A majority of provincial councilors from the North and East have requested outgoing UN Human Rights Commissioner Navi Pillay as well as her successor to alter the mandate of the probe on Sri Lanka to extend the investigation period and to determine whether a genocide of Tamil people occurred in Sri Lanka.
33 TNA provincial councilors to which includes 28 from the Northern Province and five from the Eastern Province have written to Commissioner Pillay on Sunday (17) outlining three specific requests to be taken into concerning with regard to the probe on Sri Lanka that is underway, headed by the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR).
The provincial councilors have requested the OHCHR team to:
1) Look into all the past violations against the Tamil people at least from 1974 – taking into consideration the massacres of Tamils in 1970s/ 1980s/ 1990s and 2002 as none of the incidents were properly investigated.
2) Look into the pattern of the atrocities against the Tamil people and determine if genocide has taken place
3) For the investigation to be held in Tamil Nadu if the Government of Sri Lanka continues to reject entry for the OHCHR team
Following are the provincial councilors who have jointly signed the letter:
NPC Minister of Agriculture, Irrigation and Environment Ponnuthurai Ayngaranesan, NPC Minister of Fisheries, Transport, Trade and Commerce B. Deniswaran, NPC Minister of Education, Cultural Affairs and Youth Affairs T. Gurukularajah, NPC Minister of Health and Indigenous Medicine P. Sathiyalingam, NPC Deputy Chairman Antony Jeyanathan, NPC Councillor and former MP M. K. Shivajilingam, NPC Councillor and former MP Dharmalingam Sithadthan
Northern Councillors including Ananthy Sasitharan, Pasupathy Ariyaratnam, Emmanuel Arnold, Ayoop Azmin, B.Gajatheepan, Dr.Gnanaseelan Gunaseelan, Ramanathar Indirarajah, Vinthan Kanagaratnam, V.Kanagasundaraswamy, Ms.Marykamala Kunaseelan, T.Linganathan, A.Paramsothy, S.Pasupathipillai, M.Thiyaga Raja, Thurairajah Ravikaran, Dr.Kandiah Sarveswaran, Kesavan Sayanthan, Primus Siraiva, Dr.Sivapragasam Sivamohan, Velupillai Sivayogan, S. Suhirthan
Eastern Provincial Council members including Rasiah Thurairathinam, Niththiyanantham Indrakumar, Thavarajah Kalaiarasan, Kumarasamy Nageswaran and former MP and Councillor Gnanamuththu Krishnapillai.
However, it has been noted that Northern Province Chief Minister CV Wigneswaran, Council Chairman CVK Sivagnanam and Eastern council opposition leader K Dhandaayuthapaani have not signed the letter.
Native Vedda / August 19, 2014
North East Provincial Councilors
“A majority of provincial councilors from the North and East have requested outgoing UN Human Rights Commissioner Navi Pillay as well as her successor to alter the mandate of the probe on Sri Lanka to extend the investigation period and to determine whether a genocide of Tamil people occurred in Sri Lanka.”
UN Human Rights Commissioner should extend the the investigation to cover the period from 5th April 1974 to date.
All war crimes and crimes and crimes against humanity which had been perpetrated by all parties through out the island for 40 years should be investigated.
No truth No reconciliation.
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Amarasiri / August 19, 2014
Chief Minister CV Wigneswaran,
RE: North East Provincial Councilors Urge OHCHR To Investigate Crimes Against Tamils Since 1974
Why 1974?
What about those who have been killed in 1958?
What about those Estate Tamils who were disenfranchise in-after 1948?
Are they not humans? Are They not Tamils?
Are you showing you Vellala caste discrimination again in Lanka,. the Land of native Veddah?
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Nadarasa S. / August 20, 2014
THE UNHCR INVESTIGATION SHOULD START FROM 1958. Over 10,000 been killed and Tamil women been raped and Tamil houses been set on fire during 1958.
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Ponkoh Sivakumaran / August 20, 2014
I agree with Amerasiri. There have been killings of Tamils as well as others. Let us not forget the JVP uprisings when 70,000 young and mostly innocent Sinhalese were simply bumped off by the army. We have to cleanse the blood that taints Sri Lanka by ensuring complete accountability unto Aluthgama and the continuing rape and killings of Tamils in the North. The UNHCR has made a welcome beginning but unless internal processes are set in motion by a new administration, we cannot wash the rivers of blood that soil the history of Sri Lanka. We know who the criminals are. We know every policeman who has tortured and every higher-up who was complicit in the torture. A reckoning must be made if future generations are to live without fear.
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NAK / August 20, 2014
You stupid don’t you understand. The estate Tamils a lower cast and TNA has no time to waste on them!
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Narayanasamy - Thalawakelle / August 21, 2014
We estate Indian Tamils been the first target in the Hill country. our houses been burnt and looted in 1958 & 1977 and again in 1983 July.
The UNHCR should begin the Investigation from 1958.
the following are the leaders during this period WHEN THE GENOCIDE OCCURED
1. SWRD BANDARANAYAKE
2. JR JAYAWARDENE
3. R. PREMADASA
4. CHANDRIKA KUMARANATUNGE
5. MAHINDA RAJAPAKSE
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Native Vedda / August 21, 2014
NAK
“You stupid don’t you understand. The estate Tamils a lower cast and TNA has no time to waste on them!”
I wonder whether upcountry Tamils were born with birth mark displaying “I am lower caste” on their face.
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NAK / August 20, 2014
This is definitely a step in the right direction but a wee bit short on the crease. The request should have been to include all the relevant parties during the period mentioned.
Some say why 74 and why not 58. But then some one might say why not the Elara period or the Kalinga- Magha. There must be cut off point and 74 is just fine provided that does not exclude any relevant parties,which incidentally include the TNA.
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Thiru / August 19, 2014
Native Vedda,
“No truth No reconciliation.”
Do you mean some people expect reconciliation with lies and liars?
Then Sri Lanka will become liars’ paradise.
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Don Stanely / August 19, 2014
There should be a proper investigation of the July 1983 pogrom and those responsible be held accountable – including Ranil Wickramasinghe who has played ball with the national question.
Ranil burnt the power sharing agreement drafter by Neelan Tiruchelvam in Parliament and he is a scoundrel although he pretends to be liberal and concerned about the minorities…
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Buddhika Silva / August 20, 2014
UNHCR SHOULD BEGIN INVESTIGATION FROM 1970 TO 2009.TtHIS SHOULD INCLUDE THE INDIAN ARMY ATROCITIES COMMITTED BY THE IPKF. I AM SURE INDIA WILL OBJECT TO THIS. INDIAN ARMY COMMITTED MORE ATROCITIES AGAINST THE TAMILS AND THE SINHALESE DURING THEIR STAY IN SRI LANKA.
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Native Vedda / August 20, 2014
Buddhika Silva
“INDIAN ARMY COMMITTED MORE ATROCITIES AGAINST THE TAMILS AND THE SINHALESE DURING THEIR STAY IN SRI LANKA.”
Could you list all those atrocities IPKF committed against Sinhalese.
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Rajash / August 19, 2014
South Africa Called it the “Truth and Reconcilaition Comission”
They embedded the word Truth to encourage blacks and whites alike to be honest and open with their evidence and confessions.
GOSL first had LLRC and ditched the recommendations of the LLRC.
Now they have a Presidential Commission with international delegates paid to sit on the commission and advice on the functioning of the commission. The international delegates are not mandated to make any recommendations and are barred from making them. Their appointment is to give an false impression of impartiality and to fool the UN and the IC
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Native Vedda / August 20, 2014
North East Provincial Councilors
“UN Human Rights Commissioner should extend the the investigation to cover the period from 5th April 1974 to date.”
Should read
UN Human Rights Commissioner should extend the the investigation to cover the period from 5th April 1971 to date.
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Thiru / August 19, 2014
It is the duty of the elected Tamil members of the NorthEast to bring to the attention of the UN of all the massacres and atrocities committed by the Sri Lankan state and the governments against Tamils since 1974.
I am sure all Tamils, besides all those who want justice done to humanity, will welcome it.
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R. Varathan / August 19, 2014
In the absence of due justice from the Rajapakse Govt these TNA Councillors have every right to complain to the UNO. If the UN
has teeth it must force the Rajapakses to yield to justice, fair
play and good governance. The Tamil Nation has a right to know
what happened to its missing citizens duly taken into custody
by the Rajapakse military. If the Rajapakse Family refuses to provide the answers let the world take on the responsibility.
R. Varathan
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Senthil / August 19, 2014
It is only an investigation. Most of the western people are very genuine, even they talk about humanity while transporting animals. They respect even a stray dog- if somone hit even a dog by their car, they could be prosicuted – in asia we can kill even poor people and walk away. I think the UN will find out the truth unlike we indians. So we srilankans no need to worry about UN investigations if we are clean. If MR continue not allowing those UN people into the country others are going to suspect MR and may eventually impose import/export snaction.All the bikus are going to stave.Please some singhalase close to him advise him, not to worry about UN investigation because in Mullivaikal peolle killed themselves which they will understand.
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Ajith / August 19, 2014
Chief Minister,
You have a duty to sign this request.
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Abhaya / August 20, 2014
good , investigate prayakaran and the TNA and the tiger joseph
Cheers
Abhaya
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K.A Sumanasekera / August 20, 2014
Why didn’t the Vellala CM put his autograph?..
Is it because his employment contract with the TNA and not the inhabitants who elected him?.
Did the Diaspora stitch up a deal to exempt them from any claims for Compo , in case the Sinhala Buddhists and the Muslims engage No Win No pay Lawyers in the West for a class action?.
Didn’t s Pillai spend four years to get this Investigation in place?.
How many hours she would have spent studying the Dasrusman Report and deliberating with the TNGTE, and its various Chapters in the West to set the rules?.
Do these “podien” Council Members have any clout?…
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Ajith / August 20, 2014
Why a nasty Buddhist Sinhala low caste worry about Vellala CM?
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Native Vedda / August 21, 2014
Ajith
“Why a nasty Buddhist Sinhala low caste worry about Vellala CM?”
What exactly did you mean by low caste?
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Ajith / August 21, 2014
Low caste in this case means “attitude of K A Sumanasekara”.
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Native Vedda / August 22, 2014
Ajith
“Low caste in this case means “attitude of K A Sumanasekara”.”
This is unacceptable.
Its time you stopped using such derogatory meaningless comment.
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