Weliveriya in the Limelight
Posted on August 11th, 2013
By Charles.S.Perera
On 12 March 2012 the Mail Online reported , ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-NATO troops in Afghanistan are on high alert after the Taliban vowed to avenge the deaths of 16 innocent civilians – including nine children and three women – who were shot and killed by a rogue U.S. soldier who opened fire after suffering a ‘mental breakdown’ early Sunday morning.
The Army staff sergeant, stationed at a U.S. base in Kandahar, entered three Afghan familyƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s homes at 3am and began the vicious killing spree. Relatives of the dead said he then ‘poured chemicals over their dead bodies and burned them.’
The shooter is an Army staff sergeant from Fort Lewis-McChord in Washington state, and was believed to have acted alone.ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ On 27 March,2011 Rollingstone Politics, reported under the title” The Kill Team:How US Soldiers in Afghanistan Murdered Innocent Civilians.”
ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-Cpl. Jeremy Morlock and Pfc. Andrew Holmes, saw a young farmer who was working by himself among the spiky shoots. Off in the distance, a few other soldiers stood sentry. But the farmer was the only Afghan in sight. With no one around to witness, the timing was right. And just like that, they picked him for execution.
He was a smooth-faced kid, about 15 years old. Not much younger than they were: Morlock was 21, Holmes was 19. His name, they would later learn, was Gul Mudin, a common name in Afghanistan. He was wearing a little cap and a Western-style green jacket. He held nothing in his hand that could be interpreted as a weapon, not even a shovel. The expression on his face was welcoming. “He was not a threat,” Morlock later confessed. ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚
All that is without mentioning killing of children , men and women in Pakistan boarder villages with American drone attacks.
It is America with such a history ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ which speaks about its concern over Weliweriya incident. I t has been reported that, the U.S. State Department in a release to Indian media has said, that ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-We are concerned by recent violent incidents including shootings in Weliweriya, Sri Lanka,” US State Department seems to have nothing better to do than having its eyes riveted to Sri Lanka.
It was a manifestation of the peopleƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ over pollution of water that had been turned out by those who are ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ waiting for an opportunity to make the best of any situation for their political gain that caused the tragic loss of lives. The American State Department would have been more wiser if it had requested the government how it could help to provide the people with fresh water, without making it a diplomatic issue to find fault with the government and interfere intoƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ a matter which the government is dealing with satisfactorily despite the loss of lives.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚
The people of Sri Lanka know very well that the Armed Forces would not be deployed if any situation could be brought under ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ control by the Police. It is only when the Police demands the Military intervention that the Armed Forces are moved in.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ That the American State Department should know very well without being over concerned about such a situation happening in Sri Lanka.
In the Countries of the International Community these incidences are not uncommon, in France they call them ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-bavuresƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…”blunders, only difference is that the US State Department does not express their ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-concernƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ and the Human rights activists do not interfere. But Sri Lanka will, unfortunately remain the concern of all interfering bums, whether it ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ does any thing good or make any errors. In European Countries there is a special security force that intervenes in manifestations and their actions are often criticised as disproportionate.
Sri Lanka Armed Force has a greater link with the people. The soldiers of our Armed forces are also our own children. They do notƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ flare out unconcerned of the security of the people.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ They are an army experienced in providing protectiveƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ cover.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ The Army when it is provoked by elements who are determined toƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ discredit the Army by throwing petrol bombs and stones, cannot remain without reacting. It is those provocateurs who are primarily responsible and should be blamed ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ for the death of theƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ three youth, and not the Army.
TheƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Army cannot be present at a scene ofƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ disorder with the situation getting ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ beyond control, with their arms folded and suffer the petrol bomb attacks by disorderly elements.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ That is what the CFA forced the Army to do when the LTTE terrorists were occupying the areas allocated to them under the CFA.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ It is easy to find fault with the Armed Forces , but who were responsible to ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ have made the manifestations at Weliveriya go beyond police control.
It is only the Government and its allies that continue to keep the countryƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s development going and make the best of ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ even the worst situation despite occasional difficulties that it has to face.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚
The Opposition parties in Sri Lanka are less National minded and make use of everyƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ opportunity to discredit the government not because they love the people and the country better but becauseƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ they are hoping thatƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ they could topple the government and force new Presidential and Parliamentary elections.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚
The TNA may or may not win the Provincial Council elections , but even if they were to be elected, the people will not allow TNA to divide the country or have their own way in the North.
In the meantime Bar Association is also trying to make things difficult for the Government, taking up the Weliveriya issue as they are aware that there is ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ big money in Government bashing.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ The unlimited funds in the hands of the Terrorist Front Organisations and foreign visits sponsored by the USA Statement department are tempting issues that the BASL would like to profit from.
Catholic ChurchƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ is as usual busy with its under hand activities. The water pollution in Weliveriya over which the people had manifested had been apparently settled in the presence of a Catholic Priest. The authorities concerned had come to an agreement in consultation with the parties concerned to test the water and provided fresh water until a permanent solution is found.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ It was apparently after that a second manifestation had been organised.
UNP is as usual seeking political mileage without attempting to find a solution without allowing the matter to take an International proportion.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚
The Government is also partly responsible to have allowedƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ such a situation to arise in Weliveriya.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ The Government has gone a long way to provide the people with houses, roads, transport andƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ electricity , but providing fresh water to the people is as important.
The Government should know that the people should come first even at the cost of constructing lesser hotels, lesser golf links or not opening casinos to promote tourism , andƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ importing lesser number of Lamborghinis to please the rich few.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ The respective public administrative authorities should be aware of their duties and should provide facilities for peopleƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s health and comfort.
UNP calling for an International Investigation on the Weliveriya issue is most despicable.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Sri Lanka belongs to every one what ever political views one holds and keeping it away from foreign interference is the duty of every one.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ What is happening in Sri Lanka is not any thing different from what happens elsewhere in the world.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ It is not the fault of the Rajapakses. But there are far too many stake holders who would like to make Sri Lanka a failed State.
We regret very much the unfortunate deaths in Weliveriya.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ We are all responsible for such situations. For thirty long years we have sacrificed a large number of our youth to provide for us living today peace and security. Why should we now make situations difficult and solutions impossible ?ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚
We should help each otherƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ to find solutions for the common benefit of all the people and the country.
August 11th, 2013 at 3:48 pm
This is an excellent article that exposes the hypocrisy of the US state department and what the US culture considers the definition of human rights. It also exposes the duplicity that what the US does should go unquestioned while the self proclaimed power of the US government allows them to denounce acts they perceive as a violation of human rights.\
The problem is that this will never change. Accusing nations of human rights violations is the new diplomatic method of warfare. To quote from the Bible “Who among you who has not sinned cast the first stone?”. Same applies to world politics. This article should be the first step and that is to expose the hypocrisy of the nation bringing accusations. Secondly is to do to them what they have done to Sri Lanka.
The US is replete with human rights violations for all one has to do is ask any African American, Native American, Homosexual, women especially women from minority groups, to lash back at the US for its own violations. This must be done for there is a large media that would gladly publish Sri Lanka’s reaction to such accusations and it will serve the strategic partnership with China who like Sri Lanka is now being accused of human rights violations by the same US government.
Sri Lanka valiantly fought a war against a terrorist group and India who supported them and won. Sri Lanka must continue to fight the same elements that fostered the civil war. The US government now gets its advice from her Tamil diaspora and from India regarding Sri Lanka where most US politicians would be hard pressed to find it on a map. There is a popular saying “in order to ensure peace one must be prepared for war”. Peace in Sri Lanka is yet to be fully achieved and it will not be achieved as long as India continues her propaganda using Western powers to tarnish the image of Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka will have to take on this new method of “diplomatic warfare” and strike back or by it’s silence only give credence to those who accuse her.
August 12th, 2013 at 3:05 am
Thank you Charles for your contribution. While our criticism of the US (and other) interference is fully justified, we seem to leave room for that all the time. Taking the events you refer to on Weliweriya, has a rep of the GoSL in the US ever written a similar ‘sharp note ‘ to the US on the events you have listed? I am yet to hear of that! So we are simply asking for all this $hit. Respond a few times in kind and the nonsense will stop. So far, sadly, our conduct internationally on this sort of thing is quite pathetic – S de silva – London
August 12th, 2013 at 5:04 am
You have done it again Charles! Kudos to you!
We have to wait patiently, more and more cats will jump out of the bag……………………..
August 12th, 2013 at 6:03 am
Charles you are damn correct about the #1 terrorist country in the world AMERICA. From the time they bombed Hiroshima in Japan how many millions they have killed in different countries in the world.I will name few Japan,Korea,Vietnam,Afganistan,Iraq,Libiya, Yemen,Pakistan etc. Where is the human rights for them? Do they answer to anyone except say “SORRY” Nature is taking care of these hypocrits by destroying their land and people from storms,wild fires,floods,accidents,bomb blasts etc. I dont feel pity for them because they kill innocents. I salute Putin for standing upto them. We have to tell them to mind their own business although we are a small nation we have a pride to show the world that we can stand up without their help or advise.
Let’s wait for the commision to find out the truth. I am 100% sure that our enemies are behind in every protest that is happenning today in Sri Lanka. Dollars are floating around to sabotage every project this Govt involved. The enemies cannot see from their eyes what is happenning in the country today. They tell unbelieveable lies to the public. I cannot believe how they tell all these lies but they do not have any shame because they are paid to do the job by the so called International community America,Britain and France. Satan cannot sleep until our sarong clad President leaves the office. More and more protests will come up here and there in the country before the Commonwealth meeting therefore the Govt must prepare to face them with cautious.
August 12th, 2013 at 6:25 am
FOR THE FIRST TIME MR has discussed addressing grievances of Weliweriya people instead of giving money for the dead.
It may be a response to a planned opposition rally on Wednesday. Govt. has given ammunition to the opposition ahead of KEY ELECTIONS.
I hope the opposition rally is a FLOP and the army doesn’t shoot them DEAD even if they go crazy like in Weliweriya. That will be another mess.
Ultimately it is the PEOPLE that decides. NOT the govt. the opposition or USA. We should not fill our ears with politicians’ BS so that we can HEAR the FAINT voice of the SINHALE people.
August 12th, 2013 at 8:18 am
Ranjit, I like your comment.
Readers also please look at Minister Weerawansa’s article titled ‘US condemning even a common cold’ in today’s Daily Mirror sans usual derogatory comments against the minister.
August 12th, 2013 at 8:34 am
Thanks to Charles for more exposure on the Weliweriya event.
We should not let this event rest. We have to look at this event from left & right, N-S, E-W, upside down and downside up. There are too many sly, hidden players wanting to prove Sri Lanka a FAILED STATE for Separatist purposes, at the expense of the People themselves. Never mind killing civilians, so long as the “$ honey pot” is there for them.
This GOSL is left to solve the ugly inheritances from the past on many important issues. Water first, and the 13-A next, and many more issues. The CKD issue (water borne) is even more important than the Weliweriya issue, and has existed for the past 20 yrs or so. GoSL has appointed the necessary Committees to handle the matter. We seriously wish that the Jnt Opposition would do something constructive (instead of the usual negative acts) for Sri Lanka through CHOGM, and request a Reverse Osmosis (RO) water filtration system for each Province with pipe borne water for all of Lanka. The RO system is applied in large areas of parts of America. It removes all water pollutants, including heavy metals, as far as I know.
May God & gods grant this Nation a National government so that we can all live in some relative peace.
August 12th, 2013 at 1:31 pm
where were these protests when Prabhakaran was alive. were they hiding from Prabha and his bombs?
E KALE WALIGE PASSA PETHTHE GAHAGENA HITAPU UN THAN SINHAYO WELA”
August 12th, 2013 at 1:39 pm
At last the president has made a decision to relocate the factory and listen to the people.
If he had listened to the people BEFORE KILLING them many unnecessary nonsense could have been avoided.
Anyway better late than never.
Also a 5 member team is looking into the conduct of the army.
Now the opposition should cancel their protest. But will they?
August 13th, 2013 at 2:14 am
Seneviratne you are damn correct “Where were those protests when Prabakaran was alive” Shame on our people. Now they protest if their underwear was stolen. MAGE AMUDETH HORU ARANG GIHILLA WAREV GATHTHE EKA HOYALA DENAKAN PELAPALI YANNA” This is the situation in Sri Lanka now. Our people will never learn from the past. How can we make our country wonder of Asia if the people are acting like modayas as Portigeese said once Sinhalaya Modaya Kavun Kanna Yodaya”
We must thank God and our heros and the leaders of the Govt who took bold decisions to eliminate the most barbaric terror outfit in the world. We got peace after thirty years of bloody murder by the Parabakaran group who was created by our big bully India. After we got the peace this Govt have spend millions to bring our homeland to some standard forgetting the past dark era. They built houses,roads,schools,hospitals you name it and the country was moving forward but unfortunately there are some bastards in our society who want to take us backward and destroy the peace we got by sacrificing thousands of our innocent countrymen. Why these idiots in the opposition sit down with the Govt once and discuss their grieviences or problems and solve it for the benefit of the country and it’s people? Why they oppose everything this Govt does? Why they want to sell our country to our enemies for few dollars? Shame to these hypocrits and blood suckers. I feel sad about my country after all what we went through. Please help us God to live in peace and harmony like olden days.
August 13th, 2013 at 6:14 am
How can the President act without proof, without full disclosure of what happened ? Should the President have relocated the factory before the event, and could he have ? – that is absurd. Even now full disclosure of facts have not been presented by the labs re the polluted water in the wells, but the President has acted to relocate the factory of 18 yrs existence there, as some people are whipping up the crowds prior to the CHOGM event.
It is as absurd as saying that the troops should not have reacted when fire bombs & sand filled bottles missiles were thrown at them.
“Abudhassa kalae, aththa naththa karanawa”