S de Silva UK

Sri Lanka should state robustly that any demand for unilateral accountability on Sri Lanka on casualties etc will be rejected outright.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  Instead, any such demand shall be universal and apply to all participants of the conflict.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  Therefore Sri Lanka, in return should demand accountability from all participants in the conflict via the UNHRC if Sri Lanka is to participate in such an ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”accountability investigationƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Absence of such a universal demand for accountability from all parties to the conflict will be taken by Sri Lanka as absolute prejudice of the UNHRC against Sri Lanka and as such will NOT bind itself to deliver a response to such a demand. ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ We need also to highlight that Sri Lanka is exempt from all collateral damage under the rules of engagement.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Other participants to the conflict are:-

1.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  The LTTE and its successors and financial sponsors in the West including UK and Canada and their governments for allowing LTTE facilities within their borders

2.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  Central Government of India for permitting the establishment of LTTE terrorist bases in India.

As I have said many times in these columns that while all the facts are in our favour we simply seem to have no one to put these facts across effectively at International level better than what has been happening to date.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  When this point is raised the response by the GoSL is that there are ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”no funds – ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ and whatever funds we do have are to serve the community in the first instance,.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  Very true indeed.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ 

Therefore Sri Lanka must also spell out to the UNHRC etc that OUR priority following the War is to provide for the livelihood of the community affected by War in the first instance and ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”spurious accountability mattersƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ sponsored by vindictive Western governments are a lower priorityƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Also, dealing with the anti-Sri Lanka propaganda must be considered as an integral component of the War and funded as a part of that.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  THE MILITARY WAR IS SUCCESSFUL ONLY WHEN WE ARE ALSO SUCCESSFUL IN COUNTERING THE PROPAGANDA WAR BY THE TAMILS.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  It is clear that the GoSL is yet to recognise this fact.