Sri Lanka - News and Discussion

RajeshA · Post by **RajeshA** » 03 May 2011 19:05

kmkraoind wrote: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.

There is the India - The Indian Ocean Civilization & IOR

joshvajohn · Post by **joshvajohn** » 04 May 2011 17:45

Tackling Ethnic Inequality in Sri Lanka
http://www.businessweek.com/globalbiz/c ... 399661.htm

Sri Lanka And Feudal Democracies: Human Rights And Accountability – Analysis
http://www.eurasiareview.com/sri-lanka- ... -04052011/

Power devolution to minorities in Lanka
Namini Wijedasa
http://www.saudigazette.com.sa/index.cf ... 1050499871

Opinion: UN should do more on Sri Lanka
http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news ... ed-nations

joshvajohn · Post by **joshvajohn** » 05 May 2011 01:33

US urges S.Lanka to bring war criminals to justice
http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/ar ... 6f2d89.1a1

Truth and consequences
Nationalistic fury is good for the government, terrible for Sri Lanka
http://www.economist.com/node/18620572? ... 2&fsrc=rss

It is probably too much to hope the government might adopt a fresh approach to these familiar allegations. There were always at least three ways to tackle them. It could, early on, have argued brazenly that the benefits of ending the war outweighed the cost in human life. The Tigers were as vicious and totalitarian a bunch of thugs as ever adopted terrorism as a national-liberation strategy. Or the government could have insisted that its army’s behaviour was largely honourable, but that some regrettable abuses may have occurred, which would be thoroughly investigated.

Instead, it chose a third path: to lie, and to lie big. It insisted that it pursued a policy of “zero civilian casualties”. Even as its forces shelled the shrinking “no-fire zone” in which the Tigers held some 330,000 civilians as human shields, it either denied it was doing so, or promised to stop and did not. It kept foreign observers out and bullied the local press into silence. The UN report found that “tens of thousands” were killed in January-May 2009, with most civilian casualties caused by government shelling.

After such knowledge, what forgiveness?

Though perceived foreign slights may enhance the government’s standing at home, it is there that the concealment of the truth about the war’s end will do most damage. It is not as if there were no witnesses. Some 300,000 people know first-hand parts of what happened. When the LLRC held hearings in the north, scene of the fighting, survivors told harrowing tales of loss and asked where missing loved ones were. Without answers, it is hard to see how they can be “reconciled”.

Nor does the government show any sign of moving towards a political settlement, to meet the grievances of the Tamil minority that fuelled the conflict. Gordon Weiss, the UN’s spokesman in Colombo during the end of the war, predicts in a forthcoming book (“The Cage”) that Tamil emigration will continue, “encouraged by political stagnation, a lack of rights and rule by fear”. And also by the government’s continued refusal to countenance any serious investigation into how it won the war.

joshvajohn · Post by **joshvajohn** » 05 May 2011 17:40

Sri Lanka conflict: ‘Probe war crimes’
Malaysian NGOs say there are 'credible allegations' of serious war crimes by Tigers and the Sri Lankan government which the UN should investigate.

http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/2011/0 ... ar-crimes/

ready to face UN charges’ – Fonseka

Agrees with accusations of report
Former commander of the Sri Lanka army, Sarath Fonseka say that he is prepared to face allegations levelled against the military on the report compiled by United Nations (UN) Secretary General’s panel of experts.

“I am ready to face the allegations in Ban Ki Moon report against the armed forces of Sri Lanka”, Fonseka told the reporters at Colombo High Court.

He said that he agrees with accusations the report has made against the government of Sri Lanka.

The report by the panel of experts focuses on alleged war crimes committed by both the Sri Lankan armed forces and Tamil Tigers during the months leading up to the defeat of the rebels in May 2009

.

joshvajohn · Post by **joshvajohn** » 06 May 2011 18:37

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

U.S. wants Sri Lanka to act first on wartime rights violations
http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/05/ ... LR20110504

joshvajohn · Post by **joshvajohn** » 07 May 2011 20:42

U.S. wants Sri Lanka to act first on wartime rights violations
http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/05/ ... LR20110504

joshvajohn · Post by **joshvajohn** » 08 May 2011 03:21

Ban’s report: Top Indian team rushes to Colombo
http://www.sundaytimes.lk/110508/News/nws_01.html

Sri Lanka UN Panel Report: Rajapaksa Cornered But Defiant – Analysis
http://www.eurasiareview.com/sri-lanka- ... -23042011/

Lankan issue: EU parliament calls emergency debate
http://www.sundaytimes.lk/110508/News/nws_02.html

joshvajohn · Post by **joshvajohn** » 10 May 2011 20:45

‘Disseminate Lanka’s genocidal ambitions’
http://expressbuzz.com/cities/chennai/% ... 72483.html

Sri Lanka: Opposition web site suspended
http://www.wsws.org/articles/2011/may20 ... -m10.shtml

Significantly, Wijesooriya’s arrest came on the same day as a UN panel released a report that detailed evidence implicating President Mahinda Rajapakse, his government and the Sri Lanka military in war crimes and gross abuses of democratic rights in the final months of its longrunning communal war against the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE).

While it backed Rajapakse’s war, Lanka e-News was generally supportive of the UN report and its recommendations.

A Party Lawyer of Norway, submitted complaint against Sri Lanka with Norwegian Prosecutors
http://www.asiantribune.com/news/2011/0 ... rosecutors

Read Lankan Newspapers and listen to them! May be Sunday leader newspaper will be the next website being closed down by another court in a few weeks time.
http://www.thesundayleader.lk/2011/05/0 ... -of-peril/

Lost opportunities

Mahinda Rajapaksa had a wonderful opportunity to build on Sri Lankan nationalism and a Sri Lankan identity when he won the presidential election for the second time with his party convincingly sweeping the parliamentary elections, gaining enough seats to muster a two third majority. But he enacted the 18th Amendment which removed the limits of the term of executive presidency of two terms only. This enhanced his executive presidential powers. Regrettable as enhancement of presidential powers was, it could have freed him from being captive to his southern Sinhala electoral base which many thought may have reacted adversely to Tamil grievances being addressed. But that was not his objective because he did not make a move in that direction.
But Rajapaksa after winning the war two years ago appears to have shelved the most pressing problem of the nation: Tamil grievances and seems to be enjoying monument building such as in converting his once isolated and dreamy home town of Hambantota into a modern metropolis cum Olympic village in addition to other projects out of town. He is interested in cricket, having built two stadia for the World Cup and encouraged Sri Lanka’s attempts to win the World Cup. He is now attempting to stage the Commonwealth Games which could cost billions of dollars. Tamil problems remain untouched.
But Tamil grievances have come back with a vengeance through Ban Ki-moon’s panel report on Sri Lanka. Had sincere attention been paid to calls made by fearless Tamil leaders such as Anandasangaree instead of to high ranking ex- LTTE terrorists now in the bosom of the Rajapaksa clique, Sri Lanka would have been looked at much more sympathetically.

joshvajohn · Post by **joshvajohn** » 11 May 2011 09:39

UNITED NATIONS, May 10 -- As Sri Lanka's Permanent Representative to the UN Palitha Kohona walked out of the UN Security Council on Tuesday, Inner City Press asked him about the European Union's statement on the UN Panel of Experts war crimes report, and about reported “militarization” of Colombo.

The EU statement is that "The Panel has concluded that there are credible allegations that major violations of international human rights and humanitarian law were committed on all sides in the conflict.

The EU reiterates its view that an independent process to address these extremely serious allegations should contribute to strengthening the process of reconciliation and ensuring lasting peace and security in Sri Lanka."

http://www.innercitypress.com/bannam8sri051011.html

joshvajohn · Post by **joshvajohn** » 11 May 2011 16:43

Lethal force permitted even against surrendering unarmed enemy fighter, US Attorney General declares
http://www.asiantribune.com/news/2011/0 ... attorney-g

WikiLeaks:Fonseka stirs up hornets´ nest
http://www.srilankaguardian.org/2011/05 ... stirs.html

joshvajohn · Post by **joshvajohn** » 13 May 2011 02:05

Sri Lanka: Despite government claims, civil society groups back UN report findings
The charges are a national issue, and a lesson for all. Christian leaders, human rights activists and ordinary people criticise the government’s opposition to the report, and for failing to translate it into Sinhalese and Tamil, which leaves many Sri Lankans in the dark.

Human rights group ‘Platform for Freedom’ criticised the government at a recent meeting on the “Challenges and opportunities for civil society in Sri Lanka,” held on Saturday at the headquarters of Caritas Sri Lanka.

After putting a lot of pressure on the United Nations not to release its report, the authorities rejected its findings and accusations, calling them “inappropriate” and “harmful” to the post-war reconciliation process underway.

For Fr Reid Shelton Fernando, a Catholic political analyst, the lack of Sinhalese and Tamil translations is a serious flaw. “The report is not based on hearsay,” he explained, “but on direct eyewitness accounts of what happened. For this reason, we cannot walk away from its charges.”

“We, as Platform for Freedom, welcome the UN report on war crimes in Sri Lanka because we are working to build a fair society,” said human rights activist Nimalka Fernando. “This is a pluralist nation and the government should consider the accusations as an affair of state.”

As lawyer Sudarshana Gunawardana noted, the crimes committed by the government include the systematic shelling of ‘no-fire zones’ despite the presence of civilian refugees and hospitals, the confinement of survivors to prisoners’ camps, and the refusal to provide adequate food and medical supplies.

The report also accuses the rebels of the Liberation Tiger of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) of using human shields, executing people trying to flee and using child soldiers.

http://www.speroforum.com/a/53637/Sri-L ... t-findings

Gerard · Post by **Gerard** » 13 May 2011 04:35

A pathetic attempt to win in the courthouse what they could not on the battlefield.

joshvajohn · Post by **joshvajohn** » 13 May 2011 15:53

Jailing the Journalists
Sri Lanka’s anti-terror law quashes dissent
http://www.citybeat.com/cincinnati/arti ... lists.html

Mahinda’s Story Has No Legs
http://www.thesundayleader.lk/2011/05/0 ... s-no-legs/

While Sinhalese themselves wanted truth of the War why Chinese and others are there to help Lankan Government?

If the Rajapakse's government fights against LTTE and defeated it we will all be happy including Tamils who hated LTTE for killing Rajiv Gandhi, Amirthalingham, so many Tamils in Telo and other organisations. The present srilankan government has to accept that rules of the war was broken by their military counter to LTTE. They have apologise to Tamils - their own citizens - for what has happened? They have to also work out a council for Justice and Reconciliation committee which includes SAARC - Indians, and Bangladeshis and others to investigate and also to bring to light some of the post war murders at cold blood - not merely the LTTE cadres but even innocent civilians. Then try to bring reconciliation by sharing some symbolic power with Tamils in the north such as TNA which is progovt and Pro Indian and very moderate. This is what Indian govt is also suggesting. Lankan government should not make Indian government fool by dragging Chinese against Indians into their country. This should be fair so that this problem is settle once for all. Give Sinhalese freedom to criticise the government and Tamils their equal rights like any other citizens. There is a possibility of solving the issue rather than dragging it both locally by spreading a hatred attitude among the majority about Tamils and try to focus on economic growth of the country and address the issue of poverty of all people including sinhalese - address the issue of raising living cost in Lanka. Without doing none of these and developing family and robbing the country and then emotionalise people against their minorities will lead this small country to destroy itself just like Pakistan with internal conflicts. The political scenerio in India may change soon and then we will have a reversal of things. It is a great opportunity for Srilankan leadership to sort things out soon with courageous step forward rather than defending and celebrating its victory and so on.

joshvajohn · Post by **joshvajohn** » 14 May 2011 14:59

Declare Rajapakse a war criminal: Jayalalithaa tells Centre
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/decla ... re/790326/

Set to form the next government in Tamil Nadu, AIADMK supremo J Jayalalithaa today said the Centre should declare Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapakse a "war criminal" for the "genocide" of Tamils in the island nation.

India should come out with economic sanctions against Sri Lanka to compel the government to take steps to mitigate the sufferings of Sri Lankan Tamils and provide them "an honourable and decent life," she told Jaya TV.

If there is no change in the attitude of Indian Government towards solving Srilankan Issue, it will face the same fate as DMK soon!

Asked about the situation of Lankan Tamils, Jayalalithaa blamed the island nation's government for their plight. As chief minister she said she would push the Centre to take a stronger stand on Sri Lanka.

"The President of Sri Lanka must be tried for war crimes, and brought before the International Court of Law. The Centre can direct its efforts to that. The next step is the people of Sri Lanka should live in dignity and pride. If the Sri Lankan government does not do anything to promote this, we can impose economic sanctions and advise other nations to do the same," she said.

http://expressbuzz.com/states/tamilnadu ... 74255.html

joshvajohn · Post by **joshvajohn** » 15 May 2011 00:25

The following quote is from an experienced Sinhala writer Kusai Perara and also from Srilankan Newspaper. I do not think Rajarakse is just in touch with his people.

There is a fundamental flaw, not in the UN panel report, but in how this government feels it could handle this report. There is no way, the ground truth could be subverted to suit the political fancies of this regime, any more. Loud screaming about Western conspiracies, about traitors, on new suicide squads to protect President Rajapaksa, fake claims on reconciliation and peace, full page, heavily paid media advertisements by quacks; well…… can they mute the cold truth on the ground ? That truth is very clearly heard by those who want to know the truth and not by those who don’t want to tell them. That truth demands justice and decency over biased administrative regulations, this regime tries to find answers from.

http://www.thesundayleader.lk/2011/05/1 ... paal-soru/

joshvajohn · Post by **joshvajohn** » 15 May 2011 13:41

Even Asia Tribune which was supporting Rajapakse clearly states intentions of his admin. unless pressurised internationally and unless Rajapake starts having economic sanctions from around the world, he will not do anything. India should lead it.

A top-level Indian team was expected on Colombo last week, but for some unknown reason that visit did not materialise. The Indians would naturally want to discuss the situation created by the Darusman Report with the Rajapaksa administration and to use it to propel the regime to honour its repeated promises to devolve power to the Tamils. But the most recent development in the negotiations between the Rajapaksa administration and the TNA demonstrates (for the umpteenth time) that the Ruling Family has no intention of sharing power with anyone, let alone the minorities.

The negotiations between the regime and the TNA will go nowhere; given the nature of the Rajapaksa project, they have nowhere to go. The Rajapaksas want to concentrate all powers in their hands. That, for instance, is why they stymied the democratising 17th Amendment and replaced it with the extremely anti-democratic 18th Amendment. The Ruling Family will not devolve power. But it will pretend to do so. In the new conjuncture created by the Darusman Report, the regime needs the negotiations with the TNA, as a means of warding off Indian and Western pressure. So the negotiations will be drag-on, the same way the APRC process did. Partly for this reason and partly to muddy the waters still further, the Rajapaksas have brought their Tamil allies into the negotiating process.
http://www.asiantribune.com/news/2011/0 ... ic-problem

joshvajohn · Post by **joshvajohn** » 17 May 2011 14:01

In times of war, the wage of journalism is sometimes death. What was the message of the brutal killing of Lasantha Wickramatunga, the editor of the Sunday Leader, two years ago?

The bottom line is that in Sri Lanka if you become too great an irritation, you might be killed. That implicit threat undermines the core function of the press in any democracy, which is to professionally irritate, pick, scour and scrutinise. Lasantha's murder sent a definitive message-nobody who dissents can consider themselves safe.

http://articles.economictimes.indiatime ... -sri-lanka

கணவர் கொலையில் ராஜபட்சவுக்கு தொடர்பு: லசந்த விக்கிரமதுங்க மனைவி
Translation: Rajapakse has connection in Vikaramatunga's (a Sinhala journalist who criticise Rajapakse during the war) brutal murder.
http://www.dinamani.com/edition/default.aspx

Amnesty members in US join in calling UN on war crimes in Sri Lanka
http://tamilweek.com/news-features/archives/2603

AUSTRALIAN citizen and senior Sri Lankan diplomat Palitha Kohona has been accused of complicity in the murder of surrendering Tamils two years ago.

In the final hours of the Tamil Tigers' war, Dr Kohona sent a text message though an intermediary with apparent instructions for a surrender, The Sydney Morning Herald reported today.

The text message read: "Just walk across to the troops, slowly. With a white flag and comply with instructions carefully. The soldiers are nervous about suicide bombers."

The next morning a group of nearly 20 civilians and Tamil Tiger soldiers and political members of the rebel army walked towards a division of the Sri Lankan army carrying white flags.

Within half an hour their leaders were reportedly shot dead and none of those who surrendered that day is known to have survived.

http://foreign.peacefmonline.com/news/201105/40930.php

joshvajohn · Post by **joshvajohn** » 18 May 2011 13:23

India calls on Sri Lanka to probe rights record

(AFP) – 18 hours ago
http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/ar ... f6cc5b.771

joshvajohn · Post by **joshvajohn** » 18 May 2011 23:12

Too close for comfort

Admiral Samarsinghe was chief of staff of the Sri Lankan Navy at a time when the navy shelled Tamil soldiers and civilians trapped in what had been declared a safe zone at the end of the civil war. The navy then blocked attempts by the International Committee of the Red Cross to evacuate the injured, women and children from the safe zone.

From 1983 the Sri Lankan navy detained and shot Indian fishermen from Tamil Nadu who ventured into Sri Lankan waters on the basis that they were likely to be helping Tamil separatists. Until 2009 400 were shot and killed, with several thousand more wounded.

http://www.abc.net.au/unleashed/2717966.html

joshvajohn · Post by **joshvajohn** » 19 May 2011 12:01

It is true that after the defeat of the LTTE there has been no case of major violence in Sri Lanka. But to think that the ethnic problem will be automatically resolved with the end of the LTTE is not a correct argument. A genuine reconciliation process is the need of the hour to win the hearts of the Tamil people. But unfortunately, the political will to carry out this essential task is lacking because of the dearth of trust towards the Tamils and the TNA. The government has initiated a dialogue with the TNA half-heartedly; it is talking to them, but does not trust them. The way the government is dealing with the TNA on the issues of illegal detainees, militarization of the former war zone areas, cases of disappearance or the issue of devolution, only validates the report of the UN’s Panel of Experts.

IDSA COMMENT
UN Panel Report on Accountability in Sri Lanka
http://www.idsa.in/idsacomments/UNPanel ... ana_180511

joshvajohn · Post by **joshvajohn** » 20 May 2011 16:20

Two Years After The Eelam War: The Flames Of Liberation Continue To ExposeThe Oppressors And Their Apologists!

By Democratic Students' Union
Democratic Students' Union (DSU), is a students' union in JNU, New delhi

The injustice, oppression and discrimination of the Eelam Tamils by the Sinhala chauvinist ruling classes of Sri Lanka has a long history that goes back many centuries. The genocidal murder of Tamils in the first five months of 2009 in the last phase of the war was one of the most extensive and brutal phases of this national oppression. In the last days of the war alone, more than 40,000 Tamils – including combatants and non-combatants – were slaughtered by the marauding Sri Lankan army and air force.

Living under the shadow of fascist repression, experiencing the terror unleashed by the Sri Lankan state, and deeply aware of the historic oppression of their nation, it is the Eelam Tamils more than anyone else who seek the punishment of the perpetrators – the Sri Lankan ruling classes and its mercenary army. They deserve the severest of reprisal and punishment for their crimes.

Who then will punish the ruling classes of Sri Lanka and bring them to justice, after all? Will it be United Nations, International Criminal Court, United States of America, India, the Sri Lankan state itself? Or the oppressed people of Tamil Eelam and Sri Lanka? Anyone who trusts the collective strength of oppressed people and believes in their unwavering determination to struggle against injustice knows the answer.

SRI LANKA: Journalist arrested and severely tortured by Panadura Police
http://www.humanrights.asia/news/urgent ... C-101-2011

Now, two years on, an Australian citizen and senior Sri Lankan diplomat stands accused, in an application to the International Criminal Court, of complicity in the murder of surrendering Tamils. A Herald investigation examines one desperate final act in Sri Lanka's civil war on a lonely, bloody beach at Mullaitivu.

http://www.hepburnadvocate.com.au/news/ ... 68550.aspx

ramana · Post by **ramana** » 21 May 2011 00:10

JJ, Please don't flood the thread with reports of SL atrocities on LTTE. If you want, open a thread for that.
Meanwhile

Norewigian Envoy summoned about questionable acts by his staff

The Sri Lankan foreign office summoned the Norwegian Ambassador in Colombo early this week, and expressed concern over the conduct of some diplomats of the mission during the end-stages of the war with the LTTE.

“We can confirm that a meeting took place May 16th between [Foreign] Secretary [Karunathilake] Amunugama and Ambassador [Hilde] Haraldstad,” said Jon Brødholt, Deputy Chief of Mission, Norwegian Embassy, Colombo, in response to an e-mail enquiry from The Hindu.

“In the meeting, the Secretary expressed concern over a story originating in the Norwegian newspaper Aftenposten where it was stated that Norway had accepted refugees from Sri Lanka. The Norwegian Ambassador used the meeting to elaborate on Norway’s humanitarian tradition and Norwegian refugee policy. The Ambassador explained that all applications for asylum in Norway are processed in accordance with the UN Convention relating to the Status of Refugees,” he added.

The Island newspaper, quoting “authoritative sources” on Friday, said that “Amunugama had expressed concern over the alleged involvement of Colombo-based Norwegian diplomatic staff in the clandestine operation. Ambassador Haraldstad was told that a statement attributed to former Norwegian peace envoy, Minister Erik Solheim, which endorsed the actions of the embassy staff wasn’t acceptable.”

The newspaper added: “The External Affairs Ministry said that further investigations would shed light on the Norwegian operation… A senior government source alleged that the latest incident would be detrimental to an ongoing initiative to enhance bilateral relations.”

The Norwegian Embassy had earlier denied that it was involved in any illegal or clandestine activity. “The Norwegian embassy notes that the translation and representation of the article [in the Norwegian newspaper Aftenposten] in local media contain some inaccuracies, such as referring to the refugees as members of the LTTE… It is not correct that the Norwegian Embassy in Colombo has secretly been helping 12 LTTE cadres out of the country…To the best of our knowledge, the embassy did not assist any LTTE-cadres.”

joshvajohn · Post by **joshvajohn** » 21 May 2011 12:26

With truth about Sri Lankan war crimes emerging, we need a proper inquiry
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree ... es-inquiry

Ramana If you read my posts the following things are clear.

1. Srilanka's war against LTTE is not considered as Warcrimes. Neither people who were held hostage LTTE during the war were killed. it was not considered to be warcrimes. But it was after the war simple Tamils who did not have any links with LTTE and without any arms were killed in cold blood by the army to create fear among the rest of Tamils and so they will run away from the country.

2. Certainly people were asked to surrender and many came forward to surrender and they were just killed while they had no arms and white flags and even with UN camps were shelled intentionally.

3. It is not only SL government, but also DMK's silence which was because of family aspiration and also wanted to cover up 2G scam. But also Congress government in which people such as Krishna and a few others who wanted not only finish LTTE but also show as usual a revenge not only allowed these things happen though they know this is happening and ignored it.

4. Some of the govt officials including nirupama either trusted or thought or pretended what SL govt is telling is true and thought SL will follow what the Indian govt is telling them. But SL govt brought China into this which the Indian govt not only was surprised but also was stopped from doing what they wanted to do. This gave SL govt freedom to do whatever they want to do.

5. one of the points that I raise above is that SL govt killed many Sinhalese during the war who criticise them in the media or otherwise. They destroyed the economy. They wanted to divert people away from these by emotionalising them. Even if you notice some of the posts above they are about how Sinhalese newspapers themselves are trying to criticise the present government in these warcrimes.

6. the present government policy towards Srilanka is not correct. It is essential not to support another type of LTTE rather put pressure in Srilanka so that they will solve the issues once for all if not this will become a place where you will find ICC will pass the judgement and also a place for other countries to have their base there.

So please correct your own note about my posts my posts about Sri lanka govet atrocities against LTTE and all Tamils cannot be classified as LTTE nor even LTTE sympathisers in north lanka. One should also remember LTTE itself killed many other groups in East and North of Lanka in thousands. It was many of these Tamils non cooperation and information that government forces can penetrate into LTTE but present govt itself behaves like LTTE and there is no single difference between Rajapakse and Prabhakaran. I support BJP's policy in this regard. I hope the present AIADMK govt will put pressure at national level on the congress govt in this issue. There are good sinhalese writers having criticised the present govt have also given directions and suggestions for SL govt to follow in order to sove the problem. IF the present govt follows their suggestion the present issue will be solved. Now what looks like peace in Lanka is not at all peace but an oppressive regime of their own and of tamils waiting for people to fight because they need another LTTE to survive themselves in the next election to hide their failures and all atrocitiies of their own.

Are all Sri Lankans profiting from the peace dividend?
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-o ... le2027999/

Stan_Savljevic · Post by **Stan_Savljevic** » 21 May 2011 12:58

If you have read about the GoSL's atrocities on its own people, "left"-wing Sinhalese, nothing will surprise you. Its de javu all over again. Actually, it was worse before. IPKF kept guard up north while the SL army went down south and killed a 100 people to teach a lesson on what not to do. Now tell me, what should GoI do? What exactly should GoI do when an elected government takes a high hand to teach people a lesson? Its own people. Heck, even a good fraction of the polity see it as nothing wrong. That is exactly why the chinis find fond love in SL, their methods are exactly similar to GoSL's methods often nuff. And like floats with like, that is just nature.

Given that its May 21 today, and noone fondly remembers Rajiv Gandhi or Sriperumbudur and that gory day, lets have something constructive. From a geopolitical standpoint, what else could GoI have done? Instead of pulling in the west and HR-nazis with an axe to grind into what is our regional issue, on our own what could we have done to teach GoSL a lesson? What exactly is the BJP's locus standi on this issue other than being jokers of the pack?

JE Menon · Post by **JE Menon** » 21 May 2011 13:27

This is often the question isn't it? And not just with the SL issue. There is relentless criticism, but the offer of alternative "better course of action" is rarely there.

Stan_Savljevic · Post by **Stan_Savljevic** » 21 May 2011 14:20

Let me rule out a few things to help out here.

In terms of imports, SL imports the largest from India closely followed by china. We enjoy the geographic advantage even if have nt learned to be efficient in exploiting this advantage. As with BD and pakistan, we export cotton fibre to which they add value and ship off as RMGs to Europe and the US (mostly Europe). With Tirupur on this side, one would have expected the Indians to beat the crap out of SL for the problem Tamils face in SL. No, business does nt go by such logic. Tirupur rots even as BD and SL run riot with our fibre. The same is true of our mining mafia in Karnataka (of late) and Jharkhand. They will ship the high quality iron ore and coal and let the chinis build their infra whereas Indian infra building is close to a cadaver walking down the ramp. Another way in which TN can easily whiplash SL is by playing havoc with how Colombo and of late, Hambantota have been placing themselves as a trans-shipment hub. For that, one will have to do a 1008 Vallarpadams on both the coastlines. Sorry, the reality is far from hope here given the tardiness and retardedness that runs the show in both the Ministry of Shipping and commercial entities. India as a merchant navy power is far far away, that prize goes to either singapore or S. Korea. I have heard of chinamax, malaccamax, aframax, capemax, panamax, even Qatar-max, but nothing like palkmax. There you go. Short of these two, you can screw SL by pissing on tea. That means fixing the Assam tea plantations, easy to say, hard to do. Let me put this plain: to fix Assam, one has to legalize migration and employment from BD. There is no political will for this, forget the fact that the ethnic assamese would anyday prefer a BDeshi than a Bihari for labor. Or at least, reality is such on the ground.

On the political front, ADMK and DMK care two hoots about the Tamils of SL. You must know that better than having to be told. They care shit about Tamils inside TN, all they care about is their own money-making and the attendant support system. Expecting the new GoTN to act cranky on SL (except for posturing) sounds like an unrealistic expectation without any grasp of political realpolitik. Jayalalitha's whining about Kacchathheevu is just that, empty rhetoric and croc tears. Even if she wins the show 234-zip, she wont be able to get Kacchathheevu. You want that, there is shit to be paid under the UNSCLOS agreement which India has to accede to by 2012 (or was it 2013). Even SK Rasgotra would nt want to undo decades of status quo so that some fishermen and women could pray at St. Anthony church in some no-name island which will sink in if the ocean level rises by a couple of mm. Its our land for sure, but when an Indian PM barters away Indian territory for the sake of propping a friend in an election exercise, there is little chance of undoing such rubbish in a long time. Regarding the Tamils of SL, I think both sides of the border know that each one, his own. The Tamils in TN have to fend for their democratic rights as should the Tamils in SL for their own. Expecting anything more than voice-over camaraderie is just too unrealistic esp given the state of affairs at both ends. In any case, its left to the Tamils in SL to take the actions they deem as best. Eventually, they will get to violence as it always happens.

But for GoI, to be candid, its more of a chai biskoth. You cant do much else if you stand at the top and do a low-pass filtering of all and sundry. That would still be the same whether you had a UP Brahmin as a PM or a Punjabi as a PM or a Bengali or a Tamil. That is how life is. Further, GoI believes in engaging even its worst enemy a ka pakistan. That is how we have always conducted diplomacy. We engaged the brits amidst all the Partition perfidy, we engaged the US right after the USS Enterprise was on our shores, we engaged the chinis despite 100s of fake dramas. In our various mythologies, cosmic forces and deities engage kings (and vice versa), influence and guide them in running the affairs of state. "Engaging" is a concept that we have never learned to unlearn. Bottomline, we engage governments, and even if there is a blip like happened with Nov. 26 attacks, we will go back to engaging sooner than later. When pakistan can be and will be engaged, there is no harm in engaging the sri lankans. If Engaging SL has to be stopped, sooner than later, we will have to invent an excuse to stop engaging everyone around us. That is simply not a possibility by being the biggest exporter to SL. You cant have the cake and eat it too.

Now, Joshvajohn, tell me what else is left on the table? You can coerce Rajapakse softly, which is exactly what FrSec Nirupama Rao has been doing. You want India to tag-team with two-bit Erik Solheims of the world, not on. You want to put the Tamil problem above all else in India-SL relations, not on. It is fun to criticize our ambis and mantrins, but now that Nehru mama has firmly gone from the So Block with the newly-in "we dont preach and command, we engage friends and colleagues" attitude, ambis and mantrins dont want Joshvajohn doing a Nehru mama on them too, I would guess.

joshvajohn · Post by **joshvajohn** » 21 May 2011 15:09

Stan I have already given suggestions for Lanka to take immediate action before it is too late for Rajapakse and his governance.

first, Lanka government has to accept that there were serious mistakes made by the army while it defend Lankan people and government against Tamils in the North. So set up a Comission of Justice and Reconciliation with an Indian (not Tamil) or Indonesian or a trustworthy group from SAARC. The army should bring out who gave orders to kill the innocent Tamils. Then Tamils will see Lanka as their country and can expect any respect for being their nationals. We cannot reconcile by covering up the past.

Second, before it is also essential to give assembly to northern Tamils. They can elect and have their own chief minister and run their own affairs at small scale under Lankan government just like a state in India. Reduce the army from the north. Develop Tamil and sinhala police forces mixed in all over lanka. Also include many tamils into Lankan army at least in considerable numbers. Taking TNA seriously is fine, but eengage with other political groups to listen to their voices (not to use them to divide Tamils).

third allow Tamils to return to their own places. Also try to address the poverty issues first among Tamils and also among Sinhalese both in north and also nearby areas. Make Sinhala to be learnt by Tamils too while Sinhalas to learn Tamil (which I think is already in the process). Hinduism should also be considered to one of the national religions besides Buddhism. I hope this would also be true to other religions.

These are minimum even the Sinhalese educated and fair minded people wish or expect the present government to do. I do not think such suggestions have any agenda implicitly so this is easy to implement and engage. If the govt of Lanka is not willing to do this minimum balanced suggestions, then no one can support or rescue them while things go serious! When no action is taken even Indian government has to answer some questions at one stage and bring out some of those names and their talks with lankan officials out to the public. Some of my suggestions were also part of the expectations of the present government in India.

Gerard · Post by **Gerard** » 21 May 2011 16:40

The Sri Lankans need to be given space to work out their own problems. It is their country, their citizens. They have to work together to build it.

The geostrategic compulsions of western nations and their NGO proxies should be given short shrift.

joshvajohn · Post by **joshvajohn** » 21 May 2011 18:42

I agree with you for space but SRilankan government cannot use the space to create another way out to use Chinese against Indians. There should be some action on the ground. Read Hindu article what India would look for a genuine reconciliation! But I will express my points against the claims of "this is an internal issue". This is what the Chinese say when they kill Tibetians!

When Bangladesh had problems we had intervened. While Hindus in Pakistan do suffer India cannot keep quiet. When Tibetians have problems in Tibet India had to provide support to Tibet To avoid Tamils issue in Srilanka this argument of internal problem and internal solution being used. Why did India send forces to Malydives when they had problems with Tigers. India has millions of Tamil refugees and if India is not willing to intervene, India should not block ways of others who will sort out this issue and have their base there. India on the one hand says it did not want to interfere and on the other India (congress Government) China supported the vote in favour of Sri Lankan government in UN which did allow Sri lanka to kill Tamils at free will. India should not stop Western countries getting involved similar to East Timor. IF ICC comes out clearly in identifying Rajapakse as War Criminal (when Fosenka is released and goes to West and may appear against Rajapakse) then the whole scenerio will have to change. In fact my suggestions are also to help lankan govt and also India to think strategically. The real friendship does not come in terms of cover up and neglect of Tamils and their concerns rather engaging in a genuine way with long terms goal. A real and true settlement of this issue in Srilanka is also a proper tribute to Rajiv Gandhi, though I do not know whether it is in the Congress fellas' agenda or mind.

India urges Sri Lanka to expedite resettlement, genuine reconciliation
http://www.hindu.com/2011/05/18/stories ... 931500.htm

Reconciliation without Truth in Sri Lanka?
http://groundviews.org/2011/05/18/recon ... sri-lanka/

America, most of the Western countries and India supported the Sri Lankan government to defeat the LTTE on the understanding that a political solution would be offered to the Tamil people once the Tigers were destroyed. Although Prabakaran demanded a separate state of Elam, that demand did not come from the majority of the Tamil people living in Sri Lanka. It was believed that once their grievances were looked into and solutions offered there could be lasting peace in the country where terrorism would not be able to raise its head again.

But now, two years after the death of Prabkaran, Tamils are still being suspected and treated as potential terrorists. This situation has to change and the Tamils must be treated as equal citizens of a united Sri Lanka that can then move towards peace and prosperity.

The following news item is a Sinhalese writers' and editos' newspapers who have clearly expressed my points -

The backing of both India and the USA were crucial in winning the war and in return President Rajapaksa gave a series of assurances to both governments. The key promise was the full implementation of the 13th Amendment. But once the war was over the President began giving various excuses for the delay in keeping his promise. Both the Indians and Americans figured out that Rajapaksa had no intention of keeping his commitments.
India played a key role in defeating the EU led resolution against Sri Lanka at the Human Rights Commission in Geneva two years ago and the Americans stayed out even refusing to give its allies in Europe satellite imagery as proof of human rights violations.

http://www.thesundayleader.lk/2011/05/2 ... rajapaksa/

The Americans have turned full circle and are now leading the charge with the UN panel report while India is making it clear real progress will have to be made if she is to help us.
The mistake Rajapaksa made was to believe that he could fool New Delhi and Washington the same way he makes hundreds of promises to Sri Lankan voters during election times and forgets them.

There is a clear criticism of Rajapakse's promoting his own family and neglecting the common person in Lanka whether it is sinhalese or tamil.

The events in the Middle East and North Africa are a clear signal that no leader is safe from the international legal system. Bigger and stronger dictators than Rajapaksa who believed that the family would run the country for ever have ended up in jail in their own countries or been prosecuted in the war crimes tribunal. Billions of their stolen assets have been seized.

joshvajohn · Post by **joshvajohn** » 24 May 2011 12:37

US Was Asked to Remove Sri Lanka UN Diplomat on Credible Evidence of Genocide and War Crimes Allegations
United States was asked to revoke the diplomatic visa and remove from US, Brigadier Shavendra Silva, the Deputy Permanent Representative to the United Nations for Sri Lanka, on alleged credible evidence suggesting that Mr. Silva who was the commander of the 58th division of the Sri Lankan army was involved in the commission of genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes.

http://www.prweb.com/releases/2011/5/prweb8469302.htm

Sri Lanka: Confronting the killing fields
http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2011 ... ields.html

Chinese support is to encircle India

In one sense, this is a dangerous ploy. Islamabad is using anxiety about China to keep US military aid flowing. Washington does not generally react well to blackmail. Indeed, it should judge continuing support for the Pakistani military on its own merits, not by what China might do in its absence. New Delhi, too, is nervous about closeness between Pakistan and China. It regards Gwadar port as part of China’s so-called string of pearls, a chain of ports in Bangladesh, Burma, Sri Lanka and Pakistan that New Delhi thinks is designed to encircle India.

http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/b96def94-856f ... z1NFlnFiwn

svenkat · Post by **svenkat** » 24 May 2011 15:17

Maran called Karunanidhi's October 2008 resignation threat a diversionary ‘drama'

Whatever kalaignars faults on many fronts,he deserves praise for supporting Centre on the eezham war.Confirmation,if any was needed,comes from maaran on the drama staged by kalaignar.

If Kalaignar had been in opposition,it would have been 'impossible' to manage public/'fringe' opinion in TN.

One fervently hopes the SL Govt shows statesmanship in guaranteeing dignity,peace,reconciliation,prosperity,human and cultural rights and equal political rights to the tamizh people within the framework of united SL.

sum · Post by **sum** » 27 May 2011 13:37

Lankan stops visa on-arrival for Indians

Indian tourists will soon have to apply online to get their Sri Lankan visas and not get it on arrival as they currently do. Sri Lanka has in-principle decided to withdraw the visa-on-arrival facility except for countries which reciprocates. Maldives and Singapore are the only two countries where Lankans get visas on arrival.

While Indians — and tourists from 78 other countries — arriving in Sri Lanka are extended the facility, Lankans have to apply for an Indian visa at the High Commission of India in Colombo.

Government sources said President Mahinda Rajapaksa was keen to withdraw the visa-on-arrival facility because of lack of reciprocity from countries including Lanka’s SAARC neighbours. At the same time, he was interested in introducing the online application option to tourists

joshvajohn · Post by **joshvajohn** » 27 May 2011 23:51

That is a fair decision on the part of Sri Lanka. unless Indian govt allows Lankans to visit in the same way how can they give this privilege to Indians. Normal Srilankan are very nice people to move with. Once peace (in its Genuine way) is restored Indians should visit Lanka as a tourist place which is a beautiful place. Tourism between India and Lanka should be promoted. One Budhist monk in Srilanka told me that the absence war is not peace! Some monks are peace loving and genuine.

Sri Lanka is a country unique with 8 Categories of Tourism
http://www.asiantribune.com/news/2011/0 ... es-tourism

Surya · Post by **Surya** » 27 May 2011 23:55

Interview with KP

http://www.rediff.com/news/slide-show/s ... 110527.htm

Gerard is right - I am not sure why we are flooding this thread with rubbish - and would suggest a purge of this thread

We know the selective judgement of Western human rights.

Kp chooses to not name the western nations who were trying to save the LTTe big shots till the last moment

joshvajohn · Post by **joshvajohn** » 28 May 2011 01:40

Human rights are human rights. If Indians and their rights are not given in any Western countries, India has all rights to raise their voices. She has done so in the past. Including India and other countries raised voices of concern when Iraqis rights were abused. Many of hte Western military officers and US military people are in prison for abusing other people's rights. No one can escape whether military officers or anyone. It has become a custom for some from East to blame West for their misgivings and try to find escape routes for such human right abuses. I am not arguing the West is always right in their decisions but in case of lankan case when some people raise concerns why others are irritated? If you have different opinion you may express but do not try to stop countries including Indian govt trying to put pressure on Lanka to come up proper probe and justice. Please read some newspapers in Lanka, how much hatred they express towards Indians just for not supporting them during this saga. Peace can come genuinely by carrying out Justice for their own tamil citizens and sharing the responsibilities with their own regional people. People who wants to skip these things want to see Srilanka again being destroyed with violence as it may happen.

Under war crimes pressure, Sri Lanka to begin new rights probe
http://in.reuters.com/article/2011/05/2 ... 6420110526

Surya · Post by **Surya** » 28 May 2011 03:38

Many of hte Western military officers and US military people are in prison for abusing other people's rights

don;t make me laugh

sending a couple of lower ranks for a couple out of 100s of abuses is not justice

only thing is to try and improve the lives of Tamils now -

ankitash · Post by **ankitash** » 30 May 2011 16:59

http://www.lankaweb.com/news/items/2011 ... 2%80%A6-2/

Some thugs can’t even name themselves…
Posted on May 24th, 2011
by Malinda Seneviratne

Not sure if this reflects the average Sri Lankan , but, just check out the comments on this page. Quite pacqui !

joshvajohn · Post by **joshvajohn** » 02 Jun 2011 00:24

But never mind all this. The UN Human Rights Council in all probability can tell fact from fiction. It is not the council or the international community that matters. The government must listen to the voices of all communities and take action for the right reason – to end the cycle of distrust, suspicion and bubbling resentment that no amount of militarization can crush.

It’s not over yet
Namini Wijedasa
http://www.saudigazette.com.sa/index.cf ... 0601102067

the present Srilankan government is not interested in settling the issue down. If anyone read this article by a Sinahalese, you will understand the govt is emotionalising Sinahalese against Tamils using LTTE and thus want to get rid of them which Chinese are openly supporting and India indirectly supports. Government does not wish to bring peace of mind even for Sinhalese because they can be reelected only with another war as they had failed in economic, political and social development of all communities including Sinhala communities particularly many Buddhist monks are not happy but Rajapakse diverts people saying anyone who criticise him are anti-Srilankan and so on.

rsingh · Post by **rsingh** » 02 Jun 2011 01:40

joshvajohn your single minded focus on Tamil issue with one particular pt of view is scary. In fact it is too good to be true. Too well presented not single detail missed............are you paid for that? Relax a bit and hear others. No offence.

joshvajohn · Post by **joshvajohn** » 02 Jun 2011 02:00

rsingh like any other human being of this world I wanted peace in this small Island. If you read my comments they are clear wish for a peace in Lanka not for division or for violence in Lanka. Having helped many sinhalese to come up in their lives I am keen that genuine peace returns, but without interfering into Lankan business India can certainly enable them to bring peace in their own country.