Ukraine fights "foreign mercenaries" in its east, says president

Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko chairs a meeting in Kiev July 17, 2014. 

KIEV/DONETSK Ukraine Sat Jul 26, 2014 

(Reuters) -Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko said on Saturday his country was not fighting a civil war in its east but was fighting "foreign mercenaries", hailing soldiers for forcing pro-Russian rebels out of several towns and cities.

As fighting raged around the rebel strongholds of Donetsk and Luhansk, the Ukrainian leader awarded members of the newly formed National Guard with medals for service.

"This is a real fight for the sovereignty of Ukraine, the territorial integrity of Ukraine, for the independence of Ukraine," said Poroshenko, wearing military camouflage.

"It is not an internal conflict, it is Ukraine defending its territory from foreign mercenaries, from bandits and from terrorists," he told soldiers.

Kiev has accused Moscow of sending the rebels fighters and weapons across its porous border with Ukraine, a charge Russia denies. But some battalions have openly said they were made up of volunteers from various countries, including Russia.

Ukraine's army has forced the rebels back towards the cities of Donetsk and Luhansk, where the separatists have boosted their defences, and fighting has raged since a Malaysian airliner was downed last week.

Shelling and explosions were heard around rebel-held Donetsk on Saturday, and many shops were shuttered as Ukrainian forces pressed their military campaign against pro-Russian separatists.

"Last night was terrible. I was woken up at 3 a.m. by the explosions. The walls shook, the windows shook," said Marina, who lives in a southern part of the city.

"There was shooting all over the city. And it still goes on. Maybe it's a little quieter now, but it's all around."

Local officials said some buildings had been damaged, one by fire, and one woman was wounded.

In Luhansk, rebels said at least 19 civilians had been killed in fighting overnight and local officials said 60 percent of the city was left with no electricity after power lines were damaged.

Kiev's troops have also advanced from the south and their frontline checkpoint on a road from the Azov Sea city port of Mariupol now sits some 10 kilometres outside of Donetsk.

(Reporting by Aleksandar Vasovic in Donetsk, Lina Kushch in Kiev, Sergei Karazy in Kharkiv, Writing by Elizabeth Piper and Gabriela Baczynska; Editing by Toby Chopra)

US says China tested anti-satellite missile

By AP News Jul 26, 2014 

WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. says China has tested a missile designed to destroy satellites and is urging Beijing to refrain from destabilizing actions.

State Department spokeswoman Marie Harf said the “non-destructive” test occurred Wednesday. She said a previous destructive test of the system in 2007 created thousands of pieces of dangerous debris in space.

Harf said Friday that the continued development and testing of destructive anti-satellite systems threaten the long-term security and sustainability of the outer-space environment that all nations depend upon.

China’s state-run Xinhua news agency, citing a Defense Ministry statement, reported a successful missile interception test conducted from land within Chinese territory late Wednesday.

Xinhua did not refer to it as an anti-satellite system. It said such tests could strengthen Chinese air defense against ballistic missiles.

Venezuela demands release of general snared in US drug case

Caracas (AFP) - The Venezuelan government Friday demanded the release of a former military intelligence chief who was arrested in Aruba at US request to face drug trafficking charges.

Retired major general Hugo Carvajal was arrested Wednesday night on the Dutch-owned island, where he had been designated but not confirmed as Venezuela's consul.

President Nicolas Maduro angrily denounced the arrest Thursday as a "kidnapping," defending Carvajal as a "soldier of the fatherland and diplomat acting for the state of Venezuela."

"Let all know, as chief of state... I will defend him with all the means and force of the Venezuelan state within the framework of international law."

A protege of the late president Hugo Chavez, Carvajal served as head of the Venezuelan Military Intelligence Directorate for five years from 2004, and briefly in 2013 under Maduro.

After Carvajal's arrest in Aruba, the US Justice Department on Thursday unsealed a May 16, 2013 indictment charging the general with protecting drug shipments on behalf of Colombian traffickers.

The US indictment alleges he was on the payroll of Wilber Varela, a leader of Colombia's North Valley cartel, and others from 2004 to 2010, a period when he was head of the Venezuelan Military Intelligence Directorate.

Varela, who had fled to Venezuela from Colombia and was murdered there in 2008, is alleged to have used the country as a base to ship thousands of kilograms of cocaine bound for the United States through Mexico and other countries.

Carvajal has been on a US Treasury blacklist since 2008 for alleged links to the leftist Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC, along with two other senior Venezuelan military officers who are now state governors.

Meanwhile in a case reportedly linked to Carvajal's, a former Venezuelan judge Benny Palmeri Bacchi, was arraigned Thursday in Miami on charges of protecting Colombian drug traffickers.

A court source said Palmeri Bacchi entered a plea of not guilty.

The whereabouts of his co-defendant in the case, Rodolfo McTurk, a former Interpol director in Venezuela, are unknown.

The Advisory Council of Experts: A council, a council, my kingdom for a council?

by Dr. Paikiasothy Saravanamuttu 

- on 07/25/2014 

Some observations are in order on the President’s appointment of an international panel of experts to advise the Commission on Disappearances.

The Advisory Council of Experts a Council, A Council, My Kingdom for a Council by Maria Anderson

Media intimidated by military at rape inquiry against Navy personnel

25 July 2014

Journalists have been intimidated by the Sri Lankan military and removed from the court complex where the inquiry against Navy personnel regarding the rape of two school girls from Karainagar commenced earlier today, sources in Jaffna told the Tamil Guardian.

The journalists were threatened and their cameras and mobile phones were taken from them by military men in civil, who deleted pictures that were taken.

A protest was also held outside the court complex against the incidents of child abuse committed by the military and called for an end to the intimidation of the victims.

Over 11 members of the Sri Lankan Navy have now been implicated in the rape cases and the proceedings are being closely watched by civil society activists and the local media, after reports emerged that the Sri Lankan military was trying to prevent legal action against its men. Media personnel were told not publish news related to the incidents and the parents of the victims were offered money and threatened to drop the case. The navy commander is reported to have transferred the accused sailors to a naval base in the south of the island.

See related articles:

Girl was raped by Navy men for 11 days – TNA MP (22 July 2014)

Sexual violence and militarisation in North-East are closely interlinked – K Guruparan (20 July 2014)

Locals protest against rape of 11y girl by SL navy in Karainagar (19 July 2014)

Sri Lankan navy personnel suspected of rape released by police (18 July 2014)

11 year old girl raped by navy officer in Jaffna (16 July 2014)

Tamil Refugees, MH 17 And Palestine

| by Laksiri Fernando 

( July 25, 2014, Sydney, Sri Lanka Guardian) There are three crises of different magnitudes and implications going on in the international scene these days, of course offshore, but relevant to Sri Lanka. All imply the need to have comprehensive and international perspectives without digging into our own national closets. This need is relevant not only for the Sri Lankans but all those who are concerned and effected by these events and incidents. Our conscience should prick. Let me take these events one by one.

Tamil Refugees, MH 17 and Palestine by Maria Anderson

Lives of Sobhitha Thera, Chandrika in danger!

 Friday, 25 July 2014

The lives of convener of the National Movement for a Just Society Ven. Maduluwawe Sobhitha Thera, and former president Chandrika Kumaratunga are in danger, an intelligence officer attached to the military has told ‘Lanka News Web.’

The officer said he was revealing this in order to prevent an attempt to gain petty political advantage.

The road accident faced by Sobhitha Thera on July 22 was no coincidence, but a trial for a fatal road mishap planned for the future, like in the case of the accident that claimed the life of former deputy minister Sripathy Sooriyarachchi, he said. The military intelligence uses the term ‘Sripathy theory’ for this, he said further.

Also, exaggerated news that a man had been arrested for videoing the ex-president’s home and another for attempting to assassinate her are being planted on the advice of military intelligence, in order to convince that the LTTE is still targeting her.

Several teams are being employed to assassinate her, on the advice of a top official in the government hierarchy, and to blame it on the LTTE. These teams are also keeping a close watch on opposition MPs Mangala Samaraweera and Dr. Harsha de Silva, said the military intelligence officer.

In addition, these teams are watching several web journalists who have become a big headache for the Rajapaksa regime, including the London-based editor of ‘Lankaenews’ Sandaruwan Senadhira and ‘Independent.lk’ editor Subhash Jayawardena. Plans have been made to station Maj. R.P.D. Pathirana, a military intelligence officer, in London to gather information about London-based websites, he added.

Abolishing Executive Presidency would be Opposition Presidential candidate’s manifesto - Wickremeratne

by Zacki Jabbar-July 24, 2014

A draft constitutional amendment abolishing the Executive Presidency within a definite time frame and reintroduction of the 17th Amendment would be the manifesto of the Oppositions Common Presidential candidate

Leading Constitutional lawyer Jayampathi Wickremeratne, addressing a meeting organised by the National Movement for Social Justice (NMSJ) at the New Town Hall yesterday, calling for the abolition of the Executive Presidency said that a draft constitutional amendment was in the making and would be made public soon.

A road map for constitutional change would be presented to Parliament within a month of the Common Candidate being elected President and if the need arose a referendum would be held within six months. Thereafter, the incumbent President would lose his position and Parliament would elect a new President from among its members.The amendment would also include the reintroduction of the 17th Amendment to the Constitution which had established all the Independent Commissions, he observed.

Wickremeratne emphasised that they would project the candidacy and its objectives and not their candidate at the next presidential election.

Chairman of the NMSJ, Maduluwawe Sobhitha Thera, who was tipped to be the Oppositions Common Presidential candidate, said that the three most important issues that need to be addressed urgently was the abolition of the Executive Presidency, reintroduction of the 17th Amendment and changes to the electoral system.

The unbridled powers vested in the Executive Presidency was such that the incumbent could get on the street and shoot as many people he or she wished and still not be produced before a court of law, he noted.

Recalling the words of the late LSSP leader Colvin R.de Silva, the Thera said, "This Constitution is such that even if the President goes mad he or she cannot be chased away."

The only thing that Sri Lanka had become self sufficient in under the Rajapaksa regime was narcotic drugs, he noted adding that there was an unprecedented rise in robberies, rapes, murders and corruption.

Law Professor Deepika Udugama said that all the three Constitutions that had been promulgated, had been done unilaterally for the benefit of and with a view to promoting the ideals of individuals.

India and South Africa had, she observed, established Constitutional Assemblies and engaged in countrywide consultations prior to the drafting of their Constitutions and it was important that Sri Lanka even at that stage adopted a similar method.

J Jayalalithaa urges PM Narendra Modi to give visa to UN team

PTI Jul 24, 2014,

CHENNAI: Expressing surprise over reports indicating denial of visa by the Centre to a United Nations team probing human rights violations in Sri Lanka, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to grant them visa to enable them to hold a fair probe.

In a letter to the Prime Minister yesterday which was released to the media today, Jayalalithaa said, "if the media reports are true, this would be a bitter disappointment to the people of Tamil Nadu who are determined to ensure that the Sri Lankan regime is held to account for its heinous acts against Tamils."

Pointing out that India was geographically Sri Lanka's closest neighbour and that Tamil refugees of the island nation were still residing in Tamil Nadu, she said "India is definitely a place that any team probing human rights violations in Sri Lanka should visit to conduct its inquiries.

"I request you to kindly intervene in the issue and ensure that the international committee is granted the necessary visas and is in a position to complete a fair and impartial enquiry into the human rights violations in Sri Lanka."

This would go a long way in assuaging the strong sentiments prevailing amongst all sections of society and the polity in Tamil Nadu, she noted.

Reiterating a strong demand in Tamil Nadu to hold the Sri Lankan regime to account for the alleged genocide and war crimes in the closing stages of the civil war, she regretted that Tamil minorities in Sri Lanka continued to be discriminated.

Stating that she had written to former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on this issue, she rued that no strong action was taken.

"Under the new government under your leadership, we were very hopeful of a change in India's stance."

Referring to her memorandum to Modi on June 3, she recalled that she had urged the Centre to sponsor a resolution in the United Nations "condemning the genocide in Sri Lanka and to hold to account all those responsible for the genocide and thereby render justice to the Tamils in Sri Lanka."

For West, Rajapaksa is Sri Lanka’s Modi

Swapan Dasgupta

-Jul 25,2014

The belief is that India will endorse Sri Lanka’s growing impatience with NGOs and multilateral bodies that use the cover of human rights and reconciliation to carry out a political agenda

It is a measure of Sri Lanka’s return to “normal” democratic politics that conspiracy theories are once again resonating in Colombo.

Compared to the situation just three years ago when “politics” continued to centre on the 30-year-long bloody civil war that mercifully came to an end in May 2009, the sub-text of political discussions today is the presidential election, due some time in early-2015.

It is not that the unending tensions between the Central government in Colombo and the Provincial Council in Jaffna have become so drearily routine that they cease to excite the public imagination. The Tamil National Alliance-controlled local administration in the Northern Province has reverted to the constitutional brinkmanship that marked Jaffna politics in the days before the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam’s conquest of the province. The loquacious Tamil politicians now in charge of the provincial administration know that they owe their return to the centrestage to the total decimation of the Tigers by the Sri Lankan Army five years ago. Yet, such are the charms of posturing that it is obligatory for them to pretend that the three lost decades were just a footnote.

When I was in Sri Lanka exactly 13 months ago, the conspiracy theory centred on President Mahindra Rajapaksa’s “secret” plan to either avoid provincial council elections in the Northern Province altogether or rig the results in favour of the pro-government Tamil parties. At that time TNA leaders were quite vocal in insisting that the so-called hardliners in the Rajapaksa government would never allow democracy in the Tamil areas.

Predictably, the conspiracy theory turned out to be spurious. Elections were held in the Northern Province as per the President’s commitment; there was a high turnout of voters and no suggestion of electoral malpractice; and the TNA won a resounding victory.

Since then, there is an ongoing cold war between the TNA and the government in Colombo over Jaffna’s claim for unhindered powers over land and police — the 13th Amendment controversy. Colombo is adamant that it cannot afford to relax its guard and allow any possible revival of terrorism in the province. The TNA feels that this is tantamount to reneging on a sovereign commitment given by President J.R. Jayawardene to Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi and enshrined in the Indo-Sri Lanka Accord of 1987. It believes that India must use its muscle power to secure something akin to the “special status” of Article 370 for the Lankan Tamils. New Delhi, which is understandably wary of over-involvement in Sri Lanka after the Indian Peace Keeping Force experience of the late 1980s, isn’t too keen to meddle beyond a point and would rather that the matter be resolved within Sri Lanka. The TNA, however, loves to play the India card to replenish its bargaining clout with Colombo. The progress has been zero but the use of a foreign power to resolve domestic disputes has created complications for the larger relationship between New Delhi and Colombo. It has also created the conditions for China to cosy up to a country that is anxious for deepening economic engagements without strings attached.

The election of the Narendra Modi government has created a mood of anticipation in Colombo. First, there is satisfaction that a BJP government with a majority of its own will not have to accommodate every unreasonable demand from Tamil Nadu on the course of bilateral relations. There is an expectation that the unfortunate situation of India voting against Sri Lanka at the UN Human Rights Commission and Manmohan Singh’s boycott of Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Colombo won’t be repeated.

Secondly, given Mr Modi’s own unfortunate experiences with the global human rights industry, it is expected that India will be more understanding of Sri Lanka’s position on the collateral damage of the civil war. The belief is that India will endorse Sri Lanka’s growing impatience with NGOs and multilateral bodies that use the cover of human rights and reconciliation to carry out a political agenda. Certainly, India will have reason to be concerned about the precedents being set by the UN office in Colombo. Last month, for example, the UN attempted to conduct “voter education” workshops in a country that had universal adult franchise even before India and where voter turnout has always been extremely high. My own interaction with UN staffers leave me in little doubt that the local outfit sees itself as a facilitator for a type of politics that in Lanka’s context is decisively anti-Rajapaksa.

Thirdly, the BJP has had a more rounded view of India’s civilisational links with Sri Lanka than some of those who saw the relationship through an exclusively Tamil prism. Since the time Syama Prasad Mookerjee took an active role in the Mahabodhi Society and the return of Bodh Gaya to Buddhist control, the Sangh fraternity has cherished both the Nallur Kandaswamy temple in Jaffna and the Buddha tooth shrine in Kandy. These ties have been supplemented in recent years by exchanges with the Madhya Pradesh government and Colombo’s support for the preservation of the “Ram setu” linking the two countries.

Maybe it is because of an expected shift away from big-brotherly condescension to a more civilisational-cum-economic relationship that the conspiracy theories are certain to multiply in Colombo. There are certain to be suggestions of a Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh link with the extremist Bodu Bala Sena that many people feel was responsible for the recent attacks on Muslims in Sri Lanka. More fanciful suggestion will hold that defence secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa is behind a sinister plot to ensure a Hindu-Buddhist alliance in Colombo and the Central Provinces to counter an exaggerated Muslim cultural separatism.

There will be many more theories that will be lapped up by an impressionable media for whom President Rajapaksa is just another version of the dreaded Mr Modi in India. Like in India, the foreign media and NGOs in Sri Lanka believe that it is their responsibility to ensure natives vote according to the high moral standards set by the West.

The writer is a senior journalist

Sri Lanka And Australia – Forging An Unprincipled And Unholy Alliance

By Eelaventhan Manickavasakar -July 25, 2014

Eelaventhan Manickavasakar

The past tormenting and continuous sixty years sufferings of Tamils in Sri Lanka has provided an opportunity for Australia to join hands with the majority led suppressive governments of Srilanka more in particular with the perpetrators of war crimes and crimes against humanity, the presentRajapaksas government. The main reason is to sustain the co-operation and assistance of Sri Lankan government to stop the flow of refugees from Sri Lankan shores to Australia.

Australia is known and reputed for its democratic practices while up-holding the principles of UN charter, C’wealth charter and other conventions relating to human rights and rights of refugees. The recent acts and conduct of Australian government belie their commitments to the above principles of human rights and conventions relating to refugees. A refugee is anyone who flees from his or her own country fearing for his or her life and security by any means of transport which could be legal or illegal and even with invalid or forged documents. Sometimes they fall victims to unscrupulous agents who exploit their helplessness. Some of the fleeing refugees could be economic refugees. In all instances, whether a person is a genuine refugee escaping from his own country to avoid torture, persecution, rape or even death by state terrorism, or an economic refugee to seek better quality of life and prosperity, can only be assessed and determined by the authorities once they have reached the shores of that particular country.

The past and present conduct of Australian government in handling the refugees from Sri Lanka particularly Tamils who have been persecuted, raped, tortured, massacred and made refugees in their  own country Sri Lanka, since 1958, is nothing but defiles humanism, civilized and dignified conduct, not to mention it as disgusting and disgraceful to respectful country like Australia. The whole world now knows about Sri Lanka which has since been masquerading as a free democratic state with good governance and observing human rights and fundamental freedoms while maintaining law and order with an independent judiciary.Read More

Concerns on the Expansion of the Mandate of the Commission of Inquiry to Investigate into Complaints Regarding Missing Persons

July 25, 2014 by Centre for Policy Alternatives

25 July 2014, Colombo, Sri Lanka: The Centre for Policy Alternatives (CPA) is deeply concerned by the Government of Sri Lanka’s (GOSL) dilution of the primary mandate of the Presidential Commission of Inquiry to Investigate into Complaints Regarding Missing Persons (COI). These concerns arise from the Gazette No.187/18, issued on 15th July 2014 expanding the mandate of the COI, of which the sole purpose was to investigate and inquire into disappearances in the Northern and Eastern Provinces during the period 1st January 1983 to 19th May 2009.
Concerns on the Expansion of the Mandate of the Commission of Inquiry to Investigate Into Complaints Regard... by Maria Anderson

Coalition for change of Constitution!

By Dharisha Bastians

Uniting for a rainbow alliance?

The civil society movement leading the charge on axing the presidency yesterday unveiled a six month post-electoral roadmap for constitutional change by a common candidate, creating momentum for broad opposition consensus on the issue.
Marking a major milestone in the movement to field a single-issue, common opposition candidate at presidential polls likely early next year, the Movement for Social Justice led by Ven. Maduluwawe Sobitha Thero proposed a return to the Parliamentary system of government within six months of the election.

Coalition for Change of Constitution! by Maria Anderson

Coalition for change of Constitution

Details

 

Created On Friday, 25 July 2014 06:05

Category: General

The civil society movement leading the charge on axing the presidency yesterday unveiled a six month post-electoral roadmap for constitutional change by a common candidate, creating momentum for broad opposition consensus on the issue.

Marking a major milestone in the movement to field a single-issue, common opposition candidate at presidential polls likely early next year, the Movement for Social Justice led by Ven. Maduluwawe Sobitha Thero proposed a return to the Parliamentary system of government within six months of the election. 

The event held at New Town Hall in Colombo yesterday drew a star-studded Opposition cast, including former President Chandrika Kumaratunga, Opposition Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe, TNA Leader R. Sampanthan, former Army Chief Sarath Fonseka and JVP MP Sunil Handunetti standing in for Party Leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake.

Making a rare public political appearance was ousted Chief Justice Shirani Bandaranayake. The Government coalition was also represented by the Jathika Hela Urumaya, whose MP Athuraliye Rathana Thero and Western Provincial Councillor Udaya Gammanpila were in attendance at yesterday’s gathering. UNP Leadership Council Chairman Karu Jayasuriya, Bar Association President Upul Jayasuriya, TNA MP M.A. Sumanthiran and UNP MPs Ravi Karunanayake and Harsha De Silva also attended the event.

“This country needs good governance. It needs a restoration of the rule of law. A just society. This vision has no political party. No race. No religion,” Sobitha Thero said, making his opening remarks.

The presidential system was one the entire country had rejected en masse, from political parties including the UNP who drafted it to the nation’s most senior religious leaders.

“The LSSP doesn’t want it. The Communist Party doesn’t want it. The UNP doesn’t want it. The JVP doesn’t want it. Even the Government ally the JHU doesn’t want it. So why is the Government insisting on propping up this system?” the monk charged.

Announcing the roadmap for Constitutional change on behalf of the Movement for Social Justice, Jayampathi Wickremaratne PC pledged to focus on the goals of candidacy rather than personalities in fielding an Opposition presidential contender.

The candidate would have no discretion in determining the timeline of the abolition of the presidency once elected, Wickremaratne explained, saying specific dates for the step-by-step process would drafted into the election manifesto.

“The legal draft of the Constitutional amendment will be presented along with a manifesto. Within six months of assuming office, the presidency will lapse automatically, allowing Parliament to appoint a nominal president,” Wickremaratne said.

The manifesto will also include a specific date – exactly one month after the date elections are held – for the Constitutional amendment to be presented to Parliament, the senior lawyer said.
The first proposed Constitutional changes will include the Abolition of the Executive Presidency, the establishment of a Parliamentary system of government and the reinstatement of a strengthened 17th Amendment to make key institutions free of political interference, Wickremaratne explained.

“Ideally we should have comprehensive Constitutional reform, but constitutions are not made in empty spaces – they are made on tough political ground. With these first steps we hope to open the door for better dialogue on this issue,” he said.

Wickremaratne lamented that in the current political space, there was no space even for that debate to take place. The common platform could strive to achieve broader consensus, the President’s Counsel said, subject to the main issue of abolishing the presidency.

Addressing the gathering, Ravaya Editor Victor Ivan said that while there was no doubt Colombo was a more beautiful city and the roads were much better, people and institutions were in a state of decay. “What of the people? What of the institutions? They are rotting. They are spiritually dead,” the senior journalist charged.

Ivan warned that if the Opposition movement was to go forward, all those involved had to be genuine in their endeavours. “If we are going to dream together about a new constitution, a new system, then there can be no hidden political agendas,” he said.

The Ravaya Editor explained that when President Mahinda Rajapaksa defeated Prabhakaran in 2009, all other politicians became midgets by comparison. “But if all of those midgets stand upon each other’s shoulders, perhaps they can rise tall enough to offer resistance,” he quipped.

Academics, journalists, artistes, student leaders, lawyers and civil society representatives participated in yesterday’s event.
 

British Govt. Calls Upon Sri Lanka Again To Sign UN Declaration Of Commitment To End Sexual Violence In Conflict

July 25, 2014 

The British Government has expressed grave concerns over the culture of impunity prevailing in Sri Lanka forrape and sexual violence and has once again called upon the Government of Sri Lanka (GoSL) to sign up to the UN Declaration of Commitment to End Sexual Violence in Conflict.

David Cameron and Mahinda Rajapaksa | File photo

The South Asia Department of Foreign and Commonwealth Office in UK in a letter to theTransnational Government of Tamil Eelam (TGTE) yesterday has expressed concerns over the reports of a culture of impunity for rape and sexual violence and a lack of support for victims in Sri Lanka both during and after the conflict.

These calls are made just days after a group of Naval officers attached to the Karainagar Navy camp accused of raping a 11 year-old for 11 days were released on personal bail earlier this week.

While stating that the British government remains concerned over the recent NGO reporting that have particularly highlighted instances of sexual violence in the post conflict era, the statement further asserts that significant action has already been taken by the British government on the issue to which includes:

• Hosting an event to highlight concerns of sexual violence in Sri Lanka by Foreign Secretary William Hague during his visit for CHOGM in 2013 where calls were made upon Sri Lankan authorities to hold an independent and credible investigation on the allegations of sexual violence committed by Sri Lankan forces during and after the military conflict
• Sponsoring the UNHRC resolution on Sri Lanka in March this year that has expressed serious concerns at the continuing reports of sexual and gender based violence
• Supporting projects to ensure a zero-tolerance to rape and sexual violence in Sri Lanka including establishing a helpline for victims of domestic abuse, training local media in investigative techniques that will help them shine a light on this issue and inviting Sri Lankan and international experts on gender issues and sexual violence in Sri Lanka for the Global Summit to End Sexual Violence held in London in June this year

• Healing The Wounds: Working With The Diaspora

• By Rajiva Wijesinha - July 25, 2014
  

  Prof. Rajiva Wijesinha MP
  31 years after the tragic events of July 1983, there has still been no serious attempt to heal the wounds. They were grave wounds, and the effect they had still bedevils this country. Though many explanations are offered, some in an effort to justify what occurred, we must recognize that, as BishopLakshman Wickremesinghe put it, ‘The facts however cannot be denied. Thousand of Tamils, old and young, and even little children were assaulted; robbed, killed, bereaved and made refugees. They saw their homes, possessions, vehicles, shops and factories plundered, burnt or destroyed. These people were humiliated, made to live in fear and rendered helpless’
  This brutality led to the strengthening of the LTTE. Though we must all be glad that the terrorism the LTTE engaged in is now over, we must also make sure that the sort of terrorism that held sway in July 1983 is never repeated. And we need to understand why some still regret the extermination of the LTTE in Sri Lanka.
  One reason is the failure of the Sri Lankan state, following the victory of 2009, to affirm the equality of all its citizens and facilitate their full participation in governance. That must be changed, and we need to ensure full consultation of affected populations in planning for economic and social and political development. The election held for the Northern Provincial Council was a step in the right direction, but unless the constitutional provisions regarding the powers of the elected Provincial government are respected, we must expect disaffection.                                  Read More