Janaki Chandraratna PERTH WESTERN AUSTRALIA

 Dear Senator

 I refer to your speech to the Australian Parliament on Human Rights Abuses in Sri Lanka on 12 February 2014. The purpose of this speech was to request Australian Parliament’s support for the US sponsored resolution against Sri Lanka, which is expected to be tabled at the March 2014 UNHCR meeting. The resolution calls for a full independent inquiry into war crimes in Sri Lanka. As evidence for alleged allegations of war crimes in Sri Lanka you tabled the Public Interest Advocacy Centre’s (PIAC) report “Island Impunity? Investigation into international crimes in the final stages of the Sri Lankan civil war”

 First and foremost I would like to draw your attention to your expressed ‘love’ for Sri Lanka. You said you first visited Sri Lanka in 1982 and you were ‘taken by friendliness of the people, rich culture, the fabulous food and wonderful environment’. Your second visit was in 2012 after the war and you were horrified because of the “elected dictatorship” of the Rajapaksa family.

 As a naturalized Australian citizen of Sri Lankan origin, I grappled hard to comprehend your assertions. In 1982 the country was at the brink of a terrorist attack. You couldn’t have been happy as Sri Lankans across the country were shocked and alarmed at the terrorist attacks in the North, in particular on students and civilians. In 2012, after the defeat of terrorism there was peace and freedom; over 300,000 Tamil civilians who were lined up by the terrorists as a human shield during the war were rescued; child soldiers were saved from the terrorist carnage; people were happy and free to get on with their lives without the fear of terrorist attacks, suicide bombings etc. I am puzzled as to how you were unhappy when every one else (close to 20 million people) except the LTTE backers were happy about the liberation.

 You also say that your unhappiness was due to the “elected dictatorship” of President Rajapaksa. You informed that 29 members of Rajapaksa extended family currently hold senior government positions; his brothers as government ministers control 45% of the budget, his son is in the navy and so on. I am amazed as to how an experienced senator like you can come up with such lame arguments. Firstly what is an “elected dictatorship?” Yes President Rajapaksa was elected by nearly 65%-70% of the people who voted, on two occasions. This was because people cherished (and still do), the new found “Freedom” after 30 years of vicious terrorism. Yes Rajapaksa brothers are in Parliament and one brother is the Speaker. I am at a loss to see any logic to your argument. Where does it say that the siblings of a President cannot contest elections and be appointed as Ministers?

 I also wonder whether you were aware that the PIAC report, you tabled as evidence, was full of hearsay and gossip. None of the allegations were tested and proved. You also make other ludicrous and inflammatory statements such as; “there is no longer a capacity for free elections”; “… peace is apparent, it is a fa§ade, because conflict goes on”; “there is alienation of intellectuals throughout the country”, “People disappear in white vans and they are tortured’, and so on.

 My dear Senator, I wonder whether you have heard of the fact that foreign observers were monitoring Sri Lankan elections. Have you ever visited the North in recent times and seen the development not only in infrastructure but also in the livelihood of Tamil civilians, or have you ever witnessed people being kidnapped in white vans and tortured? If you had, have you raised your concerns with the Sri Lankan authorities with specific details as to Who, When, Where, What and How of the events that had allegedly taken place, so that there can be a so called ‘credible’ investigation?

 Under these circumstances your assertions can only lead me to believe that either you were misinformed or you have an anti Sri Lankan Agenda. I do not think you have any regard for the welfare of Sri Lankans except for the terrorists. So please do not patronise my country.

 Also, under parliamentary privilege you are able to make your own assertions without being contested. As you are aware these privileges come with the responsibility of presenting proven and confirmed facts, and not indulge in baseless allegations. I am sure you are well aware of the carnage created by the US in invading Iraq under false pretentions and the recent massacres in the Middle East with the support of the US for the rebels in the Middle East. I only hope you and your Party would not indulge in bringing about such carnage in Sri Lanka.

 I would also like to add that your attention can be directed to a large number of dreadful crimes and human rights violations, if you are really interested in making this world a better place to live. Brutal rapes of women that occur daily in places like India and Africa; the molestation of children; languishing refugees in UN refuge centres; absolute poverty in African countries as well as in the UN supported war zones are a few critical issues where your action would be most welcome.

 Kind regards

Janaki Chandraratna

PERTH

WESTERN AUSTRALIA