(March 23, 2014, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) This Week, We saw the Strange and astonishing saga of Two Sri Lankan peremptorily Human rights activists who were arrested and detained under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA, 1979) and Then Without released charges with various branches of the Government differing on almost every circumstance relating to this incident.
The revised resolution tabled before the Council requests the Office of the High Commissioner unable to LEAD a Serious Investigation into alleged violations by both parties in Sri Lanka with a view to preventing Future Assistance From experts and with impunity. Its Focus On Rule of Law institutional reforms is singularly uncommon.
On 17 March 2014, Sri Lankan military intelligence operatives together with SL policemen in civil uniforms took some Tamil people from Peasaalai, Channaaar, Koo'raay, promising them job opportunities and other forms assistance, without telling them the intention behind the pro-Sri Lanka rally. Many of them returned without attending the protest. As the attempt failed, they used fishermen from Negombo who were engaged in fishing at South Bar to take part in the protest. Sinhalese and Muslims were also brought from South.
[TamilNet, Sunday, 23 March 2014, 06:47 GMT] The rulers of the Sri Lankan State are not prepared to come to light; they continue with their activities in darkness. They are capable of telling bigger lies than Satan's biggest lies, said Rt. Rev. Dr. Rayappu Joseph, the Catholic Bishop of Mannaar, taking part at a peaceful rally in Mannaar on Friday. Even the investigations that are about to commence with international monitoring, as it is being proposed now, are not adequate, he said. "We don't need it. The Sri Lankan State is capable of guiding even that process under the darkness. The Sri Lankan government is capable in twisting everything through its propaganda orchestration. We also know what happened to the doctors who came from the war zone. As far we as we are concerned, there should only be an international investigation that could bring justice, "the Bishop said.
Russia says that its principled position on Sri Lanka and the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC) Report, was aimed at assisting the post war recovery process.
"We support Sri Lanka's efforts towards post-conflict recovery, development and complete reconciliation on the basis that there cannot be external interference and pressure. This is my government's principled position with regard to the LLRC report," said the Military, Air and Naval Attache to the Embassy of the Russian Federation, Captain (Navy) Igor Pavlov, addressing a ceremony to celebrate the "Defender of the Motherland Day" in Colombo recently.
Pointing out that the two countries had an excellent understanding on a range of multilateral issues, he pledged continuous Russian support to Sri Lanka internationally and at global forums.
"There is ample scope for developing the extensive exchanges, including military-technical cooperation. Our bilateral relations are based on mutual respect and understanding," he said.
Pavlov observed that the "Defender of the Motherland Day" was a significant date personifying the great services of the Russian armed forces to their country and people. He noted that it was a day for the brave, strong and real patriots.
"It's an occasion dedicated to all those who have served their motherland in both civil and military capacities or even those preparing to join the armed forces. They have contributed to achieving stability in our State and strengthening pride in the power of Russia. It's rightly considered a national holiday which embodies historical and military traditions. Pride in Russia's glorious achievements, a deep understanding of the high value of military service and a duty to protect your motherland are passed from generation to generation. Such patriotic emotions live in our people's blood and in their national character, "he declared.
The mood a propos Western and Southern Provincial elections is not disinterest; it is mild indecision and gentle bemusement. I am not referring to anti-government folks only, though most of my associates belong in this category. Though UPFA supporters are lackadaisical now, this may change; Op-Eds in newspapers say preparations are afoot to bus thousands into Colombo to unleash frenzied xenophobia if the UNHRC enacts a regime-hostile resolution. This incitement is probably a prelude to presidential and parliamentary elections. A soda-bottle outburst is likely, depending on spending on advertising (top firms have been hired), food, goodies and transport. There is enough graft and drug loot in the kitty to bankroll it. If sanctions bite later in the year, things will first become ugly, then pain will turn people against the government. Whether the government accepts the Geneva resolution and strangles it in implementation, or rejects it outright, Lanka is headed for a year of tumult and turmoil.
Even pro-government folk now talk anti-government. Die hard anti-UNP leftists, paradoxically, are concerned that Fonseka is doing damage to the UNP-I will explain anon. Hard-leftists face a choice between Mano Ganesan, the NSSP-USP comedy, and the JVP. The UPFA will win in the South, and in the Western Province win by a reduced margin. The votes polled by parties that secured at least one seat in 2009 are as follows:
Western Province (April 2009)
UPFA: 1.5 million votes (65%) and 66 seats (+2 bonus)
Three trends must be watched: (a) How much, if at all, will be the government's share of the vote decline? (B) How will Fonseka fare vis-à-vis the UNP? (C) How will the JVP fare after its leadership face lift? Anything startling in these indicators is a signal of a national shift that will affect parliamentary and presidential elections.
வவுனியா ஸ்ரீராபுரம் கிராமத்தில் ஒரே குடும்பத்தை சேர்ந்த நால்வர் புலனாய்வு பிரிவி நால்வர் கைதுனரால் கைது செய்யப்பட்டுள்ளனர்.
யாழ்ப்பாணத்தை சேர்ந்தவர்களான இவர்கள் கடந்த சில வருடங்களாக வவுனியாவில் வசித்துவந்தனர்.
வட மாகாணத்தில் கடந்த சில நாட்களாக இராணுவத்தினர் தேடுதல்களையும் சுற்றிவளைப்புக்களையும் மேற்கொண்டுவருகின்றனர்.
வவுனியா நகர்ப்பகுதியில் லோகநாதன் என்ற குடும்பஸ்தர் நேற்று இரவு 7 மணியளவில் கைது செய்யப்பட்டுள்ளார். இதனையடுத்து அவரது குடும்பத்தினர் புலனாய்வு பிரிவினரால் நேற்று இரவு ஸ்ரீராமபுரம் வீட்டில் வைத்து கைது செய்யப்பட்டுள்ளனர்.
இதன்போது லோகநாதனின் மனைவியான லோ. மங்கலேஸ்வரி அவர்களது மகன்களான லோ.பாரதி கண்ணன் (வயது 8) மற்றும் லோ. கண்ணன் (வயது 6) ஆகியோர் கைது செய்யப்பட்டுள்ளனர்.
A Police-Army joint operation has been launched in the Northern Province to track down two former LTTE cadres wanted for criminal activities and a two-million-rupee reward has been offered for any information, a senior police officer said.
The operation has been launched in the Vavuniya, Mannar, Kilinochchi and Jaffna districts for the suspects identified as Kajeeban Ponniah Selvanayagam alias ‘Gopi’ a.k.a. Kasiyan, and Navaratnam Navaneethan. The Police yesterday released the photographs of the suspects with descriptions.
House-to-house search operations and rounding up of residents and ordering them to assemble on playgrounds were part of the search.In some areas, residents were told to remain in their villages until the search operations were over. In Vavuniya, former LTTE cadres were summoned to the 561 Brigade headquarters and advised not to provide shelter to the two suspects.
In Mannar, the residents were told to inform the police in the event outsiders were accommodated.Police spokesman Ajith Rohana said the suspect Selvanayagam was wanted for a shooting incident in Dharmapuram in Kilinochchi last week while the other was wanted for a series of criminal activities including robberies.
While Rajapaksa’s government asks the diaspora to come and see the country and invest in so-called development projects, Kirithi Warnakulasooriya of Divaina newspaper, threatens them with imprisonment and implies that they will be killed in Sri Lanka.
When Mr Dharamalingam Logeswaran a Tamil from Switzerland started to attack all diaspora Tamils as proxies of the LTTE, our General Secretary, Mr Visvalingam Kirupaharan who was in the same meeting, argued with Logeswaran.
(GENEVA) - A briefing organised by the International Buddhist Foundation in the Human Rights Council in Geneva on Friday 21 March, ended up in heated arguments and debate between proxies of Rajapaksa, the organisers and Tamils.
Kirupaharan told the audience that what the main speaker said is not the reality in Sri Lanka.
Kirupaharan questioned the organisers, as to why the 60 years political struggle of the Tamils had not been settled by any government in Sri Lanka, yet there had been 30 long years of non-violent struggle. He further said that now Sri Lanka is forced to challenge the Human Rights Council resolutions and the report of the High Commissioner for Human Rights. Celebrations of war victory, Buddistisation, Singhalaisation and militarisation of the Tamil homeland, the North and East are not the way forward for peace and reconciliation.
When one of the organisers talked about resettlement of Singhalese in Jaffna, Kirupaharan replied that there were only a very few Singhalese living before the war in Jaffna. He asked him whether the Tamils who were forcibly chased out from Kataragama and other parts will also be resettled.
Kirithi Warnakulasooriya of Divaina newspaper who presently acts like the spokesperson of the Sri Lankan government in the UN, told Kirupaharan that he will not be allowed to land in Sri Lanka and if he does go there, he will be either imprisoned or will have to “face consequences”. “You can’t come to Sri Lanka; I will see that you will be imprisoned or worse in Sri Lanka”. Kirithi Warnakulasooriya blasted Kirupaharan in pure filth.
As some educated people who were in this meeting were ashamed of Kirthi, they tendered their apology and told Kirupaharan that Kirithi Warnakulasooriya knows little English and uses language without knowing the meaning of what he says. Warnakulasooriya threatened Kirupaharan, saying that he has taken many photographs of him and that he will publish them in Tamil, English and Sinhala newspapers in Colombo.
While Rajapaksa’s government asks the diaspora to come and see the country and invest in so-called development projects, Kirithi Warnakulasooriya of Divaina newspaper, threatens them with imprisonment and implies that they will be killed in Sri Lanka.
Kirupaharan thanked Kirithi for giving him early warning, saying that he will convey this message to other persons in the diaspora.
Police today announced a reward of Rs 1 million for anyone who is able to provide accurate information regarding the wanted criminal and LTTE suspect, Kajeeban Ponniah Selvanayagam alias ‘Gopi’ a.k. a. Kasiyan.
The Police Spokesman’s Office today released a photograph of the suspect along with a description. The 31-year-old is around 6 feet tall and can be distinguished by a scar above his lip on the left side.
Police urged the public to forward any information regarding the suspect to the telephone number: 0112 451 636 or the fax number: 0112 321 838.
Police said that a reward of Rs 1 million will be given to anyone who provides accurate information regarding the criminal and that their identity will be protected.
Security in the Northern Province had been strengthened as part of the manhunt launched to arrest Gopi, who according to intelligence reports is trying to revive the now defunct LTTE.
A police officer was shot and injured when officers had attempted to apprehend the suspect on March 13 at a residence in the Puliyampokkanai area of Tharmapuram region in Kilinochchi district.
A former intelligence operative of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, Gopi had managed to avade the officers and escape.
A shocking report detailing the ongoing sexual violence and torture in Sri Lanka (some as recent as February 2014) was launched by our very own Yasmin Sooka this Friday. You can see it at www.stop-torture.com and people are talking about it on social media using the hashtag #stoptorture.
It is very very upsetting to read, but it is important for two reasons. Firstly because it develops the case we made earlier, that the situation in Sri Lanka constitutes an ongoing crime against humanity. And secondly because the victims themselves wanted the story to be told. As one said, "I have lost everything in my life. So I will fight at least to prevent the same evil happening to other Tamil women."
The report is introduced by Archbishop Tutu:
And the story of the report is probably best told in these three infographics:
At the bottom of the website is a map, clicking on each of the icons on the map brings up a story. These stories are truly horrible, but the people who lived through them wanted these stories to be told. Now it is vital that we stop torture. You can do your part by sharing this report with those who might be interested, and by supporting the campaign for an independent international investigation in Sri Lanka.
Sithie Tiruchelvam and Neelan Tiruchelvam were committed constant engagement for peace and social justice. Photo: Special arrangement
Noted lawyer and Sri Lankan human rights activist Sithie Tiruchelvam, wife of the internationally respected academic Neelan Tiruchelvan, passed away here on Saturday after a brief illness.
She was 69.
Ms. Tiruchelvam, along with Neelan Tiruchelvam — one of the foremost, erudite activists of Sri Lanka who worked on a devolution package and championed the political rights of Tamils — is known for her deep engagement with the cause of social justice and peace.
In addition to collaborating with him at Tiruchelvam Associates, a leading Colombo-based law firm that they established together, Ms. Tiruchelvam contributed significantly to the International Centre for Ethnic Studies (ICES) and the Law and Society Trust. The institutions are highly regarded research and policy organisations founded by Tiruchelvam, who served the Sri Lankan parliament in the 1990s representing the Tamil United Liberation Front (TULF), before he was assassinated by the LTTE in 1999.
Friends and colleagues fondly remember Ms. Tiruchelvam as one of the most committed rights activists who passionately created a space for interaction of intellectuals not just from Sri Lanka, but from all over the world. “Their living room was open to everyone,” said Radhika Coomaraswamy, former U.N. Under-Secretary-General, and close friend of Sithie. “She provided an intellectual space for people from all ethnic groups. She would go the extra mile to help someone.”
Terming her death a big loss to the legal fraternity and to human rights activism, Jayantha Dhanapala, member of the Friday Forum, a prominent Colombo-based civil society organisation, said “Sri Lanka cannot afford to lose people like her.”
Ms. Tiruchelvam was on the board of several leading companies in Sri Lanka. In addition to law and human rights, she was deeply interested in literature and arts. She also mentored young lawyers and activists, giving them a solid grounding in politics and contemporary social issues. Friends observed that her efforts in running the Neelan Tiruchelvam Trust, set up after the assassination of her husband, were remarkable in carrying forward his intellectual legacy.
Its fans as well as critics agree that the Social Scientists’ Association (SSA) of Sri Lanka was on a mission. According to Michael Roberts (2004[i], p7), this mission was born out of the carnage of 1983 July, which apparently “came as a rude shock to local Leftists and liberals. As the ethnic conflict took a turn for the worse, a number of liberals and Marxist radicals linked hands to develop arguments against the ideological constructs that were part of the heightened conflict”. As part of this enterprise, which according to Roberts was “as brave as necessary” Leslie Gunawardana’s 1979 essay “People of the Lion[ii]” was midwifed (it originated as a paper read at an SSA seminar[iii]) and reprinted (1984) by the SSA who also turned publisher to its sequel, his 1995 “Historiography in a time of Ethnic Conflict[iv]”.
Perhaps the best articulation of this “brave and necessary” enterprise was by S.J Tambiah (1992[v]) who called for a “new breed of imaginative, and liberated non-sectarian historians who will deconstruct the histories which legitimate the present conflict”. Despite the noble language, it was an exhortation to a certain ideological movement (classified as “good”) to hijack the history writing in Sri Lanka. This was already being done albeit inexpertly (see here) and dishonestly (see here) by Leslie Gunawardana, perhaps the best known ancient period historian at that time.
In my view, the most incisive comment to be directed against Gunawardana came from Michael Roberts[vi](full text). Even though K.N.O Dharmadasa’s place as the most systematic critic of Gunawardana is unassailable, and Roberts’ comment was merely an aside by a non-specialist informed by K.N.O, it had nevertheless the refreshing ring of a child asking why the emperor was naked. Roberts stated that Gunawardana’s argument “does not address the issue how it was that a mass of people who employed a common language in literary and oral discourse, a language which was identified as Sinhala, and who lived in a land called Sinhala, were not seen as Sinhala; and did not see themselves as Sinhala.” This comment refers to 5th century AD as Roberts had made clear 3 paragraphs earlier. “The Pali commentaries written by the Indian scholar-visitor, Buddhagosa, in the early fifth century A.D., not only refer to Sihaladvipa, but also speak of the Buddhist doctrines being kept in the Sihala bhasa (Sinhala language) for “the benefit of the inhabitants of the island” (Dharmadasa 1991).” Read More
Tangalla local body chairman pampered inside prison and allowed to enjoy nocturnal parties outside by regime (Lanka-e-News- 23.March.2014, 6.15PM) The Medamulana Rajapakse regime while keeping the oppressed and hapless people of Sri Lanka trampled under its iron dictatorial heels ruthlessly , and unlawfully arresting and detaining human rights (HR) activists on frame ups without filing any charges, and not even allowing parents of theirs to visit them by introducing new regulations, has on the other hand provided facilities to the chairman of its Tangalla local body , Sampath Vidanapathirane who is now in remand custody charged with the murder of a touring British citizen and gang raping the deceased’s victim , to secretly go to his home in the night enjoy sumptuous parties and return , according to Lanka e news prison inside sources.
Seven suspects including a member of the Mahawa Pradeshiya Sabha has been arrested for engaging in illicit gambling at a residence Daladagama, Mahawa today.
Police said that currency amounting to several thousands of rupees found in the possession of the suspects, all residents of Mahawa, have also been taken into custody.
The arrested suspects have been released on police bail while they are to be produced at the Mahawa Magistrate’s Court on March 26.
A Syrian military jet is shot down in the northern border region with Turkey where rebels have been battling President Bashar al-Assad's forces.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights quoted local residents as saying the plane was brought down by shooting from the Turkish side of the border. Al Manar, the television station of Lebanon's Hezbollah group, said two rockets were fired from Turkish territory.
Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan later confirmed his country's armed forces had shot down the jet after it violated Turkish airspace.
He said: "A Syrian plane violated our airspace. Our F-16s took off and hit this plane. Why? Because if you violate my airspace, our slap after this will be hard."
'Blatant aggression'
Syria said Turkish air defenses shot down the jet while it was attacking rebel forces inside Syrian territory, calling the move a "blatant aggression".
State television quoted a military source as saying the pilot managed to eject from the plane.
The rebels have been fighting for control of the Kasab crossing, the border region, since Friday, when they launched an offensive which Syrian authorities say was backed by Turkey's military.
Philippine security forces arrest Benito Tiamzon, chairman of underground Communist Party, dealing biggest blow in years to decades-old rebel group.
By:The Associated Press,-Sunday, March 23, 2014
MANILA, PHILIPPINES—Philippine security forces arrested the chairman of the underground Communist Party of the Philippines and his wife on Saturday, dealing the biggest blow in years to the decades-old rebel group.
Benito Tiamzon and his wife, Wilma, also a senior party officer, were arrested in central Cebu province’s Aloguinsan township, said Gen. Emmanuel Bautista, the military’s chief of staff.
The arrests came a week before the party’s armed wing, the New People’s Army, was to mark its 45th anniversary.
The two face charges of crimes against humanity, including a number of murders, Bautista said in a statement late Saturday. They were taken to a military camp in Cebu.
The statement provided no other details about the arrests. Local media reports said that five other people were arrested along with the Tiamzons.
Bautista said the arrests were “another victory for the combined efforts” of the military and police.
“We call on to the rest of the CPP-NPA members to lay down their arms, abandon the armed struggle and return to the comfort of their families and join us in bringing peace and development to our nation,” he said.
Tiamzon’s wife, the party’s secretary-general, had been arrested in the early 1990s but she escaped from custody.
Many other senior Communist Party leaders have also been killed or captured over the years, including some whom the rebels said were consultants in peace negotiations who were supposed to be immune from arrest while talks were ongoing.
Talks to end one of Asia’s longest-running Marxist insurgencies collapsed in 2011 due to disagreements between the two sides over the release of several jailed rebel leaders.
In a statement from the Dutch city of Utrecht where he lives in exile, chief rebel negotiator Luis Jalandoni condemned Saturday’s arrests, saying that the Tiamzons carry government-acknowledged safe conduct passes as “consultants” in the peace talks.
He said Tiamzons “have fulfilled and are fulfilling highly significant tasks in the peace negotiations” and demanded their immediate release.
The military estimates that the guerrilla fighters number about 4,000, down from a peak of about 25,000 in the mid-1980s due to battle losses, surrenders and factionalism.
The party and its armed wing have also been included on the U.S. list of terrorist organizations.
Earlier this month, the rebels launched a series of attacks in southern Davao del Sur province’s Matanao township, killing 10 government troops. At least two guerrillas were killed and nine captured, according to officials.
Paul Farrell in Sydney-Sunday 23 March 2014 Australian PM Tony Abbott says there is 'increasing hope' as search plane identifies wooden pallet and strapping belts in Indian Ocean
Chinese and French satellite images have revealed 'potential objects'
Images taken by Chinese and French satellites and separate sightings of scattered debris have become the focus of the search in the Indian Ocean for missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370.
On Sunday Malaysia said new French satellite images showed "potential objects" related to the flight in the seas off Australia.
"This morning, Malaysia received new satellite images from the French authorities showing potential objects in the vicinity of the southern corridor," the Malaysian Transport Ministry said in a statement. "Malaysia immediately relayed these images to the Australian rescue co-ordination centre."
The statement gave no details about whether the objects were in the same vicinity as the other possible finds in a vast swathe of some of the most inhospitable sea territory on Earth.
A Chinese satellite image of an object spotted in the southern Indian Ocean that could be wreckage from missing Malaysian Airlines flight MH370. Photograph: Reuters
“During Saturday’s search activities a civil aircraft tasked by Amsa reported sighting a number of small objects with the naked eye, including a wooden pallet, within a radius of five kilometres,” the statement said.
In a further briefing on Sunday, Mike Barton, the Rescue Coordination Centre chief at Asma, said that the possible debris seen by the search aircraft also included "strapping belts of different lengths".
“We’ve gone back to that area today to try and refine it but are also continuing with another methodical search … to try and give us some clues,” he said.
“The area continues to change as the water movements change. We're tracking that with self-locating datum buoys.”
The Australian prime minister, Tony Abbott, had earlier announced on Thursday that a “credible” sighting had been made in the Indian ocean, about 2,500km south-west of Perth, based on satellite imagery of two large objects.
The series of announcements has seen a major concentration of effort to scour the southern Indian Ocean for the plane, which went missing over two weeks ago. Eight aircraft have been tasked by Amsa to undertake the search, and vessels from the United States, New Zealand, China and Japan are also aiding in the operation.
None of the sightings have been confirmed, and Abbott said on Sunday that while the findings were “credible leads” they offered “no more than hope” at this stage.
“It is still too early to be definite but obviously we have now had a number of very credible leads, and there is increasing hope, no more than hope … that we might be on the road to discovering what did happen to the aircraft,” Abbott said at a press conference in Papua New Guinea.
Poor weather conditions have further complicated the search mission, and will make the job of observers on the search vessels more difficult. A spokeswoman for the Australian Bureau of Meteorology said on Sunday visibility will continue to be reduced over the weekend.
“Drizzle and associated low cloud and reduction in visibility will continue through the weekend. Another cold front forecast to pass through the area today [Sunday] will bring rain, low cloud, and associated poor visibility,” she said.
Satellite and meteorology experts have already expressed doubts about the prospect of finding the objects in the Indian Ocean believed to be linked to the missing flight, flagging the possibility that the debris could have drifted hundreds of miles since it was first detected due to strong currents. The search area for Sunday has been split into two areas to account for the possible drifts.
As the search continues the families of passengers on board the flight have expressed growing frustration at the progress of the search and the contradictory information that has been released by the Malaysian government. In Beijing on Saturday, relatives accusing were prevented by police from confronting Malaysian officials after a heated exchange at a daily news briefing.
| By Kishali Pinto-Jayawardena
Mar-22-2014
