{"id":56282,"date":"2016-07-05T23:11:52","date_gmt":"2016-07-06T05:11:52","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/?p=56282"},"modified":"2016-07-05T15:40:26","modified_gmt":"2016-07-05T22:40:26","slug":"zeid-chants-separatist-mantra","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/2016\/07\/05\/zeid-chants-separatist-mantra\/","title":{"rendered":"Zeid chants separatist mantra"},"content":{"rendered":"

By Shivanthi Ranasinghe\u00a0Courtesy \u00a0CeylonToday<\/strong><\/em><\/span><\/h2>\n

Brexit had consumed local media, especially after Britain’s decision to leave the European Union. In Sri Lanka too, politicians, professionals and other pundits are as intensively divided into ‘doom’ and ‘boom’ camps as the British.<\/p>\n

Five days later, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein renewed its call for a war crime probe in Sri Lanka with international participation. Yet, this did not excite the Sri Lankans as Brexit did.<\/p>\n

Interestingly, just days before Zeid’s special report, Tamil National Alliance (TNA) parliamentarian, M. A. Sumanthiran disclosed that the government, the United States and TNA had come to a tripartite agreement, allowing foreign judges. According to Sumanthiran, it was a huge concession on TNA’s part to agree to a hybrid court, for they originally sought an international court. He also insisted that the Sri Lankan Constitution would not get in the way of foreign judges participating.<\/p>\n

Sumanthiran’s statements<\/strong>
\nFederation of National Organizations (FNO) was one of the very few to visibly react to Sumanthiran’s and Zeid’s statements. Compared to Sri Lankans’ reaction over Brexit, this was a mere hiccup. It is almost as if to Sri Lankans, Sri Lanka is some far off island half across the world, whereas what happens in Britain is personal.<\/p>\n

It was FNO which immediately sought an explanation from the government on Sumanthiran’s statement. The government, however, appears divided over the issue. Both President Maithripala Sirisena and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe had earlier ruled that it would be foreign expertise, and not foreign judges, that would participate. Foreign Minister Mangala Samaraweera, however, appears to be more in line with TNA.<\/p>\n

The government is yet to accept, reject or clarify Sumanthiran’s claim. Assurance that the Constitution will bar foreign judges came instead from the civil rights activist Attorney-at-Law Chrishmal Warnasuriya.<\/p>\n

He made the observations at the inauguration of the People’s Intellectual Assembly. Civil rights activists who were involved in forming the present government gathered to pressurize it to get on track the derailed promises of good governance. While each highlighted different issues, Warnasuriya addressed this particular point that threatens the integrity of the country’s sovereignty.<\/p>\n

Reconciliation<\/strong><\/p>\n

Zeid’s special report, titled “Promoting Reconciliation, Accountability and Human Rights in Sri Lanka”, shockingly lacked a comprehensive understanding of the subject and was shabby in detail. Despite many experts and special rapporteurs in recent times visiting Sri Lanka to make their observations, the quality expected from an esteemed institution as the UN was markedly absent in the report.<\/p>\n

As FNO observes, Zeid appears to be influenced by the separatists and not by Sri Lankans. He had not only failed to accurately address the challenges faced by the minorities, he had also completely ignored the majority. At the very least, he had not even questioned why the people in the North continue to be led by politicians from Colombo and not from their own province.<\/p>\n

A glaring hypocrisy is his promise of a visit from the Special Rapporteur on freedom of opinion and expression in early 2017. Yet, “he is concerned by continued aggressive campaigns in social media and other forms (such as the ‘Sinhale’ bumper sticker campaign) that stoke nationalism against ethnic, religious and other minorities”. When Charles Hebdo was murdered for his insulting caricatures, his freedom of expression was defended by all civilized societies, despite the hurt he caused to millions of people.<\/p>\n

Stoking racialism<\/strong>
\nWhether ‘Sinhale’, stokes any racialism is much debated. What is quite disturbing is when so-called experts on Sri Lankan matters do not take all sides into consideration. His partiality is highlighted when ‘Sinhale’ catches his attention fully, the increased unfurling of the proscribed LTTE’s flag completely misses his eye.<\/p>\n

He notes the formation of the National Unity Government, where even the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) “has consolidated its position, creating a political environment conducive to reforms,” ignoring completely those who cast their vote for the alliance in which SLFP is a partner categorically voted against the formation of a unity government. Thus, those voters’ fundamental rights are being blatantly violated has escaped Zeid.<\/p>\n

He points out, “The fate of remaining security detainees held under the PTA remains a major concern for the Tamil community”. He however fails to note the concern of those, who did not vote for the incumbent government, over the arrests of the government’s political opponents. The opponents are detained without proof, to aid investigations; whereas government allies, who are also supposedly under investigations with proof stacked against them, moves unhindered.<\/p>\n

Military presence<\/strong>
\nThe presence of military in the North and East, he claims in his report, is heavy. He recommends the “Government in asserting full civilian control over the military and intelligence establishment and dismantling the units and structures allegedly responsible for violations”.<\/p>\n

“Heavy military presence” is a mantra drummed by separatists. When Zeid also picks up the chant without substantiating, he stands exposed as a sympathizer of separatists. He must explain the assessment criteria that led him to conclude that the military presence is indeed high.<\/p>\n

The Sri Lankan military played a significant role to bring normalcy to the North and the East. No longer are eight \u2013year-olds forced to become cannon fodder. Teen girls are allowed to blossom without being turned into potential bombs. Children enjoy uninterrupted schooling and adults no longer pay exorbitant taxes for their daily survival. The Sri Lankan military, comprised entirely of Sri Lankan citizens, has the right to be present in concentrations deemed necessary in any part of Sri Lanka, because they are the national security force and not an occupying army.<\/p>\n

Indian Peace Keeping Force<\/strong>
\nThis was not the case with the Indian Peace Keeping Force (IPKF) that occupied the North and East in the late ’80s. Interestingly, the very forces that object to Sri Lankan military in these areas, welcomed the IPKF occupation, even when they were severely harassing the civilians and violating all norms of human rights.<\/p>\n

However, the role of the IPKF is not the only annals to be obscured from world history. Dr. Peter Kuznick, Professor of History and Director of the Nuclear Studies Institute at American University, co-author of the bestselling book and HBO series, ‘The Untold History of the United States’ in an interview with Abby Martin, explains the real reasons for the use of atomic bombs, the Japan’s role in World War II, Japan’s relationship with US in present day and the danger of that relationship leading to a new war. (The full documentary,https:\/\/youtu.be\/dUPkeQbKCVU<\/a> and https:\/\/youtu.be\/ZhL5Xlef4yE<\/a>)
\nAfter 72 years of dropping the atomic bombs in Japan, Obama was the first US President to visit the memorial site in Hiroshima. Throughout his visit, the one message as reiterated by US Secretary of Interior, Sally Jewell, “it was tragic in some ways, but at least it ended the war,” and therefore saved lives – half a million American lives to be exact. What happened to all the Japanese lives, points Kuznick, was conveniently ignored.<\/p>\n

Thousands perished<\/strong><\/p>\n

In the immediate aftermath, 80,000 civilians were incinerated in each of the two cities. In the weeks and months after, thousands more perished due to radioactive silt. In the years to come, tens of thousands were to die because of radioactive poisoning.
\nObscured from history, says Kuznick, is that “The US has been fire bombing the Japanese cities for months already…we were wiping out entire cities. The Japanese were desperate to surrender.
\nThe question was not whether or not Japanese leaders would surrender, but who they would surrender to – Americans or Soviets.
\n“We dropped the bomb anyway. Why? To send a message to the Soviet leaders that if they don’t go along with US plans for Europe and the Pacific, this is the fate that awaits them. The Soviet leaders interpreted the message just as intended and it led to this uncontrolled arms race – a race for mutual annihilation. To kill hundreds of thousands of lives is a war crime by every definition, but to threaten the entire mankind and also life on planet to extinction goes far beyond that!
\nCold War
\n“This notion of American goodness during the entire cold war is a myth. The entire Soviet role in winning the war in Europe and their contributions to victory in the Pacific has been wiped out. For most of the war, the US and the British faced 10 German divisions, whereas Soviets faced 200 German divisions. When US lost about 300,000-400,000 in combat, Soviets lost 27 million [civilians and military according to Wikipedia].<\/p>\n

“Imagine, if Nazi Germany had developed the bomb first and used it. The world would look upon the atomic bomb, nuclear weapons with appropriate horror. We’d say that this is the kind of weapon that a fascist country would use.
\n“But US is the only country to have used one and every president since Truman to have repeatedly threatened to use nuclear weapons. Obama in his famous speech in Prague where he calls for nuclear abolition effectively says US won’t be the first country to get rid of nuclear weapons – US would be the last.”<\/p>\n

No innocent ducklings<\/strong>
\nJapanese by no means were innocent ducklings sitting in a row. Their role in WWII is as horrifying as the Nazi’s. From 1800s, as the Japanese feudal order transformed into industrialism, they needed to expand and conquer. By the 1930s the Japanese Empire had conquered large parts of China and most of East Asia.<\/p>\n

“Rule under the Emperor,” notes the documentary, “was a horror of historic proportions. A policy of so-called comfort women bound over 200,000 sex slaves for Japanese soldiers. Torture, human experiments, mass rape and executions cast a shadow on its present nation.”<\/p>\n

“The war crimes should have been more severe,” says Kuznick. “We never raised the charge against Japan for their bombing of Chinese cities, because we were afraid that they’d raise the charge against the US for our own bombing of Japanese cities as well as the atomic bombings.
\n“The bedrock of the Japanese Peace Constitution from 1946 was Article 9, where they renounce the right of war as a sovereign nation and to have offensive military forces. The Japanese loved it. During the Korean War, the US tried to get Japan to revoke Article 9, so that they can help US in the Korean War. They refused.<\/p>\n

Pressurizing Japan<\/strong>
\n“US had been since pressurizing Japan to do away with Article 9, so they can form the backbone of what the US is doing in Asia. The Japanese have been resisting until now.<\/p>\n

“The island of Okinawa was entry point to the US invasion in 1945. After decimating 90 per cent of the island, the US took it over and had been occupying it ever since, setting up bases wherever they want. Okinawa houses 74 per cent of US military bases in Japan. Approximately half of the 50,000 troops over in Japan are stationed in Okinawa. It has since served as the launch point for US invasions of Vietnam, Iraq and Afghanistan.”
\nThe documentary highlights, “the armed presence of 32 military bases had violated Okinawan culture and environment from spilling 13,000 tones of poisoned gas to the legacy of sexual abuse, corruption and impunity. Between 1972 and 2015 police states, say US Forces committed 26 murders and 129 rapes.
\nAccountability is virtually non-existent with US immunity. In over 100 cases, rapists were fined, demoted or confined to barracks and letters of reprimand was the only punishment for the balance perpetrators.<\/p>\n

Raping and killing<\/strong>
\n“In 2010, 100,000 people fought against the construction of a new base. Tensions reached a boiling point earlier this year when a marine admitted to raping and killing a 20-year old. In response, over 65,000 Japanese rallied with signboards, ‘Our fury has gone over the limit!’<\/p>\n

The current Japanese leaders, argues Kuznick, are becoming increasingly amendable to American pressure to scrapping Article 9 and becoming an ally in American’s expansionist plans for the Pacific. It is this new war path that the Japanese are opposing concludes the documentary.
\nThe question for the UN is what are their special rappoteurs recommending to addressthissituation.<\/p>\n

ranasingheshivanthi@gmail.com<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By Shivanthi Ranasinghe\u00a0Courtesy \u00a0CeylonToday Brexit had consumed local media, especially after Britain’s decision to leave the European Union. In Sri Lanka too, politicians, professionals and other pundits are as intensively divided into ‘doom’ and ‘boom’ camps as the British. Five days later, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein renewed its […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[12],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-56282","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-forum"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/56282","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=56282"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/56282\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=56282"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=56282"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=56282"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}