DMK pullout FAQ

Q What is happening?-19/03/2013

The DMK, Tamil Nadu’s largest political party, has pulled out of the ruling coalition in India because it feels India has not taken strong enough action over war crimes allegations in Sri Lanka. The DMK has 18 seats and some sources say the Government of India has a majority of 13 – so this action has been said by some to end the majority in the Indian Parliament.

While the DMK have said that they have pulled out of the Government they have not made final arrangements to do so (it has not sent a letter to the President formally signalling its intent), and it may be possible that they can be persuaded to stay in the coalition if tougher action is taken. Events are unfolding rapidly; this site is doing a minute-by-minute update service.

Q So has the Indian Government lost its majority?

There are various different ways of measuring how large a majority the Indian Government has. You need 272 seats for a majority. Previously the coalition had a total of 248 seats, and it had the outside support of 59 more (SP - 22, BSP - 21, RJD - 4, JD (S) - 3 and Independents - 9), making it a total of 307. The DMK's withdrawal brings the coalition down to 230, but with the outside support of 59, it still has 289 seats.

But some of these parties were more supportive than others and so not everybody agrees that you can count on these parties for outside support. This is particularly true of the SP, and its by not counting the SP that you get the headline that the Indian government had a majority of 13 and has now lost it. Others say the Government never had a majority (or that it lost it a few months ago when some other parties left the coalition) and others maintain that the Government still has a majority. Regardless, what is clear is that the Indian Government will continue, but that it will now struggle to pass legislation.

Q What action do they want?

The Human Rights Council, a body of the UN that meets in Geneva, is currently considering a resolution regarding Sri Lanka. This resolution will probably be voted upon on Friday – a simple majority of the 47 member states have to vote in favour for it to pass. The text is proposed by the USA and can be read here. India have said they will support the resolution but behind the scenes it is believed that India was a key force behind watering down the resolution.

The DMK believe that rather than weakening the resolution India should work to strengthen it. In particular they believe that the resolution should use the term “genocide” to describe what took place in Sri Lanka.

Q Is this possible?

The draft resolution can be technically amended right up to the moment of adoption which could be as late as Friday afternoon this week. However, amendments need to be politically acceptable to all co-sponsors and the challenge would be to get the necessary political acceptance, including instruction from the capital city for many or most delegations.

The Indian Government have suggested that the term genocide can’t be used until after an international investigation has taken place, and so can’t be used in this resolution. While there may be no procedural rule to that effect that is likely to be politically true, and furthermore any resolution that mentions genocide would be highly likely to then fail to receive enough votes to pass.

Q What is desirable?

We have long insisted that what Sri Lanka needs is an independent international investigation into the war crimes, and crimes against humanity, that both sides participated in in the final stages of Sri Lanka’s civil war. This resolution falls short of delivering that.

Nevertheless, this resolution is a positive step: it builds on the resolution that was passed at last year’s Human Rights Council but uses stronger language and gives an enhanced mandate to UN experts (known as Special Rapporteurs and Special Procedure Mandate Holders) to hold the Government of Sri Lanka to account over human rights violations – and it’s an important step on the road towards the international investigation we need. It is very important that the resolution not be abandoned as a result of this controversy.

That said, this resolution is much weaker than it could have been, and hopefully this controversy will enable the resolution to be strengthened: either in terms of language, or by more clearly allowing the High Commissioner of Human Rights to investigate war crimes allegations, or even by asking for the independent international investigation we so clearly need. India was previously thought to be a major road block to that kind of strengthening – hopefully that road block has been removed.

However what would not be helpful would be for the term genocide to be included. It is entirely possible that the final stages of Sri Lanka’s civil war, when 40-70,000 people died in the space of a few months fit the test for a genocidal incident. It is also possible that the ongoing disruption of normal life in the North, the destruction of mosques and temples, the building of Buddhist stupas, and the promotion of Sinhalese Buddhist supremacy fit the pattern of a cultural genocide. It is also possible that the LTTE’s (the Tamil Tigers) removal of the Muslim community from the north be considered a form of cultural genocide, and that the Sri Lankan Army’s brutal suppression of the Marxists Nationalist JVP uprising be considered a Cambodia-style self-genocide. However the inclusion of the word genocide in this particular resolution will not advance that debate. The only thing it will achieve is to ensure that the Human Rights Council resolution dies, and that would be an enormously wasted opportunity.

In short?

What we really need is an independent international investigation but this resolution is a positive development. It should have been more demanding, but it might be too late to change the resolution now. If India wants to win back support in Chennai they must propose tough action via the Commonwealth.

Q What else could happen?

If the Government of India wants to win support in Tamil Nadu it shouldn’t just think about the Human Rights Council. The biennial Commonwealth summit (CHOGM) is to be hosted in Sri Lanka this November and many people feel this meeting should now be cancelled. Moreover key figures in the Commonwealth (The Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group or CMAG, who next meet on April 26th) are considering taking strong action against Sri Lanka. India has been silent on both these points, but could now push for the commonwealth to take a stand.

Additionally the administrative head of the Commonwealth (the Secretary General) is a former senior Indian diplomat called Kamalesh Sharma – he is thought to be close to Sonia Gandhi. He has been less than neutral in his handling of Sri Lanka before the commonwealth and has continually shielded Sri Lanka from human rights investigations. India could pass him a message that defending the Government of Sri Lanka in this way is not helpful.

Q What have the major human rights organisations said about the resolution?

Amnesty International

The Human Rights Council should establish a Council mechanism devoted to monitoring and reporting to the Council on the current human rights situation in Sri Lanka and should throw its support behind growing demands for an independent international investigation into allegations of crimes under international law committed in Sri Lanka.

HRW

Over the past year the Sri Lankan government has alternated between threatening activists who seek justice and making small, cynical gestures to keep the international community at bay, the Human Rights Council should dismiss these tactics, end the delays and authorize an independent, international investigation into the estimated 40,000 civilian deaths at the conflict’s end.

ICG

Strong international action should begin with Sri Lanka’s immediate referral to the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group (CMAG) and a new resolution from the UN Human Rights Council (HRC) calling for concrete, time-bound actions to restore the rule of law, investigate rights abuses and alleged war crimes by government forces and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), and devolve power to Tamil and Muslim areas of the north and east.

MRG

In this context, MRG says, international action is now crucial. It calls on the UN Human Rights Council to start a formal discussion on both the LLRC report and the UN Panel report with the aim of establishing an independent international mechanism to investigate fully the credible allegations of violations of international humanitarian committed by all parties involved in the armed conflict and to monitor progress towards the implementation of an effective transitional justice process by the Government of Sri Lanka.

The Collapse Of Academic Autonomy In Sri Lankan Universities

By Oleap Fernando –    March 19, 2013 

Prof Oleap Fernando

I was emboldened to write and put forward below a few views on the above subject having read the excellent  and  illuminating  account in the Sunday press  from Professor Savitri Goonesekere , with whom I  worked together as academic colleagues and as Fellow Deans in the Open University of Sri Lanka during the eighties and the nineties.  Having had the long experience of   been a University academic in Sri Lanka continuously for over 43 years since graduation (  in 1966 until the age of mandatory retirement in 2009) and also still involved in academic administration,  and teaching at the College of Chemical Sciences of the Institute of Chemistry Ceylon which is now producing nearly  50% of  Sri Lanka’s Graduate Chemists, I think I can and should  productively join in and  add on a few points in support of ProfessorGoonesekere‘s excellent presentation which should serve as an eye-opener to the political authorities , the academic community and the general public re the exponential erosion of academic autonomy and invaluable ethical standards in our  University system. I will  pinpoint THREE relevant matters which I am sure would amply illustrate and add favor to Professor Goonesekere’s arguments regarding the appointment of Vice-Chancellors.

Firstly I refer to a fantastic newspaper editorial that appeared in November 2004 soon after the appointment of a Sri Lankan qualified academic as the President of the University of Alberta, Canada. I quote: “Dr Indira Samarasekera has been chosen as President of Alberta University on her own academic merit. But had she applied for a post of Vice-chancellor in one of our Sri Lankan Universities, she would have needed one more qualification: she would either have to be SLFP, UNP or JVP. Little wonder we remain in the same mire”. I have quoted this editorial extract in several academic presentations, school prize-giving speeches and in newspaper articles ever since as  I  believe that this quote summarizes the absurd situation that existed in our University system even a decade ago. At that time the UGC acted according to the Universities Act and made one recommendation to the President who correctly functioned merely as a formal appointing authority on an academic   decision left entirely to the University Council and the UGC.  Even at that time however the recommendation was politicized as implied in the above quoted editorial  but the decision, even if politicized, was not made by the President but by academics. Today, as Prof Goonesekere laments, the Chairman, UGC states publicly that the UGC is merely a post box and admits thereby that it is contravening the Universities Act. What a sad and tragic situation and as quoted above “little wonder we remain in the same mire”!

Secondly, when the post of VC was advertised in one of our Universities a few years ago and I heard that one of my colleagues who was a Senior Professor and fully qualified was intending to apply I asked him whether it was correct. He replied with a statement that should also open the eyes of all relevant persons if they are interested in at least maintaining the academic autonomy of our University system. I quote him: “If anyone applies for a post of VC under the present conditions, then he is not fit to be a VC!”. Prof Goonesekere emphasizes the same point when she says that prospects of political decision making had discouraged several senior professors from applying for the VC’s post at Colombo.  Is it not a tragedy that there was onlyone Professor who applied for this post at the Colombo University which is the post first held by Sir Ivor Jennings of international repute and several other distinguished academics after that. There are hundreds of Professors in the several Universities we have in Sri Lanka today and while I will whole heartedly agree that some of them may not be suitable for appointment as Vice-Chancellors, surely a University demands that its academic, administrative and accounting head should be at least  a Professor if not a Senior professor. How on earth can a Senior Lecturer Grade 2 fill that post with any degree of acceptance or self-respect? It is simply impossible and if any Senior Lecturer Grade 2 thinks that he can be a successful VC, then that itself proves beyond any doubt that he is not suitable! The authorities should ask themselves the question as to why senior academics are consistently not applying for posts of VC in many Universities and when a few do, non consideration of their status and making the VC appointment on political grounds will psychologically prevent many suitable persons from applying in the future!

Thirdly on a personal, but still a very relevant, note:  after I retired after 43 years of continuous   University service in 3 Sri Lankan Universities, I was asked by colleagues of my former Department of Chemistry at the Open University for a brief resume of my past academic history in order to forward my name to the Council with a recommendation for appointment  as an Emeritus Professor. I was told that while the University academics are well aware of same, a formal write up is necessary for the information of Council, consisting if a majority of outsiders. In my 5 point history, the very first point I mentioned was that “I had never applied for a post of VC during my entire academic life in the University system”. That was considered by me as one of my greatest achievements particularly since I had to turn down the consistent appeals of a number pf academics and professionals including former Vice-Chancellors, who wanted me to apply. This statement of mine though of a personal nature, illustrates one of the important points that Prof Gunasekera highlights in her account. Perhaps the point I made was recognized as an important one since I was appointed an Emeritus Professor after going through my resume.

I have said publicly on several occasions over the past 2 decades that politicization is eating into the academic structure and fabric of our University system like a cancer and I made several appeals that this tendency and drift be reversed. Unfortunately, rather than a reversal it has been increasingly consolidated in recent years that the cancer has become very malignant and profusely spread to all areas of the system. No wonder that the Chairman. UGC states with great publicity and perhaps pride that the UGC is effectively going to act against  the very clear provisions of the Universities Act and is not going to make a recommendation to the President.  I can only say “Sri Lanka- a land like no other! Little wonder we remain in the same mire!”

Kapila Jeyasekara, alleged killer of Trinco-5 students, appointed Vanni DIG

[TamilNet, Sunday, 17 March 2013, 10:16 GMT]
H.D.K.S. Kapila Jeyasekera, who rose in ranks as the Superintendent of Police (SP) from the Special Task Force (STF), and who was alleged to have been responsible for the extra-judicial execution of five Trincomalee students in 2006, and other killings in Trincomalee during 2006, including the ACF-17 killings, has been appointed as the Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) to the Ki'linochchi and Mullaiththeevu district, Jaffna Tamil daily Uthayan reported. Mr Jeyasekara is also a close ally of Sri Lanka's Defense Secretary, Gotabhaya Rajapakse, and has been kept out of visible public presence after Jeyasekera was accused of a serious security lapse involving India's Prime Minister during his visit to Colombo in 2008. 

Kapila Jayasekera (TamilNet archives 2004)

Mr Jeyasekera was appointed as the main security detail to India's Prime Minister Manmohan Singh during the SAARC summit visit in August 2008, and was involved in a serious security lapse for having failed to turn-up after the Prime Minister completed his official engagements at the summit.

Colombo-based political observers said, Mr Jeyasekera was interdicted due this security failure, and has been pushed to the background until he re-emerged with the menacing news in Uthayan that he has been appointed as the new guardian of law-enforcement to the Tamil districts in the Vanni.

• TAG Report: Trincomalee executions

Kapila Jeyasekera (right) at his office near Iranaimadu tank (Courtesy: Uthayan 20th Feb 2013)Dr 

Manoharan, whose son Ragihar was one of the five students in the Trinco-5 killings, told TamilNet: "As I have said in my affidavit, I have no doubt that Mr Kapila Jeyasekera is responsible for killing my son. Jeyasekera was the key Police operative receiving orders from the higher political positions in targeting key Tamil activists and witnesses, and once Jeyasekera was transferred from Trincomalee, the killings of Tamil civilians suddenly decreased remarkably," Dr Manoharan said.

Dr Manoharan said he has been following closely his son's case (DR-11/1-2006) that was supposed to be making progress in the Trincomalee high court, and nearly six months ago, when the CID submitted that there is no evidence implicating any of the defendants, the Magistrate closed the case. Manoharan also assailed the "shamelessly untruthful" campaign being carried out in Geneva by Sri Lanka's representative, Minister Mahinda Samarasinghe, who announced that the Trinco-5 case is still proceeding in the Trincomalee High Court and that the Sri Lanka law enforcement is "still collecting evidence." 

Excerpts from Dr Manoharan's affidavit on Kapila Jeysekara follows:

• Within a very short time I was aware of the pick- up truck moving towards the Ghandi statue. I learned later from other people that this pick-up belonged to SP Kapila Jeyasekera. I never knew SP Kapila Jeyasekera before this time, I would not recognize him and I cannot describe him. This matter is not mentioned in the inquest report, because our lawyer advised us not to give this information now because of our situation. We were very vulnerable at that time.
• After that I saw the pick-up truck of SP Kapila Jeysekara pass by, again I did not know, at that time, it belonged to him I heard it was his later. I saw that there were about six or seven armed soldiers being carried in the open backed rear section. They were wearing full-face masks, which we call ‘monkey masks’ – only holes for the eyes. The Navy personnel at the checkpoint said to each other, words to the effect, “Kapila Jeysekara has gone, now we can go into the area.”
• On May 14 2006 at 11:45 hours SP Kapila Jeyasekera’s pick up truck was parked in front of my house. On the 25 May 2006 I was not there, but army officers came to my house and said to my wife words to the effect “We demand to see your husband.”
• Some months ago I heard some new information that a retired sergeant who was working on the 2nd of January 2006. It was said that he was standing near the Trincomalee bus stand to collect his dinner at about 18:30 hours. At the same time SP Kapila Jeyasekera and his team passed by and stopped his pick-up truck in front of the Sergeant. Kapila Jeyasekera supposedly said that there was some problems near the beachfront and ordered him to return immediately to barracks. I found this strange because at that time there had been no incident near the beach, it is for this reason that I think that SP Kapila Jeyasekera planned the bomb attack. If this information is true, I question why Kapila Jeyasekera would have said that an hour before the explosion took place.
• I personally believe that these murders were carried out by the STF under the supervision of SP Kapila Jeyasekera. One of the reasons I believe this is because, in the area of my son’s murder, around 50 to 60 soldiers were present at the time of the killings, as far as I am aware the police only seized 13 or 14 guns for further examination during their inquiries.

Some relevant statements related to Kapila Jeyasekera in the two reports produced by UTHR, follow (refer to the reports in the links or in the Dublin document for more details):

• Early on, many in Trincomalee with police contacts pointed to SP (Operations) Kapila Jayasekere as having played a central role in the crime. The Magistrate’s proceedings make it clear that he was on the scene, but do not record when he arrived. Police and naval personnel at the checkpoints leading to the scene have testified when and which police vehicles entered the area. But there is total silence on the arrival of Kapila Jayasekere in his conspicuous unmarked pick up. Any effective investigation should have followed this important lead and established his time of arrival.
• Inspector Zawahir, an experienced police officer in a conflict area saw nothing, heard nothing and asked nothing. He was only following directions from Kapila Jayasekere. The one thing he did not fail to find was the unexploded hand grenade apparently planted with the intention of incriminating the victims. The whole purpose of the Police direction of the case seems to have been to expunge gunshots, bullets and bullet wounds, and make them disappear from the records.
• ...In fact Bulanawewa claimed not to have known anyone there. He significantly did not mention the presence of SP Kapila Jayesekere who had assigned him to Vas Perera, although he claims to have left the scene with Vas and his men. It was left to Vas Perera to tell us about Kapila’s presence for his own excellent reasons.

In a classified memo written by US's Sri Lanka Ambassador Robert Blake in October 2006 to Washington, ten months after the extra-judicial execution of five students, Basil Rajapakse, had told Ambassador Blake that Special Task Force (STF) was responsible for the killings, according a Wikileaks document.

"Evidence is overwhelming that high level officials, including those in the U.S., have information that implicates Sri Lanka military and police of involvement in the killings of the Trincomalee students. Dr Manoharan has vowed to keep the fight alive, and the Rights organizations have an obligation to force the international community uncover the truth and bring the perpetrators to justice," said a spokesperson for Tamils Against Genocide (TAG), a US-based organization that seeks legal redress for Tamils affected by war.

U.N. Rights Council to Vote on Resolution on Sri Lanka

By NICK CUMMING-BRUCE

Published: March 18, 2013

GENEVA — The United Nations Human Rights Council is preparing to vote this week on a resolution that urges Sri Lanka to deliver on its promises to investigate allegations of mass civilian slaughter in the army campaign thatcrushed a rebel group in May 2009, and expresses growing international concern over a lengthy catalog of continuing atrocities

The resolution, sponsored by the United States, calls on Sri Lanka to investigate possible violations of international human rights laws — polite diplomatic shorthand for growing evidence that soldiers killed tens of thousands of civilians in the campaign that crushed the rebels, the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam. It also cites reports of abuse that has continued since then, including extrajudicial killings, torture, forced disappearances, intimidation and violent reprisals against journalists and human rights activists.

Without some accountability for the civilian deaths, the United States and its supporters argue, there will be no lasting reconciliation to allow Sri Lanka to turn a corner on a civil war that dragged on for 26 years as the Tamil Tigers unleashed extremes of violence to win autonomy for the mainly Tamil northern and eastern parts of the island from its overall Sinhalese majority.

But Sri Lanka’s leaders denounce the initiative as unwarranted and dangerous foreign meddling. The dispute is another chapter in the opposing narratives on how the government ended the war and is now handling the peace.

For four years, the government of President Mahinda Rajapaksa has insisted that its army carried out a rescue operation of people trapped in areas controlled by the Tigers in 2009, strictly adhering to a “zero civilian casualties” directive from the president. And since the war’s end, the government claims to have made huge strides in resettling more than 200,000 people displaced by fighting, clearing large areas of land mines and pouring hundreds of millions of dollars into rebuilding the social and economic infrastructure of the north and east.

Moreover, Sri Lanka has already embarked on restoring harmony, the government says, pointing to a reconciliation commission set up in 2010 and a national plan of action and national humanitarian plan adopted later to carry out its recommendations. “Sri Lanka needs adequate time and space to resolve such wide-ranging and deep-rooted issues,” Mahinda Samarasinghe, the president’s special envoy on human rights, told the council at the start of its current session.

But that version of events has faced growing skepticism since March 2011, when a United Nations panel of experts issued a reportconcluding that 40,000 civilians were killed in the closing weeks of the war. The panel said there was credible evidence that the Tigers had committed war crimes, using civilians as a buffer, but most died in sustained army shelling of areas it had designated as no-fire zones.

A day or two before they vote on the resolution, council members will hear a report from Navi Pillay, the United Nations human rights chief, acknowledging significant government progress on rebuilding infrastructure but saying that the steps Sri Lanka’s leaders have taken to investigate abuses are “inconclusive and lack the independence and impartiality to inspire confidence.” Ms. Pillay calls instead for an international investigation, a move that drew a rebuke from Sri Lanka and accusations of bias.

Adding to the heated atmosphere, a new documentary, shown for the first time before the Human Rights Council in Geneva this month, purports to show the flesh-and-blood reality of events reviewed by the panel. The film, “No Fire Zone: The Killing Fields of Sri Lanka,”juxtaposes footage of an army commander asserting that his troops had not used heavy weapons with harrowing video of villagers struck by artillery shells aimed at food distribution points and hospitals.

The documentary confronts official denials of summary executions with trophy videos, apparently filmed on soldiers’ cellphones, showing troops shooting naked, blindfolded prisoners. In the same vein, a series of photos, apparently shot from the same camera, show Balachandran Prabhakaran, the 12-year-old son of Velupillai Prabhakaran, leader of the Tamil Tigers, first sitting in a bunker munching a snack, then lying dead with five bullet holes in his chest.

“We see it as a film of record but also a call to action,” Callum Macrae, who made “No Fire Zone” and two other television documentaries on the same subject, told reporters before its first screening. Digital forensic experts examined all photographs and video for evidence of tampering and found none, Mr. Macrae said.

The film, and the use of United Nations premises to show it, drew swift protests from Ravinatha Aryasinha, Sri Lanka’s ambassador to the United Nations in Geneva. He did not watch the film, but appeared at the end of its first screening to condemn “footage of dubious origin, content that is distorted and without proper sourcing and making unsubstantiated allegations.”

Council watchers foresee more support for this year’s resolution than last year’s, a prediction that appears to reflect growing international concern about human rights abuses. Beyond the forced disappearances and reprisals, Sri Lanka’s security forces have used rape and sexual violence against Tamil men and women detained as suspected supporters of the Tamil Tigers, according to a report released by Human Rights Watch last month.

Beyond such extremes, analysts say Tamils, who are mostly Hindu, now live in a state in which the largely Sinhalese military is the dominant force in daily life, creating large military settlements, building settler camps and temples for the predominantly Buddhist Sinhalese in largely Hindu areas, and taking up economic ventures in the north and east.

“There is a project to undermine the political power of Tamil people in the northern province and Sri Lanka generally,” Alan Keenan, a project director and senior analyst at the International Crisis Group, said in a telephone interview. Sri Lanka has a long history of Sinhalese and Tamil militancy against perceived injustice, he noted. “They are playing with fire if they continue so harshly to deny Tamils their rights.”

Sonia 'anguished' over denial of rights to Sri Lankan Tamils

 March 19, 2013

Congress President Sonia Gandhi [ Images ] on Tuesday demanded an "independent and credible" inquiry into the violation of human rights in Sri Lanka [ Images ] even as she refused to comment on key United Progressive Alliance [ Images ] partner the Dravida Munnetra Kahzagam withdrawing support to the bgovernment at the Centre.

Voicing her pain and anguish over the "denial of legitimate political rights" to Sri Lankan Tamils, Gandhi dwelt at length on the issue at the Congress Parliamentary Party meeting in New Delhi [ Images ].

Gandhi's remarks on the Sri Lankan Tamils issue came ahead of the DMK's announcement withdrawing support to the UPA.

"I have nothing to say now," Gandhi said when later asked about the pull out by DMK.

"The plight of Tamils in Sri Lanka is close to our hearts. Our support for equal rights and equal protection of the laws to them has been unwavering since the days of Indiraji and Rajivji.

"We are most pained at the manner in which their legitimate political rights continue to be denied to them. We are anguished by reports of unspeakable atrocities on innocent civilians and children, especially during the last days of the conflict in 2009," she said in her four-page speech.

The Congress president also spoke on the political challenges before the party ahead of the 2014 Lok Sabha elections and impending assembly polls this year in a number of states besides underlining the need to focus on gender issues including passage of the anti-rape Bill and measures like Lokpal for fighting corruption.

Maintaining that reports of atrocities in Sri Lanka cannot go un-investigated, Gandhi said, "That is why we demand for an independent and credible inquiry into the violation of human rights in Sri Lanka."

She also said that the plight of Indian fishermen, who are being detained or fired upon by the Sri Lankan navy, is a matter of great concern. "A permanent solution to the daily

violence against them is also imperative," Gandhi said.

Speaking on gender issues, the Congress president referred to the Delhi gang-rape cum murder case and said that after the consensus reached on the anti-rape Bill, "We should make every effort to see that these amendments are approved by both Houses before the recess begins (on March 22).”

Asking the party to face the upcoming assembly elections this year and the next Lok Sabha elections in 2014 with "confidence, professionalism and enthusiasm", she asked the partymen to counter the "intemperate and abusive language" and "deliberate falsehoods" of the main opposition party, the Bharatiya Janata Party [ Images ].

"The people have seen through the obstructionist tactics adopted by the BJP in Parliament and the deliberate falsehoods spread by it outside.

"The use of intemperate and abusive language by the BJP about our party and its leaders goes beyond the pale of civilised discussion and debate. Are we going to take this lying down. Certainly not. We will maintain our dignity and take our fight to the people," Gandhi said.

Maintaining that Congress's fight against the "malaise of corruption" continues in earnest, she said, "We are committed to the early passage of the Lokpabl bill."

Gandhi said the Congress-led government has already taken on board many of the suggestions made by various political parties on the Lokpal issue and will continue to press for its early adoption.

At the same time, "We also believe that Lokpal by itself will not solve the problem of corruption in daily life of the aam aadmi. Until we revamp the way we provide services and benefits to the common man, we will not make a sizeable dent on corruption."

The Congress president cited the UPA's ambitious Direct Benefits Transfer Programme, also called 'Aap Ka Paisa Aap Ke Haath' in this regard, noting that the measure will ensure effective delivery of all cash payments like scholarships, pensions, incentives, wages and some subsidies directly to the beneficiaries at their doorstep.

"This will eliminate leakages and pilferage. Both the Centre and the states are part of this initiative. Even so, we must, as a party, take an active interest in its implementation," she told the party MPs.

This was the first meeting of Gandhi with party MPs after the Jaipur [ Images ] Chintan Shivir.

Gandhi said the shivir and the AICC meeting have provided a clear roadmap for the party and told the MPs that they have a key role in implementing the commitments expressed in the Jaipur declaration.

Hailing the Union budget as "progressive and pragmatic", Gandhi said that given the circumstances, the budget has rightly focused on reviving economic growth and bringing inflation under check.

"It is reassuring that despite tough economic and financial conditions, it continues to give top priority to our flagship programmes, to the interest of the aam aadmi and the most marginalised," she said, praising the rail budget for laying the much needed stress on better services with focus on safety and sanitation.

The recent terror strikes in Srinagar [ Images ] and Hyderabad also came in for mention in Gandhi's speech. Extending her heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families, she said these incidents show that "we simply cannot lower our vigil".

Gandhi said "remarkable progress" has been made in the last few years in Jammu and Kashmir [ Images ] "under the leadership and personal interest taken by the prime minister".

"Economic development has gathered pace. The launch of rail services in the Valley, is an example of how much infrastructure and connectivity have expanded...Tourism has been flourishing. A more trusting atmosphere was in the making until it was interrupted by certain incidents and the terrorist attack on a CRPF camp," she said.

"Yet we should take note of the cry of pain and anguish emanating from some sections of society there," she said.

The Congress president expressed happiness that one of the key recommendations of the party's sub-group for setting up a national bank for women and women self-help groups, found mention in the budget proposals.

Hailing this as a "landmark announcement" that needed to implemented urgently, Gandhi said that since SHGs have transformed the lives of rural women in several parts of the country, the government is now aiming to take the SHG model to every part of the country.

"Through Aajeevika, the National Rural Livelihoods Mission, we are now aiming to take the SHG model to every part of the country, touching the lives of seven crore women. The new national bank for women will play a key role in providing credit to these SHGs," the Congress president said.

She recalled that the party had pledged in the Jaipur declaration that women, particularly those vulnerable, would be provided with a decent pension after the age of 60 years and that destitute, deserted and widowed women between the age of 18 and 60 years are taken care of.

"I am confident that the government will take into account and make a suitable announcement when the National Social Assistance Programme is restructured," she said.

Gandhi said the Jaipur Chintan Shivir provided an opportunity for a free and frank discussion on many issues and that "we must institutionalise such interactions at various levels".

Noting that a number of landmark bills will come for discussion in Parliament after the recess, the Congress president said that "we will strive for a consensus on them".

"Our party, too, must argue forcefully in favour of these legislations both inside Parliament and outside," Gandhi said.

Terming as "historic" the Right to Fair Compensation in Land Acquisition and Rehabilitation and Resettlement Bill, she said that landowners and landless will benefit significantly and tribal communities will be empowered by this.

Gandhi said the National Food Security Bill is a key commitment in the Congress’s 2009 manifesto.

"This will free people from hunger, our children from malnutrition and ensure that no one starves in our country. Once cleared by the Cabinet, we must push for its passage in this session," she said.

Maintaining that the Congress-led UPA government heralded a new culture of transparency by enacting Right To Information Act in 2005, she said the new bill dealing with the redressal of public grievances and time-bound delivery of public services will take the RTI revolution further.

Referring to the Delhi gangrape case, Gandhi said, "A few months ago, we have mourned the loss of a courageous young woman. She became the face of our nation's women -- its mothers, its sisters and its daughters. The government immediately constituted a high-powered committee under Justice J S Verma to suggest changes in existing laws to provide for speedy justice and enhanced punishment in cases of sexual assault and atrocities.

"The Cabinet has just approved several far-reaching amendments to the Indian Penal Code, the Code of Criminal Procedure and the Indian Evidence Act. It has taken note of the consensus reached at the all-party meeting. We should make every effort to see that these amendments are approved by both Houses before the recess begins," Gandhi told the MPs.

Struggle will continues until the last Tamil exist. Kasi Ananthan roar

Tuesday , 19 March 2013

Tamil Eelam Liberation war will continue, even though India will be assistance or not. There would not be any flexibility on this. We will protest until the last Tamil exist in Eelam.

Without saying Tamil Eelam Liberation tigers will resurrect, they are living which I want to explicitly say was said by Eelam Liberation Poet living in India Kasi Anathan.

He gave an emotional interview to an Indian TV expressed his views.

If Eelam Tamils does not acquire redemption in another five years, Tamil people cannot live as a national race. The ethnic genocide which began is still continuing.

Tamil child in the age of five years old  was killed by dropping inside a boiling pan. Mother's uterus was slit and the Tamil baby was hit to the wall and murdered.

Children massacred and slayed by Sinhalese, until Balachandran. India was not able to protect our Tamil children.  We were not protected not even by any country in the world even not by the United Nation.

To protect us, there is no wrong our children carrying weapons, as there is no alternative. If we are protected we will abandon everything.

In this situation the Tamil Eelam liberation tiger movement originated. Our rebels are innocent.  Our rebels are called as freedom fighters,  in year 2008 by  Hilary Clinton.

Today Tamil Eelam tigers will resurrect was said, but I explicitly state, they are living.  I with much pride say, India's liberation war inspired us to combat.  But comparing to Indian war, our struggle is incredible.

Sri lanka is three times bigger than Tamil Eelam.  Tamil Nadu is double than Sri Lanka.  India consist 26 states similar to Tamil Nadu.

In this massive Indian struggle, only 30 thousand persons died, but in our Tamil Eelam conflict, three lacks of people have died.

We did not fight as fanatics or  not with arrogance. We did not say Sinhalese should be scorched and get destroyed.

Affection is also for the Eelam youths who are carrying out the fights. Does they do not have the desire for marriage, does they do not have the feeling to live, India should understand our struggle and assist us.

China and Russia assisted for Vietnam conflict.  Arabian countries assisted for the Palestine struggle. But none helped us in our struggle. That's why we are fighting.

We welcome when the Indian peace keeping forces entered Eelam. When India dropped food parcels from the aircraft we trusted that India is standing on behalf of our settlement.

But after some days instead of food parcels bombs were showered. We did not expect this. Conflict between Indian military and Tamil Eelam Liberation tigers are not essential.

After so many cruelties, we still say India should be with us. We desire India should support the US resolution.

India and UN are degrading the demands of TamiL Eelam struggle.  13th amendment which was vulnerable was introduced by the Indian government.

They used the wording north and east region in that. But they did not quote South Sudan, Timor or Bosnia, but why when it is stated TamiL Eelam, instead it denotes as  north and east region

What we do in Sri Lanka is not war between regions. But it is a struggle between two national ethnics.  When mentioning about this why denying to quote as Tamil Eelam.

 In the year 2009 UN report, concerning the war crimes occurred in Sri lanka,

about the human rights violations, was not mentioned at the Human Rights Council. Why in any place, it was not mentioned about ethnic genocide. What happened in Eelam was totally ethnic genocide.

Eelam Tamils is a national race, which should be focused into India. Some compare Eelam Tamil ciris with Kashmir. That is completely erroneous. Kashmiri can become India's Prime Minister but Eelam Tamil cannot become a President.

Many are saying about Sri Lanka's sovereignty and integrity. None cannot ignore if monocracy exist in any country.

During Hitler's rule in Germany, America, Britain, Germany hurdled and blasted Germany. India on behalf of Bengalines separated Bangladesh from Pakistan.

Indian aircrafts intruded Sri Lanka air surface dropped food parcels. Hence we expected India will execute its responsibility. The resolution submitted by America in Geneva will not grant freedom for Eelam .

Even though India will assist or not, the Tamil Eelam Liberation war will continue, until the last Tamil exist, we will fight.Cyclone will strike  Eelam.  It will blaze, but we will redeem the Tamil Eelam

Cannot send country to hell for regime’s sins: Ranil

By Uditha Jayasinghe  -Tuesday 19th March 2013
As the Mattala festivities unfolded, Opposition coalition Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe attempted to bring the spotlight back to the impending UNHRC vote and reiterated his call for an open dialogue with the Government to protect the country’s international image.

Flanked by his fellow members of the Vipakshaye Virodhaya, Wickremesinghe insisted that the “country cannot be sent to hell for the sins of the Government”. Calling for the country to be decoupled from the Rajapaksa regime, he pointed out that the country was on the brink of being internationally shamed once again when the UNHRC vote takes place this Friday.

He also stressed that if the resolution was passed, the country could be opened to investigations by UN rapporteurs and urged the Government to work with the Vipakshaye Virodhaya as well as Tamil and Muslim parties to put together a timeline and implementation framework for crucial points outlined in the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC) report.
“It was the Government that appointed the LLRC under the advisement of President Rajapaksa. They came out with these recommendations that were subsequently accepted by the international community. Therefore, why are they so reluctant to implement them?” he questioned.
Wickremesinghe charged that the Government had not sought the views of the Opposition when formulating the Action Plan for the implementation of the LLRC and therefore the whole process lacked credibility. He emphasised that it was still not too late for all parties to meet before 31 May to hammer out the specifications for the timeline and implementation mechanism before the UNHRC acted.
“Even after the first resolution was passed, the Government was given one year by the international community, but it failed to implement the LLRC satisfactorily. Now there are pro-LTTE groups in Europe that are lobbying for various boycotts. Some are trying to discourage tourists, others are saying not to consume Ceylon Tea, and still others are attempting to stop consumption of Lankan-produced apparel. If this situation is not addressed Sri Lanka’s economy could be seriously affected,” he added.
Responding to a remark by Economic Development Minister Basil Rajapaksa who had dismissed calls for talks and instead expressed confidence in mass street demonstrations to keep the international community at bay, Wickremesinghe noted that “there is no one else for the Government to blame. They might as well have protest marches in front of a mirror if they want to honestly target those responsible for bringing the country to such a desperate point.”
He went on to say: “If the regime does not help the country, then we are forced to tell the world that this is the fault of the Government and not the country.”
All other leaders of the Vipakshaye Virodhaya also spoke subsequently, with many of them condemning the attacks on Sri Lankans in Tamil Nadu and urging the Government to act by addressing internal human rights issues.

GoSL rejects joint resolution, stage set for Geneva vote

Move intended to expose hypocrites

By Shamindra Ferdinando-March 17, 2013, 9:39 pm 

Sri Lanka’s refusal to move a joint resolution on accountability issues, at the ongoing United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) sessions, has set the stage for a vote on the second US motion, targeting the country, since the conclusion of the conflict in May 2009. The vote will take place on March 21.

The first US resolution was passed in March last year with 24 voting for and 15 against with eight abstaining. The UNHRC comprises 47 countries and is divided into five regional groups - African States (13 seats), Asian States (13 seats), Latin American and Caribbean States (8 seats), Western European and other States (7 seats), Eastern European States (6 seats). Members serve for a period of three years and are not eligible for immediate re-election after serving two consecutive terms.

The US explored the possibility of having Sri Lanka’s consent to present the resolution, co-sponsored by those who had voted in support of the first resolution, at its 19th sessions last year.

Government sources told The Island that a vote would expose those who had sided with the US for their benefit as well as countries influenced by the LTTE rump. Sources claimed that the US had been seeking to move the resolution with Sri Lanka’s consensus as many countries wanted to avoid a high profile vote. Responding to a query, a senior official said that many governments had indicated to the US their reluctance to throw their weight behind a country specific resolution targeting Sri Lanka.In fact, the US had been always opposed to country specific resolutions, sources said. India’s position on country specific resolution, too, had been the same sources said.

Well informed sources said that the number of governments likely to abstain at the forthcoming vote was expected to exceed the eight registered last year. Asked whether the government was concerned about India voting for the US resolution, like it did at the last time in Geneva (19th sessions), sources said that India, too, had come under heavy fire by the UNHRC at the 19th sessions. South African national Ms Margaret Sekkaggya, the Special Rapporteur on human rights defenders and the Special Rapporteur on freedom of expression lambasted India at the 19th sessions demanding far reaching constitutional changes.

Sekkaggya’s statement drew an angry response from India at the same sessions.

British media outfit Channel 4 News propagating lies against Sri Lanka, had produced controversial documentary titled ‘Kashmir’s torture trail’ targeting India, sources recalled, adding that an adjournment debate in the House of Commons targeted both India and Sri Lanka over accountability issues. Those engaged in protests in India calling for Indian Central government to back the US resolution should realize the attack on Sri Lanka could boomerang on them, sources said.

Sources said that Sri Lanka would request a friendly country to call for a vote. The following is the full group UNHRC members:

Student’s protest escalated to the maximum level, wherever turned.

Tuesday , 19 March 2013

The protests continuously held by the students has escalated to the maximum in Tamil Nadu insisting war crime investigation against Sri Lanka government and India to support the resolution brought in Geneva against Sri Lanka.

Students from various districts of Tamil Nadu have joined this demonstration. Lawyers in support of students have stepped down to the field.

Chennai

The students from the Chennai University have commenced a protest inside the university premises from yesterday and more than three thousand students are participating.

In support of students, lawyers have joined the rallies. Lawyers surrendered the custom office located in Chennai yesterday morning demanded “a referendum to be held for Tamil Eelam”, such slogans were chanted at the demonstration.

Police attempted to carry out violence against the lawyers who attended the protest which caused severe friction between the police and the lawyers.

Madurai

Six Lawyers from Madurai district commenced a hunger protest from yesterday. Eight demands including India should vote against Sri Lanka in Geneva are the demands for the protest.

Meanwhile thousands of students from many regions from Tamil Nadu, namely Ramanathapuram Viruthunagar, Tiruchi, Velore, Kovai, Selam including many areas, students were involved in demonstrations against Sri Lanka.

12 students from Palaniyandavar Arts and Cultural Centre located at Palani district have commenced hunger protest.

Thousands and more students from Thindugal district yesterday suddenly organized a processesion, which caused severe traffic congestion in the locality.

15 students from Thiruvannamalai District Government Art College organized a rally on foot to Chennai. The procession will reach on foot to Chennai today and will surrender the Sri Lanka vice-consulate office and will conduct a protest was said.

Sri Lanka Tamil refugees located at Eerodu district Bawanichagari were engaged in demonstration demanding an immediate economy sanction imposed against Sri Lanka, and immediate international probe against Sri Lanka. 

Puthuchery

Thousands and more students from Puthucheri state organized a massive rally yesterday up to Puthuchery parliament.  Demands were “India’s support for the resolution brought against Sri Lanka in Geneva was unanimously passed at the Puthuchery parliament yesterday.

Idintha Karai

Women from Idinthakarai locality close to Koodankulam Nuclear station were engaged in black flag protest against Sri Lanka government.

Continuous protest

Human chain protest is held  today Tuesday from Chennai New College up to Kottai and on Thursday they will organize a demonstration to block  trains was notified by the Tamil Eelam students movement.

The entire Engineering College students from Tamil Nadu have advanced protest against Sri Lanka.

In this state, Annamali University has notified the immediate closure of entire Engineering Colleges located in Tamil Nadu and students to vacate the student’s hostels before 7.00 p.m today. 

Attacks against fishermen

At a state protests against Sri Lanka in India has heighten in Tamil Nadu, attacks against the Tamil Nadu fishermen by Sri Lanka navy has got intensified.

Some fishermen engaged in fishing trade yesterday were attacked by Sri Lanka navy force. Condemning this act the fishermen were on strike.

Tamil people living in Japan have advanced protests against Sri Lanka government. Insisting referendum for Tamil Eelam, international investigations against Sri Lanka, an immediate economy sanction are the demands by the Tamils living in Japan, and a supplication was handed over yesterday to Japanese Prime Minister.

Karuna softens, seeks House resolution

Karunanidhi

Chennai/New Delhi, March 18: M. Karunanidhi today climbed down and sought a Parliament resolution condemning the “genocide” of Tamils in Sri Lanka and demanding a time-bound international war crimes probe, but the Centre will find even this difficult to carry out.

Yesterday, the DMK president had declared his party would quit the UPA if India failed to facilitate a similar declaration at the United Nations Human Rights Council by introducing amendments to a US-sponsored resolution.

Karunanidhi softened his stand after a two-and-a-half-hour meeting with three senior Union ministers — A.K. Antony, P. Chidambaram and Ghulam Nabi Azad — who had rushed to Chennai to placate him and stave off a crisis.

“I conveyed this (the revised stand) to the three Union ministers and they have promised to do the needful. If they carry out this demand, the tensions could subside,” the former Tamil Nadu chief minister said after the talks.

Although Karunanidhi claimed the Congress had agreed to move the resolution in Parliament, the cabinet trio were non-committal.

All Azad would say was: “We wanted to discuss in person the contents of the letter Karunanidhiji had written to the Prime Minister and Mrs (Sonia) Gandhi. We have discussed threadbare the contents of the letter and we will report back to the Prime Minister and the Congress president.”

Although the Congress had tried to reach out to the DMK patriarch by dispatching the three heavyweight ministers, it also told him he had over-reached himself by coming up with an untenable demand and linking it to his party’s support.

The three ministers explained to Karunanidhi that moving amendments to an American resolution at the UN body was not technically feasible. It was Karunanidhi who apparently came up with the compromise formula after the talks had remained deadlocked for almost two hours.

But even now, it is doubtful how far the Congress can implement the face-saver without jeopardising its diplomatic ties with Colombo. So, the next round of tensions between the allies could be about the wording of the resolution and how to push it through.

While the DMK will ask for a resolution moved by the government, the Congress might suggest a private member’s resolution.

The Centre doesn’t want to antagonise Sri Lanka, where China is spreading its wings, at a time relations with Nepal too have come under strain.

Even at the UN, where India once voted against Colombo, it does not want to repeatedly send out negative signals. New Delhi also realises that supporting an intrusive US resolution at the world body could hold implications for Kashmir.

External affairs minister Salman Khurshid had refused to spell out the government’s stand when the matter was debated in Parliament but assured the members about “keeping their sentiments in mind”.

If the resolution Karunanidhi wants is indeed passed in Parliament, he can flaunt it as an achievement better than the Assembly resolution passed by the Jayalalithaa government in Chennai.

Keeping up the game of one-upmanship, Jayalalithaa today dashed off a letter to the Prime Minister. It demanded that India put forward amendments to the US resolution, seeking “a credible, independent, international mechanism to prosecute genocide, war crimes and war criminals and the accused should stand trial before an international court”.

Crisis talks

Chidambaram, Antony and Azad have excellent rapport with Karunanidhi and the decision to send all three indicated Sonia’s desperation to salvage the situation. The Congress sent them only after a categorical statement from Chennai that the pullout threat was genuine.

The trio skipped an important cabinet meeting to fly to Chennai as the DMK’s support has become crucial after Trinamul’s exit. A pullout would have reduced the government to a minority and left it at the mercy of Mulayam Singh Yadav, who is flexing his muscles every day and asking his cadres to get ready for elections later this year.

One of the three ministers’ mandates was to extract a promise that the DMK would extend support from outside even if it chose to leave the government.

A senior MP from the DMK who is close to Karunanidhi explained why the party had taken such a hard line.

“Students are out on the streets. Once that happens, political parties can only swim along with the public sentiments,” he said.

“This student agitation is reminiscent of the one in 1965 against the Centre's imposition of Hindi on Tamil Nadu. The agitation has gone out of the hands of even diehard pro-LTTE leaders like Vaiko.”

He added: “India should intervene bilaterally like Rajiv Gandhi did. If the Congress is only concerned about protecting or increasing its commercial interests in Sri Lanka instead of fighting for the rights of the Tamils there, it will be very difficult for us to continue supporting it because we have an election to fight in Tamil Nadu.”