Statements on Sri Lanka Urging International Investigations
Posted on July 5th, 2011
Ira de Silva London, Canada
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Ms. Navanetham Pillay
United Nations High Commissioner for Human RightsƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚
Geneva, SwitzerlandƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ CC: Hon Ban ki Moon, Secretary General
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚
Dear Madam,
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚
IƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ read a news report on your latest statement on Sri LankaƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ dated June 30,2010 whichƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ reflects your continuedƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ aggressive, biased, vindictive attitude towards Sri Lanka.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ At the sessions in GeneveƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ in June this year, commenting on Sri Lanka you made a statement that the war was fought under the “guise of terrorism”. The implication is that a)ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ you have minimal knowledge of whatƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ had taken place in Sri Lanka and ofƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ LTTE (Tamil) terrorism over a period of 25 years, b) if you did have knowledge of terrorism in Sri Lanka,ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ it was a blatant attempt to deny what the rest of the world had heard of andƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ seen on news broadcasts all over the world, c) you were making a deliberate attempt toƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ turn a blind eye toƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ the terrorism of the LTTE andƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ the havoc and destruction of life and property. I would like to point out to you that while you are entitled to your personal beliefs aboutƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ LTTE (Tamil)ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ terrorists,ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ all of theseƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ideas/beliefs/attitude reflected in your statements are not in keeping with the policies of the U.N. and the office you hold atƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ the U.N.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ which requiresƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ impartiality.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚
On June 30,2010 you state that “there isƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ a high level of expectations expressed by member states that Sri Lanka should seriously inquire into these allegations”. You do not mention who these “member states” areƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ but it is a strong possibility that they are the same member states that put forward the resolution against Sri Lanka in 2009 comprising the “white west” spearheaded by the U.S. and the U.K.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ which observation is based onƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ the continued statements/threats of the representatives of these countries calling for an international investigation on Sri Lanka’s “alleged” war crimes. It is appropriate to remind you again that the resolution was defeated in 2009. Your attempt at the recent U.N. sessions was to “formalise” the Darusman report which was merely an advisory report to the Secretary General and so use it to legitimize your idea that Sri Lanka must be investigated and punished. It is strange that you are concentrating on Sri Lanka when several of these same member states, who you say have a high level of expectation to put forward a resolution against Sri Lanka, were and are perpetrating all kinds of crimes against humanity and violations of international law in their adventures in other countries. Their mantra is that others should be killed so that their countries stay safe. If you are genuinely concerned about human rights, why are you ignoring these persistent violations of human rights when there are volumes of credible evidence already available?
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚
Dear Madam,
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚
IƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ read a news report on your latest statement on Sri LankaƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ dated June 30,2010 whichƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ reflects your continuedƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ aggressive, biased, vindictive attitude towards Sri Lanka.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ At the sessions in GeneveƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ in June this year, commenting on Sri Lanka you made a statement that the war was fought under the “guise of terrorism”. The implication is that a)ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ you have minimal knowledge of whatƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ had taken place in Sri Lanka and ofƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ LTTE (Tamil) terrorism over a period of 25 years, b) if you did have knowledge of terrorism in Sri Lanka,ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ it was a blatant attempt to deny what the rest of the world had heard of andƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ seen on news broadcasts all over the world, c) you were making a deliberate attempt toƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ turn a blind eye toƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ the terrorism of the LTTE andƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ the havoc and destruction of life and property. I would like to point out to you that while you are entitled to your personal beliefs aboutƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ LTTE (Tamil)ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ terrorists,ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ all of theseƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ideas/beliefs/attitude reflected in your statements are not in keeping with the policies of the U.N. and the office you hold atƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ the U.N.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ which requiresƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ impartiality.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚
On June 30,2010 you state that “there isƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ a high level of expectations expressed by member states that Sri Lanka should seriously inquire into these allegations”. You do not mention who these “member states” areƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ but it is a strong possibility that they are the same member states that put forward the resolution against Sri Lanka in 2009 comprising the “white west” spearheaded by the U.S. and the U.K.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ which observation is based onƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ the continued statements/threats of the representatives of these countries calling for an international investigation on Sri Lanka’s “alleged” war crimes. It is appropriate to remind you again that the resolution was defeated in 2009. Your attempt at the recent U.N. sessions was to “formalise” the Darusman report which was merely an advisory report to the Secretary General and so use it to legitimize your idea that Sri Lanka must be investigated and punished. It is strange that you are concentrating on Sri Lanka when several of these same member states, who you say have a high level of expectation to put forward a resolution against Sri Lanka, were and are perpetrating all kinds of crimes against humanity and violations of international law in their adventures in other countries. Their mantra is that others should be killed so that their countries stay safe. If you are genuinely concerned about human rights, why are you ignoring these persistent violations of human rights when there are volumes of credible evidence already available?
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚
Further you state thatƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ if Sri Lanka takes too long to probe war crimes allegations or fails to carry out a credible inquiry it could lead to international action. Considering that there is now “a high level of expectation by member states that Sri Lanka should seriously inquire into these allegations” whyƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ do you not ask these same member states who are continuously carrying out crimes in other countries by incessant bombings, drone attacks,ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ proven acts of torture, rendition, destruction of lives and means of livelihood to “seriously inquire into these allegations”, carry out credible inquiries and prosecute those responsible so that they set an example and a standard the rest of the world can emulate?
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚
In the case of Sri Lanka, you are basing your threats of war crimes investigationsƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ andƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ violation of human rightsƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ on a documentary shown in Geneve under the auspices of Amnesty InternationalƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ comprising of a videoƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ with no proof ofƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ it’s authenticity and a collection of photos strung together with the sole purpose of accusing Sri Lanka of war crimes, again without providingƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ any credible proof. As a matter of fact, it has now been reported that there are glaring errors such as showing the security forces bombing a jungle areaƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ but showingƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ casualties in an open area. Perhaps those responsible for the documentary were alsoƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ so intent on accusationsƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ and condemnation that they were careless and believed that those who watched the documentary would also be ignorant of the ground realities.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ To further bolster your accusations you also useƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ a report to the Secretary General, which is not a U.N. report, because it was not sanctioned by the Security Council or the General Assembly, and which by the admission of the panel members themselves is “not based on proven fact”.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚
In the circumstances, there is a high level of expectation by the people of Sri Lanka that you carry out your duties in an impartial manner, that you have the documentary checked for authenticity and quit trying to make an advisory report to the Secretary General as a U.N. report which seems to beƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ just a ploy to formalise it in the U.N. system through a resolution and attempt thereby to implement it’s recommendations which clearly can not be considered seriously because there was no investigation by the panel andƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ they say it is not based on proven facts.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚
Yours truly,
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚
Yours truly,
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚
Ira de Silva
London, Canada
July 6th, 2011 at 3:01 am
Dear Ira De Silva!…..Very impressed with your letter to Ms Pillai who happens to be a Tamil. A learned person like you and many others should speak up regarding false propagada by “Evil Doers” as one leader in the USA stated.
Most of those who criticise sovereign states & the way these small countries dealt with EVIL should look at their own astrocities conducted in the name of protecting human rights.
Please continue your excellent work so that we will be enlightened by impartial comments & writings of you and others.
Gamunu ~ Canada
July 6th, 2011 at 4:02 am
But what can we do.-these are the prosecutors, judges and the executors of their own judgments ?
To who can we appeal , again it is they who will decide whether our complaints could be accepted.
Barrack Obama also warns that we should make a reliable investigation. But who will decide whether our investigations are reliable ?
Barrack Obama who in the view of the American Congress is carrying on an illegal war along with the Nato Forces in Libya warning us about human rights and war crimes , makes a laughing stock of justice. It is like the kettle calling the pot black.
It is worst because the war they are carrying on is against a foreign people, and against an Independent Sovereign State, but Sri Lanka was fighting a “war” in its own territory against a group of terrorists who were killing and terrorizing the people of their own community, apart from the people of other communities .
Navi Pillai should not be where she is, as she is completely biased against Sri Lanka- a member state of the UN , and she “undoubtedly” belongs to a terrorist front Organization of the diaspora.
But how can we convince the anti Sri Lanka West who are out to destabilize and divide Sri Lanka ?
We are helpless against the International Terrorism which has decided to mow down all developing countries not toeing their line and are friendly with China and Russia.