By Sanja De Silva Jayatilleka –
Sanja De Silva Jayatilleka
“Engaging in arguments and debates in the international domain over the number of civilians who may have died at a particular time in the country will not help resolve any issues, in a meaningful manner, locally, except a feel good factor for a few individuals who may think that they have won a debate or scored points over someone or the other.” ~ Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maheshini Colonne (The Island 27th October 2017)
Debates in the international domain are exactly how the international community, which includes the UN and other international organizations, strive to reflect pluralism, obtaining the multiple perspectives of their members in order to reach decisions, either by reaching consensus or through a vote. There are debates which may lead to negotiations and eventual consensus or arguments which lead to a decision through a vote. Debates and reasoned, fact-based argumentation are necessary procedures when a State defends itself as it must, against glaring falsehoods. It is not something a State can avoid, resentful that a few individuals may feel good about it.
The figure of forty thousand civilian casualties during the last stages of the war in Sri Lanka has been contentious from the moment it was asserted. Repeated use of it by those interested in pushing this unverified figure gained momentum until it became accepted as a credible number in most of the Western media, after it was mentioned in the UN Secretary-General’s Panel of Experts’ report, aka the Darusman Report.
Most recently, Lord Naseby, speaking in the British Parliament on the 12th of October 2017 has disputed this figure which appeared in the Darusman report, while pointing out that most of the war crimes charges flowed from it. He refutes this figure and the claim that civilians were willfully targeted, using dispatches from the British Defense attaché Lt. Col Anton Gash stationed in Colombo, to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in London, together with the UN reports of the relevant period. The figures of civilian casualties cited are very clear, and they don’t exceed 8,000 (eight thousand). The difference between this and the forty thousand figure is a whopping 32,000 human lives.
Having presented the evidence, Lord Naseby says “I hope and pray that as a result of this debate, the UK will recognize the truth that no one in the Sri Lankan Government ever wanted to kill Tamil civilians.”
The Sri Lankan Foreign Ministry’s assertion that “engaging in debates and arguments over the number of civilians who may have died at a particular time in the country will not help resolve any issues” is specious to say the least. “The number of civilians who may have died” has a critical impact as regards the principle of proportionality, which is relevant in arriving at an opinion on whether a State has deliberately used excessive force or used excessive force at all. Surely it is the duty of the Government to debate this issue in the international domain using the evidence presented by Lord Naseby just a few days ago, based on confidential documents even if massively redacted, which were not available in the public domain prior to this point?
The Marga Institute’s publication, Narrative Three-The Last Stages of the War in Sri Lanka, the principal author of which was the distinguished senior-most retired civil servant Dr. Godfrey Gunatilleke, states that the “estimates of civilian casualties hinge on the estimate of population in the Wanni before the war…” which the publication says were a “rough census” carried out by the AGA. Narrative Three concludes that “there are major inconsistencies in these estimates which have been pointed out by experts”. It further reveals that these figures have been “challenged on the ground that they have been prepared under the direction of the LTTE and are highly inflated for the purpose of obtaining rations and assistance under government welfare programmes as well as magnifying the scale of the humanitarian disaster that could occur”.
An extensive study of the casualties in the period January to May 2009 was carried out by an independent UK based group of scientific experts of Sri Lankan lineage, which resulted in a publication called The Numbers Game: Politics of Retributive Justice. This report was exhaustively discussed at a conference organized by the Marga Institute and chaired by Dr. Gunatilleke. After examining the available evidence including satellite imagery, the report estimated the total number of civilian casualties from January 2009 to May 2009 at a figure which did not even begin to approach the mythical 40,000.
The Paranagama Commission report has a section headed “The Myth of 40,000 Civilians Killed in the Final Phase of the War”. Referring to the Darusman Report which stated that the figure of 40,000 “cannot be ruled out” but needs further investigation, the Paranagama Commission report concludes that “there was no reliable body of information consistent with other information that 40,000 civilians were killed.” It goes on to call the attempt to spread this unsubstantiated figure a “mischief” and the figure itself a “myth”:
“This Commission takes the view that in light of what preceded and what followed this totally unsubstantiated estimate of the number of civilians killed, unsourced guess work has solidified into the factual acceptance of a myth…The mischief of this particular allegation of 40,000 civilian deaths becomes clear when there are other sources which give a lower estimate, but not all of the various competing accounts are mentioned in the Darusman Report.”
The Paranagama Commission has also used the UN figure of 7,721 (seven thousand seven hundred and twenty-one) civilian casualties to dispute the 40,000:
“The UN Country Team figure of 7,721 civilian deaths (up until 13 May 2009) is mentioned in the Darusman Report but then disputed without any explanation as to how it comes to be that over 30,000 people could thereafter have been killed within five days, if the figure of 40,000 is ever to be correct and accurate…The Darusman Report provides no concrete evidence to support its considerable leap from the UN Country Team’s figure of less than 10,000.”
The Paranagama report quotes an unclassified 2009 US Department of State Report to the US Congress which says:
“… one organization, which did not differentiate between civilians and LTTE cadres, recorded 6,710 people killed and 15,102 people injured between January 20th and April 20th 2009. These numbers were presented with a caveat, supported by other sources, that the numbers actually killed and injured are probably higher.”
The Paranagama report goes on to quote the International Crisis Group which said:
“UN agencies, working closely with officials and aid workers located in the conflict zone, documented nearly 7,000 civilians killed from January to April 2009. Those who compiled these internal numbers deemed them reliable to the extent they reflected actual conflict deaths but maintain it was a work in progress and incomplete.”
The Paranagama report also quotes Reuters which reports just over 6,000 killed:
“Some three weeks before the war ended, Reuters reported as follows: ‘A U.N. working document, a copy of which was obtained by Reuters, says 6,432 civilians have been killed and 13,946 wounded in fighting since the end of January’.”
Furthermore it quotes Amnesty International which estimates that “…derived independently from eyewitness testimony and information from aid workers, are that at least 10,000 civilians were killed.”
Considering that there are all these numbers from varied sources, apart from the 40,000 in the Darusman Report, which itself doesn’t suggest it as a final figure, one would think that any new evidence that helps to arrive at the truth is certainly worthy of debate and engagement, especially at the UN Human Rights Council.
The Paranagama Commission report was produced well before UNHRC Resolution 30/1 was co-sponsored. However it was presented to Parliament by the Prime Minister only after Resolution 30/1 had been adopted, preventing its useful insights from being presented to the Human Rights Council in time. It is doubtful whether the detailed analyses contained in it have been used as yet by the Government to counter some of the inaccuracies circulating in the international arena regarding the last stages of the war.
Given his oft-repeated public stand, it is difficult to believe that President Sirisena is of the view that the numbers of civilian deaths should not be debated in the Council in Geneva despite Lord Naseby’s new and credible information (in that it comes from external i.e. non-Sri Lankan sources uninvolved in the conflict), when numerous civil society groups continue to insist at every UNHRC session that large numbers of civilians were deliberately targeted and killed, some even claiming genocide.
The Foreign Ministry seems to have decided not use this information internationally until the government gets around to the “100 Day Programme (point 93)” and its “own set of national proposals for a transitional justice process” is eventually set up and gets going.
Is it the view of Foreign Minister Marapana and State Minister for Foreign Affairs Vasantha Senanayaka, that if there’s the slightest chance of bringing new evidence before the international community to assist it in arriving at the truth amidst a barrage of false propaganda against this country internationally, that they should refrain from doing so because the considered view of the Foreign Ministry is that it would not help “in any meaningful way, locally”?
It is fervently hoped that the Minister and the State Minister are able to figure out that a “national process” and active engagement with the international community are not mutually exclusive, and that it is the duty of the government to undertake both. This is especially so since Lord Naseby has appealed to the UK Government that it “must now get the UN and the UNHCR in Geneva to accept a civilian casualty level of 7,000 to 8,000, not 40,000.”
While the national process is the more important, it is the Foreign Ministry’s responsibility to present Sri Lanka’s case credibly to the international community. It may lead to more than just a few individuals feeling good about it.
jehan / October 30, 2017
in 1990 i asked a TID officer who was a relative of mine, to finish off LTTE, what will it take. he said, a report the TID had done that time, There would be 15000 casualties . and the political establishment, wont take the risk. With India and U.K being highly opposed to a all out war.
In 2009 the times had changed, when i spoke to him, reminding him of the 1990 conversation, he said 40000 casualties is acceptable. as india and now US /UK have also estimated the casualties in that region. And they wanted the LTTE finished.
The UN is a tool of the west, as SL Is getting closer to china.
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Al-faqurlah / October 30, 2017
This is exactly what the Burmese people are saying that driving out of one million Rohingyas to finish off Islamic terrorists is acceptable.
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Native Vedda / October 30, 2017
Sanja De Silva Jayatilleka
Could you ask Lord Naseby if he knew about Sri Lankan armed forces using cluster bombs during the war and would he be able to obtain a detailed list of all those surrendered to the armed forces up to the end of the war.
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The lord seem to be well informed on Sri Lankan affairs hence this is not a difficult job.
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What is the point are you trying to make by calling “Report of the Secretary-General’s Panel of Experts on Accountability in Sri Lanka”, the Darusman Report.
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Its a cheap jibe from an old woman. Grow up.
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Emil van der Poorten / October 30, 2017
Native Veddah:
The very fact that this woman exhibits no shame in simple and blatant cover-ups for a government that had her husband bought and paid for, notwithstanding periodic boots to his bottom, says it all.
Some people truly are without shame.
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Native Vedda / October 30, 2017
Emil van der Poorten
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“Some people truly are without shame.”
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Otherwise the Jayatillekas would not have let Dr Rajapaksa use him a Condom.
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Dr Rajapaksa knew most of the behind the scene work at the UN was being carried out by Hindians and US. Dayan as the front man was expected to bull s**t at the council meetings and to some of the members.
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Most voted in support of the resolution without damaging their own respective interest and based on their long term geo-strategic view.
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Dayan is still patting on his own back as if he won the day at Geneva. I think we should let him celebrate his imagined victory for another 50 years.
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Dr. Gnana Sankaralingam / October 30, 2017
Dear Sanja, what Lord Naseby said “No one in Srilanka government ever wanted to kill Tamil civilian” is a blatant lie. I was a medico-legal officer in the war zone and a medical witness to the atrocities committed on Tamil civilians by security forces. Revenge attacks were common like entering houses and shooting people dead, firing indiscriminately into crowd of people in markets, arresting people, lining them up and summarily executing them. Since none of the perpetrators of these crimes were brought to justice proves that the Seilanka government was in collusion with them. You also say that, “Extensive study of casualties between January to May 2009 was carried out by an independent UK based group of scientific experts of Srilanka lineage”. Could you please give the names of those so called scientific experts. If Sir Desmond De Silva is one of them, he cannot be an independent person, as in a speech in London in April 2012, he said killing of 40,000 Tamils to liberate 300,000 of them from LTTE control cannot be classed as a crime. As a UK citizen, I have not come across any scientific experts of Srilanka lineage, capable of conducting such a study. What I could say that these so called experts are mere charlatans with biased views.
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Lone Wolf / October 30, 2017
Dr Gnana S,
“I was a medico-legal officer in the war zone and a medical witness to the atrocities committed on Tamil civilians by security forces.”
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Was your experience not quite a long time ago after you studied in Jaffna?
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“If Sir Desmond De Silva is one of them, he cannot be an independent person, as in a speech in London in April 2012, he said killing of 40,000 Tamils to liberate 300,000 of them from LTTE control cannot be classed as a crime.”
On the contrary: it proves that he is independent. He has the right to have his own opinion does he not?
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Dr. Gnana Sankaralingam / October 31, 2017
I had my entire education in Colombo. You seem not to understand the meaning of independent person. The view expressed by him is his own independent view, but due to this view he becomes a person not independent of the allegation against Srilanka of war crimes.
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shokka chamopa / November 2, 2017
Dr. Gnana- Desmond was a pimp, it is said that 300,000 were killed.
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Hela / November 2, 2017
Yeah…..yeah…..yeah………. Poorten aiya……………Don’t exhibit too much of what you got.
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Jimsofty / October 30, 2017
Moda NAtive Veddo: what does your on the ground LTTE spied say about it. They do not know anything about weaponary ?
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Dr. Gnana Sankaralingam / October 30, 2017
NV, do not worry about this Nesby fellow as he is a senile imbecile. He is receiving perks from Srilanka government and therefore has to come out with cock and bull stories to save them. No one in UK, including conservatives take him seriously. Previously Liam Fox took perks from Srilanka government and started uttering falsehoods. he was put in place by the former PM, and now has crept into cabinet, but is keeping quiet. Lord Nesby does not hold any office and therefore UK government is not worried about what he does or says, provided he declares what he gets from Srilanka government in return for his posturing.
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Native Vedda / October 30, 2017
Dr. Gnana Sankaralingam
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I am aware of his support for Sri Lankan state at least for the past 10 years. I think Sanja De Silva Jayatilleka is mistaken Lord Nesby for Tony Benn, Jeremy Corbyn, …….
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AVB / October 30, 2017
Did this lady has any interest to find how many Sinhalese youth in her town Ambalangoda or perhaps in Galle district were murdered by Gov forces (Goni Billas) in 1988~89? 1000? 5000? .. None of us Sinhalese interested to find how many were killed or disappeared in our towns or cities in 71 and 88~89?
But all keen to argue foreign reports on minority death & disappearance counts in Tamil Civil war are wrong? First try to count deaths and disappearance of the majority civilians in previous wars and that will give you fair idea how many have been murdered in the war with the minority…
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gamini / October 30, 2017
The truth about the war is that there was no fighting between the Forces and the LTTE during the period Jan 2008 to May 2009. What happened during this period was the LTTE withdrew from all territory held including Kilinochchi their stronghold, to the beach front. A propaganda war was waged by both VP and MR to hype the masses. The LTTE buried all their artillery which the MR govt exhibited after May 2009. The LTTE numbering around a forty five thousand was massacred when they tried to surrender, by the Forces with the tacit support of the US, UK, India and the UN. There is zero casualty on the side of the forces for the period Jan 2008 to May 2009. This could be verified if a list of the dead Forces is obtained from the Forces for the period Jan 2008 to May 2009.
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lal / October 31, 2017
It is arguably justified to kill LTTE terrorists as they surrendered after they had buried their weapons. They should have surrendered themselves with the weapons. Burying weapons means saving them for another day to kill Sinhala people. Terrorists got what they deserved! It is now up to Tamil leaders to prove their sincerity to reach an accord with the Sinhala people but not with hidden agendas (as with surrendering and burying weapons to kill again). Come forth, clean!
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Paul / November 2, 2017
I’m really sorry for the thousands of American, British, Indian and UN soldiers killed in getting rid of the terrorist LTTE.
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Spring Koha / October 31, 2017
Brings back nostalgic memories of the seventies, when extra security services were requested in order to keep ‘law and order’ in the peninsula (and catch some cocky bugger who had just shot the local mayor).
To recall the words of old Ben Franklin, For want of a nail the shoe was lost. For want of a shoe the horse was lost. For want of a horse the rider was lost. For want of a rider the message was lost.
None in government at that time fully understood the concept of zero tolerance and the result was some thirty years of mayhem and misery.
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Eagle Eye / October 30, 2017
If 40,000 killed, what happened to the dead bodies and skeletons. Those who give this figure do not provide any evidence. Without providing evidence, cannot bring war crime charges. Tamils are very good in fabricating stories and misleading the western idiots.
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Paul / October 30, 2017
True. The smiling girl on the right has time to use an expensive camera during an airstrike. TamilNet cropped the picture to omit her.
http://archive.boston.com/bigpicture/2009/04/comments_refugees_in_sri_lanka.html
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Native Vedda / October 30, 2017
Paul
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” The smiling girl on the right has time to use an expensive camera during an airstrike. TamilNet cropped the picture to omit her.”
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You are not familiar with the idea of Citizen Journalism are you?
Please pull your head wherever its is now and listen to :
Citizen Journalism in Sri Lanka: a book launch and views
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QtuWKo2ysoc
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Paul / November 2, 2017
Veddah you are ignorant of the extent to which the Tamils lied to the World aren’t you? Do you deny what I wrote? http://www.slnewsonline.net/News_2011_June_16_to_30.asp
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Native Vedda / October 30, 2017
Eagle Blind Eye Dimwit
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“If 40,000 killed, what happened to the dead bodies and skeletons.”
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Say for instance if the army chose to give an acid bath to each of the dead bodies there won’t be any evidence left for the kith and kin to pursue the case.
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Why don’t the authorities provide the relatives with details of those who voluntarily surrendered and being witnessed by kith and kin?
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It is difficult to remain Clever dick forever. There is no such thing as perfect crime.
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Shenal / October 30, 2017
Native Veddaho,
Do you think how many liters of acid one needs to disolve the 40,000 dead bodies? Do you think that no one notices the transportation of these gas containers? Do you think no passing satellite could pick up the images of acid baths and acid containers from up above? Do you have any shame atleast? Accept defeat as a man.
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Dr. Gnana Sankaralingam / October 30, 2017
Shenali, if no war crimes were committed, why are you frightened to face an independent international inquiry. There is evidence of use of cluster bombs and chemical agents in the last stages of war. Prageeth Ekneligoda was killed because he exposed the import of chemical weapons. What happened to Thermobaric weapons stored in Aturugiriya. How did they vanish other than being used on Tamils. Government did not permit anyone into war zone even after the war ended in order to cover up evidence. Sulphuric acid was imported to dissolve bodies. Will the government permit examining ship registers. You are afraid of international involvement because they have access to Lloyd registry from which they could trace imports of banned weapons. After the war only unwounded, walking wounded and those with minor injuries who were carried by the relatives crossed into camps. All the badly wounded and those with injuries from cluster bombs and chemical weapons were executed and body disposed of. Please accept the truth and face the music if you are really keen on reconciliation.
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Shenal / October 30, 2017
Dr. Gnana,
That is because the international inquiry is not independent. They have their own agendas. They want the blood of Mahinda for disobeying them. It’s simple geopolitics. I don’t think you cannot understand it.
If you have evidence, why don’t you or any person who have them; file a court case? At least people will know then that there are things which was hidden from them by Rajapaksha? Why being timid?
No one knew about Eknaligoda until he got disappeared. Some say he was a journalist. But, no one knows where did he work? Can you pull up any worthwhile article Eknaligoda had written? I am eager to read one.
What thermobaric weapons were stored in Athurugiriya? It was a army safe house. Besides, thermobaric weapons cannot be used for mass killings. Moreover, Sri Lankan armed forces have no method to distribute themobaric weapons on a vast area.
There were many journalists (both local and international) who has traveled to the former war zone. No one reported any unusual activities. Besides, US military satellites were focused for Sri Lanka during the final phase of the conflict. They cannot miss any unusual or important issues like mass slaughter.
If government brought in Sulfuric acid by ships, how did they got transported to the war zone? Those are highly visible targets for spy satellites. US would surely had known if Sri Lankan Army did anything unusual.
You people are still trying to cling on to the old rehotic of genocide when evidence springs up from all sides to show the otherwise. I pity people like you. You people will die of your hatred. Please understand that hatred does not cease by hatred. It will only be vanquished by kindness.
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Dr. Gnana Sankaralingam / October 31, 2017
Shenali ask your god father Sir Desmond de Silva whether the international war crimes inquiry he chaired against Sierra Leone was not independent. This will be the same for any international inquiry where independent persons of high integrity will be appointed. Sir Desmond de Silva was independent as far as Sierra Leone is concerned, but for Srilanka, he is a party to cover up the crimes. Why are you talking about genocide when there is no charge against Srilanka as the number of Tamils killed do not qualify as what happened in Rwanda. Please know that there were no war crimes inquiry against Sudan or Indonesia as both cooperated with international community in bringing about a lasting peaceful solution. Srilanka is being kicked around because of the intransigence of the past and present governments. If a fair solution is found according to international norms which satisfies Tamils, I can assure you that there will be no war crimes inquiry. Please shed your hatred towards Tamils and advocate granting the rights to them to live in dignity and safety as first class citizens in their lands of historic habitation without interference from Sinhalese. Yes hatred does not cease by hatred, but unfortunately it is your Sinhalese who are exhibiting hatred when Tamils have shown a friendly hand.
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Shenal / November 1, 2017
No one can be sure about international inquries as countires have bais towards their own interests. Just look at what happened in Kosovo.
Furthermore, you alleges that Sudan and Indonesia cooperated to peaceful reconciliation. But I beg to differ. Indonesia was threatned to be bankrupted by Geroge Sores. Only then Indonesia aggreed to cooperate. That could also happen in Sri Lanka. We need to be aware of that.
As I have always said. Tamils don’t have a historic homeland in Sri Lanka. They do have one in Tamilnadu. But not in Sri Lanka. This fact was even acknowledged by the Brits and has been legally accepted. Who are you to say otherwise?
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pirabakaran vellupillai / November 1, 2017
Shenal
Sinhala Aryans have no right to be here in Sri lanka which is a Dravidian/Austranesian home land. There was not even the smell of Aryans in South Asia before 5000 years ago. Eelam is part of the peninsular India connected by Adam’s bridge until relatively recently. Whether it is Peninsular India or the Island of Eelam (srilanka) the original inhabitants South of the Vindyas are Dravidians or Austroloids.
Sinhalese have no homeland in Sri Lanka they may trace their fore bears in Bangaladesh or ever further afield in Central asia. If they insist on their Aryan mythical origin they may go back to Germany provided the Germans agree to take them in without sending them to their concentration camps.
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Dr. Gnana Sankaralingam / November 2, 2017
Shenali, you are correct that both Indonesia and Sudan were threatened to cooperate. As for Indonesia, it is not only USA but also China applied pressure. Indonesia under Suharto was repressive on minorities and was responsible for the anti-Chinese riots where 800 Chinese were killed and their houses and businesses destroyed. As a retaliation Singapore clamped all assets of Indonesia and china issued a warning. Suharto had to eat his humble pie and Indonesia had to financially compensate for the loses suffered by Chinese. This started the downfall of Suharto leading to him being ousted from office and losing East Timor for good.
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Jimsofty / November 2, 2017
Pieabakaran Velupillai: As you Dravideans were in Sri lanka first. Don’t ask homeland only for the east and the north. that is a humiliation to proud Tamils. Ask devolution and power sharing for the island as the homeland.
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pirabakaran vellupillai / November 1, 2017
Shenal
Stop pulling things out of your rear end ” Tamils don’t have a historic homeland in Sri Lanka. They do have one in Tamilnadu. But not in Sri Lanka. This fact was even acknowledged by the Brits “
Have you heard of Cleghorn’s minutes of 1795 which expressly states that the North and East of Ceylon including the Puttalam district ( up to walawa Ganga) is the natural habitats of the Tamils and refers these territories as Tamil Homeland.
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Dr. Gnana Sankaralingam / November 2, 2017
Shenali, your statement that Tamils do not have a homeland in Srilanka is outright racism. The first settlers in Srilanka are Dravidians. The presence of urn burial sites (latest in Galewela) and pottery similar to that found in Tamil Nadu, proves that it is one and the same people who lived on both sides of the divide, which got separated by sea upheaval several years ago. It is the conclusion of international linguists that Tamil is the oldest language in the world and at some point of time everyone in the world would have spoken Tamil or some form of Tamil. Therefore the ancestors of present day Sinhalese would have spoken Tamil. Recent genetic studies show that the core genetic material in Sinhalese is south Indian and is more related to Indian Tamils than Ceylon Tamils, which proves that Tamils were present as a distinct entity in Srilanka. Moreover the fact that Veddhas worship Murugan proves that they were under Tamil influence. Of the original Dravidians in Srilanka, some like Malayalees have developed a new Sinhala identity, while the rest have continued to maintain the Tamil identity. During this process some Tamils have become Sinhalese and some Sinhalese have become Tamils, which corroborates with the result of the two genetic studies, which bigots like you are refusing to accept.
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Jimsofty / November 2, 2017
Dr. Gnana Sankaralingam: Even with these so many weapons Sri lanka army did not finish Tamils. Still lot more left. Should we stop them saying National heroes ?
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Native Vedda / October 30, 2017
Shenali
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“Do you think how many liters of acid one needs to disolve the 40,000 dead bodies? “
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Did you you know where these Chinese convicts were employed in Sri Lanka?
Read below:
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Thousands of Chinese convicts, for example, have been pressed into service in projects by state-run Chinese companies in Sri Lanka, a strategically important country for China, which is seeking a role in the Indian Ocean. Such is Sri Lanka’s vantage location that it sits astride vital sea lanes of communication. China — in return for being allowed to make strategic inroads — provided Sri Lanka offensive weapon systems that helped end its long civil war. Now, Beijing is being rewarded with port-building, railroad and other infrastructure projects.
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https://www.japantimes.co.jp/opinion/2010/07/05/commentary/china-now-exports-its-convicts/#.WfcmxGi0OUk
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pirabakaran vellupillai / November 1, 2017
Shenal
Chinese made large incinerators were ordered by the Srilankan army soon after the war had ended in VANNI there is clear prove of that but no one could tell the world why industrial size incinerators were required by the Sinhala army. Let us have an international war crimes tribunal where we will present these evidence with the manufacturers details of the incinerators.
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Shenal / October 30, 2017
Ah..! there was no problem with dead bodies as Sri Lankan Army used gas chambers and gas burners. The locations of these extermination camps can be inquired from TNA ministers or UNHRC members
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Native Vedda / October 30, 2017
Shenali
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” there was no problem with dead bodies as Sri Lankan Army used gas chambers and gas burners.”
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Dr Gota and his Armed forces would love to have exterminated the residents of the entire camp. Its so happened unfortunately the eye in the sky (spy in the sky) was switched on by Hindia, UK, USA, ………
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Ruwan / October 31, 2017
Vaddo, Lately I noticed that you have been writing utter crap and not contributing anything worthwhile to this forum! Its time you woke up to be more constructive!
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Native Vedda / October 31, 2017
Ruwan
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“Lately I noticed that you have been writing utter crap and not contributing anything worthwhile to this forum!”
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I have always written worse than utter crap which didn’t matter to you in the past. Why should it bother you now? Why do you find my comment are no longer offensive?
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RajanS / October 30, 2017
Just like the racist DJ, the SJ is also singing the same tune. They can’t hear what the Tamil people have been asking which is an international investigation. But they can clearly hear the pro-Sinhalese Naseby’s call. What a hypocrite!
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Eagle Eye / October 30, 2017
RajanS,
Sinhalese are not hypocrites. It is the British Government that is hiding the report that says there were no war crimes. Even Theresa May is a hypocrite who said she will not allow British Armed forces to be charged for war crimes but supports war crime charges against Sri Lankan Armed forces.
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Native Vedda / October 30, 2017
Eagle Blind Eye
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“Sinhalese are not hypocrites.”
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Who said they are? They are not except a handful of Sinhala/Buddhists card carrying fascists like you.
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However, Sinhalese are plain stupid for they vote for anyone who promise to provide 8 measures of free rice from the moon. You are not one of them.
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banana / October 30, 2017
According to the official announcement, humanitarian rescue operation was successfully completed with ZERO casualties. Did you then challenge that official statement? NO.
Government said n=0.
Now you are arguing with some reference (typical text book waste) that n is not 40K but less. By focusing the estimate for number of casualties, you’ve already accepted the crime committed. Government has to get out of this mess with a penalty (perhaps the updated constitution?).
Now you are “advising” the government on how to challenge that number?
Do you think that number is the critical issue now Mr Sanjayan? Why don’t you comment on your personal experience with tasting a banana ice cream with ketchup on top?
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Jimsofty / October 30, 2017
If you asked Kasippu Joseph about the figure about dead. It would vary from 146,000 to 300,000.
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Native Vedda / October 30, 2017
Jimsofty the dimwit
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“If you asked Kasippu Joseph about the figure about dead. It would vary from 146,000 to 300,000.”
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However you believe there was a zero causality.
The reason being the Sri Lankan armed forces always used home made very sophisticated weapons such as “fire and forget” artillery pieces, field guns, multi barrels, …………… with shells searching only LTTE cadres and killing them on the spot without any collateral damage.
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Lion / October 30, 2017
I like Maheshi Kolonne’s statement that represent the idea of Boy Mangala ..
Lord Naesby …is a good friend of CBK…was a subject kept aside by the MR Govt because of his intrusion into local politics and attitude towards war crime allegations THEN..
The Lord has changed his stance NOW….”British Govt should lay aside the War Crime allegation on Sri Lanka..”
Why is this sudden sympathy..?
Because the correct combination to prepare the Sri Lankan soup is finally found…
the Lord wants to Load.
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K.Pillai / October 30, 2017
One wonders who paid this Lord Naseby’s visit to SL. His colleague Liam Fox was censured by British Parliament for accepting an all expense paid holiday for himself and family – compliments MR.
Sanja De Silva Jayatilleka is on a “Bring back MR” mission. Towards this she says ~ “Most recently, Lord Naseby, speaking in the British Parliament on the 12th of October 2017 has disputed this figure which appeared in the Darusman report, while pointing out that……………”.
What Sanja does not say is “No body paid any attention”
Lord Naseby adds ~ “I hope and pray that as a result of this debate, the UK will recognize the truth that no one in the Sri Lankan Government ever wanted to kill Tamil civilians.”
Lord Naseby knows that when the civil war ended there is the photograph of a twelve year-old Tamil boy inside an army bunker. A kind hearted soldier gives him some tidbits while another probably calls Colombo of the prized catch. Next photograph shows the boy shot dead at close range. This Lord Naseby hides the pogroms against Tamils and the complicity of the GoSL. No wonder he is not taken seriously at home.
Sanja tell this Lord Naseby that just last week Retd. Major General Kamal Gunaratne said “Supporters Of New Constitution ‘Must Be Killed’”
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Shenal / October 30, 2017
How can we assume that it was army that killed the little boy? Couldn’t LTTE stage this photograph to defame Sri Lankan government?
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Native Vedda / October 30, 2017
Shenali
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“Couldn’t LTTE stage this photograph to defame Sri Lankan government?”
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Please contact Lord Naseby for further details and his contact details are as follows:
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The Rt Hon. the Lord Naseby
House of Lords, London, SW1A 0PW
Tel: 020 7219 5613
Email: contactholmember@parliament.uk
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pirabakaran vellupillai / November 2, 2017
Shenal
You seemed to talk through your arse again and again . Do you defecate through your mouth ? can there be any worse smelly anal droppings than this that could have come out of your rectum ?
“How can we assume that it was army that killed the little boy? Couldn’t LTTE stage this photograph to defame Sri Lankan government?”
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Dr. Gnana Sankaralingam / October 31, 2017
Dear Pillai, Lord Naseby is not an MP but a member of house of lords. He is the chairman of an organisation called inter-parliamentary group for Srilanka. For his distorted speech, he has been rewarded by Srianka government with a free trip. Similarly there is a more powerful inter-parliamentary group for Tamils. As a reply to Naseby’s speech members of Tamil group have given him well and truly debunking all his falsehoods. Unfortunately Sinhala controlled press have given prominence only to Naseby’s utterance. Anyhow this is not a parliamentary debate to be concerned about. In UK all Sinhala racists are living like dogs with their tails tucked between their legs. Their bravery is only behind closed doors in front of a sycophantic bigoted Sinhala audience. They dare try to lift a finger to a Tamil.
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Hela / November 2, 2017
Big talk Gnana…………….Trying to sooth your psyche bruised during the Nandikadal debacle eh?
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Mama Sinhalam / October 30, 2017
Assuming the figure of 8000 is correct, does it make a difference. The fact is that there were so many civilians killed. These killings amount to genocide, a crime which is made out even if one person is killed with a genocidal intent. War crimes are also made out if civilians are killed. Nitwit Naseby, the white Lord of the Sinhalayas, is only making matters worse by trying to reduce the numbers. Why the hesitation to have trials by an international tribunal so that the truth can be revealed? The writer appears to be a woman who must have some feelings of shame and pity. What difference does it make whether 8000 or 40,000 were killed. The fact is that there was killing by the armed forces of civilians. There were war crimes committed. Those who committed them must be held accountable. These included MR and his brothers who had command responsibility. They must be brought to trial.
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Shenal / October 30, 2017
Who can verify who killed who? It was a war. No one knew what was happening. Presumably it would have been LTTE that killed the 8000 civilians just to have their last laugh. We may never know. Therefore, rather than digging into a mess; we should look forward to the future. Tamils should let go of what has happened and try to live a fulfilling life. Sinhalese did that. So should be Tamils.
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pirabakaran vellupillai / November 2, 2017
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/
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Hela / November 2, 2017
MS,
If numbers doesn’t matter why you guys perpetuate the falsehood of 40,000? Why does Rayappu continue to scream a figure of 100,000+?
It is because numbers do matter. Deaths are unavoidable in an armed conflict. However such deaths should be proportionate to the intensity, length etc of the conflict. A smaller number would debunk the very foundation of the allegations of separatists (both local including TNA and diaspora) and their backers such as Yasmin Suka etc.
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K.Anaga / October 30, 2017
It is alleged that that quite a number bodies were buried and burnt at the Gotabaya Camp and that is why army is reluctant to release the land to the owners.. Why not ascertain the truth by some means. After all it was a war without witness and the shooting of Prabahran’s Son and the video presented by channel four gives food for thought. Perhaps a head count of those presently living around the place may throw some light.
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Ruwan / October 31, 2017
If the security forces killed Prabaharan’s they would have got rid of the body! There is no evidence as to who killed him! It could have been his own father?
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Native Vedda / October 31, 2017
Ruwan
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“There is no evidence as to who killed him! It could have been his own father?”
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Of course Thiruvengadam Velupillai was hired by Jagath Dias to assassinate his son Velupillai Prabaharan by chopping his head in 2009.
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Jimsofty / October 31, 2017
Only the Spirit of Dead LTTE caders would answer that, if not ask that Phillipine woman.
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Spring Koha / October 31, 2017
Lord Naseby says “I hope and pray that as a result of this debate, the UK will recognize the truth that no one in the Sri Lankan Government ever wanted to kill Tamil civilians.” And with that sentence, the ignoble Lord has laid bare his abject lack of knowledge of some of the Sri Lankan soldiers.
If the noble Lord had been amongst Sri Lanka soldiers, even for a short while, he would have quickly realised what blood-thirsty, racist, psychopathic bastards most are. They are the scum of the earth who enlisted to satisfy their craving for a killing, preferable killing with torture. Only the few decent soldiers prevented a full-scale blood bath.
Naseby, Fox and others remain conveniently for the use of the GOSL. Those who have done their homework have made a compelling case for a proper impartial inquiry.
But if there is one thing that Sri Lankan governments are adept at, it is ducking and diving, hiding, playing for time, obfuscating and delaying until the opposition give up and go home. They have form: 1958, 1971, 1977, 1981, 1983, 1987-89, through the nineties and the naughties.
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sinhalajihad / November 2, 2017
White conservative, probably a racial supremacist himself, supporting Sinhalese supremacists is no surprise. Both have the same genocidal racist ideology and support ethnic cleansing to make their lands pure and great again.
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Siva Sankaran Sarma / November 4, 2017
What cool stories We Thamizh have come up with to make our other cool stories seem less ridiculous :D
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