The complaint filed by the Centre for Policy Alternatives (CPA) and its Executive Director, Dr. Paikiasothy Saravanamuttu 6 months ago against the State Owned Independent Television Network (ITN) was taken up this afternoon in the Human Rights Commisson of Sri Lanka.
Dr Paikiasothy Saravanamuttu
The CPA Executive Director Dr. Saravanamuttu as well as Rosmand Senaratne, Chairman of ITN were summoned and present before the Commission. After hearing lawyers’ initial submissions, the Human Rights Commission decided to refix the matter for a fuller inquiry at 10:30am on 24.04.2014.
Dr. Saravanamuttu has complained that there is an organized campaign by the Rajapaksa regime abusing ITN as a public corporation controlled by the government, to attack CPA and other civil service organisations because they are seen as unsupportive of the regime. A common method used is to falsely describe them as “LTTE supporters/activists” to damage their reputation. This he states, violates several fundamental rights.
The incident which caused the complaint was a news item carried on ITN news, claiming that CPA and Dr. Saravanamuttu organized a seminar in Ampara to further a “LTTE Terrorist Agenda”. In fact, neither CPA nor Dr. Saravanamuttu had anything to do with any seminar in Ampara. The allegation was made in the news item maliciously, purely to cause damage to CPA. A written complaint to the ITN Chairman was not even replied to. Thereafter a written complaint was made to the HRC by CPA and Dr. Saravanamuttu.
The complaint alleges infringement and imminent further infringement of fundamental rights by such vilification campaigns against CPA and other members of civil society critical of the government.
The complainants have requested for several reliefs through the complaint, several of which are meant not only to protect the complainants’ rights, but all other civil society actors/activists who should be free of such malicious abuse by state controlled media run on public funds.
The reliefs asked for are at the end of the complaint. To read the full complaint, click here
aratai / February 11, 2014
.
Good Luck.
:-)
/
Rambler / February 11, 2014
Pakiasothy
As citizens of this country we have every right to expect you and your CPA to be law abiding, and be accountable and transparent to us.
You are violating our rights by not working in the interests of the country and instead pursuing actions that can undermine our sovereignty and freedom as a people. Though you preach accountability and transparency to the rest of the world, we the people on whose behalf you claim to work still don’t know fully how you operate and what exactly you are trying to do.
We as citizens are totally in the dark as to: How and from where the CPA gets its funding and how it disposes them, how appointments are made, how policy is formulated, who makes the decisions, etc. Who are the members of the “civil society” you are talking about? What are the criteria for inclusion and exclusion? What kind of relationships and dealings your CPA has with the rest of the so called civil society, NGOs, political parties, lobby groups, religious bodies, foreign organizations and foreign governments.
Also what about CPA’s accountability: For whom are you working? Are you answerable to anyone? Who do you report to?
By not providing this information readily to public scrutiny, you are only inviting speculation about CPA’s motives and conduct. The government has every right to ensure you don’t violate the law, your activities don’t harm the citizens, and you don’t engage in any sabotage or treason against the country.
/
Palmsquirrell / February 11, 2014
” You are violating our rights by not working in the interests of the country and instead pursuing actions that can undermine our sovereignty and freedom as a people”
That is your opinion, there are other opinions which are counter to yours.
/
S. Modaya / February 12, 2014
Way to go Dr. Sara! Keep up your good work to save democracy from the ignorant Sinhalaya Modayas who think that democracy is feudalism, cronyism, nepotism, corruption and money politics, rather than the rule of law, separation of powers, transparency, accountability and MERITOCRACY.
CPA please raise issue about Ministers turning their Ministries into employment rackets for their sons and relatives (following Jarapassa’s example) as part of a voter education campaign against corruption and nepotism.
Vasudeva Nanayakkara’s son is running the Ministry for National Langauge and Social Integration and blocking any real work there or a Bill on Prevention of Racial Hatred and Hate Speach, and now Minister of Higher Education, Clown S.B. Dissanaiyake appointed his son head the Board on Degree awarding institutions – with what qualifications do they hold these jobs?
/
Ball Prabakaran / February 12, 2014
[Edited out]
Parki is a well known spin doctor. What has he done constructively to Sri Lanka a part from serving the lip service with his black thick lips.
[Edited out]
/
Palmsquirrell / February 13, 2014
And what kind of lips do you have; listen as a Sinhala you are also a brownie from the Indian SubCon so don’t entertain some notion you are better.
/
Ball Prabakaran / February 13, 2014
PS
You missed the point completely. No wonder squirrell has a tiny brain and I excuse you for not understanding the meaning.
/
Palmsquirrell / February 14, 2014
What was the point? What was the point in specifically stating he has ” black thick lips” .
I am waiting to know what specific point the size and color of his lips has to do with the statements he made.
This should be interesting …..
/
Piranha / February 12, 2014
Hey Rambler,
You sound like a real Rajapaksa arsewipe. Firstly demand the Rajapaksa family and his cronies in government to be law abiding and accountable. The laws of the land are being broken by this criminal regime on a daily basis by the ministers, deputy ministers, chairmen of state organisations, UPFA MPs and other cronies who are drug dealers, murderers and other criminals.
Dr Sara is a law abiding citizen of the country who is fighting for the rights of the common man and for democracy. He should get the support of all the decent people of the country who cherish democracy and law and order. Your allegiance to the criminal Rajapaksa regime is very misplaced. Rajap[aksa has well and truly fooled you into supporting him regardless of his anti-people activities. Shame on you.
/
Jeyanthy Croos / February 12, 2014
Mr.Piranha,
In a civilized society,when someone expresses their view it is not right to brand them as traitors,stooges,lackeys etc.,etc. Those who do sin in this world, will definitely be punished by the god. Neither MR nor Sampanthan is exception to this.They can cheat few people for a short period,but cant cheat all the people all the time.We all should work for the betterment of the people and the country.At the same time we must expose people who pretend to be HR champions and live a lavish life while ordinary people are suffering.
Dr.Sara now wails about his rights being violated.He opened his mouth only for tooth extraction when Tigers violated the rights of thousands of people. NGO people think that they are above the law and they can run a parallel government on par with the national government with the support of the western embassies.Who are these people?Which Srilankans participated in electing them?These are all foreign educated or English educated elites.They are more fluent in English than native languages.They are at home at Harward than in Chunnakam or Chilaw.They talk about t regime change,but they never talk about changes in the NGO leadership.Many of them have been in the NGO field since the days of JR.Now they have inducted their family members also.These are the people talking about the democracy and family rule. In short NGOs are bureaucratic and elitists in nature.They are wining and dining in embassy parties and are gyrating to the western music.
May god bless our country!
/
Dev / February 12, 2014
The president’s own son was gyrating as you say to western music when the stage collapsed at Hilton on the 31st LOL
/
Retorter / February 12, 2014
Hwt Piranha
You sound like a real Paikiasothy asswipe.
How much foreign wine and dollars do you get rom him?
He abides someone else’s law, not Sri lanka’s. Padayas like him and you should be thrown in jail and the key thrown away.
Let his foreign masters come and rescue you.
/
Davidson Panabokke / February 12, 2014
”seminar in Amparai” must be the one organised by National Peace Council which was disrupted by a Buddhist monk:
http://colombogazette.com/2013/07/28/batti-monk-goes-berserk/
Rambler
1.Can you give a weblink to the ”seminar in Amparai” please?
2.We need to write to these Directors to get the funders’ details: http://www.cpalanka.org/about/
/
Davidson Panabokke / February 12, 2014
Rambler
http://www.cpalanka.org/ looks reasonably good enough to challenge the lies of the government just as:
https://www.colombotelegraph.com/index.php/why-david-cameron-is-not-in-thrall-to-the-tamil-diaspora/
/
Cynthia / February 12, 2014
Dr. Pakiasothy and
/
Native Vedda / February 12, 2014
Rambler
“You are violating our rights by not working in the interests of the country and instead pursuing actions that can undermine our sovereignty and freedom as a people.”
Interest of the country and clan’s interest are two different things.
By the way what is sovereignty in the context of this island? Did this island ever had sovereignty?
This a luxury we can’t afford.
/
Vedi descender / February 12, 2014
May be “hymie suddanta puka allana karapoththo” can’t afford sovereignty.But we can, with the help of India and China.
Your days are numbered.
/
James Bollard / February 12, 2014
You [Edited out] Rambler,
This govt allegedly elected by the people and who should be working for the people are they accountable to the people??? Our tax money is plundered for their luxurious living, our banks, finance institutes, businesses, CSE, …..etc are raped, foreign borrowings are spent as they fancy by your so called govt and you don’t ask them to be accountable. In March once again your fucking govt has put the international radar on Sri Lanka for crimes against humanity… a crime the decent citizens of Sri Lanka have to carry as a stigma when they travel abroad and do you ask your inhuman govt if they are going to be accountable and stand trial to save the innocent people of this heinous charge?
Hitler also found a scapegoat in the Jewish community to hoodwink the people and propel him to power and calling all those against his regime as traitors; what ultimately happened to the German people and the country??
/
JULAMPITIYE AMARAYA / February 12, 2014
RATTLER,
You are rambling like a Rattle Snake.
as you and every body knows that Jarapassas and Their Goons like you are ransacking and looting the country. and there are many paid Arse likers like you with out backbones and with out Spines are getting paid by Dhaja Jarapaasas from peoples money.
It is better You all with JARAPASSAS to beg in front of the Fort railway station and feed your families.
And it is more Respectable than looting and eating from poor people’s money.
SO YOU ALL ARE Together with DHAJA Jarapassa clan are SHAMELESS Beggars feeding from poor people’s money.
/
MrRetort / February 11, 2014
Dr. PS you are doing a great thing. This is more difficult task to achieve. Than getting feathers from a tortie. Everybody knows this mean third class work of ITN. WHO GIVES THE BLESSING FOR THIS.?
/
essie / February 11, 2014
Good luck, indeed!
/
Rajash / February 11, 2014
Good Luck PS
/
Abkedabara / February 11, 2014
Dr. Its no point in complaining to the HR Commissioner. He too a bluff. Works for the sinhalese Government. Very recently he created big Ha ,Ho at Anula Vidyalaya is an example.
He is totally one sided man.
Any way Dr. P has has to be very very careful Any thing can happen any time to you sir.
Please be careful.
/
Katmai / February 11, 2014
The only reason the HRCSL is lending an ear to Dr. Sara’s complaint now is due to their fear that this issue also will come up at the UNHRC and add to their woes. They are trying to pull a fast one on Dr. Sara hoping he’ll go easy on them. The complaint will get thrown into the dustbin soon after the UNHRC sessions are over; bet your bottom dollar on it! Now that gambling is all kosher in Sri Lanka, I wish we can bet on these sorts of things with Rajapaksa supporters. At least we can win some money off of them.
So yeah, the regime is scared of the UNHRC and the International Community and if not for them, specially, India the regime would have killed off the Tamils like an exterminator getting rid of an ant colony.
Hope Sara wouldn’t relent and give repose to that “Thadi Nariya” in sheep’s clothes, Prathiba Mahanamahewa and his gang.
/
Aman Faris / February 11, 2014
Good luck, Doc. But take good care
/
Ramany K / February 11, 2014
“….. because they are seen as unsupportive of the regime. A common method used is to falsely describe them as “LTTE supporters/activists” to damage their reputation. “
Dr.Pakiyasothy,those who are seen as unsupportive to the regime could go to HR commission and file a complaint and might even get fund from the western countries.But those who were seen as unsupportive to the Tigers were branded as traitors and killed. The word traitor was introduced by Sampanthans in early seventies.TULF’s political opponents were branded as traitors and said that the traitors wont have natural death.The “boys” carried out the killngs.The Tamil media justified the killings of those who didnt toe the LTTE line.Some NGOs didnt even utter a word against the brutal murders for fear of reprisal.
By the way,has Sunantha the senior member of CPA returned the money stole from the CPA?.
/
Robert.R / February 12, 2014
so you are saying since the LTTE a terrorist org did it the democratically elected regime should too ?
/
watey ranil / February 11, 2014
fuller inquiry? just as election tablets that deceive the poor,this is meant for march.
/
Cynthia / February 12, 2014
Dr. Pakiasothy and CPA let the rambler ..ramble and speculate!!
We the citizens of Sri Lanka are grateful to you for the work
you are doing for the benefit of the citizens. Good Luck to you.
/
Sally Wilson / February 12, 2014
Good Luck Dr PS !
/
fernando / February 12, 2014
Sarawanamutu [Edited out]
/
Babel dayan / February 12, 2014
Good work, hang these buggers and their cronies in CT comments.
/
MirakRajBanda / February 12, 2014
Dr. S.Pakiasothy one of the last surviving single voice against the atrocities unleashed by the regime not only towards minorities but also so-called majorities. I do appreciate your courageous approach to the very powerful, ruthless regime’s crimes against humanity.
It’s obvious the Government controlled propaganda machines (ITN/Rupavahini) portray you with their North Korean style news readers as terrorist, traitor or whatever comes to their mind is a real mockery….
Very unfortunately people like ”Ramler” are brainwashed to believe what they see and hear.
/
Thondamanaru / February 12, 2014
This is $$$$$$$$$$$$$ courage.
Miharakraj Banda switch over to your real name.
/
Kaiwaru Raja / February 12, 2014
Why not change Pakiasothy’s name to Americanmuthu. or
still better Americansothy Washingtonmuthu
/
Rambler / February 12, 2014
Dr Paikiasothy Saravanamuttu
Is it wrong to ask for information? Are we not fighting the MR regime for suppressing information, for lack of transparency. Isn’t the cry for war crimes inquiry all about getting the information out?
Last time I checked, access to information is a human right.
Would you please stand up for my fundamental human right to information and help me stave off this marauding civil society horde.
Or is it okay not to disclose information because that’s what the MR regime is doing?
/
MADDUMA / February 12, 2014
He has been acting as a agent of the bloody LTTE Terrorists & a supporter of the TAMIL DIASPORA. Even though he is a SRI LANKAN, now he try to becomes a TRAITOR OF THE BELOVED MOTHERLAND SRI LANKA. Pls be a REAL SRI LANKAN who doesn’t want to divide this small peaceful country since all SRI LANKANS (SINHALESE, TAMILS, MUSLIMS, MALAYS,BURGERS) LIVE IN HARMONY TOGETHER WITHOUT ANY TERRORISTS’ FEAR!
/
Palmsquirrell / February 13, 2014
The standby ‘LTTE card’ , which shares the deck with the ‘NGO Card’ and the ‘Proxy of Foreign government’ card.
/
Thondamanaru / February 12, 2014
Way to go Sara……… Signs of MAD COW disease………
/
OutRider / February 13, 2014
People! Wake up and smell the coffee.
Snap out of your binary mental trap and see that the human rights emperor has no clothes. The world is cynical and life is less than perfect, and there is no easy answer to any question. However much we like, there are no heroes. No issue in this cold indifferent world is black and white.
The experience of most countries has shown the self-appointed good boys protecting human rights by fighting against the bad boys of the government are no better. Human rights is a big business and in today’s unipolar world and soft powers it is the chosen tool of the mighty to engineer politics in weaker countries to keep them in line.
Our own human rights boys (and girls) are more riled up nowadays because their nemesis Mahinda has kicked them right in the cojones by destroying the civil war business that sustained them for the last 30 years or so. There are no untouchables in this whole sordid chapter in our history: the Tigers, the government, and the human rights-NGO-civil society complex were all players and should share the culpability. The HR-NGO-CS nexus lived off the tragic conflict by involving itself in the pro-LTTE/anti-Sri Lanka disinformation campaign and by helping to escalate and prolong the conflict.
Therefore in my view any investigation of human rights violations and alleged war crimes in Sri Lanka worthy of its name should encompass the whole period from 1983 to 2009, and should look into the commissions and omissions of all the players: Tigers, the government and the human rights-NGO-civil society complex. It should be kept in mind that the Church is also part of the HR-NGO-CS complex, and the media played a very critical role in the whole conflict. The IPKF saga obviously should be also investigated. The roles played by the governments of India, Tamil Nadu and of the countries with Tamil diasporas in allowing the LTTE to use their soil and resources to do propaganda, raise funds, undergo training, and buy arms and ammunition to launch terrorist attacks in Sri Lanka should be an integral part of any proper inquiry.
Finally, no investigation of human rights abuse in Sri Lanka would be complete without taking into consideration the killing of over 60,000 Sinhala youth by the government security forces in the 88-89 JVP uprising. This cold blooded massacre of mostly lower middle-class rural Sinhala youth is not in any way less than the tragedy of Mullivaikkal in the scale of violence or the enormity of injustice. Relatively speaking, these youth were totally isolated: There was no international attention, no high profile media coverage, no You Tube, no social media, no diaspora to take up their case, no off shore Sinhala Nadu to come to their aid – in short, these youth and the horrific tragedy befalling on them was virtually unknown to the rest of the world when it was happening.
/
K.A Sumanasekera / February 13, 2014
Is this Dr the same , Tiger loving Paikiasothy who went to Canada to tell its Parliament that the elimination of the Terrorists is a fundamental Human Rights violation?
Is he the same Dr who continuously forward petitions to Human Rightists world over making false allegations about Srilanka , hoping that the Westerners who haven’t been there think that it is a miserable place?.
And get paid handsomely as well…
/
Ball Prabakaran / February 13, 2014
Parki or anybody
Can somebody tell me what this Spin Doctor Parki has done any meaningfull action to SL? Apart from crying for this supper from his western masters?
HE surly promoted me when I was running the Peelum war? [Edited out]
/
Tamil from the North / February 14, 2014
Sumanasekera, you mutt. Look around you, all the bloody LTTE scoundrels are working for the Pakses. Take the toxic waste out of your filthy head and think before you write something.
/