Ambassador Sison's Remarks at Nagakovil

January 23, 2014

Kaalai Vannakam!

Honorable Secretary to the Governor of the Northern Province, Mr. Ilangovan; Honorable  Divisional Secretary, Mr. N. Linganathan; Honorable Secretary of Fisheries for the Northern Province, Mr. R. Varatheswaran; Honorable Chairman of Sevalanka, my good friend Dr. Harsha Navaratne; Sevalanka Director of Special Projects Ms. Lakshi Abeyesekara; Ladies and Gentlemen,

I am delighted to be here today as the U.S. Embassy hands over this very important livelihood assistance of ten  fiberglass fishing boats, fishing nets, and outboard engines to benefit the more than 200 families here whose lives depend on the sea.

We know that restoring livelihoods makes a huge difference to communities still recovering from having been displaced from their homes as the result of the conflict.

Earlier this month, our US President, Barack Obama, asked each of his US Cabinet members to ask themselves, every day, “what am I doing right now that could help real people?”

I am happy to say that we are fulfilling this request today!

This event is all about “people to people”!  These fishing boats are a gift from the U.S. people to the people of Nagakovil.  My team and I are so happy to be here with you!

This is not my first trip to the north, however.  In fact, in August 2002, I traveled to the north for the first time as part of a U.S. State Department delegation.  It was very different here in the north a dozen years ago. 

Of course, the conflict was still on.  Times were very difficult for the communities of the north.  We traveled by road through the devastated Chavakachehcheri town and then stopped at Sarasalai, where we inspected demining activities being conducted with US support.  We took a trip to Muhamalai, which was then the front line.  We then went to Jaffna to meet the Bishop and many political and civil society members.

That trip made an indelible impression on me.  I never forgot the families I met, the mothers, fathers and children whose lives had been disrupted, who had lost their homes, lost their livelihoods, and who wanted nothing more than to return to them.

The war ended seven years later in 2009, but even today, many remain displaced, unable to return home due to issues related to durable housing, unresolved land and property issues, and of course the need for sustainable livelihoods.

Although there has been progress in re-establishing infrastructure in the north, many returnees continue to face difficulties in earning a livelihood, and in meeting their family’s basic needs in order to live in dignity and reintegrate into their communities.

Today, we know that the community in Nagakovil is working together to rebuild lives after repeated displacements. We know that this has been a long and difficult process.

The U.S. government, in partnership with all of you, is committed to helping returnees through provision of essential support services.

USAID remains the largest single donor and is a strong advocate for durable resettlement.  Our current program with Sewalanka is aimed at fulfilling that purpose.

Farmers need to return to the farmland their fathers farmed.  Fishermen need to return to the waters their fathers fished. 

In this respect, Sewalanka has done a fantastic job in working to deliver badly-needed services to returnees.

We are proud to be Sewalanka’s partner!  I especially congratulate Sewalanka's energetic and dedicated  Jaffna staff for their commitment and tireless work!

I would also like to thank the GA, the Divisional Secretary, and fisheries department for their invaluable support for this project.

Last but not least, I congratulate the Nagakovil community and the fisheries society members for their warm welcome in organizing this event.  I wish you great success in your future endeavors. 

Nandri!

US programme to revive fishery community in Jaffna 

 US programme to revive fishery community in Jaffna   


 January 26, 2014
The US embassy in Colombo announced a new programme to revive the fishery community in the Maradankerny Division of Jaffna.

The initiative, in partnership with Sevalanka, is part of a "significant USAID livelihoods project worth $1.5 million USD that focuses on empowering economic opportunities and accelerating permanent resettlement for many displaced families", in the North and the East, according to a press release by the US Embassy in Colombo.

"We know this community has repeatedly faced the hardship of rebuilding lives after numerous displacements," Ambassador Sison said at the opening ceremony in Jaffna last week. She was accompanied by the Secretary to the Ministry of Fisheries and Agriculture of the Northern Provincial Council, R. Varatheeswaran.

"The US Government, in partnership with all of you, is committed to helping restore livelihoods by providing boats and nets that will benefit over 200 fishing families in this community," she added.

Abolish Executive Presidency Before The End Of Rajapaksa’s Current Term: LSSP

January 26, 2014 

The Central Committee of the Lanka Sama Samaja Party at a meeting held on January 25, 2014 has unanimously resolved to press for the abolition of the executive presidency before the end of the current term of the President and the installation of a parliamentary form of government with a Prime Minister and Cabinet responsible to Parliament. Accordingly, the Party will demand that another Presidential election should not be held. The LSSP also decided to demand the re-introduction of the 17th Amendment to the Constitution. Minister Tissa Vitarana and Deputy Minister Y.G. Padmasiri also spoke in support of the resolution.

 India asks government of Sri Lanka and Tamil party to 'engage constructively'

Fri, Sep 27, 2013, 09:42 am SL Time, ColomboPage News Desk, Sri Lanka.

Sept 27, Geneva: Responding to the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay's oral update on Sri Lanka, India Thursday asked the government of Sri Lanka and the major Tamil party Tamil National Alliance (TNA), to "engage constructively" to address the Tamil issue.

Delivering its response at the 24th session of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, India said it would encourage the government and the Tamil party to engage constructively, "in a spirit of partnership and mutual accommodation so that the needs of the people of the Northern Province are addressed with a sense of urgency and purpose."

"Such a cooperative approach will pave the way for a broad-based, inclusive and meaningful reconciliation and political settlement," India said.

While recalling that the High Commissioner has recognized the government's achievements in the fields of reconstruction, demining, and settlement , India pointed out that the High Commissioner has also underlined the need for a more "holistic" approach to address the immediate needs of the people un the war-torn region to achieve genuine reconciliation and lasting peace.

India said it encourages the High Commissioner to continue to provide advice and technical assistance to Sri Lanka in accordance with the HRC resolutions.


India said the Sri Lankan government has honored its commitment to the international community to hold elections to the Northern Provincial Council and similarly they expect the government to implement the other important commitments made to the international community, including the full implementation of the 13th Amendment to the Sri Lanka Constitution and going beyond it.

Nalaka Godahewa’s net worth now over Rs. 1 b!

 Tuesday, 21 January 2014 

The net worth of Dr. Nalaka Godahewa, who worked at Sri Lanka Insurance Corporation five years ago for a Rs. 125,000 salary and presently chairman of Securities and Exchange Commission of Sri Lanka (SEC), has now exceeded Rs. one billion, reports say. Even topmost figures in the government are surprised as to how he had acquired such a massive wealth within a very short period of time. Dr. Godahewa’s declared assets include Rs. 600 million worth of shares of George Stuart Finance, Rs. 200 m worth shares of Sri Lanka Hospitals Ltd. (formerly Apollo) and Rs. 200 m worth of shares of Colombo Lands and Development which owns Liberty Plaza. 

Recently, the SEC ordered that companies listed in the Colombo Stock Exchange (CSE) should have at least 20 per cent of their shares owned by the public. The idea is to prevent manipulation of the market.

However, share market investors and Finance Ministry officials cast serious doubts as to whether that order is properly enforced under Dr. Godahewa.

According to figures posted in the CSE website, www.cse.lk, Dr. Godahewa owns 5 pc of shares of George Stuart Finance. The company’s shares are being manipulated, and if the SEC order is applied and 20 pc of shares are owned by the public, the value of Dr. Godahewa’s shares comes down from Rs. 600 m to Rs. 20 m.

A 51 pc stake of George Stuart Finance, or 11,475,000 shares, is owned by CSE mafia ‘convener’ Dilith Jayaweera’s Divasa Equity (Pvt.) Ltd, followed by 25 pc, or 5,624,992, shares by Capital Trust Holding (Pvt.) Ltd., an affiliate of Seylan Bank Plc., and 5 pc, or 1,125,000 shares, by Nalaka Godahewa.

Due to the market manipulation, a George Stuart Finance share has been valued at Rs. 488, although its actual value should be Rs. 14.14, as per SEC reports issued on 13 September 2013. Therefore, it is doubtful as to what extent Dr. Godahewa enforces the orders of the SEC which he himself heads.

Jaliya Wickramasuriya is corrupt, Canada says!

 Saturday, 18 January 2014 

The Canadian government has informed Sri Lanka that it cannot recognize the island’s high commissioner elect to that country, Jaliya Wickramasuriya, who is a cousin of president Mahinda Rajapkasa, reports say.

This diplomatic issue has arisen as a result of the US government’s exposing, to the Canadian authorities, the corrupt activities of Wickramasuriya during his tenure there as the Sri Lankan ambassador.
He has allegedly defrauded 350,000 US dollars when purchasing a building to house the Sri Lankan embassy at 3025, White Haven Street, Washingtn 20008. The 62-year-old, seven-bed room house was bought for 6,250,000 USD in January 2013, but the then ambassador had obtained cabinet approval for a sum of 6,600,000 USD. According to our sources, no evaluation of the building has been made prior to buying it.

Later, the external affairs ministry had complained to the president about this fraud, but acting in his usual self, the president had undercut senior civil servants and posted Wickramasuriya to Canada. The president had told minister G.L. Peiris not to hold any inquiry against his cousin.
During his tenure in the US, Wickramasuriya had neglected his ambassadorial duties and focused on promoting his personal tea business, said the sources. He had made no contribution towards the maintenance of good diplomatic relations between his country and the US. As a result, the US government is to submit a proposal against Sri Lanka at the Geneva session of the UN Human Rights Council in March. He had misused embassy property as well as its officers who get paid by the Sri Lankan government to carry out his tea business, added the sources.

Another body blow to the public’s Right to Information

Live telecast of Parliamentary proceedings taken off the air to save Govt. skins

Sunday, January 26, 2014

A step in the right direction that Speaker Chamal Rajapaksa took last December, to make parliamentary proceedings more accessible to the public, by allowing live telecast of proceedings over a cable network, came to an abrupt end this week, with the announcement that the transmission was being stopped.
Deputy Speaker Chandima Weerakkody, in the absence of Speaker Rajapaksa who is away in Australia attending a conference, announced on Wednesday that the transmission was being stopped, but did not give a proper explanation for the termination.

The announcement drew the ire of several Opposition legislators, but going by the warning given by Speaker Rajapaksa to MPs, as sittings wound up for last year, that he would have to “reconsider his decision regarding live telecast of proceedings, if they did not conduct themselves with dignity and decorum,” the end of the live telecast should not come as a surprise to anyone.

During the period of about a month, when proceedings were telecast live, enough heat was generated by Opposition legislators to make the Government side very uncomfortable. Personal jibes at President Mahinda Rajapaksa and members of his family, particularly by UNP Matara District MP Mangala Samaraweera, had angered many including the President. Media Minister Keheliya Rambukwella, who was at the receiving end of ridicule at the hands of UNP Ratnapaura District MP Ranjan Ramanayaka, was among those who felt Opposition MPs were taking undue advantage of the live telecast to slander Government members.The issue of why the live telecast was stopped was first raised by UNP Colombo District MP Ravi Karunanayake during question time on Wednesday.

Opposition Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe too asked for the reason why the transmission was stopped without the MPs being informed in advance. “The Deputy Speaker says it was a test transmission. Nowhere had the Speaker mentioned this was so. You cannot stop a transmission in this manner,” he said.
JVP MP Anura Kumara Dissanayake questioned how the live telecast can be stopped in the absence of the Speaker. “This tantamount to depriving the people of their right to information,” he said.

UNP Ratnapura District MP Ramanayake said a large amount of money had been spent on this live telecasting project, and only MPs and ministers involved in corruption and bribery were opposing the live telecast. Deputy Speaker Weerakkody said the cable network had undertaken the live telecast of Parliamentary proceedings free of charge, and that, telecasting on the wide screen at Jayanthipura- Parliament’s public car park area- would continue.

He added that a further statement on the live telecast issue would be made by the Speaker upon his return to the country, but it is unlikely that live telecasting would recommence. What is likely is a telecast of the expunged version of the Hansard omitting material deemed objectionable, improper or unparliamentary.

Betraying Buddhism And Undermining Sri Lanka

By Tisaranee Gunasekara -January 26, 2014

“If they come with sword, we answer with sword. If they come with kindness, we answer with kindness. Otherwise you cannot live in this world. Even Lord Buddha approved of this and said that you should not remain silent in the face of provocation…..” - Ven. Ellawala Medhananda, founder-leader, JHU ()[i]

In January 2014, Stanley J Tambiah – whose ‘Buddhism Betrayed?: Religion, Politics and Violence in Sri Lanka’ became a hate-symbol for people who rarely ventured beyond the first two words of its title – died.

That same month, the Pew Research ranked Sri Lanka among the 20 countries with the highest levels of religious hostilities in 2012[ii]. Sri Lanka’s Government Restrictions Index (which ‘measures government laws, policies and actions that restrict religious beliefs and practices’) increased from 5.4 in December 2011 to 5.9 in December 2012. Her Social Hostilities Index (which ‘measures acts of religious hostility by private individuals, organisations or groups in society’) jumped from 7.1 in December 2011 to 7.7 in December 2012.

That sudden spurt in anti-Muslim/Christian/Hindu violence happened with the behemothic advent of the BBS into the national scene. Today attacks on religious minorities have become a Lankan norm as extremist entities (JHU/BBS/Sinhala Ravaya/Ravana Balaya) try to outrank each other in inanity, irrationality and violent-intolerance, in a climate of official permissiveness and impunity.

In the teaching of Gautama Buddha there is no concept of holy war, no justification for promoting/protecting the Dhamma through force, violence or compulsion. Classical Buddhism accepts that violence is a part of statecraft; a Buddhist ruler may employ violence[iii]  but that violence is of the secular and not religious variety. The one who used political power to entrench himself was not the Buddha but Devadatta, who utilised King Ajasattha’s might to promote his ‘teaching’ and attack his opponents.

Given this crystal clear and unequivocal stance, Buddhism was (and continues to be) betrayed not by Prof. Tambiah but by those who use a teaching premised on ahimsa to justify war and violence.

According to the Buddha’s teaching the killing of any living being is a sin and those who commit such deeds have to suffer the consequences in this and subsequent births. The dilemma caused by this belief system to the Lankan kings is easy to imagine. They needed armies to protect their thrones and/or to extend their politico-geographical holdings. But if true Buddhism took root in the island, finding soldiers to fight their wars may have become next-to-impossible.                                      Read More   

Skullls, bones found in Ma Oya

Sunday, 26 January 2014 

Three human skulls and parts of skeletons had been found floating along Ma-Oya near Aswattha area in Polgahawela yesterday evening, the Police said.

The Police said they recovered the remains following, a resident informing them.

Police said that a magisterial inquiry was being held at the site.

The Polgahawela Police are conducting further investigations

Courtesy - Daily Mirror

Explanations called on spending public funds on foreign junket

 Sunday, 26 January 2014 

Explanations have been sought from 73 regional education officials by Southern Province Governor Kumari Balasuriya after they had defied an earlier order and went on a foreign junket at public expense.

Highly-placed officials at the Governor’s office have been quoted in the media saying that the group that included teachers and other education officials both male and female had gone to Malaysia and Singapore on January 7 and returned on Wednesday (22).

They have noted that the trip had cost about Rs. 20 million the monies were drawn from the Provincial Council Development Fund.

The Governor is angry that her order was defied.

According to reports, the initial plan was to send a dozen schoolchildren who fared well at the recent Grade Five Scholarship and Advanced Level
Examinations on a fun tour of Singapore and Malaysia but this was abruptly stopped by Balasuriya when it was revealed that some 138 education officials had also forced their way in to the trip.

The education officials who had gone on the tour had included even typists and other clerical hands attached to the education sector of the Southern Province.

SRI LANKA WARNED IT COULD LOSE 2017 ASIAN YOUTH GAMES IN H’TOTA

January 26, 2014

Sri Lanka’s right to host the 2017 Asian Youth Games is in danger because they are so far behind in organising it, they have been warned. 

Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) President Sheikh Ahmad Al-Fahad Al-Sabah has written to the National Olympic Committee of Sri Lanka and the country’s Government making it clear that action will be taken unless they speed up preparations for the Games in Hambantota. 

“As you are aware the City of Hambantota in Sri Lanka was entrusted with the responsibility of hosting the 2017 Asian Youth Games by the OCA General Assembly in 2012 and a Host City Contract to this effect was signed between the OCA, the City of Hambantota and the NOC of Sri Lanka,” Sheikh Ahmad wrote in a letter sent last week and published today in a local newspaper. 

“However even after one and half years of the allotment of the Games we see no progress in the conduct of the Games.”

In the letter addressed to Sri Lanka’s Sports Minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage and Hemasiri Fernando, President of the NOC, Sheikh Ahmad complais no-one is taking responsibility for the organisation of the Games. 

“The key personnel who will be in charge of the Games in the important functional areas like, Sports, Games Services, Medical, TV and Broadcasting, IT, Venues, Athletes Village have not been appointed; the Master Plan for the conduct of the Games has not yet finalised; the Games budget has not yet been finalised; Law for the Tax Exemption for the Games has not been issued;” Sheikh Ahmad wrote. 

“The venue for the Games has not yet been identified and no construction work has started and no plan for test events has been laid down.”

Hambantota had decided to bid for the event after losing its campaign to host the 2018 Commonwealth Games and were chosen by the OCA in 2012 ahead of Indonesia,Qatar, Thailand, the United Arab Emirates and Uzbekistan.

But now they have been warned that unless they can satisfy the concerns of the OCA then they will be stripped of the event, expected to attract more than 5,000 athletes from 45 countries competing in 12 sports.

Sheikh Ahmad has also expressed his worry that the Sri Lankan Government are breaching the Olympic Charter by interfering in the internal affairs of the NOC. 

“These important issues of autonomy of the NOC as well as the conduct of the 2017 AYG (Asian Youth Games) will be put up to the next meeting of the OCA Executive Board for a final decision and even the withdrawal of the Games from Hambantota,” he writes. - insidethegames

Religion And Politics

By Radhika Coomaraswamy -January 26, 2014 

Dr.Radhika Coomaraswamy

Let me that I have to thank my friends and colleagues who discussed and challenged me throughout the process of preparing this presentation. They may not be satisfied with the final result but I must sincerely thank them for challenging my assumptions.

There are four propositions I would like to make during this presentation

1. The question of religion and politics is related to the greater issue of pluralism and the way a state and society deal with diversity. Though religion has some unique factors handling the issues is also a reflection of a society’s approach to difference.

2. The nature of religion is not static whether at the local or national level. It evolves over time. The Hinduism, Buddhism, Islam and Christianity we practice today is not what was practiced in medieval times. In addition the modern world and cosmopolitan culture have thrown up new forms of spirituality. Any institutional arrangement for religion in the realm of politics today should not entrench present forms of religion and pre-empt the possibility of change in the nature and expression of spirituality in the future

3. Religion should far as possible remain in the private sphere and all recent suggestions to have it play a greater role in the public sphere should be treated with caution- especially when it comes to the rights of women

4. The only institutional structure in the public sphere that should be accepted is a procedural mechanism for conflict resolution, or inter- faith dialogue and consultation for reconciliation. The long term strategy to deal with hatred, prejudice and violence should be to “uninherit” aspects of our past that deal with intolerance and this should be done through education, the media and social networks. In this the role of the state and political leadership is key. Religious teachings and traditions that encourage tolerance can play an important part.

Introduction                           Read More

CHOGM Benz cars being sold by private company at Rs. 30 million each

Sunday, 26 January 2014 13:14

The controversial Mercedes Benz cars that were imported for the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) at a cost of a billion rupees are currently being sold through to Diesel and Motor Engineering PLC.

However, it is learnt that only 18 of the 54 Mercedes Benz cars imported from Stuttgart, Germany for the CHOGM have been sold so far.

The Mercedes Benz hybrid sedan petrol cars were imported at a cost of more than Rs. 910 million with the cars priced at a little more than Rs. 152.5 million.

The duty waiver amounted to more than Rs. 757.7 million.

The super luxury vehicles were paid for by the Finance Ministry and handed over to Diesel and Motor Engineering PLC , which acted as the indenting agent for the import of these cars.

The cars are reportedly being advertised under the slogan ‘Drive a piece of History –The Mercedes Benz S class cars that carried Commonwealth Heads of State can now be yours’, at the cost of Rs. 30 million each.

DIMO has decided to sell the cars at Rs. 30 million each after depreciation to the value of three million rupees was given in lieu of the use of the cars for two weeks during CHOGM.

Meanwhile, JVP parliamentarian Anura Kumara Dissanayaka last Wednesday raised questions in parliament regarding the whereabouts of the 54
Mercedes Benz cars and other vehicles imported for the CHOGM.
“The government has spent nearly a billion rupees for the import of these cars and also deprived the state coffers of more than Rs. 700 million in tax money already. What is the guarantee that the tax money will be recovered even if the cars are sold?” he asked.

The JVP MP also questioned as to why the government tender procedure was ignored when importing vehicles for the CHOGM.

Leader of the House and Minister Nimal Siripala De Silva has said that as DIMO was the importer of the cars, the vehicles had been handed back to it to be sold and there had been no necessity to call for tenders.

Sixteen houses damaged in Kotmale fire 
Sixteen houses damaged in Kotmale fire -January 26, 2014
Sixteen houses have been damaged due to a fire erupted in Kotmale, Nuwara Eliya yesterday (25 January) afternoon.
 
The Army and the fire brigade have managed to douse the fire and the 144 residents, who were rescued, have been sent to safe locations.
 
The Disaster Management Centre (DMC) of Nuwara Eliya is expected to take a decision on resettling the displaced.
 
DMC Nuwara Eliya suspects that an electric leakage caused the fire.
 
The Kothmale police are conducting further investigations into the incident.
Fire destroys four acres in Muthurajawela wetland



January 26, 2014

A fire which had erupted in the Pubudugama area in the Muthrajawela wetland was doused by the Pamunugama police with the help of the villagers yesterday.
 
Around four acres of the wetland was destroyed by the fire, the police told Ceylon Today Online.
 
The cause for the fire has not been identified as yet.
 
The Pamunugama police are conducting further investigations into the incident.

Emerald Isle Or Heroin Hub? 

By Camelia Nathaniel -Picture by Asoka Fernando-Sunday, January 26, 2014

During the recent past the Sri Lankan authorities have busted several large scale illegal drug smuggling operations which suggests the island is becoming a transhipment hub for heroin in Asia.

Emerald Isle or Heroin Hub by nelvely

Bosnian Serbs Remove 'Genocide' From Bosniaks' Visegrad Memorial [VIDEO]

Screengrab

Bosnian Serb official delete word 'genocide' from Bosniak memorial in Visegrad

By GIANLUCA MEZZOFIORE | January 24, 2014

Bosnian Serb authorities backed by police officials have removed the word "genocide" from a memorial plaque erected in the eastern Bosnian town ofVisegrad for the Bosniaks killed during the 1992-1995 war.

The mayor of Visegrad, Slavisa Miskovic, said the word genocide was offensive to local people because there "is no proof of verdict about genocide in Visegrad".

The Bosnian town is the site of one of the most horrendous war atrocities committed by Serb paramilitaries, led by Milan and Sredoje Lukic in 1992. Fifty-nine Bosniak elderly and women were detained in a house, along with 17 children, and burnt alive.

Reuters

Milan Lukic is shown in Visegrad

The memorial, erected in the Straziste Muslim cemetery, reads: "To all killed and missing Bosniaks, children, women and men, victims of genocide in Visegrad".

However, authorities described the memorial as "illegally erected" and previously attempted to remove the word "genocide" last December. The move was postponed after Bosniaks' protests.

A 1991 census showed that the population of the town was 25,000 – 63% were Bosnian Muslims.

According to documents of the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY), some 3,000 Bosniaks were murdered during the 1992-1995 violence, including 600 women and 119 children.

Visegrad was subjected to "one of the most comprehensive and ruthless campaigns of ethnic cleansing in the Bosnian conflict", according to the ICTY.

One Bosniak war victim, Bakira Hasecic, told the non-governmental organisation BIRN that she was shocked by the "brute force used to deface the memorial". Families of Bosniak victims used red lipstick to re-write the word on the memorial.

Burnt alive

After the incident, the German Society of Threatened Peoples founded by human rights activist Tilman Zulch has sent an appeal to Chancellor Angela Merkel.

The letter reads: "The murdered civilians were thrown off the old bridge in Visegrad into the river Drina. The bridge became famous after it was depicted in Ivo Andric´s Nobel-prize winning book. Today this river is considered to be the biggest mass grave in Bosnia and Herzegovina."

A Bosnian blogger also reports that authorities attempted to destroy the Visegrad house, now turned into a memorial, in which the Lukic cousins committed the massacre.

Reuters

Bosnian forensic experts unearthed the remains of victims near the eastern town of Zepa believed to be Muslims killed by Serb forces

Milan and Sredoje Lukic were indicted by the ICTY in The Hague in 1996 for crime against humanity and the "extermination of a significant number of civilians, including women, children and the elderly".

The judge Patrick Robinson said, referring to Visegrad: " At the close of the twentieth century, a century marked by war and bloodshed on a colossal scale, these horrific events stand out for the viciousness of the incendiary attack, for the obvious premeditation and calculation that defined it, for the sheer callousness and brutality of herding, trapping and locking the victims in the two houses, thereby rendering them helpless in the ensuing inferno, and for the degree of pain and suffering inflicted on the victims as they were burnt alive".