“Defense spokesman Minister Keheliya Rambukwella asserted that certain international organizations have been “infiltrated by the LTTE” and are helping to spread disinformation. In discussing the widely-publicized statement of UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navanetham (“Navi”) Pillay noting 2,800 civilian deaths and 7,000 injuries, the spokesman claimed: “There are certain pro-LTTE elements in international organizations holding high ranking posts. They are taking cover behind these organizations in order to support the LTTE.” (Note: Pillay, a South African national, happens to be an ethnic Tamil but to our knowledge, has never visited Sri Lanka.)” the US Embassy Colombo informed Washington.
The Colombo Telegraph found the related leaked cable from the WikiLeaks database. The “Unclassified” cable on March 19, 2009 by the US Ambassador to Colombo,Robert O. Blake discusses the situation in the conflict zone.
Navi Pillay
Read the cable below for further details;
O 191143Z MAR 09 FM AMEMBASSY COLOMBO TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 9616 INFO AMEMBASSY ATHENS AMEMBASSY BANGKOK AMEMBASSY DHAKA AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD AMEMBASSY KATHMANDU AMEMBASSY LONDON AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI AMEMBASSY OSLO AMEMBASSY TOKYO AMCONSUL CHENNAI AMCONSUL MUMBAI AMCONSUL TORONTO USEU BRUSSELS USMISSION USUN NEW YORK USMISSION GENEVA HQ USPACOM HONOLULU HI DIA WASHINGTON DC NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL WASHINGTON DC SECDEF WASHDC CDRUSARPAC FT SHAFTER HI//APCW/APOP// CDR USPACOM HONOLULU HI//J3/J332/J52//
UNCLAS COLOMBO 000310
SENSITIVE
STATE FOR SCA (BOUCHER, CAMP), SCA/INS AND PRM
STATE ALSO PASS USAID
AID/W FOR ANE/SCA, DCHA/FFP (DWORKEN, KSHEIN)
AID/W FOR DCHA/OFDA (MORRISP, ACONVERY, RTHAYER, RKERR)
ATHENS FOR PCARTER
BANGKOK FOR USAID/DCHA/OFDA (WBERGER)
KATHMANDU FOR USAID/DCHA/OFDA AND POL (SBERRY)
GENEVA FOR RMA (NKYLOH, NHILGERT, MPITOTTI)
USUN NEW YORK FOR ECOSOC (D MERCADO)
SECDEF FOR OSD - POLICY
PACOM ALSO FOR J-5
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: MOPS PREF PHUM PGOV PREL ASEC CE
SUBJECT: Northern Sri Lanka SitRep 35
Ref: A) Colombo 307 B) Colombo 304 C) Colombo 299 D) Colombo
294 E) Colombo 287 F) Colombo 282 G) Colombo 279 H) Colombo 277
I) Colombo 265 J) Colombo 258 K) Colombo 250
¶1. (SBU) Summary: The UN Resident Coordinator informed Ambassador
of reports of planes dropping bombs in the Government-designated
"safe zone" on March 18. Multiple accounts substantiate reports of
civilian retaliation against the LTTE on March 18. Larger numbers
of civilians are fleeing into Government-controlled territory. OFDA
Regional Advisor interviewed local aid worker who escaped the
conflict area on March 18. End Summary.
Aircraft Bombs Safe Zone
------------------------
¶2. (SBU) UN Resident Coordinator Neil Buhne informed Ambassador of
reports that the Sri Lankan Air Force bombed targets within the safe
zone late on March 18. Embassy is contacting other sources for
corroboration and further detail. (Note: it is likely the Air Force
was targeting the LTTE leadership.)
Civilians Retaliate Against LTTE
--------------------------------
¶3. (SBU) The nationalist daily newspaper "Island" reported that on
March 17 "angry civilians... set fire to an LTTE 'police' station at
Puthumathalan in the civilian safety zone after LTTE cadres shot
dead parents of a child whom they made an abortive bid to abduct.
They also shot dead the child before retreating among violent
protests." Military Spokesman Brigadier Udaya Nanayakkara, in a
press briefing on March 18, noted that this incident sparked wider
protests by IDPs, which included the burning of LTTE vehicles.
Embassy cannot substantiate all the details of these reports, but
they are consistent with earlier information regarding retaliation
against the LTTE by IDPs (Ref A).
IDPs Fleeing Conflict Zone
--------------------------
¶4. (SBU) News reports indicate as many as 2,000 civilians entered
Government-controlled territory on March 18, taking advantage of the
chaos to escape. Among this total, 643 civilians fled the conflict
area in dinghies on March 18 and were reportedly rescued by the Sri
Lankan Navy. Newspapers, as well as a military contact, attest the
Navy chased away LTTE boats which were attempting to halt the
civilians' escape. Government owned "Daily News" reports the LTTE
may have fired on the flotilla of dinghies before the Navy drove
them off.
¶5. (SBU) OFDA Regional Adviser met on March 18 with a group of 15
internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Vavuniya who fled the "safe
zone", including a Sri Lankan employee of the International
Organization for Migration (IOM). This contact reported that the
LTTE is now widely recruiting from among the trapped population,
forcing both young and old to fight, and is positioning its
artillery within civilian concentrations. The IOM worker confirmed
the skirmish on March 17 following LTTE attempt to forcibly recruit
civilians who were offloading food supplies, leading to wider
retaliation by the IDPs. The IOM worker and his family fled the
conflict zone at 2:30a.m. on March 18 by crossing the lagoon on
foot. He reported that LTTE forces fired on his group of 15 people
in an attempt to stop their flight. When they neared the Sri Lankan
military side, army soldiers provided cover fire for the civilians
to safely exit the lagoon. They have since been transported to one
of the newly prepared IDP sites at Manik Farms, Vavuniya.
Defense: "Pro-LTTE" Elements in International Organizations
---------------------------------------------
¶6. (SBU) Defense spokesman Minister Keheliya Rambukwella asserted
that certain international organizations have been "infiltrated by
the LTTE" and are helping to spread disinformation. In discussing
the widely-publicized statement of UN High Commissioner for Human
Rights Navanetham ("Navi") Pillay noting 2,800 civilian deaths and
7,000 injuries, the spokesman claimed: "There are certain pro-LTTE
elements in international organizations holding high ranking posts.
They are taking cover behind these organizations in order to support
the LTTE." (Note: Pillay, a South African national, happens to be
an ethnic Tamil but to our knowledge, has never visited Sri Lanka.)
Food, But Still No Meds
-----------------------
¶7. (U) Offloading of 500MT of food aid from the Vin-Tan cargo
vessel will finish by the end of today (March 19). The vessel will
return to Trincomalee by March 20. The World Food Program aims for
another food shipment during the week of March 23-27. The ICRC
confirmed that the Government did not provide any medical supplies
for the evacuation ferry which departed for the safe zone the night
of March 18.
¶8. (U) Colombo 307 (Ref A) reports on the Ambassador's meeting with
Sri Lanka's Foreign Minister in which the Ambassador raised the
range of U.S. concerns.
BLAKE
Bedrock Barney / August 28, 2013
Keheliya is still showing signs of trauma after the fall from the balcony. Calling the UN Human rights chief a tiger is BS. It is so BS that it is almost BBS.
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Bruno Umbato / August 28, 2013
His Defence against his drunk son’s actions in the sky is pathetic display of arrogance …. All these son brats of powerful politicians are menace to the Srilankan society … Dads of these brats are also becoming adult brats by defending them in the public …
But, Keheliya’s ideas in 2009 ( “There are certain pro-LTTE elements in international organizations holding high ranking posts. They are taking cover behind these organizations in order to support the LTTE.” (Note: Pillay, a South African national, happens to be an ethnic Tamil but to our knowledge, has never visited Sri Lanka.)” the US Embassy Colombo informed Washington) have been proved true …. They were exposed even in 2009 … Now, it is 2013 and still they are behaving the same way … Wait few more days to hear what Pillay has to say about Sri Lanka … There won’t be anything new as she had prepared it weeks before she arrived in the country …
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Don Stanley / August 28, 2013
Meanwhile, Rajapassa is cultivating the world’s PETTY DICTATORS. He is on a visit to Belarus which is considered the “last dictatorship” in Europe! China is supporting the Belaru dictatorship Building a huge industrial park in Belarus and the people are unhappy
Rajapassa has also turned the Commonwealth of Clowns aka. an obsolete and irrelevant British Colonial organization into a platform for African and Asian Military Dictators..
Earlier he was hanging out with Uganda’s Museveni.
Gota the goon is cultivating Pakistan’s ISI – military intelligence agency – that promotes sectarian violence, Taliban and dictatorship in Af-Pak.
The Direction that Lanka is headed is clear from the company that its leaders keep – third world dictators. The REST OF THE WORLD SHUN and AVOIDS corrupt and uneducated Mahinda Rajapakse like the plague!
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Sampath / August 28, 2013
See the date of the cable for heaven’s sake: “The “Unclassified” cable on March 19, 2009 by the US Ambassador to Colombo…”
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Bedrock Barney / August 29, 2013
Good point Sampath. This was before the fall. So maybe this is how he is normally. Poor guy.
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mike / August 28, 2013
On a different note, Keheliya has got “POO” (Point of Order) ASSwar as monitoring M.P. Asswar is NOT a journalist nor is he an old boy of Zahira College. I am aware that he can speak, read and write in all three languages, namely, English, Sinhalese and Tamil. Please correct me if I am WRONG! Once again journalist, my foot??
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mike / August 28, 2013
correction, old boy of Zahira College, COLOMBO.
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Amarasiri / August 29, 2013
Wiki Leaks and to LTTe?
Sri Lanka and LTTE. What you re not being Told?
Egyptian Revolution: What You’re Not Being told
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qtImFA3hso8
Students should watch your videos instead of spending 45 minutes in a class listening to someone bore you. Watching this is interesting and would keep students awake with the visualization and knowledge of this video.
A bit extreme at times, but one of the best geopolitical analyses available anywhere. Keep up the good work!
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Amarasiri / August 29, 2013
LTTE and Sri Lanka are Small potatoes for the Global neo-colonialism
Pop up and Install puppets for global hegemony.
Obama and the plan for World War 3 – Best documentary film 2013
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nTeWwPMiqvs
/
justice / August 28, 2013
Our “Goebbels” regularly expresses opinions not supported by facts.
Is the Darusman panel too “infiltated by LTTE?
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lal / August 28, 2013
Very likely influenced by LTTE terror sympathisers, Darusman and the rest of that panel came out with unverified reports of incidents. The military did a good job under difficult conditions, saving million Tamil lives who enjoy freedom. They continue to live in Sri Lanka, knowing fully well that across the Palk Strait their Tamil cousins do it hard with squalor around and abound.
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Saro / August 28, 2013
‘saving million Tamil lives who enjoy freedom’ – Joker Mervin is a better twister to say Tamil lives were saved by aerial bombing and prolonged starvation and enjoying freedom behind barbed wires and military occupation. Some of you are soaked in lies to the extent of thinking thr whole world is foolish enough to believe you. Not a single Tamil is free in the north and east except those hired as henchmen.
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Pasel / August 28, 2013
If Sri Lankan government didn’t do the war crime all these organization not going to be pro LTTE as the marble brain
Can’t claim
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Thiru / August 28, 2013
Udaya Gammanpillai is another Sinhalese extremist writer, soaked in anti-Tamil venom, writing in the Daily Mirror says: “Although Pillay is from South Africa, she is of Tamil ethnic origin. She is a community conscious activist as reflected in her struggles against discrimination of Indian community and women in South Africa”
To such writers, brain-washed from childhood to hate Tamils, no Tamil can be impartial. I wonder how they appoint Tamil judges to the Supreme court.
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Saro / August 28, 2013
The internal report of a panel commissioned by UN SG Ban Ki Moon later informed that ‘civilian deaths of 3,000 and 7,000 injuries’ reported by local UN Resident Cordinaters were an understatement. The actual figure they claimed were more close to 70,000 and not 40,000 estimated by UN Panel of Experts. The UN admitted they were wrong in not publishing even those conservative figures of casualties as insisted by UN HR Commissioner but SL government was hell bent on destroying everything and every human being on its way to triumphalism.
Keheliya and his men use LTTE even now to hide behind their violations of human rights and other excesses.
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Thiru / August 28, 2013
A Tamil man in Vanni told (video clip in Tamil) Navaneetham Pillai, the UNHCHR:
Deeds to our own lands were cancelled and bogus deeds were issued by President Mahinda Rajapakse and Sinhalese from the South settled in our lands. http://www.tamilwin.com/show-RUmryIRbMVeo6.html
This is how our beloved modern day DuddhaGamini is ruling the island of Sri Lanka!
Peace, truth, reconciliation and triple gems all wrapped into one.
I pray that Navi Pillai tell this naked truth to the whole world to know what kinds of racialist humbugs are are ruling Sri Lanka.
As the sage of Asia, Lee Kuan Yew said some time ago: Somebody should tell the Sinhalese and the Tamils to go separate ways in Ceylon.
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Cholar / August 28, 2013
mmmmm….
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DJ / August 29, 2013
Your website says it all.. mindful to refer some ‘reliable’ source at least to show what you say are ‘all truth, nothing but the truth’..!!
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Punnakku / August 28, 2013
Keheliya R is simply a decorative fixture. No one – inside and outside the Govt.- takes any notice of this fool who has been caught many a time eating his own words in Media Conferences. He could not even “stage” that bomb incident near his Kandhy home with some efficiency. His boru excuses on his strange fall from his hotel balcony has many interpretations – some salacious. The son?? What a son?? These are time-servers who we have to pay for being our Cabinet Ministers. We may have sinned in our previous births.
Punnakku
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len / August 29, 2013
Punnakku
I strongly object that your comparison OF [Keheliya R is simply a decorative fixture] on the grounds this denigrates simple decorative fixtures which are far more useful for the society than R.K.
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Citizen / August 28, 2013
I think Keheliya Rambukwella is going mad. When serious matters involving violations of human rights are to be investigated by UNHCR, it is sheer ridiculous for a Head of a State to visit countries that have violated human rights to the annoyance of the western democratic countries and Pakistan to have coordination with Sri Lanka military. Sri Lankan politicians have not yet experienced the bitter taste when the Indo-Sri Lanka Peace Accord was signed followed by the induction of the IPKF. It won’t be a s surprise another food parcels being dropped by the IAF.
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Anura / August 29, 2013
Keheliya made some sense in his comments some years back but now what he says is utterly nonsense..
I heard when R Premadasa won as a councilor, people collected money and bought him a Morris Minor and push the car with him on his first day at Town Hall. He had done great stuff (more good than bad) initially like Gam Udawas… Then what had happened to him in his later stage… he became a murderer just to maintain his power…Who made him a murderer???
What is GL Peris doing to the country now compared to what he did as a teacher low college..
All are the same in Siri Lanka.. but things getting worse… I had some respect to Keheliya in the past… so sad..
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Mahela / August 28, 2013
Almost similar to Kelaniya “Kelawedda” Possum Mervin calling UN Human Right Chief Dr.Navi Pillai to marry him.
In Rajapakse Bastar…s Government all the Parliament [Edited out] including Kekeliya has the same mind set.
These are the new breed of coward Beggers including the Alibaba Kangetta who go round the world begging for food and money when UNHR commissioner is visiting Sri Lanka.
You cannot change the nature of a Pig.
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Anti_Mervin_Sinhalaya / August 29, 2013
He is the mirror image of Rajapkshe.
It is believed, there are lot more to come to surface if Rajapakshe rule would go against Mervin. Mervin should have been contract killer for Rajapkshes guidance over the years. People, just normal ones raise the question why the bastard Mahinda is on a totally ignoring mode when it goes any harm continuously carried out by Mervin to our nation ?Now betraying all the civlised folks in the country, he has dared to ask Ms pillay, one of the world´s powerful figure to get married to her. How abusive this man should be to go to this levels ?
Even street sweeper of maradaan area would think twice before speaking to someone, but Mervin not. It is all because of his powers that the incumbent leader has offered him.
CBK is literally right to call these idiots as UNCULTURED UNEDUCATED RASCALS.
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Thiru / August 28, 2013
abc
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James Ingham / August 28, 2013
Keheliya must first answer how mass murders and hardcore LTTE “KP” and “Karuna” are enjoying political positions and power and not charged for terrorism, human rights violations or murder under his govt, before he points the finger at Navavi Pillai’s credibility as an impartial advocate.
As a matter of interest is the govt going to answer to Ms. Pillai why KP and Karuna have not been charged yet?????
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Ajith / August 28, 2013
There is a long distance between truth and what Srilankan Sinhala politicians say. If they can’t buy anyone they are pro-LTTE.
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Ravi / August 28, 2013
Was not this UN Guest ‘Invited’ by Sinhala govt. to do ‘Fact Finding’ mission? Inviting a ‘Guest’ & Crying over their activities is possible only for Sinhalese!
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Jim softy / August 28, 2013
Ms. NAvi Pillai should address the media freedom among Tamils too.
“Toronto, Aug 28 (IANS) Less than a week after its release, the Tamil version of controversial political thriller “Madras Cafe” was pulled from two theatres here due to protests and poor ratings.
The film sparked protests across the world even before it got released as Tamil groups claimed that the film portrays the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam in poor light.
Though the company representing the film claimed that it was being pulled from theatres in Canada due to protests, spokeswoman for Cineplex Entertainment, Pat Marshall, said that it was being pulled from only two Toronto theatres screening the Tamil version, the Vancouver Desi reported. “
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chandra / August 29, 2013
Jimbo
So, you want to widen her scope of her terms of reference do you?
Where do you want to start?
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chandra / August 29, 2013
I’m so pleased that Azwer is appointed as the “Moniter” of the Mass Media.
Mr Bean looking over Mr Bean.
Who needs tele-dramas?
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mike / August 29, 2013
ASSwar was appointed as monitoring M.P by Hitlerpaksha for the good work he has done, which is interrupting Sumanthiran!!
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Namal Perera / August 29, 2013
These Jokers who talk from both ends have no clue what they are talking. The majority of LTTE hard-core Terrorists including the current Leader are with the corrupt Regime.
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Anti_Mervin_Sinhalaya / August 29, 2013
Let s be honest, have we ever had this kind of idiots in the cabinets since independence ?NO NO NO No.
How come these idiots to have got elected to rule the nation ? FOr me, as one who has been away from the Island for 3 decades, unimaginable to see how things have reached in the home country today. To my eyes, we truly had some good values to be called as democratic to my days earlier. Today, police is beyond being abusive, Judges beyond being abusive, Public servants beyond being abusive, what has happened to our nation ? Ane dewiyane ?????????????.
Today the place has been beyond ridicule. Nobody with sanity would consider current bunch of thieves as true, people loving politicians.
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kumar de Silva / August 29, 2013
Navanethan Pilai is Commissioner of UNCHR.She is in charge of all activities carried out by that organization.Is there any conflict of interest she should not handle that subject.That is the established fact and principle followed by any legal inst6itution in the world.But she is not act impartially so far in connection with this matter.So,Majority of Sinhalese,and Tamils living in the world aspect
impartial judgement in relation to war crimes charges raised by the Western world and Indian Tamil community.In other hand she is daughter of Indian Tamil bus driver(South African)migrated to South Africa.Therefore any one can argue she is a impartial because she is not directly called as a Tamil National.In other hand she was a Judge represented various panels of international Court of Justice.
I would like to mention Some comment raised by the Sri Lankan most respected Juries in the UK Sir Desmond de Silva at AGM of the Association of Sri Lankan Lawyer’s in the UK held at London,recently with regard to the war Crimes subject of the recent history of the World.Answering to the question raised by the ordinance he said that the killing of Bin Leaden(USA),Gadhafi(NATO) or Prabakan(Sri Lanka) is justify.Of course this was taken according to series of acts,Crimes they had done.violated and sovereignty of that state, they have right to protect their Country from their evil behavior and that type of people killed by Their Army or Police of cause Justify according to International law.Our Government should appoint
impartial respected Judge to investigate this or File action against
Soldiers evolved last battle to Court Martial or High Court impartial inquiry.This are the procedures followed by the most of the Western Countries in relation to this type of cases.
Kumar
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Spring Koha / August 29, 2013
KEHELMALLA Rambukwella IS the original Mr Bean (Rowan, eat your heart out!) This is a ……man? without shame, who is a master of obfuscation and an expert at the old art of ‘putting his foot in it’.
Here is his vision and mission statement:
Vision
“A well-informed society”
Mission
“Achieving excellence in the total practice of media by facilitating to usher in a people-friendly, development oriented, free and responsible media culture ”
When will the GOSL realise the importance of this post instead of appointing a succession of bullshitters who only makes us the laughing stock of the listening world?
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Jehan Jeyaretnam / August 29, 2013
¶5. (SBU) OFDA Regional Adviser met on March 18 with a group of 15
internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Vavuniya who fled the “safe
zone”, including a Sri Lankan employee of the International
Organization for Migration (IOM)……
Leaving Keheliya’s stupid comment, its quite strange that the GOSL is not using the Wikileaks from the US to prove their part of the story! The comments clearly prove the brutality brought on by the LTTE on the Tamil civilians. Shooting and abducting seem to have anyway happened. So the 40,000 dead count is lower than what it would have been if the LTTE was allowed to remain trapped fighting for another month.
It was a sad and bloody battle!!! How many SRI LANKANS have died since the end of the war?
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kali / August 29, 2013
If the Defense spokesman Minister Keheliya Rambukwella is alleging that Mrs.Pillai is being influenced by LTTE then she should sue him for Libel.
It is impossible to penetrate the UN with Banki Bloody Moon a devout Buddhists at the helm acting only in the interest and for the Genocidal GOSL. His Crony Viyay Numbiar was the highest paid beneficiary of MR.
Rambukawella has conveniently chosen to omit it
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hannah.rajaratnam / August 31, 2013
Crony.V.Nambiar,Adof Hitler Mahinda,Goebels Gota,Bloody Moon,
Mervin the Vermin,Kehelwatte Rambukks and the rest of the gang have their hands in the same pot of gold.
Whither Sri Lanka.
/