19 March, 2024

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Sri Lanka Says Request To UN High Commissioner To Undertake Independent Investigation Is A Partisan Politicised Agenda

Ambassador Aryasinha says “request to the Office of the High Commissioner to undertake a comprehensive independent investigation reflective of partisan politicised agenda”

RavinathaSri Lanka’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations in Geneva, Ambassador Ravinatha Aryasinha responding to the High Commissioner’s Report on Sri Lanka, informed the UN Human Rights Council on 26th March 2014 that rather than encourage and support the ongoing reconciliation process in Sri Lanka, as well as the constructive engagement Sri Lanka continues to maintain with the Council, it was ironic that the draft resolution on Sri Lanka being mooted by some members of this Council, is reflective of the same partisan politicised agenda through its request to the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) to undertake “a comprehensive independent investigation”. Assistance to this process by third party ‘experts’ whose mandate and credentials are far from clear; and its deliberate exclusion of a significant part of the duration of the terrorist conflict from the period under investigation via the introduction of a particular time frame, would be both precedent setting and prejudicial to the interests of all member and observer states of this Council in the future.

Responding on behalf of the Sri Lanka to the 25th Session of the Human Rights Council on the High Commissioner’s Report, Ambassador Aryasinha said, the Government of Sri Lanka has consistently and with good reason rejected previous resolutions on Sri Lanka proposed by the US, which have emanated from a politicized process and mandate, and without the consent of the country concerned, and would do so again. He said, Sri Lanka reiterates that any action taken in the promotion and protection of human rights of a country must have the consent of that country.

Ambassador Aryasinha drew attention to the trajectory that has emerged with regard to the recommendation contained in Report of the UN High Commissioner reflects “the preconceived, politicized and prejudicial agenda which has been relentlessly pursued with regard to Sri Lanka”. He said politicized processes will only impede the delicate balance of the ongoing reconciliation process in Sri Lanka, as well as the constructive engagement Sri Lanka has continued to maintain with the Council.

While pointing out to a clear lack of mandate and pre-conceived nature of its recommendations, he said his delegation was “surprised by the numerous errors and misperceptions contained in the draft report on Sri Lanka” which was despite the High Commissioner and her team having undertaken a comprehensive, week-long visit to Sri Lanka during which time they were provided with unfettered access to study first hand the situation on the ground. Expressing “deeply concern” at such glaringly erroneous information in a Report of this nature, he said, “one would have expected that the OHCHR to have undertaken a more stringent scrutiny of facts”. Pointing out to a deviation from last year on the OHCHR refusing to accede to Sri Lanka’s request to publish as an “Addendum” to the Report, the “Comments” of Sri Lanka on the High Commissioner’s Draft Report as done in 2013, he said it demonstrated the disregard to established precedent which seriously impeded the visibility and integrity of subject between the two documents.

Read the full response here

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Latest comments

  • 5
    9

    A biased international investigation that will blame the casualties of the tiger human shield on the military can be used to blackmail the political leadership into giving a self governing authority to North and East. This is exactly what the tigers were hoping for when they were keeping the Tamil civilians by force as their shield.

    • 5
      1

      Who is biased? We in Sri Lanka has proven evidence to show that Sri Lankan justice system, Sri Lankan Government, Sri Lankan military are biased. It is not only against Tamils but also with Sinhalese including the military commander who lead the war against LTTE,the chief justice who made a judgment against unlawful activities, a journalist who raised corruption, and so on. None of the criminals who burnt Jaffna library was brought under justice, none of the thugs who burnt innocent civilians in Colombo in 1958,1977, 1983 was brought under the justice system, the criminals who drilled eyes of a prisoners or 58 political prisoners killed inside the prison by Sinhala did not brought under justice system. The people of whole country are now used as human shield by a criminal family and none other than international investigation can bring justice to all victims of crimes.

      • 2
        2

        The biased are the ones who said that Saddam Hussein possessed weapons of mass destruction and invaded it, the biased are the ones who divided Yugoslavia into 6 using war crimes charges against Milosevic, the biased are the ones who supported Pinochet so western companies can plunder the resources of Chile, biased are the ones who turn an blind eye to the expansion strategies of Israel while questioning our right to defend our own legitimate borders, biased are the ones who instructed us to negotiate with terrorists while they doing the complete opposite, the biased are the ones who instructed us to share Tsunami aids with terrorists. Most of all the biased are the ones who are interested in having a puppet self governing authority in north of Sri Lankan which they can control to ward off Chinese influence in the Indian Ocean.

        Look mate having the Tamil Eelam is your interest and west’s interest but not us.

        • 0
          0

          Don’t evade from the truth. Come to the point of investigation if you can.

    • 0
      0

      Since last night – election campaign are ended but the JATHIYE MEEHARAKA
      – Nation´s wild buffloe- Mahinda Rajapakshe will break the law for their sake to grab the votes of the poor of the poor.
      This will be a reality, please guys, you will see it tomorrow on the TV.
      This man knows no code of conduct.

      Anura KD of JVP raised the issue, how MR travelled to a drug kin pin of his close confindentiality visited by a helicopter after the police immeidately was making all efforts to corner him.
      See – this country is run by DRUG DEALING supporter. May be these are the additional income bringing Rajapakshe commercial links.
      So people of this country would relect his men again – is a biggest JOKE for all of us.

    • 0
      0

      In retrospect, we see, some even not reached the absymal level of governance of Mahinda Rajapakshe- but instead ballot, their future were decided by bullets, but the luck of current man in power – though become 10000000000000000000000000 times more abusive than late Premadasa, to allow his life – is a great question for many.

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        Whether people care enough about local news to pay for it is, sadly, an entirely different question than whether our democracy requires a strong watchdog function at the local level to ensure safeguards against abuse, chicanery, and outright dishonesty.

        Eric Alterman

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  • 6
    5

    Now on we can start shooting the messenger :(

    As many analysts pointed them out, had the govt taken previous resolutions very serious, this time, we could have achieved a lot.
    So long stupid topleadership would not see their failurse, nothing will work on this areas for good of the nation.

    People should finally get the message and remove the man from ruining the nation further. He is not worth to give lead to cattle farm.

    • 4
      6

      At least the west could not push us into complete chaos yet like what they did to Iraq, Libya, Yugoslavia, Sudan, Ukraine and countless more.

      Luckily the naive ones like you are in the opposition.

      • 2
        2

        Believe or not the current regime is clearly the one who brought this issue this far.They always interpret for them and pass it to the gaping poor folks deceiving them.If MR regime made genuine efforts in terms of HR improvments as asked to do so in compliance with world norms, nothing would have gone wrong for this country. Now the bugger is on begging mode cheating the very same folks for robbing their votes in the name of Geneva issue. What kind of imperialistic invasions he has been talking is not clear to anyone.

      • 1
        1

        The Western interference in Sudan was a very good thing, as it prevented the genocidal Arab racist North Sudanese government from continuing to rape and slaughter the Black African Animist and Christian Darfuris..

        Now there is internal conflict in Darfur, but atleast they are not under the racist Arab government of Sudan.

        • 2
          1

          No surprise there from you. You will justify blood baths and complete chaos even in Sri Lanka as long as the Tamil Eelam is established here. You will claim that loss of human lives and economic destruction is justified because Tamils are not under racist Sinhalese anymore.

          You will do this while living quite loyally in a western country that has no Tamil specific privileges like you demand here in SL.

          • 0
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            Your allusion to a hypothetical bloodbath is a non starter of an argument because what proof do you have there is ever going to be a bloodbath. The only bloodbath in recent memory was by GOSL.

            The separation of Sudan into Sudan and South Sudan is morally that Sinahala governments and the masses yearn to genocide the Tamils.

            The largest bloodbath in Sri lanka is by the Sinhalese against the Tamils. If we compared GOSL’s war behavior in 2009 to other recent conflicts around the world, the deliberate shelling and slaughter of tens of thousands of civilains in 2009 stands out as distinct for its shear scale of deliberate civilian slaughter for a given military operation.

            There never was a unified nation encompassing the entire island before the White man created it. There was always separate Tamil and Sinhala kingdoms.

            With Sinhalese of your mentality, there can’t be any safety or peace for Tamils, because you will always try to destroy Tamils by various means. Your own Sinhala Nationalist President J R Jayawardene said that Sinhalese would be happy if he starved the Tamils.

            GOSL is not the government of all Sri Lankans, it is the government of Sinhala Buddhist Chauvinism.

            In the future you Sinhala Nationalists will come to regret forcefully keeping the Tamil areas under Sinhala control because in your greed to capture all of the island for the Sinhala Nation , you will have none of the island as a Sinhala nation since you will constantly be at loggerheads with the Tamil population. It is a bit like Israel in that Israel by not agreeing to a separate Palestinian nation is forced to contend with a future Israel where Palestinians could become the majority if Israel keeps grabbing more and more land in the West Bank. You should learn form the Malaysia and Singapore situation where the former allowed the later to breakaway in a bid to keep Malaysia the Malay Muslim nation.

  • 6
    3

    Why now ? earlier you all claimed no violations made by SL gov and troops

  • 7
    6

    “Assistance to this process by third party ‘experts’ whose mandate and credentials are far from clear; and its deliberate exclusion of a significant part of the duration of the terrorist conflict from the period under investigation via the introduction of a particular time frame, would be both precedent setting and prejudicial to the interests of all member and observer states of this Council in the future.”

    Well said Ambassador. Navi Pillay has now opened a can of worms. The glaring injustice in limiting the time frame so as to cover LTTE’s war crimes and the danger it poses to the future of international order, as succinctly stated by Mr. Aryasinha, is not going to go unnoticed by all fair-minded and independent people around the world. This reckless action by the powerful against a small nation is worse than what the LTTE did and may well unravel even the little “order” still left in the international system.

    • 5
      4

      This may well be a trap. This year they will restrict the time frame from 2002 to 2009. Next year around the time frame will be extended to 1990 to carefully cover IPKF and try to equate the LTTE and Sri Lankan military.

      In the end there is no LTTE leadership left to answer for the crimes except Karuna, Pillayan and KP who have given up the separatist demands. They can effectively take revenge from the military for defeating the terrorists and also on those who they deem as traitors for giving up separatist demands.

      • 2
        4

        Ravinatha Aryasinha is a Sinha-lame [Edited out] whose barking for a bone from MR. You two fanny flaps Liberal and tNob-raider better lay on top of each other and do what Sinhala Army does to dead bodies.

  • 9
    3

    The Rajapakse regime has lost all credibility, however much Mr Ariyasinghe paints a rosy picture of the situation in Sri Lanka.
    If the country is to progress, the Rajapakse regime must be ousted by the Lankan population or by the International Community.
    Even when the resolution in Geneva, the atrocities committed on the Tamil people, show a total disregard of the views of the International Community and the Resolution that will be passed in a couple of days.

  • 6
    5

    Whether it is politicized or polarized, international impartial investigation is a must for this country because the nation and its politics being robbed by a family authoritarian rule. The current President of Sri Lanka is the first person who invited United Nations to hold an international impartial investigation and now the time has come to investigate the crimes against humanity that was going on for six decades under the Sinhala Buddhist governance. The investigation can start from the latest to backwards 2014 to 1958 or start from the earliest to latest from 1958 to 2014.

    The investigation is not against the Nation as a whole or people as a whole. it should focus on the top of the command who is responsible for developing the strategies and policies of genocide, war crimes and human rights violations.

    • 3
      5

      Those who tried to partition this country along racial lines using violence got what they deserve. Leadership only did what the nation asked.

      • 3
        2

        Liberal One

        “Those who tried to partition this country along racial lines using violence got what they deserve.”

        If not along racial lines how would you like to partition this country without using violence?

  • 4
    2

    An Investigation is urgently needed to bring back Justice to all Citizens. It is the impunity of the regime that is making the top Administrators overlook the urgent need for the Country today. If for any reason the International Community neglects the long suffering of minorities in Sri Lanka, it will open up a series of violence and tyranny all around the world. What is happening in Sri Lanka is a continuous annihilation of a race and is now at its climax. After occupying the lands of the minority now it is difficult for the rulers to give up this golden opportunity to complete its pogrom without much attention from the IC. Violence and killing using LTTE armed struggle as excuse to completely annihilate Tamils from Sri Lanka. The world can very well see how even after two UN resolutions, Sri Lanka is adamently bent on using LTTE again to continue with its pogrom. The investigation is independent and all the points Sri Lanka is giving will not go unheard in an independent investigation. So please go ahead and bring Justice to Sri Lanka as a good example for the rest of the world.

    • 2
      4

      If anything our military put a stop to Tamils killing Tamils by sacrificing their limbs and our tax money.

      • 2
        2

        [Edited out] Liberal [Edited out]. You don’t sound very liberal at all. Where and how do you pay tax can you please tell? About Tamils killing Tamils what do you mean Tamils killing Tamils? You meant the Sinhalese who started murdering Tamils in the early 80’s? Why don’t you be clear on how the war started? Tigers were created cos of the racist Sinhalese who went on killing Tamils and robbing their businesses. Your Sinhala military men are good for raping dead bodies and bumming each others.

      • 3
        2

        Liberal One

        “If anything our military put a stop to Tamils killing Tamils by sacrificing their limbs and our tax money.”

        When is the army going to stop killing its own people?

        • 2
          3

          It is stopped. The whole island is at peace now, for once remove your self hating glasses and look at Sri Lanka.

          • 1
            2

            Liberal One

            “It is stopped.”

            It didn’t, the armed forces are on paid vacation now.

            There have been intermittent respite from killing since 5th April 1971. It does not mean the armed forces have given up their sole purpose, and turned into Buddha’s followers/disciples.

            Their sole purpose is to kill, loot, rape, maim, ……..their own people, but they would not dare fighting an invading IPKF. You have the right mindset to join them.

  • 3
    2

    As we speak the Sinhalese Buddhists led by their monks want skin Muslim leaders alive. No action is being taken against these criminals by the government. How can we Muslims and other minorities live here in peace. We certainly need international protection. Aryasingha cannot pull the wool over eyes any more. There is NO effort taken by government regarding accountability and reconciliation. Situation here is getting worse by the day.

    • 1
      1

      Do what you always do Razeek. You muslims [Edited out] You should lift ya azz up and pray towards Mahinda Jarapassa, that may get Muslims out of any trouble.

  • 1
    2

    Where is genocide, Tamil referendum, international investigations in the resolution?

    Tamils have been fooled again.

    Everyone fools Tamils.

    • 1
      2

      As long as the diaspora gravy train keeps rolling in the west will give lip service to Tamils. A hard hitting conclusive resolution will not only derail the gravy train but will make it tough to get support from member countries.

  • 2
    0

    Ambaassador Aryansinghe’s well dramatised ire at the UNHRC resolution is quite lamentable.

    He talks about an ongoing reconciliation process in Sri Lanka. Mr Aryasinghe is either silly or impervious to the truth on the ground in Sri Lanka. There is no ongoing reconciliation. In the contrary all what the government does(enhancing the iron grip the military has in Tamil areas by giving the armed forces police powers as well)or ignores(attacks on mosques and churches)are counter to reconciliation.

    There is no point crying foul Mr Aryasinghe, I am sure in your sober moments even you will admit that what Mahinda Rajapaksa has bestowed on us after the so called war of liberation is an unruly, utterly corrupt,nepotistic and violent social order where the rule of law is the rule of the jungle.

    • 0
      0

      BBS rep @,
      I WONDER WHAT WOULD NATION´S PUNDIT DAYAN JAYATHILAKA HAS ON THESE STATEMENTS.

  • 1
    0

    A desperate last ditch attempt by the Rajapaksa mouthpiece to save the regime from war crime investigations. The whole democratic world is against you and you can’t see it because of your blinkered eyes. China and Russia ain’t gonna save you this time. The end is nigh for the war criminals!

  • 1
    2

    Some talk like they own the whole world. They don’t even have a country.

    • 2
      0

      Some think they were born to lions according to Mahawamsa, but the truth they were born to wild boars. Lalitha you Sinhalame [Edited out], stop grunting here and do some work in the kitchen.

      • 1
        2

        Typical Tamil mentality.
        Tamil women take note, good luck with Elam!

  • 0
    1

    [Edited out]

    Please write instead of posting gossip web news – CT

  • 2
    1

    ” He said, Sri Lanka reiterates that any action taken in the promotion and protection of human rights of a country must have the consent of that country.”

    Absolutely NOT!

    The decision on whether to hold war crimes investigations by the international community should not be dependent on GOSL’s authorisation, because GOSL will never allow an independent investigation since GOSL will be implicated in gross human rights violations.

    This is like the farmer requiring the permission of the Fox to conduct an investigation into missing chickens.

  • 1
    0

    The Rajapaksa regime was trying hard to do the same to Ananthi Sasitharan as it did to Mrs Balendran Jeyakumari, but Ananthi is well known to the international community. Plus the situation is getting worse, and a grave danger for the Rajapaksas survival. Therefore, they had to implement a drama to keep Mrs Balendran Jeyakumari silent, and also to bring the LTTE fear factor to increase their votes; plus to justify their foolish actions to the International community. However, their foolish action won’t give that much leverage for the Rajapaksas to manoeuvre internationally in the future. I haven’t reached out to all the countries’ leaders to secure votes for the US backed resolution; because I still prefer to bring a change through the country’s election. I know the West well; therefore, I am hesitating to bring the West inside of the Indian Ocean. I am a victim of the Western tricks; therefore, I don’t mind to give one more chance to the Rajapaksas and let them see what is coming; if they carry-on their stupidity. I don’t know which way the UNHRC voting will go today, let’s wait and see. I am happier to tightening the noose of the Rajapaksas to direct them into the right path and enlightening the average Sri Lankans than bringing the West into the Indian Ocean.

    Minister Mervyn Silva is starting to know what is coming, he cried yesterday after laying the foundation stone for his tomb at the Borella Cemetery. I couldn’t stop laughing :-)

    Here is a one joker call Ven. Kamburugamuwe Vajira Nayake Thera in his sermon said, “Mervyn Silva has, on this occasion, shown what is living and dying. His heart is pure. Through his strength he had made yeoman service to the country and the people. He is a blessed individual, who worships the Buddha daily, and he also worships my late father.”

    In response,this is what our beloved joker and marriage proposer Silva said, “If the Ven. Nayake Thera had told these things after my death, I would not have been able to hear them. But now, in front of my own tomb, I heard it for real. That is a source of great happiness. “The Geneva Conference is going to create a huge setback for us this week. The white man is getting ready for this because he does not know there is death for him.”Kings such as Dutu Gemunu and Parakrama Bahu the Great, have safeguarded our country and developed it. In modern times, it is the great hero called, Mahinda Rajapaksa, who had done that. Now we have to face a group of Geneva white men, who do not know religion and death.”

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