Sri Lanka’s foreign policy seemed to be in crisis, with President Maithripala Sirisena breaking protocol to write a letter to US President Elect Donald Trump.
Over the weekend, Sirisena announced that he was seeking Trump’s assistance to pressure the United Nations Human Rights Council to drop war crimes charges against the Sri Lanka military. However, as per protocol such letters can only be written by the Foreign Minister of a country. “Therefore, it appears that either the country’s foreign policy is in crisis, or Sirisena is bypassing standard protocol applied,” a source said.
Addressing an event in Galle on Saturday, Sirisena said that it was because of him that the soldiers and even former President Mahinda Rajapaksa was saved from war crimes charges, because he acted swiftly and took necessary measures to send out the required ‘messages’ which resulted both the Unites States and even the UN Human Right Council granting lenience to Sri Lanka over the war crimes charges.
“I will ask Donald Trump to free us from these war crimes accusations. I want my country to be cleared completely from all the war crimes charges,” he said. However, during the final leg of the war in 2009, during which the UN accused the military of killing approximately 40,000 civilians, Sirisena was the acting Defence Minister, as Rajapaksa who officially holds the defence ministry portfolio was overseas.
Sirisena also added that he will make a similar appeal to the Antonio Guterres, the incoming Secretary-General of the United States, requesting his assistance to help Sri Lanka be free of war crimes charges.
During a meeting in September, Sirisena told visiting United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to give him ‘more time’ to achieve reconciliation. “I told the United Nations Secretary General that as the country has just come out of a conflict; we need time to move slowly. So I asked him to give me some time,” Sirisena told the media following the meeting.
Last year, Sri Lanka announced its co-sponsorship of the US-sponsored resolution. In 2015 September, by co-sponsoring the UN Human Rights Council’s (UNHRC) Resolution titled ‘Promoting Reconciliation, Accountability and Human Rights in Sri Lanka’ the Sirisena government made a promise to Sri Lankans and to the international human rights community that this government will take genuine efforts for reconciliation. The Resolution emphasizes on the importance of consultative and participatory methods that include incorporating views of all relevant stakeholders to guarantee the effectiveness of the proposed Transitional Justice mechanisms.
Rajash / November 29, 2016
I think My3 should break 1000 coconuts for Trump and UN to drop the war crime allegations.
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Simon De Silva / November 29, 2016
Meaning not that he has to join hand with most known coconut smashers – JOIN THIRISANNU OPPOSITION ?
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Samuel Jayaweera / November 29, 2016
Western world is posing the question if there are prima facie evidences to prove someone may have gone wrong, why the successive authorities under the lead of Mr Sirisena has not given yet green light to court cases. They have been waiting to see that the justice is being served as promised in election pledges.
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Analyst / November 29, 2016
Our President has become the Pawn to all the Racists of the country.
The Expat Sinhala Racists from Canada, Australia, America, UK, Singapore , Middle East and so on ,Sirisena’s life is in their hands.
His action and movement had been tightened and cornered by these Racists.
Srilankan leaders depends on their votes , advice and threats as well.
Wait for another war and destruction while the prelates continue to narrate their Dhamma as though nothing is wrong in the country, while we all know THEY ARE THE CAUSE OF ALL THESE DISASTROUS INNACTION.
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Nimal / December 1, 2016
These expats are people settled in those countries claiming refugee status, gone as employee of high commissions and embassies. Western countries are too generous to them in in return they condemn the hosts, hallucinate about our unknown history and culture and never attempt to assimilate with the host communities. They are a pain and some stoke up religious and communal hatred back home without contributing to the country.
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Antany Peter / November 29, 2016
It’s an embarrassment for Sri Lanka. Surely, President Maithripala Sirisena broke the protocol for nothing. Above all, he has no idea how the US foreign policy works. Generally speaking, the US foreign policy doesn’t change as the developing countries’ foreign policy changes when the leadership changes. Sri Lanka is not ruling Asia or the world. Therefore, highly unlikely the Trump administration would listen to President Maithripala Sirisena.
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Samuel Jayaweera / November 29, 2016
I dont think so. I believe, all is well planned by now.
Any of his revealations are not just evasive speeches.
Wait and see, how it will develop to all unexpected ends in the days to come.
Now with the new party being mobilised by Basil with Athigaru being away from it – is no good time at all the President of the SLFP to go against MR. I see the light at the end of tunnel in terms of getting all these men caught sooner than later.
Also they the UNPrs have been making every effort to reveal what they got from Dubai and other banks in terms of the alleged sums of former VVIP family.
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Silva / November 29, 2016
This is a continuation of Sirisena’s childish and cheap populist political antics. Who the hell is Trump to shelve a UNHRC resolution? What power does he have to interfere with UN? On the other hand Sirisena has belittled SL by making such immature and unstatesmanly request. On the other hand this childish request, if materialized, would leave a cause and seed for further discontent, complaint and anger on the part of Tamils and Indians to further press on for a solution to the so called ethnic conflict because SL has evaded and bypassed the solution with the collusion of US’s Trump! It is an indication even the President of SL is prone to underhand and corrupt practices. The due procedure would have been to face the issue at the highest forum in the world and solve it then and there forever! With amateurish, unprofessional and unqualified dimwit politicians like Sira the world would never be short of chronic problems that become seeds of war, suffering and degradation.
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Leelawathie / November 29, 2016
Yes you may be right.
Anyways in terms of the transfer that he added in the speech – should be real facts.
And why he just adds them as no other leaders do, instead he could already direct all the powerful men in lanken lawful bodies to investigate and punish the alleged wihtout further delay.
Today
1) There are cases of the kind where HUGE sums of the tax payers are abused to a manner as no other regimes did before – by former MR administration – most of them are connected with proofs and those documents are availabe
2) There are also cases of murder, abductions, rapes, about which proofs are no availabe.
BUT BOTH THESE TWO CATEGORIES OF CASES BRING NO CONVICTIONS.
As anyone with a bird brain would see it right – category 1) above should LONG have been finalized with the due convictions: WHY THOSE TOO to STAY as the Category 2 is NO means COMPHREHESIBLE if we are no mad.
Can anybody please explain me what you guys think the reasons behind all these ?
PRESIDENT IS ALSO TRYING TO BE ONE OF US – AS IF HE HAS NO EXCUTIVE POWERS VESTED ON HIM ??????????????????????????????????????????????????
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Vanguard / November 29, 2016
You have to admire him, he was not afraid to stand up to his former boss, now he is trying to save them both. Bravo!
A true fighter like our Ranaviru soldiers. I mean who want war crimes?
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Kumarathasan Rasingam / November 29, 2016
This shows very clearly that he is trying to protect the War Criminals and Mahinda family from prosecution. This is a damn shame to Sri Lankans and those who voted for him on his promise that he will eradicate corruption and implement rule of law and justice.
Ranl & My3 trying to protect Mahinda, Why; a million dollar question.
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Nuwan / November 29, 2016
Answer to that my friend is democracy. It is not about protecting Mahinda. It is about protecting what he allegedly stood for. It is still political suicide if you try to jail soldiers for war crimes. If MR is ever prosecuted that would almost immediately make him a god among the living. This is not what the current government expects.
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Justice & Fairplay / November 30, 2016
Nuwan,
Yours is an absolute load of tosh.
No civilized country works in that way.
If that is the case, why have Laws prevailing?
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Samitha / November 29, 2016
WHAT A PATHETIC LOSER
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Simon De Silva / November 29, 2016
why pathetic ?
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Samuel Jayaweera / November 30, 2016
May I please correct it to pathological ? That fits most.
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Non PhD / November 29, 2016
Was it MR who appointed Karuna as a Minister and the Vice President of the SLFP ? Why was he given a diplomatic passport in 2007 to vist UK ? Who gave him the diplomatic passport ?
Why has not GL Peries & Basil recruited Karuna to their newly formed party ?
It is time for Karuna, MR and MR & Co to make confessions in the interest of the future of the country.
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Leelawathie / November 30, 2016
It is easier if you posed the question.
Where had MR gone NOT wrong ?
Do you think that Prez Obama would take part in official state visit after his successor take over in January ? No:::: crystal clear
But in Srilanka like in Zimbabwe old man, former Prez MR is longing to travel to China or anywhere…. this alone says everything RIGHT ?
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A democrat from USA / November 30, 2016
I would like to see what the FM Mangal Samaraweer say about this SL’s 180 degree ‘turn around’ in foreign policy. He may say it is not the country’s policy but president’s personal idea? (Another joke by Yahapalans)?
Here many who comment talk about ‘war criminals’ and ‘rapists’. Please remember SL president is planning to speak to the Republican President-elect of the United States of America. He doesn’t base his policies on what Media, UN pundits or the so-called international community utter (but never practice). He knows how they level allegations against people who work hard like him and that they are mostly media jokes.
He has logical reasons to believe so! Doesn’t he? Which media, or which UN top pundits, or the so-called international community say anything in favor of his candidacy? NONE! Zero!!
President Donald Trumph is a billionaire and he cannot be so if he had/has a short memory! He should have the complete file about Prez Siri, PM RW, and the cunning behavior of the Tiger diasp-hora, and how they all raced to embrace Hillary Clinton as their imaginary president-elect. And also Donald Trumph knows that, when it did not happen, these cunning men turn around and try to praise him. He also knows well that they all did it for personal gains and not with any love towards the people of Sri Lanka.
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Dr.Rajasingham Narendran / November 30, 2016
Gnanasara has called for a rally in Batticaloa on 3rd December’2016, praised the efforts of ‘Mad Monk’ there and declared that he will obstruct the promulgation of a new constitution, from a Buddhist temple.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=3ytdLj8JXMc&feature=youtu.be
The worst of what he probably said has been garbled in this video.
What action does the President cum defense Minister take to stop this rally or prevent it turning violent?
Can we assume that the policemen of all ranks, who respect/ fear these unseemly characters more than the law they are trained and paid to uphold, will do their duty? Will the Oresident issue the necessary orders- to prevent violence- by word and deed? Will the police seek judicial orders to ban the rally? If the worst happens, will they arrest Gnanasara and Sumanarate- the yellow robed thugs?
Mr. President, the proof of the pudding is not in words, but in actually eating it!
Dr.RN
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Sam Fernando / November 30, 2016
No doubt Rajaakshes are behind that. Lanken intelligence should be well alert on all these. I think we now need to train regional intelligence services to see what sabotage tasks are being planned by MR rabid dogs to return or grab power to their hands.
Yesterday, Uni students were made instrumental to protest again the current budget. Opinion polls say, over 71% believe that newly elected party sympathisers and JO are abusing the innocient students. Some believe some 10-15% of UNPrs are doing it. Anyways, this is the reality in this country.
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Sama / November 30, 2016
Dr. RN,
Did you know that Mahinda Jarapakshe visited Mangalaramaya on the 11 Nov 2016 – shortly before that Mad Monk -Sumanya went amok provoking that tamil gramasevaka tthat way ?
No ANY news senders released any visuals on his visit. I think MEDIA mafia control every side by now.
Even JVPrs dont add their thoughts being biased to Hiru and Derana. They seek publicity.
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Silentbuddhist / November 30, 2016
WE NEED TO BREED NEW KIND OF MEN TO ATTACK BBS-THE KIND OF AGGRESSIVE MONKS.
There are tactics being applied in Agricultural Entamology. They breed new kind of coconut beetle to fight against the harmful beetles. Even in Microbiology, they do breed new kind of bacterias which can be no harmful but have the potential to destroy the harmful ones.
Very same tacts should be applicable in taming and shaping BBS dogs, we need to mobilize normal average thinking monks but they are more powerful in terms of outreaching the buddhist mind sets.
If BBS dogs would go on protests, those average monks too should go on protest against the bbs or the kind of aggressive ones.
We perfectly know there are more of gentle sort of non-violent supporting monks and their supportive buddhist in this country. For various reasons, they have been the silent majority in the population. If latter would join hand with leading good monks, we can control BBS or any other violent forces emerging in this country.
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Dr,Rajasingham Narendran / November 30, 2016
Mr.President,
Are yo aware that ‘ Mad Monk and ‘Yellow robed thug’ Sumanaratne has lregistered a complaintagainst MR. Amal Viyalendran, the MP for Batticaloa, over the incident at Arasaiyadi, Pankudaveli , Senkaladi, Batticaloa, where the so-called monk trespassed land contravening court orders and behaved obnoxiously in police presence. If not for the MP- decent, hardworking and honest man- there would have been riot that day. The police have in turn called the MP for an inquiry.
What action did the police take against the so-called monk, over the incident they witnessed ?
Is this the Yahapalanaya you promised to usher? What is transpiring is public and multiple rape of the law!
Dr.RN
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SinhalaPropaganda / November 30, 2016
Sinhala terrorists are begging their imperialist White masters to help them protect their genocidal war criminals. Maybe Drumpf will side with them given he wants to “take out” the families of Muslim terrorists.
In the so-called thrice blessed land of Buddha, there’s no enlightenment, only mass graves filled with victims of state terrorism. Sexual predators and mass murderers are let to roam free among civilian populace, who knows what they will do next, when they are already intoxicated with blood lust.
What does this say about the Sinhala nation when they protect and celebrate war criminals and tolerate culture of impunity for looters, rioters, torturers, sadists, sexual predators, rapists and mass murderers?
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Thanga / December 1, 2016
Even if you wash a crow in the Ganges, you cannot change its colour. Likewise, President Sirisena is a die-hard Sinhala nationalist not second to Mahinda Rajapaksa. Both are birds of the same feather. Both belong to the same SLFP founded by SWRD Bandaranaike. Where they differ is in tactics not in the overall strategy. While Rajapaksa is brutish, President Sirisena is benign. Both compete with each other to deny the Tamils their right to be treated as equal citizens. Suffice to say 7 years after the end of the war, the Sri Lankan army (99% Sinhalese) is in occupation 70% of private lands taken over during the war in the North. In the Jaffna peninsula alone 971 families displaced in 1990 following army offensive in Valikamam North languish in 31 camps
President Sirisena thinks he can play the fool with the UNHCR Resolution 30/1 adopted by the Human Rights Council on October 01, 2015 promoting reconciliation, accountability and human rights in Sri Lanka. He has given expression that he is opposed to foreign judges. The plea that Sri Lanka is a sovereign state and, therefore it can act the way it pleases, has never succeeded in providing a cover against genocide, ethnic cleansing, war crimes and crimes against humanity.
Clause 6 of the Resolution stated ” It Welcomes the recognition by the Government of Sri Lanka that accountability is essential to uphold the rule of law and to build confidence in the people of all communities of Sri Lanka in the justice system, notes with appreciation the proposal of the Government of 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 UNHRC resolution 30/1 is binding on the Sri Lankan state, especially after GoSL co-sponsored the resolution. The resolution was adopted without a vote, that is, it was a unanimous decision. The resolution called for a hybrid investigation into human rights violations that occurred during the war and punish those who are found guilty of crimes. It applies not only to crimes committed by the Sinhala army but also crimes committed by the LTTE. President Sirisena is trying to absolve the entire army personnel of any wrong doing. In other words he is claiming the army did not commit any war crimes. They are all white as lily completely without fault or blame.
If this is a fact President Sirisena should tell the UNHRC as to the fate of the following 41 top rung LTTE cadres who surrendered to the army at Vadduvaakal on May 18th evening who are missing now. There were several witnesses like their spouses, relatives and friends who saw them being taken in CTB buses. They were told by the soldiers that the LTTE cadres were wanted for a short inquiry and they will be released soon.
Incidentally, President Sirisena was the acting Defence Minister during the first 3 weeks of May, 2009 and, therefore, he is the one who has to tell the world the truth and the whole truth of the alleged murders.
(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
The above list is by no means complete.
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justice / December 1, 2016
Sirisena is under massive pressure by the “heroes” to save them from the International Court of Justice.
Hence this idiotic letter to Trump, who may not have even heard about Sri Lanka – he is still selecting his team to govern – & he will get advice if at all about this minor problem from the US diplomats here in Colombo who too will be reading CT articles & comments.
Sirisena is acting like a moron, under threat by the military – and/or, only to please the military, to win the next election.
He is not bothered about what will happen, as long as he survives politically, along with his minions led by Ranil.
He has got the taste of absolute power (and all that goes with it) and is in the process of getting corrupted absolutely.
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Buddhist Taliban From Myanmar / December 2, 2016
I’m a Buddhist from Burma and I must express my solidarity with my Buddhist brothers in Lanka in their quest for justice against all sort of slander and vilification by evil imperialist and terrorist forces.
I must also thank them for teaching us the final solution to the ethnic question. We are today enacting similar policies against Muslim terrorists from Bangladesh.
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Watcher / December 3, 2016
Do not expect Presidential decisions or actions from a Gramasevaka.
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Truth / December 3, 2016
All Heads of Government are establishing direct links with the Trump administration. President Maithripala has acted wisely in drawing the attention of the Trump Administration to the harassment of Sri Lanka by the Clinton/Obama administration in the UNHCR.
The anti-Terrorist Trump administration is likely to view the request favourably, as their policy is non-interference in the inner affairs of other countries.
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