Sri Lanka, Augusr 10,2011 – If there is to be Peace there must be Justice, A. Neve of Amnesty International
Posted on August 19th, 2011
Ira de Siva London, Canada
The Editor
Embassy Magazine
Ottawa, Ontario.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚
Dear Sir:
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚
I am responding to the article by A. Neve of Amnesty International titled “If There is to be Peace there must be Justice”, because I have had continuing correspondence with Mr. Neve regarding Amnesty’s continued vilification of Sri Lanka without any attempt to verify the information on which he bases his arguments and judgements. The problem could be that Amnesty’s mandateƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ concentrates on being critical, judgemental and proposing actions for state governmentsƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ faced withƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ armed aggression and terrorism but tends to deal lightly with the terrorists themselves.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ AmnestyƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ is also selective in their choice of whom to criticise, it does not dare criticise the major countries of the west in their continuous, murderous assaults on civilian populations perhaps because they are indebted to these countries. Amnesty concentrates on countries like Sri Lanka, who they criticise at length, according to the dictates of their benefactors who are the very same countries that are continuing to terrorise millions in their self proclaimed war on terrorism. Sri Lanka, a small third country, is not permitted to deal with terrorism in it’s own territory except in a manner dictated by those who believe they run the world.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚
Mr. Neve refers to the people trapped between the Sri Lankan forces and what he refers to as the “retreating armed opposition LTTE (Tamil Tigers)”. He hasƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ “forgotten” to mention that the LTTE (terrorists) purposelyƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ drove these civilians from their homes fromƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ west to eastƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ for the sole purpose of using them as a human shield – that was why there was, as he claims, “massive displacement”. He ignores the fact thatƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ there were several appeals by the Sri Lankan government andƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ other international agenciesƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ to the LTTE to release theseƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ people which were completely ignored by the Tamil terrorists. Where was AmnestyƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ at this time? Why was there was no effort to help these people who they now have such concern for? As he says the conflict went on for three decadesƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ and stopped only with theƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ defeat of the Tamil terrorists.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Tamil terrorismƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ was inflicted onƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ALL the people of Sri Lanka throughout the island, not only on the Tamil civilians that Amnesty is now crying over, people who suffered immensely with suicide bombings (invented by the LTTE), attacks on trains, buses,ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ places of worship, offices etc. – no one was safe anywhere in the whole country. During that long period, AmnestyƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ was not crying over theƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ deaths and fears of all these people but merely being critical of the governmentƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ with a passing comment on the LTTE. Refer to his quote of “Twenty Years of Make Believe” – to Amnesty it was make believe, to the people of Sri Lanka it was very real intimidation, fear and the possibility of death at any moment.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Amnesty was concentrating onƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ what it called “human rights violations” by the security forcesƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ glossing over the extreme terrorism of the LTTE known as the most ruthless terrorists in the world (FBI). In comparison to Sri Lanka what is Amnesty doing about the horrendous and continuing violations taking place in Iraq and Afghanistan where thousands upon thousands are being killed, maimed, displaced and terrorised all in the name of a phony “war on terrorism”? Sri Lanka as he has stated, was terrorised for three decades. It was an internal conflict that Sri Lanka had to face without much help from what is euphemistically called the “international community”ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ which is comprised of the former colonial rulers and their cohorts also referred as the “white west”. This perception was highlighted in 2009 when at the Human Rights Council in Geneva, a resolution to condemn Sri Lanka and initiate a war crimes investigation was supported only by the western countriesƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ably supported by Amnesty, Human Rights Watch etc. The resolutionƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ was soundly defeated asƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ there were only twelve votes in favour of the resolution. In 2011 these same anti Sri Lanka elements attempted to table another such resolution to which end Amnesty sponsoredƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ the Channel 4 video. This too did not materialise.
Embassy Magazine
Ottawa, Ontario.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚
Dear Sir:
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚
I am responding to the article by A. Neve of Amnesty International titled “If There is to be Peace there must be Justice”, because I have had continuing correspondence with Mr. Neve regarding Amnesty’s continued vilification of Sri Lanka without any attempt to verify the information on which he bases his arguments and judgements. The problem could be that Amnesty’s mandateƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ concentrates on being critical, judgemental and proposing actions for state governmentsƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ faced withƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ armed aggression and terrorism but tends to deal lightly with the terrorists themselves.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ AmnestyƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ is also selective in their choice of whom to criticise, it does not dare criticise the major countries of the west in their continuous, murderous assaults on civilian populations perhaps because they are indebted to these countries. Amnesty concentrates on countries like Sri Lanka, who they criticise at length, according to the dictates of their benefactors who are the very same countries that are continuing to terrorise millions in their self proclaimed war on terrorism. Sri Lanka, a small third country, is not permitted to deal with terrorism in it’s own territory except in a manner dictated by those who believe they run the world.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚
Mr. Neve refers to the people trapped between the Sri Lankan forces and what he refers to as the “retreating armed opposition LTTE (Tamil Tigers)”. He hasƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ “forgotten” to mention that the LTTE (terrorists) purposelyƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ drove these civilians from their homes fromƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ west to eastƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ for the sole purpose of using them as a human shield – that was why there was, as he claims, “massive displacement”. He ignores the fact thatƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ there were several appeals by the Sri Lankan government andƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ other international agenciesƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ to the LTTE to release theseƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ people which were completely ignored by the Tamil terrorists. Where was AmnestyƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ at this time? Why was there was no effort to help these people who they now have such concern for? As he says the conflict went on for three decadesƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ and stopped only with theƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ defeat of the Tamil terrorists.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Tamil terrorismƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ was inflicted onƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ALL the people of Sri Lanka throughout the island, not only on the Tamil civilians that Amnesty is now crying over, people who suffered immensely with suicide bombings (invented by the LTTE), attacks on trains, buses,ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ places of worship, offices etc. – no one was safe anywhere in the whole country. During that long period, AmnestyƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ was not crying over theƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ deaths and fears of all these people but merely being critical of the governmentƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ with a passing comment on the LTTE. Refer to his quote of “Twenty Years of Make Believe” – to Amnesty it was make believe, to the people of Sri Lanka it was very real intimidation, fear and the possibility of death at any moment.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Amnesty was concentrating onƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ what it called “human rights violations” by the security forcesƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ glossing over the extreme terrorism of the LTTE known as the most ruthless terrorists in the world (FBI). In comparison to Sri Lanka what is Amnesty doing about the horrendous and continuing violations taking place in Iraq and Afghanistan where thousands upon thousands are being killed, maimed, displaced and terrorised all in the name of a phony “war on terrorism”? Sri Lanka as he has stated, was terrorised for three decades. It was an internal conflict that Sri Lanka had to face without much help from what is euphemistically called the “international community”ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ which is comprised of the former colonial rulers and their cohorts also referred as the “white west”. This perception was highlighted in 2009 when at the Human Rights Council in Geneva, a resolution to condemn Sri Lanka and initiate a war crimes investigation was supported only by the western countriesƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ably supported by Amnesty, Human Rights Watch etc. The resolutionƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ was soundly defeated asƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ there were only twelve votes in favour of the resolution. In 2011 these same anti Sri Lanka elements attempted to table another such resolution to which end Amnesty sponsoredƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ the Channel 4 video. This too did not materialise.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚
Regarding the two “developments” Mr. Neve refers toƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ as aƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ basis forƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ his claim for investigation of Sri Lanka –
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚
The first is the Channel 4 documentary, Sri Lanka’s Killing Fields. He refers to “mobile phone video clips and other images and testimonies capturing the worst of what happened during that final round of fighting in early 2009”.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Again it has been proven that these video clips are fake,ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ staged scenes taken by video camera, the images are from doctored photographs and had testimonies by “presenters” who were not truthful.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ A. A. Gill writing in the Sunday Times of the UK about this same video commented as follows – “The channel has accumulated a large collection of samizdat amateur footage from mobile phones and video camera – mostly un-attributed and uncorroborated. It mixes this footage with comment from unnamed sources with distorted voices and shadowed faces…not a second of this has been shot by Channel 4″. I am sure Amnesty and Mr. Neve have not got any corroboration either but have deliberately chosen to ignore this aspect because it does not suit their agenda against Sri Lanka. Truth is the casualty but Amnesty has no concerns because it believes it is infallible.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚
The second development he refers to is the report byƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ the so-called panel of experts. Again,ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ either Mr. Neve does not know what is in the report or just ignores it based onƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ the mindset at Amnesty.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ For your informationƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ the reportƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ contains the following:
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚
1) page 6 – it was an advisory panel and that it was not engagedƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ in any investigation,
2) page 14 – stresses that the panel’s mandate precludes fact finding or investigation,
3) on page 3 it is stated “the panel has not conducted fact finding as that term is understood in United Nations practice,
4) most importantlyƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ in paragraph 53 the panel states “this account should not be taken as proven facts, and any effort to determine specific liabilities would require a higher threshold”.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚
5) the panel admits that facts detailed in paragraphs 55 to 245 are not proven facts which same “facts” it states indicates the commission of crimes.
6) The testimonies are sealed for twenty years by the U.N. so that verification is not possible. (Perhaps the panel expects that in twenty years their strategy to provide oxygen to the LTTE will have succeeded.)
So much for the value of thisƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ report whichƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Mr. Neve relies on.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚
Amnesty in it’s mandate claims that it should independently verify any allegations made against a sovereign nation, or for that matter an individual before taking action. Clearly neither Amnesty nor Mr. Neve has done so. Mr. Neve has so far not responded to the simple question as to why Amnesty and he are not acting according to it’s own mandate. If Amnesty’s focusƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ is on accountability and justice, thenƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Amnesty shouldƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ in the first place be accountable for the veracity of what it states and as for justice, stop harassing Sri Lanka on dubious, unverified information.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Amnesty may believe that there is a need for an investigation but until it can provide credible evidence there can be no call for investigation by Amnesty or any other organization or state.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ It is Amnesty that should adopt the criterion of “no more make believe”.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚
Yours truly,
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚
Ira de Siva
London, Canada
August 19th, 2011 at 6:27 pm
Ask AI, HRW etc to publicly declare their sources of income….then it will become obvious who their paymasters are and why they have to write this sort of rubbish.
August 19th, 2011 at 6:34 pm
ALEX NAIVE is another Sucker who has been made servile to the Low Caste Tamil Terrorists Diaspora, for his greed for Dollar notes. This is all, MONEY TALKING.
NONE ARE SO BLIND AS THOSE WHO DO NOT WISH TO SEE.
August 20th, 2011 at 3:15 am
Dear Ira deSilva, London~Canada
I am very impressed by your analysis. We all must strive hard to produce facts & figures as you have done so gallantly. This is the only way to open eyes of general public, and put an end to never ending bashing of a duly elected Sovereign State,which defeated the menace called LTTE.
Their financial clout coupled with false prpaganda has done much damage to our country. Even today US reports indicate although the war was won by the Govt. Forces still LTTE is active in many ways under different names, forums.. etc.
I for one would not even waste my time reading reports made by AI, HRW & ICG the so called three orgainzations involved in World Human rights watch.. self appointed & not reporting to anyone.
We know how former British Foreign Secretary use to carry the can to LTTE, hoping at least that might help him to get elected in the recent palimentary elections.. He went into defeat.
Hom many times general public have complained about Iraq, Afganistan wars that made USA, what it is now. They cannot even manage their own economy yet try to advice others how to fight terror, how to live, respect human rights etc.
Where are the voices condeming artocities done by war mongers against innocent of those countries. We always here how mnay US troops died, but never here about civilian casualities.
As UK, US & European Union collectively turn a blind eye to any criticisms leveled at them, BUT continue to harass this Island nation, the ONLY country who defeated terrorism. Even the FBI said its a group ,an entity well financed, ruthles & no govt. can defeat them.
I admire your taking time to express views, so that even laymen can understand the double standard these 3 govts follow to blame others so that their faults & sdhortcomings will never get investigated.
Thanks again, Ira deSilva for your valuable contribution.
~ Gamunu Alahakkone. P. Eng ( Canada), C. Eng (UK).. retired engineer- CANADA