Congress MP from Cuddalore said in a Public meeting that the Video depicting the murder of Balachandran Prabhakaran, son of late Chief of LTTE Prabhakaran, was a fake and was doctored by LTTE.
Congress seems to have MPs who depict Congress’s feelings on the Tamil Issue.
Couple of days earlier Salman Khurshid , Central Minister declared that Sri Lanka does not support the Sri Lanka Tamils or approve of the Resolution of The Tamil Nadu Assembly calling for a Referendum in Sri Lanka on Tamils’ issue.
These statements, these politicians are not aware, are gleefully grabbed by the Sri Lankan Media .
I am posting the story from the Ceylon Today which has quoted the New Indian express.
Balachandran Prabhakaran
Story:
Cuddalore MP K S Azhagiri raised doubts over Prabhakaran’s son Balachandran’s death and claimed that there was no video evidence on the killing by the Sri Lankan armed forces.
The Congress MP made the statement while addressing a public meeting arranged by the youth Congress at Cuddalore Old Town on Sunday night.
“Some parties were playing politics by taking up the issue of 12-year-old Balachandran’s death. However, there was no video evidence available on how Balachandran was killed. It was a practice among the terrorists that in order to avoid being caught by the enemy they either consume cyanide or shoot each other. It was an unlawful act to kill a child,” he said.
On the ongoing Sri Lankan issue, he said that the Sri Lankan Tamils and the LTTE objectives were completely different.
He said, “Independent Tamil Eelam is the demand of the LTTE alone, but that not of the Sri Lankan Tamils. Elected Tamil leaders in Sri Lanka are not asking for an independent Eelam.
Only the LTTE and its supporters in Tamil Nadu are repeatedly raising this demand.”
Explaining the Congress’ move to pass a resolution in Parliament on the Sri Lankan issue, he said, “When an all-party meeting was held in New Delhi to discuss the draft resolution, no other national or regional parties except the AIADMK, the DMK and the Congress supported the resolution.”
“The CPI in Tamil Nadu had been demanding that an anti-Lanka resolution be passed in Parliament, but the party’s MP Gurudas Dasgupta categorically opposed the move during the all-party meeting. This shows the gravity of matter at the all-India level,” he added.
“Political parties in Tamil Nadu had failed to garner the support of those at the national level on the Lankan issue. Instead, they were blaming Congress party in this matter,” the Congress MP added. (New Indian Express)
A mass grave was discovered by Archaeologists in Matale,Sri Lanka.
The problem is not the killing per se; it is de facto.
But the victims?
It is estimated that the remains are 25 years old.
It could be the result of the standoff between JVP and The Government, LTTE and Government, or The Marxists or innocent Tamils.
Over 200 bodies were found at the last count
As fate would have it ,that another activist who played the role of the ombudsman to the grieving parents, whose offspring had been snatched away by the State military apparatus and deadly para- military groups’ is now the President of Sri Lanka. When Mahinda Rajapaksa went to Geneva, he attempted to smuggle, concealed in a false compartment of his suitcase, the gory pictures of headless corpse of State terrorism in 1989-90. He was stopped at the airport and the photographs were confiscated…:
Ceylon Today covered this extensively and has a Leader on this.
”
On Sunday, the Judicial Medical Officer of Matale urged the family members of the disappeared youth of that era (1989-90) to come forward to identify the remains of the 154 nameless victims that had been buried at the site.
The general tendency at the conclusion of brutal and costly civil wars and insurgencies is to forget the past, ostensibly to look forward to a much better future. The common argument, which is put forward in defence of this practice – and against retributive justice – is that investigations into past brutalities blamed on the security apparatus would complicate the reconciliation process. In some of the highly polarized and unequal societies in Latin America, the wheels of justice turned exceedingly slowly. In places like Guatemala, where nearly 200,000 people were killed and 40,000 disappeared during the US- supported counter insurgency campaign against a populist and largely indigenous rebellion, the victims had to wait until 2012 to put ex-dictator Gen Ríos Mont on trial for monstrous atrocities he and his forces had committed.
However, in some better enlightened and relatively prosperous places in Latin America, such as Argentina, the process had been much faster, though it too had to overcome numerous hurdles, including uprisings in the barrack by soldiers and officer corps who were complicit in past atrocities.
Mass Grave in Sri Lanka
Skeletons in The Mass Grave, Sri Lanka
Successive Sri Lankan Governments, including that of previously activist President Chandrika Kumaratunga, let past military atrocities be swept under the carpet, despite the fact that she herself led the campaign for the excavation of the suspected mass grave in Suriyakanda. That highly emotive campaign was the catalyst in Kumaratunga’s speedy rise to the Presidency of Sri Lanka.
Mass Grave, Sri Lanka.
Skulls in Mass Grave,Sri Lanka.
However, barring a handful of cases, the majority of nearly 30,000 victims, who were documented as missing and disappeared by the Truth Commission instituted by President Kumaratunga’s administration did not receive justice. Their killers are roaming freely, and their ilk, momentarily resurface in white vans, which continue to haunt this country.
Sri Lanka has repeatedly shied away from instituting due legal mechanisms to punish the perpetrators of grave human rights violations, which characterized the nation along with its famed Ceylon tea during various phases of our history: 1971, 1983, 1988-89, and the three-decade-long Northern conflict.
The indifference of the political leadership towards the human rights violations of monstrous proportions and the lack of courage and political will to act decisively was instrumental in cementing a climate of impunity in the country.
If it’s over LTTE or The Tamils , the Sri Lankan Government would not have gone ahead and displayed its cheap and vulgar display of the decimation of the LTTE as it has done now, as if to rub salt in the wounds of The Tamils.
If a Nation destroys Terrorism , it does not display its ‘win’ by a museum.
How many Museums have been set up in The UK on IRA, Israel on PLA, Al Fatah.Italy of Red Brigade,US on The Killing of Osama Bin Laden, India on the killing of Bhindranwale, or the win over Pakistan in the creation of Bangladesh?
If you were /are assisting the Minority Tamils from The clutches of The Terrorists , is it the way you go about it?
Photo on The Genocide in Sri LankaSri Lanka War Memorial
Nor would the use of Tamil in the Museum(?) where only Sinhalese and English are displayed.
Probably you are driving even hard-core moderates into embracing Extremism.
Do you want to solve the problem of The Tamils to be solved or is it your ploy to drive them out of Sri Lanka?
If it is the latter, Sri Lanka is quite mistaken.
Sri Lanka will be reviving Tamil extremism again.
Despite some world countries protecting Sri Lanka, China and Sri Lanka for its Human Rights violations in wiping out the Tamils by genocide,the World opinion ( of the people , not necessarily Government’s) will force you to do what you dread ‘Separate Tamil Elam‘
The Museum or the vulgar show of strength would be the final nail of the coffin of a Unified Sri Lanka!
While people talk much about the genocide and the declaration of Rajapakshe as a War criminal, I feel that not enough attention is paid to the Reconstruction activity for the Tamils remaining in Sri Lanka.
The Government insists it is developing the area well and the additional financial in lay is required.
Detractors declare that no activity is taking place and even where they are on , they are done in such a way as to ensure the Sinhalese dominance like resettling Sinhalese in these areas.
Apart from this , the Northern administration is making an all out attempt to humiliate the Tamils, as reported by hindering the developmental activities by constructing Walls in the Land donated for redevelopment.
1. Militarization of the area(from open democracy)
Tamil women in Mullaitivu, north-east Sri Lanka. Locals say the wait for justice and reconciliation continues. Photograph: Ishara S Kodikara/AFP/Getty Images
As Enloe states, “militarization does not just happen: it requires decisions, many decisions, decisions made by both civilians and people in uniform”. Likewise, in Sri Lanka, the fact that private citizens and corporate entities provide donations to the aforementioned army’s welfare programmes rather than working with local community and social service groups illustrates the entrenchment and normalisation of militarization.
A disturbing aspect of the army’s philanthropic initiatives is the indication that they appear to view these as part of a charitable impulse dedicated to a population which in turn is expected to show servility and gratitude. This is demonstrated by phrases – such as, ‘grateful beneficiaries’, ‘charitable deed’ ‘this act of benevolence by the security forces have (sic) brought great joy to the children’ – used by both military officials and the MOD in speaking or writing about these activities.
In many instances the normalisation of militarization is aided by the dire economic circumstances of the conflict affected people, who due to lack of other livelihood opportunities take up employment with different sectors of the military machinery, such as the CSD which recently employed a large number of persons in Kilinochchi in agricultural farms which ironically were previously managed by the LTTE. It should be noted that instead of providing viable livelihood options to the conflict affected, the states appears to be offering opportunities mainly in the defence industry to those living in the former LTTE controlled areas. ..
As per the complaint allegedly from your office – I am not able to work out what the law says. If I were to take it that your actions were lawful and work backwards from the effects / outcomes I am able to work out your (interpretation of the) law / policy. According to that – we the donors do not have access to the main-road. Nor do the folks who sought the donation. Only you have access. It is to demonstrate this ridiculous outcome that we erected a fence around our part of the land – leaving a small opening for those who come into our premises to draw water from our well. When you showed no concern at all about this – we used our interpretation of common principles and our Truth as stated above – and erected the Gates towards orderly entry into our premises. At that time no one from that area – including your officers – objected nor did they say whether it was right or wrong. Later when we sent the Plan towards building the boundary wall, our coordinator who works at the Council asked one of the Council officers towards his own knowledge and informed me that we had to all 10 feet from the center of the road. To me this was hearsay. Yet I asked our Coordinator as to why he did not raise this when the front gates were installed. He said that a mistake had happened. I then instructed the team to move the gate at the beginning of the boundary wall further 2 ½ feet inside. Unless I had knowledge that the law said otherwise I used my common knowledge as per my life in Sri Lanka and in Australia. That was how the plans for the Temple extension, the cottage and the boundary wall were drawn up. The Plans were drawn by our son Pradeepkumar Paramasivam – Civil Engineer cum Architect. Our son-in-law David Springford also an Engineer and Architect made an overall contribution. We have brought these professional skills and standards to Thunaivi through this work. The Council driven by your office has behaved as if Australian money is good but not Australian skills and standards. In other words your office has thus behaved using the Council as your messenger. Due to the Government’s failure to practice the Doctrine of Separation of Powers in relation to the dismissal of the Chief Justice – questions are being raised in educated circles on the basis of this Doctrine. Your management of this issue is also reflecting such weakness….
3.Development activity as reported by The Government of Sri Lanka.
The Salient features of the Resettlement policy are:
From The Guardian UK.Need permission to bury the dead!
“Three years after its civil war, Sri Lanka has emerged as a middle-income country on course to meet most of the millennium development goals. GDP rose by around 8% during 2011 and tourism is set to bring in more than $1bn this year. Yet this national success story obscures the tale of an unsettled north that remains under military control.”
This report is published both in Tamil and English at my site.
Sexual Violations of The Tamils in Sri Lanka
Above is the audio: if it does not work, follow the link at the end of the post.
Rape of a Tamil WomanBrutal Killing Of The TamilsGruesome Killing
The Transcript.
TamilNet: Now, this report has compiled several individual cases of violations. You have also told that there is a pattern in it and it has been conducted in a systematic manner. TamilNet and many other Tamil media organizations have been arguing that these patterns indicate genocide and that this charge must be investigated. What is your opinion on this?
Mepham: Well on that particular issue, Human Rights Watch has not taken the view that this is genocide. We have certainly taken the view that systematic human rights abuses have been perpetrated by the Government of Sri Lanka against elements of the Tamil population. We’ve documented that in considerable detail over the years. But we’ve also…I mean we’re an independent impartial human rights organization, we’ve also documented abuses committed by the LTTE over the years as well. So our job as a human rights organization is to look at rights abuse, to document it, to expose it wherever it happens.
We’ve been very concerned that in the final months of the Sri Lankan civil war and early 2009, the best estimates are that something like 40,000 civilians were killed, mostly at the hands of the Sri Lankan military. That was the finding of the UN Panel of Expert’s report, the report given to the UN Secretary General. There’s been a complete failure on the part of the Sri Lankan government to investigate that, to hold anybody accountable, for anyone to face justice for those crimes and that’s why Human Rights Watch and others are urging, very strongly, that there needs to be an international mechanism to investigate and hold people accountable because the so called Lessons Learned and Reconciliation Commission is frankly a bit of a farce. It’s not a serious body, it doesn’t have real power, it is not interested in investigating and holding anybody accountable.
The Sri Lankan government was still cut a bit of slack by the international community on that one with people saying “well let them have their chance to sort of address this”. I think it’s pretty clear now, they are not prepared to use that mechanism or indeed any other mechanism to properly get to the bottom of what happened and the involvement of Sri Lankan military and security forces in that abuse.
Hence, the need for more concerted international action including at the upcoming meeting and discussion on Sri Lanka at the Human Rights Council, which will take place in a few weeks time. It’s very important that governments around the world come together, and demand that there is a strong resolution and strong international follow up action, that there is an international mechanism to investigate abuses in Sri Lanka and to hold people responsible for those abuses to account.
TamilNet: By international mechanism do you mean an independent international investigation?
Mepham: Yes, yes. That was essentially what was called for by the UN Panel of Expert’s report, he said that the panel, three people on the panel said, there needed to..there was evidence that around 40 000 civilians may have died but there needed to be a proper international investigative mechanism, international investigation to look into what happened, to identify who was responsible for abuse, who committed the crimes and to hold those individuals accountable. And of course, the Sri Lankan government goes to great lengths to dismiss all that, to deny the abuse, to say they are not prepared for that to happen.
It will only change if there is really concerted international pressure on Sri Lanka, of the kind that we have not seen up to this point. Which is why it is kind of particularly shocking that lots of governments around the world are going to go off to a glitzy summit in Sri Lanka in November and sit down and eat and drink with Mr. Rajapaksa, at the same time as that government has completely failed to address the problem of impunity for war crimes.
TamilNet: Now as regards the cases of sexual abuse. Many months back last year, TamilNet came out with a feature which showed that women, especially former fighters belonging to the LTTE were being systematically targeted by the Sri Lankan state, by the military and by its police and many of these extreme cases included forcible impregnation which even led to many of them committing suicide. Do you think that this needs to be addressed very clearly at international fora?
Mepham: Yes. All of these kinds of…I can just talk with more authority about the abuses that we’ve documented in the report we’ve launched this week. There are lots of other allegations and claims of abuse that have taken place as of the last few years. All of them need to be properly investigated. Claims of that kind that are made, it is incumbent on the Government of Sri Lanka to investigate them and hold people accountable.
When it’s not prepared to do so, then there should be an international investigative mechanism. Because I think there is powerful evidence that this is not, as I said in the remarks at the press conference, this is not sort of random or just criminal elements. There is method in this abuse, it’s directed, it’s targeted, it’s designed for a purpose which is to intimidate and to inflict suffering and terrorize and to extract information. On that note, sexual violence of that kind is a war crime under international humanitarian law and needs to be treated as such and the people responsible for it need to be held to account.
TamilNet: What is the responsibility of the Co-Chairs and the world powers which managed the peace process? Do you think that they have a moral and political responsibility to step in and address the question of the Tamils now?
Mepham: Yes. They all have a responsibility. I mean, governments around the world have a responsibility to uphold international human rights, that’s what they’ve signed up to. Not only in terms of their domestic practice but in terms of the influence and pressure they bring to bear internationally. So all of these governments, particularly those that are involved in this process have an obligation to press on human rights concerns, to ensure proper accountability in the way we haven’t seen up until now and to ensure that people responsible for war crimes are held to account and that’s, there is a culture of impunity in Sri Lanka which really needs to be addressed and that’s one of the things that we are calling for as a sort of central recommendation from our report.
* * *
While welcoming the attempt of the HRW to document systematic sexual violence perpetrated against the Eezham Tamils by the Sri Lankan state, political observers expressed regret at the refusal to term genocide as genocide.
More than the Tamils, the International Community of Establishments know the full nature and extent of the structural genocide being perpetrated on the Eezham Tamil nation. While organizations still try to give a picture of ‘war crimes of both sides’, what is brushed under the carpet is the war crimes of all sides, especially that of the Establishments in giving legitimacy to Sri Lanka’s genocidal war on the Eezham Tamil nation, they said.
The Sri Lankan government will definitely deny this report as is expected from a genocide perpetrator, but it was the refusal of the ICE to recognize the nationhood, sovereignty and territoriality of the Eezham Tamils which is the core reason why Sri Lanka was able to commit such crimes with genocidal intent on the Tamil nation and foster the “culture of impunity” with abandon regime after regime, they further opined.
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