Great robbery planned by MaRa tomorrow : illegal ballot papers in chief Minister candidate Rasaputra’s office: Ass.Election Commissioner assaulted

(Lanka-e-News-28.March.2014, 9.30PM) An Assistant Elections Commissioner who went to seize a massive quantity of illegally printed ballot papers intended to be used fraudulently at the provincial council elections to be held tomorrow , had been assaulted and threatened with death by the moribund Rajapakse regime chief Minister candidate and his gang of goons.

The Rajapakse regime which is sure of defeat and therefore desperate has planned to cast bogus votes in massive quantities , and just a day before elections this disgraceful racket organized by the regime itself has come to light. 

Following information received by the Assist . elections commissioner of the division that there are large quantities of illegal ballot papers in an unauthorized office situated at Beach road , Matara of the south chief Ministerial candidate 
Chandima Rasaputra , the assist. Commissioner has visited the place and done an investigation, when it was discovered that the office is unauthorized , and though all election propaganda activities have concluded under the laws, such a termination was not there in Rasputra’s unauthorized office even at the time of the visit of the Assist. Commissioner. 

Chandima Rasaputra who got wind that officials have come to seize the illegal ballot papers , had arrived along with a gang and attacked the assist . elections commissioner and the elections officers while threatening them with death. This is the first time in Sri Lanka history an assist. Elections commissioner and his officers had been so assaulted. Thanks to the Rajapakse regime for stoking lawlessness. . 

The victims of the assault are the Nuwara eliya provincial secretory who on duty as a assist. elections commissioner Aruna Fernando and his officers. Aruna Fernando had lodged a complaint with the police. Meanwhile the elections commissioner Mahinda Deshapriya had gone to Matara to inquire into this most grave incident unprecedented in SL .

It has become very evident following this incident that the Rajapakses in their desperation are resorting to every evil action and even directly getting involved in these frauds and election malpractices. 

Following this criminal activity and its exposure , MaRa had moved in , and the Elections commissioner had been sent to Matara ostensibly to hold an inquiry , but in fact his motive is to suppress the investigation after summoning the two parties to the Matara elections commissioner’s office and holding discussions, reports say.

Under the lawless MaRa regime which enthrones criminal activities , recently , in another incident ,a gang of goons of Minister Gamini Lokuge had attacked a group of elections officers at Kesbewa. Lokuge’s son in law is contesting elections this time. The elections officers who went to stop the unauthorized election activities fell victims to this attack. On that occasion too the law was not duly enforced against the assailants despite the fact that it was a serious criminal assault. 

Now, the country’s discipline and lawlessness had reached such a hopeless state that the elections officers getting assaulted by MaRa’s ministerial candidates under the MaRa regime which is only concerned with its power perpetuation at any cost has become a matter of routine. It is very unfortunate despite this situation escalating day by day , the effeminate opposition and the public are still idly watching until the day arrives when the elections commissioner too is dragged out and assaulted , and MaRa’s candidates take over the elections commissioner’s duties and announce the results according to their own whims and fancies. 

In the bygone days men were castrated and made into eunuchs and they at least performed a task – standing sentry to women . But in the case of our opposition members who are apparently born castrated and therefore frustrated so much so that they are unable to perform any task – even unable to do anything for the people who elected them – not even to women!

Video: “I’m Disappointed There Were So Many ‘Abstentions’ And 12 ‘No’ Votes” – Navi Pillay

March 28, 2014 
“I’m disappointed that there were so many ‘abstentions’ and 12 ‘no’ votes. It’s the Security Council, General Assembly and Human Rights Council that establishes Commissions of Inquiries. Nobody is targeting Sri Lanka here. Commissions of Inquiry were appointed in respect of Palestine, in respect of Syria and more recently the Central African Republic. The African Union established one for South Sudan. So these are the usual mechanisms employed by the international organisations, the United Nations and it various bodies, for victims to get protection of human rights, to seek accountability and to ensure victims get the justice they are seeking” Navi Pillay, the High Commissioner of Human Rights told Al Jazeera while speaking about the Sri Lanka inquiry, approved by the UN.

UNP tells Govt: ‘Change course now’

• Govt.’s diplomatic, democratic failures led to this resolution, says Karu
• Stop politicising international problems, says Kiriella
• Main opposition says Rajapaksa Govt.’s sole reason for being is to win elections
• Restore democracy, secure media freedom and stop arbitrary killings now, says UNP

By Dharisha Bastians--Friday 28th March 2014
The main opposition United National Party launched a scathing attack on the Government’s democratic and foreign policy failures yesterday, warning the ruling administration that unless it altered course now it would face damning international consequences.
UNP Leadership Council Chairman Karu Jayasuriya told a press briefing at Sirikotha that it was the Government’s diplomatic and democratic failures that had resulted in the UNHRC adopting a resolution to launch a war crimes inquiry into Sri Lanka.
“This censure is distressing to the UNP. And it is the Government’s own conduct that has got it here,” Jayasuriya charged, adding that the regime had spurned the UNP’s every request to support it to conduct a credible domestic probe into the allegations.
Jayasuriya said that it was tragic that the democratic countries of the world were deserting Sri Lanka, which had a long tradition of democracy itself, as evidenced by the UNHRC vote on Thursday.
Scoffing at the Government’s mathematics that concluded abstentions and votes against the resolution gave Sri Lanka a majority of support in the UN Human Rights Council, UNP MP Lakshman Kiriella said by that argument the UNP would have won every election in recent years. “If you count all those who voted for the UNP and all those who refrained from casting their votes also then the opposition would have beaten the Government every time,” he quipped.
Kiriella said that most countries who had voted with Sri Lanka at the UNHRC on Thursday were those that behaved in the same undemocratic way.
“Why is this government politicising this international crisis?” Kiriella said. He said the Rajapaksa Government behaved as if its sole reason for being was to contest and win elections.
“Is that what people elect governments for? What about the part where they are supposed to govern? To negotiate? To work in the country’s interest internationally?” he charged.
Kiriella said the UNP had repeatedly told the Government since 2012, to fix the problems as outlined the in the US resolution of that year to prevent further international action.
“There are some things they can do immediately. They can restore democracy, they can ensure journalists are not attacked, they can repeal the 18th Amendment and restore the 17th Amendment; they can stop arbitrary killings. Aren’t these good things for the country? What stops the Government from doing these things?” he charged.
According to Kiriella, the international process, now begun at the UNHRC is virtually irreversible. He said any attempt by the Government to prevent UN investigators from entering the country would result in an ex-parte international investigation into allegations of war crimes that could be disastrous for Sri Lanka.
He said that if the Government really wanted to send a message to Geneva, it should have called elections before the vote at the UNHRC.
The UNP MP said that the Government had no idea how to obtain opposition support, let alone international support.
“We are citizens of this country. We will live and die here. We will support the Government if it comes to the centre. Unlike members of the ruling regime, we don’t have US citizenship to run away to that country,” Kiriella charged. He said sections of the regime were being hypocritical by attacking the US Government while holding citizenship in America.
“It was not we who renounced our Sri Lankan citizenship and swore allegiance to the American flag. They did. So now what is their problem with the US?” he said.

Countries in UNHRC supporting US-led action against are now a minority – Ambassador Aryasinha Countries supporting US led action against Sri Lanka are now a minority in the Human Rights Council, Sri Lanka’s Permanent Representative to the UN in Geneva, Ambassador Ravinatha Aryasinha says. Speaking to media in Geneva following the vote on Thursday, the Ambassador said a significant point about the vote in the Human Rights Council on the resolution on Sri Lanka, was that since the US first began moving resolutions on Sri Lanka in 2012, a majority of the 47 members of the Human Rights Council – 12 countries opposing and 12 other countries abstaining – has made it clear that they do not support the action taken by the US, the UK and the other co-sponsors of the resolution to impose an international inquiry mechanism concerning Sri Lanka. “Those 24 countries, as against the 23 ( that includes 12 – EU, EU aspirants and the USA), who refused to endorse the action being taken, have sent a very clear and emphatic message rejecting imposition of external solutions on Sri Lanka, and the detrimental effect it would have on the reconciliation process,” he said. Earlier, addressing the Human Rights Council on behalf of Sri Lanka as the country concerned, Ambassador Aryasinha said Sri Lanka was disappointed to observe that a key imperative driving this resolution is not genuine concern for the welfare of the Sri Lankan people but electoral compulsions of some States at the behest of certain extreme elements with links to the LTTE. “Such biases and extreme ideologies ignore the ground realities, the legitimate aspirations of the Sri Lankan people, and trivialize the price paid by all Sri Lankans to defeat a 30-year brutal terrorist conflict and consolidate peace,” he said.

Blustering Colombo Winds Up The United Nations One Too Many Times

By Rohan Jayasekera -March 28, 2014

Rohan Jayasekera

I thought it would come to nothing, but I was proven wrong. I underestimated the power of Colombo’s bluster to lose friends and influence where it mattered. The UN’s Human Rights Council in Geneva has voted to conduct an independent investigation into Sri Lanka’s conduct of the closing years of its long and bloody war against murderous Tamil Tiger separatists.

The UN is a docile creature, but Sri Lanka registered its contempt for its work by pulling at its tail one too many times. Right to the end, as the UN session opened last week, Colombo was ordering the arrest of human rights activists interviewing survivors of the war, as suspected terrorists.

Detainees Ruki Fernando and Father Praveen Mahesan were just the kind of civil society observers that the UN’s independent investigators would approach once it landed. The threat was not lost on either Sri Lanka’s rights NGOs or the UN itself. UN senior human rights official Navi Pillay described the arrests as ‘provocative’ at a time when the world body was meeting to decide further action.

And provocative it was, to Sri Lanka’s disadvantage, with the members of the UNHRC voting 23-12, with 12 abstentions for the UN investigation today, and a $1.4m budget to run it. Sri Lanka’s ambassador, Ravinatha Aryasinha, slammed the resolution as a “serious breach of international law,an infringement of state sovereignty and (a) pre-judgement of the outcome of domestic processes.”

Yet a less confrontational approach might have seen off what Colombo saw, not wholly unreasonably, as a challenge to its sovereignty. Certainly plenty of other states saw it the same way, including its Asian partners China and Japan, the latter abstaining from Thursday’s vote, as did South Africa, whose handling of its own post-conflict reconciliation, accountability and human rights issues sets the gold standard for the process.

But the country’s war leader, President Mahinda Rajapakse, wanted his victory over the terrorists polished and shining a light on his post-war political future. No question regarding the conduct of the war was to be easily tolerated, whether by his own citizens or the UN.

Colombo has treated the UN with disdain from the start of its appalling final assault on the Tigers north-eastern stronghold five years ago, when Tamil civilians, aid workers and terrorists alike were blasted by government forces across a virtual free-fire zone. Maybe tens of thousands died.Read More

Human Rights Council adopts a resolution on reconciliation, accountability and human rights in Sri Lanka

Human Rights Council
MIDDAY

27 March 2014

Requests High Commissioner to Undertake a Comprehensive Investigation intoAlleged Serious Human Rights Violations in Sri Lanka 

The Human Rights Council in its midday meeting adopted a resolution in which it requested the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights to undertake a comprehensive investigation into alleged serious violations and abuses of human rights and related crimes by both parties in Sri Lanka. 

Human Rights Council Adopts a Resolution on Reconciliation, Accountability and Human Rights in Sri Lanka by nelvely

A step closer to peace and justice

27/03/2014

The Sri Lanka Campaign was founded nearly five years ago with four key objectives. The first was the establishment of an independent international investigation. Today that objective was achieved.

A Step Closer to Peace and Justice by nelvely

Sri Lanka probe 'not ideal' says Bishop

Updated: 08:33, Friday March 28, 2014

Foreign Minister Julie Bishop says the proposed United Nations investigation of war crimes in Sri Lanka is not the best way forward.

Ms Bishop said the Australian government considered engagement with Sri Lanka to be the most effective way to encourage progress on human rights issues.

Genuine advances in accountability and reconciliation will only be possible with the co-operation of the Sri Lankan government, she said.

That follows the UN decision on Thursday to launch an inquiry into war crimes allegedly committed by both Sri Lankan state forces and Tamil rebels during the long-running conflict that ended in 2009.

Ms Bishop said this resolution was passed by the UN Human Rights Council of which Australia was not a member and did not vote.

'Nevertheless I am not convinced that the resolution's call for a separate, internationally-led investigation, without the co-operation of the Sri Lankan government, is the best way forward at this time,' she said in a statement.

Ms Bishop said the resolution also did not adequately recognise the significant progress taken by the Sri Lankan government to promote economic growth and its investment in areas formerly dominated by the LTTE rebels in the north and northeast of the country.

'We should recognise the brutality of the LTTE, a prescribed terrorist organisation, during the 30-year civil war from which the country is struggling to emerge,' she said.

Ms Bishop said Australia would increase efforts to work constructively with the Sri Lankan government, the Tamil National Alliance and other stakeholders to promote economic, social and cultural reconciliation.

'I urge the Sri Lankan government to implement the recommendations of its Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission, and to engage with domestic and international stakeholders to advance an effective and transparent reconciliation agenda,' she said.

Electric Chair Political Blunder To Fool Voters

By Muheed Jeeran -March 28, 2014 |

Muheed Jeeran

These days the most spoken about topics in Sri Lankan political circles  arethe UNHRC resolution and the Electric Chair of the International Criminal Court (ICC). All the leaders, from the ruling party to the opposition, talk primarily about the electric chair, and I was wondering why these political mavericks are talking about something which is not in place at all in the ICC.

Sri Lanka President Mahinda Rajapaksa accused his local political enemies on many stages that they are trying to take him to the electric chair.  President Rajapaksa  has offered to  even sit  on an electric chair rather than betray the troops who brought victory and global fame to his government.

On the other hand, Former Army Commander and Democratic Party LeaderSarath Fonseka said that if there are war crimes allegations against the Sri Lankan Army and somebody goes to the electric chair, it would be him.

Then the opposition leader and Leader of the United National Party Ranil Wickremesinghe started firing his part too in this saga. He said, “the President, any military personnel or a war hero cannot be summoned before the International Criminal Court and I have taken measures to prevent it. If someone is saying that it is not, I am ready even to go to the electric chair for the country”.

While watching this political pow-wow  I thought to analyse the topic, though I know they are talking about something which is not in place in the past or present system of ICC.  The first purpose and function of the court is to prosecute war criminals, and  others guilty of “enumerated” crimes. It is also important to note, the ICC is intended to complement existing national judicial systems, and may only exercise its jurisdiction when national courts are unwilling or unable to investigate or prosecute such crimes .Read More

Cameron welcomes UNHRC resolution, proud of British role in securing international investigation PM Cameron pledges to call for international investigation at CHOGM in Sri Lanka Nov 2013 27 March 2014 Welcoming the passing of the UN Rights Council’s resolution on Sri Lanka, British Prime Minister David Cameron said he was proud of his country’s role in securing an international investigation into war times atrocities there.  “I said that we would achieve more by standing up for our values rather than sitting on the sidelines. And that is exactly what we have done,” he said in a statement issued shortly after HRC members states approved the resolution. The full text of the statement follows: “I am pleased that the UN Human Rights Council has today agreed to press ahead with its own independent investigation into alleged war crimes in Sri Lanka. “This is a victory for the people of Sri Lanka who need to know the truth about what happened during those terrible years of the civil war so that they can move forward. “Today’s outcome has been triggered by the failure of the Sri Lankan government to stand by its promises to credibly and independently investigate alleged violations on both sides during the war. “I hope that President Rajapaksa will now seize this fresh opportunity to work with the international community to heal the issues of the past and to reconcile communities across Sri Lanka. This is the best way to achieve an inclusive and prosperous future and to ensure that Sri Lanka achieves its amazing potential. “I am proud of the crucial role that Britain has played to secure this outcome. I said in November that we would achieve more by standing up for our values rather than sitting on the sidelines. And that is exactly what we have done.”

SRI LANKA: UN investigation offers hope to victims in Sri Lanka

SRI LANKA: UN investigation offers hope to victims in Sri Lanka

HRC 25 in progress ( un photo)

 MARCH 28, 2014

A statement from the International Commission of Jurists ( ICJ) forwarded by the Asian Human Rights Commission

UN investigation offers hope to victims in Sri Lanka The UN Human Rights Council resolution to establish an international investigation into allegations of human rights violations and abuses committed by both sides in Sri Lanka’s civil war gives hope to tens of thousands of victims who continue to be denied truth and justice, the International Commission of Jurists said today.

“The resolution sends a strong message to the Government of Sri Lanka that the international community is not willing to turn its back on victims’ pursuit of truth, justice and accountability in Sri Lanka,” said Sheila Varadan, ICJ South Asia Programme Legal Advisor.

The resolution is the third resolution adopted by the Council on Sri Lanka since 2012.

The previous two called on the Government of Sri Lanka to undertake an independent and credible national investigation into allegations of violations of international human rights law and international humanitarian law.

But almost five years after the end of the civil war, no one has been held accountable for gross human rights violations and abuses or serious violations of international humanitarian law.

The failure at the national level contributed to the decision of the Council to mandate the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights to organize an international investigation on behalf of the UN.

“Not only has the Government of Sri Lanka failed to deliver on its repeated promises to ensure accountability, it has actively dismantled the very institutions that could have delivered truth, justice and remedy for such rights violations and abuses,” said Varadan. “The judiciary has been effectively decapitated, and lawyers and judges continue to face intimidation, harassment and threats.”

During negotiations among States on the resolution earlier in the Council session, the ICJ warned diplomats that the Sri Lankan judiciary could no longer be relied upon to function as an impartial and independent institution.

Its judicial appointment process has become highly politicized; judges and lawyers have been subjected to threats, intimidation and physical violence; and the absence of an independent, impartial and fair removal and discipline process has left judges vulnerable to politically motivated attacks.

“Without an impartial and independent judiciary, it is simply not possible to have a credible independent and impartial investigation at the national level, no matter what the Government says,’’ added Varadan.

The need for such a resolution is further underscored by the recent and alarming campaign of reprisals against human rights defenders, victims and their families, and lawyers. Over the course of the Council session, human rights defenders have been arbitrarily detained and interrogated under abusively invoked counterterrorism laws; victims and their families have been intimidated and harassed; and lawyers have been targeted in media campaigns inciting public violence.

While the resolution did not fully respond to calls from civil society for the Council directly to establish an international Commission of Inquiry, an investigation led by the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights has the potential to deliver similarly powerful findings, particularly if the Office fully exercises its mandate to draw on the assistance of independent experts and special procedures with a focus on ensuring accountability, truth and justice.

CONTACT:

Sheila Varadan, ICJ Legal Advisor, South Asia Programme (Bangkok), t:

+66 857200723+66 857200723; email: sheila.varadan@icj.org

Matt Pollard, ICJ Senior Legal Advisor and UN Representative (Geneva), t: +41 792465475+41 792465475matt.pollard@icj.org

BACKGROUND

-­The resolution of the Council was adopted by 23 votes in favor, 12 against and 12 abstentions.

-­ The resolution was co-sponsored by a cross-regional group of at least 41 Council member and observer states, including:

Albania, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Cyprus, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Mauritius, Montenegro, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Sierra Leone, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, the United Kingdom, and the United States of America.

‘South Africa Abstained In Sri Lanka Voting To Remain Neutral To Be A Potential Facilitator’ Says GTF

March 28, 2014

Global Tamil Forum (GTF) praises the adoption of the latest UN Human Rights Council resolution on Sri Lanka and says it is a significant and historic step towards achieving truth, accountability and justice for the victims of the armed conflict on Sri Lanka and the International community must make it absolutely clear to President Mahinda Rajapaksa and his government what the consequences will be if they do not co-operate and/or wilfully obstruct the investigation. 

Suren Surendiran -Spokesperson GTF

Issuing a statement today the GTF said; “GTF will fully support in any way possible the endeavours of the OHCHR as it undertakes this important task.

“Since inception GTF has consistently called for an independent international investigation of alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity committed by both sides to the armed conflict, which ended in May 2009.

“As an independent international investigative mechanism, the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) has been authorised to conduct a comprehensive inquiry in Sri Lanka, which will investigate the allegations of war crimes and crimes against humanity committed by both the Sri Lankan military and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) forces in the last years of the civil war.                                           Read More   

The JVP’s Malignant Legacy

By Rajan Hoole -March 28, 2014 |

Rajan Hoole

1989: The Eclipse of the JVP and the Perplexity of the Left – Part 7

The JVP, as we had averred earlier, by its avaricious attempt to seize power by methods tempered neither by humanity nor morality, destroyed the spirit of the Left and eroded the remaining healthier traditions in society. Its unbridled violence reinforced the forces of obscurantism and killed off the will of the people at the grassroots, to organise and assert themselves.

After all the murder and mayhem they unleashed, the JVP has simply covered up its crimes without any sign of repentance. The JVP   leaders do not in the least feel responsible for the deaths of large numbers of youth in this country, including members of their own cadre, caused directly and indirectly by their intemperate actions. It is remarkable that the whole world has rained indignation on the Sri Lankan State for the deaths of tens of thousands of alleged JVPers, and called for a full inquiry, but not a hum from the JVP leadership. Getting over that devastating experience was the gravest problem confronting the ordinary people. Yet the JVP had nothing to say. That is an indication of what little good it can offer in politics.

The JVP survives in politics merely by putting on virtuous airs and tapping the cynicism the people feel towards the major parties. It will form any alliance to score a point, even with the UNP led by Ranil Wickremasinghe, to talk about fake democracy. That is a measure of how little it feels for its members and supporters killed in its unscrupulous dash for power.                       Read More       

Dangerous defeat in Geneva

March 29, 2014 

“The passage of the resolution marks a historic moment…” – R. Sampanthan, TNA Leader (‘Tamil National Alliance welcomes UNHRC Resolution’)

Having lost the crucial vote in Geneva and opened the door to an international investigation, Sri Lanka is now in new territory. Sri Lankans saw who their real friends were at the UNHRC on Thursday night.

Dangerous Defeat in Geneva by nelvely

HR violators- Rajapakses and LTTE defeated ! HR defenders win by 11 votes at Geneva- marks the defeat of ‘army’ of HR enemies


(Lanka-e-News-28.March.2014, 9.45PM) Yesterday(27) , the resolution tabled at the Geneva human rights (HR) Council that an independent and unbiased international investigation should be launched into the human rights violations committed by the so called Democratic Rajapakse regime and those committed by the LTTE terrorists during the war was adopted by a majority of 11 votes with 23 countries voting for and 12 voting in favor of the HR violators – the Rajapakse regime, while 12 countries abstained from voting. Notably India refrained from voting. 

HR violators- Rajapakses and LTTE defeated ! HR defenders win by 11 votes at Geneva- marks the defeat of ‘a... by nelvely

Canadian Tamil Congress Welcomes International Investigative Mechanism on Sri Lanka

For Immediate Release

March 27, 2014

Canadian Tamil Congress Welcomes International Investigative Mechanism on Sri Lanka

Geneva, Switzerland – The Canadian Tamil Congress (CTC) welcomes the resolution entitled “Promoting Reconciliation, Accountability and Human Rights in Sri Lanka” which passed this morning at the 25th session of the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva.

The resolution mandates the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights to establish an international inquiry to investigate “serious violations and abuses of human rights and related crimes by both parties in Sri Lanka”, thereby setting in motion a process that will lead to accountability for serious crimes committed in Sri Lanka.

This broad fact finding mandate given to the High Commissioner represents a significant step forward in achieving accountability and justice on the island of Sri Lanka. Council’s provision to the High Commissioner of the ability to establish ‘facts’ is part of a continuum that commenced with the 2011 Panel of Experts Report. Empowering the High Commissioner’s office with such broad powers will ensure the emergence of truth and send a strong message to Sri Lanka that the international community has lost confidence in its purported domestic reconciliation and accountability processes. The resolution mandates an investigation into serious violations and abuses of human rights and related crimes, which include war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide.

“The International community has finally taken a meaningful step towards seeking the truth, and bringing justice to the victims of the brutal war in Sri Lanka. This process should serve as a deterrent to those states that flagrantly violate international human rights and humanitarian law” stated Gary Anandasangaree, Legal Counsel to the Canadian Tamil Congress. “This resolution is not going to bring back over 70,000 lives lost in the war, however, it may give families some solace that those responsible for the deaths of their loved ones may finally be brought to justice”, concluded Anandasangaree.

Having failed to seek accountability immediately after the end of the war, many of the co-sponsors worked progressively towards achieving this mechanism for accountability in Sri Lanka. CTC is grateful for the leadership of the United States of America, the United Kingdom and Canada. The Canadian government, in particular, has played a critical role in achieving this outcome. “We are grateful for the leadership demonstrated by Prime Minster Harper and Minister Baird, along with the staff at the Department of Foreign Affairs in Ottawa, Geneva and Colombo for their efforts in ensuring that Tamils get justice,” stated David Poopalapillai, National Spokesperson for the Canadian Tamil Congress.

CTC also wishes to acknowledge diligent efforts of our INGO colleagues, human rights defenders, elected members of parliament and members of civil society from Sri Lanka who have taken extraordinary risks in advocating for a constructive resolution and action from the Human Rights Council. CTC is inspired by their fearless dedication towards achieving justice and accountability in Sri Lanka. We thank these champions of human rights, both Tamil and Sinhalese, for working towards lasting peace on the island.

The passage of this resolution is a significant step forward in the struggle for human rights on the island of Sri Lanka. The Council has empowered the High Commissioner’s office to establish findings of fact. In order to fulfill this broad mandate, Council should ensure that all appropriate resources are made available to the Office of the High Commissioner and the Office should undertake the investigation of all alleged war crimes, crimes against humanity, genocide and other violations of human rights and humanitarian law.

For Media Inquiries, please contact:

Mr. David Poopalapillai (Toronto) – 905-781-7034

Mr. Gary Anandasangaree (Geneva) – 416-564-9991

Ms. Vani Selvarajah (Geneva) – 011 41 76 770 77 64

Dutch police arrest Balkan war crimes suspect: prosecutors

AMSTERDAM Fri Mar 28, 2014 

(Reuters) - A man wanted in Croatia on suspicion of war crimes during the violent breakup of Yugoslavia in the 1990s has been arrested in the Netherlands, the public prosecutor said on Friday.

Milutin Graic, 41, is alleged to have been a member of an ethnic Serb militia that drove ethnic Croats out of the Krajina region, where ethnic Serbs set up a statelet in 1991 in an attempt to break away from newly independent Croatia.

Prosecutors said a Croatian court had issued a European arrest warrant for the man, who had been living on the run in the southern city of Roosendaal, near the Netherlands' border with Belgium. He is likely to be extradited soon.

According to the daily De Telegraaf, the detained suspect was a member of a militia led by Milan Martic, former leader of the Republic of Serbian Krajina, who in 2007 was sentenced to 35 years in prison by an international court in The Hague for crimes against humanity including murder, torture and deportation.

Tamil Nadu parties hail Lanka vote, flay India

TNN | Mar 28, 2014
CHENNAI: The resolution passed at the United Nations Human Rights Council meeting on Thursday ordering a war crimes probe in Sri Lanka may have come at the right time for the Dravidian parties who have been pushing for a strong resolution. 

Their poll manifestos had sought an international investigation into alleged human rights violations. Beyond this, parties had also called for a referendum among the Tamil population on the Eelam question. Quick to react, DMK's Stalin condemned the UPA government for its decision to abstain from the voting. At a public meeting in Coimbatore on Thursday, he said chief minister J Jayalalithaa was wrong in criticising DMK for having gone along with Congress in its stance on the Lankan Tamil cause. Jayalalithaa has been highly critical of Congress for having betrayed the interests of Tamils in Sri Lanka. 

TKS Elangovan, DMK spokesperson , said the party is happy that the resolution ordering an international probe has been passed. "By abstaining, India is supporting human rights violations in Sri Lanka. No civilized country can stand in support of such human rights violations ." 

Observers say that the UPA government has taken the decision to abstain in the absence of pressure from its former ally DMK. DMK and AIADMK have not aligned with a national party in the polls and so are under little alliance compulsions. They may only up the campaign rhetoric on the issue, observers say. 

CPI, a party that has traditionally been vocal about the human rights situation in Sri Lanka, also attacked India's decision to abstain from voting on the US-sponsored resolution. "It is another act of betrayal by the Congress-led UPA government , which had earlier supported a resolution though it was watered down. Now with the report of Navi Pillay, UN Human Rights Commissioner, who has demanded an investigation into human rights violations and war crimes in Sri Lanka , there was a need for a credible probe," CPI MP D Raja said. 

He said India knew what had happened in Sri Lanka more than others because everything happened with its "knowledge and involvement." Raja said India should have taken the lead in sponsoring the resolution at the UNHRC and instead it was shocking that it had decided to abstain from voting . 

While abstaining from the voting, India said the council should seek to support Lankan government's efforts. And voting for the resolution would jeopardize reconstruction programmes in Sri Lanka to which India is contributing. India also noted that conducting elections in the Northern Province was a positive step. 

Delhi Should Have Supported 

Resolution On Sri Lanka: FM

( March 28, 2014, New Delhi, Sri Lanka Guardian) Differing with his government’s stand of abstaining from voting in UNHRC on the US-sponsored resolution against Sri Lanka, Finance Minister P Chidambaram today said New Delhi should have supported it.

"It is my personal opinion. Twenty three countries had supported it and we also should have supported even if it was a watered down one," he told reporters here.

The decision could have been taken by officials in the External Affairs Ministry, Chidambaram, who hails from Tamil Nadu where the ethnic conflict involving minority Tamils in Sri Lanka has an emotional appeal, said.

He pointed out that there was no consensus among political parties in the state over this issue.

On Thursday, India had abstained from voting in the US-sponsored resolution at UNHRC, saying it imposes an “intrusive approach” of international investigative mechanism which was counter-productive, apart from being “inconsistent and impractical”.

The country had, however, voted against Sri Lanka, charged with alleged war crimes during the peak of hostilities in 2009, in the previous years amid clamour for its support by Tamil Nadu political parties, including former UPA constituent DMK and ruling AIADMK.

On DMK chief M Karunanidhi’s statement that his party was ready to support Congress if it proved its secular credentials, Chidambaram asserted his party was indeed a secular party.

Chidambaram welcomed Karunanidhi’s remarks, but said he was ‘amazed’ that the DMK leader was questioning his party’s secular credentials as it had never extended support to any communal party. “We have always been on the secular side.”

"If he (Karunanidhi) comes, we welcome him," he said supporting a Congress-DMK tie up.

He, however, declined to predict who would win the April 24 Lok Sabha polls as there was a five-cornered contest which, he said, could throw up many surprises.