The Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka (HRCSL) has written to the President Maithripala Sirisena urging, particularly in his capacity as Minister of National Integration and Reconciliation, to ensure the right of families to engage in memorialisation activities and also the security of persons who engage in such activities.
We publish below the letter in full:
Dr. Deepika Udagama – Chairperson – HRCSL
His Excellency Maithripala Sirisena
President of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka
Presidential Secretariat
Colombo 1.
Your Excellency,
Memorialisation and Reconciliation
The Human Rights Commission has received a complaint from Rev. Fr. Elil Rajendran of the Society of Jesus (Jesuits) Mullaitivu, who has been summoned numerous times by the police to be interrogated in relation to a memorialisation activity he had organised to remember those who lost their lives during the latter stages of the armed conflict. The memorialisation was to be established by carving the names of those who had died on stones to be placed at a permanent memorial in Mullaivaikkal, Mullaitivu.
On several occasions the police had summoned Fr. Elil to appear at different police stations (Mullaitivu and Vavuniya) for questioning about the event. The police had also sought and obtained a judicial injunction to prevent the event from taking place. Following the court order the police had summoned Fr. Elil and had requested him to submit all names that were to be carved on stones for memorialisation to ensure there were no names of LTTE cadres.
Fr. Elil complained to our Commission that repeated questioning by the police at police stations and at his residence on this ceremony constituted harassment and placed fetters on his freedom of movement, expression and association- rights which are enshrined in the Constitution of Sri Lanka. Further, the questioning of Fr. Rajendran’s elderly parents has caused them great distress and anxiety.
After a thirty year armed conflict Sri Lanka is at present attempting to rebuild ethnic relations and work towards reconciliation. In this process it is important that all communities have the space and ability to mourn the loss of their loved ones and remember them. Hence, memorialisation is an important and integral part of the reconciliation process. In Sri Lanka we have built many memorials to commemorate the soldiers who have lost their lives during the armed conflict. Likewise, all communities should have the right to construct memorials to remember their family members and loved ones. The fact that the person who died was a LTTE cadre should not be used as the reason to deny the family to mourn and remember their loved one. Every family has the right to remember and memorialise their loved ones irrespective of their status or political beliefs.
The Commission is of the view that allowing families the space to do so would enable them to feel they too have, and are able to exercise their rights as citizens of Sri Lanka, and are part of a common journey towards reconciliation. Denial of such an opportunity will only serve to deepen ethnic divisions and hamper reconciliation efforts.
In this spirit, the Commission requests Your Excellency, particularly in your capacity as Minister of National Integration and Reconciliation, to ensure the right of families to engage in memorialisation activities, and also the security of persons who engage in such activities.
We set out in the attached annex the chronology of events as provided to the Commission by Rev. Fr. Rajendran.
Dr. Deepika Udagama
Chairperson
Cc: Hon. Prime Minister
Hon. Minister of Law & Order
Hon. Minister of Co-existence, Dialogue and Official Languages
Chairperson, Office of National Unity and Reconciliation
Jimsofty / June 9, 2017
If those families want their rightd, then those families should accept the responsiblities of the suicide bombers as well as black tigers. In other words, those family members should be prosecuted for what the suicide bombers and black tigers did. Simply confiscate their assets and pay to the victims. rights are not just one way. It should be both ways.
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Jim Softy / June 9, 2017
hi dumb, collective punishment is illegal in Sri lanka and according to Geneva convention. If you are in favour of collective punishment, then the terrorists Tamils would argue every Sinhalese should be punished for monks ‘shop a day’ campaign. You idiot will never get it. Let them have their memorial, easy to torch them when they are all in one place
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Jimsofty / June 9, 2017
when children behave criminally, parents can be prosecuted. that is happeniong somewhere. Certainly, in Sri lanka, TNA should be prosecuted for promoting violence.
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Jim Softy / June 10, 2017
‘Somewhere’ ?? There must be a limit to idiocy. Muslims would argue ‘halal’ is a must ‘somewhere’. You idiot is doing more harm to our shop a day campaign. Just shut up until the campaign is over
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yusuf / June 10, 2017
Dumb Jimbo,
———————-“when children behave criminally, parents can be prosecuted. that is happeniong somewhere”.———————-
So the government can be prosecuted when Tamils misbehave? Ha ha ha.
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Native Vedda / June 9, 2017
Jimsofty the dimwit ———- “those family members should be prosecuted for what the suicide bombers and black tigers did”———————– I take it that the relatives of war criminals JVP & Armed forces had already been prosecuted for what they both did to innocent people and each other before Armed forces built their memorials on graves of their victims.
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Jimsofty / June 10, 2017
Dumb native Veddo: Armed forces are not LTTE brigadiers who are terrorists. Even JVP was not terrorists and their parents di dnot ask rights for any wrongs that their children behaviour.———————-whether the parents are poor or not do not matter. If they want talk about rights, they should also be responsible for their terrorist children.
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Native Vedda / June 10, 2017
Jimsofty the Dimwit———- Nuisance is looking for her padikkam (spittoon) which she has misplaced somewhere in her care home. Could you find it clean it and give it to her.
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old codger / June 10, 2017
NV,
—————- Which Jimmy are you talking to?—————- Original Jim, Fake Jim#1, Fake Jim#2, or JimHardy?
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Native Vedda / June 10, 2017
old codger———–“Which Jimmy are you talking to?”——- The dimmest of all.
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Tamil from the north / June 10, 2017
Jim shitty you are nothing but a disgusting low life mongrel. Anytime there is an article about Tamils, you spew out your filthy venom. I am wondering why on earth a useless garbage like you was born? What purpose did your birth serve except producing vile garbage. Absolute filth!!!!!
If Weerawansa, Somawansa and the ilk were allowed to live after murdering innocent people the least you can do is shut up when families want to mourn their dead. Disgusting pig, I hope you die a slow painful death soon.
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Jimsofty / June 10, 2017
Dalit Kallathoni living in Keneda: Even KP and Karuna or Pillayan should not be prosecuted though they are leaders of Tamil barbarians. It is the terrorist families in the north that who should be prosecuted as they are defending their children’s criminal and terrorist behaviour. Their lands and properties should be acquired to the govt.
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Tamil from the north / June 10, 2017
jim shitty, ado if I am a kallathoni what does that make you? Remember how Vijaya was chased out of Orissa by his own dad because he was a hoodlum. You belong to that line of rowdies. Your lovely cousins are still at it. You are a dirty scumbag who is trying to incite another racial war. Dirty lowlife, you can cry all you want but nothing is going to happen. The international community is watching low lives like you constantly. You are nothing but a low life pariah.
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Champa / June 13, 2017
Tamil from the North —– Don’t lie. Weerawansa or Somawansa didn’t murder people. — When are you going to learn to write the truth? You Tamils managed to hoodwink the world with false propaganda for 4, 5 decades. You all succeeded so far with your lies because Sinhalese didn’t talk before. Now we are talking and we make the world listen to us.
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Tamil from the north / June 14, 2017
Chumpi boy, Why don’t you wake up Somawansa from his deep coma and ask him who gave the orders to assassinate poor Vijaya Kumaratunge? A man who fought for the poor was gunned down by a thug who took the orders from Somawansa.
Maybe you need to learn a bit of history boy.
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Amarasiri / June 10, 2017
Dr. Deepika Udagama, Human Rights Commission Tells Sirisena———————————————————————————————————————————-RE: Ensure The Right Of Families To Engage In Memorialisation Activities: Human Rights Commission Tells Sirisena —————————————————————————————————————————————————————–Yes. Unfortunately, Sirisena, the so-called President has earned the Titles of Turncoat, Traitor, Gona ( Colloquial Sinhala, whore), Mala-Perethaya( eating off the dead killed by MaRa and cronies), and Sevalaya ( sleazer), by todse who voted for him on January 8, 2015 as the common candidate.
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Champa / June 10, 2017
The HRCSL is going beyond its capacity and mandate to interfere in the internal security of Sri Lanka. —– Every country has a right to take measures to crush any efforts to attach heroism to terrorism. Human rights of a single person/a selected group should not undermine the security of a country and its right to safeguard the entire citizenry from possible threat of terrorism. —– The Police has a legitimate right and a responsibility to question any citizen to safeguard the security of the country. —– Terrorists have no regard for families. They massacred thousands and thousands of families. —— Those who were killed also have a right to live and those who are alive also have a right to be protected from any resurrection of LTTE. —— Your comparison of Soldiers with Terrorists is sickening. —- Our Soldiers didn’t simply die. They sacrificed their lives to protect the lives of others. It should be commemorated. Terrorists don’t have that right. Who make public Memorials for civilians ?——- This is not a simple memorialization but an attempt to grant martyr to dead people and make Tamils remember that their family members who were Terrorists fought for a Tamil Eelam. This should not be allowed. The Terrorists are family members only to their families, but for the rest of the world they are deadly Terrorists. —— Name any country where family members of Terrorists are allowed to even commemorate them in public let alone allowing to erect Memorials? The HRCSL seem to have an agenda to make Sri Lanka a safe heaven for future terrorists. —— What is next in your agenda? Is HRCSL going to tell the President that he should allow Muslim family members of the Sri Lankan born ISIS Terrorist who was killed in ME, to erect a memorial in Colombo? —— Know your limits HRC!
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old codger / June 10, 2017
DEAR Champa,
———————–‘ Name any country where family members of Terrorists are allowed to even commemorate them in public let alone allowing to erect Memorials? ‘——————————
You do insist on putting your foot in your mouth dear. Maybe you were not yet born in 1971 or 1989. Your JVP heroes caused me personally much more trouble than the Tigers ever did. The Tigers never ordered us Southerners to carry coffins below knee level or shoot shopkeepers for defying “curfew”. Remember the JVP attacked the Dalada Maligawa first. If that is not terrorism, how do you define it? Are only Tamils terrorists?
———————————But the JVP holds memorials and builds monuments. They have every right to do so. And parents of LTTE members also have that right.—————————
As for your challenge to “name any country”, have you heard of IRELAND and INDIA? Yes, they commemorate people who were once called terrorists. Please do your research before typing inane statements that are more worthy of people like Jimmy the Dumb.
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Champa / June 10, 2017
Old Codger —-I already answered your rubbish mid May. You seem to have a short memory. I clearly defined the difference between LTTE and JVP which depends on their Targets and Motives. I will say this for the last time as your comment is misleading. JVP was a rebel group which targetted Army and the Police while LTTE was a terrorist group which targetted innocent civilians and instilled terror to separate the North as Tamil Eelam. JVP didn’t attack Dalada Maligawa like LTTE but only the Police Post there which caused only a minor damage. During the period JVP remained banned, they never commemmorated their leader or their members (I learnt this from one of Wimal’s speeches) whereas LTTE sympathizers trying to commemorate a banned Terrrorist Group and a Terrorist Leader. LTTE is A BANNED TERRORIST GROUP. Know the difference. —– LTTE was given the opportunity to leave weapons and absorb into main political stream. They didn’t do it because Prabhakaran was a bloodthirsty savage. When JVP was given the opportunity they embraced it and made things right by following the correct path. —— India commemorates terrorists? Terrorists? I didn’t know India also had a Prabhakran type Terrorist Leader who unleashed terror for 30 years killing hundreds of thousands innocent civilians and a terrorist organization similar to LTTE. And they commemorate the Indian Version of Prabhakaran? Please provide details. —– In Ireland, IRA is only regarded as an illegal organization though UK considered it as a proscribed terrorist group.—— LTTE was banned by UN. To be precise, according to United Nations Security Council Resolution 1373, LTTE is a banned terrorist organization. Therefore, every UN signatory country is abide by that Resolution and should not allow anyone to support or commemorate LTTE terrorists even by their family members in their respective countries. —– Do you now know where HRCSL stands? They support terrorism and encourage and promote terrorism as heroism. HRCSL should also be banned in its operations in Sri Lanka.
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old codger / June 10, 2017
Dear Champa,
———-I really must congratulate you on your foot-eating ability:———-” JVP was a rebel group which targetted Army and the Police while LTTE was a terrorist group which targetted innocent civilians ” Did the JVP not impose “curfews ” on civilians in 1989? Did the JVP not kill poor shopkeepers for defying orders to close? Did the JVP not kill local politicians? Were these not civilians? So what is the difference between them and the Tigers? You are unwilling or unable to see the facts because you are blinded by racist chauvinism.—————————————–
Champa, you have a VERY poor knowledge of history: “In Ireland, IRA is only regarded as an illegal organization though UK considered it as a proscribed terrorist group.”———
The IRA (Sinn Fein) led the struggle against British rule in Ireland until the Irish Republic was formed in 1921. The Brits banned them as terrorists, but independent Ireland commemorates them as national heroes.———————–
As to India,———Udham Singh (26 December 1899 – 31 July 1940) was an Indian revolutionary best known for assassinating Sir Michael O’Dwyer, the former Lieutenant Governor of the Punjab in British India, on 13 March 1940. The assassination has been described as an avenging of the Jallianwala Bagh massacre in Amritsar” He is now commemorated as a hero.—————————————-Also, you ought to stop presenting fiction as fact: ” I didn’t know India also had a Prabhakran type Terrorist Leader who unleashed terror for 30 years killing hundreds of thousands innocent civilians and a terrorist organization similar to LTTE.” Dear Champa, there are many many things you don’t know.
Don’t you know that only about 2000 + Sinhala civilians died in 30 years? Actually more Tamils died, along with about 26000 services personnel.————————–You really ought to check your facts.————————————As to India commemorating terrorists, perhaps even you know that one man’s terrorist is another’s freedom fighter. The Indians fought for their freedom, and we got ours entirely due to that. But your cardboard heroes like Wimal of Lemon Puff fame do not have the brains to see that.
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Native Vedda / June 11, 2017
old codger—————Champa typed:”JVP was a rebel group which targetted Army and the Police” ——– Plus relatives of policemen and armed forces. Yet JVP was a rebel group and LTT E was a terrorist group. DIG Premadasa Udugampola went on a rampage, Got a few relatives of JVP terrorists bumped off. ———————— I think you have special affection for champa. ———– How do you propose to continue your affection for Champa when he/she/it doesn’t know right from wrong? ———-
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Champa / June 11, 2017
Old Codger —– Your comment sound childish. Your LTTE is not freedom fighters. No point of whitewashing them. According to the international standards, LTTE was regarded as the World’s Most Ruthless Terrorist Organization. JVP did never come under that category because they were not terrorists. They never were. Nobody cares about how you define a terrorist group. The definition of a terrorist organization and a rebel group which I applied to LTTE and JVP is what is universally accepted.—— Then again IRA is regarded as an illegal organization in Ireland. That is again not my opinion. About India, you didn’t answer my question. Your answer is not relevant to the subject. According to your math, none of the terrorists were killed. Lies and poor math about death of Sinhalese don’t take you anywhere. The world knows the truth. The LTTE failed to conceal facts of their massacre, that is why over 32 countries proscribed LTTE and 15 or more of their connected organizations in the world. They are deadly, that is why even if Sri Lanka vanquished Prabhakran, most countries still don’t remove LTTE from the list of world’s most dangerous terrorist groups. That’s all. Everything else in your comment doesn’t apply to my reply. One thing is sure again, you don’t know the history of Sri Lanka.
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old codger / June 11, 2017
Champ,
———————————————More empty noise from you!
So you don’t believe only a few thousand Sinhala civilians were killed? You can look up the figures (including from Gota himself) here: ——–https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Casualties_of_the_Sri_Lankan_Civil_War—————-It is in the interest of Sinhala racists to make out that the LTTE was much worse than it was. —————————————
“Then again IRA is regarded as an illegal organization in Ireland” ——————The present illegal IRA is not the same organization that fought for independence. If you don’t want to admit that the original IRA is now commemorated, you’re welcome to wallow in your delusions.——————————————–
“LTTE was regarded as the World’s Most Ruthless Terrorist Organization.” ————- Now,now, you should not swallow your own propaganda.———Kindly tell us who exactly said this, and why? . Have you ever heard of the LRA in Uganda and the Khmer Rouge in Cambodia?
——————–I can tell you another country that commemorates so-called terrorists. Palestinian leader Arafat used to be labelled a terrorist by the West.
———————–“One thing is sure again, you don’t know the history of Sri Lanka. ” Dear lady, I have LIVED through the history of Sri Lanka, unlike you, I didn’t learn it from Wimal. I have been threatened by the JVP. I have seen bodies of ordinary people killed by them. I experienced all the trouble they caused . If you were alive then, I doubt you would call these degenerates heroes. I must point out I am not talking about the present JVP.
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LAC3 (rtd) Buddhadasa / June 11, 2017
HI Chumps,
=================Looks like od codger is giving you a hard time. You should take my advice and say nothing until you can provide proof.
Here’s another of your bloomers:” To be precise, according to United Nations Security Council Resolution 1373, LTTE is a banned terrorist organization. “———————————–Lady, this resolution DOES NOT say anything about the LTTE. ——–It only added Al-Qaida and the Taliban regime of Afghanistan on the sanctions list. —————— So, egg on your face again.———————————-
Oh, by the way, are you Wimal’s daughter? You do sound sound like a 15 year old refugee from an international school debating society, my dear.
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Champa / June 11, 2017
LAC3 — FYI, I didn’t write articles, but comments and I have to confine to 300 words. All my original comments are over 500, then I shrink them to 300 and I always talk to the point.—– If I am writing an article, then I have room to list all the citations. In a brief comment, I only provide the main citation related to my point. Eg: UN Resolution 1373. Wikipedia is not my friend. I go to the real link, in this case UN website.—— Initially Resolution 1373 listed only Al-Qaeda and Taliban as it was tabled in the aftermath of 9/11. The Subject is Counter Terrorism and there were other related UN Resolutions connected to this particular R 1373. — This Resolution was tabled by the Security Council unanimously meaning all Signatory Countries of the UN is abide by implementing it. —- To be precise, if LTTE is listed as a proscribed terrorist organization by any of UN’s Signatory States, all the other Signatory States should act according to Resolution 1373 and all related Resolutions with regard to LTTE. —- In the case of Sri Lanka, if we are aware/suspect any LTTE supporter or a sympathizer visiting another UN Signatory State, under Resolution 1373, we can request that particular country to bar the person from entering, to avoid any possible attempts to resurrect the LTTE. —- Actually it is foolish for us not to make use of Resolution 1373 fully. —- The LTTE was vanquished in Sri Lanka but their network is intact and their exiled cadre is operating from other countries. This is no joke.—– Therefore, the “Counter-Terrorism Law” should strictly be enforced to quell any possible attempts to venerate Terrorists, keeping in mind that unclaimed dead bodies is enough proof that they actually were terrorists.
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James / June 12, 2017
Champa must have been in a deep slumber during the past (before the LTTE and the civil war) or s/he must be suffering from the same selective amnesia that many of his/her ilk pretend to have?
The LTTE did not suddenly come from outer space. The Sri Lankan Tamil politicians fought a non-violent/peaceful domestic battle for over 30 years on an ideological platform to change the political system from unitary to federal. The Sinhala leaders came up with several pacts and promises but finally gave nothing to the Tamils other than cheating them and unleashing violence on their non-violent/peaceful campaigns. This forced the Tamils to seek for separation to form a separate state for the Tamils which ended up in a 30 years’ war. The ideology may differ but the JVP violence (terrorism) was very similar to the LTTE. The only difference was, it was domestic (not internationalized).
You Sinhalese must thank that Tamil traitor Lakshman Kadirgamar (who even converted to Buddhism hoping to become the Prime Minister) for his propaganda around the world that made them proscribe/ban the LTTE as an international Terrorist organization, the main reason why the LTTE lost the war.
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Champa / June 12, 2017
James<<< I can understand your pain for vanquishing LTTE terrorists. Yeah, Tamils dreamt about achieving their Tamil Eelam separate state by unleashing terror.—– Kadirgamar did the right thing. <<<<< North and East are also part and parcel of my country. If Tamils and Muslims can live in other parts of the country freely, we Sinhalese should also have a right to live in the North. —– Before South Indian invaders, Sinhalese lived in the North. It was the brutal South Indian invaders who chased Sinhalese from the North and then they concentrated more in Anuradhapura area. —– There is no way Tamils in the North divide the country and get a Federal State. We will make sure that. We are the majority. The Government should listen to us. Our unitary country will remain as it is forever. Tamils in the North should learn to live harmoniously the same way other Tamils live with Sinhalese in the South.
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LAC3 (rtd) Buddhadasa / June 12, 2017
Chumps,
—————————So you do admit that the LTTE is not listed as a terrorist group by the UN? So what you did write was not really true.——————————————————-All your verbiage boils down to that.———————————–Good. at least next time don’t depend on Wimal for your facts. Again, is he your father dear?
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Champa / June 13, 2017
UN is not a country. It is an Organization. When the Security Council adopted the Resolution 1373 and related Resolutions and when Signatory Countries implemented it, it is interconnected. That is how the LTTE is regarded as a banned organization by the UN. R 1373 was the base. It brought only after 9/11. Prior to that UN didn’t recognize the need for counter terrorism. Not only UN, but most countries in the world woke up only after 9/11.
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Champa / June 13, 2017
LAC 3 —- You seem to be curious. Poor Wimal, I wish he didn’t see your comment. :D Wimal is too young to be my father. He is a very good friend, a best of the best whom I love very much and feels like someone I have known forever. Are you happy now? Then drop this subject and sleep well. Let’s maintain the professionalism hereafter, ok.
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old codger / June 12, 2017
Champa,
************””attempts to venerate Terrorists, keeping in mind that unclaimed dead bodies is enough proof that they actually were terrorists. “———————Well then, since a lot of unclaimed JVP bodies were burnt in 1989, that proves they were terrorists. So what are you arguing about?
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Champa / June 13, 2017
Unclaimed? As I said before, you don’t the history of Sri Lanka, not only the ancient history, but also the recent past.
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old codger / June 13, 2017
Dear Champa,
—————-I understand. You have no answers.———–And here’s another example of terrorists being celebrated: Menachem Begin was the leader of IRGUN, the Jewish terrorist group. He became prime minister of Israel. ————————Of course I know you won’t believe this, and you’re welcome not to.
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sbarrkum / June 10, 2017
Do we commemorate Sankili or Keppetipola.
They lost to the Dutch and Brits respectively.
The IRA and India won against the Brits.
In the US the Confederate flag and statues are being torn down.
German Nazi flag and leader cant be commemorated.
Kapish.
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Native Vedda / June 12, 2017
sbarrkum —————-“German Nazi flag and leader cant be commemorated.” —————————————-However we let JVP fascists to celebrate their Sinhala/Buddhist leader and remember their fallen fellow terrorists and continue with their totalitarian ideology. Isn’t it because we are hypocrites?
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James / June 12, 2017
Every community on this planet has the rights to commemorate its dead, whether it is the war heroes who liberated the country from the ‘Terrorists’ or it is the ‘freedom fighters’ who wanted to liberate a community from many years of oppression/suppression. It is being said that more than 40,000 Tamil civilians got killed during the final stages of the war. Commemorating the dead war heroes is the right of all Sri Lankans but you (Sinhalese) are openly celebrating the victory (by hurting the community that has lost its people) and at the same time you are suppressing the Tamils from commemorating their dead. You (Sinhalese) are still denying their rights by trying to control the Sri Lankan Tamils.
It is not the matter of winning a domestic civil war and celebrating it, the real issue is what created the war and why, how much destruction it caused in terms of men (human lives), material (property), and money (country’s wealth) and how to avoid it from happening again in the future. At independence in 1948 Sri Lanka was the second best economy in Asia, today it is one of the worst. The biggest challenge for Sri Lanka is how to make the Sinhalese to think and analyze the past effectively in order to build a brighter future. However, Sri Lanka is still going on the reverse gear, sinking into untold misery, innocently immersed in perverted and foolish beliefs and actions that is preventing the Sinhalese in not only giving the Tamils their rights but also hindering the reconciliation process.
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Rishard / June 9, 2017
Is that Human Rights Commission is behind MY3 these days, or regular spoon-feeding of stubborn boys in SL?
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K.Pillai / June 9, 2017
Thank you HRCSL for the letter to MS. Tamil diaspora will continue to remember those who perished over nearly six decades. Why the harassment in SL? Unfortunately the civilians who lost their lives during the two JVP insurrections are not commemorated. Reasons? Perhaps Wimal may step in here – of course after his daily beard grooming sessions.
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Eusense / June 9, 2017
This Human rights Committee of Sri Lanka should first supply the government with all the names of LTTE operatives and their surviving family information. Fr. Elil should be able to help supply this information without any difficulty. I am yet to see/hear a single Tamil family come forward claiming their spouse/offspring/siblings/relatives/friends were involved in LTTE terrorism. In my heart “Missing persons” and “individuals” to be memorialized could very well be these terrorists. If that is so the gov. is doing the right thing by not allowing brutal terrorists to be memorialized.
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V / June 10, 2017
Family members can and should be allowed to exercise their right to memorialize peacefully in private in whatever way they wish. But when memorialization done in en masse in public it becomes bit iffy… the questions about intent, symbolism arise. When something is done collectively for a group of people the significance of the individual fades away and gets dominated by the common denominator of the group that’s being memorialized… To many Sri Lankans living on the other side of the divide that common denominator symbolizes the terror and hatred of a group that these memorialized individuals were once a part of. HR organizations should be careful and less arrogant in this territory; if their intensions are genuine they have to have a balanced approach towards reconciliation because it is already in a slippery slope.
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Good Sense / June 10, 2017
With respect to memorials and activities, even in Queen’s Ceylon, that right was not given to criminals, presumably on grounds that it glorifies crime. I understand that persons executed were separately buried, if not cremated, in unmarked graves. But the Police could have approached the problem in a more decent and dignified manner, instead of pre-supposing the Father Rajendran as an LTTE supporter in priestly garb. Apart from the human rights aspect, why not the Police, in this instance could have interviewed very informally and obtained the names of those whose memories are to be revived? Leave alone Father Rajendran, this is the form that all citizens have to undergo these days in general when dealing with the Police. I think the Police must change its ways in implemeting the law.
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Muthuamma / June 10, 2017
In Iraq the government does not allow ISIS terrorists, Al Qaeda terrorists to commemorate their terrorists. Accept responsiblity for your crimes too
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Jimsofty / June 10, 2017
Even the So called Afghan govt bomb even the wedding receptions and funeral processions in order to get rid of terrorists. In Sri lanka, terrorists want to celebrate terrorists. This is human rights for terrorists and victims have no rights as they are not Tamils. Tamils are ot victims as they fought for a homeland.
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Rishard / June 10, 2017
As per SL govt and king Mahinda, SF, Gota and all official channels, they eradicated terrorism in SL, precisely LTTE. Who is left now is SL’s Tamil citizens with their rights to the nation. Afghan and Iraq are Muslim countries, you should not follow them.
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John / June 10, 2017
Why do LTTE invaders do their memorialisation activities in Sinhalé (Sri Lanka)? REMEMBER, you buffoons’ attempted invasion of Island of Sinhalé failed miserably. So do your damn .memorialisation in Tamil Nadu.!!!! Isn’t this Elil fellow non Sinhala speaking illegal immigrant? It’s time to do a door to door search, crack down the kallathoni menace and deport them to their motherland Tamil Nadu. ——————————————————————————————————————————————————————— What went wrong is that minorities were shown too mush leniency, now they dare walk all over native Sinhalese.
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Native Vedda / June 10, 2017
Johnny Baby ————-“now they dare walk all over native Sinhalese.” ——————There is no such people as native Sinhalese or native Tamils. All of them are the descendants of Kallathonies despite the date of their arrival.
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John / June 10, 2017
Terrorists don’t have human rights!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Native Vedda / June 10, 2017
Johnny Baby ————-” Terrorists don’t have human rights!!!!!!!!!!!! ” ——————How come the public racist Somawansa Amarasinghe and his fellow terrorists are free since 1987? Whats wrong with you? Is it complete stupidity or selective amnesia or both?
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John / June 11, 2017
Native,— He wasn’t the one you think he was. Ask yourself, how come he was the only one who survived.
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Native Vedda / June 12, 2017
Johnny Baby————-“Ask yourself, how come he was the only one who survived.”————————–There were others too escaped from justice for their home grown Sinhala/Buddhist terrorism . What is your point if you have one?
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Jim Softy / June 10, 2017
It’s easy to kill the Tamils when they are in one place altogether. So why is the government stopping them from having their memorial. Let them have their memorial and we will send our monks to finish them off. Once the pests are eradicated we can live peacefully
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Native Vedda / June 10, 2017
Jim Softy ——————-“Let them have their memorial and we will send our monks to finish them off.” ————————–Very good idea, aren’t you going to send your army boys to rape the women folks and thugs to loot and burn down the houses and business premises? If you haven’t thought about holistic approach, raping, looting and arson then you don’t qualify as an Aryan, Sinhala/Buddhist fascist (Hitlers people). You need more indoctrination go spend some time with Gota, SF, WW, Somawansa, HLD M, ………………………………………………………………………………..
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sbarrkum / June 10, 2017
Can the HRC OK a Nazi memorial.
To be fair Germany fought the Brits who colonized andr decimated Uva Wellassa.
Plus they are Aryan compatriots.
So a memorial to Hitler Goering and the lot.
Swastikas please too.
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Lester / June 10, 2017
I see no reason why Tamils should not be allowed to commemorate their war dead, LTTE or otherwise. LTTE is not coming back, we have army camps placed strategically in the North & East to prevent any uprising. When people realize “Eelam” is no longer possible, they will get bored and move on.
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Jimsofty / June 11, 2017
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Roshi / June 11, 2017
Excuse me everyone bickering over this post, but we are too much in debt to have the luxury of believing we are living under the leadership of Donald Trump and can afford perpetuate hate and war monger over …..a stone? over family members grieving for their dead. I mean what do you think our security forces were doing over the past 30 years of active war? distributing buns and flowers? whoever was holding a gun murdered someone’s loved one. They did it for various reasons – none of which are pleasant!!! What determined the chances of being called a terrorist was your luck of being born out of poverty, inequality and living outside of a disadvantaged area. This is what gave birth to the LTTE AND the former terrorist outfit – now in parliament- the JVP whose insurgency met with the same fate
Get over your sorry-as* selves, pull up your pants and move on!!! Let go of the bloody resentment. you have no right to it. Read a book. This country needs brains now – not a bunch of whiny as* babies!!
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old codger / June 11, 2017
Roshi,————————————-
“They did it for various reasons – none of which are pleasant!!! What determined the chances of being called a terrorist was your luck of being born out of poverty, inequality and living outside of a disadvantaged area.”—————————————————–
I wish all the armchair patriots could see this simple fact.
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Punchi Point / June 13, 2017
Taking out stones in such a large scale will endanger this area of erosion and floods, in addition to sea erosion. If everyone in Sri Lanka went out and took stones to so called memorialize their dead, then this island will soon drown in floods and the ocean will most certainly do the rest of the drowning. Just see what is happening in the Maldives. This is a huge problem already. Why do the Tamils have to choose this bizarre vulgar noisy way to mourn their dead? It sure is not done for mourning, but Tamil politicians want to make a show to the world. They do not care what happens to this island. They want to always do things the most encroaching ways, whether it comes to memorializing the dead or use of language rights or university admission or anything. Just stretch their hands as wide as possible and grab anything and everything possible, and nobody can say that it is unfair, because all these come under Tamil rights. Not to mention the abuse and misuse of the dead. Just pure disgusting. Please mourn and memorialize the dead in a respectful and peaceful manner.
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