Gothabaya Rajapaksa highlighted:

Human Rights Concerns must not be cast aside; it affects us all

NOTEBOOK OF A NOBODY

By Shanie

No man is an island,

Entire of itself.

Each is a piece of the continent,

A part of the main….

Each man’s death diminishes me,

For I am involved in mankind.

Therefore, send not to know

For whom the bell tolls, It tolls for thee. 

John Donne (1572-1631)

Every time, the United Nations Human Rights Council meets in session or one of the international Human Rights Organizations issues a statement on violations of human rights in Sri Lanka, the government of Sri Lanka gets into a combat mode. Their response follows the rule that attack is the best form of defence. The attack takes the form of personal abuse directed at the human rights defenders; there is no attempt to meet the issues of violations that have been raised. Its apologists and other hangers-on merely follow suit with hysterical outbursts against the United Nations, the international community and the local human rights defenders. None of them seem to care to read the reports released by the Office of the United Nations High Commission for Human Rights or by the different human rights organizations. Their criticism of the reports is therefore not informed and raises more issues than clarifying any. Mahinda Samarasinghe is normally not prone to such hysterical responses; his speech at the current sessions of the UNHRC therefore seems untypical of him.

Human rights are an issue that must be the concern all citizens of this country. If our country is to develop and our people are to become responsible citizens, then all alleged violations must be subject to independent and impartial investigation. This was recommendation of the government appointed Lessons Learnt and reconciliation Commission. Based on the recommendations of the LLRC, the government drew up a National Action Plan. The plan was silent on some key recommendations but even on those which it pledged to implement, very little meaningful action has been taken. The LLRC was emphatic about the need to observe the Rule of Law. In their recommendations, they stated: ‘Along with an independent Judiciary and a transparent legal process a strict adherence to the Rule of Law is a sine qua non for peace and stability which is of the essence, if there is to be any meaningful reconciliation.’ On the contrary, there is continuing violation of both aspects of the legal process. And new revelations are coming to light now which the government cannot and must not ignore.

Mass Graves at Matale

Take the case of the recent discovery of human skeletons in a mass grave in Matale. The preliminary investigations by scientists and forensic experts suggest that this was a ‘crime site’ related to the second southern insurgency. But this has to be investigated. There were attempts recently to cover up this site and close investigations. We trust this will be resisted and an independent investigation conducted, particularly in view of the suspicion that war crimes may have been committed.

Such a follow-up is important if the results of the preliminary investigations tracing these findings to the second insurgency are shown to be correct. Even suspected insurgents and criminals are entitled to rights. Extra-judicial executions under any circumstances are totally unacceptable. A Police spokesperson has suggested that these remains belong to those buried in an earthquake in the area in 1946. At that time, there were apparently no reports of missing persons. But in any case, to clear any doubt, it is necessary that an impartial probe by an independent body is done.

(Censored para)

Last year, C A Chandraprema, the political writer, wrote ‘Gota’s War’ eulogising Gotabaya Rajapakse’s contribution to the crushing of the northern insurgency, indirectly rubbishing claims that Sarath Fonseka, as Army Commander, was the principal architect of the military victory. But that book was written and published before the discovery of the mass graves at Matale. In that book, in the twenty-eighth chapter titled ‘The Second JVP Insurrection’, the author makes an unintended revelation. He writes on Page 173: “On 1 May 1989, with Colonel Wimalaratne being promoted to the rank of Brigadier, Gota was made the commanding officer of the 1st Battalion of the Gajaba Regiment…With this promotion, he was posted to Matale as the district coordinating officer tasked with bringing the JVP under control. The first Gajaba Battalion, which had been in Trincomalee for nearly one and a half years, was brought down to Matale. Lieutenants Shavendra Silva, Jagath Dias and Sumedha Perera were among his company commanders in Matale…(p 177) Gota remained the security coordinating officer of Matale until the end of the second JVP insurrection. In January 1990, he applied for three months leave and went to the USA to see his family.” In view of these facts, it becomes all the more necessary for an independent probe to be conducted so that Rajapakse and/or anybody else are cleared of any war crimes in 1989. It may be ironic that the persons being accused of war crimes now are the same persons who were then in charge of Matale. An independent probe may reveal they are innocent, But a probe by a body unconnected with these persons is necessary to show this.

Dr Navi Pillay and UNHCHR

It will be recalled that in 1994 there was horrendous violence in Rwanda when the majority Hutus, backed by the state security forces, were accused of mass murders and violence against the minority Tutsis. In the following year, the United Nations created the International Criminal Tribunal in Rwanda to probe the serious violations of humanitarian laws. One of the twelve Judges from across the world selected to sit on the ICTR was Dr Navi Pillay, the current UN High Commissioner for Human Rights. She was already a highly respected Judge of the South African Supreme Court. Interestingly, when the UN Security Council voted to select the twelve Judges to the ICTR, Pillay was the only Judge to receive the support of all fifteen members of the Security Council.

Critics who say that she has not been fair to the position of the Sri Lankan government must realize that she has never been accused of bias in her judicial career. From being the first female Judge of the South African Supreme Court in 1994, she was selected as a Judge of the ICRT in 1996 and then from 2003 as Judge of the newly set up International Criminal Court in The Hague. She has always had an unswerving commitment to justice and the rule of law. Her thesis for her doctorate in Juridical Science from the Harvard University in 1988 was on ’The political role of the South African judiciary’ in which he argued that Judges could not fulfill their proper judicial role as long as they had to implement unjust and immoral laws.

At the fifteenth anniversary remembrance of the Rwandan pogrom, she spoke about her work on the ICRT and stated: ’This is also an opportunity to pay homage to the witnesses who came forward with harrowing accounts of atrocities. These individuals refused to remain silent and tacitly tolerant about violations of human rights. Their testimony helped to dismantle barriers to dialogue and to mend and restore the very foundations of peaceful co-existence, for it is the establishment of truth that fosters reconciliation. In expressing their grief and horror, survivors in Rwanda did not choose the barren path of wanton revenge, but that of justice and thereby cleared the way for communal re-building. They sought the help of the international community to bolster their efforts. These are the heroes whose courage gives life to the rule of law as a standard of human conduct in the world.’

It was in similar vein that Pillay paid a tribute to human rights defenders in her opening address to the current session of the UN Human Rights Council: ‘Civil society has evolved and expanded, with many more active national human rights organizations around today than there were 20 years ago. These national human rights defenders are the heroes of our time. It is, therefore, a matter of great concern that so many State authorities continue to ignore or repress civil society organizations, human rights defenders and the media. These organizations and individuals inject the life blood into human rights: they are the promoters of change, the people who ring the alarm about abuse, poor legislation and creeping authoritarianism. Nonetheless I continue to hear of brave human rights defenders, journalists or bloggers who have been threatened, harassed, arrested or killed because of their work on behalf of the human rights of others. Such intimidation has sometimes even occurred during the proceedings of this Council. We must never tolerate such pressure, or reprisals against those who rightly seek to engage the international human rights system.’

It is this vision and commitment that we need in all active defenders of human rights. It is a vision that should be a vital possession of Human Rights Commissioners in all countries. It is fortunate for the United Nations that Dr Navi Pillay, as were her predecessors, have this unswerving commitment and vision before them. It is that commitment that has brought justice to the victims and to the violators of humanitarian laws in Rwanda, in Kosovo, in Serbia and in Cambodia. It is the single most effective deterrent to the perpetrators of state violence against a helpless people, not, of course, against armed lawless groups.

Need for meaningful investigations

It must be emphasized that the resolution passed last year and the one coming up for a vote this year are for the government to take meaningful steps to strengthen its record on human rights. They are not against Sri Lanka as  a country. On the contrary, if the recommendations in the resolutions, as also the recommendations of the LLRC, are implemented in the right spirit, it will be a boost for Sri Lanka.

Last year a film came out showing killings that alleged violations of humanitarian laws. This year, another film is being exhibited that shows a young boy, purportedly the son of the LTTE supremo Prabhakaran, before and after being extra-judicially killed. Like last year, the government contests the authenticity of the film. In view of the controversy over this, the LLRC recommended that ‘the Government of Sri Lanka institute an independent investigation into this issue with a view to establishing the truth or otherwise of these allegations and take action in accordance with the laws of the land. Equally, the Commission feels that arrangements should be made to ensure and facilitate the confidentiality and protection of information and informants. The Commission strongly urges all those concerned, especially the organizations that provided the original images and the broadcasting organization, to extend fullest cooperation by providing the necessary information to facilitate this work.’ Sadly this recommendation has not been acted upon.

The LLRC also commented on the non-implementation of the recommendations of previous Commissions of Inquiry. They stated: ’The Commission strongly recommends the implementation of the recommendations of the Report of the Presidential Commission of Inquiry appointed to Investigate and Inquire into Alleged Serious Violations of Human Rights Arising Since August 2005, particularly those relating to further investigation and prosecution of offenders involved in the incidents of the death of 5 students in Trincomalee in January 2006 and 17 aid workers of the ACF in August 2006. Such action would send a strong signal in ensuring respect for the Rule of Law, which in turn tends to contribute to the healing process.’

If Sri Lanka is to get its act right, we have to convince the human rights defenders, both local or international, that the government of Sri Lanka is serious about adherence to the rule of law. Beyond rhetoric, its actions so far provide little conviction that it is inclined to uphold the rule of law and international humanitarian laws. The farcical impeachment process of the 43^rd Chief Justice Dr Shirani Bandaranayake and its denial of many of the key LLRC recommendations is evidence that the government has many lessons yet to learn, if it is so inclined to do so.

I am also close to the President

PB tells Minister Weerawansa:

by Zacki Jabbar-March 1, 2013

Treasury Secretary Dr. P. B. Jayasundera, who has incurred the wrath of Minister Wimal Weerawansa over alleged fund cuts fired a salvo against the latter.

"I am also close to the President," the Treasury Chief shot back when asked why Minister Wimal Weerawansa kept on blaming him for the state of the economy.

Jayasundera’s comments came during an interaction with the Foreign Correspondents Association in Colombo earlier this week.

"To begin with, I am not under fire as claimed in certain quarters," he said adding "I am confidently commanding my job."

When pointed out that the Minister, who was criticising him, was a confidante of President Mahinda Rajapaksa, the Treasury Secretary replied "I am also close to the President". Asked why he had been singled out for blame, Dr. Jayasundare said with a shrug, "That is politics."

However, Jayasundera admitted that as a person who had been involved in the preparation of budgets for around 20 years, he had to take part of the responsibility.

The government was committed to maintaining the budget deficit at 5.8 per cent of GDP this year. The economy was expected to grow at nearly 7.5 percent while inflation would reach eight per cent on improving food supplies, the Treasury Chief claimed, noting that the trade deficit could be kept at manageable levels with US$ 6 billion expected in foreign remittances and US$ 3 billion in tourist sector earnings

Ruling out further high interest foreign commercial borrowing, the Treasury Secretary said that local banks should be encouraged to generate their own funds.

Critical reforms were required in the state enterprises, encompassing procurement, human resources, management and pricing. By addressing the problems faced by the Ceylon Electricity Board and Ceylon Petroleum Corporation, the State Banks could be strengthened, he noted.

NFF asks logic of those who criticised economy to now defend Dr. PB

by Shamindra Ferdinando -March 1, 2013

The National Freedom Front (NFF) yesterday charged that those who had been severely critical of the economy were now spearheading the defense of Treasury Secretary Dr. P. B. Jayasundera.

Addressing the media at the party headquarters, politburo member Piyasiri Wijenayake pointed out the absurdity of those, critical of the situation on the economic front, coming to the rescue of the very person whom they held responsible for the crisis. Former Cultural Affairs Minister of the PA-JVP ‘parivasa’ government said that UNP economic experts and the likes of the JVP MP Sunil Handunetti had become the staunchest supporters of Dr. Jayasundera.

Wijenayake reiterated NFF leader Wimal Weerawansa’s allegation that Dr. Jayasundera was the cause of the deepening economic crisis. An irate Wijenayake alleged that a section of the print media had been prevented from publishing interviews given by Minister Weerawansa. The public had a right to know what was going on in the country, Wijenayake said, alleging that the media couldn’t even publish an interview given by a minister.

Although the need to obtain foreign loans couldn’t be disputed it was the responsibility on the part of the government to utilize them prudently, Wijenayake said. Unfortunately as much as 75 per cent of loans obtained by the government had been used on infrastructure development projects and only a fraction spent to increase Gross Domestic Product, he said.Wijenayake alleged that the debt ridden CEB and CPC were heavy burdens on the two major state banks. Warning that the government no longer could turn a blind eye to the deepening crisis, Wijenayake urged the President to take remedial action without further delay.

The former JVPer called on the media to take up the issue and expose those conspiring to undermine post-war economic and political stability.

Commenting on the Global Tamil Front (GTF) reiterating its call for an international war crimes inquiry, at a conference held in the British parliament on February 27, Wijenayake said that the LTTE and its western backers had failed to bring Sri Lankan leaders to their knees. But the failure on the part of President Rajapaksa to intervene to change the direction of the post-war economy could lead to chaos, he said.

Wijenayake explained the circumstances under which Dr. Jayasundera was continuing as Treasury Chief in spite of being faulted by the Supreme Court in a controversial case. The NFF official said that the country could still be ruined, though the LTTE was defeated. The sacrifices made by security forces would be in vain, he said.

This Is Geneva, Not Colombo: Who Makes War Against Children?

By Paul Newman -March 2, 2013 

Dr. Paul Newman

On the 24^th of February, 2013, a panicky letter addressed to the President of the 22^nd UN Human Rights Council was sent by Ambassador Ravinatha Aryasinha urging him to stop the screening the of the Channel 4 documentary ‘No Fire Zone: The Killing Fields of Sri Lanka’, co-sponsored by Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch.  Perhaps the Sri Lankan delegation forgot that it is Geneva, where there is ‘Right to Freedom of Press’, not Colombo, where anyone speaking against the ruling class can be bumped easily. The screening of the 3^rd part of the Killing Fields of Sri Lanka started as scheduled at 12.00 noon. Paul Hoffman Chair of the International Executive Committee  of Amnesty International moderated the session.

Producer of the documentary, Callum Macrae made the opening remarks calling his documentary as definitive work and hard evidence very carefully compiled, checked analyzed by forensic pathologists and digital analysts, none of the footage was fake and it was hard evidence countering the Sri Lankan government’s claim that there were no civilian casualties. He said he has no personal agenda and did his duty as a journalist as he had done in the past, it was about human rights.

Then the lights were shut out at hall no. XX111, the opening scene was the event of September 8^th 2008, outside the UN office at Kilinochchi where civilians in large numbers urge the UN agencies not to abandon them. Then there are scenes of multibarrel rocket launchers firing and aerial bombings. Then Rohitha Bashana Abeywardane, a Sinhala journalist in exile spoke of the discrimination of the non Buddhists, non Sinhalese hatred in which the Tamils were victims since 1948 and traced how militancy came to the forefront after the failure of all peaceful methods for equal rights were exhausted.

The scene then shifts to London where Vani Kumar a girl born in 1984, migrated to London in 1994, got married, then separated and moves to live with her relatives in the Vanni to take a break. Then Benjamin Dix, the former UN staffer, speaks of the de facto government of the LTTE, and then speaks of Isai Priya, the LTTE Television announcer, news reader, singer, dancer and actor. Her gentle nature, her charm and how she was always respectful.

There is the narration of how LTTE had given up recruitment of child soldiers and suicide bombings from 2002-2006.

The scene shifts to the 138 most dreaded days of the Tamils in northern Sri Lanka from January 2^nd 2009. There is a day to day horrific account of the civilian killings and the sight of 350,000 people fleeing in rain to save their lives from the army and airforce attacks. Then on Day 20, January 21^st 2009, the No Fire Zone (NFZ) or Safe Zone was announced.  Peter Mackay, former U.N. staffer, narrates his experience of being trapped in a war zone for two weeks and witnessing first-hand the shelling of the NFZ.

“There’s a crucial point to be made on why the Sri Lankan government declared the no fire zone… There is only one intent and that is because you don’t really care you are going to kill the people that are located in that safer zone or more importantly you are actively targeting them,” Mr. Mckay says in the film. Peter tries to call the Colombo office to request the army to move the shelling though the army was aware of the positioning of his GPS. When he tries to contact them the strewn body of a girl lands on him.

There are scenes of cluster bomb destruction, children crying and withering in pain. On Day 28, the NFZ is overrun. There is continuous targeting of the Puthukudiruppu hostpital, on Day 42, a new NFZ is announced. The attacks on the NFZ continues relentlessly. At the Puthumathalan hospital, there is severe shortage of doctors, medicine and infrastructure, a choice has to be made, whom to save and whom not to. Every life is human, how do you prioritize which one is important? Everyone belongs to one or the other.

On the International arena, British Foreign Secretary David Miliband and his French counterpart Bernard Kouchner make a frantic visit to Sri Lanka to save the civilians, the Government of Sri Lanka tries to convince them that the civilians are safe, David Miliband calls the Sri Lankan’s as ‘Liars’ and has to leave the island.

In all there were 65 attacks on the hospitals alone and finally the hospital had to be abandoned and the civilians herded into a narrow strip of just 3 kilometers. Here the armed forces shell relentlessly in the middle of the crowded masses splitting the civilian population into two zones and taking over one.

Then the government declares the war was over. From here the scene shifts to the footage and photos taken by soldiers as war trophies. The cold blooded killing of Col.Ramesh, the white flag bearers Nadesan and Pulithevan and finally Balachandran, the photos examined by Prof. Derrick, Professor of Forensic Medicine, University of Dundee who clearly states that it was murder and then Prof.William Schabas claiming that these acts constitute, war crimes undoubtedly.

In Colombo, there are celebrations, where as in the Vanni there are massive clearance operations going on. There are scenes of women cadre of the LTTE taken in the army trucks, seen for the last time, nobody heard of them ever after. Those Tamils who survived had to starve for 3 days without food and water before being shunted into the Menik farm camps. At these camps, many women were raped and went missing, none of these were reported as the army controlled the camps.

Dixie then speaks of the post war militarization, Sinhalisation and the incentive given to the soldiers posted in the north when they have a third child. Bashana speaks of increased injustice and colonization. Vani has resettled in life after marrying again, yet she is unable to forget the haunting past.

The explanation of Vani on how blood was collected from the wounded civilians filtered with a piece of cloth and reinduced into the victim’s body makes one hate war. For the first time she sees blood flowing on the ground along with rain water. One wonders how can a war be described as a humanitarian operation?

After there the screening, there was a thunderous applause for the movie maker and the floor was given to the Sri Lankan ambassador. He protested the use of UN premises for a vicious campaign against Sri Lanka. He described the documentary as “distorted, dubious, cynical, concerted and orchestrated campaign that is strategically driven, and clearly motivated by collateral political considerations”.

He asked whether these human rights groups could take ownership of the documentary. He described the Journalists for Democracy as a shadowy group, which was behind the campaign. He called both Vani Kumar and Isai Priya as members of the LTTE and left the hall immediately. It is true in the case of Isai Priya, that she was a member of the LTTE, does it give the Sri Lankan soldiers the right to rape and desecrate her body? Mr.Ravinatha should answer this as a true Buddhist.

He calls all the footage as stage managed by the LTTE and sang the same old song of the army rescuing 300,000 civilians, providing food, rehabilitation etc and said that LTTE sympathizers were vote banks in the west and the Channel 4 was undermining the efforts of reconciliation.

Then it was Yasmin Sooka’s turn to speak, she spoke of denial and refusal as the strong arsenal of the Sri Lankan government. Her assessment of the key aspect of the Sri Lankan government as part of the three member UN Panel of Expert’s was the keeping out of media, NGOs, UN since September 2009.

Nowhere had she come across thousands of civilians killed in such a short period. As part of the Panel of Expert’s she had estimated about 40,000 civilian deaths, it increased to 70,000 in the Charles Petrie report submitted to the UN in November 2012, but the Bishop of Mannar is consistent about more than 100,000 civilans deaths, this is where an International Inquiry is necessary to get an independent estimate.

She spoke of the starvation of the people, bombing of the hospitals, firing at the NFZSs, violation of the International Humanitarian Law. Tamils even now lived under military control. The LLRC report was not implemented, ‘can the government be trusted to investigate themselves, the military court exonerated itself’, she said.

People were increasing targeted for speaking the truth, civilians need justice, the onus is on the International Community to get justice for the victims, the media and clergy were under threat, the triumphalism was translated into chauvinism, now the national anthem was only in Sinhalese, the Tamils were the only people who were denied even the right to mourn their dead.

She reiterated that since 2009 nothing has happened, people of Sri Lanka needs justice. This was not a Tamil issue, it is a human issue.

Gordon Weiss, the former UN Spokesperson in Colombo, spoke of Dr.Dayan Jayatilleka, who defended Sri Lanka at the UN in 2009, now speaking of quasi military occupation of the Tamil areas in the north and posed the question of Who is pulling the wool over who’s eyes?

Sumanthiran, the TNA Member of Parliament, thanked McRae on behalf of the Tamil people and demanded an Independent International Investigations, he noted that the SL government branded the Channel 4 videos as not authentic, but the LLRC wanted the videos to be investigated. He assured that TNA would cooperate with any independent investigations.

The vote of thanks was proposed by Julie de Rivero of Human Rights Watch who wanted the UN to respond to the rights of the victims and urged the diplomats present there to respond as human beings. At the end there was silence and grief.

The one sentence that echoed in everyone’s mind and heart was the question posed by Yasmin Sooka,‘WHO MAKES WAR AGAINST CHILDREN?’, of course Sri Lanka does and continues to do as the world pretends to be blind to the plight of the Tamils.

*Dr.Paul Newman from UNHRC 22,Geneva 1^st March, 2013

Bradley Manning pleads guilty to some Wikileaks charges

In court, Bradley Manning read a statement explaining his actions, saying he did not believe the leaks would harm the US-28 February 2013

The US soldier accused of leaking large numbers of secret documents to Wikileaks has pleaded guilty to 10 of the 22 charges against him.

But Pfc Bradley Manning, 25, denied the most serious charge against him, aiding the enemy, and may still be prosecuted.

A military judge later accepted the guilty pleas, with which he could face up to 20 years in prison.

On Thursday, Pfc Manning told a court he divulged the documents to spark public debate about US actions.

At the military court in Fort Meade, Maryland, Judge Col Denise Lind accepted Pfc Manning's guilty pleas, but prosecutors can still pursue a trial on the remaining 12 charges, including aiding the enemy.

That charge carries a potential life sentence.

'Open diplomacy'

Continue reading the main story

Pfc Manning read out a statement to the court on Thursday saying he believed the leaked material would stimulate public discussion.

"I believed that if the general public, especially the American public, had access to the information... this could spark a domestic debate on the role of the military and our foreign policy in general," Pfc Manning told the court.

He said he would plead guilty to sending the documents to Wikileaks in violation of military regulations but would not plead guilty to a violation of federal espionage laws.

"I thought these cables were a prime example of the need for a more open diplomacy," said Pfc Manning, who addressed the court in uniform.

"I believed that these cables would not damage the US. However, I believed these cables would be embarrassing."

The soldier also mentioned his shock at discovering a video of an aerial combat mission in Iraq in which two employees from the Reuters news agency were killed.

"The most alarming aspect of the video to me was the seemingly delightful bloodlust the aerial weapons team happened to have," he said, comparing the troops to children "torturing ants with a magnifying glass".

Largest-ever leak

Pfc Manning is accused of sending thousands of battlefield reports from both Afghanistan and Iraq, 250,000 diplomatic cables, and other classified material to the Wikileaks website in 2009 and 2010 while working as an Army intelligence analyst in Baghdad.

It is considered the largest-ever leak of secret US government documents.

The Obama administration has said the leaks threatened valuable military and diplomatic sources.

Supporters, who consider him a whistleblower who exposed war crimes and helped trigger the upheavals of the Arab Spring, held events on Saturday to mark his 1,000th day of detention.

The judge has ruled any eventual prison sentence should be reduced by 112 days due to his treatment at a maximum security facility in Virginia earlier in the case.

He has since been transferred to a medium-security jail.

If Minister Maithripala is also threatened with death how would it be for ordinary people asks Anura

SATURDAY, 02 MARCH 2013 

“Minister Maithripala Sirisena comes before the media and says there is a conspiracy to assassinate him. However, he doesn’t mention the conspirators. To assist Mr. Sirisena I will reveal who these conspirators are. He indirectly means the most powerful family in the country today,” said JVP Parliamentarian and the President of All Ceylon Farmers Federation Anura Dissanayake.

Speaking at a farmers’ seminar held at Golden Flower Hotel at Hingurakgoda on the 28th Mr. Dissanayake said, “Mr. Maithripala himself says he has been a member of the SLFP for 43 years. If such a person is threatened with death how would it be for ordinary people?

Most of the capital in the country is with 5000 families. The farmer community and their children are at the lowest line. They cannot have proper living conditions. The children of farmer community do not get a proper education. Only 20% of the production is left with the farmers. The rest is seized by powerful businessmen.

However, children of the 5000 rich families could close down Colombo city at night and drive their Lamborghinis.  How did the owners of those cars earn so much money? The masses work hard to make their ends meet. However, the so-called affluent hoard money.

The port at Hambantota, constructed spending a colossal amount of money, has received only 32 ships despite it was opened 36 months ago. People are now fishing in that harbour. Why do you need a harbor for fishing?  Loans are sought from the IMF to settle daily expenses. IMF is not prepared to give loans for such purposes. The government does not have solutions for the breakdown of the economy.  Today Rs.5000 is needed to get married. 93,000 farmers are denied their pensions. The bag of fertilizer will be Rs.500 for the next cultivation season. Tanks have been leased out for so-called tourism development. They want the tanks to ‘land’ c-planes. The tanks built and protected by our ancestors for thousands of years are to be leased out for jollification of tourists. We will never allow this to happen. Thousands of acres of lands are handed over to foreign companies. We should come forward to protect our lands.

One of the biggest rackets in the world is seed business. Multi-national companies have the monopoly of the seed business in the island. Seed production has been denied to us and our seed farms have been sold.

Kidney disease is widespread in the northern region of the country. 80,000 kidney patients have been recorded from Anuradhapura. Already, about 20,000 have died.  What did the Minister of Health do to save farmers and their children in his region? Recently the World Health Organization handed over a report they had compiled regarding kidney disease in Sri Lanka.

It has not been released to the public yet. I challenge the minister to publish it. The report states the drinking water in the northern region is not suitable for drinking.  As they do not have solutions for these the report has been hidden.

Every programme planned stating it’s to develop the economy of the country has failed. ‘Api wawamu - Rata nagamu’ (Lets cultivate & develop country) commenced with a lot of banners and posters. It has been terminated now. Now ‘Divi Neguma’ has been launched. Distributing a packet of seeds or a few chickens to all the houses in the country would not develop agriculture. What the country needs is not ‘subsistence agriculture’ but production industry.

The economic – political system that exists is wrong. We have to find a system that suits us. The country was ruled for 62 years by four ‘walauwwas’. The people should grab power from these ‘walauwwa’ dwellers. There are no struggles within Parliament. The struggles are in the factory, at work site and on the road.”

The National Organizer of Sri Lanka Farmers’ Federation Namal Karunaratne addressing the seminar said the Minister of Agriculture himself admits that the cost of producing a kilo of paddy is Rs.31. If so, how could farmers exist when the buying price is only Rs.32? Even then there are no facilities to buy farmers’ products. Also, only 2500 kilos are bought from a farmer. To sell this farmers have to wait in the queue for several days.

Former Member of Provincial Council T.B. Sarath also addressed the seminar attended y a large number of farmers.

Minister Sirisena to be relieved of party post

SATURDAY, 02 MARCH 2013

According to internal sources of the SLFP a disciplinary inquiry is to be held against Minister Maithripala Sirisena on charges of issuing statements that cause suspicion on leading figures in the SLFP and the government, pressurizing the police and holding media conferences violating party discipline.  President Mahinda Rajapaksa is to appoint a disciplinary committee comprising of four senior leaders of the SLFP for this purpose say these sources.

Information has been reveled that Minister Maithripala Sirisena is to be removed from the post of Secretary General of the SLFP on a decision by the Central Committee of the SLFP. It is also revealed that the names of five SLFP seniors including Ratnasiri Wickremenayake, Chamal Rajapaksa, Nimal Siripala de Silva and Susil Premajayanthe have been proposed for the vacancy created by removing Minister Sirisena. With the change of the post of secretary general there would be a change in all other posts say these sources.

However, many SLFP seniors express their dismay at the attempt by President Mahinda Rajapaksa to change the posts in the party without calling a party convention.

It has also been decided to remove the health ministry portfolio from Mr. Sirisena and make him a senior minister at a cabinet reshuffle that has been proposed for July.

Appointing Mr. Basil Rajapaksa as the National Organizer of the SLFP has made SLFP seniors frustrated and angry say these sources.