UNHCR manipulated by the Tamil Tiger supporters and TNA – to scuttle the reconciliation process -Lanka Questions Credibility Of UNHRC
Posted on December 5th, 2014
The Government has questioned the credibility of the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) since an investigation on Sri Lanka mandated by the Council continued despite objections being raised.
Sri Lanka’s Permanent Representative to the UN in New York, Dr Palitha Kohona, speaking at the Third Committee (Social, Humanitarian and Cultural) of the 69th Session of the UN General Assembly accused the Human Rights Council of being increasingly politicised and warned that its credibility was gradually eroding.
Kohona told the UN that Sri Lanka feels that a handful of countries have been selected for adverse attention b්y the UN Human Rights Council, while others in similar circumstances were ignored
December 5th, 2014 at 2:29 pm
“UNHCR manipulated by the Tamil Tiger supporters and TNA”
Absolutely!
So what is the govt. doing about it?
NPC supplied MOST “evidence” to the UNHRC panel.
NPC passed genocide resolution against SL.
NPC leaders keep going round the world getting support for TE and against SL.
What is the MR govt. doing? NOTHING!
Tigers will bite and kill. That is NATURAL. We have to protect ourselves from them.
December 5th, 2014 at 2:54 pm
It is NOT just the Tamil Tiger supporters and the TNA, it is the George Soros NGOs operating in Sri Lanka (Human Rights Watch, International Crisis Group, Reporters Without Borders, Transparency International, Opens Society Foundations, etc.) that are influencing the UNHRC to move against Sri Lanka. In fact, a fairer statement is that the George Soros NGOs are manipulating the Tamil Tiger supporters and TNA to push Soros’ vision of a divided and destabilized Asia that is unable to check US-EU hegemony.
Google these three articles:
“Pillay’s panel from the shadow of George Soros”
“A Soros-Made “New World Order” Takes Shape at the UN”
“Exposing the International Arbiter”
From Human Events:
Soros has repeatedly said that he sees himself as a messianic figure. Who but a megalomaniac would make these comments? “I admit that I have always harbored an exaggerated view of my self-importance—to put it bluntly, I fancied myself as some kind of god” or “I carried some rather potent messianic fantasies with me from childhood, which I felt I had to control, otherwise I might end up in the loony bin.”
December 5th, 2014 at 5:28 pm
Vimutti,
Are you trying to DEFLECT the role by LTTE (=TNA)?
GOSL cannot control Soros but it CAN control TNA. But as we all know, it opted NOT to punish TNA and LTTE.
December 5th, 2014 at 6:53 pm
MURDER MOST FOUL!
Here is something for the UNHCR to focus on, and drag the leaders of the TNA, who aided and abetted the LTTE to commit these murders, to the ICC in Hague for criminal prosecution.
It is ABOUT TIME the GOSL ditched “Reconciliation” with murderous terrorists and held them ACCOUNTABLE for their crimes.
CRIMES merit PUNISHMENT; as long as you let the CRIMINALS ESCAPE there will be NO INCENTIVE for them not to comitt CRIMES & TREACHERY!
……………………
Sri Lanka police operation finds location where LTTE executed 80 people
ColomboPage News Desk, Sri Lanka.
Dec 05, Colombo: A Sri Lankan police team conducting investigation into the alleged execution by the Tamil Tiger terrorist group LTTE of 80 people including security personnel has identified the location where the murders have taken place.
The Terrorist Investigation Department (TID) of Police, based on the information obtained from interrogating a former LTTE cadre, has launched the investigation to identify the location in the jungles of Mullativu district where the LTTE shot and burnt the bodies of the captives.
The TID officers yesterday have identified a location in the Maradamadu jungle in Mullaitivu as the site where the Police Intelligence Specialist, Inspector Thureirathnam Jeyaratnam of Mount Lavinia police TID was believed to have been shot.
Inspector Jeyaratnam, an ethnic Tamil from Jaffna enlisted in police for 15 years, was abducted by LTTE from the Mount Lavinia Hotel on April 20, 2005 since he was a crucial source on intelligence against LTTE.
The forensic experts and Government Analyst’s Department officials who conducted investigations at this location has found a 9mm bullet used to kill the police official, state run Daily News reported.
Experts from the Sri Jayewardenepura University, Rajarata University, the Surveyor General’s Department, Legal Medico Institute and the Crimes Record Division are assisting in the investigation.
The investigation team began operations in the Oddusuddan, Inthimadu and Samalankulam areas of Mullaitivu after the Sri Lanka Army Demining Team confirmed that the area was free of landmines.
Forensic Experts of Government Analyst’s Department conducting operations have found that diesel and kerosene had been used to burn the bodies after the execution.
According to the information uncovered from the former rebel now in custody, Inspector Jeyaratnam was tortured and executed in 2006.
According to the suspect, Jeyaratnam was abducted in a white van and later taken to Kilinochchi where several other captives including an army captain, and Tamil civilians and LTTE cadres who were suspected of betraying the terror group were detained.
The suspect has told the police that the LTTE held the captives in illegal prisons named ‘Alpha-05’ and ‘Alpha-02’ in Vallipuram, Pudukuduirippu before they were executed.
About 30 of the captives were taken blindfolded to Oddusuddan jungle in May 2006 and executed and another group of about 50 prisoners were executed in the same location two months later in July 2006. The Army Captain who had been detained at a camp in Thottiadi, Vishvamadu was executed in 2009. Bodies of all victims were burned.
Three more former LTTE combatants who had been arrested have confirmed the suspect’s account of the massacres.
December 5th, 2014 at 7:08 pm
Lorenzo – not trying to deflect role of LTTE and TNA – just providing a FULLER explanation. Without the Soros NGOs, the LTTE and TNA would have been completely ineffective and there would be no charges at the UNHRC at all.
GOSL CAN control the Soros NGOs operating in Sri Lanka. The first challenge is to identify them all, as the funding sources of many of the smaller ones are not transparent. The larger ones should be banned outright from operating on the island, as they are simply taking orders from Soros to try to divide Sri Lanka for the benefit of US-EU hegemony.
MR is doing the right thing by moving the former LTTE into the mainstream, neutralizing the TNA by exposing their power grab as not about helping the Tamil people or Sri Lanka, and reaching Tamils directly with economic development dollars so they know being part of ONE SRI LANKA is a better option for them than falling for the separatist crap from the Soros NGOs and the TNA.
December 5th, 2014 at 7:13 pm
Ananada_USA – Wrong move! Falling for the US-EU trap of FOCUSING ON THE WAR rather than on what must be done POST-war to move the country forward by switching to LTTE war crimes keeps us in a divided state.
The war is over, so it is time to move on and make sure terrorism never resurfaces again, and that the incentives for future conflict are completely eliminated.
December 5th, 2014 at 8:09 pm
Vimutti,
“MR is doing the right thing by moving the former LTTE into the mainstream, neutralizing the TNA by exposing their power grab as not about helping the Tamil people or Sri Lanka, and reaching Tamils directly”
What NONSENSE!
The OPPOSITTE is true.
NO LTTE cadre has given up Tamil Elam! MANY former LTTE cadres are RE-ARRESTED for crimes.
Instead of neutralizing TNA, it has been EMPOWERED!!
Instead of reaching directly to Tamils, govt. has created a TNA controlled NPC to reach the people.
The net result of all this can be seen at the election when 95% Tamils vote against MR.
December 5th, 2014 at 8:11 pm
“Sri Lanka police operation finds location where LTTE executed 80 people”
EXCELLENT MOVE!
Election work should NOT stop national security.
The war is NOT over. TNA (=LTTE) still rules the north and spreads TE nonsense!! The SHAPE of war has changed. That’s all. TNA is doing the SAME THING LTTE did.
December 5th, 2014 at 8:20 pm
The TNA can easily be routed by resettling the North and East with Buddhists and insisting that they learn to live with others, leave the country or face imprisonment as subversives. This is what they do in other countries, especially white countries in Europe and the USA. No one in their right mind would advocate for a sub-population forming a separate country within the United States and take ACTION toward making it happen without getting infiltrated by the FBI and CIA and eventually landing in prison. All of the black leaders in the USA who advocated this were forced out of the country, imprisoned, or killed.
December 5th, 2014 at 8:26 pm
>>The net result of all this can be seen at the election when 95% Tamils vote against MR.<<
This is NOT true! The upcountry Tamils in the tea estates in the middle of the country are solidly behind MR, and he is splitting the Tamil vote in all areas outside of the North and East.
The real issue in the election, however, is not getting more Tamil votes, it is keeping the 70% Buddhist vote united behind MR. Even with war hero General Fonseka on the ballot, MR gets 58% of the vote. I don't see how MS could pull this number lower, and it will probably go higher toward 62% for MR.
December 5th, 2014 at 8:32 pm
“The TNA can easily be routed by resettling the North and East with Buddhists and insisting that they learn to live with others, leave the country or face imprisonment as subversives. ”
Very true.
But to do that, we need leaders who do not fear death. We could not have won the war if we had bayagulla soldiers.
But now our leaders do everything possible to avoid war crime tribunal. Everything possible. Soon they will give whatever India wants to build up solidarity to save their wealth, power, position and empire.
This is why we need a simple, clean and fearless leader.
My3 may not be the one. But a good start. Better ones will come later. (not the that useless couple of course !).
December 5th, 2014 at 8:46 pm
Vimutti,
You said “Wrong move! Falling for the US-EU trap of FOCUSING ON THE WAR rather than on what must be done POST-war to move the country forward by switching to LTTE war crimes keeps us in a divided state.
The war is over, so it is time to move on and make sure terrorism never resurfaces again, and that the incentives for future conflict are completely eliminated.”
ON THE CONTRARY, it is ABSOLUTELY the CORRECT MOVE to pursue these CRIMINALS from pillar to post giving them no respite whatsoever, and to tar and feather them for what the CRIMES they INFLICTED on the people of Sri Lanka.
In fact, this is a CRITICAL ASPECT of the DEFENSE of our Nation for decades to come in the future, that should by generously funded by the GOSL to achieve success.
If the LAST 5 YEARS have shown ANYTHING, it is that BEYOND A SHADOW OF DOUBT the Eelamists view RECONCILIATION as a sign of weakness to be exploited to achieve by subterfuge in peace the Eelam they failed to win by murderous violence, and are not prepared too MOVE ON and “RECONCILE” as you propose.
The burden is on them to ADMIT their CRIMES against INNOCENT people, and abjectly beg for FORGIVENESS from the VICTIMIZED people of Sri Lanka, defended and protected by the legitimate Government of Sri Lanka elected by the popular will of the citizens.
They will not allow us to “MOVE ON” having cloaked themselves, at least in Western Eyes, in sheepskins as the VICTIMS in this conflict. These hypocritical moves by the Eelamists will not vanish magically just because we are willing to roll over and play dead.
Therefore, having tried the “RECONCILIATION PATH” we have NO OPTION but to move to CONFRONT EVERY CHARGE with the OVERWHELMING EVIDENCE of their CRIMES by INVESTIGATING, DOCUMENTING, INDICTING and PUNISHING the LTTE, its past and presently surviving leaders, and even foreigners like Vaiko in Tamil Nadu and the Lady of Death who handed out cyanide capsules to suicide bombers in the Wanni, for their CRIMES against HUMANITY and the INNOCENT citizens of Sri Lanka.
IT IS TIME to recognize, that a GOOD SUSTAINED OFFENSE is the BEST DEFENCE against these Murderous Terrorist Hypocrites!
December 5th, 2014 at 11:24 pm
Ananda-USA,
Nearly ALL of the LTTE leaders are DEAD! This makes this a ridiculous waste of time and like I said previously, it is a distraction from POST-war action necessary to prevent this from happening again.
The reconciliation path has NOT failed, it is just getting sidetracked by all of this wasted time, energy and resources defending against UNHRC accusations. Once we get past the UNHRC, the situation becomes rather easy to deal with, as full-scale resettlement of the North and East can move forward, and all of the incentives and power driving the separatist movement can be removed.
December 6th, 2014 at 12:34 am
Vimutti,
You don’t know what you are talking about! THe war against the Eelamists has just entered a NEW PHASE … equally dangerous to Sri Lanka as the just defeated Military Phase!
The Tamil Eelamist Diaspora WILL NEVER GIVE UP, and the Western Powers will not change their policies. Sri Lanka will have to DEFEND ITSELF by SUPPRESSING the rump LTTEers within Sri Lanka, and developing ALL THE EVIDENCE NECESSARY to turn tables on the LTTE at the UN.
Well before you arrived on the scene at LankaWeb, I (and Lorenzo, and others) have been advocating Sinhala settlement in the North and East and ethnic integration as a permanent solution to separatism within Sri Lanka, but that will not silence the Eelamist Diaspora or their Western supporters.
December 6th, 2014 at 12:58 am
“Well before you arrived on the scene at LankaWeb, I (and Lorenzo, and others) have been advocating Sinhala settlement in the North and East and ethnic integration as a permanent solution to separatism within Sri Lanka, but that will not silence the Eelamist Diaspora or their Western supporters.”
It takes away the Federalism Hoax. If NPC and EPC roughly reflect the ethnic and religious mix of Sri Lanka as a whole, I think all the devolution talk goes out the window and the TNA is effectively neutralized.
The West can squawk all they want but they do NOT run Sri Lanka. And what are they going to say AFTER resettlement? It completely takes away their phony argument that they are interested in a UNITED Sri Lanka like they keep telling everyone, and exposes them as divisive, separatist meddlers that no one in the world is going to respect.
Continuing the troop and police presence in the North and East seems unjustified only WITHOUT resettlement. Get it?
December 6th, 2014 at 1:11 am
Vimutti,,
Yes, I got it well before you got it. You are preaching to the choir.
However, that will take decades, and even well after that happens, Sri Lanka will need to guard its coastline against Kallathonis slipping in from Tamil Nadu.
But my main point that you contested was, that we should ABANDON the RECONCILIATION PATH, and move to the CONFRONTATION PATH. That is the ONLY LANGUAGE these Racist Hypocritical Criminals, posing as VICTIMS underneath sheepskins, understand.
The Eelamist Tamil Diaspora will NEVER GIVE UP, and the problem of countering their moves by building a BODY of WAR CRIMES EVIDENCE against the LTTE, and countering their supporters inside and outside Sri Lanka will be ESSENTIAL for DECADES!
December 6th, 2014 at 1:23 am
Vimutti,
The president it not interested even settling the Sinhalese who were originally there. He simply refuse to do it. People went there to find out there land are occupied by Tamils. They came back. No support provided to them by the government. Is this a LTTE government ?
Who do you think will even imagine settling Sinhalese to outnumber Tamils ?
We need a leader with backbone. May be Vimutti. May be Lorenzo. For a start a man brave enough to challenge the president may be trusted since we are definitely going in the wrong direction now.
December 6th, 2014 at 1:28 am
Vimutti is trying to sacrifice national security for a few votes.
Upcountry Tamils did vote for MR last time. But MOST of them TOO voted for SF.
This time MR’s votes will further reduce because CWC is facing internal crisis and minorities have LEFT MR already.
TNA says it will NOT support My3. GOOD! Tamil people will. This is very good because this will be the ONLY TIME IN SL HISTORY Tamil people in the north and east will SPLIT from Tamil racist parties and vote for a Sinhala leader NOT endorsed by Tamil parties.
A victory for SL.
December 6th, 2014 at 1:32 am
The forthcoming Presidential Election is no challenge to me at all. I won the 2010 Presidential election with a majority of 18 lakhs and this time I will win with a bigger majority” said President Mahinda Rajapaksa.
Jayawewa … Mr. President!
……………………………
People at grassroots level are my greatest strength – President
Members of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party at village level always safeguarded the interests of the Party. When the doors of the SLFP Headquarters were closed to me and I was refused financial help for my 2005 Presidential election campaign, it was the people at grassroots level that came to my assistance, said President Mahinda Rajapaksa. The President was addressing representatives of local government bodies and the All Island Members of the SLFP Working Committee at Temple Trees on December 4. “The forthcoming Presidential Election is no challenge to me at all. I won the 2010 Presidential election with a majority of 18 lakhs and this time I will win with a bigger majority,” the President said.
“If Maithreepala Sirisena had told that he was going to contest the Presidential Election, I would have told him ” Very Good – Very Good”, My Best wishes and come back if you fail to win”. This was what I had told Sarath Fonseka and I would do the same to him. Any way, I wish Maithreepala Sirisena the best of luck,” the President said.
“If Ranil Wickremesinghe came forward to contest the Presidential election, at least he can say the UNP has an office of their own with Green as its colour, but the one that has been put forward as the so called common candidate did not know even the colour he represents,” the President added.
The President said he (Maithreepala Sirisena) had forgotten all the good he had done. “He should have had the courtesy to tell me that he wanted to go. I would have never said no to him. I will retire once I have created a country where youth can hold their heads high with confidence and conquer the world,” the President said.
Making reference to some remarks made by Maithreepala Sirisena, President Rajapaksa said that when he (President) went on overseas trips, he appointed him (Sirisena) as the Acting Defence Minister. I wish to know whether what I did was discrimination? he asked.
The President said some people levelled baseless allegations that he had offered millions to stop him from leaving. “I must say, that I do not offer money to a person who is not worth that offering. But, I have information that money has been offered to buy persons from the government rank. Even Anura Bandaranaike and Chandrika Kumaratunge had left this party. Therefore, there is nothing to be surprised about crossovers. Although Anura Bandaranaike left the SLFP, he never asked me to leave the party. He had told Ranil Wickremesinghe that Mahinda Rajapaksa would never leave the party,” the President said.
SLFP Secretary General Anura Priyadharshana Yapa and several others were also present.
December 6th, 2014 at 1:32 am
Ananda is right.
Only Ananda, me and A VERY FEW OTHERS campaigned for INTEGRATION (Ananda) and COLONIZATION (me and others) of the north with SINHALA people.
That is the ONLY solution. It will NOT silence the LTTE diaspora. It will NOT silence TNA. It will NOT silence Tamil people.
But it will make the IRRELEVENT in the north and force Tamil people to SHED racist parties and negotiate with what they call “Sinhala” parties at elections.
Sadly the govt. didn’t do it. Douglas anna chased away the Sinhala families who went to Jaffna in 2010 with the hope of resettlement. Even the SL army wasn’t kind to them. Truth to be told.
Vesavalami law continues and Jaffna remains TAMIL ONLY.
Now the govt. gives gold to Tamils but the gold stolen by the LTTE from MUSLIMS and SINHALESE are NOT given back! Why?
December 6th, 2014 at 1:35 am
Lorenzo,
This may come as a URPRISE to you, but those Tamil people who will NOT VOTE for the TNA, will VOTE for President Mahinda Rajapaksa who SAVED THEIR SKINS, and NOT the UNKNOWN ship-jumper Palwatte Gamaralage Mathripala Yapa Sirisena!
December 6th, 2014 at 1:45 am
“President Rajapaksa said that when he (President) went on overseas trips, he appointed him (Sirisena) as the Acting Defence Minister.”
I said this first. 5 times he was appointed as acting defence minister. And it was during the WAR.
This shows HOW MUCH MR TRUSTED My3. My3 didn’t waver. He discharged his duties very well.
Let me remind people who BASH My3 that even when MR left the country to JORDAN during the last days of the war (he landed on 17 May), it was My3 who was the acting defence minister! So if war crimes BS is to be brought against SL, My3’s neck goes FIRST. LTTE was defeated during this time. And by the time MR landed LTTE was begging for surrender. Finishing touches were given after this! :))
IF MR can trust him with national defence, people sure can!
IF anyone says My3 will hand over MR to war crimes tribunal it is TOTAL BS because My3 will be tried before MR in the event of a war crimes tribunal.
(Some people say MR deliberately went abroad during this time and handed over the burden to My3 “modaya”.)
December 6th, 2014 at 1:48 am
Independent – the original Sinhalese inhabitants may well be a lost cause for resettlement, as they have legitimate fears based on personal history. But you can INCENTIVIZE new settlers with below market rate government built housing, interest-free loans for housing and Sinhalese businesses, and develop a General Plan much like you find in modern urban and regional planning in the West in which all features of community life (housing, schools, temples, commercial/industrial/ and retail blocks of land are allocated for Sinhalese development so they feel self-sufficient and are able to form vibrant, secure, and self-sustaining communities in the North and East. The security for these communities is already present with the army and police.
The goal is to take away the incentive for more devolution and separatist activity by making it clear that the North and East will be just as much a part of Sri Lanka as any other place in the country.
I fully support the president, and think he will move on this as soon as it is politically doable (obviously after the election). Resettlement is not even imaginable under Ranil/Maithripala as they are simply too weak and will do whatever the West wants them to do.
December 6th, 2014 at 1:49 am
Ananda,
NOT TRUE.
Over 95% Tamils and 90% Muslims will vote for My3 or a Tamil candidate + My3. Its a foregone conclusion.
MR is planning to field a pro-LTTE Tamil candidate with the help of KP to divide the Tamil vote.
December 6th, 2014 at 1:51 am
Vimutti,
Stop talking nonsense.
It was NOT done for all these years. It will NOT happen in future.
What nonsense about safety? I thought people are safe anywhere in the country now after the LTTE was wiped out. So you mean to say it is NOT so?
In that case we need a change to assure safety of Sinhala people.
December 6th, 2014 at 1:55 am
Lorenzo,
Let us wait and examine the voting results after the election.
I would BELEIVE that you would be SURPRISED to see at how much support there is for MR and the UPFA in the North. If TNA does not endorse Mathripala, and does not prevent people from voting at all, that support will only INCREASE. Others will NOT VOTE AT ALL!
December 6th, 2014 at 1:56 am
>>Only Ananda, me and A VERY FEW OTHERS campaigned for INTEGRATION (Ananda) and COLONIZATION (me and others) of the north with SINHALA people.
That is the ONLY solution. It will NOT silence the LTTE diaspora. It will NOT silence TNA. It will NOT silence Tamil people.
But it will make the IRRELEVENT in the north and force Tamil people to SHED racist parties and negotiate with what they call “Sinhala” parties at elections.<<
Lorenzo,
Give up on the idea of OLD settlers re-settling and focus on NEW settlers and the incentives that would induce new Sinhalese settlers to move there. Housing, jobs, schools, businesses, temples, and SECURITY are what is going to make them move, so incentivize THOSE things and this is doable.
I don't know about Jafna, but I personally would consider moving to the Trincomalee area if it was part of a modern urban and regional planning General Plan that I outlined above.
December 6th, 2014 at 1:59 am
Vimutti,
Of course I was referring to the OLD settlers AND more importantly NEW settlers.
But forget about it under MR. It will NEVER happen. It was MR who withdrew the army which even CBK refused to pull back from Jaffna.
December 6th, 2014 at 2:02 am
TNA impaled on the horns of a DILEMMA: jump into the fire, the frying pan, or not jump at all, that is the question!
………………………
Presidential poll: TNA to reveal position in third week of Dec.
By Shamindra Ferdinando
Island.lk
December 5, 2014
Tamil National Alliance (TNA) would announce its stand on January 8, 2015 presidential election during the third week of December, Jaffna District TNA MP, Mavai Senathirajah said.
Last September, Senathirajah succeeded R. Sampanthan as the leader of the Illankai Thamil Arasu Kadchi (ITAK), the largest constituent in the alliance. However, veteran parliamentarian Sampanthan remains the TNA leader.
Asked whether the five-party alliance was likely to indicate its position ahead of nominations scheduled for Dec 8, MP Senathiraja told The Island: “We are in the process of consulting our representatives at different levels pending a meeting possibly on Dec 20 to finalize the decision.”
Senathirajah ruled out the possibility of making known TNA’s position before the nominations day. The TNA wouldn’t field a candidate, he said, in response to another query.
Incumbent President Mahinda Rajapaksa and former SLFP General Secretary Maithripala Sirisena are the main contenders in the fray.
Asked whether the TNA had sought an understanding with the SLMC as regards the forthcoming poll, Senathirajah said they hadn’t discussed the matter.
Earlier statement issued by the UNP revealing the participation of TNA National List MP M.A. Sumanthiran at a rally attended by Opposition presidential candidate Maithripala Sirisena and former President Chandrika Kumaratunga on Dec 2 at Hyde Park fuelled speculation of the TNA would throw its weight behind the Opposition campaign. However, Sumanthiran excused himself in an obvious bid to prevent the government exploiting the situation.
Authoritative government sources told The Island yesterday that the TNA would definitely join the Opposition campaign, though it was still reluctant to issue an official statement regarding the same. After having signed an electoral pact with Maithripala Sirisena, at Solis hotel, Pitakotte, JHU General Secretary and MP Patali Champika Ranawaka publicly endorsed the TNA joining the alliance for what he called a specific project. MP Ranawaka stressed that the JHU’s position didn’t mean it approved TNA policies.
Sources said that the TNA and the SLMC were most likely to take a common stand at the next presidential poll.
The TNA and the SLMC backed former army commander Gen Sarath Fonseka at the last presidential poll on January 26, 2010. President Rajapaksa won a second term at that election polling a well over 1.8 mn more votes over Fonseka.
SLFP Batticaloa District Organizer Arun Tambimuttu told The Island that President would receive a substantial number of votes of predominately Tamil speaking districts in the Northern and Eastern provinces. Tambimuttu said that a range of development projects implemented in war-torn areas as well as return to near normalcy would attract Tamil and Muslim voters to the government candidate whose spearheading role in the post-war development strategies couldn’t be disputed. Commenting on Batticaloa, Tambimuttu said that during house-to-house campaigning in the Batticaloa electorate, he met people who really appreciated President’s efforts. Tambimuttu said: “People don’t want uncertainty. They are determined to get on with their lives after 30 years of bloodshed. The forthcoming election will give them an opportunity to ensure consolidation of peace.”
Tambimuttu said that he would never dispute the TNA’s right to engage in politics. “Political parties have a right to reach out to people. They reach agreements with other political parties. But have you ever heard of any other political party accepting an armed organization as sole representatives of a particular community.” Tambimuttu was commenting on the TNA recognizing the LTTE as Tamils’ sole representatives in the run-up to Norwegian-arranged Ceasefire Agreement in Feb 2002.
December 6th, 2014 at 2:03 am
Vimutti,
you must listen to good speakers who talk sense. Not the president nor Mervyn !
Actually those people went there with hope of settling back. They had to undergo a lot of hardships but Army said they can’t help. They came back to their relatives houses where they were staying for years. This actually happened.
Unless a person like Champika Ranawaka become the president, I doubt it will happen in the near future. I am not talking about new settlements., just thoe 26000 people who were kicked out.
Yes, it can be done but we don’t have leaders with backbone. It is up to you to support anyone but you have to listen to a variety of people and check and counter check the history. Then only you will get the correct Ditthi.
December 6th, 2014 at 2:04 am
>>Stop talking nonsense.
It was NOT done for all these years. It will NOT happen in future.<<
Once it is CLEAR that this is the only permanent solution to prevent separatism and the re-emergence of terrorism, it will happen.
December 6th, 2014 at 2:09 am
Vimutti,
Why not baticlloa ? beautiful. But you must learn Tamil first and get used to allah Hu akbarr whole day. probabaly 50 mosques) . It is tamil country with Islaam only. All these under our president.
December 6th, 2014 at 2:21 am
Independent – you said, “I am not talking about new settlements., just those 26000 people who were kicked out.”
I guess you are not getting the SCALE of the resettlement project I am talking about – it will take at least 4,000,000 Sinhalese moving to the North and East over 10 years to roughly reflect the ethnic and religious mix nationwide.
A project of this scale requires modern city and regional planning, serious incentives, security, and development dollars. Imagine 6 phased-in Colombo Port City like projects in the North and East and I think you will get the picture. And just like Colombo Port City, the Chinese can probably be counted on as a reliable direct investment partner in such development, and international bond markets (Google: “Sri Lanka Looks to Chinese Offshore Bond Market”) could be another viable funding source.
Think of it as an investment in Sri Lanka’s long-term stability which is something every investor in Sri Lanka would want to support.
December 6th, 2014 at 2:31 am
Independent – I visited Batticaloa and Trincomalee about a month ago for the first time (stayed one night in each place), and while both are nice, my personal preference is Trincomalee. Trincomalee’s natural beauty of having more trees and hills, a beautiful deep sea harbor and natural lagoons, and excellent beaches (even spotted a few Buddhist temples), would make it more desirable than Batticaloa. The lagoons in Batticaloa were not as fresh, there were a LOT less trees and hills (virtually flat) and barren, and the ocean was nice but with a rocky coral ocean floor (cut the bottom of my foot) rather than the soft sand of Trincomalee.
December 6th, 2014 at 2:58 am
Vimutti,
We have a old sports which is capable of going at 300 kPh which broke down 20 years ago and doesn’t start. You plan to drive take it to a grand Prix. Of course you can with someone willing to repair, refurbish and rebuild.
Here we have a president who is very scared of war crimes tribunal and never speak up against India and middle East countries in the fear of not antagonising them. He is not even willing to settle 26000 rightful owners. You are talking about 4 million Sinhalese.
I am a realist and I don’t dream this way. I change the president who does not respond to patriots at all as a first step. Then I will try and settle those 26000. India will shout, USA will shout, UN will shout, Tamil Nadu will stop eating .
December 6th, 2014 at 3:03 am
Independent,
Actually the better urban and regional planning model that could accommodate the scale of Sinhalese settlers to balance the population in the North and East is CURITIBA in Brazil
Google: “Curitiba: Planning for Sustainability – An Approach All Cities Can Afford”
December 6th, 2014 at 3:13 am
Independent,
The leaders in India are too influenced by their former British colonists who think division is the answer to all ethnic and religious differences. It doesn’t work in India (look at Pakistan which used to be part of India) and certainly will not work in Sri Lanka.
India may squawk at first and so will the West, but once they see the development dollars flowing they will try to get in on the action. I think even the TNA will try to get in on the action, as a development of such scale would simply be too much money flowing under their noses for them to keep up the separatist banner for too long as they would see the handwriting on the wall and know there is nothing they can do to stop it.
December 6th, 2014 at 5:07 am
Ananda,
Remember we argued the same thing in April 2010? I said TNA would win 15 seats and you said they will be lucky to win 2 seats.
But what happened? TNA won 14 seats!
You have not understood the Tamil mindset.
I obviously FEEL it. That is why I said COLONIZATION and NOT just integration. FORCE is the word.
December 6th, 2014 at 5:09 am
Vimutti,
It’s too late now.
With only 13,000 soldiers in the Jaffna district it is UNSAFE for Sinhalese to go there and live there now.
Yes. The war is NOT over yet. Its shape changed and TNA won the northern province.
IF TNA and SLMC come to an agreement, they will have EPC too.
December 6th, 2014 at 1:42 pm
Lorenzo,
This is NOT 2010 just 1 year after the end of the War in 2009; It is 2014 after a lot of development has taken place in the North and East that has benefited ordinary Tamil people of the war zone.
Their MINDSET has moved away a LITTLE from that of the LTTE and the TNA, who caused them ONLY CONTINUOUS GRIEF. They now want that PEACE, DEVELOPMENT and PROGRESS they see in their lives to CONTINUE without further disruption.
For that to be made possible and accelerated, the TNA has to be DEMOLISHED! To DEMOLISH the TNA and FREE ordinary Tamils from the ever present control of TNA goons, more Sinhala people and Security personnel have to move into and SETTLE in the North and East.
This is an important part of what I FOUND OUT during my recent travels in the North and East of Sri Lanka and talking to both Security personnel and Tamil civilians.
I don’t recall saying that the TNA would win only 2 seats in April 2010, but I do recall you saying that the TNA would win MOST seats.
However, I also recall you saying that MR would probably LOSE, or eke out a small win in 2010 against Gonzeka, whereas I predicted a LANDSLIDE Victory for the President, and the President did win by a LANDSLIDE.
In 2015 also, I predict that the President will win by a LANDSLIDE, which I define as by more than a 2/3 (66.7% ) majority.
December 6th, 2014 at 9:24 pm
“In September, the United Nations demanded that all states make it a serious criminal offense for their citizens to travel abroad to fight with militant groups, or to recruit and fund others to do so, in a move sparked by the rise of Islamic State.”
TOO BAD the UN didn’t see fit to do this when Eelamists across the world travelled to Sri Lanka to JOIN THE Tamil Tigers, and Gathered Funds and Supplied Arms for the killing of hundreds of Thousands of innocents in Sri Lanka!
ONLY NOW that WESTERNERS are being BEHEADED that this becomes an URGENT ISSUE!
In the MEANTIME, the UNHCR hounds Sri Lanka with fictional “War Crime” ALLEGATIONS in support of the REAL WAR CRIMINALS of the LTTE!
It is only a question of WHOSE OX IS BEING GORED, THEIRS or OURS! BLOODY HYPOCRITES INCARNATE!
……………………….
Australia exercises sweeping new security laws, bans Syria travel
By Matt Siegel
December 3, 2014
SYDNEY (Reuters) – Australia on Thursday for the first time exercised sweeping new security powers allowing it to block citizens from traveling to overseas conflict zones such as those in Iraq and Syria, where dozens of Australians have joined Islamist militant groups.
Foreign Minister Julie Bishop designated the Islamic State’s stronghold of Raqqa province in Syria off limits as part of a push to combat what the government says is growing radicalization among young Australian Muslims.
It is the first use of new security powers obtained by conservative Prime Minister Tony Abbott, under which Australian citizens traveling to any area overseas declared off limits can face up to a decade in prison.
“Under the provisions of our foreign fighters legislation, I have today declared Al Raqqa province an area where a listed terrorist organization is engaging in hostile activity,” Bishop told Parliament.
“This now makes it an offense under Australian law to enter or remain in the province of al-Raqqa without a legitimate reason. Anyone who enters or remains faces a penalty of up to 10 years’ imprisonment.”
In September, the United Nations demanded that all states make it a serious criminal offense for their citizens to travel abroad to fight with militant groups, or to recruit and fund others to do so, in a move sparked by the rise of Islamic State.
Security analysts have put the number of foreign fighters in Iraq and Syria, traveling from scores of countries around the world, in the thousands.
Australia is on high alert for attacks by radicalized Muslims or by home-grown militants returning from fighting in the Middle East, having raised its threat level to high and undertaken a series of high-profile raids in major cities.
Abbott has said that at least 70 Australians were fighting in Iraq and Syria backed by about 100 Australia-based “facilitators”.
The government, which recently warned that the balance between freedom and security “may have to shift”, is also introducing controversial data retention laws it says are needed to tackle security and criminal threats.
Critics say the data laws go too far in compromising privacy, will be too costly and could lay journalists and whistleblowers open to hefty prison sentences.
(Reporting by Matt Siegel; Editing by Nick Macfie)