Mexico: protests at admission that 43 missing students were massacred

Growing anger in Mexico at federal inaction after revelation that the missing teachers were burned in a huge funeral pyre

Demonstrators in Chilpancingo, Guerrero state, set fire to cars in protest at the massacre of 43 student teachers. Photograph: Ronaldo Schemidt/AFP/Getty Images

Jo Tuckman Mexico City-Sunday 9 November 2014

A demonstration sparked by the Mexican government’s announcement that 43 student teachers disappeared by police in the southern city of Iguala six weeks ago were probably massacred in a rubbish dump, ended at the weekend with masked protesters setting fire to the wooden door of the ceremonial presidential palace in Mexico City’s main Zócalo plaza.

The protesters broke away from the otherwise peaceful demonstration as it drew to a close, tearing down the protective metal fences set up around the palace at its imposing door before they set it on fire. Clashes with riot police followed before the square was cleared.

Anger over the disappearance of the students, after they were attacked by municipal police in Iguala on 26 September, has been mounting in recent weeks. Protests have included large marches, and attacks on public buildings and bus stations.

Over time the focus of the protests has moved from the demand for the students to be found to criticism of the government’s handling of the investigation, which it took over from state authorities 10 days after the events.

Many protesters in Mexico City carried handmade banners with the words Ya me cansé (“I’ve Had Enough” or “I’m Tired”), in reference to a comment made by Mexico’s attorney general, Jesús Murillo, at the end of the press conference on Friday.

The phrase has been turned on its head to express public exhaustion with both the violence that has taken hold in many parts of Mexico, where organised criminal activity is protected by corrupt authorities, as well as the federal government’s failure to act against it, which many believe underpins the events in Iguala.

The US-based group Human Rights Watch has described the events in Iguala as the worst case of abuse to take place in Latin America in the past few decades. The organisation’s Americas director, José Miguel Vivanco, said: “These killings and forced disappearances reflect a much broader pattern of abuse and are largely the consequence of the longstanding failure of Mexican authorities to address the problem.”

Protesters also chanted: “It was the state”, in an effort to push home the message that the federal authorities have yet to accept the depth of the institutional crisis exposed by the apparent massacre.

The march in the capital came in direct response to the government’s announcement on Friday that its investigation has established that dozens of young people were massacred in a rubbish dump outside the town of Cocula, that borders Iguala.

Murillo said it took place a few hours after municipal police arrested dozens of students in the city and handed them over to a drug gang, Guerreros Unidos. The mayor of Iguala had allegedly been in league with the gang since he took office two years ago.

The students, from a radical teacher training college about two hours’ drive away, were in Iguala to commandeer buses to use in a later protest.

Murillo said the investigation has corroborated information given by arrested gang members who confessed to participating in the massacre, that the victims were incinerated in a huge funeral pyre that burned for 14 hours. He said the ashes and charred remains left after the fire burned itself out were collected in plastic bags and disposed of in a nearby river; some remains have now been retrieved.

He said a laboratory in Austria has been contracted to try to identify the remains, as the Mexican authorities do not have the technological capacity to do so.

Parents of the students have claimed the government wants to close the case. They have said they will continue to hope their children are alive until there is scientific evidence to the contrary.

Before he cut the press conference short, Murillo dismissed a question about why neither soldiers nor federal police stationed in Iguala had intervened when the municipal police were attacking and arresting the students. “If the army had come out at that moment, who would they have supported?” Murillo asked. “Obviously the answer would have been the legal authorities and it would have been a much bigger problem.”

Such answers do not satisfy the protesters and international human rights groups who now regularly describe what happened to the students as a crime of state

Berlin 1989 – the miracle that blinded us to the truth about revolution

lankatwo Edit

Saturday 08 Nov 2014

Mine was a generation of journalists and politicians who came of political age with the fall of the Berlin Wall.

That tumultuous event – 25 years ago this weekend – shaped our worldview, giving us too much faith in the quasi-religious creed of human rights and an unrealistically optimistic view of revolution.
Berlin 1989 – the Miracle That Blinded Us to the Truth About Revolution by Thavam

Ebola Was Here

Ebola cases are dropping so rapidly that Liberians are talking about the disease in the past tense. They shouldn’t be.

 BY LAURIE GARRETT-NOVEMBER 7, 2014

MONROVIA, Liberia — Promised by U.S. President Barack Obama in early September, the Monrovia Medical Unit (MMU), built by the United States Army 101st Airborne division, opened yesterday to the appreciative smiles of Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf and U.S. 

Ebola Was Here by Thavam

Sri Lanka: Rajapaksa Family 

Devours The Economy

MR & Corruption---Lions Share of The Budget Goes to Rajapaksa Family – R. Sampanthan

( November 8, 2014, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) Rajapaksa family has devoured the economy of the country as the fraudulent budget has been presented targeting the presidential election to be held soon point out economists. They say the economy of the country would soon completely breakdown due to the process that is being blatantly carried out violating state financial policy.

This warning is being made as government expenses have been raised by Rs.356000 million. This colossal increase in expenses has been carried out without following any accepted process and even the manner this money is to be allocated has not been revealed they point out.

According to the budget proposals presented on 24th October Rs. 1,219,300,000,000 (1,219,300 million) has been allocated for Rajapaksa family. Economists say another sum of Rs.356000 million has been again added to this amount. Accordingly, the expenses of the ‘family’ have been raised by Rs.1,575,300,000,000 (Rs.1,575,300 million).

Colombo attempts to seize lands of Sivan temple in Ampaa’rai

[TamilNet, Friday, 07 November 2014, 20:40 GMT]
Sri Lankan Archaeology Department officials, with the backing of the occupying military and police, have been attempting to seize lands belonging to a 75-year-old Siva temple and lands that belong to Eezham Tamils at Va’laththaap-piddi in Chammaanthu’rai division of Ampaa’rai district, says Eastern Provincial Councillor M. Rajeswaran. Following complaints from the people, the EPC councillor went to the spot on Tuesday and confronted the Archaeology Department official who was claiming access to the land with a Gazette notice issued by the genocidal State of Sri Lanka. 
Tamil people at Va'laththaap-piddi complain about SL land grab to EPC Coucillor

“I told the Sri Lankan military and police officers who were present there with the Archaeology Department official that Tamil people will not allow the seizure of the lands in the name of the Sri Lankan State,” Mr Rajeswaran told media on Friday.

The SL Archaeology Department is trying to excavate one acre of the temple land and 10 acres of lands belonging to Tamil civilians. 

As the people had foiled previous attempts to seize the lands, the SL officials and military commanders chose to come after the Colombo government published a gazette notice, he said. There were archaeological artefacts in the lands according to the Gazette notice. But, people have owned the lands for ages, the EPC councillor said. 

The Tamil people at the area said they will fight against the SL State move to seize their lands. The Divisional Secretary of Chammaanthu’rai has told the Tamil residents that the move was taking place without the knowledge of the DS, the residents further said. 

EPC Councillor Rajeswaran arguing with the SL military officer backing the move by Colombo's Archaeology Department officials

“Don’t Engage In Cheap Political Games” TNA Slams Sri Lankan Government

November 8, 2014

The Tamil National Alliance has today condemned the statement issued by the Ministry of External Affairs.

Issuing a statement the TNA said; “The Tamil National Alliance reiterates firmly its denial of any involvement with the individuals referred to in the said statement pertaining to the investigation being conducted by the High Commissioner for Human Rights. The Tamil National Alliance specifically states that it has nothing whatever to do with the said individuals pertaining to the said investigation or otherwise. It is ludicrous that the Government in support of such purported involvement seeks to rely allegedly upon photographs taken at public functions on public occasions.

“The statement of the Ministry of External Affairs is indicative of the depth of the desperation to which the establishment has sunk.

“Reference to the following few events would demonstrate the extent of the Sri Lankan Government’s commitment to the protection of Human Rights.

1. The withdrawal from their Mandate of the International Independent Group of Eminent Persons comprising of eleven reputed intellectuals and Human Rights activists from different parts of the world, granted to them to assist and guide the domestic Udalagama Commission appointed to investigate and report on certain grave violations of Human Rights, stating clearly at their final press conference that the Sri Lankan Government did not have the political will or commitment to investigate grave Human Rights violations in keeping with international norms and standards.
2. The non publication of the report of the Udalagama Commission up to date though several years have lapsed since the submission of that report clearly establishing the lack of will on the part of the Sri Lankan Government to be transparent and make available to the public true and vital information.
3. Failure to reveal the true status of the cases pertaining to the massacre of the five students of Trincomalee, and the seventeen aid workers at Muttur in Trincomalee, despite numerous commitments made to the International Community and though more than eight years have elapsed since the said crimes were committed.
4. Failure to enact a Witness and Victim Protection Bill over the past seven years despite the several commitments made to the International Community in this regard, clearly indicating lack of an interest on the part of the Sri Lankan Government to provide protection to witnesses and victims who testify in judicial processes in regard to offences committed.
5. Failure to conduct a single impartial independent investigation into several grave violations pertaining to its own citizens other than disappearances, evidence of which grave violations has been in the public domain for a considerable period of time.

“The Sri Lankan Government by denying access to international investigations to visit Sri Lanka and conduct an impartial independent investigation is violating its own obligations under conventions and treaties it has voluntarily signed and accepted and is now adding insult to injury by casting aspersions on the international investigation. If the international investigators were able to visit Sri Lanka witnesses would have been able to freely go and testify at such investigations. There would have been no need for anything as is being alleged by the Ministry of External Affairs to happen. It is also known that the Sri Lankan Government through persons in authority have issued public statements warning prospective witnesses that if they testified before or assisted the investigation in any way, they would be violating the Constitution and laws of the country and that they would be prosecuted. This was clearly intended to intimidate witnesses.

“This is indicative of extreme confusion on the part of those entrusted with the responsibility of conducting vital affairs on behalf of Sri Lanka, and protecting the larger interests of Sri Lanka.

“The Tamil National Alliance would in the larger interests of Sri Lanka urge the Sri Lankan Government, rather than engage in cheap political games, to conduct itself with a greater sense of responsibility.”

Koslanda landslide: Before and after images now on Google Earth

by Groundviews 

- on 11/08/2014 

Groundviews was able to obtain from Digital Globe imagery around the aftermath of the Koslanda landslide. The following image was the area as it was on 30th May 2012.

The following image was taken after the landslide by Digital Globe satellites.

A rough Google Earth based measurement puts the length of the landslide at around 855m.

Download the KML here. Once downloaded, you can see the landslide if you search for these lat/lon coordinates: 6.7576, 81.02352.

For compelling on the ground photography around the landslide’s aftermath, click here.

Sri Lanka: Rajapaksa’s Chief Justice

We strongly recommend our readers to read an article written by Lacille De Silva, Former director Administration in the Parliament, published by the Daily Mirror on November 8, 2014, before read this story of the Rjapaksa’s henchman. 

( November 8, 2014, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) In September, 2010 President Mahinda Rajapaksa asked for a determination from the Supreme Court whether the 18th amendment to the Constitution was compatible with the Constitution and Mr. Mohan Peiris, who was the Attorney General then, made submissions to the Court.

Mr. Mohan Peiris who appeared to get the ruling that 18th amendment was compatible with the Constitution is the Chief Justice at present and President Mahinda Rajapaksa inquires from the Supreme Court where he is the head whether he could contest for a third term and call a presidential election before his 6 year term ends according to the 18th amendment that was adopted on the directive received from then Supreme Court.

Mr. Mohan Peiris, if it is necessary to protect independence of the judiciary and transparency, should refrain from giving a ruling in a matter he appeared some time ago and withdraw from the case.

However, a panel of judges headed by Mr. Mohan Peiris has already heard the case and given a decision. This decision is to be announced on Monday (10th).

It is revealed that the case has been already heard and a decision has been taken from the fact that The Registrar of the Supreme Court had told attorney-at-Law Sunil Watagala when he attempted to file a motion on behalf of the JVP that hearing had been already completed.

Also, the letter sent by the President of Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL) states the hearing of the case has been completed.

In Rome
In MadamulanaIn Thangalla, the baggage boy also sitting on the same row

Why Can’t Sri Lankans Keep to a Constitution?

by Legal Watch-November 8, 2014

It is a long-standing joke that anyone who wants to peruse Sri Lanka’s Constitution is referred to the "periodicals" section of the Library. This is because since 1932 this Island nation of 25,000 square miles has had four different constitutions, and the current one has been amended over twenty times.

As this is not intended to be a history lesson, the salient features of the previous constitutions will only be summarized.

The "Donoughmore Constitution" (pre – Independence) was the result of a Special Commission designed to give inclusivity and a role for back-benchers. It was not modeled on Westminster, although members were elected on the basis of territorial constituencies. The members of the Council would elect executive committees, with a Chairman who became the Minister for the relevant subject. However the relevant Minister was obliged to work with the Executive Committee and act only with agreement of the majority.

The advantages of this system were a lack of polarization and a meaningful role for back-benchers, without having to create a plethora of ministries.

However the "Ceylonese" politicians at that time who were steeped in British parliamentary practice would not take any system other than the Westminster model which was duly brought in along with Independence, and was known as the "Soulbury Constitution" after its author.

In 1972 the Republic of Sri Lanka replaced the Dominion of Ceylon. The first Republican Constitution, had a figure-head President and all real power was concentrated in the Cabinet of Ministers, headed by the Prime Minister. To its credit, the 1972 Government also introduced the concept of fundamental rights, but with no special procedures to vindicate such rights. As such, a litigant had to go through the same appeal procedures in a hierarchy of courts, which could take years.

Nevertheless it was its socialist economic model resulting in "queues and shortages" that hastened the demise of the "United Front" Government seven years later.

Thereafter, in a grave departure from tradition and the spirit of politics, the victorious UNP Government went on to disenfranchise the former Premier (who had been the world’s first woman Prime Minister) and some other prominent figures in the outgoing regime.

The present dilemma

The Executive Presidency under the 1978 Constitution is a very a powerful post and the incumbent was entitled to a maximum of two six year terms subject to election. As contrasting examples, the President of the USA gets a maximum of only two four-year terms, and the Philippines President gets one six-year term. There are not many countries in Asia which have executive Presidents.

His Excellency Mahinda Rajapaksa successfully used his comfortable majority in the Parliament to remove the Constitutional stipulation against a President running for a third term and has made it known that he intends to run for a third term.

For the first time the President has someone to take him on in the person of former Chief Justice Sarath N. Silva. But a retired judge can only express an opinion, not deliver a judgment. On the other hand of course, Sarath N. Silva may be contemplating on taking on the President at the next Presidential election. There is no bar to a retired judge running for political office.

However the main question is whether this President –or any other - has the right to make a purely self-serving amendment to the Constitution. The Constitution belongs to all citizens of this country. If it needs to be altered, those who seek an alteration have the burden of justifying it. But what is the need in this case?

We call this country a democratic socialist republic.

Obituary - Justice Gamini Abeyratne

| by A Special Correspondent

( November 8, 2014, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) In the breaking hours of 3 November 2014 Sri Lanka lost a most illustrious lawyer and judicial officer. Gamini Abeyratne passed away after having served the judiciary and his country for over four decades. Amnesty International put it best when it commented on the decision handed down by Gamini in the Krisanthi Kumaraswamy case which he heard at trial at bar: “For too long the security forces have been literally allowed to get away with murder. We hope this will be a decisive turning point in breaking the cycle of impunity. We hope that the judgement will contribute to a full restoration of accountability for human rights violations.”

As a judge of the various courts of Sri Lanka he served, Gamini believed in justice being the right thing to do by those aggrieved who came before him. His judgments were a catharsis of truth and compassion. They resonated the fundamental truth of social justice that without truth, justice cannot prevail, and without respect and compassion, morality cannot prevail. At the end of the day, his judicial thinking reflected that social justice is about respect for human rights and dignity and that a government’s authority came from the will of the people.

The philosophy of Gamini’s judgments were based on his belief that the basic and most sacrosanct duty of a judge is to interpret or declare the law and not to make it or initiate it. Ringleaders who performed outrage against society and committed acts of thuggery were given maximum penalties prescribed by the law and the innocent were vindicated under his gavel.

As Mervyn de Silva said at the passing of a distinguished Sri Lankan: “Not all the tears which are shed today nor all the hosannas are of much use to us unless we pluck from his own life, from the nettle of things said, done and half-done, of achievements and failures, some flower, some meaning, something which can endure”. This is as it should be: not an expression of personal loss, but an overall recognition of the worth to society of the departed human being.

The flower Gamini left behind from the nettle of things he said and did was his abiding loyalty to the Independence of the judiciary and the rights of the individual. He should have ended his career at the International Court of Justice which has time and time again reiterated its belief in the liberty of the individual, in equal rights for all citizens regardless of race, colour, creed or political belief, and in their inalienable right to participate by means of free and democratic political processes in framing the society in which they live. He consistently strived to promote in each segment of society he served in his judicial capacity the guarantees for personal freedom under the law that is the common heritage of every Sri Lankan. He believed steadfastly in the liberty of the individual under the law, in equal rights for all citizens regardless of gender, race, colour, creed or political belief, and in the individual’s inalienable right to participate by means of free and democratic political processes in framing the society in which he or she lives.

He saw through the charlatan who donned a robe surreptitiously to acquire someone else’s land in the night by erecting a religious icon at midnight; he rid a whole city run by a local mafia who collected “kappam” from struggling entrepreneurs; he ordered maximum penalties for proven rapists for committing rape and punished cheats and fraudsters; thugs and vagabonds who terrorized innocent local villagers.

Gamini truly left an indelible mark on society and an enduring legacy that will be objectively recognized by his countrymen. His judicial legacy is a harmonious blend of empathy and compassion mixed with the inevitable elements of law and justice; equity and compassion.

He had a clear understanding of what is moral and the right thing to do. He acted categorically and not consequentially. His judgments reflect that the moral worth of judicial decisions must be unconditionally and universally acceptable as being for the good of the people. His approach to justice was that an effective judicial system must apply the universal and categorical principle of the dignity and freedom of every individual. He did not treat the individual as a means but considered him an end. He believed that overall public interest in good governance is now a common feature in the modern state, and is not restricted to the academics and practitioners who bore the burden of evaluating governance in the past. Similarly, he believed that an empirical demonstration of justice is now a compelling need that could provide the necessary tools for the public to develop their own desired models of society which are capable of delivering equity that accord with their expectations.

His Lordship will stand among the pillars of justice as one who subscribed to Einstein’s theory, that there is nothing right or wrong in our life, but what works and what doesn’t work.

Sri Lankan Muslims at the cross roads – 24

By Izeth Hussain-November 7, 2014, 6:15 pm 

I have sought an explanation for the anti-Muslim campaign, and I will now conclude this series of articles with some observations on the corrective action that might be taken over it. But first I must make a clarification of my metaphor of the cross roads. Traditionally our Muslims played a marginal role in politics, focusing on their religious and business interests, and their strategy was one of political quietism. That was appropriate in a period when the center of gravity of their interests was in religion and business. That situation changed radically with mass education of the Muslims leading to aspirations to upward mobility outside as well as within the field of business. The Muslim response to that change led to the formation of the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress in the ‘eighties. It was a frank and realistic avowal of the importance that identitarian politics had come to assume in Sri Lanka.

Sri Lankan Muslims at the Cross Roads – 24 by Thavam

A Special Malwattiya For God Kataragama

By Shyamon Jayasinghe -November 8, 2014

Shyamon Jayasinghe

In today’s Lankadeepa I read a story about the Kataragama Devale that made me wonder if I had travelled in time toward somewhere in the 10th  century in Sri Lanka. This story is said to be based on an account given by the chief Kapumahattaya of the Devale, Mr Somipala Ratnayake. Claimed as having been written by the ‘editorial board,’ the story, therefore, is invested with some authority and official stamp from what goes as the most popular Sinhala daily in Sri Lanka. It is an axiom that newspapers tend to reflect the quality of its readership. If that be so, oh what faith can we have about Sri Lanka making any headway with a kind of media like this and a kind of 10th  century gullible population?

The story begins by saying that the God Kataragama is a most powerful deity. He is none other than the local ruler, King Mahasena. The site of the Devale is in fact the site where the king’s palace had once been. Now, there isn’t a shred of historical evidence to support this statement but that doesn’t worry the ‘editorial board.’ More to come: The Buddha once visited this spot and gave a sermon to the king. No evidence at all that the Buddha ever came to Sri Lanka. But no worries; continue. Having listened to the sermon, the king instantly reached the state of ‘Sovan.’ What magic! Just one sermon and hey presto the king shoots up into a sublime state. Was the Buddha so seductive?

When the king reached that state he had requested the Buddha for a ‘pooja wattiya.’ This means an offering. Height of cheek, I thought! The Buddha felt around his head pulled out a lock of hair and gave it to the king as his offering. Treasure hunters, here is a winning goal for you: this lock of hair is buried under the present Kiri Vehera. Our political heavyweights can head toward this spot and keep digging under the base of the Vihara like termites. Now that they don’t appear in Parliament for important business they could turn into treasure hunters.

King Mahasena eventually passed away in India and reappeared as the deity of Kataragama. Why did he go to India at all? The ‘editorial board’ is happy accepting such bull. The deity once met King Dutugemunu and gave his blessing to fight King Elara. Why on earth did a deity show favour like this to one of the warring parties? Besides, King Elara, according to historical records, had been a benevolent king who even did a lot for the Buddha Sasana. He would not have reigned for forty years had he not received popular support from the Sinhalese people. The story gives a clue and that is that Dutugemunu had had a deal with the deity to build a palace with gold tiles and make arrangements for daily poojas to the deity. If this wasn’t plain bribery then what was it? If this was his behaviour the deity could not have been the same person who had morphed into ‘Sovan’ after receiving Buddha’s one power-packed sermon.

The war won, King Dutugemunu returned to Kataragama Wedihitikande, met the deity and announced that he is about to fulfill his promise of the palace.

This whole crap of a story written by ‘the editorial board’ of the Lankadeepe mercifully ends with an excellent prophetic statement alleged to have been made by the deity who declined to accept the promised gift. The deity said: “Oh King! There is no point in making luxury palaces even for me because very soon the country will face a ‘kali yugaya’ (evil period) when people will no longer worship the Buddha or the deities. Therefore, Oh king, refrain from your great building plans. People will destroy them all. Build something very modest.”

That Kali Yugaya has arrived today. Praise be to the deity of Kataragama! The deity deserves a ‘malwattiya’ for that bit of prophetic warning.

Readers, if you happen to visit Kataragama you should follow the advice of Mr. Ratnayake who in this fairy tale explains that the deity personally appears on Tuesdays. “As he arrives, a red light sweeps across the Devale,” says Mr Ratnayake.

If any of you have seen this red light you are bloody lucky. A word of caution: be sure it is not the chief Kapuwa himself who emanates the light.

Sri Lanka slams UN rights chief over war probe criticism

November 8, 2014, 7:24 pm 

COLOMBO, Nov 8, 2014 (AFP) - Sri Lanka’s government on Saturday accused the United Nations’ rights chief of vilifying Colombo after the government was slammed for sabotaging a UN-mandated investigation into the country’s brutal separatist war.

Colombo took strong exception to a statement by UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein accusing Sri Lanka of having created a climate of fear and repression to prevent civilians providing information to the probe which it rejects as an unwarranted interference.

"It is a matter of deep concern to note that you, as a high official of the UN system, have resorted to the use of intemperate language to attack and vilify a sovereign member of the UN," said the letter to Zeid which was released to reporters in Colombo Saturday.

It denied that Colombo made any attempt to prevent witnesses submitting evidence. However, Colombo has said it will not allow the investigators to enter the country, leaving them to entertain written submissions.

Sri Lankan police have reported the arrest of a man who was allegedly attempting to collect witness accounts from minority Tamils to be submitted to the war crimes probe.

Last month, Colombo also slapped tough restrictions on foreigners, including journalists, travelling to the former war zone saying the authorities feared non-nationals could create discord among ethnic groups.

The restrictions have been criticised by rights groups which also say that individual freedoms were under attack in the island five years after the end of the separatist war.

"A wall of fear has been created that has undoubtedly served to deter people from submitting evidence," Zeid said in his statement Friday.

The UNHRC in March ordered a probe into allegations that up to 40,000 ethnic Tamil civilians were killed by Sri Lankan troops in the final months of the island’s ethnic war, which ended in May 2009.

Sri Lanka, which denies any civilian was killed by its security forces, has repeatedly refused to cooperate with the probe, insisting a domestic commission of inquiry can do the job.

The UN has said that despite Sri Lanka denying access to its investigators, there was a wealth of information about alleged atrocities committed by both sides to the conflict.

The UN has estimated up to 100,000 people may have been killed in the separatist conflict between 1972 and 2009.