By Shamindra Ferdinando – Courtesy The IslandƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ 

June 22, 2011, 12:00 pm

Maj. Gen. Amb. Shavendra Silva takes on pro-LTTE HR lobby in New York on Tuesday.

An attempt to drum up support for the controversial ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”Darusman ReportƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ and documentary ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”Sri Lanka Killing FieldsƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢, produced by the UK-based Channel 4 News, in New York on Tuesday (21) went awry due to unexpected intervention by Sri LankaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s No 2 at the UN, Maj. Gen. Shavendra Silva.

Maj. Gen. Silva, who holds the ambassadorial rank, took on Callum Macrae, who directed the 50-minute documentary ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”Sri LankaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s Killing FieldsƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ prompting the film maker to point out that the Maj. Gen. should have made representations to the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC).

The confrontation took place at the UN Church Centre situated in close proximity to the UN headquarters.

Maj. Gen. Silva said that he wasnƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢t the only one stunned by the British film makerƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s ignorance. Those representing the Amnesty International (AI), Human Rights Watch (HRW) and the International Crisis Group (ICG) automatically expressed surprise, Silva said.

AI, HRW and ICG declined an invitation extended by the LLRC to give evidence last year.

Silva shot back at Macrae saying that he had appeared before the LLRC twice. The former Gen. Officer Commanding (GOC) of the 58ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  Division alleged that Macrae had been sponsored by someone to visit New York to discredit the government of Sri Lanka.

Addressing representatives of AI, HRW and ICG at the meeting, the tough talking Maj. Gen. said that failure on their part to invite him for the discussion was surprising. Alleging the organizers wanted to avoid him, Silva said that as he was the only senior military official shown on ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”Sri Lanka Killing FieldsƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ along with President Mahinda Rajapaksa and Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa he felt the need to respond to war crime allegations.

The Maj. Gen. used the time allocated for Sri LankaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s Permanent Representative at the UN, Ambassador Dr. Palitha Kohana to hit back at those spearheading a high profile campaign demanding an international war crimes probe.

Commenting on the allegation that the Government of Sri Lanka forced international agencies out of the Vanni in September 2008 to ensure there wouldnƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢t be any independent witnesses to what was about to take place, Silva alleged that the filmmaker showed a group of people blocking a UN facility in Kilinochchi to justify the documentary. Had there been pubic protest against the government decision to remove UN agencies, the crowd outside the UN facility would have been in thousands. There had been several dozens of people, with the cameraman focusing on a teenage girl, who very much looked like an LTTE child cadre, the Maj. Gen. said. He brought to the notice of the audience that the girl had been dressed as an LTTE cadre.

The Gajaba veteran said that the filmmaker had also used Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) footage taken over the Vanni jungles to deceive the public by inferring air strikes had targeted civilians in the Puthumathalan area.

He said “The inconsistencies as well as the biased narration of the documentary were brought to the audienceƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s attention. Statements, which were known to be blatant lies as well as the true identities of the individuals in which the movie revolves around were pointed out. Unfortunately I wasnƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢t given an opportunity to provide video evidence to support Sri LankaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s case.”

Responding to a query, Silva said that though the AI ruled out an opportunity to produce video evidence, he managed to distribute photo copies of the relevant pictures and video shots to the audience.

Silva alleged that filmmaker had used two eyewitnesses, Vany Kumar and Dr. Shanmugaraj. Vany Kumar had three different aliases to suit her stragety, the official said revealing she was also called Damilvany Kumar, Vany Kumar, Damilvany Gananakumar.

Although Channel 4 News said that she had been in Sri Lanka only for 6 months at the last stages of the conflict, her sister based in Essex is on record as having told the Guardian.co.UK an entirely a different story.

The British filmmaker seemed devastated when Ambassador Silva pointed out the wrong translation depicted during the clip where civilians were in a trench was also brought to light. The civilians in the trench are shown shouting at the cameraman for recording this and the false translation provided for the Tamil being spoken, is clear evidence that this was in fact staged, he said.