Puligal Today: One LTTE gunman pins down 50 Sri Lankan special commandos

Tuesday, March 17, 2009

One LTTE gunman pins down 50 Sri Lankan special commandos

By Balakumar Anjaneyan

This video is a few weeks old, but it shows how clueless the Sri Lankan special commandos are. Here a single LTTE gunman pins down around 50 commandos on the beach at Chalai. In developed countries, the military is trained to storm the enemy's sniper position, but in Sri Lanka these commandos just try to hide. One even tries to dig a hole into the sand to hide like an ostrich. How humiliating for him to be caught on tape doing this. Note how no one has any idea what to do as they are being fired on. They neither try to get out of the line of fire, nor do they try to neutralize the attacker. They just lay there in the sun like idiots.

319 comments:

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Mahinda(n) said...: [please read this before you spit lies out.. did you say no people died? ]

no civilian died or injured. only military casualties on both sides which is natural in any war!

ANC / Nelson Mandela was also a terrorist organization/person. PLO was too, now its president Abbas is a best friend of the west!

if u search the bbc enough u can pick enough articles to prove Mr N. Mandela is a terrorist. gone on ...

...; March 19, 2009 at 1:30 PM
Editor: "Badrinath" said...: Looks like SLA is planning to fill the lagoon with dead SLA soldiers. Everyday hundreds meeting our lord buddha, peace be upon him.; March 19, 2009 at 1:31 PM
Suwaganak said...: Ron4079
Mar 17 2009
7:56 AM

What this noisy demonstrations and public harassment in the GTA are all about?

As a concerned Canadian citizen from Sri Lankan origin, I would like to comment on the demonstrations that are going on around the GTA for the last few weeks. Most of the Canadians who don’t know what is going on in Sri Lanka might be thinking why all these yelling and screaming which is very disturbing and inconvenient to the general public. Thanks to Canadian media, most of the Canadian public has a good idea about Tamil Tigers by now. In brief, Tamil Tigers are a brutal terrorist organization emerged in late 1970’s and they are fighting to create a mono ethnic ‘Tamil only’ dictatorial separate country within the tiny island called Sri Lanka which is multiethnic, multicultural and multi-religious.. Their justification for the 30 years of terrorism and destruction in Sri Lanka is that they are discriminated by the majority of Sinhalese in Sri Lanka. This is a totally false justification for a 30 years of long conflict that has been killed 2 heads of states (Sri Lanka and India), and close to 70,000 people. After four attempts of peace negotiations which Tamil Tigers used only for regrouping and smuggling much needed military hardware using the hundreds of millions of dollars donated mainly by their Canadian supporters, the present Sri Lankan government launched a massive military campaign to eliminate this brutal terrorist organization since 2007. In parallel, the Sri Lankan government is working with Tamil democratic political parties to devolve power and redevelop these areas that were destroyed by this long war. As a result, the entire eastern region which was previously occupied by Tamil Tigers is now under speedy rehabilitation program using foreign aid and with the help of Tamil and Muslim democratic political parties. The innocent Tamil people living in this region finally breathing fresh air without any sulfur smell.

During the last few months the Sri Lankan armed forces have flushed out most of the Tamil Tiger terrorists from the northern part of the country to recapture ~95% of the occupied Sri Lankan land and to liberate tens of thousands of innocent Tamil people living in these areas from the clutches of this terrorist group. Until then, the Tamil Tiger propaganda was hiding the facts on their defeat from their Tamil supporters so they were able to continue their fund raising activities. However, during the last few months these Tamil Tiger supporters have got to know that hundreds of millions of dollars that they were donating to Tamil Tigers during the last 20-30 years have gone to waste and they are almost going to be annihilated in a few weeks time. Meanwhile, their cadres in the GTA may have influenced these Tamil supporters to go to streets and protest and sling all the ‘mud’ including the word ‘genocide’ against the Sri Lankan government and the military forces so they could save the last 5% of land occupied and the lives of their inhumane terrorist leaders. In fact, it is the Tamil Tigers who have shot dead and cut legs of the innocent Tamil people who were trying to flee to enter in to the government controlled areas. As a result of this heavy unexpected defeat and to make innocent Tamil people’s life more miserable, Tamil Tiger supporters in the GTA have gathered in large numbers at every corners and streets in Canada to show their moral support. If you happen to hear this noise and see all the lies on white placards of a frustrated, disappointed and large scale misinformation and mud slinging campaign now you know that it is just to provide last minute breathing air to this terrorists group. It is noisy, disturbing and regretful to see these events in a country like Canada but at least I hope there are some courageous Canadians who can ask that how much development could have been done and how much lives could have been saved if these street screamers have donated this hundreds of millions of dollars for the development of these areas instead of donating to a terrorist organization. Regardless of what lies and wrong information that they are trying to disseminate to the Canadian public, we always know that truth will win and peace will be achieved in Sri Lanka with this hybrid political-military solution to become the first country in the world to win the global fight against terrorism.

Now using the opportunity that Canada provide (free demonstration), Tamils accept the fact (yesterday rally) all Tamils from Sri Lanka are belongs to “Tamil Tigers” that’s mean they all belong to terrorist organization which branded by Canadian government including USA and other countries. The fact is most of them scared once no conflict in Sri Lanka most of them on asylum will have to pack

network.nationalpost.com/.../steve-janke-how-can-a-crowd-of-people-yelling-tamil-tigers-freedom-fighters-be-mistaken-for-an-anti-tiger-rally.aspx

http://stevejanke.com/

"Most dengerious terrorist in the world-LTTE" I did not wrote or branded that, so what freedom you are looking here in Torornto srteet ?; March 19, 2009 at 2:31 PM
Gayansphotography said...: Badri.....No report,no Ealam??? whats going on buddy....; March 19, 2009 at 7:33 PM
Widana said...: Yeah, where has the fighting moved to now? Vavuniya at least??; March 19, 2009 at 7:47 PM
Unknown said...: "China argues that it is "merely an internal matter," and not a threat to international peace and security"

Hey you stupid slant eyed monkeys faces, if its an internal problem then why are so many nations concerned about LTTE 'terrorism', can't have it both ways.

Hey and stupid sinhala half animals, your ignorant backward government is trying to silence Tamils around the world, ha ha in your face stupid barbarians...

"Tamil flags flown at protest legal, Toronto police say"

go fornicate yourselves :); March 19, 2009 at 8:52 PM
Gayansphotography said...: Badri.....I thought the army was driven back to mankulam, with 5381 dead as a result of the tank blasting, 10,000 dying as the 59th was decimated, another x000 dead as the 58th was taken out, and 55th been entrapped (I thought after "decimating" the main divisions the Task forces will be no match for the Super Intelligent Tiger Commandos © ...

But u are talking about some "lagoon" ...what lagoon is this? At the rate of "decimation" © I think you are talking about the Puttalam or the Negambo lagoons, isnt it?

Can you please elaborate about the recent sucesses of the SHIT (Super Human Intelligent Tigers) ???; March 19, 2009 at 9:00 PM
I'm not Bhairav said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; March 19, 2009 at 10:07 PM
I'm not Bhairav said...: Daily mirror spreading lies against tigers.

[
During the weekend, a group of LTTE cadres who attempted to forcibly recruit men and women in the Puthumatalan area, located in the demarcated safety zone, came under civilian attack during which several LTTE cadres were killed and many injured. The civilians also damaged the vehicles, in which these LTTE cadres had come.
]

Our invetigations conclude LTTE do not forcefully recruit men/women. All fighters are volunteers. Its the SLA which goes into villages and abduct men (especially into the Special Forces) to fight against LTTE.

[
This incident occurred when the LTTE attempted to forcibly recruit a young girl, despite her protests. According to civilians who escaped from the area, the LTTE had dragged the girl and torn her clothing until she was almost naked.
]

According to our invetigations LTTE did not tear off her clothes. They politely asked the child whether she would like to fight against the invading SLA.

[
This incident had incited her relatives and people in the vicinity who then attacked the LTTE cadres. Due to this incident, at least six vehicles in which the group had come had been set on fire by the angry civilians. Later the people surrounded an LTTE political office in the area and set it on fire too.
]

Damn lie. LTTE are the sole representatives of the tamils. No body would resort to such actions against sole representatives

If anybody cares to read the full text of the blatant lies, please click the following link

Daily mirrors lies exposed

Daily mirror go tell your lies to modayas!!! You'll never fool us.; March 19, 2009 at 10:09 PM
Widana said...: Navindran, please analyse. What is your friend Vaiko and Obama doing? Looks like nobody gives a sh*t about Eelam no?

“Concerning the proposed loan to Sri Lanka by the International Monetary Fund, United States domestic law makes it quite clear that the Obama Administration is obligated to oppose the loan. And given the weighted voting system for the IMF Board of Directors, a United States vote against the loan would be tantamount to a veto,” said Prof. Boyle, Professor at Illinois College of Law, adding, “for the Obama Administration to violate the Statute [22 USC 262d] and vote in favor of the proposed IMF loan to support the GOSL's "policy goals" would render the United States government "complicit" with Sri Lanka's genocide.”

And what is the latest exchange rate?; March 19, 2009 at 10:47 PM
I'm not Bhairav said...: SLA admits removing over 1900 civilians from the safety of the no fire zone on 20-Mar-2009

The number of civilians rescued by the 58 Division soldiers for the day is 1983. The group includes 1056 females, and 927 males with large number of children.

Although SLA admits to only about 1900+ there are signs that the numbers will be much higher at the end of the day.

I urge the LTTE diaspora bothers to organize a quick protest against GOSL evicting people from the no fire zone.; March 20, 2009 at 12:07 AM
I'm not Bhairav said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; March 20, 2009 at 12:26 AM
I'm not Bhairav said...: Ealam brothers we should not waste time. If we delay longer there will not be many civilians left in the 'no fire zone' for us to shout about in our protest campaigns against the GOSL; March 20, 2009 at 12:27 AM
Widana said...: Civilians are strategically relocating to the invading Singalams side. May be we should build some earth bunds facing inwards to stop them?; March 20, 2009 at 1:56 AM
I'm not Bhairav said...: I hope the diasporic brothers and sisters of tamil ealam remember how GOSL tried to hoodwink the war hungry Singalese by displaying photos of 150+ SLA claiming to be LTTE bodies. There's more now....

Check out the defence ministry's latest attempt to display comminication equpment and under water craft which belong to SLA, claiming they have been 'captured' from the LTTE.

Please enlarge the pictures 8 times to reveal the tiny wording 'SLA' encrypted on equipment; March 20, 2009 at 2:05 AM
I'm not Bhairav said...: China blocks move to bring Lanka issue before UN Security Council

Brothers and sisters, high time we organise a demonstration, this time against the Chinese government, for abetting genocide in Sri Lanka; March 20, 2009 at 2:13 AM
I'm not Bhairav said...: Am i the only ealamist here? Where are the others?? Your silence is deafening!!!; March 20, 2009 at 2:15 AM
Widana said...: There is a demonstration next week in Chengdu, central China, please try to attend. As there is a shortage of tiger-lovers, we will allow panda-lovers to join in the protest.

PS - That 'submarine' photo is clearly a fake. It is so rusty and full of holes, even Soosai himself won't survive 10 minutes if it was dropped in the ocean.; March 20, 2009 at 2:19 AM
Gayansphotography said...: I think badri and group have tactically withdrawn from the blog.. :-O

Even Navidran with the daily currency rates seems to be silent. :); March 20, 2009 at 3:27 AM
I'm not Bhairav said...: Badri is still active. Its the other Eezham (AKA Eelam) tamils I'm pissed with.

Eezham tamils living in the cooler climates, wake up now!!! 1000s of civilians are crossing over to GOSL side. Get your asses onto the streets and start protesting and try to get the UN to intervene. At the current rate of mass exodhus there will not be enough human shields to protect the National leader from being targeted from the above.

With lazy fools like you around the world, little wonder why the orbat map shows 25Km^2; March 20, 2009 at 4:00 AM
I'm not Bhairav said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; March 20, 2009 at 4:11 AM
Peter said...: LTTE counter striks sends SLA back to their 2005 FDL lines.
Latest updated eezham (eelam) orbat map

...; March 20, 2009 at 4:22 AM
gambit said...: mahinda(n):do u have any evidence that the LTTE attacked central bank or in Kandy?

Well first of all there were dead terrorists were there..and also LTTE claimed the responsibility.

but Lasantha's case nobody knows who killed him. Please do not talk about stuff you don't know...; March 20, 2009 at 6:03 AM
Editor: "Badrinath" said...: I'm not Bhairav is the same person as the fake Peter. Both IP addresses identical.; March 20, 2009 at 6:55 AM
gambit said...: Oh mr badrinath .. well done !... it's amazing that you can think with your pea sized brain .. so this is how you repel who speak the truth by deleting their posts... last 3 posts of mine DELETED... oh i don't know wut to do now.. i'm scared badri.. please don't delete me again.. ha ha..; March 20, 2009 at 7:27 AM
Gayansphotography said...: Badri the cyber detective.. :) see what the pealamists are relegated in to doing these days...; March 20, 2009 at 8:20 AM
m.q.k said...: CLASSIFIED INFORMATION

!!FOR SINHALA PATRIOTS EYES ONLY!!

Thousands of Sri Lankan women work as domestic helpers in Hong Kong. They have only one free day a week, which they spend with fellow workers in places like Kowloon Park, along with thousands of domestic workers from other countries.

Several Sri Lankan domestic helpers interviewed last week expressed views that represent the situation of thousands of Hong Kong’s migrant workers. When asked why they came to Hong Kong to work, the typical reply was, “We simply can’t earn enough to make ends meet (in our own country).”

Most of those interviewed were women in their 30s, some in their 20s. Most were married and had sacrificed the comfort of living with their husbands, children and often their parents, to earn enough money to enable their families to meet the most basic needs.

Many had been in Hong Kong for over five years, some more than ten. Everyone interviewed claimed she was happy, despite being separated from her loved ones, because she was contributing to the maintenance of her family.

One couple had managed to come together, the husband working as a driver and the wife as a domestic helper in the same household. They said that both of their fathers were dead; their jobs paid them enough money to send home and support their mothers. They would have been unable to do so in their home country. The woman also expressed satisfaction at being able to contribute to their children’s education.

They all claimed they did not want to go back to their own country unless they could make an adequate living there to support their families. They were quick to recognize that this was unlikely to happen soon. One young girl said, “Yes, I want to go back and marry a boy from my own country, but for that, first, I have to earn enough.”

Living conditions in Sri Lanka are extremely difficult. A journalist working for over 15 years said his monthly earnings were around 19,000 rupees (US$166). Most people earn less. The cost of educating children and the prices of medicine have increased; unlike in the past, people find these are beyond their means. The prices of food and all staples have increased.

Electricity rates in Sri Lanka are the highest in the world, the minister of enterprise, development and investment promotion has admitted. Water bills are also rising; even the minister in charge of the water supply complained that the rates have gone up too rapidly for his own consumption.

One person from a family of eight children said that in the past, his father had been able to maintain the family with only an average job. Now he and his wife both work but are unable to meet the needs of their only child.

The primary function of government is to create an economic environment within which people can make an adequate living. The Sri Lankan government has simply failed in this function. However, people are unable to articulate their grievances or have them heard. Attacks on free speech and expression, for which Sri Lanka has achieved notoriety the world over, are preventing discussion about the living conditions of the people.

People complain about the miseries of their lives in every private conversation. However, there is no public space for people to discuss these matters and develop a consensus toward changing these conditions. The most basic problems of their lives are thus confined to the private sphere.

Some time ago, during elections, the issue of “kitchen conditions” was raised; it was said that women running their kitchens determined the outcome of elections. But this is no longer the case. Politicians do not talk about what people eat, whether they can afford medical care or schooling, how to maintain public transport and public services, or even how to deal with unemployment.

On the contrary, an extremely sophisticated machinery of repression has developed to prevent the kind of political discourse that gives meaning to the adult franchise. In this, the police play a major role. The result of mobilizing the police for the purposes of the ruling regime is a complete collapse of discipline and the transformation of the police into a corrupt and violent force.

Criminal investigations are no longer of much concern. A police force that can frighten the population is essential to electoral politics based on fear. In addition, there are various types of goon squads, private bodyguards and other mysterious forces actively creating an atmosphere of violence everywhere. The police are neither willing, capable or permitted to intervene.

The collapse of the rule of law, which everyone is talking about, is not an accident. It is part of a greater design to prevent the participation of people in political life, making it possible for politicians to win elections without the actual participation of the people.

The people’s sovereignty is not possible without the rule of law. Talk of the people’s sovereignty is a cynical mockery of the people, who have no alternative but to elect the very people who will cause their living conditions to deteriorate. Elections have become the means by which the people consent to lower wages; less food, education, childcare and medical care; and terrible transportation systems.

Yet local and international pressure to improve the rule of law is answered with distain. The same people who preside over this system of repression make sanctimonious proclamations about inquiries into crime, prosecutions and respect for the supremacy of the law.

Adults in Sri Lanka have had the right to vote for 78 years, yet the result is this ruthless, repressive political apparatus that makes a mockery of the people’s sovereignty. No wonder even a domestic helper’s job abroad is seen as a boon by so many people.; March 20, 2009 at 9:17 AM
gambit said...: anyways LTTE successfully managed to assassinate all the leaders that could have taken sri lanka out of the misery...biggest one Lakshman kadirgarmar...; March 20, 2009 at 9:30 AM
லோயர் said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; March 20, 2009 at 9:44 AM
Rajith Attapattu said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; March 20, 2009 at 9:56 AM
gambit said...: m.g.k said..

[GAMBIT AKA SHIT SPITTER,

YOUR HEAD IS FULL OF SHIT..]

I think you should stick to copying and pasting coz I see that you have no communication skills or decent vocabulary.; March 20, 2009 at 9:59 AM
ranuka said...: puligal == puli + girl == spotty girl; March 20, 2009 at 10:02 AM
m.q.k said...: GAMBIT AKA SHIT HEAD,

I POST HERE NEWS....

WHILE YOU RANT AND CONDEMN ABOUT OTHERS..

SHIT HEAD LIKE U DONT DESERVE DECENT VOCABULARY..

GET IT SHIT SPITTER...

GO AND EAT SHIT AND SLEEP..

THATS THE BEST THING U COULD DO FOR HUMANITY..; March 20, 2009 at 10:37 AM
m.q.k said...: Roy Ratnavel: Why Canada's Tamils are upset
National Post

The freedom we enjoy in Canada is precious to me. I state this at the outset, because I grew up in a country where freedom is a rare commodity, and the slaughter of innocents is common.

I lived almost half of my life in Sri Lanka, and spent three months of that time in jail. There, I suffered various forms of unspeakable torture at the age of 17, for no other reason than that I was a member of the country’s Tamil minority.

Days after my release, with the help of my father, I went to the Canadian High Commission in Colombo and was granted an interview with an immigration officer by the name of Robert Orr (not to be confused with the hockey player, as I always stress when telling this story). Mr. Orr asked me if I could provide evidence of my incarceration. I took my shirt off and revealed my upper body, and there was plenty of evidence. I will spare readers the details, but it was enough for him to grant me a visa to Canada.

I am ecstatic that this great nation has given me a rebirth. I am Canadian first; my loyalty is non-negotiable. Yet the constant suffering of the people and the families I left behind troubles me.

Tamils who were present at the Toronto protest on Monday — an event criticized in a recent National Post editorial (“Terrorism Double-Standard,” March 18) — were very emotional. Many have their own personal stories of tyranny. Some have family members who have been killed recently, or know of someone imprisoned in what can only be described as concentration camps. They cling to the hope that Canada will listen to their cries.

While we debate about which protestors were waving which flags, lives are being lost: According to the United Nations Human Rights Commissioner, at least 2,800 Tamils were killed by the military offensive conducted by Sri Lanka within the past few months alone.

Sri Lanka, it should be mentioned, is also a friend of Iran and Pakistan. In April, 2008, Sri Lanka gave a red-carpet welcome to President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad — a Holocaust denier and an ardent supporter of the elimination of Israel. It’s true in politics, as in life, that people can be judged by the company they keep.

It is high time for Canada to exert political and economic sanctions against Sri Lanka for its inexcusable and ongoing contribution to large-scale humanitarian misery. Regardless of how one feels about the Tamil Tigers, Canadians must speak up against Sri Lankan government savagery. It is the only position that is consistent with our own democratic ideals.

April 18, 1988, is a date I will never forget. My father peered through the glass and waved his final goodbye to me at the Colombo airport. His facial expression forever will be etched in my memory. Like me, he was no doubt experiencing a complex mix of emotions at the time. I bet he was happy for me, fearful for his own life and angry that, finally, it had come to this.

Following my departure, he was shot dead at the age of 53, right in front of my mother — a horrible incident my mother can’t let go and that I keep reliving. When I heard the news of his death, I sobbed while clinging to the kitchen counter-top like it was a life preserver.

For the sake of the Tamils still living in Sri Lanka, I hope that Canadians will spare them a thought, and force our government to raise its voice against an ongoing tragedy.; March 20, 2009 at 10:48 AM
gambit said...: m.q.k aka copy paste..

ha ha.. LMAO... why do u get so angry man.. don't bark like a dog .. speak words.. learn to have a conversation.. no wonder peace negotiations didn't work..; March 20, 2009 at 10:54 AM
gambit said...: Jonathan Kay: A response to my (many, many) Tamil-Canadian critics …
Posted: March 18, 2009, 11:32 PM by Jonathan Kay
Jonathan Kay

Yesterday, I put up a blog post (subsequently re-purposed into an editorial) denouncing the pro-Tamil-Tiger protestors who were part of the demonstration that paralyzed downtown Toronto on Monday.

"The rally that took place in Toronto on Monday was not just, as organizers claimed, an expression of support for Tamil civilians in war-torn Sri Lanka," I wrote. "Many of the participants carried flags of the Tamil Tigers, a terrorist group that practices suicide bombings and abducts children to use as soldiers. (In 2006, Canada’s federal government officially designated the Tamil Tigers a terrorist group, a move that criminalized the group’s fund-raising efforts in this country.) Some of the banners displayed on Monday also depicted Tiger leader Velupillai Prabhakaran, a wanted mass murderer who personally authorizes the acts of terrorism the group has committed over the last three decades … Imagine for a moment, if the protestors had instead been Arab or Muslim. Would Stephen Harper, Michael Ignatieff, Dalton McGuinty and David Miller be silent if 120,000 supporters of Hamas and Hezbollah paralyzed downtown Toronto as they chanted slogans and waved flags praising groups that slaughter Jews? … The Sinhalese Sri Lankan victims of Tamil Tiger terrorism are no less deserving of support than the Jewish residents of Ashkelon or Sderot."

Following publication of the blog post, I received upwards of 100 emails from angry readers — most of them self-identified Tamil Canadians — who found my comments ignorant, bigoted, offensive — or all three.

While I cannot comprehensively summarize all my naysayers' criticisms, let me try to give a thumbnail rundown of their three main arguments:

(#1) The Tamil Tigers aren't terrorists. They are freedom fighters.

(#2) The Tamil Tigers may resort to rough tactics, but what the Sri Lankan government does to Tamil civilians is worse. Colombo's forces are the "real terrorists."

(#3) The Tamil Tigers, unlike Islamist terrorists, have no designs on Canada or other Western nations. Their dispute is with Sri Lanka's government only — and so any comparison with al-Qaeda et al is unfair.

I don't find any of these arguments particularly convincing. But so many Tamil-Canadian readers emailed me — often with long, carefully detailed arguments — that I feel the need to respond to them in some way.

Regarding #1: The line between terrorists and freedom fighters can admittedly be a fuzzy one in some contexts (see, e.g., South Africa's Apartheid-era ANC, or Afghanistan's Reagan-era mujahadeen). That said, we live in Canada, which means that the official view of the Canadian government means something when we discuss these issues. In the case of the Tamil Tigers, the group was put on Ottawa's official list of banned terrorist entities in 2006, which means that, for purposes of Canadian law, the Tamil Tigers are terrorists, full stop. I don't care how strong are one's emotional ties to Sri Lanka — if you live in this country, you have to pay heed to our law.

It's also worth mentioning that the Tigers engage in classic terrorist tactics, including wanton slaughter of civilians, suicide bombings, political assassinations, etc. Moreover, the Tigers have systematically coerced children into fighting in their ranks, dealt ruthlessly with dissident Tamils who opposed their brutal methods, and even used coercive tactics to extract financial "donations" from Tamils abroad — including here in Canada. Even if you embrace the cause of a free and independent Tamil state in northern Sri Lanka, you cannot reasonably dispute the fact that the Tamil Tigers are a violent group that has often resorted to the most discredited and barbaric methods of combat imaginable.

Regarding #2: I have looked at the available reports about Sri Lankan abuses, and I will concede that the Sri Lankan military has often, itself, behaved in a brutal manner. In many instances, civilians have died unnecessarily. Unfortunately, the same is true of every counter-insurgency and counter-terrorism campaign known to humankind — from Israel to Chechnya to Afghanistan to Iraq. When a government finds itself locked in combat with a guerrilla/terrorist force that fights from amidst a civilian population and uses human shields — as the Tamil Tigers are now doing — innocents inevitably die. (This week, a spokesman for The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights declared: "The LTTE, the Tamil Tigers, are reported to be continuing to hold civilians as human shields, and to have shot at civilians trying to leave the area they control. They are also believed to have been forcibly recruiting civilians, including children, as soldiers.")

Regarding #3: This is a fair point, so far as it goes: It's true that the Tamil Tigers' political ambitions end at the sea — unlike those of al-Qaeda and other terrorist groups, whose jihad is global in scope. But then, the whole point of the international war on terror is that civilized nations must band together to fight all terrorist groups, not just the ones that directly target them. This is the main reason that folks like me were so up in arms about the way that the Liberals soft-peddled the Tigers problem until they got booted out of office in 2006: It didn't seem to matter to Paul Martin et al that cash contributions solicited (and in some cases extorted) from Tamil-owned businesses in the Toronto suburbs were being used to buy bombs to blow up civilians 10,000 miles away. If you take the view that an innocent human life is an innocent human life, no matter where that human is located, then Canada had a moral duty to criminalize Tiger fundraising — something Stephen Harper had the courage to do.

In closing, I should say that I recognize the sense of empathic anguish many Canadian Tamils feel as the Sri Lankan government closes in on the last Tamil Tiger enclave in northern Sri Lanka. Tens of thousands of civilians are trapped in the affected area, and several thousand are believed to have died already. These people deserve the world's sympathy. But few Canadians are going to be moved to express such sympathy if they open their newspapers and TV sets and see pictures of Canadian Tamils waving the flag of a banned terrorist organization.; March 20, 2009 at 11:22 AM
Widana said...: US Dollar is down! The rupee closed at 113.95/114.05 .; March 20, 2009 at 5:55 PM
Gayansphotography said...: Oh NO...LTTE is bringing down the US economy too :-O

Navindran where is ur analysis ??; March 20, 2009 at 8:34 PM
wijayapala said...: What the hell is this from Tamilnet????

LTTE urges China to consider Tamils plight at UN

For a minute I had thought I was on tamilnet.tv after seeing this pathetic crap. Are things going that badly for the LTTE that Nadesan has to beg like this???

Nadesan's facial expression tells it all...; March 20, 2009 at 9:17 PM
Shun said...: This for the SL Sinhalase, the IC is going to come down hard on SL (http://www.innercitypress.com/unsri4lanka032009.html). This is the darkest time for present SL government.; March 20, 2009 at 10:49 PM
m.q.k said...: {shaun said...
This for the SL Sinhalase, the IC is going to come down hard on SL (http://www.innercitypress.com/unsri4lanka032009.html). This is the darkest time for present SL government.}

GREAT NEWS!!! THANK YOU...; March 20, 2009 at 11:00 PM
Shun said...: Since independent this is the first SL government to go against the West. Now it is going to pay the price. Politically it is disastrous time for the preset SL government.

Things are going go form bad to worse for the Sri Lankan government.

1. GR and Fonseka wanted to finish the tigers before the US election : FAILED
2. GR thought he can silence the truth by killing/ abducting the journalist – FAILED ( only the people in SL does not know the truth)
3. GR and MR thought that they can hide civilian casualty by not allowing the UN or other NGO : FAILED ( Leaked UN document show the civilian death )
4. MR and GR though the Tamil diasporas will never pay attention to war and wanted to use EAST as a show case to Tamils : FAILED ( SL government underestimated the political power of the Tamil diasporas )
5. MR and GR they could liberate the EAST and NORTH, and then get the foreign AID to pay for WAR debt: FAILED ( EAST is failed miserably , the killing still continues )
6. MR and GR thought they could fool the IC and carry out genocide: FAILED ( IC know how civilian is murdered or abducted by SL government ).
7. GR now wants to finish the tigers before Indian election: It seems it is also heading for failure too.

MR is unable to go for ceasefire since the south is in the impression that the LTTE is already finished, He can’t finish of the LTTE before IC takes a drastic decision. In my opinion this SL is government is heading towards the black hole. The JVP and UNP is waiting for this government to screw up royally.; March 20, 2009 at 11:23 PM
Eelam Tamil said...: Sorry Sinhella racists already celeberate that they almost defeated Tamils. It is a great Mahavamsa fairy tale dream : )).; March 20, 2009 at 11:25 PM
Mahinda(n) said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; March 20, 2009 at 11:35 PM
Mahinda(n) said...: Copied from the pages of Canada's "National Post"

"Roy Ratnavel: Why Canada's Tamils are upset"

http://network.nationalpost.com/np/blogs/fullcomment/archive/2009/03/20/roy-ratnavel-why-canada-s-tamils-are-upset.aspx?CommentPosted=true#commentmessage

COMMENT:-
---------
If Jonathan’s main issue was legality, then perhaps he should leave that to the legal experts, instead of taking this opportunity to bash Tamils and lend support to the genocide of Tamils in Sri Lanka. I remember reading something like: “The Canadian police got legal advice and was told by the lawyers that carrying Tiger flag is not against the law- according to the lawyers the police consulted - said the police spokesperson Mark Bogash”. I wonder if the LTTE were to be banned in Canada, then how the bigger terrorist, the GOSL, can even have an embassy in Canada and be Canada’s guest!

Jonathan is also not so much interested in resolving the violence committed by both parties in Sri Lanka, as he fails to talk about it. Has he spoken about resolving the Sri Lankan problem ever? If Jonathan believes in democracy, then he should advocate for a “UN-sponsored referendum among Sri Lankan Tamils to decide their future”. This will also put an end to the LTTE terrorism over the whole world, if this is what Jonathan GENUINELY desires! I doubt it!!

Jonathan’s objective appears to lend full support to the genocide of the Tamils in Sri Lanka. Jonathan should provide a brief summary of the conflict before he writes or at least refer the readers to other documents, that is, ONLY if he wishes to be a fair and balance journalist.

In a nutshell, violent attacks on Tamils by the Singhala state started in 1956 and non-violent protests and demands for equality by Tamils also started during the same time. All of Tamils non-violent protests were met with violence for the next 20+ years. Only in the late 70s and early 80s Tamils also forced to use violent methods to win their rights. In other words, the Singhala people and their Singhala governments had to work very hard for 30 years to convert the non-violent struggle of the Tamils into a violent one – please take note of it!

If Jonathan says "Tiger leader Velupillai Prabhakaran, a wanted mass murderer who personally authorizes the acts of terrorism the group has committed over the last three decades", he MUST also say “which was only half as long as the state sponsored terrorism of Tamils and clearly without the state sponsored terrorism since 1948, the LTTE terrorism would be non-existence today”! (I say this confidently because the Singhalas had to terrorize the Tamils for a FULL 30 years to bring out violent response from the Tamils. If the Tamils were to re-act violently within 1-2 years, then I would conclude "Tamils also enjoy violence"). If Jonathan wants evidence on this, you can refer to an article by a former Australian Ambassador to Sri Lanka (www.theage.com.au/.../inclusion-the-way-to-real-peace-20090315-8yv7.html). There are several PDF documents circulating on the Net describing the 60+ years of genocide by the Singhalas.

If Jonathan says "120,000 supporters of Hamas and Hezbollah paralyzed downtown Toronto as they chanted slogans and waved flags praising groups that slaughter Jews? … The Sinhalese Sri Lankan victims of Tamil Tiger terrorism are no less deserving of support than the Jewish residents of Ashkelon or Sderot.", he MUST also say that "Hamas and Hezbollah advocate for a TOTAL decimation of the Jewish State while the LTTE only struggles for the freedom of Tamils in the North-Eastern parts of the Sri Lanka, i.e. the existence of a Singhala state in the south is well accepted by all Tamils and the LTTE". If Jonathan has ever seen the Tamil Eelam as marked in the Island's map, he can see it clearly. Recently Clinton also made the same observation: "If Hamas and Hezbollah can accept the existence of Israel, we would be willing to talk to Hamas and Hezbollah". In fact, the major terrorizing objective of the Hamas and Hezbollah is seeking the slaughter of all Jews in Israel. Thus, your comparison of the LTTE to these groups is totally invalid!

The followings are also totally biased: "It's also worth mentioning that the Tigers engage in classic terrorist tactics, including wanton slaughter of civilians, suicide bombings, political assassinations, etc. Moreover, the Tigers have systematically coerced children into fighting in their ranks, dealt ruthlessly with dissident Tamils who opposed their brutal methods, and even used coercive tactics to extract financial "donations" from Tamils abroad — including here in Canada. Even if you embrace the cause of a free and independent Tamil state in northern Sri Lanka, you cannot reasonably dispute the fact that the Tamil Tigers are a violent group that has often resorted to the most discredited and barbaric methods of combat imaginable."

There is no mentioning about any of the state sponsored terrorism taking place in SL. Jonathan ignores all the statements, press releases by the UN’s High Commissioner for Humans Right, Inner City Press reports, HRW, etc. Jonathan must take note that the very first political assassination in Sri Lanka was committed by a Singhala Buddhist monk in the 1960s with the murder of Mr Bandaranyake because Mr Bandaranyake wanted to give a very low level devolution of power to Tamils and just for that a Buddhist monk shot him dead! I can say that if the devolution were to be successful in the 1960s, this subject would not exist now because then Tamils were using non-violence means and this low level devolution was well accepted by the Tamils!

And also Jonathan’s arguments do not tally. Jonathan is making big complaints about thousands of Canadian Tamils happily waving flags and chanting in support of a terrorist organization which in your own words: "Moreover, the Tigers have systematically coerced children into fighting in their ranks, dealt ruthlessly with dissident Tamils who opposed their brutal methods, and even used coercive tactics to extract financial "donations" from Tamils abroad — including here in Canada." Well, if the LTTE were doing all these for 30 years, I'm sure almost all Tamil Canadians would have affected by now by the Tiger terrorism in one way or another. Then why do you think that thousands of Canadian Tamils are happily waving flags and chanting in support of a terrorist organization? Have they all gone mad and you're the only person with some common-sense on this subject? You MUST take note that in some pro-LTTE demonstrations more than 50% of the total Tamil Canadians participated ... hmmm all these people should have been sent Canadian mental hospitals very long time ago, don't you agree? If you do not agree, then you must be falsifying at least something here! Jonathan also attempts to show ho concerned he is about the well-being of Tamil Canadians by his statement “and even used coercive tactics to extract financial "donations" from Tamils abroad — including here in Canada”. If Jonathan is GENUINELY concerned about what Tamil Canadians want, then PLEASE listen to them. Have ever Tamil Canadians organized an ant-LTTE march of this magnitude in Canada? If so many Tamil Canadians are affected by the LTTE terrorism, why are they not taking this opportunity (i.e. the LTTE is almost defeated for good), to bash the LTTE? Therefore, I conclude that none of Jonathan’s arguments tally!

I can go on countering all Jonathan’s malicious statements. But, I'm sure that Jonathan would ignore these and continue his sub-standard journalism to lend full support to the genocide of the Tamils in Sri Lanka. To all Tamils, sadly “genocide of the Tamils in Sri Lanka” appears to be his ONLY objective!

LONG LIVE FAIR JOURNALISM!; March 20, 2009 at 11:42 PM
Gayansphotography said...: shaun ...... Hope u are not another anal-iser like Navindran who is going to fill the blog with copy paste crap???; March 20, 2009 at 11:47 PM
Shun said...: The Tamil Freedom movement florist, after 83 genocide. Elam will come to an existence in 2009 because of genocidal/terrorist policy of shortsighted SL government.; March 20, 2009 at 11:50 PM
4C said...: badri Anna,

It's boring man. Don't u have any updates?

Any stupid thing?? Pls; March 21, 2009 at 1:16 AM
gambit said...: shaun. GR and MR thought that they can hide civilian casualty by not allowing the UN or other NGO : FAILED ( Leaked UN document show the civilian death )

If UN was not allowed how did the leaked doc had casualties mate? please explain..; March 21, 2009 at 6:00 AM
gambit said...: shaun said...

The Tamil Freedom movement florist, after 83 genocide. Elam will come to an existence in 2009 because of genocidal/terrorist policy of shortsighted SL government.

FLORIST?; March 21, 2009 at 6:01 AM
gambit said...: who is this FLORIST would like to meet him..; March 21, 2009 at 6:02 AM
Editor: "Badrinath" said...: After supposedly having reached the no fire zone a week ago, and then subsequently being declared 300 meters from the no fire zone, today the army comes out saying they are in fact 2 kilometers from the no fire zone:

[“Troops of the 58 and 55 divisions were just two kilometres away from the ‘Safe Zone’ from the east and north directions of Puthukuduirrippu by yesterday,” Military spokesman Brigadier Udaya Nanayakkara said.]; March 21, 2009 at 6:09 AM
m.q.k said...: {gambit aka dog poo licker said...

who is this FLORIST would like to meet him.}

U IGNORANT FOOLISH DOG...
HE MEANT FLORISH....
DONT BE A JERK...MAKING SILLY FATUOUS JOKES...
THIS IS NOT A ENGLISH LEARNER BLOG...
IF U WANNA CORRECT SPELLINGS...GO SOMEWHERE ELSE..

GO AND LICK DOG POO...LET'S C WHETHER IT WILL MAKE RETARD LIKE U COME BACK TO REALITY...; March 21, 2009 at 9:06 AM
Bhairav said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; March 21, 2009 at 10:50 AM
Bhairav said...: Badri,

You think LTTE will put up the fight further? Everyday 100s of people are getting killed and, if this trend continues, LTTE may find the backlashes from Wanni people.; March 21, 2009 at 10:51 AM
m.q.k said...: John Murphy MP requested Kevin Rudd to raise Sri Lankan conflict
John Murphy Australian Federal MP for Lowe has requested Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd to raise Sri Lankan Conflict with Obama next in Washington. Hon John Murphy forwarded Dr.Ragavan's request to Hon.Kelvin Rudd.

http://tamilnational.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=434:john-murphy-mp-requested-&catid=90:australia&Itemid=292; March 21, 2009 at 10:59 AM
m.q.k said...: Mar 21, Colombo: Sri Lanka main opposition United National Party (UNP) today accused the government of not following a democratic stream at the moment and described the situation as the 'President of the country living naked with thieves.'

Kurunegala District UNP parliamentarian Dayasiri Jayasekara said the media that the government is violating all the aspects of democracy by enlisting terrorists in to the government.

"The most recent example for this situation was enlisting Vinayagamoorthy Muralitharan alias Karuna Amman to the government, the main accused of LTTE attack on Temple of Tooth Relic in Kandy and assassination of Buddhist monks at Aranthalawa in Ampara," he said.

MP Jayasekara stressed that Karuna Amman and his supporters who joined the Sri Lanka Freedom Party have not handed over their illegal weapons to the government yet.

"It means there are illegal armed groups in the government," the MP stressed.

According to MP Jayasekara, getting support from Wimal Weerawansa is also another example of this government's effort to derail the democratic stream.; March 21, 2009 at 11:06 AM
Shun said...: {gambit said: If UN was not allowed how did the leaked doc had casualties mate? please explain..}

The government can ban the UN but it can't hide the truth from coming out. The SL government lost it’s creditability when it send a terrorist on a fake diplomatic passport to the UK. The IC had enough listening to lies from the SL government.; March 21, 2009 at 11:26 AM
Shun said...: {gambit said...
who is this FLORIST would like to meet him..
}
You can meet the FLORIST at any flower shop :); March 21, 2009 at 11:35 AM
Shun said...: Look at the current state of the SL:

1. The economy is in free fall: SL government does not have a sound policy to revive the economy excepted get AID from IMF. The EU/US are biggest contributors to the IMF, the EU/US are against the SL genocidal policy. In the economy front the china, Sonia’s India , Pakistan or Iran is not going to bail out SL.

2. Everyday thousands of Sinhalese employed in tourist and garment sectors are loosing jobs, the government servants are not getting pay raises: These people are not going keep quite for long time, even though there life’s are threaten by the SL government abduction and killing.

3. The poor Sinhala families are loosing their sons/daughter in the war, thinking SL will win the war. Winning the war is a myth created by GR & MR to please the racist south. The SL can capture lands and kill innocent Tamils but the WAR will be never be won by the SL government.

4. For past 30 years the war in North and East had little impact on middle class Sinhalese compare to suffering of the Tamils in east and north. For the past 30 years the Sinhalese enjoyed the economy growth and while the Tamils were raped and killed by SL. Now the failed SL policy is beginning show cracks in the south , it is matter of time cracks widen , deepens and swallow the SL govrenment; March 21, 2009 at 12:37 PM
Unknown said...: Hi para demala mahinda(n)

Today government announced that they finish the war in another 3 weeks...

Para peribhakaran will f**k to dead.

Ohh my dear Para demala mahinda(n) ..
What will you do then...
Ha ha ...
Ho HO..
No LTTE....
Only Para mahinda(n) ....; March 21, 2009 at 1:49 PM
Shun said...: According the government the WAR is already finished last year. They had killed reming 500 LTTE couple weeks ago. I am not sure why SL needs new dead line; March 21, 2009 at 3:07 PM
Bhairav said...: உலகு எங்கும் வியாபித்து தமிழ் மக்களின் உள்ளத்து உணர்வாக இருப்பதே எமது விடுதலை அமைப்பு: சி.இளம்பருதி
[சனிக்கிழமை, 21 மார்ச் 2009, 09:05 பி.ப ஈழம்] [வவுனியாவிலிருந்து த.சுகுணன்]
உலகு எங்கும் வியாபித்து தமிழ் மக்களின் உள்ளத்து உணர்வாக இருப்பதே எமது விடுதலை அமைப்பு என்று தமிழீழ விடுதலைப் புலிகளின் புதுக்குடியிருப்பு கோட்ட அரசியல்துறைப் பொறுப்பாளர் சி.இளம்பருதி தெரிவித்துள்ளார்.

மக்கள் மத்தியில் நிகழ்கால நிலைமைகள் தொடர்பாக நேற்று வெள்ளிக்கிழமை நடத்திய கலந்துரையாடலின் போது சி.இளம்பருதி மேலும் தெரிவித்துள்ளதாவது:

எதிரியின் பொருண்மியத் தடை, மருந்துத் தடை, எறிகணைத் தாக்குதல், வான் தாக்குதல் மத்தியிலும் சளைக்காது முகம் கொடுத்து நம்பிக்கையுடன் எதிர்காலத்தை நோக்கி நகர்கின்றோம்.

எல்லாவற்றையும் இழந்த நிலையிலும் உறுதியை இழக்காமல் நம்பிக்கையுடன் மக்கள் இருக்கின்றனர். நிலங்களை நாம் இழந்தது நெருக்கடியை ஏற்படுத்துகின்றதுதான். இதனை எதிரி தனது பெருவெற்றியாக பரப்புரை செய்கின்றான்.

கடந்த இரண்டு ஆண்டுகளாகவும் அண்மைய நாட்களிலும் சிங்களப் படைகளின் முன்னணிப் படைகள் பாரிய சிதைவுகளை சந்தித்திருக்கின்றன. பாரிய உயிரழிவுகளை சந்தித்திருக்கின்றன.

அவர்களின் முன்னணிப் படைகள் சிதைவடைந்து கொண்டிருக்கின்றன. இதனைச் சிங்களப் படைத்தரப்பு எதிர்பார்க்கவில்லை. அவர்களின் நிகழ்ச்சி நிரலில் எதுவும் நடந்தேறவும் இல்லை. இனி நடக்கப்போவதும் இல்லை.

படை ரீதியாகவும் அரசியல் ரீதியாகவும் எமது உறுதியான நிலைப்பாட்டில் எமது மக்களின் வளமான எதிர்காலம் நோக்கிய திருப்பங்கள் ஏற்பட்டே தீரும்.

உயிரும் உடலும் போல் ஒன்றாக நிற்கும் நாம் இன்னும் பற்றுறுதியுடனும் நம்பிக்கையுடனும் எதிரியின் அனைத்து நடவடிக்கைகளையும் ஒன்று திரண்டு முறியடிப்போம்.

சிறிலங்கா படையினரின் தாக்குதல்கள் கொடுத்திருக்கின்ற உயர் அழுத்தத்தை தாக்குப் பிடிக்கமுடியாமல் மக்கள் சிலர் எதிரிகளின் பிடிக்குள் செல்கின்றனர். அவர்கள் எதிரியின் சிறைக்குள் தள்ளப்படுகின்றனர். இதற்காகவா இந்தளவு துன்ப துயரங்களை இதுவரை காலமும் பட்டோம்.

உறுதியாக நாம் விடுதலையை வென்றெடுக்கும் காலம் எல்லா வகையிலும் கனிந்து வருகின்றது. நெருக்கடிகள் இருக்கின்ற போதிலும் நமது மக்கள் அவற்றை பொறுத்து அவலங்களின் மத்தியில் வாழ்கின்ற நிலைமை பெரும் விடுதலைப் பங்களிப்பாகும்.

புதுக்குடியிருப்பு நகர் பிடிப்பு, விடுதலைப் புலிகள் அழிப்பு என்ற எப்போதோ நடந்து முடிந்திருக்க வேண்டிய சிறிலங்காவின் நிகழ்ச்சி நிரல்களை நாம் சில தந்திரோபாய ஊடுருவல் தாக்குதல் நடவடிக்கைகளில் தகர்த்துள்ளோம்.

எதிரியின் நடவடிக்கைக் காலம் காலக்கெடுக்களை தாண்டி படையினரின் இழப்புக்களை அதிகமாக்கி அவர்களின் களப் படைக் கட்டமைப்புக்களில் சிதைவுளை ஏற்படுத்தி அவர்களின் உளவுரணை வீழ்த்தி வருகின்றோம்.

கடைசிக் கட்டமாக சேடம் இழுத்த நிலையில்தான் படையினர் நடவடிக்கையை மேற்கொள்கின்றனர். அவர்களின் நகர்வுகளை தேக்கி தாக்குப்பிடித்து தொடர்ந்து பலத்த இழப்புக்களை ஏற்படுத்தி உளவுரணை உடைத்துக் கொண்டிருக்கின்றோம். இதற்கு எமது மக்களின் முழுப்பங்களிப்பும் உண்டு.

நேற்று முன்நாள் (புதன்கிழமை) அதற்கு முன்நாள் புதுக்குடியிருப்பின் நான்கு முனைகளில் உச்சகட்ட பலத்துடன் சிறிலங்கா படையினர் மேற்கொண்ட நகர்வுகள் மீதான முறியடிப்புத் தாக்குதல்களில் 600 வரையான படையினர் கொல்லப்பட்டுள்ளனர். பெருமளவில் காயமடைந்துள்ளனர்.

இந்த நாட்களுக்கு முதல் மூன்று நாட்களில் 480 படையினர் கொல்லப்பட்டது எதிரியாலேயே ஒப்புக்கொள்ளப்பட்டதாகும். இவை எல்லாம் படையினரின் உளவுரணை உடைக்கும் தாக்குதல்களாகும். நாம் ஒரு வலுவான இயக்கம். இலகுவில் எம்மை அழித்துவிடலாம் என எதிரி கணக்குப் போட்டு விடலாம் என நினைக்கின்றான்.

சிறிலங்கா சொல்வது போல நாம் 17 சதுர கிலோ மீற்றர்களுக்குள் உள்ள இயக்கம் அல்ல. தமிழ் மக்கள் இருக்கும் இடம் எங்கும் வியாபித்து நிற்கும் உலகு எங்கும் கூட வியாபித்து தமிழ் மக்களின் உள்ளங்களின் உணர்வாக இருக்கும் விடுதலை அமைப்பு.

எம்மை இலகுவில் அழித்து விடலாம் என்ற எதிரியின் கணக்கை தகர்க்கும் வல்லமை எம்மிடம் உண்டு. அதனை நாம் உறுதியாகச் செய்வோம். எவரும் அஞ்சவோ கலங்கவோ ஐயுறவோ தேவையில்லை. உறுதியுடன் தளராது குழப்பம் இல்லாது செயற்படுங்கள். எதிரியின் தாக்குதல்களில் உங்களின் உயிர்களை காத்து வைத்துக்கொள்ளுங்கள் என்றார் சி.இளம்பருதி.

It tells that LTTE is confident of the current situation in Wanni.; March 21, 2009 at 3:16 PM
Pottu said...: RejLord:

There isn't an Eelam to "Viva la" anymore, I am afraid its all "La", no "Viva".; March 21, 2009 at 3:22 PM
Widana said...: [After supposedly having reached the no fire zone a week ago, and then subsequently being declared 300 meters from the no fire zone, today the army comes out saying they are in fact 2 kilometers from the no fire zone]

Totally fake GOSL propaganda video showing 'No Fire Zone' across the lagoon. Due to the fake audio visual effects, it looks less than 2 kilometers.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6E1yRKIhp14; March 21, 2009 at 5:43 PM
Mahinda(n) said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; March 21, 2009 at 8:15 PM
Mahinda(n) said...: [Prasanna samarasinghe said...

Hi para demala mahinda(n)

Today government announced that they finish the war in another 3 weeks...

Para peribhakaran will f**k to dead.

Ohh my dear Para demala mahinda(n) ..
What will you do then...
Ha ha ...
Ho HO..
No LTTE....
Only Para mahinda(n) ....]

This Mahinda, not a Para demala.

I'm a little worried that if there is no LTTE I'll have to find something else to fool our Singhala modayas. But, I feel that it'll be easy as 99.9% of them are super-duper modayas :-)

I can kill Janaka perera and say the LTTE did. These modayas will trust me!

I can kill Lasanthan and say the LTTE did, no problems ...

I can even say that 5-10 LTTErs are still left in the jungles and we'll need 500k SLA modayas to search and locate them, Well all modayas will trust me

haaaa

...; March 21, 2009 at 8:17 PM
Gayansphotography said...: Mahinda(n) .... oh..please don't worry too much about what the "Sinhala Modayas" will do after the war..please concentrate on the toilet cleaning job u are doing right now... maybe if you scrub real hard they will give you a brush to clean the toilets, rather than using u r hands.

:D; March 21, 2009 at 9:23 PM
m.q.k said...: Police exposes Police

By Ayesha Wijeratne
Preliminary investigations into a case of police shooting two persons at Urubokka area on Monday night indicate that the policemen who rushed to the area to apprehend some extortionists on information had mistaken two unsuspecting persons as criminals and had opened fire on them. The final investigation report is yet to be released.

Highly placed police sources told The Nation, the Urubokka Police had fabricated a story to cover up their mistake stating that two other suspected extortionists escaped during the shooting incident and that the suspects fired at Police with locally made galkatas. It has been ascertained that the two injured victims had no involvement in the extortion incident.

A special police team led by Matara Division ASP I. P. Hettiarachchi is now probing into the shooting incident. The special team will conduct two investigations, on the inquiry done by the Urubokka Police in connection with the shooting incident and the other on the extortion case.

The two victims who were shot had been pasting funeral notices of a fellow villager who had died. Angry villagers of the area took to the street in a massive protest against the shooting completely blocking the Matara – Kotapola Road on Tuesday
Urubokka Police had said, they came in civies to the area to arrest the two suspects who were said to collect a ransom of Rs.500,000 from an indigenous doctor in the area on Monday(16) night.

The complaint that the said doctor lodged with the police had stated that he was told by the extortionists to pay a ransom of Rs. 500,000 or his child would be abducted by them, Urubokka Police had said.

According to the police the complainant was threatened several times by the suspects over the telephone and was asked to walk along the road just about half a mile to meet them on that Monday night to hand over the money
The cops who were guarding the road to catch the suspects had ordered a trishaw that was coming in their direction in which the alleged suspects were travelling to stop.

Urubokka police claimed that the suspects did not obey the police and therefore police opened fire as they were trying to flee after shooting at cops using a galkatas weapon. Two injured suspects were arrested by them with the galkatas and the trishaw while two other suspects had run away.

The two persons who sustained severe injuries due to the police shooting are receiving treatment at the Matara General Hospital under remand custody.
Several attempts made by The Nation to contact Urubokka Police OIC regarding the findings of the independent investigation were unsuccessful as he was said to be out of the station each time we phoned.; March 22, 2009 at 2:38 AM
m.q.k said...: INTERESTING PIC....MUST SEEE!!!

http://www.tamilcanadian.com/tc_images/canada/others/March_2009_Catoon_of_Tamil_Mirror.jpg; March 22, 2009 at 7:05 AM
Widana said...: This is an outrage! TNA MP abandons sole representatives:

Mar 22, Colombo: A pro-LTTE Tamil National Alliance Parliamentarian, Vinodharadhalingam announced that he has decided to back the United People's Freedom Alliance (UPFA) led by President Mahinda Rajapaksa.

The TNA MP had told a local media that he had talks with Senior Presidential Advisor and Parliamentarian Basil Rajapaksa in this regard.

The MP, who was allowed to visit the Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps in Vavuniya, made a statement in parliament, praising the government's efforts for the welfare of the displaced people.

The government yesterday at a news conference welcomed the TNA MP's speech saying it was proof of the genuine efforts being made by the government to look after the displaced people.; March 22, 2009 at 7:33 AM
aKa said...: Velavan Master said

This is an outrage! TNA MP abandons sole representatives

sinhala blogger Velavan master & sinhala media reporting moda banda propaganda

here is the truth

S. Vino Noharathalingam, Tamil National Alliance (TNA) Vanni parliamentarian, released a report to the media Sunday in which he condemns and rejects certain malicious misreporting and misrepresentation of his speech in the Sri Lanka Parliament Thursday, making himself clear on his unwavering commitment to the struggle of the Tamil Nation.

The following is the English translation of his media report:

Media Release

Parliament 22.03.09

I am obliged to clear the doubts and sate the truth related to the controversies that had risen following my speech in the Parliament last Thursday. I notice that some media institutions and websites, giving prominence to the speech, have distorted it in an attempt to blemish my firm political stance and that of Tamil National Alliance (TNA). They had, twisting the words and expressions in my speech, said that I am going to join the government.

I condemn and reject this in the strongest terms making myself absolutely clear and assert that there is no truth whatsoever in the distorted reporting.

I have been consistent in raising my voice for my people and to protect and preserve the Tamil Nation. My sincere efforts will continue unwavering without loosing direction. I have, then and now, stuck to the firm political policies of the TNA and Tamil Eealam Liberation Organization (TELO). Under any circumstance, I will not avail myself to be a party to any historical treachery. I have unassailable faith in this conviction.

People living in our country and outside it need not harbour the slightest doubt in my steady conviction. I request them to reject all false propaganda against me. I pledge that I would struggle unrelentingly along with TNA to achieve the political aspirations and the ethnic right of the Tamil Nation.

(sgd) S. Vino Noharathalingam Member of Parliament Wanni district; March 22, 2009 at 9:04 AM
wijayapala said...: Eelamoids,

Please take a minute to visit Peter's blog. Nobody seems to be very interested in it and as a result he desperately seeks the company of the Sinhala Enemy in DW. Please leave comments about how smart Peter is and how Thalaivar is immortal and will never die. Peter needs emotional support and TLC:

www.peterratna.wordpress.com; March 22, 2009 at 1:43 PM
Anonymous said...: Look at this,Lt.col Senthoorans statue has become
V.P.'s statue for sinhala modaya's

Good Punnakku Eat it bloody idiots.

http://www.defence.lk/new.asp?fname=20090321_01; March 22, 2009 at 2:46 PM
m.q.k said...: "In recent months, Sri Lanka has become a Tamil slaughter house with glass walls. In the fog of asymmetric war, while global focus remains transfixed on the Tiger, gross violations of international criminal law are effortlessly obfuscated and erased by the government within the pretext of post-9/11 counter-terrorism. As what looks like a Sri Lankan Srebrenica unfolds in Mullaithivu, the nation breathes at a polarizing Rubicon where increasingly, support for war appears to be support for genocide in part.

Today, in Lanka, the spread of internment camps and steady torrent of death, abduction, alleged rape, arbitrary or indefinite detention, bombardment, shelling, and otherwise general decimation and progressive socio-cultural and economic strangulation of Tamil civilian areas over recent months, has pushed the global Tamil Diaspora to a tipping point. When the siege of Mullaithivu ends, and when those seriously injured Tamils denied medicines have died, the whole or partial extermination of Tamils in the territories in and surrounding Mullaithivu will be a fait accompli and arguably legally constitute genocide or an act of genocide committed by the GoSL.

The Diaspora must assess whether or not sending remittances, aid, relief, and building infrastructure, while constructive and viable methods of Diasporic activism during peace or low-intensity conflict, are sufficient in this hour. The Diaspora must choose whether the time has come for new complementary approaches to activism.

Collective legal action is one.

Thus far, shades of division and indifference within the global Tamil Diaspora has impeded exploration of this option as a means of engagement to pressurize the Sri Lankan government. If the Tamil Diaspora across nations can begin to act with common purpose supporting collective legal action, this activism can influence what unfolds at present. To provide one application of this angle of legal mobilization, an analysis of the Srebrenica/Mullaithivu parallel and the legal criteria for genocide and its application to the case of Tamil genocide in Sri Lanka, is detailed in this article.
Srebrenica/Mullaithivu Parallel

Firstly, analyzing the Srebrenica/Mullaithivu parallel necessitates analyzing the language historically contextualizing the violence. Categorizations such as “ethnic conflict” and “War on Terror” it appears have been part of a vocabulary which frames civil war, counter-terrorism, and genocide as mutually exclusive conflict phenomenon. Upon reinvestigation, the historical arc of Lanka’s 4 civil wars since independence is also interpretable as one protracted, attritional Tamil genocide of slow death, sustained by forced cultural assimilation into majoritarian culture and genocidal conditions of life institutionalized to bring about the physical destruction of the Tamil people in whole or in part, to create a Tamil-free Buddhist Sinhala Sri Lankan state.

While Tamil genocide can be framed as such, within Eelam War IV (November 2005 - Present) or the 61-year post-independence history, recent mass atrocity crimes in Mullaithivu between January and March 2009 alone, are arguably legally constitutive of genocide, and will be analyzed in isolation in this article.

A post-mortem of January-March 2009 in Mullaithivu elucidates parallels between the 1995 Bosnian Muslim genocide in the Srebrenica Safe Area and Tamil genocide in Mullaithivu’s Safety Zone.

To surmise Srebrenica, at the tail end of the Balkan Wars from 1991-1995 as Yugoslavia dissolved, before the 1995 Dayton Accords and later 1999 NATO bombing, a genocide was committed. In mid-July 1995, members of the Bosnian Serb army, the Vojska Republike Srpske (VRS), massacred between 7,000-8,500 Bosnian Muslim military age men. The massacre took place in the town of Srebrenica located in eastern Bosnia and Herzegovina. Srebrenica at the time fell within a United Nations Safe Area. One objective of this Safe Area was to protect civilians from the armed conflict that was occurring in Bosnia and Herzegovina at the time. Radislav Krstic was both a general Major in the VRS, and a member of the VRS Main staff. Radovan Karadzic, the president of Republika Srpska, who stewarded the Greater Serbia project to create a racially pure Serbian republic, was Supreme Commander of the VRS, and assigned Krstic with command and control responsibility over the Drina corps, a subunit of the VRS responsible for the territory of Srebrenica.

During the Srebrenica genocide, VRS soldiers removed Bosnian Muslim women, children and the elderly from the Srebrenica enclave. The military-age men who remained were systematically murdered through summary execution. This plan was devised by the VRS main staff. The U.N. Security Council established the ad hoc International Criminal Tribunal of the Former Yugoslavia (ICTY) in 1993 to investigate and prosecute persons responsible for serious violations of international humanitarian law committed in the territory of the former Yugoslavia since 1991. On August 2, 2001, the Trial Chamber for the ICTY convicted Krstic on a variety of charges related to his role for participating in the Srebrenica genocide, which exterminated 7,000-8,500 of the approximately 40,000 Bosnian Muslims in the area at the time the genocide was committed. The Trial Chamber concluded the massacre in Srebrenica was a genocide of the Bosnian Muslim population “in part”, which effectively destroyed Bosnian Muslims as a social entity such that Bosnian Muslims would not be able to reconstitute themselves in the territory of Srebrenica as they existed pre-genocide.

The chronology of, and intention behind, the mass atrocity crimes in Mullaithivu seem to fit the Srebrenica model. The genocides in Srebrenica’s Safe Area and in the Vanni Region (Kilinochchi District, Mullaithivu District) including the Safety Zone in Mullaithivu district from January through March 2009, share similarities in intent, jurisdictional applicability of military command and control responsibility over superiors, and in the pattern of extermination of a protected group within a defined locality to ensure the group as a cohesive social entity will be unable to reconstitute itself in this territory, post-genocide.

In Srebrenica, Bosnian Muslim military-age men were forcibly deported to an area within Srebrenica, where they were exterminated by summary execution as part of a widespread and systematic plan, policy, and pattern to create a racially pure Serbian Republika Srpska. In the months leading up to January-March 2009 in the Vanni Region, the mono-ethnic Sinhala army systematically committed a pattern of war crimes and crimes against humanity under the pretext of counter-terrorism, targeting densely populated, ethnically homogeneous Hindu-Christian North-East Sri Lankan Tamil civilian areas, to drive, through “genocidal corridors”, Tamil IDP flows amounting to 350,000+ civilians into the Mullaithivu District, including the Safety Zone in Udayaarkaddu.

Like in Srebrenica’s Safe Area, after Tamil civilians relocated to Mullaithivu’s Safety Zone, the armed forces attacked the Safety Zone.

Between January and March, the army launched indiscriminate artillery and Multi-Barrel Rocket Launcher (MBRL) attacks and aerial bombardments, targeting territories inside, surrounding, and outside Mullaithivu’s Safety Zone, including the repeated targeting of communal shelter infrastructure such as schools, hospitals, temples, churches, and temporary refugee camps. The siege of the Safety Zone was preceded by the withdrawal of all humanitarian aid organizations in the region enforced by the state. A regional media black out, in effect episodically over the past 3 years, was enforced during the assault and continues to blur humanitarian accountability mandated by the 1949 Geneva Conventions. Key roads and bridges were closed by the army to trap civilians. Medical supplies were denied to treat the wounded during and after the siege.

The ethnic-cleansing in Srebrenica’s Safe Area and arguably in Mullaithivu’s Safety Zone during January-March 2009 was systematic, premeditated, and part of a widespread plan and policy in each case to destroy or attempt to destroy the target group, physically, or as a cohesive social entity, in whole or in part, in territories in and surrounding a Safe Area. The crime of genocide, committed in Srebrenica and arguably committed in Mullaithivu, was committed by armed forces or state-sponsored military actors in the region, as part of a plan of progressive racial purification, in the former the vision of Serbian Repulika Srpska, in the latter the Sinhadhippa-Dhammadhippa inspired vision of a Tamil-free Buddhist Sinhala Sri Lanka as prophesied by the 6th century B.C. central text to Sri Lankan Thereveda Buddhism, the Mahavamsa.

In the Srebrenica/Mullaithivu parallel, overall differences are largely trivial, other than that Tamils in Mullaithivu during January-March 2009 were more vulnerable to genocide than Srebrenica’s Bosnian Muslims in 1995 where the U.N. presence in the Safe Area was a deterrent in theory.
Legal Criteria of Tamil Genocide

Secondly, acts committed in Mullaithivu during January-March 2009 arguably satisfy the legal criteria for genocide.

Arguments referencing historical or present crimes committed by the LTTE against the Muslims or Sinhalese articulate the complexity of Sri Lanka’s conflict and have no bearing on the case of Tamil genocide. Arguments refuting whether Tamil genocide has occurred by comparison of Mullaithivu to the Holocaust or otherwise are legally non-substantive. Arguments alleging acts in Mullaithivu targeted only the Tiger confuse the issue, as counter-insurgency and genocide are not incompatible.

The application of the legal definition of genocide to intent-based acts is what determines whether certain acts constitute genocide, rendering as baseless assertions that acts of Tamil genocide in Mullaithivu or in the North-East, must optically, or numerically, measure up to a Holocaust or Rwanda standard. The crime of genocide, as set forth in the 1948 Genocide Convention, and promulgated in the ICTY, the International Criminal Tribunal of Rwanda (ICTR), the Rome Statute, and as domestically ratified by national courts across the world, is defined as acts intended to destroy, in whole or in (substantial) part, a national, ethnical, racial, or religious group, as such.

Therefore, to commit genocide at the group level, it is not necessary to physically destroy the target group in whole. The mens rea of genocide requires that so long as there is an attempt to destroy in whole or in part a target group, then these acts would be constitutive of genocide or acts of genocide, whether or not the acts succeeded in the physical and socio-cultural destruction in whole or in part of the target group. At the individual level, murdering a Tamil because s/he is Tamil is genocide; the counter-insurgency logic that a particular demography of Tamils in a particular area might be Tigers, and therefore these Tamils maybe murdered on suspicion of being a Tiger, is erroneous and not exculpatory through the eyes of the law.

To discern whether genocide has occurred, three elements must be established:
1. the act occurred
2. the existence of a national, ethnical, racial or religious group as such
3. the intent to destroy that group in whole or in part
Given this definitional rubric, an act is genocidal if it is committed with the intent to destroy, in whole or in part, the national, ethnical, racial, or religious group, as such. This mens rea and actus reus requirement for Bosnian Muslim genocide was met in Srebrenica, and is arguably met for Tamil genocide in Mullaithivu during January-March 2009. The joint criminal enterprise of extermination which took place in Srebrenica and Mullaithivu, unfolded within a broader series of campaigns. Whereas in the Srebrenica genocide, individual criminal responsibility under the international customary law doctrine of military command responsibility was attributed to Karadzic and Krstic, in the Mullaithivu genocide, individual criminal responsibility is attributable to President Mahinda Rajapaksa, Defense Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa, Lt. General Sarath Fonseka, and other superiors and subordinates in the Eastern provincial military hierarchy.

Proof of genocidal intent, which separates the crime of genocide from crimes against humanity or perseuction, as established in ICTY and ICTR jurisprudence, may be inferred from the factual circumstances of the case. The inference that a particular mass atrocity was motivated by genocidal intent may be drawn even where the individuals to whom the intent is attributable are not precisely defined, and maybe inferred where the crime is motivated by dual motives, in the Mullaithivu context, genocide or counter-insurgency.

Establishing intent can begin by establishing the counter-insurgency was not non-genocidal, and thus by inference at least in part genocidal, which would meet the requisite mens rea requirement. This can be demonstrated by showing those individually criminally responsible had knowledge about the situation facing the protected group targeted for extermination during and in the wake of the military campaign; they had direct or indirect interaction with the main participants of the joint criminal enterprise; they had knowledge that resources and soldiers under their command were used to facilitate the killings In Mullaithivu, genocidal intent can be shown in several ways, including, but not limited to the following three approaches. Firstly, intent can be established by recent public statements by the Rajapakses and Fonseka which imply or state that Sri Lanka is a Sinhala or Sinhala-Buddhist nation, or which by negative inference imply that via their overly broad interpretations of non-Sinhala collateral damage, partial Tamil genocide is not an illegitimate method of Sri Lankan counter-insurgency. Secondly, intent can be inferred from the post-independence history’s litany of anti-Tamil pogroms and anti-Tamil legislation promoting Buddhism, the Sinhala language, and which are arguably part of a larger historical pattern evincing a longer-term attritional design to Buddhist-Sinhalize the entire island. Thirdly, intent can also be established in the Mullaithivu context by the weapon of choice. It can be argued systematic and widespread use of indiscriminate aerial bombardments and artillery and MBRL shelling on densely populated ethnically homogeneous Tamil civilian areas, targeted the destruction in whole or in part of the Hindu-Christian North-East Sri Lankan Tamil ethnic group, rather than targeting a collective of individuals. Since these attacks were indiscriminately launched on areas packed with Tamil civilians, the inference that the intent of the act or acts targeted the whole or partial destruction of a protected group and not just a collective of individuals who by coincidence were Tamil, would be reasonable, and therefore, would be dispositive in determining genocidal intent.

The Srebrenica/Mullaithivu parallel and legal criteria for genocide, during January-March 2009, suggest that the question at present is not whether genocide has occurred, but rather can the global Tamil Diaspora mobilize to pursue justice in international and non-Sri Lankan national courts for a Tamil genocide which may have been already committed.

If the artillery and MBRL shelling, aerial bombardment, media blackout, deprivation of essential foods and medicines, barring of journalists, barring of independent observers, and mass confinement in internment camps where rape and disappearance have been alleged, all stop today in Tamil areas, it will not weaken the Tamil genocide argument, nor will plausible future counter-attacks by the Tigers. What has already occurred in Mullaithivu as perpetrated by the GoSL between January and March 2009 was not exclusively collateral damage, counter-insurgency, ethnic conflict, war crimes, or crimes against humanity. It was arguably a genocide in part blurred by or embedded within counter-insurgency, an operational duality which in court, would not exonerate perpetrators of committing genocide, the crimes of crimes.

If Tamil genocide in part has already been committed, Tamils should not allow Black July justice to recur. This time, the global Tamil Diaspora must find an international or non-Sri Lankan national court and a prosecutor, and engage in and establish a judicial process through universal jurisdiction or extra-territorial application of domestic law which can deliver to Tamils, justice commensurate with the crimes committed.

Moving forward, the central obstruction to pursuing Tamil justice will not be the international community’s indifference or the historical impediments of the GoSL’s political will or Sinhala-Buddhist majoritarian consent, but the global Tamil Diaspora itself and its own ability to unify and collectively mobilize behind legal action in international or non-Sri Lankan national courts. If Mullaithivu was not Sri Lanka’s Srebrenica, if the counter-insurgency was not genocidal, the Tamil position should be: genocidal impunity is not immunity. Let the courts decide.
"; March 22, 2009 at 8:59 PM
Widana said...: Very poor morale on this blog. Just complaints, whinging, begging to the International Community and UN. What happened to the proud tigers who were ready to slaughter all Muslims and Singala chena boys to get Tamiz Eezam?
Keep your heads up! Don't refuse to give when the extortion.. I mean donation teams visit this week!; March 22, 2009 at 9:31 PM
Bhairav said...: Badri, you haven't updated any news for last 5 days or so. What's the latest from Wanni?; March 22, 2009 at 9:50 PM
Shun said...: {Velavan Master said : Very poor morale on this blog. Just complaints, whinging, begging to the International Community and UN}

I heard Basil R is in New York, begging the west for more aid. Even the ex-pat Sinhalese don't want to give money to the terrorist SL government.; March 22, 2009 at 10:00 PM
Widana said...: Any comments on this post by Deshal?

Who are killing Tamils?
By Deshal

Now LTTE supporting Tamil Diaspora are crying Tamil genocide in Sri Lanka. I would say most of these Tamils are not even Sri Lankan Tamils. Most of the Sri Lankan Tamils are peace loving people who live side by side with their Sinhalese brothers and sisters. They have no problem living in one Sri Lanka. They think themselves as Sri Lankans.

When LTTE started creating trouble in Sri Lanka, most of the other non Sri Lankan Tamils assumed themselves to be Sri Lankan Tamils. Sri Lankan Tamils usually belong to high casts of Hindu religion and are highly cultured. They were usually well to do and have hardly any reason to go out of the country. However, the Britishes settled South Indian low cast Tamils outside their country inn regions such as Africa, Sri Lanka and Malaysia for their estate work. These were desperate communities and were ready to anything to come out of their desperate status. They are also referred to as Coolies.

These coolies were well known to be economic refugees in these parts and usually would take the first opportunity to migrate to developed world, who are responsible for uplifting their living conditions. Sri Lankan (and other high cast) Tamils referred to these people as Sakkilli and Kochchi. Most of them turned away from Hindu religion and became Christians, where such cast systems were not apparent.

So this Sakkilli Diaspora created by the Britishes took the opportunity and cried wolf just as LTTE started its action and fled to developed world claiming they are Sri Lankan Tamils. However, Sri Lankan Tamils, being patriotic people did not really tolerate this. After all, they have Sri Lankan royal blood in them. They have ruled this country peacefully for centuries and have worked for the betterment of Sinhalese and Tamils alike.

So these Sakkilli and Kochchi started annihilating true Sri Lankan Tamils. They started with Alfred Duraiappah. People such as Lakshman Kadirgamar were even candidates for Sri Lankan leadership. But LTTE did not need a non Sakkilli leadership even under Tamils. So the killings went on. Additionally, they continued to recruit child soldiers from Sri Lankan Tamils and expose them to the war, so the Sri Lankan Tamil race dies out. Afterwards, Sakkilli and Kochchi can claim the resources in the areas where these Sri Lankan Tamils lived while also drawing on economic refugee status from west.

This is an economic game of Sakkilli and Kochchi who have been resident in Sri Lanka, India, Malaysia and South Africa for their own economic benefits. So called Sri Lankan Tamil Diaspora does not entirely consists of Sri Lankan Tamils. Sakkilli and Kochchi from other regions of the world also claim they are Sri Lankan Tamils who are harassed by Sinhalese and fled Sri Lanka. Unfortunately they don’t have to prove their Sri Lankan citizenship.

So, it is these outside Sakkilli who destroy Sri Lankan Tamils and Sinhalese while bringing disrepute to this island for their personal economic gains. Now they shout genocide because their livelihood justification is about to be destroyed. We need to get rid of LTTE sooner.; March 22, 2009 at 11:06 PM
Bhairav said...: UK Times:
-------------------------

A THOUSAND amputees were among the wounded and dying waiting to be rescued from a beach in northeast Sri Lanka yesterday, according to aid agencies.

Frightened Tamil families, the latest victims of the country’s 26-year civil war, were hiding in makeshift trenches as they came under artillery fire while waiting to be evacuated from Puthumathalan beach.

Last week the International Committee of the Red Cross removed 460 injured and their families from the area, using local fishermen to carry the wounded on wooden dinghies to the Green Ocean ferry leased for the operation. The ferry was due to return last night to rescue more of the injured.

Sophie Romanens, a Red Cross representative in Sri Lanka, said the scene was desperate. “The capacity for evacuation is far below the need,” she said. “We have to decide to take the casualties who are more badly injured and leave behind the ones who are less badly injured.” They are among 150,000 civilians trapped in an area of 13 square miles after fleeing a government offensive against the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, known as the Tamil Tigers.

More than 300 civilians were being killed every week in artillery or air attacks, or were dying for lack of medical care, food or water, aid agencies said. The Tamils are desperate because the last hospital in the area was forced to close after twice being bombed by the Sri Lankan army.

The only medical treatment available is in a makeshift clinic at Puthumathalan, where the injured lie under tarpaulins with drips suspended from tree branches. The numbers trying to escape via the beach had “increased dramatically over the past week”, the Red Cross said.

The United Nations said 2,800 Tamils, mostly civilians, had been killed since the offensive began in January in the predominantly Tamil region of the island off the coast of India.

In an interview yesterday with The Sunday Times Balasingham Nadesan, the political leader of the Tamil Tigers, pleaded for an urgent ceasefire. He said the Tigers, classified as a terrorist organisation in Britain because of their use of suicide attacks, would enter negotiations with the government “without pre-conditions”.

The daily bombing and shelling was described by Nadesan as “geno-cidal warfare”. “We call for a ceasefire, loudly and clearly,” he said. “Continuous denial of humanitarian access to the civilian population, and non-stop artillery and aerial attacks, are creating an unbearable situation.”

He called for international monitors to see the situation, adding that the Tigers would respect the outcome of any referendum on an independent Tamil state as long as it was held “once people were allowed to return to their homes”.

Some civilians have managed to cross government lines to find safety at a hospital in the northern town of Vavuniya. The only foreign surgeon there, Hugues Roberts of Médecins Sans Frontières, said 960 casualties had been treated, most of them wounded by shells, landmines or gunshots. The victims ranged from a child of three to men and women in their seventies. “The ones dead, or gravely injured, we don’t see them,” said Roberts.

Joan Ryan, a Labour MP, said: “If the Sri Lankan government does not respond to this call for a ceasefire within 24 hours, Gordon Brown should call for the suspension of Sri Lanka from the Commonwealth.”

A Commons debate on Sri Lanka is scheduled for Tuesday.; March 23, 2009 at 1:03 AM
Mahinda(n) said...: [Velavan Master said...
Any comments on this post by Deshal?

Who are killing Tamils?
By Deshal ]

Good fiction and will sell well among modayas!

...; March 23, 2009 at 2:49 AM
Gayan said...: [Good fiction and will sell well among modayas!]

Just like LTTE punnakku sold among racist Tamils!; March 23, 2009 at 3:50 AM
4C said...: Where's this Pukegal Badri????

Hey buddy, can u rite something more interesting? It's borin man....; March 23, 2009 at 4:58 AM
SULTAN said...: gayan,

you have come without shame to beg again and again to be in this blog and to be our clown.ok.As usual,you can start with the foot licking.go gayan do it.last time you ran away half way, not getting enough licking.; March 23, 2009 at 5:00 AM
Widana said...: [Good fiction and will sell well among modayas!]

Thanks mahinda, appreciate it.

Can I also get some comments from a high-caste Jaffna Tamil now?; March 23, 2009 at 5:06 AM
gambit said...: Blogger Yogananthan B said...

Tamils are coming out of their shells one by one. My parents come from Nuwara Eliya and our community always looked at LTTE suspiciously.

This is a great document I found in Lanka Guardian.

The truth about the Jaffna Kingdom

I paste it here for you guys to read. I am amazed how lies were used to drag the Ceylon Tamil community to war. Now these lies are falling one by one. If we had this type of people in Parliament Sri Lanka would be a Singapore.

The document.

It is widely accepted that there was an independent Jaffna Kingdom in Sri Lanka until 1619 when the Portuguese ended it for good. From the Portuguese, subject to a few complications, it went to the Dutch and thence to the British. Similarly there were two other independent kingdoms in the island, namely the Kotte Kingdom and the Kandy Kingdom. Portuguese succeeded in bringing the Kotte Kingdom under their direct control first and then proceeded to take Jaffna. The Kandy Kingdom couldn’t be conquered by them and it finally fell in 1815 under a historical agreement with the British. Had the Jaffna Kingdom been part of the Kotte Kingdom, it would have fallen automatically when Kotte fell. But that never happened which means it was a separate kingdom. Obviously some hold different views and the intention of this article is not to prove it but to discuss a more important issue.

However, when Sri Lanka (then Ceylon) gained Independence in 1948, the recipient of Independence was one country.

What is strange about this is there was no significant movement to gain separate independence for the Jaffna Kingdom. There were very weak movements to demand it but these quickly died down. Had Tamil intellectuals from Jaffna demanded that the old Jaffna Kingdom be granted independence separately from the rest of the country, Britain would have considered it favourably. Apart from India and Pakistan, there are plenty of other examples.

On the other hand there were loud demands from Tamil politicians. The infamous 50:50 demand is one example which was outright rejected by the British as it would give Tamils (worded Tamil speaking people) an unfair advantage at the expense of the Sinhalas. It led to protests and the boycott of the first ever election in 1931 in some areas in the north.

So why wasn’t there a movement to gain independence for the Jaffna Kingdom?

The answer lies in economics!

The Jaffna Kingdom was a very small area that didn’t even cover the Northern Province by 1619. Trincomalee was under the Kandy Kingdom as per historical accounts. Given its worth for trade and shipping, the Portuguese and the Dutch tried various appeasement tactics aimed at the Kandy king hoping to use it but to little help. Robert Knox was arrested by the army of the Kandy Kingdom when he landed there. Therefore there is little doubt that Trincomalee was not part of the Jaffna Kingdom. There aren’t any contrary evidence anyway. On the western part, it is on recorded history that the present Madhu church was located in the Maddu area at the mercy of the Kandy king. Obviously it was a substantial distance from the boundary of the Jaffna Kingdom. Otherwise Tamil Catholics would not have agreed to it as it would have been unsafe and it would not have survived Dutch hostility.

These facts leave only a small area apart from the Jaffna peninsula for the Jaffna Kingdom. That too was in most part heavily underdeveloped by the 20th century. Even today apart from a few places, the rest remain hopelessly underdeveloped in Vanni. The total area of the then Jaffna district that included modern day Kilinochchi administrative district was 2,309 square kilometres. The rest of the old Jaffna Kingdom would have been a few more thousand square kilometres of vastly undeveloped area subject to a few townships. No one of the right mind was going to demand Independence for this area as it would be an economic calamity.

On the other hand, during the Dutch and British periods, Jaffna population grew fast. Rapid migration of Tamils from South India during the Dutch time for its plantation industry is considered a major reason. By 1953, just 5 years after Independence, the Jaffna (mainly Tamil) population was 492,000. This means a population density of 213 persons per square kilometre. This is extremely high as the country’s population density was just 123. In other words, Jaffna district population density in 1953 was 1.7 times higher than the island-wide density! According to 1946 population data, it would have been 177 persons per square kilometre for the Jaffna District and 96 persons per square kilometre for the island. (Source- Census of Ceylon) Therefore it didn’t make sense to demand the returning back of the old Jaffna Kingdom to its “owners” as there would be a massive and calamitous resource crunch.

Also by 1948 Ceylon Tamils comprised 35% of the public service. Had the old Jaffna Kingdom were to gain independence, many of such opportunities would have been lost as it’s area only needed just a fraction of them. This would have been a disaster for the very high population depending on government jobs. Also there was a serious lack of other industries in the area aggravating the situation.

This led to the demand of “Tamil Homelands” which encompassed an area of 19,000 square kilometres. This is more than three (3) times larger than the Jaffna Kingdom! And it also included areas of very high commercial value such as Trincomalee, Mannar, Batticaloa and Ampara. None of these was part of the Jaffna Kingdom when it fell to the Europeans. And hence an undoing of the taking of the Jaffna Kingdom would not have given them enough land which was essential for the economic survival of the people of Jaffna by the mid 1900s.

This is how the tiny Jaffna Kingdom grew exponentially to “Tamil Homelands”. And this is why the British were not agitated to undo the taking of the Jaffna Kingdom. In 1922 the area encompassing the north and the east of the island was termed “Tamil Eelam” by Sir Ponnambalam Arunachalam - undoubtedly one of the most educated Ceylonese at that time. The one island, two nations concept gathered momentum over the years in the guise of discrimination (although discrimination did take place to a significant extent). But most miraculously it was the Tamil Eelam demand that was (and is) seen as the solution to discrimination by those who promote it! This is bizarre. There is no logical connection between the “Tamil Homelands” concept and solving Tamil grievances.

The plan was not to make the demand from the British for the reestablishment of the status quo of the Jaffna Kingdom but to extort a much larger area from subsequent rulers based on a new set of “reasons” that can be applied and manipulated beyond the tiny old Jaffna Kingdom. This is how the tiny Jaffna Kingdom mysteriously grew to “Tamil Homelands”, a landmass more than three (3) times larger. Had they demanded independence for the old Jaffna Kingdom instead, it may have been granted. But it would have been in total calamity as it lacked resources for its very large population and had heavily underdeveloped areas. However, the journey towards “Tamil Homelands” was a horrible mishap and it has reached its bloody end without it in sight. It was a wrong decision.

There is a third way which is about preserving the island nation of Sri Lanka in one unit where people of all races live in harmony and where there is neither a Jaffna Kingdom nor “Tamil Homelands”. We rejected the Jaffna Kingdom in favour of much larger “Tamil Eelam” in early 1900s. A century later, we must reject “Tamil Eelam” in favour of Sri Lanka which is more than three (3) times larger with ample room to roam. There is no other way.; March 23, 2009 at 6:47 AM
Gayan said...: SULTAN,
Go on making retarded jokes till your leader attain Peelam with a shell up his a$$!
But, please do Keep begging for a country and keep being humiliated in the eyes of the world!!
:)); March 23, 2009 at 7:11 AM
Gayan said...: m.g.k = SULTAN;
Why two identities?? Scared of being arrested??; March 23, 2009 at 7:17 AM
SULTAN said...: Gayan,
{please do Keep begging for a country }
:) clown you beg for a blog.
please do keep begging to be in this blog.beg your comments not to be deleted.your cries are heard till defense wire.; March 23, 2009 at 7:36 AM
Gayan said...: [:) clown you beg for a blog. ]

Heh heh!! I'm not begging! Even if do, that is because we Sinhalese already have a country!! And we have a lot of Tamil janitors to clean our toilets!
But you haven't answered me! Why do you have dual identities?? Scared??

[beg your comments not to be deleted.]
Anyone s welcome to delete my comments! But doing that wouldn't bring you your Peelam m.g.k/SULTAN!!

[your cries are heard till defense wire.]
Your cries begging for a country,refugee visas and janitor jobs are heard all across the world but no one gives a rats F@rt!

Looks like you m.g.k\Sultan will have to clean toilets in a western country using your refugee visas for eternity!!

LMAO; March 23, 2009 at 8:13 AM
Gayan said...: Why doesn't Badri update the blog, so I can talk to someone with a brain instead of SULTAN??; March 23, 2009 at 8:15 AM
m.q.k said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; March 23, 2009 at 9:39 AM
m.q.k said...: Bruce Fein, counsel for Tamils Against Genocide (TAG), a US-based activist group, said Sunday that TAG is preparing to file a complaint in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia seeking a preliminary and permanent injunction, and a declaratory judgment to prohibit the United States Treasury Secretary from voting to support the request by the Government of Sri Lanka (GOSL) for $1.9 billion in economic assistance from the International Monetary Fund.

TAG’s complaint alleges that a United States vote in favor of the assistance would violate a federal statute, 22 USC 262d, intended to prevent United States financial complicity in harrowing human rights abuses by IMF member governments, Fein said.

If the Court agrees with TAG’s claim, an injunction or a declaratory judgment would persuade other IMF members who follow the lead of the United States to vote against the assistance, which would kill the GOSL’s application.

Professor Francis Boyle, professor at University of Illinois College of Law earlier commenting on the IMF loan said: “Concerning the proposed loan to Sri Lanka by the International Monetary Fund, United States domestic law makes it quite clear that the Obama Administration is obligated to oppose the loan. And given the weighted voting system for the IMF Board of Directors, a United States vote against the loan would be tantamount to a veto,” and added, “for the Obama Administration to violate the Statute [22 USC 262d] and vote in favor of the proposed IMF loan to support the GOSL’s “policy goals” would render the United States government “complicit” with Sri Lanka’s genocide.

The U.S. law, 22 USC 262d, declares in relevant part:

The United States government, in connection with its voice and vote in…the International Monetary Fund shall advance the cause of human rights, including by seeking to channel assistance towards countries other than those whose governments engage in—

(1) a pattern of gross violations of internationally recognized human rights, such as torture or cruel, inhumane, or degrading treatment or punishment, or prolonged detention without charges, or other flagrant denial to life, liberty, and the security of person….”

According to Fein, TAG plans to submit to the court, among other things, the following information as evidence of “pattern of gross violations of Human Rights” by Sri Lanka:

* Statements by international agencies including UNHCR, RSF, Amnesty and HRW alleging that Sri Lanka has committed war crimes.
* Video recording of Sri Lanka’s Defense Secretary Gotabaya Rajapakse speaking on the killing of Lasantha Wickremetunge, justifying shelling of civilian hospitals, and the arbitrary abduction and incarceration of journalist Vidyadaran
* Model indictment charging genocide war crimes, and torture against Defense Secretary and Sri lanka’s Army Commander Sarath Fonseka submitted to the Department of Justice.
* Statements by the British Foreign Secretary David Miliband concluding that the GOSL is willing to perpetrate genocide in its conflict with the LTTE.

When asked if IMF may point to the global economic crisis as a cover for the loan, Fein said, “The statute creates no exceptions for responding to a global economic crisis. It states categorically that the policy of the US is not to assist financially through the IMF countries implicated in a pattern of gross human rights abuses period, with no question marks, semi-colons, or commas. Our toughest legal hurdle is that the statute seems to give the Secretary discretion in determining whether the human rights violation threshold has been satisfied, but even discretionary authority can be overturned for an abuse of discretion. And TAG is not asking for an injunction preventing the IMF from funding the GOSL, only to prevent the US casting its 17% minority vote in favor.”

Fein further added that a case against the loan would further add to the credibility of TAG’s model indictment submitted to the Justice Department which charges Sri Lanka of genocide against Tamils. “If anything, this lawsuit would reinforce our genocide effort by again highlighting the grisly behavior of the Rajapaksa regime and educating the public and government officials about the matter. It will not prejudice the Attorney General or Treasury Secretary against us. Indeed, they might ask TAG that if we believed the GOSL is involved in ongoing genocide, why aren’t we seeking to block IMF or World Bank funding for human rights abuses,” Fein said.

Fein added: “We have an overwhelming factual case for believing that the GOSL is guilty of horrifying human rights abuses that satisfy the statutory standard of section 262d. The more difficult question is whether the statute can be enforced in a court of law, which is the usual course, or whether it entrusts the decision exclusively to the Secretary of Treasury. The answer is not self-evident because the statute does not say the Secretary’s decision is not subject to judicial review or that it does not create a private cause of action. Clearly, the intended beneficiaries of the statute are the would-be victims of the human rights violations, and TAG is a stand-in because they cannot sue themselves given their plight in Sri Lanka.”; March 23, 2009 at 9:45 AM
Mahinda(n) said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; March 23, 2009 at 10:44 AM
Mahinda(n) said...: [gambit said...

Blogger Yogananthan B said...

Tamils are coming out of their shells one by one. My parents come from Nuwara Eliya and our community always looked at LTTE suspiciously. ... ]

According to the last census data collected by the British in the 1930s or 1940s, there 95% Tamils speaking people in the North-East, i.e. only inhabited by intelligent people with only 5% modaya popln.

Economy does not dependent on the size of the land or its natural resources. Singapore has only intelligence with no natural resources so that 10s of thousands female modayas from Sri Lanka (so-called resource rich country with full-of-modayas) are working as domestic servants. So, even if a resource-rich country was handed over to the modayas by Tamil-administrators and British governors can be ruined easily becoz it went to modayas!

'Blogger Yogananthan B' must be a typical modaya writing a simple fiction!

...; March 23, 2009 at 10:53 AM
Mahinda(n) said...: [Velavan Master said...

[Good fiction and will sell well among modayas!]

Thanks mahinda, appreciate it.

Can I also get some comments from a high-caste Jaffna Tamil now? ]

LTTE belongs to the high-caste. But, LTTE banned caste system in Jaffna when they ruled it. Very good decision ...

EPDP is from the lowest caste in Jaffna and naturally getting along v.v.v.....v.very well with the Singhalas ... must be sharing the same genes!

...; March 23, 2009 at 10:55 AM
SULTAN said...: [we Sinhalese already have a country]
They have a country,you are after a blog! you love puligal blog more than that.

[Anyone s welcome to delete my comments!]
Yes but crybaby gayan will shed tears at dw. pls pls dont go to puligal they are deleting my comment.mama mama help me. of all the people, you are back here again.shameless.

SULTAN=guide to your missing brain

For eternity,you can lick our foot at puligal. :); March 23, 2009 at 10:59 AM
Unknown said...: Hey Look here...

Para demala is struggling to survive there peelam and ponna perribha..

http://lankaoil.com/index.php?q=aHR0cDovL3d3dy50YW1pbG5ldC5jb20vcGljLmh0bWw%2FcGF0aD0vaW1nL3B1Ymxpc2gvMjAwOS8wMy9EU0MwNDMwMS5KUEcmYW1wO3dpZHRoPTY0MCZhbXA7aGVpZ2h0PTQ4MCZhbXA7Y2FwdGlvbj1UUk8gYXQgd29yayBpbiB0ZW1wb3Jhcnkgc2hlZA%3D%3D

HOh Hoh Hoooooooh..
two 3weeks to go...; March 23, 2009 at 11:44 AM
Gayan said...: [They have a country,you are after a blog! you love puligal blog more than that.]
Yes! I do love puligalblog since I get to see frustrated and confused terror supporters like you(SULTAN) braying at the top of your lungs!!

[SULTAN=guide to your missing brain]
How can a brain-dead terrorist help anyone else to locate their brain?? LOL

[For eternity,you can lick our foot at puligal. :)]
For eternity you diaspora can lick the white feet and scrub toilets while Tamils in South SL live decent lives!!
LOL; March 23, 2009 at 12:00 PM
Gayan said...: [Yes but crybaby gayan will shed tears at dw. pls pls dont go to puligal they are deleting my comment.mama mama help me.]

I was merely showing how pathetic you guys are, when you get hit you delete the comments!! :)))

[of all the people, you are back here again.shameless.]

What?? Not come here and miss all the fun seeing you frustrated terrorists crying?? No way Jose!!; March 23, 2009 at 12:07 PM
Mahinda(n) said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; March 23, 2009 at 12:27 PM
gambit said...: Tamils Against Genocide (TAG)???
WTF?
Call yourself FAGs; March 23, 2009 at 2:58 PM
gambit said...: LTTE, BTA, BTF, TAG, TELO, FAG, FAT, BUTT; March 23, 2009 at 3:01 PM
Widana said...: [LTTE belongs to the high-caste. But, LTTE banned caste system in Jaffna when they ruled it. Very good decision ...

EPDP is from the lowest caste in Jaffna and naturally getting along v.v.v.....v.very well with the Singhalas ... must be sharing the same genes!]

Thanks mahinda, you already commented on behalf of the Sakkili community, I wanted some feedback from High-Caste community.; March 23, 2009 at 5:55 PM
Mahinda(n) said...: US Senator urges Sri Lanka to protect civilians
10 hours ago

WASHINGTON (AFP) — A key US Senator warned Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa on Monday that his government's failure to protect civilians in government safe zones was hurting the country's global standing.

"While the Tamil Tigers have committed egregious acts, I am also alarmed by reports about actions taken by the government of Sri Lanka," Democrat John Kerry, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, wrote Rajapaksa.

Kerry said he had "grave concern" about reports that government forces had shelled civilians and hospitals in government-designated safe zones amid a fierce push to crush the rebel force, that humanitarian aid was not reaching civilians, and that the government had cracked down on journalists.

"This situation jeopardizes the international standing of Sri Lanka and its relations with friendly countries," the senator, his party's 2004 White House candidate, said in a letter made public by his office.

"Let me once again emphasize the urgent need for the Sri Lankan government to take all necessary steps to protect civilians, allow humanitarian access to the displaced, and credibly investigate human rights violations by all members of government security forces," Kerry wrote Rajapaksa.

more from
http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5gKDcIQguQj0Z5XDdEOra8kOoS_Hw

....; March 23, 2009 at 10:04 PM
Shun said...: What is happing to all mighty SL government?
It seems they are asking Tamil Diasporas to participate in discussion about the future of SL . I guess IMF is refusing to give loan or UN might be planning to include the SL issue on the next agenda. It is too late for short sighted SL government. This Srilankan government has screwed up the possibility of a united SL for good,
(http://www.tamilnet.com/art.html?catid=79&artid=28804); March 23, 2009 at 10:05 PM
Mahinda(n) said...: [Velavan Master said...

...

Thanks mahinda, you already commented on behalf of the Sakkili community, I wanted some feedback from High-Caste community.]

This is called inversion: modaya thinks Paraya among Demulu (i.e. EPDP) are high caste and "True Tamil high-caste as low-caste"!

by this, you've the EPDP with u always!

...; March 23, 2009 at 10:08 PM
Unknown said...: Badri is dead.; March 23, 2009 at 10:42 PM
Mahinda(n) said...: [shaun said...
What is happing to all mighty SL government?
It seems they are asking Tamil Diasporas to participate in discussion about the future of SL . I guess IMF is refusing to give loan or UN might be planning to include the SL issue on the next agenda. It is too late for short sighted SL government. This Srilankan government has screwed up the possibility of a united SL for good,
(http://www.tamilnet.com/art.html?catid=79&artid=28804)]

Modayas think of diaspora Tamils as "modayas" too. In short, Modayas want Tamils to fund Tamils genocide, ethnic cleansing in the Shit Lanka and to pay for settling Singhalas in the cleansed lands!

...; March 23, 2009 at 10:55 PM
m.q.k said...: NEW DELHI (AFP) — Indiscriminate army shelling is killing dozens of civilians every day in a no-fire zone in northern Sri Lanka where Tamil Tiger rebels are staging a last stand, a rights group said Tuesday.

"We receive reports of civilians being killed and wounded daily in the no-fire zone, while the Sri Lankan government continues to deny the attacks," said Brad Adams, Asia director at New York-based Human Rights Watch.

A doctor at a hospital in Putumattalan, inside the government-declared "no-fire zone," told Human Rights Watch over the phone that dozens of dead and wounded civilians were being brought to the hospital daily.

Human Rights Watch said as many as 150,000 Tamil civilians remained trapped in the narrow stretch of coastal territory where the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) have been cornered by a massive military offensive.

According to the UN, more than 2,800 civilians may have been killed and more than 7,240 injured in the fighting since January 20.

UN human rights chief Navi Pillay recently warned that both sides in the conflict could be guilty of war crimes and US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has urged Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapakse to halt army shelling.

Colombo has denied any targeting of civilians and dismissed the reports of non-combatant deaths as exaggerated.

"The Sri Lankan government has responded to broad international concerns with indignation and denials instead of action to address the humanitarian crisis," said Adams.

The rights group also called on the LTTE to allow civilians to leave the conflict zone. The rebels have been accused of shooting those who try to escape.

The Tamil Tigers have been fighting for an independent state in the island's northeast. Their mini-state was dismantled by security forces earlier this year with the capture of their political and military headquarters.; March 24, 2009 at 2:21 AM
m.q.k said...: HRW accuses Sri Lankan army of shelling 'no fire' zone

NEW YORK: International human rights watchdog has strongly criticised the Sri Lankan army which it said was shelling "indiscriminately" the "no
fire" zone where thousands of Tamil civilians are trapped by the LTTE.

More than 2,700 civilians have been killed over last two months and the number of casualties is rising daily, Human Rights Watch (HRW) said, citing new reports received by it.

"We receive reports of civilians being killed and wounded daily in the 'no-fire' zone, while the Sri Lankan government continues to deny the attacks," said Brad Adams, Asia director at Human Rights Watch. "The Tamil Tigers' use of civilians as human shields adds to the bloodshed."

Adams said a doctor at the makeshift hospital in Putumattalan, inside the government-declared "no-fire zone", told HRW over the phone yesterday that dozens of dead and wounded civilians were being brought to the hospital daily.

The interview, it added, was interrupted by shelling, audible over the phone; the doctor later explained that an artillery shell had struck approximately 250 meters from the hospital, killing two civilians and wounding seven others.

Another shell struck about a kilometer from the hospital, also killing and wounding civilians.

The doctor was quoted as saying that the hospital had received 14 bodies and 98 wounded that day. He told HRW that the shelling appeared to come from the direction of government positions three kilometers to the west.; March 24, 2009 at 3:16 AM
m.q.k said...: Pillay wants monitors in Sri Lanka

New Delhi, Mar 23 (PTI) In the wake of continuing violence and reports about deaths of civilians in Sri Lanka, the United Nations has asked Colombo to allow human rights monitors to visit the country and assess the situation.

"I have asked the Sri Lanka government to allow human rights monitors there. I have not got any response. I am going to press for that," Navanethem Pillay, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, told reporters here.

Pillay raised the Sri Lankan issues during her discussion with External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee here today.

"Our view is that you can never succeed through military solution. The problem can be solved politically," she said.

She said the UN wants the Lankan government to ensure safety of civilians.; March 24, 2009 at 3:17 AM
m.q.k said...: ECONOMY-SRI LANKA: Conditions Worsen For Women Workers
By Feizal Samath

BIYAGAMA, Mar 24 (IPS) - Ramani, 26, sits inside her small, dimly-lit boarding house room, cutting vegetables, in this industrial town outside Colombo. She plans to return to her rural village in May to get married.

"Most girls generally work for five years in garment factories and return to their villages to get married,’’ she says.

Thousands of young women, employed in garment factories spread across Sri Lanka, and concentrated in Free Trade Zones (FTZ) in towns like Biyagama, now face an uncertain future due to lowered demand for their products.

With garment exports, Sri Lanka’s biggest foreign exchange earner, coming under severe strain due to a pause in duty-free concessions from Europe, and the global recession, the women face unemployment and dare not ask for better facilities.

Ajith Dias, chairman of the Joint Apparels Association Forum (JAAF), an umbrella group representing manufacturers and buyers, says that export orders for the April-June quarter are worrying. "Generally buyers are not deciding too much in advance now in placing orders,’’ he told IPS.

The crisis is bad enough for factories to move towards limiting operations to five days a week - with an extra hour per day to make up for the Saturday half-day’s work - and cutting down on cost of power and other usage.

The Employers’ Federation of Ceylon, an umbrella group representing employers, has made the five-day week proposal to the government and is awaiting a response.

Since July 2008, close to 40,000 workers have lost their jobs in an industry where women form the majority.

Last month, Sinotex, a 25-year-old company in an FTZ, closed its factory, saying it was rapidly losing orders from the U.S. and needed to give compensation to its 2,000-odd workers.

Union leaders, however, reject claims by industrialists that the closure is mainly due to shrinking orders from the West. "They give all kinds of excuses but the real situation is that these places are closed due to bad management or problems with unions," says Anton Marcus, secretary to the FTZ and General Services Union.

Marcus said the global crisis has not affected the local apparel industry. "The orders are still there and the industry looks healthy," he said, adding that some garment factory owners are using the recession as an excuse to shut down and then reopen as new units with fewer and cheaper hands.

Reduced export orders or tussles between unions and factory officials are remote problems for workers like Ramani who are forced to live in small, dingy rooms shared with a co-worker. Trying to make ends meet on Rs 10,000 (100 US dollars) a month is struggle enough.

A third of her pay goes towards boarding charges while another third is sent home. She makes do with the rest for food and personal expenses.

Ramani uses a gas stove (the room also doubles up as a kitchen) and has a television, fan and a mobile phone as luxuries.

The broken-down toilets, set far away in an overgrown compound, are comfortless and some do not even have doors.

Most of the workers who spoke with IPS declined to give their real names for fear of drawing the wrath of the authorities and their employers.

Living frugally, the women eat a daily diet of rice and vegetables with no meat or eggs. "We eat meat maybe once a month because we can’t afford it," noted Kumari, 21. She spoke of sexual harassment as a serious problem for young girls going to or returning from work.

"Three-wheeler taxi drivers stop on the road and want to give us a ride or motorbike riders will pass by pulling our hair," she said. The women avoid wearing jewellery or going home alone after the night shift. "We go in groups. We take precautions not to attract undue attention."

"We can’t get these wages in the village. So we are forced to come to the city for work," she said.

There are dozens of factories, mostly making garments, in the Biyagama FTZ and many of the town folk in and around the zone have opened boarding houses – with poor facilities - for the migrant workers who come from remote villages.

In most cases, the women collect water from a well in the garden for their daily needs while the boarding house owner has water on tap. Most of these rooms are windowless.

Some boarding houses take on male garment workers, and this could either be of some benefit or create problems.

"Sometimes, having a male around provides us some protection from outsiders. On the other hand, there could be problems of a sexual nature. Privacy, since we use the same toilets, is an issue," said Ramani.

The garment sector has shrunk to about 200 factories from 800 factories about six years back when the industry was at its peak during the Multi-Fibre Agreement era when developing countries like Sri Lanka benefited from textile quotas.

The number of workers has shrunk to about 250,000 from more than 350,000 a decade ago while manufacturers are now providing multi-skill training to workers to handle more than one job at a time - though at the same wage level.

Union leader Marcus says the girls start make about Rs 10,000 per month with overtime and other additional payments. "There is definitely a need to pay more as these workers are exploited.

''Foreign buyers talk about codes of conduct, good workplace practices and corporate social responsibility but are not willing to pay more for the goods," he said.

The garment sector is expected to shrink further in 2009 with many factories downsizing or consolidating with other units, gearing towards surviving in a tough economic environment.

"These workers don’t have decent living conditions. The government’s Board of Investment recently offered loans to boarding house owners to improve conditions of workers’ quarters. But some owners used up the money to improve their own houses," Marcus said.

The government has also offered free land to garment manufacturers to build decent accommodation for workers, an offer that has been under discussion for a long time.

Garment manufacturers say they have improved conditions at work and provide benefits like free meals and medical help while work areas, lunch rooms and toilets are generally comfortable and clean.

But, according to Marcus, the government is not looking at what is happening outside the FTZs, while offering investors cheap labour and tax incentives. "The politicians are also useless. Since these girls are from different regions, they are not a vote base for the local politicians," he said.

The U.S. and Europe are Sri Lanka’s biggest buyers. The industry is now struggling with the shock of non-extension of duty free concessions to garments and other products from European buyers under the system of Generalised Trade Preferences.

JAAF’s Dias says that costs of production have risen sharply in recent years for many reasons while the prices buyers pay have not gone up reciprocally. "If the buyers pay us better we can pass on the benefits. We just cannot survive in a difficult business."

Some workers like Ranjani were under-aged when they first started working. "I came to work at Biyagama when I was 16 and didn’t get a letter of appointment... maybe because I was too young.’’

Sitting inside her tiny room, Ranjani, now 20, says she hopes to get married one day and return to her village. ‘’When that can happen I cannot say.’’; March 24, 2009 at 3:28 AM
m.q.k said...: Rohitha Bogollagama and RAW - Indian Espionage Agency

Interesting information has been revealed in the Indian media about the “connection” between Sri Lankan Foreign affairs minister Rohitha Bogollagama and India’s espionage and intelligence agency the Research and Analysis Wing (RAW).

According to an article written by Saikat Datta in the prestigious Indian newsmagazine “Outlook India” the Sri Lankan minister’s daughter was admitted to an Indian higher educational institution to pursue medical studies through the efforts of RAW.

Though RAW got Ms. Bogollagama admission through its influence it was unable to ensure high grades in examinations for the ministerial off – spring and hence her dismal academic record threatened her continuance there.

Bogollagama had also rented out his house in Colombo to a RAW agent , Ravi Nair with whom the minister quarrelled later due to disagreement over purchasing expensive furniture.

Bogollagama allegedly “fixed” the RAW official by framing him as having links with a Chinese spy. Ravi Nair was recalled to India and it was only later that a discovery was made about Bogollagama having orchestrated the entire episode.; March 24, 2009 at 3:41 AM
m.q.k said...: How Long Can India Especially Tamil Nadu Remain Silent About Sri Lanka?
By Prof. V. Suryanarayan

The Sri Lankan media prediction that the war against the Tigers will soon come to a successful conclusion has not happened. It is becoming a protracted struggle. What is more, the war is taking a heavy toll of innocent civilians, who are trapped between the ruthless army and inhuman Tigers.

Since media and humanitarian agencies have no access to the war zones, the estimate of casualties naturally is only guess work. According to UN agencies the number of civilians in the Wanni area is 200,000, whereas the government puts the figure at 50,000. The people have no access to fresh water, food and medicines.

According to UN Under-Secretary General, John Holmes who visited Sri Lanka recently, dozens of people are being killed every day and many more are wounded.

There had been repeated appeals for a ceasefire in order to facilitate the rescue of the civilians. The Government of Sri Lanka has turned a Nelsonian eye to these appeals; obviously Colombo wants to pursue its military strategy relentlessly and wants to deal with Prabhakaran only on the basis of surrender.

On the other hand, despite serious reverses, the Tigers are determined to raise the costs of war. They have no regrets if the civilians suffer more. Their only concern is to put Colombo on the dock and accuse it of committing war crimes. (The irony of the situation is that while many countries, including India, are sympathetic to the Tamil cause, they hesitate to support it openly because the Tamil cause has been hijacked by the Tigers, so much so that support to the Tamils is seen as support to the Tigers).

What is worse, the Tamils who have been able to escape are kept in 'relief centres,' a euphemism for "concentration camps." There is a popular Tamil saying - people would prefer to coexist with wild animals in the forests rather than being ruled by a tyrannical king. How true it is of Sri Lanka today!

Can India, especially Tamil Nadu, remain silent when a human tragedy of monumental proportions is taking place in its southern neighbourhood?

Can New Delhi continue to subscribe to the argument that what is happening in Sri Lanka is a domestic affair and there are serious limitations to what India can do to resolve an internal problem. Recent progressive trends in the realm of International Law deserve closer scrutiny by the policy makers in New Delhi and Chennai.

The fact has to be highlighted that sovereignty is not absolute. Sovereignty does not mean a license to kill. On the contrary, as the Sudanese scholar Francis Deng has pointed out, sovereignty should be viewed not as 'control,' but as 'responsibility.'

When the state fails in that responsibility, through either incapacity or ill will, a secondary responsibility to protect falls on the international community. Therefore, when ethnic cleansing, genocide, mass killing and other crimes against humanity take place, all within the state's borders, there must be an immediate global response leading to effective international action to put an end to these crimes.

The Responsibility to Protect (R2P) can take many forms - political, diplomatic, legal and economic. And if all these options fail, the international community, as a last resort, can even resort to military means.

R2P gathered momentum during the last decade. Unfortunately it suffered a setback after 9/11 and consequent preoccupation with combating terrorism. Despite these hiccups, an international instrument was approved by the UN General Assembly at the World Summit in 2005. R2P is opposed only by few states like China, Russia, Sudan and Zimbabwe, countries notorious for violating human rights.

The situation in Sri Lanka is extremely grim. The Tamils are being killed by savage bombings. Bombings have taken place even in hospitals and safety zones. And as mentioned earlier, those who have been lured into welfare centres virtually live in concentration camps. The conditions in non-conflict zones have also taken an ugly turn.

The torture of the detained, the 'disappearances' of those who are opposed to the regime, killing of independent journalists - all these have made Sri Lanka a living hell. On the other side are the inhuman Tigers, who will not shed a single tear if a Jalianwala Bagh takes place in the Wanni Jungles.

I strongly feel that India should take an immediate initiative to mobilise international opinion against the continuing violation of human rights. Colombo and the Tigers must be pressurised to declare a ceasefire. They must be compelled to accept an international mechanism, so that the civilians are rescued from the war zones. And, what is more, these civilians should be settled in welfare centres, manned by the UN agencies.

A time bomb is ticking in Sri Lanka. If India does not take the initiative, the island will continue to be one of the notorious killing fields of the world. Let not posterity judge that the land of the Mahatma remained silent when untold sufferings took place in its neighbourhood. As Maya Angelou, the Black American poet wrote a few years ago, "History, despite its wrenching pain, cannot be unlived, but, if faced with courage, need not be lived again."

(Prof. Suryanarayan is a Senior Research Fellow, Center for Asia Studies, Chennai.); March 24, 2009 at 3:46 AM
m.q.k said...: Air Force Picket Comes Under LTTE Fire
TRINCOMALEE: A ROAD picket run by airmen of the Sri Lanka Air Force in TRINCOMALEE came under an LTTE fire attack early Tuesday (24) morning at about 5.30 a.m. injuring one airman on duty.

Terrorist[FREEDOM FIGHTERS] firing directed from a distance has been carried out by several Tigers who had infiltrated the area disguised as civilians, Police maintained.

One airman sustained injuries into his abdominal area was rushed to TRINCOMALEE hospital for treatment.

Police and airmen have launched a combined search operation in the area in order to track Tigers hiding in the area.

http://www.army.lk/morenews.php?id=20861

WORDS FROM THE SRI LANKA ARMY SITE 'TRUSTED' BY THE SINHALA; March 24, 2009 at 4:02 AM
Widana said...: [Air Force Picket Comes Under LTTE Fire]

Wow.. could this be the start of a massive counter-attack!?!!?; March 24, 2009 at 4:17 AM
m.q.k said...: [[[Velavan Dumb Master]]]]....

ASK YOUR 'TRUSTED RELIABLE'ARMY SITE FOR MORE INFO...; March 24, 2009 at 4:26 AM
Gayan said...: [One airman sustained injuries into his abdominal area was rushed to TRINCOMALEE hospital for treatment.]

Peelam achieved by the great COUNTER ATTACK(TM)!!!; March 24, 2009 at 8:01 AM

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Tuesday, March 17, 2009

One LTTE gunman pins down 50 Sri Lankan special commandos

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