[TamilNet, Friday, 17 December 2010]
A WikiLeaks cable, dated 18th May 2007 from US embassy in Colombo, accuses Defense Secretary Gotabaya Rajapakse of giving orders to Sri Lanka Army (SLA) commanders in Jaffna not to interfere with Tamil paramilitaries who are "doing "work" that the military cannot do because of international scrutiny. The work referred to in the cable includes extra-judicial killings, extortion, abduction and prostitution by the Tamil paramilitary groups EPDP and Karuna Group. Both groups are led by Ministers in the present ruling Government in Sri Lanka.
* WikiLeaks: Robert Blake, 18 May 2007
Accusing Vinayagamoorthy Muralitharan (nom de guerre: Karuna), of engaging in "wide range of criminal activities" to collect funds, US embassy cable adds "Karuna operates prostitution rings out of the IDP camps to "take care of" GSL soldiers, stating that the women "had no choice" but to acquiesce to Karuna cadres' demands."
"Allegations of government complicity in crimes committed by organized paramilitary groups have mounted in the last year [2006]," the cable begins followed by briefs under the following headings:
* Why Government of Sri Lanka finds the [Tamil] Paramilitaries useful
* Paramilitary Groups give the GoSL a measure of deniability
* GoSL has a history of funding Paramilitary Groups
* Karuna Group becomes pre-eminent paramilitary
* Abductions and Killings of Karuna group
* Karuna extends his reach to Jaffna
* Child soldiers of TMVP (Karuna Group)
* Extortion and Prostitution rings run by Karuna
* Making Karuna legitimate
* EPDP: Extra-judicial killings with Military's support
The leading summary paragraphs follow:
Paramilitaries such as the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE)-breakaway Karuna group and Eelam People's Democratic Party (EPDP) have helped the Government of Sri Lanka (GSL) to fight the LTTE, to kidnap suspected LTTE collaborators, and to give the GSL a measure of deniability. The GSL, which denies any links to paramilitary groups, has recently touted its efforts to improve its human rights record, such as the re-publication of procedures on arrests and detentions and the appointment of a "One-Man Commission" to investigate reported disappearances.
However, these efforts so far appear aimed more at improving Sri Lanka's image abroad and have yet to produce concrete improvements in the human rights situation. Outside the capital, the incidence of human rights abuses has continued, including extrajudicial killings, abductions, child trafficking, extortion, and prostitution.
President Rajapaksa's government, strapped for cash, has cut direct payments to paramilitaries initiated by former President Kumaratunga and instead turns a blind eye to extortion and kidnapping for ransom by EPDP and Karuna. While many of the charges against the government have been made in public fora, a growing number of trusted Embassy contacts, often at personal risk, have described in detail the extent of the GSL's involvement with paramilitary groups.
On Gotabaya Rajapakse's, a US-citizen, criminal activities the cable says, "Defense Secretary Gothabaya Rajapaksa has authorized EPDP and Karuna to collect the money from Tamil businessmen. This may account for the sharp rise in lawlessness, especially extortion and kidnapping, that many have documented in Vavuniya and Colombo. Even though EPDP and Karuna are each comprised nearly exclusively of ethnic Tamils, the crimes that they commit are almost always against other Tamils."
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I'm not sure who is the editor of this "Eelanaadu France", but he is often right on the money. And it would be timely if I provide the editorial page of Eelanadu France, dated July 10, 2010.
ஆயுதக் குழுக்களின் குறுநிலங்கள் - சேரமான்
அணையாத நெருப்பாக கடந்த ஆறு தசாப்தங்களுக்கு மேலாகக் கொழுந்து விட்டெரியும் தமிழ்த் தேசியப் பிரச்சினைக்கு அரசியல் தீர்வை ஏற்படுத்துவதில் இற்றைவரை எந்தவொரு சிங்கள ஆட்சியாளரும் ஆக்கபூர்வமான நடவடிக்கைகளில் ஈடுபட்டதில்லை. மாறாக தமிழீழத் தனியரசுக் கோரிக்கையின் அடித்தளமாக விளங்கும் தமிழீழ தாயகம், தேசியம், தன்னாட்சியுரிமை ஆகிய முக்கோட்பாடுகளை சிதைத்து, தமிழ்த் தேசியப் பிரச்சினையை ஒரு சிறுபான்மையினத்தின் பொருண்மியப் பிரச்சினையாக சித்தரிப்பதையே தமது மூலோபாயமாகக் கொண்டு, அரசியல் தீர்வு நாடகங்களை ஒவ்வொரு சிங்கள ஆட்சியாளரும் அரங்கேற்றி வந்துள்ளனர்.
டி.எஸ்.சேனநாயக்காவின் காலத்தில் இருந்து மகிந்த ராஜபக்ச வரை இவ்வாறான மூலோபாயத்தையே மாறிமாறி ஆட்சிக்கட்டிலேறிய சிங்கள ஆட்சியாளர்கள் கையாண்டு வருவது வரலாறு. அரசியல் தீர்வு என்பது ‘இன்ஸ்ரன்ற் நூடில்ஸ் அல்ல (உடனடியாகத் தயாரிக்கக்கூடிய நூடில்ஸ் அல்ல)’ என்று அண்மையில் மகிந்த ராஜபக்ச வெளியிட்ட கருத்தை இதற்கான சமீபத்திய உதாரணமாக நாம் கொள்ள முடியும்.
ஆனாலும் ஏனைய சிங்கள ஆட்சியாளர்களை விட தமிழ்த் தேசியப் பிரச்சினையை மிகவும் நுண்ணியமான முறையில் கையாண்டு, தமிழீழ தேசிய விடுதலைப் போராட்டத்தை மழுங்கடிப்பதற்கான காய்நகர்த்தல்களை மிகவும் நயவஞ்சகமான முறையில் முன்னெடுக்கும் ஒருவராக மகிந்தர் திகழ்வதை, அவரது கடந்த நான்கரை ஆண்டுகால நடவடிக்கைகள் கோடிட்டுக் காட்டுகின்றன: ‘குள்ளநரி’ என்று வர்ணிக்கப்பட்ட ஜே.ஆர்.ஜெயவர்த்தனவின் சூழ்ச்சிகளை விஞ்சும் வகையிலேயே மகிந்தரின் நயவஞ்சக நடவடிக்கைகள் அமைந்துள்ளன.
கடந்த 2006ஆம் ஆண்டு யூலை மாதம் மாவிலாற்றில் தமிழீழ விடுதலைப் புலிகளுக்கு எதிராகப் பெரும்போரை சிங்கள அரசு தொடங்கிய பொழுது, அதற்கு முழுமையான ஆசீர்வாதத்தையும், ஒத்துழைப்பையும் மேற்குலகம் வழங்கியிருந்த பொழுதும், யுத்தத்தில் சிங்கள அரசு ஈட்டக்கூடிய வெற்றி, எதிர்காலத்தில் இனப்பிரச்சினைக்கு அரசியல் வழியில் தீர்வு காண்பதற்கான வாய்ப்புக்களை இல்லாதொழித்துவிடக்கூடும் என்பதையும் ஓரளவுக்கு மேற்குலகம் புரிந்து கொண்டிருந்தது.
சிங்களப் படைகளுக்கு பெரும் இழப்புக்களை ஏற்படுத்தும் வகையில் தமிழீழ விடுதலைப் புலிகள் தாக்குதல்களை நிகழ்த்திய ஒவ்வொரு சந்தர்ப்பங்களிலும், ‘இனப்பிரச்சினைக்கு படைவழியில் தீர்வு காண முடியாது’ என்றும், ‘அரசியல் தீர்வின் ஊடாக இனப்பிரச்சினைக்கு நிரந்தரத் தீர்வை ஏற்படுத்த முடியும்’ என்றும், ஒற்றைப் பல்லவியை மேற்குலக சமூகம் பாடிவந்தது. தமது படைவலிமையின் ஊடாக சிங்களத்தின் படைய – பொருண்மிய இயந்திரங்களை தமிழீழ விடுதலைப் புலிகள் நெருக்கடிக்குள் இட்டுச்சென்ற பொழுதும், இனப்பிரச்சினைக்கு அரசியல் தீர்வு காணப்பட வேண்டியதன் அவசியத்தை இந்தியாவிற்கும் சரி, மேற்குலகிற்கும் சரி அடிக்கடி உணர்த்திய முதன்மை சக்தியாக தமிழீழ விடுதலைப் புலிகளின் படைவலிமையே திகழ்ந்துள்ளது.
முள்ளிவாய்க்கால் போருடன் தமிழீழ விடுதலைப் புலிகளின் படைவலிமை பின்னடைவுக்கு ஆளாகிய பின்னர், தமிழ்த் தேசியப் பிரச்சினைக்கு அரசியல் தீர்வை ஏற்படுத்துவதற்கு மேற்குலகமும் சரி, இந்தியாவும் சரி பிரயோகிக்கும் அழுத்தங்கள், சகட்டு மேனிக்கு வெளிப்படுத்தப்படும் கண்துடைப்பு நடவடிக்கைகளாகவே திகழ்கின்றன. கடந்த 1995ஆம் ஆண்டு சந்திரிகா குமாரதுங்கவுடனான பேச்சுவார்த்தைகள் முறிவடைந்த பொழுது, ஒரு அரைமரபுப் படையாகவே தமிழீழ விடுதலைப் புலிகள் அமைப்பு விளங்கியது.
அக்காலகட்டத்தில் தமிழ்த் தேசியப் பிரச்சினையின் அடிப்படைக் கோட்பாடுகளைப் புறந்தள்ளி சந்திரிகா குமாரதுங்க முன்வைத்த அதிகாரப் பரவலாக்க (Devolution of pouuer) தீர்வு யோசனையை ஒப்புவிக்கும் கருத்துக்களையே மேற்குலக சமூகம் வெளியிட்டு வந்தது. எனினும் 1999ஆம் ஆண்டின் இறுதியில் முழுமையான மரபுவழிப் படையாக தமது வலிமையை தமிழீழ விடுதலைப் புலிகள் வெளிப்படுத்திய பொழுது, களயதார்த்தத்தைப் புரிந்து கொண்ட மேற்குலகம், அதன் பின்னர் ஒருபடி மேலேசென்று அதிகாரப் பரவலாக்கத் தீர்வுப் பல்லவியைக் கைவிட்டு, சமஸ்டி (feederalism) முறையிலான தீர்வு யோசனையை வலியுறுத்தி வந்தது.
தற்பொழுது படைவழியில் முழுமையான மேலாதிக்கத்தை சிங்களம் செலுத்தும் நிலையில், சமஸ்டியை விட்டுக் கீழிறங்கி, அதிகாரப் பரவலாக்கத்தில் இருந்தும் பலபடிகள் சறுக்கி விழுந்து, உப்புச்சப்பற்ற அதிகாரப் பகிர்வு (power sharing) வழியிலான தீர்வு யோசனையை மேற்குலகமும், இந்தியாவும் வலியுறுத்தி வருகின்றன. இந்த மெய்யுண்மையை நன்குபுரிந்து கொண்டிருக்கும் மகிந்தர், ஒருபுறம் தமிழீழ விடுதலைப் போராட்டம் மீண்டும் வீரியம்கொண்டு எழுச்சி பெறுவதற்கான புறநிலையை இல்லாதொழிப்பதற்கான எதிர்புரட்சி நடவடிக்கைகளை முடுக்கிவிட்டவாறு, மறுபுறம் உள்ளிருந்து எழும் தீர்வு (Home-grown soluution) என்ற கோசத்துடன் மேற்குலகைத் திசைதிருப்பி ‘இலவு பார்த்த கிளி’யின் நிலைக்கு இட்டுச்செல்லும் நடவடிக்கைகளை கனக்கச்சிதமாக அரங்கேற்றி வருகின்றார்.
இதன் விளைவாக தமிழ்த் தேசியப் பிரச்சினைக்கான தீர்வாக கட்டப் பஞ்சாயத்து முறையை எதிர்காலத்தில் மகிந்தர் முன்வைத்தாலும் ஆச்சரியப்படுவதற்கில்லை. இந்தியப் பேரரசின் திரைமறைவு அனுசரணையுடன் மகிந்தர் முன்னெடுக்கும் இந்த நாடகத்தில், ஏற்கனவே அவரது இரண்டு கண்களாக விளங்கும் டக்ளஸ் தேவானந்தா, கருணா போன்றோருக்கு மேலதிகமாக, தனது நெற்றிக்கண்ணாக கே.பி என்றழைக்கப்படும் செல்வராசா பத்மநாதனையும் மகிந்தர் இணைத்துள்ளார். இதேபோன்று, ஏறத்தாள மூன்று தசாப்தங்களாக இந்தியாவில் அஞ்ஞாதவாசம் புரிந்த செல்வநாயகம் சந்திரகாசன், இரண்டு தசாப்தங்களாக ஒரிஸ்ஸாவில் ஒளிந்து வாழ்ந்த வரதராஜப் பெருமாள் போன்றோர், இந்தியாவின் நிகழ்ச்சித்திட்டத்திற்கு அமைய தற்பொழுது நாடுதிரும்பி மகிந்தரின் அரசியல் நாடகத்தில் இணைந்து கொண்டுள்ளனர்.
ஒருபுறம் தனது தாளத்திற்கு ஆடும் ‘தமிழ்த் தேசிய’ மூலாம்பூசப்பட்ட கைப்பொம்மையாக தமிழ்த் தேசியக் கூட்டமைப்பை மாற்றியமைத்திருக்கும் இந்தியா, மறுபுறம் அதனை சமநிலைப்படுத்தும் வகையில் தமிழ் அரசியல் கட்சிகள் பேரவை என்ற அமைப்பை தற்பொழுது நிறுவியுள்ளது. சிறீலங்கா துணைப்படைக் குழுக்களான ஈ.பி.டி.பி, புளொட், பிள்ளையான் குழு போன்ற ஆயுதக் குழுக்களும், ஆனந்த சங்கரியின் தமிழர் விடுதலைக் கூட்டணி, மனோ கணேசனின் சனநாயக மக்கள் முன்னணி, சிவாஜிலிங்கம்-சிறீகாந்த தலைமையிலான தமிழ் தேசிய விடுதலைக் கூட்டமைப்பு போன்ற கட்சிகளும், செல்வநாயகம் சந்திரகாசனின் அணியினரும் இந்தப் பேரவையில் அங்கம் வகிக்கின்றனர்.
இதில் கே.பி, கருணா போன்றோரை இணைத்துக் கொள்வதற்கு டக்ளஸ் தேவானந்தா முற்பட்ட பொழுதும், சித்தார்த்தன், ஆனந்தசங்கரி, மனோ கணேசன் போன்றோரின் ஆட்சேபனை காரணமாக இந்த முயற்சி கிடப்பில் போடப்பட்டிருப்பதாக தெரிவிக்கப்படுகின்றது. இதேநேரத்தில் தம்மிடம் சரணடைந்து தமது எதிர்ப்புரட்சி நடவடிக்கைகளுக்கு ஒத்துழைப்பு வழங்கி வரும் தமிழீழ விடுதலைப் புலிகளின் முன்னாள் உறுப்பினர்களைக் கொண்ட ஆயுதக் குழு ஒன்றை கே.பி தலைமையில் உருவாக்கி, அதனை அரசியல் கட்சியாக பதிவு செய்வதற்கான நடவடிக்கைகளில் மகிந்தர் ஈடுபடுவது தொடர்பான தகவல்கள் தற்பொழுது அரசல்புரசலாகக் கசியத் தொடங்கியுள்ளன.
ஏற்கனவே புலம்பெயர்வாழ் தமிழீழ மக்களிடையே குழப்பத்தை ஏற்படுத்தி அவர்களின் உளவுறுதியை சிதறடிக்கும் நாசகார பரப்புரை நடவடிக்கைகளில் கடந்த ஓராண்டாக கே.பி குழுவினர் ஈடுபட்டு வரும் நிலையில், மீண்டும் தமிழீழ தாயகத்தில் ஆயுதப் போராட்டம் தலைதூக்குவதை தடுத்து நிறுத்துவதற்கான யுக்தியாக, தற்பொழுது வடதமிழீழப் பகுதிகளில் கே.பியின் கட்டுப்பாட்டின் கீழ் இயங்கக்கூடிய ஆயுதக் குழுவை களமிறக்குவதற்கு மகிந்தர் தயாராகுவதாக தெரிவிக்கப்படுகின்றது. கோத்தபாய ராஜபக்ச, பசில் ராஜபக்ச ஆகியோரின் ஏற்பாட்டில் இது தொடர்பாக கடந்த சில நாட்களுக்கு முன்னர் டக்ளஸ் தேவானந்தா, தர்மலிங்கம் சித்தார்த்தன், கே.பி ஆகியோருக்கு இடையில் பேச்சுவார்த்தை ஒன்றும் இடம்பெற்றிருப்பதாக தகவல்கள் வெளியாகியிருக்கின்றன.
இதனை முழுமனதாக டக்ளஸ் தேவானந்தா ஏற்றுக் கொண்டுள்ள பொழுதும், இதனை ஏற்றுக் கொள்வதற்கு சித்தார்த்தன் தயக்கம் காட்டியிருப்பதாக தெரிவிக்கப்படுகின்றது.
ஏற்கனவே தென்தமிழீழத்தை கருணா, பிள்ளையான் ஆகிய இரு துணைப்படைக் குழுக்களிடம் ‘குறுநிலங்களாகப்’ பங்குபோட்டு, தனது எதிர்ப்புரட்சி நடவடிக்கைகளை முன்னெடுத்து வரும் சிங்களம், அதே பாணியில் வடதமிழீழத்தை ஈ.பி.டி.பி, புளொட் ஆகிய இரு குழுக்களிடமும் பங்குபோட்டுள்ளது. இதில் வன்னிப் பெருநிலப்பரப்பின் தென்புலப் பகுதிகள் புளொட் குழுவின் ‘குறுநிலமாகவும்’, யாழ்ப்பாணக் குடாநாடு ஈ.பி.டி.பி குழுவின் ‘குறுநிலமாகவும்’ மாற்றப்பட்டுள்ளது.
ஒருபுறம் தமிழீழ தாயகப் பகுதிகள் தோறும் சிங்களக் குடியேற்றங்களை நிறுவித் தனது ஆயுதப் படைகளைப் பரவவிட்டிருக்கும் சிங்களம், மறுபுறம் தமிழீழ மக்களிடையே சமூக விரோத செயல்களையும், தமிழ்த் தேசவிரோத சிந்தனைகளையும் தூண்டிவிடும் நோக்கத்துடன் தமிழீழ தாயகப் பகுதிகளை ஆயுதக் குழுக்களின் குறுநிலங்களாகத் துண்டாடும் நடவடிக்கைகளில் ஈடுபட்டு வருகின்றது. இதில் குறிப்பாக வன்னிப் பெருநிலப்பரப்பின் வடபகுதிகளையும், யாழ்ப்பாணக் குடாநாட்டையும் கூட்டாக குறுநிலங்களாக குத்தகைக்கு எடுப்பதற்கான இணக்கப்பாடு, டக்ளஸ் தேவானந்தாவிற்கும், கே.பியிற்கும் இடையில் ஏற்பட்டிருப்பதாக தெரிவிக்கப்படுகின்றது.
முள்ளிவாய்க்கால் போரின் பொழுது புதுமாத்தளன் பகுதியில் இருந்து தப்பியோடி சிங்களப் படைகளிடம் சரணடைந்த தயா மாஸ்ரர் போன்றோர் இதில் முக்கியமான பாத்திரத்தை வகிப்பதாக கூறப்படுகின்றது. தற்பொழுது வடமராட்சியில் சுதந்திரமாக நடமாடும் தயா மாஸ்ரர், ஈ.பி.டி.பியின் பாதுகாப்புடன் கட்சிப் பரப்புரைகளில் ஈடுபடுவதாக அங்கிருந்து கிடைக்கும் தகவல்கள் தெரிவிக்கின்றன. இதேபோன்று கே.பி – டக்ளஸ் அணியின் அனுசரணையுடன் தடுப்பு முகாம்களில் இருந்து விடுவிக்கப்பட்ட தமிழீழ விடுதலைப் புலிகளின் முன்னாள் ஊடகப் பணியாளர்கள் சிலரும், மூத்த ஊடகவியலாளர்களும் தற்பொழுது கே.பி குழுவிற்கான பத்திரிகை ஒன்றைத் தொடங்குவதற்கான முயற்சிகளில் ஈடுபட்டிருப்பதாக தகவல்கள் வெளியாகியுள்ளன.
கடந்த 1980களின் நடுப்பகுதியில் தமிழீழத்திலும், பின்னர் இந்தியாவிலும் தமிழீழ விடுதலைப் புலிகளின் மூத்த உறுப்பினராக செயற்பட்ட கே.பி, டக்ளஸ் தேவானந்தாவுடன் நெருங்கிய தொடர்புகளைப் பேணிவந்திருந்தார். சமூக விரோத நடவடிக்கைகளில் ஈ.பி.ஆர்.எல்.எவ் குழு ஈடுபட்ட பொழுது, அதற்கு எதிராக நடவடிக்கை எடுப்பதற்கு தமிழீழ விடுதலைப் புலிகளின் மூத்த தளபதிகள் முற்பட்ட பொழுது, தனது நண்பரும், அப்பொழுது ஈ.பி.ஆர்.எல்.எவ் குழுவின் இராணுவத் தளபதியாகவும் விளங்கிய டக்ளஸ் தேவானந்தாவைக் காப்பாற்றுவதற்காக, அதனை கே.பி கடுமையாக ஆட்சேபித்திருந்தார்.
முள்ளிவாய்க்கால் போருக்குப் பின்னரான இரண்டு வார காலப்பகுதியில், தனது பால்ய நண்பர்கள் சிலருடன் நேரடியாகவும், தொலைபேசியிலும் கலந்துரையாடிய கே.பி, இனிப் புதிய பாதையில் தான் பயணிக்கப் போவதாகவும், மாவீரர் நாள் என்பது தமிழீழ விடுதலைப் புலிகளின் போராளிகளுக்கும், தமிழீழ விடுதலைப் புலிகளின் நேச அமைப்புக்களைச் சேர்ந்த போராளிகளுக்குமான நினைவு நாளாக மட்டுமன்றி, சகல இயக்கங்களையும் சேர்ந்த ‘தோழர்களுக்கான’ நினைவு நாளாக மாற்றப்பட வேண்டும் என்று வலியுறுத்தியதோடு, மாவீரர் நாளை நவம்பர் 27இல் இருந்து வேறொரு நாளிற்கு மாற்றியமைப்பது தொடர்பான யோசனையையும் முன்மொழிந்திருந்தார்.
இதேபோன்று, முள்ளிவாய்க்கால் போரின் இறுதிக்கட்டங்களிலும், அதன் பின்னரும் டக்ளஸ் தேவானந்தாவுடன் நெருங்கிய தொலைபேசித் தொடர்பாடலில் கே.பி இருந்ததாக தெரிவிக்கப்படுகின்றது. இவ்வாறாக, ஒருபுறம் ‘இன்ஸ்ரன்ற் நூடில்ஸ்;’ பற்றிப் பேசிக் கொண்டு அரசியல் தீர்வு நாடகத்தை அரங்கேற்றியவாறு, மறுபுறம் தமிழீழ தாயகத்தை ஆயுதக் குழுக்களின் குறுநிலங்களாகத் துண்டாடியும், புலம்பெயர்வாழ் தமிழீழ மக்களிடையே குழப்பத்தை ஏற்படுத்தியும், தமிழீழ தேசிய விடுதலைப் போராட்டத்தை நிரந்தரமாக சிதைக்கும் இலக்குடன் தனது எதிர்ப்புரட்சி நடவடிக்கைகளுக்கான காய்நகர்த்தல்களை மகிந்தர் முன்னெடுத்து வருகின்றார்.
இவற்றின் நடுநாயகமாக விளங்கும் கே.பியை நியாயப்படுத்துவதற்கு அவரது குழுவினரும், அவர்களின் ஊடகங்களும் முற்படுவது இதில் நகைப்புக்கிடமானது. ஈழத்தமிழினத்தை ஏமாந்த சோணகிரிகளாக நினைத்து, புலம்பெயர் தேசங்களில் கே.பியால் இயக்கப்படும் இந்தக் ‘காகிதப்புலிகள்’ நிகழ்த்தும் அறிக்கைப் போர் இதிலும் எள்ளிநகையாடலுக்கு உரியது.
நன்றி:ஈழமுரசு
Thursday, December 16, 2010
Sunday, December 5, 2010
New Evidence of Sri Lankan Army War Crimes Against Tamils by Channel-4 Shock the World
The horrifying nature of these war crimes that committed by Sri Lankan armed forces against Tamils during the last phase of Wanni war in 2009, I’m sure anyone would not dare to watch it, begs the world once more for the important of war crime tribunal to be called against those responsible war criminals- Mahinda Rajapaksa and his brothers.
If I reveal in what nature one of the women victims, Isaipiriya, in Channel-4 video, got caught with Sri Lankan armed forces that would give more room to understand the gory details of the evil acts that committed by Sri Lankan armed forces. Before that I give you a quick snapshot of her profile.
When many crossed into government controlled area on May 17, 2009, people asked Isaipriya to join with them. And she told them, while changing into “panjabi” dress, that she will join them shortly with her husband, Sriram. Until this point, she never fought at battle field. And it all indicates that she and many other Tamil girls were raped and killed by Srilankan armed forces in cruel ways, along with other killed Tamil men in this Channel-4 video clip. I’m afraid that her husband’s body may have been in this clip given both reached the army together. In this nature this kind of war crime evidence coming out is highly unlikely. And that means 100s of Tamil women may have been victims of such Sri Lankan army war crimes.
See this link for horrific images of these war crimes.
---- stay tuned, more info shortly -----
If I reveal in what nature one of the women victims, Isaipiriya, in Channel-4 video, got caught with Sri Lankan armed forces that would give more room to understand the gory details of the evil acts that committed by Sri Lankan armed forces. Before that I give you a quick snapshot of her profile.
When many crossed into government controlled area on May 17, 2009, people asked Isaipriya to join with them. And she told them, while changing into “panjabi” dress, that she will join them shortly with her husband, Sriram. Until this point, she never fought at battle field. And it all indicates that she and many other Tamil girls were raped and killed by Srilankan armed forces in cruel ways, along with other killed Tamil men in this Channel-4 video clip. I’m afraid that her husband’s body may have been in this clip given both reached the army together. In this nature this kind of war crime evidence coming out is highly unlikely. And that means 100s of Tamil women may have been victims of such Sri Lankan army war crimes.
See this link for horrific images of these war crimes.
---- stay tuned, more info shortly -----
Friday, December 3, 2010
Horror videos from Lanka - India Times Editorial
The airing of videos by a television channel in the United Kingdom, which show members of the Sri Lankan armed forces executing Tamils , shown to be stripped and shot, during the last phase of the offensive against the LTTE, is threatening to rock President Rajapaksa’s visit to the UK.
While it is reported that the videos are not verified, and as the Sri Lankan government claims the video is merely an elongated version of the clip shown last year (and which Colombo called unsubstantiated), the videos posit the need to have an institutionalised arrangement that not only looks into alleged human rights violations by the Lankan Army, but also aids and abets the wider devolution of powers that must be part of the post-offensive measures in Sri Lanka.
Indeed, there is much worry about on that count. The defeat of the LTTE must not be translated into a defeat of the legitimate political aspirations and needs of the Tamil minority.
It has been globally acknowledged that a process of political devolution, which ensures a greater role for minorities, is the only long-term solution to the ethnic strife that ravaged the island-nation for years.
On his part, President Rajapaksa has recognised the need to share power. But the hard reality is that precious little by way of progress towards that goal can be evinced.
On the contrary, there is a growing feeling that there is a concerted attempt to delay and stymie the process of that devolution and political reform. The problem also is that, riding on the success of the army and a certain Sinhala consolidation — which has definite traces of chauvinism — the Rajapaksa regime, comprising a surprisingly large number of Rajapaksas, is tightening its stranglehold on power and the institutions of the state.
This has also meant a certain amount of authoritarianism against political opponents and critics, including sections of the media and individual journalists. The videos may yet be unverified, but there is no way for Colombo to shake off allegations of wrongdoing other than setting up mechanisms to both probe rights violations and work on political devolution.
While it is reported that the videos are not verified, and as the Sri Lankan government claims the video is merely an elongated version of the clip shown last year (and which Colombo called unsubstantiated), the videos posit the need to have an institutionalised arrangement that not only looks into alleged human rights violations by the Lankan Army, but also aids and abets the wider devolution of powers that must be part of the post-offensive measures in Sri Lanka.
Indeed, there is much worry about on that count. The defeat of the LTTE must not be translated into a defeat of the legitimate political aspirations and needs of the Tamil minority.
It has been globally acknowledged that a process of political devolution, which ensures a greater role for minorities, is the only long-term solution to the ethnic strife that ravaged the island-nation for years.
On his part, President Rajapaksa has recognised the need to share power. But the hard reality is that precious little by way of progress towards that goal can be evinced.
On the contrary, there is a growing feeling that there is a concerted attempt to delay and stymie the process of that devolution and political reform. The problem also is that, riding on the success of the army and a certain Sinhala consolidation — which has definite traces of chauvinism — the Rajapaksa regime, comprising a surprisingly large number of Rajapaksas, is tightening its stranglehold on power and the institutions of the state.
This has also meant a certain amount of authoritarianism against political opponents and critics, including sections of the media and individual journalists. The videos may yet be unverified, but there is no way for Colombo to shake off allegations of wrongdoing other than setting up mechanisms to both probe rights violations and work on political devolution.
Monday, November 22, 2010
DbsJeyaraj and his Changing Stripes!
One can ponder why a person like DbsJeyaraj often overlooked among Tamil journalists considering their work involved in the Tamil or English media channels, by pro-Tamils. Many who were familiar with Dbsjeyaraj in the past know his involvement of RAW, India’s intelligence agency, during the IPKF days of Jaffna in late 80s, while he worked as a reporter for Hindu newspaper, which was nothing but a mouth-piece of Indian government. And it is all well-documented. What we do not know how far he kept his contacts with the RAW since then.
With the kind of background he has had in the past, his work often comes under scrutiny, especially from the pro-Tamils’ point of view. Because of the public scrutiny, he had trimmed down his criticism of LTTE or hardly any criticism at all, for the last decade in which time LTTE was a formidable force in SL. Ever since the military debacle of LTTE in May 2009, things had changed dramatically- so had Dbsjeyaraj’s stripes. Using the current circumstances- many people, even the pro-Tamils, are quiet sceptical of LTTE’s decisions during the peak of Wanni war in 2009 - DbsJeyaraj gradually paced his attacks against both LTTE and Tamil interests. What I cannot understand why a person like Jeyaraj who portrays himself a warrior in his articles has selective amnesia- undermining the LTTE only - while he never talks about the federal solutions, nor Tamil grievances. And the low point of his attacks comes in his latest article which stamps “Tamilnet” as a LTTE channel. So much as Tamils valued the Jaffna library, which was burned by Sinhala mobs in 1983 riots, Tamils should not lose Tamilnet that is a vital resource for them, and that should be protected at any cost against all the external powers. I do believe that most of his writings are anything but vague. And it is time for him to change his mentality of “if sabotaging LTTE endangers the Tamil interests, so be it”.
With the kind of background he has had in the past, his work often comes under scrutiny, especially from the pro-Tamils’ point of view. Because of the public scrutiny, he had trimmed down his criticism of LTTE or hardly any criticism at all, for the last decade in which time LTTE was a formidable force in SL. Ever since the military debacle of LTTE in May 2009, things had changed dramatically- so had Dbsjeyaraj’s stripes. Using the current circumstances- many people, even the pro-Tamils, are quiet sceptical of LTTE’s decisions during the peak of Wanni war in 2009 - DbsJeyaraj gradually paced his attacks against both LTTE and Tamil interests. What I cannot understand why a person like Jeyaraj who portrays himself a warrior in his articles has selective amnesia- undermining the LTTE only - while he never talks about the federal solutions, nor Tamil grievances. And the low point of his attacks comes in his latest article which stamps “Tamilnet” as a LTTE channel. So much as Tamils valued the Jaffna library, which was burned by Sinhala mobs in 1983 riots, Tamils should not lose Tamilnet that is a vital resource for them, and that should be protected at any cost against all the external powers. I do believe that most of his writings are anything but vague. And it is time for him to change his mentality of “if sabotaging LTTE endangers the Tamil interests, so be it”.
Sunday, May 30, 2010
What is Project Beacon? - a Lesson for Ages!
It is a must read an article that was written by Dr. C.P.Thiagarajah on Nov 1, 2007. If Dr. T can know about these things - Project Beacon - in 3 years advance, why not LTTE hierarchy? It shows that Co-Chairs played the game to perfection with Tamils. For full article, please go to the below Link
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World Democracies Wake up: Stop Sri-Lankan Terror
By: Dr C P Thiagarajah
Courtesy: TamilCanadian - November 1, 2007
There is consensus in world opinion for a political solution based on the UN accepted ‘traditional homelands of Ethnic minorities principle’. However the co-chairs of the aid giving nations appeared to swim against the tide. If as reported in the Tamil Editors.com the involvement of the co-chairs in the 'Three Year Plan' of GSL military solution were true it would be the biggest fraud of the IC. It would be a stab in the back for the Tamil polity. The co-chairs were killing the foetus of Tamil Eelam in the womb. It was alleged that this plan code-named ‘Project Beacon’ was first presented to the Co-Chairs to the peace process in Sri Lanka, namely United States; European Union; Norway and Japan, during December 2005 in the Norwegian capital Oslo. The initiative was to have started on May Day 2006. According to the proposal, the project would be completed by May Day 2009, and an additional two years would be required thereafter for 'mopping up' operations.
Project Beacon divided LTTE administered areas as at December 2005 into three coastal sections. The basic plan was to 'softening up' of sections by means of air raids and multi-barrel rockets; diversionary 'mini-offensives' in parts of other sections, and virtual siege of the area concerned for up to twelve months if necessary.
Project Beacon warned the co-chairs that there may be 'significant' civilian casualties during 'softening up' activities and 'apparent humanitarian crises' during sieges. Consequently, it was feared that the Tamil Diaspora would take to the streets of their host nations highlighting Tamil civilian casualty and genocide. The plan provided the co-chairs with the names of key Tamil activists who may lead such mass demonstrations in some 12 countries. The plan requested that these individuals be arrested on 'charges of terrorism', thus 'giving a clear warning to the Diaspora on the consequences of demonstrating against the government of Sri Lanka'.
Sri Lankan begged that it did not have the financial capacity to procure all the arms and ammunition necessary. It requested that the Co-Chairs to indirectly play a part. They take more responsibility for civil services, in particular in southern Sri Lanka, to ensure that more government money could be siphoned off to the military activity with very little impact on the day to day lives of the Sinhala public.
The Co-Chairs unanimously agreed that the Three Year Plan was viable and 'militaristically sound'. The Co-Chairs agreed to abide by the two pre-conditions and review the plan as per necessary some three to four months following each May Day. Political observers might put two and two together and conclude that the IC’s silence over human suffering deaths and genocide in GSL Eastern war might be due to help the GSL in the project beacon.
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World Democracies Wake up: Stop Sri-Lankan Terror
By: Dr C P Thiagarajah
Courtesy: TamilCanadian - November 1, 2007
There is consensus in world opinion for a political solution based on the UN accepted ‘traditional homelands of Ethnic minorities principle’. However the co-chairs of the aid giving nations appeared to swim against the tide. If as reported in the Tamil Editors.com the involvement of the co-chairs in the 'Three Year Plan' of GSL military solution were true it would be the biggest fraud of the IC. It would be a stab in the back for the Tamil polity. The co-chairs were killing the foetus of Tamil Eelam in the womb. It was alleged that this plan code-named ‘Project Beacon’ was first presented to the Co-Chairs to the peace process in Sri Lanka, namely United States; European Union; Norway and Japan, during December 2005 in the Norwegian capital Oslo. The initiative was to have started on May Day 2006. According to the proposal, the project would be completed by May Day 2009, and an additional two years would be required thereafter for 'mopping up' operations.
Project Beacon divided LTTE administered areas as at December 2005 into three coastal sections. The basic plan was to 'softening up' of sections by means of air raids and multi-barrel rockets; diversionary 'mini-offensives' in parts of other sections, and virtual siege of the area concerned for up to twelve months if necessary.
Project Beacon warned the co-chairs that there may be 'significant' civilian casualties during 'softening up' activities and 'apparent humanitarian crises' during sieges. Consequently, it was feared that the Tamil Diaspora would take to the streets of their host nations highlighting Tamil civilian casualty and genocide. The plan provided the co-chairs with the names of key Tamil activists who may lead such mass demonstrations in some 12 countries. The plan requested that these individuals be arrested on 'charges of terrorism', thus 'giving a clear warning to the Diaspora on the consequences of demonstrating against the government of Sri Lanka'.
Sri Lankan begged that it did not have the financial capacity to procure all the arms and ammunition necessary. It requested that the Co-Chairs to indirectly play a part. They take more responsibility for civil services, in particular in southern Sri Lanka, to ensure that more government money could be siphoned off to the military activity with very little impact on the day to day lives of the Sinhala public.
The Co-Chairs unanimously agreed that the Three Year Plan was viable and 'militaristically sound'. The Co-Chairs agreed to abide by the two pre-conditions and review the plan as per necessary some three to four months following each May Day. Political observers might put two and two together and conclude that the IC’s silence over human suffering deaths and genocide in GSL Eastern war might be due to help the GSL in the project beacon.
Sunday, May 9, 2010
This period Tamils would like to forget, can they?
What was in this girl's mind that time?
Everything was denied for this little kid from parents to food. Unthinkable!!!
Family had become dysfunctional, so six years old kid forced to take care of her little sister in these horrendous circumstances?
Just no words to describe this!
These pictures can tell 1000s of the stories. Why I posted these images is just purely getting the word out that many families need your real help. It's not the time for arguing whose fault and what. And one thing is for sure that ultimate justice maybe delayed but won't be denied down the stretch.
Sunday, April 11, 2010
Sri Lankan tells of asylum death voyage
TWELVE of Pararasasingam Paheertharan's fellow travellers drowned, including brothers aged 13 and 14 employed as crew, after people-smugglers herded him and 38 other Sri Lankan Tamils on to an ill-equipped fishing boat for an ambitious journey across the Indian Ocean.
In the first interview about last November's tragedy, soon to be examined by the West Australian coroner, Paheer said the people-smugglers promised passengers they would be transferred to a bigger vessel after two or three days sailing from Negombo, on Sri Lanka's west coast.
"After 10 days travelling we realised we were deceived by them," he wrote in an email after The Australian visited him in detention on Christmas Island last week.
"After 27 days travelling, our vessel had a hole -- we tried to remove the ocean water but we couldn't control it," Paheer wrote.
He emptied two oil canisters, tied them together and hung on in big waves after the boat sank 350 nautical miles northwest of the Cocos (Keeling) Islands on November 1.
Most survivors were taken aboard the LNG Pioneer, while others were rescued by the Taiwanese fishing vessel Kuamg, which was first to respond.
The former student union activist told how he was rescued at 3am on his 32nd birthday after eight hours in the water.
All 27 survivors, including a 15-year-old boy, remain in detention on Christmas Island.
Paheer and four other survivors await a decision on their claims for asylum, while seven have received initial rejections and can ask for an independent review.
"We never forget it, every day at night we see our people, who are shouting `please help us' from the ocean," he said.
Paheer is among those asylum-seekers who typically pay up to $US10,000 ($10,700) to try to get to Australia from Indonesia or, in his case, from Sri Lanka.
One Customs officer told The Australian he was astonished that so many dilapidated asylum boats made it as far as they did.
The dangers of the journey from Negombo to Christmas Island did not bother the people-smugglers who took Paheer's money, and for Paheer it seemed worth the risk.
Paheer recalled how, as a passenger who spoke good English, it was his job to radio for help at about 1am on November 1, when it became obvious the boat was in trouble.
Nine hours later, a fishing boat appeared. "We waved towards it, it came near us, we explained our situation, then the boat captain said `we informed the Australian government, they sent a ship'," Paheer said.
"Around 6.30pm we saw a ship coming towards us -- unfortunately before the ship came near us our vessel sank.
"I saw that some of us were swimming towards the ship, others shouting here and there, in front of me I saw three people sink into the ocean."
One body was recovered. Those who died included the boat's captain and his young nephews, brought to work as crew. A rescued 19-year-old arrived at Christmas Island with the other survivors last November believing his father had been rescued by another boat.
It was a police officer's duty a few days later to tell the young man his father was not coming, and was believed drowned.
In the first interview about last November's tragedy, soon to be examined by the West Australian coroner, Paheer said the people-smugglers promised passengers they would be transferred to a bigger vessel after two or three days sailing from Negombo, on Sri Lanka's west coast.
"After 10 days travelling we realised we were deceived by them," he wrote in an email after The Australian visited him in detention on Christmas Island last week.
"After 27 days travelling, our vessel had a hole -- we tried to remove the ocean water but we couldn't control it," Paheer wrote.
He emptied two oil canisters, tied them together and hung on in big waves after the boat sank 350 nautical miles northwest of the Cocos (Keeling) Islands on November 1.
Most survivors were taken aboard the LNG Pioneer, while others were rescued by the Taiwanese fishing vessel Kuamg, which was first to respond.
The former student union activist told how he was rescued at 3am on his 32nd birthday after eight hours in the water.
All 27 survivors, including a 15-year-old boy, remain in detention on Christmas Island.
Paheer and four other survivors await a decision on their claims for asylum, while seven have received initial rejections and can ask for an independent review.
"We never forget it, every day at night we see our people, who are shouting `please help us' from the ocean," he said.
Paheer is among those asylum-seekers who typically pay up to $US10,000 ($10,700) to try to get to Australia from Indonesia or, in his case, from Sri Lanka.
One Customs officer told The Australian he was astonished that so many dilapidated asylum boats made it as far as they did.
The dangers of the journey from Negombo to Christmas Island did not bother the people-smugglers who took Paheer's money, and for Paheer it seemed worth the risk.
Paheer recalled how, as a passenger who spoke good English, it was his job to radio for help at about 1am on November 1, when it became obvious the boat was in trouble.
Nine hours later, a fishing boat appeared. "We waved towards it, it came near us, we explained our situation, then the boat captain said `we informed the Australian government, they sent a ship'," Paheer said.
"Around 6.30pm we saw a ship coming towards us -- unfortunately before the ship came near us our vessel sank.
"I saw that some of us were swimming towards the ship, others shouting here and there, in front of me I saw three people sink into the ocean."
One body was recovered. Those who died included the boat's captain and his young nephews, brought to work as crew. A rescued 19-year-old arrived at Christmas Island with the other survivors last November believing his father had been rescued by another boat.
It was a police officer's duty a few days later to tell the young man his father was not coming, and was believed drowned.
Thursday, April 1, 2010
Sri Lanka's traitorous politics
By Savitri Hensman -guardian.co.uk
"A murderer is less to fear. The traitor is the plague," declared Roman statesman and orator Marcus Tullius Cicero over 2,000 years ago. Accusations of treachery still sting. But in Sri Lanka in recent decades, the term "traitor" has been flung about with wild abandon, raising questions about what loyalty people might owe to a nation and what this might mean in practice.
Last year, a civil war ended with the crushing defeat of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), but this has not brought national harmony and reconciliation. Instead, an authoritarian culture has taken hold in which disagreement with the powers that be is labelled as disloyalty to the nation. The general who led the successful military campaign against the LTTE, Sarath Fonseka, became highly critical of the current president, Mahinda Rajapakse, who with his brother Gotabhaya, the defence secretary, also claimed credit for the victory.
Fonseka unsuccessfully stood as an opposition candidate in this year's presidential elections. Some government supporters labelled him as a traitor, and he was arrested. In the runup to parliamentary elections, he is facing trial by a military court.
A political culture built on mistrust of diversity and disagreement took hold 30 years ago. The government tried to tap into fear of and rivalry towards Tamils among the Sinhalese majority. In the world view promoted by industries minister, Cyril Mathew, in his 1979 work Diabolical Conspiracy, those not Sinhalese Buddhists were particularly prone to be treacherous. In the days of British rule "a very special partiality was shown to the minorities and they were given valuable and privileged opportunities. In this crafty way the British rulers were able to obtain all the information regarding the efforts of the majority people for a united stand, from the beholden and grateful minority communities". This was a gross distortion of history, but helped to fuel suspicion and supposedly justify abuses of power. Harsh repression alienated many Tamil youth, swelling the ranks of an initially tiny militant movement fighting for a separate state.
It was not just ethnic and religious minorities who came under attack: anyone who questioned the regime risked arrest or death. After unleashing violence against Tamil civilians in 1983, the government banned much of the opposition including the main Tamil party and Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP), supported largely by discontented Sinhalese youth, supposedly for undermining national security.
This fuelled support for the Tamil nationalist movement as well as a JVP rebellion. Soon the JVP, too, was labelling those its leaders disapproved of as traitors and violently targeting them The LTTE also set out to stamp its authority over the Tamil people, detaining or killing "traitors" – rival Tamil nationalists, moderates and anyone suspected of being critical of its policies, which included terrorist attacks, ethnic cleansing and child conscription.
Meanwhile, human rights activists such as idealistic young opposition MP Rajapakse risked their safety to publicise the regime's injustices internationally and try to restore a less violent and divisive political culture.
Now in power, it is ironic that Rajapakse is promoting the kind of repression he once opposed so strongly, further dividing rather than reconciling Sri Lankans. Critics of the government are labelled as traitors, human rights and democracy undermined.
In any country where quasi-religious adoration of "the nation" takes hold, there is a risk this may tip over into unquestioning obedience to its leaders. Ironically, this may harm rather than protect its people and what is best in its heritage. The kind of patriotism needed by Sri Lanka and other countries today is that described by human rights defender Clarence Darrow: "True patriotism hates injustice in its own land more than anywhere else."
"A murderer is less to fear. The traitor is the plague," declared Roman statesman and orator Marcus Tullius Cicero over 2,000 years ago. Accusations of treachery still sting. But in Sri Lanka in recent decades, the term "traitor" has been flung about with wild abandon, raising questions about what loyalty people might owe to a nation and what this might mean in practice.
Last year, a civil war ended with the crushing defeat of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), but this has not brought national harmony and reconciliation. Instead, an authoritarian culture has taken hold in which disagreement with the powers that be is labelled as disloyalty to the nation. The general who led the successful military campaign against the LTTE, Sarath Fonseka, became highly critical of the current president, Mahinda Rajapakse, who with his brother Gotabhaya, the defence secretary, also claimed credit for the victory.
Fonseka unsuccessfully stood as an opposition candidate in this year's presidential elections. Some government supporters labelled him as a traitor, and he was arrested. In the runup to parliamentary elections, he is facing trial by a military court.
A political culture built on mistrust of diversity and disagreement took hold 30 years ago. The government tried to tap into fear of and rivalry towards Tamils among the Sinhalese majority. In the world view promoted by industries minister, Cyril Mathew, in his 1979 work Diabolical Conspiracy, those not Sinhalese Buddhists were particularly prone to be treacherous. In the days of British rule "a very special partiality was shown to the minorities and they were given valuable and privileged opportunities. In this crafty way the British rulers were able to obtain all the information regarding the efforts of the majority people for a united stand, from the beholden and grateful minority communities". This was a gross distortion of history, but helped to fuel suspicion and supposedly justify abuses of power. Harsh repression alienated many Tamil youth, swelling the ranks of an initially tiny militant movement fighting for a separate state.
It was not just ethnic and religious minorities who came under attack: anyone who questioned the regime risked arrest or death. After unleashing violence against Tamil civilians in 1983, the government banned much of the opposition including the main Tamil party and Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP), supported largely by discontented Sinhalese youth, supposedly for undermining national security.
This fuelled support for the Tamil nationalist movement as well as a JVP rebellion. Soon the JVP, too, was labelling those its leaders disapproved of as traitors and violently targeting them The LTTE also set out to stamp its authority over the Tamil people, detaining or killing "traitors" – rival Tamil nationalists, moderates and anyone suspected of being critical of its policies, which included terrorist attacks, ethnic cleansing and child conscription.
Meanwhile, human rights activists such as idealistic young opposition MP Rajapakse risked their safety to publicise the regime's injustices internationally and try to restore a less violent and divisive political culture.
Now in power, it is ironic that Rajapakse is promoting the kind of repression he once opposed so strongly, further dividing rather than reconciling Sri Lankans. Critics of the government are labelled as traitors, human rights and democracy undermined.
In any country where quasi-religious adoration of "the nation" takes hold, there is a risk this may tip over into unquestioning obedience to its leaders. Ironically, this may harm rather than protect its people and what is best in its heritage. The kind of patriotism needed by Sri Lanka and other countries today is that described by human rights defender Clarence Darrow: "True patriotism hates injustice in its own land more than anywhere else."
Thursday, March 25, 2010
Boycott of Sri Lanka Products is Started to Bear Fruits
Suren Surendiran is a senior member of the British Tamils Forum and the official spokesperson for the Global Tamil Forum.
“Some governments try to dodge criticism by claiming that human rights are ‘western values’. But people all over the world prove them wrong by demanding and suffering for their human rights – be they imprisoned protesters in Iran, or murdered journalists in Russia, or civilians caught up in conflicts in Sri Lanka or Gaza. We must continue to support people who demand their human rights across the world.” – David Miliband, Foreign Secretary, Statement to mark International Human Rights Day, 10 December 2009 -
Sri Lanka’s president is pressing forward with parliamentary elections on April 8, 2010 despite allegations of electoral malpractice surrounding his own presidential election victory in January, the country facing economic crisis and growing international criticisms for the State’s callous disregard for human rights, general governance and lack of political will to resolve the 62 years long conflict.
The U.S. State Department, in its Annual Report on Human Rights for 2009, has been highly critical of the Sri Lankan government. It says the government or paramilitary groups close to it were involved in summary killings and disappearances and that lawyers and journalists were harassed and victimised. It says the war-affected parts of the country saw the greatest number of political disappearances, estimated to be in the hundreds.
Britain has also named Sri Lanka a “country of concern” in the latest Foreign and Commonwealth Office Human Rights Report 2009. “This reflects our concern about allegations of serious conflict violations, as well as the deteriorating status of the rule of law and freedom of expression…” – United Kingdom Foreign & Commonwealth Office Annual Report on Human Rights 2009
United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on March 8, 2010 expressed “concerns about the lack of progress on political reconciliation, the treatment of Internally Displaced Persons and the setting up of an accountability process in Sri Lanka”.
The prospect of a panel of experts being appointed to advise the Secretary General on accountability issues relating to Sri Lanka was not welcomed by President Rajapakse who said it was “uncalled for and unwarranted”.
Permanent Representative of the United Kingdom to the United Nations Sir Mark Lyall Grant has said that UK disagrees with the argument put forward by the Non-Aligned Movement and that “[Secretary General] does have a mandate through the U.N. charter to uphold human rights and humanitarian international law, and therefore he is entirely within his rights to set up a group of experts who will advise him on taking forward his concerns about some of the allegations that have been made in the recent months in Sri Lanka”. – Colombopage, 20 Mar 2010
“Sri Lanka’s government has sought an additional 39.6 billion rupees ($345 million) to fund its military, a 20 percent increase from the original defence budget despite the end of a 25-year war against Tamil Tigers in May.
“Sri Lanka has a public sector of around 6 percent of the population. Maintaining loss-making public institutions without reforms, high and unproductive subsidies, a government with over 110 Ministers and expenditures that make more political than economic sense are other factors in the deficit.” – Reuters, March 4, 2010
It is no surprise that the International Monetary Fund has delayed the third tranche of a $2.6 billion loan after Sri Lanka failed to achieve its budget deficit target to reduce deficit to 7 percent of GDP.
An IMF mission to Sri Lanka in February concluded that they were unable to “complete” its review until the pending parliamentary elections in April. It is however important to note that Sri Lanka’s last two IMF programs ended with missions that were unable to “complete reviews”, effectively staying suspended. – Lanka Business Online, 25 Feb 2010.
Despite Sri Lanka’s claims that it can overcome suspension of IMF loan, the country is already fearing the affects of the temporary suspension of General Scheme of Preference (GSP+) trade concessions due to come into effect in August 2010.
“Western countries, and groups in the Tamil Diaspora, are pressing for some kind of accountability for thousands of civilian deaths at the end of the war. Sri Lanka is adamant its soldiers did not violate international law, and that for now has cost it enhanced European Union trade preferences known as GSP+ worth $136 million a year.” – Reuters, 2 Mar 2010
Some of these above quotes and links stand as evidence that credible independent media organisations, institutions and foreign governments have highlighted facts, which I have used to illustrate my argument that the Rajapaksha regime is driving Sri Lanka into economic ruin for the sake of power at the cost of humanity itself.
It is hoped that all donors including China, Japan and India will follow precedence set by Britain and the U.S. in persuading Sri Lanka to address its human rights record.
It is against this backdrop and as part of its campaign to create worldwide awareness of the real human rights situation in Sri Lanka, the Global Tamil Forum has called for a worldwide boycott of Sri Lankan products and services – www.boycottsrilanka.com
Saturday, February 20, 2010
Sri Lanka is Quickly Becoming the Congo of South Asia for Its Continuous Subject of Rapes of Tamil Women and Girls
Never ending stories of rapes of Tamil women and girls at the hands of Srilankan armed forces and its paramilitaries is norm of daily lives of Tamils who what they face in Sri Lanka nowadays. What is so alarming is that these criminals were never brought into justice. For example, Krishanthy case, in which the victim - Tamil teenage girl -was gang raped and later killed by two dozen Srilankan military men in the outposts of their camp in Ariyalai, Jaffna, in early 90s when she was on the way to her school. And another story of young Tamil woman worker of TRO ( Tamil relief Organization ) how she was gang raped and killed by about 20 paramilitary members of TMVP ( Karuna led faction of LTTE) for her suspected affiliation with LTTE in 2006. Because of the culture of impunity in Sri Lanka it encourages the Srilankan armed personnel to inflict more crimes against Tamil women and girls whenever they get chances. In the past, Srilankan armed forces often used to see every Tamil woman as their sexual pry or LTTE cadre given how the civil war played out in last 3 decades . Now LTTE is not in the picture, and it makes things easier for paramilitaries and Srilankan armed forces to go after any Tamil woman or girl whom they like. Raping of Tamil women and girls by Srilankan armed forces has become widespread in Sri Lanka but many stories never hit the mass media due to the backlashes the families of victims expect both from the culprits and the Tamil community itself.
One can argue that what are the benefits in trying to prevent the future rapes if the victims can go through anguish, isolation and the stigma by revealing their horrifying events to the public. Well, how many of you knew that more than 4,000 Tamil women were raped by IPKF (Indian Peace Keeping Force) and its paramilitaries ( ENDLF, PLOTE, etc) during their stay of 3-year period from 1987 to 1989? Even if the local media knew about those incidents, they failed to bring into public because of the retaliation from the culprits of these rapes. People familiar with the IPKF rule in Jaffna knew well about how Tamil women and girls suffered at the heels of IPKF and its paramilitaries. And those paramilitaries often wait on the streets of Jaffna for the school girls to come out from their schools like Veambadi, Chundikuli and Hindu Ladies College etc. These victims were often disappeared for days and released later on with the mercy of their captors or they were killed in some instances. It was evident from the findings of many female bodies buried beside the Ashoka Hotel that was occupied by IPKF and its paramilitaries during their stay in Jaffna. Many can think that 4,000 rape victims may not be high enough to think as epidemic of rape and grotesque violence against Tamil women in IPKF time. In fact, if you go into those little details of the Jaffna population, you would see it was clearly on the epidemic scale.
What it made me to write this post is clearly this news - http://www.tamilnet.com/art.html?catid=13&artid=31223- that appeared on Tamilnet few days back. And I see this is as the troubling sign of what to come from the Srilankan armed forces and its paramilitaries who stationed in Jaffna town which currently falls in the high-military zone. I’m already privy to one such incident happened few months ago and won’t reveal the victim’s name and her place for obvious reasons. The victim was raped by 9 EPRLF men (a paramilitary group that led by Douglas Devananda who is minister of the current ruling government in SL ) It is important to highlight the sufferings of Tamil women what they endure at the hands of Srilankan armed forces and its paramilitaries, otherwise it can once again become epidemic of rape against Tamil women and girls in Sri Lanka.
One should not forget the barbaric nature of Srilankan armed forces who are often given incentives to work in North East provinces of Tamil homeland that they can always get way with the sexual assaults of Tamil women. Past history of Srilankan armed forces is real proof what you can expect from them. During the final stages of Eelam war IV last summer, Defence Sectary Gotabaya Rajapaksa even said that all the Tamil women can become the possession of his military personnel and Tamil men should be thrown into Indian ocean. If military head can have that kind of mentality, no need to mention how the lower ranks work. It was said in many channels that widespread sexual assaults were on going against Tamil women and girls who were part of the 300,000+ Tamils put behind the barped wires by Srilankan government aftermath of its military victory over LTTE last summer.
Haitian peace keeping mission of Srilankan armed forces is a testimonial for how rouge Srilankan armed forces are. If they can go and involve in the raping spree of Haitian girls in their peace keeping mission of Haiti, not to mention that Haiti is more than 12,000 miles away from their country, they sure can inflict more violence against Tamil women in Sri Lanka given the history of hatred Srilankan armed forces have against Tamils in SL. What U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said of Sri Lanka is no accident that rape had been used as a weapon of war in Sri Lanka.
If we do not escalate the issue of rapes of Tamil women how they suffer at the heels of Srilankan forces and its paramilitaries, we may see 100s of brothels between Elephant Pass and Jaffna town on A9 highway just as what Colombo has it between Negombo and Pettah. The cultural city of Jaffna can become history for what it is known if we neglect the seriousness of these rapes. More importantly, there is no end to the sufferings of our women.
One can argue that what are the benefits in trying to prevent the future rapes if the victims can go through anguish, isolation and the stigma by revealing their horrifying events to the public. Well, how many of you knew that more than 4,000 Tamil women were raped by IPKF (Indian Peace Keeping Force) and its paramilitaries ( ENDLF, PLOTE, etc) during their stay of 3-year period from 1987 to 1989? Even if the local media knew about those incidents, they failed to bring into public because of the retaliation from the culprits of these rapes. People familiar with the IPKF rule in Jaffna knew well about how Tamil women and girls suffered at the heels of IPKF and its paramilitaries. And those paramilitaries often wait on the streets of Jaffna for the school girls to come out from their schools like Veambadi, Chundikuli and Hindu Ladies College etc. These victims were often disappeared for days and released later on with the mercy of their captors or they were killed in some instances. It was evident from the findings of many female bodies buried beside the Ashoka Hotel that was occupied by IPKF and its paramilitaries during their stay in Jaffna. Many can think that 4,000 rape victims may not be high enough to think as epidemic of rape and grotesque violence against Tamil women in IPKF time. In fact, if you go into those little details of the Jaffna population, you would see it was clearly on the epidemic scale.
What it made me to write this post is clearly this news - http://www.tamilnet.com/art.html?catid=13&artid=31223- that appeared on Tamilnet few days back. And I see this is as the troubling sign of what to come from the Srilankan armed forces and its paramilitaries who stationed in Jaffna town which currently falls in the high-military zone. I’m already privy to one such incident happened few months ago and won’t reveal the victim’s name and her place for obvious reasons. The victim was raped by 9 EPRLF men (a paramilitary group that led by Douglas Devananda who is minister of the current ruling government in SL ) It is important to highlight the sufferings of Tamil women what they endure at the hands of Srilankan armed forces and its paramilitaries, otherwise it can once again become epidemic of rape against Tamil women and girls in Sri Lanka.
One should not forget the barbaric nature of Srilankan armed forces who are often given incentives to work in North East provinces of Tamil homeland that they can always get way with the sexual assaults of Tamil women. Past history of Srilankan armed forces is real proof what you can expect from them. During the final stages of Eelam war IV last summer, Defence Sectary Gotabaya Rajapaksa even said that all the Tamil women can become the possession of his military personnel and Tamil men should be thrown into Indian ocean. If military head can have that kind of mentality, no need to mention how the lower ranks work. It was said in many channels that widespread sexual assaults were on going against Tamil women and girls who were part of the 300,000+ Tamils put behind the barped wires by Srilankan government aftermath of its military victory over LTTE last summer.
Haitian peace keeping mission of Srilankan armed forces is a testimonial for how rouge Srilankan armed forces are. If they can go and involve in the raping spree of Haitian girls in their peace keeping mission of Haiti, not to mention that Haiti is more than 12,000 miles away from their country, they sure can inflict more violence against Tamil women in Sri Lanka given the history of hatred Srilankan armed forces have against Tamils in SL. What U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said of Sri Lanka is no accident that rape had been used as a weapon of war in Sri Lanka.
If we do not escalate the issue of rapes of Tamil women how they suffer at the heels of Srilankan forces and its paramilitaries, we may see 100s of brothels between Elephant Pass and Jaffna town on A9 highway just as what Colombo has it between Negombo and Pettah. The cultural city of Jaffna can become history for what it is known if we neglect the seriousness of these rapes. More importantly, there is no end to the sufferings of our women.
Friday, February 12, 2010
Ruwanda, Congo, Darfur, now Sri Lanka - Up to 40,000 civilians 'died in Sri Lanka offensive'
By Andrew Buncombe, Asia Correspondent
Friday, 12 February 2010
The bitter controversy surrounding the final stages of the Sri Lankan government’s operation to crush separatist rebels has been reopened after a former UN official claimed that up to 40,000 civilians may have been killed.
In the final stages of last year’s move to defeat the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, the UN protested strongly about the number of Tamil civilians caught up in the fighting. Privately, officials estimated that between 8,000-10,000 lost their lives and that many more were wounded.
Now, Gordon Weiss, who until the end of last year was the UN’s spokesman in Colombo, has suggested the figure may be much higher. “A lot of civilians died inside the siege zone. I have heard anything between ten and forty thousand people and that’s from reliable sources who had a presence inside the zone,” he told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. “[The Sri Lankan authorities] repeated a number of things that were either intentionally misleading or were lies. One senior government civil servant remarked at the end of the war that the government insistence that the figures were very low was a ploy. It was a ploy to allow the government to get on with its business.”
Last night, the Sri Lankan government dismissed the claims. Lucien Rajakarunanayake, a senior presidential spokesman said: “All I can tell you is that [Mr Weiss] is unaware of the facts. The figures are a total exaggeration. The UN itself has given figures that are much lower than this.”
Precisely how many civilians were injured or wounded as Sri Lankan forces defeated the remnant of the LTTE fighters making a final stand in the north east of Sri Lanka, may never be known. At the time, the UN and other organisations claimed that civilians were being struck by ordinance fired by both sides. Testimony provided by Tamils who escaped from the war zone suggests that many civilians were used as human shields by the LTTE as government troops advanced.
Mr Weiss was last night unavailable to comment and the UN in Sri Lanka refused to discuss the claims of its former spokesman, believed to be writing a memoir of his experiences in Sri Lanka.
In the interview, the former spokesman also suggested there was a need to investigate allegations of possible war crimes. While there have been widespread calls for such an inquiry, including from some senior figures within the UN, the Sri Lankan authorities have refused such an undertaking. “I will not allow any investigation by the United Nations or any other country. There is nothing wrong happening in this country?Take it from me, we will not allow any investigation,” Gotabhaya Rajapaksa, the country’s defence secretary and brother of the president, recently told an interviewer.
Indeed, the purported readiness of former army chief Sarath Fonseka to cooperate with such an inquiry has been cited by the government as one of the reasons he was arrested and placed in detention and will likely be placed before a court-martial. Mr Fonseka, who last month failed in his electoral challenge to Sri Lanka’s president, Mahinda Rajapaksa, had said allegations about war could be investigated. The defence secretary said of Mr Fonseka’s undertaking: “He simply cannot do that. For one thing it is a lie.”
Yesterday, hundreds of lawyers marched through Colombo to protest against Mr Fonseka’s continued detention. They gathered near the country’s Supreme Court which admitted a petition filed by the former general’s wife that claimed his detention by the military police was illegal. The court has given the government four weeks to reply.
Such a date would be less than a month before parliamentary that Mr Fonseka has intended to contest. The government has not yet specified which charges it wishes to bring against him, but has repeatedly claimed he was plotting a coup – something he denied.
Meanwhile, the US and Norway denied claims made by the government that they had bankrolled Mr Fonseka’s campaign. In a statement, the US Embassy in Colombo said: “The United States backed no candidate but strongly supported a free, fair, and credible democratic process.”
Friday, 12 February 2010
The bitter controversy surrounding the final stages of the Sri Lankan government’s operation to crush separatist rebels has been reopened after a former UN official claimed that up to 40,000 civilians may have been killed.
In the final stages of last year’s move to defeat the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, the UN protested strongly about the number of Tamil civilians caught up in the fighting. Privately, officials estimated that between 8,000-10,000 lost their lives and that many more were wounded.
Now, Gordon Weiss, who until the end of last year was the UN’s spokesman in Colombo, has suggested the figure may be much higher. “A lot of civilians died inside the siege zone. I have heard anything between ten and forty thousand people and that’s from reliable sources who had a presence inside the zone,” he told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. “[The Sri Lankan authorities] repeated a number of things that were either intentionally misleading or were lies. One senior government civil servant remarked at the end of the war that the government insistence that the figures were very low was a ploy. It was a ploy to allow the government to get on with its business.”
Last night, the Sri Lankan government dismissed the claims. Lucien Rajakarunanayake, a senior presidential spokesman said: “All I can tell you is that [Mr Weiss] is unaware of the facts. The figures are a total exaggeration. The UN itself has given figures that are much lower than this.”
Precisely how many civilians were injured or wounded as Sri Lankan forces defeated the remnant of the LTTE fighters making a final stand in the north east of Sri Lanka, may never be known. At the time, the UN and other organisations claimed that civilians were being struck by ordinance fired by both sides. Testimony provided by Tamils who escaped from the war zone suggests that many civilians were used as human shields by the LTTE as government troops advanced.
Mr Weiss was last night unavailable to comment and the UN in Sri Lanka refused to discuss the claims of its former spokesman, believed to be writing a memoir of his experiences in Sri Lanka.
In the interview, the former spokesman also suggested there was a need to investigate allegations of possible war crimes. While there have been widespread calls for such an inquiry, including from some senior figures within the UN, the Sri Lankan authorities have refused such an undertaking. “I will not allow any investigation by the United Nations or any other country. There is nothing wrong happening in this country?Take it from me, we will not allow any investigation,” Gotabhaya Rajapaksa, the country’s defence secretary and brother of the president, recently told an interviewer.
Indeed, the purported readiness of former army chief Sarath Fonseka to cooperate with such an inquiry has been cited by the government as one of the reasons he was arrested and placed in detention and will likely be placed before a court-martial. Mr Fonseka, who last month failed in his electoral challenge to Sri Lanka’s president, Mahinda Rajapaksa, had said allegations about war could be investigated. The defence secretary said of Mr Fonseka’s undertaking: “He simply cannot do that. For one thing it is a lie.”
Yesterday, hundreds of lawyers marched through Colombo to protest against Mr Fonseka’s continued detention. They gathered near the country’s Supreme Court which admitted a petition filed by the former general’s wife that claimed his detention by the military police was illegal. The court has given the government four weeks to reply.
Such a date would be less than a month before parliamentary that Mr Fonseka has intended to contest. The government has not yet specified which charges it wishes to bring against him, but has repeatedly claimed he was plotting a coup – something he denied.
Meanwhile, the US and Norway denied claims made by the government that they had bankrolled Mr Fonseka’s campaign. In a statement, the US Embassy in Colombo said: “The United States backed no candidate but strongly supported a free, fair, and credible democratic process.”
Monday, February 1, 2010
VP, Death, and the Myth!
The latest story at Tamilwin - http://www.tamilwin.com/view.php?2a36QVj4b4cF98224beSIPz0e22p1GQdcd2GipD3e0dpZLuQce04g2F92cdbHjoQ30 - is stirring the controversy surrounding the death of VP once more. It is astonishing to see how the person who is Srilankan army officer on this image resembles the body of VP that was shown in all Srilankan channels.
It's the real image of VP that was taken on 2007 Maveerar Day.
There were mixed opinions among pro-Tamils about the death of VP prior to this news story at Tamilwin as some thought he may have been killed and some simply said he never dies. For any common-sensed person, it was hard to reject the opinion of death of VP earlier as all the evidences in Mulliyavaikal directly pointed his death. Mind you, well into first week after the alleged killing of VP on May 18th by SLA, KP who is in Srilankan army custody now maintained his position that VP was alive then. I will reproduce few excerpts of the Tamilnet’s interview with KP that took place on May 18th, 2009.
TamilNet: The Sri Lankan Government has declared the war won and has claimed that Mr Pirapaharan, the leader of LTTE has been killed. Has Colombo really won the war?
S. Pathmanathan, Head of LTTE's International Diplomatic Relations
Pathmanathan: The Sri Lankan government makes unverified claims. I am only able to ascertain that our National Leader is alive and well. It is true that many of our senior members and leaders have either given up their lives or been treacherously killed. This is very unfortunate, but it is important to realize that our struggle will continue until the aspirations of our people are realized.
The Sri Lankan Government may have declared a military victory. But it does not realize that it is a hollow victory. It has completely lost the trust and confidence of the Tamils in Sri Lanka.
One thing is clear that LTTE hierarchy was confident of KP then, otherwise they wouldn’t have moved him into higher up the position of Head of LTTE’s international relations when things started to get serious in the midst of Wanni war. After the executions of political leaders- Nadesan, Pulidevan and along with 300 others- on May 17th, the remaining LTTE hierarchy, assume VP was alive then, may have smelled the rat in KP and that put them not to share the info with KP anymore. Either way LTTE intelligence wing that learned the lessons of its life in the final week of battle in Wanni may have awaken from its sleep in time to think what was right for Tamils and its organization by going silent about the death of VP, even if he was alive. What puzzling to me is that why LTTE allowed the common enemy – GoSL- takes control of KP saga. The seismic proportions of Wanni events may have prevented LTTE think clearly for some time. It looks to me they’re still figuring out the good and bad apples even in their organization itself now.
Revelation of VP alive can bring greater harms than VP dead for Tamils for the time being. Let it be what is now that VP is dead. For your own euphoria, you may bring harm to those 14,000 Tamil youths who’re in SLA’s custody now and to those who lost loved ones and their own limps in the war from any chance of rebuilding their remaining scattered lives.
As it seems, LTTE is slowly overhauling its ship now. Look at their new website – www.lttepress.com – and it looks to me real site of their own. Don’t jump on the bandwagon quickly, and the GoSL and its Intel channels can double or even triple cross you here with their abundance of Tamil traitors from its arsenal. If you visit pulikalinkural.com, you would know that it is functioning well now. All it suggests that they’re in the fast-paced rebuilding mode now. The immutable fact of life for anyone is that there are two states in SL now regardless of VP’s existence.
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