Veluppillai Thangavelu
The official announcement by the Government of Sri Lanka that it will withdraw from co-sponsorship of UNHRC resolution 30/1 comes as no surprise. During the presidential election campaign, Gotabaya Rajapaksa had pledged he would not honour the previous government’s commitments to the UN. Gotabaya Rajapaksa, now president, was defence secretary from 2005 to January 2015.
The UN rights body resolution had blamed Government forces, notably the 58th Division commanded by Shavendra Silva of committing rights abuses during the final phase of the battle which ended in 18th May 2009. Both government troops and the LTTE were accused of rights violations, but the Sri Lanka Army has denied the alleged rights abuses.
The resolution 30/1 adopted unanimously by all 47 members of the UNHRC called for an independent investigation with foreign judges and prosecutors to probe war crimes allegation. Former Sri Lanka’s Foreign Minister co-sponsored the resolution along with 11 other countries, including the US and Britain, calling for an investigation into alleged human rights violations during the island nation’s civil war, which ended in May 2009.
According to a United Nations report, some 45,000 Tamil civilians were killed in the last phases of the war alone.
Human Rights groups have long called for investigations into alleged rights abuses committed during the Rajapaksas’ previous terms in power. Mahinda Rajapaksa was president when Sri Lankan troops defeated Tamil Tiger rebels in May 2009 but rights groups accused the army of killing at least 40,000 civilians in the final months of the conflict.
Sri Lanka co-sponsored the resolution at the United Nations Human Rights Council along with 11 other countries calling for the investigation of allegations of wartime atrocities by both government forces and the Tamil Tiger rebels, who were fighting for a separate homeland for the Tamils.
In March 2014 the United Nations Human Rights Council authorised an international investigation into the alleged war crimes.
The UN has found evidence “strongly indicating” that war crimes were committed in Sri Lanka in the closing phases of its civil war and called for the establishment of a special “hybrid” international court to investigate individuals responsible for the worst atrocities.
Unveiling a 220 – page report in Geneva, Zeid Ra’ad al-Hussein, the UN high commissioner for human rights, said it described horrific abuses including torture, executions, forced disappearances, sexual abuse by security forces as well as suicide attacks, assassinations and recruitment of child soldiers by the LTTE.
In announcing the Government’s decision to withdraw from co-sponsorship of UNHRC resolution 30/1 Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa said “the government would no longer abide by a 2015 resolution calling for accountability for alleged excesses carried out by Sri Lankan troops and reparations for victims. Washington’s recent decision to ban the army chief was because the previous government had signed up to the resolution. It is because of the historic betrayal … in co-sponsoring UN Human Rights Council Resolution 30/1 in 2015 that other countries are able to name members of our armed forces as violators of human rights,” in a statement.
The Prime Minister added “Even though this collective punishment has been meted out on the grounds that the Army Commander had committed violations of human rights, no one knows what these allegations are. Whilst the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights says that until a person accused of a crime is proved guilty according to law, he should be deemed innocent; this principle does not seem to apply to Sri Lanka’s Army Commander or even to members of his family.” Rajapaksa says the government’s displeasure has been communicated to the government of the United States in the “strongest possible terms”.
Mahinda’s statement came after the US State Department imposed a travel ban on Sri Lanka’s army commander, Shavendra Silva and his family over alleged human rights violations in the final stages of the civil war in 2009.
Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Dinesh Gunawardena will officially announce Colombo’s withdrawal from co-sponsoring a 2015 UN Human Rights Council resolution on accountability for war crimes during his address at the council’s session on 26 February (Wednesday) according to his office.
It will be recalled Mahinda Rajapaksa has consistently denied any human rights abuses by the armed forces. Speaking at a huge military festival in Colombo in 2011 to mark the two-year anniversary of the government’s defeat of the LTTE, he rejected calls for an independent international inquiry. Thousands of military personnel took part in a march-past and military hardware display which became a regular ritual till he lost the elections in 2015.
“Our forces carried the firearm in one hand and the human rights charter in the other. Our forces never harboured hatred towards any community or individual,” he said. “Looking at how other countries fight wars, we are proud of the humanitarian nature of our operation. Therefore, when we see how some countries carry out operations against enemies today, we are proud. I pay tribute to the skill of his armed forces at the parade and that he would stand by them. We were with you on the battlefield. It is same today; we will not betray you before the world. Our forces never harboured hatred towards any community or individual.”
The BBC’s Charles Havilland in Colombo at that time described Mahinda Rajapaksa’s speech as ”defiant” and reflected the great public support he enjoyed from the war victory. However, such rhetoric does not reflect the reality on the ground.
It is obvious Mahinda Rajapaksa was off the mark and was trying to hide a whole pumpkin inside a plate of rice. UNHRC’s resolution 30/1, inter-alia, only alleged that government forces of committing war crimes. The Experts Committee Report on Accountability claimed ”credible allegations, which if proven, indicate that a wide range of serious violations of international humanitarian law and international human rights law were committed both by the Government of Sri Lanka and the LTTE, some of which would amount to war crimes and crimes against humanity”. The report also claimed tens of thousands of civilians were killed, most of them in shelling by government forces.
A committee appointed by Sri Lanka’s government in 2017 recommended both local and international judges be appointed to the court that will investigate allegations of war crimes from the country’s civil war.
The UNHRC’s resolution 30/1 on ‘Promoting reconciliation, accountability and human rights in Sri Lanka commits Sri Lanka to ‘establish a judicial mechanism with a special counsel to investigate allegations of violations and abuses of human rights and violations of international humanitarian law, as applicable; affirms that a credible justice process should include independent judicial and prosecutorial institutions led by individuals known for their integrity and impartiality; and also affirms in this regard the importance of participation in a Sri Lankan judicial mechanism, including the special counsel’s office, of Commonwealth and other foreign judges, defence lawyers and authorized prosecutors and investigators.’ The investigation is against both the government forces and LTTE.
In 2017 Sri Lanka received a two-year extension to implement its own commitments. At its fortieth session, the UNHRC adopted a new resolution on 21 March 2019 co-sponsored by the government of Sri Lanka, giving it a further two years to implement outstanding promises in full. UNHRC resolution 30/1
Also in 2015, the then UN High Commissioner on Human Rights, Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussain called for the establishment of a hybrid special court adding, “a purely domestic court procedure will have no chance of overcoming widespread and justifiable suspicions fuelled by decades of violations, malpractice and broken promises.”
However, the Government of Ranil Wickremesinghe for obvious reasons dragged its feet since the implementation of resolutions 30/1 and 40/1 will spell electoral disaster as the outcome of presidential poll results. Gotabaya Rajapaksa romped home garnering Sinhala – Buddhist votes only. The assumption that minority community votes are a deciding factor in an Island-wide poll was proved wrong.
Having tasted victory at the presidential poll Mahinda Rajapaksa and his SLPP hope for a repeat performance at the forthcoming parliamentary elections scheduled to be held on April 26, 2020. They are aiming at a 2/3 majority in order to do away with 19A that has curtailed the powers of the executive president. Presently, there is a Defence Secretary and State Defence Minister but no Defence Minister. 19A says that the president shall not hold any portfolios. However, Gotabaya Rajapaksa is issuing instructions to the armed forces in his capacity as the Commander – in – Chief of the Armed Forces. He is militarising the public service by appointing ex-army officers to key posts. The latest is the appointment of retired Major General Vijitha Ravipriya as the Director-General of Customs. He held the office of the Commander Security Forces – Kilinochchi as his last appointment, prior to his retirement.
The Cabinet of Ministers has approved the Government’s decision to withdraw from UNHRC resolutions 30/1 and 40/1. The decision was announced during the Cabinet media briefing held this morning.
Cabinet co-spokesperson Minister Bandula Gunawardene addressing the briefing informed that the proposal to withdraw from cosponsoring UNHRC resolutions 30/1 and 40/1 was presented by Minister of Foreign relations Dinesh Gunawardene. While noting that this controversial agreement has been opposed by a large population of the country, Minimiser Gunawardene noted that the decision to withdraw from the resolutions was unanimously approved by the Cabinet.
The Federal Party (ITAK) said that it would urge the United Nations Human Rights Council to pressurise the Government to implement the resolutions despite the Government’s announcement that it was going to pull-out from the proposals. Even if the Sri Lanka Government exited from the UN resolution, the United Nations should urge the Sri Lanka Government to implement the decisions taken at the UNHRC, Parliamentarian M.A Sumanthiran said addressing the media after the Federal party (ITAK) Central Committee Meeting held at Kilinochchi yesterday.
Foreign Minister Dinesh Gunawardena in his speech at the UNHRC’s 43rd Sessions held in Geneva has officially announced the decision of his government withdrawing from sponsorship of resolutions 30/1 and 40/1 by the previous government. He has cited many reasons for the withdrawal chief among them are the infringement of Sri Lanka’s sovereignty.
– it declared support for the resolution even before the draft text was presented
– it sought no Cabinet approval to bind the country to deliver on the dictates of an international body.
– there was no reference to the Parliament on the process, undertakings and repercussions of such co-sponsorship.
– more importantly, the Resolution itself included provisions which are undeliverable due to its inherent illegality, being in violation of the constitution the supreme law of the country.
– it also overruled the reservations expressed by professional diplomats, academia, media and the general public.
– the then President Maithripala Sirisena also stated that he was not consulted on the matter at that time.
– It remains to date a blot on the sovereignty and dignity of Sri Lanka.
Obviously, the Minister has taken refuge under sovereignty like the Church depending as a last resort on the infallibility of Pope.
The UNHRC was created to ensure that people living in member states suffer discrimination and abuses and who are failed by their state justice systems have an additional avenue to seek justice and reparations.
The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet raised a number of concerns in a report on Sri Lanka which will be formally presented to the Council on 27th February.
In an advanced version of the report, Bachelet noted some progress has been made by Sri Lanka in promoting reconciliation, accountability and human rights in line with resolution 30/1, but the inability of the Government to deal comprehensively with impunity and to reform institutions may trigger the recurrence of human rights violations.
The High Commissioner is concerned by various signs indicating a possible reversal of past commitments by the Government which would setback the promotion of reconciliation, accountability and human rights reduce civic space and erode important institutional safeguards.
The report adds the overall goals of resolution 30/1 must be protected and built upon to provide justice and redress to victims, guarantee the non-recurrence of past patterns of human rights violations, and promote peaceful, inclusive and sustainable development.
The High Commissioner encourages the Government of Sri Lanka to fully implement resolution 30/1 and continue to engage positively with OHCHR and United Nations human rights mechanisms to promote reconciliation, accountability and human rights as critical elements for the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals.
Now, the OHCHR and member countries of the UNHRC will solely be disappointed over the withdrawal of Sri Lanka from the process of co-sponsorship.
Pitting national sovereignty against human rights is a false contradiction and it is counterproductive. Sri Lanka will realise its folly sooner than later. No country is an island by itself and Sri Lankan government economically at the doldrums cannot dismiss the concerns of countries like the USA, UL, EU and India with a wave of a hand. Sri Lanka advancement depends on progress on human rights and the rule of law
Human rights are the cornerstone underpinning the rule of law and state sovereignty. They are an essential tool enabling states to ensure that every person can live with dignity, whatever their gender, race, nationality or other status.
Sri Lankan constitution itself declares that ” Sri Lanka (Ceylon) is a Free, Sovereign, Independent and the Democratic Socialist Republic and shall be known as the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka and in the Republic of Sri Lanka sovereignty is in the people and is inalienable.
In his speech, the Minister refers to ‘people’ and that ’people’ is exclusively Sinhalese. The Tamils and Muslims are excluded altogether. Both the President and his Ministers have declared ad nauseam that the government was elected by the majority Sinhala – Buddhist people and they will act according to the wishes of the Sinhala – Buddhists people only!
During the last phases of the war, the Tamils were deliberately targeted by the Sri Lankan armed forces. President Gotabaya, then Defence Secretary, bragged that hospitals, schools, food distribution lines and Red Cross ships coming carrying the wounded are legitimate military targets!
Hundreds of LTTE cadres who surrendered to the army on May 18, 2009, have been summarily executed by the army. There are irrefutable photographic evidence, including eyewitness, to vouch for the fact that the army loaded them and took them away in CTB buses for a ‘short inquiry’ but never sighted afterwards. Below is the list of LTTE cadres taken by the army on that fateful day!
Here is a list of those LTTE cadres who surrendered to the armed forces on 17/18 May 2009 but their whereabouts unknown.
(1) K.V. Balakumar and his son Sooriyatheepan
(2) V. Ilankumaran (alias Baby Subramanian) Head of the Thamil Eelam Education Department. His wife Vettrichchelvi and daughter Arivumathy.
(3) Yogaratnam Yogi in charge of ’Institute for Conflict Research’ in Vanni
(4) Poet Puthuvai Ratnadurai, Coordinator of LTTE Arts and Cultural Department
(5) K. Paappa, Coordinator LTTE Sports Department
(6) Rajah (Chempiyan) Assistant Coordinator LTTE Sports Department and his 3 children
(7) Ilanthirayan, LTTE Military spokesman
(8) Veerathevan, Coordinator LTTE Bank
(9) S.Thangkan, Political Wing Deputy Chief
(10) Aruna, Thamil Eela Education Department
(11) S. Naren, Asst. Executive Head of TRO
(12) Kuddy, Head of the LTTE Transport Department
(12) Piriyan, Head of Administrative Service Department and his family
(13) V. Poovannan, Head of the Administrative Service Division of the LTTE
(14) Thangaiah, Administrative Service Department
(15) Malaravan, Administrative Service Department
(16) Pakirathan, Administrative Service Department
(17) Reha, Head of LTTE Medical Division
(18) Selvarajah, Commander Manal Aru Head Quarters
(19) Bhaskaran, Commander Manal Aru Head Quarters
(20) Major Lawrance
(21) Major Kumaran
(22) Prabha, Batticaloa District Commander
(24) Rupan, Coordinator of Supplies
(25) Babu, Coordinator of Jewellery Business
(26) Ilamparithy, Executive Head of Political Wing
(27) Elilan, Head of Trincomalee Political Wing
(28) Vijitharan, Executive Secretary, Political Wing
(29) Major Veeman
(30) Sakthy, Coordinator Forestry Division and his family
(31) E.Ravi, Charge of Houses
(32) Sanjai, Mulliyavalai Divisional Political Wing Coordinator
(33) Para Ratha, Coordinator Justice Department
(34) Kumaravel, Coordinator Air Force Security
(35) Chithrankan Malathy, Commander Manal Aru District
(36) Suhi, Commander
(37) Arunan, Major Sea Tigers
(38) Manoj – Medical Department
(39) Lawrance, Finance Department
(40) Lawrance Thilakar, Coordinator TRO Planning Department
(41) Karikalan, former Commander, Eastern Province
A longer list containing the names of over a hundred LTTE cadres who were killed after surrendering to the army has been compiled by Yasmin Sooka, executive secretary of the International Truth and Justice Project(ITJP).
On May 18 at Mullivaikkal B.Nadesan (Political Department), Seevaratnam Pulithevan (Peace Secretariat), Col. Ramesh (Police), LTTE fighters and civilians surrendered to the army carrying white flags. They were all gunned down by the army after torture. One of the victims is 12 years old Balachandran, son of LTTE leader. The Channel 4 television has given a horrific account in a video. There are numerous other videos available on websites.
Mahinda Rajapaksa who is demanding evidence to prove the brutal killings must watch these gruesome videos in his spare time!
In the face of all these damning evidence, President and his Ministers are in denial mode. They categorically deny any knowledge of the slaughter of LTTE surrendees. Gotabaya confessed that all those missing are dead, but who killed them? The mothers and relatives of enforced mission persons are demonstrating on roadsides for the last 3 years or more demanding to know the whereabouts of their loved ones.
They are not concerned about those who died on the battlefield; they are demanding to know the fate of those who were handed over to the 58th Division army and Joseph camp on May 18, 2009.
Ananthy Sasitharan, a former Minister in the Northern Province Council told BBC ““If my husband has disappeared during the war, then there will be reason to think that he may have been killed during the heat of the battle, but having seen him surrender after the fighting has stopped, there is absolutely no reason for me to believe that he is dead.”
Ananthi is not alone there are hundreds of others like her anxious to find the fate of their loved ones. These families are entitled to the truth about the fate and whereabouts of their kith and kin.
On January 20, President Gotabaya acknowledged for the first time that more than 20,000 people, mostly Tamils, who disappeared during the country’s civil war are dead. (https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-51184085)
Simply saying they are dead and buried five feet deep will not suffice. Government must be more specific and publish the names of the missing persons.
The Amnesty International commenting on enforced disappearances said “The mass disappearance of those who surrendered at the end of the war is a clear indication of the institutionalization of the practice of enforced disappearances in Sri Lanka. The State’s concealment of the fate, whereabouts and information of the disappeared person triggers criminal responsibility.
The High Commissioner for UNHRC has already expressed concerns by various signs indicating a possible reversal of past commitments by the Government which would setback the promotion of reconciliation, accountability and human rights reduce civic space and erode important institutional safeguards.
The travel ban clamped down on Army Chief Sarvendira Silva and family by the US is possibly the beginning. After Sri Lanka pulls out of the sponsorship of Regulations 30/1 and 40/1, it may face economic sanctions not to speak of the irreparable damage to its democratic image.
Jehan / February 28, 2020
Leaving the running of the country only to politicians will lead to the next Zimbabwe, without Gots, MR,Ranil country survived, now if US imposes sanctions or tariffs for our exports, we are toast. China won’t be able to help, as China Coronavirus has already caused China economy to be in shambles, as their accounts are fixed, we will see China contracts and be in pieces. As other countries might sue China for Coronavirus coverup, as most probably the bioweapon escaped from the Wuhan labs.
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Rtd. Lt. Reginald Shamal Perera / February 28, 2020
Here we go again. Under Sri Lanka’s emergency regulations they are not committed to safe guard anyone’s rights.
So, if the UN is expecting the GOSL to safeguard human rights in a war zone, then they will have to start with the Vietnam war and come down to 2009 from there onwards.
As for the UN or that bloody joke, the so-called governing body that would not stop the illegal invasion of Iraq nor could it bring any single US soldier to book and is headed by a Saudi Arabian LMFSAO, the less said about it the better it is.
The 41 Tamils you mentioned about, they must have gone to Thailand to get some poon tang just like your Karuna Amman went there and lost his way.
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Noname / February 29, 2020
Here is a list of those LTTE cadres who surrendered to the armed forces on 17/18 May 2009 but their whereabouts unknown.
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All these brutes are responsible for LTTE’s murderous campaign in the south blowing up civilians in buses, trains, temples, public buildings etc. etc. etc. I for one as someone who had to travel in public transport daily not knowing when I would be ripped to pieces, I’m immensely thankful that their whereabouts are unknown. I could careless how they met their end. Its too bad that their sympathizers whereabouts in world capitals are also not unknown. Perhaps karma will deliver them justice like it happen to Anton Balasingham. Veluppillai Thangavelu how convenient it is that you have all these details of who did what in LTTE.
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K.A. Sumanasekera / February 29, 2020
Mr Thangavelu is right on the Money.-
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Bloody Oath Ms Bachellette will put Sanctions . It is a matter of Time.
Whether it is before or after Easter . I am not sure.
But I am hoping it is before the Election..
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Will the new UNP Opposition Leader accept Ms Bachelette’ Fatwas voluntarily .
And send his heavy hitters like Dr Rajitha, Ranjan Ramanayaka , Ajith de Silva, Eran Wickremanayaka Harin Fernando with this new Bachelette Ammo to convince the UNP Dalits that the Fatwas are good and Pohottuwa is bad?.
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Or will Mr Thangavelu’s Bros in the TNA and Ganeshan Party force force Keselwatta Kid to do it ?
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The Kid can’t just ignore 40 Seats from the TNA which Abraham has already promised .
And I don’t know how many the Hindian Indian Tamil Party boss Ganeshan has promised.
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Either way the Kid will have to decide before the Election if he wants the support of Mr Tahngavelu Bros and the Bathudeen clan who have the same aim as Ms Bachellette to kick out Pohottuwa although their agendas in the next Keselwatta UNP Govt are different.
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Wonder what Dr Rani will do under KK as the PM.?. Will KK still call him Sir?.
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I saw Dr Rani addressing some Economic Forum with Hindians and Pakies the other day .
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Dr Rani was lecturing our inhabitants that we should become part of South Hindia under Thamil Nadu, if our Inhabitants want to be like Singaporeans.
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How cool is that ..
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At least Dr Rani is talking real time Economics.
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Now Keselwatta Kid may digress on Dr Rani’s advice.
And send his Economic Whizz Kid Dr Harsh to tell the suckers how Ms Bachellette can ruin those dreams of the UNP Dalits becoming Sinhgaporeans, as Dr Rani has advised, if we don’t please Ms Bachelette and the UN…
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Native Vedda / February 29, 2020
KASmaalam K.A. Sumanasekera
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“Dr Rani was lecturing our inhabitants that we should become part of South Hindia under Thamil Nadu, if our Inhabitants want to be like Singaporeans.”
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As far as Hindians are concerned Sri Lanka is the Sinhala state of Hindia (greater Bharat) only North East comes under Thamil Nadu.
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“Bloody Oath Ms Bachellette will put Sanctions .”
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Advise your men to treat their women folks well else strangers and neighbours will feel free to grope your women folks, however in this instance foreigner is trying to grope your men folks. I still believe Dinesh is a male.
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Watch your patriots behaving bravely in Geneva:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=1&v=VuG_OCAF5AQ&feature=emb_logo
Who clothed these thugs in suit?
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By the way where is your other mango friend Dayan?
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Wimpy Kid / March 1, 2020
Vedda,
Who cares what Hindians are concerned?
Ask your relatives in “Dhambana” they will enlighten you.
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Native Vedda / March 2, 2020
Wimpy Kid
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“Ask your relatives in “Dhambana” they will enlighten you.”
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What do you suggest?
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Wimpy Kid / February 29, 2020
It is unlikely that Sri Lanka will be under economic sanctions because worse human rights perpitrators such as Saudi Arabia are enjoying a high status in the world seen.
The Saudi Prince rubs sholders with Donals Trump at world forums.
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Wimpy Kid / February 29, 2020
It is unlikely that Sri Lanka will be under economic sanctions because worse human rights perpitrators such as Saudi Arabia are enjoying a high status in the world seen.
The Saudi Prince rubs sholders with Donald Trump at world forums.
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shankar / February 29, 2020
“After Sri Lanka pulls out of the sponsorship of Regulations 30/1 and 40/1, it may face economic sanctions not to speak of the irreparable damage to its democratic image”
thanga
hope springs eternal in the human breast.As for the LTTE cadres who surrendered and were killed,were they not supposed to bite the bullet,i mean the cyanide capsule?You can’t ask the cadres to do it and the leaders not to do it can you.
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kali / March 1, 2020
Shankar you Gotha lover and LTTE hater you Sinkala
when you see a well written article about yesteryear just enjoy it.Don’t ask for its purpose.however it seems obvious to everyone except paranoid suspicious people that the the author is writing about someone he liked and respected Leopard can change its spots through evolution(darwins theory,not mine)
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shankar / March 1, 2020
kali
i cannot see anything well written in this article.It seems to be by a LTTE lover,Nothing is mentioned about the innocent civilians who were killed,only heaps and heaps of details of LTTE leaders.What the sri lankan government did was wrong by killing them,but my point is leaders cannot tell their followers to do something like biting the cyanide capsule and when it comes to their turn surrender.yes,you are right,the author is writing about someone he liked and respected.He is entitled to his likes and dislikes like any other individual.
AS for calling me a LTTE hater,i don’t think i’am a LTTE or JVP hater.I just call a spade a spade and when they do something wrong i don’t mince my words.
Thanks for calling me sinkalam.It proves i tread the middle path.A centrist with no extremes.I urge you to also get rid of hate and emotions and follow me.hate is like a cancer.It will kill you little by little.Those who live more than 100 are pleasant.
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Jay Chambers / February 29, 2020
Economic sanctions! Balderdash! The world community does not care for dead terrorists and their sympathizers, after a decade from the end of conflict. Today what matters is how Lanka handles the relationship with India, China and USA and to a lesser extent EU. Tell them what they want to hear, but dodge them when it comes to actual implementations. Show the depth of support for nationalism and play the powers and their interests against each other. US under Trump is very reliable when it comes to Lankan interests. Just support US and get help from Israel as necessary. For the most part the EU are toothless tigers you can ignore them too.
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antonX / February 29, 2020
There is a key difference between SA and SL. SA is an oil rich country, therefore they are untouchable.
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antonX / February 29, 2020
Can anyone suggest a different outcome than the one actually happened in the final day of the war? I don’t think there is any. If any one of the 40 ruthless terrorists hadn’t been executed, they could have revived the terrorism and more than 40000 innocent civilians could have lost their lives in the last 10yrs to date.
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Pooja Ajai / March 1, 2020
How long you people are going to talk aboutto war crims and human rights? What are you trying to achive her Mr. THANGAVELU???? Past is a past, war is a war, why we need human rights in first place? Who are these people? All are foreign group of idiots form a commission no where, human rights, ask them to go to middle east country to talk about human rights …. they will cut their throat and send them off, why people like you cant move forward for the betterment of Sri Lanka? Because of LTTE we are 30 year far behind, let us live peacefully at least now, we are living with Sinhalese people now with a harmony, you left sri lanka,.and now you may a citizen of another country so please shut your.mouth.and retire, and let the next generation to have a good life, dont dick the past… past is a past you cant bring anything back, understand that. Tamil people.like you cant live in.any country peacefully, you people.are trouble makers, by the way am.a.hindu.and am.a jaffna tamil,.and im currently.living in Sri Lanka, so.Mr. Thangavelu, please calm down and move forward, it’s unnecessary for you to discuss on what is.going in Sri Lanka. We are having a peaceful.life, I think you better enjoy your retired life, if you dont have anything to do grow some vegetables in your garden, im a proud Sri Lankan
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Punchi Point / March 6, 2020
Dear Pooja, These Tamils who have left the country do not care about anybody but themselves. They want to prove to the world that they had a reason to go asylum shopping and to justify and legitimise their presence in the western countries. If another war starts its we who live here who will pay a high price. Don’t let another drop of innocent Tamil blood spill for some fanatical wish for a separate Tamil state. That will never happen as long as even a single Sinhalese live. We must forget all the bad and unite as children of the same mother and work for a better future. At the end of the day its the good what we do that matters, not what language we speak or when and how we got here.
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Native Vedda / March 3, 2020
antonX
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“If any one of the 40 ruthless terrorists hadn’t been executed, they could have revived the terrorism and more than 40000 innocent civilians could have lost their lives in the last 10yrs to date.”
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I am yet to meet a sensible Sri Lankan.
You are not the one who can enlighten us with all your baggages.
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“Can anyone suggest a different outcome than the one actually happened in the final day of the war?”
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Have you considered all the avenues, alternatives, game theory,
Sama Dhana Pedha and finally Dhanda,
evacuating the people by Red Cross in the presence of UN, …. ?
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Wimpy Kid / March 1, 2020
Saudi Arabia is a US puppet
Who knows Sri Lanka may be haveing some thing more valuable than oil.
USA has more than enough oil to last the next 50 years. Oil is no longer a deciding facter for US.
After that they will be transitioning to 100% renewables.
Human rights is only a bargaining chip for US.
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Native Vedda / March 3, 2020
antonX
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“There is a key difference between SA and SL. SA is an oil rich country, therefore they are untouchable.”
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So is this island, where we have 300,000 odd Rana-Viruses who can meet any challenges from within or without, enjoy impunity, …. willing to commit war crimes, crime against humanity, ………….. run many departments usually maanned by civilians, now getting used to traffic control, cwod control, ……… they too are untouchables. You must be very proud of them.
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Ascot Dexter / March 1, 2020
This Tangavelu fellow was the operations head of LTTE wing spying on civilian to find pro government sympathizers and pass it to the LTTE political wing so they will dispatch the killer group to destroy them.
This SOB now shedding crocodile tears and talks about human rights.
It’s a pity, this monster who caused so much misery by passing false information to LTTE killers and sending few thousand of innocents civilians to bite the dust.
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Citizen Silva / March 1, 2020
Ascot D
Western governments should weed out these parasites.
Without playing politics with the help of terrorists.
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Piyadasa Yalagala / March 3, 2020
For what reasons that we as nation face for” Economic sanction” by Human rights commission….of Geneva of Swiss federation of govt.
Which is that the ridiculous position of UNO-Human rights commission?
Having all rights to exercise their sovereignty of People by elected govt. is that banding duty of responsibilities of elected representatives system of Government combats against Terrorist of Tamils was right cause of majority people of island.
By Fought and combates against Terrorism of Tamil’s anarchist in North -east is of that prime duty of safeguard of democracy form of governance?
We ever-never invade any country or nation? Or Tamil Nadu!@
But Tamils of merciniers an invaded North-eastern part of Island by Gun point of back TNA and their proxies of LTTE by 30 years War.
We ended WAR footing gun rule by LTTE=TNA politics by that is accountability to democracy of People of Islandres .
Our stand was correct ,that was Just WAR against Tamil invaders being to an island from by outside intervention.. by an .invisible foreign-Powers .
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Punchi Point / March 6, 2020
Tamils think that the US cares about Tamils and human rights and that’s why the US has imposed the travel ban on army commander Silva. Stupid Tamils.
BTW you people have had over 10 years to make a list of the socalled genocided Tamils. Where is it? Are we to just believe that 40,000 Tamil civilians just died without a trace? Where are their names? Who are they? Didn’t these dead Tamils have any names? Why not make that list before you demand foreign judges to come here? Or are we to face trial based on estimates and guesses of anonymous dead people with anonymous witnesses? ! This is a joke. The world is facing so many problems and conflicts and daily people are dying and here the Tamils are wasting valuable time and resources of the UN with their lies and exaggerations demanding that they do some majour hair splitting inquiries into which shot went where who saw it and who was near it etc etc. The whole affair is nothing but a comedy.
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Punchi Point / March 6, 2020
Thangevlu, What needs to be investigated is how all these Tamils came here. The conflict zone where the last phase of the war was fought i.e north east Killinochichi and Mullaitivu are the least populated areas of the island, but suddenly it seems that they had become more populated than districts even in the wet-zone. According to the census of 1946, in 1946 Pachchilappalai-Karachchi and Punakari-Tunukkai D.R.O divisions (without south Tunukkai which had been incorporated into Mullaitivu in 1978) of the then Jaffna district which became Killinochchi district in 1984 had just 12,746 people. If we take 2000 as the population in south Tunukkai division then it was just 10,746 people in the whole of present day Killinochchi district in 1946. Even if assume that all of them were Tamils, how did the Tamil population numbers explode to hundreds of thousands in that area, especially given that over half of the Tamils had gone asylum shopping in the west and also the supposed genocide! Stupid Tamils and their claims and accusations do not have any basis in reality. They go on and on about what that one and this one had said or estimated, without giving the names of the killed. So what we are actually facing is international judges, passing judgement on anonymous (read: imaginary) dead people with anonymous witnesses! In other words what we are actually facing is kangaroo courts with kangaroo judges with anonymous kangaroo witnesses to serve the sick ethnic jealousy and animosity of the Tamil fanatics like you.
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Boralugoda Chikis / March 6, 2020
It is not sri lanka may be imposed sanctions, the proper idea of the writer is sri lanka must be imposed ssnctions.
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