{"id":125442,"date":"2022-05-18T16:15:40","date_gmt":"2022-05-18T23:15:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/?p=125442"},"modified":"2022-05-18T16:15:40","modified_gmt":"2022-05-18T23:15:40","slug":"18-may-2009-sri-lanka-defeats-ltte-if-you-cant-name-the-dead-40000-there-is-no-genocide","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/2022\/05\/18\/18-may-2009-sri-lanka-defeats-ltte-if-you-cant-name-the-dead-40000-there-is-no-genocide\/","title":{"rendered":"18 May 2009 Sri Lanka defeats LTTE: If you can\u2019t name the dead 40,000 there is no \u2018genocide\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"<h2><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\"><em><strong>Shenali D Waduge<\/strong><\/em><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.shenaliwaduge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/Screenshot-2022-05-17-at-21.21.14-1024x640.png\" alt=\"\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Sri Lanka\u2019s conflict is defined a non-international armed conflict. LTTE was an armed non-state actor. 3 decades of armed militancy ended on 18 May 2009. The military offensive took place amidst a humanitarian rescue operation that&nbsp;<strong>saved 294,000 people<\/strong>. The victory was marred by allegations initiated by entities linked to the militants.&nbsp;<strong>The most important question is why would Sri Lanka\u2019s Armed Forces sacrifice over 6261 soldiers to save 294,000 Tamils but kill 40,000-200,000 Tamils (people who have no names, no identification &amp; there is no skeletons even to prove they were killed) Can those making the allegations answer this simple question! Without proof that 40,000 \u2013 200,000 existed, that they were Tamil civilians and not LTTE, without proof that the Sri Lanka Armed Forces killed them \u2013 no one has any right to be pointing fingers at the National Army of Sri Lanka. To claim genocide there must be dead people. Without so much as a mass grave or skeleton, how can there be \u2018genocide\u2019. Anyone making allegations must come out with facts &amp; evidence or rest their case.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Accountability depends on Truth<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Justice depends on Facts &amp; Evidence<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>We cannot accept any figure \u2013 be it 40,000 or 200,000 unless there is proof that such a number existed, proof that they were in the war zone, proof that they were civilian as per international definition &amp; proof that the Sri Lanka Armed Forces killed them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Allegation that Sri Lanka has killed 40,000 to 200,000 Tamil civilians<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Questions:<\/strong>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Proof 40,000-200,000 were killed<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Proof 40,000-200,000 were killed by Sri Lanka Armed Forces<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Proof 40,000-200,000 were Tamil civilians (LTTE combatants cannot be included to this list)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Proof any killings were intentional &amp; deaths were disproportionate to the military advantage legally accepted in a non-international armed conflict.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Can those making the allegations prove Sri Lanka\u2019s Armed Forces killed 40,000-200,000<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Can those making the allegations prove this 40,000 or more Tamil civilians as per international definition<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Can those making the allegations prove Sri Lanka\u2019s Armed Forces intentionally killed &amp; the deaths were disproportionate to the military advantage legally allowed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>DID 40,000 \u2013 200,000 EXIST<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>WERE THEY BORN?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Establishing their identity<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Proof of Birth of 40,000 \u2013 200,000 (birth certificate or some form of identification)<\/li><li>The names of 40,000 \u2013 200,000 (full name \/ parent\u2019s names)<\/li><li>Addresses of 40,000 \u2013 200,000 (home address\/village\/district\/province)<\/li><li>National Identity of 40,000 \u2013 200,000 (school ID\/marriage certificate or national ID)<\/li><li>Registrar of Births proof<\/li><li>Grama Sevaka proof<\/li><li>School admission proof<\/li><li>Affidavits by family &amp; friends that such a person belonging to this 40,000 \u2013 200,000 existed<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>The above should be able to determine how many of this 40,000-200,000 quoted figure have names &amp; some form of ID<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>WERE 40,000 \u2013 200,000 IN THE WAR ZONE<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>HOW DID THEY DIE<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>WERE THEY LTTE OR CIVILIANS<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Anyone can come up with 40,000 \u2013 200,000 names &amp; identifications, but they next need to prove that this number was in the war zone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>How did they come to the war zone \u2013 forcibly taken by LTTE, willingly joining LTTE or members of LTTE &amp; their families (so this 40,000-200,000 must be divided into these 3 main categories)<\/li><li>How many of this 40,000 \u2013 200,000 was forcibly taken by LTTE<\/li><li>How many of this 40,000 \u2013 200,000 voluntarily joined LTTE<\/li><li>How many of this 40,000 \u2013 200,000 were members of LTTE<\/li><li>How many of this 40,000 \u2013 200,000 were members of LTTE families<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>We can presume this number to be far less if their birth identification &amp; their presence in the war zone is not confirmed by proof\/evidence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>HOW DID 40,000 \u2013 200,000 \u2018DIE\u2019<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The Sri Lanka Armed Forces cannot be charged of any crime, unless there is proof beyond reasonable doubt to claim they intentionally killed civilians. This next raises more questions<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Civilian = anyone not engaged in any form of hostility (willingly or by force)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>How many in the war zone were Tamils&nbsp;<strong>forcibly taken<\/strong>&nbsp;by LTTE<\/li><li>How many in the war zone were Tamils who&nbsp;<strong>willingly went<\/strong>&nbsp;with LTTE<\/li><li>How many in the war zone were Tamil civilians&nbsp;<strong>ready to take up arms<\/strong>&nbsp;with LTTE<\/li><li>How many in the war zone were Tamil civilians&nbsp;<strong>forcibly given arms<\/strong>&nbsp;by LTTE<\/li><li>How many in the war zone were LTTE (LTTE men\/LTTE women\/LTTE child soldiers)<\/li><li>How many in the war zone were&nbsp;<strong>LTTE in uniform<\/strong>&nbsp;&amp; died during hostilities<\/li><li>How many in the war zone were&nbsp;<strong>LTTE in civilian clothing<\/strong>&nbsp;&amp; died during hostilities<\/li><li>How many in the war zone were civilians forcibly put by LTTE to engage in hostilities &amp; died<\/li><li>How many in the war zone were civilians willingly fighting for LTTE &amp; died during hostilities<\/li><li>How many in the war zone were civilians who were shot dead by LTTE when trying to flee<\/li><li>How many in the war zone were civilians who died from fire by Sri Lankan Armed Forces<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Who can put numbers to the above?&nbsp;<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Sri Lanka\u2019s Armed Forces can be faulted only for the last item &nbsp;<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>WAS 40,000 \u2013 200,000 KILLED&nbsp;<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>WAS 40,000 \u2013 200,000 KILLED IN THE WAR ZONE&nbsp;<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>WERE COMPLAINTS FILED<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>WHERE ARE THEIR BODIES<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Establishing deaths of 40,000 \u2013 200,000 Tamils<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Did their families file police report of missing \u2013 if so are there 40,000 to 200,000 police complaints?<\/li><li>Habeas Corpus for 40,000-200,000 Tamils \u2013 how many have been filed?<\/li><li>Filing with the Presidential Commission for Missing Persons \u2013 how many have been filed?<\/li><li>Where are the skeletons of the dead \u2013 its 13 years now &amp; if 40,000 \u2013 200,000 has been killed by now their skeletons or mass graves should have been discovered.<\/li><li>How the hell did Sri Lanka\u2019s soldiers did graves while fighting the LTTE to fit 40,000 \u2013 200,000 dead bodies?<\/li><li>Given that LTTE fronts overseas claim there has been a \u2018genocide\u2019 have they filed names of 40,000 \u2013 200,000 dead or are they just happy to be wailing \u2018genocide\u2019 &amp; collecting funds for memorials?<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>If these 40,000 \u2013 200,000 have not been killed and are not dead, can we presume they are \u2018missing\u2019 if they are \u2018missing\u2019 are they in Sri Lanka or have they sought asylum\/refugee status and changed not only their identity but also their look through cosmetic surgery? Who can answer this?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A standard grave is 2 \u00bd feet wide and 8 feet in length and 4 feet deep. Exactly how many adult bodies can fit into such a grave and why is there no \u2018eyewitness\u2019 mobile phone shots of troops digging these graves, placing the dead inside the graves or killing them? All we hear is only allegations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Therefore, if 40,000 \u2013 200,000 are dead\/killed \u2013 where are their dead bodies. US satellite images found only 3 graves, 2 of which were LTTE and had less than 3000 bodies. So where are these dead bodies?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>13 years since end of LTTE, there should be mass graves &amp; skeletons but none have been found. There is no explanation how Sri Lanka\u2019s Armed Forces could have dug graves to put 40,000 \u2013 200,000 dead while engaged in hostilities with the LTTE.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>By 31 March 2009, LTTE was restricted to an area of <a href=\"http:\/\/21sq.km\">21sq.km<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Unless these questions are answered, Sri Lanka\u2019s Armed Force\u2019s cannot be declared \u2018war criminals\u2019 or Sri Lanka accused of \u2018genocide\u2019.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>&nbsp;Shenali D Waduge<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Shenali D Waduge Sri Lanka\u2019s conflict is defined a non-international armed conflict. LTTE was an armed non-state actor. 3 decades of armed militancy ended on 18 May 2009. The military offensive took place amidst a humanitarian rescue operation that&nbsp;saved 294,000 people. The victory was marred by allegations initiated by entities linked to the militants.&nbsp;The most [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":true,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[47],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-125442","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-shenali-waduge"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/125442","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=125442"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/125442\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=125442"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=125442"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=125442"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}