Uncle Sam – maraâ€â€ÂÂsinghe lost in Geneva
Posted on March 26th, 2012
H. L. D. Mahindapala, revealing the inside story at Geneva
It took the entire might of the West led by America and the last minute betrayal of India to defeat Sri Lanka in Geneva. It also took three resolutions ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” first in 2009, then 2011 and finally in 2012 ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” to score a victory against Sri Lanka. Winning two out of three resolutions against Sri Lanka in Geneva is a commendable record. If the contest in Geneva was for a world cup, winning two out of three contests means that Sri Lanka is entitled to the trophy. The final count of 24 to 23 (taking into account the abstainers) too indicates that the West and India managed to score only by a whisker which amounts to a hollow victory.
Besides, America was forced time and again to water down its resolution to get the necessary votes. Even after bringing it down to the barest minimum America and India barely managed to scrape through. Considering the heavy weights and the massive resources that went into battle against little Lanka the victory does not add to the prestige of either America or India. At the end of the day both appeared as untrustworthy bullies than triumphant victors of a moral cause. It will stand out as a text book case of human rights being exploited unashamedly to serve the domestic imperatives of big powers than the states and the communities struggling to regain peace, reconciliation and human rights that were denied by the deadliest terrorists who, like the sponsors of the US Resolution, hid behind human rights to violate international humanitarian law. It also demonstrates amply that human rights was a simple case of might is right and not right is might.
The international dimensions of this West + India manoeuvres must be dealt in a separate article. Before that it is the role of the Sri Lankan delegation led by Mahinda Samarasinghe that must be examined to learn the lessons of what went wrong in the Geneva saga.
As the professed leader of the Sri Lankan delegation the success or failure depended on Mahinda Samarasinghe, The failure of the Geneva operation this time round ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” after winning two rounds before — questions the competence of Mahinda Samarasinghe to lead a battle of this magnitude against the big powers out to get Sri Lanka. Where did he go wrong? Could he have achieved a better result?
Of course, the scenario in Geneva would not have been different with or without Mahinda Samarasinghe. The forces ranged against Sri Lanka were formidable. However, his failure was not only in believing that he was the general who hadƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ the capacity to win the battle bYrefusing to confront the enemy head-on. Geneva was not a place to go soft. The opposition had closed ranks and was ready to launch the most formidable attack on Sri Lanka. The leader of Sri Lanka was underestimating and going about as if he was about to strike and win the biggest diplomatic coup for Sri Lanka.
He neither had the ability nor the personality to cut the figure he aspired to be. He had the capacity to read out a written brief with some slips in between. But the need of the hour was for some solid thinking on his feet and responding to exigencies of the time. His fixed mindset made him believe that the best response was to appease the anti-Sri Lankan lobby. That was his idea of diplomacy. He was, in short, making a bad case worse by miscalculating the situation facing him.
He began on a cocky note thinking that he had the diplomatic contacts and skill to win in Geneva with his knavish appeasement of the opposition. It was obvious to realists that it was not going to work. The Americans, for instance, would not have stepped in if it was going to lose at the 19th UNHRC session in Geneva, particularly after losing to the Palestinians in Paris. It was throwing all its might and resources to win. According to Sri Lankan sources over a hundred US apparatchiks were operating against Sri Lanka and knowing this Samarasinghe was operating on the basis that there was no US Resolution on the table against Sri Lanka. His alternative thinking was that by some mysterious process America could be won over at the last minute to withdraw the resolution or, failing which, they could be defeated on the floor of UNHRC. He was, in short, in a catatonic state of denial.
His idea of being the Human rights Minister of Sri Lanka ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” playing down his substantive role as Minister for Plantation — was to give in wherever possible to the demands of the opposition. It didnƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢t work. He was outdone by the opposition by his opposition who used human rights to hammer him and defeat him in Geneva.
He was bending over backwards to appease the opposition, hoping he could win over the INGOs, the West and India and return home covered in glory. But it was a disaster. He was devoting more time over leadership battles in Geneva than focusing on viable strategies to face the opposition. He failed even to keep the government delegation together. His personal obsession to be the leader of the delegation in Geneva at any cost outdid all other considerations. On one occasion he was nearly thrashed in the lobby of the intercontinental Hotel by a government delegate and he was saved only by the timely intervention of Rauf Hakeem. ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚
Lost In his pompous attempts to parade as the leader of the delegation he mishandled the operations giving more space and time to those out to nail Sri Lanka than those who were committed to defend Sri Lanka, One of the big events of the Government was to run a side-event which provides a platform to present Sri LankaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s case to Ambassadors, INGOs, NGOs etc. SamarasingheƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s side-event ended up by giving grand opportunities for the Tamil expats and the INGOs to lambaste Sri Lanka, silencing most of the committed defenders of Sri Lanka. The worst was when, to the horror of the Sri Lankan team, he announced publicly at this side event that there was no US Resolution on the table against Sri Lanka in Geneva. If there wasnƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢t a Resolution against Sri Lanka what the hell was he doing there? Was he leading the delegation to fight Prof. G. L. Peiris, other government delegates and committed defenders of Sri Lanka?
He also rushed to stop the exposure of Amnesty International when it was accused of taking $50,000 from the pro-Tiger arm in Canada, the Canadian Tamil Congress. But he did not stop the rattled AI representative accusing the delegate who raised the issue as a spokesperson for the Ministry of Defence. Samarasinghe was taking cover under technicalities of procedure but the same rules were not applied to the anti-Sri Lankan forces blasting his government.
With friends like Uncle Sam-mara-singh (please note the absence of letter ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-eƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ in his name) do we need Indians to undercut us? In Geneva he re-enacted very successfully the role of his political patron, J. R. Jayewardene, the noted ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-Yankee DickyƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ of Sri Lankan politics, rather than being a genuine voice of President Mahinda Rajapakse. This is to be expected. After all, he is on the records of Wikileaks where the American Ambassador had quoted Samarasinghe as saying that he wonƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢t sacrifice his politics, principles and career for the Rajapakses. The tragedy facing President Mahinda Rajapakse is that he is surrounded by his hidden enemies who pretend to be his loyalists. It will be too late when he finally opens his eyes to recognize the difference between his loyalists and enemies.
The consistent offensive pursued by the American Ambassador Eileen C. Donahue, Ambassador to UNHCR, and the intermittent bursts by Mario Oteri, US Under Secretary for Democracy and Global Affairs, should have hit him in the eyes and made himƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ realize that his way was not going to work., It signaled unequivocally that US was in no mood to relent. As the days progressed towards the deadline America was moving tactically, ready at every stage to even water down the resolution to ensure a victory by either winning or neutralizing nations opposed to its Resolution. But Samarasinghe assumed that if he played the role of ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-Yankee DickyƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ he could win America and the rest of the world. ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚
His cockiness was revealed at the regular meetings where he would crow daily about his behind-the-scene diplomatic victories, implying that his diplomacy was working and victory was almost in his bag. But he began on the wrong foot. He made the stupid mistake of announcing to the media that India was not only with Sri Lanka but also was working for Sri Lanka. When the story he leaked hit the headlines India went up in flames. Predictably, India protested. It also gave India the excuse to go against Sri Lanka. India was waiting for such an excuse and Samarasinghe gave it to them on a platter. In between, he was also briefing the Presidential Secretariat of his ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-triumphsƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ that took Sri Lanka nowhere. If Sri Lanka won, as he hoped initially, then he was ready to claim all the kudos. Now that Sri Lanka lost he must take full responsibility as the leader of the delegation who mismanaged events at the UNHRC.
The first time Sri Lanka won in 2009 it was with the aggressive diplomacy of Dayan Jayatileke. He won with far less resources than was made available to Mahinda Samarasinghe, The Government sent the biggest delegation ever to fight the battles in Geneva and Samarasinghe lost. He squandered away the opportunities that came his way with his counter-productive ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-inter-active dialogueƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ and mismanagement of events in Geneva.
Take the case of Tamils who were invited to present their experiences with the dreaded Tamil Tiger terrorists to counter the pro-Tamil separatist lobby in Geneva. The government spent sizeable amount in putting together a delegation from the expatriates, particularly Tamils. But at the side-event Samarasinghe managed successfully to stifle their voices and give liberal opportunities for the Tamil expatriates to attack the government.
He announced it was going to be an ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-interactive dialogueƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ (his phrase) where the presiding panel of ministers and government officials was going to exchange views with the audience ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” a medium which was exploited by the opposition to present their case more than the case of Sri Lanka. This process opened opportunities for the LTTE lobbies to hammer the ministers in the panel and the government at large. Samarasinghe and his ministers were put on the defensive answering charges, providing another megaphone for the Tamil lobby to gain international credibility.
Two Tamil doctors who had written papers to read out were not given the chance to put their case before the side-event because Samarasinghe said it was not in conformity with his process of an ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-inter-active dialogueƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚. It was the voice of the LTTE lobby that was given the best opportunity with SamarasingheƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-interactive dialogueƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚. The more articulate LTTE lobbyists took the opportunity to attack the Rajapakse government with ease.
Another example is the throttling of the voice of Arun Tambimuttu, the son of the Sam Tambimuttu, TNA MP and his wife who were gunned down at the Canadian embassy. Arun narrated the suffering of the Tamils under the LTTE illustrating it with his own experiences. Immediately after him V. Kirubakaran, the pro-Tiger activist in Paris, was given the floor and he lambasted Arun as an agent of Mahinda Rajapakse. ArunƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s waving of his hand to attract the attention of Samarasinghe and rebut the charges of Kirubakaran was ignored by Samarasinghe, So it was Kirubakaran who had the last word and not Arun.
Though the government delegates came out patting each other on the back after the side-event what was evident was that Samarasinghe had lost his grip on events that were running against the GOSL. If there is one lesson that must be learnt it is that GOSL should not run ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-interactive-dialoguesƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚. It must present a panel of experts who will address relevant issues and open the session for questioning for the panel to explain it further. The running of ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-interactive dialoguesƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ must be left for the opposition. ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-Interactive dialoguesƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ of Mahinda Samarasinghe merely provides another platform for the pro-LTTE lobby to propagandize at government expense. ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚
The operation led by Samarasinghe also failed to brief adequately the delegates who were expected to lobby. Not even the US Resolution was handed to them to indicate what they should target in lobbying. Some talked generally but there was no organized approach as seen in the case of two Tamil representatives who came with prepared speeches to narrate their stories and were told to shut up by Mahinda Samarasinghe. He was more intent on building up personal relationship with the Western camp to boost his image abroad and to make himself indispensable as an international actor than making himself useful to national needs.
The overall experience in Geneva makes it apparent that he be grounded in Sri Lanka to plant brinjals in his Plantation Ministry rather than planting grenades under the Sri Lankan seats abroad.
March 25th, 2012 at 3:05 pm
So it is true.
My apologies to Stanley Perera who said this before with whom I disagreed.
But this above doesn’t say anything bad against GLP.
With Dayan gone mad, Samarasinghe acting as a dictator, most diplomats unable to fluently speak in English, political appointments, etc. what choice do we have?
Even Dayan J should be planting “wambatu” in his favourite country – India.
March 25th, 2012 at 3:06 pm
Dear Mahinda, We knew that you and Douglas Wickremeratne (from UK) were there in Geneva throughout the UNHCR sessions. We were awaiting your report and now we have got it. Thanks for the true inside story, Perhaps, Douglas can add a few more observations.
March 25th, 2012 at 5:26 pm
In the 1970’s “Mother” India prostituted itself with the Soviet Union and began creating trouble in Sri Lanka. Ha ha! The Soviets went broke. She (and later her son) had to be scraped off the walls. Now she has picked a new client, Uncle Sam to gang-up against Sri Lanka. But Uncle Sam is broke already! Someone should give “Mother” India a few word of advice and hopefully she will stop hanging around with such losers!
March 25th, 2012 at 5:29 pm
This is a good post mortum. But it would have been great, had there any opportunity to coney these either to Mr Samarasinghe or to the president to take corrective actions before the horse is gone.
March 25th, 2012 at 5:32 pm
Some interesting comments are on Prof. Rajiva’s blog site re. what went behind the scene.
March 25th, 2012 at 7:03 pm
It was a very hard task for small Lanka – to maintain balance whilst knocks were delivered, among a list of unfair items, ch.4 false videos aired at the UNHRC with no films shown on ltte atrocities to compensate. The unkindest cut was from neighbor India, who looked after herself and threw a bone in our direction.
We think the best move for Lanka is to clean up the crime factor within, followed through with smart Development, multi-ethnic population for North, and deport all illegal migrants from at least the last 10 yrs. We note that the crime factor started flowing some months prior to the UNHRC event. The enemy within is the worst. GoSL should bring back the death penalty for murder and drug smuggling.
Please see the original of the video which shows Sinhala soldiers being shot by LTTE. In this you can hear the voices of the LTTE cadre speaking in Tamil dressed in the soldiers clothes (that’s why they are naked!). This same video was later dubbed to appear as if Sinhala soldiers are killing Tamils. The dubbed video was the main video which was used by CH4. This is the best proof that the CH4 video is a fake. The original truthful video was in Facebook and just before LTTE removed it a patriot managed to rescue and put it on a private web site where it is safe. Please check to see for yourself if this is fake or not.
http://www.terrorinlanka.com/ch4uk/
March 26th, 2012 at 5:27 am
A short recap of events over the last 30 yrs. as all this is relevant to the mess Lanka has got into at present :
We think Sri Lanka GoSL, via India, is expected NOT to utter the TAMIL CASTE FACTOR at any international forum. The Caste factor is the engine, that which drives Tamil Nadu society. It includes INDIA too. The UNHRC has tried many times to bring INDIA to task on the Caste issue saying that it amounts to Human Rights violations, but India has always resisted on the grounds that Caste cannot be included in the Human Rights factor. the Indian Constitution prohibits discrimination on the ground of Caste. So there’s India with her ‘back to the wall’ on the Caste factor/HR violations with the UNHRC, which points Sri Lanka is presumably unable to mention at the UNHRC, so that India remains protected.
Initially, the main driving force behind the formation of the ltte in the North of Lanka was the anger against/to fight the Caste Factor there . The ltte was transformed over the years by some of the leading Tamils in the North into a force to fight ANY GoSL for a separate state for Tamils only, this being their perceived only way to unify Tamils. Let us also not forget that the ltte training camps too were opened in TAMIL NADU (during the Indira Gandhi period). This was done perhaps, among other reasons, to unify the North of Lanka with Tamil Nadu.
After the 1983 Riots, which was a SET UP, about a million Tamil people fled abroad. Since then the ‘Tamil diaspora economic refugees’ have set up a net work reaching VIPs all over Europe, the Commonwealth countries plus USA, using political party funding & votes. Through lies, cheat & deceit, exaggerations, they have successfully transformed the whole issue of Caste into a Human Rights violations by successive GoSLs.
In other words, as matters stand now, Tamil leaders have fairly successfully exported the Tamil caste problem from both North Lanka and Tamil Nadu, to be fought in Sri Lanka under the HUMAN RIGHTSs tag, with the EELAM SEPARATE STATE
SEPARATE STATE attached to it. Ironically, a Separate Tamil State will only mean the re-enforcement of the Caste structure, which according to the Manu shastra myth, began in South Indian society.
We hope Truth shall set us free of this menace of Separatism, and all legitimate citizens of Sri Lanka will live together in peace and harmony in all our future years. If each of us lives life with a bit of honor (to ourselves) and decency toward our fellow citizens, we are sure we can win through. After all, our giant neighbor, India, on her flag says “Satyameva Jayate” which means “Truth wins”.
I write these facts with no ill will toward anyone. Only desire peace and prosperity for all.
March 26th, 2012 at 8:58 am
Center for policy Alternatives and most of the media organizations are US-AID funded. US AID is CIA. CIA and RAW are affiliated, in other words, they co-operate with each other. One JOurnalist says that most of the Media Organizations in Sri lanka including muslim (NO Christian ?) and Tamil are US-AID funded too.
I also appreciate Mr. H.L.D. Mahindapaala’s attempts to enlighten the public about these things. Some may don’t like it. But, you are doing what Sri Lanka needs.
We know Dayan Jayathilake is very very pro-Indian. It looks now Mahinda Samarasinghe is also some how affiliated with something.
Besides,why plantation minister is doing Human rights. Western – Human Rights are what the west define as human rights.
If General Fonseka also was fooled to go against his former superior, It looks Rajapakses are against a Tsunami.
Besides,we hear the foreign ministry has a few different foreign ministers.
When the situation is real desperate, President should address the country and should give some hints to the country. So, the people understands. IN Sri Lanka, we don’t hear any things except the same old rhetorics.
March 26th, 2012 at 11:45 am
According to the LankaPage of 27th March, Prof. G.L. Pieris has said re the UNHRC Resolution on Sri Lanka :
“The resolution is a “highly selective and arbitrary process not governed by objective norms or criteria of any kind,” the Minister said adding that despite its adoption, Sri Lanka will continue with its current process of solving the national issue.
“Our policy in respect of all matters will continue to be guided by the vital interests and wellbeing of the people of our country,” Prof. G. L. Peiris said”.
He also said that UNHRC has no powers to impose sanctions on Sri Lanka. So there we are – this is the official GoSL stand on matters.
India is not the enemy. Some of the ancient Indian social systems are inimical to both India and Sri Lanka. Till Tamil Nadu especially and the North of Lanka alters with Modernisation, Lanka had best be aware of land grabs on a large scale. Modernisation (and we don’t mean the blindly follow the western type of Modernisation), will be the key to developing in the material sense for the est of Sri Lanka too. We shall have to move forward in the spiritual sense too. I hope this does not sound preachy ….. but all this can be fun stuff if we allow our funny bone to take over a little !
March 26th, 2012 at 12:19 pm
Prof. G.L.Pieris explains GoSL stand on the UNHRC matter in his interview to the Daily Mirror (26 Mar). See at website
http://www.dailymirror.lk/video/17642-profgl-peries-on-hot-seat.html
March 26th, 2012 at 12:46 pm
Well said!
We will not abide by UNHRC resolution, Sri Lanka says
COLOMBO: Sri Lanka on Monday made it clear that it will not abide by the UNHRC resolution that censured it over its human rights record and said it would only implement “feasible” recommendations of its own panel that probed the three-decade-long bloody civil war.
“We had taken a decision not to abide by the resolution irrespective of the result”, external affairs minister G L Peiris told reporters.
We would treat it as an interference in the sovereignty of the country, he said.
He said the countries that voted for Sri Lanka and abstained at voting had valued the country’s principled stand.
Peiris said the resolution would not cause economic sanctions on Sri Lanka. “This is no Security Council (UN) decision”.
Answering a question, Peiris said that Sri Lanka felt that no reply is needed to Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s recent letter to President Mahinda Rajapaksa.
Singh had explained the Indian stance in voting against Sri Lanka.
Meanwhile, irrigation minister Nimal Siripala de Silva the government was not ready to implement all the recommendations as suggested by US-led anti-Sri Lankan lobby at the UNHRC sessions in Geneva recently.
“We would implement only what we accept and consider feasible,” the Island quoted Silva as saying.
He said the government was not bound to reply to India or any other nation in this regard.
He said the government has decided to continue the process of implementing the recommendations made by the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC) without the participation of the opposition or holding a referendum on it.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/We-will-not-abide-by-UNHRC-resolution-Sri-Lanka-says/articleshow/12418264.cms
March 26th, 2012 at 2:35 pm
Mahinda You are spot on,
“Samarasinghe was operating on the basis that there was no US Resolution on the table against Sri Lanka. His alternative thinking was that by some mysterious process America could be won over at the last minute to withdraw the resolution or, failing which, they could be defeated on the floor of UNHRC. He was, in short, in a catatonic state of denial”.
Not only Samarasinghe, his former boss also made a statement that US resolution likely to be deferred – Ranil
http://www.island.lk/index.php?page_cat=article-details&page=article-details&code_title=47933
According to Ranil, he received some information that the government was negotiating with the US on the resolution at the UNHRC calling for accountability and reconciliation issues in Sri Lanka and it might not be put to vote this week, Wickremesinghe said that the resolution was to be deferred on the strict condition that the Mahinda Rajapaksa regime undertook to speedily implement the LLRCs recommendations which inter alia call for the re-establishment of the independent police, election, public and judicial service commissions required to enforce the rule of law and safeguard human rights.
Then Gotabhaya Rajapaksa made another blunder by praising India one week before the crucial vote ‘Indo-Lanka ties cordial despite Indian shift over resolution’- Gotabhaya Rajapaksa
Published: Wednesday, Mar 21, 2012, 21:51 IST | Updated: Wednesday, Mar 21, 2012, 22:40 IST Place: COLOMBO | Agency: PTI
http://www.lankaweb.com/news/items/2012/03/22/indo-lanka-ties-cordial-despite-indian-shift-over-resolution-gotabhaya-rajapaksa/
Our politicians have no brain to fight internationally – They are only local heroes.
March 26th, 2012 at 2:44 pm
“We had taken a decision not to abide by the resolution irrespective of the result”, external affairs minister G L Peiris told reporters.
If that was indeed the case then, why on earth go through the whole charade of presentations,globe-trotting canvasing,side events,flying side-kicks to Geneva(at tax payers expense)and more importantly interrupting the daily life of the citizens with nonsensical demonstrations at home?
It would have been far better to send only our erst while Minister of Public Relations to Geneva and watch the proceedings on TV in the comfort of our homes for light entertainment. It would have been far better than the tele-dramas shown recently.
(We would treat it as an interference in the sovereignty of the country, he said.)
A day after the Sri Lankan vote, the UNHRC passed a resolution on Syria by 41 to 3. The Syrian resolution strongly condemned Syria; urged Syria to immediately end all violence and all human rights violations; Demanded Syria protect its population, and respect the popular will, aspirations and demands of the Syrian people; and extended the mandate of the three-member commission of inquiry that the UNHRC set up September to probe alleged abuses in Syria. Isn’t this an unwarranted interference in the sovereignty of Syria?
Countries (Angola, Bangladesh, Botswana, Congo, Djibouti, Indonesia, Jordan, Kyrgyzstan, Kuwait, Malaysia, Maldives, Mauritania, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Senegal and Thailand) voted against/abstained on the Sri Lanka resolution but voted for the Syrian resolution. These countries seem to respect Sri Lanka’s sovereignty but not Syria’s.
Perhaps,Prof GL Peiris would like to ask the representatives of Angola, Bangladesh, Botswana,Congo, Djibouti, Indonesia, Jordan, Kyrgyzstan, Kuwait, Malaysia, Maldives, Mauritania, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Senegal and Thailand
what constitutes interference with the sovereignty of a Country for future reference.
March 26th, 2012 at 2:55 pm
Marco,
70 of them for one month in Geneva, a jolly trip paid by the tax payers in Sri Lanka, and according to our information here in London 65 of them never opened their mouth during discussions.
March 26th, 2012 at 3:19 pm
That is not the point.
1. IDEAL outcome is to DEFEAT the resolution at UNHRC.
2. The NEXT BEST thing is NOT to implement it and let it escalate to UN security council where we can defeat it.
3. Implement it – DUMBEST
Just because the govt couldn’t get the resolution defeated doesn;t mean it should implement it!!
Same with the 13th amendment. There are 3 options not 2.
1. SCRAP it – ideal
2. Keep it but not implement it or bypass it (18th amendment) – next best option
3. Implement it – DUMBEST
If Run-Nil and Summa-n-thiran LOSERS want to implement the resolution, go ahead! :))
March 26th, 2012 at 3:38 pm
Do what Premadasa did.
Declare:
CONsultation
CONcensus
CO(N)mpromise
And do nothing!
There is nothing UNHRC can do. If we disobey it goes to the UN Security Council where Russia and China will veto it!
We missed the first bus (inefficiency, waste of money and other disgusting tactics) but we will NOT miss then second bus.
Tamil Elamists missed the first hearse and will miss the next hearse as well but thank god they will not miss the white van!!
March 26th, 2012 at 3:40 pm
Govt’s conduct already shows it gives no flying fart about the resolution.
LTTE BBC Sandeshaya (a known LTTE propaganda oral piece) was jammed and eventually scrapped by SLBC on Sunday.
While condemning the utter waste of taxpayer funds of this whole reconciliation joke, we should support these good moves to ban LTTE oral pieces from brainwashing the people.
March 26th, 2012 at 8:22 pm
Have you read the Washington Times report which says that President Obama has given himself the powers to declare martial law — especially in the event of a war with Iran. It is a sweeping power grab that should worry every American.
On March 16, the White House released an executive order, “National Defense Resources Preparedness.” The document is stunning in its audacity and a flagrant violation of the Constitution. It states that, in case of a war or national emergency, the federal government has the authority to take over almost every aspect of American society. Food, livestock, farming equipment, manufacturing, industry, energy, transportation, hospitals, health care facilities, water resources, defense and construction — all of it could fall under the full control of Mr. Obama. The order empowers the president to dispense these vast resources as he sees fit during a national crisis.
In short, the order gives Mr. Obama the ability to impose martial law. He now possesses the potential powers of a dictator. The order is a direct assault on individual liberties, private property rights and the rule of law. It is blatantly unconstitutional. The executive branch is arrogating responsibilities precluded by the Constitution without even asking the permission of Congress. The order gives Mr. Obama a blank check to erect a centralized authoritarian state. This is a law one would expect to find in Hugo Chavez’s Venezuela or Vladimir Putin’s Russia.
Leela
March 27th, 2012 at 12:20 am
Oh, HELL! Why is Minister G. L. Peiris running to meet Hillary Clinton after the dirty tricks she just orchestrated against Sri Lanka, in Geneva?
Shame! Sri Lanka SHOULD NOT BE DOING THIS!
Sri Lanka should stand by her statements that she does not have to explain her sovereign decisions to ANY OTHER COUNTRY!
……………
Sri Lanka Foreign Minister to meet Secretary Clinton on May 18
ColomboPage News Desk, Sri Lanka.
Mar 27, Washington, DC: Sri Lanka’s External Affairs Minister Prof. G. L. Peiris will visit the United States in May to hold discussions with the US Secretary of State.
The spokesperson of the State Department Ms. Victoria Nuland said Monday that the Secretary will meet Minister Peiris on May 18th at the State Department.
The Secretary is expected to discuss with Minister Peiris the Sri Lankan government’s plan to implement the recommendations of the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC).
…..More
March 27th, 2012 at 2:47 am
Have a look at this picture of TN Chief Minister, shameful Tamil people and their leaders.
From Daily Mail UK.
Disgusting!
Simply disgusting!
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/indiahome/indianews/article-2120782/Tamil-finance-minister-prostrates-chief-minister-prior-presenting-Budget-Assembly.html?ito=feeds-newsxml
March 28th, 2012 at 7:55 am
May182009,
Disgusting? Shocking? Yes, but to me, not so surprising. This seems to me typical of these fellows – crawl on all fours, fall down and worship and do any servile thing until they achieve their objectives but then, look out. Once they get power in their hands they all turn out to be like the Chief Minister in the picture! No more crawling, no more falling down – it is now their turn to tell the New Delhi government what to do!
March 29th, 2012 at 3:55 am
Hi May 182009
Thanks for the lead.
Is this woman Jayalalitha the lady of MGRamachandran, who was partly responsible for the Indian Tamil terrorist outfit in Sri Lanka.
MGR was an Indian colonial parasite from Sri Lanka who was the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister for a long time.
He advovcated Indian colonial parasites to have as many children as possible in Indian colonies and gave the title”Ma Umma” to women who had a lot of children.