It was recently reported in the media that the United Peoples Freedom Alliance Northern Provincial Councillor Angajan Ramanathan stated that none of the NPC opposition parties voted in favour of an anti-Sri Lankan resolution passed by the Northern Provincial Council, while categorically denying and rejecting the claim made by the Northern Provincial Council ruling party TNA’s statement stating that the anti-Sri Lankan resolution targeting the upcoming Geneva sessions against our motherland was unanimously passed on January 27, 2014.

He said, “In fact, as a mandated representative of the UPFA, we clearly objected the passing of the resolution. We, as the common UPFA Councillors of the Northern Provincial Council were surprised and disappointed to observe the factually incorrect statement that has been going around in the media.” The Northern Province UPFA Councillor continued, “we would also like to take this opportunity to highlight the grave danger this resolution will create for our country Sri Lanka in the international arena at a critical point in time, where all Sri Lankans are struggling to move forward from the past for a better future. We firmly believe that several, anti-Sri Lankan international forces are behind this move. We would like to kindly request TNA and all the forces, who are supporting the anti-Sri Lanka moves to come together as Sri Lankans by setting aside political differences in the name of our motherland. Opportunistic politics and wrong political moves made all of us Sri Lankans to suffer for more than three decades with a bloody civil war and as elected, mandated, members of the prestigious Northern Provincial council; we must all act responsibly to avoid making another historical blunder that would pave the way for international forces with vested interests to take advantage.”

Accountability issues

Angajan Ramanthan in his statement pointed out that, “While taking numerous steps to restore normalcy, develop, integrate and rapidly develop the Northern province, the government of Sri Lanka has already initiated a number of credible, effective processes to address all the issues and concerns of the people, the island wide census of missing persons during the civil war is one of the most important, transparent and responsible actions our government initiated to address accountability issues – a responsible, elected, government can work only based on facts and figures, not based on rumours and hearsay.”

Human Rights Special Envoy and Minister Mahinda Samarasinghe	Angajan Ramanathan

He added, “In fairness to all parties genuinely concerned, a transparent and a comprehensive process is the right way forward and the government has already made that right decision and initiated action.

Moves and proposals to justify the request for undue international pressure on Sri Lanka are based on prejudice that the current measures taken up by Sri Lankans will not conclude in fairness. We question such prejudice as they undermine and underestimate the resolve of the people of Sri Lanka. Mandate for the Northern Provincial council came from the people of the North and it is the responsibility of all the council members to act in accordance, within their framework. Playing in to the hands of foreign forces, expecting cheers from the gallery in that process, serves only the needs of anti-Sri Lankan elements around the world”.

Patriotic Ramanathan further stated that: “We firmly believe that Sri Lankans are fully capable of resolving all our issues through a home-grown solution that everyone can agree and this is a fact that all Sri Lankan’s can agree on. We as the UPFA members of the Northern Provincial council would like to propose and request all individuals and parties to stop politicizing and internationalizing our home issues for petty gains that will eventually backfire on all of us”.

While concluding his statement Angajan Ramanathan who is one of the Northern Provincial Council Member and also the SLFP Jaffna District Chief Organizer further pointed out that. “The people of Northern Province suffered for over 30 years and with the defeat of terrorism and with proper administration the people of the North are now enjoying peace. The intention of the President is to bring about unity amongst all citizens of Sri Lanka with special focus on youth who are our future generation with the motto of ‘One Country One Nation,’ where all people could live in peace and harmony”.

The resolution seeking an international war crimes investigation, which was amended from the original document before being adopted, rejected domestic investigations into alleged crimes committed against Tamils during the war. A motion submitted by NPC member Ananthi Sasitharan on people reported missing in the North was also adopted on the same day.

LTTE sympathizers

In spite of the determination of most of the members of the council, there appeared to be a difference between the Northern Province Chief Minister C.V. Wigneswaran, who met some of the NPC members the previous day and urged them not to create a rift in the working relationship between the government and the NPC.

It appears that the TGTE with its massive financial strength generated from the misled diaspora has finally managed to make the TNA their cat’s paw.

The Chief Minister C.V. Wigneswaran appears to have finally given in to the pressures exerted on him by the LTTE sympathizers of the diaspora. He had noted earlier that the resolution calling for an international probe in Sri Lanka was strongly worded and needed to be diluted objecting to the word ‘genocide’ being used in the resolutiom. As a former judge he did not wish to state untruths according to his own conscience. The resolution submitted before the NPC, also approved a proposal that an NPC member attend the March session of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva. Accordingly, NPC member Ananthi Sasitharan was appointed to attend the Geneva UN Human Rights Council sessions in March. Wigneswaran, Ananathi and other TNA members should appreciate the fact that if the President as the Commander in Chief and the heroic armed forces of Sri Lanka did not terminate the unlawful rebellion of the barbaric LTTE and its diabolical leader Prabhakaran that none of them would have sat at a meeting of the Northern Provincial Council, which would have been non-existent and if Hon.

Wigneswaran as a then Supreme Court judge serving the government of Sri Lanka visited the North while Prabhakaran was in power, he would have undoubtedly been executed by order of the Kangaroo Courts operating under the Tiger Supremo. Hon.Wigneswaran being a former judge should base his actions on tangible evidence and not on hearsay.

TNA leader R. Sampanthan said that the resolution sponsored by the United States is expected to be very critical. He said that the TNA has urged the United States to ensure the resolution brings a solution to the Tamil issue. Sampanthan said this after the TNA Central Committee met in Trincomalee. He said that the TNA will have meetings with UNHRC member countries and seek their support for the resolution.

He said that the government is having talks with some countries, particularly Muslim countries, in order to seek support against the resolution. However, he expressed confidence in the resolution being passed by a majority when it is taken up for a vote in Geneva.

Northern Provincial Council

Meanwhile, the UNP condemned the TNA led Northern Provincial Council’s passing of a resolution calling for an international inquiry into the armed conflict. Speaking to journalists the UNP MP Wijedasa Rajapaksa, said that the NPC’s resolution calling for an international investigation was illegal. Stressing that the UNP was ‘prepared to support the Sri Lankan government in overcoming whatever challenges it may have to face in Geneva in March’. Despite its political difference with the government, the UNP has repeatedly called for a united approach at the UN Human Rights Council in order to ensure that there is no international investigation calling for accountability and justice into the armed conflict.

Human Rights Special Envoy and Minister Mahinda Samarasinghe commenting on the resolution stated that the recent resolution that was passed in the Northern Provincial Council (NPC), weeks ahead of the Geneva Human Rights Council sessions, is part of a broader political conspiracy by international players, coordinated by diaspora groups to destabilise the country.

The Minister said, such conspiracies will not bear fruit as long as President Mahinda Rajapaksa and the government are favoured by the people, a fact proven repeatedly at many elections in the past. “The whole thing is a game that is being played, in the guise of promoting and protecting human rights. I have seen this happening in the past eight years, since the inception of this Council,” the Minister said.

He said initiatives by the so-called champions of human rights have nothing to do with HR. They are playing political games to make countries which have independent foreign policies kneel down. External interferences to overthrow governments using social media or internal groups have been successful only when leaders lacked public support. However, the people here respect President Rajapaksa for eradicating terrorism and developing the country in an unprecedented manner. Passing the resolution soon after the visit of US envoy Stephen Rapp and his meetings with the TNA is indicative of well-coordinated efforts against Sri Lanka. “It is not an isolated move by the TNA. It’s all very well coordinated and this is the challenge that we face today,” the Minister further said.

A few members of the TNA under pressure and coercion from the TGTE out of the entire population of Sri Lanka can not call for an unwarranted international investigation in our motherland. The law of the land must be exercised even at this late stage and action has to be taken to dissolve the Northern Provincial Council forthwith and the members who proposed and ratified such a resolution affecting the sovereignty of our motherland should face prosecution under the law for this traitorous act against Sri Lanka which may result in wanton destruction of our country as was seen in Iraq, Libya, Sudan and presently Syria serving the ends of the foreign nations who wish to have a power base in the Indian Ocean with a puppet regime in place in Sri Lanka.

International forces

As patriot Angajan Ramanathan, who apparently loves his motherland, quite correctly stated “We firmly believe that several, anti-Sri Lankan international forces are behind this move. We would like to kindly request TNA and all the forces, who are supporting the anti-Sri Lanka moves to come together as Sri Lankans by setting aside political differences in the name of our motherland…. Playing in to the hands of foreign forces, expecting cheers from the gallery in that process, serves only the needs of anti-Sri Lankan elements around the world.”

Instead of being grateful to the President as the Commander in Chief and the heroic armed forces of Sri Lanka, who terminated the unlawful rebellion of the barbaric LTTE and its diabolical leader Prabhakaran, against the lawfully elected government of Sri Lanka thereby ushering in peace and tranquility to our country thus enabling the Northern Provincial Council to sit in peace and pass resolutions without the fear of being executed, the actions of members of the TNA bring to mind the stark truth of the saying of Catullus cited at the outset of this piece:

“Cease to expect to win men’s gratitude,

To think that human beings can be grateful!”