7 December, 2024

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Geneva Odyssey: More Confrontation Or New Approach?  

By Rajan Philips

Rajan Philips

Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa who made the surprising call for the government cancelling the ECT deal with India and Japan, has made another surprising and really a gallant announcement giving the green light for allowing burials for Muslim and Christian victims of Covid-19. If the Ministry of Health has been caught unawares by the PM’s statement in parliament, well, they had better get used to it. But no sooner had the government appeared to have cremated the burial issue than Cardinal Malcom Ranjith raised a new headache for the government – threatening to take his case for justice for the victims of the 2019 Easter Sunday attacks to international courts, if there is no assurance of justice through domestic investigations. That is a shocker even though it is no more than a threat for now. 

The Cardinal is manifestly unhappy with the course of the investigations so far. Not only does he want to uncover those who masterminded the attacks, he also wants those who ignored prior warnings about the attacks to be exposed and punished. It is over the latter part that the government seems to be getting tied up in the usual coverup knots. As a straightshooter the Cardinal wants total transparency, but Sri Lanka parted with transparency in investigating political crimes decades ago. What has become is a culture of opacity and coverup. 

If His Eminence could use his spiritual capital to successfully shake up Sri Lanka’s culture of opacity in the coverup of crimes by successive governments, he would have brought deliverance to all Sri Lankans in this world before they even get to the other world or into the cycle of rebirth. Without that deliverance, or getting on the path to it, Sri Lanka cannot get out of the muddle it has made for itself at the UNHRC and cannot avoid the annual pilgrimage to Geneva.

Put another way, it is the culture of opacity and the web of coverups involving political crimes that seriously undermines the government’s nationalistic assertions against war crimes investigations at the UNHRC. Conversely, Tamil leaders who insist on international war crimes investigations against the Sri Lankan government are cynically unconcerned about doing anything about the country’s broken-down domestic criminal justice system. A troubling intersection of these two tendencies has come about in what the Amnesty International has called, “the collapse of Joseph Pararajasingham murder case.” 

Amnesty International was responding to the acquittal of  of MP S. Chandrakanthan and four others in the 2005 assassination of TNA MP Joseph Pararajasingham, and the announcement by the Attorney General’s Office that it would be dropping the charges against the suspects. According to AI, this is “another sorry milestone in the Sri Lankan authorities’ continued failure to ensure justice for crimes committed during the armed conflict.” What is also disturbing is the silence among the Tamils over this particular travesty of justice. And Sri Lanka’s parliament cares nothing about accountability for the murder of one its own MPs, but welcomes those accused or convicted of murder so long as they are able to become MPs, not by winning a direct election but by getting a spot on the winning list of a political party. Once on the nomination list, criminals can campaign for mercy votes to avoid conviction. And they succeed! 

Old JR’s new mutation

For Amnesty International, the collapse of the Pararajasingham murder case is a natural outcome of the government’s withdrawal in February 2020, from the UNHRC resolution (30/1) committing the country to promoting reconciliation, accountability, and human rights. A less natural outcome is the alleged intention of the government to take away the civic rights of opposition political leaders and public servants based on the contentious report of a controversial Presidential Commission of Inquiry into Political Victimization. True to its name, and without any irony, the Commission would appear to have prepared its own list of names for political victimisation by the government that appointed it.

Forty years ago, President JR Jayewardene invented the devise of presidential commission of inquiry to deprive his chief political opponent Sirimavo Bandaranaike, and two others from her government, of their civic rights. That was a disgraceful and damaging exercise of political power and no successor of JR Jayewardene wanted to repeat what Sri Lanka’s inaugural President did. Until now, that is, and that too with a long list of names. The list allegedly includes Ranil Wickremesinghe, Patali Champika Ranawaka, Dr. Rajitha Senaratne, Field Marshal Sarath Fonseka, JVP leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake, SLMC leader Rauff Hakeem and TNA leader R. Sampanthan. Perhaps, more will be added and merrier it would be for Sri Lanka’s democracy.  

The JVP leader has colourfully told President Gotabaya Rajapaksa what to do with the Commission’s report. The question is what is the President thinking that he can do with the report, its list, and its recommendations?  After precipitously withdrawing from the UNHRC resolution on postwar reconciliation, the government seems to be incubating more Sri Lankans to go to Geneva to pitch their grievances against the government before the UNHRC. The Commission on political victimization seems to be setting up everyone in the opposition – from Ranil Wickremesinghe to R. Sampanthan, to seek justice outside Sri Lanka for injustice within Sri Lanka. 

Already, a line up of Sri Lankans seeking redress in Geneva seems to be starting. International justice and journalist organizations are reportedly urging the UNHRC to adopt a new resolution asking the Sri Lankan Government to “cease harassment, surveillance and attacks against journalists and law enforcement officers who investigated attacks on journalists,” and to immediately release former CID Director Shani Abeysekara. It will not be long before, if not already, UNHRC will be petitioned for similar resolutions on behalf of long detained human rights lawyer Hejaaz Hizbullah, whose only palpable cause for detention without charges is that he is a Muslim. No one knows what the future holds for another Muslim professional, Dr. Mohammad Shafi, or whether he too will be forced to seek redress in Geneva. 

Withdrawal effects

We do not know what plans the government had to deal with UNHRC when it unilaterally withdrew from the Council’s resolution co-sponsored by the previous yahapalanaya government. Perhaps, the withdrawal was more for dramatic political effect at home than for strategically dealing with a serious matter in Geneva. One year after, there is no plan to see, and the government has neither results at home nor a new strategic plan to show in Geneva. If anything, the exercise of the political victimization commission will only be an embarrassment for the government delegates in Geneva. On the other hand, the government’s Tamil and Muslim detractors will be citing Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith’s threat of going to international courts, with much approval and for maximum effect.  

The vacuum created by the government’s inaction, not to mention unnecessary misdoings, is being filled locally and in Geneva in ways that the government clearly has failed to foresee. Regardless of what position one takes on it, the latest report of UN Human Rights Commissioner Michelle Bachelet on Sri Lanka is an escalation from its predecessors. For the first time, the Commissioner is calling for targeted punitive actions by member states against perpetrators of human rights violations in Sri Lanka.

As Dayantha Laksiri Mendis has cogently pointed out (The Island, Friday, February 12) a new Geneva Resolution could be “devastating for Sri Lanka if it is based on the Report of the UN High Commissioner for HR.” He goes on to suggest that “it is desirable at this point of time to draft a counter resolution and outline Sri Lanka’s proposals relating to reconciliation and accountability without taking a confrontational approach.” Specifically, Mr. Mendis’s advice is to “draft a counter resolution and identify how we intend to deal with reconciliation and accountability taking into account ground realities, constitutional provisions and the political ramifications.” So, will it be more confrontation or a new approach to reconciliation and accountability? That is the question.

The local withdrawal effects have been quite a few, and the government should be wise to emerging new mutations of opposition and protest and learn to engage with them more positively and unlearn the old ways of counterproductive confrontation. There are signs of both within the government, although the confrontational approach is clearly having the upper hand. The most blatant and ill-advised sign of confrontation is the government’s withdrawal of the high security detail provided to TNA MP M. Sumanthiran because he participated in the P2P protest march in violation of a court order. Technically, he was in no such violation, and even if he was, it is a matter for the courts and not a government minister to act upon.

As for P2P, the alliterative abbreviation for the five-day march from Pottuvil in the east to Polikandi in the Jaffna Peninsula, it is an instance of local political filling of the void of government inaction in the north and east. The purpose of the march was to highlight the yet unresolved issues of missing persons, denial of space and right to commemorate their memory, return of land, the fate of people indefinitely detained without any legal process, and the new concern over the government’s archaeological expeditions. The march was organized by Tamil political groups with participation by Muslims and plantation Tamils and the highlighting of their concerns. One would hope that the government would have the wisdom to view this development not as a challenge to be put down, but as an opportunity to engage with the people in the north and east and their representatives to address their day to day problems. It is also an opportunity for President Rajapaksa to extend his much vaunted village visitations to include the villages in Sri Lanka’s two “deficit provinces,” as SJV Chelvanayakam used to describe them. 

The antibodies within the government to the virus of confrontation are admittedly weak, but nonetheless deserve due acknowledgment. It is remarkable that the Socialist Alliance leaders are consistently principled on the question of devolution and the continuation of the provincial council system. Equally heartening is the fact that the Lawyers’ Forum for the People held their news conference last week to warn about the ridiculous recommendations of the Presidential Commission of Inquiry into political victimization (PCOI), at the Dr. NM Perera Center in Colombo. They could not have found a more appropriate place for it. 

To modify what Colvin R de Silva said about his legal luminary colleague S. Nadesan, NM Perera was a unique Sri Lankan who could have talked constitution to any forum anywhere in the world. In Sri Lanka, as Pieter Keuneman said it, NM was the jewel of parliament. And it is too much to expect the current parliament to live up to the high standards that were set by NM and his generation of parliamentarians. What should be worrisome at the same time is that the current parliament has got itself a majority to enact a new constitution drafted by a committee that has no political or constitutional experience at all. Whether what they will create would be appropriate for a future UNHRC resolution is a different matter that we can only wait to see.  

Latest comments

  • 11
    3

    Rajan Philips, you say, ‘Tamil leaders who insist on international war crimes investigations against the Sri Lankan government are cynically unconcerned about doing anything about the country’s broken-down domestic criminal justice system’. Tell me how to do that something!

    • 6
      6

      It is not just a worthless, cynical question from author, but it is only Rajan Philips’ revival attempt of cremated “NM- Calvin- Pieter” communism. The techniques Rajan using is writing two lines of soft critic of government to invite the neutralist attention and then and then using them against Tamil leaders and protect the government. Extremely few who supported Yahapalanaya are now stands to understand that it was Ranil who protected Royal family from International Investigation and now has brought the Hitler-Mussolini Royal team back to Crown. After facing never stopping annual ceremonies of Pogroms and UNP- SLFP Appe Aanduwas tearing off the pacts like toilet papers sitting on washroom commode, Tamil staged the Vaddukoddai Convention. Tamils are now there to ask for the justice for Genocide government committed in the name of putting down the uprising, but not to fix the UNP-SLFP governments’ past fault. The author only worried, from the top to bottom of his essay, that if the UNHRC acts on with is current disbelief on Appe Aanduwas that it may be serious damage to current and future Appe Aanduwas. Otherwise, after minorities failed to convince majority for 75 years, why this man is asking minorities to fix majorities’ justice system and process a 12 years ago genocide with it?

    • 3
      1

      Nathan,
      .
      That’s a good enough question. You will do well to understand that many of us in the South also will join you in the quest that you obviously think is necessary.
      .
      I’ve already made one comment on those lines in response to what Mr Gemini Somaratne (alias ‘Soma’) has said. I’ve word processed a few more parts. Hold on. I will put them on when I get home. This is from my tmobile.
      .
      Panini Edirisinhe aka “Sinhala_Man”

    • 2
      0

      N
      Will you do it if you are told?
      *
      The Tamil nationalists do nor respond even to the urgent needs of the ordinary people.
      With all his faults, Douglas D has time for people and gets a few things done in public interest. It is not his politics but interest in people that fetches him votes and retains a support base.
      *
      On the particular issue referred to, the least that a political party could do is to activate public interest.
      Can MPs who avoid public discussion of issues and shy away from the public soon after the elections do such things?

  • 10
    0

    This govt does lot more harm not only to own citizens but also to extincting plants.
    :
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sxt4Nx2RF4Y
    :
    So what more we need to stand against their brutalities.

    • 18
      0

      The Cardinal has his own prejudices when it comes to sympathy. He demands justice for his own flock , but delayed visiting the Evangelical church that was bombed in Batticaloa. He has not uttered a word about the Lasantha murder, probably because L was an Evangelical. Now he has taken to railing against conversions of rich businessmen or sportsmen. The only reason these people prefer to be Evangelicals than Catholics is the hypocrisy of Church leaders, such as Ranjith.

      • 3
        2

        You’re dead right, as usual, old codger.
        .
        How sad we don’t know who you are.

      • 3
        8

        old codger,
        “He demands justice for his own flock”
        —-
        * Cardinal demands justice for his own flock.
        * Tamils who launched terrorist campaign against Sinhalayo demand justice for their flock.
        * Sinhala Buddhists who were the main victims of LTTE terrorism have ‘Forgiven and Forgotten’. After LTTE was defeated, Sinhala Buddhists sent lorry loads of food, clothing and other items to Yapanaya. Colombo Tamils did not do anything. Yet, Tamils say Sinhalayo are racists.

      • 7
        1

        old codger

        You have forgotten him being a cross dresser, you only see him in cassock but if you peel his outer skin you will find a typical kasaya.

        • 4
          0

          Native,
          Please don’t insult harmless cross-dressers.

          • 2
            0

            @Old Codger👍👍👍👍👍👍

      • 5
        0

        OC,
        .
        what about high chapter monks ? They behave as if they are under Kotuwe Hamuduruwo, Abhayarama Cheewaradhariya and other SUPER star monk in srilanken media. Why cant they come forward and show Nandasena the way at this highly critical episode of the country ?
        .
        So what is the point of placing so called religious leaders above in srilanken society ?
        :

        • 3
          0

          L.M,
          I don’t have much regard for most robe-wearers, no matter the colour.

      • 3
        1

        OC
        The Catholic Church is close to the people at local level. It serves as a strong community base. That is what keeps it ticking.
        *
        Let us not forget that Evangelicals use things more mundane than theology to achieve conversion.

        • 3
          0

          S.J,
          “Evangelicals use things more mundane than theology “.
          Yes, that is the common perception. But in this case the Cardinal is grumbling about rich people being converted. So, something other than money is in action. Even rich people can be gullible.

          • 4
            0

            My grouse is with the current leadership, not the Church itself.

      • 4
        0

        …………Evangelical church ……………. because L was an Evangelical. Now he has taken to railing against conversions………………
        But the origin of Catholicism in Sri Lanka was essentially by conversion of the “Natives” since 1505 by subtle coercion by offering incentives. Hardly any ‘convertee’ would have embraced religion at that time by understanding the essence of it. History revisits as usual full circle.

        • 1
          0

          My view,
          99% of religious people blindly follow the faiths they were born into, not because of theology. Conversions often bring upward mobility. People convert to escape restrictions or win elections.Many current Sinhala Buddhists were Hindu Tamils not long ago. There are those who actually believe in miracles too.

  • 5
    0

    This comment was removed by a moderator because it didn’t abide by our Comment policy.

    For more detail see our Comment policy https://www.colombotelegraph.com/index.php/comments-policy-2

    • 3
      8

      Where were the gentlemen/women in UN/UNHRC when LTTE terrorists:
      • Killed Sinhala men, women, children and even unborn babies using suicide bombers, claymore bombs, multi-barrel guns and chemical weapons over a period of three decades.
      • Killed 600 Policemen who surrendered shooting one by one.
      • Assassinated Sinhala and Demala politicians.
      • Grabbed children and recruited them as child soldiers.
      • Took food and medicine sent to civilians and used by LTTE carders.
      • Denied water to about 60,000 villagers by blocking the Mahavil Aru anicut..
      • Annihilated their Tamil opponents.
      • Put cyanide capsules around the neck of LTTE cadres and child soldiers.
      • Massacred Muslims praying in a Mosque.
      • Massacred worshippers at Sri Maha Bodhiya.
      • Bombed ‘Dalada Maligawa’ which is a sacred place of Sinhala Buddhists.
      • Killed Buddhist monks residing in temples in North and East.
      • Blow up buses, trains and air planes killing not only local people but foreigners.
      • Kept about 300,000 Tamil civilians as a human shield.
      • Shot the civilians who fled from the human shield to get protection from Sri Lanka Army ?????????????

      • 3
        1

        Eagle,
        You don’t lie all the time, I will admit. “Shot the civilians who fled from the human shield to get protection from Sri Lanka Army ???????”
        So, the civilians were seeking to be protected from the SL army.?
        Maybe that’s why they still refuse to vote for their saviours?

      • 3
        0

        @EE again please don’t list tings that you think right even though most of them are correct.

        To set the record right.

        LTTE send their suicide cadres to cripple the economy and functionaries of the Sri Lankan government is true.

        1. There is no solid evidence to proof they particularly target innocent to proof their case. Even though LTTE well aware when choosing places and locations where public gathering can cause havoc and mayhem. These are collateral damages but not accepted though.

        2. The 600 policemen shooting and Muslim prayer incident directly link to former member and commanding eastern LTTE leader Karuna. There is an ample opportunity to arrest him and testify in any court. But, Sinhalayo elected government (including GR) wants to put a hand around his shoulder… I don’t know what to call this.

        3. I am not aware any individually targeted monks killed in north and east by LTTE. Can you shed some light on this?

        4. There is no evidence foreigners killed by LTTE. Even during the Katunayake raid operation they careful about foreigners. Do you have any specific incidents to validate your claim.

        Having said that Sri Lankan forces and particularly air force clearly targeted hospitals, churches and temples with clear marking to avoid such places during the height of war. The LTTE reactions are reciprocal in south to show their anger.

        • 0
          0

          Dayan,
          “3. I am not aware any individually targeted monks killed in north and east by LTTE”
          The Dimbulagala monk was shot by the LTTE, but in my opinion he asked for it, unlike the samaneras at Arantalawa.

  • 5
    20

    There are tons of allegations against the Government of Sri Lanka and its Armed Forces related to war crimes and human rights violations. Any donkey can bring allegations. This time the Government should ask UNHRC to come up with credible evidences to prove the allegations instead of using fairytales of Sooka. They probably might have to import skeletons from Kampuchea and bury them in Vanni to prove the allegation that Sri Lanka Armed Forces killed 40,000 civilians.
    UNHRC must remove the 20 year cap on their supposed ‘witnesses’ to see if they are real people or ghosts.

    • 4
      0

      EE: ” This time the Government should ask UNHRC to come up with credible evidence to prove the allegations…”

      Of course, this is obvious – will evidence be put forward in CT Comments for Judgement? The evidence will be misused as usual
      to cover up, straightaway – Officers have been posted in all Depts. for
      illicit action in that direction.

      • 2
        0

        Dear Punchinilame,
        .
        That’s a shrewd comment. the evidence will always get disappeared a-la-the-Wasim Tajudeen murder.
        .
        To be fair, these things happen all over the world. I’m rarely critical of our only really non-racist leader, CBK. I’ve never met her, but I consider her a good egg in most essentials. Today, just for the heck of it, I explored the life and times of Kumar Ponnambalam. Not only was nobody everconvicted of it, but there seems to be credible evidence that it was done at CBK’s behest.
        .
        None of us human beings is perfect!

    • 10
      4

      the 40,000 ghosts must be haunting the rajapaksas. they will make them mad one of these days. When are you getting back to your motherland,India, Eagle Eye? Take all your Salagama, Karawe Berawe, etc. compatriots with you and leave us to enjoy our island.

    • 7
      3

      @Eagle Eye.
      That is the dumest proposition anyone has ever come up with.
      I say, how blessed we are ,to have rid of a ninny like you
      Ha , what a relief.

  • 3
    15

    Tamils are winning.
    Tamil political class is on the upbeat.
    In propaganda war Sinhalese are nowhere close to them.
    .
    They will hang a couple of army chaps, a good bargain which will more than compensate for the dead and missing who they know will not come home anyway be they in paradise or Canada.
    .
    As for travel bans they may have to pay back in kind.
    Economic sanctions will be equally shared.
    .
    UN punitive action targeting one side will help maintain the animosity which is a prerequisite for the Vadukkodai objective.
    Accountability is the very antithesis of Reconciliation and Reconciliation is the very antithesis of separatism.
    For any cooling off of relations will only delay the trigger to the next cataclysmic event.
    .
    There is only one trump left in hands of the Sinhalese:
    The Tamil desire to live in Sinhala majority provinces – the unconscious acknowledgement in the Tamil mind that Sinhala Buddhist environment is far superior to their own.

    Soma

    • 4
      1

      PART ONE
      .
      Yes, Soma,

      .
      I will now agree with you that many “average” Tamils don’t want to have anything to do with militancy, and they never wanted to even in the past. That includes a huge number of persons in the Northern and Eastern Provinces as well. That is what I have always been saying.
      .
      If, as you say, the Tamils are winning the “propaganda war” it is because among them the moderates are calling the shots. Let’s recognise that there are RACISTS among ALL communities in the WORLD. Among us, Sinhalese, not only all government politicians, but even many SJB and even UNP politicians are also following racist policies. It has seemed the easy way.
      .
      On the government benches, leftists like Vasudeva Nanayakkara and Tissa Vitharna (there may be quite a few more – actually it may include the two leading Rajapaksas) may not be absolute racists. They may, by now, realise that using racism the way they have been will bring disaster to all of us Sinhalese. It is just that they valued power and the perks that go with it much more than the real interests of us Sinhalese.

    • 2
      0

      PART TWO
      .
      I’m sorry that I can’t carry this analysis much further because I have never been a politician; I’ve been a teacher – and remember that I have got “declassed” into a GambadaIngirisiIskoleMahattaya, although my family has had Education in Anglican Private Schools. And I topped the batch doing the “Story-Book” Arts Special Degree in English where you have to be “a bit of a Kultur Fellow” with First Language English. Three-fourths of my working life I’ve been working with essentially rural Sinhalese students. I know absolutely no Tamil, but I have made a point of visiting many Tamil schools in the Uva Province. I’ve never been outside Asia.
      .
      Mr Gamini Somaratne, you are not an out-and-out racist, either. You, had much of your schooling at STPS, Kollupitiya, the first school founded by my God-father, William Thomas Keble, an Englishman who retired with his wife and son to Vancouver. Canada. That was in 1956, and I’m still in touch with his son Anthony – He’s not a great correspondent, and I have not wanted to spill too many beans about the sad plight of the Uva schools. However, Kollupitiya continues to be an elite institution.

    • 1
      0

      PART THREE
      .
      Gamini,
      I’ve not tried to pump our mutual friend for too much personal information about you, but he indicated that you were born around the year 1956, when Keble left us. You not only have an excellent command of English, but also, you are essentially liberal in outlook. You may be a more patriotic Sinhalese, conscious that we also are dogged by issues like poverty and poor education. Your Naval Career, and later involvement with Avant Garde may have made you rather more concerned than others about the plight of the Sinhalese. I’m not asking you, or the more enlightened Sinhalese supporters of the government, to change allegiances, but please do what you can to move our government towards greater rationality.
      .
      As for me, in my youth I unthinkingly supported the UNP. but now I will probably stick to voting for the NPP. Yes, let’s remember that they are no longer the JVP who are in Parliament. I have never met AKD. Recently, I ensured that I re-established contact with Vijitha Herath. He remembers me as a teacher in Bandarawela Central. We have talked and corresponded this year, but I couldn’t remember him after I left that school for a time in 1982. He remembers me quite well.

    • 1
      0

      PART FOUR
      .
      Whom did the NPP appoint from their National List? Dr Harini Amarasuriya
      who is not even a member of the JVP. Educated mostly in English. Bishop’s College, AFS scholarship in California, then Delhi, Australia and Edinburgh in Scotland. I got in touch with her after studying the National List of the NPP, which also had Professor Kumar David and the author of this next article, Dr Michael Fernando, on it.
      .
      https://www.colombotelegraph.com/index.php/bharatha-muni-bertolt-brecht-two-theatre-semioticians/
      .
      I have established contact with him also this year. Michael was already s Senior Lecturer in Sinhala when I found myself a Peradeniya undergraduate from 1982 to 1985. I remember him quite well, but had not got into a chat with him, even when I spent a year using the Senior Common Room as a Temporary Assistant Lecturer in English. So he couldn’t remember me. He wasn’t married then – but I knew his now wife quite well.
      .
      Panini Edirisinhe (NIC 48 3111 444V) aka ‘Sinhala_Man’

    • 1
      0

      PART FIVE
      .
      Dr Shanez Fernando (nee Peiris)
      , had gained admission to the University, but was so scared of the rag that she didn’t enter. Instead, she was doing an External Philosophy Special. Philosophy was my subsidiary, and she used to hover around the campus (she had a brother who was a lecturer in Medicine) and consult us on certain things in the Philosophy syllabus. She’s extremely timid and principled – never tried to sit in on lectures that she wasn’t entitled to. She’s now got a PhD in Psychiatric Counselling.
      .
      I feel that we ought to ask our more rabid racists (Tamil as well!), to consult her at Lanka Hospitals, where most of the staff probably imagine that she’s a Medical Doctor. Michael told me that although they had both started off being Catholics, they have ended up practising Buddhism instead. After all, a man in great need of couselling is Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith. Can’t you use all the charm that you are said to possess, to persuade him, and the Rajapaksas to consult her? She has great patience, and spends hours listening to clients – hardly a way to earn a fortune, like our Medical Specialists.

  • 7
    1

    If you observe the structure of Loot us party, it is evident that MR has surrounded himself with looting MP’s. Obviously to seek support for looting. while looting themselves. Any dissenting voice will be silenced. This group can only deceive Geneva, but not argue that they are innocent.

  • 6
    2

    There is no other option, these racist extremist human rights violating criminals have to be punished.
    .
    There is a desperate need for immediate and unforgiving sanctions, asset freezes, travel bans and criminal prosecution of those sinhala buddhist extremists who have violated human rights of minorities and sometimes their own people. These racist extremist sinhala buddhists need to be held accountable for the 300K innocent tamils that were killed, for every body belonging to Muslims and Christians that was illegally ceased and forcefully cremated and for every other enforced disappearances, murder cover up, un lawful arrest, incitement of pogroms and the list goes on.

    • 4
      5

      sitrep24,
      I am not aware of any place in this world where the victims are punished. In Sri Lanka, Sinhalayo and the members of the Armed Forces were the victims of terrorism. Therefore, those who committed crimes against Sinhalayo and the Sri Lanka Armed Forces using suicide bombers, claymore bombs, multi-barrel guns and chemical weapons and those who supported the terrorists should be punished.
      ========
      “These racist extremist sinhala buddhists need to be held accountable for the 300K innocent tamils that were killed”

      Someone has given you wrong information. LTTE kept about 300K Tamil civilians as a human shield and shot those who tried to escape which is a war crime. Sri Lanka Armed Forces liberated those civilians from the clutches of LTTE sacrificing the lives of about 300 ‘Ranaviruwo’.

      • 6
        1

        Eagle ‘Dumb Nitwit” Eye, yes correct. Karuna Amman, Pillayan and Inniyabarathy massacred 600 surrendered policemen in the east, why have they been not charged?
        KP Pathmanathan moved illegally purchased weapons that massacred the people of SL for almost 30 years runs around in Colombo with STF protection. Douglas Devananda fired mortars into the Jaffna fort killing soldiers work for the Rajapaksas. Why have you not charged them? Are you trying to charge the dead LTTE members while being friends with the LTTE members who are alive? What a joker!!!!!!!!!! I have aske you and some of the racists from the south this same question, until to date the racist scumbags have not given me an answer.

        • 5
          0

          Dear Tftn,
          .
          Let me try to answer that question.
          .
          Yes, “Baby-Faced” Karuna Amman had been a ruthless killer. But the LTTE, had to be defeated – so a quid-pro-quo had to be offered, maybe tacitly.
          .
          All wars are dirty; there is unlikely to be justice – and please don’t demand sanctions – we will all get hurt.
          .
          However, sanctions are a possibility – if the government goes on like this. If that happens, Gota and all his General-friends must be held accountable for inflicting suffering on all Sri Lankans.
          .
          Just imagine! With no pressure on the government at this time, they demolished that memorial to civilian dead in Jaffna University – and then rebuilt it using our money! Even after that, they couldn’t allow the National Anthem to be sung in Tamil at the Independence Day Celebrations.
          .
          It is true that these fellows sometimes make me puke, but I try to keep all that private.

    • 1
      0

      Dear sitrep24,
      .
      I hope that I have written sufficient to convince readers that I’m not racist, despite the handle I gave myself many years ago.
      .
      I think that we will have to forego the sort of extreme retributive justice that you advocate (but I feel not believe possible, yourself). I think that some of those guilty of the most horrendous crimes ought to be punished. However, apportioning punishment is not something that will ever be my business.
      .
      Seriously, man, despite all the experience that Michelle Bachelet has had (including eight years as President of Chile), I don’t think that she would advocate the death penalty. General Pinochet who tortured her father to death, had to be allowed to die in his bed, when he was about 90, I think.
      .
      However, please take a look at this report:
      .
      https://www.reddit.com/r/news/comments/li68y0/100yearold_former_nazi_concentration_camp_guard/
      .
      Why not comment on that yourself?
      .
      That war was over 75 years ago!

      • 4
        0

        Hi SM,
        .
        I don’t think just because you have the word sinhala in your name your by default considered a racist, atleast not by me.
        .
        Let me start of by saying that I didn’t advocate for the death penalty for these coward criminals because a death sentence once justified by a court for the criminals should be decided by the victims (i.e. the Tamil community)
        .
        Every punitive action (target sanctions against companies owned by extremist criminals, travel bans for the criminals and thier families, asset freezes etc) I suggested is targeted at the extremist sinhala buddhists who are responsible for the war crimes, forced cremations, disappearances etc. These sanctions should not be target at a country level but at an individual level where the targets are the extremist sinhala buddhists who are responsible for the crimes mentioned above. Such punishments are absolutely necessary.

  • 4
    10

    Offence is the best defence!

    SL must not waver. Just go hostile. UNHRC has no power to enforce anything. If UNHRC wants anything enforced, it must do it from the UN Security Council.

    Any resolution against SL at the UN Security Council fails. China and Russia veto it. Game over!

    UNHRC just uses baseless fear to tame SL. Nothing to fear!

    • 6
      2

      Gatam,
      UNHRC has no power to enforce anything, true. But it isn’t UNHRC that takes all our exports, but Europe and USA. India has already denied a loan. The Chinese are willing to loan money for imports from China.
      So look forward to eating a lot of Chinese parippu.

    • 2
      0

      GATAM,
      .
      You are an enigma to me. Read carefully what you have written above. It reads a little like the way Trump’s lawyers got him off conviction by the U.S. Senate yesterday.
      .
      https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/elections/2021/02/14/lindsey-graham-says-mitch-mcconnells-trump-speech-may-haunt-gop/4481763001/
      .
      Listen to what that 78-year-old key Republican says. We in this beggar nation of ours have lost all sense of shame. We think that we can be cynical about everything in this world. BTW, why not read up the story of his “Chinese wife” Elaine Chao, who also was in the Trump cabinet.
      .
      Your smug remarks are about people killed in a Civil War. They were our citizens – don’t you get that! Yes, until Sinhala_Men and Tamil_Men are treated as equal citizens of our country, may we never sleep in peace.
      .
      I’m no longer a religious man; we needn’t be. But if we lose our moral sense, then we must be accounted for as beasts.
      .
      This comment of yours is disgusting!

  • 6
    4

    The war Crimes by UNHRC issue has become such an evident hypocrisy and I just do not understand why we do not realise it and turn a new page and move on

    which may not sound justice for victim’s relatives and its understandable looking at it as the loved ones in pain.

    I do not mean to be insensitive of what had happened at the end of the war , it is deeply regretful whatever a handful commited and it should have never happened, that is the sad part in all wars everywhere, one is most Victims
    are the innocent and while during war and end of war unfortunately Pows are not protected , everything is on paper but not implemented , in Bosnia the innocent civilian under the protection of UN soldiers were openly handed over to the rebels and I just do not want talk about it no more.
    Almost everyone knows what happened..

    There is no use hanging on to UN to solve this and it is of no use to punish whever is guiltly be it Soldiers or LTTE Cadres.
    Reconciliation does not work that way.
    Cont..

  • 7
    2

    Cont
    Part of People& activists keeps insisting justice for victims , while some voice evident hypocrisy of UNHRC , sighting some powerful nations and favourites who are dared not even questioned.

    Both are like tossing the coin for Victims among civililians and LTTE Pows and war heros .Head or tales we Sri Lankans loose.
    Simple there is no honest justice , name it , powerful nation’s politicians and not forgetting even by the holy ones.
    Cont..

  • 6
    1

    Cont..
    Wars must be always avoided , it is an illusion to believe any side has ever won a war , in war all are losers and only in peace and reconciliation there is true victory.
    Denial by both participants of war is disastrous and it prevents any hope of reconciliation.
    Especially in an internal conflict , which is like a family brawl settled within the four walls of the house by engaging one to one, The government and the Tamils must engage in a constructive discussion , both parties accepting whatever the facts are without blaming each other, shun the egos and both make public apology and then do not talk what need to.be done to compensate and engage in reconciliation, but walk the talk almost immediately.
    Cont..

  • 7
    1

    Cont.

    The only country that ever experienced the worst genocide after the killing fields of Kampuchia was Ruwanda .

    But today only Ruwandan people have proved to the entire world forgiveness is possible, to let go is possible, to forget is possible, to live next door to those who were responsible for the worst inhumane killing of your family is possible, marriage between is possible and helping to rebuild not just ones homes, but entire villages is possible & while doing so it is definitely and undoubtedly possible to quickly rise from 3rd world to 1st world and to rise like a Phonix from the Ashes.
    As long as all parties are 100% sincere with no agendas, no bias , open opportunities yo all and willing to respect each other and bring in a constitution that guarantees the protection of the vulnerable & that geneuninely let’s law hang anyone who harms or kills in the name of Religious identity or Racial infutre and past everyone is forgiven.and given an opportunity to repproduce themselves a fresh ..
    Hearts must be genuinely healed with no political agendas and everything must be settled within the boundaries of our land and by us with no outsiders.
    May The hearts of those in pain heal and soften with forgiveness.

    • 3
      0

      Thanks, Lanka Netizen, for all that eloquence.
      .
      There is real feeling in your words. I, too, have written much in the comments on this article, but I fear that my words are cold.
      .
      These four comments of yours are wonderful.

  • 6
    11

    Tamils don’t seem to understand white mans law. 1) The court in geneva has no jurisdiction over sri Lanka. Meaning they can’t enforce anything. 2) herbrus corpus? Where is the body or bodies? No corpse, no crime. 3) who committed the crime? Who is the accused ? 16 million Sinhalese? They have to be produced in court 4) where are the witnesses? They have in court and will be cross examined. So fake Tamils will be exposed. Geneva was set up to settle European disputes after WW2 , They don’t give a shit about brown and black people killing each other. Geneva is French speaking and Tamils already have a reputation for being petty criminals in France and Switzerland.

    • 6
      8

      5) stature of limitations. In If a crime is not solved within 72 hours its not going to be solved. It’s Been 12 years.
      6) PRECEDENT) THis is most important one. If UN persecutes GOSL, it will open the door for Iraq, Yemen, siriya, Somalia, sudan, Afghanistan to peruse legal action against the Americans, British and French.

      • 2
        0

        W
        “If a crime is not solved within 72 hours its not going to be solved. It’s Been 12 years.”
        Perpetrators of war crimes during WW2 and contributors to the genocide of Jews have been punished as much as 50 years later.

        • 3
          0

          .@Sinhala man,
          Than you

          Mr.Sinhala Man
          Your English is impeccable.

      • 2
        1

        Disgusting, westham.
        .
        See what I’ve told GATAM, above.
        .
        You’ve actually gone further than him. So, you want to get off on technicalities, although you acknowledge guilt.
        .
        I refuse to accept that this is about white men, black men, and brown men. Actually, I often find it difficult to distinguish between Sinhalese and Tamils by going on appearance.

      • 3
        1

        westham

        ” The court in geneva has no jurisdiction over sri Lanka.”

        Which Court are you referring to?

        “stature of limitations. In If a crime is not solved within 72 hours its not going to be solved. It’s Been 12 years.”

        48 Hours, not 72.

        “herbrus corpus?”

        You mean “habeas corpus”?

        “Where is the body or bodies?”

        It is for the captures war criminals to explain.

        ” who committed the crime? Who is the accused ? 16 million Sinhalese?”

        What a dump ass question. It is the responsibility of the state to discover and explain. By the way are you the state’s legal counsel?

        “where are the witnesses? “

        Witnesses have already submitted evidence three times in the last 10 years.

        “Geneva was set up to settle European disputes after WW2 ,”

        Geneva is a City, however UNHRC was founded on 15 March 2006.

        “Geneva is French speaking and Tamils already have a reputation for being petty criminals in France and Switzerland.”

        How do you know?
        Are in joint criminal enterprise with them?

        “If UN persecutes GOSL, it will open the door for Iraq, Yemen, siriya, Somalia, sudan, Afghanistan to peruse legal action against the Americans, British and French.”

        Of course it has been pending for years.

        • 1
          0

          Native Vedda

          “Witnesses have already submitted evidence three times in the last 10 years.”

          That’s a deposition. Which is an off court testimony. It has no value in Court. The Tamil witnesses ( how did they escape ? ) will have to make a sworn Testimony in court. And they will be cross-examined by defense council. The fake Tamils will be proven to have been in Europe for over 10 year, pre-dating 2009.

          Also this is what is called a Grand Jury in the US. A Procedure to establish a crime. Many grand Juries never make it to court. This in simple parlance is an hearing. Nothing more, Nothing Less. This hearing has been going on fro over 10 years. LOL This has to be taken to court. GOSL doesn’t have to attend this hearing. Sri Lanka Law was written by the British. International Law 90% by the Americans. A different people, a different Language even ifs English. Neither Tamils nor Sinhalese seem understand this.

    • 0
      0

      W
      Haebaus corpus (not herbrus corpus) is not about dead bodies.

  • 11
    2

    Forget about the Tamils and UNHRC, The question is when will Sinhalese will have a true Buddhist Nation or Nation that gives them freedom to speak or write or have a law and order and justice for all Sinhalese? The country is not belong to Rajapakse Family or Ranil Family. Rajapakse family is part of the country like Ranil. At least Ranil or Sajith did not give up their Sri Lankan citizenship like Rajapakse family. I am sure that it is not the will of the Sinhalese that the law and justice system should be biased towards one Sinhalese with another Sinhalese. Law and Justice system should be equal to whether it is Rajapakse or Ranil or Lasantha or Suppiah or Imran. Why Sinhalese had an armed rebellion or violence or terrorism twice in the country killing over 70000 Sinhalese by Sinhalese? Did all those 70000 Sinhalese families received an unbiased investigation and justice in this country? Who took the civil rights of the Srimavo Bandaranaiyaka? Is it a Hindu or Tamil or Buddhist or Sinhala? Even today, Rajapakse wants to take civil rights Ranil, Sirisena and Sajith. For what the civil rights are taken? It is a revenge taking one Sinhala with Other Sinhala. If one Sinhala supported Ranil is he betrayer of the Country?

    • 1
      0

      Ajith: Very interesting and thought-provoking comment. Many questions you have raised and I was thinking “Why and “How” we are as of today? I contacted an associate of mine and tried to open up a conversation on the subject. He traced some “History” and referred to a “Hand Written” letter that was supposed to have been written by Sir Ivor Jennings – a Lawyer and later who was named the Founder of the University in then Ceylon. The story was: The British Government has asked his (Sir Jennings) opinion on granting “Independence” to Ceylon He has written and said: “Don’t give Independence to Ceylon, because they don’t know what Independence and Freedom means. They best know to cut each other’s throat”. Have we moved away from this “Reality”, say, before 1948 to 2021, and are there any signs of moving away even beyond? With that I found answers to that “Why” and “How”.

  • 1
    0

    We have all written off the politicians in SL. Now our focus should move on to the religious leaders, let it be the Mahanayakes and their gang of Buddhist Priests, Cardinal and his robed golays, the Muslim religious leaders and their thoppi team, the Hindu Priests and their naked top body aids. Are these religious leaders and their followers doing their prime duty of practicing their religious teachings? As the author of this article says, these religious leaders should have the guts and the commitment to first correct the politicians and correct their policies. If not its better for them to remove their robes and be an ordinary citizen and not a religious leader.

  • 1
    0

    Don’t you think it is good for the people of Iraq, Yemen, Syria, Somalia, Sudan, Afghanistan, Libya, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Tibet, Pakistan, ……………………… which could bring closure to some people?

    It would also bring some closure to people of this island, who were in the receiving end between April 1971 and May 2009
    Thanks for helping the victims.

    I read somewhere .
    ” Everyone has the right to be stupid, just don’t abuse the privilege” .
    Take care.

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