By Tamara Kunanayakam –
Tamara Kunanayakam
A US-sponsored draft resolution against Sri Lanka is back on the Human Rights Council agenda, this time with a vengeance and despite the Ranil – Sirisena government’s conciliatory and obsequious pro-Washington, pro-Western stance!
There is no more Mahinda Rajapaksa to blame, no more pro-Beijing foreign policy, no more Non-Alignment, no more ‘megaphone diplomacy’ or ‘megaphone diplomats’, no more corruption. History dawned in Sri Lanka only on 8 January, before that, there was only darkness, violence and obscurantism. Today, enlightened leaders have flooded the land with newness, goodness, transparency, and unity, along with privileged relations with a much-maligned West.
So, what went wrong? A generous response would be our new, enlightened leaders read all the signs wrong. An accurate response would be they have something to gain from subservience to Washington’s interests.
When post-election triumphalism and declarations by flying US diplomats, even before the formation of a new Government, brought glad tidings that Washington would now support Sri Lanka in the Human Rights Council, I drew attention to the fact that genuine ‘support’ in the UN Human Rights Council generally translates itself into ‘no resolution at all’. In a US-dominated world, ‘country-specific’ resolutions are a ‘soft power’ weapon to promote the strategic interests of its author, not anybody’s human rights.
Why is the US involved in Sri Lanka to the extent of dictating what should be done or not done? In May 2015, during his visit to Sri Lanka, the top US diplomat, Secretary of State John Kerry, made no bones about Sri Lanka’s strategic importance to Washington. He said, “Your country sits at the crossroads of Africa, South Asia, and East Asia. … The Indian Ocean is the world’s most important commercial highway… And with its strategic location near deep-water ports in India and Myanmar, Sri Lanka could serve as the fulcrum of a modern and dynamic Indo-Pacific region.” The US could play a leadership role in making this happen “because we have a strong economy and an ability to be able to project.” It saw its role also as convenor, and partner.
The draft resolution – a system change
A closer examination of the recommendations in the US sponsored draft resolution is revealing.
The draft resolution is all about system change, a complete overhaul of Sri Lanka’s political, legal, security and defence system to serve the global interests of the United States. It is fully in line with the President Obama’s new National Security Strategy, launched in February 2015 and reflected soon after in the US Secretary of State’s May 2015 statement in Colombo. The State Secretary outlined a series of measures to be undertaken by the new Government – Constitutional reform, reform of the military, the judiciary, law enforcement, electoral processes, institutions such as the Parliament and Ministries, devolution of political power, and transfer of State responsibility for social matters to civil society, in particular.
In Geneva and Washington, the Sri Lankan Government is negotiating a consensus resolution. Given its ‘system change’ approach, even if the initial draft is ‘watered down’ and reduced from its present 26 operative paragraphs to just two, Washington will have achieved its objective. It must only retain the request to the Government to implement its own commitments and the equally wide-ranging recommendations of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), and retain also the request to OHCHR to assess progress in their implementation and report to the Human Rights Council in 2016 and 2017. The Government would have committed itself, country, and people, and Sri Lanka will have a place guaranteed on the Council’s agenda for the next two years, without need for another resolution during this period!
Given the panoply of measures recommended, I will focus only on the most important, due to their political implications for Sri Lanka’s independence and sovereignty.
The Judiciary
The resolution holds Sri Lanka to the commitment made by the Government to establish a parallel judicial mechanism, and calls on the Government “to involve international investigators, prosecutors and judges in Sri Lanka’s justice processes.” The resolution also calls on all concerned to work together to determine the forms of international engagement “with Sri Lanka’s processes” and support for them.
Despite claims to the contrary by the Government and certain Sri Lankan commentators, the mechanism envisaged is indeed a hybrid court, and the “international involvement” is not the kind of international cooperation provided for under the UN Charter for the promotion and protection of human rights. Had that been the intention of the author, the language would have referred to the provision of expert advice or training for judges and lawyers to be requested by the Government.
Hybrid courts stand opposed to the human rights mechanisms envisaged by the UN Charter, unless when voluntarily agreed to. Instead of international assistance for local capacity building to enable domestic mechanisms to ensure the required protection, hybrid courts are a parallel system of justice composed of a mix of international and local staff, applying both international and national law, with foreign judges and domestic judges trying cases prosecuted and defended by teams of both local and foreign lawyers. They reflect a concrete application of the third pillar of R2P or the “Responsibility to Protect”, about which I have written at length on other occasions. The third pillar, an ideological tool of Washington that is subject to much controversy, authorises external “intervention” should the so-called “international community” deem that the State is unable or unwilling to protect its own citizens.
Hybrid courts, with the enormous investments they require, are generally funded, managed and run by Western countries and cater to Western interests, as, for example, in Sierra Leone, Cambodia and Iraq. Human Rights Watch, an NGO closely linked to the US foreign policy elite and one of the most influential pro-interventionist lobby, is already campaigning that the proposed hybrid court for Sri Lanka contain a majority of international judges and an international chief prosecutor “to best insulate the court from improper political and other interference.”
Today, hybrid courts like the ad hoc international tribunals before them and the principle of universal jurisdiction, have lost credibility, not only because of their selective application to developing countries, but also because they have undermined the domestic judicial system, wherever they have been established.
The Parliament
The draft resolution contains recommendations that will seriously undermine the Parliament and its ability to hold the Government accountable to the people.
The most significant recommendation in this respect is, once again, based on a commitment made by the Sri Lankan Government, through its Foreign Minister, to establish domestic mechanisms toward truth seeking, justice, reparation, and non-recurrence and to give them the freedom to “obtain assistance, including financial, material and technical assistance, from international partners, including OHCHR.”
Now, on the Foreign Minister’s own admission, these mechanisms must still be “evolved and designed through a wide process of consultations involving all stakeholders, including victims.” Given that the consultations haven’t even begun, it is of utmost concern that the Government did not see it fit to submit the matter first to the country’s own Parliament to which it is accountable before announcing it to an international body. Not only did it provide the required ammunition to Washington, but it also placed the institution in which popular sovereignty is vested before a fait accompli.
Everywhere in the world, relations between States are conducted through a Foreign Ministry, with the Minister accountable to Parliament. In this rather unique case, the envisaged justice mechanisms will be accountable only to their funders, the international partners, including OHCHR, referred to in the draft resolution!
Given the gravity of the proposal, it is pertinent to take a look at the “international partners” that generally provide funding, staff, expertise and material support for such domestic mechanisms. Support for similar activities elsewhere, including those that are conducted by OHCHR, comes from the US, UK, and other rich Western countries. It must be recalled that the US Secretary of State, during his May 2015 visit to Sri Lanka, announced Washington’s preparedness “to furnish whatever legal, whatever technical assistance, whatever help” it can to support Sri Lanka with regard to justice and accountability.
Will our domestic mechanisms become the Trojan Horses through which the West will interfere in our internal affairs?
Other recommendations that undermine Sri Lanka’s internal political processes relate to the devolution of political authority, land use and ownership, and the direct call to the people of Sri Lanka to work with OHCHR, relevant international organisations and experts, in order “to determine appropriate forms of international support for and engagement with Sri Lanka’s processes.” Of a political character, these recommendations go beyond the mandate of the Human Rights Council and intrude also on matters that belong to the internal affairs of States.
Defence and national security
The recommendations aimed at transforming Sri Lanka’s security and defence system pose a more immediate danger to the sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of Sri Lanka, exposing the country to destabilisation from within and without and rendering it vulnerable to external aggression.
Among the most dangerous recommendations are demilitarisation of the North and East; wide-ranging security sector reforms, including employment in the security forces, security or intelligence units; the ending of military involvement in civilian activities; and the repeal and replacement of PTA with anti-terrorism legislation “in line with contemporary international best practices.”
A question that comes immediately to mind is why the US is so eager to end Sri Lanka’s military involvement in civilian activities, given its own military’s engagement in, for instance, agriculture and education in rural areas in Afghanistan through the US Army Agribusiness Development Teams (ADT) or the Commander’s Emergency Response Program (CERP) that “enables local commanders in Afghanistan to respond with a nonlethal weapon to urgent, small-scale, humanitarian relief and reconstruction projects and services that immediately assist the indigenous population.” Another obvious question is why Sri Lanka is expected to demilitarise two-thirds of its coastline, when the US and its Western allies are tightening control over their own borders?
The recommendations can be fully comprehended only when read in conjunction with President Obama’s ‘Pivot to Asia’ or ‘Rebalancing’ strategy to contain China, and the 2015 National Security Strategy, as applied to Sri Lanka in the May 2015 statement by the US Secretary of State. On the occasion of his visit, John Kerry, significantly, called on Sri Lanka to “look beyond its borders”, that is, away from its own border to new theatres of conflict and confrontation as an ally of Washington, “protecting vital sea lanes, and taking part in UN peacekeeping missions all over the world.”
With budgetary cuts and US involvement in other global adventures, ‘rebalancing’ against China requires allies who are ready to share the burden of securing the region. And, with a fully committed, pro-Washington regime at its helm, Sri Lanka would become “the fulcrum of a modern and dynamic Indo-Pacific region,” that ‘pivotal point’ or ‘agent’ in a strategic region where the US provides leadership on maritime security; promotes the Indo-Pacific Economic Corridor to connect South Asia to Southeast Asia; ensures secure, sustainable and accessible energy sources; addresses threats to democracy; and enhances preparedness for natural disasters that will be “more frequent and intense” due to climate change.
If national borders are no longer important and Sri Lanka’s military is transformed from a force protecting its independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity to one defending US global interests, then the recommendation to demilitarise the North and East takes on new meaning. With two-thirds of the country’s coastline exposed to external aggression or externally engineered threats to its territorial integrity, and the only regional allies able to play a counterbalancing role alienated, Sri Lanka will only have the US Seventh Fleet to turn to for its defence and security.
Despite the illusion that is being created that history began on 8 January and notwithstanding the short memories and opportunism of politicians vying for power, the fact is that country has lived through an almost 30-year war against separatism and the horrors of terrorist attacks supported, trained and funded, directly or indirectly, by external powers. Today, the US is host to the Transnational Government of Tamil Eelam, the government in exile of the envisaged separate state in the North and East.
The implications for internal democracy are equally foreboding. President Obama’s 2015 National Security Strategy sees the entire world as its ‘backyard.’ The threat to US interests can come from anywhere and justify US military intervention, “unilaterally, if necessary.” The document views virtually any form of economic, social or environmental disruption as a strategic security issue that potentially justifies US military intervention. “Threats or attacks” on “allies”, for instance, is considered a top strategic risk. What will this mean for Sri Lanka and for Sri Lankans? Will a social or political upheaval against the present regime be viewed as a “threat” or an “attack” on Washington’s ally?
Permanent OHCHR presence – a Trojan Horse?
The resolution also allows for the establishment of a permanent Western presence in the form of an OHCHR field office in Sri Lanka, which will have the combined function of investigation, monitoring, and governance. The draft resolution does what former High Commissioner Louise Arbour was unable to do at the height of the war, when Western efforts focused on strengthening the LTTE. At the time, the then Government, quite rightly, rejected the proposal to set up a such a field presence.
Although there is no express provision in the draft resolution, it is one of the recommendations of OHCHR that the Government will be required to implement. The field Office will not only assist in obtaining the required material, financial and technical support for implementation of the numerous recommendations, but will also monitor, assess and verify the implementation of the resolution, going beyond its General Assembly mandate.
It is public knowledge that OHCHR field offices are fully funded by the rich Western countries, and that most of the staff are directly or indirectly linked to the donors. It is also public knowledge that the offices are frequently utilised for destabilisation purposes and to gain a foothold in countries where a direct Western presence proves politically difficult. Their credibility, independence and impartiality have come into question wherever they are or have been, including in our own region, until recently the Government of Nepal asked OHCHR to leave the country.
There is no doubt that, through the OHCHR field office, Washington and London will take over the entire process in Sri Lanka and, for all practical purposes, the office will become the Trojan Horse that will permit direct US intervention in Sri Lanka.
The democratic choice
What does this ‘system change’ mean for Sri Lanka’s ability to defend itself against external aggression? What will it mean for the ability of its people to exercise their democratic rights? What will it ultimately mean for the country’s independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity?
The unprecedented attack on Sri Lanka’s democratic institutions and on the means it has to defend itself against external threats or against destabilisation efforts has a single objective: to release the resources of the State, including its armed forces, to serve US global interests, while, at the same time, rendering the country dependent on Washington, and, therefore, subservient.
What are choices before the Government of Sri Lanka today?
The resolution has been drafted craftily to make it marketable to public opinion in Sri Lanka and, thus, help Washington’s newfound ally, and also to ease the fears of developing countries in the Human Rights Council, who will otherwise object to a precedent that could endanger their own independence and sovereignty. The text is scattered with references to voluntary commitments made by the Government of Sri Lanka and to domestic initiatives. International involvement is presented as support to these domestic processes, not a substitute.
Sri Lanka’s eagerness to negotiate with Washington and to arrive at a consensus has not gone unnoticed. With its aggressive stand against China, its condescending attitude toward the Non-Aligned Movement, and open flirtation with the West, the Yahapalanaya Government has alienated those countries in the Human Rights Council that could have come to its rescue.
Today, Sri Lanka stands alone. On one side, it faces a determined United States coercing it to join its camp in its confrontational logic with China, Russia, Iran and potentially, even India, in a region of utmost strategic importance to it. On the other side, Sri Lanka is eyed with deep suspicion and distrust by the developing countries, but also Russia, with which it, nevertheless, shares common interests.
One option facing the Government of Sri Lanka is consensus, another word for capitulation, given that it is negotiating from a position of utter weakness with the global superpower. The option is to oppose the resolution and return home with the dignity of one who has defended higher ideals. Consensus means that Sri Lanka has acquiesced with the conditions, with all their implications for country and people. Opposing the resolution will require that the Government backtracks, swallow a lot of pride, and returns to an ally of the Mahinda Rajapaksa regime, one of the members of the Human Rights Council with the authority to call for a vote.
Whatever decision the Ranil – Sirisena Government takes in Geneva, ultimately, the democratic choice will be one that the people of Sri Lanka will be called upon to take, sooner or later. For today, the vital question is, which political and social forces in the country are on the side of Sri Lanka’s national interest? Are they ready to stand up?
Burning Issue / September 25, 2015
This woman said nothing whatsoever about the tyrannical MR regime; she uttered no word about the infamous 18th amendment. Moreover, she cared little about the allegations of war crimes and crimes against humanity. The white flag saga and summary executions and no words from this woman at any stage. Now that she has lost out on diplomatic opportunities and her importance, she is settling grudge!
It was MR who promised that the Accountability and Justice would follow. It was Dayan who promised scores of things in May 2009 in his ostensible victory claims. It was the MR regime that purely and squarely snookered Sri Lanka in the context of international accountability mechanism!
Nevertheless, as it stands now with the hybrid mechanism, what is possibly going to go wrong? What is wrong in regulating the political structure and advancing the judiciary? What possible damage it will do to the security of Sri Lanka? This woman’s myopic and selfish utterance is ludicrous and immature.
In crux, RW, MS, CBK and Mangala have jointly rescued the country from precipice of disaster beyond redemption. Please save your breath and allow Sri Lanka to heal and mend for good!
/
Amarasiri / September 25, 2015
Tamara Kunanayakam
RE: US Draft Resolution: What The Ranil–Sirisena Govt Will Not Tell you!
What?
They will not hang the War Criminals even if found guilty?
That was the Plea bargaining they came up with?
/
Ruwan / September 25, 2015
Tamara is correct in her assetment. To Think the USA minly and other western nations care about Human rights and willing to ‘help a nation’ is turely unheard of unless there is something in it for them. These Usual suspects are far from holders of Human Rights. Just take the eg of Israel where the people of palestine has and with evidence said that Isreali courts are always biased and has not punished any soldiers of the IDF (apart from one stealing a Credit card) and how Isreali lawmakers enact inhuman laws where palestinien land can be sized at will, palestinien houses can be destroyed if a member of that family causes a criminal offence. And yest when the palestinien people try to go to international courts the Usual suspects say it is a Internal issue and can only be resolved internal negotiations and not outside intervention. 60 years on still waiting. So Huamn Rights is lease of their concerns and their Interest comes first. A message to Our Fools on all sides like the pope said this very day at the UN.. If you fight among each other then you will leave room for OUTSIDERS TO COME AND devoure you. That is what is going to happen to US ALL soon.
/
Nimal / September 25, 2015
This one is another utter failure like Dayan.
/
Thiru / September 25, 2015
Tamasha Kunanayakam,
Your article is academic tamasha to me. For years you have been working as a servant of the Sinhala Buddhist state:
You have now become so loyal to this system that you have parted with your conscience and ignore all the atrocities committed by your state and actors like you on Tamils;
We feel ashamed that you belong to the Tamil community.
I am not a political scientist or social scientist, or an ex-diplomat like you but an ordinary layman with clear thinking.
If you look at the last 5 or 6 centuries, the Western countries have been ruling many other countries of the globe. Have you ever asked why?
Because the European nations had a quantum jump in many fields of knowledge in that period: Exploration, science, technology, medicine, politics, military know-how and more.
Result: They were able to dominate the world, conquer many nations, and even annihilate some of them for their occupation.
In 1832, Britain the then super power, annexed Tamil Eelam to Sinhala ratas to form Ceylon for their administrative convenience, besides other reasons best known to them. When they left they left a so-called democratic system, which the Sinhalese leaders understood it to be majoritarian system, and all the mayhem that followed for 67 years with Tamils at the receiving end.
What is the state of affairs today of all the third world, developing, or whatever your call them, nations? Most of these countries have no collective knowledge base in fields I mentioned above like the mature democracies of the West.
The West definitely wants Sri Lanka in their fold, as Britain did before independence, but they don’t want the island continuing to be torn in ethnic strife because this may become inimical to their needs in this strategic island. Don’t forget that China and others were fishing in the troubled Sri Lankan waters. So, the West together with their partner India has decided on a course of action to stabilize the politics of the island for peace.
I don’t know what they have in mind, but they want an equitable solution to the ethnic problem: The West is also mindful that they cannot have the island in their fold without the stake holders in the region – 72 million Tamils. North-Eastern Tamils of Sri Lanka want a federal system that they have been advocating for a long time before they decided on pursuing a separate state.
Now to conclude, doesn’t what a layman like me say makes scene rather than a person with an axe to grind say?
If the Sinhalese leaders since independence and the Sinhalese society were equipped with such knowledge as that the West possess, then they would have made Switzerland out of the island rather than this mess and be subjected to international intervention.
So, please stop throwing your academic garbage of sovereignty, etc. at the gullible readers: If you have an iota of sympathy for the long-suffering Tamils, Sinhalese and Muslims too, you will not resort to such deceitful convoluted and heartless analysis.
/
Eusense / September 25, 2015
Thiru,
What she is spelling out as an ex-diplomat with much experience is on how the west operate and how we should read between the lines. She is talking only about the current UN draft resolution not on human rights, war crimes, Tamil sufferings, Sinhalese suffering and other parlance. If you don’t agree with her interpretation of the resolution show her and the readers where she is wrong. That is the only thing that has to be discussed here.
/
Thiru / September 25, 2015
Eusense,
As usual you are talking nonsense; nobody gave you the role of a controller of what people write here.
Readers have the right to know the big picture and in the historical perspective too:
Those who don’t know the history are condemned to repeat it, especially the miseries.
If is a pity that you don’t understand these simple facts.
/
Eusense / September 25, 2015
thiru,
Point out and explain the specifics of “nonsense” I wrote and the “simple facts that I don’t understand” in what I wrote.
Now, don’t go silent!
/
eusense / September 26, 2015
Thiru
You went silent! Why?
/
Dodo / September 25, 2015
Get a grip Tamara and get a life – in Geneva or where ever..
Tamara, fools rush in where angels fear to tread…You clearly do not know the ground situation in Sri Lanka where Mahinda Jarapassa and his cronies were looting the country with IMPUNITY and spewing racism and hate speech against the Tamil and Muslims to DIVIDE, DISTRACT and RULE the Sri Lankan people.
Hate speech was how MR distracted the gullible Sinhala masses from his family’s and cronies corruption and neopotism.
Mahinda Rajapaksa and his family are a bunch of uneducated thugs and as the saying goes set a thief to catch a thief or terrorist. The only reason MR succeeded in defeating Prabakaran is because he is also a terrorist and it is only once MR like Prabakaran is removed that Sir Lanka will be at peace and able to reverse the rotten POLITICAL CULTURE of Racism and corruption.
So Tamara please, get a life and also educate youself, instead of spewing outdated IR rhetoric and political theories!
/
Eusense / September 25, 2015
Dodo,
Your comments has no bearing on what she has written here. She has written on the UN draft resolution and how she interprets it. If you think her interpretation is wrong let us know what your interpretation is.
Your rhetoric on racism, MR etc. etc. can be written as a comment to some other article but not for this one!
/
Leelagemalli / September 25, 2015
It is all because that this woman is no better to voters that NEVERTHELIESS voted for Buruwanse/Rajano et al again – knowing and seeing all in broad day light. As if they are not homo sapiens of our kind. Can you imagine guys ?
This woman – trying to show a knowall charactor kept so silent on her return from Cuba or where she had been before. Then again, from Geneva or where she had been occupied..instead, ultra nationalist – Dayan the buddy of this woman and the Mr KnowALL – kalu sudda (Rajeeva) just half criticised the MR regime but not pointing finger direct at MR. May be the volume of perks these men and women had been enjyoing being close so called Raja but nobody for international community should be much higher… that is what people being outside yet to know or not getting right. Lankens of this kind – afin just to stay on cirticisms but not doing a proper work can bring only harm. As it is the case with Ultra nationalist Dayan Weerawwanse aka jayathilaka.
/
Sorry for Sri Lanka / September 25, 2015
‘Burning Issue’ is blind to the facts that this lady has clearly explained. ‘Burning Issue’ is burning with jealousy of the victorious Sri Lankan forces and is trying to say the country was rescued by RW, MS, CBK and Mangala when in fact the entire world knows that the country was rescued by MR, GR, SF and other leaders, patriots of the armed forces.
With this type of person digging the grave to bury our national interest, and shamelessly egged on by the ignorant, blind supporters, the international community surely must be laughing at us thinking we are a Nation of self serving fools.
Thank you Tamara for the warning you have given and I encourage you not get silenced by these abusive non-entities.
/
Burning Issue / September 25, 2015
“With this type of person digging the grave to bury our national interest, and shamelessly egged on by the ignorant, blind supporters, the international community surely must be laughing at us thinking we are a Nation of self serving fools.”
You are a fool alright! You and your ilk have no place in civilised societies.
/
Dadisbidis / September 25, 2015
Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned!!!! With apologies to William Congreve.
/
Vibhushana / September 25, 2015
All these interesting information misses the important point.
After backing LTTE all the way including the “Final War”, the TNA should be happy to accept the finality in their choice on the battle field.
Transitional Justice is something that happens when the state needs to redeem itself.
/
Asaipillai / September 25, 2015
Madam
Have you no shame? Whom are you trying to hoodwink? MR threw you out like a used condom in to a garbage bin. You cosied up to him after selling your soul. Like DJ you have no self respect. Do not try to tell about what you think about the UN resolution. Do not think only you are privy to common sense. All know what an idiot you were. Can you even have a iota of credibility to come and write some garbage (from where came.
/
Walt / September 25, 2015
“Have you no shame?” They have no class and that is being exhibited over and over again.
They are not pretty enough like the ME house maid to do the nude so this is what they do – write from their backside when the resolution presenting american at the UN is a professor of law at harward and yale like her illustrious professor husband.
/
Patriot / September 25, 2015
Don’t try to silence this patriotic lady with your insults and distortions. She is not bothered about personal benefits and that’s why she is supporting the interests of Sri Lanka, ignoring any unfair treatment she received in the past.
Mr Asaipillai, try to contribute to the discussion by arguing to the point on hand.
/
Eusense / September 25, 2015
Asaipillai,
Imagine you had a separate country of Tamil Ealam in the north. And the UN brings up a resolution similar to what they are trying to impose on SL, to involve international investigators, prosecutors and judges in your justice processes. Would you accept that?
/
Native Vedda / September 25, 2015
Nuisance
If there is nothing to hide why fear?
/
Eusense / September 26, 2015
vedda,
Does it matter whether hiding (of fear) or not?
/
Walt / September 25, 2015
Eusense the boa constrictor,
If you are civilized yes if not be dammed in the devils island of yakkos.
civilization begins with language and you came into being with the Portuguese mesa`etc. but you are still the brute in living standards- killing own people and that does not give you any sovereign right of the civilized world.
You rely on comi russia and china they both looted the american by shear fraud that they were being annexed by japan and Germany and the rest is history ongoing for them to fall in line under the west or perish.
/
Eusense / September 26, 2015
walt,
Thanks for the meaningful response! Keep writing.
/
Ajith / September 25, 2015
Dear Tamara,
You are another Dayan’s tail thinking People of Srilanka are fools. Your group did not worry about human lives when thousands were massacred in this soil for the sake of China and Mahinda. As woman, you didn’t worry when thousands of innocent children were blasted with chinese cluster bombs and chemical weapons or you didn’t shed a tear fellow Tamil women were brtually raped and murdered by Gotapaya military. Yes It is Mithiri-Ranil_chandrika_Sampanthan who saved democracy and independence of this island from a dictator Mahinda sponsored by China.
/
Disgusted / September 25, 2015
According to Ajit, even people like Sampanthan who supported the terrorist Prabakaran is a saviour of democracy. What a joke.
/
Native Vedda / September 25, 2015
Disgusted
“According to Ajit, even people like Sampanthan who supported the terrorist Prabakaran is a saviour of democracy.”
On the other hand Prabaharan was the only one who stupidly fought to preserve this island’s non existent sovereignty in the past 67 years.
“What a joke.”
Why aren’t you laughing?
/
Ajith / September 25, 2015
I am disgusted with this argument. Sampanthan and Pirabhaharan opposed State terrorism. They fought for equality.
/
jen / September 25, 2015
“There is no more Mahinda Rajapaksa to blame, no more pro-Beijing foreign policy, no more Non-Alignment, no more ‘megaphone diplomacy’ or ‘megaphone diplomats’, no more corruption. History dawned in Sri Lanka only on 8 January, before that, there was only darkness, violence and obscurantism. ” What is interesting is YOU and DJ the so called great diplomuts defended the old regime during those dark times and tried to white wash their crimes and still are trying hard to do so after being kicked out by MR .
A crime is a crime whether its committed on Sinhalese , Tamils , Muslims or any other race and you [Edited out] think other wise specially DJ assume that only Sinhalese live in Sri Lanka and have to defend them with all lies.
Justice will prevail find the darkest room where ever you are living and cry .
/
Uthungan / September 25, 2015
Do you not remember loyally defending all the atrocities in Geneva as instructed in toto and finally being found fault with for doing exactly that and getting the boot with an incompetent cow badge?
Why are you doing it all over again now?
Is part of the loot coming your way?i
/
dcn / September 25, 2015
She was discarded from Geneva by MT during his time of governance and now no one cares for her comments on how Sirisena-Ranil government is trying to handle the current scenario to the advantage of our country. The Present Set Up Is proceeding in a manner most suitable at present juncture.
/
Point of View / September 25, 2015
“I want the readers to pass judgement on Tamara’s ideology; Is she a Tamil patriot, a Sinhalese nationalist or just a cheap opportunist? Or, could she be classified as a typical politician, who swings like a weather cock from one direction to the other. Earlier her Tamil identity was a liability, depriving her of all opportunities. Later it turned out to be an asset, when she flogged her Tamil-ness to secure a plum position in the diplomatic. service. When the UNHRC resolutions on Mullivaaykkal genocide emerged since March 2012, she, being a Tamil, became an ideal candidate to lead the Sri Lanka in UNHRC Geneva.”
What are you, Tamara ?
/
mike / September 25, 2015
Point of View
Tam and Jerry have now become “partners in crime” defending their former boss!
/
Buwa / September 25, 2015
She looks like a Tamil patriot to me. What are you? A dollar sucking selfish traitor who works in those various NGOs funded by the US state department?
/
Analyst / September 25, 2015
She is a blood sucking vampire only laugh after drinking human blood ” remember the vampire laugh ” that is exactly she’s doing to her own men women children who were massacred in the war which she supported ,
She’s an opportunist nothing else. Classless woman who should be thrown in the garbage . No Tamil will shed tears for you on your demise and no Singhalese will shed either.
Keep your meaningless analysis somewhere it never sees the day light.
Sorry for you a woman like you born a Tamil in this world.
/
Patriot / September 25, 2015
Tamara is a patriot and knowledgeable lady trying to protect the interest of the nation, rather than stooge powerful and wealthy groups and nations. With so many cheap and shallow people abusing her to please the enemies of Sri Lanka, we are lucky to have a few patriots like her, with guts to expose the truth not palatable to those who want to destroy the sovereignty of Sri Lanka.
/
Nimal / September 25, 2015
She was paid with a posting just to do a job and then dumped along with her buddy who was also paid for the same.
/
Dan / September 25, 2015
Good riddance of this Tamara woman, who was representing corrupt and racist MR regime in the UN and made us in to an untouchable country in the eyes of the international community. Her pro Cuba, China policies has made Lanka in to a true fourth world country.
It is high time that we change our country’s judiciary and constitution to par with international standards with the help of the UN. When we ourselves can’t change , there is no harm in getting the help of the UN to change our old and corrupt systems.
The UN resolutions are a bitter medicine which is much needed to cure our sick Lanka into a better and prosperous county in the future.
/
Cynic / September 25, 2015
Still intoxicated with MRs excreta.
/
lal / September 25, 2015
Very disappointing that CT publishes such personlised and offensive comments as above, directed at contributors to CT. A serious publisher should maintain freedom to disagree with the content of a contributor whilst maintaining civilised standards in communication.
/
Gregor / September 25, 2015
yeah let’s totally suck up to some foreigner meddling because of effing politics. Let’s divide and support the agenda of weakening the unitary structure of the country. And also let’s shred apart the political faction that got rid this country of terrorism and allowed to live in peace.
/
Sam / September 25, 2015
Good article Madam, we need more writers like you. Sad some people don’t understand the ulterior motives of the US led western countries..
/
JeffK / September 25, 2015
The British invented and left behind their ultimate weapon against Sri Lanka, it’s dominant Inhabitants-Sinhalese which is the UNP! Amazing that how a patriotic Sri Lankan can be made an anti national, post modernist, anti-sinhala zombie just by been a UNP’er for a single day.
That is why there are Tamil patriots like Tamara, Kadiragamar, Murali while Sinhala traitors like Ranil and his uneducated, inward looking, ignorant followers.
By the time that non UNP’ers who voted for a change realizes the trap we are it would be too late. USA wants to control the Indian ocean through a proxy provincial government in north and east. All this good governance and such crap was just a decoy to get their man, Ranil into power again.
/
sam / September 26, 2015
Islamist says
“USA wants to control the Indian ocean through a proxy provincial government in north and east.”
stupid moron, the sooner we can torpedo you along with the sinhala speaking demalas to Diego Garcia you would realise who still controls the Indian ocean .
It is the most sophisticated nuclear base in the east with radar evading software at its disposal which the Russians and Chinese cannot dream of.
The mother of all weapons is the space plane only held by the Americans.
Next year when Donald Trump wins there wont be anything called stupid iraq (have you heard the 16 videos on CNN a couple of months ago- yes USA thats the way to go – lets get these rats breeding like nobody’s business and merchants of sex slavery off our planet.
Go to mecca and become a mummy moron.
/
Nimal Tissa Wijetunga / September 25, 2015
IN 2009, In the final battle to get rid of LTTE Terrorism, the combatants only being killed and if it is civilians it is a very small figure and that is also due to LTTE using them as human shields.
It was a good fortune of Sri Lanka and its people that Ranil was defeated in 2005 presidential elections as otherwise we would see a divided Sri Lanka today because of paragathi policies of Ranil and the gangsters.
Today because of those paragathi policies, we are getting resolutions which demands betraying sovereignty, democracy and self respect of a nation.
Whatever said and done by this paragathi Ranil and the henchmen, the people of Sri Lanka will never allow them do any action to harm the Motherland under any circumstances.
Pls wait and see the developments in the coming days.
/
Harry Hatton / September 25, 2015
From the insults and bad language used against an opinion expressed by an intelligent woman who was a public servant and a strong defender of Sri Lanka at various foreign forums we can come to certain opinions and assessments about the so called Ranil team of old royalists and Colombo elite writing to the Colombo Telegraph.
They are also virulent, intolerant and abusive but only do all that in English!Maybe at home they abuse their servants in sinhala !
Ranil’s respect for due process and fair play was demonstrated to the whole world by the way he handled the Central Bank Bond issue.He appointed three lawyers from his own party to investigate his own appointee.
Mahinda thought that he could bribe the world including the various western agencies directly and through lobby groups in USA ( all run by non-anglosaxon types who are really in the margin of it all)Maybe scoundrels like Sajin Vaas were more comfortable with these dark skinned con-men who have now made Washington their hunting ground.
According to MR’s opinion of human nature as he has experienced in this beautiful island for 70 years now, every body has a price , and that price is not as high as we like to imagine.
Ranil thinks bribes wont do, but if he dresses in a tie and a coat , speak in his namby-pamby way and agree to everything they say that West will begin to love him.
Obviously the West doesnt work like that.
Last time he trusted chandrika and got played out. This time he is trusting a peasant from Pollonaruwa and both of them together have got a comic team which includes Mangala for the job.
Another important fact is that Ranil knows everything and more than everybody. That is the basis of his leadership of the UNP team. Even when it comes to predicting the weather it is Ranil who knows if it will rain or not tomorrow !
So this is a big tragedy dressed up like a comedy. Meanwhile all we can do is slander and insult anyone like Tamara who have the courage to express an opinion which is not favourable to the LEADER !
/
RAMA / September 25, 2015
Hi Tamara K,
What you and DJ do not understand is that you both and MR regime have mismanaged the entire Sri Lankan affairs abroad. When MR was in power he never listen to you both, even though you were representing him. You and DJ are openly projecting your image as you both are one sided, biased and in no means want to deliver justice to the affected and through that to stop the recurrence of violence and establise sustainable peace.
How you and DJ are contradicting yourself is that by wanting the government to table in Geneva the Desmond de Silva–Maxwell Paranagama report. Don’t you understand that this commission also had international involvement with the participation of Desmond and co. You wants to accept whatever convenient to MR not to the country.
Please do not call yourself and DJ as diplomats. Since you have represented the country once or twice you both do not become lifetime diplomats.
/
Buwa / September 25, 2015
When you find 1 Tamil patriot you come across 5 Sinhala dollar sucking traitors. That is why this country is still an under-developed third world backwater. Well played USA, you completely reversed a rare military victory against terrorism. Next will come the separatist agenda by your TNA puppets.
/
Saman / September 25, 2015
You are the person who completely messed up this plight and you have no right to utter any single word.
Shut up.
/
Gamini / September 25, 2015
Interesting read, thanks.
/
Jim softy / September 25, 2015
Ms. Kunanayakam:
It is the west policy to use crappy human rights to subjugate countries. So, Kerry did not hide anything. He told it straight forward.
Only thing I understand here is they subjugated Burma because it has oil and deep natural ports.
Sri lanka also has a deep natural port, probably Jaffna or Trinco for a Marine camp
Eventual result will be Sri lanka lay the foundation by privatizing every thing. Yesterday, I heard Rajitha Senarathne saying that there will be health care insurance in Sri lanka. In other words, they are opening the health care insurance companies to come in. There will be many things like that.
Sri lankans are also dumb. When British came, they got used to Black tea. Now, they are giving up black Tea and drinking instant coffee. They think it is trendy.
/
justice / September 25, 2015
Miss Tamara Kunanayakam, an activist of the World Student Christian Federation, was one of many human rights activists who severely criticised the human rights record of the SL Government, at the annual session of the UN Commission on Human Rights on 12 March 1987.
http://tamilnation.co/unitednations/uncom87.htm
Later, after she met Mahinda Rajapakse in Geneva who offered a diplomatic post to her which she accepted, her views on the human rights record of the SL Government changed dramatically.
What price “Christian Principles”, and True Sincere Diplomacy?
/
jen / September 25, 2015
Worst of all on her speech at the UN she said she is tamil and she has not suffered any discrimination . That in it self proved how devide discriminate and rule did they the Rajapaksa’s . How low can this diplomuts stoop down for their pound of flesh…
All she had to say was that she is SRI LANKAN……
/
Dankotuwa Manike / September 25, 2015
Tamara Kunanayakam is one of those like Dayan Jayatilleke (Dayan De Silva) in the Rajapakse (spoilt) soup. Spoilt is spoilt and usefulness is not there any more. Throw it away or ignore to rot, dry and disappear.
This Badulla lady is supposed to be a civil servant but behaving like a frustrated and a vindictive politician.
/
Manisekaran.t / September 25, 2015
Hey Tamara, no shame lady? What moral high ground you have to defend the state which has utterly failed to withhold the principle of protecting its citizens? Time and again many have questioned.. Did ever your state attempt to provide justice to victims of cruel riots like 1983? Or Trinco murder? You look at your dirty back before crying at US hypocrisy? What moral grounds you have to yell at them? What us that bullshit called sovereignty, than withholding humanity?
/
jamesfolly / September 25, 2015
This [Edited out]was responsible for lying to un
She doesn’t even care about Tamil issues despite being a Tamil
I think she has lost it
/
jamesfolly / September 25, 2015
This [Edited out]
/
Kumar R. / September 25, 2015
Tamara,
Tamara,
Crawling out of the woodwork in a hurry – are we?
Are you that shameless that you would try to inflame gutter-patriotism with accusation of “subservience to Washington’s interests” despite the overwhelming evidence of murder, torture and unimaginable cruelty and rape (yes rape of Tamil women, just like you) by the Rajapaksa controlled regime?
Did you not wow that you will not return to Cuba if Rajapaksa ousted you from the comforts of Paris – what happened? That is just a taste of your integrity, courage and commitment! What has education done to you except to suck-up for bread-crumbs?!
/
Nirmala N / September 26, 2015
[Edited out]
/
ramona therese fernando / September 25, 2015
Mahinda Rajapaksa played the geo-political game, and took Sri Lanka to dizzying capitalistic heights with nothing but the geo-political games. If he had won the elections and gone the BRIC way, US and the West would have come in, with hard-power this time around.
After the war, Rajapaksa should have been astute and patriotic enough to know what these White beasts (with a Black man at their helm) are desperately trying to survive.
But no! We wanted to become like Singapore, and overtake them too, via BRIC. The vulnerability of the situation was apparent from the very start. And the stupid Sinhala politicians on the other side were always there, ever-ready to play treachery. That was what the final fulfillment of Lion race was all about! Sri Lanka is indeed a very stupid and little country. Thank you very much Champika!
If Lion race is genuinely interested in preserving its heritage, it is not too late to show some humility, and tread the more socialistic path of non-alignment and working the austerity measure, thus building up our honor from within our own ability.
Otherwise, let’s get into our Buddhist temples in the West and crow about the Lion Race’s cleverness within the Western structure (Aryanism fulfilled), whilst Tamil Nadu will have the final glory in the fulfillment of Eelam on our ancient Lankan sacred soil.
/
Sylvia Haik / September 25, 2015
Poor Tamara, she was hoping for a more welcome reception for her lengthy article of nonsense. Even the sycophants of the Dayan Jayatileke and Sumanasekera ilk have ignored her.
/
MR / September 25, 2015
Tamara Manimekalai Kunanayakam needs a diplomatic post which is possible if and only the country is in turmoil. She tries her best to create maximum disruption by joining with DJ, a well known racist, but they should know that sinners always suffer in the end by their bad karma.
/
rohan perera / September 25, 2015
Dear Editor,
Writer Tamara Kunanayakam seems to suggest that the US wants Sri Lanka to fall in line with President Obama’s national Security Strategy and ensure a raft of reforms. If that is the case, let us thank the United States of America.
I quote from the article of Tamara Kunanayakam: “The State Secretary (Kerry) outlined a series of measures to be undertaken by the new (Sri Lankan) Government – Constitutional reform, reform of the military, the judiciary, law enforcement, electoral processes, institutions such as the Parliament and Ministries, devolution of political power, and transfer of State responsibility for social matters to civil society, in particular.”
My question is this. Whether these reforms should be carried out to fall in line with US National Security imperatives or not, should Sri Lanka not carry out these reforms anyway? In fact, if the esteemed writer forgot, I would like to remind her that people of Sri Lanka voted Sirisena – Wickremesinghe combo to office to carry out just those reforms. We did not vote to be able to get bread at a cheaper price or to get gasoline at 30 rupees cheaper. People rejected the fancy sweeteners the Rajapaksa regime promised. In short, people wanted good governance, rule of law.
Whether the US wants it or not, we need to reform the constitution. I think there is bipartisan agreement on that. We have seen what a dictator can do to a country when he/ she has unfettered power conferred by the current (1978) constitution.
Judiciary: Everyone can agree that it is cheaper to hire a judge today than retain a lawyer! Such is the reputation of our judiciary. The impeachment of Hon. Shiranee Bandaranayake underscored how corrupt the system is. The current attorney general is taking this corruption to a new level that has shattered any hope people had in the office of the attorney general. The criticism against the Sirisena – Wickremesinghe administration is that they are unwilling or too weak to take action against the current AG and the minister of law and order, a former AG who is giving a very bad name to the current government.
Law enforcement: To take just one example, we all now know how the police and even a JMO and the government analyst tried to cover up the murder of rugby player Thajudeen. Should we not reform the police.
Military: even if you set aside the controversial war crimes, why should the military abduct a cartoonist and kill him? Why should bodyguards of an army general (Maj. Gen. Prasanna Silva) be travelling in a vehicle with false number plates. Why should they have some more false number plates inside the vehicle. Why should his bodyguards be travelling with automatic weapons even when he is not travelling with them? Should we not weed out the rotten officers and restore the dignity of the armed forces?
Parliament: do we need so many parasites while supporting several other layers of bloodsuckers known as provincial council members, etc.
If these proposed reforms are carried out, as Tamara says, because of US pressure, three cheers to Obama.
Rohan Perera
/
Eusense / September 25, 2015
Rohan Perera,
You are either a novice or appear to be naive about how the US, UN and the West operate. Do you really think that Obama and the US is really interested in making things right in Sri Lanka? How about making things right in the US itself, for the Blacks and Hispanics, lobbyist, corrupt politicians, discrimination of minorities, Police beatings and killings of minorities, whites found innocent and blacks guilty in the court system etc. etc.? How about for the Iraqi people? Afghans? Syrians?
It is true that SL needs changes in many sectors but what is needed is attitude changes not reforms. This is mainly due to the behavior of our corrupt politicians. Not due to short comings of the procedures and laws.
Do you really think that Sri Lankans are mutts, that they need the US help (I would rather say US forcing down our throats)? Even such reforms are made, who will guarantee our present and future corrupt politicians will stick to those?
/
Liberal One / September 25, 2015
These people were programmed by British and their servile elite class that they left behind. Otherwise how can you explain these zombies who wants to punish the legitimate forces of the country for freeing us from terrorism? While been totally cool with USA destroying any muslim country they can lay their hands on?
/
Native Vedda / September 25, 2015
Illiberal One
You must have gone through a period of an extended amnesia.
Its not about punishing the innocent. Its about investigating the war criminals. The ones who now live among you. The screwed up rapists, murderers,…. mass killers are danger to the community and the country than ever before. They acted with impunity all their life and expect the state to continue what they don’t deserve.
Therefore the war criminal should appear before an independent investigating commission, confess to their crimes, own up, beg for pardon, once pardoned move on. Its about justice to the victims and their kith and kin, eventual closure.
“While been totally cool with USA destroying any muslim country they can lay their hands on?”
Are you planning to fight the USA to stop destroying Muslim country? Go to middle east, chose a country, fight them on the beaches, in the air and land.
If you need support, take Fonseka, Svendra Silva, Jagath Dias, Gota, …… MR with you.
/
Native Vedda / September 25, 2015
Nuisance
“Do you really think that Sri Lankans are mutts, that they need the US help”
How else would you describe yourself? A genius, precocious, erudite, wise, sagacious, witty, ………… ?
” How about making things right in the US itself,”
Leave it to the Americans to deal with it or go to the US where you can spend rest of your life fighting for the downtrodden.
/
Eusense / September 25, 2015
vedda,
Keep writing! One day you may write something intelligent.
/
Native Vedda / September 26, 2015
Nuisance
“vedda, Keep writing! One day you may write something intelligent.”
Let the genius, precocious, erudite, wise, sagacious, witty, decide upon it.
/
sam / September 25, 2015
“Writer Tamara Kunanayakam seems to suggest that the US wants Sri Lanka to fall in line with President Obama’s national Security Strategy and ensure a raft of reforms. If that is the case, let us thank the United States of America.
Communism can only thrive in a Democracy- period ask the Russians and Chinese.
Every opportunist calling himself a think tank lefty would write the corollary (of what US has written)for quick recognition and wealth and once it gets the funding from west they destroys its own people just like Stalin and Moa with the Roosevelt billions to keep the Japs from China and Russia and Germans from Russia.
Imagine this female need to be in the rich west to satisfy her lust and greed like parasite and she talks of the opposite being better to become a dictator and enslave her own people with the charity given by the west.
/
Bandara / September 25, 2015
You are a true Sri Lankan Madam. I wish you all the success for your honesty
/
Native Vedda / September 25, 2015
Bandara
Aren’t you not kidding?
Please stop insulting her just because she is a Madam.
/