By Young Asia Televsion –
In a few weeks time officials from the United Nations and country representatives will meet in Geneva to assess the progress of countries which have made commitments to the UN on various aspects of Human Rights. The upcoming meeting is officially called the Universal Periodic Review (UPR). There are 3 sessions that take place every year and this time Sri Lanka’s is one of the 16 countries that will be reviewed in its 14th session.
A team from the UN was in Sri Lanka a couple of weeks ago to see how far we have gone to uphold Human Rights and support us. The visit however had different reactions from various segments of society.
Here’s a report on a protest organized by the Jathika Hela Urumaya opposing the visit followed by an interview with Dr. Saravanamutthu of the Centre for Policy Alternatives about the visit and the context in which it was made.
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k-9AytgaaXk
Connections | October 24, 2012
http://connections.youngasia.tv
Grim Reaper / October 3, 2012
I would strongly recommend carpet bombing, starting at Temple Tress where monkeys live.
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Bruno Umbato / October 3, 2012
As long as Grim Reaper does the bombing, it is perfectly ok … It definitely not come under the war crimes … Exactly like LTTE rump’s thinking – They think that the LTTE’s three decades of human rights violations which is the worst in the recent history of the world is nothing to be concerned about …
Dr saravamutthu says at the end “..They may look better, but they feels worse…” approving the words of a person from Jaffna …
Look better … Feels worse ..
This is where exactly the problem lies …. ‘Feeling worse’ when thing are looking better is a something to do with the mind or hidden agenda … Whatever the government does, I do not think this syndrome (feeling worse when things are looking better) would go away if eeellllaam or a path to it not given … One could satisfy ‘wants’ but not ‘desires’ …. One who tries to satisfy ‘desires’ of a adamant selfish group is a damn fool and he had not understood the ‘real problem’ ….
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Soma / October 4, 2012
we are a racist, bigotted people, not just politicos
without that it is impossible to cast aside the natives, replace a language and religion
Tamils not equal, so their grievance is ‘tigerism’ phantom
Beautification only we can do, they are incapable no.
the pahnotm enimy changes a bit from time to time.
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Leela / October 4, 2012
It is obvious that many a one sided complains like Human Rights abuses, War Crimes allegations and etc being made against Rajapakse government is aimed to achieve the same goal that Tamil separatists has been driving since before independence. And that is nothing but Eelam.
We’ve seen an assortment of separatists taking diverse road-maps at different times. Ponnambalam GG removed Ramanathens and the youth of Jaffna Youth council from politics by inciting pure racism among Tamils. But Ponnambalam’s protégé Thantai Chelva jumped separatism by leap when he formed ITAK (Tamil State or separatist party). Soon Chelva’s bogus Ghandian tactic gave way for his followers to demand all Tamil youth take arms and never to lay them down until Eelam is won. And elected Tamils appointed terrorist LTTE and its leader Pirapakaran as their sole representative later. And LTTE had rejected 13A outright and demanded nothing but Eelam.
LTTE had blasted hundreds of human bombs and carried out thousands of assassinations, bloodletting, murder, mayhem and carnage on their way to Eelam. But Westerners, Evangelists, INGOs and NGOs made no complaints to HR council or taken LTTE leaders to any International Court. They merely issued sympathies to victims.
However, such people have been overly vociferous of alleged Human Rights abuses, war crimes and such overloads by Rajapakse government said to carried out at the last days of the war. They keep threatening to punish Rajapakses at International Courts. If Tamils are offered 13A plus and establish Provincial Councils with police, land powers and etc, they would wave ‘war crimes’ charge, so they say. Westerners preach and their paid servants, meaning NGO vultures disseminate such comic.
Neville Ladduwahetty had summarized about 13A eloquently in the Island today: “Sri Lanka needs to be alert to secessionist developments in countries such as UK. with Scotland, Spain with Catalan, Canada with Quebec as well as other parts of the world, and prepare for similar developments in Sri Lanka. These developments are inevitably due to sizeable territorial entities being conferred with devolved political power. This potential for secession exists in Sri Lanka as long as the devolved unit is the Province. Therefore, if Sri Lanka’s territorial integrity is to be safeguarded as recommended by the LLRC, the Province as the devolved unit needs to be replaced with one that is smaller. As for devolved powers under the 13th Amendment, recent experiences (e.g. Divi Naguma Bill), demonstrate that the consent of all the Provinces is needed to empower Local Government and grass roots level units. The procedures involved could prove to be a fetter thereby restricting opportunities to improve governance. The minimum that the Government could do is to revise the Provincial Council Act No. 42 to ensure that for any two or more Provinces to merge it should require not only a poll to be conducted in the Provinces concerned (as currently provided), but also approval of the entire Parliament be sought in order to safeguard the interests of the whole nation, similar to the safeguards in the US Constitution.”
Leela
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Jegath / October 4, 2012
WARNING:Sinhala chauvinist..
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gamini / October 5, 2012
Leela says, ‘We’ve seen an assortment of separatists taking diverse road-maps at different times’. She accuses all Tamils for working towards Tamil Eelam. Soon after Independence did the Tamils ask for homelands? NO! They asked the Tamils to be recognised as equals with the same rights as for others. The successive Sinhalese govts. promised the Tamils but craftily reneged. Leela sees only the Tamil leaders. Why what about the Sinhalese Leaders as SWRD and crowd who played divisive politics as well? Why is Leela blind to that side? Is it convenience or habit? I believe the readers have seen enough Leelas trying to distort History proposing this hackneyed theory trying to blame the Tamils alone, will not work further. It will only appease guys like the Ugly Americans who are supporting the Rajapaksas with a purpose.
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Siva Sankaran Sarma / October 5, 2012
Excellent Leela. The diasparayas are ranting and raving since they can’t come up with any decent rebuttal.
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gamini / October 6, 2012
It appears the Thalaimannar breed of Donkeys, has overtaken the civic minded in this country. So no wonder the rebuttals can not be comprehended. The Undera Demala lot will never see REASON and RATIONALITY.
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Raja / October 7, 2012
you can hide facts. 60 Years of so called independence proved to be slavery for Tamils. Whatever you do, we will achieve Elam only solution as far as Tamisl as concerned.
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Native Vedda / October 9, 2012
Raja
“Whatever you do, we will achieve Elam only solution as far as Tamisl as concerned”.
So have given up on Tamil Eelam.
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Native Vedda / October 9, 2012
Leela
Making and breaking a country is not in the little people’s hand. Breaking a country is impossible if there is no general consensus among the International Community. So is making a country.
So please do blow your own trupet but in muted mode.
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shankar / October 10, 2012
Mr.Leelananda,i suggest you look at that huge emerging country right next door to us before you go with your wandering eye all the way to scotland,quebec,catalan etc.Nehru and SWRD went on different paths on a fork in the road.Nehru went towards devolution and SWRD went towards assimilation.See the results of each one’s actions.India with with many linguistic and ethnic groups united by the thread of devolution and srilanka with a lack of unity resulting in fertile grounds for foreigners to put their foot in to enhance their strategic interest and also a civil war that resulted in the country losing many opportunities and investments that went to other countries permanently.
Even now people like you have not learnt a lesson and still cling on to the SWRD mentality of not giving devolution.How stupid can you get,and you are supposed to be the educated type,then god help us with the uneducated who will just follow people like you like cattle following the leading bull.Keep on learning the same lessons and keep on ruining the future generations prospects,like the way your generation ruined ours forcing us to leave our country for good.From your writings i’am sure that you are a senile old man,and we have to wait patiently for people like you to wither and die so that new modern minded people will emerge to take this country into the 21st century.
As for Dr.Saravanamuttu,another hypocrite shedding crocodile tears for the refugees,when he has not even i am sure gone once to see what is happening to them or tried to collect money to help them.God help us with Leela’s on one side and Sara’s on the other.A country of hypocrites and humbugs who get the leaders and representatives they deserve.
Ps.At least Dr.Sara should have the decency to dress neatly without showing his hairy chest to the rest of the world,the uncultured revolting character creating visual pollution for us.
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Kumaraya / October 3, 2012
The United Nation, The Commonwealth Nations, The International Red Cross failed to stop the massacre of 149,000 civilians in Vanni. Ban ki
moonky knows that the masacre is taking place. Dirty politics, money, women, gem and greedy diplomats and un officials played a important role in the massacre. The tears, curse and weeping of those perished and suffered will haunt these people and their generation for thousands of years. Time of JUDGEMENT is nearing. GOD IS GREAT AND WILL PUNISH EVERYONE INVOLVED IN THIS DIRTY GAME.
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Gowrie / October 3, 2012
“Tens of thousands of civilians died in the final phase of Sri Lanka’s civil war – most of them killed in shelling by government forces, Most civilian casualties in the final phases of the war were caused by government shelling”, not Gowrie saying but the report produced by the UN panel of expert appointed by none other than Mr Ban Ki Monkey says. It wants an independent international investigation into “credible” reports of atrocities committed on innocent civilians. But Mr Moon claims he hasn’t even read the report yet. Why appoint them if he has no intention of reading the report ?… How on earth is this man elected to do this job. Only God knows!..Now this report is lying at the bottom of the security council bin. It will be taken out and dusted if and when it is needed by the US!..Not less than 147,000 innocent Tamils died anonymously in the carnage of the final few days..
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Piranha / October 3, 2012
Dr Sara asked very pertinent questions about the government’s claims on the reduction of the military in the North and the resettlement of the IDPs. The Rajapaksa regime is trying to fool the international community and the UN agencies again and should be forced to prove its claims without being able to deflect them claiming infringemnt of sovereignty. Rajapaksa is not only screwing the tamils he is also screwing the UN, the interenational community and lately the sinhalese people also.
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Joe Ladislaus / October 3, 2012
I wonder if Moon is barking at the moon when he casually postulates that Sri Lanka should work out a political solution to the minorities. He knows that it is an empty rhetoric to counter the immense criticism of the UN coming from many directions. We have a pathetic situation where institutions installed with such astronomical costs to the tax payer not fit for the intended purposes. The UN, and indeed the Commonwealth should puts its shutters down and go home. Let mayhem reign; as it is, without them, without overheads.
UN failed to protect Tamil civilians – Lord Patten
http://www.tamilnet.com/art.html?catid=13&artid=31682
Appointing alleged war-criminals to UN posts, a violation of UN Charter
http://www.tamilnet.com/art.html?catid=13&artid=34859
Faults, failures, the U.N. is now a farce
http://ameenizzadeen.wordpress.com/2011/09/23/faults-failures-the-u-n-is-now-a-farce/
UN hides facts about war in Sri Lanka, says French Le Monde
http://en.wikinews.org/wiki/UN_hides_facts_about_war_in_Sri_Lanka,_says_French_Le_Monde
United Nations: weak leaders wanted
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2011/aug/14/united-nations-leadership-ban-ki-moon
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Patriot / October 4, 2012
Paki is a paid agitator and no one take him seriously any way… Did he have a decent job in his life? Nope and this explain his qualifications.
Quite amusing this agitator that was funded from colonials trying to denigrate the country that he lives…
No wonder tamils have issues.
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Mark Webber / October 4, 2012
Hey Patriot
You are absolutely spot on with your comments about this spin doctor Paki.
This chap has done nothing to Mother Lanka other tahn his lip service. Can anybody tell us anything better than that? Only thing he could do is serving his western masters for his supper.
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Piranha / October 4, 2012
Rajapaksa and his brothers are doing more damage to Sri Lanka and it’s people than anyone else. So stop blaming Dr Sara for all the ills the country is facing due to Rajapaksa misrule.
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Sam / October 5, 2012
It is wise to focus on what the substance of his speech rather than accussing him of being agitator. Truth seems to be painful to you guys – there are numbers of steps that as Dr Sara once pointed out could have been easily implemented.
https://www.colombotelegraph.com/index.php/interview-dr-saravanamuttu-on-post-war-political-and-economic-situation/
But people of the country in and out hear only repeated Rhetorics from the rulers such as – Divi neguma, Rata naguma, Anduren eliyata and the like only leading them to make fool the majority of people whose are only access to local media.
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Raja / October 7, 2012
choose a proper name for you sinhala racist
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Native Vedda / October 4, 2012
Mark Webber says:
“This chap has done nothing to Mother Lanka”
You mean he didn’t worship the terror clan.
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Mark Webber / October 6, 2012
Hi Uru Warige Buru Putha
Yeah he worshioed the blood sucking LTTE terra clan. All of them are having good time in boiling Hell for the merits that they collected for 30 odd years in our mother Lanka.
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C.W.Austin / October 5, 2012
DR Sara is Still working on Eelam agend of Disapora Tamil Natioanlism politics in Sri Lanka.His dream is two nation ONE FOR TAMILS.Additional to TAMIL NADU Tamil state IN INDIA.Grand visoin of Tamil speaking Empire.
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American Lanka Lover / October 5, 2012
Well put by Leela. Nice to see articulate and fact based rebuttals to the Tamil Terror Diaspora Propaganda Cadres who are usually much more skilled and articulate than the defenders of the Sinhalese. GOSL has won the battle of bombs but is losing the battle to win hearts and minds. This is a precarious position for the country as the TTD has shifted tactics from overt acts of terror to cyber propaganda war, but it has NEVER lost sight of the one and only objective of the Ealamists.
The propaganda cadres like Donald, Gamini etc are masters of disinformation to give them their due, so GOSL needs to make a “strategic pivot” to use Secretary of Defense Panetta’s phrase. Less money for garrisons, more for counter terrorist “psych ops”, to wit, more effectively countering the propaganda cadres both domestically and abroad is urgently needed.
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gamini / October 5, 2012
I do not know about others, but I speak on what I see and am not in the pay of anyone. If speaking the TRUTH which the supporters of the Rajapaksa regime tries to distort, is hurting them, it is just bad luck. This so called American guy seem elated when a half baked Leela opens her mouth the stench of which is rather appalling with lies and damn lies. As I mentioned elsewhere the Rajapaksas are praised by their cohorts including this American of having defeated the LTTE and eliminating VP. But with the same breadth they accuse the Tamil Diaspora as LTTE and put the fear of Moses to the masses that the LTTE is regrouping, where as the Rajapaksa Regime has promised to the whole world that the grivences of the Tamils will be addressed according to the LLRC. This bugger MR is doing neither and is buying time, hoping against hope, time will heal the problems. Therefore let us wait and see the fun when it unfolds.
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Merril / October 6, 2012
It is sad some people are considering this as a contest, country has lost many lives and time since the independence, we had more than enough time to solve this conflict. Obviously we did not take the right path to gain their confidence, some policies hurt them. Yet convincing the Rule of Law and Minority Rights to some Sinhalese people and the Sri Lankan government seems to be difficult.
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gamini / October 8, 2012
Merril, is it surprising that due to Sinhalese Intransigence the Tamils taking up arms? Thereafter have these rabid Sinhalese learned anything from the 30 year conflict that have brought havoc to all? Yet they are led by rhetoric of a few who remain in power selling Patriotism. I believe we provide absolutely fertile conditions to Foreign Powers to intervene in todays context at the drop of a hat.
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Human / October 9, 2012
Thanks. I agree with all the comments you have made.
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Native Vedda / October 9, 2012
gamini
“Thereafter have these rabid Sinhalese learned anything from the 30 year conflict that have brought havoc to all? “
I can certainly vouch for stupid Tamils and stupid Sinhalese ability to not learning anything from their glorified past.
Never surrender.
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gamini / October 12, 2012
Native my assesment on the whole affair is that there are some Sinhalese, who believe they are the only Patriots, who will never learn anything. Similarly there are some Tamils breaking bread with MR thinking they will be placed as the leaders to the NE, like KP and crowd, without officially grating devolution publicly, possibly having their own agenda with a strategy, are also fishing in the dark. So both these parties will never learn.
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