To Stephen Rapp, Robert O Blake , Marie Otero and all those who demand accountability from Sri Lanka.
Posted on February 10th, 2012
By Charles.S.Perera
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ On the 27 February,2012 ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ inGenevaSri Lanka is to be ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-hanged by the neck until deadƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ The ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-prosecutionƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ lead by Navi Pillai, UNCHRC, has presented the case againstSri Lanka, with the key witnesses lead by Stephen Rapp theUSAAmbassador at Large for war crimes, Robert O Blake a longtime sympathiser of theSri Lankaterrorists, and Ms Marie Otero US latest ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ recruit to Civilian Security, democracy and Human Rights.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Even if they were not be physically present inGenevathey hope to influence many members of theƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ UNHRCouncil vote to ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-pin ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚Sri Lanka.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Then of course there are the British, Canadian, Australian and Swedish Foreign Ministers and their friends, Ban Ki Moon and UK Channel 4 which is even seeking nomination for a ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-nobel prizeƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚. They have all been briefed by theSri Lankaterrorist Front Organizations of the Tamil Diaspora in their respective countries.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ They have presented the case against the ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…- accused ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…- beyond reasonable doubt, that is what they presume. In the circumstances, it is to be found the accused guilty of theƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ crimes committed in elimination of a group of ruthless terrorists that terrorizedSri Lanka, but remained harmless to the International Community.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ With regard to Navi Pillai the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, aƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ last minute surprise witness discloses a well kept secret that Navi Pillai as a teenager hero worshipped Sri Lanka terrorists and started a fan Club in their honour.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ In the light of that evidence theƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ question arisesƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ whether she should continue as the Chief Prosecuter against Sri Lanka.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Navi Pillai in a hurry to have the accused hanged has already put up the scaffolds. The prosecution has now closed its case.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ But the defendants have yet to show cause why the case for the prosecution is full of loop holes and therefore cannot stand on its two feet.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ The defendant rises to point out that the prosecution has depended on theƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ evidence of interested parties whose evidence is not acceptable. The Prosecution has not presentedƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ direct evidence. The evidence provided are hearsay, conjectured or assumed. The digital evidence does not show actual process of war but scenes of killingƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ that had been rehearsed outside the field of action, which are therefore not even remotely related to the restricted periodƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ that is under investigation ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-the last phase of the military operations against theƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ terrorists.ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Further more the Video clip presented by Channel 4 is fictitious, imagined depending on photographs of earlier ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ scenes of massacre- most of them by the terrorists, put together to make a ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-horror filmƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ of sorts.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ The video clip had not been certified as authentic ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ by an independent expert.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ The Prosecution has not allowed the defendant to examine the video clip and verify its authenticity.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ It is evidently aƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ video put together by an amateur film maker with fictitious scenes.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ The Physical evidence ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ whichƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ are in this case the testimony of the so called witnesses cannot be accepted as they are closely related to terrorists, their evidence isƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ not direct evidence,ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ or the witnesses have come forward to take revenge from the defendant for depriving the chance they hadƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ in a war situation to enhance their personal and professional situations and loss of financial benefits through elimination of terrorism..
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ The video scene of naked men seated on the groundƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ with their arms tied behindƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ andƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ menƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ inƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ army fatigue holding guns inƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ the ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ action of shootingƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ has no relation what so ever to the last phase of ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ the elimination of terrorism.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ The prosecution depends on circumstantial evidence, but in accepting circumstantial evidence .ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ The court has to be very objective not to accept the prosecutions version of the allegation as they have presented only the negative aspect which is ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ more advantages for them to win the case against the accused-Sri Lanka
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Then with regard to theƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Chief witnesses the defendant has the right to impeachment of witnesses.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ The ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ United Statesenvoys Stephen Rapp , Robert Blake, and Marie Otero ,the under secretary for civilian security, democracy and human rights, represent theUSA. USA had in many of its ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-theatres of warƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ overseasƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ in foreign countries like Vietnam, Iraq, Afghanistan, and Libya workedƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ along with the rest of the Witnesses to the prosecutionƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ namely, UK, France, Canada, Germany, Netherlands andƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Australia.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ They are therefore collectively responsible if they have committedƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ War Crimes individually or collectively. Therefore the ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ defendant could demand the impeachment of these witnesses.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Impeachment is processed in cross examination. But if that isƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ notƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ possible.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Their votes against the defendant should notƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ be counted, as these witnesses ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ represent countries against whom war crimes have been proved .They should not be allowed the right of their vote unless they are willing to accept accountability for their crimes.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ The word ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-war crimesƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ have more to do withAmericathanSri Lankaand one wanders what Stephen Rapp ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ is doing here.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Of course findingƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ witnesses and investigating war crimes inSri Lankamay be a ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ much more convenient exercise ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ without risk, than it would be inIraq,Afghanistan,Pakistan,Libyaor even inVietnam. But apart from direct war crimes,USAhad aided and abetted war crimes inChile,Vietnam,Cuba, Iran of Mossadeq,PanamaƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ and so on and so forth .
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ USA has alsoƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ committed crimes by imposing murderess trade embargoes. InIraq,Cuba.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ And the proposed sanctions against sale of oil fromIranwill cause further violation of human rights of many developing nations.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ In Sri Lanka Mr.Stephen Rapp will of course be well entertained and carry out all his investigations without any fear asSri Lankahas cleared the country of terrorists.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ He need not fear about ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ claymore bombs, sniper attacks or suicide bombs.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ The environment is safe and pleasant for investigations and Mr. Rapp may meet the Tamil Alliance who represent no one; least of all the Sri Lanka Tamils despite their having been voted into Parliament.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ What TNA wants is political power to ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-lord overƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ the low caste Tamils in the North and the East.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Mr.Stephen Rapp may be reminded that Tamils as the TNA MP Sumanthiran says, want to be ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ a ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-distinct people. A distinct people in international law have certain rights called self-determination.ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ It is that sort of ideas that make it difficult to work with these Tamil MPs of the Tamil Alliance.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Sri Lanka has just come out of a terroristƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ warƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ waged by a ruthlessƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ group of terrorists to separateƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Sri Lanka on this same ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…- ideaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ of being a distinct people.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ It want work any more in ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Sri Lanka, ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ which is now working to unite the communitiesƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ to build a true Nation of Sri Lankan people.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ This is the difference with the Tamil Community inSri LankaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚¦ their thinking that they are distinct and therefore different.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ They are distinct and ungrateful, you give them a finger they will want the whole body. Therefore it is impossible to reconcile the communities with these fanatics of the TNA.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ If Mr. Stephen ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Rapp were to go to the North and East he may see the tremendous development works that had been carried out by the government, while Sunanthiran and the TNA had been talking about their ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-distinctionƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ and going around the world to bring disrepute to the Government of Sri Lanka and keep the people apart.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Any thing is possible inSri Lankaand any one can put their unwanted noses into the Affairs of Sri Lanka. Mr. Stephen Rapp apparently is interested in former Army Commander Sarath Fonseka. ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ It is goodAmericais showing interest because some say that Sarath Fonseka decided to stand for Presidential Elections after Coming from a visit toUSA.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ That had gone into his head and with twoSri Lankapolitical parties the UNP and JVP who wantedƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ to use him to defeat the President Mahinda RajapakseƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Election campaign and make political mileage, made use ofƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Sarath Fonseka.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Now he is in the prisons on a decision of a legal court of law and therefore ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ it does not give any ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-legalƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ right forAmericathrough Mr.Stephen Rapp to interfere in to the Justice of Sri Lanka.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Mr. Sarath Fonseka has no problem he has only to meet the President of Sri Lanka and tell him that he is sorry that he brought disgrace toSri Lankaby accusing the Armed Forces as having given orders to murder some terrorists carrying a white flag. A story fabricated by him like the video fabricated by the UK Channel 4.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ It is said our old friend ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-the hypocrite from the land of vanityƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ Robert O Blake is also come toSri Lankaalong with Marie Otero, the under secretary for civilian security, democracy and human rights.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ So with Stephen Rapp, US Ambassador-at-Large for War Crimes, it will be quite a crowd of Americans come to investigate ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-we do not know whatƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ in Sri Lanka.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ If it is accountability they are after,ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ there is not much thatƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Stephen Rapp the US Ambassador-at-large for War Crimes ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ in the Obama Administration could keep him occupied here in Sri Lanka, butƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ he willƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ have his hands full if he were to seriously start investigating ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ the war crimes of USA Armed Forces in Vietnam, Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Libya.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Because inSri Lankathe Armed Forces did not have to go to other countries to hunt for terrorists, they were fighting their own terrorists in their own country.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ That is the difference with theƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Sri LankaArmed forcesƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ and theƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Armed Forces of USAƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ which killed the terrorists and the civilians ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-collaterallyƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚, fighting terrorism, ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ as President Barack Obama put it, where ever it is found.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Perhaps USAƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ andƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Mr.Stephen Rapp the Ambassador-at-large for War Crimes, are probably of the view thatƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ if there were any war crimes in fighting terrorism in Iraq, Afghanistan or Libya they were committed outside USA and therefore not accountable.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Do such deaths in fighting terrorism become war crimes if they were committed in fighting terrorism in oneƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s own country as it was inSri Lanka?
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ What clever logic Mr.Stephen Rapp, perhaps that is why you areƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ called the Ambassador at Large for war crimes.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ And then what is the other one Ms.Marie Otero the under secretary for civilian security, democracy and human rights going to do inSri Lanka?ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ What is her job, is it to investigateƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ about Civilian Security, Democracy and human rights inSri Lankaor does it includeIraq,AfghanistanandLibya?
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ However if Mr.Stephen Rapp is of the opinion thatƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ war crimes had been committed in Sri Lanka in fighting and eliminatingƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ terrorism , we would like to ask him what he thinksƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ the USA and itsƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Army did in Vietnam, Iraq, Afghanistan andƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Libya and many other countries in the world.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Mr.Stephen Rapp do you thinkƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ thatƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ there is no question of accountabilityƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ for these Crimes committed by the USA Army ?
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ If the Sri Lanka terrorists who did not commit terrorism in USA are accepted by you as rebels and their elimination is considered an accountableƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ war crime, is it correct for Sri Lanka to accept Al QaedaƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ as nationalist not terrorists as they did not commit any terrorism in Sri Lanka ?
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ USA Before trying to become the Policeman of the World should put some order in its own house.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ The War Crimes Committed by the USA Armed Forces are two gruesome to recount. Nevertheless, as Mr. Stephen Rapp is investigating war crimes committed bySri Lankasoldiers in the last phase ofƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ the military operations to eliminate terrorism, it seems appropriate to recount those most inhuman war crimes Committed by the USA Army. Without giving too many details.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ American War Crimes In Vietnam:
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ My Lai Massacre
On the morning of March 16, Charlie Company landed following a short artillery and helicopter gunship preparation. Though the Americans found no enemy fighters in the village, many soldiers suspected there were NLF troops hiding underground in the homes of their wives or elderly parents. The US soldiers, including a platoon led by Second Lieutenant William Calley, went in shooting at what they deemed to be an enemy position.
Once the first civilians were wounded or killed by indiscriminate fire, the soldiers began attacking humans and animals alike, with firearms, grenades and bayonets. The scale of the massacre grew, the brutality only increasing with each killing. BBC News described the scene: “Dozens of people, herded into an irrigation ditch and other locations, were killed with automatic weapons.”
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ A large group of about 70ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…”80 villagers, rounded up by the 1st Platoon in the center of the village, were killed on an order given by Calley, who also participated. Calley also shot] two other large groups of civilians with a weapon taken from a soldier who had refused to do any further killing.
Members of the 2nd Platoon killed at least 60ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…”70 Vietnamese, as they swept through the northern half of MƒÆ’‚¡ƒ”š‚»ƒ”š‚¹ Lai 4 and through Binh Tay, a small subhamlet about400 metres(1,300ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ft) north of MƒÆ’‚¡ƒ”š‚»ƒ”š‚¹ Lai 4. The platoon suffered one dead and seven wounded by mines and booby traps.
After the initial “sweeps” by the 1st and 2nd Platoons, the 3rd Platoon was dispatched to deal with any “remaining resistance.” They immediately began killing every living person and animal they could find. This included Vietnamese who had emerged from their hiding places as well as the wounded, found moaning in the heaps of bodies. The 3rd Platoon also rounded up and killed a group of seven to twelve women and children.
Over the following two days, both battalions were involved in additional burning and destruction of dwellings, as well as mistreatment of Vietnamese detainees. While most of the soldiers did not participate in the crimes, they neither protested nor complained to their superiors.[
Between 347 and 504 unarmed civilians inSouth Vietnamwas killed on March 16,1968, by US Army Soldiers of ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-CharlieƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ Company.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ De Classified papers show US atrocities went far beyond My LaiƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ : Nick Turse and Deborah Nelson reports to The TimesƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ on August 6,2006
The men of B Company were in a dangerous state of mind. They had lost five men in a firefight the day before. The morning of Feb. 8, 1968, brought unwelcome orders to resume their sweep of the countryside, a green patchwork of rice paddies along Vietnam’s central coast.
They met no resistance as they entered a nondescript settlement in Quang Nam province. So Jamie Henry, a 20-year-old medic, set his rifle down in a hut, unfastened his bandoliers and lighted a cigarette.
Just then, the voice of a lieutenant crackled across the radio. He reported that he had rounded up 19 civilians, and wanted to know what to do with them. Henry later recalled the company commander’s response:
Kill anything that moves.
Henry stepped outside the hut and saw a small crowd of women and children. Then the shooting began.
Moments later, the 19 villagers lay dead or dying.
Back home in California, Henry published an account of the slaughter and held a news conference to air his allegations. Yet he and other Vietnam veterans who spoke out about war crimes were branded traitors and fabricators. No one was ever prosecuted for the massacre.
Now, nearly 40 years later, declassified Army files show that Henry was telling the truth — about the Feb. 8 killings and a series of other atrocities by the men of B Company.
The files are part of a once-secret archive, assembled by a Pentagon task force in the early 1970s, that shows that confirmed atrocities by U.S. forces in Vietnam were more extensive than was previously known.
The documents detail 320 alleged incidents that were substantiated by Army investigators — not including the most notorious U.S. atrocity, the 1968 My Lai massacre.
Though not a complete accounting of Vietnam war crimes, the archive is the largest such collection to surface to date. About 9,000 pages, it includes investigative files, sworn statements by witnesses and status reports for top military brass.
The records describe recurrent attacks on ordinary Vietnamese — families in their homes, farmers in rice paddies, teenagers out fishing. Hundreds of soldiers, in interviews with investigators and letters to commanders, described a violent minority who murdered, raped and tortured with impunity.
Abuses were not confined to a few rogue units, a Times review of the files found. They were uncovered in every Army division that operated in Vietnam.
Retired Brig. Gen. John H. Johns, a Vietnam veteran who served on the task force, says he once supported keeping the records secret but now believes they deserve wide attention in light of alleged attacks on civilians and abuse of prisoners in Iraq.
“We can’t change current practices unless we acknowledge the past,” says Johns, 78.
American soldiers Killing IraqiƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ CiviliansƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ in Haditha.
By James M Skelly a senior fellowat the Baker Institute for Peace & Conflict Studies, Juniata College, Pennsylvania
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ The complicity of seniorUnited Statesmilitary leaders in the killing of Iraqi civilians at Haditha and elsewhere should be investigated, says James M Skelly.
Why do American and British soldiers inIraqkill innocent Iraqi civilians? To understand properly how massacres like those in the Iraqi town ofHadithain November 2005 can occur, it is important to appreciate how the stresses that soldiers experience are playing out inIraq. It is true that soldiers suffered post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and committed war crimes inVietnam, but one of the differences betweenVietnamandIraqis in the nature of the collapse of the armed forces: inVietnamthis was ultimately because of combat refusals, whereas inIraqit tends to be more profoundly psychological in nature.
(http://www.opendemocracy.net/democracy-americanpower/iraq_warcrimes_3627.jsp)
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ American Soldiers killing Afghan Civilians for pleasure.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ I have left out Killing of Civilians inAfghanistanby American Soldiers and cutting off fingers as trophies. As a detail account is provided at the followingƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ blog page.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ( http://pereracharles.blogspot.com/search?updated-max=2011-03-30T10:42:00-07:00&max-results=7)
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ American Soldiers Urinating on dead bodies of Talibans
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ In Afghanistan the ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ American Soldiers killingƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Talibans and Urinating on the bodies.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ American Soldiers torturing Iraq Prisoners in Abu Ghraib Prison
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Americans humiliated and Torture ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ theIraqprisoners in the Prisons of Abu Ghraib:
Please see the following blog page for details;
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ( ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ http://pereracharles.blogspot.com/search?updated-max=2010-10-12T15:28:00-07:00&max-results=7)
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Torture in Guantanamo Camps
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ The torture of PrisonersƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ in Guantanamo Camp which the President Barack Obama said he would stop are still being carried out.
********
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Following is what a Sri Lanka Pro terrorist group of the Tamil Diaspora had said when an American Law court had dismissed a legal action against the Sri Lanka Deputy Permanent Representative to the United Nation Major General Shavendra Silva
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-Interpreting the law to provide a diplomatic ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”cloakƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ of protection to SilvaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬‚who is seen as a war hero in Sri Lanka, but as a war criminal by the United Nations Panel of ExpertsƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬‚contravenes the U.S. CongressƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s intent behind the law,ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ said Ali Beydoun, co-director at SPEAK and director of the UNROW Human Rights Impact Litigation Clinic.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ The USA State Department should stop taking information from this type of Tamil Front Associations inAmericato discreditSri Lanka, as acting to please a terrorist rump inUSAis not keeping with country that boasts of a healthy democracy.
February 10th, 2012 at 5:36 pm
Charles, you speak for 20 million Sri Lankans, and for 6.7 billion humans. So called American free press will never publish you. So much for Western free speech.
February 10th, 2012 at 5:55 pm
I fully concur with aravinda but still it is important to spread the message at least via the Internet so that more and more people will come to see the game the West is playing. It will be a slow process no doubt but once the momentum gathers all the atrocities committed in Sri Lanka and other developing countries in the name of democracy, freedom etc will be exposed and the culprits will have to face the consequences.
February 10th, 2012 at 7:26 pm
BLUE FLIES, COMING TO CEYLON
NOTHING BUT BLUE FLIES ALL YEAR LONG.
February 10th, 2012 at 8:00 pm
UNHCR Mrs Navanatham Pillayan (Navi Pillai) is an Indian colonial parasite from KwaZulu Natal of South Africa.
It is India who is behind all these activites against the the island nation.island nation. In the UN see what Vijay Nambiar and Yasmin Sooka are doing against.
Indian military butchers killed 64 Kashmirians including women and children in April last year and we do not hear about.
It is India, Indian colonial parasites in the world and Socialists in the West who are taking actions against the island nation.
February 11th, 2012 at 3:38 am
AGREE with you, Mr. Charles Perera!
IT is time we expose the history HOW a terrorost outfit, with blessings of USA & EU still exits in the shadow. Once or twice we hear arrests & prosectutiion of few Tamils / LTTE members… No concrete policy by the said countries to contain or punish the LTTE & its sister orgaizations.
Europe, USA, Australia( not banned LTTE) & Canada are collectively responsible for the continuance of these shadowy skeletons & about time Sri Lanka insist upon all foreign countries to act in unison CONDEMING the LTTTE & its activties under Forums, Orgaizations Friendship associations, to avoid investigations, Vietnam, Iraq, Afganistan are facing the brunt of USA assaults & many other countries face similar actions which are economical in naturs to de-stabalize regimes.
WHY investigate ONLY last few years of thw war, BUT NOT 30 + years of terror unleashed on Buddhist, Muslim & sometimes even Tamil kovils. It is time we DEMAND investigations into LTTE & its activities in the past 30+ years, and then ask UN to investigate actions of USA & European Union.
We are bogged down on UN, US & EU agenda, where as investigating of attrocities by those countries & their nurturing Tamils & LTTE elements go scot free.
All Sri Lankans in Sri lanka & in foreign countries should protest through our embassies to coordinate & take joint action to stop this ONE sided accusations against Sri lanka, Sri Lanka is the ONLY country which wiped out terrorism & sshould be commended. HE President Rajapakshe should be nominated for the NOBLE PEACE PRICE soon.
Thanks so much for your article as always your publications are eye openers to many expat community….Just expressing my concerns about our beloved MOTHERLAND! Sri lanka. ……..Gamunu Alahakkone., Retd Engineer~ Canada
February 11th, 2012 at 5:38 am
Charles!
You have written a great article.
Why it is wrong to UNHR, to eliminate tamil terrorist gang, which killed more than 60,000 Sinhalese. Why don’t UNHR have an issue on those 60,000 Singhalese?
If recorded the crimes that Anglo American done to this universe, it is bigger than the encyclopedia Britannica. Just one example, those British invaders cannot remember that they have massacred 10% of Lanka population during Uva Wellassa freedom fight in 1818. Though they don’t want to tell the truth but we cannot forget it.
Christie! navi nathan pillai and prabakaran velu pillai are from same tamil tribe. navi pillai as well as tamils all over the world were dreaming till megalomaniac velupillai capture 1/3 of our country and declare mythical tamil eelam. In 2009 April velupillai died like a pig in the nandikadal lagoon. It was totally a disappointment to the Navinathan Pillai and the entire tamil tribe.
This is the reason now more than three times navipillai abused her authority to revenge from Sri Lanka for her loved megalomaniac terrorist prabakran’s death.
This was a damn good lesson to tamil tribal expansionism. Let Navipillai and tamil dogs bark but Sinhala caravan moves.
February 11th, 2012 at 10:54 am
We in Sri Lanka, in our small way have shown enough to the world why and how “terrorism” must be eliminated from the planet earth for the common good of alll human beings. But unfortunately, these Big Wigs do not have the brains to understand the common good that must be established in the world order for the benefit of the human beings who have made this planet to live.
However, if they do not listen, there is a step to be taken to correct that situation. The question must be posed as to “why allow these Big Powers to have their say only?”. The organizations like NAM,SARC etc must immediately meet in urgent sessions to discuss and resolve action against countries like USA and its allied to be brought before International Crime Courts to account for the attrocities committed against humanity in countries such as Iraq, Afghanistan, Lbiya, Viernam etc. Also these countries must be made accountable for the daily covert operations conducted by their secret organizations like CIA internationally and thereby imposing hardhsip and immense sufferings upon human life in various countries. Also their self determined inteference in internal affairs of other countries must be questioned and prohibitions of such actions must be imposed on them. The self determined “embargoes” must be questioned in sessions at UN Human Rights Organizations and such actions must be condemned and withdrawn if those are imposing social and economic hardship on the human kind.
In this context, please remember, when no lesser person than the President of USA was questioned on what action he is proposing to take against violations of human rights in Iraq, he said “LET US FORGET THE PAST AND MOVE AHEAD FOR A BETTER FUTURE”. I hope our President too will say the same thing in un-no certain terms in the future. If the President of USA is allowed to go free with that statement, why not our President?
Coming back to the question of bringing in action against the Big Powers for the violations of International Laws in the “theaters of war”, we must urgently find the person to bell the cat. That” person”, as I said above must be one of the organizations named OR countries who are members of the UNO, affected by these covert operations. Submit your case to the UN Security Copuncil and bring in prohibitions for such dastardly actions. Do not allow another limb of the UNO to be used and manipulated to bring in actions against one or more of the members of the general assembly.
Don’t let these BIG POWERS off the hook. Bell the cat soon or else the whole world will suffer.
February 11th, 2012 at 2:25 pm
NAM is only a name sake organisation TOTALLY incapable of doing anything.
SAARC is same. There are SEVERE political differences within SAARC (e.g. India, Pakistan, etc.). These cannot change the power of NATO by an inch.
Only a bipolar or multipolar world can bring peace. US military expansion has to be pit against Russian and Chinese interests. That is the ONLY solution. Within this global uncertainty small countries should FIRST put their house in order to survive. That includes a sustained subtle campaign to eliminate threats to national security (western violent agents) before they get too much power.
February 11th, 2012 at 3:06 pm
I suppose no one will investigate British War crimes in firebombing of Dresden,Germany where some have a million German civilians were slaughtered in cold even Hitler couldn’t have dreamed it up. Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya and Syria. Or the USA in Japan two totally unnecessary nuclear strikes in Japan and firebombing Dresden style of Tokyo. Warcrimes in Vietnam, Cambodia, Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Libya and Syria. Or the Israelis in the bombing of Lebanon and surrounding arab nations and persecution of Palestinians the bombing of Gaza which resulted in the death of 1,400 Palestinian civilians to get at 4 or 5 terrorists. Easily the death count is more than the population of Sri Lanka many times over.
Where do these war criminal nations get off accusing other countries like Sri Lanka of Warcrimes is totally beyond me!
February 11th, 2012 at 3:13 pm
Good point Sri Rohana, Investigate British War crimes in Sri Lanka during the Uva Wellassa freedom fight in 1818. Also don’t forget the war crimes they committed during their occupation of Sri Lanka. Could someone explain to me why Britain is never investigated for warcrimes. Britain has committed several human rights violations in Sri Lanka in history. Maybe the biased UN should investigate those crimes by this most evil of nations, Britain. Which in my view has caused so much conflict in the world wether its Palestine, Iran Middle East or Afghanistan.
February 12th, 2012 at 12:08 pm
Dear Charles P – Can you please quote some references in support of your comment “….a last minute surprise witness discloses a well kept secret that Navi Pillai as a teenager hero worshipped Sri Lanka terrorists and started a fan Club in their honour…” – I need this to build a rocket to smash this bogus woman!…S de Silva – London
February 12th, 2012 at 12:44 pm
My sourse of information on Navi Pillai’s youthful hero worship of Sri Lanka Terrorists with a fan come is the article by Kithsiri Athulathmudali in Lankaweb.
http://www.lankaweb.com/news/items/2012/02/08/any-more-takers-for-sri-lanka-bashing-answer-to-this-question-by-charles-perera-is-one-basher-judge-baltasaa-garzon-will-not-be-there-why-because-he-is-under-investigation-by-the-spanish-supreme/
I wanted to get more information but Kithsiri is at the moment in mourning for the death of his eldest Sister.
He has promised to contact me later.
February 12th, 2012 at 1:03 pm
We cannot control the world.
Powerful countries decide who gets punished for war crimes and who doesn’t. We have to team up with whoever to get over this.
What we can do is get rid of their cat’s paws in SL. TNA.
Why bloody Blake meets TNA? Because it is the largest party in the north and east with 14 seats. Had we used some EPDP more in April 2010 election we could have reduced this to less than 7.
e.g. In 1994 EPDP won most seats from the north “misusing” its military connections. For 6 years (until 2000) there was no trouble from Tamil racist political parties. In fact they fell at the feet of the government fearing the EPDP!
As the BIGGEST political party from the north, TNA has a BIG say in matters relating to the whole thing.
An election not free nor fair in the north in April 2010 would have been forgotten by now. But has continuing benefits to SL.
February 13th, 2012 at 8:08 am
The Un has tried many times to bring Indian (including Tamil Nadu) Caste issues to be tabled at the UNHRC sessions under the category of Human Rights, and failed. India has stated that Caste Issues are not in the category of HR. The Indian Constitutions outlaws discrimination on caste grounds. But, we all know that the caste issues continue, particularly in Tamil Nadu.
Looks as though Ms Navi Pillai, herself a Tamil person, is trying to attack their Tamil Caste issues obliquely by attacking trumped up, exaggerated civilian Human Rights issues in Lanka during the war with the ltte. It sounds as though she has never heard of ‘colateral damage’ in war. ‘Colateral damage’ was minimal in the case of the war with the ltte, as we all know. The SL Army itself paid heavily in lives of soliders (over 6,000 died), as they exercised great care to save civilians, and withheld indiscriminate bombing.