
“The children are sold into slavery, usually boys to work camps and girls to prostitution rings, through EPDP’s networks in India and Malaysia. Sunthararaj maintains that children are often smuggled out of the country with the help of a corrupt Customs and Immigration official at Bandaranaike International Airport in Colombo.” the US Embassy Colombo informed Washington.
The Colombo Telegraph found the related leaked cable from the WikiLeaks database. The cable is classified as “SECRET” and discuses Sri Lanka’s paramilitary operations. The cable was written by the Ambassador Robert O. Blake on May 18, 2007.
“Sunthararaj’s story was partially verified by Government Agent Ganesh, who stated that the EPDP works in concert with the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) to operate Tamil prostitution rings for the soldiers. Ganesh stated that young women were taken and forced to have sex with between five and ten soldiers a night. Sometimes they are paid approximately a dollar for each “service.” The young women’s parents are unable to complain to authorities for fear of retribution and because doing so would ruin the girls’ reputation, making it impossible for them ever to marry.” the ambassador further wrote.
We publish below the relevant part of the cable;
Related posts to this cable;
WkiLeaks: Gota Authorized Paramilitary Operations – Sri Ranga
WikiLealks: Major General Chandrasiri Confided MOD Instruction To US
S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 06 COLOMBO 000728 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR SCA/INS MCC FOR S GROFF, D TETER, D NASSIRY AND E BURKE E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/18/2017 TAGS: PGOV PREL PTER PHUM MOPS CE SUBJECT: SRI LANKA: GSL COMPLICITY IN PARAMILITARY FACTIONS' HUMAN RIGHTS ABUSES REF: A. COLOMBO 591 ¶B. COLOMBO 561 ¶C. COLOMBO 463 ¶D. COLOMBO 460 ¶E. 2006 COLOMBO 2056 ¶F. 2006 COLOMBO 1896 ¶G. 2005 COLOMBO 2157 ¶H. 2004 COLOMBO 1219 Classified By: Ambassador Robert O. Blake, Jr., for reasons 1.4(b, d) ¶1. (S) SUMMARY: Allegations of government complicity in crimes committed by organized paramilitary groups have mounted in the last year. Paramilitaries such as the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE)-breakaway Karuna group and Eelam People's Democratic Party (EPDP) have helped the Government of Sri Lanka (GSL) to fight the LTTE, to kidnap suspected LTTE collaborators, and to give the GSL a measure of deniability. The GSL, which denies any links to paramilitary groups, has recently touted its efforts to improve its human rights record, such as the re-publication of procedures on arrests and detentions and the appointment of a "One-Man Commission" to investigate reported disappearances (ref C). However, these efforts so far appear aimed more at improving Sri Lanka's image abroad and have yet to produce concrete improvements in the human rights situation. Outside the capital, the incidence of human rights abuses has continued, including extrajudicial killings, abductions, child trafficking, extortion, and prostitution. President Rajapaksa's government, strapped for cash, has cut direct payments to paramilitaries initiated by former President Kumaratunga and instead turns a blind eye to extortion and kidnapping for ransom by EPDP and Karuna. While many of the charges against the government have been made in public fora, a growing number of trusted Embassy contacts, often at personal risk, have described in detail the extent of the GSL's involvement with paramilitary groups. END SUMMARY.
Child Trafficking ----------------- ¶17. (S) On March 26, Mr. Stephen Sunthararaj (strictly protect), Coordinator for the Child Protection Unit of World Vision in Jaffna, said he believes that EPDP is operating child trafficking rings in Jaffna with a base on Delft island, which the EPDP "owns." Sunthararaj explained that because of the large number of widows in Jaffna, men associated with the EPDP, often from neighboring villages, are used to seduce women with children, especially girls, with the promise of economic protection. After establishing a relationship, the men then take the children, sometimes by force and sometimes with the promise that they will be provided a better life. The children are sold into slavery, usually boys to work camps and girls to prostitution rings, through EPDP's networks in India and Malaysia. Sunthararaj maintains that children are often smuggled out of the country with the help of a corrupt Customs and Immigration official at Bandaranaike International Airport in Colombo. ¶18. (S) Sunthararaj's story was partially verified by Government Agent Ganesh, who stated that the EPDP works in concert with the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) to operate Tamil prostitution rings for the soldiers. Ganesh stated that young women were taken and forced to have sex with between five and ten soldiers a night. Sometimes they are paid approximately a dollar for each "service." The young women's parents are unable to complain to authorities for fear of retribution and because doing so would ruin the girls' reputation, making it impossible for them ever to marry. Families have begun arranging marriages for their daughters at a very young age in the hopes that the EPDP and soldiers will be less likely to take them. In addition to trafficking in children, Sunthararaj detailed how the EPDP operates an illicit alcohol smuggling ring using child "mules."
Blake
Jim softy / September 13, 2013
“Sunthararaj’s story was partially verified by
Government Agent Ganesh,”
Why it was partially verified ?
Prostitution is a well established business in every developed country. they employ women for impoverished countries.
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Rohan / September 13, 2013
Great….
“taken and forced”, and this idiot is happy about it. Can someone provide EPDP the address of this guy, so that they could come and take his sister, wife and daughter…
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Tsunami Hora / September 13, 2013
This Softy pimp would go to any extent to wash MaRa and his cronies. Thats what he is here for.
Anything connected to MaRa Gothakarumaya is right for him.
Anyone oppose these Megalomaniac Lunatics are Traitors for this so called Balu-Patriots.
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Native Vedda / September 14, 2013
Rohan
“so that they could come and take his sister, wife and daughter…”
Please don’t, take Jimmy away for a holiday.
He had worked hard all these years he is cracking up.
Preferably take his computer away.
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Piranha / September 13, 2013
You are a moron and a heartless animal.
The children were sold into prostitution and you are happy about that? What kind of man are you?
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Alan / September 14, 2013
Jim softy,
Don’t comment like a fool! you get back bad reply…….your parents and sisters may be good people.
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Amarasiri / September 14, 2013
Jim Softy and Avatars,
The prostitution and slavery are incidental to this story. The CORE OF THE STORY:
“and to give the GSL a
measure of deniability. The GSL, which denies any links to
paramilitary groups, has recently touted its efforts to
improve its human rights record, such as the re-publication
of procedures on arrests and detentions and the appointment
of a “One-Man Commission” to investigate reported
disappearances (ref C). However, these efforts so far appear
aimed more at improving Sri Lanka’s image abroad and have yet
to produce concrete improvements in the human rights
situation.”
The CORE OF the story is that the Government of Sri Lanka with Mahinda Rajapaksa as the President actively or passively allowed and encouraged this scheme.
This is another proof that Mahinda Rajapsksa is a coward, as shown as to how he behaves and deals with the terrorists BBS and Sinhala Ravya Monks running Amok.
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Jim softy / September 13, 2013
Child slavery is a South Indian or Indian Habit.
“Caste discrimination and exploitation of Dalit children are not confined to villages alone as some members of the dominant communities force them into bonded labour in savory and confectionary units run by them in many parts of north India.
Recently, Vadugapatti village near Usilampatti was in the news when a Class VI Dalit boy was forced to carry footwear on his head through a caste Hindu street. But the same village has another story of a 17-year-old Dalit, who has become mentally ill due to physical and psychological torture he had faced at a savory factory in Gujarat, owned by a local businessman settled there.
Confined within a room for the last two years, the victim, T Vairamani, was rescued by his father, Thevamani, from a village in Gujarat. Owner Rohan, a caste Hindu of Usilampatti, had paid `2,000 as advance to Thevamani, a tender coconut vendor, while taking the boy for work at his savory unit. “
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Chanakyan / September 13, 2013
These people are so holy as to think that HOLY ASH sits in harmony with their holiness. What a travesty that Hindu priests apply it dutifully with never a thought about the sacrilege.
It is such men of more than lily white purity who instruct the Tamils of the North to choose them in preference to Justice Wigneswaran. Have they thought that all the perfumes of Arabia had done the needful?
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Sengodan. M / September 13, 2013
This criminal called Douglas, a lackey of MaRa should be hanged by his neck until he is dead for all the crimes he committed on innocent children of the North!
Sengodan. M
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sach / September 13, 2013
of course he should have sent him to the war front with guns at hand. We would have sent the money and even idolize you. neda senga?
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Sengodan. M / September 13, 2013
Do you know Sach that this man is ‘wanted’ for a murder he committed at a place called Choolamedu in India? He is still on the wanted list there! None of the diaspora gave him the gun or sent him any money!
Sengodan.. M
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sach / September 13, 2013
I didnt say this diaspora gave money for him, what I said was there were worse men idiolized by Tamil diaspora and Eelamists as a whole.
And I knw he is wanted for murder and he is not the only one who has committed murder in the pursuit of eelam
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Piranha / September 13, 2013
That’s too soft a punishment for this animal.He is a curse on the tamils and I am sorry that he is still alive today.
I would hang the Bas**rd by his bollocks.
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gamini / September 13, 2013
The Village IDIOTS from the North and the South in the Photo, blends well for disaster in Sri Lanka. Their interests are common and their modus operandi the same although one is Tamil and the other is Sinhalese. The Scum on earth.
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Taraki / September 13, 2013
Spot on!
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Native Vedda / September 13, 2013
gamini
You missed the main criteria, both people are irredeemably stupid, bent on self destruction.
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Piranha / September 13, 2013
Excellent comment.
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Dr Chaminda Weerawardhana / September 15, 2013
Very thoughtful a comment indeed!
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Anagarika Somapala / September 13, 2013
This is what this Dogclass did to Tamils and he now wants to be CM and thinks he is better suited because he is from the North. He is one of the people that ruined the North.
Selling children for slavery and prostitution was one of the way he made money. He is also involved in getting down drugs. He was once the bank robber, rapist and common thief.
He can win elections only by threatening the people at gun point and by rigging.
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mahasohon / September 13, 2013
Part of the missing people?
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shankar / September 13, 2013
Where is sivananthan.We like to hear the EPDP fool bark now.
Why does douglas not contest for CM’s post and get a big vote to prove that this is all lies?That is the only way he can clear his name.
Otherwise he is going to be known as the CTP(Chief Tamil Pimp).ha ha
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Iqbal / September 13, 2013
Every family in the north knows that Douglas men were involved in all sorts of crimes from child slavery, women prostitution, extortion of money, robbery, abductions, torture, extrajudicial killing, bribery, illegal selling of sands with the help of the army and police. EPDP cadres carred arms in front of the police and they turn a blind eye. The victims kept quiet for fear of police informing the culprits and possible repercussion. Recently an EPDP member was caught red handed while handing slolen jewellery in a bank deposit box and immediately he was disowned by the party.
Huthrusinghe diployed 150,000 soldiers in the north and they can be seen in in every corner and in towns yet, EPDP men could carry out those crimes in broad day light and in darkness but NOT a single culprit was ever apprehended or investigated. Top civil servant in charge of the armed forces and police would have known but allowed to continue because most media observed self censorship for fear of their lives.
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Ajith / September 13, 2013
It is time for Tamils to think before voting in the NCP election. The Vote is about your conscience, that’s why it is you take full control of it and no one else can force you in your decision. We know there are pressures from Sinhala armed forces, armed Tamil paramilitary groups serving for the Sinhala state ( I call it is Sinhala state because the state never consider other communities are Sri Lankans). We have to express our democratic right according to our conscience to make the Northern province free from such illegal, inhumane practices that is not acceptable to human beings. It is shame that a former militant who took arms to protect Tamils from such inhumane activities turned into a slave of oppressors and forcing our brothers, sisters, sons and daughters as prostitutes to the Sinhala masters. I am sure true Sinhalese will not welcome such activities of a political leader and it is time to get rid of them out of power.
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Maamanithar / September 13, 2013
Hahahaha…..M.SIVANATHAN !! Where are you !!? You seem not being entertained by your Master for quite sometime. Don’t you think that you should defend your world renowned criminal Lord Dougi Dogi for the bones you collected under his tables !!?
By the way !! Could we consider you as the main broker and mediator of this venture !!? Is this the biggest business venture of your boss in Singapore !!?
Do you think Julian Assange and Robert Blake too will one day join the ques in front of Srither theater to get a small portion of the prostitution money !!?
No Tamil MPs have never ever done such development and service to the Tamils. – I agree with you M.SIVANATHAN !!?
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Siva / September 15, 2013
Where is Dougles’s boot liking poodle M.SIVANATHAN? He hid himself when he saw this news item.
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Fathima Fukushima / September 13, 2013
LTTE also did that. There were photos in the internet how LTTE sent its Tamil Women Tigers to whites for prostitution.
Now TNA is also doing it.
What else do you expect when the liberation struggle ( :) ) created 89,000 Mahaveer Tamil war widows without a pension!!
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Taraki / September 13, 2013
Are you sure about this? Although the LTTE tortured and murdered thousands of civilians of all communities, I cannot recall reports of them ever sexually assaulting anybody.
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Dr.Rajasingham Narendran / September 13, 2013
A few years back I received the video you refer to in my e-mail and was very perturbed. On closer examination, I found the video had been shot somewhere in East Africa, the girls were East African (and obvious had borne children) and the pickup shown had Arabic number plates. The video was obviously a prelude or sequel to many such videos the LTTE concocted to disgrace and damn its detractors.
The LTTE had its share of sins, but pimping and prostitution were not among these. There were womanizers in the LTTE and women were supplied to them in droves to satisfy their hyper-sexual appetites by those seeking favours. There were instances of the female cadres becoming unfortunate victims. It conscripted children into its ranks by force and was extremely cruel to parents who came to rescue their children. However, they-the LTTE- did not engage in trading them.
What the EPDP did post-war was unpardonable and has led to its present predicament on the election front. The EPDP is the albatross around the UPFA neck in the north,among other factors.
Dr.Rajasingham Narendran
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RajasH / September 13, 2013
A few years back I received the video you refer to in my e-mail and was very perturbed….
you are confuding with the pornography you down loaded.
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RajasH / September 13, 2013
DR R.N. – you must be confusing with the pornography you download
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DeSelva / September 14, 2013
…(and obvious had borne children)….
you could assess this from the video?
or [Edited out]
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Dr.Rajasingham Narendran / September 14, 2013
Do not display your ignorence or pretend to be a stupid.
Dr.R.N
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Fathima Fukushima / September 14, 2013
Dr R,
That was just one. There were many more videos and still photos which clear shows TAMIL girls and women naked with [Edited out]
@Fathima Fukushima – Please submit your comment with evidence – CT
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sinhla warwidow / September 13, 2013
I am a Sinhala war widow and your comment is not funny!
why dont you go and do what your surname suggests.
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Fathima Fukushima / September 14, 2013
Then you must be receiving a handsome pension unlike Tamil women who have to sell their bodies and Thamul girls their “katpu” to earn it everyday.
150,000 soldiers doesn’t help it either.
Only 4,000 Sinhala war widows and all of them get a pension.
89,000 Tamil war widows and none of them get any pension (except from the soldiers who are generous enough to pay!!)
ANY Tamil voting for UPFA supports these barbarians. STOP voting for criminals. Vote for TNA [Edited out]
@Fathima Fukushima – Please submit your comment with evidence – CT
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sinhla warwidow - / September 14, 2013
you done seem to get the point. It’s not funny to lose one’s husband whether you receive a widows pension or not.
Any how you seesm to be an small minded idiot ….I should not waste my time responding to like of yours
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Native Vedda / September 14, 2013
sinhla warwidow
“Any how you seesm to be an small minded idiot ….”
So are all Sri Lankies. Otherwise we would not be discussing about war widows.
The pertinent question is how did we manage to arrive at a point in history where the disastrous war was inevitable.
Have the stupid Sri Lankies learned anything from past disasters? The war should not have happened and should not happen. All the signs are the Sinhala/Buddhists are preparing for series of disasters.
As a war widow I hope you would tell your story again and again to your kith and kin so hopefully your story would avert future disasters.
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sinhla warwidow - / September 14, 2013
I couldnt agree with you more
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bbs dayan / September 13, 2013
Fathima: Get a life behind hiding under that name! You are shaking under that name!
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Lankan / September 13, 2013
EPDP Duglas is the guy who is always with the President. In addition to our President surrounding himself with rapists, drug dealers, arsonists, smugglers, murderers it is now clear he has slave traders and pimps too around him. This is the Sri Lanka which Gotha was talking about.
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Chanakyan / September 13, 2013
From November this year he will be surrounded by the sanctimonius Commonwealth, never ill at ease for two years at a stretch. His ever loving companion will be Sharma.
Tamil Nadu has opened an escape route for Manmohan Singh, but he doesn’t seem to take it. Let the world exclaim, tell me your friend and I will tell you who you are
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kirthi / September 13, 2013
Stephen Sunthararaj, who was quoted in this cable was abducted and disappeared in Colombo in 2009. Now we know why.
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shankar / September 15, 2013
kirthi,the chap who abducted,tortured and killed him is sivananthan.He comes regularly on this blog and his favourite words are fool and bark.
He now lives in Toronto having got refugee status claiming that LTTE tortured him and his fellow cadres in the EPDP.
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DeSelva / September 13, 2013
Hi Fathima…..how long you have known Dr Rajasingham Narendran…you guys exchange pornography?
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RajasH / September 13, 2013
well MR seems to be ejoying what ever Douglas is doing to him from the rear!
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RajasH / September 13, 2013
Talking about prostitution ans pornography MR and Douglas look very happy together. And MR seems to be enjoying what ever Douglas is doign frm the rear.
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shankar / September 14, 2013
It is called jacking.It happens routinely to females in the crowded buses.You are right,douglas has the ecstatic look of a MR.Jackson,but where you are wrong is it is not MR who is enjoying,but douglas.
Wonder whether douglas is gay or a bi or maybe he is just getting an ecstatic feeling jacking the president of srilanka.Not many people can get the opportunity of jacking a president and having that thrill knowing full well that the president cannot do anything about it because if he did many skeletons in the cupboard could fall out.
There is no doubt in my mind that it is a face of a MR.Jackson,because i have seen these faces a lot when travelling by bus during my teenage years in srilanka.Very few women complain because they don’t want create a scene and they can’t move away too because the bus is filled up like can of sardines.
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RajasH / September 14, 2013
Both Douglas and MR are enjoying
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shankar / September 15, 2013
Then MR also must be a bi.Learnt these bad habits i suppose cupping boys in Thurstan college.
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Probono Publico / September 15, 2013
you seem to know a lot about jacking ;-)
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shankar / September 16, 2013
proborno
Don’t pretend you don’t.
Be like us.Refreshingly forthright.
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Probono Publico / September 18, 2013
of course i do know mate there is no one who will not know it neda!
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Namal Perera / September 14, 2013
If “Ali Baba” is a rouge and a thief, what can you expect from the members of his gang.
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Wyatt K / September 14, 2013
If this is true, it is sickening…..
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Fathima Fukushima / September 14, 2013
Of course it is true.
This is the unfortunate future of Tamils in Srilanka!!
Tamil girls to become prostitutes and Tamil boys become slaves.
As the heartless winners say the winner takes it all and the loser must fall.
IF Tamil people vote for these criminals it is they who should be blamed.
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Probono Publico / September 14, 2013
you seem scared the the UPFA is going to lose ;-)
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shankar / September 15, 2013
“If this is true, it is sickening….”
Wyatt,i agree with you,2 prominent elders jacking in public is sickening indeed.They are setting a bad example for our future male generations.
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hannah.rajaratnam / September 15, 2013
Like Fathima.M some on this thread are in a panic that TNA will win.
elections are round the corner.
Has MR replied Sambandan’s letter asking him to order the Army back in to the barracks NOW?
Has anyone seen the reply,maybe planning to sedn more troops at the behest of Hathuru.
If so– trouble brewing.
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Voice of Justice / September 16, 2013
Duglas is a famous killer who even give his mother to soldies for power and money.
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Mohamed Nazeer / September 21, 2013
Please don’t forget the 40,000 Sinhala children forced into prostitution by Sinhala rulers in the name of tourism.
Sri Lanka is #2 in the world for child prostitution.
All regime members must be banned from travelling abroad until all the children are released.
Sri Lankan regime members also have billions in foreign banks. Those accounts must be ceased and used for Sri Lankan child prostitute rehabilitation.
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