Sri Lankaâ€ÂÂÂs response to US allegations
Posted on February 21st, 2012
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Shenali Waduge
Why canƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚t Sri LankaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s officials in particular the foreign ministry respond to allegations made against Sri Lanka if not directly but with the same political gibberish they use upon us? What stops anyone from defending oneƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s nation? ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ When these allegations of accountability are thrown at us what stops our officials from saying ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” LetƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s compare notes, and refer to US war crimes in Vietnam, Iraq, Afghanistan and subtly point out that US has a record of over 160 military interventions 77 of which have taken place since 1950 Vietnam war, where civilian killings are likely to run into millions with absolutely NO accountability for any single intervention let alone any program of resettlement, rehabilitation or reconciliation. If we are going to accept allegations then start thinking of damage control we are not likely to go anywhere as a nation.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ We need to be matching every accusation with facts, developing counter accusations and demanding answers to our questions in return. What was the world doing or thinking when LTTE were bombing, sending suicide missions ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” over 170 acts of terror throughout 3 decades and did the world do anything to stop the next terror attack? LTTE targeted civilians, economic infrastructure, civil infrastructure, children, villages, places of worship ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” what did the world do to stop this carnage? While the world did nothing every time the LTTE was militarily cornered the world was quick to suggest ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-peace talkƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-ceasefireƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚. Moreover, the world is enjoying throwing a PAID documentary called ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-Sri LankaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s Killing FieldsƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ and demanding ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-probesƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ & accusing Sri Lanka of ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-war crimesƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ totally ignoring the ACTUAL photos & live footage of killings taken following every killing carried out by the LTTE. The carnage carried out by the LTTE was available no sooner each gruesome killing took placeƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚¦.why were these not screened across the world by NGOs/Voluntary Organizations and why has the failed to take action against the LTTE for war crimes & crimes against humanity??? Get these examples together and demand feedback. Unless we assert our place in any international forum we are unlikely to be taken seriously and all the sacrifices made to liberate our nation will go in vain. With the armed services having done their part it is now upto the rest of the country to secure that hard won freedom.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ We all agree that perpetrators need to be brought to justice but where is the logic of killing thousands of foreign civilians just to punish killing of US civilians? That was what Afghanistan had to experience in 2001 as punishment for the 3000 American lives lost at the World Trade Center. We all know that the invasion of Afghanistan had nothing to do with revenge but it was a good excuse to use. If Al Qaeda killed civilians in the US & US killed civilians in Afghanistan both are criminal acts. There are no examples of such revenge attacks upon Tamil civilians except of course the 1983 incident for which we hold the then UNP Govt solely responsible. ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ The Vietnam War resulted in the death of 587,000 civilians & wounding of double that number. It was a war that cost the US $352billion which destroyed 3500,000 acres of Vietnam which was sprayed with 19m gallons of defoliants ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” the effects of this will last over 100 years! This is US the champion of human rights in action. The overall death estimate is said to be 5,773,190 with over 58,000 American deaths. The orders given by US military heads was ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-kill anything that movesƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚. All these information are openly available. They are all examples for ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-war crimesƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Similarly, the ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-liberating LibyaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ military intervention by US & NATO resulted in the loss of 30,000 Libyans just to oust one man. It took 8 months to complete and ended up destroying LibyaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s entire civil infrastructure in a once beautiful nation that boasted of magnificent buildings now turned to rubble. Now the rebels that the US & NATO funded are either killing each other or carrying out revenge attacks on civilians.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ There is a common trend in the 77 military interventions since 1950 and US foreign policy which in reality works around securing the safety and expansion interests of American corporations, future of American defense contractors, prevention of any societies that may offer alternative capitalist ideals & to maintain the euphoric role as a political & economic powerhouse. To this end the US will do whatever to reach these objectives.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ So in the 1st half of the 20thc US took over countries like Nicaragua, Honduras, Panama, Haiti & the Dominican Republic purely to satisfy its corporates & their interests.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Towards the 1990s the US was quick to camouflage their interventions by calling them ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-humanitarian interventionsƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ and the promise of ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-safeguardingƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ civilians & bringing ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-democracyƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ to these nations of dictators. No wonder the US cannot understand the magnitude of the efforts taken by our armed forces during Sri LankaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s humanitarian operation where footage shows the care with which ground troops, airforce personnel & even naval troops were giving medical assistance to men, women, children and even wounded LTTE cadres. No wonder the US & the world cannot believe the caring that was clearly visible because no foreign troops have gone this length to care for any foreign civilian in the countries that US troops or NATO troops bombed indiscriminately.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ The examples of how US/NATO strikes and the collateral damage done cannot be given even in numbers. The examples are too long, too gruesome and simply questions why the US/NATO took no efforts to distinguish rebels from civilians when they had the technology to do so. Let our officials compare notes of the examples of how Sri Lankan forces distinguished rebels from civilians. Ask for US/NATO examples. Question, question, question. All of the civilian infrastructure now damaged or destroyed in Bosnia, Iraq, Afghanistan & Libya prove that these were all aimed purposely and the only explanation given was ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-accidentalƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ or that they were ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-unavoidableƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Some of the military interventions to install puppet ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-dictatorsƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ caused the deaths of thousands of civilians ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” in Nicaragua it is believed close to 30,000 died, in Brazil it was said to be 100,000, the US intervention in Korea left 4m dead, while in Guatemala & Honduras civilian deaths stood at 200,000, in El Salvador the deaths were 63,000, while in Bolivia, Ecuador, Peru & Uruguay it was 10,000. IraqƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s 2 invasions have left 1.3m dead, ColomboƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s death toll was 50,000 while 140,000 died in Japan, in the Philippines 150,000 civilians are believed to have died, while in Haiti that figure is said to be 100,000, in Laos 600,000 are feared to have died, while in Cambodia the figure was 1m & Congo 2m
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Who has given authority for the US to accuse countries of harboring terrorists and attacking them simply ignoring international laws & common diplomatic courtesies? Can any other country do the same?
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ The US has refused to sign UN Conventions against development & use of chemical & biological weapons but it was the insistence that Iraq possessed Weapons of Mass Destruction that was used as a pretext to invade Iraq.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Of the 12 main treaty bodies, the US has not ratified the following: International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, Convention on the Rights of the Child, International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of their Families, the Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil & Political RightsƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚¦how can US quote from international UN treaties when it has not signed most of them?
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ How can US call itself a champion of human rights and peace when it routinely votes against UN resolutions and treaties? The US voted ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-NOƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ to aid to developing nations, for protecting developing nations in trade agreements, for a New International Economic Order for underdeveloped nations, for right of nations to economic systems of their choice, for anti-apartheid convention. US has voted ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-NOƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ 8 times for Palestinian living conditions/rights, US votes ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-NOƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ 6 times to Israeli human rights abuses and the US has refused to sign the Kyoto Treaty on Global Warming, US has refused to sign the Anti-Biological Weapons Convention, Convention against the use of land minesƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚¦the list of ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-NOƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚s & refusals used by the US is certainly a long one. Moreover the US owes the UN $1.2billion.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Can Sri LankaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s officials ask how US can quote UN charters/treaties & human rights when the US has not signed most of them and refuses to follow those that they sign anyway! Make a list of all these Treaties & Charters & the rulings by US. Use these to counter allegations against us.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ US military interventions are not just about going against UN conventions, these interventions also involve assassinations, sabotage, population control, torture, repression, psychological torture, death squads, aiding & training terrorist movements or rebel groups human rights abuses etc. It is widely expected that CIA has attempted to assassinate at least 40 foreign heads of state. The successful attempts have been Patrice Lumumba (Congo), Rafael Trujillo (Dominican republic) Ng Dihn Diem (Vietnam) & Salvador Allende (Chile)
Can the US pose itself as a neutral peacekeeper for after deploying its forces, the US turns regions & countries against each other by enflaming conflicts inside these nations? When the US has the political and economic opportunity to solve root problems why does it desire to polarize factions and create destability in countries? Some of these blueprints do not work where leaders who are demonized by the US end up more popular than they should. ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚
When the US speaks against Terrorism and declares a ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-War on TerrorƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ we can but ask why the US is the worldƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s largest manufacturers & seller of weapons abroad. These arms are sold to dictators and terrorists and if the US is against Terrorism why are they selling arms to Terrorists? Take out these statistics, use them when allegations are hurled at us.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Lets be realistic. When the LTTE closed the sluice gates of Mavil Aru in the Eastern Province it would never have thought it would loose the entire province and to have to retreat to retain the North. Its strategies went haywire no sooner it became on the defensive not knowing how to handle the new onslaught of strategies thrown at them by the SL security forces. LTTE terrorism in Sri Lanka was planned to remain with no likely solution in the offing. The military onslaught changed the tips of the scales and today LTTE ground terror is no more but the men that pulled the strings and funded the LTTE are very much active in the very nations that have banned them.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ We should not be surprised at what the LTTE Diaspora can do with money. They are only continuing what they did when the LTTE terror was alive ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” they know how to buy people, buy organizations and sway policies. Telling our good story alone is going to get us nowhere. If we must fall, we must fall with dignity and that should be our motto. Therefore, if we are being accused let us start reminding the world that before they point a finger at us ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” they have more fingers pointing at them. We are not a colony ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” we are a sovereign nation and we must act like one.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ We may be a third world nation ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” but let us all live & act with dignity & integrity. Every loan given or taken comes with interest for which future Sri Lankan generations have to payƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚¦so no handouts are really given anyway for us to feel indebted to any nation or monetary organization.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Shenali Waduge
February 21st, 2012 at 5:12 pm
Same thing over and over again. Nothing happens.
No point talking logic with these HYPOCRATS. We must ACT.
They are using this war crimes BS to get things from GOSL. What we should do is to punish US pawns in the country – TNA by settling Muslims and Sinhalese in the north. That hurts ALL anti-SLs MOST. We MUST do it now.
That way we can make TNA history. TNA gets very little support in the east. Why? Because more non-Tamils than Tamils in the east. Do the same thing to north. DONE!
I like Stanley’s idea. If UNHRC tries to frame us (or even otherwise) we frame TNA through a court case. Other means should not be excluded. Tit for tat. Lets see who has the last laugh. If TNA escalates violence through satyagrahas (which are NOT peaceful at all if done by TNA) we must also escalate violence. Lets see who has the last laugh.
February 21st, 2012 at 8:27 pm
Malaysian Court convicted John Blair for war crimes in Iraq. British Court charged GoSL in the hedging contract. Blair and Fouzi are under the bed hiding against the embarassments. Sampanthb and his parasites are silenced by the Class action. Sampanthan is now trying to win the GoSL by praising the GoSL in the rehabilitation programme. Pillayan is trying to get round to the GoSL by saying states have enough land powers and supporting the Town planning amendments Bill. Who are these racists trying to fool?. Class action is giving them the runs. Our action is a sigh of releif to the GoSL.
February 21st, 2012 at 9:39 pm
When you (Sri Lanka) is in the dock before a judge ( international court ) you cannot expect to be acquitted on the specious basis, by arguing that other alleged criminals, like you, are free and not in the same dock as you are in, facing justice!
Stupid comparison of apples with oranges! – with the premise that two wrongs can make a right. If this irrational argument is taken to its logical conclusion, then Justice Asoka de Silva should have let go all the Rwandan war criminals without sentencing them, or that Sri Lanka’s prominent barrister, Sir Desmond de Silva, QC, should not have prosecuted ex-Liberian President Charles Taylor, now facing trial before the International Court of Justice at the Hague – Rajakaruna.
February 21st, 2012 at 11:47 pm
Rajakaruna, Some times attack is the best form of defence. That is what the writer is implying. It is high time now someone turn around and say to the US that “it is the mass murderer of the world and pretending otherwise is not fooling anyone”
February 22nd, 2012 at 3:48 am
Thank you Shenali again for collating the facts. All the facts to demonstrate utter hypocrisy on a Cosmic Scale to show the double standards are right before our eyes as you have pointed out in detail. But what is the GoSL doing to challenge on the spot, and not months later, all these accusation? – Nothing very much. The only thing that will silence these HR prostitutes including CH4 talking in return for LTTE money is to take or threaten to take legal action. No signs of that yet and we have NOT a moment to wait – the time is right NOW. As someone has commented above, we cannot wait until we are taken to Court because, at that stage, our pleading in Court that all the allegations against SL is an act of crass hypocrisy of our accusers will not stand up. One is supposed to be judged in Court on the facts of the case before Court and NOT the double standards of our accusers. Sadly, in general, the pathetic incompetence of our foreign representatives abroad does not inspire great confidence to expect success – S de Silva – London
February 22nd, 2012 at 5:36 am
My comments on : Modernisation of the world by the West…………………..bu Charles S Perera;
Christie Says:
February 22nd, 2012 at 4:35 am
The UN Commissioner of Human rights Navi Pillay having no principles,”
This is the most important sentence in the article.
It clearly states who is attacking the Sinhalese, Moors, Burghers and Malays of the island nation while leaving the Indian colonial parasites of the island; and the Tamil terrorists, the Indian terrorist outfit, and India and Indians all over the world.
Navi Pillay is an Indian colonial parasite (a word I do not like to use but a perfect fit) from Durban, South Africa.
How this Tamil from South Africa does come to terrorize the non-Indians of the island nation.
Her parents or grand parents went to South Africa as sepoys or coolies of the British-Indian Imperialists. They prospered from their host, the black Africa and now come out to fight for the Indian Empire.
There is another Indian colonial parasite from South Africa that is Yasmin Sooka. She is one of the three member panel of the UNSG’s committee who enquired in to alleged war crimes in Sri Lanka (unfortunately it is referred to as Darusman report. It should have been named (A report by a Colonial parasite Ms Yasmin Sooka). These two women have made their professional and financial fortunes from the black South Africans. They were both active in the African national Congress. Yasmin Sooka was a member of the Truth Commission. She was biased against the Zulus during the hearings and in the report.
You might wonder how the Indian colonial parasites (Tamil National Alliance) from the island nation get invited to the recent ANC celebrations.
It is very clear that India, Indian colonial parasites and Non Resident Indians (example: Vijay Nambiar) who want to see the non- Indians disappear from the island nation.
Let us look at some other issues raised in the article. British managed to get a foot hold on the Chinese mainland because they went there with a large contingent of Sikh and other Indian sepoys and coolies. It is the Indians who helped the British with opium trade, not only in China but elsewhere in the British Indian Empire. It is the Indians who sold Opium in Sri Lanka. Most of them are very rich merchants and industrialist in the island today.
Even today it is the Indians who supply drugs to the local drug dealers. These days Indians let the locals keep a bigger share of the proceeds so.
Those who attack the West alone but not the real culprit India do a lot of damage to the non-Indians of the island.
UA:F [1.9.13_1145]
February 22nd, 2012 at 1:09 pm
Marie Colvin the LTTE supporting journalist who tried to arrange the surrender of Tamil Tiger cowards has died in Syria trying to save Al Qaeda terrorists.
There goes the MAIN witness LTTE had for alleged war crimes BS.
Very good.
February 22nd, 2012 at 1:10 pm
Indian colonial parasites are Indian colonial parasites. There is no other word that fits. Too bad if you don’t like it.
February 22nd, 2012 at 1:11 pm
That is the punishment for arming the LTTE.
February 22nd, 2012 at 9:37 pm
Those who conspire act or solicit against the Sinhela the helpless but only though small unique nation, will not survive long. USA may have all that fire power and money for now, but its society is fast degenerating due to moral and ethical bankruptcy due to greed, hatred, selfishness implanted in their minds by Christianity who justifies every thing they do are justified by the “God”. The Moral and Ethical bankruptcy is the very start to fall that individual, society or a country.
This is well explained in Dhammapada and Parabava Sutra.
Good examples are Roman and Greek empires that welcomed the evil in to them, are no longer existing, in recent times we see how the Europe is collapsing, so do the USA. There is no mighty power that can save them.
May god bless America !
February 23rd, 2012 at 2:12 am
Lorenzo,
This time I cannot agree with you. I don’t see the manner of Marie Colvin’s death in Syria as puunishment for her pro LTTE position. It is the very predictable result of her foolhardiness in going into what was clearly a very dangerous place. She knew or should have known the grace risks she was taking. But some journalists like her, seem to think they must be in the thick of things to report effectively, and place a misplaced sense of courage and boldness ahead of prudence!
In the meantime, we must mourn her death as we would the loss of any life needlessly destroyed, and of course the deaths of all the people who are losing their lives in Syria.
February 23rd, 2012 at 2:13 am
Sorry, in my response, ‘grace’ was meant to read ‘grave’
February 23rd, 2012 at 7:16 am
Various countries are fighting their private ‘wars’ on Lanka soil.
February 23rd, 2012 at 7:47 pm
Basically British Imperialism migrated from London to Washington and what the world got was more of the same the US Empire. Can someone tell me what 700 US military bases armed with Nuclear weapons doing throughout the world stationed in other peoples countries. No wonder the British and Americans go around the world bombing other countries together. They are two sides of the same coin!
February 23rd, 2012 at 10:55 pm
Cassandra,
Lets agree to disagree.
From SL’s pov, it is fantastic news.
February 23rd, 2012 at 11:40 pm
Lorenzo,
That’s fair enough.