By Dayan Jayatilleka –
“The passage of the resolution marks a historic moment…” – R. Sampanthan, TNA leader (‘Tamil National Alliance Welcomes UNHRC Resolution’)
One does not have to agree with a single sentence of the strident stonewalling engaged in by the representatives of Sri Lanka in Geneva, in order to oppose the grotesque call for an international inquiry mechanism. One does not have to disagree with any criticism of the conduct of the Government of Sri Lanka made by the members of the UNHRC in order to reject an international inquiry. As Sri Lankans, our rejection of an international inquiry must be unconditional. Such an inquiry is so unfair, hypocritical and such an affront to our self-respect as a nation, that our opposition to it cannot be conditional.
It is not so much that the USA won this vote on the resolution against Sri Lanka, but that Sri Lanka lost, since it was unable to convince those who abstained — which included those who stood with us in 2009— to vote get off the fence and vote with us.
Having lost the crucial vote in Geneva and opened the door to an international investigation, Sri Lanka is now in new territory. Sri Lankans saw who their real friends were at the UNHRC on Thursday night. Our friends, Pakistan, Cuba, China, Russia — and in a welcome turn around, India, which opposed the intrusive mechanism of an OHCHR led investigation and abstained— did far better for Sri Lanka than the Government of Sri Lanka did for itself and the country. The performance of our friends was infinitely superior to that of our own. Ambassador Zamir Akram of Pakistan (my old comrade-in-arms from the conspicuously successful May 2009 battle in the same arena) made the speech, and argued the case, that the Sri Lankan side should have but didn’t. Not all the King’s horses and men (and gold) could secure a single vote more for Sri Lanka than the unimpressive 12 it obtained last year. In fact Sri Lanka got one vote less than estimated by the Global Tamil Forum ( or was it the British Tamil Forum— they all sound alike to me) in its on the record estimate of the UNHRC vote some weeks ago.
Sri Lanka is in a box in Geneva. It cannot and must not agree to an international inquiry, but the rejection of it will entail an escalating price. An AFP report confirms the trap that is being set for Sri Lanka’s political and military leadership, with a view to legal decapitation:
“A Colombo-based European diplomatic source said any failure by Sri Lanka to conform with the resolution would accelerate the prospect of an international criminal investigation.
“The (draft) resolution says Sri Lanka must cooperate with an investigation,” the source told AFP on condition of anonymity. “If Colombo does not, it will only speed up an international criminal investigation that is down the road.”
A new study published by international rights lawyer Yasmin Sooka, who had also been a UN advisor on post-war accountability issues in Sri Lanka, said there was evidence that merited action in the International Criminal Court. “We urge the ICC prosecutor to explore the cases of individuals who bear the greatest responsibility,” said Sooka’s 110-page report unveiled last week following testimony from survivors of rights abuses in Sri Lanka.” (‘Sri Lanka Faces Toughest UN Censure over War Crimes’, Amal Jayasinghe, AFP March 26, 2014)
No democratically elected government can or should submit this country’s tormented contemporary history and its armed forces to an international inquiry. No party that hopes to be elected to office can be suspected of agreeing to such submission. If the UNP pussyfoots on the UNHRC resolution, it will remain in limbo and possibly go into oblivion through decomposition of its voter base. What any elected government — and that includes a future government of the UNP or the JVP— can and should do is to sincerely implement the LLRC recommendations, including its recommendation for an independent inquiry into a list of identified incidents.
The most striking single development at the UNHRC in Geneva was the fact that the West didn’t mind riding roughshod over India’s principled objections to the unprecedentedly intrusive role accorded in this resolution to the Office of the High Commissioner. This meant that the West was not willing to defer to Delhi’s perceptions in a matter that concerns Delhi, namely the post war process in Sri Lanka and the negative consequences of the resolution’s intrusive aspect. The Anglo-American axis was not willing to concede India’s leading role in a matter in her own neighbourhood. No good ever comes from an extra-regional initiative that vaults over rather than works with the regional power and the clear consensus in the neighbourhood (South Asia, and almost all of Asia, was decidedly opposed to an OHCHR investigation).
The second most noteworthy factor is that the TNA issued a statement welcoming the vote and the international investigation. It did so despite India’s abstention, following its criticisms of the international investigation aspect of the resolution and warnings about the deleterious effect on post-war reconciliation. This makes clear that the TNA marches to a Western Tamil Diaspora drum and perhaps a Western drum, much more than to Delhi’s.
Why did the US-UK overstep the consensus with its strategic partner India? Why did it not defer to Delhi’s perceptions in a matter concerning India’s interests and role? What were the considerations and compulsions driving Western policy that were felt to be more important? Exactly who and what are behind the Geneva resolution? What is the next step the main sponsors have in mind? All this is no longer a matter of guesswork because it is in the public domain. The report of the March 25th 2014 debate on Sri Lanka in the UK House of Commons quotes Hugo Swire, Britain’s Minister of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs as stating that: “We are determined to win the council vote, which will take place later this week. The UK has taken a forward-leaning position and provided leadership, and will help break new ground if the council is successful in establishing an international mechanism.”
So it is the UK rather than the US that has taken “a forward leaning position” i.e. been in the vanguard, and “provided leadership”, leveraging its special relationship with Washington. This is exactly what happened in 2009, when as the Wikileaks cables prove, it was David Miliband who successfully lobbied Hillary Clinton. For the British, this is unfinished colonial business— over-compensating for failing to do to Ceylon/Sri Lanka what British colonialism did to India on the way out, and opening the door for the possible ‘rectification’ of that ‘error’.
Swire also admits that the international inquiry into Sri Lanka will be a precedent in the international system: “will help break new ground if the council is successful in establishing an international mechanism”. It is precisely this aspect that was part of the battle of norms in the UN that a British scholar produced an essay on, observing ruefully that during the last war, it was Sri Lanka that won this battle, especially in Geneva.
“Many of the battles over conflict-related norms between Sri Lanka and Europe took place in UN institutions, primarily the Human Rights Council (HRC)…it was Sri Lanka which generally had the best of these diplomatic battles…In fact, Sri Lankan diplomats have been active norm entrepreneurs in their own right, making significant efforts to develop alternative norms of conflict management, linking for example Chechnya and Sri Lanka in a discourse of statecentric peace enforcement. They have played a leading role in UN forums such as the UN HRC, where Sri Lankan delegates have helped ensure that the HRC has become an arena, not so much for the promotion of the liberal norms around which it was designed, but as a space in which such norms are contested, rejected or adapted in unexpected ways…As a member of the UN HRC Sri Lanka has played an important role in asserting new, adapted norms opposing both secession and autonomy as possible elements in peacebuilding – trends that are convergent with views expressed by China, Russia and India…The Sri Lankan conflict may be seen as the beginning of a new international consensus about conflict management, in which sovereignty and non-interference norms are reasserted, backed not only by Russia and China but also by democratic states such as Brazil”. (David Lewis, ‘The failure of a liberal peace: Sri Lanka’s counterinsurgency in global perspective’, Conflict, Security & Development, 2010, Vol 10:5, pp 647-671)
It is the “new ground” that Hugo Swire hoped to break, i.e. the dangerous deviation from international norms, that Sri Lanka should have focused on and convinced or neutralised a majority of the Council, but it failed to do so because its stance and strategy was not one of reasoned if sharp argumentation (the mode of Sri Lanka in Geneva in 2007-2009) but of dogmatic denial fused with arrogantly aggressive assertion, echoing the discourse of the regime’s most hawkish personality.
What is it then that the US wants? I do not believe it is a military base, because that would be readily handed over by the most militarist element of the power elite, if it gets the regime off the war crimes hook. Surely there is no grand geostrategic factor that could have changed between March 3rd when the US presented a relatively balanced draft resolution that was acceptable to India, and a fortnight later when the US-UK resolution hardened to the point that it was unacceptable to India? US foreign policy is not formulated according to a crudely uni-dimensional militaristic determinism nor can it be comprehended by a geopolitical reductionism. The minimum that the US needs to ease off on Sri Lanka is beyond the maximum the regime is willing to concede, not on military facilities, but precisely on Tamil rights and autonomy, attacks on evangelical Christians (a powerful lobby in the US), and governance and democratic norms in general. The best chance for Sri Lanka to get off the US hook was when the Kerry-Lugar report (of the powerful US Senate Foreign Relations Committee) of late 2009 expressed its willingness for a re-set, with the trade-off being that accountability could be put on the back-burner in return for real progress on political reconciliation with the Tamils, in the form of provincial devolution. Milinda Moragoda was responsible for opening that window, but the Sri Lankan government failed to respond constructively.
I believe that the minimum program of the USA is the same as that of India — containment of Sinhala militarist domination, a greater degree of equilibrium between the Sinhala and Tamils, and rendering regime behaviour more compliant with Western liberal democratic norms of governance. However, US policy seems to have more ambitious aims. Washington knows that its domestic ally, the pro-Western opposition (Ranil and/or CBK) cannot defeat Mahinda Rajapaksa electorally, and therefore, regime change and the re-shaping of the post-war Lankan order must be effected by recourse to external means— initially, international institutions and law, as well as external economic pressure.
The citizenry of Sri Lanka are trapped in a pincer, between the callous lies of the government and the hypocritical, aggressive arrogance of the West. What then is to be done?
Once the sharp contest at the provincial elections is over, Government and opposition should vote on a joint resolution in parliament which rejects any international inquiry, including one led by the Office of the High Commissioner, even if it has been endorsed by a majority of members of the UNHRC.
The way for this or any successor administration to roll back the resolution is to address positively and constructively, everything in it, except for the intrusive inquiry which must be rejected. Remove the planks of the platform by implementation of all the other points raised by both the Resolution and the High Commissioner’s Report, and the external inquiry can be isolated and neutralised.
As a country we have to hold on, hang tough. The speeches on High Commissioner Navi Pillay’s introductory remarks on Sri Lanka at the UNHRC on Wednesday March 26th 2014 showed us the faces of Sri Lanka’s true friends, whom we must never forget for generations to come: Russia, China, Cuba, Pakistan, Venezuela, Vietnam, Namibia, Algeria, Myanmar, Bangladesh, Uzbekistan, et al. Hanging tough is not enough, though. We must be smart, and that sometimes means taking one step back so as to take two forward at the right time. There is a difference between capitulation and compromise.
Sri Lanka must hold out until our society and polity are capable of incubating, of gestating a collective Deng Hsiao Peng— a Realist reformist option, which will shift tack, manoeuvre and balance, get us out of this trap.
*Dr Jayatilleka was Sri Lanka’s Ambassador/Permanent Representative to the UN in Geneva in 2007-2009, including the Special Session of May 2009
Safa / March 28, 2014
Sri Lankan delegations defence on points of law was very puerile. Talking about ‘home grown’ solutions did not impress anyone. Time for the Govt to shed its triumpalist mindset and get serious about reconcilliation.
Also reign in and abolish all these pseudo – religous BBS, Ravana Balaya, Sinhala Ravaya. Next time around you will have no support from Islamic countries.
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Sudarshan / March 29, 2014
Real enemy of Sri Lanka is TNA. as long as they are exist , reconciliation is just a joke. GOSL made a mistake by sparing them. Why havent they arrested and tried , whole Sri Lanka knows that TNA was a proxy of LTTE. they have an equal share of LTTE crimes.
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Burning_Issue / March 29, 2014
“Real enemy of Sri Lanka is TNA”
You are a genius; how did you work this out?
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Unreal / March 28, 2014
As a patriot Dayan Jayatilleka ranks supreme!
DJ – the political scientist – cannot help but lament the UN inquiry that is so unfair, hypocritical and an affront to the self-respect of SL!
He was somehow happy, from the beginning, looking the other way when SL was engaged in extremely cold acts that were breaching the codes of acceptable national conduct, stretching the thread of of political amity, weakening the fibre of national unity, and betraying the trust of aggrieved Tamils.
On Thursday night, Sri Lankans (read DJ) saw who their real friends were, – Pakistan, Cuba, China, Russia … . Frankly, I would not be comfortable in their company.
Yet, I wish to add a special word on India’s welcome turn around. India who should be really boasting of its own pedestal at such an august body, cringed as a nation trapped, indeed!
Sorry Dayan, my sympathies are not with you.
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Rarityminds / March 28, 2014
Pakistan is REALLY a tru friend of MR.
This we got to see by their container loads of heroine imports lately. Now it is believed that the accused has already left the country.
So, Belarus will also one of MR good friends. I really dont know what intentions he had/s with that totally isolated country in Europe.
No need to be sorry or worry – when exchanging views with or about DJ, he has been like that – none of us know well who he is. He is only person, yet to criticise the MR. <<<<<<<————second thoughts are there always where DJ is there.
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Rohan / March 29, 2014
A fiend in need is a friend indeed. Yeah! Pakistan is a good friend. But, why did they try all childish techniques, such as we don’t have budget and such?
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Leon / March 28, 2014
Dayan asks “Why did the,US-UK overstep the consensus with its strategic partner India”.
You are not so dumb as to realize that the Congress Party is on its last legs, a spent force and it’s foreign policy is ” based on fear and not on confidence” (Jaswant Singha), It’s days are numbered and don’t you think the West does not realize this. In a matter of weeks a new Govt will be in power and the whole world is aware of this. From Jaswant Singh’ speech
recently in Chennai you can be rest assured that your president cannot fool the Modi Govt as he did with the Congress.
The best is yet to come.
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Rohan / March 29, 2014
What is more laughable is that Congress politicians pretend that India’s decision had nothing to do with the Cabinet. Chidhambaram says India should have voted with US and UK! Then, the ruling Congress Party (and the Opposition, of course) have in their election manifesto that “We will work with other countries, to prevail upon Sri Lanka to ensure a credible, objective, time-bound inquiry into allegations of human rights violations and excesses committed by the Sri Lankan forces during the concluding phases of the operations against the LTTE,”. Seriously, whom are they trying a cheat?
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Native Vedda / March 29, 2014
Leon
“From Jaswant Singh’ speech recently in Chennai you can be rest assured that your president cannot fool the Modi Govt as he did with the Congress.”
I beg to differ.
BJP has two faces, one for Sri Lanka and one for Tamils.
Almost all foreign policy matters are decided by the Hindian Mandarins.
Unless the Indian political parties determine to kick the hell out of these Hindian Mandarins India will continue to float as a rudderless capsized ship.
The political parties do not have the moral authority to reign on these heartless, corrupt, … Mandarins.
Since early 1980s these sadist Mandarins made Sri Lanka bleed, then they chose to bleed Tamils, by first shoving LTTE into their mouth and later helping Sri Lanka to commit war crimes.
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paragon / March 28, 2014
HE IS NOT DAYAN JAYATHILAKA ANY MORE.HE SHOULD BE CALLED MODAYAN JAYATHILAKA-SOUR GRAPES-TOO LATE.
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Agnos / March 28, 2014
DJ,
Having bayed for blood in the Vanni, and having discarded and trivialized the suffering of the civilians by branding them as the LTTE, you stood at the UNHRC wagging your finger, snapping at Louise Arbour, deriding the British Queen, and reminding the UK of their abuses in Northern Ireland. Some of your fellow countrymen applauded you as a gladiator and thumped their chests. I maintained that it was Indian support for you that gave you the chutzpah to do that. The very people you derided have now come back with resolve, and in your own words, “didn’t mind riding roughshod over India…”
Lessons learned, indeed.
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Lasantha / March 28, 2014
Agnos,
It was Dr.Dayan who gave assurance to 2009 UNHRC that Sri Lanka will Implement LLRC with 13th Amendment on Tamil people on President Rajapakse’s instructions and his assurance given to UN SG Ban Ki Moon.
That’s how we won the 2009 UNHRC vote.
But soon after we won 2009 UNHRC vote, Pres.Rajapakse not only Kicked out Dr.Dayan from our UN panel, but also did not implement LLRC or the 13th Amendment.
Therefore it is no point Blaming Dr.Dayan.
You have to blame it on condom Master. He not only fooled Dr.Dayan but took the whole UN on a ride.
Now the Condom Master is in trouble.
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Jack Point / March 28, 2014
“Sri Lanka must hold out until our society and polity are capable of incubating, of gestating a collective Deng Hsiao Peng— a Realist reformist option, which will shift tack, manoeuvre and balance, get us out of this trap.”
I find this the most depressing pronouncement, especially if one recalls what preceded the arrival of Deg Xiao Ping: the death of Mao, the Cultural Revolution and the Great Leap Forward.
Will we have to go through the same cycle?
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Just Like That / March 28, 2014
Enough ground work has been made for dividing the Country. This ground work has been done more by the Sinhala Buddhists than by UK or USA or India or Tamils.
When you are acting so stupid, there is no point in blaming others.
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Ram / March 28, 2014
Dayan Jayatilleke rediscovers his mojo.
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Wickramasiri / March 28, 2014
No self respecting country can permit an outside body to investigate it’s affairs. The Sri Lankan government will not allow it. Also I do not believe that such an investigation will be impartial from the experience of such interventions elsewhere in the world. I believe that such an action will have an agenda of it’s own with a view to asserting US/UK/EU strategic interests here. Obviously India does not like it for they see in the US/UK/EU economic cooperation with them, and US/UK interest in SL as a subterfuge for future dismemberment/encirclement of India as well. China and Russia are aware. Pakistan, Vietnam, Venezuela, Cuba have learnt lessons. South Africa, Myanmar, and Indonesia are wary. US is indirectly targeting Brazil as well and they too are aware. The answer is to have a sincere and credible domestic investigation however stubbornly opposed by the government. It can be set up with several eminent persons from other countries participating.
An external investigation may achieve the objective of punishing those in the armed services but it is unlikely that any political leaders will be prosecuted or convicted. But what happens to the much longed for ethnic reconciliation? That will be in shambles isn’t it? Those who thirst for “justice” will be satiated on having achieved the aim of revenge. Is that what this is all about?
After all this where will the people of Sri Lanka be? Will the Sinhala and Tamil people be united? Doubtful. Likely more polarised. Would the government have changed? Unlikely, unless some of them had died of old age.
So can we unite and get this government to act? Or are we still bound to community rights and not to individual rights?
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Uthungan / March 28, 2014
“Those who thirst for “justice” will be satiated on having achieved the aim of revenge”.
If seeking justice in our hallowed little island is to satiate revenge. why not get rid of the entire judiciary and use the court buildings in Hulftsdorp and other parts of the country to stack dry fish and umbalakada? HH Marra will dispense justice according to his will and pleasure.
Now we know the reason for the impeachment of the CJ.
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Kumar R. / March 28, 2014
Wickramasiri,
No self-respecting country should:
(a)While priding itself as a Buddhist nation, protect those responsible for inhumanely heinous crimes of rape and cold blooded murder of women and children in genocidal proportions of its own population,
(b)continue to tolerate the hate mongering by no other than the highest order of radical violent Buddhist monks as they wantonly desecrate other religious establishments or practices
(c)tolerate armed forces that were originally designed to protect people and property in a sovereign nation, forget that the ultimate sovereignty actually belongs to the citizens, not the land. How self respecting is it to have, tolerate, protect and perhaps even promote utterly, inhumanly depraved behavior, so depraved to seekcarnal pleasure in undressing and raping corpses – not even the worst of animals do that.
One needs to get the fundamentals right before aspiring to get any respect of national sovereignty – DJ’s and your appeal to sovereignty is nothing more than a last-ditch, lame excuse, having exhausted all other rational excuses for the vile and revolt that passes as governance in this blessed land!
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Wickramasiri / March 29, 2014
Uthungan, KumarR and Rohan, Thank you for your comments. There is no question that crime must be punished but my position is that the current US resolution is aimed at achieving their own hegemony in the region. Whilst some of those who committed crime may get convicted, that too is a long drawn out process which may take over 5 years. It is unlikely that this government will be subjugated, nor can a regime change be achieved by this tactic in this period of time. In the mean time reconciliation between our peoples will fail. For those who wish such failure the UNHRC resolution is good. For others like me it only serves to aggravate the situation. The answer of course is to throw this government out. But that will have to be done by the citizens. How can that happen when the citizens are divided on ethnic lines? My view is that the better option is to force the government to carry out an investigation under international standards and with the participation of eminent jurists from other countries.
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Rohan / March 29, 2014
“An external investigation may achieve the objective of punishing those in the armed services but it is unlikely that any political leaders will be prosecuted or convicted”….? Well, if nobody committed any crime, why would they worry? I agree that one cannot just allow every Tom, Dick and Harry (even Sam) to walk in and ask us to open the cabinet and the bedroom for them to see. But, we have been finding mass graves all around. There are enough evidence to believe whatever happened during early 2009 was not right. MAHINDA HIMSELF went to Geneva, in fact he was the first to do so, with Vasudeva (not to miss Tamara’s help) to complain against his own country and the government.
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Dawn Dale / March 28, 2014
circus is over folks – go home and sleep – no more books to sell / no more articles to be written – another 12 months until u need to pump money to incite racial/ religious violence. Meanwhile MR will win another election and its business as usual in wonder land.
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Native Vedda / March 29, 2014
Dawn Dale
“circus is over folks”
Not yet folks.
“another 12 months until u need to pump money to incite racial/ religious violence.”
Who is pumping money to incite racial/religious violence?
“Meanwhile MR will win another election and its business as usual in wonder land.”
And you are happy to see the ordinary people continued to suffer under his rule.
Change of regime does not matter to ordinary people as in the past and am sure in the future their suffering will continue irrespective of whoever is enjoying power.
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Antany Peter / March 28, 2014
As usual the Rajapaksa regime and its funded media are fooling the people by talking about the UNHRC votes that many countries abstain from voting or voted against the resolution. The truth is the efforts of the Rajapaksa regime has no bearing on the final outcome. The reality is 23 countries voted in favor of the resolution, 12 against and 12 abstained from voting. The top United Nations rights body has approved an international war crimes inquiry into alleged crimes committed by both sides during Sri Lanka’s civil war. The question is what is next? Let’s not exalt the foolish regime’s useless efforts, but question the foolish regime how it is going to handle the next step.
As I predicted the momentum has started in favor of the West; the US backed UNHRC resolution would lead to a bloody disaster in the Indian Ocean. I really don’t think the Rajapaksa brothers can handle it from now on. If they do it will be the greatest miracle in the 21st century. The West has been ruling the world for the last 700 years; its knowledge and power are beyond the comprehension of the Sinhalese, Tamils, Indian and Chinese leaders. The West had defeated Germany, Japan, and almost Russia as well. Therefore, Sinhalese, Tamils, Indians and Chinese really can’t predict all of the West’s tricks in the future. Just wait and see how the West is going to spin the heads of Sinhalese, Tamils, Indians and Chinese through the resolution. Again the Sri Lankans will suffer more than the others due to the foolishness of the Rajapaksa regime. Sri Lankans are very unfortunate people in Asia, yet the Rajapaksas are fooling their own people as they are the greatest leaders of all time in the wonder of Asia.
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col-uni / March 28, 2014
Dear Dayan,
Why dont you think as Prof. Laksiri pointed out in one of his article, this International Investigation will lead to have a successful Democratization in Sri Lanka?
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Sama / March 28, 2014
Here he will have no direct responses.
Mine would be: Prof LF analyses the situation wihtout being biased, for example, as we the little simions do it, while DJ´s analyses have been connected with his future expectations (being biased).
So we are to Prof. LF´s. However, if MR adminstration would not do the job properly, which I think is the reality, consequences can be beyond our hopes destroying the nation.
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Gladis Noel / March 28, 2014
Hello Dayan:
Here you go again calling for blood now that your fascist backers have been pronounced upon by the UN… Now you are calling for what JR did when Bandaranayake was willing to come to a compromise with Chelva…over the Sinhala ONly law..
J.R wanted no compromises on the Sinhala ONly… This is also what you want and hence you are calling for bloody murder… You black shirted facist hiding under Marxist drivel… Grey Monkey your time is up..
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Palayang yako! / March 28, 2014
Dayan de Silva:
One can only suppose that it is totally unrealistic to expect so much as a description of “national self-respect” from someone ashamed to carry his father’s last name.
However, CT owes its readers at least a respite from this wanna-be spin doctor. Perhaps, that other liar, Rohan Gunaratne, can find an ante-room for him in Singapore and then the two of them can spin fairy tales to each other and spare us this drivel.
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Native Vedda / March 28, 2014
Palayang yako!
One should not judge Dayan by his name but by his mind, words and actions.
His actions alone speak a volume about him.
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Hooker / March 28, 2014
The Question the country should ask is why are the Rajapakses going the extra-mile to protect the HR violators in the armed forces during 5/2009? Yes! There is the fact of command responsibility. President Rajapakse cannot escape responsibility here. But he can always respond by claiming he gave carte blanche powers to the army to carry out the war, from the spot. It is more than probable it was the ambitious and ill-educated Sarath Fonseka who is responsible for most of the War Crime and HR violations in 5/09. That includes some high-profile killings in the streets of Colombo of those suspected to be against the Rajapakse regime.
The Rajapakse fetish to protect “our brave and patriotic soldiers”
has something to do with current events. It is common knowledge it was Gothabaya R who was running the armed forces during the war. For this he sought and received the support of many Lieutenant-Generals – some of them still in uniform. Although a few of them are in plum posts, to which they are ill-equipped, here and abroad they still wield considerable influence among uniformed men. That is where the rub is. If there is the slightest sign the Rajapakses are relaxing on global pressure on War Crimes and HR violations endangering those
who directed and fought the war the oversized army will immediately move against the Rajapakses. That is why Mahinda R is going hell for leather to save his uniformed men. Evidence against him has mounted in many relevant quarters in the international community.
Like SWRD in the late 1950s who created the spectre of Saffron Power only to be consumed by it, the Rajapakses created a Goliath of 400,000 men to go after 12,000 bare-foot scrappy fighters. The Rajapakses now fear they will be consumed by the very Frankenstein monster they created.
If the Rajapakses and their armed forces are free of WC/HR violations what have they to fear? As Bishop Rayappu Joseph comments “if they are satisfied about zero casualties and zero disappearances why don’t they face an independent international investigation?”
Hooker
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Lasantha / March 28, 2014
Hooker,
You say…….”It is more than probable it was the ambitious and ill-educated Sarath Fonseka who is responsible for most of the War Crime and HR violations in 5/09. That includes some high-profile killings in the streets of Colombo of those suspected to be against the Rajapakse regime”.
Please don’t under estimate Gen.Sarath Fonseka, a true patriot who survived three assassination attempts and won the LTTE war for Sri Lanka.
The famous “Condom Theory” master tried to dupe Gen.Fonseka by Jailing him. But failed.
You say…..Gen SF tied to some high-profile killings in the streets of Colombo of those suspected to be against the Rajapakse regime”.
Why the hell Gen.SF kill somebody who is against Rajapakse Regime and not him…….Is he crazy…..If this is a conspiracy,finally all will be caught when the condoms breaks.
Re.the final battle in Nanthikandal……yes I have to agree with you.
Why the hell Gen.SF went to China staying in Luxury hotels with his family in the final week of the 30 year war buying arms knowing the war is nearing it’s end and it takes six months for arms to arrive. He say he conducted the final war from China. What a Joke.
After all we did not see him in Nanthikandal when the two victory batalions marched and met each other. He was missing.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WqIYfo7gkEM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fJChv9Qr9S0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=brMeGyyt8ow
Where is Gen.SF….
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ecbYEIiicBM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=McZBKRKGuT4
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F6GATY8y4gs
Where is Gen SF. Missing from scene and cruising in China.
http://www.asiantribune.com/news/2009/11/29/sarath-fonseka-%E2%80%93-megalomaniac%E2%80%99s-tryst-fame-and-flame
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=McZBKRKGuT4
Where is KP……….
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vF1zsNWazjk
I salute our heroic soldiers, but not the dumb ass decision makers.
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Hooker / March 29, 2014
Lasantha,
Many thanks for the several video clips. Clearly you are well-connected to Govt sources.
Hooker
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Kirri Yakka / March 29, 2014
Should you not then salute the brave LTTE boys and not thier Dumb Assed Leader and his expat backers?
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Kiri Yaka / March 28, 2014
Ooops Dayan, MR & lot did not buy your Gulli. With your experience in running the North East Provincial Council with Varatha Raja Perumal – you know that it was a complete dead duck and some thig that should be offered to the Tamil people. I am sure you were disappointed MR did not even buy it and was pissed off enough to kick you out for this great Gulli you wished to be foisted on the Tamil people int eh interest of the “Vast Majority”.
You celebrate India’s abstinence. Thought they are moving on to the Crimean solutions now that MR has voted in support of it.
Now we are with the Paraya Comrades. Thanks to you and Rohan Gunaratne selling stale terrorism Gullies that is only consumed locally. The best route now is to make TNA into traitors working against the Nation.
How different are you to the dumb doctors who funded and supported the LTTE ?
They like you will escape all forms of investigation. You too in your role in supporting LTTE through Premadasa who also murdered much of your comrades in EPRLF leaving only The Supremo. You help to cast a similar fate on the Sinhalese.
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Jayantha / March 28, 2014
Dr.Dayan Jayatileka,……and CT readers.
We CT readers have ONE SERIOUS ISSUE WITH YOU THAT NEEDS YOUR CLARIFICATION.
Day before yesterday in “Lanka C news” it said that President Rajapakse has ALREADY agreed for an International Investigation -Kumar Rupasinghe.
Here’s the web page.
http://lankacnews.com/english/main-news/h-e-president-agreed-for-an-international-investigation-kumar-rupasinghe
It says……..A famous N G O Member Kumar Rupasinghe has said that the President had agreed for an international investigation after the Human Rights council meeting in Geneva. He has informed this to Ambassadors, senior officers in foreign service and few U N officers using his e mail. But, the foreign affairs officers are surprised on this and they say that they are unaware of this.
It also says……….Few days back, Dayan Jayatilake and Kumar Rupasinghe have met H E President at the Temple Trees and expressed their views about the Geneva proposals and have stated that there will be a worst situation if not agreed. The e mail was circulated after 2 days of the discussion.
Therefore the time you met President You told him to agree on UNHRC Geneva Resolution which is INDEPENDENT INTERNATIONAL INVESTIGATION ON WAR CRIMES.
But in this news letter “After the Geneva Vote” in 15th para you say………”Once the sharp contest at the provincial elections is over, Government and opposition should vote on a joint resolution in parliament which rejects any international inquiry, including one led by the Office of the High Commissioner, even if it has been endorsed by a majority of members of the UNHRC”.
Therefore we CT readers are confused on your opposing views as to one demanding Pres.Rajapakse to agree on UNHRC resolution, and writing complete oppsing view in today’s newsletter.
Dr.Dayan Jayatileka.
We need your clarification as to what your true views on “where Sri Lanka should stand”
Dr.Dayan Jayatileka,
Either you are playing a double game with CT readers duping them, while acting as President Rajapakse’s mouth piece and while having close ties with President,………or You are simply a hypocrite, duping both President Rajapakse and we CT readers and Sri Lanka Citizen.
Therefore, before we come to a conclution on your true nature, PLEASE CLARIFY US on the above two complete opposing views you have. (when you met Pres.Rajapakse and today’s writing)
Finally I say please don’t give Dead ropes to either President or to Sri Lanka Citizens. Consequences will be very grave both to the present and future generations.
Look at the bigger picture and be more serious.
Please don’t play with Politics, knowing we have a dumb ass in the top seat.
Awaiting your reply and plase be more specific on your judgment when you reply.
CT readers will judge your reply.
Thank you.
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Samuel / March 29, 2014
I am speechless.
You are dead right. Even on the TV today, he is asking govt to work on that. Here he is telling something totally different… ?
I really dont know who to trust from srilanka today.
I am very upset having read this and that C news statements.
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Soma / March 29, 2014
I really dont know why the PINGONA president interpret as ” we are not going to be a colony of the west again”.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RVnpXWHnORY
What is meaning of this ? Is the west able to create new colonies today as had been decades or centuries ago ? This alone shows his manipulations are to increase the vote turnout… how deceitful this man has been ?
Are the majority of the volks that stupid ? … I really dont think so.. anyway you never know.
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Dawn Dale / March 30, 2014
it is u who are stupid – have u not heard of neo -colonialism ? lookup the dictionary pls.
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Sandun Jayamanne / March 31, 2014
one another asslicker of Raja adds his two cts worth.
You are a threat for any democracies. Shenanigans can not live forever.
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Siri / March 31, 2014
Dear Jayantha,
just now I happened to listen to a recording on bbc sandeshaya in which DJ expresses that he and Krupa had indeed met with President and had lengthy discussions on international politics. He (the HIWALA- DEPITAKATTUWA )confirmed that it is not okay to leak all what they exchanged in that interview.
But as you raised it – the very same person to come with current article following such discussions with President is unbelievable.
Now again, he continues the very same kind of articles on “The Crisis In US-Sri Lanka Relations”. Can anybody guess what kind of man DJ is ?
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bigbrother / March 28, 2014
Perhaps pakistan should get some tips from mahinda on how to eradicate terrorism in their own country, after all they had osama bin laden (remember him) right under their noses.
Sri Lanka wiped out terrorism?, Pakistan breeds terrorism. hmmmm. the mind boggles.
The only reason india abstained is because they will get their own fingers burned due to all the war crimes committed by IPKF. nothing else.
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Lasantha / March 28, 2014
Surprise to hear how India abstained from UNHRC vote on Sri Lanka, when their own Prime Minister Manmohan Singh did not Attend CHOGM in Sri Lanka.
Completely different and contrast behavour.
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Prem Dassanayake / March 29, 2014
I agree with most of the observations of DJ. But his conjecture about Britain (in which he says that Britain is simply trying to finish the unfinished colonial business)is a too simplistic view in my opinion. He has missed the point that British political entities are driven by the mountains of money poured by the Diaspora.
Prem.
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Aani / March 29, 2014
We should prepare luxury suites with extras for the investigators. Lets do the same as we did for the Menons and Moons….and honeytrap them.
Easy no. We are masters in this game:))
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kali / March 29, 2014
Dayan:
Your article is pathetic and I have a lot of Respect for you and so without wishing to use the 4 letter word and call you a …. I will use the civilised word and tell you that you being economical with the Truth.
Let us analyse your argument and see whether it has any merits. Sri Lanka is a Sinatory to the UNHCR and you cant have the cake and eat it and that is what you are trying to do. If Sri Lanka wishes to be a member of UN there are certain civilsed standards to which she has to conform but she has miserably failed in that respect. So when you breach those rules and standards there is a heavy price to pay. It is no point playing foul. Sri Lanka should have faced justice long time ago but she was shielded by India as India was a Partner in Crimes against Hunmanity. But that reign of terror is coming to an End.
The Iron Lady has just made a speech at Madurai and she has pledged to reverse everything Congress has done and I am hopeful.
After the resolution a 7 man Commitee has already been set up by Mrs.Pillai who under the mandate will be vising Sri Lanka to prepare the Grounds for ICC. Britain the driving force has already served Notice of the Consequences of refusing to allow UN.
I agree with you a TRAP has been set an it is up to the Kings subject to back him or sack him. You only set a Trap to Catch a Rat and MR is a Rat and he needs to be caught.
If they back him Econnomic Sanctions will be imposed and the Nation will grind to halt and all good things will come to an End.
Then it will be King vs Subjects
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Antany Peter / March 29, 2014
You are going to see an unprecedented event in the Indian Subcontinent. India abstained from voting at the UHHRC this week; however the resolution passed for the West to get a foothold in India’s backyard. India must takeover Sri Lanka, or let the West to takeover Sri Lanka and the Indian Ocean. I have been commenting this through the online news agencies, well before Russians took over Crimea. I really don’t think the Rajapaksa regime can deal with the current situation. As I predicted the momentum has started in favour of the West. The US backed UNHRC resolution would lead to a bloody disaster in the Indian Ocean. I really don’t think the Rajapaksa brothers can handle it from now on. If they do, it will be the greatest miracle in the 21st century. The West has been ruling the world for the last 700 years; its knowledge and power are beyond the comprehension of the Sinhalese, Tamil, Indian and Chinese. Therefore, India must act quickly, diligently and extremely carefully.
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Diogenes / March 29, 2014
Mr Burning issue. you say `real enemy of Sri Lanka is TNA`. No you stupid.Real enemies are the Rajapaksa family.
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Diogenes / March 29, 2014
Mr Just Like That, you are absolutely correct. I envy your perspicacity and the clarity and brevity of your expression!
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Namal Perera / March 29, 2014
Only way out is to turn the corrupt lawless Banana Republic back to democratic Sri Lanka, restore democracy, rule of law, check corruption and treat citizens supreme and not the corrupt family and criminals associated with them. Once this is done the entire Universe will treat us with respect as before. God save our mother Lanka.
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James / March 29, 2014
It will be good if Sri Lanka rejects UN investigation because this will help the minority cause by getting the world continuously involved in the Sri Lankan HR violation and Law & Order affairs.
If Modi and Jayalalitha come to power Sinhala gvt’s whoever they are going to be in for a really rough ride.
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Aman / March 30, 2014
GLP is qualified not educated. There is distinct.difference between the two if you get my drift.
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Lasantha / March 30, 2014
Aman,
GLP is qualified but he is not a Diplomat.
He should be educated on how to Negotiate, Pubic and International Relations and how to compromise.
Mere Arrogance does not work to win friends, but PATIENCE, Love peace and understand.
They should be taught the lives and behaviour of Nelson Mandela, Luxman Kadirgamar and Manmohan Singh.
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Bruz / March 30, 2014
ONHRC ‘tamasha’is over but it’s difficult to imagine what future is waiting for Lanka. Lots of different commenter predictions have equal probabilities
The true worry is all about the so called “Patriots” and their rhetoric..
From MR, Gota, GLP, Dayan, Rohan Goonaratne (Terror fame), BBS, JHU,and all the people with rotten ideas and who call themselves ‘Patriots’. The curse fell on Lanka due to these ‘Patriots’. Many people are already allergic to this word ‘Patriot’ now ! They are the real rascals who are destroying the country and the once united people of this nation. The other absurd words is “Democracy” ” Justice”, Sinhala Buddhism etc.,…
Now it may be too late, we have already let the other guy to enter into our home by force to ‘solve’ our internal issues due to our blunders, arrogance, racism, rivalry, greed. The nation is going to be a playing field for ‘others’ and we will be the losers. MR or even all the idiotic moronic PM’s and Presidents we have had are all bunch of non visionary stupid guys. How well we could have built up the nation with cooperation, civility and understanding with no violence, no subjugation, no discrimination and as a secular nation. Everything is gone, lost. Now all of us have to face the consequences. Sinhalese, Tamils and Muslims. For outsiders we are just no body, nothing ! They will use us to get theirs and we will be left destroyed. Just continue voting for this regime and complete the destruction and make a miracle !
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Jayantha / March 30, 2014
Here’s Ceylon today headline news.
Sanctions possible
March 30, 2014
UN Adviser on Post-War Accountability Issues in Sri Lanka, Yasmin Sooka, says there would be serious repercussions including sanctions, if the Government of Sri Lanka fails to cooperate with the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC).
http://www.ceylontoday.lk/51-60265-news-detail-sanctions-possible.html
Unless all Academics, Visionaries,scholars and professors unite to find a lasting solution to this crucial UNHRC resolution, we will have to face international sanctions in the coming months.
It’s time to be prudent and serious.
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Bruz / March 31, 2014
If the regime is really serious and want to have a peaceful, prosperous country and to keep away UN interferences they should start doing some changes;
Amend the constitution to ;
* Make Sri Lanka a secular nation
* Remove the Sinhala only act
* Remove ‘standardization’
* Do away with discrimination of race, religion, ethnicity
* Allow the PC’s to function freely without interference
* Ban all these racial bigot parties like BBS, SR etc.,
* Ban all religious people like Buddhist monks, Mullahs, Priests, from participating in politics.
* Give equal opportunity and treat all citizens alike
In a couple of 10 years Sri Lanka will definitely become the Miracle Of Asia.
But , we all know it’s just a dream only. Mahinda or his Buddhist Sangha will never ever do ort accept this. They are all just Paranoid !
They will only loot, fight, kill and destroy but never do the right thing.
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