28 March, 2024

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Rajapaksa Regime’s Deceptions And Sri Lanka’s International Obligations

By Chandra Kumarage –

Chandra Kumarage

Chandra Kumarage

‘Oh, what a tangled web we weave when first we practice to deceive.’ Walter Scott, Marmion.

‘When one with honeyed words but evil mind persuades the mob, great woes befall the State,’ Euripedes, Orestes.

The government of Sri Lanka has again used Parliament to adopt a resolution rejecting the appointment by the OHCHR to probe the human rights violations including war crimes alleged to have been committed by the Armed forces of the GOSL during the last phase of the war with the LTTE in April-May 2009.

The resolution states, ‘To demonstrate its commitment to protecting democracy and human rights and protect the people’s democratic rights and human rights, the government will undertake to conduct impartial investigations into the following incidents and submit a report to Parliament within three months and bring those responsible for the incidents to justice.’

On the face of it is very clear that the whole resolution is irrelevant in the context of the powers of the President and the cabinet. No resolutions in Parliament are necessary to conduct impartial investigations. The investigating arm of the Sri Lanka police is quite capable of conducting such investigations. Furthermore, the President has power to appoint Presidential Commission of Inquiry under the Presidential Commission of Inquiry Act. There have been many such Commission inquiries but the whole world knows about the outcome of those inquiries. What this resolution is endevouring in the final analysis is the same thing — to appoint a panel or commission of inquiry. In fact President Rajapaksa promised in the joint statement with Ban Ki-moon the UNSG in May 2009 to hold such an inquiry to probe all human rights and humanitarian law violations alleged to have been committed during the war with the LTTE. The government first appointed the LLRC and was not able to convince the international community, as it failed even to fully implement the recommendations of that LLRC. Then it appointed a military commission of inquiry ex-parte which cleared the armed forces of any violations of the law. The government was requested many a time thereafter by the international community to probe the alleged violations through a transparent and impartial inquiry. What the government did right through was hedging and deceiving the international community. Now the international community is saying in Neitzsche’s words , “I am not upset that you lied to me, I am upset that from now I can’t believe you.”Deception is the brand name of the government of the Rajapaksa brothers, and professor G.L. Pieris is its brand ambassador. Deception, it must be said, has a short life span which could bring disaster at the end. Their latest product under that brand name is this parliamentary resolution.

The 54 nation African Union displeased with the decision to indict incumbent heads of African states by the ICC requested the UN Security Council to defer the trials against African leaders including Uhuru Kenyatta and William Ruto, President and Vice President respectively of Kenya, but to no avail. Last September Kenya’s Parliament passed a voice vote to withdraw from the ICC. The vote is symbolic and non-binding like the resolution recently adopted by the Sri Lankan Parliament; only the Kenyan government can decide to withdraw from the ICC, and it will have no effect on the trials of Kenyatta and Ruto. Interestingly, the vote was carried out by the majority in Parliament which Kenyan voters put into office in March 2013, the same time they voted for Kenyatta and Ruto who were under indictment by the ICC. The parliamentary election campaign had played up the idea that the West was meddling in Kenyan affairs. The Rajapaksa regime too is playing up this issue for its upcoming elections, more particularly to deceive the Sri Lankan voters in a Presidential election.

It is universally accepted that the UN Charter which came into force on 14 October, 1945 signifies that rights of human beings were a matter of international law since a stated purpose of the founding of the UN was to achieve international cooperation in promoting and encouraging respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms for all without distinction to race, sex, language, or religion. Despite its many shortcomings the UN

Charter recognized formally that human rights have an international dimension and are no longer solely a matter falling within the exclusive jurisdiction of a state.

According to Article 26 of the Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties (VCLT), every treaty is binding on the parties to it, and must be performed by them in good faith. This principle laid down in the above article is the most fundamental principle in the law of treaties. Its importance is underlined by the fact that it is enshrined in the preamble to the UN Charter. This seminal principle of international law is that pact sunt servanda or the idea that international agreements are binding on the parties to them. The law of treaties vests inexorably upon this principle since the whole concept of binding international agreements can only vest upon the presupposition that such instruments are commonly see as possessing that quality. Similarly the Westphalian concept of ‘state sovereignty’ has been narrowed in proportion to the extent of international legal obligations.

Sri Lanka is a state party to the Human Rights Council which is a UN Charter based important institution and it has been actively participating in its activities. When several resolution were moved against Sri Lanka on the alleged human rights violations and war crimes allegations it never denounced them stating that those resolutions were outside the mandate of the UN Human Rights Council. Once Sri Lanka was even able to turn tables against one of those resolutions and make it a resolution in its favour. It spent millions of rupees of Sri Lankan people’s money to campaign and lobby against the UNHRC Resolution. Now that the UNHRC is going to implement the duly adopted resolution the government is taking up various objections, including questioning of the legality and the Council’s power to adopt such resolutions. What if the government was able to defeat the resolution? Obviously no country or international body will accept this duplicitous attitude of the Sri Lankan state vis a vis its international legal obligations and international relations.

Going on a collision course with international human rights bodies will not auger well for the government of Sri Lanka. Nothing a country does in its domestic jurisdiction, except the holding of an impartial and transparent Inquiry and the punishing of the perpetrators, will result in the reversal of the UN Human Rights Council’s process which has already begun. The panel appointed by the UN Human Rights Commissioner will start their inquiry outside Sri Lanka if they are not allowed to come to Sri Lanka. Once, when the evidence is recorded and the findings of the panel are submitted to the Commissioner, the Commissioner will intimate the Secretary General of the UN (UNSG) of necessary action.

The Secretary General has wide powers in such a situation. He can make a further request to the government of Sri Lanka to act according to the findings of the Human Rights Council. In the event of non-compliance by the GOSL, the SG can recommend even economic and political sanctions against Sri Lanka which could affect the entire populace of the country. There could even be unilateral sanctions and trade embargoes by individual countries and groups of them. The removal of the GSP facility several years ago by the European Union is a classic example. Many foreign producers of exports shifted their operation to Bangladesh and Vietnam as a result of it. The GOSL should keep in mind that most of our exports go either to North America and Western Europe, not to China or Russia.

The UNSG also has power under Articles 99 and 100 of the UN Charter to refer the matter to the UN Security Council. The Security Council has power under the Rome Treaty to pass a resolution to refer the findings of the Human Rights Council to the International Criminal Court. Any member country of the Security Council has the power to veto such a resolution and if the veto is so used the resolution ends there. In the event the matter goes so far, Sri Lanka can hope that its great allies China and Russia will use their vetoes against such a resolution. But there is a saying that there are no permanent friends and foes in politics and it is more valid in international politics. Every state is more concerned with their national interest over and above that of others. Libya, for example, was a greater friend of Russia and China than Sri Lanka. But when the Security Council introduced a resolution to refer Col. Muammar Gaddafi and his son to the International Criminal Court (ICC) for war crimes and other crimes committed against Libyan people both countries expressed their opposition but when the vote was taken none of them were present and the resolution was adopted unanimously. The International Criminal Court issued process but Gaddafi was extra-judicially killed by some groups in the country before his arrest, and his son is now in ICC custody awaiting trial.

Some pundits opine that since Sri Lanka is not a State party to the Rome Treaty which constituted the ICC no Sri Lankan could be taken before the ICC on war crimes or any other crimes listed in the Rome Statute. The UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe is one of them. He may not be aware of the fact that even though both Libya and Sudan are not State parties to the Rome Treaty, heads of States of both countries – Gaddafi and Omar Basir, and even Gaddafi’s son–have been indicted by the ICC on a referral made by the UN Security Council. It is high time that Mr. Wickremesinghe brushed up his international criminal law, he himself being a lawyer, and more particularly, a strong future presidential aspirant.

While ousted leaders like Yogoslav strongman Slobodan Milesovic and former Liberian President Charles Taylor have faced international justice in the past, it is unprecedented for such ranking suspects as Uhuru Kenyatta and William Ruto of Kenya and Omar al Basir of the Sudan to stand trial at an international tribunal while still in office. What is certain and clear is that international criminal justice is gradually developing itself into a mandatory jurisdiction from which there will be no escape. Brand ambassadors of the Rajapaksa regime will find it impossible to sell deception, the product of their regime to the international community for long.

*K.D.C. Kumarage – Attorney at Law , JPUM , Convenor, Lawyers for Democracy 

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Latest comments

  • 16
    1

    Well said K.D.C. Kumarage.

    Not that RW doesn’t know the facts about the international criminal law.
    He had to say it because chicken brain Gonraja doesn’t have any diplomacy to tackle international affairs or conflicts. RW with his foresight saw the future thus acted promptly. There is nothing wrong in pointing out what he did.
    Gonraja will soon face the same fate of Kenyatta, William Ruto and Basher.

    • 9
      1

      Chandra Kumarage –

      RE: Rajapaksa Regime’s Deceptions And Sri Lanka’s International Obligations

      Rajapaksa – An Insult To The Buddha, and to Sri Lankans.

      Sinhala “Buddhists” Deceptions And Sri Lanka’s International Obligations are are part of the Para-monk Mahanama teachings.

      https://www.colombotelegraph.com/index.php/mahavamsa-an-insult-to-the-buddha/

      The Sinhalese Buddhists follow the Monk Mahanama lies and imaginations.

      Mahavamsa- An Insult To The Buddha!

      Wonder if ours might have been a wiser, and a more ‘humane’ society, had our ‘ancient’ history, been based on Aesop’s Fables, instead of the Mahavamsa. For if not for the Mahavamsa, the Sinhalese may not have been endowed, with the reputation, of “Sinhalaya Modaya (The Sinhalese are Fools)”!

      • 2
        3

        Mr K.D.C. Kumarage ,

        “The Security Council has power under the Rome Treaty to pass a resolution to refer the findings of the Human Rights Council to the International Criminal Court. Any member country of the Security Council has the power to veto such a resolution and if the veto is so used the resolution ends there.”

        my reading is that , the case against MR and his cronies will end at UNSC in NY ,why i say this ? Russia is not the Russia it used to be one year ago , with the crimea crisis Russia has been cornered and systematically penalized by both the US and EU , hence Russia would do any thing to oppose US and EU , which means any resolution with direct US and EU backing will be shot down at the earliest instance , Putin have been humiliated not only by cancelling the scheduled G7 meeting in Russia but also on numerous sanctions , owing to those embarrassing episodes he is eagerly waiting for any opportunity to return the favour .it is really wort mentioning here , Putin would obstruct any resolution bringing up at the security council not because the love affair which is said to be having with MR !

        • 2
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          Who are the paymasters of the HRC? The US, UK and the EU are the main subscribers. Who appoints the jackals who run the UN, the same old bunch. There must also be a resolution to make certain that each nation who voted for the investigation must pay trillions of $ each in compensation to the GoSL if an investigation is kept and they can’t prove their allegations. If they can assure this I am sure Sri lanka may agree to have the investigations.

          • 3
            2

            “There must also be a resolution to make certain that each nation who voted for the investigation must pay trillions of $ each in compensation to the GoSL if an investigation is kept and they can’t prove their allegations.

            oh i see , why did you stop at Trillions , why don’t you go for Zillions ? according to you and your ilk UNHRC must function according to SL’s terms & conditions , right ? there is another easy solution though , why don’t SL pull out from UN altogether , problem solved , or as Weerawansa suggested form another UN , end of the story !

          • 1
            1

            Total contributions to UNHCR in 2012 (USD)

            United States of America 791,120,742
            Japan 184,840,510
            European Union 166,944,814
            Sweden 117,915,465
            Netherlands 102,169,590
            United Kingdom 99,585,966
            Norway 83,994,687

            Germany 68,200,819
            Canada 64,989,067
            Denmark 57,646,744
            Australia 48,379,940
            Switzerland 37,340,180
            Finland 23,805,751
            France 22,491,363
            Belgium 16,850,476
            Spain [2] 13,979,819
            Saudi Arabia 13,698,670
            Italy 12,827,585
            Ireland 12,090,556
            Luxembourg 10,415,584
            New Zealand 6,024,688
            Republic of Korea 4,936,587
            Brazil 3,635,936
            Kuwait 3,606,762
            Austria 2,593,834
            Russian Federation 2,542,110
            Hungary 2,172,522
            United Arab Emirates 1,698,602
            Greece 1,436,911
            Morocco 1,278,534
            Colombia 1,000,000
            Poland 694,879
            Turkey 500,000
            China 474,630
            Czech Republic 337,052
            Liechtenstein 326,236
            Portugal 300,000
            South Africa 275,005
            Monaco 252,294
            Romania 236,847
            Argentina 226,000
            Estonia 191,304
            Viet Nam 180,000
            Kazakhstan 169,236
            Bulgaria 141,792
            Croatia 137,056
            Ukraine 125,000
            Slovenia 115,282
            Botswana 113,288
            Côte d’Ivoire 102,178
            Algeria 100,000
            Chile 100,000
            Israel 100,000
            Philippines 100,000
            Qatar 100,000
            Serbia 100,000
            Armenia 98,712
            Namibia 88,399
            Turkmenistan 81,792
            Kyrgyzstan 67,014
            Slovak Republic 64,019
            Nigeria 63,735
            Azerbaijan 55,478
            Iceland 51,000
            Indonesia 50,000
            Malta 43,605
            Andorra 31,852
            Mexico 25,000
            Holy See 20,000
            Thailand 20,000
            Lithuania 17,986
            Costa Rica 15,385
            Latvia 13,333
            Cyprus 13,011
            Singapore 10,000
            Afghanistan 1,000
            Subtotal 1,986,544,212

            i couldn’t find srilanka’s name in the list , don’t you think it’s high time for SL to do the right thing by paying our share as we are a nation with satellites and US $ 4000 per capita ( or approximately)income category !

          • 1
            0

            If not for US UN our sri lankan idiots will behave worse thatn this. You know buddha came to sri lanka and got reid of evil and evils. NOPE! thats is wrong. Still most of sri lankans are DEVILS. UNICIVILIZED. IRREPONSIBLE. BRAINLESS IDIOTS. Check the history. since 1948 how many people got killed in the small island. No sinhalese leader is capable of ruling the country but htey are only capble of ruining the country. Especially JR PAPPA, PREMADASA, RAJAVASSAS all they want to rule forever, they allow relations friends to rob millions, then they want there sons and duaghters (IDIOTS) to carry the power. Presently all governmenr projects done by these idiots are loss bearing. ( I WONT BE CRITIZISING THE HIGH WAYS)

    • 5
      3

      Excellent article Mr. Kumarage.

      I have nothing against our King Kong and cronies being held accountable. Like all of us. However embarassing it will to us as Sri Lankans.

      Justice against Kenyatta, Basher, Taylor & Gaddafi are all welcome.

      However, please shed some light on how bigtime war criminals such as consecutive Israeli Prime Ministers, Bush, Ramsfeld, Cheney & Blair manage to escape ICC Justice. There are no pending cases against any of them despite undisputed, massive crimes.

      There are countless resolutions in the UN system against Israel. But, nothing ever happened to any Israeli PM.

      This is the main reason why ICC Justice is not really considered “Justice” by the Global South. No credibility. Considered just an extension of Western Imperialism.

      Benefit of which of course is reapead by guys such as our King Kong. Who only too eager to wrap his nakedness in SL’s national flag. Unfortunately.

      Cheers!

    • 1
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      Where was this international community during 20/30 years of LTTE (Tamil) terrorism? Look at Iraq, learn the facts and then comment.The US, UK and the EU are the UN and so called international community. They fund it, they put their jackals to run it. Where is the oil money now! The fools are fighting each other for the so called Arab Spring while the US, UK and the EU keep on adding gold reserves to their ‘Rothschild Banks’ Open your eyes don’t be deceived.

      • 2
        2

        “Where was this international community during 20/30 years of LTTE (Tamil) terrorism?”

        LTTE was/is banned in 32 countries, all the powerful nations of the world were giving direct/indirect support to eliminate the LTTE from the face of the earth and still keep on arresting suspected LTTE associates , what has MR regime done to hard core LTTE operatives (KP,Karuna, Pillyan , Daya master el at )?

  • 14
    5

    Thank you Mr Kumarage for an excellent article. Rajapox has no where to hide. Plagiarist Pieris is not a good enough lawyer to get him out of his mess. One wonders where they can run. Quite rightly put, since Pinochet and Thatcher had tea in London, international criminal law has come a long way. Petty dictators who kill their own people will have to stand trial. It is no good pointing to Bush and Blair. They did not kill their own people in the thousands.

    But,Rajapox and his henchman are our criminals. We must try them in Sri Lanka with an international tribunal as was done with the Pol Pot clique. This way we can restore our judicial institutions and ensure a return to the rule of law-all dismantled by Rajapakse. We have to cleanse the place of the police and the armed forces who cooked up cases and lied so that Rajapoxes can be protected.

    Failing that, there are the courts of other countries. Even today, the Rajapoxes are wary of going to some countries. They only go to China and other places where there are fellow despots because they fear that they will be arrested. When they are out of power, where will they go? The Tamil diaspora is waiting to ensure their prosecution.

    The, as Mr Kumarage says, there is the International Criminal Court. Its reach will expand progressively. Rajapox will surely be caught within its ever-widening mesh. Rajapoxes are becoming test cases for the International Criminal Courts. Instead of lying low, they are going their arrogant way, perhaps on the policy that the punishment is still going to be the same, even if they kill some more. So, why not kill while you can and keep on enjoying life for the few months that are left? Let the Rajapoxes enjoy while they can for retribution is on the way.

    • 2
      1

      Ponkoh is able to comment on an article today due to President Rajapakse and the armed forces eliminating dreaded dreaded LTTE Tamil terrorist murderers. ICC is tool of the US,UK and EU to be used at their discretion on who they like and don’t like. Tell this idiotic court to put action into their rhetoric by ensuring $ trillions in defamatory compensation payments if they can’t prove their allegations. Mountains don’t collapse when dog’s bark at it!

      • 0
        1

        “Ponkoh is able to comment on an article today due to President Rajapakse and the armed forces eliminating dreaded dreaded LTTE Tamil terrorist murderers.”

        rather it should be like this ,

        Ponkoh is able to comment on an article today due to following reasons

        1) 9/11 twin attack ,which made LTTE a global terrorist organization
        2) Sonia Gandhi taking hubby killing revenge , hence congress unprecedented support
        3) Gen Fonseka’s single track mind set
        4) MR’s leadership.
        5) All other forces 100% commitment.
        6) General public, Media , clergy’s full support/cooperation

        any one can have hair splitting arguments on the issue , but the real truth is the above combine factors , only the numbering can be changed.

      • 2
        1

        Pillai is not stupid not to have known that Russia and china would derail to be going to this extent.
        2 years ago Boris Johnson made it clear that HRC need not take the matter to SC but Ban Ki Moon SG has the authority to then refer the matter to ICC because it is not a case of no fly zone or air raids that effect all citizens. Remember the SC is not a corner shop to handle daily business.
        Alternate: In the 70’s the west and Kissinger were drooling about what was happening at Bangala. With Russia’s approval and support while china was in a problem as it is today with Hong Kong (just started) India Carried out 8 days of air raids and separated the 2 Pakistan’s. It all depends on NaMo, Jaya the Indian and Tamil Diaspora- it takes just 3 days before any western power can move to stop.
        You will see what is real war – flat and carnage but Remember nothing is permanent – Gautama Enjoy.

      • 1
        0

        Gulf War 1 Saddam wanted $80 billion from Kuwait for the oil extracted by a foreign company of Dick Cheney?

        All his cronies like you decided to play the game of master when you have still not come out of slavery socially/economically- still a vassal state.

        When it started it was obvious only the dead would be leaving your stupid kallathoni/hora oru war of sihala buddhist monkeys- buruvas.

        Don’t kill the citizens in air raids for your greed of position like ltte or passa familial +ltte.

        ICC is safe for the people and justice to the criminals- you have a lot to learn.

  • 10
    1

    I agree with Senerath. RW needs to say that so the general populace cannot be stirred up by this corrupt administrators

    • 2
      1

      I am glad you did not call yourself “ella kolla” (no offence meant)! Thumbs up for your comment.

  • 3
    1

    Even if the UN Security council votes do not come forward (China & Russia) for the economic sanctions, individual countries such as USA, European Union (UK, Germany, France etc), Canada, and certain other countries can impose sanctions against Sri Lanka on their own. Already USA has shown a taste of it to Gnanasara Thero of BBS.

    My fear is that we may see a Military coup in Sri Lanka, as there has been a “silent military coup” already taken place.

  • 1
    3

    Ranil has come a long from his famous statements of that he who is the one protected the Armed forces.

    First thing is, there is a lot of room for any army officer to escape from punishment. It appears that all what they to do are to point the fingers up. Even Fonseka appears to be safe, as he has already given his statement to a paper editor (Sunday Leader), Fredricka Janze. So Ranil’s actions were not really needed help for Army. All what it did was, protected the Royal family and ensured their dynasty can continue on the throne. This has put Ranil unemployed permanently. He has a difficult time to understand his mistake on this. This has practically rendered him as most inefficient opposition leader in Lankan history, so far.

    Second is, after his visit to America, he has shown a desire to regain his position in the party and to the power. At the 2010 election, he could inject himself as a candidate even. This time he has announced that he is willing to go for it. Winning will be difficult. Even if he wins, power handling over will not take place. That day will be a test day for Lanka. DS and JR’s jetting of the Lankan democratic locomotive to direction change, really going to knock Ranil out of the tract with a very violent impact and by pass away from him. Ranil does not appear to be an able muscled person to manage the violent that can be forecasted. Out of all proposed candidates, Fonseka is the strongest one for this type of challenge. But, even he started to panic in February 2010, inside the Lake Cinnamon. But, that is nothing to compare to the muscle the brother prince is flexing now. It looks like there zero percentage that that anybody can withstand the one about to come.

    After arrival from America, he boycotted the resolution which came to parliament denouncing the OHCHR inquiry. This was a drastic change from his original position. He even went to New York to argue with SG Ban-ki-moon about the report the UNSG’s expert panel prepared. That time entire Lanka, including Ranil argued that report was not a UN report. But, the Canadian Prime Minister, Steven Harper came out, took a public stand that it was a UN report. That is the first time many Sri Lankans started to feel that their guts were starting to churn. Now, Ranil, as an election tactic, has come to a conclusion “if you can’t beat them, join them”. This is a “U” turn from a man who violently opposed the International Inquiry, now softly opening the window to let breeze in. He is opening the window thinking it is only going to be a breeze, but nobody knows the effect of it going to be in Lanka.

    The wind has almost started to round the house. Now, it is only outside the house. It will certainly come into the house. The first look is “Ranil is safe”. But if that come in and Ranil sits and watch, what kind of the reaction he is going to get from the Sinhala Buddhist society? Is he going to be labelled as a traitor? Will it make the focus of BBS to lose on Muslims and the Hikkaduwa incidents restart?

    Let say, something happened and some or how Ranil grabbed the EP chair. How he can handle the ICC problem? If the Inquiry goes to the next 10 months, then there will be a serious accusation on the Lankan leaders. There is a very chance of it will be referred to ICC. Then, irrelevant of what happened in to Libya, there is high chance China vetoing it. (In Libya case China did lose only money. But in Lanka case, China will lose its entire stake in Indian Ocean if Royal family is taken out (of even from opposition) and punished outside of Lanka. So certainly China will vote against it, irrelevant of whatever the status the Kind family has at that time. This will fall as an onus on Ranil. He may get three options to deal with it:

    1. Investigating in Lanka and prosecute the Royal Family and the Army inside Lanka. (No hanky Panky will be allowed on prosecution)
    2. Inviting the ICC to come and investigate the Royal family and Army. This will nullify the veto. But it will end up Ranil is the one started. So, again, no chance is for hanky panky.
    3. Silently signing the Rome Treaty and sit watch what is happening. There will chance for to support the armed force, not the Royals.

    The first two will be dangerous for Ranil. If he does any one of them, King and Army will be punished by his name. Reasonable turmoil will break out, internally, against Ranil. He may lose the control. Bandaranayake’s history can be repeated. If he swallow his past words and sign the Rome Treaty, the inquiry may not fall suddenly. Ranil will be able to influence the outcome of the Army. International countries may not allow him to do that if become part of the inquiry by selecting the first two. But that kind of an inquiry will force Ranil to make substantial changes on the structure to make sure that this is not repeating. In that case it will make Sinhala – Buddhist community angry again as many of the changes may not be in their wish list, even though they have the controlling vote. It appears whatever happens; there is no easy way for to Ranil to escape the brunt of the inquiry.

  • 2
    1

    Every independent government of Sri Lanka has adopted our age old practice of ‘shaping things up’ and the result has been that any sins of omission and commission have been buried and forgotten. 1958, 1971, 1977, 1983, 1987-89, and not forgetting the ‘little’ shams that attended Bindunuwewa et al. Rajapakse and his coterie are confidently hoping that they will be able to hold out against what they will claim is an evil conspiracy driven by ‘foreigners’to oust a properly elected sovereign government that is dedicated to safeguarding ‘Buddhism and Buddhist values’. Day by day, our stock falls in the wider world. Our friends are exasperated at the continuing trends that foretell of further misery to come. The biggest curse that we are now under is the ineffectual, sycophantic band of presidential advisers who are unable to stop Rajapakse and his regime from leading us in a downward spiral to hell that will consume us all.

  • 6
    3

    There is an honest Sinhalese in Chandra Kumarage for all the con-artists and practitioners of deception to see.

    Con-artists like Dayan and his kind take note: You all are advocating that the UNHCR should not be allowed to investigate Sri Lanka.

    • 1
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      Thiru, how many honest Tamils are there? This Honesty is so apparent when they seek to better themselves by seeking work and residence in foreign countries. Unfortunately they do not go about it in an HONEST manner. They sell the motherland that gave them life, free education, free health care by uttering litanies of lies (HONESTY) to beg asylum only in western nations where ‘DOLE’ money is freely available. Their tongues may twist with the new languages they quickly learn but they learn it with great honesty. They are not HONEST enough to call themselves SRI LANKAN!

      • 1
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        “how many honest Tamils are there? This Honesty is so apparent when they seek to better themselves by seeking work and residence in foreign countries. “

        are you kidding yourself mate ? how many honest Sinhalese are there ? if we Sinhalese had that opportunity (claiming asylum ), how many of us would be having foreign passports today ? if you don’t know , find out how many of us Sinhalese tried to doge the system in late 80 to early nineteens to get a bogus asylum in European countries ? how many of us over staying our visas , how many of us find a marriage of convenience ? how many of us going as students and never return ? how many of our foreign Sinhalese students work full time instead of full time studying ? list goes on , don’t try to generalize just one ethnic to support your argument , when we go overseas we are all same , aren’t we good at competing and trying to impress our fellow country men all the time ?

      • 1
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        Oi Lankian,

        you write as if your 5 fingers are the same for a bath gullo neede!

        We passed sihala and tamil (all) and paid donations monthly and medical but you see patriotism is the last refuge of the scoundrel- bombastic one.

        Check where your DNA comes from & keep this in your memory:

        There is nothing heroic about war. War involves the killing and maiming of thousands or millions of people, including many innocent bystanders. War is not about heroes and glorious death. War is nothing but blood and gore. War shreds people into bloody little pieces, it tears them limb from limb, or it burns them alive. War is the ultimate horror that man inflicts upon man.

        Wars are armed conflicts between countries or states. Wars are not conflicts between the individual people of warring countries. Wars are conflicts between the governments of countries. All wars are instigated by power hungry megalomaniacs, the politicians; managed by professional killers, the military; and fought by the brainwashed members of their respective populations, the canon-fodder.

        Politicians wearing arya sihala no longer formally declare wars. Any big bully, who feels confident that he can win the war, can start a war at any time. Euphemistic expressions have replaced the word war. Politicians now euphemistically refer to wars as police actions, or border alignments, or expeditions, or air campaigns.

        The latest euphemism is a reference to a regime change in N&E. In this instance, one south determines to liberate north from its politicians. If euphemisms are clearly inappropriate, politicians merely declare that the war is morally just and necessary to straighten out morally inferior miscreants.

        “Patriotism is your conviction that this country is superior to all others, merely because you were born in it”.

        Patriotism is to politics what faith is to religion: The unquestioned acceptance of information that is either unverified or that may actually be in conflict with factual evidence. Patriotism is the incubator of wars.

        take care because there is triple barrel for `goo`ta passa like Qaddafi

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    CK,

    Good piece.

    The Japanese commit ‘harakiri’ with one sudden plunge of the sword into one’s own body. The Rajapaksa brothers are committing systematic ‘harakiri’ – a slow and inglorious end to a vile and violence plagued rule. Also in the MARA version of ‘harakiri’ plunging the sword into another is allowed, provided the victim agrees. Gotabhaya has been quietly but surely plunging the BBS sword into his brother’s GOSL body with the quiet acquiescence of the top honcho himself.

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    If at all, the Rajapakses have gained a dubious reputation in the world
    as congenital liars – beginning with that ludicrous joke of “Zero casualties” during the War. Yes! Rajapakse assured BKM/UNSG to permit a transparent inquiry. But when he got back and that creature that brought him power – Sinhala chauvinist bloc lead by politicised Buddhist priests – vehemently protested. That was because that will mean many senior, junior officers and ranks in the offending army will be found guilty for serious War and HR crimes. The Army is, as everyone knows, for sometime now part of the Sinhala Buddhist chauvinist mafia. Rajapakse gave similar guarantees to the Indian Govt, the NDTV and to Broker-for-a-fee Subramaniam Swamy. Those who know MR know he cares less if he is called a liar. Lying is second nature to the Rajapakses. Ask Karu J, pretending to be the local Mahathma Gandhi, did the jump to the Rajapakse camp on the assurance he will be made PM. The novice in realpolitik learnt the game the hard way and had to return to the UNP -with his stock now low both with Ranil and the others in the Party.

    How many will the Rajapakses cheat before they are finally booted out.

    Hooker

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    An excellent analysis exuding erudition and impartiality and well chronicled. Bensen

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    Kumarage and Lawyers for Democracy are on the correct path.
    The analysis is correct.
    Regarding Ranil,MR’s great fear is that if Ranil contests the presidency,the Buddhist-Sinhala vote will be split,and with all muslims now against MR,the majority vote needed is in danger.

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    As reported by Kevin McCauley – a DBSJeyraj article

    Sri Lanka has signed a one-year $180K contract with Madison Group to assist its ministry of external affairs in “creating a situational awareness of current affairs” in the island state off the coast of India.

    The Associated Press reported today that a new United Nations probe into alleged war crimes during the waning months of the nation’s long-running battle with the Tamil Tigers rebel group “will intensify international pressure on the government and could probe responsibility of senior Sri Lankan officials with US ties.”

    An estimated 40K civilians died from government bombing in 2009 during the final five months of the conflict.

    Sri Lanka’s UN ambassador Palitha Kokona, who was foreign secretary near the end of the war, said the probe is “utterly uncalled for,” adding, “It’s like this poor third-world country being punished in an unforgiving manner for having defeated a terrorist group.”

    Madison Group founder Robb Watters leads the five-member Sri Lanka government relations team. He’s been a Congressional Republican policy advisor and counselor to the Commerce Dept. and US Trade Representative.

    The firm’s $15K fee is “subject to increase based on performance” says the contract that became effective June 1.

    Madison Group joins Beltway Strategies on Sri Lanka’s roster of government affairs shops.

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      This is a sheer waste of the Sri Lankan money. Why should war criminals like Rajapoxes and Koggona be defended at public expense? We can help to keep them in jail at public expense after they are convicted provided they do hard labour.

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