Tuesday, October 7, 2014

Sri Lanka to be reviewed on human rights treaty

Photograph Tamil Guardian

07 October 2014

Sri Lanka's record on its adherence to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) is being reviewed in Geneva today.

Sri Lanka, a party to the ICCPR since 1980, submitted a report in 2012, in which it outlined its "humanitarian operation" and the "progress" it had made on several fronts, including demilitarisation and restoration of civil administration in the North-East. The HRC in response published a list of issues earlier this year, asking Sri Lanka to respond to its concerns, including on accountability, torture and counter-terrorism measures employed by the state.

See Sri Lanka's response to the list of issues here.

Several NGOs, including the Tamil Civil Society Forum, British Tamils Forum, Centre for Policy Alternatives, Freedom from Torture, Amnesty International and the Public Interest Advocacy Centre, have published reports providing further information to back up the issues listed by the HRC.

Sri Lanka's review will run from 15:00-18:00 CEST on Wednesday and from 10:00 to 13:00 CEST on Thursday and will be broadcast live.

The ICCPR, in force since 1976, commits its parties to respect the civil and political rights of individuals, including the right to self-determination, the right to life, freedom of religion, freedom of speech, freedom of assembly, electoral rights and rights to due process and a fair trial

The treaty is monitored by the United Nations Human Rights Committee (HRC), which regularly reviews reports of states, party to the treaty.

The multilateral treaty, adopted at the UN General Assembly with 168 parties subject to it, is part of the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples, International Bill of Human Rights, along with the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR) and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR).

BBS To Launch A Policy Framework To Grapple Rising Threats Against Buddhism

October 7, 2014

The Bodu Bala Sena (BBS) today announced they will be launching a policy framework shortly containing recommendations to uplift Buddhism and the Buddhashasana in the country, which they are planning to present to President Rajapaksa and the Opposition leader.

BBS CEO Dilanthe Winathanage speaking at a media briefing today said they will be launching the framework to the public once its content is finalized and added they are hoping for the framework content to be welcomed by a candidate at the upcoming Presidential election.

“We will pledge our support to whoever agrees to absorb the recommendations in the policy framework into his/her election manifesto,” he said.

According to Withanage one of the main facts that will be highlighted through the policy framework that is currently in a draft state, is the recognition of Sri Lanka as a Sinhala Buddhist state and implementing necessary measures to grapple with the rising threats against Buddhism in Sri Lanka.

Withanage had added that if none of the candidates welcome their framework, they would take measures to ensure that a separate candidate is fielded through the support of the BBS in order to ensure vital interests of the Buddhist community are secured and BBS campaigns and agendas are promoted.

The BBS policy framework is to be completed and launched to the public before the end of the year.

BBS Calls for a Religious State with Buddhist ‘Khomeini’ as Head

[BBS head with his bodyguards; Face book photo]-06/10/2014

Introducing a constitutional draft for the country, the Bodu Bala Sena (BBS) said Sri Lanka should be renamed ‘Sinhale’, with Sinhalese Buddhists being recognized as the historical and ational race of the country.
The BBS acknowledged that the country had only one race (the Sinhalese), linguistically the Sinhala language, the Tamil language and the indigenous tongue of the Veddahs existed alongside the religious groups – Sinhala Buddhists, Sinhala Hindus, Sinhala Catholics, Sinhala Christians and Sinhala Muslims.

‘While the freedom to follow one’s religion of choice remained, the propagation of religions, other than Buddhism, using foreign or government funds, will be forbidden. Vesak Poya Day will be made the National Day. Learning of Sinhala, Tamil and English will be made compulsory for all.’

‘The State’s spiritual leader will be the ‘Sangharaja Mahanayake Thera’, and he will appoint a 50-person Supreme State Advisory Council, upon whose advice the National People’s Representatives’ Council will suggest how to rule the country. The Supreme State Advisory Council will appoint a Cabinet of 10 Senior Ministers to advice and assist the Sangharaja Mahanayake Thera.’
‘With regard to the Executive, the Prime Minister will be the Head of State. The Prime Minister and the Cabinet (30 persons, including Ministers in charge of provincial development), will rule the country and the public service. The Prime Minister will be the person, who obtains the most support from the National People’s Representatives’ Council’s Higher People’s Representatives’ Board (100 persons from political parties, appointed based on votes received, so that all trade knowledge and skills, minorities, advices of various political parties and trade unions are represented) and Lower People’s Representatives’ Board (200 persons appointed through a general election). A Deputy Prime Minister will also be appointed.’

The Executive Presidency should be abolished within the next six years, the BBS said.
The powers pertaining to the Legislature will be with the National People’s Representatives’ Council. The existing election system will be changed. Devolution of power should take place at an administrative level. The Provincial Councils mechanism should be scrapped. Independent commissions should be established to safeguard the public service, foreign affairs, the police, the service monitoring good governance, judicial service and election service.

The general election will consist of the local government election and National People’s Representatives’ Council election. The contestant, who obtains the most number of votes from a particular electorate will be the head of the provincial unit (Pradeshiya Sabha Chairman or Municipal Commissioner) and also the people’s representative for the National People’s Representatives’ Council.
“It is essential that candidates at elections at all levels possess a basic degree or a similar accepted educational or employment qualification. Cabinet appointees have to possess a masters or a doctoral degree. Political parties with a religious or ethnic base promoting separatism will be banned along with organizations and movements attempting to form zones in the country based on ethnic and religious foundations. In all electoral nomination lists, 50% of youth (below 40 years of age) should be represented.
The positions of representatives of the National People’s Representatives’ Council will be employed full time and should be paid high salaries to prevent corruption and fraud. Having functions and events and engaging in self-promotional propaganda activities, using public money meant for development activities, is forbidden.

The legal system in the country needs to be completely overhauled, with a common law abolishing all religious and personal legal systems.
Finally, all citizens regardless of the position they occupy are equal before the law and will not be afforded special privileges, Chief Executive Officer of the BBS, Dr. Dilanthe Withanage, added.
BY Ruwan Laknath Jayakody

Teachers in Jaffna protest against military influence in North-East schools

06 October 2014
Teachers in Jaffna demonstrated in a protest, coinciding with International Teachers Day on Monday, against military and government influence in their schools and universities.

Photograph: Tamil Guardian

The protestors were met by pro-government individuals that attempted to disrupt the protest adds the Uthayan. The pro-government individuals dispersed after the protesting teachers voiced their condemnation of attempts to disrupt the demonstration.

A significant level of government intelligence was also noted by the protestors.

The Jaffna University Teacher's Union, Tamil National Alliance (TNA) and Tamil National People’s Front (TNPF) participated in the protest which made 15 demands to the Sri Lankan government, reports the Uthayan. The Northern Provincial Councillor Ananthi Sasitharan was present.

Photograph: TamilWin

We want Sobhitha thera

By Rashini Mendis-October 7, 2014

As the United National Party (UNP) can't win the coming Presidential election on its own, it should consider changing the name and the symbol of the party for at least six months, the Eksath Bhikku Peramuna (EBP) said.

Anunayake of Ramanna Chapter, Girambe Ananda Thera and Chief Incumbent of Nalandarama, Nugegoda, Tiniyawala Palitha Thera, made this statement when they met Convener of National Movement for Social Justice (NMSJ), Maduluwave Sobhitha Thera yesterday (06).

The two theras have requested Maduluwave Sobhitha Thera to become the common Opposition candidate. At this point Sobhitha Thera has said that he needs to talk to the leader of the UNP, Ranil Wickremesinghe, too, before making such a decision. However, the two theras insisted that there was no point in talking to Ranil Wickremesinghe and if Sobhitha Thera contests as the common Opposition candidate, it could be used to influence the decisions of Wickremesinghe.

If Wickremesinghe contests, he will definitely lose. The two theras said that if Sobhitha Thera contests as the common Opposition candidate, he will definitely win. The two monks also agreed to take care of all financial needs necessary for a presidential campaign.

Assault On Diplomats - What

Diplomatic Law Says

| by Ruwantissa Abeyratne

Good government consists in the ruler being a ruler, the minister being a minister, the father being a father, and the son being a son.

- Analects of Confucius…Lunyu 12.11.

( October 7, 2014, Montreal, Sri Lanka Guardian) Confucius (551-479 BC), a philosopher who was both modest and unassuming, believed that the welfare of a country depended on the moral cultivation of its people, beginning from the nation’s leadership.

Assault on Diplomats - What Diplomatic Law Says by Thavam

Despite Resigning, Nonis Continues To Visit The High Commission

October 7, 2014

Colombo Telegraph learns that Sri Lanka’s High Commissioner to the UK, Dr. Chris Nonis, despite resigning from his position last Monday (29) continues to visit the High Commission premises.

Sources claim that he had visited the High Commission last weekend and had accessed his computer and backed-up/deleted files etc. Colombo Telegraph also learns that a key to the High Commission premises is still in his possession and continues to use his official vehicle.

These frequent visits of Dr. Nonis to the High Commission premises has led to the development of an awkward situation among the staff, as they are uncertain of how to engage with him and are also concerned on whether he might have accessed files containing sensitive information from their computers as well.

The Colombo Telegraph has been unable to reach Nonis for comment.

His official Facebook page still says; “Dr. Chris Nonis, the Sri Lankan High Commissioner to the UK”

The External Affairs Monitoring MP Sajin de Vass Gunawardena, who mercilessly assaulted Nonis at a gathering in New York. His resignation letter that was handed over early last week was eventually accepted by the External Affairs Minister Prof. G. L. Peiris on Friday (3) upon instructions by the President who was irritated over Dr. Nonis complaining about the slapping incident to Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith, who had in turn prevented Vass from meeting the Pope in Vatican.

Meanwhile, Sri Lanka’s Deputy High Commissioner to the Maldives Chanaka H. Talpahewa has been appointed as the chargé d’affaires in the UK High Commission.

Related posts;

Labuduwa Siridhamma College principal arrested for accepting bribe

Sri Lankan Doctorates For Sale in B'lore

Labuduwa Siridhamma College principal arrested for accepting bribe

October 7, 2014

The principal of the Labuduwa Siridhamma College, Galle has been arrested by the Bribery Commission while accepting a bribe of Rs 300,000 to enroll a child to a Grade 1 class.

The suspect was arrested while soliciting the bribe from a father seeking to enroll his son into the school. The child’s brother is also said to be a student of the same school.

However, the principal had demanded Rs 300,000 in order to enroll the student.

The Minister of Education, during a recent press conference, had requested the public to inform regarding any individuals requesting for money in order to enroll students into schools.

The father of the student, who had remembered this statement, contacted and informed Ada Derana, who in turn informed the Education Minister Bandula Gunawardena.

As a result, the minister contacted the Commission to Investigate Allegation of Bribery or Corruption, which set into motion an operation to apprehend the suspect in the act.

A female officer of the Bribery Commission accompanied the child’s father to the school and as they handed over the cash to the principal, he was placed under arrest.

The suspect has currently been taken to the Galle Police Station.

'Clamp brake on illegal copper exports to India'

By Ifham Nizam-October 6, 2014

'The government should clamp a brake on illegal copper exports to India, to save millions of rupees in foreign exchange, says a top businessman with a sound Research and Development background.

Orange Electric Managing Director Kushan S Kodituwakku told The Island Financial Review that loads of copper are being exported to India at a cheap rate and in turn when importing, they have to pay a higher price.

Kodituwakku said President Mahinda Rajapaksa himself intervened and took action to put an end to the illegal business, however, some illegal operations are continuing.

Earlier last week a team of journalists was taken to the Orange Electric manufacturing outfit in Meegoda to witness its sustainability journey; in putting into operation a state of the art copper recycling plant that can process all the copper waste available here.

Though the factory has the capacity to recycle some 200 metric tonnes of copper, currently its doing with 100 metric tonnes.

Kodituwakku says that their recycling system has the capacity to process the scrap into 99.98 per cent pure high grade copper.

The ISO certified Orange factory at Meegoda produces electric cabling that meets the highest international standards.

He says the plant has the capacity to recycle the entire 200 metric tonnes of copper scrap, which, if accessible to them, would meet more than 20 per cent of our cable requirement.

However, he believes if the authorities, particularly the Ministry of Industry and Commerce, could put the much needed regulations in place to control these illegal exports, they could push for further improvement.

'Having copper wire produced through recycled material, could be close to saving USD 16 million per annum, says the man who has a workforce of nearly 1,500.

Orange Electric are also the pioneers in the whole of South Asia for recycling mercury in CFL bulbs and their safe disposal. They have even shared their expertise with Portugal by setting up a recycling plant in that country.

The Orel Corporation, who owns the brand Orange, is currently engaged in the business of manufacturing, exporting and importing world class electrical products, including switches and sockets, CFL lamps, low voltage switchgear, Alpha cables, electrical accessories. Their production range includes more than 4000 electrical items and have invested some four billion rupees in the past 20 years.

SRI LANKA: Commercial sex worker exposes rotten nature of Sri Lanka Police

October 7, 2014

During the last two weeks, a video showing a policeman beating a young woman on a public road in Ratnapura, Sri Lanka, has generated heated discussion in the media. Reactions shown in the media and in social media such as facebook show public contempt for the behavior and conduct of the police.

What is near comic is the manner in which the police spokesman reacted to the video and the subsequent developments. When the video was first shown, the spokesman’s reaction was that as the video is unreliable no action could be taken on this matter. As media heat grew, the spokesman declared that the particular policeman seen in the video beating the young woman with a wire has been identified.

Sometime later, the same spokesman announced that this particular officer has been interdicted. Thereafter, the police spokesman’s repeated message was that a police team has been deployed in trying to identify and obtain a statement from the particular woman concerned, but that she appeared to be in hiding and therefore, it was not possible to obtain her statement.

While the police spokesman was repeating this story, the woman who was beaten began to reveal her ordeal in public. Besides holding a press conference, she also gave an exclusive interview to Ada Derana a local TV channel, and said that she was a resident of Kanadola in Ratnapura, and that the particular police sergeant had asked her to come with him to an inappropriate location on several occasions and when she had refused for the third time, he plotted revenge. She revealed that the police officer had assaulted her with a wire while uttering filthy and abusive language at her and he had also kicked her when she fell on the ground.

The police sergeant’s name has now been revealed as P.P. Thissera. The amateur video footage of the incident has been taken by a witness with a mobile phone, and it has been distributed widely through the social media making the incident a talking point among Sri Lankans everywhere.

What is more shocking is the manner in which several police officers including a Headquarters Inspector (HQI) treated the woman after the incident. Ganga, the young woman involved in the incident, has revealed how police officers kept her at a police station for several hours, attempting to get her to agree to be silent about the incident. At one instance, the policemen offered Rupees 3,000 to her.

All her attempts to have a complaint registered failed. Ganga then filed an application before the Supreme Court claiming the violation of her rights and demanding a Rupees 50 million in damages. A team of lawyers assisted her. And, after filing the fundamental rights application, she held another press briefing and explained her position. She openly told the press that due to extreme poverty she makes a living as a sex worker. Despite enormous publicity, with photographic evidence of brutal police assault, to date, the police sergeant in question has not been arrested or charged with a criminal offence.

Clearly the criminal offence falls under the CAT Act No. 22 of 1994. In terms of this Act, any public officer who commits an act of torture can be charged with an offence punishable with up to 7 years rigorous imprisonment and/or a Rupees 10,000 fine. The photographic evidence establishes that there is evidence to charge the police sergeant under this law. Besides photographic evidence, there is also evidence of the victim and the existence of several other eyewitnesses.

For several years now, the police as well as the Attorney General’s Department have connived so as not to file charges under the Torture Act. While a large body of evidence has been revealed on incidents of torture committed by police officers on a large number of persons, the Inspector General of Police, as well as the Attorney General, has been following a policy of preventing criminal charges being filed against such police officers.

The shameful behavior of the police sergeant in the recent incident has exposed the ugly manner in which police officers in Sri Lanka generally behave towards citizens. The major blame for the horror that the Sri Lanka police has become lies with the government. The government, by dismantling the 17^th Amendment to the Constitution, has deliberately destroyed the only serious attempt that has been made by the Sri Lankan Parliament to restore discipline in the public service in general and in the police service in particular.

The simple reason why governments do not want to see a functioning police force is so free and fair elections can be prevented. When the National Police Commission (NPC) was functioning, Mr. Ranjith Abesuriya, the Chairperson of the NPC, took strict measures to prevent police officers from being transferred for the purpose of the government party obtaining special advantage by such transfers. From 1978, all parties in power have sought to misuse the police in order to engage in electoral malpractices. The police force in Sri Lanka has therefore been destroyed for policy reasons. Naturally, no one expects that the government will take effective action to enforce discipline within the police force.

In the modern world, no civilized society can survive without a law abiding and disciplined police force that ensures peace and stability by way of efficient law enforcement. To allow a police force to descend to such an abyss is to drag the entire society into a similar or worse situation.

What the case of this commercial sex worker has exposed is not merely the plight of an individual woman who has been treated pathetically, but the situation of a whole society that has been pushed into chaos by the deliberate displacement of its most important law enforcement agency.

These days another scandal being talked about is the instance of a minister in the government slapping a diplomat of no lesser rank than the country’s Ambassador to the UK, forcing him to resign from his position. Even in a world where there is an endless chain of scandals one does not hears of such kinds of behavior. Even stranger is that the President still retains this Minister in his post, even after this scandal has been revealed to the whole world.

The Asian Human Rights Commission has reiterated that the question of what is legal and illegal is not an issue that matters in Sri Lanka anymore. Now, the very notion of morality has ceased to be a matter of importance. Therefore scandalous events cause no shock today. This is what the assault of this young woman, as well as the slapping of the diplomat, highlights.

Related external link : Woman assaulted by police officer at Ratnapura reveals all

Book Review: “A Social History Of Malaria In Sri Lanka”

| by Laksiri Fernando

( October 7, 2014, Sydney, Sri Lanka Guardian) This is about a book by Professor Kalinga Tudor Silva titled “Decolonization, Development and Disease: A Social History of Malaria in Sri Lanka.” If I put it suggestively, this book can be called a study of ‘socio-malariology.’ It is not malariology proper as far as we know its parameters, but its social or sociological side. Tudor Silva is Senior Professor in Sociology at the University of Peradeniya and this book might take international attention in a context where Ebola is creating similar havoc like malaria, rapidly taking an increasing number of death toll and raising similar questions like what the author has raised underpinning lopsided decolonization, unequal development, conflict and poverty.

Book Review “a Social History of Malaria in Sri Lanka” by Thavam

Can Civilization Survive "Really Existing Capitalism"? An Interview With Noam Chomsky

Noam Chomsky (Photo: Haymarket Books)

By C.J. Polychroniou, Truthout | Interview

Wednesday, 01 October 2014 09:42

More than four decades of Noam Chomsky's writings are available in a new anthology from Haymarket Books. Get this collection from the master of opposing the hubris of US empire. Click here now.

For decades now, Noam Chomsky has been widely regarded as the most important intellectual alive (linguist, philosopher, social and political critic) and the leading US dissident since the Vietnam War. Chomsky has published over 100 books and thousands of articles and essays, and is the recipient of dozens of honorary doctorate degrees by some of the world's greatest academic institutions. His latest book,Masters of Mankind: Essays and Lectures, 1969-2013, has just been published by Haymarket Books. On the occasion of the release of his last book, Chomsky gave an exclusive and wide-ranging interview to C.J. Polychroniou for Truthout, parts of which will also appear in The Sunday Eleftherotypia, a major national Greek newspaper.
Can Civilization Survive Really Existing Capitalism an Interview With Noam Chomsky by Thavam

The Myth of the U.N. Creation of Israel

Foreign Policy Journal

by Jeremy R. Hammond | October 26, 2010

The map of Palestine from 1947 National Geographic

This essay is available for download in PDF format at the author’s website.

The U.N. General Assembly, November 29, 1947

There is a widely accepted belief that United Nations General Assembly Resolution 181 “created” Israel, based upon an understanding that this resolution partitioned Palestine or otherwise conferred legal authority or legitimacy to the declaration of the existence of the state of Israel. However, despite its popularity, this belief has no basis in fact, as a review of the resolution’s history and examination of legal principles demonstrates incontrovertibly.

About the Author

Jeremy R. Hammond

Jeremy R. Hammond is an independent political analyst and a recipient of the Project Censored Award for Outstanding Investigative Journalism. He is the founding editor of Foreign Policy Journal and the author of Ron Paul vs. Paul Krugman: Austrian vs. Keynesian economics in the financial crisis and The Rejection of Palestinian Self-Determination: The Struggle for Palestine and the Roots of the Israeli-Arab Conflict. His forthcoming book is on the contemporary U.S. role in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

The Myth of the U.N. Creation of Israel by Thavam

Syrian Kurds reportedly holding back Isis militants in Kobani

Resident fleeing centre of city near Turkish border describes witnessing Islamist fighters being killed in guerilla-style battle

Islamic State fighters battle Kurdish militia for Kobani: live updates

Turkish Kurds on the Turkey-Syria border watch the aftermath of air strikes on Kobani — Catherine James in Mursitpinar on the Turkey-Syria border

The Guardian home — Catherine James in Mursitpinar on the Turkey-Syria border

Street-to-street fighting is under way in the battle for Kobani in Syria, but Kurdish fighters who live in the area have the upper hand, a resident has said.

Islamic State (Isis) fighters were moving in on Kobani’s outskirts on Tuesday after puncturing the Kurdish frontline late on Monday, but Kurdish fighters appeared to be holding the centre of the city against the advance.

The resident, Mahmoud, described seeing Isis fighters in the streets looking relaxed and walking around freely. But, he said, those who had entered so casually were soon killed by Kurdish fighters with superior knowledge of sites throughout the city for guerilla-style fighting. More militants soon took their place, however.

“I don’t know where they were all coming from, but once they were killed, more Isis would come,” Mahmoud said through a translator as he walked from Kobani to a nearby town in south Turkey where his wife and five children were living as refugees. The 50-year-old said he believed the Isis militants were using hard drugs because of their confident demeanour.

It was not clear in which part of Kobani Mahmoud witnessed these scenes, but two black Isis flags have been flying in the eastern outskirts since Monday afternoon. The militants have reportedly moved into a southern district, but communications with the Kurdish groups and activists in Kobani have become more difficult since fighting moved further into the city. Several attempts to contact the commander of the Kurdish YPG fighters inside Kobani were cut as the phone began to ring.

Mahmoud said the US-led coalition conducted five airs trikes against the Isis strongholds, taking out about three tanks or vehicles.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitoring group said on Tuesday it had documented 412 deaths of civilians and fighters during the three-week battle for Kobani. Rami Abdulrahman, the head of the organisation, said Isis was about 50 metres inside the city’s south-west.

An estimated 180,000 people have fled from the region into Turkey since the Isis advance. More than 2,000 Syrian Kurds were evacuated from the town after the latest fighting, a member of the Kurdish Democratic Union party (PYD) said on Monday.

Clashes in Turkey near the border continued throughout the day between security forces and the crowds of local and Syrian Kurds who had come as a show of solidarity. Some claimed they would like to cross into Kobani to fight, but had been prevented from reaching the border by the Turkish army.

Teargas and water cannon were repeatedly used to disperse any crowds who came within about 2km of the border, raising antagonism and conspiracy theories that the Turkish forces must be supporting Isis if they were preventing Kurds going to fight them. The theories were boosted by the presence of Turkish tanks massed near the border but remaining idle as bombs fell on the city.

In a televised address from Gaziantep on Tuesday, the Turkish president, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, said Kobani was about to fall and cooperation was needed to end “the terror”.

“I am telling the west – dropping bombs from the air will not provide a solution,” he said.

If Kobani does fall, Turkey is likely to face a massive backlash from its Kurdish population. Many people have come from all over Turkey to support the people near the Syrian border town.

On Monday night, calls went out over municipal loudspeakers in the Kurdish town of Suruc, less than 15km from Kobani, for everyone to march to Kobani and defend it.

According to witnesses, 1,000-2,000 people walked as far as security forces would allow them, but they were pushed back by Turkish security forces.

“If they take Kobani, we know they will come to Suruc,” said Ibrahim Akkus, one of those watching Kobani from the hillside on Tuesday.

Mahmoud, looking exhausted as Kobani was shelled behind him, lamented that he could not stay in Kobani to fight.

“If I die, who will look after my children?” he asked.

He expressed disbelief at what was happening to the place where he had lived for five decades. “I want to go to my land. I don’t want to live in Turkey. I don’t want to live in any country. I just want to live in my own land. Why is Isis coming to my land?” he asked.

He said he felt the international effort to stop Isis’s advance was apathetic. “The world has turned its back on Kobani.”