By S. V. Kirubaharan –
S. V. Kirubaharan
Why is Sri Lanka under the scrutiny of the International Community today? Some will say because of war crimes. Others will say genocide and crimes against humanity, etc. But having been involved in Human Rights and International lobbying for decades, we say that aggressive and racist elements within Sri Lanka’s Ministry of External Affairs, who play at double standards and duplicity, are also the cause of the international spotlight.
We have seen many Presidents, Prime Ministers, Ministers of External Affairs and others come and go. Their agenda is always the same but each regime has its own approach. Change of regime or change of cabinet, is not going to do any good for victims. The change should take place in the hearts and minds of Sinhala Buddhist Chauvinists.
On 19 January 2015, I wrote an article titled, “International investigation on Sri Lanka should continue”. Comments about it were mostly written under pseudonyms. In that article, I related my personal experience in the UN Human Rights Forums in Geneva, especially with the present Governor of the Northern Provincial Council, G. Palihakkara who was the first secretary and the ambassador of Sri Lanka in Geneva. Also he was the member of the magic Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission – LLRC. In fact, he was former President Rajapaksa’s original choice for the Governor post and the present President Sirisena validated it.
Knowing the racist approach and activities of Palihakkara and his colleagues in the UN, it was my duty to tell the truth to the public. In fact, I gave only brief details. It is to be noted that during Palihakkara’s period in Geneva, there was a so-called newspaper (The Archipelago) published in Colombo, in which many fictional stories were written about me, my colleagues and our organisation.
Legal action
Even though those writings were not taken seriously, we tried all available avenues to take legal action against this newspaper to set the record straight. We sent letters through lawyers locally and internationally and also reported the matter to the Press Council of Sri Lanka. While Chief Justices find it difficult to seek justice for themselves in Sri Lanka, it was no surprise to us in Europe that it would not be possible for us to find justice or even to receive a reply from the corrupt judiciary in Sri Lanka.
In fact, the fictional writings did some good things for us. We are still in action today. With the help of international NGOs, human rights defenders and countries which respect human rights, tireless lobbying brought three consecutive resolutions on Sri Lanka. In other words, their fictional writings never worked on anyone. It only served to please their funders.
I’m proud and happy to note that my last article, “International investigation on Sri Lanka should continue” was effective with the new interim regime. The advisor to the President, Jayantha Dhanapala and Minister of External Affairs flew around the globe and also called for a European ambassadors meeting in Colombo. However their meetings didn’t clear doubts about this new interim regime.
Feeling highly frustrated, once again they started their fictional writings about me. The same so-called newspaper which wrote fictional articles in the past published a slanderous news item well endorsed by the Ministry of External Affairs of Sri Lanka. So far what have they achieved by slandering me and others?
If this newspaper was published in any part of the globe other than Sri Lanka, today I would have been a millionaire! Unfortunately it is published in a country, where the independence of the judiciary is curtailed. How can one find justice where there are political appointees as judges and chief justice in Sri Lanka?
Integrity of Journalism
The so-called journalist violated the integrity of Journalism. He has no knowledge of my article, “International investigation on Sri Lanka should continue” and where it was published. At one stage the corrupt journalist says: “….. been an LTTE representative for several decades after having succeeded France-based Lawrence Thilakar in the 80s.”
Then he says: “A government official said Palihakkara and some of his colleagues had incurred the wrath of Kirubaharan many years because they had thwarted his attempts to gain UN recognition for his outfit, Tamil Centre for Human Rights.”
Then to satisfy whoever funds him, he says: “Kirubaharan is believed to have spoken for pro-LTTE elements both here and abroad.” Anyone following this correctly can clearly see that they were trying with this whole trick to murder me with their pen and eventually with…..
Whoever knows about the history and activities of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam – LTTE, (and these have been well documented) will understand who replaced Lawrence Thilagar in 1996 – not as the news item said, in the 80s. If those racist elements and this so-called journalist want to gain knowledge about the LTTE, they can contact KP who is presently in Sri Lanka.
Institutional racism is the cause of many problems in Sri Lanka. It’s believed that during his visit to India, the Sri Lankan Minister of External Affairs, Mangala Samaraweera has explained this in depth, to the Prime Minister of India, Mr Modi. The logic of the Sinhala Buddhist Chauvinism is that, “Tamils have no right to tell/write or disclose any truth or reality about any Singhalese”. Such is the modern democracy of any regime in Sri Lanka.
Tamil Ambassador
This is why the international community has doubts about this interim regime. The “change” that the President’s advisor Jayantha Dhanapala and Mangala Samaraweera are preaching to the international community is, as I said in my previous article, “Old wine in a new bottle”.
Slandering not only me but also many others in the past, all originated from the Ministry of External Affairs of Sri Lanka. Racist elements in the Ministry of External Affairs were busy behind the scenes, concocting smears over many decades.
I will give two good examples of their activities.
In the past a Tamil lady was appointed as an ambassador to the UN Geneva by Rajapaksa to show the international community that there are Tamils in importance positions. But eventually what happened to her was based purely on Sinhala-Buddhist chauvinism. After her pathetic removal from her ambassadorial position, it took about 2 years for the Ministry of External Affairs to transport her personal belongings.
The same thing happened to another popular ambassador in Geneva, who is a Christian (Catholic). Instead of appreciating his ardent task, he was thrown out with insults and humiliation.
However, the fictional writing is one of the things that have motivated us to work hard. This type of malicious news item is good for us to use in our lobby. Their idea of diverting our attention from our task is not possible in the 21st century. While we concentrate on our work, we can deal with this type of problem at the same time. We are well equipped with internationally reputed legal experts.
TNA is people’s party
The most interesting feature of the news item I refer to, is that it doesn’t deny or find any fault with the points that I raised about Pallihakkara and his colleagues. In fact, the smear against me acknowledges that what I wrote is all true. Rather than replying to the message, they slander the messenger.
Another interesting point was that at the end of this mud-slinging news item, it mentions the Tamil National Alliance – TNA. It says that, “The TNA threw its weight behind the opposition presidential candidate Maithiripala Sirisena at the presidential poll. It is also represented in the National Executive Council (NEC) headed by the President Maithiripala”.
This writing sends out mixed messages. One is that they seem to understand the consequences of this sort of slandering. They should understand that the TNA is a people’s party and the TNA’s leadership listen to the people. If this is going to be the practice of this interim regime, Tamils in the North and East who brought this new regime into power, can also make them powerless!
Killing of Lawrence Thilagar
I personally feel sorry for the so-called journalist who had the courage to endorse this news item with his name. If he is writing about Lawrence Thilagar, being a journalist, does he knows, how terribly Lawrence Thilagar and his colleagues were killed in May 2009? In fact they all were shot dead and ground in a concrete (cement) mixer. If this corrupt journalist wants to know more details regarding these killings, he can contact some Ministers in the present cabinet who know a lot about these matters. Also they have strong evidence and know the witnesses personally.
The present interim regime knows very well that war crimes and crimes against humanity were committed by Sri Lanka. But once again, based on Sinhala Buddhist chauvinist policy, they are trying to stop the international investigation with cunning proposals to have a local investigation.
It is not possible for any government in Sri Lanka to carry out a local investigation on war crimes and crimes against humanity. This is the reality.
Now-a-days the international community is very well aware of what happens to local investigations and commissions appointed by various governments since 1956. In such a situation, how could the international community agree to the local investigation that this interim regime is proposing with a hidden agenda?
There are many international NGOs, human rights defenders, ambassadors and journalists waiting to clear their doubts about the present interim regime in Sri Lanka. Therefore, we call upon this regime to organise a public briefing in the forthcoming 28th session in the UN HRC. If that takes place, in the presence of the international community, we will also get a chance to clear our doubts.
I am writing this piece to straighten the record. Otherwise, some elements may ask in years to come, why I never protested, if that news item was fictional.
In conclusion, “The dog barks but the caravan moves on”. It has been moving for the last two and a half decades, and will continue to move until it finds justice for the victims. Now we are in the 21th century. There are ways and means to accomplish our task.
Anpu / February 6, 2015
Keep going Mr Kirubaharan.
Anusha Arumugam, a third year law student at the University of Liverpool, has presented a well researched article on command responsibility and UN’s failure to secure the safety of the civilians during the civil war that ended in May 2009.. Rajapaksa and his brother Gotabhaya took full advantage of the support given by the International Community and Sonia controlled India for crushing terrorism after the 9/11 Twin Tower attack to finish off the Tigers and all the Tamils connected with them, once and for all. So he conducted a war without witness and, in the whole process, ordered the UN out of the Vanni war zone. The UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, whose election for another term was imminent, acquiesced to this request to carry favour with the 5 permanent representatives. After the war ended in May 2009, he went on a conducted tour of the war devastated territory by the SL military and declared that he had never seen a devastated scene like that all his life. He extracted a promise from Rajapaksa that an investigation will be done on the war crimes and returned to UN satisfied that he had done a good job.
Genocide in Sri Lanka, a wake-up call for the UN – Anusha Arumugam – See more at:
********“It is not the violence of the few that scares me. It is the silence of the majority.” – Martin Luther King, Jr.********
Civilians become victims of war for two reasons: firstly, because of the perpetrators, and secondly, because the communities who had the capacity to stop the crimes have failed to do so.
War crimes, and crimes and humanity and peace were atrocities that plagued the Darfur conflict (2003-2010), the Iraq war (2003-2011), the Gaza war (2008-2009), the Sri Lankan civil war (2009), and the Syrian civil war (2011-present). However, these wars shared another similarity – they witnessed the repetitive systemic failure of the United Nations (UN) in protecting civilians in the conflict zones. As such, the lack of responsibility portrayed by the UN at international law for failing in its duties questions its fundamental aim of “keeping peace throughout the world”.
This article argues that where the UN has failed in the given responsibility and power to impede crimes against civilian populations, the doctrine of command responsibility should be invoked to hold the UN accountable for its failure before the international community. This would be explored by way of a case study of the Sri Lankan war for reason that it endured the greatest non-interference by the UN during the final phase of the genocide of the Tamils in Sri Lanka.
Sri Lanka: a case study
The Report of the Secretary-General’s Internal Review Panel on United Nations Action in Sri Lanka dated November 2012 recorded that the 26-year old ethnic conflict which ended on 17 May 2009 between the Sri Lankan government and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) suffered over 100, 000 deaths and 40, 000 of these deaths occurred between January and May 2009 alone.
When the conflict entered its final stages in September 2008, the government officially declared that it could no longer guarantee the safety of the UN staff in the Vanni. The Vanni, encompassing the districts of Mannar, Mullaitivu, Vavuniya and Kilinochchi, was the mainland area of the Northern Province under the LTTE control. Prior to this warning, the government made attempts to restrict the access of non-governmental organisations (NGOs) to the Vanni area. Three weeks ensuing the warning, all international staff were withdrawn by the UN, effectively terminating UN’s assistance operations from within the Vanni.
According to the Report, the UN was aware that many families had sought refuge in Kilinochchi town as the “presence of international organisations formed the belief that this would contribute to some certainty of physical security”. The inherent concern was that “the moment humanitarian organizations abandon the town, Kilinochchi town would be bombed by the government and that the physical security of the civilian population will be at increased risk”. It was also stated that the “absence of the UN would result in no one to bear witness to incidents”.
In October 2008 the UN agreed with the government and the LTTE that weekly convoys of humanitarian assistance would be sent to the Vanni, despite the organisation of the convoys being logistically complex and demanding. Following the capture of the remainder of the Jaffna peninsula by the government, all attempts of delivering humanitarian assistance by land was ended as the 11th and last convoy was subject to heavy artillery fire and close proximity shelling by the government. Simultaneously, increasingly difficult living conditions caused by the monsoon resulted in tens of thousands of internally displaced persons (IDPs) who had no access to latrines and little to no shelter. By March 2009, the lack of food and medical care had caused the deaths of thousands.
The death toll increased as government forces pursued their military offensive against the civilians, forcing them into government-declared No Fire Zones (NFZs) and then proceeded to assault the NFZs with aerial bombardment, long-range artillery, howitzers, MBRLs (unguided missile systems), small mortars, rocket propelled grenades (RPGs), and small arms fire.
With the intention of not wanting to prejudice humanitarian access by criticising the government, the UN remained silent over the government’s conduct. Many public statements and reports were issued by the UN, accusing the LTTE of committing human rights and international humanitarian law violations whilst almost omitting to explicitly mention the government’s responsibility for the violations of international law.
When the senior UN officials were contacted for their help in facilitating surrenders in during last phase of the war in early May 2009, other LTTE leaders were advocating for a ceasefire instead. The Chef de Cabinet requested the government to allow him to fly into the conflict zone to witness surrenders and act as a guarantor of safe passage. However, the government refused and the UN believed it could not attempt further follow-up.
Throughout the final stages of the conflict, Member States of the UN did not hold a single formal meeting on Sri Lanka, whether at the Security Council, the Human Rights Council or the General Assembly. There were several “informal interactive dialogue” meetings held by the Security Council for which there were no written records and no formal outcomes. At the meetings, secretariat officials failed to emphasise the responsibilities of the government or distinctly explain the link between government and LTTE action. Full information on the deaths of civilians was not given either. Only three days before the end of the conflict the Security Council issued a press statement stating that the death toll of the civilians was “unusually high” and that most of the deaths and injuries were caused by the government.
Command responsibility
The doctrine of command responsibility owes its jurisprudence to both the Nuremberg Tribunals and the International Military Tribunal for the Far East (IMTFE). The principles of this doctrine have been affirmed by the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia (ICTY) and the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) in the cases of Re Yamashita [327 US 1 (1946)] and Trial of Wilhelm von Leeb et. al. (1949). According to Protocol 1 to the Geneva Conventions which codified command responsibility:
“…any commander who is aware that subordinates or other persons under his control are going to commit or have committed a breach of the Conventions or of this Protocol, to initiate such steps as are necessary to prevent such violations of the Conventions or this Protocol, and, where appropriate, to initiate disciplinary or penal action against violators thereof.”
There are two branches of command responsibility: the first is where a Commander is responsible for the acts of his/her subordinates; and secondly, where the Commander is responsible for crimes committed within the Commander’s territory. Should either of these elements be satisfied, then this doctrine can be successfully invoked against the Commander or the official in-charge.
For purposes of this article, the responsibilities of officials in-charge over territories will be examined. For instance, in the case of Trial of Wilhelm List et al.,(1949), it was held that a Commander’s responsibility extends beyond his subordinates to encompass peace and order over the territory as a whole. His responsibility is general and not limited to a control of units directly under his command. Hence, to hold the UN liable, it is necessary to prove that the UN’s senior officials had knowledge of the crimes, effective control or the ability to take action to prevent their commission, and finally that they had failed to take such action.
The UN’s knowledge of the on-going civilian attacks by the government is evident as by the end of January 2009, deaths and injuries were subject to systemic UN monitoring. The February 9 mission report by the UN staff members to the Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs estimated 1, 000 civilian deaths and 3, 000 civilians injured during the period between January 20 and February 5.
On March 9, another report by the Resident Coordinator (RC) and several United Nations Country Team (UNCT) officials recorded that the “total minimum number of documented civilian casualties between January 20 and March 2, 2009, in Mullaithivu District” was 2,683 deaths and 7,241 injuries, of which two-thirds occurred within the 14 km² NFZ. Additionally, the satellite photos taken by the United Nations Institute for Training and Research illustrated repetitive government offensive by means of heavy artillery on civilians and the successive photographs depicted the rapid increment of deaths in the Vanni.
The UN’s clear and undistorted knowledge pertaining to the deaths and injuries suffered is therefore undeniable. However, was this catastrophe under the effective control of the UN? Or did the UN have the ability to take action to prevent the commission of the war crimes?
According to the Final Report of the Commission of Inquiry into the Events at the Refugee Camps in Beirut dated February 7, 1983 (also known as the Kahan Report), “the responsibility must be placed not just on the perpetrators, but also on those who could and should have prevented the commission of those deeds which must be condemned.” As per this report, the element of effective control encompasses “the duty of the occupier, according to the rules of usual and customary international law, to do all it can to ensure the public’s well-being and security.”
In the circumstance of the final stages of the Sri Lankan war, the UN proved not have effective control as they had evacuated the Vanni in September 2008 and were also denied from providing humanitarian assistance ever since. However, the question to be raised is whether or not the UN’s lack of effective control over the state of affairs which consequentially facilitated the commission of the war crimes was deliberate and intentional.
The UN’s internal review panel stated that the pull-out was unnecessary as the UN entourage could have “relocated further up north as opposed to abandoning the south” which resulted in the “civilian population being left without protection or witness”. The panel added that simultaneously in Colombo, “many senior UN staff did not perceive the prevention of killing of civilians as their responsibility – and agency and department heads at the UNHQ were not instructing them otherwise”. The UN’s Panel of Experts (PoE) reported that the UN showed “sustained and institutionalised reluctance to stand up for the rights of the people they were mandated to assist”.
The case for the UN’s failure to act is also based on the facts that the UN had failed to deploy peacekeepers to Sri Lanka, there was a lack of formal meetings of the Security Council on Sri Lanka’s on-going civil war, and member states had failed to seriously address the genocide during the war. Above all, the UN displayed mute criticisms over the government’s conduct.
When the doctrine of command responsibility was invoked against the United Nations Protection Force (UNPROFOR) for the massacre of Srebrenica, it was found that the UNPROFOR had indeed breached its responsibility as they had knowledge of the crimes that were under their effective control, and despite that, they had failed to act. Perhaps, the case is not the same for the UN officials in Sri Lanka. The difference between the involvement of the UN in Srebrenica and Sri Lanka is that in the latter state, the UN chose not to have effective control, and this by itself is a clear breach of duty of care owed to the civilians.
What is appalling is that the UN’s systemic failure of civilian protection occurs most when the permanent members of the UN’s Security Council stand to gain close to nothing from interfering in wars. While the genocide of over 100, 000 Sri Lankan Tamils was deprived of international outrage and humanitarian response from the international community, the comparatively handful 2, 996 deaths caused by the September 11 attacks on America’s World Trade Centre and the Pentagon in 2001 resulted in a worldwide outcry which saw the rallying of robust communities, waging war against terrorism. These double-standards undermine the jus cogens of fundamental human rights values and must not be condoned because no person’s right to life is more important than another’s.
While it is imperative that the UN being the custodian of human rights is given adequate support and acknowledgment for their peacekeeping efforts, the international community must be aware that the mandate the UN holds must be translated non-discriminately and proportionately into their peacekeeping operations. The repetitive systemic failure to prevent the commission of war crimes and to protect civilians in war zones must not be tolerated in any case. In doing so, it inadvertently condones the perpetrators. The choice of interference for the sake of civilian protection is no longer an option for the UN, lest the alternative would see the manifestation of evil. – February 3, 2015.
– See more at: http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/sideviews/article/genocide-in-sri-lanka-a-wake-up-call-for-the-un-anusha-arumugam#sthash.12VHhQSB.dpuf
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Rutnam / February 6, 2015
S. V. Kirupakaran, you should be awarded to challenge these bunch of idiots.
As you said, what Sinhala Buddist Chuvanists have achieved?
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Anantha / February 6, 2015
Cant fill a case against this racist news paper Island in Europe?
Why cant you consulst legal experts on legal suit.
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Thurai / February 6, 2015
Oh dear
Once against our Champion of human rights in on fire.
We must protect him.
We must all get together and find a solution to this slandering.
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muraari / February 7, 2015
I say, it is
good writing. But when Kiru backs India in our problem I don’t accept.
Madam jayakumari and her daughter problem is to solve. But would this regime try?
Hi Kiru keep on your writings.
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Velu / February 7, 2015
Muraari
If you follow the history, it was not Kirubaharan who back India, it was the demand of the National Leader Pirapaharan in his Hero’s speech. He requested all Tamils to be friendly with India.
Go through Pirapaharan’s last speech which he made on 27 November 2008
Are you joining the club of Anti-India?
Is it not enough what the Eelam Tamils deserved and suffered beeing anti-Indians?
Give up you anti-Indian attitude and be friendly with India to get our independence. Without India’s help we will never achieve this.
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cader MIA / February 6, 2015
Let us give time as the mess is too much
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Pygmalion / February 6, 2015
Mr.Kirubaharan.
Well written notwithstanding the emotions in view of the personal injustice. So, the Governor of the NPC is another unrepentant Racist?
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jansee / February 7, 2015
Kirubaharan:
The “proof of the pudding is in the eating”. So far, the new regime has demonstrated very little (call it the least/minimum) to show it is changing course from the previous regime. Mdm B. Jayakumari is still in custody for her efforts to seek information on her missing son. The fate of her young daughter is similar. If there is anything to incriminate her, then the regime should charge her, instead of continuing her incarceration.
The sordid and horrid news of how Lawrence Thilagar was murdered and the fact that ministers in the new regime knew about this goes to shows the complicity of these guys. It is so heartening to appreciate your work and those who had soldiered on to seek justice for those brutally murdered by the regime. Unless there is anything tangible, where there is none now, there cannot be second guessing that the investigation by the UNHRC should take a recess. Surely there is nothing to stop the current regime to pursue its own investigation and proof to the world that it has what it takes to pin down the perpetrators of the bloody crimes. The UNHRC investigation should continue unimpeded.
Now that the Rajapakses are out of power, there should be increased vigilance in seeking them out for criminal investigation, including war crimes, when they visit countries where such a provision exists. They would be lucky that at least that they may have their day in the court, unlike the way these butchers behaved towards helpless civilians.
Kiru, you will certainly have the blessings and good wishes from the diaspora for gassing out these butchers.
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Geroge / February 7, 2015
A Tamil lady was appointed as an ambassador to the UN Geneva
The same thing happened to another popular ambassador in Geneva, who is a Christian (Catholic). Instead of appreciating his ardent task, he was thrown out with insults and humiliation.
Is S.V.K refering to Tamara Kunanayagam and Dayan Jayatilake?
Why we should be boatherd about the two Rajapaksa’s people. These two have done enough damage to Tamils.
Let them fight and fight among them, we will mind our business.
SVK proceed, we are wathcing!
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Rajakumar / February 7, 2015
Can’t you complain this matter to the people who met Mangala Samaraweera in London and gave him dinner.
In return Samaraweera greets them for the Birth days.
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Ram / February 7, 2015
Has Samaraweera got good contacts with the LTTE activists in London from his days at St Martin’s learning, was it flower-arranging ?
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Nihal / February 7, 2015
Samaraweera at St Martin’s learning in London.
During that period he was a strong supporter of the JVP.
Still he has friends among the JVP from both sides.
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Perera / February 7, 2015
Sorry to note that it took such a long time for you to understand the Sinhala Buddhism Chauvanism.
Its pitty that you never heard that so many Chrisitian like SWARD Bandaranaike and others converted them to Buddhism.
Sorry hear what happened to Lawrence Thilagar and his collegues.
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Naga / February 7, 2015
Kirubaharan, Sri Lanka is in the spotlight now because of Tamil diaspora fellows like you. Did you at any time during the time LTTE was terrorising the whole of Sri Lanka and killing even Tamil leaders raise your voice against the human rights violations being committed by LTTE? No. You people were applauding all what the murderous LTTE then did. Now you people have become champions of human rights.
You have no right to criticize Palihakkara. He is a very experienced diplomat who did proud for Sri Lanka.
If any Sri Lankan newspaper had written adversely about you, good on them for exposing the true character of people like you.
All you diaspora Tamils ganged up against Mahinda and supported Sirisena in the hope that he will deliver your Eelam. You fools now realize that Sirisena is yet another Sinhala extremist politician who will yield nothing to the Tamils.
Now see what the Deputy Defence Minister Wijewardene said in Jaffna yesterday when he visited the troops stationed there. Here is what he said as reported by the Sri Lankan Defence Ministry website:
“During the visit Minister also addressed a cross-section of Northern based troops and pledged that, strength of the northern troops wouldn’t be reduced and the prevailing number of military bases would be functioned without dismantling. The national security would not be disregarded at any cost and it would be further strengthened, he noted.
Minister went on to say that, priority would be given to enhance the professionalism of the troops and the opportunities to join with the peacekeeping missions would also be enhanced in due course while making closer ties with respective foreign nations.Further speaking he recalled on the heroic deeds of the valiant war heroes and differently-able soldiers. Minister reiterated that he would act dedicatedly to create a better tomorrow for all the military personnel.”
If you people thought there will be a full troop withdrawal from Jaffna you all were dreaming. He has said the troops in the North would not be reduced and no military bases will be dismantled. Instead he is going to strengthen the troops based in the North and create a better tomorrow for them (perhaps in the North itself).
Ah disappointing, isn’t it. And if you people thought that US, India and the West will send Mahinda and the Sri Lankan troops to Hague on war crime charges, you people were dreaming. Now that America has got their lackey Ranil as the PM, it will quietly wriggle out of the Geneva resolutions. At the March meeting of the Human Rights Council meeting, US will agree to give more time to Sri Lanka to address the issues. It will accept the proposed internal investigations and bring a premature end to the twice yearly pilgrimage you people were making to Geneva.
Go and read what the US National Security Advisor Susan Rice said about Sri Lanka today. She has pledged US help to Sri Lanka for transition. America has got what they wanted. They now have a government supportive of US and the West. Ranil is in the pockets of US and he will please what the US wants – dismantling of all Chinese projects in Sri Lanka including naval facilities to the Chinese naval ships and tankers. US made use of you Tamil diaspora idiots against Mahinda and now that Mahinda has been thrown out of power there is no more use of you people for the sole super power which was in fact trying to block out China globally.
Kirubaharan, nothing will change for Tamils in Sri Lanka, however much you people dance on the streets of the western capitals. TNA, the so-called representatives of Tamils living in Sri Lanka, have done the somersault as they often do when the capitalist UNP come to power in Sri Lanka. Sampanthan and latest hero and heir-apparent Sumanthiran have gone over to UNP and participated at the Independence Day celebrations. This was never before done by any true representatives of the Tamils. Oh, have you forgotten how this very same Sampanthan held aloft the Sri Lankan National flag with Ranil at the Jaffna May Day rally last year. Are you people going to call Sampanthan and Sumanthiran “traitors”? Well, call them by what ever name. But, they have done the right thing.
If you people are dreaming of another armed struggle for your Eelam, forget it. Let Sampanthan and Sumanthiran & Co cozy up with Ranil and get some concessions for the Tamils. You diaspora Tamils are not going to come back and live in Sri Lanka. The most, you people may come as tourists now that the present government has relaxed all travel restrictions to the North.
Kirubaharan my advise to you and others of your kind is – better shut up and stop writing these stupid articles to Colombo Telegraph and other media. Better go on to live your lives in the countries where you people are now and leave the Tamils living in Sri Lanka alone. Let them and their local Tamil leaders find their accommodation with the Sri Lankan government and the Sinhala people.
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jansee / February 7, 2015
Naga:
Don’t be so quick to jump in joy mite. May be the UN has the ‘third eye” and had issued a statement that despite the statements by the new regime to conduct its own local investigation, the UNHRC is well on course.
What Wijewardene said during his Jaffna visit is actually inconsequential. Only jokers like you may scramble for a crystal ball, just like Mahinda Rajapakse but as you would have known by now the myths. The Tamils don;t need such crystal balls – they are well aware of the deceit and duplicity of the sri lanka regime, I mean any SL regime, so hold your breath until the end of March 2015.
As the news seep into the mainstream, Palihakkara was actually MR’s choice and the new regime just jumped on it. Well, the proff of the pudding is in the eating, and t won’t take long to see which way this goes. I am sorry, if it continues the way you believe it should, then you may have another Cameron visiting the North and like the one before, you will be just standing silly watching it but will not be able to do anything about it.
Ah, you forgot something – the Rajapakses foreign travels will be fraught with uncertainties and dangers. Wish you could provide an umbrella – as it is not just going to rain but pour. Have you heard of the saying, what goes around comes around. The Rajapakses must be cursing the likes of you who had blissfully misguided them and today they have been consecrated in pitiful willow.
And who do you think this minister Wijewardene is? Your “mighty” Rajapakse’s once came to power because the Tamils chose not to vote and today this Minister’s govt is there because the Tamils wanted this regime a chance and MR was packed off to cry in self-pity. Do you think this regime will be that lucky if the Tamils decide otherwise in June? The Sinhalese do not make or break the presidents of SL, the Tamils do, as MR belately groans in pain.
In short, dummies like you are the cause of national problems going international. If that is a cause for your celebration, the Tamils don’t mind joining in. You seem to very foolish in believing that the SL regime gets to make the calls. How tragically wrong you are. The Tamils do care for the Sinhalese and despite the complicity in the crimes committed by the state amid the cheers of the majority sinhalese, the Tamils supported the Sinhalese in bringing “normalcy” to the country. While the Tamils do not or cannot expect such a gesture from the sinhalese it will be wishful thinking that the Tamils will continue support the regime if nothing tangible is sensed in the ground. And if you believe that the thousands of soldiers and the pathetic Wijewardene will intimidate the Tamils, then you should ask Mahinda and Gotabaya. What do you expect this pathetic minister to do where your two uncles have failed.
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Ram / February 7, 2015
The world is horrified today because a single Jordanian pilot was burnt alive by those loveable ISIS guys. What the virtuous Tamil terrorists did for fun as exposed by Col Hariharan elsewhere never had the same response.
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Fernando / February 7, 2015
Tamil terrorist! What about Sinhala terrorists who made two attempts to over-throw the government?
If you are not happy with Tamis, why are you hiding behind a Tamil name?
If you are not a Sinhala terrorist supporter, are you not ashamed of what happened to Lawrence Thilagar and others? If you agree with those killing, you must be a Cannibal
According to the author, Lawrence Thilagar and other were shot dead and ground in a concrete (cement) mixer.
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Senishka / February 7, 2015
Naga
You are a typical Sinhala Buddhist Chauvinist.
There is no doubt that you coward writing from Sir Lanka.
As Kirupakaran said, your comment can also be included in their international lobby.
The way you write, you must be a single person. Nobody can live with you! I don’t think you have any good friends nor neighbors! The dictator is too good to use it for a person of your caliber.
What else you do other than you write comment to Kirupakaran’s article.
For a person of your caliber, Palihakkara seems experienced diplomat.
Yes, yes, according to Kirupakaran, Palihakkara is well experienced in practicing racism in an international level. Certainly this has to be appreciated by all Sinhala Buddhists Chauvinists.
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Prasana / February 7, 2015
Naga – you seems to be Palihakkara’s messanger.
Palihakkara is having a nice holiday along Jaffna beach and given you orders to attack Tamils.
According Kiru Palihakkara was the worst racist SL Ambassador to the UN.
Naga, ask Palihakkara to send you a bottle of Jaffna toddy for your service.
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Daniel / February 8, 2015
Can’t you telephone Kirubaharanand and sort out your feelings.
It is true once you are responsible for some issue, whether it is right or wrong, you should justify it. Otherwise you will be fired.
If you are good in debate, challenge Kirubaharan. We believe that he defeated many in Rajapaksa’s regime, from Ministers to VVIPs.
It looks like you are a new single Wagon !
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kali / February 7, 2015
S. V. Kirubaharan:
In response to your previous article “the international investigation on Sri Lanka should continue ” I commented that the solution to the Civil Strife in Sri Lanka is not going to be achieved from within without outside pressure. A few people at the top like MS, RW, CBK and Mangala might be Genuine in wishing to grant the Tamils some degree of Autonomy. But they are prisoners of the Racist elements who sadly form the Majority. If MS tries to implement 13th Amendment without the threat of sanctions he will not find the passage easy because the Majority are born Racists and they will not give you an inch. But by divine intervention we have been saved at the nick of time. The hardest task lies ahead and for MS & RW it is a balancing act like ” Muthumari”.
There will always be elements trying to undermine the Tamil message which is understandable.
We are all Prabakarans children and it was he who put Eelam on the World map bringing the PM ( Cameron) and the CM ( Wiggi) on to the balcony and his message will be revebrating through Eelam for a very long time.
What we ask is Freedom Justice and Equality and above all Dignity which is our God given Right and until we reach Parity we will be singing “Entru Thaniyum Intha Suthanthira Thagam”. If I were you I will ignore the Hound of the Baskeraville from the losers.
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Plato. / February 7, 2015
kali.
Hound of the Baskervilles you said. Sherlock Holmes and Dr.Watson Baker Street London? In the old days it used to be known as SEEMAI!
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Anpu / February 8, 2015
I thought readers would interested to the history behind Palihakkara:
South Indian soldiers were brought to Anuradhapura in ever larger numbers in the seventh, eight, ninth and tenth centuries AD leading to number of rulers relying on their help to consolidate and rule, Raja Raja Chola (Who had a Hon. title UDAYAR was from the Raja Kula Agammudayar caste) created a town called Jananathamangalam,near Anuradhapura and settled Velakkara(Maravar), & Agampadi (Agampu+adi) soldiers(Agammudayar). These two Castes were sub divisions from the Tamil Mukkulathor caste and they eventually got assimilated to Sinhala society, the Sinhala family name Palihakkara (Palaikkarar) originated from the Velakkara soldiers and the suffix Agampodi in front of some names of the Salagama sub caste “Hewapanne”(militia) originated from the agampadi soldiers, who married Salagama Hewapanne women, There was also large scale mercantile activity from peninsular India primarily from the Coromandel Coast.
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Geroge / February 8, 2015
Well done George, keep hiting
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Off The Wall / February 8, 2015
Kirubaharan
Don’t worry drama queen. The new government is as ‘racist’ as Mahinda’s regime. Your job in Geneva of peddling lies about Sri Lanka is guaranteed at least for another 10 years. But I do understand you need to keep convincing the Tamil Tiger diaspora that you are the right person for the job with your articles time to time. Good luck and best wishes.
By the way it is interesting to note you are slowly changing your rhetoric from ‘structural genocide’ to ‘institutional racism’ as Maitri’s government is seen by the international community as democratic and thus more inclusive than Mahinda’s rule.
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Suresh / February 8, 2015
All Tamil Tiger diaspora who worked before May 2009 have gone to bed. Now who are in front of 10 Downing street are all cats and foxes.
They are doing these demos to keep the fire burn until they are well settle. Then they will also go to bed.
Look at you. You are not courageous to challenge Kirubaharan. You are scared of him, that is the reason you say you are Off the Wall.
Are you in China or Wembly, East Ham or South Hall? The frustration is visible in your paragraph. If Kirubaharan is a drama queen, he deserves Oscar award. Propose him for it.
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VVT / February 8, 2015
OFF THE NUT,
You are jealous of Kirubaharan. It doesnt do any good to you.
You will fall ill by being jealous of Kirubaharan.
Can you do any better job than being jealous of Kirubaharan?
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Plato. / February 8, 2015
Anpu.
Very interesting.So,Palhikara has martial blood in him. According to Prof:K.M De Silva Prof:Emiritus History the present day Karawes,Salagama,and Durawe castes migrated from South India to the present day Srilanka between the 14th and 17th centuries AD! The Tamils too have a famous caste system.According to Dr.H.W.TAMBIAH the KOVIAH caste in Jaffna is from sinhala inhabitants who were captured by the rulers in Jaffna and who became cooks in VELLALA homes!
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