Navi Pillay can meet LTTE Mahaveer widow but not families of civilians killed by LTTE
Posted on August 29th, 2013
Shenali D Waduge
The UN Human Rights head is now in Sri Lanka and visiting the countryƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s North to see for herself the developments since the fall of the LTTE. Much prominence has been given to her meeting with a Mahaveer widow. Leaving aside that her ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”missingƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ husband is a former LTTE senior leader and thus no saint we would like to know on the assumption of Ms. PillayƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s claim to be ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”neutralƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ why she has not decided to first visit the real victims and their families who were the civilians that LTTE targeted and killed by planting bombs, claymore mines, indiscriminate shooting and sending suicide bombers? Should they not be getting more prominence given that they were the real victims targeted and eliminated to prop up LTTEƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s terror image?
Yet, Ms. Pillay chose to meet Ananthy Sasitharan wife of a ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”missingƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ senior LTTE leader Sinnathurai Sasitharan (Ezhilan). So Ms. Pillay had time to listen to the widow of a former LTTE leader who incidentally also happens to be contesting the Northern Provincial Council elections from the Jaffna district on the LTTE appointed political party the TNA ticket ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” this does not give much credibility to either the TNA or the spouse of the ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”missingƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ LTTE. Thus, the widow of the former LTTE is now a politician and therefore we question why Ms. Pillay chose to meet up a politician LTTE than actual victims. Being a politician disqualifies her from making representations as a member of civil society ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” surely Ms. Pillays office should have known this simple protocol? Is it not interesting that it was Fr. Emmanuel Sebamalai, a Catholic Priest from Mannar who set up the meeting with Ms. Pillay.
Ms. Pillay should have taken the opportunity to ask her how many Tamils and non-Tamils would have gone ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”missingƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ during the LTTE heyday and what about the 5000 armed forces and police personnel abducted and remain unaccounted for? This is no small number and Ms. Pillay or her Human Rights office cannot ignore this number. If the wife of a LTTE leader can complain and Ms. Pillay has time to listen to her, should Ms. Pillay not be meeting up with the wives of the 5000 service personnel still missing?
Far before meeting any wives of terrorists, Ms. Pillay should have met the scores of people who are now blind because the LTTE bombed Sri LankaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s Central Bank, the families of dead children cut to pieces, the mothers of children who died while traveling to school when LTTE bombed the bus they were travelling in. These are the victims because LTTE chose to use them as pawns simply to put their name on the international press board and for Governments to notice their terror activities. So we ask again WHY IS MS PILLAY NOT MEETING WITH THESE VICTIMS FIRST? Why has she got no empathy for these civilians and only opting for ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”civiliansƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ she sees fit to meet?
While continuing to stress that Ms. PillayƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s emotional, genetic and ethnic ties being a Tamil herself disqualifies her from engaging in any neutral fact finding in Sri Lanka, this was proven in the manner Ms. Pillay was seen commenting on land issues which is totally irrelevant and outside her mandate. This speaks volumes about the conflict of interest in her role in investigating Sri Lanka and it surprises us that the UN Ethics Office has yet to explore this conflict of interest.
Land issues have nothing to do with Pillay
However, given that there are calls made by pro-LTTE lobbies to reduce the military and claims of illegal land occupation, the argument merits us to refer records by Government officials in Vavuniya, Kilinochchi and Mulllaitivu districts of complains by people returning to Sri Lanka after 25 years to find their lands illegally occupied ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” these lands had been taken over by LTTE and distributed amongst Mahaveer families during the 2002 ceasefire agreement by the UNF Government who had given these LTTE mahaveer families official title deeds.
These allegations warrant investigation of UNF officials and officials of the Land Registry if any wrong doing has taken place. No one has any right to be destroying original deeds and writing new deeds whether it is for LTTE Mahaveer families or not. Much of the current problems stem from the fact that these Mahaveer families are now refusing to leave the lands they are falsely making claim over and the conflicts have arisen again due to prominent caste factors which many Tamils take pains to hide but Ms. Pillay being a Tamil herself will only know too well how caste system works and how caste system has again come to the surface following the fall of the LTTE.
However, what Ms. Pillay is guilty of is that she is picking and choosing who she defines as a ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”victimƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ who she claims is a ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”civilianƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ and who she meets. Top on any list of civilians and if she is meeting victims she should first be meeting up with the families of civilians that LTTE eliminated and the survivors who are either blind or carrying some other injury for no fault of theirs. While we do empathize with the civilians caught up in the conflict areas we cannot rule out that some of them voluntarily or by force took part in some sort of terrorist activity that the LTTE ordered them to do. This is amply recorded in UN statements where even the UN Secretary General is on record for saying that civilians were forced to take part in combat operations ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” this clearly denies them refuge as a non-combatant.
What we would like to question Ms. Pillay about is why she has not taken any efforts to meet up with the widows and families of the 5000 armed forces and police personnel who are still missing for this is something she is mandated to investigate and she should be questioning the LTTE front organizations as well as the Tamil National Alliance to their whereabouts. She should also have met up with the families of the victims who were targeted by the LTTE and who died which included women, pregnant women, children, babies, student monks, villagers, farmers, the elderly, feeble and scores of others. Where are Ms. PillayƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s time slots for them?
August 29th, 2013 at 1:56 pm
She is a Tamil and she will always be a Tamil. Don’t expect ANY DECENCY from her.
August 29th, 2013 at 6:00 pm
Ms Pillai, if she is meeting with only the Mahaveer person’s wife, may be on a fact finding mission to find out HOW & WHY the ltte plans went awry after all the help from the foreign ‘helping hands’ ?
We can provide the answer right here : It was because the ltte was a heartless outfit, no morals, no ethics, nothing positive, only killing, murder, robbery, cheat, deceit, lies, hatred, and all of that reverberates to this day, dragging an entire Nation to confusion and chaos for over 33 yrs.
In short, the ltte went against the Laws of God/Truth (Sathya)/Allah. Don’t try the same recipe again – it won’t work.
August 30th, 2013 at 1:36 am
Fran,
I said so.
Without evidence this would not happen. GOOD MOVE!
“A Brigadier and three Lieutenant Colonels involved in the controversial Weliweriya incident were relieved from their posts by the Army Chief to facilitate further inquiries, Sri Lanka Army said today.
The Brigadier, who was the Area Commander, and the three Lieutenant Colonels, in charge of divisions, have been sent to the regiment centers, Military Spokesperson, Brigadier Ruwan Wanigasooriya said.
Army Commander Lieut. Gen. Daya Ratnayake has also ordered an investigation into evidence to determine whether they are adequate for a Court Martial hearing against the officers in question.”
August 30th, 2013 at 5:32 am
Navi Pillay is THE red herring drawn across the trail.
13th Amendment swept under the carpet. NOBODY IS TALKING ABOUT IT ANYMORE. It is Navi, Navi, Navi.
August 30th, 2013 at 7:17 am
Lorenzo,
I still don’t agree with your view re the Army.
If three soldiers died instead of three civilians due to the ‘missiles’ thrown at them, then what ? It would have been just dismissed by the media as an ‘accident’ and the public fed with that view ?
No, there is more this than meets the eye. The Rathupaswela wells were tampered with, and the protests were natural but the protests (after a RESOLUTION had been reached with govt) had been HIJACKED by some 5,000 rioters who arrived in the dusk/dark and threw fire bombs and sand filled bottles and also tried to wrest guns off soldiers. The whole affair was planned. We suspect the 5,000 or so rioters had another motive, and it was NOT about WATER.
Penalising the Army is wrong. They were there at the request of the IGP who couldn’t handle the rioters (the late arrival 5,000) with the Police alone. The Army acted according to their training on how to handle tough situations.
Any Court Martial process will find them innocent. In the western Democracies, the law enforcement authorities are far more
tough – I have seen them in action in similar situations.
These are facts. Not fanciful imaginings. I cannot change or go against what is true in that event.
The whole Weliweriya event was set up to discredit GoSL & the Army (Police as well ?) with media ready to record violence. Very much like the 1983 Riots which led to the TAMIL EXODUS TO THE WEST & THE IMPOSITION OF THE 13-A (1987) UNDER DURESS.
It is good that there is an inquiry into the whole event. The truth of matters ought to be brought to the public.
August 30th, 2013 at 7:20 am
read as: there is more to this …
P.S.: Dig fresh wells, under STF guard, at Rathupaswela and see if the water in those new wells are contaminated ! That is the proof of the set up.
“Truth wins” – always !
August 30th, 2013 at 11:35 am
Our seasoned villagers might say in the good old fashioned way : ‘pita ratin genapu kolang’ !!
August 30th, 2013 at 11:45 am
We are quite used to resort to “ad hoc and ad hominem” criticism that which result in completely missing our opportunities to make our case clear and win the day. This is what happened to us on 27th February 2013 in Geneva.
So let us learn from the past and at least PREPARE FROM NOW ONWARDS to “CLEARLY AND DECISIVELY” to meet this Commissioner Ms. Navi Pillai at the presentation of her “REPORT” to the UNHRC on Sr Lanka. I hope and hope that a very competent team of persons would be assigned to handle this all important task from now itself. What I mean here is: those “Research and Analysts” staff attached to various Ministries must be deployed and given the task to STUDY, COLLECT FACTS AND FIGURES relevant to the MANDATED ASSIGNMENT of the Commissioner and PREPARE IN ADVANCE to confront her at the forthcoming presentation sessions. This must not be left in the hands of the CLOWNISH POLITICAL STOOGES AND PARASITES.
August 30th, 2013 at 1:49 pm
Like the proverbial monkeys, Navi Pillay Sees No Atrocities by the LTTE, Hears No Atrocities by the LTTE, Investigates No Atrocities by the LTTE but demonizes Sri Lanka in cahoots with the Tiger Nominated Agents of the TNA now posing and wailing as the ONLY Permanent Victims of Sri Lanka.
The TNA Eelamists reminds me of the Man who Axed his parents to Death, and pleaded for clemency from the judge … because he is now a HELPLESS ORPHAN!!
Expecting Navi Pillay to investigate Eelamist war crimes is like asking the Fox to Mind the Hen House!
A Bloody Farce from beginning to end!
…………………….
Dead and Missing Persons’ Parents’ Front tells UN: Investigate LTTE atrocities first
By Sandasen Marasinghe
DAilyNews.lk
August 31, 2013
Representatives of the Dead and Missing Persons’ Parents’ Front, whose near and dear had been abducted or killed by the LTTE terrorists, speaking at a press conference at Nippon Hotel yesterday. Picture by Rasika Kotudarage
The United Nations Human Rights Council has to study the atrocities perpetrated by the LTTE on the Tamil people during the entire three decades that they operated with impunity, and not just the last few months of conflict when efforts were made to eradicate terrorism from the country to guarantee human rights of all Sinhala, Tamil and Muslim people, Dead and Missing Persons’ Parents’ Front representatives said.
They also stated that if they are able to forget the atrocities committed by the LTTE during the last 30 years,
they have to forget the last few months and let the country move forward smoothly as it is happening today, after the eradication of terrorism since the people are living peacefully while their lives have returned to normal.
Representatives of thousands of members of the Dead and Missing Persons’ Parents’ Front, whose close relatives had been abducted or killed by the LTTE terrorists, made these observations at a press conference at Nippon Hotel yesterday.
The representatives said these measures are being taken against Sri Lanka based on the requests of the Diaspora and the UN has to bring LTTEers including leaders Nediayawan and Rudrakumaran who are among the diaspora before a forum and question them on the atrocities and war crimes committed by the LTTE against civilians including the Tamil people violating their Human Rights.
They added that influenced by the diaspora, a biased investigation is being carried out ignoring the voice of the battered people.
The representatives added that they are planning a documentary on LTTE atrocities committed on the Tamil community and civilians based on the facts unlike the Channel Four footage and to hand it over to the Heads of States at the Commonwealth Heads Of Government Meeting. They added they are equipped with solid facts and the Human Rights activists should meet them if they need to find out the real situation.
They added that the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) was not paying attention to the sufferings of the Tamils. The have forgotten the fact that 900 Tamil civilians were abducted and killed by the LTTE during 2001 to 2005 only. The number of the Tamils that the LTTE abducted and killed during the 30 years is enormous. More than 3,200 security personnel are still missing and the LTTE is responsible for their disappearances.
They want the LTTEers in the diaspora to be questioned by the Human Rights activists.
They also said the people have no problems but the TNA was attempting to create problems again.
A. S. Sahida, 14, of Puttur, Jaffna said her mother A. S. Rajini Devi was killed on November 4, 2006 in front of her on the bed by the LTTE by a gun shot in the head because she took an allowance from the EPDP office. She said it was given to them as her father who worked at the office died in 2003. She is looked after by her aunt.
Ponnichami Pogiyawadei of Batticaloa said her two children were killed in front of the house for refusing to join the LTTE .
The two boys were aged 17 and 16 when they were killed, she said.
Santhirasegaram Kalpana, the leader of the Dead and Missing Persons’ Parents’ Front in the North and East said her brother Santhirasegaram Sendur was killed at the age of 27 in 2006 in her presence. She said he was a student of the Art Faculty of the Jaffna University. Kalpana said she knows more than 300 such cases. She added that he was killed as he refused to join the LTTE in accordance with the LTTE rule that forced one member from each family to join the LTTE. Kalpana said there are teachers among TNA MPs who saw with their own eyes schoolchildren being trained under LTTE before they left for school in the morning. She questioned as to why they maintain silence about the truth. She said that in line with the LTTE law, not a single child of R. Sampanthan, Sritharan or Sumanthiran were recruited to the LTTE.
Madiyamudan Sugandani, 40, of Uur Kokuvil, Jaffna said her husband was killed in 2001. His father and mother were Principals of schools in Colombo. He studied in the Sinhala medium and returned to Jaffna in 1995.
“As my husband knew Sinhala well, he was suspected by the LTTE and LTTE leader Illamparadi asked my husband to meet him. My husband went to meet him at Kondavil Junction with our two-year-old daughter on a motorcycle. Without a word, Illamapardi shot my husband dead and left the child near the body. Until she was five, the girl was mentally traumatised,” Sugandani said.
Eravur Urban Council former deputy chairman and Eravur Kali Kovil priest Nagarajah Sri Skandarajah said his aunt was killed in 1986 for selling meals to Forces’ personnel.
“There are a large number of such cases in the area which Human Rights activists do not pay attention to. The people are living peacefully without any problem,” he said.
Dead and Missing Persons’ Parents’ Front convenor and secretary Ananda Jayamanna and H. K. D. Chandrasoma were also present.
– See more at: http://www.dailynews.lk/?q=local/investigate-ltte-atrocities-first#sthash.JVsnLjnC.dpuf
August 30th, 2013 at 1:51 pm
Like the proverbial monkeys, Navi Pillay Sees No Atrocities by the LTTE, Hears No Atrocities by the LTTE, Investigates No Atrocities by the LTTE but demonizes Sri Lanka in cahoots with the Tiger Nominated Agents of the TNA now posing and wailing as the ONLY Permanent Victims of Sri Lanka.
The TNA Eelamists reminds me of the Man who Axed his parents to Death, and pleaded for clemency from the judge … because he is now a HELPLESS ORPHAN!!
Expecting Navi Pillay to investigate Eelamist war crimes is like asking the Fox to Mind the Hen House!
A Bloody Farce from beginning to end!
…………………….
Dead and Missing Persons’ Parents’ Front tells UN: Investigate LTTE atrocities first
By Sandasen Marasinghe
DAilyNews.lk
August 31, 2013
Representatives of the Dead and Missing Persons’ Parents’ Front, whose near and dear had been abducted or killed by the LTTE terrorists, speaking at a press conference at Nippon Hotel yesterday. Picture by Rasika Kotudarage
The United Nations Human Rights Council has to study the atrocities perpetrated by the LTTE on the Tamil people during the entire three decades that they operated with impunity, and not just the last few months of conflict when efforts were made to eradicate terrorism from the country to guarantee human rights of all Sinhala, Tamil and Muslim people, Dead and Missing Persons’ Parents’ Front representatives said.
They also stated that if they are able to forget the atrocities committed by the LTTE during the last 30 years,
they have to forget the last few months and let the country move forward smoothly as it is happening today, after the eradication of terrorism since the people are living peacefully while their lives have returned to normal.
Representatives of thousands of members of the Dead and Missing Persons’ Parents’ Front, whose close relatives had been abducted or killed by the LTTE terrorists, made these observations at a press conference at Nippon Hotel yesterday.
The representatives said these measures are being taken against Sri Lanka based on the requests of the Diaspora and the UN has to bring LTTEers including leaders Nediayawan and Rudrakumaran who are among the diaspora before a forum and question them on the atrocities and war crimes committed by the LTTE against civilians including the Tamil people violating their Human Rights.
They added that influenced by the diaspora, a biased investigation is being carried out ignoring the voice of the battered people.
The representatives added that they are planning a documentary on LTTE atrocities committed on the Tamil community and civilians based on the facts unlike the Channel Four footage and to hand it over to the Heads of States at the Commonwealth Heads Of Government Meeting. They added they are equipped with solid facts and the Human Rights activists should meet them if they need to find out the real situation.
They added that the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) was not paying attention to the sufferings of the Tamils. The have forgotten the fact that 900 Tamil civilians were abducted and killed by the LTTE during 2001 to 2005 only. The number of the Tamils that the LTTE abducted and killed during the 30 years is enormous. More than 3,200 security personnel are still missing and the LTTE is responsible for their disappearances.
They want the LTTEers in the diaspora to be questioned by the Human Rights activists.
They also said the people have no problems but the TNA was attempting to create problems again.
A. S. Sahida, 14, of Puttur, Jaffna said her mother A. S. Rajini Devi was killed on November 4, 2006 in front of her on the bed by the LTTE by a gun shot in the head because she took an allowance from the EPDP office. She said it was given to them as her father who worked at the office died in 2003. She is looked after by her aunt.
Ponnichami Pogiyawadei of Batticaloa said her two children were killed in front of the house for refusing to join the LTTE .
The two boys were aged 17 and 16 when they were killed, she said.
Santhirasegaram Kalpana, the leader of the Dead and Missing Persons’ Parents’ Front in the North and East said her brother Santhirasegaram Sendur was killed at the age of 27 in 2006 in her presence. She said he was a student of the Art Faculty of the Jaffna University. Kalpana said she knows more than 300 such cases. She added that he was killed as he refused to join the LTTE in accordance with the LTTE rule that forced one member from each family to join the LTTE. Kalpana said there are teachers among TNA MPs who saw with their own eyes schoolchildren being trained under LTTE before they left for school in the morning. She questioned as to why they maintain silence about the truth. She said that in line with the LTTE law, not a single child of R. Sampanthan, Sritharan or Sumanthiran were recruited to the LTTE.
Madiyamudan Sugandani, 40, of Uur Kokuvil, Jaffna said her husband was killed in 2001. His father and mother were Principals of schools in Colombo. He studied in the Sinhala medium and returned to Jaffna in 1995.
“As my husband knew Sinhala well, he was suspected by the LTTE and LTTE leader Illamparadi asked my husband to meet him. My husband went to meet him at Kondavil Junction with our two-year-old daughter on a motorcycle. Without a word, Illamapardi shot my husband dead and left the child near the body. Until she was five, the girl was mentally traumatised,” Sugandani said.
Eravur Urban Council former deputy chairman and Eravur Kali Kovil priest Nagarajah Sri Skandarajah said his aunt was killed in 1986 for selling meals to Forces’ personnel.
“There are a large number of such cases in the area which Human Rights activists do not pay attention to. The people are living peacefully without any problem,” he said.
Dead and Missing Persons’ Parents’ Front convenor and secretary Ananda Jayamanna and H. K. D. Chandrasoma were also present.
August 30th, 2013 at 3:22 pm
Fran,
But that is not what happened. UNARMED CIVILIANS were KILLED, etc.
We have discussed this in length. Ultimately the govt. has implied the army was wrong.
1. SEPERATING law and order from MoD over the Weliweriya incident.
2. SUSPENDING 4 army officers including the commander of the region of the incident.
3. A court marshal to PUNISH the officers.
The RIGHT THING was done by the govt.
Accepting the truth is NOT accepting defeat.
August 30th, 2013 at 3:23 pm
“Dead and Missing Persons’ Parents’ Front tells UN: Investigate LTTE atrocities first”
GOOD MOVE!
But the TAMIL WOMAN will NEVER do that.
August 30th, 2013 at 7:03 pm
Lorenzo,
Here is something VERY IMPORTANT.
As you are aware, in response to international pressure, the SL Govt is gradually caving in and is moving towards investigating possible human rights violations by the armed forces at the end of Eelam War IV to placate those who want to crucify the heroes who foiled their separatist terrorist plot.
The TNA, obviously, expects RETALIATION IN KIND in the form of war crimes charges brought against all those still in Srii Lanka who collaborated and participated in the atrocities committed by the Eelamist terrorists. You may have noticed that such arrests and prosecutions, that I have often called for, have recently increased in number.
It just occurred to me that the continuing stream of boats carrying Sri Lankan Tamils fleeing Sri Lanka as fake refugees in the dead of the night could be an ORGANIZED EFFORT BY THE TNA and other Eelamists TO GET THESE LTTE WAR CRIMINALS STILL LIVING out of Sri Lanka before they are arrested, prosecuted and used by the GOSL to deflect TNA’s effort to DEMONIZE the GOSL.
Sri Lanka is currently interdicting illegal immigrants heading for Australia by boat … as a favor to the Australians. If it was not for the security implications, I would be very happy for all those who don’t love Sri Lanka to leave anyway they can. But, tightening the security forces net and arresting those illegal immigrants before they flee now becomes VERY IMPORTANT NOW because many of them may be fleeing because they are war criminals fearing arrest and prosecution in the near future, as TNA’s separatist agenda to demonize the GOSL shifts into high gear.
The GOSL should INCREASE this effort to arrest all those fleeing surreptiously and thoroughly examine all detained illegal immigrants, because THEY ARE NEEDED for Sri Lanka’s defense against war crimes charges being levelled at our security forces.
DO UNTO AS BEING DONE UNTO, I say! ONE BLOW should EARN TEN BLOWS IN RETURN … that is the only way to deal with these buggers!
August 30th, 2013 at 7:25 pm
Lorenzo,
Unarmed civilians were killed because some 5,000 people RIOTED PURPOSELY after the event of peaceful protests were over.
Blame the violent rioters for the death of unarmed civilians. The army merely acted to stop violence and rioting, which is their duty.
We hope the army inquiry will reveal all.
————
Abudassa kale, aththa naththa karanawa !
August 31st, 2013 at 4:22 pm
Ananda,
ALL big LTTE war criminals have LEFT SL in 2009.
SL govt. released 11,000 LTTE war criminals after rehabilitation. There is NO attempt to punish them. If they do, why not start with Karuna, KP, Daya Master, etc.?
It is better Tamils leave SL to Sinhalese, etc. and leave to Australia or wherever.
I agree the govt. is giving in. BUT not to investigate and punish Tamils. They ONLY punish the Sinhalese!!
August 31st, 2013 at 4:25 pm
Fran,
No. They were KILLED by the rioting army in that instance. That is why the govt. separate law and order ministry, suspended the 4 TOP OFFICERS and court marshal them.
I know you always disagree on this with me. But the govt. thinks like I do and they have ACTED.
You don’t court marshal a soldier WITHOUT evidence of a wrong doing. Army has gathered enough evidence on the wrongdoing army officers. JUST 4 of them.
The entire army should not be discredited for the rioting actions of 4 MISLED officers. That is the govt thinking and I said so.
August 31st, 2013 at 5:51 pm
Lorenzo,
The facts of the matter is that some in the 5,000 or so RIOTERS tried to wrest the guns off the soldiers, whilst throwing fire bombs and sand filled bottles. What kind of reaction would this provoke from any law enforcement authors ? We simply cannot say that a few soldiers “rioted” to preserve their lives and keep their guns from falling into the hands of the real RIOTERS. If the Rioters got hold of Army guns, what would have been the result ? The Army persons concerned may have shot in the general direction or in the wresting guns went off. Surely they have NOT killed civilians on purpose. This was an accident and it all happened in the DARK/DUSK WHERE VISIBILITY WAS POOR. Why did these RIOTERS wait for the DARK ?
The whole matter stinks.
The real RIOTERS had no business to be there with VIOLENCE which was totally uncalled for. They had no business to be near civilians who were waiting for buses etc. and do their RIOTING among civilians. Who were these people and what was their REAL MOTIVE ? It is the organisers of such RIOTING & VIOLENCE that ought to be brought to Justice. Why are they being protected, we like to know.
This is just like 1983 Riots- the perpetrators got away and Lanka is now stuck with a Tamil Diaspora formed from the then
TAMIL EXODUS plus the 13-A milestone around the neck of the country.
The Weliweriya Rioters were aiming for similar result !
Generally, in the west, such RIOTERS are dealt with severely. This is because LOOTING & KILLING follows such RIOTERS, as in the 1983 Riots.
I certainly hope the Inquiry will reveal all and the public kept informed.
August 31st, 2013 at 6:08 pm
It was also established that one person died of injuries from MISSILES thrown by RIOTERS. We, the Public, have not been told of the medical reports. We have a right to know the medical reports of the dead and the injured.
It is a shame that Sri Lanka does not protect its Sinhala citizens with proper Laws in place. Buddhism is not the law of the land.
August 31st, 2013 at 7:08 pm
Here is an account of RIOTING in the dark, from USA. How firmly this Riot was handled but with heavy losses. This is how western Democracies handle Rioting in the dark of night for no good reason. This particular Riot happened in Detroit, way back in 1967. In the present day, the law enforcers are more swift and tougher.
“The 1967 Detroit riot, also known as the 12th Street riot, was a violent public disorder that turned into a civil disturbance in Detroit, Michigan. It began on a Saturday night in the early-morning hours of July 23, 1967. The precipitating event was a police raid of an unlicensed, after-hours bar then known as a blind pig, on the corner of 12th (today Rosa Parks Boulevard) and Clairmount streets on the city’s Near West Side. Police confrontations with patrons and observers on the street evolved into one of the deadliest and most destructive riots in United States history, lasting five days and surpassing the violence and property destruction of Detroit’s 1943 race riot.
To help end the disturbance, Governor George W. Romney ordered the Michigan National Guard into Detroit, and President Lyndon B. Johnson sent in Army troops. The result was 43 dead, 1189 injured, over 7,200 arrests, and more than 2,000 buildings destroyed. The scale of the riot was surpassed only by the New York City Draft Riots, which took place during the U.S. Civil War,[1] and the 1992 Los Angeles riots. The riot was prominently featured in the news media, with live television coverage, extensive newspaper reporting, and extensive stories in Time and Life magazines. The Detroit Free Press won a Pulitzer Prize for its coverage”.
August 31st, 2013 at 8:57 pm
Fran,
Rioters on BOTH SIDES were WRONG.
Don’t forget there were 2 groups rioting, not just one – the ROWDY civilians and ROWDY MISLED army personnel – ALL their commanders are now SUSPENDED awaiting a COURT MARSHAL.
I can’t figure out why you can’t come to terms with the TRUTH. This is NOT personnel. It is OK to get it wrong. The govt. has done the RIGHT THING. GOOD on MR and GR for doing the RIGHT THING. This is why the UriNePee cannot put down this govt.
It ACCEPTS and CORRECTS the wrong.
UriNePee NEVER ACCEPT or CORRECT their wrong. They think wrong is right and carry on. Disaster after disaster.
September 1st, 2013 at 12:45 am
Fran,
Here is a small story. The ONLY thing I serious disagreed with you is the Weliweriya incident. But now the FACTS are on my side (by chance lets say). Why don’t we BOTH look at the facts and accept the wrongdoings of the army in addition to the OTHER rioters as the govt. has decided and ACTED UPON already?
Fran the commander of a destroyer USS Stout sends out a message to signal officer Lorenzo.
“This is captain commander Fran from USS Stout, you are on a collision cause with us. Change direction immediately”
Lorenzo, as usual, “I advise that YOU change cause immediately”.
Fran the commander of the destroyer USS Stout: “I command you, change cause immediately.”
Lorenzo: NO! You change cause immediately.
Fran the commander of the destroyer USS Stout: This is USS Stout one of the world’s MOST powerful destroyers travelling with 2 other frigates and a missile cruiser. You change cause immediately before a collision.
Lorenzo: YOU change cause immediately. This is a LIGHTHOUSE!
September 1st, 2013 at 6:01 am
Loernzo,
Why is the FOCUS on the rmy people who were merely doing the job they were trained to do ?
Why not shift the FOCUS to the RIOTERS (some 5,000 who were the CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM ?
September 1st, 2013 at 6:46 am
Lorenzo,
Shift the FOCUS on to the TRUTH of all matters. Lorenzo, the truth is that the world is on collision course with IGNORANCE about our true selves. It all manifests as WAR outside. The WAR WITHIN each human (Survival, Fear, Greed, Lust etc) manifests as WAR OUTSIDE. We are decimating each other for no good reasons ! Sri Lankans are being dragged into a course of destruction for no fault of theirs.
There is enormous Spiritual IGNORANCE in the world. There are all sorts of the different theories on how to deal with the concept of SIN. SIN is just IGNORANCE about our true selves.
Consider the Christian scriptures : Christ said : “The Kingdom of Heaven is WITHIN YOU”. How many Christians lay emphasis on this truth ?
Consider Islam: Islam means PEACE. How many Muslims practice Peace ?
Consider Buddhism : The Buddha said “Truth is WITHIN YOU”. (Truth = Sathya = God= Allah). How many Buddhists reach for the Truth Within ?
Consider the Hindu highest Scriptures, the Yogas (Yoga means Yoke to God) : How many Hindu people practice the Yogas, especially Raj Yoga (highest of the high) which requires Meditation ?
The answer is to reach WITHIN to the God Within us ALL, through Meditation. There is no other way. When each of us is at some Peace, then all wars cease.
If God is Omnipresent (Christian scriptures), then this other dimensional Power is WITHIN EACH OF US TOO.
Let us cool our hot heads and Meditate.
As for Oil, Power & Money, Ego shows, etc. we shall have to find alternative sources of power, and use some oil only in production of plastics. Understanding the Truth/God/Allah within will reduce/remove Fear, Greed, Ego etc.
Above written with the best of intentions, for us all.
Lorenzo, if we are go ‘down’, then let us do so with our eyes wide open, innocent and unashamed !
September 1st, 2013 at 7:06 am
You might wonder, what is the Mind ? That is our Survival gear, now gone awry.
What we call the Heart (as opposed to the pump for blood, the ‘heart’), is the Godhead within. That is what the challenge is :
to reach the Heart, know It, love It. How beautifully each of us has been designed, and the pity that we do not know that ….
I am only explaining to those who do not know.
No offense meant here.
September 1st, 2013 at 10:06 am
Everyone knows Navi Pillai is a Tamil first and the head of UNHRC second. Her father was born in Tamil Nadu and she herself had sworn to end “institutionalized discrimination” which exists in Tamil Nadu against the Tamil Dalits.
All the efforts made by the Tamil leaders in Sri Lanka to carve out a separate state has been to wrest power from the Sinhalese and take over the Island as a separate state for the Tamils of low caste origin. This has been encouraged by the upper caste in Tamil Nadu who want their ‘Tamil untouchables’ to leave the country.
If you look at the Indians who have migrated to Fiji, Malaysia, South Africa, Canada, Australia they are mostly the Dalits trying to escape the discrimination in India. Unless we are aware and act with awareness we will go under no doubt. As many people have pointed out though a Million Tamils left Sri Lanka during the last 33 years the total number of Tamils in Sri Lanka has remained the same. How can it be? We have the rule which allows the people of SAARC countries to enter the country without a visa. So Tamils can come in as Tourists and disappear. We have given free houses, free education, free health care, so what more incentives do they need to come to Sri Lanka.
Sinhalese are stupid because of a misguided understanding of Buddhism. Look at Malaysia which has more Tamils than Sri Lanka. Do the Tamils in Malaysia ask for a separate state? No, because it would be considered an act of treason. We have the law in our books but we are too weak to implement the law.
Some people in the IC & UNHRC created false “war crimes” charges against MR. Why does not the GOSL take steps to disprove all the accusations. The accusations are not based on fact. The Tamils are trying to take something which does not belong to them and as a result it is bound to fail. Buddha had stated this clearly. We are living in the darkest of times in the Kali Yuga. We are so steeped in ignorance that we forget that life is very short. Only an average of 70 years or 25,550 days which is not much, is allocated to each one of us. Yet we are trying to behave as if we are going to live forever. The only reason for this existence is to reach fulfillment or Nibbana or God realization. To do that we have to go within our Heart and ‘ask and it shall be given’, ‘knock and the doors will open’.
In closing here is a quote from the book “Dharma Vijaya (Triumph of Righteousness)
“THIS LAND OF THE AN ANCIENT PEOPLE, THIS SINHALESE ISLE,:
THIS PRECIOUS STONE SET IN A SILVER SEA,
THIS BLESSED PLOT, THIS LANKA, THIS LAND OF THE TRIPLE GEM:
BE IT BE EVER A BEACON-LIGHT OF DHAMMA TO THE WORLD.
“TO DESTROY THE WORLD’S ILLS AND TO BESTOW HAPPINESS ON IT,
MAY I ALWAYS POSSESS THE ABILITY AS LONG AS I JOURNEY IN SAMSARA,”
“MAY THE MESSAGE OF THE BUDDHA FLOURISH FOR FIVE THOUSAND YEARS,
MAY THE WORLD’S RULERS GOVERN ALL PEOPLES RIGHTEOUSLY.”
September 1st, 2013 at 1:45 pm
Fran,
They were NOT doing their job. Who decided? THE ARMY ITSELF!
NO ONE is court martialed or suspended for doing their job.
The army area commander and 4 other top officers MISLED the army to kill civilians, etc.
Being a VERY PROFESSIONAL ARMY, it suspended them and court marshaled them. The govt. SEPERATED law and order from ministry of defence.
These are CLEAR signs of wrongdoing. Glad the RIGHT THING was done.
Similarly OTHER rioters should also face justice.
September 1st, 2013 at 3:00 pm
RESUMPTION of Eelamist bombings IMMINENT, while Navi Pillay advocates dismantling the security force presence in the North and East!
Why do we listen to these UN officials rolling in the lap of luxury in New York while advocating policies that will ultimately destroy lives in Sri Lanka?
Hand her a 1 Rs tip, and tell her not to come again to Sri Lanka.
…………………..
Two LTTE suspects nabbed by Indian police were planning to plant bombs in Sri Lanka – report
ColomboPage News Desk, Sri Lanka.
Sept 01, Colombo: Two suspected members of the banned Sri Lankan terrorist group Liberation Tigers of Tamil Elam (LTTE) arrested by the Indian police were reportedly making improvised explosive devices (IEDs) to trigger explosions in Sri Lanka, an Indian media report said Sunday.
The ‘Q’ Branch of Indian police arrested the two LTTE suspects, Sivaneshwaran alias Nesan (34) and Gopi alias Manoharan (37) from an apartment at Mogappair in Chennai on Friday.
The Express News Service of India reported that the two suspects were under police surveillance for about eight months now.
Sivaneshwaran was formerly an important functionary in the political recruitment wing of the LTTE while Gopi had completed his training and was a member of the outfit’s cadre, the police said.
Indian police suspect that the duo has links with Eelam sympathizers based in France and had been receiving funds from them.
The two suspects had told the police that although they were initially not planning to plant bombs in Sri Lanka, but after seeing that Sinhalese are being settled in Tamil areas, they decided to plant bombs to discourage the Sri Lankans from settling in Tamil areas.
The two had also been actively lobbying among political leaders in the State for the cause of Lankan Tamils, Q-branch sources have said.
According to Indian police sources both suspects have come from Jaffna with valid travel documents after the end of the war. Nesan had arrived in September 2009 and Gopi had arrived in July 2011.
Police had not seized any explosive material during Friday’s arrest. The suspects have been produced in a court at Tambaram and remanded in judicial custody in Puzhal prison.
The Police had said that one more person believed to have been trained in bomb-making by this group is still at large and it is not clear whether he has left the country.
In December 2012, a team of ‘Q’ branch sleuths in a raid have arrested four Tamil refugees who were suspected of terrorist activities. One of them, an ex-LTTE operative named Suresh Kumar (34), according to the police, has trained the other three in making IEDs and electronic circuits for a variety of bombs and sent them to Sri Lanka with bomb-making materials.
September 1st, 2013 at 3:00 pm
Wait for results of Inquiry.
September 1st, 2013 at 3:09 pm
What an ABSOLUTE MUTT this Navi Plillay is!
She does not realize that some dead are to be HONORED, others are to be VILIFIED, each according to his/her actions while living.
Would she advocate HONORING the memory of Hitler, of Pol Pot, and of the murderous Velupillai Prabakaran?
Would she HONOR Mahatma Gandhi and Hitler … side by side …. merely because BOTH are DEAD?
God Help Us …. when the UN appoints officials to UN Human Rights Commissions who see no difference between these dead !!!???
…………………..
Nandikadal: Govt. blocks Pillay’s move
SundayTimes.lk
September 01, 2013
There was panic in the corridors of power that Navi Pillay, the UN Human Commissioner for Human Rights, was going to scatter flowers on the Nandikadal lagoon in memory of those who had lost their lives in the last stages of the war against the LTTE.
The reports were to cause a flurry of activity, both at the External Affairs Ministry and the Ministry of Defence. Officials sought clarification from the UN office in Colombo. They denied any knowledge. Later, senior officials of Ms. Pillay’s entourage were advised that such an action would be considered extremely offensive and could have serious consequences.
Questioned about this at her news conference yesterday, Ms. Pillay was clear that her gesture would have been in honour of the dead.
“About flowers, when I go to any country, I like to honour the victims, all victims, victims of LTTE, soldiers, families,” she said. “I have done this, for instance, in Moscow, done this in Guatemala where they are still doing forensic investigations of bones to establish the identity of the people who were killed by the military.”
“So this is something I like to do and I thought that I could do it here, but were still considering the thing and didn’t finalise it,” she said. Ms. Pillay’s office gave up its efforts after the Government made it clear that the entire Mullaitivu segment of her visit would be cancelled if the request was pursued.
September 1st, 2013 at 4:15 pm
“About flowers, when I go to any country, I like to honour the victims, all victims, victims of LTTE, soldiers, families,” she said. “I have done this, for instance, in Moscow, done this in Guatemala”
How about Abu Graib, Gitmo Bay, Palestine, IRAQ, Afghanistan, Kashmir bitch?
Why you NEVER lay flowers in these places?
September 1st, 2013 at 4:18 pm
Fran,
The army report on the INQUIRY is OUT. It was released 2 weeks ago.
It will NOT be released to the public.
Its contents can be TWISTED by the anti-SL mafia to discredit the WHOLE ARMY and the command structure because of rioting acts of JUST 5 army officers.
September 1st, 2013 at 4:20 pm
“About flowers, when I go to any country, I like to honour the victims, all victims, victims of LTTE, soldiers, families,” she said. “I have done this, for instance, in Moscow, done this in Guatemala”
How about Abu Graib, Gitmo Bay, Palestine, IRAQ, Afghanistan, Kashmir bitttch?
Why you NEVER laid flowers in these places?
This is TOTALLY DISGUSTING!
It glorifies terrorists.
WHEN TNA racists control the north PC, ALL visiting dignitaties will lay flowers at LTTE terrorism memorials and there is NOTHING SL govt. can do about it!!
September 2nd, 2013 at 10:13 am
Lorenzo,
There are TWO more Inquiries to come out, one from the Magistrates and the other from the Police. Let us await those too.
In my view, the Army group (including the 5 on the mat), who came to support the Police when the some 5,000 Rioters arrived, saved the country from another 1983 type PSEUDO riot ! Tough action saved the day for the country as a whole.
No one is asking who led/organised the some 5,000 Rioters. How odd !
At any rate, let us agree to disagree on the Rathupaswela/Weliweriya fiasco. I am closing the exchange on the subject.
September 2nd, 2013 at 10:41 am
One more,
Lorenzo,
A correction to your statement re number of army personnel involved. I copied you re this matter but on checking on the web, here is the correct number of Army officers on the mat. It is 4 and not 5.
Apart from that, I find the reporting given below by ColomboPage, very inadequate re the some 5,000 Rioters. It says they were unarmed, when that is totally incorrect.
* Sri Lanka Army Commander relieves four senior officers involved in the Weliweriya shooting incident Fri, Aug 30, 2013, 12:56 pm SL Time, ColomboPage News Desk, Sri Lanka.

Aug 30, Colombo: Sri Lanka’s Army Commander Lieutenant General Daya Ratnayake has ordered to relieve four senior officers of the Sri Lanka Army from their duties with immediate effect over their involvement in the August 1st shooting incident in Weliweriya, a media release issued by the Military Spokesman on Friday (30) morning said.
They are the Brigadier who was in charge of the area and three Lieutenant Colonels who were his subordinate sector commanders. They will be attached to respective Regimental Centers until further notice, the Army Spokesman said.
The Army Commander appointed a five-member Court of Inquiry (CoI) headed by Major General Jagath Dias to investigate the army’s involvement in the Weliweriya incident where the army, called in to control a protest, fired on the unarmed civilians staging a protest to demand the government to provide them with clean water.
The firing of live bullets into the unarmed crowd resulted in three deaths, two of them teenage students, and injured scores of people including several journalists.
The Court of Inquiry handed over its report on the incident to the Army Commander on August 21st.
The Army said the Director Legal, who is the Chief Prosecutor of the Army, will examine the report of the Court of Inquiry further and order a Summary of Evidence against any person who has violated the Military Law as a preliminary step of prosecuting such person through a Court Martial.
The Commander of the Army has also said that the Army’s assistance to the Police at Weliweriya has been given only after Police made a clear request and it is well within the legal framework and is also in line with the provisions of the Public Security Ordnance.
The Army Chief has also ordered all concerned to extend maximum possible cooperation to carry out ongoing investigations by the Crime Detection Bureau as well as by the Magistrate Court of Gampaha.
He has further directed to take action against military personnel according to the Army Act after the final outcome of the ongoing judicial process, the release said.
A board of senior officers has been appointed to study the findings of the Court of Inquiry as well as other relevant reports/details and make recommendations as to how similar situations, particularly with regards to Army’s involvement, could be averted in the future, the Release further added.
September 2nd, 2013 at 1:43 pm
Fran,
The reporting is inadequate but the TRUTH is 4 SENIOR army officers who MISLED the army into RIOTING and killing have been suspended.
That speaks volumes who is WRONG as I said many times before.
IF they were NOT PROVEN WRONG they would not be suspended from their work.
Court marshal is to PUNISH the wrongdoers. Identification of wrongdoers has already happened in the army report.
I don’t know why you can’t handle the truth. Some civilians and the army top officers involved were BOTH wrong here.
September 2nd, 2013 at 3:03 pm
Loernzo,
You compel me to re-open comments.
There was NO COURT MARTIAL. It was an Army Inquiry. It is important that the correct word are used here.
It is very unfortunate that in Sri Lanka readers such as you use words like ‘Army RIOTED’ when in fact they quelled the actual RIOTERS. We have to use our imagination here. Imagine what it is like for a small Army unit to STOP RIOTERS (some 5,000 of them) in the DARK/DUSK, mingling with ordinary people and using petrol fire bombs, sand filled bottles as well as trying wrest the guns off soldiers. What kind of NICE way would have stopped them ?
Please tell us what you would have done, if you were the commanding officer ?
No offense meant here.
September 2nd, 2013 at 4:34 pm
Fran,
I would HOLD FIRE!
The army was WRONG (and some civilians too). As Aloy once said the army is trained to obey and disciplined than some rowdy civilians. That means the army cannot shoot them dead. The army must be more disciplined to discipline the rest. The ARMY REPORT on the incident HAS ALREADY DECIDED IT and ACTED upon!!
1. SUSPENSION of area commander and 3 other army OFFICERS. Doesn’t it prove something NOT right?
2. SEPERATION of ministry fo defence from LAW & ORDER ministry. Doesn’t it prove something NOT right?
We have a PROFESSIONAL army capable of doing the RIGHT THING and correcting wrongs IMMEDIATELY, unlike USA, UK, Endia, etc. That means we are not SYCOPHANTS to tick everything the army does when it is WRONG.
MISLED by the now suspended officers, the army went RIOTING in Weliweriya shouting filth at clergy, smashing cameras, killing unarmed civilians, shooting at churches, etc. It is WRONG!
It is VERY UNFORTUNATE Fran that you don’t see this as it is.
I know what the army conduct is. WE won the war for a peaceful SL where people get to LIVE not die for demanding water. It is because of the LACK OF HERD MENTALITY the army has been highly disciplined. I look from the point of the most disciplined army in Asia, not the 4 suspended officers or the PR team. It proved to the world how disciplined we are (which was never the point. Discipline is what the SL army is all about not to please anyone or score points). When wronged, we correct, not justify (apart from PR that is essential too).
Now the Weliweriya incident has RESTARTED because water problems are NOT resolved.
I encourage you to volunteer in the army, navy or air force administration training functions relating to female officers, etc. in English, computers, etc. for which there is an internal demand.
September 2nd, 2013 at 6:16 pm
Lorenzo,
It would have been just great if “holding fire” solved the problem of Riots getting worse, with burning of buildings, looting, and killing of innocents.
This is what happened in the 1983 Riots – the Army & Police were confined to barracks.
We cannot afford another 1983 type Riot.
Btw, one person died from the MISSILES from the Rioters, not from any gun fire. It is yet to be established how those guns got fired.
September 2nd, 2013 at 7:03 pm
Fran,
You are preoccupied with 1983 which has NOTHING TO DO WITH THIS.
In 1983 we had a very small army heavily involved in the north. 5 Tamil police chiefs in and around Colombo. Tamils did self harm on Tamils.
This is NOT the case in Weliweriya. If the people robbed the guns from the army and shot themselves dead then it is similar to 1983.
The guns were manually fired under MISLEADING instructions. 4 army officers suspended POSSIBLY for disobeying clear MoD instructions NOT to KILL civilians.
September 3rd, 2013 at 5:47 am
Lorenzo,
I AM preoccupied with both 1983 Riots as well as the Weliweriya incident. Both have characteristics which are similar. Both events ultimately serve the cause of Tamil Separatism, while distracting the rest of the country with RIOTS. All RIOTS in Sri Lanka lead to the same goal of Tamil Separatism plus control of Sri Lanka by external sources.
PEACEFUL demonstrations do not call for really tough action by the Army or Police. Rough, tough action happens from the law enforcement forces ONLY when RIOTING happens (as opposed to PEACEFUL demos). RIOTING happened at Weliweirya and called for tough action.
In 1983, JRJ was PREVENTED from allowing the law enforcement forces from acting to quell the RIOTS (which started near Kanatte Cemetery and could have been easily stopped at inception), by India via TAMIL Indian Envoy, J.N. Dixit. From the Indian Central govt. point of view, India was running with the Soviet Union then with JRJ going west, and “Lanka had to be checked”. We had enough of an Army & Police force then to stop the RIOTS from spreading, but was NOT allowed to do so. Even a curfew was NOT declared by JRJ (not allowed).
The curfew was imposed AFTER 3 days of burning, killing and looting which left 200 plus Tamils (all poor Hindus only) plus a few Sinhala Buddhists dead. If the RIOTS were stopped with tough action from Police & Army, then 1983 RIOTS WOULD NOT HAVE SPREAD &HAPPENED. As we all know, these 1983 RIOTS were the downfall of Sri Lanka, the TAMIL EXODUS TO THE WEST AND THE IMPOSING OF THE 13-A under DURESS. What a shameful record ! All because the Riots were not stopped at its (as JR wanted to do) inception. Lorenzo, we were there as adults to witness all this.
WATER problems must be sorted out through the Local & Central Governments. There is no other way, certainly not through RIOTS. Clean, pipe borne water for a small country like Sri Lanka is no huge problem.
As I suggested earlier, the useless PCs and even more useless Jnt Opposition can request the absolutely useless UNHRC & CHOGM (for Lanka), to help provide clean, pipe borne WATER to ALL of Lanka. This may be the only useful thing that all these organisations may do for Sri Lanka. They can get together with the Local & Central govt. authorities to bring this about.
———–
Meantime, the Navi Pillai distractions could be put behind and the really dangerous issue of illegal migrants in Sri Lanka addressed in a meaningful manner.