IS THIS NEWS TRUE. IT APPEARED IN A TAMIL WEB INTERNATIONAL NEWSPAPER.
Posted on February 9th, 2016
Noor Nizam.
THE NEWS.
An eleven-member Consultation Task Force will enforce provisions of the US-backed resolution which was jointly sponsored by Sri Lanka at the Human Rights Council in Geneva last year.Its work will be carried out with the help of a UN expert who will arrive in Colombo next week. He is Pablo de Greiff, Special Rapporteur on the promotion of truth, justice, reparations and guarantees of non-recurrence. This will be part of an Action Plan formulated by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs as stated in a confidential document circulated to Western countries and India as part of the implementation of the UNHRC (UN Human Rights Council) Resolution titled promoting reconciliation, accountability and human rights in Sri Lanka adopted by the UNHRC in October, 2015.
The framework for the consultation process, already formulated, will have two phases — a web-based process in all languages and a face-to-face consultation process which will focus on specific stakeholders –including children, military, disabled combatants, widows and ex-child combatants. The web-based process will begin after Mr. de Greiff arrives. According to the Action Plan, the consultation process will be victim centric” and will be completed within three months. The 11-member Committee named by the Government comprises Manouri Muttetuwegama (Chairperson), Dr. Pakiasothy Saravanamuthu (Secretary), Gamini Viyangoda, Prof. Chitralekha Maunaguru, Visakha Dharmadasa, Dharmasiri Bandaranayake, Dr Farzana Haniffa, Shantha Abhimanasingham PC, Mirak Raheem, Prof. Daya Somasunderam and Gameela Samarasinghe.
The Task Force, which will report to a Steering Committee on Reconciliation and the Prime Ministerial Action Group (PMAG) will consult stakeholders on design of the domestic mechanisms. The Steering Committee is now speaking to experts and researching on options available, according to a Government note seen by the Sunday Times. It says the actual designing and presentation of legislation to Cabinet and Parliament will begin only once the process of consultations concludes.”
On the subject of commencing a dialogue with persons of Sri Lankan origin overseas,” the note says 267 out of 424 individuals and eight entities out of 16 entities that were listed under the UN Security Council resolution 1373 in 2014 were de-listed in 2015.” It says that the Government is working with the private sector to organise a month-long festival in June 2016 for persons of Sri Lankan origin, inviting them to re-visit Sri Lanka.”
Noor Nizam. Peace and Political Activist and Political Communication Researcher.
February 9th, 2016 at 4:38 pm
What a shocker !
Pakasshutthy openly rejected unitary state status a year ago. he said he cannot speak Tamil.
Is there a single , proper Sinhala Buddhist to represent the majority Sri Lankans ?
February 9th, 2016 at 5:56 pm
Although it is a bad decision to allow foreigners interfere in a purely domestic matter, I see some benefits in it too. Whether we like it or not, this is upon us and we must face it.
The mission of Pablo de Greiff should give war affected Sinhalese and Muslims an avenue for the first time (emphasised) to air their grievances. LLRC and subsequent commissions disregarded Sinhala and Muslim grievances relating to the conflict. My submissions to the LLRC on their plight were totally disregarded as they are not in the recommendations. All local commissions were aimed at appeasing Tamils and as a result, even locals have no faith in them.
Sri Lanka cosponsoring the 2015 UNHRC resolution is bad. However, the Sri Lanka’s own UNHRC resolution in 2009 is far worse. It made a commitment to resettle only Tamils (no mentioning of displaced Sinhalese and Muslims) and fully implement 13A imposed against the will of the people and the sovereignty of the nation in 1987.
Since the evidence taking is done mainly from victims, patriotic groups and political parties (if they want the vote of patriots) must organise this to happen. Victims of Tamil attacks, displaced Sinhalese and Muslims, wounded soldiers, family members of soldiers KIA, family members of victims of Tamil violence and others must be organised to give evidence.
Boycotting this is disastrous for Sinhalese and Muslims as this is authoritative.
This is the only real chance offered to them to air their grievances. British crimes of allowing millions of Tamils into the island, robbing Sinhala people’s land in the upcountry for tea plantations and Tamil settlement, continuing Tamil illegal encroachment into Sri Lanka and the effects of “divide and rule” must be brought to its attention. Tamil diaspora financing terrorism, India training and arming Tamil terrorists, western governments turning a blind eye to Tamil terror and not resettling displaced Sinhalese and Muslims by the governments since 2009 must be brought to its attention.
All these must be addressed for non-recurrence.
If anyone wishes to oppose this move, they must still give evidence and/or support it. The final report can be disputed for wilful disregard of submissions, bias or other technical issues (only). Blindly rejecting it and boycotting won’t work as the Sri Lankan government (wrongly though) has agreed to it.
The report produced by this will be an essential input into the war crimes judicial investigation. Therefore it is crucial to make our case in it.