How govt co-sponsored Geneva Resolution inimical to Sri Lanka Shocking change of position soon after first informal session on US document
Posted on August 9th, 2016
By Shamindra Ferdinando Courtesy The Island
August 9, 2016, 6:41 pm
Against the backdrop of President Maithripala Sirisena’s repeated declarations that the government of Sri Lanka hadn’t accepted foreign judges to inquire into accountability issues, it would be pertinent to examine the stand taken-up by the GoSL, on September 21, 2015, in respect of the draft resolution on Sri Lanka.
Sri Lanka rejected the draft resolution, on September 21, 2015, at the first informal session called by the Core Group pursuing the matter. The group comprised the US, the UK, Montenegro and Macedonia.
The US team, at the first informal session, included US Ambassador in Geneva, Keith M. Harper, who had been a partner at the law firm of Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton LLP, and newly appointed US Ambassador in Colombo, Atul Keshap. Keshap had presented his credentials to President Maithripala Sirisena exactly a month before the first informal session in Geneva.
In the wake of Sri Lanka’s strong objections, the ‘Core Group’, on the draft resolution, submitted an amended resolution, on September 24, 2015. Sri Lanka accepted the amended resolution though it was essentially the same.
Let me reproduce verbatim the sections relating to judicial mechanism in the two draft resolutions: (September 21, 2015 draft resolution) Welcomes the government’s recognition that accountability is essential to uphold the rule of law and build confidence in the people of all communities of Sri Lanka in the justice system, takes note with appreciation of the government of Sri Lanka’s proposal to establish a Judicial Mechanism, with a Special Counsel to investigate allegations of violations and abuses of human rights and violations of international humanitarian law, as applicable; and affirms that credible transitional justice process should include independent judicial and prosecutorial institutions led by individuals known for integrity and impartiality; and calls upon the government of Sri Lanka, to involve international investigators, prosecutors and judges in Sri Lanka’s justice processes.
(September 24, 2015 draft resolution) Welcomes the government’s recognition that accountability is essential to uphold the rule of law and build confidence in the people of all communities of Sri Lanka in the justice system, takes note with appreciation of the Government of Sri Lanka’s proposal to establish a Judicial Mechanism with a Special Counsel to investigate allegations of violations and abuses of human rights and violations of international humanitarian law, as applicable; and affirms that a credible justice process should include independent judicial and prosecutorial institutions led by individuals known for integrity and impartiality; and further affirms in this regard the importance of participation in a Sri Lankan judicial mechanism, including the Special Counsel’s office, of Commonwealth and other foreign judges, defence lawyers, and authorized prosecutors and investigators.
The Geneva-based United Nations Human Rights Council, on October 1, 2015, adopted, what it called, a consensus resolution on accountability for the alleged human rights violations during the war.
Some made a foolish attempt to deceive the public that following intervention by the GoSL, the US and UK had modified the draft resolution.
The GoSL co-sponsored the Geneva Resolution a few days after the UNHRC proposed the setting up of hybrid court to inquire into war crimes allegations.
The resolution called upon Sri Lanka to establish a credible judicial process, with the participation of Commonwealth and other foreign judges, defence lawyers and authorized prosecutors and investigators, to go into the alleged rights abuses.
The judicial mechanism “should include independent judicial and prosecutorial institutions led by individuals known for their integrity and impartiality,” according to the resolution.
After the resolution was adopted, India’s envoy, Ajit Kumar, said: “We reiterate our firm belief that the meaningful devolution of political authority, through the implementation of the 13th Amendment of the Constitution of Sri Lanka [adopted in 1987 as a sequel to an agreement between India and Sri Lanka] and building upon it would greatly help the process of national reconciliation.”
Western powers moved three resolutions, targeting Sri Lanka, in 2012, 2013 and 2014. The third resolution demanded an external inquiry into accountability issues. The draft resolution finally adopted last year is largely based on the findings and recommendations made in a report prepared in accordance with the 2014 resolution. The report was prepared by UN staffer, Ms Sandra Beidas, formerly of the Amnesty International.
Having caused terrorism, in Sri Lanka, in the 80s, leading to massive death and destruction, India continues to play the role of friendly neighbour. Sri Lanka lacked the courage at least to make a reference to India’s despicable role during the Geneva sessions since the contentious issue of Sri Lanka’s accountability was included in the UNHRC’s agenda.
The 47-member body is divided into five regional groupings. Members are chosen for three-year periods.
Former President and Kurunegala District MP, Mahinda Rajapaksa, as well as those organizations opposed to international intervention, by way of the Geneva resolution, never bothered to forcefully take up the GoSL changing its September 21, 2015, stance. In fact, the former President, and the Joint Opposition loyal to him, didn’t, at least, comment on this. The government conveniently refrained from mentioning the circumstances under which the Sirisena-Wickremesinghe accepted the resolution which it rejected on September 21, 2015.
Who decided to co-sponsor Human Rights Council Resolution 30/1 on promoting reconciliation, accountability and human rights in Sri Lanka? Did the UNP leadership discuss the September 21, 2015, draft resolution as well as the draft resolution presented on September 24, 2015? Did the political leadership consult the Attorney General’s Department or was the issue taken up at the cabinet?
Nearly a year after the UNHRC adopted resolution on Sri Lanka; President Maithripala Sirisena continues to insist that he never accepted foreign judges. It would be interesting to know whether the Foreign Ministry had briefed President Maithripala Sirisena regarding the two draft resolutions.
Sri Lanka’s Permanent Representative in Geneva, Ambassador Ravinatha Aryasinha, strongly criticised the draft resolution when it was taken up at the first informal session in Geneva (Geneva draft resolution counterproductive – The Island, September 23, 2015).
The government never challenged the front-page story based on a three-page statement issued by the Permanent Mission of Sri Lanka to the UN, Geneva. Having rejected the draft resolution, the government co-sponsored the same in spite it being severely inimical to Sri Lanka. Obviously, Western powers ordered Sri Lanka to accept the draft resolution or face the consequences.
The Joint Opposition didn’t even realize what was happening though a section of the media, including The Island, extensively reported Ambassador Aryasinha’s statement at the first informal session. One-time Foreign Secretary, Bernard Goonetilleke, strongly criticized the draft of the proposed Geneva resolution in a live interview on Sirasa (Pathikada) and MTV (now TV 1) on September 24, 2015.
Pointing out that the draft resolution contained 24 preamble paragraphs and 26 operative paragraphs, Goonetilleke said, “It looks like a novel to me.”
The veteran career diplomat basically echoed Ambassador Ravinatha Aryasinha that sections of the current draft were counter-productive to reconciliation efforts.
Responding to a query, Goonetilleke asserted that the outcome of the Geneva resolution would largely depend on how the government managed the situation.
Having commenced his career in 1970, Goonetilleke held postings in Kuala Lumpur, New York, Bangkok, Washington D.C., Geneva and Beijing. He has held several positions in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs ending as Director General (Multilateral Affairs) – (1997-2000), and Secretary Ministry of Foreign Affairs (2003-2004). Goonetilleke served as Director General of the Secretariat for Coordinating the Peace Process (SCOPP) and functioned as a member of the government’s negotiating team during the Norwegian-led peace process.
Expressing confidence in Aryasinha’s capacity to handle the situation, Goonetilleke said that he expected the government would take the correct path.
The retired top diplomat emphasized the responsibility on the part of the decision makers to comprehend the ground realities.
In spite of the formation of United Nations Human Rights Council in place of the United Nations Human Rights Commission, that instrument remained a political tool, Goonetilleke alleged, asserting that the Geneva UN body’s real intention wasn’t actually promoting human rights. The veteran pointed out that the resolutions had never been brought against the US, the UK, Canada or Australia.
Goonetilleke said that unless both parties could reach a consensus on the draft resolution, there was the option to go for a vote.
Goonetilleke said that influential countries pursued agendas beneficial to them. Some claimed credit for introducing certain sections, to a particular resolution, whereas others sought commendation for deleting parts. Goonetilleke emphasized that Sri Lanka couldn’t expect an overnight change in such international opinion.
Goonetilleke briefly explained the dilemma of the developing countries in taking a position on the Geneva issue due to Sri Lanka’s new friendship with the US. Commenting on Sri Lanka’s relationship with China, Goonetilleke stressed that Beijing was strongly committed to the principle that there shouldn’t be external interference in domestic affairs of member states. Goonetilleke said that China was most likely to remain an all-weather friend.
India’s position on the Geneva resolution would be largely dependent on the Centre’s stand, though Tamil Nadu factor couldn’t be ignored, he said (Ex-Foreign Secretary frowns on Geneva draft resolution-The Island, September 25, 2015).
Former President Rajapaksa’s office didn’t take notice of Ambassador Goonetilleke’s remarks. The government, too, never felt a need to consult experts, hence the decision to co-sponsor previously rejected resolution.
A statement made by Tamil National Alliance (TNA) spokesperson and Jaffna District MP M.A. Sumanthiran at a congressional hearing, on June 14, 2016, should be considered together with GoSL’s September 21, 2015 stand. In a lengthy statement made in the presence of Sri Lanka’s Ambassador in Washington, Prasad Kariyawasam, attorney-at-law Sumanthiran dealt with international involvement in the accountability process. Declaring that the Geneva Resolution had been accepted following negotiations, MP Sumanthiran declared that they had agreed for a hybrid court with foreign judges, prosecutors, defence attorneys and investigators consequent to tripartite talks involving the GoSL, the US and the TNA. The TNA in a statement, issued on June 16, 2016, quoted MP Sumanthiran as having told the congressional hearing: “I was personally involved in the negotiations, with the United States of America also participating in that particular process. There were some doubts created, as to whether the Constitution of Sri Lanka would allow for foreign nationals to function as judges and we went into that question, clarified it, and said yes they can and that is how that phraseology was agreed upon. And so, to us having negotiated and compromised and agreed that there would be a hybrid tribunal to try these mass atrocities, it is not open for the government now to shift its stance and say “well, international involvement yes, but it’s in a different form, now…’. That is not acceptable to us all.”
The government nor the TNA never challenged The Island reportage on MP Sumanthiran’s bombshell statement. Sri Lanka’s embassy in Washington issued a press release regarding Ambassador Kariyawasam and MP Sumanthiran at the congressional hearing though there was no reference to the TNA heavyweight’s controversial remarks.
Ambassador Aryasinha, in his presentation on September 21, 2015, called for drastic changes in the draft resolution (the one the GoSL, the US and the TNA agreed on).
Having explained measures taken by the Sirisena-Wickremesinghe administration to address accountability issues through the formation of (A) A Commission for Truth, Justice, Reconciliation and Non-recurrence (B) An Office on missing persons based on the families right to know, designed and implemented with the support of the ICRC (C) A Judicial Mechanism with a Special Counsel that aims to address the problem of impunity for human rights violations suffered by all communities, and (D) An Office for Reparations, Ambassador Aryasinha regretted that the draft resolution didn’t take into consideration the new government taking an entirely different path.
Ambassador Aryasinha said: “At a time when we have a new Government that is adopting a calmly different path to that which was followed in the era, before 8 January, the expectation is, naturally, that there would be a similar change in tone, tenor, and even strategy on the part of the Council as well.”
“In this context, my delegation is of the view that a lengthy resolution of the nature of the current draft before us which contains 24 preambular paras and 26 operative paras, which is repetitive, judgemental and prescriptive is not in keeping with the spirit of the process of reconciliation and reform that is underway in my country under the National Unity Government. Neither is it helpful in adopting a collaborative approach to reaching consensus. Many paragraphs in the current draft are in fact counter-productive to the reconciliation efforts of the government, and have the tendency to polarize communities, vitiate the atmosphere on the ground that is being carefully nurtured towards reconciliation and peace building and restrict the space required for consultations. There is a real danger that the current approach will leave room for negative interpretation, thus, only helping ‘spoilers’ in this process.”
“Further, given that both the HCHR’s report (A/HRC/30/61) and the Report on the OHCHR investigation on Sri Lanka (OISL) (A/HRC/30/SRP.2) recognizes that the report represents a ‘human rights investigation’ and not a ‘criminal investigation’, emphasizing excessively on the criminal justice aspects, makes the resolution imbalanced. It would be more helpful to have a holistic approach when making recommendations in this resolution on promoting reconciliation in Sri Lanka.”
“We also remain concerned regarding the formulations provided in several of the Operative paragraphs. Certain terminology used such as ‘verification’, is new and intrusive language to be presented in a human rights resolution, especially when the country concerned is engaging with the international community including with the OHCHR.”
“I therefore urge, that in order to enable consensus, this resolution be sensitive to the constitutional and institutional difficulties that will have to be overcome in implementing its recommendations as well as political realities. It must also observe clear, cogent language that the people of Sri Lanka find respectful.”
Obviously, those who had been demanding accountability on the part of Sri Lanka on the basis of unverified allegations simply ignored Ambassador Aryasinha’s statement at the first informal session on the draft resolution. Having succumbed to Western pressure and co-sponsored controversial resolution, the government is struggling to explain it did nothing inimical to Sri Lanka’s interest. Those who had boasted in the run up to January 2015 presidential polls that a defeat for war winning President Mahinda Rajapaksa would certainly save Sri Lanka from war crimes court are silent today. The Geneva resolution has proved them wrong. The previous government woefully failed to address accountability issues. The Rajapaksa administration pitiful strategies, in fact, helped Western powers, particularly the UK in coordination with the Tamil Diaspora to move Geneva against Sri Lanka. Their project remains on track. The government, as well as former President Rajapaksa, seem unable to face the Geneva accusations. They should carefully revisit the inquiry process leading to the adoption of Geneva resolution on Oct 1, 2015.
(To be continued on Aug 17)
August 9th, 2016 at 9:03 pm
Western and indian interested parties want this war issue as a open wound to pressure SL, so that they can get what they want.
Our political idiots from both side should have told them , that it is over and now we move forward.
Instead locals playing with this to get foreign travel and inducements from corrupt west.
Unfortunately country suffers. What a mess…
August 9th, 2016 at 10:20 pm
Agreed.
Western, Indian and Tamil groups want the war crimes issue to remain an open wound so they can use it and extort various favours.
The Joint Opposition is only after grabbing power and they don’t care what happens to the nation or uniformed war heroes. In fact, they would be happy if hybrid courts are introduced and uniformed war heroes are found guilty so the UNP can blamed and JO can win votes. Same thing is with ETCA. Instead of stopping ETCA or promising to scrap it if signed, the JO is more interested in blaming the UNP for ETCA and keeping it.
SLFP followed this same tactic in 1988 and 1989 allowing and even encouraging UNP goons kill subversives and civilians alike. After it was done, some SLFP MPs used it against the UNP.
August 10th, 2016 at 2:28 am
Mangala must be replaced by a patriotic foreign minister. Actually Ranil, Sirisena, CBK traitors must be replaced too. However Mangala must be replaced as soon as possible. A country’s government should first and foremost look after the country’s security. sovereignty, territorial integrity and in the case of a small country such as Sri Lanka its unitary status. Mangala has betrayed Sri Lanka by accepting the UNHRC resolution which no country with any integrity will accept. Mangala must realise that those LTTE terrorists who massacred the citizens of this country for over 26 years simply because they wanted a large chunk of this island for themselves, illegally, that they should be dealt with in a very careful manner without betraying the security. sovereignty, territorial integrity and in the case of a small country such as Sri Lanka its unitary status, even if extremely powerful forces such as the US,UK, EU, Canada, Sweden, Norway and India are behind the LTTE terrorists. In addition, we must place forth the argument that those who settled in the island quite recently only during the past few hundred years i.e. the Sri Lankan Tamils who are only but 11.2% of the population do not have any rights whatsoever to demand over 28% of the land area, 66% of the coastline and 66% of the vast ocean resources which belong to Sri Lanka. This message should be conveyed to the TNA, the separatist terrorists and those who support them i.e. the US,UK, EU, Canada, Sweden, Norway and India as soon as possible so that they understand our position. This is the task of a foreign minister. Mangala therefore has betrayed Sri Lanka and must go. Sri Lanka cannot afford large self ruling entities which are illegal anyway since this island as a whole belong to all its people in total. It is the foreign minister’s task to covey this message to everyone concerned.
August 10th, 2016 at 2:28 am
The missing persons commission, the name is a misnomer. it should be called ‘those combatants on all sides who died in the war i.e. Sri Lankan Forces, Police Force. Civil Defence Forces, IPKF, Tamil Armed Groups against the LTTE and the LTTE terrorists themselves and whose bodies have not be found’. Therefore the name itself is wrong and invented by the UNHRC to tarnish the image of the armed forces of Sri Lanka.
The missing persons commission to date has receive 24,000 complaints from 1983-2009 period. Of this number over 5,000 are regarding missing Sri Lankan Forces members, whereabouts unknown, almost certainly executed by the LTTE terrorists. Over 12,000 complaints are against the LTTE itself recruiting young persons by coercion. Therefore over 70% of complaints are against the LTTE itself which amounts to over 17,000 complaints. The rest of the complaints are I am sure about the whereabouts of LTTE combatants or terrorists who died while fighting but whose bodies have not been found.
My question is, why cannot the UNHRC the US,UK, EU, Canada, Norway, Sweden and India accept that Sri Lankan Forces, Police Force, Civil Defence Forces, IPKF, Tamil Armed Groups against the LTTE and the LTTE terrorists themselves died fighting in this war and leave it at that. What is the point in looking for these combatants now? Why is it that the UNHRC the US,UK, EU, Canada, Norway, Sweden and India never ever talk about the over 35,000 Sri Lankan Forces, Police Force, civil Defence Force members who died in the war? or the 1,200 IPKF members or the over 2,000 Tamils Armed Groups against the LTTE members who died in the war? or the over 6,000-7,000 Sinhala civilians and even Muslims civilians who were massacred by the LTTE? or the around (my estimate) over 3,000 Tamil civilians massacred by the LTTE?
Why is it that the UNHRC the US,UK, EU, Canada, Norway, Sweden and India is not concerned about the over 10,000 Sri Lankan Forces members permanently disabled by the war, or the over 23,000 Sri Lankan Forces members both temporarily and permanently disabled by the war? or the over 136,000 Sri Lankan Forces members who were injured due to the war?
Why is it that the UNHRC the US,UK, EU, Canada, Norway, Sweden and India not concerned about the over 65,000 Sinhala people and over 75,000 muslims ethnically cleansed from the North?
Why is it that the only the around 35,000 LTTE terrorists who died inclusive of Prabhakaran are the concern of the UNHRC the US,UK, EU, Canada, Norway, Sweden and India? Perhaps this missing persons commission should answer that question first.
August 10th, 2016 at 2:28 am
Even if the constitution will be changed since this idiotic government follows whatever instructions the US, UK, EU, Norway, Canada, Sweden, India, the TNA and the separatist terrorists tell it to do, we must ensure that the unitary status of the country is not compromised in any way whatsoever. The clause in the 13th amendment which says that ‘the North and the East is the homeland of the Tamil speaking people’ must be deleted since it is totally false when looking at the history of the island. This clause must be replaced with the clause ‘the entire island is the homeland of all its peoples’. The provision which allows for the merger between two provinces should be deleted. As much subjects from the concurrent list should be included in the national list. Under no circumstances should land, police or fiscal powers be given to provincial councils. All of us need to ensure that the above happens since if the system reverts back to a parliamentary system and the presidential system is scrapped, the only way to ensure the unitary status of the country is the make sure that the provincial councils do not get any more powers than they have at present. The Public Security Ordinance should not be amended in anyway as well. If any provincial councils acts out of line, the head of government should dissolved such a provincial council and direct rule by the head of government should be enforced under those circumstances.
August 10th, 2016 at 2:29 am
I would please urge any person who has any influence whatsoever with Ranil, Mangala, Sirisena, CBK to let them know that these Western Countries i.e. the US,UK, EU, Canada, Sweden, Norway and India will only back off if Sri Lanka takes a very firm stance and refuses to carry out this unjust UNHRC resolution. Sri Lanka must do this without any fear since I am sure if Sri Lanka takes a very firm stance and refuses to carry out this unjust resolution the UNHRC, the US,UK, EU, Canada, Sweden, Norway and India will back off. I can guarantee that will happen. So it is up to Sri Lanka or rather Ranil, Mangala, Sirisena, CBK whether they are going to place our Sri Lankan armed forces in jeopardy for crimes they did not commit or whether they are going to defend the country’s armed forces and the country’s sovereignty, independence, freedom, integrity, unitary status etc. by refusing to carry out this unjust UNHRC resolution which no country on this planet earth with any integrity will carry out. However, if they keep complying with whatever unjust demands are made by the US,UK, EU, Canada, Sweden, Norway and India, they will have to keep complying with those unjust demands at the expense of Sri Lanka breaking up into pieces and placing the Sri Lankan people’s security in jeopardy. Sri Lanka will end up being partitioned too.
August 10th, 2016 at 2:29 am
When looking at Sri Lanka’s history, it is extremely obvious that from 600BC to around 1400AD there were three kingdoms, all Sinhala Buddhist, Ruhuna, Pihiti or Rajarata and Maya or Malayarata. Rajarata encompassed today’s North Central, North Western, Northern and even the Central Province. Ruhunu rata encompassed today’s Uva, Eastern and Southern Provinces. The Kandyan Kingdom from 1400AD encompassed most of the island inclusive of today’s Northern and the Eastern Provinces except for the Jaffna Peninsula. Even the Jaffna Peninsula was invaded and occupied by force by Aryachakravarthi (Pandyan) and actually did belong to Rajarata earlier and later the Kandyan Kingdom.
Today’s provincial boundaries were drawn up by the British colonialists as per their divide and rule policy and the Sinhala people were not consulted when drawing up these provincial boundaries. In the meantime, most Sri Lankan Tamils of today were actually brought over during Dutch and British times to the Jaffna Peninsula and elsewhere to work on tobacco and indigo plantations which were planted extensively in all the colonies since they were much sought after and made a lot of money for the colonialists. Therefore they are recent arrivals and cannot claim homelands or separate states whatsoever.
The usual practice when a colonial power hands over their former colonies is to hand it over to its original owners. Therefore the British colonialists should hand over the Kandyan Kingdom to the Kandyan Sinhalese from whom they took it by force. Since the Kandyan Kingdom encompassed the North and the East, these provinces too should be handed over to the Kandyan Sinhalese who are its rightful owners. Even the Jaffna Peninsula should be handed over to the Kandyan Sinhalese since it was part of Rajarata and was forcefully occupied by Aryachakravarthi (Pandyan).
Since this has now been done already, the TNA and other separatist terrorists or the US, UK EU, Canada, Norway, Sweden and India cannot demand that present day Northern or even the Eastern provinces be provided any more powers or be made into federal states since this is totally going against the history and archaeology of the island and totally going against the rights of the Sinhala people who also have fundamental rights to claim the entire island inclusive of the North and the East as their homeland first and foremost. Therefore, the TNA , the separatist terrorists, the US, UK, Norway, Sweden, Canada and India has to respect the history and archaeology of the island and accept that the present day provincial councils are more than sufficient to run the affairs of the provinces. Sri Lanka must be a unitary state and no more powers should be provided to the provincial councils. In fact, when talking about the 13th amendment, the concurrent list subjects must be included in the national list. The provision where two provinces can merge should be deleted. The bogus claim of the North and the East being the homeland of the Tamil speaking people should be deleted. The entire island should be declared the homeland of all its peoples.
Sinhala people should be resettled in the North in quite a large number if there is to be peace and harmony within the island since Sinhala people have every historical right to live in the North as well as the East. It is only due to ethnic cleansing of the North of Sinhala people by the LTTE and the other separatists that Sinhala people are not at present living in the North. Many thousands of landless elsewhere in the island especially Sinhala people should be provided land in the North since most of the vacant land in the country is in the North and in the East since both these provinces encompass over 28% of the land area of the island. Then only will there be peace since when people mix, there is more harmony. This is the only way towards peace and development in the island.
August 10th, 2016 at 6:52 pm
Basically, the Yahapalanaya group realized that they can come into power and remain in power if they do the bidding of the West and India who wish to divide the country and take its resources. India wishes to absorb Sri Lanka and several other smaller countries are being targeted by India for taking over using puppets they have installed in power.
I agree with Plumblossom that the Foreign Minister must go. Queen Elizabeth said that the best letter for reference a person has is his or her face. Our Foreign Minister looks as if he has been carousing the night before permanently. His eyelids look heavy and the body is bloated with excessive food and drink. Therefore his face is certainly not a good reference. This man co-sponsored the UNHRC resolution without any approval from the Parliament or the President as far as I know. I am not sure if the Prime Minister advised him. Whoever did it has committed a grave crime against the country and the war heroes who saved the country from a monster who subjected the Sinhala people to hell on earth for almost 30 years? He also made a statement stating that CH4 videos are true when it was proven conclusively that the video was a doctored video and the original video was available showing that the LTTE had taken a video of their own men shooting Sinhala soldiers and dubbed it with Sinhala voices. See http://www.terrorinlanka.com.
So long as the West and India support the Yahapalanaya they will remain in power unless the people rise up in rebellion. If that happens there will be another brutal suppression of the rebellion as has happened in the past and the same Govt members of the UNP, who put down the earlier rebellion are now in power. The baby-faced butcher of Batalanda who is supposed to have killed at least 15,000 by horrific torture is now the Prime Minister even though the Commission which inquired into the Batalanda torture house recommended that Ranil’s civic rights be removed. This time, they will be assisted by Indian and Western troops who will take over the country in the guise of “Protecting Democracy”.
The longer the situation is going on the worse it is getting for the people. After the Central Bank scam by Arjun Mahendran which filled the UNP coffers with billions of Rupees, the Yahapalanaya is trying to cover the countries losses by bringing in VAT and other forms of excessive taxation on the poorest of the poor. To keep the charade of Democracy they have a bunch of uneducated MPs in the Parliament who are kept happy by giving them insane benefits plus tax-free car permits worth Rs 25 million on the open market. Anyone who opposes the Govt is dragged to the FCID and remanded in jail while the charges are being filed. I have not heard of any other countries where people are first jailed and then the case is heard years later. Two years have gone by of this tragedy and can someone tell me what this bunch of puppets installed by foreign countries has achieved for Sri Lanka?
August 11th, 2016 at 12:51 am
The Yamapalanaya govt is on the path to a wholesale sellout of the Sinhala Buddhists of Sri Lanka.
Ranil weilds the stick and Sirisena weilds the carrot, both are upto no good.
Furthermore, the JO now led by MR, is not making an issue of the danger posed by Sri Lanka nto categorically rejecting both the war crimes accountability and reconciliation demands of the UN which is merely a Puppet of the USA, the UK and other assorted Western Neocolonialist powers.
With a puppet govt in power in Sri Lanka, the US now wants to interfere in amending Sri Lanka’s Constitution, in enforcing “Religious Fredoms” and punishment of “Buddhist Extremists”, while moving to slowly penetrate Sri Lanka’s armed forces and establish military bases within Sri Lanka.
Meanwhile, the Yamapalanaya govt goes it’s merry way witchunting officials of the previous govt, spending money, they claim not to have, on frivolous boobgoggles while raising taxes to balance the budget!
This is while oil and other major commodities that Sri Lanka imports from abroad have fallen to all time lows giving the Yamapalanaya govt a bonanza that the previous govt they reviled never had.
The earlier the people of Sri Lanka WAKE UP to the MASSIVE SELLOUT of their country that is going on now, the sooner they can begin to REPAIR & RECOVER from the WOUND they inflicted on themselves in the Presidential and Parliamentary elections in 3
2015.
There is NOT A MOMENT TO.LOSE; the ENEMY IS BATTERING DOWN THE GATES!
August 11th, 2016 at 1:35 am
Ananda,
Leave aside war crimes and increasing LTTE threat, Muslim threat has become 10 times worse than MR’s times. Tahbimudiyanse’s nephew is happy , he has more votes.
August 11th, 2016 at 2:31 am
There is absolutely no doubt about imperialistic US plans to build a US army, navy and air force base at Trincomalee. Please note that once the US builds their US army, navy and air force base at Trincomalee, they are not going to stop there. They will build other bases within the island. For example, Hambantota harbour could also end up as a US navy base and the Mattala airport a US air force base. Iranawila will again recommence their CIA operations and Palaly in the North in Jaffna will also be converted into a US air force base.
This is the main reason that the US has, from the every beginning, supported the LTTE terrorists, who are their proxy force, wage a war against Sri Lanka to set up a bogus Eelam. The US knows that the only people who are standing against them are the Sinhala people who due to they being majority Buddhist and wanting to preserve Buddhism, being the indigenous people of the island with over 2500 years of history behind them and with our tribal ancestors having over 30,000 years of history within the island and due to they being very socialist in nature and supportive of socialist ideals will never, ever let the US set up any bases in the island.
Therefore the imperialistic US, UK ,EU, Canada, Sweden, Norway and India supported the LTTE terrorists and the TNA set up their Eelam within the island for sure so that they can then set up US army, navy, air force bases within the island.
Sri Lanka lies along the world’s busiest sea route or the maritime silk road. South of Sri Lanka is a the vast Indian ocean. Sri Lanka is located at a most strategic location with the Middle East, Africa and Europe to the North West, with India to the North and with South East Asia and East Asia to the North East of Sri Lanka.
At present the US uses its Diego Garcia base extensively to subdue, bomb, decimate and dominate the rest of the world. However, due to sea level rises, low lying Diego Garcia may even be taken over by the sea. What better place therefore to build a US base than Sri Lanka? This is the reason that the US supports Eelam since sepoy, slavish LTTE, TNA will do whatever the US tells them to do. The only people standing in the way of the US building bases in Sri Lanka are the Sinhala people and they have been slapped with bogus US resolutions at the UNHRC with a view to partitioning the island and bringing on an Eelam with these constitutional changes to turn Sri Lanka into federal states or to even implement the13th amendment to the full which should never ever be implemented and no more powers should be given to the provincial councils, especially no land, police or fiscal powers should be given to the provincial councils under any circumstances. Also the concurrent list subjects should be given over to the national list.
About Trincomalee Harbour, please visit this absolutely stunningly and vast harbour and then anyone can see its potential. Already, the road from Trincomalee has been built and the roads and bridges around Trincomalee harbour has been built. There are over 99 oil tanks near the harbour. There is the existing Sri Lankan air force, army and navy bases. Trincomalee town has been refurbished. Trincomalee harbour is the world’s second largest natural harbour. It has a submarine canyon along its sea floor which is a very deep canyon along the sea floor which can accommodate submarines which then cannot be detected by radar. The harbour itself can accommodate a large fleet of ships. There is also a railwayline all the way from Colombo to Trincomalee. All the infrastructure development was completed by the previous government.
Therefore, there is no doubt that the US would want to build a US army, navy, airbase at Trincomalee. For that they only need an Eelam or federal state and this treacherous Ranil, Sirisena, CBK and Mangala will make sure that happens since they have accepted the bogus US resolution at the UNHRC and placed our armed forces in deep trouble when our armed forces are totally not guilty but the LTTE war criminals are now suddenly totally innocent of all the war crimes that the LTTE terrorists committed for over three decades. Also all Sri Lankans should totally oppose implementing the 13th amendment to the full or any more powers being given to the provincial councils than they have at present. Especially no land, police or fiscal powers should be given to the provincial councils under any circumstances. Also the concurrent list subjects should be given over to the national list.