H. L. D. Mahindapala

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ The latest blow to the anti-Sri Lankan Tamil expatriate lobby came last night (May 12, 2009) when the European Parliament rejected a move made by the Socialist Greens to establish immediately an international justice mechanism to inquire into Sri Lankan affairs.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Without recommending any need for an international inquiry the EU Parliament urged the Government of Sri Lanka to develop its own mechanism through the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC) to deal with the issues raised by the Advisory Panel of Experts (APEs) appointed by Ban Ki-Moon. The EU resolution urged the Government of Sri Lanka (1) to contribute to the efforts already being made for a comprehensive reconciliation” and (2) to ask the Sri Lankan Attorney-General to institute criminal proceedings, based on its (LLRCƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s) findings”;

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ The Chair of the ‘Friends of Sri Lanka’ group of the European Parliament Geoffrey Van Orden (The European Conservatives and Reformists/UK) emphasized that there should be an inquiry but that should be the responsibility of the Sri Lankan government. He added: ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-Let us do all that we can to support the Government and peoples of Sri Lanka instead of attacking them”. He urged the European Parliament “to remain vigilant concerning those that seek to reignite the embers of LTTE terrorism. I call on the EU and European governments to be more active in dealing with extremists in our midst”.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ The Tamil lobby, along with their agents in I/NGOs and Churches, have been lobbying parliamentarians, congressmen and Western officials aggressively to force an international inquiry into the last days of the Vadukoddai War. The rejection by the European Parliament is a serious set back to the Tamil lobby which was out to get Sri Lanka for defeating the Tamil Tiger terrorists. They were hoping to use the report of the APEs to push for an independent inquiry. But the EU Parliament decided to give priority to the LLRC as the mechanism to implement its own findings and that of the APEs report.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ In short, the EU has recognised that the Sri Lankan government has the ability and the willingness to inquire into any issues arising from the last days of the Vadukoddai War without the interventions of an external inquiry in its domestic affairs.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ The Tamil lobby has been facing some serious defeats lately in the global arena. Early this week Raja Rajaratnam, the billionaire Tamil Tiger backer in USA, was found guilty on all charges of insider trading. Second, the Australian government decided to accept Admiral Thisara Samarasinghe as Sri LankaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s High Commissioner, brushing aside the massive campaign launched by the Tamil lobby to block his appointment. Third, at the UN Ban Ki-Moon is still stuck without a backer to take action on the partisan report of the APEs. The latest is the EUƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s rejection of an international inquiry.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ The Embassy in Brussels, headed by Sri LankaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s Ambassador to EU, Ravinath Ariyasinghe, said that the EU had rejected the resolution calling for an independent international inquiry and instead the European Parliament said :that it,

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ – “Takes the view that, in the interests of justice and reconciliation in Sri Lanka, the allegations contained in the UN panel of expertsƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ report warrant a full, impartial and transparent investigation; encourages the Government of Sri Lanka to respond constructively to the recommendations made by the panel of experts”;

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ – ” Calls on the Government of Sri Lanka, in compliance with its international obligations and with a view to improving its domestic accountability process, to contribute to the efforts already being made for a comprehensive reconciliation”;

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ – ” Recognises, in this respect, that the Sri Lankan Government has established a Lessons Learned and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC); urges the LLRC to take serious account of the UN report; notes that the LLRC is empowered to ask the Sri Lankan Attorney-General to institute criminal proceedings, based on its findings”;

– ” Urges the Sri Lankan Government to implement the panelƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s recommendations, starting with the ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”immediate measuresƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢, and immediately to commence genuine investigations into the violations of international humanitarian and human rights law allegedly committed by both sides involved in the armed conflict;

– “Calls on the VP/HR, the Council and the Commission to support further efforts to strengthen the accountability process in Sri Lanka and to support the UN report”.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Earlier in the Debate, Chair of the ‘Friends of Sri Lanka’ group of the European Parliament Geoffrey Van Orden (The European Conservatives and Reformists/UK) said, “I regret that we are having this debate today. I suspect that it has been promoted by extremist elements in the Tamil diaspora – the same people who have helped to sustain the LTTE terrorist campaign over many years through political activity and funding, often from the proceeds of crime. Instead of trying to bring together the peoples of Sri Lanka, there are those that seek to continue a campaign of hatred and division. They see this Darusman Report as a weapon in this campaign and just want to put the Sri Lankan government in the dock. This approach is malicious and counter-productive”.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ “Of course there should be an enquiry and openness regarding allegations of human rights abuse. This is the responsibility of the Sri Lankan government which has set up an eight-member Lessons Learned and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC) with the aim of ensuring accountability and justice. I believe that its work would be strengthened enormously with international input and it needs to take serious account of the UNƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s Darusman Report. Let us do all that we can to support the Government and peoples of Sri Lanka instead of attacking them”. He urgd the European Parliament “to remain vigilant concerning those that seek to reignite the embers of LTTE terrorism. I call on the EU and European governments to be more active in dealing with extremists in our midst”.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Representing the Majority European Peoples Party (EPP) German MEP Thomas Mann said in February 2011 he “was in Sri Lanka as a member of the South Asian Delegation and saw just how much effort was being made to progressively deal with the post conflict issues like removing land mines and facilitating displaced people to return to their homes. The Government’s readiness to cooperate, desire to integrate minorities and assure proper democratic and human rights standards implies that there will be a valid future for this country”.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Representing the European Conservatives and Reformists, UK MEP Dr. Charles Tannock said the report ” it is a far cry from the reality and was heavy on criticism but light in substance”. He said “Sri Lanka has finally achieved peace by defeating a ruthless terrorist organization LTTE which rejected all the peace bids made by the government”. He said “the term ‘Genocide’ is being mentioned by some even without the knowledge of its meaning”. Dr. Tannock questioning the arguments made by the Socialists and Greens, asked “how any one could accuse the Sri Lanka Army for genocide or crimes against humanity when the same Army rescued more than 200,000 Tamil civilians from the LTTE and have now helped re-settle most of them”

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Ranjith Soysa, spokesperson for the Society for Peace, Unity and Human Rights, said: ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-The Tamil lobby is full of hot air going nowhere.ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Earlier in the Debate, said, “I regret that we are having this debate today. I suspect that it has been promoted by extremist elements in the Tamil diaspora – the same people who have helped to sustain the LTTE terrorist campaign over many years through political activity and funding, often from the proceeds of crime. Instead of trying to bring together the peoples of Sri Lanka, there are those that seek to continue a campaign of hatred and division. They see this Darusman Report as a weapon in this campaign and just want to put the Sri Lankan government in the dock. This approach is malicious and counter-productive”.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ “Of course there should be an enquiry and openness regarding allegations of human rights abuse. This is the responsibility of the Sri Lankan government which has set up an eight-member Lessons Learned and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC) with the aim of ensuring accountability and justice. I believe that its work would be strengthened enormously with international input and it needs to take serious account of the UNƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s Darusman Report. ur midst”.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Representing the Majority European Peoples Party (EPP) German MEP Thomas Mann said in February 2011 he “was in Sri Lanka as a member of the South Asian Delegation and saw just how much effort was being made to progressively deal with the post conflict issues like removing land mines and facilitating displaced people to return to their homes. The Government’s readiness to cooperate, desire to integrate minorities and assure proper democratic and human rights standards implies that there will be a valid future for this country”.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Representing the European Conservatives and Reformists, UK MEP Dr. Charles Tannock said the report ” it is a far cry from the reality and was heavy on criticism but light in substance”. He said “Sri Lanka has finally achieved peace by defeating a ruthless terrorist organization LTTE which rejected all the peace bids made by the government”. He said “the term ‘Genocide’ is being mentioned by some even without the knowledge of its meaning”. Dr. Tannock questioning the arguments made by the Socialists and Greens, asked “how any one could accuse the Sri Lanka Army for genocide or crimes against humanity when the same Army rescued more than 200,000 Tamil civilians from the LTTE and have now helped re-settle most of them”.