Sri Lanka: time to end irregular detention
Mostly I’ve been blogging about the internally displaced civilians who are being held in internment camps in northern Sri Lanka. The Sri Lankan government says they can’t be released until they’ve been screened to determine if any are former fighters with the opposition Tamil Tigers. Amnesty International is conducting our “Unlock the Camps” campaign to demand that these displaced civilians get the freedom of movement they’re entitled to.
Today, however, I want to talk about the more than 10,000 suspected Tiger members who are being held, separately from the displaced civilians, by the Sri Lankan government. Amnesty International reported today that one of those detainees, Sri Chandramorgan, was seriously injured last Tuesday when he tried to escape from the teachers training college where he is being held. The college is being used as an unofficial detention center to hold suspected former combatants. It was rumored that Sri Chandramorgan had been killed when he tried to escape; the rumor of his killing sparked a clash between the security forces and the detainees at the college.
Unofficial detention centers, which aren’t officially acknowledged by the government, unfortunately have a long history in Sri Lanka and have been used to facilitate torture, disappearances and political killings by the security forces. The International Committee of the Red Cross has had no access to the suspected Tiger members being held by the government. Many of them have not had contact with anyone outside the detention centers, most of which are not officially acknowledged as places of detention by the government.
Although the Tamil Tigers were responsible for thousands of grave human rights abuses during the war with the Sri Lankan government, that does not mean that former Tiger combatants (or those suspected of links with the Tigers) do not have any rights. They should be treated humanely, in officially recognized places of detention, and not be subjected to torture or other ill-treatment. They should be allowed access to their families, lawyers and doctors and have the right to challenge the lawfulness of their detention in court. They should be promptly charged with a recognizable crime in civilian courts and provided a fair trial in accordance with international standards.
I know some may say that the Tigers didn’t afford any of this to the people they held prisoner during the war, but surely the Sri Lankan government wouldn’t want to use the Tigers as a standard of measurement for adherence to human rights standards?
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Tags: disappearance, displaced civilians, International Committee of the Red Cross, Sri Lanka, tamil tigers, torture, unlock the camps
September 25th, 2009 at 2:04 am
The British High Commission in Colombo also refused visa recently to top SL diplomat and former Sri Lanka Foreign Secretary Palitha Kohona
UK introduces war crime clause in visa applications of Sri Lankans. In future, all SL visa applicants to UK have to fill a column on war crime involvements.
This means that the applicant has to declare his involvements, if any, in war crimes. This is a sequel to allegations of human rights violations leveled against the Sri Lanka Armed Forces and Sri Lanka Government.
Sources also pointed out that it was significant to note that in the recent past, visa applications of many Sri Lankan government politicos, including their family members.
The new UN Permanent Representative to Sri Lanka, Dr. Palitha Kohona, had submitted his passport to the British High Commission for a visa to London but to his surprise the passport was returned without any valid reason for turning down his visa application. He later sought an explanation from the British High Commission on the incident.
The SL diplomat Palitha Kohona had later again sought a visa to London, UK, but the second attempt too was rejected with the UK High Commission.
An angry UN Permanent Representative to Sri Lanka Dr. Palitha Kohona had made several attempts to contact the British High Commissioner and his Deputy to seek their intervention but they could not be contacted over the telephone.
The Sri Lankan government is of the view that the British High Commission had violated diplomatic protocols by rejecting a visa for the former Foreign Secretary and felt this had further strained relations between Britain and Sri Lanka.
Also, Ireland embassy in New Delhi in India has refused visas to 13 competitors from Sri Lanka Armed Forces for the cycling event at the World Military Games 2009 in Ireland.
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September 25th, 2009 at 7:49 am
In a statement here, party general secretary J Jayalalithaa said that the AIADMK and people of Tamil Nadu expect the Centre to raise its voice against the human rights violations in the refugee camps in Sri Lanka.
If the Centre does not act immediately, “the AIADMK, along with like-minded political parties, will be forced to launch a mass agitation to focus world vision on the brutal civil liberties violations in Sri Lanka.”
The former chief minister said “The gruesome footage, reportedly filmed by a soldier on a mobile phone camera, reinforces my earlier claim that civil liberties are non-existent in Sri Lanka and that the Tamil population there is subject to barbaric atrocities at the hands of the Sri Lankan Army.”
“Sri Lanka claims to be a democratic country, where the rule of law prevails. No democracy sanctions this sort of summary mass execution, where human dignity is wantonly trampled upon,” she added.
“Even assuming that the persons being shot dead in the footage telecast were LTTE activists, executing them summarily without a trial is barbaric, inhuman and contrary to civilized norms. It also violates international law relating to treatment of prisoners of war.”
Slamming the DMK government, she said “As such, the AIADMK does not expect the DMK government to even make a whimper of protest against the atrocities being perpetrated upon the Tamil people.”
http://www.expressbuzz.com/edition/story.aspx?Title=Jaya+threatens+massive+agitation&artid=ux2vdQtiHc4=&SectionID=lifojHIWDUU=&MainSectionID=wIcBMLGbUJI=&SectionName=EL7znOtxBM3qzgMyXZKtxw==&SEO=AIADMK+general+secretary+J+Jayalalithaa
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September 25th, 2009 at 5:17 pm
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September 25th, 2009 at 10:48 pm
God save the Tamils!
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September 26th, 2009 at 2:58 am
UN Human Rights Council at its12th session (14 September – 2 October 2009) in Geneva has concluded general debate on human rights situations that require the council’s attention. Representatives from several countries and NGOs participating in the debate expressed concern about the situation in camps for internally displaced persons in the north of Sri Lanka.
KAREN PARKER, of International Educational Development, said in her statement that there should be institutional reform and study of the root causes of conflicts as essential to transitional justice. In Sri Lanka, the Government resisted any purview of accountability, and was still prosecuting the war against the Tamil people. The only remedy for the latter was to submit to ever-harsher oppression and abuse. The international community had not looked into the underlying causes of the Sinala-Tamil war for many years. The people were in detention camps because they were Tamil, not because they were civilians. The whole issue of this war was because the Tamil people had sought their right to self-determination, among other rights, and the Government had refused them. Massive ethnic cleansing was occurring, and the Council should act for the Tamils.
Excerpts from some of their statements are as follows:
CHRISTIAN STROHAL (Austria) said that no country had a perfect human rights record and all needed to work constantly and self-critically to address their shortcomings and do better for the promotion and protection of human rights. This fact obliged countries to openly address situations that were of particularly concern to them in order to enter into a dialogue on how to improve the implementation of international standards on the ground. Austria pointed to the human rights situations in Iran, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan and Sudan, which were all situations where Austria failed to see the necessary political will and determination to improve the protection of human rights effectively.
JANICE MCGANN (Ireland) said that the situation in Sri Lanka was over but the peace there remained to be won as serious breaches of humanitarian and human rights law had taken place during that war.
PETER HERTEL RASMUSSEN (Denmark) said the Government of Sri Lanka should fully respect all human rights.
CHRISTINE GOY (Luxembourg) said that Luxembourg was equally concerned for the grave situation in Sri Lanka with regards to the freedom of expression. The situation of internally displaced persons and the allegations of violations of international law during the armed conflict had not yet been the subject of an independent international enquiry, and therefore required particular attention from the Council.
MURIEL BERSET (Switzerland) said that the evolution of the situation in Sri Lanka remained of concern to Switzerland which reiterated its appeal. The humanitarian actors needed to be able to conduct their work without constraints. The holding of hundreds of thousands of internally displaced peoples must end and their safe and voluntary prompt return enabled.
CAROLINE MILLAR (Australia) said Australia remained concerned that over 300,000 civilians remained displaced in camps in northern Sri Lanka.
REINHARD SCHWEPPE (Germany) said as for the situation in Sri Lanka, Germany stressed that reconciliation was strongly based on the full respect of human rights and urged the Sri Lanka Government to create conditions which ensured the safe and dignified return of all internally displaced persons.
WENDY HINTON (New Zealand) said In Sri Lanka, New Zealand remained concerned about the situation for those in camps for internally displaced persons. The Government should engage in a reconciliation process taking into account the legitimate aspirations of all minority groups.
GOTZON ONANDIA ZARRABE, of Franciscans International, said in Sri Lanka, internally displaced persons were not being resettled as promptly nor as safely as the Government promised to the Council, and they continued to suffer within the camps. Human rights defenders, journalists and anyone voicing a differing opinion on the Government’s current policies continued to be the target of violent attacks and harassment by both State and non-State actors.
LUKAS MACHON, of International Commission of Jurists, said in Sri Lanka, humanitarian aid had been continuously obstructed by Government limitations on access to internally displaced persons and the maintenance of internment camps through unjustifiable restrictions on freedom of movement.
MICHAEL ANTONY, of Asian Legal Resource Centre, said the Universal Periodic Review was clearly not a sufficient mechanism to address the worst human rights situations in an effective or timely manner. The Council was currently failing to effectively address situations of human rights crisis, such as those in Sri Lanka and Myanmar; this was not simply a failing of political will, but also one of approach. In Sri Lanka, the continuing grave situation of internally displaced persons was testimony to this.
KAREN PARKER, of International Educational Development, said there should be institutional reform and study of the root causes of conflicts as essential to transitional justice. In Sri Lanka, the Government resisted any purview of accountability, and was still prosecuting the war against the Tamil people. The only remedy for the latter was to submit to ever-harsher oppression and abuse. The international community had not looked into the underlying causes of the Sinala-Tamil war for many years. The people were in detention camps because they were Tamil, not because they were civilians. The whole issue of this war was because the Tamil people had sought their right to self-determination, among other rights, and the Government had refused them. Massive ethnic cleansing was occurring, and the Council should act for the Tamils. There should be a protective presence in Camp Ashraf as soon as possible. The Council should reflect its decision on Honduras in taking a new decision on Myanmar, where a similar situation prevailed.
SATHLYASANGARY ANANDASANGAREE of Lawyer’s Rights Watch Canada, said so far the Sri Lankan Government had failed to live up to its commitments to the international community. Over 300,000 Tamil civilians were still being held against their will in open prisons and their freedom of movement restricted; clean water, sanitation, food, medicine and the basic necessities of life were in dire need. The Government had also failed to allow independent observers access to the camps. The deteriorating situation in Sri Lanka desperately required the attention of the Council – the international community must demand the unconditional release of the civilians within the 180-day timeline proposed by the Government of Sri Lanka and supported by a majority of Council members.
NIMALKA FERNAND, of International Movement against all Forms of Discrimination and Racism (IMADR), in a joint statement with Asian Forum for Human Rights; and Asian Legal Resource Centre, said with regard to the human rights situation in Sri Lanka, although the war had arguably ended, the threats to democracy as well as the human rights violations had not diminished. Further, over 250,000 people were living in camps as internally displaced persons and a leading human rights defender had received a death threat for his advocacy with the European Union. Against this backdrop, the International Movement Against all Forms of Discrimination and Racism wished to remind the members of the Council, the concerned Member States, the United Nations Secretary-General and other international institutions, of the various commitments and pledges given by the Government of Sri Lanka. It also called on the Sri Lankan Government to facilitate investigations of all allegations that had been revealed by various media institutions regarding extra-judicial killings. Finally, the International Movement Against all Forms of Discrimination and Racism wished to point out that the implementation of the 13th and 17th amendment was still outstanding and national legislation had not come into effect.
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September 26th, 2009 at 6:22 am
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September 26th, 2009 at 6:17 pm
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September 26th, 2009 at 10:34 pm
I hope, it is not “tough enough “to read for you ?
Please get a good dictionary
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September 27th, 2009 at 1:06 am
http://www.sundaytimes.lk/090927/Columns/political.html
Another Pro-Lankan newspaper report seems to indicate that the “close association” between Stephen Rapp and Shyamlal Rajapakse (among other reasons) was the reason for the reluctance on part of Stephen Rapp to act strong and submit the report.
http://www.asiantribune.com/news/2009/09/26/report-mass-atrocities-sri-lanka-us-state-department-takes-two-steps-back
Hope all this is not true, but otherwise it is just a shame on US!
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September 27th, 2009 at 1:10 am
http://www.sundaytimes.lk/090927/News/news_21.html
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September 27th, 2009 at 4:47 am
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September 27th, 2009 at 5:19 am
Mango,
You are sad … about the wounded Tamil child, who was shot in the disturbances??
He was desperate child.
He was starving!!
Why you aren’t equally concerned ……about the 60 000 other children from the concentration camps who are starving to death right now!!
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September 27th, 2009 at 5:37 am
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September 27th, 2009 at 6:20 am
It looks like another loss for Sri Lanka
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September 27th, 2009 at 7:22 am
Looking at Mango’s remark, it is sad that the Sinhalese community (forget the govt) has absolutely no concern and continues to be in a truimphalist mood given that the future of a united Srilanka lies in reconciliation and peaceful co-existence of both the communities. Mr.Mango, it is sad that you do not realize that these people have been subjected to continuing enormous torture for the past several months when they had to flee the areas that were getting shelled and the subsequent confinement to the camps and fellow citizens like you fail to realize their unfortunate position and seem to spew only hatred.
As I said, only God can save these unfortunate people for having born on the wrong side of the Bay of Bengal.
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September 27th, 2009 at 7:22 am
http://campaigns.ahrchk.net/repealpta/
There is no longer any reason for the Prevention of Terrorism Act in Sri Lanka; on the contrary, there are many compelling reasons as to why it should immediately be repealed. It was the existence of the LTTE that the government used to justify the promulgation and maintenance of the PTA.
Now, by the very admission of the government this threat has ceased to exist.
Even at a time of grave danger the PTA was too draconian and many of the provisions in the act could not have been justified. This has been pointed out by local legal opinion, localhuman rights groups and governments around the world, as well as international human rights agencies and several United Nations agencies and experts.
After the defeat of the LTTE the government said that elements associated with it could remain, and that some new elements may emerge; yet every country faces this possibility all the time. If this reasoning is used to suspend the operation of a normal legal system then this would need to apply everywhere, forever. Terrorism – even war – is always possible, but if people are willing to abandon their freedoms and their normal legal rights to preempt these possibilities, draconian law will reign indefinitely.
As long as the PTA remains in operation there is reason to suspect that it is being used by the government for political advantage, as an instrument to perpetuate its own power. Complaints of oppression by the opposition and other dissenting voices will have legitimate weight.
The Act has effectively aided the destruction of the normal rule of law within Sri Lanka and undermined the independence of its judiciary; indeed litigants, lawyers and even the judges may have started to forget what a strong, functioning legal system is like. To maintain the PTA is to continue destroying what is left. The disadvantages far outweigh the advantage that the government spokesperson may claim that it has.
An enduring PTA will continue to place the Criminal Investigation Division and the Terrorism Investigation Division beyond the control of the law, with no checks or balances against its abuse of power. Tales of torture being used, charges being fabricated and deaths occurring in places of detention are heard constantly, yet while the PTA exists there is no way to even investigate such allegations, let alone avoid them.
Sri Lanka’s policing system has collapsed; this is now a fact acknowledged by all. Yet no reform process can be set in motion, and under the protection of the PTA Sri Lanka’s police force will continue to degenerate, its people given no option but to live under its oppression, corruption and arbitrary violence.
What this means is that literally hundreds of thousands of people will suffer without any legal recourse, and large numbers will continue to live outside the protection of the law. The entire population will be affected.
It is time for everyone in Sri Lanka and beyond to earnestly request the immediate repeal of the Prevention of Terrorism Act by the Sri Lankan government. The judiciary must no longer be undermined by those with extraordinary power, the rule of law must be revived and all people must be given its protection.
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September 27th, 2009 at 9:43 am
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September 27th, 2009 at 11:01 am
The report, which could determine United State’s future financial assistance to the island, will be handed over to the US Congress for evaluation.
US Ambassador-at-Large for War Crimes Issues, Stephen Rapp in an interview with Time magazine on disclosed that his office was now primarily focusing on Sri Lanka and a report from the Department of State on the war in Sri Lanka is due in US Congress.
The Office of War Crimes Issues, together with the Secretary for Global Affairs and the Secretary of State, has the responsibility to collect information on ongoing atrocities, and it is then the responsibility of the President (Barak Obama) to determine what steps might be taken towards justice.
In the Amendment 1169 to H.R. 2346, an Act making supplemental appropriations for the fiscal year ending September 30, US Senators had earlier proposed to “prohibit certain forms of financial support to Sri Lanka,” unless certification is made by the Secretary of State that “Sri Lanka has taken certain steps to address the humanitarian situation in areas affected by the conflict in Sri Lanka.”
Thus, the forthcoming war crimes report by the Department of State is mandated by the above Act.
Meanwhile, a source in the US told that State Department officials have already contacted and obtained eye witness accounts from a number of persons who have given details on alleged war crimes committed in Sri Lanka.
The Office of War Crimes Issues helps formulate US policy responding to atrocities in areas of conflict around the globe.
Mid this year, President Obama appointed Rapp, as his Ambassador at Large for War Crimes Issues. As head of the Office of War Crimes Issues, Rapp directly reports to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton regarding a wide range of war crimes issues — from Darfur to Burma to Sri Lanka.
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September 27th, 2009 at 12:36 pm
LTTE is no more now. I would say that you spew “hatred” if you dont really pressurize your government into freeing these people out of the camps. I understand that demining could be a concern, but then why restrict access to these people? Why disallow freedom of movement to these people? What crime have these people committed beyond being born as Tamils on your island?
They have undergone enough of the war trauma. I think if you think you dont spew hatred, you can try telling to the SL government that this approach of forced detention is neither humanitarian nor good for the long term peace of the country. Unfortunately in your country that is not possible due to the curb on media freedom and the ‘white van’ culture being inflicted on any one even remotely opposed to the government. Can you go to the north of the country to these IDP camps and even do any help to any of the kids affected by the war? If you can do any of the above I think there is no issue at all in Srilanka and the world can stop discussing Sri Lanka.
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September 27th, 2009 at 5:46 pm
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September 28th, 2009 at 7:24 am
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September 28th, 2009 at 7:37 am
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September 28th, 2009 at 8:48 am
Up to 20,000 IDPs have been ransomed by desperate relatives who are able and willing to pay thousands of rupees to secure their release, and have left the camps
Many, many reports have now emerged that money is being demanded in Sri Lanka for IDPs to be released and the soldiers are in the thick and thin of it.
This exposes so-called ‘screening’ of IDPs for what it is: a cover for a lucrative flesh trade, carried out with the collusion of elements in the government and armed forces that get a cut out of it.
It also explains why the camp authorities refused to release a one-year-old child to leave with its grandmother: since an infant could hardly be suspected of being a dreaded LTTE terrorist or suicide bomber, the reason was surely that a payoff had not been paid.
In my opinion, that since a one year child cannot pay such money, then it has to be helplessly and hopelessly consigned to the concentration camps.
High morals in Sri Lanka it seems!? That is the last thing ever present there.
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September 28th, 2009 at 9:37 am
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September 28th, 2009 at 10:24 am
September 28th, 2009 at 9:37 am
Aayu Bowan, Mango !
“If you’re looking for high morals, SL (Sri Lanka) is the wrong place to look.”
Finally, I agree with you….
The rest of the time I agree to disagree with you
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September 28th, 2009 at 11:07 am
Also in the post-war scenario, time has definitely to be spent in analysing the root causes of the conflict and addressing those. The average sinhalese is triumphalist and folks like you are only harping again and again on LTTE’s approach as your argument for continuing the human rights violations being committed on a day-to-day basis, instead of looking for reconciliation and healing the wounds of the war. There has been absolutely no reconciliatary efforts initiated by the government (please dont mention the TNA meeting again in this context, if you are fair as you try to sound) and the president says that he would like to wait for a mandate. Do you think that is right? If you think that is right, you are fit to be in politics if you are not already in and also if you do plan to join politics, be aware that the room for democratic politics in SL is only getting smaller and smaller.
Also on the lack of press freedom, you have conveniently belittled the cruelty inflicted on Lasantha by giving a blanket statement as you did. Which newspaper in SL barring the Sunday Leader has managed to write anything that is against the government? Of course I do accept that the opposition has raised it voice on the subject, albeit feeble. A country that lacks a critical press will either go down the drain if it is going to be democratic or will have to shift to dictatorship. SL seems to be heading in the latter direction. Also you will have to remember that the world has had successful dictatorship only in countries that are wealthy (mostly oil rich) – frankly poor countries like SL and Zimbabwe cannot afford dictatorship.
Btw thanks for the links that report the NGO activity. But unfortunately all is not well. I am sure the NGOs dont want to continue supporting this for a long long time.
On your question, I dont understand why you pose that question to me. Your question is just reflective of the fact that you are taking the LTTE cover for every question without giving an answer.
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September 28th, 2009 at 2:29 pm
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September 28th, 2009 at 2:55 pm
September 28th, 2009 at 11:07 am
Humanitarian Human,
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I saw the awful TV images of a fearsome typhoon in the Philippines in my hotel room. The cities were ravaged, waterlogged calamity zone caused by the tropical storm.
They remind me of the Monsoon season in Sri Lanka which is expected soon…
The flimsy tents in concentration camps don’t stand a chance…
Recently in one camp which is located near the town of Vavuniya the rain fell heavily for much of the afternoon , sent rivers of mud cascading between tightly packed rows of flimsy shelters, overflowed latrines , which have collapsed, sending human waste spilling all over camp.
This flooding raised fear for the safety IDPs.
Monsoon rains are expected to begin soon and many aid groups worry that the hastily built camps will not survive the inundation.
Only three or four hours of rain cause this much chaos, only imagine what a full monsoon can cause.
The camps occupy vast tracts of formerly forested land near the northern town of Vavuniya. Because the ground on which many of the camps were built was cleared of trees recently, the soil is soft and porous. It turns into mud almost instantly, making it nearly impossible to deliver food, water and medicine.
Life in the camps was already tough, but the rain has made it almost unbearable.
The pegs holding down plastic tents have come loose, leaving many families without shelter.
Some force to stand for many nights as the water which entered the tents. As you imagine it’s difficult to sleep when you are knee deep in the cold water.
Silt has also clogged water treatment plants that are essential for providing drinking water and preventing the spread of waterborne disease.
It was a pure hell, a grim scene of mud, squalor and devastation
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September 28th, 2009 at 11:34 pm
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September 30th, 2009 at 4:54 am
Unlawful imprisonment of 300 000 innocent Tamil civilians in concentration camps is one of the reasons why i think that Sri Lanka is a gulag island
The concept of the gulag ever since Alexander Solzhenitsyn used it in his book “Gulag Archipelago” (1918 – 1956), has come to mean a particular system of repression imposed within a whole country which has some definite characteristics. These characteristics may be described thus:
1.The loss of the meaning of legality within a particular country.
2.A predominant position played by a security apparatus which can virtually do whatever function relating to life and liberty of citizens without being bound by any rules.
3.The emergence of a propaganda apparatus which is not bound by any rules relating to truth or falsehood; in fact, the meaning of any distinction between truth and falsehood disappears.
4.The emergence of a superman controller who manipulates all the three elements mentioned above in any way that he wishes.
5.A doomed citizenry who keep on believing that nothing has really changed while, in fact, everything has changed and who are unable to control their own destinies in any significant manner. One particular section of citizens may by suffering the worst at a particular time, but, in fact, the entire population of the country is affected more or less with the same degree of intensity but at different times.
The position on which this article is based is that Sri Lanka is now such a gulag. All the above mentioned characteristics are now quite prominently visible within Sri Lanka. However, a phantom limb complex still continues to exist. The people wish to believe that the old legal system and the social system are still intact despite of some unhappy new aspects that cannot be denied.
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September 30th, 2009 at 6:05 am
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September 30th, 2009 at 6:27 am
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September 30th, 2009 at 11:50 pm
http://www.voanews.com/english/2009-09-30-voa39.cfm
Rape has been used as a weapon of war in the Balkans, Burma and Sri Lanka.
Innocents are still being tortured, raped, murdered and starved. Three hundred thousands are now languishing in the death camps.
Sri Lanka: A Suppressed Nation
http://www.alertnet.org/db/blogs/29542/8eb1d9ece3be8888566ca3a86d5e6132.htm
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October 1st, 2009 at 12:09 am
Over 300,000 Tamils still behind iron curtain, denied everything except AIR. If there is way to block air, Sin hella will do that too. Even after 4 months as hostage, media not allowed, MP’s not allowed, even sin hella opposition parties are not allowed. Earlier they had 41 well known camps with one DEMO, many unknown camps. Now by transferring IDP’s to other camps, sin hella think, the image of the Largest camp in the world can be changed. They big liers, still vomitng worms of lies. When SLA moved into vanni, it removed landminds. Now they have land in mind, that is colonizing tamil land.
SRI LANKA: Concerns growing over pace of IDP resettlement
http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=86371
“There is a growing concern from the international community that the pace of progress is simply too slow,” Walter Kaelin, Representative of the UN Secretary-General on the Human Rights of Internally Displaced Persons, told IRIN.
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October 1st, 2009 at 12:11 am
Over 300,000 Tamils still behind iron curtain, denied everything except AIR. If there is way to block air, Sin hella will do that too. Even after 4 months as hostage, media not allowed, MP’s not allowed, even sin hella opposition parties are not allowed. Earlier they had 41 well known camps with one DEMO, many unknown camps. Now by transferring IDP’s to other camps, sin hella think, the image of the Largest camp in the world can be changed. They big liers, still vomitng worms of lies. When SLA moved into vanni, it removed landminds. Now they have land in mind, that is colonizing tamil land.
SRI LANKA: Concerns growing over pace of IDP resettlement
http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=86371
“There is a growing concern from the international community that the pace of progress is simply too slow,” Walter Kaelin, Representative of the UN Secretary-General on the Human Rights of Internally Displaced Persons, told IRIN.
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October 1st, 2009 at 12:13 am
There is an urgent need to restore the freedom of movement for the displaced. They should be allowed to return to their homes, and where this is not possible, to stay with host families or in open relief centres
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October 1st, 2009 at 12:15 am
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October 1st, 2009 at 11:22 am
Lanka rules out unregulated access to IDP camps
http://news.rediff.com/report/2009/sep/30/lanka-rules-out-unregulated-access-to-idp-camps.htm
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October 1st, 2009 at 11:26 am
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October 1st, 2009 at 2:41 pm
At that same the SL Regime t is issuing statements to the effect that it has launched several development projects in Ki’linochchi, Mannaar, Jaffna and Vavuniyaa including restoration of electricity supply under the title “Northern Spring “(Vaddakkin Vasantham).
How could the government launch development projects in areas which are still sown with mines? Hence the Sri Lanka government’s stand on resettlement is contradictory.
There are some areas in Vanni infested with mines, but vast areas without them. The SL government can resettle large numbers IDP families in these mine-free areas.
Mmmmmm… interesting??? Why does the Sinhalese Government think everyone is stupid??
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October 1st, 2009 at 7:43 pm
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October 1st, 2009 at 7:47 pm
Full text of the statement follows:
Let Our People Free!
The Tamil speaking peoples of Sri Lanka have suffered great hardships for many decades since Independence. They have faced discrimination and had to suffer ethnic riots, pogroms and ethnic cleansing; in the pogrom in 1983 sections of the state were involved. In the last thirty four years Sri Lanka was consumed by an ethnic civil war in which the Tamil and Muslim people and others in the North and East and elsewhere were victims. The Tamils in particular bore the brunt of the suffering. During the last stages of the war the people of the Vanni suffered traumatic pain which, despite the conclusive end of the war, has still not abated. While we are deeply concerned about the human rights violations everywhere in our island such as death threats, the killing of civilians, and the disappearance of journalists and others, we feel the need to prioritise in this communiqué such collective and unbearable pain of large numbers of our population as compels immediate intervention.
We the undersigned affirm the following and call for an immediate end to these intolerable conditions, and in particular:
We state that the forcible detention of hundreds of thousands of Tamil citizens of Sri Lanka in camps for Internally Displaced Persons is illegal, without basis in the Constitution and in gross violation of international human rights norms.
These people should be released immediately to return to their homes and permitted to resume without hindrance their traditional livelihood activities such as farming and fishing, or to take up residence with friends and relatives, or to exercise their lawful right to abode elsewhere at their discretion. Those likely to face criminal charges should be produced in a court of law without further delay.
We strongly urge that the camps, for so long as they exist, should be open to relatives, religious functionaries, parliamentarians, provincial councillors, civil society, UN agencies, journalists, and national and international aid and humanitarian organisations.
We urge that immediate arrangements be made to allow the Muslim people who were evicted from the North and have suffered acute hardships for nearly two decades to return to their homes and to resume their economic and social activities without hindrance.
Similar arrangements must be made to re-settle in their original homes all those in the East, who remain displaced and continue to suffer greatly.
The restrictions on movement in and out of the Northern Province and some locations in the East should be lifted and the need for permits to enter or leave should be rescinded forthwith. In particular, any form of quarantine of the Northern Province is a violation of basic rights and should be lifted.
The curfew and other restrictions on normality in many parts of the Northern Province and elsewhere are unjustified and we demand that normality be returned without delay. People in certain parts of the country live in fear, avoid even essential travel, and are inhibited in employment related and social activities.
We call for an end to military administration and restrictions placed on civilians, and we urge the restoration of full civilian administration to facilitate return to economic and social normality.
R. Sampanthan, M.P, Leader, ITAK, Leader, TNA
Mano Ganesan, M.P., Leader, DPF
Rauff Hakeem, M.P., Leader, SLMC
V.Anandasangaree, Leader, TULF
K. Vigneswaran, Leader, AITUF
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October 1st, 2009 at 8:06 pm
“It is not a refugee camp if inmates are escaping from that in large numbers. Then it should be called a detention or internment camp. IDP families have freedom to move in and out from IDP camps which are established under international norms. It is not so in Vavuniyaa camps, Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) parliamentarian Wijitha Herat, said at a press briefing held at JVP headquarters in Battaramulla in Colombo Wednesday to discuss matters about the plight of IDPs in Vavuniyaa camps.
Wijitha Herat further said at the briefing that the government has been saying that it could not resettle IDPs held in Vavuniyaa camps as their villages in Vanni region are not completely de-mined.
At that same the government is issuing statements to the effect that it has launched several development projects in Ki’linochchi, Mannaar, Jaffna and Vavuniyaa including restoration of electricity supply under the title “Northern Spring “(Vaddakkin Vasantham).
“How could the government launch development projects in areas which are still sown with mines. Hence the government’s stand on resettlement is contradictory,” he asked.
“My party accepts that there are some areas in Vanni infested with mines. But there are vast areas without mines. The government can resettle large numbers IDP families in these mine-free areas. The international community is trying to interfere in the internal affairs of our country under the pretext of safeguarding IDPs in Vavuniyaa. This would be possible once the northeast monsoon commences. Therefore the government should not give room for such interference,” Mr. Wijitha Herat said.
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October 1st, 2009 at 9:50 pm
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October 1st, 2009 at 9:57 pm
Samaraweera said so during the debate on a supplementary estimate of Rs 350 million for the Ministry of Resettlement for the welfare of the IDPs Tuesday, according to parliamentary sources.
Samaraweera, one time Foreign Minister under the incumbent President Mahinda Rajapakse, further said that the only ‘crime’ these unfortunate persons have committed is to have been born in an area, which was under LTTE control for nearly two decades.
The MP said the President must recognize the right to return of the people and the people must be allowed to go to their original place or the place of their choice.
“The resettlement must start immediately and it must be done under the supervision of an all-party committee of Parliament,” Mr.Samaraweera said.
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October 1st, 2009 at 10:37 pm
“Certain reports indicate that 30 to 40 persons are abducted or disappear on a daily basis from IDP camps,” Mr. Samaraweera charged.
However, Chief Government Whip Dinesh Gunawardane denied this allegation and asked where such statistics of abducted persons were found.
In response Mr. Samaraweera said that if such reports are to be denied the government must be transparent to the manner it deals with the IDP issue.
“If the government allows Opposition MPs to form a committee and visit the camps then such claims can be verified. The government should act in a transparent manner,” Mr. Samaraweera said.
Mr. Samaraweera said that in Orwellian terms the so called ‘welfare’ camps were virtual prisons for the IDPs.
“In George Orwells 1984, the Ministry of Peace dealt with war, and the Ministry of Love with torture. Likewise we witnessed in Sri Lanka how the Peace Secretariat justified excesses carried out in the name of war against terrorism. And the so-called welfare camps are virtual prisons,” Mr. Samaraweera said.
He added that most of the 280,000 IDPs had kith and kin around the country who are willing to have them until the de-mining process to the Vanni was complete.
“They are not economic refugees. They have opened 21,000 bank accounts and deposited Rs. 500 million in banks after coming out of LTTE areas. They are government servants, teachers and farmers. All they want is to go home,” Mr. Samaraweera said.
The MP also charged that the IDPs were being resettled from one camp into another. “The government is denying these people the right to speech, choice, movement and livelihood,” Mr. Samaraweera said.
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October 1st, 2009 at 10:46 pm
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October 1st, 2009 at 11:11 pm
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October 1st, 2009 at 11:17 pm
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October 1st, 2009 at 11:18 pm
http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20091001/wl_sthasia_afp/srilankaununrestrights_20091001101722
Sri Lanka on Thursday said it accepted much of the United Nations’ recent criticism over its handling of 250,000 Tamils detained in camps since the end of the island’s ethnic conflict six months ago.
Human Rights Minister Mahinda Samarasinghe pledged the government would address recommendations made by Walter Kaelin, a representative of the United Nations secretary-general, who last week toured the detention facilities.
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October 1st, 2009 at 11:20 pm
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October 2nd, 2009 at 1:02 am
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October 2nd, 2009 at 5:57 am
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October 2nd, 2009 at 5:15 pm
Sri Lanka’s government did four separate studies of the video footage that purports to show Sri Lankan troops killing naked, blindfolded men during the civil war.
However, Philip Alston, U.N. investigator on extrajudicial killing, said none of the studies cited by Sri Lanka appears to be independent and impartial
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October 3rd, 2009 at 2:13 am
Mr.Mango, you have proved that you are just a repeating voice of the government than someone who can make some fair arguments. I thought you had the capability to be analytical – but the above statement has just thrown it to the winds. An investigation by the alleged perpetrators of the crime cannot be taken as proof (Now dont argue that the 4th analyst was not an alleged perpetrator and show that you just want to defend for the sake of defending). This is the basic principle of the judicial system in any country anywhere in the world and thought you were well educated enough to know that.
Anyways I am pretty sure that the Tiger rebels are being subjected to all kinds of abuses by now, given that the world has absolutely no access – atleast the IDPs are somewhat better in this matter.
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October 3rd, 2009 at 10:32 am
“Mr. Mango, you have proved that you are just a repeating voice of the government”
Mango is a bit timid when it comes to the truth or factual information.
On Jan 20, 2009 Army chief Sarath Fonseka has said that the LTTE may only have 1,600 well-trained fighters left to defend the remaining rebel areas. (Source the Hindu)
On April first week, around 800 LTTE hardcore cadres killed in Anandapuram according to SL Army. So that leaves with about 800 cadres which surely would have been killed in the next month of brutal fight.
So where exactly these 20000 LTTE cadres are suddenly came from? From the sky or from the lie factory? Government played down the LTTE strength during the war, now they are hyping up.
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October 4th, 2009 at 11:45 pm
What should be done
With the end of the government’s military campaign, Crisis Group urges that:
The Sri Lankan government should make public a list all those being held in camps for the displaced and in places of detentions, to reassure worried families about the fate of their loved ones, to facilitate the reunification of divided families, and to protect against the threat of abduction and forced disappearance.
The ICRC and UNHCR must be given full and immediate access to every stage of the government’s “screening” for those suspected of involvement with the LTTE. The ICRC should be granted full access to all places of detention to ensure that surrendered and captured combatants and other terrorist suspects are treated in accordance with the Geneva Conventions and Sri Lankan law. The Sri Lankan government should make public its plans for the demobilisation and rehabilitation of former LTTE fighters.
The Sri Lankan government should remove all restrictions on the access and effective work of the ICRC, UN agencies and humanitarian NGOs in government camps for the displaced in Vavuniya, Mannar and Jaffna and in government hospitals and medical centres. Punitive restrictions on visas and on travel within Sri Lanka for international staff of humanitarian agencies must also be removed. Lack of access and the consequent reduction in services only compounds the already severe physical suffering and psychological hardships the displaced are enduring.
The Sri Lankan government should announce a clear and prompt timetable for the resettlement of all those recently displaced from the Vanni. The government should also establish an open and inclusive process of consultation with independent Tamil and Muslim leaders to devise a fair and sustainable plan for the resettlement of all those displaced from the Northern Province, including the nearly 100,000 Muslims forcibly evicted from Jaffna and Mannar in 1990.
The Sri Lankan government must clarify the whereabouts and ensure the safety of all those public health workers who worked in and reported on conditions in the war zone. Doctors Thangamutha Sathiyamoorthy, Thurairaja Varatharajah and V. Shanmugarajah, as well as the director of health services in Kilinochchi, Vany Kumar, are reported to be in government custody. They and others worked heroically to save lives and alert the world to the humanitarian disaster facing civilians trapped in the fighting. World leaders should be urging the Sri Lankan government to release the doctors and, in the interim, to allow the ICRC to visit the doctors to verify that they are being treated humanely.
The Sri Lankan government should make tangible and meaningful steps to assure Tamils, Muslims and other minorities that their rights will be respected and their equal citizenship and physical safety will be assured. The government should initiate a new and inclusive process of dialogue between legitimate and independent representatives of all ethnic communities in pursuit of a lasting political settlement that addresses the grievances and insecurities of all communities through constitutional guarantees of power-sharing and individual rights.
The Sri Lankan government should ensure that all political parties are allowed to campaign freely and vigorously in upcoming municipal elections in Jaffna and Vavuniya – and in provincial elections due later in 2009. For free and fair elections to be possible, the military must lift all restrictions on political campaigning, and pro-government armed groups must be disarmed and prevented from intimidating opposition candidates and supporters. Independent election monitors must also be allowed to function freely and without intimidation.
The international community should urge the government to be open about its own conduct during the war, to facilitate the process of reconciliation between communities. The Security Council should support the establishment of a UN Commission of Inquiry to investigate the evidence of systematic violations of international humanitarian law by government and LTTE forces.
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October 5th, 2009 at 3:25 pm
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October 5th, 2009 at 5:16 pm
Sri Lanka’s government did four separate studies of the video footage that purports to show Sri Lankan troops killing naked, blindfolded men during the civil war.
However, Philip Alston, U.N. investigator on extrajudicial killing, said none of the studies cited by Sri Lanka appears to be independent and impartial
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October 5th, 2009 at 7:17 pm
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October 5th, 2009 at 7:49 pm
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October 5th, 2009 at 11:55 pm
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October 6th, 2009 at 2:31 am
Dear friend, this to our mutual “friend” – Mango–who is afraid of the truth and running away like a coward , when exposed.
I agree with you “Anyways I am pretty sure that the Tiger rebels are being subjected to all kinds of abuses by now, given that the world has absolutely no access”
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October 6th, 2009 at 2:46 am
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October 6th, 2009 at 6:26 am
I think, the ICRC and UNHCR must be given full and immediate access to every stage of the government’s “screening” for those suspected of involvement with the LTTE. Also, the ICRC should be granted full access to all places of detention to ensure that surrendered and captured combatants and other terrorist suspects are treated in accordance with the Geneva Conventions and Sri Lankan law.
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October 6th, 2009 at 11:55 am
Britain on Tuesday expressed disappointment with Sri Lanka’s handling of war-displaced civilians and demanded that they be given the freedom to leave state-run camps. “Freedom of movement is critical if a humanitarian crisis is to be averted,” visiting British Development Minister Mike Foster said after touring the camps, where over 250,000 civilians are being detained. Britain was helping Sri Lanka with resettlement as well as de-mining, he said adding, however, that he was “disappointed” with Sri Lanka’s progress in allowing civilians to return to their homes in former war-zones.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20091006/wl_sthasia_afp/srilankabritaindiplomacyaid_20091006152136
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October 6th, 2009 at 1:05 pm
This is my last comment on this thread – so I give you the last word. It is clear that you are that triumphalist Sinhalese with no regard for human rights who just avoided dancing on the streets only to mark your position in the society as the elitist and a person posing as a moderate, with whom arguing is of no avail. I say this after seeing some of your shocking comments particularly relating to Lasantha – please see below. Also as usual, you are again and again harping on LTTE without answering my questions on the current human rights crisis being faced by the Tamils living on the island.
Pointing to pictures of “brand-new” military vehicles and weaponry photograped (and posssibly purchased with your tax money for your viewing pleasure and use in such forums for your arguing pleasure) by the SL army does not address the issues being faced by the Tamils – neither the IDPs nor the detained Tamil Tiger Rebels which was the topic of this post.
You live among the elite classes. You can afford to make statements that “there will be no overnight change” and that “we will continue to be the barbarians till the ethnic cleansing is completed and then we will turn turn a new leaf and become noble.” If the man, woman or child getting affected by these barbarians is your friend, relative or someone who you care strongly about, only then will you accept that your arguments are nothing short of nonsensical and in fact are extremely dangerous from a humanitarian point of view. But as I said, you dont care about the extreme torture being faced by the war ravaged Tamils detained in camps and the illegally detained rebels – In fact if you analyse what you have written, even for the murder of Lasantha you have tried to bring in your LTTE argument saying that “Lasantha’s murder created more help for LTTE” than feeling for the dangerous lack of media freedom in your country – additionally you have sympathized with the SL president for having made a “pointless” move, which is shocking to read. So you can sit in your elite cubicle and camouflage as a moderate who rhetorically cares for the wounded IDP child, Lasantha or the IDPs in general but of what purpose, if you are triumphalist and happy that your tax money funds the ethnic cleansing?
On the war crime video, you behaved as predicted. The ex-Cisco man is a Lankan and secondly there are several flaws in his investigation – search on the web and make yourself informed even if you may not accept them in public.
I think there is no point arguing with you since you are no more than a average SL diplomat whose job is to be a bootlicker defending the actions of the govt, right or wrong, without any moral conscience. (Of course I sympathise with these educated highly paid sycophants of the government who have auctioned off their moral conscience for the money – despite all this they are forced to bear the brunt of the government like the guy whose link you pointed to).
Having said that, if you do something for the cause of your fellow citizens in actions, do share with us – I will be extremely pleased to hear that, if it ever happens.
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October 6th, 2009 at 2:12 pm
There are numerous instances of Tamil women being tortured and being meted out degrading treatment in custody.
This climate of impunity encourages more and more SLA soldiers to abuse their authority and indulge in sexual violations. The Sri Lankan government is increasingly unwilling to address this problem.
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October 6th, 2009 at 6:17 pm
In response to Jim Pappa’s comment of Oct. 5, 11:55 P.M., I’d suggest that those interested review the 2006 AI report “Waiting to go home” which discusses the plight of the Muslim and Sinhalese IDPs, in addition to the Tamil IDPs then. Unfortunately, many of our recommendations in that report could still be made today.
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October 7th, 2009 at 12:59 am
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October 7th, 2009 at 7:51 am
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October 7th, 2009 at 7:57 am
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October 7th, 2009 at 12:28 pm
I am not sure if I made an offensive remark by terming someone as an elitist. Secondly my comments were not targetted at Mr.Mango the individual, but Mr.Mango, a symbolic representative of the thinking of the so-called educated elitist classes of the Sinhalese society who indulge in diplomatic terminologies talking of concern of human rights in the most feeble tones, but are secretly gloating in triumphalism and covertly enjoying the ongoing ethnic cleansing. So I dont mean any offense to Mr.Mango and had left him the last word so that he can confirm that all my observations were accurate through more of his statements, which he seems to have faithfully done.
Anyways the monsoons loom – the whole of Asia is in floods predicting one more hell to endure for the IDPs – not a topic of this post, but I think its overall a well planned move of the SL government to leave the climax of the cleansing campaign to the fury of nature. The world watches the horror in peace ..
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October 7th, 2009 at 1:28 pm
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October 7th, 2009 at 3:35 pm
Humanitarian
I agree with you. Mr.Mango, a symbolic representative of the thinking of the so-called educated elitist classes of the Sinhalese society who indulge in diplomatic terminologies talking of concern of human rights in the feeblest tones, but are secretly gloating in triumphalism and covertly enjoying the ongoing ethnic cleansing.
The Humanitarian is not departing from the blog, he was just moving to another thread.
Humanitarian is writing the truth – and in a polite and sophisticated manner was trying to establish your place in Sri Lankan society, in order to understand how you can be so callous and so indifferent and so inhuman to the suffering of 300,000 of your fellow countrymen who are detained illegally in concentration camps and endure starvation and humiliation and beatings.
This is why she described you in those terms. You have not answered her questions. You seem to become frightened when confronted with the truth.
The ‘LTTE diaspora’ is made up of everyone who is in favour of human rights and justice for the oppressed minority Tamils – not just terrorists, just people who dare to speak out.
his is not a fair label for you to brand Humanitarian with. Everyone who favours human rights is not a terrorist.
Mango
My goodness Mango, it’s such a pity that you carry a huge chip on your shoulder about your “elite status.”
Sorry old friend, you are guilty of committing the fallacy the ancient Latin Philosophers referred to as ‘Non Causa Pro Causa’. This is improperly concluding that one thing is a cause of another. I would, Sir, try to educate you on its four principal kinds, namely the Post Hoc Fallacy, the Fallacy of Cum Hoc, Ergo Propter Hoc, the Regression Fallacy, and the Fallacy of Reversing Causation.
BTW- mawatha said hello
Everything seems to be a joke to you – including the murder of innocent journalists by a government. You seem to have ignored Lasantha’s final letter, directed to the President, and placing the responsibility at his door. You conveniently ignore Lasantha. His case is merely indicative of the fact of the continued assault on press freedoms in Sri Lanka – which is indeed a ‘politically idiotic and unnecessary thing’, but not in the flippant way you refer to it.
It’s a crime against the Sri Lankan people.
You constantly insult and humiliate people – one need only raise one’s voice on this forum to be labeled a terrorist or LTTE supporter. But somehow you are terribly sensitive to the (sensible) hypothesis that you are an elite member of SL society
. One does not need to own a private jet to be a member of an elite that is poisoning a society.
There are other expressions of wealth and power.
Each of your answers refers back relentlessly to the LTTE.
Because in the past there was ethnic cleansing, that does not make it OK for the Sri Lankan government to do the same.
Branding everyone as an LTTE member or supporter does not excuse the actions of the Sri Lankan government.
t is possible to be critical of the Sri Lankan government without becoming a paid-up member of the LTTE.
Joking about phrases such as ‘extreme torture’ – and hinting that talking about such subjects equates to alleging mass rape or cannibalism – fails in its attempt to distract from Humanitarian’s legitimate question.
There are many well-documented examples of beatings and rape perpetrated against victims in the custody of the Sri Lankan government
What is happening in Sri Lanka now is both barbaric and illegal.
Those who choose to protest about it are not hysterical – they are merely those who choose not to ignore the facts.
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October 8th, 2009 at 9:52 am
Mr.Mango,
Heeding to your persistent requests, let me respond.
Yes, let me admit I was shocked. Truly shocked to hear you say that the murder of Journalist Lasantha was a “pointless one”. It is really shocking to see you categorize the killing of journalists into two buckets – a purposeful killing and a pointless killing. Lasantha falls in the second bucket – why is it so? What about Tissainayagam – is that a purposeful imprisonment or a pointless imprisonment?
Your use of “if” everytime in the context of Lasantha murder, talking as if you are not sure if it was the SL government who committed the crime, just shows your deep rooted fanaticism for your president. Also read the latest blog post from Jim on the threats to one more journalist from your Sinhalese community, which I presume you do care about.
Thanks for coining the term “Monsoon Genocide”. You hit the nail on the head in describing what the government is up to. I only hope and pray the “monsoon genocide” does not happen as you vehemently deny. But I must admit your sarcasm around biblical rains was in bad taste and uncaring of the people in the camps. In your interest and excitement to refute my statements I only plead to you not to become inconsiderate and trivialize genuine human rights concerns.
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October 8th, 2009 at 5:08 pm
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October 8th, 2009 at 5:35 pm
Tnambi,
Give my regards to Mawatham. How is Eelam these days – just around the corner? Or is he writing a ‘Maaveerar Naal’ (“Great heroes’ day”) speech? in time for 27-November?
I’ve only ever expressed a desire that all IDPs from this 30-year war are swiftly re-habilitated and re-settled. Most of the Eelamist contributors can only empathise with the Vanni IDPs. It’s not me running away from facing these difficult questions, but them.
What exactly is this ‘truth’ that so terrifies me that it renders me mute?
The “LTTE diaspora” ( a Freudian slip, surely?) is enraged that 3+ years of struggle and hard-earned cash has gone up in smoke. Where was the “LTTE diaspora” when the LTTE forcibly conscripted children to bolster the ranks of its’ depleted fighting forces? Merely giving encouragement from the West, but keeping its’ children safe from LTTE press gangs. Yes, real HR champions.
I’m well aware of logical fallacies and try to avoid them.
More interesting to me is the cognitive dissonance practised by LTTE supporters in the West, who live in a multicultural society, yet demand a mono-ethnic, mono-cultural state in SL. Odd, isn’t it? These are not jokes. In any case I don’t own a private jet or an elite cubicle.. oh never mind!
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October 8th, 2009 at 5:55 pm
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October 8th, 2009 at 6:49 pm
Humanitarian Human,
Dear, friend, I’m very concern that rampant colonization, resettlement-but not to the native villages, ridiculous and un-ending “security clearances” (small children have to have them too) and enslavement of the Tamils.
Tamils are promised, in the concentration camps, that they will return to their own villages.
Instead, they are marched at gunpoint to a small islet off Jaffna where they are under guard by the Sri Lankan navy.
They do not want to be there. These are empty promises, from GOSL, as always.
This island is nothing more than a prison. They live in houses with no roofs and surrounded by barbed wire.
They are little more than slaves.
Families are divided – a collective punishment that amounts to torture.
This is not democracy – or even a pale imitation of this.
This is not ‘liberation’.
Why are the UN and Red Cross not involved in this process?
This is not supposed to happen in the 21st century.
______
Mango,
You continually ignore the actual subject under discussion in favour of concentrating on minutiae, or alleging, tediously, that all those opposed to the Sri Lankan government must be either terrorist sympathizers or terrorists.
You constantly ignore or fail to answer any questions.
Jokes about Genocide are not answers. They’re just jokes. And our’s questions demand answers.
How can there be more than 60,000 children in concentration camps in Sri Lankan?
How can a one-year-old child require security clearance?
What security can a helpless baby violate?
Are these highly trained LTTE operatives who just happen to be merely 12 months old?
It is not an argument to allege that anyone who disagrees with a government must be either hysterical, or a terrorist.
Governments and societies that assume this position are rarely a good thing.
Sri Lanka’s problems are not caused by NGOs.
Foreign non-governmental staff are not terrorist supporters. Using emotive terms such as “LTTE Diaspora, Eelamist” merely exposes your own McCarthyism tendency to hunt for LTTE agents and LTTE supporters where there are none – just people who actually care for HR of the Tamils.
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October 9th, 2009 at 12:58 am
Well said and thanks for making your racist intentions clear. So Tissainayagam’s imprisonment was a purposeful imprisonment and Lasantha’s killing was a pointless one. Yes, tormenting Sinhalese is pointless, while torturing Tamils is purposeful.
In addition, please analyse the arguments you make: “Lasantha’s killing gave LTTE upper hand”, “Keeping Tissa imprisoned hurts Govt Position” – for God’s sake I thought we were discussing human rights issues and curb on media freedom. What if the “Lasantha’s killing denied LTTE upper hand” and What is the “Tissa’s jailing strengthened Government position” – is that fine. So basically you are not arguing from human rights viewpoint – you are arguing from political strategy perspective and an inhuman political strategy at that. You are trying to argue how your inhuman Prez could have strengthened his position and avoided all these human rights issues. Sorry my argument is plainly about human rights violation and I am not interested to learn how Rajapakse could have painted a better picture of himself in the international community.
Your statements are turning more and more racist and inhuman and inconsiderate.
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October 9th, 2009 at 7:34 am
It seems we have communications or comprehension problem.
Mr. Mango,
Well said and thanks for making your racist intentions clear. So Tissainayagam’s imprisonment was a purposeful imprisonment and Lasantha’s killing was a pointless one. Yes, tormenting Sinhalese is pointless, while torturing Tamils is purposeful.
In addition, please analyse the arguments you make: “Lasantha’s killing gave LTTE upper hand”, “Keeping Tissa imprisoned hurts Govt Position” – for God’s sake I thought we were discussing human rights issues and curb on media freedom. What if the “Lasantha’s killing denied LTTE upper hand” and What is the “Tissa’s jailing strengthened Government position” – is that fine. So basically you are not arguing from human rights viewpoint – you are arguing from political strategy perspective and an inhuman political strategy at that. You are trying to argue how your inhuman Prez could have strengthened his position and avoided all these human rights issues. Sorry my argument is plainly about human rights violation and I am not interested to learn how Rajapakse could have painted a better picture of himself in the international community.
Your statements are turning more and more racist and inhuman and inconsiderate.
Ah, yes, the all-puprose accusation of racism when unable to deny the mono-ethnic reasoning of LTTE ideology. What exactly are my ‘racist’ intentions? Remember what I wrote earlier? My ‘explanation’ of an event does not mean that I agree, empathise or sympathise with those actions or events.
I’m sorry that you appear not to understand my writing. We are discussing many things including ‘HR’ and press freedom. If my statement of the obvious ’shocks’ you, you’ll need to get a little bit less shocked. How this makes me into a ‘racist’ and ‘inhuman’ is unclear and perhaps requires a special type of yet-undiscovered Eelamish logic.
As you appear to not understand English too well, I spell it out for you more slowly.
T h e …. k i l l i n g … o f …. L a s a n t h a w a s a BAD THING
T i s s a ’s …. i m p r i s o n m e n t …. i s ….. p r o b a b l y …. a BAD THING
The HR view point is only one view point. But as you appear to be obsessed by HR issues, have a go at answering these HR-related issues from an LTTE point-of-view.
– A refutation of the technical expose of the faked LTTE video,
– The situation of the countless IDPs expelled from their homes by the LTTE,
– ’One household, One Child’ recruitment policy of the LTTE. Is this a Good Thing or a Bad Thing?
– Should Wellawatte to be made into a ‘Tamil Homeland’ because it is a Tamil majority area of Colombo?
p.s. Diaspora LTTE supporters were not required to supply a child for the LTTE’s combat formations. A monthly cheque for the struggle was enough.
Now, I really must get back to my Elite Cubicle and check that my servant has ordered Sushi from Tokyo.
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October 9th, 2009 at 8:49 am
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