STATE DEPARTMENT ADMITS THERE HAD BEEN NO RECENT RAPE CASES BY SRI LANKA ARMY IN RESPONSE TO CONTROVERSIAL CLINTON STATEMENT
Posted on October 5th, 2009
By Walter Jayawardhana
The United States went back on the statement of Secretary of State, Hillary Rodham Clinton and said the US does not have any recent evidence of women being raped while in Sri Lankan government custody.
Hillary Clinton generating widespread condemnation mentioned Sri Lanka as a country which uses rape as a military tactic while speaking at the Security Council meeting of the United Nations recently.
The Sri Lanka government officially protested against her statement and the cabinet spokesman Keheliya Rambukwella said Sri Lanka totally rejected and condemned the Clinton statement.
In a letter addressed to the Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama the State Department said there had been such charges only in the past- ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-over the years.ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚
Melane Verveer, ambassador at large for global women issues of the State Department writing the letter to the Sri Lanka Foreign Minister said, ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-in the most recent phase of the conflict, from 2006 to 2009 … we have not received reports that rape and sexual abuse were used as tools of war, as they clearly have in other conflict area around the world.ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚
The letter further said, ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-We hope that this clarification puts the issue in its proper context.ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚
The letter however said, ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-Secretary Clinton believes that Sri Lanka must focus to the future and move forward on the promotion of peace and the protection of human rights.ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚
ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-We’ve seen rape used as a tactic of war before in Bosnia, Burma and Sri Lanka and elsewhereƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚, the US secretary of state had said addressing the Security Council meeting.
Following her statement by Secretary of State Clinton was widely condemned by the government as well as other political parties.
Wimal Weerawansa, leader of the National Freedom Front said her statement exposed from where the LTTE terrorists received their support over the years. The JHU held a protest demonstration condemning her in front of the US embassy in Colombo. They called the statement as mudsling and irresponsible. Many websites warned her not to pelt stones while living in glass houses.
October 5th, 2009 at 6:27 am
Has Sri Lanka ever used rape as a weapon in the war????
October 7th, 2009 at 4:38 am
Obviously we all know (except few bias Tamil Terrorist supporters or those who are in Tamil Terrorists pay list or those who has Anti Sri Lanka agenda or those who has other hidden agendas) our brave military personals liberate innocent Tamil civilians kept as human shield/hostages by the Tamil Terrorists barbarians of Velupillai Prabakaran clique. Every independent viewer including US State department agreed it was a humanitarian operation by Sri Lanka forces.
If so on what principles Mrs Hillary Clinton say that rape used as a tactic of war before in Sri Lanka. But even her state department rejected it totally?
This is utter irresponsible statement by Hillary. Can she prove this allegation?This must be her immaturity in world affairs? or Tamil Terrorists $ is talking? Or she still having 17th century slave masters mentality or she must be thinking she can behave like an American gangster in internationally.
This is not first time she made irresponsible statements. When Monica Lewinsky’s rape case she defended her husband. When Presidential election time she made various allegations against Presidential candidate Barak Obama. Later without shame she is his State Secretary. Prostitution is much more decent than this type of politics.
In Sri Lanka’s scenario the statement made by her at UNSC (as President Gadaffi of Libya, this is gangsters council). If her statement is incorrect it is her duty to apologise in the UNSC. Or apologise personally to Sri Lanka’s president. International relationship is reciprocative. If Americans don’t respect other nations why should we respect them? Either they have nuclear arms or much $ it is none important to us. Sending an apology letter through a subordinate is not diplomacy. This gangster type attitude is good for Chicago Street fighters but not in present world. If this is so called global village she behaves like another village thug.