{"id":122733,"date":"2014-04-05T00:01:01","date_gmt":"2014-04-04T18:31:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/?p=122733"},"modified":"2014-04-20T15:42:48","modified_gmt":"2014-04-20T10:12:48","slug":"gota-banned-ctc-urges-interested-parties-to-review-the-judgement-against-rohan-gunaratna","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/index.php\/gota-banned-ctc-urges-interested-parties-to-review-the-judgement-against-rohan-gunaratna\/","title":{"rendered":"Gota Banned CTC Urges Interested Parties To Review The Judgement Against Rohan Gunaratna"},"content":{"rendered":"

Condemning the Sri Lankan government’s ban on Tamil Diaspora organisations the\u00a0Canadian Tamil Congress<\/span><\/a> (CTC) today\u00a0invites interested parties to review the recent judgment of the Ontario Superior Court,ruling in favour of CTC<\/span><\/a> in a libel case against Sri Lankan-born \u2018terrorism expert\u2019 Rohan Gunaratna<\/span><\/a>, who had been quoted as saying, \u201cthe LTTE is operating under the name of the Canadian Tamil Congress, which is the main LTTE front organization in Canada.\u201d In his ruling, Justice Stephen E. Firestone found, \u201cit is unequivocal and uncontroverted that [Gunaratna\u2019s] statements were, in fact, false and untrue,\u201d and awarded damages to CTC in the amount of $53,000. In this light, CTC categorically rejects the Sri Lankan government\u2019s proscription of CTC as funding or supporting terrorist activities.<\/p>\n

\"David<\/a>

David Poopalapillai and Manjula Selvarajah (CTC)<\/p><\/div>\n

Canadian Tamil Congress today categorically rejects Sri Lankan Government’s (GoSL) claim that the CTC is a “terrorist” \u00a0organisation”, saying the ban is a GoSL’s reactive measures to the recent UN Human Rights Council resolution<\/span><\/a> on SriLanka.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe work that CTC does in regard to Sri Lanka has always been and continues to be focused on improving the human rights situation, in conformity and with respect for international law,\u201d stated David Poopalapillai<\/span><\/a>, national spokesperson for the Canadian Tamil Congress.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is a cynical attempt to silence that work.\u00a0 Sri Lanka cannot continue to vilify human rights defenders by resorting to accusations of \u2018terrorism\u2019. \u00a0It is unfortunate, that the government of Sri Lanka is unable to concentrate on seeking justice and accountability, resorting instead to such low tactics and fear mongering\u201d concluded Poopalapillai.<\/p>\n

Issuing a statement the CTC said; “Last month, United Nations Human Rights Council Resolution 25\/1 mandated the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights to conduct an independent investigation into, \u201cserious violations and abuses of human rights and related crimes by both parties inSri Lanka,\u201d which was seen internationally as a victory for human rights in Sri Lanka.<\/p>\n

“It is with great respect for international law that the Canadian Tamil Congress (CTC) has advocated since 2009 for the establishment of an international investigation into human rights violations committed by both sides in the armed conflict in Sri Lanka, as well as into the ongoing abuses of human rights in the country.\u00a0 It is evident therefore that the recent proscription of CTC by the Sri Lankan government, and its baseless allegations, are a direct response to the successful establishment of such an independent inquiry through the Human Rights Council\u2019s resolution.\u00a0 Under the guise of counter-terrorism, the Sri Lankan government is clearly attempting to hinder the upcoming investigation in any way possible, by preventing and de-legitimizing the work of human rights defenders on the ground in Sri Lanka and attempting to curb the flow of information regarding the human rights situation internationally.<\/p>\n

“CTC is an organization that fundamentally believes in principles of human rights, openness, transparency and accountability, and operates in conformity with Canadian and international laws.<\/p>\n

“Governed by an increasingly authoritarian regime, with a politicized judiciary, Sri Lankaby all measures is a failed state. Critics of the state are slandered by the government, the rule of law is in tatters, and national institutions are firmly under executive control.\u00a0 It is in this context then that the Sri Lankan government has proscribed CTC, as an attempt at sidelining a vocal and effective critics of Sri Lanka\u2019s gross human rights violations and breaches of international law.\u00a0 In addition to being utterly baseless, the proscription, signed by Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa<\/span><\/a>, also permits the usage of the draconian Prevention of Terrorism Act by the Sri Lankan government against individuals found to be working for or with any of the proscribed organizations.\u00a0 These actions run in the same vein as consistent attempts by the Sri Lankan government to intimidate, harass and silence the voices of human rights defenders in Sri Lanka, most recently this past month during the session of the Human Rights Council. Furthermore, these measures make impossible any form of meaningful dialogue between all communities and parties affected by the conflict in Sri Lanka,including the Tamil diaspora,and show clearly that theSri Lankan government\u2019s rhetoric on reconciliation is entirely superficial.<\/p>\n

“The Canadian Tamil Congress is presently considering all possible actions, including legal remedies that may be taken to respond to this slanderous and malicious decision by the Sri Lankan government.\u00a0 CTC will seek the intervention of the President of the UN Human Rights Council, the Canadian government, and various international non-governmental organizations, many of whom have already voiced their indignation at this proscription.\u00a0 We call upon the Canadian government and the international community to condemn these actions of the Sri Lankan government.<\/p>\n

“The Canadian Tamil Congress has long been a fervent critic of the human rights abuses perpetuated by and within the Sri Lankan state.\u00a0 CTC will not allow such fear-mongering tactics to dissuade our organization, and we will continue to work resolutely for the human rights of all Sri Lankans, and to seek truth, justice and peace for Tamils.”<\/p>\n

Related stories;<\/p>\n

Gota\u2019s Banning Gazette Contains List Of 16 Tamil Diaspora Orgs And 424 Individuals<\/a><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

[…]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":22,"featured_media":122735,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[3,1,6969,2375],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-122733","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-colombotelegraph","category-news","category-popular-stories","category-stories"],"yoast_head":"\nGota Banned CTC Urges Interested Parties To Review The Judgement Against Rohan Gunaratna - Colombo Telegraph<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/index.php\/gota-banned-ctc-urges-interested-parties-to-review-the-judgement-against-rohan-gunaratna\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Gota Banned CTC Urges Interested Parties To Review The Judgement Against Rohan Gunaratna - 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