Colombo Telegraph has obtained an unpublished report commissioned by the Sri Lanka Human Rights Commission in 2006 which had explicitly concluded that security forces personnel were involved in several high profile human rights violations including the killing of five students in Trincomalee in January 2006 and the abduction on 31 January 2006.
Dr Radhika Coomaraswamy
The report was commissioned by Dr. Radhika Coomaraswamy when she was the Chairperson of the Sri Lanka Hunan Rights Commission in 2006. Mr. T Suntheralingam, retired High Court and member of the Constitutional Council was appointed as Special Rapporteur by the HRC to look into several high profile violations. The report which was produced within a matter of months after a fact finding mission and an intensive interview process was never released by the HRC.
Soon afterwards, Dr. Coomaraswamy took up a UN posting as the Under secretary General and Special Representative for Children and Armed Conflict.
The Special Rapporteur investigated the following incidents; Abduction of TRO Staff, Killing of five students at Trincomalee, Rape and murder of Elayathamby Tharshini, Killing of the Kattankudy Divisional Secretary and Killing at the Mosque in Akkaraipattu.
With regard to the killing of five students in Trincomalee on January 2, 2006, the Special Rapporteur concluded that as per the testimonies gathered, including from Police personnel involved in the incident, that evidence strongly suggests that the STF carried out the atrocity. An unknown person had thrown a grenade where seven boys were gathered in the evening at the beach injuring several of the students. Immediately afterwards several STF personnel had arrived at the scene and taken the injured boys. Moments later witnesses say they heard gunfire to discover that the five students had been killed, execution style, while two others had suffered gunshot injuries. The Special Rapporteur concludes that the STF team, which had arrived in Trincomalee just a few days before the incident, had carried out this crime. The report cites how the government media claimed that five terrorists were killed while handling a grenade. This claim was immediately dispelled by the Judicial Medical Officer who concluded that the boys had been killed due to gunshot injuries. A journalist who had taken photographs of the incident and published them immediately afterwards had also been killed within a matter of weeks, the HRC Special Rapporteur concludes.
The Colombo Telegraph inquired from Dr. Coomaraswamy as to why this report was never published and whether she was under any pressure not to release the findings..
“I had only one term as the Chair of the HRC 2003-2006 and joined the UN in early 2006. I commissioned the report because it was clearly a situation that required an inquiry and we tried to be proactive. But I do not think I was there when the report was finalized or it was finalized as I was leaving. There was no pressure brought on me to either commission the report or not to release the report. As you know my Commission was appointed under the seventeenth amendment and was quite independent- including people like Dr. Deepika Udagama. But after us the President bypassed the procedure and appointed commissioners directly and the Commission lost its international status as a result,” Dr. Coomaraswamy told Colombo Telegraph.
However one investigator familiar with the commissioned report told Colombo Telegraph that it had been finalised prior to Dr. Coomaraswamy’s departure for the UN.
However both Dr. Coomaraswamy and her HRC colleague Dr. Deepika Udagama deny the allegation.
Dr. Coomaraswamy clarified later to Colombo Telegraph that Dr. Deepika (Udagama) had also confirmed that the report was not finalized when they left the HRC.
“Neither she nor I can remember the contents and if it had been finalized we would surely have remembered,” Dr. Coomaraswamy said.
Read the report here; Report by the HRC appointed Special Rapporteur
Ben Hurling / January 6, 2014
How can anybody forget conclusions by a Commission into such henious crimes?
Not only GOSL media, top politicians, Police & military top brass, but also HRC of Sri Lanka belong to the same motely crew that has brought our country to this situation.
Shameful!
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Jerome / January 6, 2014
” A journalist who had taken photographs of the incident and published them immediately afterwards had also been killed within a matter of weeks, the HRC Special Rapporteur concludes.”
The crime and suppression of the truth – a double crime of the most horrific order. The names of the STF personnel who were involved in the killing and the commanding officer should be released.
This is chilling. Shame on Deepika Udagma and the rest of the Commission members for not releasing the report – if indeed Rathika had left.
The fact is that all these people are into getting positions in the UN or Dipika wanted to be HRC head after Rathika and so they play the govt. game and SELF-CENSOR..
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Dinuk / January 6, 2014
The failure to release the report is all part of the POLICY and CULTURE of UN failure in Sri Lanka. The failure of UN at the end of the war which saw gross violations and war crimes committed – was the culmination of this dominant culture of the self-seeking human rights industry..
The UN is too cozy with the local elites who are too cozy with the UN and they safe guard and promote one another at the expense of the real Human Rights of the poor and marginalized who the UN and HR activists are supposed to be helping…
Its all about power and position in the UN Human rights and development industry!
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Ranjith / January 6, 2014
Shame on self-appointed human rights thalasthenila of Colombo NGO circuit – one and all are in the cover up racket – Deepika Udugama, Nimalka Fernando, Kumari Jayawardena, Deepika Udagama.. all playing dirty double game, with Vasu, Carlo etc.
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Jude / January 6, 2014
The co-opted and dead left..?
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JULAMPITIYE AMARAYA / January 6, 2014
All of them are cheating the People of sri lanka and Enjoy the status and Perks.
LONG LIVE YOU CHEATERS, with JARAPASSA and Other Politikkas
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Native Vedda / January 6, 2014
Ben Hurling
Kishali Pindo Jayawardana had compiled at least two books and written several pieces on past commissions and how those reports had been confined to National Archive by successive governments.
There were three commissions set up by Chandrika to investigate disappearance in the early 1990s to cover incidences from 1987 to 1989 in the south. Three commissions investigated and produced reports naming the perpetrators, to be prosecuted in the courts.
Those reports never saw the light of the day, archived for posterior.
This is Sri Lanka for you and you think the people’s sovereignty have been denied to them by LTTE, LTTE rump, JVP, NGOs, IC, TNA, VP, Sampandan, SJ V, Tamil Diaspora, Exiled Sri Lankan Journalists, Cameron, Karunanithy, Jayalalitha …….. .
Since 1948, the so called sovereignty of people has been eroding under successive governments. This is what happen’s when majoritarian rule is allowed to enjoy unfettered powers.
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Padraig Holmang / January 6, 2014
@Native Vedda
Is this what you were talking about?
http://www.lawandsocietytrust.org/PDF/a%20legacy%20to%20remember%3B%20sri%20lanka's%20commissions%20of%20inquiry.pdf
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Ben Hurling / January 6, 2014
Padraig Holmang,
Thanks of posting. Have never seen it before.
What a despicable track record we have as a nation? Despite being the home to a very highly educated elite. Specially in areas of law and constitutional affairs.
When will our mass media succeed in educating the idiotic citizens of the wholesale travesty of Justice? Against our own people. Since our Independence.
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Native Vedda / January 6, 2014
Padraig Holmang
This is one of the two books I was referring to however there was another one earlier which gives some details of the three commissions that Chandrika appointed in the early 1990s.
Let me find the link and post it here later.
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Native Vedda / January 6, 2014
Padraig Holmang & Ben Hurling
For more information on Chandrika’s commissions on disappearances please refer to Mr M.C.M. Iqbal at
http://www.ruleoflawsrilanka.org/resources/writings-of-m-c-m-iqbal
MCM Iqbal has written a series of articles on the same subject.
Kishali edited:
Post war Justice in Sri Lanka
http://icj.wpengine.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/srilanka_impunity_18_01_20102.pdf
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Piranha / January 6, 2014
Why didn’t the person who took over fom Radhika at the a SLHRC publish the report? Surely it was of crucial importance to the public and the victims of this atrocity to know the findings of the report. I bet Radhika was pressurised in to withholding the report by the Rajapaksa regime.
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Kumar R. / January 6, 2014
Ben,
You are absolutely right. It is the combined action of these unscrupulous educated idiots such as Radhika, Dayan, Rajiva, and Tamara who in their eagerness to pander to a criminal regime that have ultimately brought the country to its shameful knees. The damage done by the uneducated thugs such as Mervin is peanuts compared to what these educated goons have done to the country and to humanity!
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Ben Hurling / January 6, 2014
Indeed. Rathika’s attempted explanation is extremely lame. Inappropriately relaxed. Given horrific nature of crimes committed.
This is a gross violation of rights of victims who now dead. Who cannot speak or stand up for themselves. Who need unwavering support of the civilized society to secure justice.
It adds to the indescribable agony of survivng loved ones.
Shameful is hardly a fit enough word.
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aratai / January 6, 2014
.
Once she went to UN, she was very critical of LTTE. One of the reason Canada banned LTTE.
Now, all makes sense.
From Dr. DJ to Dr. C…… You give them a UN post, they forget things.
:-)
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G1 / January 8, 2014
TRAITOR(s):
a person who is not loyal to his or her own country, friends, etc. : a person who betrays a country or group of people by helping or supporting an enemy
-merriam-webster. :-)
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Frodo / January 6, 2014
It occurs to me that the UN post may have been offered in return for burying this report. If there was no pressure to bury it why was it not released by her successor? Did the successor also forget about it?
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mahulchandran or mal c spencer / January 6, 2014
It could have been a tactical and cunning move with their thrival consent by the UNO executive body like all going for a break when an odd question is asked from a trainer that embarrasses him or her. The following was forwarded to me quite a while ago one is not quite sure as to how valid and up-to-date this is but can someone search and research if the GOSL too has one like this? This may explain some of the corporate conspiracies to which all of us our subject to. Would it be that the UNO and its affiliate bodies too are similar entities like this?
On trying several times on three different browsers it’s not possible to copy and paste the coloured and colourful Company Information: Commonwealth of Australia document here but will forward the two e-mails received to the CT to their direct e-mail address for further investigations like what they done to Radika’s report.
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Safa / January 6, 2014
The Human Rights Commission has once again proved that it does not really care about Human Rights for the people in Sri Lanka. Our bureaucrats are only interested in building up their personal fortunes and careers. It sets up a precendent for this regime of impunity and extra-judicial killings.
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joe / January 8, 2014
Mr safa, Money talks.
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Burt / January 6, 2014
This is sad in the sense that people taking positions also take responsibilities. They have failed in their responsibility misserably. No body could be sure but if the report was published may be the STF and even the armed forces would have thought twice before doing something illeagle, which would have saved a few.
This is something really wrong with Sri Lanka people take positions prestige and personal gain than service.
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Kumar R. / January 6, 2014
A note for Narendran Rajasingham:
I am sure you will see this article and the comments. I would like to bring to your attention Radika’s comment:
“I had only one term as the Chair of the HRC 2003-2006 and joined the UN in early 2006. I commissioned the report because it was clearly a situation that required an inquiry and we tried to be proactive. But I do not think I was there when the report was finalized or it was finalized as I was leaving. There was no pressure brought on me to either commission the report or not to release the report. As you know my Commission was appointed under the seventeenth amendment and was quite independent- including people like Dr. Deepika Udugama. But after us the President bypassed the procedure and appointed commissioners directly and the Commission lost its international status as a result,” Dr. Coomaraswamy told Colombo Telegraph.
It tells you what the President did as far back as in 2006 – bury the commissions findings! Now do you believe how gullible you have been trusting MR and cheerleading for the regime all the way from 2006 until you finally got the wake-up call in mid-2013?
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Ben Hurling / January 6, 2014
Kumar R.
I have followed Dr. Narendran Rajasingham for a while.
I am convinced he is the kind of individual our country should be blessed with in millions.
My understanding is that he has a non-confrontational, analytical, reflected way of being. He is respectful even in disagreements.
He manages to keep his composure even at the worst of times. In situations, where I would have screamed for revenge, in a split second.
We would be silly to mix that kind of personality with being gullible or cheerleading for the regime.
Cheers!
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Agnos / January 6, 2014
Ms.Coomaraswamy is someone who can speak eloquently about African women and rape when she gets this or that award for her human rights work as UN rapporteur. But she can’t remember what happened to that little girl Tharshini or the Trinco-5 youths, in her own country, when she was the HRC commissioner? Her appointment by CBK gave her a unique opportunity to bring out such abuses, but she didn’t.
As the person who appointed the commission she should have released periodic updates and taken a continued interest in the issues even if it was not finalized by the time she left. There are ways she could have brought up this to the public even when she was out of the HRC.
Goes to show that beneath their awards and public professions of commitment to human rights, these people are just bureaucrats with a sickening absence of genuine concern for the suffering people.
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Wickramasiri / January 6, 2014
The draft report is good enough to conclude investigations and pin point the military regiments involved. It is the heads of these regiments who should answer.
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Randeera / January 6, 2014
We all need the rights
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Saman Wijesiri / January 6, 2014
Let us hope that Dr. Radhika Coomaraswmy will make a clarification and reveal all facts within her knowledge.
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Kumar R. / January 8, 2014
It is now obvious that she has no legitimate defense!
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kabaragoya / January 6, 2014
Amnesia of a gross atrocity is unbecoming this human rights entrepreneur who took revenge on the LTTE and the Tamil youth for personal reasons. The young boys killed came under her purview as UN Rapporteur for Children in Armed Conflict. She sounded off mightily on child soldiers in the LTTE but forgot about the killings of young boys by the STF. Knowledge and absence of performance of a duty amounts to complicity.
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Voice of Justice / January 6, 2014
Dr.Coomaraswamy was a person who was really voicing for HR locally and internationally but I wonder why she didn’t follow up the report which involves gross violations of HR by state mechanism.Some times this was because of the reason that she might have needed a Govt.recommendation to obtain the position at UN.She could have at least give this to other HR defenders officially or unofficially.It is true that there is death threat to all who are engaging in HR work in Sri Lanka but people who are really concerning HR will try to use either way to protect it. The change of 17th amendment cannot prevent this efforts.
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M.Sivananthan / January 6, 2014
Canada banned the LTTE because of the Tamils who fled from Sri lanka, asked to ban the LTTE. Our MPs were confronted by them directly. They had the courage to demonstrate in front of the LTTE offices. Not only them, then FM of lanka Lakshman Kadirgamar’s direct contacts with Canadian politicians too.
But that report cannot be used now for any dollar collections by the LTTE rumps. Many dollar collectors lost a chance to buy properties.
That report contains general problems with every army, police and other state organizations.
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Lanka Liar / January 6, 2014
What about the dollars that you got from your God Father Doglas.
We are not asking about the doller that you got from cleaning toilets in Sri Lanka. That is yours. You earned it.
Mokkan – Education is very important
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radish.S / January 6, 2014
Radhika as the Representative of the UN Secretary General with regard to the Children in Armed conflicts was a strong critic of children being recruited by ltte, went dumb when pregnant mothers and babies were shelled and bombed by the Sri Lanka Army and Air Force in Vanni in 2009.
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M.Sivananthan / January 6, 2014
Dumbo!
No Fire Zone was created by the government but LTTE moved there and started to fire from NFZ.
You ask the LTTE morons, why they moved with their artillery to the NFZ?
I think you try to save the ass of the LTTE and not the tamil people. LTTE killed scores of Tamils who refused to give their children in the NFZ.
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Maveeran / January 6, 2014
[Edited out]
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gamini / January 6, 2014
Sinhala Sivanathan,
Do not talk cock. Where did the LTTE use heavy artillery in the war as all were neatly wrapped in polythene and buried which the Army unearthed and displayed at ‘Dayata Kirula Exhibition’ for the Moda Sinhalese?
What recourse for Tamils for their rights, when their own like Radikar C. let them down not revealing Investigation Reports like that Bugger Kamalesh Sharma?
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Native Vedda / January 6, 2014
gamini
The three commissions appointed by Chandrika investigated nearly 30,000 cases in the South and found there were cases to be made against politicians, home guards, policemen, members of the armed forces and others.
This was the time the armed forces were engaged in a war in the North with LTTE. The commissions supplied their reports which also contained evidence against many perpetrators. Chandrika’s uncle the then deputy defence minister Ratwatte banned the publication of those reports sighting the on going war. He did not want to upset the members of the armed forces and other criminals.
Now look at the logic:
Armed forces and political thugs massacred thousands of innocent Sinhala youth.
Commission recommended actions against the perpetrators.
Reports were never published nor the perpetrators were charged though the information was available.
The reason given by deputy defence minister who suppressed the reports was that such actions would jeopardise the war.
Because of the Northern war at the time the reports on Southern investigation were confined to archives. In other words war in the North was so important that the families of victims in the South were denied justice.
The common factors which contributed to all war crimes and crimes against humanity from 1971:
The undemocratic state which is in perpetual existence.
Majoritarianism which determines the destiny of each and every person of this island.
The opportunistic ruthless politicians
The armed forces and the military leaders.
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M.Sivananthan / January 8, 2014
There is a LAW is enacted in USA.
No US soldier shall be charged for war crimes or violation of human rights.
Commission reports have no legal binding.
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Native Vedda / January 8, 2014
M.Sivananthan
“There is a LAW is enacted in USA.”
Here we are discussing about Sri Lanka, Sri Lankan Commissions, Sri Lankan atrocities, Sri Lankan perpetrators, Sri Lankan victims, ….. not about USA nor about its LAWS.
All this time you sounded like an Anti American lefty now you sound like a Yankee Dick. I wonder what made you to change your loyalty and sight US law.
“Commission reports have no legal binding”.
Yes Commission Reports are not binding I will give you that. However the information the commissions dig out after their long hours of sittings may be used to take action to remedy the situation. In the above case as I mentioned the commission had evidence to charge many for 30,000 killings which took place in the South between 1987 and 1990.
May I take this opportunity to remind you again we are not discussing USA or US laws.
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M.Sivananthan / January 10, 2014
NV:
USA protect their soldiers of any abuse. I hope other governments also follow the same. USA is the champion of democracy for Tamils. If SL government do the same, why are you all howling?
Now many UNP and LTTE goons are trying to save Fonseka because he is a stooge of USA.
So, SL must bring the same law.
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M.Sivananthan / January 8, 2014
You did not talk to any TAMIL person escaped in the NFZ. That is the problem you have. Try to talk to some Tamils about the experiences in the NFZ.
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ravivararo / January 7, 2014
Dumbo
No one from Tamil Side has complained against LTTE. All Tamils are voicing only against your run away Devananda and your MARA ngoyya.
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M.Sivananthan / January 8, 2014
brrrrrrrr
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jansee / January 8, 2014
M Sivananthan:
Are you really a dud or what? You don’t give milk to a cat for it to just look at it. Surely the SL regime would have factored this issue in the plans and went ahead with it anyway. Do you know why? That gave the regime an excuse to bomb Tamil civilians and reduce their numbers. Whatever happened to the HUMANITARIAN operation then? Your Mahinda mama apparently published thousands of the Human Rights Charter for the soldiers to carry it in one hand and their arms in the other. The mask of that deceit has worn off long ago and you don’t try to load your crap here. Both parties have been accused of war crimes. There are international covenants and you ostrich should know that the regime has signed these covenants. Accordingly, the warring sides should conduct the war with due regard to civilian casualties. If you are going to talk like that nut Gotabaya when he emphatically replied during an interview that the army has the right to bomb hospitals on the suspicion of LTTE presence, then we would be only too thankful to you. This is called shooting your own foot and we would be happy that such acts would boost the chance to hang the Rajapakses for their dastardly crimes.
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M.Sivananthan / January 10, 2014
International laws and conventions are applicable when TWO countries in conflict. LTTE morons were local criminals. So, dont cry about International laws here.
But you did not tell how 300000 people went to MulliVaykkal! LTTE herded the people and used them as human shields. LTTE killed the fleeing civilians. LTTE killed the parents who refused to hand over their children in NFZ.
If you want more information contact S.Kanagaratnam former TNA MP. Human Rights are applicable to humans who respect them. But LTTE morons never respect any human rights. Further local criminals cannot get any salvation under international laws.
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Bensen Burner / January 6, 2014
Rajapaksa made Radhika a Deshamaniya a disgraceful title given to hypocrites and stooges. She does live up to it. It is strange and no surprise that she has a short memory even on matters of such importance as the execution style killing of the five university students and other brutal killings. She callously dismisses these and also other important crimes on flimsy reasons. She is a disgrace to the position she holds especially relating to the protection of innocent children. It is because if her hypocrisy that her position is so lack lustre with no credibility. Bensen
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Native Vedda / January 6, 2014
Bensen Burner
If past is anything to go by most Commissions’ reports are hidden away in the national archives by parties opposed to the findings.
It could be those who commissioned those reports wanted to suppress the reports being published.
Dr. Radhika Coomaraswamy too could be an innocent victim to the machination of the state and politicians.
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Kumar R. / January 9, 2014
Even if she was “an innocent victim to the machination of the state and politicians”, Radhika had the responsibility to bring the “state against civilian” crimes to the attention of UN.
The defense “I didn’t have time to read” is as idiotic as it can get, especially given that it is she who Commissioned the investigation and she rubber-stamped and ordered the release of the Report. She was also away from the State and Government job since April 2006 – and with all the HR allegations aginst the country in the post-war period, even if she didn’t read the Report in March of 2006, didn’t she have the curiosity to check with Report in the years since then. None of her colleagues, friends, peers asked her about the Report she commissioned? Believable?
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Observer / January 6, 2014
So far I have seen no evidence that the report was out before Radhika left or that she is lying. It is sad indeed that so many attacks can be mounted on a person on assumptions.
Judge Suntharalingam did an outstanding and brave job as the investigator and deserves our praise. I would like to see all these commentators praising him instead.
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crazyoldmansl / January 6, 2014
Coomaraswamy and Udagama have been the Thompson and Thompson of the Sri Lankan Human rights crowd for a while now. Their gender benders in service of the United Nations have been doing the rounds as after dinner jokes for decades now. Its nice to see them scrambling to drop the hot potatoe.These kind of jokers are not going to lend anything like credibility to the defense of human rights.
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kabaragoya / January 6, 2014
We can dismiss them as a pair of jokes but the harm they have done needs to be punished. If and When war
crimes trials are brought, these two should be indicted as being accessories after the fact, hiding evidence that should have been brought to light. In the meantime, the world should be made aware of these two charlatans who have reached high office only by stooging those in power. They are an insult to the human rights movement.
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J.Thavarajah. / January 6, 2014
Native.
Late Hon.Pieter Keneumen once said in Parliament that Commissions appointed by Government are like a visit to a toilet.Deliberations, then a loud report and the matter is dropped.
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Observer / January 6, 2014
The actual phrase comparing commissions to a visit to the toilet from Pieter Keuneman (spelt correctly as here)goes like this:
First there is a sitting followed by a report. Then the matter is dropped.
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Sarath Fernando / January 6, 2014
I fully agree and sympathize with those who have expressed very strident criticism of Radhika’s lame excuse. And I hope Radhika has the decency to explain her actions, having pocketed so many awards masquerading as a decent, committed human rights activist to date. The awards were all for naught, if she cannot answer responsibly and instead opts to remain mum going forward.
She was in a unique position having the necessary resources, authority and education necessary to do the best possible investigation. Having done that and having made almost all necessary discovery, the fact that the President buried the truth does not excuse her from taking necessary action to get the truth out, especially having discovered the State’s culpability in the crimes. Perhaps if she had done that the country and the internationals would not have had to work in the dark in the last six years or so about the conduct of the regime and forces – and who know we may never have had to go through the atrocities in 2009 and in the following years – and will not be now dragged by the collars into international arena of ridicule!
Radhika needs to come clean as to the circumstances of her keeping quiet from 2006 to 2014.
Did she pass or discuss her findings with other Human Right activists, both local and international who have repeatedly honoured her with awards for courage and integrity?
Did she bring her findings to the attention of UN higher-ups? If so, who? What were their reactions? Were they in any way responsible for keeping her mum? If, so why?
Even if Radhika is not legally required to do so, Radhika has a moral responsibility to answer these unconditionally, if she is to retain even a modicum of respectability!
Could we, both Sri Lankans as well as other internationals who respect international human rights, start a public petition demanding Radhika to provide detailed explanation instead of hiding behind lame excuses? Perhaps CT can help in this regard.
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Peter / January 6, 2014
One has to do a google search to know who is this Dr. Deepika Udagama.
In several occassions she fully worked with the SL government.
[Edited out]
She is well trained by the Ministry of Foreign Affiars in late 90s.
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Leon / January 7, 2014
Both Coomaraswamy and Udagama are lying in order to save their skins. This is a serious matter and in the event of an international inquiry, the report of the commission would be evidence of the killing of the Trinco 5.
Denying by both does not mean that they will be not called, under oath, to give evidence.
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Fathima Fukushima / January 7, 2014
So who cares?
SL has peace today. That is all that matters.
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Tamil from the north / January 7, 2014
@Fartima; shut up now
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Silva / January 7, 2014
Not peace, it is in pieces.
This shows that you nothing what is happening in SL
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ravivararo / January 7, 2014
Farting fathima
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kabaragoya / January 7, 2014
In a note written on Mr Suntheralingam by Suriya Wicremasinghe in the Colombo Telegraph, there is reference to a 12 volume report compiled by Mr Sutheralingam. Mr Iqbal who worked with Mr Suntheralingam in his comment stated that the report was handed in on the last day of the tenure of the Commission. Ms Coomeraswamy could not have but known that the report was being compiled and was completed. She must also have know of the contents of the report. There is clear dereliction of duty in not releasing the report or making the public aware of its conclusions. There is a dereliction of duty in respect of the next job she had as a person involved with children as the STF killed mere boys in a merciless manner. We deserve to have an explanation as to how these matters came to pass.
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Kumar R. / January 7, 2014
Kabaragoya,
Fully agree with you and in fact I want to take it one step further.
Radhika’s failure to take action amounts to not merely a dereliction of duty, but something more horrendous, immoral and depraved.
First, it now appears that she was asked to keep mum, and it is as a pay-back for that favour the President honoured her with the Deshamaniya title. Obviously she accepted that, not with humility as we had previously thought, but rather with great pretense. If she had any integrity at all she should not have accepted that, and in fact needs to return it now.
Second, it also appears the UN too was in on this repugnant affair. It is just to buy her silence that they offered to take her out of the country with a promotion! UN has lost its credibility completely, what with all the previously exposed circuses with Nambiar, Ban Ki Moon and their intimate private deals with SL Foreign ministry.
Third, it is apparent that Radhika sold her soul for the crumbs (not unlike Dayan)- and now stands exposed as yet another reprobate with blood of many Tamil women and children in her hands in this sordid history of Sri Lanka. Radika needs to resign if she has any conscience at all. How can she continue to hold any responsibility whatsoever in HR affairs any more?!
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gamini / January 7, 2014
Kumar I am appalled at this Bitch. Are people so cheap to trade their integrity and self respect for a mere title and a post at the UN. Who the bloody hell want this Deshamanya or Heenamanya? The masses should expose and shame these individuals and not tolerate them anywhere.
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Burt / January 7, 2014
Better later than never. I think it has come out at a opportune time when the UN envoy for war crime investigation is in and the UNHRC review is not that far away.
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Kanya / January 7, 2014
If you read that article by Suriya Wickremesinghe it states clearly that the report was handed to Ms. Coomaraswamy on her last day in office at the Human Rights Commission and though she may not have had time to review it fully she had ORDERED THAT IT BE PUBLISHED. So all this nastiness is unnecessary. This is what Subtheralingam has told Ms. Wickremesinghe. The Commission appointed after her is responsible for this dereliction of duty not her. No need to drag down one of our leading human rights personages.
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gamini / January 7, 2014
Kanya you still want to safeguard this [Edited out]? All right what did she do afterwards to dispense Justice for the findings in the Report. Nothing! What a character? Hell of a leading Human Rights person, the world could well do without.
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Meena / January 7, 2014
I have also now read the article by Ms Wickresesinghe and this attack on Ms. Coomaraswamy is outrageous. She gets ithe report on her last day of office she asks that it be published even though she may have not had time to go through it carefully- what more is she to do? Her honesty in her initial email to Colombo Telegraph may have led to this but this Sri Lankan habit of constantly tearing people down is despicable. No-one for example had commented on the fact that she actually asked an independent man like Suntheralingam to do the report. Would our present Human Rights Commission do that? Let us be thankful for some of the people of integrity we have.
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gamini / January 7, 2014
Meena what is the big idea getting an Independent man like Suntheralingam to do the Report, if she was just going to wash her hands off merely because she got a promotion, which again at the UN, where she should have followed the matter, if she was a person of the calibre you say she is?
Your excuse is that she asked the report to be published? Why did she not pursue afterwards whether her request was acceded? You apologists must be also beneficiaries. SHAME! SHAME indeed!
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Kumar R. / January 7, 2014
Meena,
Dispicable is what Radhika did – cover-up heinous crimes of the Regime that she personally investigated, and cover it up just for personal advancement.
The argument she didn’t have the time to read the final version before release holds no water. She was fully involved and in fact had the lead role in the investigations, and so she knew the minutest of the details as they were uncovered and there is no question she has had ample opportunities to review previous drafts and discuss with the author. There is no chance she had anything less than full knowledge of the crime well before the final version — she had nothing to learn about the truth from the final version.
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Kunju / January 7, 2014
The crucial words in Suriya Wickremesinghe’s article is that according to Mr. Suntheralingam Ms. Coomaraswamy OrDERED THAT IT BE PUBLISHED even though the report was handed to her on her last day at office. She would not have had the time to read it but made the order because of her respect for Suntheralingam. Who has an interest in portraying Ms. Coonaraswamy in a bad light. Is it the Tamil diaspora who did not like her because she refused to condone LTTE atrocities or is it the government because she is one of the truly independent people we have?
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