The Tamil National Alliance (TNA) welcomes the Report of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights on promoting reconciliation and accountability in Sri Lanka to the 25th session of the Human Rights Council. The High Commissioner’s report contains a comprehensive and accurate depiction of the serious human rights issues facing Sri Lanka. The Report has benefited from the High Commissioner’s visit to Sri Lanka, where she was able to observe first-hand the issues of concern to victims and survivors in the Northern and Eastern Provinces.
The High Commissioner has raised a number of serious concerns in her Report which also pertain to the entire country: the treatment of former combatants and detainees; attacks on religious minorities; the attack on dissent and the freedom of expression; the government’s dismal record in implementing LLRC recommendations; and the government’s disinterest in making progress on accountability. The TNA is particularly concerned over the impact of the high levels of militarization on the security of women in the Northern and Eastern Provinces. There are mounting and credible reports of systematic patterns of sexual harassment and violence in highly militarized areas, and we ask that the Human Rights Council take cognizance of this reality in its deliberations on Sri Lanka.
We also take serious note of the High Commissioner’s observations on the impermissibility of amnesty provisions in respect of international crimes and gross violations of human rights. We observe that the Secretary General’s Panel of Experts on Accountability in Sri Lanka made similar observations, and that the Government of Sri Lanka’s own written submissions to the Panel of Experts viewed amnesty provisions as inappropriate for the reason that they “intrinsically encourage a culture of impunity”. The TNA has and continues to articulate victims’ demands for truth, justice, just resolution of land issues reparations and guarantees of non-recurrence; the undesirability of blanket amnesty provisions; and the need to give effect to the duty to prosecute international crimes and gross human rights abuses.
The TNA also unequivocally supports the High Commissioner’s recommendation that the Human Rights Council establish an international inquiry mechanism to further investigate alleged violations of international humanitarian and human rights laws, in addition to monitoring any domestic processes for accountability initiated by the Government of Sri Lanka. We believe that such a mechanism is necessary in the light of the government’s unwillingness to take steps towards accountability.
We also note that the Eighteenth Amendment to the Constitution, which we have consistently opposed, vests in the President virtually exclusive powers over key public appointments. Thus the deep politicization of civil institutions, together with the widely acknowledged erosion of judicial independence, seriously undermines any prospects of a credible domestic process for accountability.
We are mindful of the important need for all communities in Sri Lanka to reckon with the past in a spirit of reconciliation. We sincerely believe that an international Commission of Inquiry into allegations against both sides will provide our communities the space and environment to come to terms with crimes committed in our respective names. The TNA remains committed to leading the Tamil people through a painful process of introspection, and encourages the government to use the opportunity of an international inquiry to break with the past and meaningfully pursue reconciliation.
*Statement by TNA
Liberal One / February 25, 2014
Until tamils are prepared to shun these racist tamil politicians there cannot be any further devolution of power. If this is any other country northern provincial council would have been dissolved by now for undermining national security.
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Robert.R / February 25, 2014
Aren’t they terrible, if only they were like JHU and non racists !!! LOL
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Liberal One / February 26, 2014
let JHU contend on their own and see how they fare. Tamils in north and east have been voting for racists for quite a long time. Fact.
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Palmsquirrell / February 26, 2014
Your definition of a racist is a Tamil voting for Tamil politicians who are not Uncle Toms to the Sinhala Chauvinist governments. In the US White racists call Black leaders who are critical of the White establishment as racist.
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Liberal One / February 26, 2014
Are black leaders looking for black homeland in america? Then they are definitely racists.
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Palmsquirrell / February 26, 2014
The American establishment (White) aren’t trying to cleanse the USA of non Whites and don’t claim the USA is for Whites only. In contrast you Sinhala Nationalists claim Sri Lanka as solely yours and have been trying to cleanse SL of Tamils.
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Liberal One / February 27, 2014
You have to separate the sinhala nationalists and the Sri Lankan state. Otherwise you are implying that this country belongs to Sinhalese.
Sri Lankan state is one of only two countries to have Tamil as a national language and more Tamils live away from north and east. So much for ethnic cleansing!
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jansee / February 26, 2014
You guys voted for a Sinhalese president. So, aren’t you racists, too. Don’t just blow your mouth away.
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Liberal One / February 26, 2014
A president out of a national political party, that does not represent a single ethnicity.
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Palmsquirrell / February 26, 2014
SLFP represents the Sinhala Chauvinists , just like UNP , but SLFP is hardline Sinhala Nationalist.
The 2 major parties, UNP and SLFP are Sinhala parties in all but name. Voting for SLFP just proves a large number of Sinhalese are hardline Sinhala Chauvinists.
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jansee / February 26, 2014
Until SL stops its charade and lies, there can be no meaningful reconciliation. It was given five long years and an opportunity to prove its sincerity many times. Even its stupidity and recalcitrant attitude is shows the way it handles the NPC. India, once its staunch ally, had enough. So, instead of blaming everyone else, you guys should point your gun against the SL regime.
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Amarasiri / February 26, 2014
Liberal One, RE: TNA
TNA, are you going to drop your caste system and Racism?
If No, Just shut up.
If Yes, can talk.
Otherwise you are not much different from the Sinhalla Mahanama Buddhists.
DeJa Vu….
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Palmsquirrell / February 26, 2014
TNA was voted in by Tamils of all backgrounds in relatively free elections.
Don’t try to give the impression you give a dam about Tamils perceived as lower caste because if you really did you would reserve your most voiceferous condemnation for the GOSL who slaughtered tens of thousands of them and continues to harass them.
Your concern for ‘lower caste’ Tamils is as genuine as the concern most rightwing American Whites have for Blacks.
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Amarasiri / March 3, 2014
RE: TNA Welcomes Navi Pillay’s Report On Sri Lanka,
Did the report include, Tamil and LTTE Racism and caste discrimination as well.
Just curious.
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K.A Sumanasekera / February 26, 2014
This is a good one.
TNA, demanded it,
Gave all unsubstantiated allegations to Miss Pillai and the UN team as evidence with an iron clad guarantee from the UN Boss to keep them away from the public eyes for 30 years.
Now the LTTE proxy TNA Leader Sambandan Welcomes the report.
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jansee / February 26, 2014
Sumanasekera:
You think that is the end of the story. Sorry mite, we are going to haunt you for your crimes. If you honestly think that these are unsubstantiated allegations, then why are you running scared in proving your case in an independent international investigation. Murderers and liars won’t face it. They know they will be hanged. That is the precise reason why they are running scared. Hang them all without any mercy. Then we all can rejoice the end of tyranny and tyrants.
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Liberal One / February 26, 2014
What gave you the impression that an international investigation would be impartial? The same “international community” that created and armed the LTTE?
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Palmsquirrell / February 26, 2014
India created LTTE, then later India did her best to destroy LTTE.
Premadasa and Mahinda both supported LTTE when it suited them. Mahinda would not be president if he hadn’t bribed VP to stop Tamils in the North and East from voting.
GOTA and Mahinda now control remaining LTTE leadership.
Yet despite GOSL’s support for LTTE at various times and continued support for ex-LTTE leadership, it is the international community that is the target of your attacks.
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Liberal One / February 27, 2014
Premadasa and Mahinda did not support LTTEs separatism. The remaining LTTE leaders have also given up separatist demands long ago.
The so called “international community” is the most active today trying to give LTTE proxies a separate state in this country that can have devastating effects in years to come.
tell me why should not a responsible citizen oppose these move of the so called “international community” to partition our country?
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Native Vedda / February 27, 2014
Stupid One
“tell me why should not a responsible citizen oppose these move of the so called “international community” to partition our country?”
Have the International Community got UN to pass the necessary resolution to do so?
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jansee / February 27, 2014
Liberal One:
Nothing in the world can be safely accepted as impartial. But anything other than that conducted by the Sri Lanka’s duplicitous regime would be anytime better. Lesser of two evils, so to speak. After all, the greater evil was given almost five years but was beating around the bush. That is the crux of the matter. No one has yet concluded as yet the guilt or otherwise of any party. These are credible allegations that need to be investigated further. If you want you can recommend another sham commission, for all we care.
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Peace Lover / February 27, 2014
aha old Sambandans pic has given poor K A Sumansekera a hard on as he is a homo admirer of the TNA boss ;-)
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Rajash / February 26, 2014
Mahinda should make a public statement that he welcome the UN body’s report. He will see that the whole world will open for him to make Sri Lanka Miracle of Asia.
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mechanic / February 26, 2014
The UN is a playpen for the Neocolonialists.
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Ajith / February 26, 2014
Fearless Sampanthan has shown his real leadership to Tamils. It is not surprise that criminalised Sinhala government to reject the international investigation fearing to face the truth.
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OutRider / February 26, 2014
You’re talking about Sampanthan? This man didn’t have the backbone to stand up even for himself in parliament, let alone the people who elected him to represent them. He only stood up to say the LTTE was the sole representative of the Tamils. This coward didn’t have the guts to criticize the LTTE when it was killing his own people, recruiting their children for cannon fodder. He didn’t speak out even when his colleagues in TULF were murdered by the Tigers. He didn’t open his dirty mouth when the LTTE denied Tamil people their right to vote in elections and even cut off their fingers for doing so. This man backstabbed Chandrika in parliament after promising her the previous night to support her package to solve the ethnic issue. So this rogue Sampanthan has no right today to talk about Nari Pillay’s report. Period.
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Robert.R / February 26, 2014
Not everyone is brave enough like your king to be willing to go to the electric chair LOL
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Paul / February 26, 2014
Very true. One well known coward ‘forgot’ to take the cyanide capsule he was dishing out to others.
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jansee / February 26, 2014
Hello Outrider:
How many Tamils did Prabhakaran kill? How many thousands of Tamils did the SL regime murder? How many Sinhalese did the SL regime murder during the JVP uprising? Where were the Sinhalese backbones then and now? Rapists and murderers have no moral right to lecture us? Your patriots Basil and Gotabaya are also US citizens. Have you even asked them why? Despite all the trials and tribulations, Sampanthan has and is only a SL citizen. You should be stupid enough to sleep to know your “patriots” are also US citizens and have still not renounced them. Go and hang yourself instead of lecturing us.
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Ajith / February 26, 2014
Sampanthan is not coward like Rajapakse. LTTE is the true sole representative of Tamils. LTTE did not kill its own people. It is Rajapakse who killed his own people and afraid to face an impartial investigation. He is the one who is hiding under Sinhala racism. Who are you to say he has no right to speak about Truth. If you have a true leadership why can’t you prove that you are clean.
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Siva Sankaran Sarma / March 1, 2014
If Sambandumb opened his mouth back then his balls would have been chopped off with a machete by his own sole representatives. He’s become ‘brave’ now because he knows he’ll get to hold on to his shrivelled old raisins until he croaks in the near future, no matter what he blithers – an implicit acknowledgement that things indeed are much better, post Nandikadal :D
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Ramany K / February 26, 2014
I would like to recall fiery speeches of TULF leaders like Sammanthan in the mid seventies.TULF leaders branded their political enemies as traitors and announced that traitors wont have natural death(Thurokikalukku iyatkai maranam illai).The Tamil youth took TULF leaders words seriously and killed TULF’s political enemies.THE ONES WHO SOWED THE SEEDS OF VIOLENCE AMONG THE TAMIL YOUTH ARE THE TULF LEADERS LIKE SAMMANTHAN.The ones who lost their lives are sons and daughters of innocent poor Tamils.Sons and daughters TNA leaders neither participated in the liberation struggle nor lost their lives .They are living lavish lives in the foreign countries.
Sammanthan got bullet proof luxury car and security from Chandrika.But,he BETRAYED the Tamils by not supporting Chandrika’s package in Aug.2000.After the loss of thousands of lives,now Sammanthan has accepted NPC,which is a dead body according to him.
If there is to be reconciliation in SL,both the Sinhala racists and TNA should stop propagating hatred.In the last NPC election platforms TNA leaders said “(vali thanthavarkalukku vali aetpaduththuvom)we will give pain to those who gave us pain”.Giving pain to those who pain,eye for an eye and tooth for a tooth mentality will never bring reconciliation.
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Paul / February 26, 2014
‘TNA Welcomes Navi Pillay’s Report On Sri Lanka’
Well they would wouldn’t they? A Tamil reporting on Tamils. Justice has to be SEEN to be done.
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Palmsquirrell / February 26, 2014
There are many Whites critical of GOSL too, but you would claim them as biased too because for the likes of you anyone critical of Sinhala Chauvinism is biased.
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K.A Sumanasekera / February 26, 2014
Dr Sathiyalingam, NP health Minister begs the Govt to provide him resources to get a computer system for the Hospitals, and up date the facilities to provide decent health care to the ex captives of Prabkaran.
What does the TNA chief who is overall in charge of this Health Minister and the CM do?.
He is busy sucking up to Ms Pillai to help with her agenda of regime change on behalf of Cameron , Harper and the Lady Ambassador in Colombo.
LTTE prox TNA leader obviously does not go to Kilinochchi Hospital for his Cholestorol, checks and Stress Tests,
Nether do the Vellala CM or even Terror Sira and Diaspora Prema.
Even the Diaspora seems to have a couldn’t careless attitude about the blood pressure of the former captives,
In contrast , Sinhala Diasporians , are helping their old village folks by sending container loads of medical supplies and even White Doctors to keep the poor villagers in good health.
Probably punishing Rajapaksas for killing the LTTE killers is more important than non Vellalas’ heart health.
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Subramaniam Thiagarajah / February 27, 2014
May God Bless NavaneethamPillai.*0 million Tamils in the World are
very grateful and thankful to Hon.NavaneethamPillai for her
contribution to the Tamil Nation.Thank you once again.
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Thondamanaru / February 27, 2014
Hey you double tongued fox.
You can not eat the cake and have it and talk of a unitary state and peace for tamils.
Either you be wilt Pillai or the GOSL.
With one foot in the grave you can not have a foot on either side.
You either flirt will Pillai or skirt with Peace in SL.
No blowing Hot & Cold with the same breath.
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sarath / March 1, 2014
You are dragging the Tamils in Sri Lanka to drain again and the country! Deviate from racism and look at the issues objectively. Supporting the internationalization of the domestic issues makes the whole country defeated including you which is common sense.
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