US v China: is this the new cold war?

February 20, 2014 

The new era of military competition in the Pacific will become the defining geopolitical contest of the 21st century

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The launch of a Chinese guided missile destroyer in Zhejiang last year

To the list of industries now dominated by China, there is one surprising new entry: Miss World. Beauty contests were banned in China by Mao Zedong as one of the worst forms of western decadence but their bland internationalism appeals to modern China’s desire to be included. Of the last 10 Miss World pageants, five have been held at the seaside resort of Sanya, on subtropical Hainan island, off China’s south coast. While the Miss World show is in town, the swimsuit photo shoots take place across the road, at the Sheraton Sanya Resort, which looks out on to the white sands of Yalong Bay, a crescent-shaped cove lined with palm trees. With a Ritz-Carlton on one side and a Marriott on the other, Yalong Bay is a transplant of multi­national tourism on China’s southernmost point. The resort has become hugely ­popular with prosperous Chinese families and on the day I visited, the hotel was hosting a corporate retreat for the Chinese subsidiary of Syngenta, the Switzerland-based company which sells genetically modified seeds. The hundred or so Chinese employees spent the afternoon playing games on the beach. As they enjoyed themselves, they barely looked up when a Chinese Type 054 frigate sailed casually across the bay, in plain view of the tourists. Yalong Bay, it turns out, has a double life. The brand-name hotels occupy only one half of the beach; at the other end lies China’s newest and most sophisticated naval base.

©Zhang Yongfeng

US v China is This the New Cold War by nelvely

Are the Tamils Terrorists?

Visvanathan Sivam for Salem-News.com-Feb-21-2014 

Even Prabhakaran cannot be labelled as terrorist.

Tribute to the LTTE and Tamil People

(MELBOURNE) - In the Tube below the NPC Chief Minister Hon. Wigneswaren stated categorically that it is wrong for the Sinhalese to look upon the Tamils as terrorists. With the US 'War on Terror' SL found it convenient to brand the Tamils as terrorist to get the Western and Indian support to fight the Tigers and win the war. Rajapaksa still believes he can wave the magic wand and get away with murder. Please view the tube on what the Chief Minister had to say and read what he said.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-26274032

Even Prabhakaran cannot be labelled as terrorist. At no point of time he attacked any targets other than what belonged to the Sinhalese. There would have been no Prabhakaran had the Sinhalese honoured the agreements signed with the Colonial Britain and the Tamils. Failure to honour these agreements led to the peaceful resistance and demonstrations. When these demonstrations were crushed with brutal force by thugs and police, and the series of riots that led to thousands of deaths, the youths decided to take up arms against the terrorist state 30 year later. That led to the ethnic problem in Sri Lanka that ended with the Mullivaaykkal Genocide in May 2009 and is still carrying on to this date.

The Sinhalese leaders had, long before the date of Independence in February 1948, drawn a road map to colonise the whole of Sri Lanka and turn it into a Sinhala- Buddhist state. In the very year of independence in 1948 they disfranchised the Indian Tamils and declared them stateless. These Tamils had sacrificed their lives in the malaria infested jungles to clear it and start the plantation industries. In the whole process thousands of them died. Today they are living in squalor.

Next they went for the Sri Lankan Tamils, that led to the present conflict. Even when that conflict is not over yet, the Sinhalese Buddhist have begun attacking the Muslims, their properties and their mosques. The Muslims are right now facing the music the other communities faced earlier. When they are totally marginalised the island becomes a fully Sinhala-Buddhist country.

Western powers, who were responsible to bring the Tamils to their present plight are now trying to separate the Tamils from the terrorists. Although the PPT had declared their connivance in the genocide, they still insists that they fought the terrorists, the LTTE. In the tube below the UK ambassador, John Ruskins states that the Tamils will not go back to the days of the LTTE. He fails to realise the Tamils look upon the Tigers as their protectors and the Sinhalese as their oppressors.

The British High Commissioner, John Rankin's, Visit to Jaffna:

Ukraine's president declares a 'coup' and refuses to resign

SATURDAY 22 FEBRUARY 2014

President Yanukovych refuses to resign and calls the revolution fascist, after Ukraine's opposition takes over parliament and jailed opposition leader Yulia Tymoshenko prepares to be released.

- President Yanukovych declares a coup, and compares situation to the Nazis taking power in 1930s Germany
- Opposition lawmakers are pushing through a number of reforms to limit the president's powers, including elections in May
- They voted to speed up the process of releasing jailed opposition leader Yulia Tymoshenko
- Oleksandr Turchynov, an ally of Yulia Tymoshenko, has been elected as the new parliament speaker
- 77 people are dead after days of violence in Kiev

Ukraine's President Declares a 'Coup' and Refuses to Resign by nelvely

INTERVIEW – Independent inquiry into alleged Muslim massacre needed in Myanmar – U.N. envoy

 February 21, 2014

BANGKOK (Thomson Reuters Foundation)  Burma Times – A credible, independent investigation led by national and international experts into the alleged January massacre of Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar’s Rakhine state is needed to break the cycle of impunity that has plagued the country for decades, a United Nations human rights envoy said.

Source Thin Lei Win

Thank you, Thai Authorities!

 February 21, 2014

Mir Ahmed A.B Siddiquee- Jeddah, Burma Times – 21 February 2014. Rohingyas from Arakan, Myanmaar used to escape out or fled to neighboring countries because they are/were not safe in their homes and land. They are still facing several kinds of atrocities not only in own land but also in other countries. In home land travel restrictions, forced labor and limited access of healthcare, restriction in education and marriage, religious freedom was banned, all the Mosques and religious schools were closed and still locked. No Burmese politicians were interested in their issues as to grant them basic human rights. President Thein Sein told in his interview, “We will send them away if any third country would accept them.” Similarly Suu Kyi, the opposition leader and 1994 noble peace prize winner also not interesting at all. When Rohingya refuge to other countries then they feel as “they are free from fear and saved”. Before Thai authorities were selling Rohingya slaves into the traffickers then to the companies, now again pushing back into the mouth of “CROCODILE”.

INTERVIEW – Independent inquiry into alleged Muslim massacre needed in Myanmar – U.N. envoy by nelvely

What is ABI - and will it make drones even deadlier?

SATURDAY 22 FEBRUARY 2014

This week Senator John McCain moved to shift control of US drones from the CIA to the defence department. Meanwhile, fears grow about the application of activity-based intelligence to drones.

What is ABI - And Will It Make Drones Even Deadlier by nelvely

Palestinians helpless to stop Israel drilling for oil

Published on Feb 21, 2014

Israel imports almost all of the oil and gas it uses from its resource rich neighbours. One local company says it now has around 1.5 million barrels of oil, around 10 percent of Israel's annual consumption. But Palestinians say the company is drilling into the occupied West Bank. Al Jazeera's Tom Ackerman reports from Rantis

Al Jazeera English just uploaded a video

Tamil chief minister C V Wigneswaran: 'We're not terrorists'

20 February 2014 Last updated at 20:05 GMT

The first ever chief minister for Sri Lanka's Tamil-dominated Northern Province has told the BBC that the central government should stop viewing the north as a "terrorist area", and must give the province meaningful political powers.

C V Wigneswaran's Tamil National Alliance swept to power in September.

Last month, the Northern Provincial Council passed a motion calling for an international probe into alleged war crimes in Sri Lanka.

The BBC's Charles Haviland asked Mr Wigneswaran - who is himself Tamil - for his view of the controversial resolution.

Tamils cannot forget the past – Wigneswaran

Tamil Guardian 21 February 2014

The Chief Minister of the Northern Provincial Council, CV Wigneswaran has told the BBC in an interview that the Tamil people feel very strongly about accountability and that’s why the NPC passed a motion calling for an international probe into war crimes.

Asked by Charles Haviland on his views about the president, the Chief Minister was reluctant to answer, but said that the perception the Tamil people have is that the"majority community" does not want the NPC to work due to “a far more deep-seated attitude”.

See below for response given by Wigneswaran when asked for his view on the NPC resolution passed last month, and the rest of the interview.

CVW:  You see that is the feeling of the people. Every person who has lost somebody in that war feels very strongly about it. There must be some sort of a judicial inquiry into this and those who have done wrong must be brought to book. So it is easy to say, "well, it is all in the past why are you worried about the past". No. everything that has been done, if it has been done deliberately, you can’t say, a person can’t be heard to say, "well I murdered somebody, but then now that is of the past let’s forget about it", no you can’t. So it’s in that spirit that the people, people’s representatives, wanted a resolution to be passed.

CH:  Obviously you meet the president regularly, how is your relationship with the president and to what extent do you see him as a man that wants you to have appropriate powers or do you feel he is really representative of a government that just wants to keep all the powers for itself and mistrusts the idea of devolving power to the north?

CVW:  You are trying to put me against the president..

CH:  No I’m asking…

CVW:  Well I would only say the president has his own problems in trying to look into the interests of various groups, but there is a perception among the Tamil people that there is a far more deep-seated attitude which comes not from the president as such but from the majority community as such, so therefore it is felt that they do not want the Northern Provincial Council to work.

We are for the first time completely different from the government in power, from the people in power, from the community in power, from the language in power, so we have everything completely different. Our language is different, our people are different, our religions are different, our terrain is different and our party is different, so this needs to be understood by the government.

CH:  There is a lot of land in northern Sri Lanka including Jaffna that is still occupied by the military, which means the owners cannot return home. What's your view of that?

CVW:  The truth is army is in control of the Northern Province in every way, it's almost like an occupational army. Only thing is they would not show it out in that fashion. Now Mr Udaya Perera, who is the commander-in-chief, he was here, very nice man, very professional person, he said I have been able to get rid of 230-40 checkpoints and I have withdrawn them which is a very great thing and a good thing. But at the same time we found in those areas the soldiers go by [bicycle] doing their intelligence work, so they are still in command. So this is because of the mindset that this is a terrorist area and you must keep your intelligence working in a terrorist area and so on and so forth. See, we are not terrorists.

Report: Presidential Commission of Inquiry into Disappearances: Public hearing in Jaffna, 14-17 Feb 2014

Report: Presidential Commission of Inquiry into Disappearances: Public hearing in Jaffna, 14-17 Feb 2014

A mother at the hearing

Brito Fernando-Friday, February 21, 2014

The Presidential Commission investigating disappearances of persons in the Northern and Eastern Provinces during the period 1990-2009 held the first public hearing in Kilinochchi district in January 2014. Following the completion of the first phase of the public hearing in Kilinochchi with approximately 150 cases, the second public hearing session was held in the Jaffna district from 14^th to the 17^th February 2014. Similar to the case of Kilinochchi, this was regarded as the first phase of the public hearing for the Jaffna district and more phases of such public hearings will be held in near future for the district which is comprised of 4 geographical zones[1]. During this first phase of the public hearing held in Jaffna district, total of 244 complainants from 3 DS divisions were invited to provide testimonies. During the 4 days hearing, while majority of the complaints were against the Sri Lanka Military, complaints against EPDP, LTTE and Karuna group were also heard by the Commission.

Report Presidential Commission of Inquiry Into Disappearances Public Hearing in Jaffna 14-17 Feb 2014 by nelvely

ஆணைக்குழு முன் சாட்சியமளித்தோரின் விவரங்களைக் கோருகிறது இராணுவம் 

19 பெப்ரவரி 2014, புதன்

யாழ்.மாவட்டத்தில் ஜனாதிபதி ஆணைக்குழு முன்பாகச் சாட்சியமளித்தவர்களின் விவ ரங்களை கிராம சேவையாளர்களிடம் இராணுவத்தினர் கோரியிருப்பதாகத் தெரிய வருகின்றது.

அதிலும் இராணுவத்தினருக்கு எதிராகச் சாட்சியமளித்தவர்களின் விவரங்களை அவர்கள் கேட்டிருப்பதாக அறியமுடிகின்றது.

காணமற்போனோர் தொடர்பிலான ஜனாதிபதி ஆணைக் குழுவின் அமர்வுகள் கடந்த 14 ஆம் திகதி முதல் 17 ஆம் திகதி வரை இடம்பெற்றது. இதில் 175 பொதுமக்கள் சாட்சி யமளித்திருந்தனர்.

சாவகச்சேரி பிரதேச செயலாளர் பிரிவில் 13 கிராம சேவையாளர் பிரிவுகளைச் சேர்ந்த மக்கள் சாட்சியமளித்திருந்தனர். இவ்வாறு சாட்சியமளித்த மக்களில் பெரும்பாலானவர்கள் இராணுவத்தினருக்கு எதிராகவே தமது சாட்சியத்தை முன்வைத்திருந்தனர்.

இவ் வாறானதொரு நிலையில் ஆணைக்குழுவில் சாட்சியமளித்தவர்களின் விவரங்களைத் தம்புதோட்ட இராணுவ முகாம் அதிகாரிகள் கிராம சேவையாளர்களிடம் கோரியுள்ளனர்.

இருப்பினும் கிராம சேவையாளர்கள் குறித்த விவரங்கள் தம்மிடம் இல்லையயன்று தெரிவித்தாகக் கூறப்படுகின்றது.

இதனையடுத்து இராணுவத்தினர் பிரதேச செயலகத்திடம் குறித்த விவரங்களைக் கோரியுள்ளதாக அறியமுடிகின்றது. 

ஜனாதிபதி ஆணைக்குழுவின் அனுமதியின்றிச் சாட்சியமளித்தவர்களின் விவரங்களை யாருக்கும் வழங்க வேண்டாம் என்று ஆணைக் குழுவின் செயலாளர் குணதாஸ அறிவுறுத்தியுள்ளார்.

- See more at: http://onlineuthayan.com/News_More.php?id=223082661920776041#sthash.UNn9txhG.pmU8taAk.dpuf
Army demands information about witnesses at president’s commission

 21 February 2014

Members of the military are demanding information from the Divisional Secretariats about the people who reported to the presidential commission on the disappeared in Jaffna,  reported the Uthayan newspaper.

The army is said to be focusing on the details of those witnesses who implicated the security forces in their testimony. The majority of the 175 witnesses have blamed the army for the disappearances, the paper further said.

Desperate search for disappeared continues (16 Feb 2014)

The JVP’s Bid For Power & The Government Response

By Rajan Hoole -February 21, 2014 |

Rajan Hoole

1989: The Eclipse of the JVP and the Perplexity of the Left – Part 2 

The JVP did not respond to Premadasa’s call, but instead launched on a course of terror, disruption and paralysing the economy. It sought to neutralise the security forces with an editorial proclamation in its bulletin Ranabima of 21st April 1989, threatening the families security forces personnel active in counter-insurgency operations. Named in particular were the Rapid Deployment Force (RDF) and the Special Task Force (STF). Chandraprema (see Bibliography) adds that such a threat had also been made in 1988.

During the same period (April – July 1989) the JVP put out another leaflet alleging that the Government was weeding out and killing off members of the armed forces considered anti- government. There is speculation that the Government took advantage of the JVP’s threat to loyal personnel and actually used it to eliminate suspect personnel and to spread the impression that the JVP was targetting soldiers and their families. An army major in the Southern Province confided to a journalist that his troops encountered men coming from a village. They found on checking them out that they were soldiers. These soldiers were returning to their unit after killing a soldier on leave with his family. The blame was put on the JVP. How organised or widespread such practices were, we do not know.

The JVP made a final putsch in late July, on the second anniversary of the Indo-Lanka Accord, by calling for a total stoppage of all activity by forcing people out on the street to demonstrate on pain of death. Scores of these demonstrators were shot dead by Government troops. This was followed in early August by rumours of the JVP threatening the families of service personnel who do not desert. Chandraprema has quoted JVP’s deputy leader Gamanayake as having said that this threat was not intended to be carried out, but again to neutralise active sections of the security forces.

Gunaratne (see Bibliography) tells us that the threat was repeated several times on the JVP radio. Having examined the evidence, the Disappearance Commission for the Central Zone opines that this threat was a Government ploy to make the security forces go on the offensive.Read More

To be continued..

*From Rajan Hoole‘s “Sri Lanka: Arrogance of Power  - Myth, Decadence and Murder”. Thanks to Rajan for giving us permission to republish. To read earlier parts click here

Beware of war crimes investigation leading to ‘reconciliation’ deception

[TamilNet, Thursday, 20 February 2014, 20:07 GMT]
In the event of a US-tabled resolution at UNHRC calling for “an independent international accountability mechanism to evaluate reports of war crimes, crimes against humanity, and other human rights violations committed by both sides during and after the war in Sri Lanka,” it will have all the potentialities of becoming yet another form of the ‘reconciliation’ deception. It will help to continue harping on ‘reforms’ within a unitary State, will give space and time in a camouflaged way to Colombo to complete genocide, prod Tamils into accepting models as of South Africa that are absurd to them, negotiate escape to culprits, and at maximum, may bring in ‘regime change’, but no political justice or release from genocide to Eezham Tamils, cautioned Tamil activists for alternative politics in the island. 

Further comments from the Tamil activists for alternative politics in the island:

There seems to be a calculated detraction orchestrated against the demand for an international investigation on the genocide committed on Eezham Tamils, demand for an interim international mechanism to stop the on-going genocide and the demand for a referendum. 

The detractors argue that the US move in the UNHRC, if going to be in the wording of the resolution tabled at the US Senate [cited in the lead para], that would have space for the investigation of the genocide as well. 

In their desperation to jump on the US bandwagon, a set of Tamil political articulators in the island, in Tamil Nadu and in the diaspora, hide from Tamil masses the disastrous deceptions attached to the US approach. 

They never want to explain to the people how the possible US resolution is a further manifestation stemming from the ‘reconciliation’ deception that was hatched by the USA immediately after its complicity in the genocide. 

The USA has not abandoned its original policy or strategy with which it architected the genocidal war. Only the tactic may be different now but that is to only confirm the achievements of the original aims.

The non-recognition of genocide or delay would continue facilitating the genocide. It will save the genocidal State and will facilitate bargains desired by the USA.

The expected US resolution has to be read in its context of what the former US Asst Secretary of State, Robert Blake, said in 2009 on ‘some accountability’ for ‘reconciliation’; what the present Asst Secretary of State, Nisha Desai Biswal, said in Jaffna earlier this month, advising Tamils to seek ‘reconciliation’ than investigation, and what the two US Senators tabling their resolution ten days later said on the US leadership at UNHRC in “promoting reconciliation and accountability in Sri Lanka.”

Ultimately, supporting the envisaged US resolution amounts to reconciliation with the genocidal State of Sri Lanka and voicing for the edification of the resolution represents rejection of the genocidal State.

Where do the Tamil activists want to pitch themselves?

It is not a question of being pro-USA or anti-USA, or being pro and anti to any other power. 

Such a question never arises if any one considers himself or herself as an activist of the Tamil cause.

Whether as Tamils, we place our demands and register our claims in the proper perspective or not, is the question.

It has now become a routine every year, to see orchestrations discovering ‘virtues’ in the US moves and passionately denouncing anyone who seeks edifications.

But what is the total output in the last five years, other than seeing irreversible and accelerated structural genocide? 

Who is responsible for this fallout, or victimisation by deception? 

How does the momentum in public uprising seen in 2009 in Tamil Nadu and in the diaspora was put to sleep?

Those who have bondages and constrains to open mouth against the designs of the Establishments should at least refrain from detracting righteous voices coming from others.

What if genocide is disproved in an investigation – the detractors have the audacity to ask this threatening question on an obviously provable phenomenon faced and being faced by Eezham Tamils for decades. 

When the source of this pitiable self-doubt is no other than the NPC chief minister, Justice Wigneswaran, it is no surprise that there are detractors in Tamil Nadu too.

If the Tamils criticize the US resolution, even whatever that may come through also will not come, is another threat put to Tamils.

Exactly with the same thinking, Eezham Tamils were first taking the risk with British colonialism, then with New Delhi’s ‘Indo-Lanka’ Accord and recently with the US and Co-Chair deception.

At least now we should ‘learn the lesson’ to say goodbye to the polity of knowingly collaborating with deception. We should make our righteous demands in their proper perspective without any hesitation, and also should tell our allies in Tamil Nadu and elsewhere to do so.

Our immediate need of priority is international intervention to stop the on-going genocide. 

We have been asking to stop the genocidal war and the IC failed in it. Now, if the IC is not stopping the on-going genocide, the target of our international struggle should focus on it. 

The competitors of the USA, rather than always proving themselves worse than that of the USA, would do much better by taking a higher stand in the delivery of meaningful justice to the nation of Eezham Tamils. They may even expose the USA through that.

Journalist covering protest ends up in court

Friday, 21 February 2014 

A journalist of the 'Lanka' newspaper who had gone to cover a protest demonstration has been produced before courts by the Morawaka police.

The journalist, Daya Neththisinghe, has been produced before court under the charges of obstructing the path of VIPs.

He was covering a protest demonstration by residents of Paragala and Pelawatta along the Galle - Deniyaya road on Feb. 16.

Police had obtained a court order to remove the demonstrators.

Prior to this, journalists have been reporting how the police were exerting minimum force in an attempt to disperse the protesters.

However, the Morawaka police has produced a list of 21 names charging them of obstructing the path of VIPs and behaving in a manner that inconvenienced the public.

The list included the name of the journalist and accordingly, he too is to appear before courts on March 17. 

Rajapaksa CJ Helps To Legalise Shirani B Sacking

February 21, 2014 

A five judge Supreme Court bench appointed by de facto Chief Justice Mohan Pieris, a direct beneficiary of the Chief Justice Shirani Bandaranayake sacking last year has ruled that the writ issued by the Court of Appeal nullifying her removal was null and void.

The ruling which was expected yesterday was issued today, based on a petition filed by the Attorney General’s department, which challenged the Court of Appeal Writ Certiorari.

De facto Chief Justice Mohan Pieris

The Bench comprised Justices Saleem Marsoof, Chandra Ekanayake, Sathya Hettige, Eva Wanasundara, and Rohini Marasinghe.

The ruling is a first step in the Rajapaksa Government’s process, implemented by its CJ Pieris to retroactively legalise the illegal and unconstitutional sacking of Bandaranayake last year.

The process was commenced last year, soon after the Rajapaksa regime installed its puppet Chief Justice in Bandaranayake’s place. Pieris’ own appointment was challenged on the basis that Bandaranayake was illegally removed but by virtue of today’s judgment his position will become retroactively constitutional.

The judgment comes despite assurances provided to Commonwealth Secretary General Kamalesh Sharmaahead of the Commonwealth Summit last year that Sri Lanka would put measures in place to correct its system of removing senior judges. Sharma famously announced at a press conference in April 2013 that the Sri Lankan Government would be putting the remedial measures in place within weeks instead of months. Based on the Rajapaksa Government’s assurances, Sharma buried two reports by eminent Commonwealth jurists on the Sri Lankan impeachment of its Chief Justice that found the process to be illegal and refrained from providing the information contained in the reports to the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group that is mandated to measure member states’ compliance to commonwealth values and principles.

Rajiv Gandhi assassination case: Reactions from senior jurists, activists on decision to free Rajiv assassins

TNN | Feb 21, 2014,
Life sentence need not mean life in prison. Our justice system stands for reformation, and this doesn't translate into incarcerating someone till death. Only ignorance of what justice means can lead someone to oppose the release of convicts. That is being savage and blind. Releasing them proves the magnanimity of modern India. They have served 22 years in prison and have records proving their reformation and good conduct.

Justice VR Krishna Iyer

Releasing them doesn't mean they are acquitted or exonerated. This is remission. They have already gone through enough, with the gallows always in sight for 22 years. The Supreme Court judgement commuting their death sentence to life upholds the constitutional values followed by the Indian judiciary. Hanging someone or putting them behind bars until death is not the way to justice. I feel it is high time a larger SC bench reconsidered the death sentence for 'rarest of rare' crimes

Justice KT Thomas

One has to draw a distinction between substantive rights of convicts, procedural matters and political factors. The state government's announcement to release them is fair as they deserve their right to remission since they have served jail term for this long. Political gains, procedural matters or the rivalry between state and Centre should not cloud the rights of the convicts in prison. Let them not be denied justice because the issue is mired in controversy

V Suresh, People's Union for Civil Liberties

The assassination changed the future of our country. Elections were postponed. I believe there should be some deterrence and those who are convicted cannot claim innocence. Any attempt to make them heroes or martyrs is unfortunate. If at all they are released from prison, all procedures should be followed, and then may be allowed to lead a normal life

D R Karthikeyan, former CBI director

For last 22 years, I have been fighting for justice for my son. This is a matter of legal procedure. Since chief minister J Jayalalithaa has made an announcement that she will release them soon, we are not worried. I am sure she will not deny justice. He has every right to come out and live a normal life like any other citizen

Arputhammal, mother of Perarivalan