CHOGM 2013 – Establish Commission of Inquiry into Trans-Atlantic slavery, genocide and crimes against humanity committed by Britain during colonial rule of former colonies
Posted on October 10th, 2013
Shenali D Waduge
Though there has been a number of initiatives in recent times relating to the theory and the practice of reparations for human rights and humanitarian abuses committed in various parts of the world, many of the violations committed of genocidal proportions in Asia, Africa, and North and South America, during colonial times remain unresolved. Reparations for such abuses pose a huge challenge today for people seeking justice domestically and internationally.
Criminal accountability is now a reality at both the international and domestic levels. The establishment of the International Criminal Tribunal for Yugoslavia (ICTY), the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) and the International Criminal Court (ICC) has resulted in criminal accountability for gross human rights violations being subject to legal proceedings.
Apology and reparations for violations committed during colonialism, particularly slavery and genocide are now high on the agenda of an increasing number of third world countries. During the years of white colonial rule countless numbers of human rights abuses occurred in the competition among European Christian countries to seize and exploit both the human and natural resources of the colonized countries. The crimes committed during the colonial era include crimes against humanity, war crimes, genocide, mass murder, extermination, disappearances, torture, forced removals, slavery, racial discrimination, cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment, and much more.
The issue of compensation for victims of human rights abuses has become a critical concern for these countries and the individuals who live there. Reparations for these abuses have become an issue of considerable significance due to a growing awareness and acceptance by the international community of the need for and right to reparations for victims of human rights violations. Many human rights statutes and international conventions recognize without qualification that a victim is entitled to a remedy, which includes the means for full rehabilitation. In fact, the payment of some reparation for harm inflicted is a well-established principle of international law. Such a right is now recognized in regional human rights instruments and in the jurisprudence of regional human rights courts. The latest trend is the notion in international human rights law that, in principle, this law governs the conduct of state actors as well as private parties, including juridical bodies such as corporations.
The expansion of both the criminal and civil jurisdictions since the Nuremberg War Crimes trials (1945 -” 1946) have been bolstered by claims and payments made recently in a number of cases related to the Holocaust. Further a growing number of civil cases are being filed in relation to these types of violations. The majority of these types of cases are in the United States under the Alien Torts Claims Act.
In addition there are also at least three major cases against multinationals pending in the courts of the United States for violations committed during the colonial and apartheid periods. One suit has been filed by the Herero people of Namibia, for violations committed in that country in the early twentieth century, and two claims have been filed by South African victims for violations committed during the apartheid era.
It is also important to note that the matter of reparations for slavery and colonialism was a much discussed agenda item at the World Conference against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance (WCAR), held in Durban (South Africa) from August 31, until September 8, 2001.A substantial part of the World Conference was committed to an in depth examination of these themes. African countries demanded a formal apology, coupled with an undertaking from Western Christian nations and USA who were the main beneficiaries of slavery and colonialism, to effect reparations in specific ways.
Caricom -” Caribbean regional organization suing European nations
14 Caribbean nations are coming together for the first time to sue Britain, France and Netherlands for their colonial crimes. Mainstream media especially those in Sri Lanka have conveniently chose to put a lid on its coverage. This is shameful media conduct of newspaper proprietors of Sri Lanka. It strengthens the case for de-colonization of the mass media in Sri Lanka. This news is all the more poignant because the Prime Minister of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Mr. Ralph Gonsalves declared at the UN General Assembly that European nations must pay for their misdeeds and crimes. Our own President Mr. Mahinda Rajapakse speaking at the UN General Assembly voiced concern over -Ëœthe growing trend in the international arena, of interference by some, in the internal matters of developing countries, in the guise of security, and guardians of human rights-â„¢ and went on to conclude that the -Ëœworld needs no policing by a few States-â„¢ and these States coincidentally happen to be the former colonial rulers with a shameful track record of crimes against humanity during the colonial era. ‚
Caricom is preparing to bring the lawsuit to the UN International Court of Justice based in The Hague and will focus on Britain-â„¢s role in slavery in the Caribbean, France-â„¢s role in slavery in Haiti and the Netherlands-â„¢ role in slavery in Suriname. The law firm hired to take on the task is the same firm Leigh Day that succeeded in obtaining a court directed settlement to compensate hundreds of Kenyans tortured by Britain during the Mau Mau rebellion in the 1950s and 1960s. That settlement was $21.5million to the surviving Kenyans.
The Caribbean countries will set up national commissions on reparations but what is noteworthy is that these 14 Caricom nations have voted unanimously to wage a joint campaign to sue Britain, France and Netherlands for slavery and the genocide of native people in what is likely to be a land-mark battle. This is grist to the mill for other former British colonies to follow suit. ‚
CHOGM 2013 in Colombo
If 54 former nations are to meet in Colombo, Sri Lanka along with their former ruler Britain that meeting must be meaningful to all participants. Setting the pace is a‚ collection of 14 Caribbean countries who are suing the governments of the United Kingdom, France and the Netherlands for reparations over what the plaintiffs say is the lingering legacy of the Atlantic slave trade. Sri Lanka must not be left behind. President Rajapakse must ensure that he does not find himself on the wrong side of history despite several dangling carrots being offered by some of his erstwhile advisers to take him along that path; the same path that Don Juan Dharmapala took nearly 450 years ago and Ranil Wickremasinghe has taken in wanting to celebrate the arrival of the Portuguese which cost him an election. It would be foolish to overlook the gathering developments in our neighbouring India. Narendra Modi looks set to become the next Prime Minister of India. Further Modi is likely to be on the right side of history bringing heritage pride to India once more.
Thus with Caricom giving the impetus, Gambia showing the rest of the former colonies that there is little point worshipping former colonial rulers under the banner of the Commonwealth unless they apologize, compensate and treat the former colonies as equals there is little point being a member of the Commonwealth. ‚
With UK spearheading most of the calls to set up international investigations/inquiries and accusations against countries like Sri Lanka often without basis and with ulterior agendas, it is no better a time for African nations, Asia and Latin American nations to also group together and create Caricom type unions to officially press for reparations but most of all to correct history by setting up an international commission of inquiry so that posterity will be aware of the type of crimes that were committed by order of the State on behalf of the King/Queen.
Britain aware of its guilt ensured thousands of documents detailing some of its shameful acts and crimes were systematically destroyed or kept hidden from‚ historians and members of the public.
These crimes cover slavery, genocide, prostitution, sex slaves, mass murder, destruction of property, killing of animals including elephants, destroying agriculture, conversion of natives, diluting cultures, ethnic labelling, ethnic divisions, cunning boundary/territory mapping to create future conflicts -” all these crimes need to be listed and the former colonies must be made to disclose all documents most of which has been kept classified while some have been burnt.
Therefore, there is no better a time than now for Sri Lanka, on behalf of the 54 former colonies meeting in Colombo, to create history by
‚§‚ ‚ ‚ preparing a position paper to be distributed to all members of the Commonwealth calling for the Establishment of a ‚ Commission of Inquiry into Trans – Atlantic slavery, genocide and crimes against humanity committed by Britain during colonial rule of former colonies, and
‚§‚ ‚ ‚ placing this item on the Agenda paper of CHOGM for member nations-â„¢ discussion
When Britain, Canada and the like can call for inquiries against member nations, member nations should also have the right to do the same -” after all Commonwealth values must be applied equally. ‚
‚ “We are not a young people with innocent record and a scanty inheritance. We have engrossed to ourselves -” an altogether disproportionate share of wealth and traffic of the world. We have got all we want in territory, and our claim to be left in the unmolested enjoyment of vast and splendid possessions, mainly acquired by violence, largely maintained by force, often seem less reasonable to others than to us” -”
so said Winston Churchill denoting the mindset of all imperialists.‚
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October 10th, 2013 at 12:55 pm
Thanks Shenali. Good reminder to the British. But the important thing is to be prepared to say, and actually say these facts (well known to those who are in the know) directly to Cameron if he points fingers at SL during the CHOGM sessions which he appears to be planning to do, so that the response goes on the international record. Utterly no point in muttering these things to ourselves within a closed closet. We need to show to the World the utterly absurd hypocrisy of those pointing their fingers at Sri Lanka – S de silva – London
October 10th, 2013 at 1:23 pm
Good move.
UK, Canada and Australia will be totally against this for obvious reasons.
SL can create a HUGE worldwide movement this way to transfer wealth back to developing countries ROBBED of their resources.
Now these jokers talk big about human rights!! Bloody plunderers.
IF SL can get $ 20 billion in compensation we can pay off the loans in full.
Portugal and Netherland should also pay up.
October 10th, 2013 at 3:36 pm
But the boss has already banned protests during CHOGM. Only Lanka Web protests possible.
Lets do that at least.
October 10th, 2013 at 6:28 pm
Shenali:
Be selfish. Why do we care about Transatlantic Slavery ?. We are worried about the massacres that happened in Sri Lanka and Things STOLEN FROM US.
Please CONCENTRATE on those.
Ask compensation.
October 11th, 2013 at 1:32 am
It was reported that 600 Canadian First Nation Women had been murdered, and the Government of Canada has refused investigation. This should be investigated and brought before the UNHuman Rights Council in Geneva in March next year.
The NATO should be called upon to rebuild the countries like Libya, Afghanistan, Iraq, destroyed by bombardements. They jump to settle disputes in countries by bringing in their full war potentials, but retreat afterwards as it is a normal procedure, without assisting the countries to rebuild buildings and houses destroyed by bombardments leaving the people in misery.
October 11th, 2013 at 4:30 am
Go for a walk in the Main Street, Pettah and other areas close to Colombo and who are still bleeding us. They are the Indian colonial parasites who came on the back of the British since 1792.
October 11th, 2013 at 5:06 am
It all boils down to the Economy and the Money Games.
Sri Lanka must get Self Sufficient in as many Needs as possible. Then all “parasites” will have to leave us alone and we will flourish economically as well as in other ways. It is the money and profit for others that is bleeding Sri Lanka. Money must be made with a sense of Balance in all things, People first and the Environment next.
Sri Lanka should stay “Small is Beautiful” (Schumacher) re her industries with only small or mid-size industries, or else end up with the same type of problem that the US is having right now !
October 11th, 2013 at 12:08 pm
Sue Britain for the crimes she commited as an Empire. What poetic justice. Yes it is overdue to charge these nations and hold them for the massive human rights violations they commited not just in the 19th century but well into the 20th century. The division of India alone cost over 2 million lives and displaced 14 million people and that is just one single area. The war against the Zulu resulted in a truce where Botswana land was created in the middle of South Africa which the British took from the Dutch. The whole scale suicide of the royalty of Indonesia took place in front of Dutch soldiers as the Indonesian royalty realized their world has been brutally taken away from them. What the Conquistadors did in the new world is nothing short of genocide. and on and on it goes.
October 11th, 2013 at 1:34 pm
I always knew … deep down somewhere where the sun don’t shine …. that some people are too stupid to know how stupid they are.
I learned today, that it has been elevated to a theory: The Dunning-Kruger Effect.
“People tend to be blissfully unaware of their own incompetence,” David Dunning and Justin Kruger wrote, “… Their lack of skill deprives them not only of the ability to produce correct responses, but also of the expertise necessary to surmise that they are not producing them.”
So, how does this pertain to Shenali’s CHOGM article? It does not … but I thought I should share this GEM with all of you!
October 12th, 2013 at 6:56 am
Bernard: there was no India before the British made it. Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi (Mahathma Gandhi) was a pole bearer (a Sepoy) of the British Army when British fought against the Zulus. Please open your eyes and see that the European empires are finished. It is the Indian Empire that is destroying us.
October 12th, 2013 at 12:16 pm
WHO really gives a damn about whether Harper attends the CHOGM? Sri Lankans don’t!
As a matter of fact, Sri Lankans have ALREADY paid DEARLY for hosting this WHITE ELEPHANT of a CHOGM in Sri Lanka:
1. Sri Lanka swept REVOKING the 13th Amendment under the carpet to please the CHOGM attendees,
2. Sri Lanka held the Northern PC Election to please India and Western Critics, without first investigating the ILLEGAL IMPORTATION of up to 1.6 million Kallathonis by the LTTE during the last 30 years, and without REVOKING the 13th Amendment and DISMANTLING the PC System,
3. Sri Lanka DEBASED itself sending Minister G. L. Pieris to INdia to beg for the President of India to attend the CHOGM and subsequently quickly signed the Sampur Power Plant agreement with India despite objections of many CEB and other officials and patriotic political forces. India now has Embassies in Colombo, Jaffna, Hambantota; the airfield at Palaly, the oil storage plant in Trincomalees, and now the Sampur Power Plant in Trincomalee. Day by Day, Little by Little the Indian Octopus is enveloping and infiltrating Sri Lanka with its tentacles. We will RUE the day when this policy of acquiescence to the gradual Indianization of Sri Lanka was aided and abetted by MYOPIC politicians.
4. Sri Lanka signed an agreement with India on the Tri-Lingual Language Policy during Minister Kurshid’s recent visit to Sri Lanka. Although I believe that a Tri-Lingual Language Policy is a GOOD THIND, why do we have to enter into AGREEMENTS with a forreign country about it. Such Agreements … like the Agreement that led to the 13th Amendment … come back as inflexible international commitments to HAUNT Sri Lanka in the future. Our National Policy should be … NOT TO ENTER INTO ANY INTERNATIONAL AGREEMENTS that affect Sri Lanka’s DOMESTIC matters. That is for SOVEREIGN Sri Lanka and its SOVEREIGN people to decide without compromising its sovereignty piece-by-piece in agreements with foreign nations.
No INTERNATIONAL AGREEMENTS should be entered into with FOREIGN COUNTRIES on Power Devolution, Government Structure, Human Rights, Democracy, Good Governance ad inifinitum, ad nauseam. NONE WHATEVER!
Do not BIND Sri Lanka’s hands to truss it up like a HELPLESS TURKEY with these NONSENSICAL agreements, that will be wielded like swords later to blackmail and threaten Sri Lanka in the future.
While the ADVERSE IMPACTS on Sri Lanka of the CHOGM meeting are already a MYRIAD, NOTHING GOOD will come of the CHOGM meeting, none of the expected ECONOMIC RETURN … except the massaging of a FEW OUTSIZE Sri Lankan Political EGOS …. and OPENING the DOOR WIDER to FOREIGN POLITICAL INTERFERENCE in Sovereign Sri Lanka’s Domestic Matters.
Will we EVER LEARN?
October 12th, 2013 at 12:21 pm
Opening doors to Foreign Investors should be done with GREAT CARE, without allowing them to DICTATE government policies on INTERNAL POLITICS, or overwhelming the ECONOMIC rights of Sri Lankan citizens.
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Sri Lanka to open more avenues for investors ahead of the Commonwealth Business Forum
ColomboPage News Desk, Sri Lanka.
Oct 12, Colombo: Anticipating a large number of foreign business delegates at the upcoming Commonwealth Business Forum (CBF) 2013 that will take place alongside the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in November, Sri Lanka has agreed to open more avenues for investors.
During a discussion held earlier this week with the Economic Development Minister Basil Rajapaksa, Commonwealth Business Council Chairman Dr. Mohan Kaul has requested the Sri Lankan government to open more opportunities for the foreign business community.
Dr. Kaul has pointed out that potentially the Forum could generate over US$ 2 billion worth Foreign Direct Investments for Sri Lanka over a period of time after the meeting.
The Commonwealth Business Forum, jointly organized by the Commonwealth Business Council (CBC) and the Sri Lankan government, will take place in Colombo Nov. 12-14 under the theme “Partnership for Wealth Creation and Social Development: The Commonwealth, Indian Ocean, Pacific, and SAARC.”
The CBC Chairman has also discussed identifying areas in the island suitable for investment and inviting potential investors to visit them.
Dr. Kaul and the Minister have agreed that building expressways, developing the textile industry, power generation, establishing a village for handicrafts and infrastructure development are among the many areas to which the investors can be attracted.
“This is a tremendous opportunity to promote and market Sri Lanka as an ideal place for investments,” the Chairman of CBC has said.
Around 1,000 delegates form 65 countries are expected to participate in the Forum, making it largest ever business gathering in Sri Lanka. Some of the participants are from countries outside the Commonwealth such as China, Russia and Japan.
According to the organizers, the Forum will enable a diverse business networking opportunity for the participants to share a common platform and have the unique opportunity to discuss potential projects in the fastest growing markets in the world.
Representatives from key sectors such as agriculture, manufacturing, tourism, education, information technology and energy, among others, are expected to be present at the Forum.
The CBC Chairman has also Dr. Kaul confirmed the participation of the Canadian business community in the CBF despite Canada’s decision to boycott the main summit.
According to Minister Rajapaksa, the participants, representing the chambers of commerce, the private sector and governments have already registered to attend the Forum.
October 12th, 2013 at 8:46 pm
What the Hell … more SOUL HUNTERS descending on Sri Lanka?
John Keels … the largest business conglomerate in Sri Lanka is jumping into bed with the World Vision … a NOTORIOUS Christian Evangelical Missionary movement dedicated to EXPLOITING vulnerable people to BUY their SOULS, and CONVERT them to Christianity … to “assist” people of the Northern Province!!!
What is the GOSL doing leaving the DOORS OPEN for these snakes to increase the communal strife in Sri Lanka and undermine the Buddhist Majority?
Religious TOLERANCE does not equate to INVITING foreign missionaries to INTERFERENCE in the religious demographics of Sri Lanka. We have plenty of our own religious leaders to tend to our own people … we don’t need FOREIGN MISSIONARIRES invading Sri Lanka to further stir the COMMUNAL POT!
The GOSL should adopt the following National Policy: No Evangelical Missionaries of ANY RELIGION, or Funding to promote their Agendas under whatever humanitarian or religious pretext, will be allowed into Sri Lanka.
Do your own in depth research to discover for yourself their ultimate goal of religious conversion of poor and needy people to offset the increasing drift of people away from their religion in thie rown countries. The heads of poor people in developing countries can be purchased for far less money than their own well-to-do people. For those who don’t know about World Vision, and their global missionary head hunting agenda sugar coated as humanitarian assistance, here is an admiring summary culled from Wikipedia.org, so you should read between the lines, and do your own research, to discover the truth.
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World Vision … a Capsule Introduction
World Vision International is an Evangelical Christian Humanitarian aid, development, and advocacy organisation dedicated to working with children, families and communities to overcome poverty and injustice. Inspired by Christian values, they are dedicated to working with the world’s most vulnerable people, and serve all people regardless of religion, race, ethnicity or gender.[5]
Since Robert Pierce founded World Vision in 1950,[3] it has grown into one of the largest relief and development organizations in the world[6] with a total revenue including grants, product and foreign donations of $2.79 billion (2011).[7]
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In A Declaration of Internationalization (1978) World Vision declares a Statement of Faith[22] that corresponds to the Statement of Faith[23] put forward by the National Association of Evangelicals (NAE) as standard for their evangelical convictions as the theological frame in which the organization as a whole has to operate.[24][25] World Vision aims to incorporate this Christian belief into their development work as well as their organization. Vice President of Advocacy and Government Relations at World Vision Canada Linda Tripp wrote, “In Christ, we have a role model who healed the sick, fed the hungry, clothed the naked, and comforted the outcast, and whose message was about restoring relationships and reconciliation.” This directly relates to World Visions mission to provide emergency relief, development, promote justice, and spread awareness to countries in need. World Vision staff is not affiliated with one specific church; their staff makes up all branches of Protestantism and Roman Catholic and Orthodox churches. Staff participates in daily and weekly services. They stress that you can be a Christian in any culture. However, World Vision also respects other religions that they encounter stating that “to promote a secular approach to life would be an insult to them”.[26] Richard Stearns, president of World Vision US, stated that World Vision has a strict policy against proselytizing which he describes as “… – using any kind of coercion or inducement to listen to a religious message before helping someone”.[27] The World Vision Partnership and all its national members are committed to the concept of transformational development,[28] which is cast in a biblical framework and in which evangelization is an inseparable integral part of development work.[29]
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World Vision India has been accused of spending money on Christian evangelism in India.[51] The political weekly Tehelka has cited World Vision India’s involvement with AD2000 as proof of proselytizing.[52] World Vision’s Indian leader Radhakanta Nayak was also accused by Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh of being involved in the murder of Swami Lakshmanananda.[53][54] World Vision India condemned the murder and denied any involvement, pointing out its anti-proselytizing policy.[55]
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John Keells – World Vision collaborate in developing Mullaitivu
Island.lk
October 11, 2013, 9:04 pm
Representatives of John Keells Foundation and World Vision Lanka together with Government Agent Mullativu, security forces personnel and community leaders of Iranaipalai and Puthumathalan, Mullaitivu District.
John Keells Foundation and World Vision Lanka recently launched a collaboration to uplift and rehabilitate the livelihoods of communities in Northern Sri Lanka. Through this collaboration, several development interventions such as livelihoods assistance programmes including enhancement of women entrepreneurship opportunities, infrastructure and skills development for the benefit of school children and youth and provision of water and sanitation facilities for schools and communities will be implemented in selected villages within the Mullaitivu district.
John Keells Foundation (JKF) is the Corporate Social Responsibility entity of the John Keells Group. One of its focus areas is community and livelihood development under which the Village Adoption Project is a key initiative aimed at poverty alleviation at village level through a sustainable and integrated development programme planned and implemented in partnership with relevant stakeholders. The villages previously undertaken under the Village Adoption Project are Halmillewa in the Anuradhapura District and Mangalagama in the Ampara District.
World Vision Lanka (WVL) has been operational in Northern Sri Lanka for many years and has been assisting returning communities to start life over, providing them with livelihood support, nutrition feeding programmes for preschool children, assistance in education sector, psychosocial support through its mental health project and disaster risk reduction programmes.
The collaboration provides both organizations an opportunity to work together to improve the lives of communities in the war affected North through sustainable development programmes.
Two villages in the Mullaitivu district – Iranaipalai in Puthukudiyiruppu DS and Puthumathalan in Maritimepattu DS – were selected after a lengthy assessment and clearance process.
Under the first phase of the project, selected members of fisher societies were provided with fish nets and tools while members of Women’s Rural Development Societies were assisted to start a savings scheme and provided with bicycles. To mark the completion of these activities, a handover ceremony was held in Iranaipalai with the participation of Mr. N Vethanayagam, Government Agent of Mullaitivu, Divisional Secretaries, Security Forces representatives, religious leaders and school principals as well as representatives of the village communities.
Speaking on the occasion, N Vethanayagam, Government Agent of Mullaitivu, said “Iranaipalai was one of the conflict zones that was severely damaged during the last phase of the war. Almost all infrastructure and facilities were badly affected. Given that this is one of the most needy areas where the livelihood of families depend largely on fishing, I am very glad that John Keells has come forward to assist these people to restore their source of income.”
Speaking on behalf of John Keells Foundation Ms. Carmeline Jayasuriya, Head of Operations, CSR said that John Keells was very pleased to partner development in an area long affected by the conflict. “We have been able to engage with the relevant stakeholders in planning preliminary development activities in the two villages, thanks to the collaborative support of WVL, Government officials, security forces and community based organizations. We look forward to working closely with all stakeholders in planning and implementing future activities”, she said.
Meanwhile, infrastructure development undertaken under the first phase includes construction of permanent double unit toilets for the two schools in the selected villages (Mu/Iranaipalai R.C.M.V., Mullaitivu and Mu/Mathalan R.C.G.T., Mullaitivu) and the cleaning and renovation of community wells in Puthumathalan. This work too has been completed and handed over to the respective beneficiaries. More development work being planned under the second phase of the project.
The project envisages a larger collaboration between the two organizations with JKF funding and implementing initiatives which have been identified through needs assessments and stakeholder engagement and WVL providing ground support, particularly in relation to assessment, implementation and monitoring aspects.
Commenting on the collaboration, WVL National Director Suresh Bartlett said, “This is an important collaboration as we intentionally look to partner with corporates in development. We believe the synergies that this creates will help us maximize opportunities and bring about greater innovation in delivering sustainable development outcomes for the people of Sri Lanka.”
October 13th, 2013 at 7:52 am
Both Buddhist & Hindu teachings do not lay emphasis on Modernisation & Development, even though the people in these religions desire change for the better. Also to both religious groups, having belonged to an Agrarian society in the past, it is not in their nature to move easily to Modernisation & Development and Industrialisation. The western groups, coming from both Modernised & Developed countries as well as Industrialisation, are comfortable and confident with all these aspects.
The Buddhist & Hindu groups have to realise that they can have Modernisation & Development as well as Industrialisation, as well as speak and write good English, while retaining their religions and Life Values. Many people have proved that this can be done. They can excel in the advancement of their societies without changing religions. In fact, by retaining their Life Values through their religion, they can do very well, and avoid mistakes made in the west.
In particular, it is up to the Hindu folk of Sri Lanka to set aside and debilitating and archaic Caste system. It is up to our people to use their common sense while proceeding forward without fear. No one can be converted against their will. Cash rewards/jobs etc for conversations ought to be exposed via watchful media.
October 13th, 2013 at 1:22 pm
SL is going to dogs.
Why is WORLD VISION allowed to operate in SL?