Watchdogs Push for War Crimes Probe in Sri Lanka – Sept.17,2010
Posted on September 20th, 2011
Ira de Silva London, Ontario
The Editor
The Island
Colombo, Sri Lanka
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Dear Sir:
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The heading of the article is very appropriate. Those who are chomping at the bit to have a war crimes investigation on Sri Lanka are behaving like a dog with a bone.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ It is ironic that the so-called human rights advocates are so focussed onƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ picking on Sri Lanka that they are not paying attention to the gross violation of human rights being committed by the western bloc in many parts of the world. Their hypocrisy is clear – they focus on Sri Lanka ignoring theƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ violations of human rights of millions andƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ violations ofƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ international law in their adventures based on liesƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ but pick on an easy target,ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Sri Lanka.
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The wars of the western bloc are not internal conflicts as was the case in Sri Lanka.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ They are at war to further their own interests because they believe that they know best what other countries should do. In other words they still have a colonial mindset and continue the colonial policy of invasion, murder, massacre, subjugation of people to their will and rob countries of their wealth. In the case of Sri LankaƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ they are being pushed by supporters of the Tamil Tigers to avenge the military defeat of the LTTE and get their Eelam via western political pressure. In these western countries it is a well known fact that the left over LTTE organization is using their clout of votes and money to influenceƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ policy on Sri Lanka.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚
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In the Commissioner of Human Rights in Geneva they have a willing ally who was clearly upset and shaken by the demise of the leadership of the LTTE. ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Perhaps she like othersƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ thought that the LTTE was invincible. When her resolution to censure Sri Lanka failed at the first attempt, her partiality was clearly illustrated when she immediately wanted to introduce another resolution against Sri Lanka. Since then she has shown that she is not acting with the impartiality that is called for in her job and is the spokesperson for the anti-Sri Lanka lobby of governments pandering to their Tamil voters and NGO’s who are clearlyƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ influenced by the Tamil diaspora supportive of the LTTEƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ to agitate against Sri Lanka. An example of her bias is the statement she made at the last sessions at the U.N. in Geneva this year when she said that Sri Lanka fought the war under the “guise of terrorism”. Either she does not know about the terrorism inflicted on the civilian population by the LTTE which the whole world read about and saw on their T.V. screens for decadesƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ or she has deliberately chosen to ignore it – perhaps before being appointed to the UN in Geneva she was supportive of the Tamil Tigers as were most South Africans of Indian descent and Tamil descent in particular.
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In her statement in September sheƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ states “the counter measures adopted by various countries to combat terrorism have frequently been designed with insufficient regard to human rights” – is she referring to the wars initiated and continued by the western bloc whose continuous violation of the human rights of millions she ignores and does not investigate even when there is not just allegations but proof of indiscriminate bombings, rendition, torture, creation of millions of refugees and invasion of other countries at will based on lies?ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ In Sri Lanka it was an internal war which was to save the population from terrorism, not a war on terrorism adopted by various countries and designed without any regard to the human rights of the peoples in the countries where they are waging war.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Certainly the wars of the western bloc has “all too often led to an erosion of rights and fostered a culture of diffidence and discrimination, which in turn, perpetuates cycles of violence and retribution” -ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ one has only to listen to the daily news from those countries where the west is conducting their wars. Ms Pillai howeverƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ chooses to mentionƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Sri Lanka as an example. Her bias is evident. Why does she not mention what is taking place in the world and name the violators of human rights on an on-going basis?ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Possible explanations areƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ that she too has a colonial mindset and is merely doing what her masters dictate or she is a fan of the LTTE and does notƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ believe that what they did to the civilians in Sri Lanka was terrorism.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚
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To give the impression of being even-handed the NGO’s and others who are leading the charge against Sri Lanka claim that there were violations by both parties to the conflict. To establish their bona-fides why do these organizations and governments not investigate the LTTE organizations overseas who were and are an integral part of the LTTE? For example, Britain who is very vocal about investigating the actions of the Sri Lankan ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ forces have Adele Balasingham living in the U.K. There is ample documentary proof and video of her training the suicide bombers of the LTTE, she was the head of the women’s suicide brigade and took pride in hanging a cyanide capsule around their neck when they “graduated”. In the U.S. the head of the LTTE lives in New York and has for over twenty five years openly supported the LTTE and after 2009 become the head of the Government of Eelam.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ The LTTE is considered a terrorist organization in both the U.K. and U.S. Why have these countries not initiated an investigation against the LTTEƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ leaders in their own countries who were responsible for the terrorism in Sri Lanka? The NGO’sƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ areƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ also deaf, blind and dumb about these LTTE leaders because they do not want to lose funding.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚
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As for the statement by Brad Adams that a U.N. Panel of Experts report concludes up to 40,000 civilians died amid war crimes, and the Human Rights Council should feel compelled to act,ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ the problem is that Gordon WeissƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ who it is reported was responsible for these arbitrary numbersƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ is now not claiming this number of dead. As recently as September 15, in Toronto, Canada he did not acknowledge this number. It is a fact that his original estimate of 7000 killed was refuted immediately by John Holmes of the U.N. who stated that there was no information to substantiate even 7,000. Clearly BradƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Adams does not want to face facts because itƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ does not support hisƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ agenda against Sri Lanka.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Therefore theƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ council should not order an investigation because to do so would be a shameful violation of their obligation to be impartial and fair and to order an investigationƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ would be a shameful abdication of the council’s responsibility not the other way around as Adams states.
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Ms. Pillai seems to have singled out Sri Lanka for constant harassment. She works for the UN which is supposed to be impartial and treat every member state equally which she is clearly not doing.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ The Secretary General was supposed to re-vamp the UN to make it more effective and supportive of it’s members. Is it not time that the Secretary General ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ review Ms. Pillai’s performance and ask for an explanation of her continued machinations against Sri Lanka unless of course he is also a partner in this scheme. It is no wonder that confidence in the UN has eroded to the point that many believe it is irrelevant.
Ms. Pillai seems to have singled out Sri Lanka for constant harassment. She works for the UN which is supposed to be impartial and treat every member state equally which she is clearly not doing.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ The Secretary General was supposed to re-vamp the UN to make it more effective and supportive of it’s members. Is it not time that the Secretary General ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ review Ms. Pillai’s performance and ask for an explanation of her continued machinations against Sri Lanka unless of course he is also a partner in this scheme. It is no wonder that confidence in the UN has eroded to the point that many believe it is irrelevant.
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Yours truly,
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Ira de Silva
London, Ontario
September 20th, 2011 at 4:41 pm
Watchdogs have simply become dogs.
They bark for money.