Why U.S. Navy Submarines May Already Be Hunting for Missing Flight 370

BY DAN LAMOTHE-APRIL 1, 2014 

The British Navy just sent a nuclear-powered submarine to the South Indian Ocean to help search for the Malaysian airliner that has been missing since March. The United States has not announced any similar decisions, but analysts caution that the U.S. Navy prides itself on keeping the movement of its submarines silent, and may already be in the hunt.

"The value of a submarine is in its stealth and its ability to stay hidden," said Eric Wertheim, an analyst with the United States Naval Institute in Annapolis, Md. "It could very well be doing it. But countries don't typically announce their submarines' locations."

Like the British submarine, the U.S. sub fleet could assist in scanning the ocean for remains of the airliner. The depths to which they can go are classified, but is generally believed to be a few thousand feet underwater, Wertheim said. However, a sub's sonar could detect wreckage much deeper. Information gathered could be used as part of the larger search, with unmanned robots recovering the plane's remains once it is found. They have been used repeatedly to salvage both military and commercial aircraft.

Adm. Samuel Locklear, the top U.S. commander in the Pacific, declined on Friday in an interview with Foreign Policy to say whether he would recommend sending any additional U.S. equipment to help in the search. U.S. military involvement in the days after the plane first disappeared was appropriate, he said, citing the involvement of other nations and the uncertainty over what would help.

"I personally had dialogue with both the minister of defense and the chief of defense of Malaysia to make sure we were giving them the right support," Locklear told FP. "But, this has turned out to be the largest search-and-rescue and search-and-recovery effort probably in the history of mankind. It has been a hard thing, because the circumstances behind it were not clear from the beginning."

Thus far, the Pentagon has sent a P-3 and P-8 surveillance aircraft, a single unmanned Bluefin-21 submarine, and a "pinger locator" designed to find the data flight recorder and cockpit voice recorder on board planes. The USS Kidd and USS Pinckney, two destroyers, also have assisted, with helicopters searching from their flight decks. Navy officials declined to comment whether any U.S. submarines were involved in the hunt for the missing airliner, citing the force's need to be a "silent service."

The British submarine, the HMS Tireless, already has arrived in the southern Indian Ocean, British officials said Tuesday. Aviation experts and the Malaysian government say the airliner is doomed, and likely deep underwater in an ocean well known for its treacherous conditions. The 280-foot-long submarine is equipped with sonar that will allow it to scan for wreckage from the massive Boeing 777, which had 227 passengers and 12 crew members on board when it diverted from its planned flight path from Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia to Beijing, China. All on board are believed to be dead.

The Tireless is part of Britain's Trafalgar class of submarines, which were designed to hunt enemy submarines during the Cold War. They have been adapted for 21st-century use, including covert surveillance of enemy forces and reconnaissance of military installations and beaches that are on shore, British officials said. It carries about 18 officers and more than 100 crew members.

Lt. Rebecca Rebarich/ U.S. Navy

Burma census is not counting Rohingya Muslims, says UN agency

UN Population Fund says Burmese government has gone back on promises by excluding persecuted group from count

Census workers prepare documents in Rakhine state, Burma. Photograph: Khin Maung Win/AP

Associated Press-Wednesday 2 April 2014 

The UN agency helping Burma conduct its first census in decades has said it is deeply concerned that members of the long-persecuted Rohingya Muslim population are not being counted, accusing the government of going back on its word.

In the violence-scarred state of Rakhine, census workers were asking households to identify their ethnicity. When the answer was "Rohingya", they reportedly said thank you, turned around and walked away.

Burma, a predominantly Buddhist nation of about 60 million, only recently emerged from a half century of military rule. It held its last count in 1983 and experts say the information being gathered from 30 March to 10 April is crucial for national development and planning.

But the inclusion of questions about ethnicity and race – approved by the UN Population Fund (UNFPA) – have been widely criticised. Experts warned they could inflame tensions at a delicate stage in the country's transition to democracy.

That is especially true in Rakhine, home to the country's estimated 1.3 million Rohingya. In the past two years, their neighbourhoods have been targeted by rampaging Buddhist mobs. Up to 280 people have been killed and another 140,000 forced to flee their homes. Many are now living in crowded camps on the outskirts of the state capital, Sittwe.

The UN agency said it had received assurances from the government that everyone in the country would be allowed to self-identify their ethnicity.

On the eve of the census, however, the presidential spokesman Ye Htut announced that anyone who called themselves Rohingya would not be counted. Though many members of the religious minority were born in Burma to families who arrived generations ago, the government considers them illegal immigrants from Bangladesh.

Ye Htut said only those who called themselves Bengalis would be included in the official tally. The UN agency said that went against earlier promises.

"In its agreement with the United Nations … the government made a commitment to conduct the exercise in accordance with international census standards and human rights principles," it said in a statement. "It explicitly agreed with the condition that each person would be able to declare what ethnicity they belong to.

"Those not identifying with one of the listed ethnic categories would be able to declare their ethnicity and have their response recorded by enumerators."

The UN said it was deeply concerned by the government's about-face, saying it could heighten tensions in Rakhine state and undermine the credibility of data collected.

The census – funded largely by the world body and international donors – was estimated to cost $74m. Rights groups and analysts have repeatedly criticised the UNFPA for failing to properly consult a broad range of ethnic groups before the count, which took years to plan, and ignoring warnings about the potential dangers of including complex, politically sensitive issues about ethnicity.

Is Sri Lanka heading towards a Rohingya type attack on island's besieged Muslims?

By Latheef Farook

The alliance between anti Muslim Sri Lankan racist outfit Bodu Bala Sena and Burma's blood thirsty Buddhist Monk Ashin Wiruthu, responsible for slaughtering thousands of Myanmar's Rohingya Muslims, spells disaster for the island.

This extremely dangerous alliance, brought together by their common hatred towards Islam and Muslims, 

Burning Muslim villages	Muslim families thrown out of their homes
Body of a Muslim child burnt and another child throat cut

Is Sri Lanka heading towards a Type Attack On Island's Rohingya Muslims besieged by Sarah Freeman

Sri Lanka should take a leaf out of Putin diplomacySri Lanka should take a leaf out of Putin diplomacy

(Lanka-e-News-31.March.2014, 11.45PM) Vladimir Putin called Barak Obama on Thursday, March 27, 2014 and spoke to him for an hour. That's right. While the world expected a spat between the US and Russia, Putin placated Obama quite genially he had no intention of invading Ukraine all the while Russian troops were surrounding it. Boris Yeltsin in his drunken stupor conceded Chechnya and allowed Kosovo to be invaded by Serbia with US backing and the ensuing debacle is well documented. The latest News is that Putin has ordered a partial pull-out of Its troops From Ukraine's Borders As he spoke to German Chancellor Angela Merkel.

Putin's timely action and diplomacy in the Wake of the Crimean War which claimed Hundreds of Lives in the Preceeding months before Ukraine went to the polls is a lesson Sri Lanka should take a lesson from if it were to avert international condemnation and subsequent sanctions which can hurt its economy perilously and there is every indication the masses would rise up against the cost of living ensuing by sanctions.

Now to find excuses like Sri Lanka has no Breathing space for IT had done the Last Five years since the noose is tightening and intensifying the pressure for the Government to take Immediate action to implement UNHRC Recommendations Post-crossing Seriously.

A Serbian Journalist explained to Colleague None of that is that the trouble with ME former Yugoslavia Its small States could agree in disagreeing with One PLEASURE than another and they take to make IT a consenting or co-Operation UNIFIED State.  

Mikhail Gorbachev gave Russia an Opportunity to Come out of closet Its of communism to embracing glasnost and perestroika thereby paving the way for a semblance of democracy in Russia. But US had other plans.While it pressurised Russia to dismantle its nuclear weapons it was keeping its own nuclear stockpile intact and it did not enter into the treaty for nuclear disarmament. Its rationale is that it needs to be prepared for any calamity such as nuclear threats from Iran, North Korea and Russia not to mention India and Pakistan which were advancing its nuclear technology and manufacturing its own nuclear missiles Agni and Preethvi respectively to safeguard South Asia against western dominance and intimidation.

One CAN draw parallel to Russia's predicament to that of Sri Lanka, albeit in a small Way (Sri Lanka is small change to Russia's Position in the world order, in terms of size, power and Economy), in the recently conducted UNHRC sessions. While thumbing nose at Its UNHRC to probe the Sri Lankan Government had still send Its emissaries to argue that Sri Lanka is devoid of Its Point nigh On Terrorism and peace after 30 years of LTTE Horror Reigns.  

Keeping soldiers forever On the ready in the North and East when it declared the war with the LTTE is over borders on pure paranoia and its power hunger for holding onto Sinhala hegemony and enslavement of its minorities. Post UNHRC resolution, the President is accusing defiant towards UNHRC of interfering with a sovereign State which IT has no moral or political authority and that he would not UNHRC Issue Visas for investigators to conduct inquiry into atrocities War.

If Sri Lanka is not Willing to abide Then by IT standards should not seek UN support to U.S. or EU Monetary Aid lend IT.  

Where will this leave the Government? UNHRC has clearly proved with evidence gathered over the five year period since war ended on May 2009 that Sri Lanka post war is a failed state and that it is incapable or unwilling to conduct its own independent investigation into the conduct of its security forces who are accused of massacring well over 40, 000 civilians which is a conservative estimate by NGOs, INGOs and ICRC. These figures are not to be taken lightly.

To IT is necessary to comprehend the Cold War Go back MANY years. Putin's predecessor Boris Yeltsin whose Russian Federation, which firstly argued that Chechnya had not been an independent entity within the Soviet Union-as the Baltic, Central Asian, and other Caucasian States had-but was part of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic and hence did soviet not have a right under the Constitution to secede.

took Place The First Chechen War that lasted over a Two-year period From 1994 to 1996, When Russian forces attempted to regain Control over Chechnya, which had declared independence in November 1991. Despite overwhelming numerical superiority in men, weaponry, and air support, the Russian forces were unable to establish effective permanent control over the mountainous area due to numerous successful full scale battles and insurgency raids. For three months, Russia lost more tanks (over 1,997 tanks) in Grozny than during the Battle of Berlin in 1945 On 21 May 2006, Montenegro held a referendum to determine whether to end its union with Serbia. The results showed 55.4% of voters in favor of independence, which was just above the 55% required by the referendum. On 5 June 2006, the National Assembly of Serbia declared Serbia to be the legal successor to the former state union. The province of Kosovo unilaterally declared independence from Serbia on 17 February 2008. Serbia immediately condemned the declaration and continues to deny any statehood to Kosovo. From the International Community the declaration has sparked varied responses, some welcoming IT, while others condemn the unilateral Move.  

Incidentally Motenegro voted against Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka is the new Serbia which showed no compassion for the former Yugoslavia and Russian States Within States which sought to deprive Muslim territories such As Its Within Their rights of Kosovo.

Now that the election fever is over that IT Easy IT CAN reign can not rest until 2016 without repercussions from the world players who voted against Sri Lanka at UNHRC. Complacency On the Part of Sri Lanka is tantamount to Digging Its own grave.

Sources: BBC; Wikipedia  
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(The writer has been a Journalist for 25 years and worked in National Newspapers As sub-editor, News News editor and reporter. Colombo She was CORRESPONDENT for Times of India and has contributed to Wall Street Journal where she was on work experience from The Graduate School of Journalism, UC Berkeley, California. Currently residing in UK she is also co-founder of EJN (Exiled Journalists Network) UK in 2005 the From 40 countries of which membership is 200. She CAN be at Peak  pearlthevahotmailcom ) 

சிறை கைதி ஒருவர் சாவு

31 மார்ச் 2014, திங்கள்

யாழ்ப்பாண சிறைச்சாலை கைதி ஒருவர் உயிரிழந்துள்ளார்.

நேற்றைய தினம் சுகவீனம் காரணமாக சிறைச்சாலையினரால் யாழ்.போதனா வைத்தியசாலையில் அனுமதிக்கப்பட்ட நிலையில் இன்று உயிரிழந்துள்ளார்.

ஆணைக்கோட்டை சாவற்காடு என்ற இடத்தை சேர்ந்த வைரவநாதன் நாதன் ( வயது 33) என்பவே இவ்வாறு உயிரிழந்தவராவார். மேலும் இவரது சடலம் வைத்தியசாலையில் வைக்கப்பட்டுள்ளது.

எனினும் இவரது மரணம் தொடர்பில் சிறைச்சாலையினருடன் தொடர்பினை ஏற்படுத்தி கேட்டபோதும் அவர்கள் சரியாக பதிலளிக்கவில்லை என்பது குறிப்பிடத்தக்கது.

- See more at: http://onlineuthayan.com/News_More.php?id=230692808331427207#sthash.

அணுகுமுறையே தவறு!

By தினமணி

First Published : 01 April 2014 01:11 AM IST

இலங்கையில் நடைபெற்ற இறுதிக்கட்ட போரில் நடத்தப்பட்ட மனித உரிமை மீறல் குறித்து சர்வதேச விசாரணை நடத்த வேண்டும் என்று ஐக்கிய நாடுகள் மனித உரிமைக் கழகத்தில் அமெரிக்கா கொண்டு வந்த தீர்மானம் 23 நாடுகளின் ஆதரவுடன் நிறைவேறியுள்ளது. 12 நாடுகள் ஆதரிக்கவில்லை. 12 நாடுகள் புறக்

கணித்தன. அவற்றில் இந்தியாவும் ஒன்று. இலங்கைக்கு எதிராக இதற்கு முன் கொண்டு வரப்பட்ட தீர்மானங்களை பல நெருக்கடியான நிலைகளில் ஆதரித்த இந்தியா, எது எப்படியும் போகட்டும் என்ற மனோபாவத்தில் மேற்கொண்ட அலட்சியமான முடிவு இது.

இந்தப் புறக்கணிப்புக்காக இலங்கை அதிபர் ராஜபட்ச உளம் மகிழ்ந்து, பாராட்டி இருப்பதும், இதற்குப் பரிசாக 93 இந்திய மீனவர்களை விடுதலை செய்திருப்பதும், இந்தியாவை மேலும் கேலி செய்வதுதானே தவிர வேறு ஏதும் இல்லை.

அமெரிக்கா கொண்டு வந்த தீர்மானமே நீர்த்துப்போய் உள்ளது என்பதுதான் குற்றச்சாட்டு. அமெரிக்கா முதலில் தாக்கல் செய்த நகல் தீர்மானத்தில், தமிழர் வாழும் பகுதியிலிருந்து சிங்கள ராணுவம் முற்றிலுமாக வெளியேற்றப்பட வேண்டும் என்ற வாசகம் இருந்தது. ஆனால் ஐ.நா.வில் முன்வைக்கப்பட்ட வரைவு தீர்மானத்தில் இந்த வரிகள் நீக்கப்பட்டு விட்டன.

நீக்கப்பட்ட இந்த வரிகளை தீர்மானத்தில் சேர்க்க வேண்டும் என்று வலியுறுத்தி புறக்கணிப்பு செய்திருந்தால்கூட, இந்திய அரசைப் பாராட்டலாம். ஆனால், இந்தியா முற்றிலுமாக ஒதுங்கிக் கொண்டுவிட்டது. இதற்கு சொல்லப்பட்ட காரணம், "ஒரு நாட்டின் உள்விவகாரத்தில் தலையிடுவதை இந்தியா விரும்பவில்லை, இன்னொரு நாட்டின் இறையாண்மையைக் குலைப்பதாக அது அமைந்துவிடும்' என்பதுதான். காஷ்மீரிலும் இதே போன்று மனித உரிமை மீறல்களுக்காக ஐ.நா.வில் ஒரு தீர்மானம் முன் வைக்கப்படும்போது, அதை எதிர்க்க முடியாமல் போய்விடும் என்ற அச்சத்தை இந்திய அரசின் காரணம் சொல்லாமல் சொல்கிறது.

காஷ்மீரில் நடைபெற்று வரும் போராட்டத்தையும் இலங்கையில் தமிழர்கள் மீதான இன அழிப்பு போராட்டத்தையும் ஒன்றாகப் பார்க்கத் தேவையில்லை என்பதை, இந்திய அரசு இன்னமும் புரிந்துகொள்ள மறுக்கிறது. இந்தியா ஆதரவு தெரிவிக்காமல் புறக்கணிக்கக் காரணம், சிங்கள ராணுவ வெளியேற்றம் தொடர்பான வரிகள் வரைவு தீர்மானத்தில் நீக்கப்பட்டதுதான் என்று ராஜதந்திரமாக நழுவக்கூட இந்திய அரசுக்குத் தெரியவில்லை. பொதுத்தேர்தல் நடைபெறும் நேரத்தில், தமிழர்களின் எதிர்ப்பை சம்பாதித்துக்கொள்ள விரும்பாமல், அரை மனதுடன் தீர்மானத்தை ஆதரித்திருந்து அரசியல் ஆதாயம் தேடவாவது தெரிந்ததா என்றால் அதுவும் இல்லை.

பிரிட்டன் பிரதமர் இலங்கையில் காமன்வெல்த் மாநாட்டுக்கு வந்தபோது, அவரிடம் புகார் தெரிவித்த பெண்மணியை காணவில்லை என்று கூறப்படுகிறது. இலங்கை அரசு எத்தகைய அராஜக நடவடிக்கையை மேற்கொள்கிறது என்பதற்கு இது ஒரு உதாரணம்.

இத்தகைய சூழ்நிலையில், தமிழர் பாதிக்கப்பட்ட பகுதிகளில் இருந்து சிங்கள ராணுவத்தை வெளியேற்றாமல், சர்வதேச விசாரணை நடத்தப்படுமேயானால், அதனால் ஒரு பலனும் இருக்கப்

போவதில்லை. பிரிட்டன் பிரதமரிடம் புகார் சொன்ன பெண்மணி காணாமல் போனதுபோல் தாமும் காணாமல் போய்விடுவோம் என்ற அச்சத்தின் காரணமாக யாரும் விசாரணை அமைப்பிடம் பேச மாட்டார்கள். இதனால், மனித உரிமை மீறல்களின் முழுத்தோற்றம் விசாரணையில் வெளிப்படாமலேயே போகும்.

இத்தகைய தீர்மானத்தால் இலங்கையில் நடைபெற்றுவரும் புனரமைப்பு மற்றும் மறுகுடியேற்றப் பணிகளில் தொய்வு ஏற்படும் என்று இலங்கை அதிபர் ராஜபட்ச சொல்வது, ஒருவகையான மறைமுக எச்சரிக்கை.

புனரமைப்பு மற்றும் மறுகுடியேற்றப் பணிகளுக்காக இந்தியா பல ஆயிரம் கோடி ரூபாய் ஒதுக்கீடு செய்துள்ள நிலையில், இத்தகைய பணியில் தொய்வு ஏற்படும் என்று சொல்வதை இந்தியா எவ்வாறு கேட்டுக்கொண்டு சும்மா இருக்கிறது?

இலங்கையில் நிலவும் சூழலையும், அதனால் ஏற்படும் பாதுகாப்பு அச்சுறுத்தல்களையும் சரியாகப் புரிந்து கொள்ளாமல் தில்லியில் இருப்பவர்கள் பிரச்னையை அணுகுவதுதான் வேதனை. இந்தியாவுடன் தொப்புள்கொடி உறவுள்ள இலங்கைவாழ் தமிழர்களின் பாதுகாப்பை இந்தியா உறுதி செய்வது அவர்களுக்காக மட்டுமல்ல, இந்துமகா சமுத்திரத்தில் அன்னிய ஏகாதிபத்தியர்கள் மேலாதிக்கம் செலுத்திவிடாமல் பாதுகாக்கவும்தான். இந்திரா காந்திக்குத் தெரிந்திருந்த அந்த ராஜதந்திரம் அவருக்குப் பின்னால் ஆட்சியிலமர்ந்தவர்களுக்கு இல்லாமல் போய்விட்டதால்தான், இலங்கைப் பூனையைப் பார்த்து இந்தியப் புலி பயந்து நடுங்குகிறது. ஆண்மைத்தனமுள்ள ஆட்சி இந்தியாவில் அரியணை ஏறினால் மட்டுமே இதற்கு விடைகாண முடியும்; இந்துமகா சமுத்திரத்தில் இந்தியாவின் மேலாண்மையை உறுதிப்படுத்திக் கொள்ளவும் முடியும்!

Written statement to Parliament

Sri Lanka: UN Human Rights Council

Organisation:

Foreign & Commonwealth Office

Delivered On: 31 March 2014Page History: Published 31 March 2014Policy: Human rights internationally promoting Topics: Equality, rights and Citizenship ,  +  2 others Minister: The Rt Hon  William Hague MP
location: Sri Lanka Location: Parliament

Foreign Secretary William Hague has updated parliament on the UNHRC resolution calling for an international investigation into Sri Lanka.

Foreign Secretary William Hague:

Further to my written Ministerial statement of 18 March [40WS], the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) passed a resolution on Sri Lanka on 27 March. This resolution calls for an international investigation into allegations of violations and abuses of international law on both sides during the civil war, and for progress on reconciliation, human rights and a political settlement. The British Government is pleased with this outcome and strongly believes that it was the right decision.

My right Honourable friend the Prime Minister committed the UK to calling for an international investigation following his visit to Sri Lanka last year where he witnessed the situation on the ground first hand. The UK was an important co-sponsor of the resolution, alongside the US, Montenegro, Macedonia and Mauritius.

The passing of this resolution sends an important and strong message to the Sri Lankan government - that they must address the grievances of the recent past in order to help secure lasting peace and reconciliation, and a prosperous future for all the people of Sri Lanka. The resolution represents a significant step forward in ensuring the truth is established for the Sri Lankan people.

By voting in favour of this resolution, the international community has shown that it has listened to the many independent voices, including the High Commissioner for Human Rights herself and domestic support in Sri Lanka, calling for an international investigation and helped the UN HRC to establish a strong and unambiguous resolution. The United Kingdom will continue to work with the UN HRC and our international partners to ensure proper implementation of this resolution. We encourage the Sri Lankan government fully to co-operate with the resolution, and to work alongside the international community for the benefit of its people.

It is important also to recognise that Sri Lanka is an extraordinary country with enormous potential and the end of the conflict presents an opportunity for it to become a strong and prosperous nation. This resolution will help to address the legitimate concerns of all communities. IT Presents an Opportunity to tackle the root causes of conflict, continued On Human rights concerns and set the right PATH for Sri Lanka Reconciliation. We hope that the Sri Lankan Government that will embrace Opportunity.

Our Cry For Justice Is Not Only For Those Who Come Seeking Justice But Judges Who Can Not Speak For Themselves: President BASL

April 1, 2014 
“The Judgment Justice Sri Skandaraja wrote presiding a divisional bench quashing the parliamentary select committee proceeding on the 43^rd Chief Justice  made him pay the Supreme Sacrifice which cost him, his family and the loved ones dearly.” said the president of Bar Association of Sri Lanka.

President of the Bar Association Upul Jayasuriya

President of the Bar Association Upul Jayasuriyamade above remarks at the convocation on March 30, 2014.

He said; “The 43^rd Chief Justice herself had to pay her price and sacrifice with more than a decade and half of her Judicial career, for standing up to her integrity. Up to date she is being hounded out. Permit me to quote from Mahatma Gandhi, ‘The weak can never forgive. Forgiveness is the attribute of the strong.’

“We the bar shall firmly be committed to the causes that are paramount to our integrity and the independence we stand for, at the Bar with no change of course.

“When we recount the circumstances, time, and personages of this tragic background and the guiltless life of Justice Sri Skandarajah, we find that the wrongs of headless anarchic attitudes and the ruin of a nation are on the cards and on the heads of the people of this country.

“The deprivation of that humble simple man who sat behind the bench has been robbed from the Sri Lankan nation, a Judge, whom we could call a judge in the literal sense of the words.

“In the discharge of his Judicial duties, those who looked at Justice SriSkandaraja as his Moses, shall bow their heads beneath their bitter load; in our heavy loss, and our land’s dimmed glory. But who weeps for him? The hour is  upon us when we must cry, though no mortal may ever hear us, No more of him, but let’s awake from the fearful palsy fallen upon the people, and answer to ourselves and to the system that robbed him of his rightful place.

“Our cry for Justice is not only for those who come seeking Justice but Judges themselves who can not speak for themselves. It is time that transparent procedures are put in place and independent criteria based on merit be be adopted and turn our back to those who take positions that do not legitimately belong to them.”

Read the full speech here

Colombo correction

The problem of reconciling the tension between the national and the regional on foreign policy-making is not going to disappear after the elections.

C. Raja Mohan  |  Twitter @ @ MohanCRaja  ​​| April 1, 2014

UPA finally breaks its habit of putting party interest over national interest.

Correction colombo by nelvely

Mandates of UN High Commissioner for Human Rights

By Neville Ladduwahetty- March 31, 2014

Paragraph 10 and 10 (b) of the US-proposed UN Resolution A / HRC / 25/LI/Rev.1 that was passed in Geneva on March 27, 2014, "requests the Office of the High Commissioner of Human Rights (OHCHR) :

(B) To undertake a comprehensive investigation into alleged serious violations and abuses of human rights and related crimes by both parties in Sri Lanka during the period covered by the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission and to establish the facts and circumstances of such alleged violations and of the crimes perpetuated with a view to avoiding impunity and ensuring accountability, with assistance from relevant experts and special procedure mandate holders "

Of mandates to UN High Commissioner for Human Rights by nelvely

India and Sri Lanka: Playing the Long Game?

By Ankit Panda

March 31, 2014

Indian policy towards Sri Lanka is caught between the national interest and serving domestic interest groups.

In a controversial move, India abstained from a U.S.-sponsored resolution on human rights in Sri Lanka at the United Nations last week. India had supported similar resolutions in 2012 and 2013, but abstained after the new resolution appeared much tougher on Sri Lanka than prior versions, calling for an independent international investigation of alleged war crimes committed by Sri Lankan forces in their war against the Liberation Tamil Tigers of Eelam (LTTE). In explaining its reasoning for the abstention, the Ministry of External Affairs said, ”It has been India’s firm belief that adopting an intrusive approach that undermines national sovereignty and institutions is counterproductive … any external investigative mechanism with an open-ended mandate to monitor national processes for protection of human rights in a country, is not reflective of the constructive approach of dialogue and cooperation envisaged by UN General Assembly resolution 60/251 that created the HRC in 2006 as well as the UNGA resolution 65/281 that reviewed the HRC in 2011.” Despite India’s abstention, the resolution passed with 23 in favor, 12 against and 12 abstaining.

India’s relationship with Sri Lanka has been troubled in recent years, mostly due to internal frictions between Tamil interests and the interests of the central government in New Delhi. The decision to abstain on the vote is an assertive move by New Delhi and has drawn criticism from Tamil leaders who continue to push for a strong Indian stance on Sri Lanka’s human rights abuses. That New Delhi abstained despite unanimous support of the resolution by the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly further highlights New Delhi’s independence in foreign policy-making.

In 2013, after much lobbying by Tamil politicians, Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh chose not to travel to the 2013 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting which was being held in Colombo. Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa requested that there be no “titular, ministerial or official” Indian participation in CHOGM. While External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid did end up attending the meeting in Singh’s stead, the incident highlighted the salience of narrow domestic political interests in India’s relations with important neighboring states.

In response to the abstention, the opposition BJP’s Subramanian Swamy praised Prime Minister Manmohan Singh for “ordering the Indian delegation in UNHCR not to support the dangerous U.S. resolution seeking [an] international probe into the so-called human rights violations during 2009 anti-LTTE war by Sri Lanka.” Given the proximity of India’s general elections, a decision to vote for the resolution would have won the Congress a portion of the Tamil vote. However, as G Pramod Kumar notes for Firstpost, “now that the Congress has nothing to gain in Tamil Nadu for the Lok Sabha polls with the DMK deserting it, the party couldn’t care less. The party is not even a contender in the polls in the state with most of its frontline leaders refusing to contest the elections. With this vote it also doesn’t lose anything.”

The abstention also drew criticism from the United States. State Department deputy spokesperson Marie Harf said, “It is disappointing to us that India abstained from voting on this resolution when they voted yes for the last two years. We have made our disappointment known to Indian officials.”

The resolution called for an independent international investigation into alleged war crimes and human rights violations in Sri Lanka. India’s opposition to the resolution sends a strong message to Colombo at a time when it was sorely needed. Relations across the Palk Strait have been strained during Mahinde Rajapaksa’s tenure so far but bilateral talks are producing results. Provincial elections in Sri Lanka, particularly in the Tamil-dense northern areas of the island, were largely pushed for by Indian diplomats and are seen a positive development in the island nation’s post-conflict transition. The CHOGM 2013 fiasco was an undesirable setback for New Delhi amidst this progress.

New Delhi needs to play the long game with Sri Lanka and doing so will involve carefully moderating between meeting the needs of domestic interest groups but also steadily winning geopolitical overtures with Rajapaksa’s government in Sri Lanka. Between Singh’s absence from CHOGM 2013 and this year’s abstention on the human rights resolution, New Delhi has oscillated between those two objectives. Against the backdrop of expandingChinese influence in Sri Lanka, New Delhi’s interest will be best served by slowly but surely pursuing diplomacy on its own terms with Rajapaksa’s government (which is likely here to stay for a good while).

Looking Ahead: Honorary Doctor Rajapaksa’s War Crime Investigation

By S. Ratnajeevan H. Hoole -April 1, 2014 

Prof S. Ratnajeevan H. Hoole

A resolution has been passed at long last at the UN Human Rights Council on March 27, 2014 calling for war-crimes investigations in Sri Lanka. As David Cameron the Prime Minister of the UK has noted, this is a victory for the people of Sri Lanka who need to know the truth. This would not have been possible without the active support of Canada, the US and the UK, and the UN Human Rights Commissioner Navaneetham Pillai as well as of Amnesty International, the International Crisis Group, Human Rights Watch and many organizations which never let the world forget the large scale murder in Sri Lanka in January to May 2009.

First, before I speak, just a reminder on signing the important petitions from AI before you go. These are on human rights activists at risk, the disappearedPrageeth Eknaligoda, the five bright Tamil students from Trincomalee murdered by Sri Lankan forces between high school and college, and a more general one on Prevention of Terrorism Act detainees long after the war. As someone supported and helped by AI, I tell you that these petitions help. So please do sign before you go.

As a speaker I can claim a kind of neutrality. In 2006 the Tamil Tigers came after me and I had to flee my homeland. In 2011 again, I had to flee when the government issued an open warrant for my arrest because I wrote of the election rigging that I was witness to. I aver a firm opposition to anyone violating human rights, be it the government or the Tamil Tigers.

*The speech made on last night (March 31, 2014)  accompanying the screening of No Fire Zone at the Student-Chapter of Amnesty International at Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48864, USA . To read the full speech “Looking Ahead: After the UNHRC Resolution Mandating the Office of the High Commissioner to Undertake a War Crimes Investigation in Sri Lanka” click here

Wigneswaran slams the President

By admin on March 31, 2014

The Chief Minister of the Northern Province C V Wigneswaran today slammed the Government and President Mahinda Rajapaksa, saying they are showing no interest is solving the National issue.

Wigneswaran said that there seems to be no attempts made by the Executive to work towards a lasting political solution except to blame the TNA for not coming forward to participate in the Parliamentary Select Committee process.

Speaking at the Bernard Soysa Centenary Commemoration meeting in Colombo this evening, Wigneswaran said the only interest of the Government is in a unilateral solution facilitated by the military and the “extra quick forcible colonisation” of areas with people from the South with the help of the Army in Vavuniya,  Mullaitivu and Mannar areas is a step in that direction.

“I was given copies of Notices pasted in many parts of the South calling for Sinhalese to apply for lands in the Vanni to be given free of charge. In fact my friends in Vavuniya know the identities of some who have managed to get such free land. So the lasting political solution mentioned by the President seems to mean one brought about by cannibalisation of the Northern and Eastern Provinces,” he added.

Wigneswaran also said that the Government seems keen to blame the TNA for not coming forward to participate in the Parliamentary Select Committee process.

“Not to lay down in advance the basics of the Parliamentary Select Committee deliberations would lead the Committee towards the same abortive end the earlier deliberations faced. If we lay down on the table the Reports and Recommendations of various Committees which had gone into these matters earlier, especially those during the time of Madame Chandrika Bandaranaike as well as those during the stewardship of the present President and instruct the Parliamentary Select Committee to take forward their deliberations from where the earlier Committees have left, I see no reason for the TNA to keep out of the Parliamentary Select Committee deliberations,” Wigneswaran said.

He also refuted claims that the LTTE is regrouping in the North adding that the claim is now being used for a “witch hunt” for political reasons. Wigneswaran said that even the newly appointed army Commander in the North is being forced to peddle the Tiger regrouping story.

“People in large numbers are now being taken into custody consequent to an unfortunate witch hunting which was started for political reasons. No one believes that there is any such Tiger re grouping. What is worse is that the people oriented useful steps that were taken by the energetic Commander of the Northern Province since he took over recently, have now come to naught. Under the pretext of making out that the Tigers have started regrouping in the North of Sri Lanka at a time when our case was before the Human Rights’ Council in Geneva, we have begun to re-enact what was done earlier to our people to bring them under the draconian Prevention of Terrorism Act,” he said. (Colombo Gazette)

Freedom and bondage: Lankans, then and now

Introduction

by Sajeeva Samaranayake-04/01/2014

There is a need to question the adequacy and suitability of current conceptions of both ‘human rights’ and ‘secularism’ to meet the challenges of unbridled majoritarianism, which seems perfectly at home within the institutions and procedures of the modern Sri Lankan state. In the first part of this article I propose an alternative vision of human rights. This leads us towards a comparative analysis of two historical periods. In the first period from the 5th to 3rd centuries BC when the ancient Lankan state was formed there is evidence of secular attitudes and beliefs providing a secure foundation for Buddhism itself to take root. In the second period from 1931-2011 we see how identity politics destroyed a carefully constructed balance of secularism to pave the way to a fragmented and dysfunctional society. A key proposition advanced is that identity formation remains incomplete until identity itself is renounced to merge within a broader collective identity. Such an act creates values that are not tied up with a particular race or religion but which belong to mankind as a whole.

A human rights framework for human learning and growth

The struggle of Sinhala Buddhists, Hindus and Muslims to assert and maintain their separate identities under the British were carried out within the parameters of a globally dominant economic vision. Both colonization and the post World War II development project in the Third World shared a specific conception of the human being identified by economic rationalists as consumers driven by an insatiable craving for material possessions. Communal separation and competition thus found its place within an overarching ethic that pitted man against man in the economic sphere.

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