The USA Has Neither Justification Nor Mandate To Intimidate Sri Lanka On Cooked Up”War Crimes Issue” Which Was A Continuation of the Global War On Terrorism.
Posted on June 30th, 2011
LankaWeb Weekly EditorialƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚
June 28th 2010
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ As theƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ USA continues to intimidate Sri Lanka on the “war crimes” issue withƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ threats to examine ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”other optionsƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ unless Sri Lanka quickly addressed war crime allegations,the related doubleƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ standard becomes more and more apparent and somewhat duplicitous if the USAƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ is serious about the conditionsƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ issued to Sri LankaƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ which reek of a bipartisan leaning towards what the adversaries of Sri Lanka want to accomplish namely discredit the GOSL using Sri Lanka’s war on terrorism as a tool. Some of this entourage is labelled by some as the ‘rump of the LTTE ‘ and a rump which needs to be booted ot of existence inasmuch as the main hardcore unfrastructure of the LTTE was with thanks to the present Administration!
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This has been portrayedƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ quite credibly and vividlyƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ in a statement issued to the media by theƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ former Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama who has said unequivocallyƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ that Sri Lankan military effort against the LTTE was definitely an integral part of the US-led global war on terror.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Given all the facts surrounding Sri Lanka’s pursuance of the terrorists thereforeƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ it seems mind boggling as to why the USA cannot percieve the reality that Sri Lanka in pursuance of all the globalƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ policies against terrorismƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ was simply implementing what it had every right to within the confines of international law and whatever is cooked up to distort this is quite obviously being done with the sole purpose of discrediting the GOSL.
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ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ The former Minister’s emphasisƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ quoting fromƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ the “IslandƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ News” that it would be a huge mistake for the international community to decry Sri LankaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s successful war against the LTTE on the basis of unsubstantiated allegations made in the controversial ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”Darusman ReportƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ and the Channel 4 film, ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”Sri LankaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s Killing FieldsƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ has every reason to be viewed objectively particularly on the basis of the tranquility prevailing in post LTTE Sri Lanka today as what transpired through the Armed Forces’ war on the LTTE even in an extreme perspective can only be termed a necessaryƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ measure to counter the axis of evil and all portrayals to the contrary demanding investigations need to be trashed whether it be the USA or the EU that calls for it as it is logicallyƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ meaningless!
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When the former Foreign Minister Mr.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Bogollagama suggestsƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ that the US action targeting Sri Lanka hadnƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢t been prompted by domestic political issues like the case of the UK and some other European countries where Sri LankaƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ never practised extra-judicial killings as a state policy as alleged, in spite of repeated LTTE provocations and target killings in the South, including high profile political assassinations,” it is a declaration which needs to be upheld on the basis of the real evidence that is attested to by many eyewitnesses including many honest TamilsƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ and residentsƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ of other ethnicities with first hand information who were once oppressed by the mendacities of the LTTEƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ and eventually liberated by the Armed Forces to which there is indelible evidence and the matter best laid to rest where Sri Lanka needs to get on with the process of rebuilding without what tantamounts to interference by those who have neither mandate norƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ right to do so given the realities surrounding it as opposed to cooked up and graphically falsified so called evidence to which there seems not even a shred of credibility.
The duplicity and double standard of the USAƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ relative to the accusations being made become painfully transparent where at one point in Sri Lanka’s war against terrorism The US support had in factƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ facilitated the Sri Lanka campaign as pointed out by the Foreign Minister thus ~ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ “We benefited immensely from their assistance ranging from the Offshore Patrol Vessel ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”CourageousƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ to intelligence leading to some of the operations targeting LTTE ships on the high seas and measures to deny LTTE financial support. The US also thwarted attempts by the LTTE to acquire weapons, including anti-aircraft missiles. We need to discuss the war crimes issue with the US and bare the on-going attempt to discredit the country at the behest of the LTTE rump,”ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ andƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ it would be interesting to see what response the USA would give towards this challenge albeit fairly probable that there will be no ground for the USA to justify any of the intimidations posed by them beyond speculation or perhaps even coercion by LTTE supportives cloaked as crocodile tear shedding Thespians whose objectives point towards misleading the world on the issues related and more!
The duplicity and double standard of the USAƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ relative to the accusations being made become painfully transparent where at one point in Sri Lanka’s war against terrorism The US support had in factƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ facilitated the Sri Lanka campaign as pointed out by the Foreign Minister thus ~ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ “We benefited immensely from their assistance ranging from the Offshore Patrol Vessel ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”CourageousƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ to intelligence leading to some of the operations targeting LTTE ships on the high seas and measures to deny LTTE financial support. The US also thwarted attempts by the LTTE to acquire weapons, including anti-aircraft missiles. We need to discuss the war crimes issue with the US and bare the on-going attempt to discredit the country at the behest of the LTTE rump,”ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ andƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ it would be interesting to see what response the USA would give towards this challenge albeit fairly probable that there will be no ground for the USA to justify any of the intimidations posed by them beyond speculation or perhaps even coercion by LTTE supportives cloaked as crocodile tear shedding Thespians whose objectives point towards misleading the world on the issues related and more!
As the stark realities about the allegedƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”Sri LankaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s Killing FieldsƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ further emergeƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ the very basis of the charge that Sri Lanka had ordered UN staff out of Vanni in Sept. 2008 to conduct a war without witnesses which the USA uses as an excuse towards the call for investigationsƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ had now been proved wrongƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ and arguably accurate as the former Foreign Minister has pointed out thatƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ “the ICRC had indeedƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ been present at Puthukudirippu on the Vanni east front until Jan. 2009,ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ and that the international community could not be unaware that the government had gone out of its way to ensure food supplies to civilians trapped in the war zone until shortly before the LTTE collapsed. The Government of Sri Lanka is being accused of waging what the LTTEƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚
supportives of the presentƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ and a section of the media called ‘a genocidal war against Tamil speaking people.’ But they had forgotten that even after the UN quit Kilinochchi at the behest of the government in Oct. 2008, the World Food Programme (WFP) continued to move overland food convoys until Jan. 23, 2009. Although overland food convoys had to be stopped, the Government again with the support of the international community had moved 3,150 MT of food, including vegetables from Feb. 19, 2009 to May 8, 2009.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ if the government had wanted to exterminate the entire Vanni community, it wouldnƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢t have sent them food and medicine and allowed the ICRC to carry out an operation to evacuate the sick and wounded from the war zone. The government had also allowed a group of Indian medical personnel to be stationed at Pulmoddai, north of Trincomalee to receive the sick and the wounded. Had there been deliberate artillery strikes by the Sri Lankan Army on makeshift medical facilities in the war zone as alleged by “Sri LankaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s Killing Fields” the military wouldnƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢t have facilitated evacuation of the wounded. Those levelling war crimes allegations against SriLanka haveƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ turned a blind eye to the fact the Sri Lanka military had acknowledged the detention of over 11,600 LTTE cadres following the conclusion of the war. “If the military didnƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢t want witnesses, it could have massacred them or held them in detention for many years. But within two years of the conclusion of the conflict, over 7,000 ex-LTTE personnel are now free and living with their families. There is a likelihood of the remaining personnel being released by end of this year.
An army struggling to hide indiscriminate military action will never ever release thousands of detainees soon after the war.The government has, through the Commissioner General of Rehabilitation, gone to the extent of involving the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) in an unprecedented plan to help ex-LTTE cadres find employment. What all our critics have to realise is that the government throughout the offensive never sought to deny international organisations access to civilians. The UN and other foreign agencies employed hundreds of Tamil workers living in areas under LTTE control. In fact, the LTTE detained Tamils employed by the UN for helping civilians to reach government-held areas, at an early phase of the Vanni offensive” end of quoteƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ where the true nature of what really transpired becomes more and more evident and plausible.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ On all counts the USA has neither justification norƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ a mandate to intimidate Sri Lanka onƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ cooked Up “War Crimes Issue” which was in rational termsƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ a continuation of theƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Global War On TerrorismƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ and beyond conjecture very probablyƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ justifiable.
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Something which couldƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ even come back to haunt them as the US led war on terror and intimidation of nations beseiged by dictators continues with an alarming rise of civilian casualties towards which the USA and allies haveƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ shown indifference in recent times.
June 30th, 2011 at 5:03 pm
Dear Editor,
You couldn’t have said it better. The USA is making a grand fool of itself with this kind of behavior: They preach “democracy” to the world, but they are cowardly enough to kill hundreds of innocent Libyans with their “drone strikes”. They have madeit look like a fight for democracy with the help of their media, but in reality, it really is a ploy to prevent Gaddafi from creating the ‘Gold Dinar’ to create the United States of Africa. This would have made the dollar and the European currency look like a puppet held by the the Mid-East’s strings. Thus, “Democracy” is the guise they use to protect their interests.
Thank God China and Russia are #1 and #2: The West can’t face that reality. That is the problem.
June 30th, 2011 at 5:08 pm
Dear Editor,
You couldn’t have said it better. The USA is making a grand fool of itself with this kind of behavior: They preach “democracy” to the world, but they are cowardly enough to kill hundreds of innocent Libyans with their “drone strikes”. They have made it look like a fight for democracy with the help of their media, but in reality, it really is a ploy to prevent Gaddafi from creating the ‘Gold Dinar’ to create the United States of Africa. This would have made the dollar and the European currency look like a puppet held by the the Mid-East’s strings. Thus, “Democracy” is the guise they use to protect their interests.
Thank God China and Russia are #1 and #2: The West can’t face that reality. That is the problem.
June 30th, 2011 at 5:36 pm
Not only people, even countries think that they are eternal. That is why they are evil and don’t want to understand even in the past, empires had come and had gone.
June 30th, 2011 at 6:18 pm
Just another example of the US pulling wool over the eyes of the world came today: They craftily work around issuing statements that they are “looking into” their faults, but tale a look at the ‘comments’ section to see what the American public is saying about it: at least some are not fooled.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/43596191/ns/us_news-security/
June 30th, 2011 at 9:36 pm
The reason for these double standards is the money the LTTE Diaspora is contributing to Hillary and Obama. There is even a group known originally as Tamils for Hillary and later changed to Tamils for Obama after he won the nomination. Everything in America revolves around money. The highest bidder gets it. When Mr. George Bush was President he was supportive of the anti terrorist action taken by Sri Lanka. The ship courageous was given during this period. The Sri Lankans must as a group support the Republicans and vote them to Power at the 2012 elections and show the administration that there are more patriotic Sri Lankan Americans than there are LTTE diaspora, and it would not be smart to support a Terrorist outfit.
July 1st, 2011 at 2:22 am
We know Bin Laden is wanted person. But he was unarm when killed. First US entered into Pakistan without permission and shoot unarmed Bin Laden’s wife. After killing put him into the sea for sharks to eat. Any criminal when unarmed should not be killed but can shoot below the knee.Is this not a war crime?.
July 1st, 2011 at 7:14 am
If Ch-4 (ITN group) show on Sri Lanka is proved to be a FAKE in a COURT OF LAW, then all foreign countries have to accept the verdict and harrassment of Sri Lanka will have to stop. Prove Ch.4 film a fake, and close the case. The war with the ltte was a just war to save ALL of Lanka.
Is GoSL or a group of private citizens up to taking Ch.4 to Courts ? This Challenge must be met.
July 1st, 2011 at 8:07 am
Fran
You may recall in 2009 when the video was first aired by C4, a team of legal experts led by the AG visited UK and consulted UK leading Counsel with a view to instigate legal proceedings against C4.
Counsel advised that certain high-ranking officials of GOSL (like GR, MR, PK) and Armed Forces might be called to the witness stand should it go to Trial. (naturally in the UK)
The end result was that the SL High Commission in UK complained to Ofcom who in turn gave a “slap on the wrist” to C4.
It will not surprise me that Ofcom were approached by C4 before the latest “Killing Fields” programme was aired a few weeks ago. Hence the very late night showing on British TV
July 2nd, 2011 at 1:33 am
Lankaweb you are doing a great job with great articles. We appreciate it. How much we write about these evil empires of America and British we cannot do anything as long as there is no country to stand tall against those unfair policies of great satan.
These western countries together have killed millions of innocent civillains in recent wars than any other country in the world. Not only killing but they rob in billions from those countries. How many innocent being killed in Iraq? It was in the news that they have robbed 19 billion alone from Iraq and now they were investigating likewise in Afganistan,Pakistan and now in Libiya they steal in broad daylight. Who question them? Why that black bithch never question them? Why no one standup against these evil corrupt powerful western hypocrits. They kill and rob as they pleased in anywhere they like.This is the time every nation in the UN should stand up together and condemned their atrocities around the world.
We should not bow down to them at anytime as no other country in the world has done so much in very short time to the enemy who waged war with us for thirty long years. Sri Lanka is one and the law is same for each and every ciitizen irrespective of race,color or religion. We all should respect our laws and our nation.
July 2nd, 2011 at 6:04 am
Marco: the GoSL VIPs could send lawyer representatives to any Court case in the UK. Of course, just how Lanka friendly UK is/was at this point in time can be seen by how the Oxford Union prevented Pres.MR from speaking there, whatever their reasons.
Alternatively, GoSL must produce a single comprehensive video of the lies, cheat & deceit of the ltte, and the crimes they have done over the many years and this video should be shown on every available media in Lanka and all over the world at our Embassies and any media outlets abroad. Of course, it should be made available on the YouTube as well.
Do not let this episode with the Ch-4 be brushed aside.
The greatest weakness of the past governments of Sri Lanka has been that various uprisings in sections of society that should have been examined closely and reports produced with honesty & accuracy, have gone ignored, swept under the carpets of time. When this is done, the same problem keeps coming back, again & again. A lot of the problems are imported from India’s myth ridden backward social sector in Tamil Nadu especially, and their religious allegorical tales & myth which seem real to the uneducated minds of the poor. This aspect too should be addressed in the comprehensive video about the Ch-4 programs.
July 2nd, 2011 at 7:23 am
Above written with no intent to hurt anyone. Only looking for peaceful answers where everyone grows safely, peacefully & happily. We can do it – just face the truth in everything. Go Lanka !