Sri Lanka - News and Discussion

joshvajohn · Post by **joshvajohn** » 24 Feb 2011 04:09

Tamils Should Return Home – Switzerland
http://www.thesundayleader.lk/2011/02/0 ... itzerland/

Sri Lankan refugees on march to Delhi
http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/a ... 456009.ece

UN: 5,000 Tamils are held off-limits in Sri Lanka
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/co ... 02530.html

Ashes of Sri Lanka rebel chief's mother desecrated
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/co ... 02113.html

joshvajohn · Post by **joshvajohn** » 25 Feb 2011 15:38

Tamil Nadu Fishermen Remains a Neglected Lot
http://www.groundreport.com/Opinion/Tam ... _1/2935144

Social impact of Sinhala Only policy
http://www.dailynews.lk/2011/02/01/fea03.asp

Language of Mis-communication - I
http://print.dailymirror.lk/opinion1/36181.html

Yet, the fact still remains that ‘Sinhala-Only’ has prevailed over later-day amendments, providing for a three-language formula. The Tamils, advantaged as they were in their knowledge of English and disadvantaged as they were by ‘Sinhala Only’ and consequent ethnic violence unleashed against them, sporadically but severely for three full decades from the mid-Fifties, could capitalise on their language skills – and in jobs where they could find them and in ways that secured their personal safety and ethnic purity. Canada, Australia and much of Western Europe, became their safe-houses, just as some of them also became the safe-house of the LTTE after a time.

Divide, Intoxicate, Repress And Rule
http://www.srilankaguardian.org/2011/02 ... -rule.html

joshvajohn · Post by **joshvajohn** » 27 Feb 2011 15:32

UN Should Not Fail in Libya - Like it Failed in Sri Lanka
Transnational Government of Tamil Eelam (TGTE) urged the UN not to fail in protecting Libyan civilians like it failed to protect Sri Lankan Tamil civilians in 2009. During the massacre of Tamil civilians in Sri Lanka, UN Security Council and UN Human Rights Council also held meetings. But those meetings did not prevent the killing of around 60,000 Tamil civilians. Repeated appeals by several world leaders' to stop the killings were rejected by the Sri Lankan Government. Failure to bring Sri Lankan leaders to face War Crimes charges is sending a strong message to Libyan leaders that they can kill without fear of any consequences.

http://www.prweb.com/releases/2011/02/prweb4994854.htm

Nambiar facing calls for ICC investigation
http://www.dvb.no/news/nambiar-facing-c ... tion/14473

joshvajohn · Post by **joshvajohn** » 28 Feb 2011 16:22

Rajapaksa’s Dictatorial Allies Foretell His Future
By Mangala Samaraweera, M.P.
http://www.thesundayleader.lk/2011/02/2 ... is-future/

chetak · Post by **chetak** » 28 Feb 2011 18:33

Kailash wrote:What is the reason for Indian Navy's inaction?
Polical lethargy with elections round the corner ? Apathy towards citizens ?

As a regional power it is not time to make a statement about this nagging problem? Shouldnt they nip it in the bud?

Our guys are actively fishing deep in lankan waters where the best catch is found.

Nothing for our Navy to do in such a case. The lankans are not crazy to take on India like this and in so public a fashion.

Rest of the nonsense news is Karunanidhi political news for home consumption.

joshvajohn · Post by **joshvajohn** » 28 Feb 2011 19:50

Amnesty calls for new UN probe in Lanka
http://www.hindustantimes.com/Amnesty-c ... 67887.aspx

Dirty Tricks Department on war path with Sri Lanka Guardian
http://www.srilankaguardian.org/2011/02 ... -path.html

joshvajohn · Post by **joshvajohn** » 01 Mar 2011 18:01

Sri Lanka risks forced war crimes probe: US
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/sri-l ... us/756356/

Sri Lanka War Crimes Filing with ICC Names UN Nambiar Along With Kohona
http://www.innercitypress.com/icc1nambiar022111.html

wikileak on Srilanka
http://www.tamilnet.com/img/publish/201 ... ake-01.pdf
http://www.tamilnet.com/img/publish/201 ... an2010.pdf

take fonseka to UN, a lot can be recorded from him
Free Fonseka: UNP, JVP plan big protests
http://www.sundaytimes.lk/110206/News/nws_13.html

joshvajohn · Post by **joshvajohn** » 05 Mar 2011 02:26

US calls for probe in Lanka
http://www.hindustantimes.com/US-calls- ... 69082.aspx

Stan_Savljevic · Post by **Stan_Savljevic** » 05 Mar 2011 03:04

chetak wrote: Our guys are actively fishing deep in lankan waters where the best catch is found.

Our waters are shallow, the deeper waters were near Kachhattheevu that was handed over to SL by IG. Fishermen flock to the deeper waters for better catch, that is nature. Many admit it openly in Tamil magazines (I read a couple of interviews in Kalkandu and Aananda vigatan). I dont know why the SL Tamil fishermen dont flock there to put competition to the TN fishermen. That part is not clear. During LTTE times, quite a few of these folks were mixed up with trucking around arms, supplies etc. Some of it was out of fear, some was out of general biraderhood reasons. That is something noone wants to talk about. The SL Navy suspects most of these folks for that reason. They shoot, then talk.

The posturing by folks such as Vai Ko or amma or Mu Ka are all crocodile tears. More for election sound-bytes than to identify the problems and solve them. In fact, I will argue that Vai Ko et al. do a great disservice by obfuscating facts and talking philosophical rubbish. Kachhattheevu is meant to be a place where TN fishermen can still dry their nets and take a break. There is a Church to worship before setting sail to catch fish. Is abandoned now I think. All these are not allowed these days despite the 74 agreement. The 74 agreement was not a 1-way street in terms of handing over suzerainty in return for nothing, but thats what has happened de-facto. The Coast Guard people dont thrash the fisherfolk if they cross the border, they let them off with a warning. The SL Navy takes away the boat and burns it, or never returns it, even after the cases/arrest terms are done with/have been served. Beating up the fishermen is par for the course. So the other side are not saints here. Reality is a river in the middle.

negi · Post by **negi** » 05 Mar 2011 13:14

This may be OT for this thread however since 'fishing' has become a bone of contention between us and the SL would like to post what I saw on TV some time back.

It seems fishermen in India in order to meet the growing demand started using nets with smaller and smaller mesh sizes which meant we ended up catching even the young ones and not allowing for the next generation to regenerate this along with the increase in the amount of industrial and other types of waste we dump into the ocean has forced the marine life to move away from shores as the chemicals have destroyed the food chain. Same is the case with fishing industry in the Saurashtra, Kutch and other regions of Gujarat .

joshvajohn · Post by **joshvajohn** » 09 Mar 2011 01:37

Close ally Gaddafi calls Rajapaksa
http://www.hindustantimes.com/Close-all ... 69815.aspx

Rajapakse ready to protect Gaddafi
http://www.srilankaguardian.org/2011/02 ... ddafi.html

What did Gaddafi ask Rajapaksa for?
http://www.hindustantimes.com/What-did- ... 70930.aspx

Stan_Savljevic · Post by **Stan_Savljevic** » 09 Mar 2011 07:15

It is against this backdrop that the protest becomes significant. It was an organised one, and had the blessings of both the Sri Lanka Army and the Minister for Traditional Industries and Small Enterprise Development, Douglas Devananda.

http://www.frontlineonnet.com/stories/2 ... 613200.htm
http://www.atimes.com/atimes/South_Asia/MB23Df04.html

joshvajohn · Post by **joshvajohn** » 10 Mar 2011 18:41

Sri Lanka risks forced war crimes probe: US

By Amal Jayasinghe (AFP) – Mar 1, 2011
http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/ar ... 3f2bd4.491

Tamil Tiger rebels training in India: Sri Lanka PM

(AFP) – 6 hours ago
http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/ar ... f1aae2.701

Srilankan guys are desperate that they still need Tigers for their own survival and to promote hatred towards Tamils among Sinhala public.
Indian govt having supported in the war against Tigers with a promise of a state from SL govt also failed to put pressure on SL govt.
This is a possible next step for SL if they do not oblige their promises before the war.

There is no difference between Rajapakse government and Prabhakaran's rule in the Eelam. If there is a continued failure to come to the table Srilankans will loose their chances of peace. This is the same thing that was told to Mr Prabhakar when he was in power. Rajapakse and his brainless supporters do not have any strategies of cohesion rather imposing their agenda to marginalise particular communities in the name of religion and language. This is not going to work for long time!

Stan_Savljevic · Post by **Stan_Savljevic** » 10 Mar 2011 23:46

TN fishermen see red over boats with Chinese engines
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city ... 667256.cms

Hiten · Post by **Hiten** » 13 Mar 2011 00:30

seems even the Lankans have acquired the Technology to speak through their musharrafs from the pakistanis - ToT or license production?

PM Jayaratne lands in trouble over LTTE statement

A day after India denied that Tamil separatists were being trained in Tamil Nadu, the main Sri Lankan opposition party, the United National Party (UNP), called for the resignation of Prime Minister DM Jayaratne for making the statement in Parliament about the camps. On Wednesday, Jayaratne, during a
debate on extending Emergency laws in Sri Lanka, said LTTE cadres were being trained in three camps in Tamil Nadu. During the same debate, opposition chief, Ranil Wickeremesinghe had pointed out that if the information was true, it should be shared with New Delhi.

India was quick to reject the claim with the Ministry of External Affairs – as well as the Tamil Nadu police – categorically denying the presence of any such camps.

Trying to control the diplomatic damage, Jayaratne was quoted as having said on Thursday that he was misled by some newspaper reports.

defense bears strange resemblance to that of the daily mail during the paki leaks saga - "if you google these words you will get names of sites with that news"...or some such argument

Sri Lanka PM retracts India rebel training camp claim

Sri Lanka's prime minister has retracted his suggestion that the Tamil Tiger rebels were being revived in camps in southern India.

DM Jayaratne acknowledged his mistake by telling Sri Lanka's Daily Mirror newspaper that his allegation was based on incorrect information.

Also: Speaking lies to power: Sri Lanka’s PM and the LTTE in India

Stan_Savljevic wrote:TN fishermen see red over boats with Chinese engines
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city ... 667256.cms

news doesn't say anything about the Chinese engine powered boats belonging to Lankans. Also no reference to MEA or urging them to take the matter. Could they be referring to fellow TN fishermen with deeper pockets

joshvajohn · Post by **joshvajohn** » 13 Mar 2011 01:47

Turning A Blind Eye Towards War Crimes
http://www.thesundayleader.lk/2011/03/1 ... ar-crimes/

Human Rights situation in Sri Lanka
http://www.srilankaguardian.org/2011/03 ... lanka.html

joshvajohn · Post by **joshvajohn** » 17 Mar 2011 05:23

How India kept pressure off Sri Lanka
http://www.hindu.com/2011/03/17/stories ... 581200.htm

So Indian government was partially responsible for the massmuder of Srilankan govt including DMK govt. UN warcrime panel should include questions relating to India's support to Srilankan government during and after war crimes committed and bring out what were the exact kind of dialogue and support went between whom and how.

Indian government support for eliminating LTTE is clear and fine but their support for hiding warcrimes is not correct. If that is the case then it must be exposed for what reasons and who did support internationally so that Srilankan mass murder will come out.

Sri Lanka: Young Tamils in Mannar and Jaffna still live in fear
http://www.speroforum.com/site/article. ... ve+in+fear

SRI LANKA: Innocent man tortured to reveal identity of cattle thieves and as a result of complaining to the Human Rights Commission
http://www.humanrights.asia/news/urgent ... C-061-2011

joshvajohn · Post by **joshvajohn** » 21 Mar 2011 01:30

Mounting pressure for international probe
http://www.sundaytimes.lk/110320/News/nws_19.html

Missouri senators support justice
http://www.news-leader.com/article/2011 ... y=nav|head

Stan_Savljevic · Post by **Stan_Savljevic** » 27 Mar 2011 03:42

http://www.dnaindia.com/lifestyle/repor ... 524809-all
Katchathheevu...

Muppalla · Post by **Muppalla** » 30 Mar 2011 03:47

Stan_Savljevic wrote:http://www.dnaindia.com/lifestyle/repor ... 524809-all
Katchathheevu...

I don't understand why karma always decides any land or property for India's bordering countires when in contention. Teen-Bigha-corridor, Katchatheevu, POK etc. Yeah yeah, there will always be some great logic to prove that India losing these "useless" lands is per law or even genuine.

Vipin_Upadhyay · Post by **Vipin_Upadhyay** » 31 Mar 2011 12:19

going through the Cricket love-fest between MMS and Pakis, I wonder if MMS even cares to invite Mahinda Rajapakse to watch finals in Mumbai or does he consider only Pakis as the one with whom we "share destiny"

I will prefer Rajapakse visiting India any day over 2-bit powerless paqui PM.

joshvajohn · Post by **joshvajohn** » 12 Apr 2011 03:17

Ahead of polls, pro-LTTE journal attacks Karuna
http://ibnlive.in.com/news/ahead-of-pol ... 37-64.html

Jaya slams Karuna on Lankan Tamils issue
http://ibnlive.in.com/news/jaya-slams-k ... 37-64.html

joshvajohn · Post by **joshvajohn** » 16 Apr 2011 21:14

Sri Lankan military committed war crimes: UN report
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/sri-l ... rt/777083/

Civilian deaths in Sri Lanka may have been vastly underestimated, U.N. panel says
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld ... 2901.story

joshvajohn · Post by **joshvajohn** » 22 Apr 2011 17:01

U.N.: Sri Lanka’s crushing of Tamil Tigers may have killed 40,000 civilians
http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/un_ ... s_homepage

India must ensure Rajapaksa faces war crimes trial
http://mangalorean.com/news.php?newstyp ... sid=234268

Jayalalithaa demands steps to make Mahika Rajapakse stand trial
http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report_ja ... al_1534838

Though DMK and Congress would get hanging majority, the killing of innocents in lanka and DMK's guilt is not going away.

Aditya_V · Post by **Aditya_V** » 22 Apr 2011 18:54

joshvajohn wrote:U.N.: Sri Lanka’s crushing of Tamil Tigers may have killed 40,000 civilians
http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/un_ ... s_homepage

India must ensure Rajapaksa faces war crimes trial
http://mangalorean.com/news.php?newstyp ... sid=234268

Jayalalithaa demands steps to make Mahika Rajapakse stand trial
http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report_ja ... al_1534838

Though DMK and Congress would get hanging majority, the killing of innocents in lanka and DMK's guilt is not going away.

What about extra-judical killings by this Government within Tamil Nadu itself??

joshvajohn · Post by **joshvajohn** » 22 Apr 2011 21:42

Aditya
can you please privide some newslinks and information on this issue? or is this a desperate attempt by SL govt?

joshvajohn · Post by **joshvajohn** » 26 Apr 2011 05:15

Sri Lanka: UN says shelling 'killed civilians'
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-south-asia-13190576

Panel Finds 'Credible' Sri Lanka War Crimes Allegations
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB1000142 ... 39618.html

'India shouldn't have endorsed Lanka's brutal war'
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/opi ... 086106.cms

Channel 4 News obtains exclusive footage from the "closed off"corner of northern Sri Lanka, showing evidence of camps, repression and abuse, ahead of the publication of the UN's report on war crimes.
http://www.channel4.com/news/sri-lanka- ... -and-abuse

Sri Lanka war-crimes claims 'credible'
http://english.aljazeera.net/news/asia/ ... 41994.html

United Nations Report On Sri Lanka: Time To Act
http://www.countercurrents.org/karthick220411.htm

UN report faults Sri Lanka, Tamil Tigers over war conduct
http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Asia-Pac ... ar-conduct

World Ignores Genocide of Sri Lanka's Tamil Population
http://www.salem-news.com/articles/apri ... ide-tk.php

Warning about these photographs - please do not click on them as the pictures may make you sick!
http://www.salem-news.com/gphotos/1303470934.jpg
http://www.salem-news.com/gphotos/1303466247.jpg
http://www.salem-news.com/gphotos/1303466230.jpg
http://www.salem-news.com/stimg/april22 ... a-dead.jpg

joshvajohn · Post by **joshvajohn** » 26 Apr 2011 06:08

Sri Lanka
‘Lankan military targeted civilians, bombed UN hub’
http://www.hindustantimes.com/Lankan-mi ... 89162.aspx

UN report: India should not bail out Sri Lankan government, says BJP
http://www.thehindu.com/news/states/tam ... 767227.ece

India needs to make public its position on Lanka's war crimes: Rights group
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/india ... up/778642/

India silent on UN panel report, irks Sri Lanka
http://truthdive.com/2011/04/26/india-s ... lanka.html

Jayalalithaa demands steps to make Mahika Rajapakse stand trial
http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report_ja ... al_1534838

Karunanidhi hints he is for Mahinda Rajapakse standing trial
http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report_ka ... al_1536140

Karunanidhi calls for UN inquiry against Rajapaksa
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city ... 085050.cms

joshvajohn · Post by **joshvajohn** » 26 Apr 2011 17:03

Will Moscow, Beijing and New Delhi be behind Lanka?
http://www.hindustantimes.com/Will-Mosc ... 89837.aspx

So RIC is really an extention of the agenda of China?
When Gaddaffi killed his own people RIC support him and now Rajapakse is getting support from Russia and China to block UN to expose realities. RIC will stand by wherever the mass extinction would happen! All those dictators can look forward towards support for their future mass killings.

Tamils call on Australia to back Sri Lanka war crimes inquiry
http://www.abc.net.au/pm/content/2011/s3200708.htm

Russia Oppose Discussion of UN UN Panel's Report on Sri Lanka
http://news.nidahasa.com/news.php?go=fu ... ewsid=1151

Gillard urged to back Sri Lanka war crimes probe
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2011 ... ion=justin

Let us challenge reactionry Mahinda regime on May Day
Vickramabahu Karunarathne
http://internationalviewpoint.org/spip.php?article2125

Rajapakse eliminated not only Tamils (80% Hindus) but also many Buddhist Sinhalese innocent people as well who opposed his view points during and after the war particularly those who worked in the media.

joshvajohn · Post by **joshvajohn** » 26 Apr 2011 22:28

'Blame Russia and China for Sri Lanka failure, not UN's Ban'
http://www.channel4.com/news/blame-russ ... ot-uns-ban

Ban Ki-Moon has come under attack for failing to push for a war crimes probe in Sri Lanka. But a former UN Deputy Secretary-General tells Channel 4 News Ban is powerless to defy Russia and China.

On Sri Lanka, Ban Passes Buck to UN Councils, UN Won't Say Who Advised Him
By Matthew Russell Lee
http://www.innercitypress.com/srirep9lanka042611.html

joshvajohn · Post by **joshvajohn** » 27 Apr 2011 15:26

Indian civil society’s conscience stirred for Lankan Tamils
http://www.theweekendleader.com/Causes/ ... irred.html

India ready to engage Lanka on UN report
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/indi ... 095527.cms

Sri Lanka: No-inquiry zone
Truth and accountability are not divisible, and a single failure of international justice is also a collective one
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree ... ka-inquiry

http://www.channel4.com/news/sri-lanka- ... identified

svenkat · Post by **svenkat** » 27 Apr 2011 17:35

Eelam only solution to ethnic strife in Sri Lanka: PMK

joshvajohn · Post by **joshvajohn** » 27 Apr 2011 22:11

Even the Sri lanka opposition is demanding a probe in this case accepting UN report partially

Pressure to Probe Sri Lanka Atrocities Expected to Continue
http://www.voanews.com/english/news/asi ... 06554.html

UNP accepts panel report conditionally
http://print.dailymirror.lk/news/front- ... 41739.html

UNP demands "internal investigation" into war crimes
http://ibnlive.in.com/generalnewsfeed/n ... 55533.html

Sri Lanka opposition party says to empower LLRC to probe war crimes allegations in UN panel report
http://www.colombopage.com/archive_11/A ... 8556JR.php

joshvajohn · Post by **joshvajohn** » 28 Apr 2011 20:34

UN report: India should not bail out Sri Lankan government, says BJP
http://www.thehindu.com/news/states/tam ... 767227.ece

UN report:India should exert diplomatic pressure on Lanka:CPIM
http://ibnlive.in.com/generalnewsfeed/n ... 65158.html

Make Rajapaksa stand trial for war crimes: Jaya
http://www.deccanchronicle.com/channels ... s-jaya-788

Those responsible for war crimes in Lanka must face action:DMK
http://ibnlive.in.com/generalnewsfeed/n ... 63456.html

A Second Chance to Confront War Crimes in Sri Lanka
http://www.theatlantic.com/internationa ... ka/237960/

joshvajohn · Post by **joshvajohn** » 29 Apr 2011 13:01

Truth and consequences
http://www.economist.com/node/18620572? ... 2&fsrc=rss

Karunanidhi betrayed Tamils, says Vijayakant
http://www.srilankaguardian.org/2011/04 ... -says.html

Karunanidhi calls for UN inquiry against Rajapaksa
http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes ... arunanidhi

When India suggested to Srilanka to settle Tamils soon and share some power sharing, Lankans put China against India not to listen India and thus cornered India by bringing China into their country. When they are desperate now they expect India to help them. Even when Congress supported alternative Tamil Parties within Lanka, Srilankan govt worked against them to completely get rid of Tamils so that Tamils will not even have their basic rights. At present even the Buddhist priests in Lanka are not happy the way the govt treats them though they were happy the war is over. Rajapakse is successful in emotionalising majority feelings against Tamil Minorities. Without proper justice peace cannot return. The way Rajapakse is trying to bring peace among his country, this is without any brains or strategies. It is better to believe in Indian leadership and trust them and follow their suggestions rather than putting China and India one against the other thus loose the chance of having permanent peace once for all. By making minorities vulnerable and abusing them, no country will survive in long term. If this continues then Srilanka will be a place for divisions, it is all Rajapakse to blame for such failures of lankan failures. Srilanka is abusing Tamils in the North by not allowing them to settle back in their own places. They settle Sinhalese and army in those tamil houses. Even in those free places the lankan govt is telling Tamils that they have landmines not allowing them to settle back. The money given by Indian government is given to Army and Sinhalese to settle them in north. It is sad that Tamils are forced to say in favour of Lankan govt. There is no rule of law in Lanka as the present regime behaves exactly same like LTTE.

India must take position on Lanka's war crimes: rights group
http://www.deccanherald.com/content/155 ... ankas.html

Chinese billions in Sri Lanka fund battle against Tamil Tigers
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/w ... 207487.ece

Take Aid From China and Take a Pass on Human Rights
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/09/weeki ... gupta.html

China fuels Sri Lankan war
http://www.lankanewspapers.com/news/2009/3/40566.html

whever human rights abuses are there, Chinese were supporting the regime including mass killings.

Sri Lanka, India and China: ‘Tamil issue’ a casualty?
http://www.southasiaanalysis.org/%5Cpap ... r3909.html

Indian civil society’s conscience stirred for Lankan Tamils
http://www.theweekendleader.com/Causes/ ... irred.html

joshvajohn · Post by **joshvajohn** » 01 May 2011 12:45

CPI (M): probe war crimes by Sri Lankan armed forces
http://www.thehindu.com/news/states/tam ... 978916.ece

joshvajohn · Post by **joshvajohn** » 02 May 2011 04:11

Sri Lanka needs truth, not a national forgetting
http://www.abc.net.au/unleashed/986968.html

A government’s arrogance and a country’s plight
http://www.sundaytimes.lk/110501/Columns/focus.html

Unbelievable arrogance of government officials

But quite apart from this secretive visit, the annexures to the Panel report disclose lengthy submissions annexed under the covering letter of the Minister of External Affairs setting out the Government position. This is the same Panel which the Minister now condemns as being ‘legally, morally and substantially flawed’. If (hypothetically) the Panel had absolved the Government of all wrong doing, would the Minister have welcomed the report as being legally, morally and substantially correct? The answer to this hypothetical question is all too obvious.

For example, if it had been less arrogant, Sri Lanka may have shown its commitment far earlier in thoroughly investigating and prosecuting the killers of the five youths senselessly gunned down in Trincomalee in January 2006 or the seventeen aid workers shot at point blank range in Mutur in August 2006. These were incidents that the Udalagama Commission (2005) was investigating but its report was never published.

How can we explain the manifest lack of political will in correcting a flawed legal and constitutional status quo or the stonewalling in arriving at a just political solution for still festering ethnic grievances? Could the 18th Amendment be explained away on any other basis than the unacceptable enthronement of the President? What about the jailing of the former Army Commander? Does the Government really believe that all of this can be swept under the carpet in the name of accelerated development while one family maintains an iron grip on political power?

We need to face the truth. Referring to the Panel at this stage as illegitimate when the result has been against the Government and in the face of strong evidence of direct engagement with it by government officials is of little use. Abusing the members of the Advisory Panel is also counter productive. It will certainly not embarrass the Panel members who are now ensconced in their respective academic and professional corners having completed their tasks.

Some profess concern for the Tamil people in this country and take the view that the Panel report was entirely mistimed in the ‘reconciliation’ process. But merely parading rehabilitation processes of former LTTE cadre and relaxing a few emergency regulations will not do. At one level, minority concerns must be substantively addressed, never mind the hypocrisy of Tamil parties such as the TNA which welcomed the UN Panel Report insofar as it castigated the Government but disregarded its condemnation of the LTTE (see reference by the Panel to the LTTE being ‘renowned for its brutality’ in paragraph 1 of the Introduction).

At another level, significant Rule of Law concerns must be redressed. These well documented concerns are evident in regard to the constitutional balance of power, our legal systems and most importantly in reference to Sri Lanka’s judiciary and the Department of the Attorney General.

Srilankan govt may put this newspaper editors into prison within a month for being quoted here. Listen to your own people!

Klaus · Post by **Klaus** » 02 May 2011 12:27

People out in the streets at their president's urging to protest an UN report: Link.

joshvajohn · Post by **joshvajohn** » 02 May 2011 14:34

Sri Lanka genocide
Saturday, April 30, 2011
By Sam Pari
http://www.greenleft.org.au/node/47434

We watched in horror as images of injured babies, maimed pregnant women and rows of dead civilians leaked out. Hospitals were bombed. Refugee camps were shelled. Surrendering civilians were executed.

Even the International Committee of the Red Cross was blocked from saving the injured.

As members of the Tamil diaspora took to the streets, campaigning for the international community to act to stop the bloodshed, the world did nothing.

We slowly realised the UN was well aware of the high civilian casualties. Leaked satellite images revealed the UN knew of the Sri Lankan Air Force's targeted bombing and shelling of civilian locations.

At the time, China and Russia prevented the war in Sri Lanka being discussed at the UN Security Council. Both countries are allies of Sri Lanka, China having invested heavily there.

War Crime Report
http://www.un.org/News/dh/infocus/Sri_L ... t_Full.pdf

Srilanka evidence of ongoing repression and abuse
http://www.channel4.com/news/sri-lanka- ... -and-abuse

Sri Lanka: Dare not criticise
http://himalmag.com/component/content/a ... icise.html

Polarising triumphalism
Since the war’s end, Colombo’s strategy has been to reject any criticism of its wartime actions, saying that such censure is being manipulated by the Tamil diaspora. While the new report does criticise sections of the diaspora, the latter’s importance as a political force has been on the wane. In fact, it could be argued that it is now the Western governments who use the politically weak diaspora to send a message to the Sri Lankan government, rather than the other way around. While Colombo is depending on Beijing and Moscow to mobilise support to undermine any political pressure relating to the Panel of Experts report, political will is required on the part of Washington and New Delhi ultimately to determine whether Sri Lanka will be called to account.

This month, we are seeing the second anniversary of the end of the war. But, after a quarter-century of conflict, with over 100,000 lives lost, the government of President Rajapakse has done little to deliver on the historic opportunity for political reconciliation presented by the conflict’s close. Rather than broad democratisation and a constitutional political settlement, which could have won over the country’s minorities, the Rajapakse regime has continued with its war-time mentality, promoting a polarising triumphalism in order to consolidate its power.

In this situation, the UN report could be a window of opportunity for progressive and democratic forces within Sri Lanka to begin a debate on the future of the country. Admittedly, this seems unlikely, given that the continuing repression and extreme nationalist demagoguery of the Rajapakse regime seems to have closed possibilities for a free, rational debate. Nonetheless, at the international level at least, if the Rajapakse government is in trouble with what it describes as the politically motivated ‘international community’, it has only its own post-war hubris to blame.

kmkraoind · Post by **kmkraoind** » 02 May 2011 21:02

Jasmine whiff reaches Maldives, thousands demand prez ouster

Since there is no dedicated thread to discuss issues related to Maldives I am posting it in Sri Lanka. Moderators move it appropriate thread if deemed necessary. TIA.