With zero-record of reconciliation or resettlement, scores of Geneva Violations, US is bringing Resolutions against Sri Lanka
Posted on February 10th, 2013
Shenali Waduge
A second resolution is being brought against Sri Lanka at the UNHRC sessions next month because the US remains dissatisfied with the scale of progress and the measured implementation of the LLRC. This is coming from a country that carries out foreign invasions/interventions and does not wait for any UN approval (but gets it anyway) to bomb indiscriminately, violate Geneva conventions, and cares not a penny for the IDPs or refugees the US has displaced and doesnƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢t appear to receive any deadlines or timelines to address the appalling conditions it has left the countries the US and its allies have forcefully invaded! So much for equality of status and so much for the international justice system!
For the nations looking forward to voting against Sri Lanka at the UNHRC sessions headed probably by India all we can say is that the people of Sri Lanka are very disappointed at the manner nations are being diplomatically coerced to vote against Sri Lanka without looking at the merits of Sri LankaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s resettlement record in a space of just 3 years given its limitations as a developing Third World nation.
It is clearly evident that development, resettlement, rehabilitation or reintegration is not what US and its lobbies have in mind and these Resolutions are simply to coerce and instill fear that the countryƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s leaders will be tried for war crimes so that their fear would get them to compromise or sell the nation to them ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” we hope our leaders are all the wiser not to fall prey.
Whereas Sri Lanka dealt with a non-international armed conflict ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” an internal terrorist problem, the US and Allied foreign interventions and invasions without UN approval has left over 2.4m Iraqi IDPs, the military intervention of Libya in 2011 and the ongoing interventions of Syria and now Mali show that it is the desires of a handful of powerful countries that matter and the entities such as UN and the office of the UN human rights are mere spectators but to project to the world that their office has a voice they go after the meeker nations of the world ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” yes, they are after Sri Lanka.
Notwithstanding all these negatives projected the world over about Sri Lanka, it cannot take away the fact that Sri Lanka took just 3 years to complete the military elimination of the LTTE including its ground leadership in May 2009 after 30 years of terrorism, becoming the first nation to eliminate terrorism from its soil freeing the people from suicide attacks and indiscriminate LTTE bombings. It took just 3 years to achieve another feat ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” that of resettling all the 295,873 IDPs who were rescued by the armed forces in a humanitarian rescue operation that left 5000 soldiers sacrificing their lives to bring Tamil civilians to safety. This last resettlement of 1186 persons from 361 Tamil families puts Sri Lanka on top of an exclusively single position of being the only country to resettle its IDPs given that there are 27.5m internally displaced people worldwide. The number of refugees worldwide is said to be over 62m more than half of whom have become refugees because of war ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” wars that are engineered.
Sri Lanka has demined 5000sq.km of land, it has rehabilitated and reintegrated 11,989 surrendered LTTE combatants, only 383 ex-combatants will be charged whilst 594 child combatants have been exempt from formal charges with the Government of Sri Lanka taking a magnanimous decision to treat these children as victims instead of perpetrators of terror. Some of these children have gone on to pursue higher education and vocational training, 53 LTTE couples were married in a mass wedding organized by the Sri Lankan military. As a nation we do not live in fear because there are no bombs going off at every corner, there are no suicide missions and assassination squads. The Tamil people themselves do not have to forcefully contribute to the LTTE kitty or pay ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-taxesƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ when they go to visit relatives in the North. So is the world concerned about the happiness of the Tamil people or the political aspirations of the Tamil politicians! The Government has diverted the bulk of loans received towards the rebuilding of the northern and eastern provinces. Over 1000 schools have been restored, canals, tanks and revival or agriculture and farming is visible to those visiting the areas that were once prohibited by the LTTE.
The most unbiased and explicit account of Sri Lanka as seen through the eyes of 2 Australian Opposition MPs visiting Sri Lanka is by far the best account the nation could ever hope to hear and we are thankful that there are some politicians of integrity still around. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_us_2XXRKmc ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Australian Deputy Opposition Leader Julie Bishop and ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ shadow Immigration Minister Scott Morrison and border protection spokesman Michael Keenan.
The crux of the issue for most countries who had been part of the ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-solutionƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ exercise over the years is that they cannot chew the fact that Sri Lanka defied their ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-ordersƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ and marched on to totally eliminated the LTTE ground terror whilst the fronts of the LTTE remains very much functioning in their nations. Were they sincere they would at the very least investigate when we say they are still raising funds to again destabilize the nation.
Leaving aside the Government of Sri LankaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s response, the rest of the country cannot understand how a country such as the US that has a criminal track record of human rights violations, crimes against humanity and one of the worst violators of the Geneva Conventions over a period of time can evade its own guilt to bring resolutions against other nations!
The military intervention of Libya took place on 19th March 2011 using UN Resolution 1973 with a coalition force of 19 nations that included Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Italy, Norway, Qatar, Spain, UK and US. To France, Gaddafi was better dead than alive because it now emerges that former French President SarkozyƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s 2007 election campaign was funded by Gaddafi giving ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢¢”š¬…¡ƒ”š‚¬50m- a lot of other secrets would have emerged had not Gaddafi been killed on 20 Oct 2011. As for the thousands of Libyan civilians who died ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” the simply answer is that they were killed by GaddafiƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s troops and the case is closed, all other countries the answer is ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-collateral damageƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” case is closed. They say the Libyan civilian deaths are around 30,000 but the way Sri Lanka is being thrown ghost estimate figures we would rather not comment on civilian casualties because the West and its media have a way of creating dead figures and people to vouch that they saw the dead!
The people of Libya had a ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-dictatorƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” well thatƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s what the pro-west media termed Gaddafi and by easily getting UN approval US and NATO attacked Libya even going so far as to openly arm, train and supply rebels (using the clause ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-take all necessary meansƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ to justify) to finally get rid of Gaddafi by killing him. If one man was a horror for the people of Libya, now Libyans have to contend with groups of armed militia all having a free run killing each other. Before GaddafiƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s death Libya was the ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-most prosperous nationƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ in Africa with people enjoying free health care and free education, they also enjoyed free electricity and interest free loans ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” that was why UN designated Libya the 53rd highest in the world in human development. A country that people were never homeless now according to UNHCR ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-At the end of August 2012, the number of internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Libya remained somewhere between 65,000 and 80,000, a population composed mostly of minorities, such as the Tawerghas, who are unwilling or unable to return to their areas of origin for fear of reprisalsƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚. So where are the UN officers handing over deadlines to the US and Allies for it is they who are responsible for Libyans now internally displaced?
Seven years after Hurricane Katrina, New Orleans’ homeless population is estimated at 4,900, nearly two and a half times bigger than before the levees failed. The majority of the homeless sleep in the 40,000 abandoned buildings that remain as a legacy of the storm. So what is America talking about not being satisfied with the pace of ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-reconciliationƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” in 7 years it has failed to house the remaining 4900 homeless in its own nation, is that such a difficult task for the most powerful nation in the world?
When Robert Blake the US official carrying instructions to the GOSL from the US says ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-I emphasized the importance of progress in reducing the role and profile of the military in the North, and full respect for human rightsƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” he seems to think that we are ignorant that the US has over 1000 foreign military bases installed in over 120 nations and territories through the ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-status of forces agreementƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ which guarantees US cannot be held accountable for any crimes the US soldiers commit in the nations they are stationed and there are over 160,000 such US personnel. These bases function as storage facilities for weapons, nuclear arms, training, intelligence gathering, monitor email, phone and data communication traffic, extra-judicial transport, imprisonment and torture of Guantanamo Bay and Diego Garcia are two good examples.
We are living in a world where conflicts do not happen naturally ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” they are all engineered to happen and created after a systematic and planned layout by people who remote-control virtually all of the decisions that affect most of the Third World nations because it is always they who become the best prey for profiteers.
If the world was sincere about solving terrorism all it had to do was to stop the manufacture and flow of arms, cease the flow of finances to purchase arms, stop the terrorist training and arrest all those involved indirectly or directly in fostering terrorist activity. Nevertheless, terrorism is today being used to bring nations to their knees, to dethrone political leaders, to force nations to be heavily reliant on international loans, every loan comes with a compulsory change to adhere to Western agendas and it is not difficult to see how enslaved most politicians of the Third World are and they in turn would compromise anything to remain in power. Over a period of time we are looking at nations losing their Westphalian sovereignty rights, creating a demographical imbalance or totally changing the cultural and historical dynamics of a nation.
Whilst we as a nation know the hidden agendas behind these Resolutions our fears also include to what extent the Ministry of External Affairs headed by a Minister ever ready to appease to the wishes of the West would have compromised of Sri Lanka.
February 10th, 2013 at 12:11 pm
Thanks Shenali – time we shed ‘appeasemen’ for the sake of diplomacy and the Diplo-Mutts and the foreign office and the people of SL go on the offensive – we have had enough with appeasement and enough is enough – S de Silva – London
February 10th, 2013 at 1:09 pm
I have to partly DISAGREE with the above comment.
No appeasement – Agree.
But the other option is NOT going offensive. We should say NO to UNHRC demands. Make our intention clear we will NOT implement LLRC. Those are ONLY recommendations NOT decisions. Selected ones have already been implemented.
February 10th, 2013 at 4:10 pm
Chairman LLRC is anti buddhist. This is the fellow who went to the east to bring down the buddhist temple under the instruction by the Tmil AG. The GOSL must stop playing the diplomacy with the UNHRC and tell them to stop meddling with the country’s internal affairs. Even if the GOSL toe the line with the UNHRC, they are proceeding with the anti SL agenda. When the country is supporting the GOSL why bother? The problem is corrupt politicians. RAW and CIA are busy with the corrupt politicians and the priests buddhists and catholic.
February 10th, 2013 at 6:33 pm
Though Sri Lanka won the war against the most ruthless outfit in the world almost four years ago, the war against diplomatic terrorism is still going on.
Sri Lanka can deny the UNHCHR the right to intervene arbitrarily since it is a blatant violation of the country’s sovereignty.
February 10th, 2013 at 11:41 pm
SL should formally bring in a vote of no confidence against having Navi Pillay- a Tamil ethnic who has a pro-Eelaam background – as UNCHR. There is a glaring conflict of interest in her ability to do the job impartially and without fear or favour. Until this aberration is put right SL can not ever be satisfied that the UN will act in good faith as far as SL is concerned.
February 11th, 2013 at 12:04 am
Even native English people can sing the SL national anthem in Sinhala.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ggs3o3xJhwo
Why can’t Tamils sing it! SL is FAR TOO flexible. Put the foot down and get them to toe the line.
February 11th, 2013 at 5:45 am
Thanks Shenali! It is very clear the hypocrisy of USA, and they should be very ashamed of their conduct.
In the mean time, Sri Lanka should file a strong case against Navi Pillai and go on the full offensive against her office and her stating that Sri Lanka has no confidence on her conduct, listing down all her ill-deeds and her background.
This No-confidence Document should be accompanied by a report explaining Sri Lanka’s progress after the war, and should be shared with all the countries of the world.
February 11th, 2013 at 7:02 am
Hope US would open their eyes.. check out this video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=16K6m3Ua2nw
February 11th, 2013 at 1:04 pm
From adaderana.lk
“A Sri Lankan migrant has launched a political party in Australia that runs on an anti-multiculturalism platform.
Rise Up Australia already boasts about 1,500 members and plans to run 65 candidates in the upcoming federal election.
“Rise Up Australia Party, which is committed to keeping Australia for Australians, is utterly and completely opposed to multiculturalism,” says Rise Up Australia’s founder Daniel Nalliah.
The Sri Lankan-born pastor draws on his own migrant past in defence of assimilation.
That message has the backing of international figures.
“If you come here, then follow Pastor Danny’s example and enjoy it and celebrate it and do not seek to destroy it,” said Christopher Monckton from the UK Independence Party.
The leader of the new party has come under fire in the past for anti-Islamic comments, but he wasn’t backing away from making controversial statements again today.
If elected, Rise Up wants to restrict the number of Muslims calling Australia ‘home’.
The party has 1,500 supporters across the country, and is putting forward 52 candidates in the Lower House and a dozen in the Senate in the upcoming federal election.
“If we’re not careful, we’re going to lose this country,” said a supporter. “I don’t want to see Sharia Law in Australia,” said another.
But Iqbal Patel from Muslims Australia says that’s far from happening.
“Nobody wants to impose Sharia law in Australia, I mean, far from it. That’s the last thing that anybody wants to do”.
The Vice-President of the Muslim association insists it’s a free country, and supporters of Rise Up can vote as they chose.
“If they want to try and get any mileage on the backs of Muslims, and blame Muslims for all the ills of Australia, then I think that itself is very short-sighted of them,” he said.
But he says it’s sad that someone would exploit Islam for political gain. – SBS”
February 12th, 2013 at 4:45 am
The agenda is to never allow Sinhala, Tamil and Muslims to live in peace. Just look at Middle East. Americans will never let Arabs and Jews settle their differences and live in peace. Every American action in Middle East since 1948 was to create disharmony and hate among Arabs and Israelis. They are trying the old British principal, divide and conquer.