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US blames Sri Lankan Government for HR violations

by admin on Mar.12, 2010, under Sri Lanka

US blames Sri Lankan Government for HR violations

  • Gorvernment security forces participated in armed attacks against civilians and practiced torture, kidnapping, hostage-taking, and extortion with impunity.
  • Government committed arbitrary or unlawful killings and the police or other security forces killed several detained suspects.
  • Government military forces committed numerous killings and assaults of civilians.
  • Statements by government and military officials contributed to an environment in which journalists who published articles critical of the government felt under threat.

The US has blamed the government for being involved in human rights violations last year and has stated that Sri Lanka is yet to make progress into the killings of several high profile people who were murdered as the war came to its bloody end. 

However the report also stated that the country did make some progress after the war between the military and the LTTE came to an end after 35 years. “The government’s respect for human rights declined as armed conflict reached its conclusion,” the US said in its annual Human Rights report released by the State Department. .  CONTINUE READING 

Six weeks on, no sign of missing cartoonist

Where’s Prageeth Eknaligoda?  On Jan. 24, the Sri Lankan cartoonist and journalist disappeared shortly after leaving work at the Lanka-e-News office.  Local residents reported seeing a white van without number plates close to his house around this time.  When his wife tried to lodge a complaint with the police the next day, she was detained for several hours at the police station.  In the days leading up to his disappearance, Mr. Eknaligoda had told a close friend that he believed he was being followed.  CONTINUE READING

 

The Cancer of Democracy

The take-no-prisoners approach to counterinsurgency adopted by the Sri Lankan government in 2009 was hailed in many corners as evidence that letting the military off the leash was more effective than a nuanced strategy of political engagement.

As disturbing stories emerged of Sri Lankan military and paramilitary units executing prisoners, silencing civil society critics and displaying a cavalier disregard for civilian casualties these were dismissed by government apologists as a price worth paying to secure democratic rule on the island. CONTINUE READING

 

 

 


6 Comments for this entry

  • Karuppen
    March 16th, 2010 on 8:17 pm

    Uncle Sam sleeps now; And ´Mahi’ wags his tail

    In 2009 the US government spoke against the human rights abuse in Sri Lanka. The selective war on Sri Lankan innocent Tamils ended in the death toll of more than 50,000 innocent lives. Even the US Senate filed a detailed report on the war circumstances and the death toll during the war in Sri Lanka. It is more than ten months since the war ended. What has the US government done so far?

    It is time the US Administration filed a war report and initiated an independent inquiry into war crimes committed by Sri Lankan government headed by Mr Mahinda Rajapakse and his military hierarchy. The human rights groups in the US and Canada should mount pressure on the US government to initiate independent inquiry into Sri Lankan war crimes.

    Today the situation after the war does not distinguish itself from the one before the war too. Sri Lankan emergency laws are still in place and in effect to arrest any suspect and incarcerate him or her indefinitely. Women are sexually harassed by soldiers with impunity against any complaints by the victims. The country has slipped into extremism with no recourse to the rule of the law and order. This is the situation one expects where purposeful legislation circumvents the independent function of the judiciary. To ensure that citizens have their right to justice, the power bodies are separated into the legislative, the judiciary and the executive. None of the three bodies in Sri Lanka today functions with integrity of its own to guarantee the citizens their right to a life free from injustice and fear of state terrorism. State terrorism has become a tool to control the citizens.

    The US political alliance with Sri Lankan government is more of an economic mould than an issue about human rights abuse.

    Contrary to the US stand on sensitive issues like human rights abuse, the European countries show a real concern about the human rights record. They impose harsh economic sanctions against the countries which have abused human rights. The purpose is to tame the governments in question to correct their human rights record.

    The verdict of Dublin War Crimes Tribunal should serve as a catalyst in bringing Sri Lankan President Mr Mahinda Rajapakse, his logistic war architects, and his military hierarchy before the International Court to face charges on war crimes. Harsh punishment should be the verdict to those war mongers. To this list is India for providing hard military and chemical weapons to be used on innocent Tamil civilians.

    It is a popular thought that the present situation the Sri Lankan Tamils face resulted from the failure of the UN to take preventive measures in time to deter Sri Lanka from its military thrust against unarmed Tamils. This war waged by the Sri Lankan government under the pretext of eradicating LTTE militants exposed Tamil civilians to a germicidal mania which culminated in the death of about 50,000 lives. Painfully observed, one has to reckon with the helpless situation the innocent Tamils faced before their life sizzled out.

    The UN Secretary General Mr Ban-Ki-moon failed to wield his authority to implement corrective measures before and after the war. Was it a connivance with the Sri Lankan government at the genocide of innocent Tamils? The UN Secretary General lacks administrative abilities in coping with hot spot flare-up incidents around the world. Another example was his failure to take proper action when Palestinian children were murdered by Israeli military.

    The UN is a strong voice for the safety of global citizens, irrespective of who they are and what their creed, religion, and ethnicity are. The UN was not created to witness genocide of a minority by the majority around the globe. When this power organ dispenses with its meaningful existence by not complying with the UN Charter for Human Rights, it is time to realize a change in its power bloc. The world bodies should elect a ‘Shadow UN Secretary General’ a person with vested powers to implement a policy of corrective measure. Where the UN Secretary General fails, the ‘Shadow UN Secretary General’ presumes upon himself or herself the duty of honouring the compliance with the UN Charter for Human Rights.

    Atrocities committed by those in power should demand justice to prevent the recurrence.

  • Yoganathan
    March 16th, 2010 on 4:30 pm

    NO REMORSE FROM SRILANKA NO RECONCILIATION

    NO SIN-HELLA TERRORISM BY SRILANKA NO NEED OF LTTE

    The ways to Make the NAZI Srilanka to come clean on Peace
    1)amils Boycott all NAZI Srilankan products and demand the shops to clear all the Products from the Sin_Hella terrorist evil POLPOTS running jungle called Srilanka
    2)Persuade the western consumers, by well organised and professional manner, to boycott all Srilankan made items on M&S, Tesco, etc
    3)Persuade the Westerners to stop the GENOCIDE TOURISM to the NAZI Srilanka
    4)Openl textlie factories in Tamils living countriles like Malysia, Reunion, South Africa, etc to make cheaper than the NAZ Srilankan made tectlies, by doing so, we can achieve two things, first tamils benefit out of the projects and Western companies will VOTE WITH THERIR FEET to cheaper items.
    5) Undermine all Srilankan exports wherever they go and destroy their exports altogether.
    India and China also exports, they cannot be consumers.
    then the NAZI Sin-hella SICK barbaric rulers will have no money to fund their NAZi terrorist military and beg for peace as South African Aprthied regime did.

  • Karuppen
    March 16th, 2010 on 3:48 pm

    The UN is under extreme pressure by Human Rights Activists in the US and Canada. Their collective pressure on the US Administration might force the US to release sensitive data about the Tamil genocide during the war on terrorism.

    What the global Tamils have to do at this crucial juncture is to inform the world citizens about the crimes the Sri Lankan government committed by waging war on unarmed and innocent Tamils. Mobilize a global voice for justice.

    The UN is not a zombie without a directional function. It has its commitment to comply with under UN Charter for Human Rights. If it proves a zombie, it needs discipline and direction under a strong replacement for UN Secretary General Mr Ban-Ki moon.

    Whether the initiation of UN inquiry into Sri Lankan war crimes is floated by UN Secretary General Mr Ban Ki-moon or some other official in his place is the question still to be answered. If Mr Ban-ki moon fails to initiate the inquiry by appointing legal experts, the time will prove to Mr Ban-Ki moon his decent exit from global politics. He has the vested power to initiate the inquiry.

    Already the UN has lost a strong voice Mr Gordon Weiss. His outspoken remarks about the Sri Lankan government’s genocide of innocent Tamils in Sri Lanka have already exacerbated situation at the UN quarters and subsequently in protest he resigned his UN post. More are to rebel soon and it might throw Mr Ban-Li moon out of this office.

    Under the helm of Mr Ban-Ki moon the UN has become a show case of corruption and mismanagement. Does the UN accommodate officials already in the pay list of Sri Lanka who advise the Sri Lankan military hierarchy on the genocide of Tamils?

    Bring them to the International War Crimes Court for justice.

  • Karuppen
    March 16th, 2010 on 10:30 am

    Even though a fragment of Tamil Diaspora differs in their ideology from the streamline politics of peace process necessitated by the present condition Sri Lankan Tamils face today, they can unite even in diversity to mould a strong voice in such a way as to awaken the sleeping democratic nations in power today. What is missing in the peace process is the law of collective consciousness of those leaders. The voice of the law of consciousness is going speak soon.

    From an angle of political evolution in Sri Lanka, the President of Sri Lanka Mr Mahinda Rajapakse might consider reversing the post war situation to install the pillars of basic human rights for Tamils. He will find ruling the country difficult in future after disenfranchisement of Tamils. The pressure exerted by both Human Rights Activists and democratic governments in power today will surely put Sri Lanka on the right path of seeking ways to initiate dialogue with Tamil politicians. If there was a chance for change, it would be through the participation of Sri Lankan President Mr Mahinda Rajapakse. The psychology of politics is simple. A leader is satisfied with the popularity among his own people, but at the same time what elevates a leader’s pride to the highest level of self-gratification is the realization that he has reached across a dissenting community to make amends for the failures of his own government. Enjoyment of enemy’s appreciation is the best medicine for a wailing ego of a leader. Even in a game, the winner always seeks for appreciation from the loser. The game will not be a success without the loser’s appreciation.

    Tamil Diaspora, with all the information resources at their disposal, should mount pressure on Sri Lankan ruling government through democratic channels. A wonderful landmark the global Tamils have shown the whole world was the Global Tamil Forum. Continue enlisting all the democratic world nations in the future counterpart of GTF, A mounting pressure from all the democratic nations will surely awaken the ruling Sri Lankan government to seek corrective measures to install peace process and integrate the stateless Tamil community into the main communal politics.

    Even an iron rod bends under repeated beatings of a hammer. Nothing in the world has the power of withstanding the wailing of justice.

  • Karuppen
    March 15th, 2010 on 11:18 pm

    I agree with P John’s meaningful remarks. They are very simple to understand.

    All my writings and posts are targeted towards a search for a peaceful solution to the grievances and agony the Tamils in Sri Lanka face today. We are more concerned with the root causes for the present condition rather than the agents who created this situation for the Sri Lankan Tamils.

    When the UN official inquiry or the US initiative into Sri Lankan war crimes proceed, it will bring to the International War Crime Court not only the Sri Lankan President Mr Mahinda Rajapakse, his military hierarchy, but also all the surviving LTTE combatants, cadres and the Australian nurse wife of the late LTTE political wing advisor Mr Balasingam who handed out cyanide pills to child solders in combat zones during trainings in Sri Lanka. The lady lives in Surrey, England. She should be brought along with others before the International War Crime Court to face charges against humanity.

    When justice knocks on your door, it never discriminates against anybody and its noise is loud enough to muffle the other moaning.

    Nothing is more appealing to a disturbed human mind other than seeing another human life wallowing in pain and suffering before it loses its life.

    The present plight of Sri Lankan Tamils is the result of a certain fragment of Tamil Diaspora who funded the combative manoeuvres through a war machine called LTTE against the helpless Tamil civilians in Sri Lanka. An ethnicity glowed with its fine human values, the Tamils in Sri Lanka have lost their glamour by the exposure to war they did not wage against the majority Singhalese government in Sri Lanka. Now is the time Tamil Diaspora refrained from funding further genocide through any war machines. Free your mind from combative instincts and mould a policy of co-existence with the majority Singhalese. The time has come to discover the art of reconciliation.

    Pretension will never help you free your mind. Do not pretend to yourself.

    There is no other option for the survival of Tamil identity in Sri Lanka than an amicable reconciliation. To realize it, the Tamil politicians should create the climate for the workable platform through TRUST. Give it a chance to work out and it will enlist the global support of democratic governments in power today. Democracy defines its existence through creating its roots in volatile spots where peace is the escaping culprit.

    The decimation of war machine LTTE and its shadow combatant roots have created a situation where a strong negotiation for peace is the antidote for the present situation the Tamils in Sri Lanka face today.

    Luxury produces self-forgetfulness, but pain and suffering awaken the mind to a search for survival.

  • Karuppen
    March 15th, 2010 on 7:34 pm

    ->->->
    Jaffna, Sri Lanka (CNN) — Raveendran Jenatha doesn’t exude the kind of excitement and wonder young adults often do when it comes to figuring out their future. She is 21 years old and confident about what her future holds. ”Nothing,” she said softly. Raveendran Jenatha is sure she has no future because of her past and what it has done to her. “Now I can’t do anything. That is the only problem,” she said. Then her sweet smile and confident tone broke, and she burst out in a moaning sob. Through her tears, she sputtered: “I need help for everything.”

    I read this article with remorse and a tinge of pain in my heart.

    This is the situation the Sri Lankan war has created. The post traumatic disorders are very rampant among war victims. A condition of seclusion becomes as a prerequisite for freeing the mind from the tormenting pain and suffering.

    Hello, young lady. Brush up and wipe the tears from your eyes. Nobody can steal your life. Your life is within YOURSELF. Always within YOURSELF. The situation is going to change soon. Already there are signs of a rolling stone gathering momentum. Keep up the flame of hope in your heart.

    Life condition for Tamils in Sri Lanka is going to change soon.
    ->->->
    I agree with P John to his proposing an idea of smooth talk.

    A certain fragment of Tamil Diaspora, out of their cosy situation, has supported a cult to survive through propagating violence against the majority Singhalese government. The recent Sri Lankan war has clearly shown that those being supportive of combative manoeuvres were deeply entrenched in a combative policy at the disposal of security of Sri Lankan Tamils. Not only has the war displaced the Tamils to the present stateless and pathetic condition in their own country but also whittled down the collective identity of Tamil community.

    It is imperative that Tamil political parties, irrespective of their differences, should cultivate an order of communication with the dissenting majority Singhalese political leaders in power today. Difference of opinion serves as a strong platform to identify unity in a collective voice. This is RECONCILIATION without losing communication. It is a good sign that TNA has dropped its nagging claim for an independent homeland for Tamils in Sri Lanka. Anything revolved from the democratic platform has the charm of welcoming the support of democratic nations in power today. If the collective voice of the democratic nations gains momentum, it can tilt the scale in favour of an amicable solution to the grievances of Tamils in Sri Lanka. Even the UN can not sit back for fear of losing its face in the global politics navigation. The UN was created to solve the problems of global community through peaceful means, but not to be a voiceless organ of a spectator to the sight of commission of genocide of global citizens, the displacement of their simple happy life, and usurpation of their basic human rights to live as a human.

    In all my writings and posts I have made it clear that RECONCILIATION is the only powerful weapon Tamils have today to draft a policy of survival in the history of their ethnic integrity in Sri Lanka.

    One has to learn to reconcile oneself with one’s own differences before one marches forward to reconcile with others.

    Luxury may fail to show its charm, but the pain and suffering of a community never fail to assert their claim for a social justice.

    War does not decide who is right, but who is left.

    War is the result of a failed policy of reconciliation.

    Revenge is just like fire. Just as the fire destroys the wood, revenge will destroy life.

    The only means of survival is to seek ways to diffuse knots of tension in relationship with others, be it an individual or a community.

 

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