Allegations vs. being guilty: Sri Lanka’s human rights violations as seen by the West and the human rights groups
Posted on November 9th, 2013

Asada M Erpini

‚ Ever since the military arm of the LTTE based in Sri Lanka was vanquished by the valiant armed forces of the sovereign republic of Sri Lanka, there have been incessant cries of human rights violations by the political and military leadership of the island nation.

‚ The noises made by Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International and other such groups, the former Sri Lankan Tamils now comfortably based in the most affluent countries of the world and the corrupt politicians in western countries, led by Canada, who would sell their grandmother for the bloc vote of Tamil immigrants from Sri Lanka, reach a crescendo whenever there is any international event that is hosted by Sri Lanka or which the President of Sri Lanka is scheduled to attend. The accusations have now reached fever pitch because the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting is due to begin in a few days in Sri Lanka.

‚ The absurdity in this whole issue of human rights violations in Sri Lanka or by the political and military leadership of the country is focused on the last stages of the war that was concluded on 19 May 2009. The LTTE, backed and supported by India and Canada and other affluent countries violated the human rights of all Sri Lankans for a near three-decade period. Yet, all these human rights propagandists are concerned only about the last stages when the local LTTE leadership was forced to bite the dust in the Nadhikadal lagoons.

‚ Most peace-loving Sri Lankans would welcome an independent and objective investigation into human rights violations spanning the 30 year period prior to 2009. Among the main accused would be:

  1. India and its Southern state of Tamil Nadu for harbouring, financing and providing training facilities to LTTE to wage war against Sri Lanka
  2. Canada that allowed the Canadian LTTE to collect two million dollars monthly to finance the LTTE killing machine for its horrendous massacres and destruction in Sri Lanka during the time of its Liberal Prime Ministers Jean Chretien and Paul Martin. The most prominent among the -Ëœachievements-â„¢ carried out by LTTE is the bombing of the Central Bank building in Colombo with funds provided by a Tamil in Vancouver‚  to buy 10 tons of RDX and 50 tons of TNT from the Rubezone Ukraine Chemical Factory.
  3. Amnesty International (AI) that had -gratefully accepted- $50,000 from Canadian Tamil Congress in December 2011. All discerning readers know how AI picks and chooses its targets to suit its own agenda.

One could go on and on listing the massacres that LTTE inflicted on Sri Lanka and its people -” Tamils, Sinhalas, Moors, Malays, etc. -” in its macabre pursuit of creating a mono-ethnic Eelam based on concocted history. It would not have been possible for the LTTE to challenge Sri Lanka government-â„¢s armed forces if not for the moral, financial and material support given by India, Canada and many other countries.

‚  There is a world of difference between being accused and proven guilty, and that too, beyond any reasonable doubt. The Sri Lankan armed forces are accused of killing 7000, 20000, 40000 and even 100000 Tamil civilians during the last stages of the war. How one can pluck figures of the dead from thin air baffles sane Sri Lankans.

‚ The political and the military leaderships have been accused of war crimes, which is not the same as being found guilty of the acts. The accusers should consider themselves fortunate that they have not been sued for libel by the aggrieved parties so far. The Secretary of Defence of Sri Lanka has given the apt response to these figure crunching magicians: -Produce evidence or shut up-.

13 Responses to “Allegations vs. being guilty: Sri Lanka’s human rights violations as seen by the West and the human rights groups”

  1. Ananda-USA Says:

    Bravo! NOW the GOSL can REDUCE Indian political, economic and military involvement in Sri Lanka, REVOKE the 13th Amendment, and DISMANTLE the Provincial Council System. Lets us GET OUT OF India’s DEADLY SUFFOCATING EMBRACE … NOW!

    Also, Mr. Kurshid and the rest of the Indian delegation should stay at home in India as well … They are missing Man Mohan Singh’s Party with the Tamil Nadu Racists!

    …………………….
    Indian Foreign Minister to lead delegation at CHOGM in Sri Lanka

    ColomboPage News Desk, Sri Lanka.

    Nov 09, New Delhi: India’s External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid will lead the Indian delegation at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) to be held in Sri Lanka next week, Indian media reported today.

    Indian media reports quoting government sources said the Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has decided to skip the event in the light of the strong opposition within his own Congress party as well as from the Tamil political parties in Tamil Nadu.

    The PM’s decision to skip the event will be conveyed to the Sri Lankan government tomorrow, sources said.

    “The Prime Minister is likely to write to Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa by tomorrow regarding his decision,” India’s PTI news agency said quoting government sources.

    However, there Indian government or the Congress party has not made an official announcement on the Prime Minister’s decision yet.

    The Prime Minister and the Congress Party core group headed by party president Sonia Gandhi had deliberated the pros and cons of PM’s participation in the summit for over an hour yesterday but the discussions had not produced any conclusive result.

    Some sections of the Indian government were of the view that non-participation by Indian PM yielding into the political pressure from Tamil parties would result in India losing the leverage it has on Sri Lanka and drive the island nation’s government more towards China and Pakistan.

  2. Lorenzo Says:

    SL is NOT complaining.

    That is the problem.

    “hitha honda gaeni hemadama budding”.

    “hitha honda Mother SL hemadama budding with Endian shitt”.

    SL should refuse the Endian delegation.

  3. jayasiri Says:

    I am glad that the TWO responses COVERS most of the feelings of Lankans about India. When the general public complained NOT to bow down to India & respond to any demands whatsoever, LANKAN leadership ignored & went on business as USUAL attitude.

    After TWICE voting against at the UNHRC in Geneva, STILL our so called leaders in lanka DID NOT react NEGATIVELY towards India. When an Indian feels that they can get away doing anything & everything & the Soveriegn GOVT. of lanka FAIL TO RESPOND, it is just giving away your independence to BUNCH of Parippu generation who don’t even have toilets to use.

    Ofcourse STILL Lanka goes on regardles, making a mockery of diplomatic relations. If you do not like India to behave in such manner SPEAK UP, do not tell the masses in Lanka, what the leadership can do or will do. JUST DO IT. Then see what India will do if at all. Invade us.. let them come..India will find the mistake this time.

    If we natioalised US & UK oil companies, and did NOT STOP the war for culprits to leave Lanka freely, WHY it is so difficult for our leadership to be so relucatant to act decisively against INDIA. India made TWO jaunts to China & Russia before making this des=cision, I bleive to get their BLESSING.

    Still we managed without China or Russia during crisis of USA stopping aid. So why NOT we apply the same principles in REGARD to INDIA. This is what puzzels many Sri Lankans.

    I am sure there will be more comments about this from general public, who are concerned but do not want to talk much. I feel the Sri Lankan silent majority should WAKE -UP and demand immediate action against India for sending ILLEGALLY their citizens to lanka. Deprive them of acquring any land in the VICINITY of Large cities in lanka and so on.

    Hope even after this our citizens in Lanka start NOT BUYNG any Indian products or servics. Follow Pakistan’s lead and allow Pakistan to help us in our needs…………Thank you all……..J

  4. Ananda-USA Says:

    I totally agree with Jayasiri’s comments above! Well said!

  5. mario_perera Says:

    “When an Indian feels that they can get away doing anything & everything & the Soveriegn GOVT. of Lanka FAIL TO RESPOND…”

    FAIL TO RESPOND ? Wrong there Jayasiri.

    Man Moron ‘Sing’-Song already knows his Maha Ranee’s response, which is:

    “You make me love You make me cry You make me live You make me die you make me long for you;
    You treat me right You treat me wrong You make me weak You make me strong you make me yearn for you;

    WHATEVER YOU MAY DO
    I’LL NEVER NEVER NEVER NEVER NEVER LOVE ANYONE BUT YOU”.

    Mario Perera
    Kadawata

  6. thurai Says:

    SL Government hasn´t worked enough against propaganda of LTTE and Tamil Terrorism in western countries. There are very small number of Tamils who against LTTE and Tamil Terrorism in westrn countries. There are many sinhalese and Tamils want to take action against Tamil Terrorism. Tamil Terrorism has only supporters in western countries
    like voters to TNA in Northern province. There are many Tamil TV chanels from Europe and Tamil Nadu. All are
    for advertisement for Bloodmoney Tamil Traders and propaganda against SL Government.

    Tamil Terrorism have enough money to buy politicians and cheat the world. They do nothing for Tamils
    in Sri Lanka. Tamil Terrorism cheat world and the Tamils. Tamil Terrorism show the world SL Government
    and Sinhalese are enemy of Tamils. The persons behind the Tamil Terrorism and against Sri Lanka and
    like a Dracula who drink the Tamil´s blood.

  7. Lorenzo Says:

    Mario,

    That is a fantastic find.

    Celine Dion’s song TOTALLY EXPLAINS Maharanee’s behavior towards Man Moron Singh.

    “I Hate You Then I Love You”

    I’d like to run away from you
    But if I were to leave you I would die
    I’d like to break the chains you put around me
    And yet I’ll never try

    No matter what you do you drive me crazy
    I’d rather be alone
    But then I know my life would be so empty
    As soon as you were gone

    Impossible to live with you
    But I could never live without you
    For whatever you do
    For whatever you do
    I never, never, never
    Want to be in love with anyone but you

    You make me sad
    You make me strong
    You make me mad
    You make me long for you
    You make me long for you

    You make me live
    You make me die
    You make me laugh
    You make me cry for you
    You make me cry for you

    I hate you
    Then I love you
    Then I love you
    Then I hate you
    Then I love you more
    For whatever you do
    I never, never, never
    Want to be in love with anyone but you

    You treat me wrong
    You treat me right
    You let me be
    You make me fight with you
    I could never live without you

    You make me high
    You bring me down
    You set me free
    You hold me bound to you

    I hate you
    Then I love you
    Then I love you
    Then I hate you
    Then I love you more
    I love you more
    For whatever you do
    For whatever you do
    I never, never, never
    Want to be in love with anyone but you

    I never, never, never
    I never, never, never
    I never, never, never
    Want to be in love with anyone but you
    But you”

    Much like Celine Dion’s useless husband MAHINDIA is tied to Man Moron Singh.

  8. mario_perera Says:

    Dear Lorenzo,

    I thank you very much for citing the name of the singer. I thought it was Whitney Houston.

    With kindest regards to you, Lorenzo

    Mario

  9. Ananda-USA Says:

    Lorenzo said,

    “SL should refuse the Endian delegation.”

    Absolutely! Why? Because CHOGM stands for “Commonwealth HEADS of Government Meeting”

    Prime Minister Man Mohan Singh is the HEAD of India’s Government; not Kurshid or any other lesser official.

    If PM Man Mohan Singh does not attend, then the Indian HEAD of Government does not attend … Therefore, INDIA does not attend.

    Indian Participation in the CHOGM, therefore, is Null & Void … and India should be declared ABSENT at the CHOGM and NOT ALLOWED TO ACTIVELY PARTICIPATE at any lesser level. Perhaps only as an OBSERVER of events. No speeches by any any Indian Official should be allowed at the meeting … India has ELECTED to ABSENT itself … so ENFORCE that VOLUNTARY ABSENCE to the FULLEST.

    Let the GOSL ENFORCE the RULES and DENY attendance at any ACTIVE level to all who boycott the meeting. It should be the SAME for CANADA, and ANY OTHER countries that do not send their HEADS OF STATE! This is ENFORCING the RULES embedded in the DECLARED NAME OF THE MEETING itself!

  10. Ananda-USA Says:

    We Sri Lankans have to UNDERSTAND that these “Diplomatic Errors” are not isolated rare events; they ARE, and WILL BE, a CONSTANT RECURRING FEATURE stemming from the IRREFUTABLE FACT that Tamil Nadu is MORE IMPORTANT to India than Sri Lanka.

    As such, India will ALWAYS be more SUSCEPTIBLE to BLACKMAIL by Tamil Nadu and WILL ACT against Sri Lanka’s National Interests, EVERYTIME. No amount of APOLOGIES and EXCUSES by the GOSL to sustain the relationship with India can change that IMMUTABLE REALITY.

    So, what should the GOSL do? The ANSWER is AS OBVIOUS as it is SIMPLE: Initiate a DIVORCE from India NOW before the Indian Octopus ENMESHES Sri Lanka in its Suffocating Deadly EMBRACE and hands over Sri Lanka for Tamil Nadu to do with as it wishes.

    REDUCE involvement by India in Sri Lanka’s affairs AT ALL LEVELS: Diplomatic/Political, Economic, Military and Reconstruction/Rehabilitation work.

    Eliminate Indian Embassies in Hambantota and Jaffna, and allow only the Embassy in Colombo to exist, take back the Palaly airport and Trincomalee oil storage tanks, discourage ALL Indian investments in Sri Lanka, Levy high taxes on typically shoddy Indian products to discourage Indian imports, initiate import-substitution production on agricultural products (eg. dhal, onions, films etc), STOP military cooperation with India from which we cannot get arms and equipment anyway because of TN opposition, INCREASE military cooperation with China and Pakistan,

    INITIATE production of military equipment (small arms and ammunition, artillery, missile firing armored vehicles, IED resistant armored vehicles, robotic mine clearing systems, airborne surveillance and mine-detection drones, all types of airforce, naval and army missiles, small naval vessels upto frigates in size, transport vessels, radar systems to fill our own needs and to sell to other friendly nations to grow a PROITABLE self-sustaining military industry. The MODEL for the development of this military production industry should be Israel.

    GET India out of reconstruction/rehabilitation work in the Northern and Eastern Provinces. India is slowly but surely wedding itself to the Tamil community there, to cement its hold on those areas just as it pushes for devolution of greater powers to the TNA and its cohorts.

    SEVERELY REDUCE the ISSUANCE of Visas to Indians. This will promote retaliation by INdia against Buddhist Pilgrims, for example. SO BE IT … let us ignore the places of Buddhist worship in INdia, and concentrate on growing and developing those places in Sri Lanka. Country FIRST …. religious pilgrimages SECOND.

    BUILD coastguard and Naval bases within EYESIGHT of each other ALL AROUND the island, exploiting and expanding the LTTE’s own naval bases, to protect Sri Lanka’s natural resources, stem the flood of illegal Indian immigrants, gun runners, smugglers, and terrorists crossing over at will. Furthermore, do not restore the Railway link between India and Sri Lanka, and allow DIRECT flights between India and Sri Lanka only through BIA in Colombo.

    DISCOURAGE Indian business involvement in Sri Lanka. Give the Sampoor Power Plant project to another country, such as China, Japan, South Korea. Stop Indian banks, hos[ital chains, and oil exploration, production, refining and distribution compamies from doing business in Sri Lanka, discourage the importation of Indian built vehicles, machinery, wind turbines, power plants, construction materials, small tools etc into Sri Lanka with very high taxes. End involvement in Free Trade Agreements with India.

    INCREASE the number of bases of ALL BRANCHES of the Armed forces in the North and East. SETTLE them and their EXTENDED FAMILIES in these areas, providing every administrative and financial assistance, with top quality schools, hospitals, banks and other infrastructure to Take ROOT, GROW and PROSPER.

    ADOPT Ethnic Integration as National Policy with the OVERALL OBJECTIVE of REDUCING and ELIMINATING Communal Conflicts with the IMMEDIATE GOAL of Eliminating Ethnic Concentrations and Homogenizing the demographic distribution of communities throughout Sri Lanka. This will DEMOLISH the VERY BASIS of the Call for Eelam.

    STRENGTHEN & ENFORCE the LAWS AGAINST TREASON. Anyone collaborating with foreign countries, organizations and individuals to undermine the nation should be prosecuted and severely punished to the fullest extent of the law. Inviting Foreign Nations to ACT AGAINST Sri Lanka, for whatever reason, should be declared and PUNISHED as TREASON.

    STRENGTHEN and DEVELOP strong diplomatic, economic and military alliances with countries not wedded to INdia, including China, Pakistan, Iran, Japan, South Korea, Brazil etc.

    These are AMONG the steps the GOSL should take to WEAN Sri Lanka AWAY from DOMINATION by INdia, which cannot act Impartially in Sri Lanka’s Interest.

    India, as Sri Lanka’s 2nd largest trading partner, MUST be GRADUALLY REPLACED by other FRIENDLY nations

    We CANNOT CHANGE India’s Internal Politics or its susceptibility to Tamil Nadu BLACKMAIL; We must QUARANTINE ourselves away from India and INOCULATE ourselves against Indian DISEASES!

    ………………………….
    Diplomatic error

    DeccanHerald.com
    November 11, 2013

    Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s decision to keep away from the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Colombo this week is a serious diplomatic error.

    After much dithering the government has decided that external affairs minister Salman Khurshid will lead the Indian delegation for the meet. This is against national interest and the best principles of foreign policy practised by governments in the past. The UPA government has been known as decision-shy or prone to wrong decisions during much of its recent tenure. The decision on the CHOGM summit shows this tellingly, and it will have a very negative impact on India’s relations with Lanka. The government has, as in the case of a number of other issues relating to economic, political or public policies, shown itself as lacking in authority, unsure of itself and vulnerable even to empty pressure.

    The Tamil Nadu government, the state assembly and all political parties had demanded a complete boycott of the Commonwealth meet by India. Union ministers from the state also demanded that the Prime Minister stay away from the meet. It was inappropriate that they made the demand in public. If they felt strongly about the matter they could have written to the Prime Minister about it. Ironically, all the show of concern over the rights of Tamils in Sri Lanka is sham. The postures are only meant for the elections. But they will not help too. Boycott or no boycott, the Congress cannot win a seat in Tamil Nadu without help. The DMK also will find the going tough however much it pleads the Sri Lankan Tamil cause.

    That cause has in fact been badly served by the government’s decision. Continued full engagement with the Sri Lankan government would have given India the leverage to persuade Colombo to protect and promote the interests of Tamils. There is much more to be done through devolution of powers to the Tamil-dominated areas. India will now have less of such leverage with a Sri Lankan government unhappy with its decision. An estrangement with India will push it closer to China which is trying to increase its presence and influence in the island. This is not in the strategic interests of India. It is very wrong to allow the country’s foreign policy to be held hostage to the narrow political and electoral considerations of regional parties. A weak government is setting a bad precedent for future, and no one gains from it too.

  11. Ananda-USA Says:

    Is this a SHINING EXAMPLE of British “Democracy”?

    David Cameron’s Govt prevents Conservative MPs favoring the GOSL position from attending the CHOGM!

    Bloody Hypocrites!

    …………………..
    British FCO prevents group of Conservative MPs coming during CHOGM

    Island.lk
    November 9, 2013

    By Shamindra Ferdinando

    With the 22nd edition of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) a few days away, the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) has intervened to prevent a group of dissenting Conservative MPs from attending the confab, well informed sources told The Sunday Island.

    Sources claimed that six MPs would have taken a position on Sri Lanka contrary to that of UK Premier David Cameron and Foreign Secretary William Hague thereby undermining the overall British strategy.

    Responding to a query, sources said that as they had visited Sri Lanka previously the MPs would have been in a better position to examine the situation on the ground since the conclusion of the conflict in May 2009.

    UK based sources said that the unprecedented move had come to light in the wake of UK Premier Cameron meeting representatives of three groups, namely the Global Tamil Forum (GTF), British Tamil Forum (BTF) and Tamils against Genocide a few days ago. Sources alleged that the FCO move was meant to ensure that the UK addressed the accountability issues in one voice during Premier Cameron’s much publicized visit to Colombo.

    The British delegation is also scheduled to visit Jaffna.

    Authoritative sources pointed out that the Canadian government had taken a position contrary to that of the British. Although the Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper and Foreign Affairs and International Human Rights Minister John Baird had boycotted the Colombo summit accusing Sri Lanka of war time atrocities, Canada would be represented by Deepak Obhrai, parliamentary secretary to Baird.

    Sources said that in spite of Obhrai being a low level representative, he would be able to examine the situation on the ground much better than the Canadian Premier and the Foreign Minister as he (Obhrai) was one of the few foreign parliamentarians to visit the Vanni shortly after the conclusion of the war. In fact, the Canadian Minister had the opportunity to meet a few Canadians nationals of Sri Lankan origin captured during the Vanni push, sources said.

    “We provided him with an SLAF chopper to visit the Vanni,” a senior official told The Sunday Island.

    Sources recalled an explosive Wiki Leaks revelation regarding the former British Foreign Secretary David Miliband playing politics with the Sri Lankan issue in the run-up to the final battle to appease the electorate comprising Tamils of Sri Lankan origin.

  12. Ananda-USA Says:

    Not only TN political leaders, but Tamil Union Govt Ministers also Oppose Sri Lanka.

    This ONLY CONFIRMS my view, elaborated above, that Sri Lanka should WEAN itself AWAY from India!

    There is NO WAY Sri Lanka can rely on India being impartial all long as Racist Tamils dominate its State and Union Governments! It would be a MONUMENTAL FOLLY for the GOSL not to take CORRECTIVE ACTION NOW!

    GOSL: Don’t apologize for India …. SEIZE this opportunity to DITCH India and its Racist Tamil baggage NOW!

    ……………………
    CHOGM: China to benefit from PM’s absence

    DeccanChronicle.com
    November 11, 2013

    New Delhi: India may end up ceding space to countries like China in the island nation with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh not attending the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Sri Lanka.

    Earlier this year, Sri Lanka had felt let down by India after it voted in favour of a US-sponsored resolution censuring its neighbour at the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva for its human rights record.

    The Sri Lankan government had been hoping that the Indian PM would not embarrass it by skipping the summit, to which it is attaching great prestige. However, the pressure on the government both from within and outside have ensured the PM’s boycott of the summit.

    However Indian geopolitical interests in Lanka are far greater by virtue of it being a next-door neighbour.

    Apart from Tamil parties like the DMK and AIADMK campaigning against the PM’s participation, Central ministers, largely from Tamil Nadu — P. Chidambaram, Jayanthi Natarajan and G.K. Vasan — too had been urging the PM not to go to Sri Lanka.

    Defence minister A.K. Antony was also against the PM attending the summit. While the argument in favour of the PM’s boycott cited Sri Lanka’s human rights record during its years of civil strife, New Delhi believes that Colombo has been delivering on some fronts.

    For instance, apart from holding elections in September to the northern province, Colombo has also been going slow on the dilution of the 13th Amendment, which devolves powers to Tamil-dominated districts.

    Further, New Delhi fears that even the leverage it has in getting TN fishermen who are nabbed by the Lankan Navy for crossing the international maritime boundary line released may decrease if bilateral ties become prickly.

  13. Ananda-USA Says:

    Should Sri Lanka WITHDRAW its support for India for a PERMANENT position on the UN Security Council?

    India is REPEATEDLY DEMONSTRATING that it is NO FRIEND of Sri Lanka’s National Interests.

    It is NOT IN Sri Lanka’s National Interest to help ELEVATE an NON-FRIENDLY country, under Tamil Nadu CONTROL, to such a powerful position.

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