Adding to speculation that the Commonwealth Secretariat is engaging in a public relations campaign on behalf of the Sri Lankan Government ahead of CHOGM 2013 scheduled for November in Colombo, Commonwealth Spokesman Richard Uku engaged in a Twitter Q&A Session together with the Government’s official Commonwealth Spokesperson Anuradha Herath today
Herath is also the President’s International Director of Media.
Sharma and Uku
Uku, who was in Colombo along with advance country teams from Commonwealth Member States to review CHOGM 2013 preparations, avoided most of the tough questions from users.
The exclusive story published by Colombo Telegraph about Commonwealth Secretary General Kamalesh Sharma’s decision to bury two major legal opinions the Secretariat had sought about the Sri Lankan impeachment of Chief Justice Shirani Bandaranayake and withhold it even from the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group (CMAG) – a powerful decision making body, went unanswered. Both Journalist Frances Harrison and the citizen journalism website Groundviews posed the questions to Uku at different times during the session that he ignored.
Responding to a question also posed by Harrison about reports that the Commonwealth Peoples’ Forum was being organised by the Sri Lanka Army, Uku responded “People’s Forum being organised by Commonwealth Foundation; not Sri Lankan army.”
Asked by SLcampaign “why is @CW_Spokesperson (Commonwealth Spokesperson) helping with Sri Lankan public relations in this way?”, Uku responded “This isn’t about ‘PR’ or spin. It’s about open dialogue.
He later followed that up with a clarification a long time after the Q&A session ended saying,
“@SLcampaign To be clear, our joint Twitter session with @CHOGMSriLanka this pm was part of our constructive engagement with Sri Lanka.”
Asked by another user about the call for a boycott of CHOGM and whether the Secretariat believed they should, Uku reiterated Sharma’s call some weeks ago.
“As the Secretary General of the Commonwealth recently said, “Wait before you judge Sri Lanka.”
“The Commonwealth is about consultation and consensus,” Uku added.
Asked by the same user: “Sri Lanka has been accused of major violations of human rights. How good or bad is Sri Lanka’s record?”, Richard Uku responded that Sri Lanka was implementing the recommendations of the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission “Sri Lanka is following up on successful best practice roundtable atthe Commonwealth Secretariat in London. The Commonwealth is working with SriLanka in this regard,” he said.
Kamalesh Sharma and his office are being criticised by the global press and Commonwealth Scholars for failing to make Sri Lanka live up to the organisation’s values and rewarding the country’s poor human rights and democracy records with a major summit and the organisation’s chair till 2015.
TrueSinhala / August 17, 2013
As a Western educated liberal Sinhala Buddhist I call on the Sri Lankan govt to clean the damage caused to Buddhism in Burma. Sri Lanka should immediately grant citizenship and asylum to the 800000 Rohingya Muslims. Also, to the Tibet Buddhists. We must be good and give refuge to people suffering. The Northern Province has a low density of people so Sri Lanka can settle the Rohingya and Tibet people there.
Also, I feel the Sinhala Buddhists have become over confident with the war victory. Sri Lanka won the war but after 30 years and at a massive cost. The Tamils are abroad and also have India’s backing.
This over confidence is resulting in taking on an even more powerful ethnic group, the Muslims. Tamils have less than a million abroad while the Muslims have 1500 million abroad. Not to forget the Christians who have the west behind them.
Sri Lankans working in the Middle East is a significant source of Sri Lanka’s foreign exchange income. Also, Muslim countries are a market for our exports. Finally, 100% of oil comes from Muslim countries. Unlike Tamils who were in the North during the war, Muslims are in Colombo as Colombo is a Muslim majority city.
I am not trying to scare anyone but lets face it, Sinhala Buddhists are a small group when facing the 2 largest religions in the world and a massive neighbor. We must live peacefully. Like I said, Sri Lanka must follow the Buddha and be a model to the world. Lets provide refuge to 800000 Rohingya as a Buddhist gesture and repair the damage.
Others may not want peace, but eye for an eye will make the world blind.
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Punitham / August 17, 2013
TrueSinhala, you’re an oasis for the desert of SriLakan Buddhism.
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justice / August 18, 2013
TrueSinhala,
Why are lankan buddhists ignoring the ongoing human rights violations in Tibet,by the chinese military,causing self immolations of tibetan monks almost daily?
What is happening in Burma is much less than what has been happening in Tibet ever since it was “annexed” forcibly by China in 1959.
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mahela / August 17, 2013
TO: Commonwealth Secretary General Kamalesh Sharma
Dear Sir,
Just imagine, if President Mahinda Rajapakse paid 150 Million US Dollars to Uganda for one UNHRC Geneva vote, how much the scumbug may be paying to you and other countries to safeguard him from Law suits.
How much the value of bribes or Gifts in kind did Rajapakses have given you and to other CW countries to safeguard him. Only if you or somebody could give us these informations or to get help from Wicki Leaks to find this loot is a patriotic cause to our country. He is screwing our country, it’s people and it’s resources.
Also now that CJ Shirani Bandaranayke’s case has gone to Bribery Commission and a Law suit is brought against her, I was told the following about her.
1) CJ Dr.Shirani Bandaranayake is the only CJ in Sri Lanka’s history who refused the free offer of Three Duty free car permits which she is been offered legally and she is entitled for.
If she is in for money making, surely she could have sold these Permits for a minimum of five million rupees per each permit, or she could have impored the cars and then sold them and could have made minimum 15 Million rupees. But she refused this free offer because she is a honest CJ.
2)Dr.Shirani Bandaranayake is the only CJ that never went abroad,either for Personal Vacation or as Official duty or for Seminars during the course of her period as CJ. She never spent Government funds nor used official leave for official duty or for personal vacation which she is entitled for. She saved money and her time for the country.
Only if anybody could check how many foreign tours this new CJ MR Goon Mohan Peiris did for these few months will show how the crook spent Tax payer money and Time wasting on foreign tours.
3)CJ Dr.Shirani Bandaranayake is the only CJ in Sri Lanka’s history that never took a single day off as Vacation or Personal Leave during the course of her period as CJ. She is entitled for 21 days Vacation and seven days of Personal leave per year, but she never used a single day during her time period as CJ.
Please check as to how many day’s leave this new CJ Mohan Peiris has taken for this short period after he became CJ……….You will be surprised to see the results.
Therefore how come this Mahinda Rajapakse bring a lawsuit against a CJ who did her duty well and honestly to the country and it’s people.
It’s time to Impeach Mahinda Rajapakse during CHOGM.
We need your answers to the above from you, Commonwealth Secretary General Kamalesh Sharma.
As the Secretary General of Commonwealth we Sri Lankans the Citizen of Sri Lanka hold you responsible for your negligence of authority and duty for wrongfully impeaching our CJ Dr.Shirani Bandaranayake.
You were submitted with ample evidence on the wrongful impeachment of CJ Dr.Shirani Bandaranayake, but somehow due to some of your inner connections with Sri Lanka Government, you put everything under the carpet and hid everything.
Therefore now the CJ Dr.Shirani Bandaranayake is brought to Bribrey commission on fraudulent charges, and by any means if she is charged on wrongful grounds and sentenced by the Rajapakse Government, we as Citizens of Sri Lanka will hold you as responsible for this wrongful sentence.
You purposly neglected your duty as Commonwealth Secretary General to bring justice to CJ Shirani Bandaranayake when all the details on her case was submitted to you, and with all that you been staying silently on her case is a fraud against CW Latimer House Principal.
Please reply to my above comment.
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Yoganathan Mudali / August 20, 2013
What you say may be true. But, how come unaccounted money was going through her bank accounts? Just because of I did not accept a bribe from you does not mean that I am clean. I did accept a bribe from your enemy. I am not accusing Shirani but senior legal officers of the AG’s department says the above.
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mahela / August 21, 2013
Yoganathan Mudali,
CJ Dr.Shirani Bandaranayake gave a full detail of her bank accounts, balances and transactions.
Read the following web….
https://www.colombotelegraph.com/index.php/breaking-news-cj-replies-the-rupees-25o-million-bank-transaction-allegation-false-malicious-and-deeply-disturbed-cj
If the grade nine passed uneducated, uncultured and uncivilised thugs becomming Parliament Ministers cannot understand to read a Bank statement and the Bank transactions, it is their problem and not CJ Shirani Bandaranayake’s problem.
That’s why everybody always say to educate the children so they understand the civilised world.
Not the Kasippu Mudalalis, Kudu “Drug” Mafia families and Casino and Brothel owners to run a country.
Also after reading the following webs, Could you explain them to the CT readers…..
[Edited out]
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mahela / August 21, 2013
Yoganathan Mudali,
cont…….
[Edited out]
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Punitham / August 17, 2013
“Wait before you judge Sri Lanka.”
@CWSG & @Uku Wait how long?
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Rita / August 18, 2013
How long more?
The ethnic minorities have been oppressed from the time of independence:
http://www.scribd.com/doc/104705097/Conscientious-Sinhalese-Tell-LLRC
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Punitham / August 17, 2013
”Commonwealth is about consultation and consensus”
In 2006/7/8 UN Special Rapporteur was shouting hoarse in New York and Geneva on human rights monitoring mechanism for Sri Lanka, Sri Lanka was allowed by CMAG to hold membership for three consecutive years against CMAG regulation which states that any member can hold a maximum of two consecutive years.
It is just not Sharma/Uku are taken for a ride by the Rajapakses, but successive Sri Lankan governments have been taking the whole world for a ride for 5/6 decades:
How many National Commissions of Iquiry have been appointed by SriLanka in the last five decades? What came out of them?
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Rita / August 18, 2013
”consultatio” when? with whom?
”consensus” to be silent on atrocious human rights violations ?
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Punitham / August 18, 2013
”Richard Uku responded that Sri Lanka was implementing the recommendations of the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission”:
Does he know that LLRC website was hacked six months ago?
Does he know that the easiest recommendation that doesn’t need a cent to implement, ie letting the national anthem to be sung again in Tamil too as has been happening for 5 decades, is yet to be implemented?
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Punitham / August 18, 2013
”best practice roundtable” ?
Given up on ”Good Offices” ??
”Good Offices” didn’t get the reports published:
http://www.scribd.com/doc/85007346/A-List-of-Commissions-of-Inquiry-and-Committees-Appointed-by-the-Government-of-Sri-Lanka-2006-%E2%80%93-2012
Will ”best practice roundtable” try getting them published ?
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Punitham / August 18, 2013
”best practice roundtable” has made the President stop family planning work by a government unit as soon as Bodu Bala Sena has asked him to.
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Len / August 18, 2013
Sharma and Uku got chance to make some indecent money if one thinks they going to say no to that one will have to believe pigs do fly. In fact if I was a betting man I will put a wager on for pigs to fly before these guys will say no to a payoffs.
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Thiru / August 18, 2013
UN is as good as the countries which control it. Commonwealth is as good as the regimes that is is composed of. The Commonwealth reflects its constituents: Sri Lanka, India, UK and others: Though these are nominally democratic, in a true sense they fall far short with gross violations of human rights in India and Sri Lanka and secret courts in the UK.
One need not talk about the rest of the Commonwealth: Most of the powerful ones have axes to grind.
UN is hypocritical, so is the Commonwealth a sub-set of the UN.
It’s a waste of time arguing about these entities!
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Ruwan / August 18, 2013
Sharma and Uku, You are a disgrace to humanity and intellect. Who appointed these sons of bitches to these positions of importance and respect. These bastards have been bribed by the corrupt Rajapakshas. Even their looks betray their theft! These stinking pigs must be condemned by all concerned.
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Thiru / August 18, 2013
Yes, their body language shows the guilt of their actions!
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Rita / August 18, 2013
Hope they look at the expressions on their faces !!
Hope they have friends to tell them the truth fearlessly.
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Benjamin / August 18, 2013
-Pls visit the page ,CT’s
northern Sinhaliztion
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Lapatiya / August 18, 2013
I am sure these two guys are only reading Daily News, Divaina, Lakbima, Mawbima and watch only ITN and Rupawahini.
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Garusinghe / August 18, 2013
Iam sure too that MaRa would even arrange them to have few words with (interview) Anarkai & Paba too if they wish to.
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mike / August 18, 2013
I am positive that Sharma and UKKU will gear themselves to meet with Anarkali and Paba, amongst others!
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mahela / August 18, 2013
How about CW SG meeting Sri Lanka’s Rajapakse Role Models…Duminda, Mervin, Kangetta, Atha Kota, Julampitiya Amare, DIG Vaas Gunawardena…….
Way to go.
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justice / August 18, 2013
It is obvious that the Commonwealth Secretariat is whitewashing the sri lankan regime.
“Wait before you judge Sri Lanka”!!
The people of sri lanka have waited four years since the war ended,and decades since human rights violations – massacres of groups of citizens – commenced soon after independence.
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Silva / August 19, 2013
Sharma and Uku,
“People’s Forum being organised by Commonwealth Foundation; not Sri Lankan army.”
“This isn’t about ‘PR’ or spin. It’s about open dialogue.”
“this pm was part of our constructive engagement with Sri Lanka.”
“As the Secretary General of the Commonwealth recently said, “Wait before you judge Sri Lanka.”
“The Commonwealth is about consultation and consensus,”
“Richard Uku responded that Sri Lanka was implementing the recommendations of the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission “Sri Lanka is following up on successful best practice roundtable atthe Commonwealth Secretariat in London. The Commonwealth is working with SriLanka in this regard,”
Bloody [Edited out], you surely must have been [Edited out] by MARA using one of the [Edited out] lying under the bushes in Kotte. You pathetic brats look like having contracted leprosy and on to the bargain [Edited out]! What sordid lives are you living! If I were you I would commit suicide instead of living the bastardly lives that you live. You are a disgrace and a curse to your parents, families, friends and your very motherland. You [Edited out] have been chosen to these posts not to engage in diplomatic prostitution but to act according to the founding principles of CW! What bloody nonsense have you ejected about Sri Lanka? Are you part of Rajapaksha rule? Those statements are of the same void and credibility lost level as those the Rajapakshas make! We feel sorry for CW for having pathetic jokers like you.
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Ansar / August 19, 2013
Wait and see what, bloody Sharma..after the impeachment, see what more has happened.
1. Bloody Vaas Gunawardane saga – lives like a king in remand custody, after so much proof of his involvement in murders and extortions.
2. Dimunda Silva walks free, after murdering in full public view in broad day light.
3. Bodu Bala Sena and other extremist buddhist Senas have taken the law unto themselves and behaving like law enforcers in the presence of law enforcement officers, who stand idle and whats more, give state protection to them.
4.The Weliveriya incident, where innocent A/L students were killed like dogs in the street by the marauding Army, for demanding basic drinking water, not luxury living, like you folks are used to.
5. Latest, the Grandpass mosque attack and no one is answerable, to the mayhem and nobody to complaint too, as the police is so biased and politicised.
You keep waiting and protect this regime till the last iota of democracy is washed away from this Island state, which time you and I may be biting the dust and our children will be still suffering, due to the inaction and complicit of your bloody office with this devilish regime. Hell with your blood common wealth values. Not worth the paper, it is written on, due to people like you.
You keep waiting and seeing, bloody Sharma…You will never be forgiven for this crime of yours and probably will pay, even after your death and am sorry to say, may be your generations too.
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Radish.S / August 21, 2013
Sharma was an Indian Diplomat before he became the SG of the Commonwealth.That explains his actions.Immediately after the violations of International Human Rights law and Humanitarian law in Vanni-Mullivaikkaal he said that he had no mandate to go into them although it is in the top of the list.World opinion forced him to address those violations. We may understand the support of many former British colonies in Africa and countries like Bangladesh and, India and Maldives and even Australia which has the worst of HR record from the days of Tasmanian genocide but other western countries should boycott the conference being held in Sri Lanka with such a bad H.R.record even now.
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