Ira de Silva, Ontario, Canada

F. Harrison states that she has interviewed these people in the U.K. They have gone there to claim refugee status. All over the world those claiming refugee status make these claims. If they are in the U.K. why do they not go to the British courts? It is said that they have lawyers – perhaps they are immigration lawyers who are using these allegations to get them refugee status. Why not go to open court, provide details and file a case? Is it because they want to go back to Sri Lanka for holidays?

Just yesterday a refugee who came to Canada made a statement. Having come to Canada as a refugee and claimed torture etc. gets Canadian citizenship and returns to Sri Lanka without any fear, settles down there, starts a business, gets married, has children. He then imports 600 cell phones illegally in 2007. It is important for people like you to know that cell phones were used extensively by the LTTE to detonate bombs killing civilians on buses, trains, streetwalks etc. He has no explanation as to why or for whom he got these phones without a licence. He is taken into custody. He is taken to court pleads guilty and is fined. He is released in August 2010. He continues to live in Sri Lanka and returns to Canada in April 2011. He immediately claims torture etc. This is the same refrain for all these people who claim refugee status. If there is a pattern for asylum seekers, this is it. Why do these organizations not produce evidence in a court of law in the U.K., Canada etc?

Regarding the reports which you claim are UN reports – the Darusman Report is NOT a UN report – it was an advisory report. Regardless of the figures they reported the most telling facts are
1) page 6 – it was an advisory panel and that it was not engaged in any investigation,
2) page 14 – stresses that the panel’s mandate precludes fact finding or investigation,
3) on page 3 it is stated “the panel has not conducted fact finding as that term is understood in United Nations practice,
4) most importantly in paragraph 53 the panel states “this account should not be taken as proven facts, and any effort to determine specific liabilities would require a higher threshold”.
5) the panel admits that facts detailed in paragraphs 55 to 245 are not proven facts which same “facts” it states indicates the commission of crimes.
Further, the submissions are sealed for 20 years. Why? Based on the above it is because these are allegations and can not be proved – that us why.

The UN reports from their office in Sri Lanka stated that the number killed in the final phase was 7021. That number was verified by them and has not changed. Even the propaganda arm of the LTTE claimed that the number killed was around 3000. That has changed so that the media can keep adding to the numbers.

Re Senator Segal’s statements – he claims that Canada’s boycott is based on defending the principles of the Commonwealth. Members have equal rights. As for human rights abuses, if that is the criterion, then Canada has also been faulted for human rights abuses and is currently under investigation. In fact all the members have similar allegations made against them. Based on human rights, the Commonwealth should be disbanded as it has been called a meeting of the violated and the violators who want to re-live their colonial past. Perhaps that is why Canada believes that it can dictate to Sri Lanka?

Segal says there was no local government in the north – his ignorance and bias is reflected in this statement. There was no election in the north because the LTTE which was fascist did not permit elections to be held as in the other provinces. It is only because the LTTE was eliminated that the people were able to vote. Further, he claims that the powers of the northern province have been curtailed. The act that created the provinces gave the same powers to all the provinces. There was no “special” act for the northern province. Based on his ignorance it is surprising that he is considered to be an “expert” on Sri Lanka. He is merely making statements to support his political masters.

As for your question, has Canada not been critical enough of the Sri Lankan government? Please do not give Canada an importance which it does not have. All members of the Commonwealth are equal. Canada is not the colonial ruler of Sri Lanka. It can express an opinion that is all. Regarding Sri Lanka it is in no position to criticise nor does it have any leverage because successive Canadian governments have supported it’s citizens sending two million dollars a month to terrorise Sri Lankans. The bombing of the Central Bank was paid for by the Canadians who are talking of human rights abuses. What can be more of a violation of human rights than to kill? Politicians fall over themselves to support them for votes in Canada which costs lives in Sri Lanka. Canada can criticise all it wants, it has no impact on Sri Lanka which links it to LTTE terrorism. If Canada wants accountability, let it first be accountable for terrorism, apologise and pay compensation. Otherwise it has no say.