Asoka Weerasinghe Kings Grove Crescent . Gloucester . Ontario . K1J 6G1.Canada

23 November 2011

Mr. Scott-Reid, Conservative MP for Lanark-Frontenac-Lennox and AddingtonƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ 
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Chair, Canadian House of Commons Sub-Committee on Human Rights of the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Development.

A Response to the presentation by Ms. Elaine Pearson, Deputy Director, Asia Division of Human Rights Watch on Sri Lankan Human Rights Situation on 18 November 2011

Dear Mr. Scott-Reid:

It is with great admiration to you and your Sub-Committee on Human Rights of the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Development, that I request your generous indulgence to read my response to Ms. Elaine PearsonƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s presentation on Sri Lanka.

I am a Sri Lankan-Buddhist of Sinhalese origin and have lived in Canada since August 1968.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  Being a Canadian of Sri Lanka origin I claim my right to speak for the silent voices of the 22 million peoples of all ethnic groups back in Sri Lanka who had the courage of their convictions not to buy a plane ticket to get on a plane and land at the Pearson International Airport in Toronto and say, ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-I amƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ a refugee running away from persecution and discrimination by the majority Sinhalese in Sri LankaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚, who are weeping silently asking the world to give their Peace a Chance as they want to live in harmony among all ethnic groups as one family in one Sri Lanka, as they love Sri Lanka, their Motherland, which may not be perfect, and yet happens to be their home with warts and all.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  And I hasten to add that 41% of the population in the capital of Colombo is peopled by Tamils, the place where the July 1983 riots happened, an ugly blimp in Sri LankaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s recent history, and yet they are living in harmony with the majority Sinhalese at this very place and wish to continue to live in harmony and happilyƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ever after.

Having been an academic-researcher of this ugly 27-year old Tamil Tiger terroristƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s separatist war since July 25, 1983, activities by Human Rights Watch have been one of the files that I have studied intently.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  And as such, I am not too surprised with Ms. PearsonƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s presentation, which I question and dismiss.

Permit me to present just three incidents that come to my mind as a backgrounder of Human Rights Watch on Sri Lanka out of a catalogue of many. ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ These are the very reasons why I dismiss her ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-We Gotch Ya! Sri LankaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ assertions with their shenanigans which would directly hurt the silent 22 million peoples of that island nation.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  This is an honest and sympathetic concern of mine for those innocent peoples who just want to get on with their lives after living a nightmare of exploding Tamil Tiger bombs and flying bullets for 27 long years.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  They need their lives back without any impediments by external busy bodies like Human Rights Watch.

One – It was the Human Rights Watch South Asian Researcher Charu Lata Hogg who had an article published in a Japanese newspaperƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ in May 2009, describing a rather compelling detail what she called the scenes of death and destruction in the Vanni during the height of the war. ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-Dead bodies of civilians lie strewn along the dusty roadsƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚, she said.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-Hospitals, play grounds and houses stand ravaged by rockets fired from multi-barrel launchers,ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ she continued.

What was despicable of this ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”We Gotch Ya Sri Lanka!ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ article was that Chara Lata Hogg had managed to identify the weaponry used even noted the dirt underfoot, as one might think that she must haveƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  had a personal eye-witness story to relate of what was going on, but except that she hadnƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢t been within fifty kilometers of the conflict zone.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  And that speaks volumes of Human Rights Watch agenda of ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”We Gotch Ya Sri Lanka!ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ alright;

Two – ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ When in May 13, 2009, Brad Adams, the Asia Director, Human Rights Watch, acted God and played Russian Roulette with the lives of 22 million peoples in Sri Lanka, especially the 300,000 Tamil refugees of the Tamil Tiger human shield,ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  when he sent a letter to the IMF Directors telling them, ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-We urge you and other IMF members to delay approval of the standby arrangements (of the loan of US$1.9 billion emergency support) until the Government of Sri Lanka takes the following steps to ease humanitarian crisisƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚¦ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  That was a callous, cruel, inhuman and a brutal request which would have exacerbated the already existing humanitarian crisis in Sri Lanka due to the 27-year long Tamil separatist war, with inadequate funds to feed, house and rehabilitate the infrastructures, schools, hospitals, et cetera, to normalize their lives by the Sri Lankan Government.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  I not only rejected that request with scorn but I also resented that inhuman request by the group which calls itself Human Rights Watch which also was part of their ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”We Gotch Ya Sri Lanka!ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ agenda.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ 

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ I applaud with admiration the admirable stance that Canada took when she decided not to support this move by Human Rights Watch, which we too may have noticed how callous and inhuman this request was;

Three ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” The year 2008 arrived tagging along the silly seasons of the Human Rights Watch on Sri Lanka.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  In March they unleashed yet another ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”We Gotch Ya! Sri LankaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ statement with repetitive allegations timing well to coincide with the meeting of the Human Rights Council in Geneva.

In it Human Rights Watch categorically asserted the Sri Lankan GovernmentƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s responsibility for the child abductions which was not borne out from the evidence it presented.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  Their press release does in passing refer to paramilitaries, but makes no mention of the internecine warfare that the Tamil Tigers engaged with its former Tamil militant groups, thus clearly providing a cloak of respectability for the Tamil Tigers who were able to reassert themselves following the ruthless decimation of other militant groups through the years. Thus the Tamil Tigers emerged as the ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”invincibleƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ Tamil terrorist supremos to engage in the Ceasefire Agreement signed on 22 February 2002 and beyond until they were wiped out militarily on 19 May 2009 on the shores of the Nandikathal lagoon on the eastern shores.

The Government of Sri Lanka rejected these allegations by Human Rights Watch which they said lacked evidence to backup its allegations of military support for enlisting child soldiers for the breakaway Tamil Tiger group, relying instead of ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”unsubstantiatedƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ claims from a UN official.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  The operative word was ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-unsubstantiatedƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ and Human Rights Watch could not produce a single shred of evidence.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  Thus in their pursuit to get a pound of flesh off the back of Sri Lanka in their ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”We Gotch Ya! Sri LankaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ agenda, the truth has suffered all along, and in the final analysis it is the 22 million innocent people in Sri Lanka who are affected having to hold back their desire to live in peace among all the ethnic communities after seeing their island haemorrhaged for 27 long years and witnessing thousands of innocent people blown up to smithreens by detonating suicide bombs and claymore mines by the ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”Made in IndiaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ Tamil Tiger terrorists.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  And that is indeed what my concern is.

Coming to the presentation to your Sub-Committee, by Human Rights WatchƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s Elaine Pearson, she emphasized for the most part the evidence of the British Channel 4 documentary, Sri LankaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s Killing Fields which most you have seen no doubt.

Elaine Pearson told you all: ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-The footage also pans over about a dozen dead bodies in a field.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  One of the dead bodies in the video and photographs is a woman named Isaippiriya, 27-year-old reporter for the LTTE.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  The bodies of the other women that appear beside her are partially naked, and soldiers who recorded the video make lewd comments, raising concerns that these women may have been sexually assaulted.ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚

What she did not tell you all was that: ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Issipriya was not just an innocent civilian photographer as portrayed by the Channel 4 video, but that she was a high profile member of the Tamil Tigers, who underwent military training and died during the armed conflict.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  Issipriya was given the rank of Lt.Col due to her contribution to the Tamil Tigers.

That she married a Sea Tiger cadre Sri Ram who also died in the final battle in May 2009.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  Sri Ram was the former Tamil TigerƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s Senior Sea Tiger leader in Trincomalee and took part in most of the operations launched by the Tamil Tigers against the Sri Lanka Navy and Merchant vessels.

Issipriya wa born in 1982 in Jaffna and was recruited by the Tamil Tigers and underwent military training in the Wanni.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  She then served in the Tamil Tiger Military Wing and subsequently joined the ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-Voice of TigersƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚, the official radio station of the Tamil Tigers equipped by the Norwagians.

Thus with the quest of Human Rights WatchƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”We Gotch Ya!, Sri LankaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ agenda, the truth has suffered when interpreted by this NGO.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ 

What Elaine Pearson of Human Rights Watch did not tell you all about the Channel 4 video was:ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  that most of the footage taken for this video were doctored footage clearly taken from the Tamil Net, the propaganda arm of the Tamil Tigers.

What Elaine Pearson of Human Rights Watch did not tell you all about the Channel 4 video: was that there were clearly staged ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ mock scenes filmed for propaganda purposes.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  Like the images of the crowds at the gate of the UN Office in Killinochchi, described with gut wrenching words by Jon Snow, are from two different films; ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ in the original footage of the scenes of terrified civilians fleeing an aerial bombardment contained the cameraman and on-lookers; that the shells that landed among the IDP tents somehow left the flimsy tents unscathed.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  And so the fraudulent footage to build a case against Sri Lanka goes on, and on, and on.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  And Elaine Pearson of Human Rights Watch has taken the role of the messenger to give legitimacy to these frauds.

Thus in the quest of Human RightƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s WatchƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”We Gotch Ya! Sri LankaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ agenda, the truth has suffered hurting the 22 million innocent people back in that island nation who do not deserve any more hurt after enduring a nasty 27-year long war for the most part supported surreptitiously by foreign nations like India, Norway, Canada, Britain, and France.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ What Elaine Pearson of Human Rights Watch told you all was: ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚¦The Killing Fields. It included some footage of summary executions of prisoners on May 18, 2009.ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚

What Elaine Pearson did not tell you all was that: The original footage of the summary executions had the killers speaking in perfect Tamil, concluding that itƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ were the Tamil Tigers who were killing a captured Sinhalese government soldier, which had been later dubbed in badly accented Sinhalese to show that it was a government soldier that was shooting a Tamil.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  Thus in the quest for a pound of flesh from Sri Lanka GovernmentƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s back, Human Rights Watch has buried the truth of this vile murder under six inches of soil.

What Elaine Pearson did not tell you was that: Channel 4ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s video Sri LankaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s Killing Fields is a text book example of vindictive journalism, to get back at the Sri Lankan Government for kicking out its News team of Producer Paton Walsh, Bessie Du and Matt Jasper on 10 May 2009 for being suspect of sending out false news reports.

What Elaine Pearson of Human Rights Watch told you were that:ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-This repressive government has really shown no serious effort to address accountability, and it still fails to protect the fundamental rights of its people.ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚

What Elaine Pearson did not tell you all: was that the Sri Lankan Government having eliminated the most ruthless terrorists in the world, the Tamil Tigers, on 19 May 2009, the outfit that perfected the art of suicide bombings with the suicide vests and feathered their caps with 388 suicide bombings killing and maiming thousands of innocent civilians including Rajiv Gandhi of India and President Premadasa of Sri Lanka, gave back the right-to-life, the most precious and treasured tenets of human rights to its 22 million peoples which had been hijacked by the Tamil Tigers for 27 years.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  The motives of an NGO which calls themselves Human Rights Watch that ignores the restoration of this ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”fundamental rights of the peoplesƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ is deemed suspect and you all should take in everything what she said with a grain of salt.

What Elaine Pearson did not tell you all: was that public transport commuters in the mornings for 27 long years who had been making the sign of the cross and placing their palms together in prayer before they got onto buses and trains wanting to return home to their families in the evening in one piece, no longer had a reason to pray to their Gods to return home in one piece and not in a casket in a puzzle of hearts, blood, flesh, bones and limbs having been blown to smithereens by a Tamil Tiger ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ suicide bomb or a claymore mine.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  They quite rightly thank the Rajapaksa Government for giving them back their right-to-life, their fundamental human rights by eliminating the Tamil Tigers. This they have done by casting their democratic vote at elections to re-elect the Rajapaksa government.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  That is how democracy works even in Canada with the Tamil bloc votes for the party who supported their separatist cause, and let them collect twoƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  million dollars a monthƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  to stuff the Tamil Tiger war chest to buy sophisticatedƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  war weapons for their war against the democratically elected Sri Lankan government.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ What Elaine Pearson did not tell you was: that the Sri Lankan Government upheld the fundamental rights of the 300,000 Tamils who were rescued in May 2009 from the clutches of the Tamil Tigers who used them as a human shield, by preparing a million meals a day to feed them three hearty meals, breakfast, lunch and dinner until they were re-settled in their renovated, rebuilt homes having cleared over a million land mines planted by the Tamil Tigers in the land where their homes stood on. ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ There are only 6,000 Tamil refugees left waiting for the landmines to be cleared and be resettled in their own homes, and all this amazing joy happened within two years after the war ended on May 19, 2009.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  Human Rights Watch has difficulty to acknowledge this miracle in that puny island nation when the Katarina Hurricane victims in the US are still languishing in trailer parks in New Orleans since August 29, 2005ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  whenƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  Katarina reached landfall 70 miles south of New Orleans, just before dawn that day.

What Elaine Pearson of Human Rights Watch told you all was that: ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚¦ the Report (Ban ki-MoonƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s Darusman Report) actually concludes that up to 40,000 civilians may have died during this period, the majority as a result of Government shelling.ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚

What Elaine Pearson did not tell you was that:ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  the number 40,000 was established by Gordon Weiss a former UN representative in Sri Lanka which is now being bandied around as gospel.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  Weiss is now having difficulty to tell the world how he managed to establish this number when questioned by the media and at international gatherings.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  He has obviously demonstrated a horrendous lack of Arithmetic skills to defend this number.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  The subtraction from the highest population in the area which is in question by Human Rights Watch was estimated at 305,000.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  This number was again artificially boosted by the Tamil Tigers to obtain greater quantities of food supplies from the Government for the people living in this area which they pilfered to feed their Tamil Tiger cadre.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  The number registered in IDP Receiving Centers after the war ended was approximately 295,000.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  The Tamil Tiger cadre who died in the fighting according to the Tamil Tiger communications was over 4,000, those who perished after that final intercept, those who fled without registering to India and other parts of the island, and those killed by the Tamil Tigers while attempting to flee, does not add up to ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”thousandsƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ and certainly not to the 40,000 that the Report quotes, and Elaine Pearson holds true this number as gospel and tell you so to satisfy the Human Rights Watch, We Gotch Ya! Sri Lanka agenda,

What Elaine Pearson did not tell you was that: Gordon Weiss, the ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”ABRACADABRA 40,000ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  dead Tamils manƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ too like many individuals who have made an opportunistic fast buck asƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ a spin off of the Tamil Tiger separatist war has now authored a book, The Cage, about this war and now flogging it at gatherings where he has a captive audience, the Tamil Diaspora. There are others who have become millionaires making the rounds with human-smuggling, extortion, forging passports, credit card scams, agents to buy military weapons, et cetera.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  Even Amnesty International too has gained sponsorship with a $50,000 Walk-a-Thon collection from a Tamil group in the GTA who defended the Tamil Tigers vigorously during TV panel discussions in the early 2009.

What Elaine Pearson of Human Rights Watch told you all was: ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-The Government has established a Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission, but this lacks the mandate to investigate serious violations such as war crimesƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚¦The members of the Commission also lack independence and impartiality.ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚

But permit to inform you my difficulty with Elaine PearsonƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s observation of the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-The members of the Commission (LLRC) ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ also lack independence and impartiality”, she said.

But honourable members of the Sub-Committee on Human Rights, surely what is good for the Western Goose surely should be good for the Eastern Gander.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  How could Elaine Pearson or anyone else at Human Rights Watch forget how UK joined the US in invading Iraq on the basis of concocted intelligence reports that Iraq had stockpiled weapons of mass destruction?ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  They are yet to find the WMDs.

In spite of UK being accused of war crimes and excesses on the ground in Iraq, the former British Prime Minister Gordon Brown appointed Sir John Chilcott, a top retired public servant in charge of the inquiry.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  One could have asked ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-where is the independence and impartialityƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ in this instance.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  ChilcottƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s long standing involvement with successive UK governments, in particular to security related work was no drawback to the British and the rest of the world, and in particular to the WorldƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s Human Rights police, Human Rights Watch. ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ That indeed is the rub.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  To ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ further hold our noses to the grinder, the British Prime Minister Gordon Brown appointed Professor Sir Lawrence Freedman (official historian of UK military campaign in the Falklands), Sir Martin Gilbert (ex-member of the intelligence corps) Sir Roderick Lyne (ex-foreign service) and Baroness Usha Prashar of Runnymede (member of House of Lords), all closely associated with the Government to be part of the inquiry team.

Unfortunately, Human Rights Watch going after a pound of flesh of the Sri Lankan Government with ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”We Gotch Ya Sri Lanka! agenda, fails to see the above, but sure have to prick and needle the puny island Sri Lanka which did the favour to the whole world by getting rid of the most ruthless terrorist outfit, the Tamil Tigers who not only had a conventional army with a sophisticated armoury but also a Sea Wing and aƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  ZLIN 143 four plane night bomber airforce, with Canadian trained Tamil Tiger pilots.

The presentation to you all by Elaine Pearson is not only embarrassing but is also sad as the victims of all this ballyhoo are the 22 million peoples back in Sri Lanka who want to reconcile and get on with their lives.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  They deserve that break and let their Peace be given a Chance.

What Elaine Pearson from Human Rights Watch told you was that: “the Armed Forces continue to have police powers, and there is a strong military presence in the North.”

My response to what Elaine Pearson did not tell you is that: I donƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢t expect, nor would you, for the Sri Lankan government to be that insane and act irresponsibly not to have a military presence in their sovereign territory in the north and east of the island when there is a constant threat by Jayalalitha of Tamil Nadu to send in their army to create a separate mono-ethnic State, Eelam for the Tamils in the north and east of the island.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  She is a Tamil herself among the 61 million Tamils in Tamil Nadu in South India who are smacking their lips to have a satellite state 18 miles away over the waters of Palk Strait.

I donƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢t expect nor would you, that Sri Lanka forget its recent history, when they did not have a military presence in the North and East of the island after signing the Ceasefire Agreement (CFA) on 22 February 2002, which was rammed down the throat of the then Prime Minister Ranil Wickremasinghe by the Norwegians on the instigation of the Tamil Tigers, and watched the Tamil Tigers sneak in 11 ship loads of sophisticated armoury through the eastern coast which was supposed to be monitored by the Scandinavian Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM).ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  According to the last score card of the Scandinavian Monitoring Mission of Tamil Tiger violations after the CFA was 5,461 times before they abandoned counting as the violations were raining on them daily and they were not able to keep up with them. While the violations of the CFA by the Sri Lankan armed forces were less than 200.

I donƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢t expect nor would you, that Sri Lanka ignore the threats to regroup the Tamil Tigers living abroad, including those in Canada, where monies are still being collected for the Transnational Government of Tamil Eelam (TGTE) which has appointed Ministers from the Canadian Tamil Diaspora, with the intention to claim by force the North and East of the island as their mono-ethnic, racistƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  Tamil state, Eelam.

What I would say to the bleeding hearts Elaine Pearson and the rest of Human Rights Watch is to tell their concerned Tamils to learn to live with the military presence in the North and East as they are their on an assignment as guardians of Sri LankaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s sovereign territory and that the Sri Lankan Government has no wish to be stupid and have the coast line to be an ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”Open SesameƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ door for marauding Tamils to start another war to claim the North and East of the island as theirs.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  It is that simple.

The armed forces personnel in the North and East are also engaged in peace-time police work, selling vegetables at government outlets, agriculture, waste clearing, construction work and many other non-military activities.

Engaging the armed forces for non-military duties is regulated under the law in Sri Lanka.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  For example s.23 of the Army Act authorizes the President to order all or any of the members of the Regular Forces to perform certain non-military duties, provided the President is satisfied that there is an immediate threat of action to deprive the people of Sri Lanka of essentials of life by interfering with the supply and distribution of food, water, fuel or light or with means of transport and communication.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  The non-military actions are also strictly limited to ensure continuous supply of essentials subject to that exception, as stated in s.19(1) of the Army Act, the functions of the Army are limited to: (a) Defence of Sri Lanka in times of War, (2) Prevention of suppression of any rebellion, insurrection or other civil disturbance in Sri Lanka.

With these facts, I donƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢t think Elaine Pearson of Human Rights WatchƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  need to be hot under her collar, as her unnecessary concern shows her ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”We Gotch Ya! Sri LankaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢, agenda playing with the lives of theƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ silent voices ofƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  the 22 million peoples back in Sri Lanka that I care for so dearly.

What Elaine Pearson of Human Rights Watch told you was: ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚¦and more recently, a panel of experts appointed by the UN Secretary-General.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  The panelƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s report, which was published in April this year, found strong and credible allegations that both the government and the LTTE (Tamil Tigers) committed serous violations during the final months.ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚

What Elaine Pearson did not tell you was: that expertsƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ panel report was compiled on a private initiative by Ban ki-Moon, the UNƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s Secretary-GeneralƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ and had no nexus with the UN. That this report is also flawed in many respects.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  That it is important that there should be a proper understanding of the gravity of the errors of the report.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  There are several reasons why I think the process adopted was incurably flawed.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  On the basis of these flaws, one wouldnƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢t have a chanceƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  even to hangƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ a cheese-thieving rat on the basis of this report let a lone take the Sri Lankans in front of a War Crimes Court.

The expert panel starts the report by insisting that they have no investigative power and that they are not embarking on any investigation at all.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  With regard to this, on the first page of the executive summary, they say, ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-The panelƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s mandate however does not extend to fact finding investigation.ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  In confirmation of this, on page 3 of the main report, it is said ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-The panel has not conducted fact finding as that term is understood in United Nations practice.ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚

Again on page 6 of the main report, itƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s said ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-The panel and United Nations officials repeatedly made clear to the government the scope of its mandate as an advisory panel to the Secretary-General including that it was not engaged in any investigation.ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  And once again on page 14 it is stressed ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-the panelƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s mandate precludes fact finding or investigation.ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚

What is strange about this report is that on page 15 they say, ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-The panel has chosen to present the allegations it finds credible, in narrative account.ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  So the report reads like a horror story.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  Moreover, in this document, there is an extravagance of language and vividness of imagery obviously intended to evoke the strongest feelings of revulsion.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  But then on the same page, they go on to add and drop the bomb shell pooh-poohing their own report saying ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-the account should not be taken as proven facts, and any effort to determine specific liabilities would require a higher threshold.ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  So the expert panelists are not ready to vouch for the accuracy of the facts that they state.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  What they are saying could be fact, or it could also be fiction ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” they just do not know.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  Yet, Elaine Pearson has told you that reading the accounts in the experts panel report are events that have occurred as true,

I say, ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-Phewy to you Elaine.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  What nonsense!ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚

With this I will conclude with utmost respect to all you members of the Sub-Committee on Human Rights of the Standing Committee of Foreign Affairs and International Development, with the humble request to evaluate my observations, and be judge and jury respecting the silentƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  voices of 22 million Sri Lankans who are sincere with their wanting to reconcile among their communities that have been revulsed and hurt by this long drawn Tamil Tiger separatist war and get on with their lives. Believe me, the Sinhalese, Tamils, Muslims and Burghers and other minorities who stayed back in Sri Lanka want to break bread and share a cup of tea and carry on with their lives inter-marrying and be friends.

My request to all of you is to please give the Peace that they long for a Chance.

I will avail myself to anyone of you who wishes to probe my concerns on this issue and the observations on negative comments that was made on Sri Lanka by Human Rights NGOs like Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch earlier this month.

Thank you for your indulgence.

Sincerely,

Asoka Weerasinghe (Mr) (C11255047)