By S. V. Kirubaharan –
S. V. Kirubaharan
The latest reports of the UN Secretary General’s – UNSG, on its work in Sri Lanka tell us many genuine facts which are strongly evidenced.
Those who know the story of the battle between the Singhalese prince Dutugemunu and the Tamil King Ellalan (Elara) will see there is no difference between it and the war that ended on 19 May 2009. In fact, the Sinhalese prince Durutugemenu won his battle against Tamil King Ellalan by cunning and cowardly action.
Nearly 2000 or more years ago, a Sinhala young prince known as Dutugemunu who belonged to the Kingdom of Rukunu in the South of the island, wanted to conquer the land of the Tamils in the Central part, Anuradhapura of the island. So the young prince challenged the seventy years old Tamil King Ellalan for a one to one fight. When Ellalan agreed for the fight, Dutugemunu breached the ancient rules of combat and targeted Ellalan’s war elephant. While Ellalan was falling off his war elephant, Dutugemunu hurled his arrow at Ellalan and won the battle.
The report of the UNSG Internal Review Panel report – action in Sri Lanka published on 14 November 2012, tells us how the Sri Lanka government lied to the international community about the realities of this war and hoe they violated modern day rules of combat. If the rules of combat – international humanitarian law had been respected and if international pressure had been effective and had resulted in meaningful action, the Sri Lankan government would have lost the war long ago.
Sri Lanka persistently maintains that there were only 70,000 people in Vanni at the last days of the war. But it has been proved that nearly three to four times more people than that remained there at that time.
To carry out a deadly war without international witness, Sri Lanka asked the UN workers to move away from the conflict areas. No journalist or any NGOs activities were allowed to remain in those areas.
Sri Lanka carried out indiscriminate bombing and shelling everywhere including hospitals and the no-fire zone. Food and medical supplies to those areas were cut off but due to international pressures, small quantities of food and medicine reached the people.
Civilians were malnourished, traumatised, exhausted and often attacked from Land, Sea and Air. These attacks were carried out with arms and ammunition which were not allowed to be used in this conflict.
Civilians were allowed to live in a poor sanitation condition, including no toilet facilities.
Civilians’ bunkers were filled with mud and poisonous insects. Many pregnant women gave birth to their children in them and seriously injured patients were confined in them for days with no medical treatment.
The UNSG Internal Review Panel report, paragraph 33 read as follows:
“33. Throughout the final stages of the conflict, Member States did not hold a single formal meeting on Sri Lanka, whether at the Security Council, the Human Rights Council or the General Assembly. Unable to agree on placing Sri Lanka on its agenda, the Security Council held several ‘informal interactive dialogue’ meetings, for which there were no written records and no formal outcomes. At the meetings, senior Secretariat officials presented prepared statements that focused largely on the humanitarian situation. They did not emphasize the responsibilities of the Government or clearly explain the link between Government and LTTE action and the obstacles to humanitarian assistance. Nor did they give full information on the deaths of civilians. For example, in a 27 February briefing, the USG-Humanitarian Affairs said “dozens of people per day at least are being killed and many more wounded” but did not provide the COG casualty figures or mention that most casualties appeared to be the result of Government fire and were occurring in the NFZ. The Security Council did not issue a press statement until three days before the end of the conflict. At the Human Rights Council, in Geneva, a number of Member States tried over the final weeks of the conflict to gather the minimum of 16 Council members required to support calling a Special Session on the situation in Sri Lanka.” (Excerpt from UNSG Internal Review Panel report)
The report of the UN Secretary General’s Panel of experts on Accountability in Sri Lanka agrees that 40,000 civilian’s death and added that credible information is that over 70,000 civilians were killed.
Now the UNSG’s Internal Review Panel report – action in Sri Lanka clear this doubt that nearly 80,000 civilians were killed during the last stages of the war. Paragraph 34 read as follows:
“34. On 19 May, with the death of the LTTE’s leadership, the Government claimed victory in the war. The final phase of the decades-long Sri Lankan conflict was catastrophic. The Panel of Experts stated that “[a] number of credible sources have estimated that there could have been as many as 40,000 civilian deaths”. Some Government sources state the number was well below 10,000. Other sources have referred to credible information indicating that over 70,000 people are unaccounted for.” (Excerpt from UNSG Internal Review Panel report)
The UN Secretary General’s Panel of experts on Accountability in Sri Lanka and also his Internal Review Panel report clearly mention, how Sri Lanka with the help of China, Russia, India, Pakistan and Cuba cunningly used the Special session of the UN Human Rights Council to insert their own resolution which praised their cowardly war tactics.
UN reports also point out how Sri Lanka cheated a few States in the UN Human Rights Council, indicating that the joint communiqué issued by the UN Secretary General and Sri Lankan President included the crucial matter of accountability. In reality, Sri Lanka was not serious or in the least bothered about accountability.
UNSG Internal Review Panel report paragraph 36 reads as follows:
“36. Meanwhile, on 19 May, the same day the war was declared over, at the Human Rights Council a total of 17 Member States belatedly gave their support for a Special Session which was subsequently scheduled for 26 and 27 May. The Sri Lankan Government did not want a Special Session, but once it was scheduled the Government quickly submitted its own draft resolution. By doing so before the Member States who had advocated for the Special Session were themselves able to submit a text, under the procedural rules the Government ensured its own draft was the initial basis for the Council’s deliberations. The Special Session ultimately adopted a slightly adapted version of the Sri Lanka Government draft, which commended the Government for its support to IDPs, welcomed Government commitment to human rights, and urged the international community to cooperate with the Government. The resolution did not mention accountability, although it did endorse the Joint Statement.” (Excerpt from UNSG Internal Review Panel report)
Terrorist and cowardly state
The UNSG Internal Review Panel has used the terminology “internment camp” in their reporting showing how the IDPs were suffering in those camps in Sri Lanka. Furthermore, the report says the following in paragraph 41:
“41. The conflict and its aftermath saw UN staff suffer abuses in contravention of their UN privileges and immunities, and of international human rights and humanitarian law. National UN staff prevented by the LTTE from leaving the Wanni lived through months of Government and LTTE shelling, and witnessed dependents being killed or injured. Staff were screened and interned in camps. At least two staff members were abducted and tortured by Government forces, and then formally detained by the police. Many NGO staff were also killed during the conflict. In March 2012, on UN premises in Geneva, members of the Sri Lanka Government delegation threatened and harassed NGO activists attending the Human Rights Council session.” (Excerpt from UNSG Internal Review Panel report)
What I have mentioned above and many other UN Reports including the reports of the international NGOs endorsed that Sri Lanka has carried out a cowardly war, ignoring the modern day’s rule of combat – international human rights and humanitarian law.
Better late than never, it has come to light that Sri Lanka is not only a Terrorist state, but also a cowardly state. Two thousands years ago, what Dutugemunu cowardly practicised has been repeated by the modern Dutugemenu(s). Their days in power are numbered.
Ps.
My recent articles worries a few. Some have warned me too. The common phenomena is that, “everyone who comes into this world has to die one day. Until the time comes, it cannot happen. When the times come, no one can escape. Until that, one should not fail in his/her duty.”
Celerati Editorial / December 21, 2012
The government of Sri Lanka is responsible of severe misconduct during the war. But you mention that without breaching the rules of war, they would have lost the war. You are reinforcing a dangerous, misguided idea, that the LTTE fought a righteous war with fair methods. Wrong! The LTTE used terrorist means, so did the government. It’s much more serious the accountability of the government because of its institutional role. We agreed. The final days of the IV Eelam War, crimes against humanity have been committed. We agreed. The leadership of the LTTE has been wiped out. So let’s focus on the government and keep on fighting until justice will prevail. But don’t forget the atrocities of the LTTE. Human rights are principles. If you use them against one side, but forget them when your side is guilty, you are doing a bad job for your cause.
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Raja / December 21, 2012
I wonder who are the Tamils aginst LTTE acted. There a few Tamils who have been killed by LTTE. All of them are people aho aided and Abetted the Sri Lankan racist and Terrorist State. Every Tamil considered LTTE as theri saviours. LTTE did not keep them as Shield. They were scared to be without the defnece of LTTE. Their fears proved by the way the the ‘so Called liberation operation of the Army’ treated the Tamil helpless Tamil Civilians. worse than Like slaves. Of course LTTE have done some civlian killing beacsue of the instrigation of Indra Gandhi and RAW like shooting the innocents civilians in Anuradhapura as retaliation to the Killing of Tamil civilans by army in Valvettiturai. Total of the civilian killings by LTTE will not be even a fraction of the Tamils killed by Sri Lankan state and state-aided goond starting from 1956 in Ampara.
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sach / December 22, 2012
there has never been a war done within rules in the history of humanity. Every war is dirty. when u wage war, u have to be ready for that. Otherwise u would look like a bunch of crying school kids.
But SLA has never done crimes to the extent LTTE had done. LTTE’s only strategy was terror. Just because LTTE is a non state actor it doesnt give them a right to do war crimes. Even though u claim LTTE used terrorist acts, with the above claim u try to white wash LTTE.
“The final days of the IV Eelam War, crimes against humanity have been committed. We agreed”
who has agreed, except some silly TD and media that can be bought. Why these conviced ppl always fail to provide evidences during last 3 years?
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Kanapathy / December 22, 2012
Few means they are fused.
What Kirubaharan writes here is 500% accepteable and sorry to hear it is coming very late.
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Siva Sankaran Sarma / December 21, 2012
Looks like Kiruba’s completely lost the plot now. The humiliation of having his crackpot conspiracy theories exposed and mocked must have finally taken its toll :D
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Rama / December 21, 2012
we are the most civilised people in the world. our civilisation predates that of egyptians, greeks and romans. we built thousands of water tanks at home and overseas. we also mastered the craft of building dagobah. as you know we built massive structures of dagobas at home and abroad. our engineers and craftsman have been in great demand all over the world. in fact the twin towers, chicago tower , empire state building and many more have been designed by our engineers and built by our craftsmen. tamil people haven’t built anything for about 5,000 years. even the big temple towers of madurai, tanjore, rameshwaram, srirangam etc were planned,designed by our engineers and built by our craftsmen. however, for some weird reason chinese didn’t want to involve our engineers in their projects. tamil people complain that our engineers entered uni through the back door.there is some truth in it as we introduced positive discrimination favouring us in uni admissions and jobs over tamil people. tamil students were expected to score 85% marks to enter uni,however with 30% we are home and dry. it sounds odd but as an intelligent group of people, we accept it as a compliment.
our civilisation is envied by nations like burundi, rwanda, congo, sudan, liberia, sierra leone, cambodia etc. as you know channel 4 documentary proved beyond reasonable doubt that we are the most civilised people under the sun. we ruled countries like indonesia, cambodia, java and many others. even though tamil kings were our slaves , we have to admit reluctantly that they too had a fare share of overseas kingdoms.
we say ancestors of all tamil people were toilet cleaners but the children and grand children of these people were our superiors n commerce, industry and professions.we had to bring in drastic measures to oust them from superior positions. in all honesty we think we suffer from an inferiority complex. we had to bring in a legislation to make our dialect the official dialect. we must have felt very insecure to adopt this policy. after all protection is as a result of fear and insecurity . on the other hand tamil language is over 5,000 years old and there is no sense of fear among tamil people that their language can’t face competition or will become extinct. again buddhism a third grade lowly religion has to be protected by the state. guardians of this so called religion are mahanaai- ask and some bikkus . vast majority of these bikkus are thugs and perverts. in spite of all these we are calling us as the most civilised people of the world. how odd.
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Siva Sankaran Sarma / December 21, 2012
TL;DR, looks like our resident Croydon ghetto dwelling dole bludger Rama’s also had another meltdown, hot on the heels of Kiruba’s little trip into Lala land. Something in the water perhaps?
Looking forward to the next article by Kiruba, “Genocidal Sinhalese poison Tamil ghetto water supplies, causes incoherent babbling by residents” :D :D
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sach / December 22, 2012
Isnt it a shame that ‘most civilised people’ do NOT have the backbone to accept defeat like men but cry like silly school kids?
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Daniel / December 24, 2012
Mind your business.
Your business to arrange thugs to humiliate and assassinate those who are against Rajapaksa.
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justice / December 21, 2012
Kirubaharan,
You are a brave man.
Already the assassins of the commissar of the regime in charge of elimination of people like you,are most probably searching for you.
Beware.
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David / December 22, 2012
Kirubaharan invites them to come.
Yes he is brave activist.
Long live Kirubaharan
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Mango / December 21, 2012
Another brilliantly bonkers article by the LTTE ‘human rights’ activist, Saint Kirubaharan. Why is Saint Kirubaharan unable to admit that it was the LTTE leadership’s own strategy which ensured that Tamil civilians would be used as human shields to ensure casualties would be maximised?
Was that “cowardice” or “bravery” by the LTTE? We don’t know because Saint Kirubaharan won’t tell us or go anywhere near that vital fact. I guess it isn’t so surprising given that Saint Kirubaharan couldn’t even admit to the LTTE’s use of child soldiers. :) :)
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Raja / December 21, 2012
It is alraight for the Sri Lankan army and state aided goons to kill Tamil children and women but not for LTTE to train them to defend themsleves and others, Most of the Children went because they feared the army more. Joining LTTE was a better way to die rather than being tortured by the racist police and army of Sri Lanka. That was bravery of the Sri Lankan army and police and state aided goons. You think we have forgotten how State aided sinhala goons cut SInhala sri in the breast of the Tamil women in in Colombo in 1958. Whos is talking of bravery and cowardice. You think taht we have forgotten the opposition loeader Amirthalingam was assaulted by and IP he was promoted and tranferred. Then you shed crocodile tears for Amirthalingam. You oppose Lakshman Kadirgamr becoming Prime minister then you shed Crocodile tears for him when that power and fame greedy was killed by LTTE
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sach / December 22, 2012
If the SL army kills Tamil children, how come the Tamil children lived under SLA controlled area better off than in LTTE controlled area?
How come the Tamil kids in Jaffna had access to education, health and other facilities better than those at LTTE area?
How come many tamil children survived under SLA and continue to live under SLA areas in north without any loss of life?
How come many LTTE child soldiers are rehabilitated by SLA and some of them returned to their parents?
Why did the Tamil kids suffer most in LTTE area either as child soldiers or human shield?
‘You think we have forgotten how State aided sinhala goons cut SInhala sri in the breast of the Tamil women in in Colombo in 1958. ‘
I dont know of such an incident and no evidence to back such a claim. However I do not reject that many Tamils were victimised during 1958 progrom. It is wrong by the gov to let it happen and the ciminals should have been punished.the world was a different place in 1958 and a lot of things happened since 1958. Tamils lost any higherground of morality since LTTE started butchering civilians and did genocide of muslims in N&E. You act as victims because u lost the war.
“You think taht we have forgotten the opposition loeader Amirthalingam was assaulted by and IP he was promoted and tranferred. “
If it was easy to forget how LTTE butchered him in his own house when Amirthalingam was treating the very murderers with tea, i dont think it is that much difficult. U even celebrate the very murderers so instead u should be happy for promoting that IP.
‘You oppose Lakshman Kadirgamr becoming Prime minister then you shed Crocodile tears for him when that power and fame greedy was killed by LTTE’
where did sinhala people oppose such a move? why should we shed crocodile tears at the death of a patriot who destroyed LTTE diplomatically?
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Mango / December 22, 2012
@ Raja: why did you allow these unfortunate children to die on your behalf? Isn’t that the ultimate manifestation of cowardice?
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Rama / December 21, 2012
oi mango sucker, what are you on about. prabhakaran was a freedom fighter and tigers were freedom fighters. you thought you have finished tigers for good but i tell you you can never finish them. recent events show how wrong you are.
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Bedrock Barney / December 21, 2012
If there was one Tamil man who killed more Tamils than the Sinhalese did, it was Pirapaharan. That’s the problem with ultra nationalism. it targets their own first.
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Mango / December 22, 2012
@ Rama: if Prabha was a “freedom fighter”, why didn’t the millions of Tamil who supported his cause return to live in “freedom” in the Vanni, when the LTTE ruled the area? Why did they, instead, vote with their feet and escape to other areas of Sri Lanka and the West?
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Sunil / December 22, 2012
You useless D.R Mango is the cause this article and further article by this Kirubaharan.
What have you achieved by talking about him.
He continues to insult Rajapaksa’s government.
You stuipid fellow antongonise
Kirubaharan and make him to tell every truth.
I was told that you worked for NIB and this is not way you make others to attack us.
You better sttrict you off licence and mind your busness.
Let this fellow write what ever he likes.
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Mango / December 22, 2012
@ Sunil, I don’t work for the NIB or DMI. I’m a member of the highly secret, ultra top secret, hush-hush Secret Squirrels. It’s so secret that even I don’t know I work for them.
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Sunil / December 23, 2012
What is your basic qualification?
Slandering and expecting a good pay from the SL government.
What happen to your good friend Rohan G?
Do you know that R.G. was the man who introuced KP to the SL intelligence service.
R.G. from Singrapour got in touch with KP, to finish of VP’s terrorist war.
KP’s people in Europe are very active.
Long life KP and Rohan G
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Mariam / December 22, 2012
You get lost Mango.
I have never seen a fool like you.
What is your educational background?
Have you passed GGE O/l even.
You better go to night school to chalange these sort of article.
You shameless fellow, go to hell.
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Mango / December 22, 2012
@ Mariam,
Surely Saint Kirubaharan is an even bigger fool than me, no? How’s night school working out for you?
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Mariam / December 23, 2012
You modaiaya
first go and attend the kintergarden.
You are lack of common sense, education, civilisation.
You behave like a real barberian.
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Daniel / December 24, 2012
Thank you very much for encouraging Kirubaharan to write more and more article, high lighting the hypocrisy of the your on his excellency government.
Full of killers and torturers.
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Mango / December 24, 2012
@ Daniel:
GoSL has always been hypocritical. The Saintly LTTE activist, Kirubaharan pretending to be a concerned human rights worker is also a massive hypocrite.
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Daniel / December 26, 2012
No one is taking notice of your cricisim about Kirubaharan.
You must be Kirubaharan’s enemy.
Why you are known D.R. Mango?
Are you a Doctor?
Your writtings shows that you have only a basic education.
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Silva / December 23, 2012
You fool.
I told you not write nonsense.
Your effort is the outcome of the article.
Now we are unable to challenge the facts in this article other than critising the author.
You fool stop writing anything antogranise any write.
If you have lega points in any article challenge them like this fellow write his article.
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Rama / December 21, 2012
i meant fair share.
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Lasantha Pethiyagoda / December 21, 2012
I feel sorry for the writer, in that he, in his haste to cry foul, seems oblivious to several facts, not just limited to the tigers’ lack of conscience in flouting rules of engagement, but to several realities with regard to how the UN is completely biased in its targetting nations with small but successful outcomes for criticism while condoning enormous atrocities of an immeasurably vast magnitude when committed by the US/UK/EU against nations like Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya, Syria, or maybe Iran in the future.
The writer’s profile picture also seems to depict the frustration and bitterness that he maintains. It would be better for his prospects as a writer, to change the picture to a more amiable and charming one, and attempt to be balanced in describing well-known facts. Otherwise, he will be ridiculed and will also lose whatever little credibility he may still have.
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m c spencer / December 23, 2012
It’s more than double standards as there may sometimes be a need for multiple standards when so-called leaders like Amin, Mugabe, Pol Pot, Sadam Hussein, Gadafi and the latest Assad and our MR like VP (mostly from India) uses and benefits from the help of the 30 odd western nations to defeat the LTTE and does not show any moral or ethical compunction once again like VP and his above listed ilk to acknowledge, ameliorate or address the concerns of these nations of giving a fair-go to all Srilankans irrespective their race, religion, language and class etc .
They do need to have some levers and means to hold him manageable, responsible and accountable for the costly help they rendered overtly and covertly against his disloyalty, greed and lust for power and authority at any cost even as did VP. Will the western powers need to use India and intervene in some covert economic form like they did for Suharto of Indonesia or for another militaristic Indian spring cleaning when the red block countries use their veto powers and deepen their roots in SL and try to change SL into an amalgam of Burma and North Korea?
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Kandiah / December 24, 2012
I feel sorry for your ignorance.
Reading will help you to improve your knowldge.
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Piranha / December 21, 2012
All the Sinhala people who supported the atrocious war of the Rajapaksa regime against the tamil people are now witnessing the atrocious suppression of both the Sinhala and tamil people by the same regime.
You may have destroyed a monster in the form of VP but in the process have created another monster in the form of Rajapaksa. Enjoy the fruits of your actions!
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Real Peace / December 21, 2012
Kirubaharan
If you are an HR fighter, you must attack both the GOSL and the LTTE for their HR atrocities.You must remember Tamils have been horrendously abused by both Rajapakse and Prabaharan and they are, in my opinion, criminals.
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Bedrock Barney / December 21, 2012
How wise could Elara/Elalan be, if at age 70 he decided to fight a young man and prevail? Seem like a touch of Hubris.
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Anpu / December 21, 2012
Thank you Kirubaharan. Tamil proverb “Vealiyea pullai meaynthaal ….” (if the hedge consume the crop how is the harvest to be obtained?
Human Rights violations againt Tamils from 1948:
The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) was adopted on 10th December 1948 by the United Nations at the Palais de Chaillot in Paris. Since then this day has been celebrated all over the world as “International Human Rights Day”. Last month, the world marked the 60th anniversary of UDHR.
The UDHR contains thirty articles. Articles 1 and 2 outline the philosophical claim of the UDHR and emphasise that human beings are born free in equal dignity and are entitled to all rights and freedoms without any kind of discrimination. Articles 3 to 21 deal with Civil and Political rights and articles 22 to 27 deal with Economic, social and cultural rights. Concluding articles 28 and 29 stress the duties and responsibility of the individual in a democratic society. Finally, article 30 gives cautionary notice that UDHR may not be interpreted as implying that any group or person has any right to do anything aimed at destroying the rights and freedoms set forth in the UDHR.
Considering the emphasis of articles in the UDHR, it is important to analyse how far the UDHR has been respected by the governments of Sri Lanka regarding the human rights of Tamils in the island of Sri Lanka (or formerly Ceylon).
1948 The Citizenship Act disenfranchising Indian Tamil Plantation workers was passed in Parliament. One million 3rd generation plantation workers had been living in the island for over 115 years. They were brought to the island by the British from South India to work in Tea and Rubber plantations in the hill country. 100,000 plantation Tamils were victimised. (Violation of UDHR article – 21)
1956 The “Sinhala Only” Act was passed in the Sri Lankan Parliament. This Act made Tamils as second class citizens in the island. Tamils staged peaceful protests in Colombo and Gal Oya. 150 Tamils were burnt or hacked to death; 20 Women were raped; 3000 were made refugees and their properties were looted by Sinhala mobs. (Violation of UDHR article – 2, 3, 5, 12, 17 )
1958 Anti Tamil riots in Sinhala areas. Massacre of Tamils, looting of their properties, setting fire to their houses. 25,000 Tamils were made refugees; 500 Tamils were burnt or hacked to death; 200 Women were raped and Tamil properties were looted or destroyed by Sinhala mobs. (Violation of UDHR articles – 2, 3, 5, 12, 17)
1961 Tamil non-violent (Satyagraha) civil disobedience campaign in the North and East was disrupted by the security forces, protesters were beaten and arrested. (Violation of UDHR articles – 5, 9, 20)
1964 The Pact (Srima-Shastri) to evacuate Tamil plantation workers of Indian origin was signed. They were living in the island for over 131 years. 650,000 Plantation Tamils became stateless persons. (Violation of UDHR articles – 4, 15, 23)
1972 Equal education opportunities for Tamil students were denied. Standardisation on University admission was introduced. (Violation of UDHR article – 26)
1974 The Fourth International Tamil research Conference held on 10/01/1974 in Jaffna was disrupted by the Sri Lankan Police. 9 Tamils were brutally killed. (Violation of UDHR articles – 2, 3, 20, 27)
1977 In July, Tamil United Liberation Front-TULF, contested and won overwhelmingly at the Parliamentary election giving them a mandate to exercise the “Right to Self-determination” and establish Tamil Eelam in the North East.
Later in 1983 August 8, Sri Lankan government enacts the 6th amendment to the constitution and rejected the right to self-determination of the Tamil people, the mandate voted by the Tamils in 1977 general election. (Violation of UDHR articles – 8, 10, 21)
1979 July, Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) was introduced in Sri Lanka. This Act gives a free hand to the Security forces to arrest, detain, torture, rape, kill and dispose bodies with impunity. Arrested people could be detained for three months without being produced in courts. (Violations of UDHR articles – 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
1981 The Jaffna Public Library containing 95,000 volumes was completely destroyed in a fire set by a group of Police officers who went on a rampage in the Jaffna city on May 31, 1981. 95, 000 volumes of unrecoverable invaluable books were burnt. (Violations of UDHR articles – 2, 21, 24, 27)
Since independence in 1948, more than 35 years of peaceful non-violent struggle by the Tamils protesting against Sinhala oppression, were suppressed by violent means by the Sri Lankan security forces, inflicting loss of many lives and much material damage to the Tamils. (Violations of UDHR articles – 3, 4, 5,9,13,20)
1983 The Government masterminded anti-Tamil riots in July 83. More than 6,000 Tamils were killed by the Sinhalese in the South. Tamil houses and businesses were looted and destroyed. Tamils living in the South were sent in ships to the North and East by the government. 250,000 Tamils were made refugees; 2,500 Tamils were burnt or hacked to death; 500 Women were raped; 53 Tamil political prisoners were brutally murdered in the maximum security Welikada prison on 25-27th July. Sinhala extremist groups and thugs, ruined the socioeconomic and the political rights of the Tamil people. Anti-Tamil riots also in 1956, 1958, 1977, and 1981. (Violation of UDHR articles – 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9, 12, 13, 14, 17, 23, 24, 25, 26)
1984 – To date Tamils living in the North-East were arrested, tortured and killed. Women were raped, many disappeared. Tamil properties were looted or destroyed by the Sri Lankan security forces. Air Force bombers dropping Cluster bombs in residential areas and near IDPs camps causing severe loss and damage to Tamil people and their property.
The Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) and the Emergency Regulations (ER) adopted by the government are helping the security forces to carry out all sorts of human rights violations with impunity. (UDHR was completely violated)
1990 – To date Economic embargo in Tamil areas. Food, medicine, electricity and other important items are denied to the Tamils. (Violations of UDHR articles – 22, 25, 26)
1995 – On 15th November, the NGO Forum took place at Bentota Beach Hotel, in Bentota, in the South of Sri Lanka. Both foreign and local NGO representatives participated in this forum and this forum meeting was disrupted by anti-NGO demonstrators.
The organisers of the NGO forum decided to shift the venue to the capital, Colombo. On 16th November, the NGO Forum re-convened in the morning at a conference hall in Ratmalana, police officers arrived to “request” the Forum to suspend its proceedings, claiming that the meeting was illegal! The meeting was dissolved and all attendees dispersed. (Violations of UDHR articles – 8, 13, 18, 19, 20)
1997 – On 25th September, 38 NGOs serving in several parts of Batticaloa district, were ordered by Government of Sri Lanka to cease all their humanitarian operations. This immediately followed a government order banning NGOs from assisting people in the areas of Batticaloa. (Violations of UDHR articles – 8, 13, 18, 19, 20)
Sinhala colonisation – As a result of many years of State planned Sinhala colonisation in the Tamil homeland (North and East), the Sinhala governments and its destructive agents plundered and robbed 50% of the ancestral lands of the Tamils in the North East of Sri Lanka. (Violation of UDHR articles – 17)
Unilaterally abrogated pacts and agreements – Several agreements signed between the Tamil leaders and the Sinhala leaders to resolve the political turmoil in the country were unilaterally abrogated by Sri Lanka.
In 1957, the “Banda Chelva” pact and in 1965 the “Dudley-Chelva” pact. These agreements were based on a quasi-federal system devolving certain powers to the Tamils in the North East province.
2005, with the aim of ensuring equal distribution of Tsunami aid to the worst affected North East, an agreement known as the Post Tsunami Operational Management Structure – PTOMS was signed between the government of Sri Lanka and the LTTE. This was unilaterally abrogated by the government of Sri Lanka under the pretext of a Supreme Court judgement. (Violation of UDHR articles – 16, 25)
So far over 85,000 Tamil people have been killed or “disappeared”; more than 12,500 Tamil women raped and killed; more than 2500 buildings of Tamils’ religious places of worship (Churches and Temples) have been destroyed in aerial bombings and artillery shelling and billions of rupees worth of material damage has been caused to the Tamils by the Sri Lankan government.
As a result of well planned ethnic cleansing by the Sinhala State, nearly 500,000 Tamil people have been internally displaced and more than 500,000 Tamils’ have sought political asylum in Europe and other countries. (Violation of UDHR articles – 3, 16, 16,17)
2005 7th January, the UN Secretary General made a humanitarian visit to Sri Lanka to see the Tsunami affected areas. When Kofi Annan requested to visit the North East, the areas in the island most affected by the tsunami, the Sri Lankan authorities deliberately prevented him from making a humanitarian visit there. (Violation of UDHR articles – 13,25 & a serious violation of the United Nations Charter, Chapter XV Article 100.
2006 – Sri Lankan citizens cannot seek remedy from the UN Human Rights Committee- Even though Sri Lanka is signatory to the ICCPR, on 15 September 2006, the Supreme Court effectively ruled that Sri Lankan citizens cannot seek remedy from the UN Human Rights Committee regarding human rights violations. It declared that the accession to the Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) in 1997 does not bind Sri Lanka and has no legal effect within the island. – Decision of the Supreme Court 15 September 2006 – SC Spl (LA) No 182/99. (Violation of UDHR articles – 8, 10,19)
2006 – Sri Lanka’s Air Force bombed a gathering of schoolgirls at Vallipunam on August 14, 2006, killing 56 schools girls and wounding 210 others. (Violation of UDHR articles – 3, 10,12,13,20,26)
2006 – 1987 India and Sri Lanka accord was signed under the guise of settling the Tamil ethnic conflict in Sri Lanka.
Under this accord the merger of North Eastern province took place on 8 Sep.1988. But, after exactly 18 years, the Supreme Court delivered its political judgement on 16 October 2006, stating that the merger of these two provinces was invalid. (Violation of UDHR articles – 3,5,9,10,13,21)
2007 – Sri Lanka has been ranked as the third most dangerous place for the media in the world, with several journalists being killed. (Violation of UDHR articles – 3,5,6,7,10,13,18,19)
2008 – Last January, Sri Lanka withdrew from the Ceasefire Agreement-CFA between the government of Sri Lanka and the LTTE that was signed in February 2002. (Violation of UDHR articles – 3,5,9,10,13,)
In 1998, the UN Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances stated that, “Sri Lanka had the second highest number of disappearances in the world, ranking next to Iraq”. Also Sri Lanka is the only country that the UN Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances has visited several times. So far no proper remedies have been found for these disappearances. (Violation of UDHR articles – 3,4,5,7,9,10,11)
2008 – According to the UN Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances, presently Sri Lanka rank as the country with the highest number of disappearances. The fate of 656 Tamils who ‘disappeared’ in 1996 is not yet known but Tamils continue to ‘disappear’ in North East. Many Tamil journalists, academics, parliamentarians, human rights activists, children and others in the North East have been killed. (Violation of UDHR articles – 3,4,5,7,9,10,11)
2008 – IIGEP quit Sri Lanka – President Rajapaksa had invited the International Independent Group of Eminent Persons – IIGEP to observe and ensure the transparency of investigations held by the Commission of Inquiries on the complaints of abductions, disappearances and other serious violations of human rights arising since 1st August 2005. Also, the IIGEP was to ensure that those inquiries are conducted in accordance with basic international norms and standards. On 22 April 2008, the IIGEP, quit Sri Lanka, citing government unwillingness to implement its recommendations to bring the probe up to international standards, lack of financial stability, government interference and slow process. (Violation of UDHR articles – 8,10)
Compiled by Tamil Centre for Human Rights – TCHR/CTDH.
UN’s UDHR resource centre.
According to TIME, Sri Lankan conflict is the 3rd under reported in 2008.
In 2009, the Tamil community in Sri Lanka faced the largest massacre of all; close to 30,000 Tamils are killed in merciless bombing and shelling of the Sri Lankan Security Forces.
Sri Lankan Security forces wages war in Tamil regions against Tamil rebel force at high civilian cost.
•Journalists and aid groups were banned from the war zone and safety zones
•Food and medicines supply were cut off to designated “safety zones”, even though government announced these areas as safety zones. Many Tamil civilians, especially children and elderly were subjected to death due to starvation or lack of basic medicines.
•Sri Lankan security forces repeatedly shelled hospitals in Tamil regions. ◦“The Sri Lankan armed forces have repeatedly struck hospitals in the northern Vanni region in indiscriminate artillery and aerial attacks, Human Rights Watch said today. Commanders responsible for ordering or conducting such attacks may be prosecuted for war crimes.” Human Rights Watch
2009 – On May 19, 2009, the Sri Lanka declares victory over the Tamil rebel force, LTTE. •Conservative estimates of Times Online Report says that close to 30,000 Tamils have been killed in the war.
•300,000 Tamils IDPs are detained in world’s largest open air prisons in unthinkable living conditions.
•Rape, torture, forced disappearances, and extra-judicial killings are reported by aid workers and undercover journalists.
•Journalists are denied access to the detention camps or to the North & East regions.
•Opposition leaders are denied access to visit the detention camps.
•Aid agencies are denied and/or restricted access to the detention camps.
•Independent inquiry into war crimes in the last bloody civil war is ignored by the Sri Lankan government.
•IMF Sanctions US $ 2.6 Billion to Sri Lanka even after the extensive human rights violations.
•The International Community and the United Nations fail to take decisive action to stop the continued human rights violations in Sri Lanka.
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Piranha / December 21, 2012
Anpu,
The long catalogue of state sponsored and racially motivated acts against the tamils gave them the right to fight back after over thirty years of non violent struggle. The determination with which the LTTE fought the state for thirty years made the war unwinnable for the state that not only mobilised the majority world opinion on its side but also obtained military and intelligence support to prosecute the war. And yet it had to resort to the use of indiscriminate bombing, shelling, mass murder and illegal warfare to kill thousands of innocent civilians in order to defeat the LTTE.
There was no heroism in the war for the Sinhala soldiers but shame in the way they fought it. What is heroic when you have to commit war crimes and crimes against humanity to defeat your enemy? The sad thing was the continued denial of these crimes in the face of overwhelming evidence of it. There are many decent Sinhala Buddhists who were appalled by the crimes that their military committed against the tamil people but the overwhelming majority appear to have no qualms about how their soldiers fought the war. Lord Buddha must be spinning in his grave.
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Daniel / December 24, 2012
This is an outdated version.
You have not seen the latest published on 10/12/2012.
This includes until 2012 – violations of UDHR
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SU / December 21, 2012
WHEN YOU WIN IT IS A VICTORY. IF YOU LOOSE IT, IT IS A MASSACRE.
a African proverb
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Jim Softy / December 21, 2012
I can write articles on the Hypocrisy of the writer and also on many comments.
Anyway, the writer as it happens now, I mean Tamils are being fooled all over the world and by every organization in the world, centuries ago also one young Sinhala prince fooled the Tamil king.
So, for centuries Tamils had been the same.
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Anpu / December 22, 2012
UNP and SLFP leaders fooled the Sinhalease people
“..Neil DeVotta has called the broad framework of this process ‘ethnic outbidding’. It is this politics of ethnic-outbidding – electoral competition between the UNP and SLFP to persuade Sinhalese voters that they are the best equipped to ensure Sinhalese dominance – that marginalized Tamils from the state, reinforced the ideology of Sinhalese ethnic and political supremacy, and eventually created conditions for the Tamil separatist insurgency..”
http://www.india-seminar.com/2007/576/576_jayadeva_uyangoda.htm
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Ponnurhurai / December 22, 2012
Dont talk nonsense.
If you have anything do write in this here.
You are trying to show that you are an extra ordinary person.
Common monkey.
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Jim Softy / December 21, 2012
Kiribaharan has made him a Real Joker here and HE has guts to defend Suicide bombers, Cyandie capsule carrying sub human animals.
IT is the responsibility of the govt to annihilate a group of terrorists who carried cyandie capsules and was wearing suicide jackets.
Why it needs all the precautions and human practices that are used in a conventional war.
Kiribaharan, first acknowledge that LTTE were sub human animals. They did not have any human characteristics. They used every dirty tactics in the book to prevail. They were annihilated.
As some one said, Even Elara was dumb if he was 70 years old and accepted the challenge to fight a younger warrior in a dual. Only noble thing is young King Dutugemunu treated Elara as how a noble king would treat his enemy.
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Mather / December 24, 2012
It looks you do not know any history.
When people like you exists, the will be more chauvanist forces in SL.
You nothing about the worrier Elara.
Educate you before you participate here.
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K.A Sumanasekera / December 21, 2012
Even after Ranil Govt wanted to make Praba the CM of whole of the NE province, the LTTE went and killed innocent kids, mums and grandparents by hacking them in their sleep.in Kabelithigollawa.
And that was a heroic war, and killing the fully armed ,Sea Tigers, Black Tigers,and Prabakarn’s body guards a cowardly one ,according to Mr Kiruba.
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watcher / December 22, 2012
Kiribaharan, care to mention how Prabha got the title ” Pol Pot of Asia” ?
Grow up man and admit errors that was made by your high cast morons and move forward.
And also take a truth pill while you are dreaming of a another stupid article.
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sach / December 22, 2012
this tamil diaspora jokers are getting funnier everyday. u waged a war, doing every terror tactic and war crime. Ultimately u WERE DEFEATED with a gooooood thumping on ur buttocks. And u claim the others are cowards….dont u even have the backbone to accept defeat as it is? Silly ppl. Stop crying like a school gal….
Between there never was a kingdom called Rukunu, u fool!
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rosko99 / December 22, 2012
Reading these and all other related rabid, irrational comments it is clear to me that peace will not come to SL until the next generation. There is so much hatred, dishonesty, bigotry and hypocrisy on both sides today … What is so sad is the pathetic representation of the proud tamil nation which has very legitimate grievances but total buffoons as advocates.
Kiruba – so your previously hysterical rant about the asassination in France and the disclosure within days that it was a SL Govt hit job has gone phht. You are a disgrace to Tamils. Isn’t there a more educated & sophisticated Tamil advocate in Europe?
Raja – so children joined the LTTE because of the army? Not due to LTTE pressure? Are you on another planet?
Anpu – thanks for the exhaustive list. If we are to truly move forwards you would have also documented and listed the atrocities committed by the LTTE.
Like it or not, the Rajapaksa government we have today is Prabhakaran’s gift to Sri Lanka. We all get to enjoy it!
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Anpu / December 22, 2012
Roko99 – the list starts in 1948 (nearly 30 years before sinhaleas PMs gave birth to LTTE)
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Anpu / December 22, 2012
Rosko99 –
“..It is this politics of ethnic-outbidding – electoral competition between the UNP and SLFP to persuade Sinhalese voters that they are the best equipped to ensure Sinhalese dominance – that marginalized Tamils from the state, reinforced the ideology of Sinhalese ethnic and political supremacy, and eventually created conditions for the Tamil separatist insurgency. …..”
Please read
http://www.india-seminar.com/2007/576/576_jayadeva_uyangoda.htm
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Kandiah / December 24, 2012
Hope you are relaxed now.
You know very little about Kiruba. You ask your Ministers other who attend the UN Human rights forums.
Your ministers including GL Peris lost their debate to Kiruba.
UN has already declared him as Human rights defender.
Yes for you chauvanist he may be terrorist supporter.
You all are supporters of a Terrorist state.
Do you know a proverb that “those live in glasses houses should not throw stones at others”.
Do you know why D.R.Mango is silent now?
His identity was found and few of activities were disclosed in this website.
We know who you are?
If you wish to know about you, do reply this comment.
D.R. Mango’s onetime good friend was Rohan G…. based in S’pore.
He was the main manuplator between the Rajapaksa and the LTTE arms smuggler KP.
They got in touch with Interpool wanted KP to split Karuna and eventually all got to gether gave the final shot to VP.
These stoogers will regreat for what they have done to Tamil Freedom struggle.
Now where is KP, Karuna, Douglas?
They are gradully going into the gabagge of Rajapaksa.
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Mango / December 24, 2012
@ Kandiah:
How’s the ‘Tamil Freedom Struggle’ these days? Despite your fantasies, I don’t know Rohana Gunaratna. What are these ‘activities’ which have been ‘exposed’?
Have you found out why Saintly Mr Kirubaharan can’t address the cowardice of the LTTE leadership who sacrificed the lives of thousands of Tamil civilians, (on whose behalf they claimed to fight) whilst trying to escape from Mullativu?
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Kandiah / December 26, 2012
IT is a big joke that you do not know Rohan Gunaratna.
Do you remember that you both prepared a hit list in 2000, to finish some Tamil activities in foreign countries.
If you dont R.G. you ask Gatabayah, SL all intelligence agencies, KP, Karuna and all the contact person of KP in Europe.
KP’s people are in UK, France, Norway, Swizeralnd, Canada …………
How is your business in OFF LICENCE?
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Mango / December 28, 2012
@ Kandiah:
It is indeed a big joke, because I don’t know Prof Gunaratna, or Gota or KP. If you have any proof, please post it here! Anyway, back to cowardice.
Was it cowardly of the LTTE to shield themselves behind the bodies of Tamil civilians to escape certain death at the hands of the SLA?
Was it cowardly of Mr Kirubaharan not to have visited the Vanni? He spent his time in Paris, enjoying his daily diet of croissants and coffee while thousands of unwilling conscripts died on his behalf?
Are you brave enough to answer those questions? Because Mr Kirubaharan certainly won’t answer them.
p.s,the ‘off-license’ joke was on you; you really don’t understand English too well, do you?
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Kandiah / December 29, 2012
D.R.Mango, English professor of University of NIB, Sri Lanka.
English professor prepared a hit list of Tamils in 2000, along with R.G.Ratne. bogus professor in terrorism.
Present KP’s is good friend is Rohan Guanaratne.
Also English professor who runs OFF LICENCE.
All gangsters
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Sulary / December 22, 2012
7000….40,000….70,000…80,000….100,0000(Frances Harrison) ..Still Counting..
70,000 X 4 = 280,000(Looks Odd) Why not 300,000 or 400,000 or 80 Million (including T/Nadu stock)
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Anpu / December 22, 2012
Rajapakse zero to 8000
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Iqbal / December 22, 2012
Kiruba, the right thinking people who respects humans thank you for itemising the UN reports both published by the Expert Panel and Internal Review to highlight how present Sri Lankan government took other countries for a ride and praised itself instead of genuinely investigating the alleged war crimes and genocide. More and more countries and NGOs realise the need for an independent investigation of what happened during the war and until to-date.
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Joseph / December 23, 2012
This is the only reasonable comment touching the article.
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Mariam / December 22, 2012
Non of the jokers who write their comments could not challenge Kirubaharan’s article.
They write everything either just to put their name or to show that they are also concern to get into government books.
It is true that it was a cowardly war.
Rajapaksa and his companian do not have their back bone.
Cowards.
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Ali / December 23, 2012
Taken note of you this comment in your article.
Ps.
My recent articles worries a few. Some have warned me too. The common phenomena is that, “everyone who comes into this world has to die one day. Until the time comes, it cannot happen. When the times come, no one can escape. Until that, one should not fail in his/her duty.”
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Fernando / December 26, 2012
Sorry to note that all secret information has leaked out.
Why did you prepared a hit list?
You cant match these people.
Please save the name of Singhalese.
You doing utter unwanted things.
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