TNA MP Sumanthiran Says Eviction of Muslims From North was Nothing But Ethnic Cleansing

Tamil National Alliance Parliamentarian M. A. Sumanthiran has stated that the expulsion of Muslims from North was an act of ethnic cleansing. Eviction of Muslim community from North within 24 hours was nothing but ethnic cleansing he said.

M.A. Sumanthiran MP paying tribute to S.J.V. Chelvanayagam in Batticaloa~May 2013

Sumanthiran made these comments which he described as the “bitter truth”, at the 36th death anniversary of S.J.V. Chelvanayagam meeting held in Vantharumoolai, Batticaloa. Chelvanayakam is the founder of the Ilankai Thamil Arasu Katchi also known as the Federal Party.

“The international arena will not accept that ethnic cleansing is in progress against us until we accept that we are also responsible for ethnic cleansing”, Sumanthiran further stated.

He questioned whether it is fair for them to neglect the Muslim community in Sri Lanka and request the international arena to mediate in preserving the rights of Tamil community.

“Australia must talk about us.US must talk about us. All states in India must talk about us. But we should not talk about the Muslims. Is this fair?” he questioned.

Mr. Sumanthiran’s speech in Tamil can be heard here:

Possible Role Of The Senior Sri Lankans In Resurrecting Democracy And Justice

By Laksiri Fernando -May 9, 2013

Dr. Laksiri Fernando

Seniors in different societies play different roles. Some years back when I first came across the name (Japan) Silver Volunteers (JSV), I wondered which ‘Silva’ had founded that organization in Japan. No, I was mistaken hearing the indistinct pronunciation. It was not Silva but Silver to mean, in our parlance, ‘grey haired’ generation. These JSV people even go overseas for voluntary work and had come to Sri Lanka as well. This generation in Japan exceeds 20 per cent of the population. In Sri Lanka this group is reaching 10 per cent, to mean the generation of over 60s.

What I am trying to say does not necessarily depend on the size of the group, but their experience, knowledge and unique capacity as seniors. In Australia, National Seniors Australia is a large non-profit making organization working for the welfare and recreation of the seniors. I am not even thinking of that kind of an organization. In Belgium, some seniors are running a hidden-camera TV comedy called ‘Benidorm Bastards’ which is of course humorous and also critical of hypocrisy in society. During the Vietnam War some seniors in the US took to the streets and protested alongside the young against that despicable war. In recent times, again the American seniors are voicing their protest against the insufficient Medicare system among other issues.

There were few senior citizens’ organizations in Sri Lanka few years back but except for one or two, others were not involved in social or political issues. Seniors today are also a sector most hit by the current inflation, financial scams, electricity rate hike without any direct concessions given on the part of the government, unlike in many other countries under similar circumstances. They are a sector most neglected.

However, more than the role of such organizations or such issues, what I am proposing here is a role for the seniors who were prominent in public life in the past, either in the public or the private sector as administrators, professionals, academics or even politicians, in defending the country’s diminishing international profile by fighting against violence, corruption and communalism and standing for democracy and justice. This would be a great service for defending the country’s deteriorating democracy, human rights and justice and fairness to all individuals and communities. If someone asks me if I am referring to the elite, yes, I am referring to them without neglecting some of the seniors coming from the working class or the trade union movement.

Seniors undoubtedly can play a major role in resurrecting democracy and on the issues of justice. They were born before or just after the independence (1948) in an atmosphere of much hope and promise for the country’s progress and development. They have experienced the best traditions of this country either in liberal or left politics within all communities; the Sinhalese, the Tamils and the Muslims. They entertained differences of opinion, at times heated ones, and knew how to resolve them through dialogue and negotiations. They have had much exposure to the international trends during the Vietnam War, the student’s movements in the 1960s, the collapse of communism and debates on colonialism or the non-aligned movement. Their views by and large are not tainted by narrow East West conflict, nationalism or completely self-centred ethnic or religious interests while conscious about justice in all these issues and areas. They are not narrow nationalist but may be enlightened patriots. They are in essence an enlightened generation although at times had to serve the country or different regimes almost suppressing their genuine views or true conscience some being public servants or judicial officers.

At retirement and without other obligations, they are now free from most of these encumbrances except what they choose voluntarily. In essence they are free. They also may be largely free from family obligations or worries on financial matters except perhaps on health. This is their strength. They can be brave. They can be quite a ‘nuisance’ to a tyrannical regime which is the case in Sri Lanka today. Becoming at least a ‘nuisance’ is a profound non-violent method of struggle.

I have seen some of them writing to this forum as well as to others on public issues of national importance expressing their genuine and frank opinions. Although they have not expressed the same opinion, they have aired their opposition to the three main scourges of this country; violence, corruption and communalism. There are other issues that they have touched upon such as inter-communal justice or injustice. Some of these senior writers are: Rajasingham Narendran, RMB Senanayake, Latheef Farook, Savitri Goonesekere,Jayantha Dhanapala, Austin Fernando, S Sivathasan, CV Wigneswaran, SL Gunasekera, Chandra Jayaratne,Lal Wijenayake and Charitha Ratwatte to mention a few but not in a particular order. I have mentioned their names without their titles. There are others who have always been vocal like Basil Fernando or Jehan Pereraperhaps among the seniors, and others who are young that I don’t intend to mention.

My main concern however would be about many others who could make a definitive contribution if they express their views or determination. They should organize. I beg to mention few names with their indulgence. Some of these are Bradman Weerakoon, Seelan Kadirgamar, Kumari Jayawardena, Laksiri Jayasuriya, Godfrey Gunatilleke, Kusumsiri Balapatabendi, Ranjith Amerasinghe, Lloyd Fernando, Chandrasena Maliyadda and KHJ Wijayadasa. I mention KHJ Wijayadasa with some gratification as he was one of my teachers who taught briefly at St Sebastian’s College, Moratuwa, but first inspired me to learn beyond a textbook. They and many others particularly from the Tamil and Muslim communities could play an important role in collectively inspiring the younger generations to fight for democracy and social justice and particularly against corruption, violence and communalism in society. I should also mention another name and that is former President Chandrika Kumaratunga whose contribution to a collective of seniors would be immensely useful.

I have also noticed many commentators to this forum in pseudonyms but appear to be seniors judging from the rapid ‘intrusions’ that they make. I am not referring to the few ‘regime defenders’ but to others who can come in their real names as much as possible and make a collective contribution. Alter all seniors have nothing much to lose, except perhaps their ‘self-inflicted chains.’ I am not proposing anything adventurous but to become an ‘intellectual nuisance’ to the regime and its acolytes. They all do not need to write, but they can get together and write petitions or statements and perhaps gather and mark their protests on issues relevant to democracy and human rights or holding a placard or poster. They can become a bigger nuisance that way. The government would not dare to do anything to the respected seniors, hopefully.

The strength of the seniors is also shown by the LLRC Report. If not for their vast experience, empathy for genuine human grievances, enlightened and democratic values the Report could not have received the national and international acclamation. Those commission members are an example for the others. Seniors should refuse any service to this brutal and tyrannical regime. Even if they have any ‘duty to perform’ it should be in the independent spirit like demonstrated by the LLRC. This regime should be starved of all intellectual support from the academia, public servants or professionals. It should be starved to extinction.

Let me finish this article with this story. People of Geneva every year celebrate a festival called L’Escalade in mid-December. It is about a victory over the invasion of the army of Savoy to subjugate Geneva in 1602. There are many versions to the story or the festival. It is popularly said however that when the hostile army invaded the city, the seniors first asked the youth to withdraw to the jungle for safety. When the troops entered the city they were happy because only the seniors were to be seen with women. Then they started celebrating the victory. Women in the meanwhile were cooking a large cauldron of soup. The seniors created nuisance by cracking jokes and ridiculing the troops. With the help of the seniors, the women then poured boiling soup over the celebrating troops. They were confused and disoriented. Then the city youth came and chased away the invaders. There were no soldiers in Geneva, but free men and women. This shows the power of the seniors and of course women which I forgot to specially mention in the article being a man perhaps.

India protracted silence regarding government violations. Asok K.Kantha listened to the views of civil society, did not comment.

Thursday , 09 May 2013

Confiscation of Tamil peoples land in northern region and regarding the illegal Sinhala colonization, India did not take any constructive measures. It is continuously maintaining silence was said by northern region civil society directly to Indian former Commissioner.

 

 Asok Kantha holding the position of Indian High Commissioner for Sri Lanka is promoted to a higher position met the northern region civil society two days back at the Indian Deputy High Commission Jaffna.

 

Civil society representatives attended the occasion in detail expressed the suppressions carried out against the northern Tamil people. 

 

They said, the freedom and rights enjoyed by them mainly during the period war occurred, is not existing now. The ancestry lands of Tamil people are confiscated by military and Sinhala colonization’s are carried out. 

 

Even though concerning these issues is notified, India is continuing to maintain silence. The civil society alleged, measures were not taken regarding this issues, and India is postponing its activities.  

 

 The northern region civil society expressed deeply about the critical issues, but the former High Commissioner for India to Sri Lanka did not express any views,   until the end maintained silence.   

Eelam Tamils shed blood for the sake of harmony in Sri Lanka. Karaichchi divisional council member notify

To originate harmony in Sri Lanka valuable sacrifices were rendered by Eelam Tamils. From year 1940 until now, the blood which was shed by Tamils, gave life to the Sinhala people in Sri Lanka and worldwide was said by Karaichchi divional council member S.Dayabaran.

 

With the aid from the Canadian Rehabilitation system last year 2012, August month, a Sewing Training Centre was inaugurated at Vannerikulam and the first year anniversary celebration and exhibition of stitched garments was held on last Saturday.

 

Addressing at the event he said, we are not able to live in our native land. We are living in a prejudiced atmosphere of not able carry out even a campaign for this center. A situation exist today even four persons cannot merge and talk. We are pushed to a predicament situation of not able to even protect our children.

 

A state will exist that Tamil should govern themselves which should be final.  This day would be the peaceful day for our race said Dayabaran

 

Leader of Vannerikulam Women Village Development Association headed this event and Tamil National Alliance parliament member C.Siritharan, Kilinochchi district branch Secretary retired Grama Sevaka official S.Pasupathipillai, party's Akkarayan divisional organizer Sarvanandan, party organizer Maheswaran including sewing training centre teachers, students on competition of training, members from Vannerikulam village development federation including many attended.

Wednesday , 08 May 2013

Behold The Future

By Tisaranee Gunasekara -May 9, 2013 

“Everything is going to end in violence….and who knows what limits of madness will be reached?”- Georg Forster (Works XVII)

A Presidential Offspring hammers a referee, in full view of hundreds of spectators.

An Appeal Court Judge has a temper tantrum in an international airport and throws a water bottle at another Judge.

Fellow referees do nothing either to protect their colleague during the incident or to protest against it afterwards.

The Appeal Court judges have reportedly complained to the President, but nothing is likely to come out of it. The alleged tantrum-cum-bottle-thrower had been the District Judge of Tangalle from 1987-1990 and was appointed to the Appeal Court by none other than President Rajapaksa, in violation of the 17^th Amendment[i].

Perhaps if the national media raised an outcry and society expressed its outrage, the President would have been compelled to do ‘something’. In the absence of any such reaction, it is easy for the President to do nothing.

Loutishness has become as much of a Lankan norm as injustice, abuse or corruption. Any Lankan – however non-political – can be victimised by a ruffian armed with impunity and cushioned by connections.

Rajapaksa rule is endangering Sri Lanka in far more ways than political or economic.

The arrest of Azath Salley under the PTA is symbolic of the political danger embodied in Rajapaksa rule; the electricity price hike is indicative of the economic damage the Siblings will do; the Mattala airport epitomises the environmental devastation of Familial rule.

But these may not be the deadliest Rajapaksa legacy.

In the same week that Rohitha Rajapaksa reportedly attacked a match-referee and Justice Sarath de Abrew reportedly created havoc in Bangalore air port, a student of a leading Colombo school allegedly stabbed to death a classmate. The murder happened during a discussion about organising a dansela for Wesak!

Someday, be it in years or decades, the Rajapaksas will exit the political stage, willingly or unwillingly. That their legacy will include an asphyxiated democracy, a ruined economy and ruptured institutions is indubitable. Will they also leave a society blinded by intolerance and addicted to violence?

Muammar Gaddafi’s long violent rule brutalised his subject-people; he taught them to discard pity and abandon decency; fear and self interest made them learn their lessons well. When the moment of liberation came, Libyans demonstrated that they had internalised too many of Gaddafi-habits. They killed opponents and dissenters and cheered as their former leader was dragged out from a drain and murdered.

When the military displayed the naked corpses of the Black Tigers who attacked the Saliyapura Air Force camp in October 2007, the South was outraged. That display of pity and decency was antithetical to the Rajapaksa project. In the next two years the regime made a successful effort to efface pity and outlaw decency.

During the penultimate stage of the war, some media outlets carried a picture of a Tamil family fleeing the war zone in a fruitless search for safety; an elderly man, a teenage girl and a young child (and a glimpse of a woman), sitting atop their pitiful belongings and holding their brown mongrel dog. That image should have invoked compassion in the South and would have just two years previously. Not any more; the Rajapaksa poison had seeped into Sinhala hearts and minds so deeply that pity (for the Tamil victims of war) had become synonymous with treachery and decency akin to a moral vice.

That odious morality the Rajapaksas taught and we of the South chose to learn did not die with the Tiger; it began to seep into the South and affect the way we look at everything, from anti-Muslim violence to child rape.

From being indifferent to the suffering of Tamils we have become indifferent to suffering of our fellow Sinhala-Buddhists.

For years after the victorious ending of the war, militarization is growing apace. This militarization goes hand in hand with a new commonsense which lauds power and strength and despises physical and politico-economic weakness. It has also rendered societally acceptable the zero-sum division of ‘us vs. them’. This intolerant perception, which equates difference with crime and dissent with enmity, has overstepped political boundaries into non-political spheres. According to this worldview, the one with whom we have a difference of opinion/problem becomes the ‘Other’ automatically; this ‘Other’ is always an enemy, out to undermine us in fundamental ways. This distorted logic justifies the use of violence as the first and only response in any situation, however petty, banal or personal. Arguments, discussions and debates become unnecessary; compromises are seen as betrayal. A no-holds barred total assault is enshrined as the only proper response to any problem.

This is the ideology the younger generation is made to imbibe. The young would see those with power taking the law into their hands; they would see Buddhist monks extol violence against the ‘Other’; they would hear words of pathological suspicion and hate.

With such a daily staple, how can they resist the plague bacilli of violent-intolerance?

Poisoning the Next Generation

Last September, a group of uniform-wearing students, led, abetted by a mob of parents, launched a violent attack on the incoming principal of the Vidyaloka Vidyalaya,Galle. Even police protection was of no avail; in the end the principal had to flee, to save himself.

This week, the students of that pre-eminent Sinhala-Buddhist seat of education,AnandaCollege, engaged in their own protest against their new principal. They contented themselves with shouting and lighting fire-crackers since the new principal had not arrived. What will happen when the new principal turns up? What will the teachers, the parents and the authorities do, in the face of this outbreak of hooliganism?

Violent intolerance is endemic in today’s Sri Lanka. Consequently it is but natural for the younger generation to regard intolerance as the moral-ethnical norm and violence as the most optimum way to settle any difference.

If this situation is not alleviated,Sri Lanka’s descent into criminality and ungovernability will be inevitable.

Sinhala-Buddhists, as the majority community, must take the lead in resisting the plague of violent intolerance. We must begin by abandoning our interminable search for ethno-religious enemies and political scapegoats. We must look inward; before we worry about other’s Sharia, we must take on our own Bodu Bala Sena.

When a discussion among a group of young Sinhala-Buddhist students about how Wesak should be celebrated ends in lethal violence, it says a lot about the abysmal level to which Sinhala-Buddhist society has descended.

The regime cannot resolve this issue; the Rajapaksas are a key part of the problem. They need to keep the plague bacilli alive in order to protect familial rule and dynastic succession. Preventive measures must be sought at societal level, as parents and teachers, religious leaders and opinion makers. But this effort will become an exercise in futility if we cannot let go the ‘us vs. them’ worldview. If we continue to cling to this ‘war mentality’, the day would not be far off when students assaulting teachers and children assaulting parents become as common as ethnic hatred or religious intolerance.

And our future will be even worse than our past, with or without the Rajapaksas.

---

[i] http://www.sundaytimes.lk/060528/news/7.html

http://www.thesundayleader.lk/2010/08/15/lawyers-hail-decision-to-stop-judge-from-sitting-in-court/

Deterioration of autonomy and academic freedom in the university system - FUTA

Wednesday, 08 May 2013 

The fundamental role of a contemporary university is teaching and research based on the principle of the search for unbiased truth. This role is facilitated by intellectual freedom in carrying out teaching and research, autonomy of universities, evolution of various disciplines with inherent and independent standards/priorities and internationalism. Furthermore, the Lima and Bologna declarations highlight the importance of having universities as autonomous organizations that are attractive to students and researchers across various cultures.

See full statement here

Tamil parties should amalgamate for Tamil people�s liberation. Selvam Adaikalanathan says.

Wednesday , 08 May 2013

Tamil parties getting merged, is the liberation of Tamil people, was the desire of Tamil Eelam Liberation movement Leader Sri Sabarathinam said Vanni district parliament member TELO movement Leader Selvam Adaikalanathan.

 

Demised TELO movement Leader Sri Sabarathinam's 27th commemorative day was celebrated at Kondavail Annangai Gogula Road. The event was held on the leadership of party member and Jaffna Urban Council member Vinthan Kanagarathinam. Parliament member Selvam Adaikalanathan too participated in this occasion.

 

He addressed at the event and said, we cannot achieve our liberation. We should forget our misunderstanding prevailing amongst us merge to gain liberation.

 

Our party emphasize redemption to our people consist life with freedom.  Unity is the massive stance and through this, could get back the lost many issues.

 

By originating the National Alliance of Tamil people, we could improve the solidarity and struggle for the rights of Tamil people. Failed we have to face devastation said Selvam.

 

The commemoration of demised Tamil EelamLiberation movement Leader Sri Sabarathinam's 27th anniversary was held on Monday at Urumbirai Annangai Road.

 

Tamil Eelam movement member, Jaffna urban council member Vinthan Kanagarathinam chaired the event which was held at the locality where Sabarathinam was assassinated.

 

Party members and supporters paid their tribute by lighting the flame for his portrait,  placing with garlands and sprinkling flowers.

 

Vanni district parliament members Selvam Adaikalanathan, Vinonogarathalingam, former parliament members M.Srikantha, S.K.Sivajilingam, Tamil Arasu Party C.V.K.Sivaganam, Eastern Province council members K.Karunakaram Jana, Indrakumar, Prasanna, Valigamam west divisional council Chairman Mrs.N.Iyankaran, urban council members Vinthan Kanagarathinam, A.Paranjothi, I.Rajadevan, and S.K.Korneliyaz attended the event. ,

Occupying SL military allowed to appropriate lands in Trincomalee

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 08 May 2013, 21:28 GMT]
The occupying Sri Lanka Army has been given permission to appropriate about four hundred acres of land in Trincomalee district. A decision to this effect was reached at a conference held this week at the District Secretariat. The conference was presided by the Government Agent T.T.R.De Silva, a retired Major General of the Sri Lanka Army. 

About three hundred acres including some private lands earmarked for the appropriation are located in the Trincomalee Town and Gravets Divisional Secretariat division. 

The conference was specially held with the participation of several heads of SL military and Land Appropriation Committee based in Colombo to decide on the extent of lands to be appropriated. 

Fifty acres of lands in Thiriyaay, a Tamil village and about fifty acres in Pulmoaddai, a Muslim village, are also to be appropriated for the use of the occupying Sri Lanka Navy in these villages.

Uthayan Office In Jaffna Set On Fire Again

By Colombo Telegraph -

Early this morning at around 4.45, three armed men came to the Uthayan Newspaper office at Kasturiar Road in Jaffna and having fired shots in the air entered the premises. They fired inside the premises also and chased away the employees, none of whom were fortunately injured.

Thereafter they poured fuel and burnt the main printing machine and the stacks of newspaper that were there. The printing machine has been damaged beyond repair. This is the sixth in a long series of attacks on Uthayan in recent times, in the heavily militarized environs of the Jaffna and Kilinochchi districts. Uthayan belongs to TNA Jaffna Parliamentarian, E Saravanapavan.

“Within a couple of hours of this attack, the Director General of the Media Centre for National Security stated that ‘investigations’ have revealed that this is an inside job done in order to tarnish the government’s image.This is astonishing, nay, very revealing indeed!” says TNA.

Udayan fanning communal flames - Maj. Gen. Hathurusinghe

Rakshana Sriyantha

The Editorial published in the Udayan Newspaper on April 30 was a deliberate attempt to stoke the flames of communalism in this country once again and drive the Tamil people towards another war, Security Forces Commander in the North Major General Mahinda Hathurusinghe said.

He said the Editorial stated that the government had resorted to political deceit by killing time to hold the Northern Provincial Council elections.

"However, the government is forced to hold the election due to international pressure. Now the government is acquiring the traditional lands belonging to the people in the North prior to the elections with the intention of giving them over to Sinhala people. Now the government has started settling Sinhalese in the North in a subtle manner. Certain politicians in the North are only holding candles (Kavadi) to the government," the Udayan Editorial had claimed.

Maj Gen Hathurusinghe commenting on this Editorial said it was an attempt made by the owner of the Udayan newspaper to further his political prospects by taking undue advantage of the internal split in the TNA. This could be stated as a very unpatriotic statement.

He said as civilian life should be brought back to normal before an election is held, the resettlement programme is now being completed. The government's sole intention was to hold an election in the North soon as it never feared to face elections, he said. He also said the presence of the armed forces in the North is also being drastically reduced. The armed forces strength which was 43,000 during 2007-2008 period has now reduced to 13,350.

He said the army camps set up at Subash and Gnanam hotels in Jaffna have been withdrawn and the hotels are now in operation as normal.

The Udayan Editor was jealous of the friendship and amity prevailing between the armed forces and the general public in the North. As such the paper was trying to fan the flames of communalism once again to set the Tamils against the security forces.

People who realized this Udayan tactic were now holding demonstrations protesting against the removal of army camps.

UN High Commissioner For Human Rights Can Now Visit Sri Lanka With Authority

By S. V. Kirubaharan - May 9, 2013 

S. V. Kirubaharan

“The significance of the US draft is the establishment of an international mechanism to monitor an internal process.” - Tamara Kunanayakam, Sri Lanka’s representative at the UN Geneva, 2011-2012, in an interview on 17 March 2013

* The resolution gives monitoring powers to the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights – OHCHR. An external mechanism is mandated to monitor the Government of Sri Lanka!

* With this resolution, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights – HCHR can insist that a team from her office be allowed into Sri Lanka.

* The OHCHR has the right to have many human rights officers in Colombo, for monitoring future violations.

* This resolution allows the HCHR to visit Sri Lanka with authority, not once, but as many times as she likes. Therefore, ironically, Sri Lanka’s fervent wish that she visit the country will be accomplished at the earliest. Though it will be to scrutinise Sri Lanka’s human Rights record – rather than bolster its human rights image, as the government had wanted.

* The visit of the UN HCHR to Sri Lanka in the near future will be completely different to the visit made by her predecessor, Louis Arbour, which was in response to an invitation that was not backed by any UN resolution.

* If Sri Lanka says to the HCHR that she cannot visit and monitor, this will be clearly interpreted as bad faith. The Office of the High Commissioner already has an officer in Colombo, and will send more people to monitor and is mandated to do so.

Now let me go into details of the latest resolution – A/HRC/CC/L.1,Rev1 on Sri Lanka.

The effects of this resolution can be underestimated if various factors are not properly analysed. There is no point, however understandable it might be, in mixing the demand for immediate fulfilment of political aspirations (as some Tamils are tending to do) with the resolution process in the Human Rights Council – HRC.

With 23 years of experience behind us, it is our duty to explain the depths of this resolution. If anyone still has doubts, they need only to look at the Sri Lankan’s government response to the resolution, which shows how worried and upset they are by it. To please their voters, of course, they make bold and defiant statements.

In the eyes of Sri Lanka

Rajapaksa’s envoy to the HRC rejected the resolution outright, condemning it as “highly intrusive.” He claimed that the government had “rehabilitated 12,000” Tamil detainees and that the Northern Province had experienced 27 per cent economic growth last year.

The economic growth claim simply refers to construction of roads and bridges in the north built to attract investment and tourists. All those figures are subject to independent verification.

Who are the real beneficiaries of this construction work? Certainly not Tamils. It is all for Sinhalese businessmen and contractors who employ Sinhala workers. Under military occupation, most of the people who have been devastated by war are living in poverty in the North and East.

In reality, those who have been so-called ‘rehabilitated’ and others have been placed under constant monitoring by military intelligence. The number of ex-combatants released is exaggerated. The government does not have the actual figures.

Sri Lanka never uttered a word about those who surrendered to the security forces in May 2009. Thousands of youths and men surrendered, witnessed by their family members. But the government says that it does not have any information about them. The way 11-year-old Balachandran was brutally murdered, however, gives us a clue about the fate of others. It is strongly believed that under direct orders from the Secretary of Defence, they were all summarily executed.

Enough is enough. The HRC resolution is actively endorsed, guaranteed, by the international community. Let’s concentrate on the positive side of this resolution, rather than, in effect, joining hands with the Rajapaksa’s government by rejecting it.

High Commissioner for Human Rights

The report (A/HRC/22/38/Add.1) of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, on advice and technical assistance for Sri Lanka, dated 11 February 2013, was widely appreciated. But many never realized that this report was the outcome of the Resolution passed on Sri Lanka in March 2012. In other words, without that resolution, the HCHR wouldn’t have had the authority to issue a special report on Sri Lanka. This example shows how practical and far-reaching benefits can result from a resolution.

Of course, some people would like impractical issues to be included in the resolution in the UN Human Rights Council – HRC. As I said in the past, the HRC has its limitations. Of course, reference to International investigations can be included in the HRC resolution. The US and other supporting states are cautiously moving towards this. The US has already said that an ‘international investigation’ must be the next step.

However, under any circumstances, the demand for a referendum on Independence and the imposing of an economic embargo will not be included in a HRC resolution. The HRC is not the right forum for any country resolutions on these issues.

For these issues to be incorporated into a UN resolution, either the particular demands should be made to the UN General Assembly – UNGA or to the UN Security Council – UNSC in New York. It should be noted that the UNGA has 193 states and the UNSC has five permanent members with veto powers: China, Russia, France, UK and USA. This indicates the difficulty in materializing these demands.

Economic embargo

An economic embargo and a boycott of Sri Lankan products are two different things. For a long time, the boycott of Sri Lankan products has been a talk-show among Tamils. Regarding an economic embargo by the international community, we will have to wait until the UN enforces it. But if the will existed in the diaspora and amongst Tamils globally, Sri Lankan products can be successfully boycotted.

In 2005, in a public meeting in Strasbourg, France, I spoke about the boycott of Sri Lankan products. The media covered this speech widely. The following day, I was blamed and criticized by Tamil shop-keepers who asked me whether I would pay for the stock of Sri Lankan products lying in their stores. Knowingly or unknowingly, every member of the Tamil diaspora contributed to the Sri Lankan economy, and it’s prolonging and winning the war. Today things are going from bad to worse. If a person walks into any Tamil shop in any country, he/she can see that more than 50% of the items in those shops are from Sri Lanka. Who are the consumers of these items? Why are we demanding the UN to impose an economic embargo on Sri Lanka, and not doing what we can ourselves?

Recently I saw a news item that some activists went into a market in Canada, demanding that clothes made in Sri Lanka should not be sold. This may be right, but before going into the market, shouldn’t they have walked into Tamil shops in Canada and demanded that goods produced in Sri Lanka should not be sold?

Do the politicians who take the line of the Sri Lankan government on the UN resolution understand the value of the boycott of Sri Lankan products? Does the Tamil diaspora understand the pain, hardship, suffering of our fellow Tamils living in the North and East? If so, why are they pumping their money into the Sri Lankan economy?

Therefore, before we demand the United Nations impose an economic embargo on Sri Lanka, we need to put our own house in order. Otherwise, this will be seen as a silly demand, bullying the international community.

Here I would like to re-call Mahatma Gandhi’s non-violent, civil disobedience and Swadeshi policy during the Indian Independence struggle. Mahatma Gandhi maintained the swadeshi policy, a boycott of goods made by the British. He wore the traditional Indian dress, woven with yarn, boycotting British textiles. During that period there was neither the United Nations nor any other international institution to enforce an economic embargo. Mahatma Gandhi’s policy played a part, along with crucial contribution of Subash Chandra Bose to the Independence of India.

Also we should take into account what happened during the apartheid regime in South Africa. A massive international campaign to boycott South African goods and events eventually played a significant role in bringing down apartheid and shaping political changes.

An interesting question is, why don’t Tamil shop-keepers in the West and the diaspora sell and consume good quality food items available from countries other than Sri Lanka? Why is it that food and other items in large quantities are imported from Sri Lanka?

On the other hand, many talk about Tamil refugees, victims abducted, raped and tortured by the Sri Lankan security forces, flocking into various countries. In the meantime, every day hundreds of Tamils from the diaspora visit Sri Lanka, using the Sri Lankan airline and giving much foreign exchange to Sri Lanka. Why can’t we implement a boycott which is fully within our control?

Today, Australia is not at all bothered about anything concerning the Tamils in Sri Lanka, because they were disturbed by the number of Tamil refugees reaching Australia by boat. Has Australia ever realized that the transporters of these refugees were none other than Rajapaksa’s family and friends?

India’s silence broken

After more than two decades of silence on Sri Lanka, the Indian permanent Representative to the UN in Geneva gave a forceful speech in the last session of the HRC. This was not a surprise to anyone. Since the end of the war, Sri Lanka had consistently duped everyone, including India.

On 21 March 2013, India’s permanent Representative Dilip Sinha said, “We reiterate our call for an independent and credible investigation into allegations of human rights violations and loss of civilian lives.”

Commenting on the need for political solutions he went on to say, “We note with concern the inadequate progress by Sri Lanka in fulfilling its commitment to this Council in 2009. Further, we call on Sri Lanka to move forward on its public commitments, including on the devolution of political authority through full implementation of the 13th Amendment and building upon it.”

“India has always been of the view that the end of the conflict in Sri Lanka provided a unique opportunity to pursue a lasting political settlement, acceptable to all communities in Sri Lanka, including the Tamils,” Sinha said.

“We call for effective and timely implementation of all the constructive recommendations contained in the LLRC report, including those pertaining to missing persons, detainees, disappearances and abductions, reduction of ‘high security zones’, return of private lands by the military and withdrawal of the security forces from the civilian domain in the Northern Province,” he stated.

“We urge Sri Lanka to take forward measures to ensure accountability. We expect these measures to be to the satisfaction of the international community,” the Indian Permanent Representative said.

“We encourage the Government of Sri Lanka to expedite the process of a broad-based, inclusive and meaningful reconciliation and political settlement that ensures that all communities live in dignity with equal rights and equal protection of the laws,” he said.

“As a neighbour with thousands of years of relations with Sri Lanka, we cannot remain untouched by developments in that country and will continue to remain engaged in this matter,” the Indian Permanent Representative said.

Has this speech been seen as a positive step by the Mickey mouse organisations of the diaspora?

Future sessions

The next (23^rd) session of the HRC will start from 27 May and will continue until 14 June. As far as the question of Sri Lanka is concerned, this will be a session with a few interventions by NGOs and maybe by some states.

The next move will depend on the impending monitoring oral and written reports by the High Commissioner to the HRC during the 24^th session next September and during the 25^th session in March 2014.

The 24^th session will start on 9 September and conclude on 27 September. The most import session will be 25^th session in March 2014. Those who are calling for international investigation should continue their lobby.

We should keep in mind that in the 25^th session there will be some new good and bad states. There is no need to worry about any new pro-Sri Lankan members in the HRC, because when the 1^st resolution was passed on Sri Lanka, Champions of human wrongs – China, Cuba and Russia were all members.

The international community wrongly perceives that any government other than the present one in Sri Lanka may agree on accountability and reconciliation. This is wrong! Various successive Sri Lankan governments were responsible for a range of Commissions, but none found any justice for the victims. On some occasions, the commission reports were never even published.  The International community should realise that the ethnic problem in Sri Lanka is more than 60 years old.

Sri Lanka’s delaying tactics, until either the pressure subsides or the group or individuals who give pressure are suspended or terminate their services should be taken into account by the international community.

The International Independent Group of Eminent Persons – IIGEP and former High Commissioner for Human Rights, Louis Arbour are two good examples of this.

Now we understand that Sri Lanka is waiting for a change of government in US and the end of term of the present High Commissioner for Human Rights, which is due in September 2014.

Is this how any Sri Lanka government should see accountability and reconciliation after the island’s long bloody conflict?

As the HCHR visit to Sri Lanka is impending at any moment, it is the duty of members of civil society, to get in touch with her office in Geneva. An important task is to arrange for the victims to meet the High Commissioner during her visit.

R2P – Responsibility to Protect

R2P – Responsibility to Protect was originated by the Canadian government through the creation of the International Commission on Intervention and State Sovereignty (ICISS). This commission also included members from the UN General Assembly. It was the ICISS Report that set out the concept of “Responsibility to Protect”.

R2P triggered the military action to protect civilians. Darfur was the 1^st case of R2P. Sudan demonstrated its inability to protect the people of Darfur.

Directly or indirectly, sooner or later, the resolution on Sri Lanka will be connected to R2P. This is the reason that Sri Lanka rejected this resolution through and through. Without realising this fact, some Tamils have objected to the resolution.

R2P is the newest international security and human rights norm to address the international community’s failure to prevent and stop genocides, war crimes, ethnic cleansing and crimes against humanity.

Under R2P, sovereignty no longer exclusively protects states from foreign interference.

It consists of three pillars:

1 – A state has a responsibility to protect is population.

2 – The international community has a responsibility to assist a particular state to fulfill its responsibility.

3 – If a state fails to protect its citizens, the international community has the responsibility to intervene

through economic sanction and as a last resort military intervention can be considered.

At the World Summit held in New York in 14 to 16 September 2005, member states included R2P in the outcome document (A/RES/60/1) in paragraphs 138, 139 and 140.

Responsibility to protect populations from genocide, war crimes, ethnic cleansing and crimes against humanity

138. Each individual State has the responsibility to protect its populations from genocide, war crimes, ethnic cleansing and crimes against humanity……………….

139. The international community, through the United Nations, also has the responsibility to use appropriate diplomatic, humanitarian and other peaceful means, in accordance with Chapters VI and VIII of the Charter, to help protect populations from genocide, war crimes, ethnic cleansing and crimes against humanity. In this context, we are prepared to take collective action, in a timely and decisive manner, through the Security Council, in accordance with the Charter, including Chapter VII, on a case-by-case basis and in cooperation with relevant regional organizations as appropriate, should peaceful means be inadequate and national authorities manifestly fail to protect their populations from genocide, war crimes, ethnic cleansing and crimes against humanity…………..

140. We fully support the mission of the Special Adviser of the Secretary-General on the Prevention of Genocide.

Hope this summary will give some knowledge regarding what happened in Mali, Cote d’Ivoire (Ivory coast), Libya and what is going to happen in Syria.