“Sri Lanka agreeing to a well-defined, time-bound action plan for simultaneous operation of all transitional justice processes should be the top priority for the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC),” says the Global Tamil Forum (GTF)
No doubt Sri Lanka is at crossroads | Prime Minister and The President | File photo
“As Sri Lankan issues will be taken up at the UNHRC next week, the GTF would like to highlight the following for the careful considerations of the key countries at the UNHR,” the GTF has said in a statement today.
We publish below the statement in full:
The confidence level among the Tamil community that Sri Lanka will fully implement its commitments under the resolution 30/1 in a faithful and timely manner is presently at its lowest. The outcomes of the local council elections, the recent anti-Muslim violence, and the fact that the present coalition government at its halfway mark is in disarray without significant achievements on Tamil related issues, make most of the Tamil people to wonder whether Sri Lanka, once again, has missed a great opportunity.
Under such pessimistic future outlook, it is vital that the International Community, in particular, the key member countries of the UNHRC, make honest and principled public statements during the sessions which will give hope and confidence to the long-suffering people. The role international community needs to play in dealing with the complex issues of accountability and political resolution is vital, and the key countries should do their best to get Sri Lanka agree to an implementable action program using both public and private diplomacy.
It is noteworthy that Sri Lanka has finally appointed the commissioners for the Office of Missing Persons (OMP). Though proper consultations were not carried out with all stakeholders as expected, some of those appointed appear to be persons of good reputation. We believe the international community must have played a key role in getting this outcome, to which the Tamil community is grateful. Such a move just before the UNHRC session is so typical of Sri Lanka and is often a cause for concern about its sincerity. Even allowing for that, we still welcome this development and hope that the OMP will be able to do its job by establishing regional offices, seeking necessary expert assistance. It is important that UNHRC continues to monitor and ensure the effective functioning of the OMP without further delay.
A key outcome of the UNHRC session ought to be ‘Sri Lanka agreeing to a well-defined, time-bound action plan, where all transitional justice processes are in simultaneous operation with active UNHRC oversight’, without which Sri Lanka meeting its targets prior to the comprehensive review in the last quarter of 2019 is virtually impossible. Our request to the international community, in particular to the key UNHRC countries, is that they consider this as ‘the top priority’ and work towards achieving such an outcome.
Such an action plan, however, needs to be comprehensive. The important confidence-building measures such as land and prisoner release, repeal of Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) and demilitarisation need to be part of this. It also should include the key transitional justice processes – successful functioning of the
OMP, establishing a special court with credible international participation, truth-seeking mechanism and reparation procedures – all four of them progressing simultaneously.
There are some concerns within the Tamil community that Sri Lanka might use the recent local council election outcomes and the anti-Muslim violence as reasons to not act in a speedy manner and extract further delaying concessions from the key UNHRC countries (a familiar argument – ‘hardliners are becoming stronger and should not give ammunition to them’). Our contention is that, if anything, these incidents and outcomes are nothing but wake-up calls calling for accelerated progress on accountability and political resolution (thus improving ethnic relations in general), with a key lesson being ‘unsettled ethnic crisis and continuing impunity can drag the country backwards on the slightest provocations and will never allow Sri Lanka reach its full potential.’
With the strong possibility of Sri Lanka failing on its commitments and/or running out of time, the key countries of the UNHRC also need to look into other possible avenues to achieve accountability. This may include effective using of alternate UN processes, enforcing vetting procedures and travel restrictions, and the use of universal jurisdiction on those identified with war crimes and serious human rights abuses. The UN High Commissioner Zeid has been consistently persistent in this regard. In his most recent report he urged ‘the Human Rights Council to continue to play a critical role in encouraging progress in accountability and reconciliation in Sri Lanka’ and called on ‘Member States to explore other avenues, including the application of universal jurisdiction that could foster accountability.’ Despite the challenges such initiatives will encounter, these options are increasingly being discussed within the Tamil community, as well as among human rights defenders, due to the widespread loss of trust with the accountability processes so far.
No doubt Sri Lanka is at crossroads. It can jump start the stalled reconciliation processes defined by transitional justice and accountability for past crimes and constitutional settlement of the ethnic crisis. Or, return to the past characterised by dishonesty, deviousness, broken promises, U turns and managing expectations, all aimed at simple electoral victories and political calculations.
The hugely important role the international community can play at this crucial juncture in setting Sri Lanka in the right path cannot be overstated.
Jim softy / March 17, 2018
A former UN ambassador to Sri lanka, a Tamil femlae had said that there is foreign influence in the recet anti-muslim sviolence. IT looks she has talked about GTF involvement. GTF is from Britian. What about TGTE, BTF, Canadian TF, Australian TF and other Tamil organizations. Have you guys made a movie also out of this. If you want, sinhala people have made a movie, in sinhala though, the name is KATHARAKA ATHARA MAN VIE.”. IF you guys like it talk to the Responsible minister of the Maha Aanduwa..
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Hatharabirikatharina / March 17, 2018
It was a greater mistake PM to have kept faith on a person to be the CBG.
But just because of BANK scam ISSUES we must not forget all the high crimes deliberately made by former President et al.
The funds that to have been abused are 11 billions, but Rajapakshes have taken away over 4000 billions by mega projects, but sending the message across to the grass eating folks, that they developed the country.
Media men that prostituted for Rajapakshes have even today been on that mode.
Hiru, Sirasa and Derana have been earning their bits abusing the people, but not feeding the poor people with facts and figures.
All in all, I heard some good monks being very supportive to the new bill that have come forward to get passed in the days, which is special courts for standing against the high criminals…. being accepted.
I know we will win the war against the higher criminals.
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Amarasiri / March 17, 2018
Jim softy,
“A former UN ambassador to Sri lanka, a Tamil femlae had said that there is foreign influence in the recet anti-muslim sviolence.”
The were all Para-Tamil Buddhists, the Buddha Ghosa Brigade, angry with the Para-Sinhala “Buddhists”, the Mahanama Brigade, for hijacking Buddhism, in the Land of Native Veddah Aethho? Just curious.
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Babansincho / March 17, 2018
If Mr Sirisena with all executive powers, could do lot more if he wanted to. If he had guts to do so. But he did not for single reason, he became president all of sudden. He had no the training to go for it.
Today, we are on cross roads leaving all the high criminals to attack decent personalities loudly as they can.
This is same srilanka; where extremism is at its high levels.
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Jim softy / March 17, 2018
Does GTF has any plans to got Sri lanka at least to worhsip different Eastwar gods. Nallur is out of bound.
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Tamil from the north / March 18, 2018
Ado Jimba Shitty, yes GTF has huge plans, but I am not sure whether they can succeed. The current plan is to teach you a language called English. So that is the big plan they have, but the question is whether a mutt like you can learn………………for that matter anything? Bloody kabarakoya bugger!!!!!!!!
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K.Anaga / March 17, 2018
Srilanka is noted for its delaying tactics in every respect. Whether it is Political , Trade Union, and more so with the problems of the Tamils in particular. Whether it is implementation of the Tamil language properly in the Government departments, Releasing of political prisoners, giving back the land to the respective owners, taken over by the army prior to during and after the war.Rehabilitating the Tamil schools in the war affected areas. appointing of teachers in the Tamil village schools,transacting business in Tamil and (even English) with the government departments hospitals in the Capital, Magistrate courts, District courts and so on and so forth It will be too numerous to mention. Under these circumstance Tamils will be foolish to expect the agreement reached at Geneva to be adhered without pressure from the Foreign governments particularly from India, UK, and USA. If these countries could have assisted the Srilankan government to subjugate, not only the LTTE but Tamils as a whole and now the Tamil Speaking Muslims too, who were living in a fools paradise when the Tamils were being Massacred. The three counties mentioned may be in a quandary in view of the Chinese influence in Srilanka. India, the nearest neighbour to Srilanka is of course in a quagmire too, not knowing how to take the next step. It appears that the Sinhalese will be happy to be under the Chinese rather than give the Tamils their due Share.
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Anpu / March 17, 2018
Thank you GTF. Keep up the good work.
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Fathima / March 17, 2018
If these stupid things are done UNP will go home in double the time. Now UNP should ONLY focus on winning the next election.
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MR / March 17, 2018
GTF
OMP is not going to search and find out where the “missing persons ” are detained, or when and where or how they were killed by armed forces. It is not going to find out and tell the relatives what had happened to those Tamils handed over to the armed forces at Mullivaikkal. It has no power to question the armed forces or any govt officials. Even if they question do you think the armed forces will tell them the truth that those missing persons have already been tortured and killed or show them the secret places where if any are detained.
President Srisena has already told in public that there is no secret camp or prison keeping missing persons. If there were none alive, the only purpose of this OMP will be collecting information and handing it over to the govt to throw it into the dustbin. May be OMP could issue death certificates and recommend for compensation by way of giving two goats and a cow to each family.
Suren, think of what had happened to the previous Commissions and their recommendations. Any of them implemented?
Don’t think that those protesting relatives in North are fools. They have already stated openly that they will boycott OMP as they do not believe it will bring any relief to them.
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Rajash / March 17, 2018
Sri Lanka is not at cross roads.
Sri Lanka is at a cul de sac.
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Tamil from the north / March 17, 2018
Rajash please explain what a cul de sac is to idiot Jimbo Shitty. This low life racist dog will not understand your English
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Jim softy / March 18, 2018
some where hit the target that I expected. God Venkatheswara In Yapanaya also is limited to some Tamils. God Nakuleswaran is not many gods though.
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Tamil from the north / March 18, 2018
Jimba wrote: some where hit the target that I expected. God Venkatheswara In Yapanaya also is limited to some Tamils. God Nakuleswaran is not many gods though.
TFN wrote: Firstly I cannot understand even one word dumbo Jimbo wrote.
Secondly, what language is it? It sounds a bit like the English language but is it? Thirdly I am not sure why this mutt is writing about Hindu Gods here as I am not even a Hindu.
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Kamalawathie Sameer / March 18, 2018
Tamil from the north – Please don’t call him “Jimbo Shitty”. His command of the English Language, if any, is far below expectation! Just address him as JIM BOAR!
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Tamil from the north / March 18, 2018
Kamalawathie Sameer –
Agreed but I cannot stand racists. These dogs have ruined everything under the sun in beautiful Sri Lanka. This fellow Jimbo is a racist loser, who is hell bent on attacking all minorities in the country. These are born losers, who have nothing to lose, so they will destroy anything and everything what others have. Remember, just like these fu&kups in the south, sometime back we had losers in the North who chased all the Muslims away within 24 hours. Two good friends from school days (who are Muslims) lost their businesses and homes. It broke my heart as I was here in Canada and did not know where they went. Anyway, these dirty dogs have to be wiped out from the face of this earth or not give them space to spew their garbage.
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K.Anaga / March 19, 2018
They are definitely in a Cul de sac and the dogs in the last house is chasing them while the dogs in the other houses have surrounded.
No escape this time.
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Ben Hurling / March 17, 2018
WOW! Guess who is preaching? Talking about HONESTY, JUSTICE, ACCOUNTABILITY, AND PRINCIPLES? Have these GTF clowns been through an EXTREME MAKE-OVER? GOSL’s record in good-governance is awfully below dismal. However, a racist organization such as GTF, yearning for ethnic segregation in tiny Sri Lanka, with a history of abetting & financing worst forms of human cruelty and terror the world has ever seen, under FAT PIG’s able LTTE leadership for 30 years, now talking about MORALITY? Hahahahahahahahahahahhahahahhha!
Cheers!
PS:
Has anybody seen GTF’s outright condemnation of FAT PIG chanting & LTTE flag waving on streets of Lonon on Sri Lanka’s Independence Day? Apart from going all ballistic against that silly Brigadier, who succumbed to his emotions, delivering the biggest PR coup for Tamil racists overseas, since 2009 pulverization of the LTTE.
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Good Sense / March 17, 2018
There are individuals, in Sri Lanka and abroad, who wish to “fight or protect” the interests of minorities. In the first place, if they are sincere of their purpose, they must evaluate the best course of action under given circumstances. Clearly, they must understand that in dealing either with Sri Lanka or Governments abroad, one has to finally deal with a political establishment. Politicians have their own interests, whether in Sri Lanka or outside, are they prepared to commit political suicide? NO. Take the case of the OMP. Whether it was due to pressure brought from outside or not, the OMP is a necessity judging from available records such as the report of the famous “Batalanda Commission” which is in the public domain. Now what can an OMP operating under present law do for such cases? The real value of it is realized if it can independently function and find missing persons alive, which also can be done by the existing mechanism as well provided an honest job is done (unlike Thajudeen or Lasantha) . The OMP law in reality is an eye wash, psychologically appeasing some people. So, have the “fighters or protectors” of missing persons who even demonstrated placards when David Cameron visited Jaffna achieved something. The answer is “Yes and No”. Have the Government achieved something? “YES”, it has at last enabled to subdue the voice of critics on this issue. So “fighters or protectors” have your priorities right. Channel all the resources with the aim to cultivate a new culture in Sri Lanka where there is mutual respect of persons to foster amity, supplemented by meritocracy. Take your message to the length and breadth of the country.
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Anpu / March 17, 2018
OMP – worth reading https://www.colombotelegraph.com/index.php/the-omp-a-flawed-attempt-to-deal-with-complaints-of-disappearances-andor-missing-persons-in-sri-lanka/ by Iqbal (secretary to commissions of inquiry into disappearances of persons (COIs))
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K.Anaga / March 17, 2018
(MR) .Yes president has told there are no secret camps or prison. Yes he is right because only the President and Prime Minister knows the SECRET. Generally secret means only two people should know. However, in this case even Jasmin Zooka too knows about it. Hence it can no more be a ‘secret.’
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Eagle Eye / March 17, 2018
G.G Ponnambalam who formed All Ceylon Tamil Congress (ACTC),
S.J.V. Chelvanayakam who formed Illankai Tamil Arasu Kachchi (ITAK) and Tamil United Liberation Front (TULF),
M H M Ashraff who formed Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) and
Champika Ranawake who formed Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU) are responsible for strengthening the division of Sinhale (name of the country before colonial parasites came) people on ethnic lines done by British and creating the ethnic conflict in Sri Lanka. British used ethnic division to rule the country and exploit resources and these guys used racism for their political advancement.
I am sure someone will come forward to add S.W.R.D. Bandaranayake’s name to this list but let me tell he formed Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) not Sinhala Freedom Party (SFP).
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K.Pillai / March 17, 2018
We been at cross roads since 1948.
Now Gnanasara is directing the traffic.
Who is directing Gnanasara? Never mind.
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Champa / March 17, 2018
How could the release of LTTE terrorist prisoners, repeal of Prevention of Terrorism Act and demilitarization be the grievances of the Tamil community? They are demands of LTTE terrorists and LTTE fund outfits like Global Tamil Forum. There is no reason for international community to support the request of a terrorist funding outfit which was a banned organization until 2015.
Sri Lanka is blacklisted by the UN for terrorism financing. It is time the government take action to proscribe locally internationally all LTTE funding machines like GTF with the help of international community. End of the story.
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Tamil from the north / March 18, 2018
Champa the chimp, hear these facts;
1-Tiran Alles and Basil Rajapaksa gave the LTTE front man Thamilchelvan Rs. 180MM in the Vanni jungles to prevent the Tamils from going to the voting booths.
2-KP the chief LTTE arms dealer was bosom buddies with the filthy Rajapaksas, pointing out where all the LTTE money was.
3-Fat cow Shiranthi Rajapaksa was sitting on bars and bars of LTTE gold.
4-Pillayan, a former LTTE member and present TMVP assassin and murderer was and still a good friend of the Rajapaksa filth.
5-Karuna Amman, a former LTTE member and present TMVP assassin and murderer was and still a good friend of the Rajapaksa filth.
6-Daya master a former LTTE member is still a good friend of the Rajapaksa filth.
7-Inniyabarathy a former LTTE member and present TMVP assassin and murderer was and still a good friend of the Rajapaksa filth.
Hey Chimpa, do you still want to talk about the dreaded LTTE? Clean your own home first before you point fingers at others.
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Champa / March 18, 2018
Tamil from the North
Yes, of course as long as TGTE, GTF , BTF, CTC, ATC, USTPAC, NCCT and other 9 organizations which funded LTTE and supported its carnage in Sri Lanka, in existence, I will talk about LTTE. They collected funds through human smuggling, drug smuggling, arms smuggling, robberies and ransom and still use that money. These are the guys who demand UNHRC to punish our war heroes. They are the people who still carry LTTE, not I. Tell them to clean their home and leave our war heroes alone, then I will also stop talking about LTTE.
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About your list. Machan, I feel sorry for you. From 1 – 7 except 3, it is your own people, Tamils, who have betrayed you. What can I do? Anyways, their contribution has helped Mahinda to eliminate LTTE and bring peace to all, including Tamils and Muslims in the North/East who were mostly benefitted. About Shiranthi’s gold, I am sure she can afford it.
I think we all want to begin a new chapter in Sri Lanka in 2020. Other than political issues, there are severe economic and social issues that are common to all Sinhalese, Tamils and Muslims. We need someone who could correctly identify them and give practical solutions that are acceptable to people.
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Douglas / March 17, 2018
Is this OMP tasked to find and report on the “Missing Persons” in 1971; 10983; 1989 together with the Identification” of those human skeletons dug out in Matale? If NOT; WHY NOT? Could be there are no VOICES like that of GTF backed by the “International Community”, concerned with those “Missing” during the years I mentioned above. So in Sri Lanka, “NO VOICES” means NO ACTION, if NOT backed by the “International Community”. Is that the FATE of “MISSING” Ekneligoda too?
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james / March 18, 2018
Just to let u know UN does not have a mandate in a sovereigen country. Their aim is to divide and rule. If S.lanka goverment pay Ruppes 3.00 Million to each and every citizen in the North and East , Tamil people ..problem will be solved. BOTTOM LINE IS money..
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Mallaiyuran / March 18, 2018
Ranil is not angry in the picture. But in his usual Tongue in Cheek actings.
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bo / March 18, 2018
No he is not angry, just quietly lifting his one cheek to let some gas out! CT excuse me, I could not help letting this one go.
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Kulesh / March 18, 2018
There should be an end to the agony the people undergo and this could be understood only by those affected by the riots that were perpetrated on them in 1958, 1977, 1981, 1983 and of course in 2008-2009. Also there should be an end to this Geneva sessions on human rights violations. How long are we going to answer the member countries about the HR abuse in Sri Lanka? Just before the sessions, SL Govt. pretends that it has done something on HR and this time of course the establishment of OMP which is another milestone in the long history of eyewash.
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Nimal Tissa Wijetunga / March 19, 2018
GTF,
Sri Lanka is not at all at crossroads as if anybody or organisation challenges the very fabrication of Sri Lanka will get the total annihilation as same as LTTE and its leader Prabhakaran.
Hope that Tamil and Muslim masses are no more fools to listen to so called leaders of their community where they have deceived the masses and taken in the path of destruction since 1933 where Tamil Arasu Katchtchi was formed.
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K.Anaga / March 19, 2018
Not in 1933 but in 1949.If they have formed prior to the so called freedom, Britian would have been forced maintain the status quo of 1933. Unfortunately the Tamil leaders like Sir Pon and others trusted the Sinhalese only to be taken down the garden path to be let down like HOT POTATOES or rather like a lump of Shit.
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Saman Adikari / March 19, 2018
The Global Tamil Forum and World Tamil Congress are Tamil-diasporas that outfits are working towards aspiration of World Tamil speaking race -to be establishment in Tamil-Rough regime in North-east ………Lanka?
First step of GTF which want to divided and split of Island for Tamils ,the next step is they will annex to Tamil Nadu of greater part of land for the Tamil Imperial in Indian ocean.
In fact is buffer state of belongs USA+UK super-power of South Asia?
Meanwhile Tamil’s -power of classes and its politics has long-term which political ambition are behind by GTF and WTC to be occupy vast lands in Indian Ocean and block sea lane of east and west of Asian naval route by hook or crook?
That is why USA and UK promoted and claim human-rights in violation in Lanka by Human Right commission in Geneva?
By the way of that so-called “war crime” in Sri lanka of claim by GFT & WTC aim of dismantle Island unitary nature of state encouraged by TNA and Tamil Disposers ! North—-east of Island!!!.
By annexation of Indians lands by Tamil Nadu and while occupy, the Sri lank as whole Island; and later dominated Maldives Islands is dreaming land in Globally aim of Tamil Nationalist chauvinist movement back by of TNA nexus to GFT.
The chauvinist. Of ..Tamils movement is behind by TNA is more or less .
TNA is political agent of locally of that Tamils, and that Globally TNA is driving forces Tamil dreams in world -wide scale ?
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Saman Adikari / March 19, 2018
By comment of Dr K.Anaga……….
Still you under the myth of Sri lanka is not your homeland of Tamils. Why is that, an open your eyes-see that own 75 millions of Tamil your ethnicity and blood relationships are living in Tamil Nadu.
They are 22 miles away from sea lane .
The land of Tamil Nadu is not only your Father – land and it is quite obvious is your homeland of Tamils >
Why is that you are talk of Sri lanka is your homeland of Tamils; Tamil immigrant are having no right to claims for Tamil-Homeland…..lanka???
Tamils have been to Island by as illegal immigrants by force or invaders came to destroy ours Sinhalese-Buddhist civilization and occupy our Island ?
Look back that ours civilization was build by generational -work had been constructions in land having many ruins remains in Island wide by of Sinhalese nation guided by Buddhist teaching ?
That is Sinhalese-Buddhist civilization….goes to 2600 years of uninterrupted history of lanka.
Therefor how many historical and archicolgiacl Tamils ruins in Island? Nothing at all?
All major tanks of water supply by irrigation net work and man-made tanks , giant Temples , Places stupas, cultural cities and painting are the products of Sinhalese -Buddhist civilization of and its nations which that contributions to the ancient history of world .None of theses are cannot not claim by Tamils…..or Dravidian civilization.
We want be fair for the history of human kind by right thinking of Tamils.!!! #
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Edwin Rodrgo / March 23, 2018
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Nimal Tissa Wijetunga / March 23, 2018
To K Anaga,
We are not surprised that KALLATHONIES, PLUNDERERS, SMUGGLERS, REMNANTS OF INVADERS, SLAVES WHO CAME TO WORK IN TEA ESTATES do not know the history of Sri Lanka.
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