Can the U.S. Army Degrade and Destroy Ebola?

Obama is sending 3,000 troops to West Africa to stop the deadly outbreak. But 250,000 people could already be infected by Christmas.

• BY LAURIE GARRETT-
  • SEPTEMBER 16, 2014

As The Ebola epidemic in West Africa accelerates beyond the capacity to count its toll, an unprecedented escalation in global support is evident, led by U.S. President Barack Obama's call for U.S. military intervention. In what will amount to the largest humanitarian commitment since the American response to the 2004 earthquake and tsunami in Aceh, Indonesia, the White House announced late on Sept. 15 that an estimated 3,000 military personnel will deploy to the Ebola-ravaged West African nations, alongside a significant increase in civilian mobilization.
Can the U.S. Army Degrade and Destroy Ebola by Thavam

Engaging with Civil Society

by Dr. Paikiasothy Saravanamuttu 

- on 09/16/2014 

Recently, the media reported that the Defence Secretary held a meeting in the Defence Ministry with a number of NGOs who had worked with the GOSL and the Commonwealth Foundation on the People’s Forum which was part of the activities of the 2013 Colombo CHOGM.  

Engaging With Civil Society by Thavam

We Need International Solidarity And Protection

*Nimalka Fernando made the statement above at the UNHRC

By Nimalka Fernando -September 16, 2014 

Nimalka Fernando

We welcome the statement made by the High Commissioner Zeid. We wish to reiterate the need to provide effective protection to all human rights defenders all over the world and strengthen protection mechanisms for those cooperating with the UN, especially with this Council and other mechanisms including the Commissions of Inquiry.  It is unfortunate that the Government of Sri Lanka has refused to co-operate with the OHCHR investigation, and is determined to unleash a fear of possible detention and prosecution of those wishing to give evidence before this mechanism. The Government-controlled media and political leaders of the ruling party are the main sources for carrying out these threats.

Freedom of association, assembly and expression have been further threatened with the letter addressed to all NGOs issued by the Director/Registrar of the National Secretariat for Non Governmental Organisations on the Ministry of Defence and Urban Development letterhead. The main part of this letter focuses on ‘Non-Governmental Organisations acting beyond their mandate’ with emphasis on

“It has been revealed that certain Non Governmental Organizations conduct press conferences, workshops, training for journalists and dissemination of press releases which is beyond their mandate. We reiterate that all Non Governmental Organizations should prevent from such unauthorized activities with immediate effect”.

This circular attempts to divide activities of NGOs as some authorised and others unauthorised. Those unauthorised will face the consequence of being ‘dis-mantled’. The purpose of the Sri Lankan authorities has been made very clear that it will attack, dismantle and demolish NGOs which are urging the Government to uphold democratic principles, respect the rule of law, investigate into the disappearances, inquire into alleged crimes committed during the war as well as into grave and serious violations of the international human rights and humanitarian laws and continuing violations. The Government of Sri Lanka has categorised democracy, human rights and independence of judiciary as anti-government terminology. The present rulers of Sri Lanka are thinking that NGOs can be bulldozed into oblivion.

Three months have lapsed with no investigation into the Aluthgama incident where the Muslim community was attacked by the extremist Buddhist Organisation, Bodu Bala Sena (BBS). The riot was pre-planned. The peaceful co-existence of religious communities in Sri Lanka is being threatened without any action taken against the BBS by the regime. The convergence of political power, extremist Buddhists’ violence and security agencies in pressuring religious minorities and imposing Sinhala Buddhist hegemony have become permanent features of post-war Sri Lanka. This is threatening all attempts made by civil society organisations to promote reconciliation and dialogue transcending ethnic, religious and other such community barriers. Family members of the disappeared and organisatons working with them face intimidations and harassments regularly from the intelligence apparatus of the Sri Lankan state.

We condemn the detention and deportation of Pakistan asylum seekers in Sri Lanka by the authorities and urge GOSL to corporate with the UNHRC in keeping with it’s international obligations.

The vision and mission statements of all NGOs operating in Sri Lanka are broadly defined based on the principles of various UN Conventions and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The Government of Sri Lanka and its NGO Secretariat are denying us space to promote these fundamental principles accepted and endorsed by the international community.

We seek international solidarity and protection for all human rights defenders, lawyers, media personnel and civil society organisations who are facing threats for resisting authoritarianism in Sri Lanka and working to give effect to the resolutions on Sri Lanka adopted by the HRC in 2012, 2013 and 2014 to promote reconciliation and human rights.

Thank you Mr President.

*Nimalka Fernando made the statement above at the UNHRC

INFOGRAPHIC: Religious Violence in Post-War Sri Lanka

Published on September 16, 2014 by Centre for Policy 

Religious tensions have been exacerbated in post-war Sri Lanka, contrary to claims by the Government of Sri Lanka (GoSL) that attacks against places of religious worship are isolated incidents. In Mach 2013, the Centre for Policy Alternatives (CPA) published a report highlighting concerns about violence and intolerance against all religious communities in the country. The trends highlighted by CPA have continued unabated, most recently evident in the June 2014 violence in Aluthgama and surrounding areas. Other incidents of violence have not received the same attention as Authgama, thereby skewing the understanding of the scale and level of violence targeting minority religions in particular, in Sri Lanka.

In June 2014, CPA highlighted the impact of these attacks on post-war reconciliation efforts andcondemned the attacks in Aluthgama and surrounding areas. CPA urged the GoSL to take immediate and all necessary steps to provide protection to the affected communities, investigate the heinous acts and hold to account all perpetrators and those complicit in such acts. In July 2014 CPA compiled a short briefon the constitutional and legal framework governing religious freedom in Sri Lanka.

Three months since the Aluthgama attack, there is limited information in the public domain on action taken to bring perpetrators to account. That there is still is no justice for the victims of religious violence in Aluthgama and elsewhere in Sri Lanka, illustrates the sheer impunity with which perpertrators of such violence operate and the GoSL’s unwillingness and/or inability to end to widespread religious violence in post-war Sri Lanka.

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போராட்டத்தில் குதித்தனர் யாழ்.பல்கலை மாணவர்கள் 

16 செப்ரெம்பர் 2014, செவ்வாய்

யாழ்.பல்கலைக்கழக கலைப்பீட மாணவர்கள் இன்று முதல் காலவரையறையற்ற வகுப்பு புறக்கணிப்பு போராட்டத்தில் ஈடுபடப் போவதாக அறிவித்துள்ளனர்.

கலைப்பீடத்தின் கீழ் இருக்கின்ற புவியியற்துறையின் திட்டமிடல் கற்கைநெறிக்கு சிறப்புக்கலை மாணவர்களை இணைப்பதில் பல்கலைக்கழக நிர்வாகம் காட்டிவருகின்ற குளறுபடியான செயற்பாடுகளால் தாங்கள் பாதிக்கப்பட்டுள்ளதாக தெரிவித்துள்ள மாணவர்கள் இதற்கு எதிராக போராட்டம் ஒன்றை இன்றைய தினம் முன்னெடுத்தனர்.

மாணவர்களுக்கு வழங்கப்பட்ட கையேட்டில் 3.0 ஜி.பி.ஏ தகைமைப் புள்ளி சிறப்புக்கலையைத் தொடர்வதற்கு போதுமானதாக குறிப்பிடப்பட்டுள்ளது.

 ஆனால் துணைவேந்தர் சிறப்புக்கலைக்கு 40 மாணவர்களையே இணைத்துக் கொள்ளளுமாறு   உத்தரவிட்டுள்ளதாக தெரியவருகிறது.

ஆனால் குறித்த தகைமைப் புள்ளிகளுக்கு மேல் 40க்கு அதிகமான மாணவர்கள் இருப்பதால் தங்களுடைய துறைக்கு மேலதிகமாக மாணவர்களை இணைத்துக் கொள்ள முடியாது என துறைத் தலைவர் உத்தரவிட்டுள்ளார்.

இதற்கு எதிர்ப்புத் தெரிவித்த மாணவர்கள் இன்றைய தினம் போராட்டத்தில் ஈடுபட்டனர் .தமக்கு சரியான தீர்வு கிடைக்கும் வரை விரிவுரைகளுக்கு சமூகமளிக்காமல் எதிர்ப்புப் போராட்டத்தினை முன்னெடுக்க போகின்றோம்.

பாடசாலையில் பாடத் தெரிவினை பல்கலைக்கழக பட்டப்படிப்பினை இலங்குவாக மேற்கொள்ளுவதற்காகவே தேர்ந்தெடுத்து கல்வி கற்க வந்தோம்.

ஆனால் பல்கலைக்கழகம் எமது விருப்ப தெரிவான கல்வி செயற்பாட்டை மேற்கொள்ள தடை விதிப்பதுடன் வருடா வருடம் குறித்த பாடங்களுக்கு தகைமைப் புள்ளிகளையும் மாற்றி அமைக்கிறது.

குறிப்பாக நீண்ட காலங்களாக கலைப்பீடத்தில் சிறப்பு கலையினை கற்பதற்கு 2.7 தகைமைப் புள்ளியாக இருந்தது.

- See more at: http://onlineuthayan.com/News_More.php?id=829713435516704172#sthash.A4pW7xPX.dpuf

Over 5700 cases of enforced disappearances in Sri Lanka says UN

16 September 2014
The UN Working Group on Enforced and Involuntary Disappearances, presenting its report to the UN Human Rights Council at the Council's 27th session in Geneva currently underway, condemned the ongoing use of enforced disappearances by states.

"Forced disappearances is not just a crime of the past, it is still being used in conflict situations, where there is internal instability, or in order to fight terrorism and organised crime. Enforced disappearance cannot and must not be the response to such challenges," said the Chair Rapporteur on Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances, Ariel Dulitzky, adding that "enforced disappearance is a flagrant violation of the basic principles which underpin the international system of human rights."

The Working Group reported over 43,000 cases of enforced disappearances in 88 countries, including over 5700 in Sri Lanka, as well as 16,400 in Iraq, 3000 in Algeria and over 2000 in Guatemala, El Salvador and Peru.

"We would like to thank states who cooperate with us. Others concern us as they have never replied to our invitation or they have supplied us with irrelevant information," the Rapporteur added. 

The Sri Lankan government continues to refuse entry to the Working Group, which first requested entry in 1996, stating that it will refuse entry until after the Presidential Commission on Missing Persons concludes its work.

The Rapporteur went on to add: 

"It is still being used, because there are thousands of cases of enforced disappearances, which started decades ago but have still not been solved. Thousands of families do not know the fate or whereabouts of their loved ones and they do not receive truth, justice or reparations. 

Very often we are told that we cannot do more to look for the disappeared in order not to open wounds of the past. The Working Group's experience shows us the opposite, where wounds fester and we often have to open up graves in order to close and heal the tragic consequences of mistaken security policies."

What Is The Under-Lying Purpose Of Reconciliation

By R.M.B Senanayake -September 16, 2014 

R.M.B. Senanayake

The Government is reported to be appointing a Special Bureau forReconciliation according to a newspaper headline although the body of the Report refers mostly to the implementation of the LLRC Report. But the LLRC Report although it will help in the process of Reconciliation is not equivalent to Reconciliation. One wonders whether the newspaper or for that matter even the Government understand the true meaning of Reconciliation and its significance. Reconciliation means that despite all that they have suffered during the war (for which the LTTE is as much responsible as the Sinhalese) they are willing to be part of the same State under a scheme of devolution of power- a State which will continue to be dominated by theSinhala Buddhist majority. They of course want the right to manage their own affairs in the North and East.

Scotland and England have been united for three hundred years and the Scots have not suffered like the Tamils. Yet large numbers of the Scottish people are not willing to continue to be part of the United Kingdom despite the devolution of power to them with a promise of more devolution by the British Government. The Referendum will take place next week and it is expected to be close.

So can we expect the Tamil people too be willing to continue to be part of the Sinhala dominated State unless they are given a wide devolution of power less than Independence? What does Reconciliation mean? If it means anything it must mean that the Tami people are willing to be part of the same state, a state where as a minority they can never hope to influence its decisions?

Do we promote such Reconciliation by the Government holding war victory parades and continuing to occupy the North? Isn’t it a constant reminder to the Tamil people of their defeat and humiliation. Who will ever think it promotes reconciliation?

The Army units were stationed in the North in the 1960s even after the Sinhala Only Act was passed and the Tamil people did not object to it because it was for the control and prevention of illicit immigration and smuggling. The Tamil people were not in sympathy with South India then and did not oppose anti-illicit immigration and anti-smuggling control. But the Army then was largely confined to barracks and there was even fraternizing with the top bureaucrats of the North.

The LTTE committed many atrocities on the Tamil people throughout the period they exercised power. But human beings generally value the present more than the past. They allow the past to recede in their consciousness while the present exercises a string effect. So does anybody think the activities of the army in the north helps in reconciliation of the Tamil people to accept the Sinhala dominated State?Read More

Eezham Tamils learning languages

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 16 September 2014, 13:38 GMT]
Thanks to the sustained efforts of the Indian Consulate in Jaffna ‘interest in Hindi’ is sprouting among Jaffna Tamils, reports New Indian Express on Tuesday, citing ‘Hindi Diwas’ [day] celebrated by the Consulate, 20 students completing a course and one of them telling that “There are now people who think it will be useful to know Hindi if they go to north India for studies or pilgrimage.” Eezham Tamils wish that the Chinese embassy would soon start teaching Chinese and the other embassies would follow suit in teaching major European, Latin American, Arabic and other Asian languages, so that the nation of Eezham Tamils could have a wider interaction with the world and with their own kith and kin worldwide, commented Tamil activists for alternative politics in the island. 

“A passion for Hindi film music and the Hindi language is commonplace in Sri Lanka. But Jaffna, the stronghold of Tamil nationalism, has been an exception to this rule. The Tamil-speaking North is one place in the island nation, where Hindi films are not shown, Hindi soaps are not watched, and Hindi songs are not aired. But these may well be things of the past, soon. Thanks to the sustained efforts of the Indian Consulate, interest in Hindi is sprouting among Jaffna Tamils,” wrote P K Balachandran based in Colombo and reporting for New Indian Express.

He was subtly implying that the Sinhala nation has a natural passion and orientation for Hindi, more open to the designs of New Delhi and thus a better ally than the Tamil resistors.

Learning any language for human interaction and better economic opportunities should never be a problem to Tamil civilization that historically had long maritime contacts from China to Egypt and later sent its diaspora worldwide to every continent during European colonial and post colonial times. 

The problem arises only when any language comes with genocidal intent as in the case of Sinhala in the island or with the greed of replacing the colonial imperialist model of the British, which the New Delhi Establishment is long aiming within India and outside.

If New Delhi and Colombo are now making a strategic partnership model; if the aim of the partnership is annihilation of Eezham Tamils as a nation of language, identity and territory in the island; if the vast resources, input and more importantly the ‘military to military alliance’ of both these partners are deployed in the process in which the languages are a tool, and if the Tamil resistance model is not sufficient to withstand the onslaught – then Tamils in the island, in Tamil Nadu and in the diaspora should come out with an alternative outlook and strategy, suitable to their long heritage and current geopolitical opportunities.

Tamils should bring in all the major languages of the world and learn them equally to empower them globally in economy, society, culture, politics, and in meeting the regional genocidal treachery hatched by New Delhi and Colombo.

The current geopolitical and militaristic competition of powers over the island that doesn’t shun the genocide of Tamils has to be made the best use of by the military-less nation of Tamils in meeting the challenges through a different front. For instance, if a group of Eezham Tamils in the island comes forward to learn Chinese, it cannot be intimidated. 

Tamil polity in the island should think creatively in linguistically empowering the society and the diaspora should realize the importance of harnessing and channeling its immense potentiality in world languages.

The world languages equally coming to Tamils will not endanger Tamil, as it would be by leaving the scene to Hindi or Sinhala. On the other hand, it would enrich Tamil and empower Tamils. South India has a prior experience in this regard by its openness to English and French in the colonial times, which still makes certain sections in India to envy the ‘Madarasis’.

* * *

The ‘Mauryan Empire specialists’ in New Delhi would tell us how the empire, which could not conquer the ancient Tamil country, made an alliance with the island, to the extent that the local ruler there accepted the title of emperor Asoka, i.e., Devanampiya, as his name. 

The New Delhi-centered political polarization in colonial times sidelined the Bengali language, which then had the single largest number of speakers in the subcontinent and divided them as Hindus and Muslims, in making Hindi originated in the Moghul court and military camps to become the ‘national’ language of India. The Northeast States in India and the tribal populations became the most vulnerable target. 

After independence, New Delhi feared the maritime distribution of Tamils especially in the Indian Ocean, in Ceylon, Burma, Malaya, Singapore and in the Andaman and Nicobar islands.

As Andaman and Nicobar islands came under New Delhi, a calculated colonisation policy facilitated Hindi becoming the language in that archipelago for ‘better integration’. The agreement with Colombo for the repatriation of the Tamils of Indian origin from Ceylon and New Delhi’s tacit silence on the expulsion of Tamils from Burma have to be understood in larger perspectives. The Tamils in Malaysia and Singapore are constantly coaxed to drop the Tamil identity and put on ‘Indian’ identity. The card used there is ‘Hinduism’ of a brand culturally alien to Tamils. Hindi replaces Malayalam and Mahl (of Minicoy) in the Laccadives archipelago of the Arabian Sea, again for better ‘integration’ in the Indian Ocean. 

Let learning Hindi in Jaffna and ‘passion’ for Hindi film and music in Colombo may flourish. But it is high time stateless global Tamils have to conceive outlook and long-term strategies to speak to the world on their own. 

Renowned sociologist M.N. Srinivas theorized how openness to a world language helped a section in India to 'Sanskritize' others and to retain its dominance. Ambedkar told Dalits to renounce Hinduism and to turn to Mahayana Buddhism. If these are understood it will be easily understood why the country of Tamils always at the receiving end of the games of powers, especially that of New Delhi, should become a hub of expertise in all the world languages.

Urgent need for competent public justice systems

Tuesday, 16 September 2014 

An Oral Statementto the 27th Session of the UN Human Rights Council from the Asian Legal Resource Centre (ALRC), a non-governmental organization in general consultative status

Thank you Mr. President,

The Asian Legal Resource Centre reiterates that full realization of human rights for all depends on competent public justice systems, functioning effectively, within a rule of law framework. In many Asian states, however, public justice systems have not only failed to function, they now serve private interests, and enforcement agents serving such private interests are granted impunity.

The Pakistan Protection Ordinance promulgated in September 2013 allows detention for up to 90 days before a writ of habeas corpus becomes applicable. It grants state agents the power to shoot suspects on sight. The Protection of Pakistan Act, 2014, is also alarming. It legalizes "encounter killings", a practice of police and paramilitary across South Asia.

In Bangladesh, the Rapid Action Battalion uses such extrajudicial killings, along with torture and disappearances, with impunity. In Sri Lanka, the case of SandunMalinga, a 17-year-old tortured and killed at Kandaketiya Police Station, is a recent example of continuing extrajudicial killings. In Myanmar, torture remains standard operating procedure for law enforcement agents "solving" cases. And, in India the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958, continues to shield thousands of murderers, rapists, and torturers in uniform.

Institutions masquerading as justice institutions in Asia need radical transformation. Without competent public justice systems operating under the rule of law, and without equality before law for all citizens – including public officials and those in uniform – justice and human rights will remain unrealizable ideals in Asia.

I thank you Mr. President.

Webcast video: 2:33:05-2:34:58 http://webtv.un.org/meetings-events/human-rights-council/watch/item3-general-debate-contd-14th-meeting-27th-regular-session-of-human-rights-council/3785769844001

India says Sri Lanka is committed to 13A

By admin on September 15, 2014
Sri Lanka has assured India that it is committed to implementing the 13th amendment in its constitution, the Indian External Affairs Ministry said today.

Indian Ministry of External Affairs Spokesperson Syed Akbaruddin said that Sri Lanka has assured and re-assured it is committed to the full implementation of the 13th amendment.

“Our stand is that whatever decision has been taken by Sri Lanka for its people should be implemented. We have been assured by Sri Lanka that they are committed to implement the 13th amendment,” Indian Ministry of External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Syed Akbaruddin told reporters in New Delhi today.

The 13th amendment to Sri Lankan constitution sought to set up provincial councils with specified powers in the country, in accordance with the provisions of the Indo-Sri Lanka Accord of 1987, to give more powers to the minorities.

The Tamil National Alliance (TNA) at meetings held during its recent Indian tour had called for the full implementation of the 13th Amendment to the constitution with powers being devolved to the provinces.

President Mahinda Rajapaksa had last week said he was open for a dialogue with the TNA on the implementation of the 13th Amendment to the Sri Lankan Constitution. (Colombo Gazette)

Facing Mahinda Rajapaksa In The Next Presidential Election: Three Views

By Sumanasiri Liyanage -September 16, 2014

Sumanasiri Liyanage

There have been many indications that the next presidential election would be advanced and be held in January 2015. Even astrologers have begun to say that holding presidential election in January would be favorable to the incumbent. The Third Amendment to the Constitution has made holding a presidential election if the incumbent is prepared to do so four years after the last election. Ex-CJ has already raised that if the President Rajapaksa could contest although the Eighteenth Amendment has allowed a person to contest more than two consecutive periods. Here my intention is not to discuss the legal nature of the issue but to deal with the political strategies put forward by the opposition forces in Sri Lanka in facing President Mahinda Rajapaksa in the election in January. If the Supreme Court decides that Mahinda Rajapaksa cannot contest there will not be a presidential election in 2015.

There have been three main views on how the Sri Lankan opposition should face President Rajapaksa in the next Presidential election. First view suggests that the main issue today is the issue of defeating Mahinda Rajapaksa and eventually his family’s hold in power. Reasons given are inter alia strong tendency towards fascism or totalitarianism, deep rooted corruption and nepotism, heavy dependence on loans especially from China, regime’s increasing tension with the West (so-called international community) and poor economic performance. The argument is that no matter whatever happens this regime should be defeated and it would be good for the country. Hence, a winnable common candidate has to be named as the candidate opposing MR. This view that seems to be sponsored by the Western embassies is shared by the traditional business class, the UNP, NGOs, liberal democrats and the pinkish left. For them the removal of MR from executive presidential post is adequate to reestablish democracy, rule of the law and to promote economic development. In other words, they appear to believe that there have been no structural flaws that generate above mentioned issues and problems. As we have seen in the past, this strategy would produce circular results creating a situation to pose the same issues in a future presidential election. What are the mechanisms that would be in place to counter anti-democratic tendencies inherent in the system? What guarantees could be given that the new regime would adopt that would reduce cost of living, raise standard of living of the masses, reduce concentration of wealth and promote economic development? This whole idea of regime change without reasonable structural change will be tantamount to a repetition of time and again the same cycle.Read More

Academics condemn Sydney University professor for call to go soft on Sri Lanka's war history

Tuesday, 16 September 2014 

Academics and non-government organisations have condemned a University of Sydney academic's call for delegates at a human rights conference to go soft on Sri Lanka, despite claims of the country's war-time atrocities.

A group of lecturers from the university has written a letter to Danielle Celermajer saying her stand on the conference this week in Bangkok "threatens to bring the University of Sydney's commitment to, and connection with human rights, into disrepute".

"We therefore consider it important to write to dissociate ourselves from the event and the way in which it has been conceived and managed," said the academics, who include Associate Professor Jake Lynch and Brami Jegan, conveners of Sri Lankan human rights project at the university.

Dr Celermajer 

Dr Celermajer earlier told 100 delegates they should be "mindful of the heightened sensitivity and fragility" at the conference after Sri Lankan authorities threatened to withdraw its police and military participants.

Asked to comment on the criticism, Dr Celermajer said the "danger of responding, especially to the media, in one or two line answers, is that the complexity of our position and of our decision will receive further misrepresentation and distortion".

"None of this helpful to the real issue, which is developing effective strategies to address the serious breaches of human rights in Sri Lanka," she said.

Organisers of the Enhancing Human Rights and Security in Asia-Pacific conference asked two Sri Lankan organisations – Right to Life and Right Now – to withdraw their delegates from the conference.

The decision prompted some delegates to reconsider their plans to attend.

The Sri Lankan government has refused to comply with repeated United Nations resolutions to allow an international investigation into allegations of serious abuses by both sides in the country's quarter-century civil war, where in the final six months of the conflict up to 40,000 civilians were killed and another 6000 forcibly disappeared, according to Human Rights Watch.

Professor Lynch and the other academics told Dr Celermajer the conference is at "serious risk of providing the appearance of human rights cover to a brutal regime that continues to perpetrate gross violations and is going to great lengths to silence critical voices both within Sri Lanka and in the international community".

"The only value that your conference could have would precisely lie in confronting Sr Lankan security forces with their abuses – not tip-toeing around them for fear of giving offence," they wrote.

The Sri Lankan Campaign for Peace and Justice said the conference organisers were "potentially making themselves complicit in the Sri Lankan government's systematic attempts to suppress dissent and intimidate critical voices within civil society and to legitimise that policy internationally".

"We consider this wholly unacceptable and believe that the conference, in its current for, will do damage to human rights in Sri Lanka – damage that will outweigh any good it will do," the organisation said.

The Geneva-based Association for the Prevention of Torture called on conference organisers to reinstate the participation of the Sri Lankan NGOs that were uninvited and to "reaffirm to all participants the importance of collaborative, open and unfettered dialogue between participants during the conference."

Courtesy - http://www.smh.com.au

China reaches out

September 16, 2014 

President Xi of China is scheduled to visit India and Sri Lanka. The Middle Kingdom of ancient times is asserting itself on the world stage. The current leaders of China are driven by a ‘manifest destiny’, a strategic view that China is destined to play a dominant role in their region and the world.

China Reaches Out by Thavam