US Think Tank Says Sirisena Lacks Political Will To Bring About Reconciliation
Posted on May 29th, 2015
By
COLOMBO: In a bid to mount pressure on the US, India and other countries to take up the issue of war crimes and human rights violations in Sri Lanka at the September session of the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) in Geneva, the California-based Oakland Institute has put out a research study which says that the Maithripala Sirisena government in Lanka lacks the necessary political commitment to bring about ethnic reconciliation.
The report, written by the Institute’s Executive Director, Anuradha Mittal, accepts that the Sirisena government has made some gestures towards reconciliation, but analysis of data up to April this year, show that very little has changed on the ground since the end of the war in 2009.
This raises serious questions about the government’s political will and political space to carry out a thorough investigation and prosecution of war crimes and its ability to ensure remedies that lead to justice,” Mittal says.
Calling for unrelenting international pressure on the Lankan government to deliver on its promises, Mittal says: Given the past record of governmental inaction, international pressure is critical for any decisive action. Instead of pursuing their geo-strategic interests, US, India and other countries should demand the release of the UN inquiry (into the charges of war crimes). The Human Rights Council should focus on establishing a judicial process under the auspices of the UN to ensure justice is done.”
The report points out that the Tamil-speaking North and East are still under heavy military occupation” with one soldier for every six civilians. Maj.Gen.Jagath Dias has been appointed Chief of Army Staff even though his 57 Division was accused of committing serious human rights abuses”.
Though a few political prisoners have been released it is still not clear how many are in detention. Thousands of Tamils are still living in camps or are unable to return to their lands. Seventy thousand to 140,000 Tamil civilians are still said to be missing.
Tamil culture and history are being systematically suppressed through Sinhalization to establish Sinhalese domination of the Tamil Homeland”, the report alleges.
May 29th, 2015 at 8:43 pm
All this because Maru Sira restarted Chinese relations!!
May 30th, 2015 at 6:04 am
It is high time Sri Lankans get concerned about what they think of themselves and not what others think !
May 30th, 2015 at 6:08 am
Anuradha Mittal another Indian vermin.
May 30th, 2015 at 6:33 am
5.8 million Sri Lankans knew this all along about the back stabber puppet. If US had genuine intentions, they would never back My3. Now shedding crocodile tears, wonder what is brewing underneath.
May 30th, 2015 at 12:40 pm
PKB pl note: Not Sirisena nor anybody can reconcile unilaterally. We all want reconciliation but it takes the common will of BOTH community leaders to achieve that. If for example while one side wants reconciliation but the other only want a Separate State then there is no common ground for reconciliation – reconciliation cannot be a unilateral thing! – S de Silva – London
May 30th, 2015 at 9:16 pm
For the US and Americans it will not be good enough till all of Sri Lanka capitulates to their will and agenda for Sri Lanka. It is foolish to believe otherwise. No amount of appeasing will bring solace to Sri Lanka till we give them a foothold for their bases and become another Philippine, South Korea, UK or Japan. It is futile to believe that US has any genuine intentions towards any country. All countries outside US and US citizens the 99% are for the exploitation of the Neo Cons who run the world.
The ‘waiter’ Sirisena can give all that his traitorous mind can think of, but that will not satisfy the Americans. They will always use the minority card to keep the country destabilised and open to another insurrection aided and funded by them.
The idiot has been led up the garden path to believe that he is another Gandhi, another Nelson Mandela and in line for a Nobel Prize. He is a traitor and not by any stretch of imagination a patriot!
May 31st, 2015 at 4:57 am
5.8 M and counting. Mounting public opinion is making the present illegal govt nervous and jumpy. Arrests made with trumped up reasons are illegal, isn’t it ? The present illegal govt guilty of same. Who passes judgement on the errant judge ?