By Charles. S. Perera

Second part

In the midst of terrorism, Sri Lanka became a victim of a terrible natural disaster on the ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ 26 December , 2004, ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ when aƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  tsunamiƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  of a magnitude of 9 earthƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  quakesƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  swept over the east coast of Sri Lanka taking a toll of ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ 35ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ 322 lives.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  The people of the Western countries who are extremely generous and often moved by the suffering of other peopleƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  donated freely and generously to help the victimised people to re construct their disaster affected lives.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ 

Though these foreign ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ people ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ were generous their ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Governments distrusted the government ofSri Lankawith such large sums of money and refused to transfer the peopleƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s donations directly toƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  government ofSri Lanka.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  Therefore these donationsƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  of these generous ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ people were offered to various Non-GovernmentalƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  Organisations .ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ 

These Organisations sent hordes ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ of NGOs with loads of moneyƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  to help the people ofSri Lankaaffected by the tsunami ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ to reconstructƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  their lives after the devastation they had suffered.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  These NGOƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s were people with prejudices , some with their own Agendas, and some seeking anƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  employment, rather than offer humanitarian services.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  Large numbers of them went to the terrorist controlled areas to which the entry was closed to the people ofSouth ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Sri Lankaor Government Officials.

Some of these NGOƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s in the terrorists controlled areas became ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ a part of the terrorist group. They transferred number of ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ earth moving and other heavy ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ machinery to the terrorists controlled areas, and set up workshops for the terrorists to construct boats , submarines, bombs and air strips . They even transported air planes in parts to the terrorists controlled areas.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  As there were no government officials the NGOs in the terrorist controlled areas became important persons respected by the terrorists and looked to these NGOs to help themƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  divide the country ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ and set up a separateTamilEelamState.

The NGOs created the ethnicƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  problem as they really believed that the terrorists were seekingƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  freedom from the Majority Sinhala people who were discriminating against the minority Tamil people because of their ethnicity.

When finally the military operations against the terrorists inSri Lankacommenced the government asked the ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ NGOs resident in the terrorist controlled areas to leave as their safety cannot be assured as the Government Armed forces have begun a ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ military operation with the determination to wipe out the terrorists.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ 

These NGOs who were well settled in the areas and leading ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ a very high life style looking after the terrorists, helping themƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  in various ways militarily and socially were reluctant to leave but they were compelled to leave as their safety was at stake.

These NGOs who had given up their luxurious existence amoung the ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-poor people ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…- in the terrorists controlled areas after leaving Sri Lanka was determined to help the terrorists they had befriended during their stay to fulfil their aim to set up a separate Tamil Eelam State.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  The only way they could do it was by discrediting the Government and stop its military offensiveƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  against the terrorists.

They activated the Human Rights Watch , Free Media Organisations, and Amnesty InternationalƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  and started a campaignƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  againstSri LankaaccusingƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  its Armed Forces as violating the human rights of theƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  Tamil people in the North and East of Sri Lanka.

When terrorism was finally erased from Sri Lanka on the 19 May, 2009, the pro-terrorist Front Organisations among the expatriate Tamil Community in various foreign Countries, were left with large sums of money they had collected to assist the terrorists carry out theirƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  armed terror, at their disposal.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ 

These terrorist Front Organisations of the expatriate Tamils ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ organised themselves to continue the terrorism , by using the large collections of money ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ remaining with themƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  not by starting another terrorist group in Sri Lanka ,ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  but by utilising the large sums of fundsƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  available with them to get various organisations in the European countries such as ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ the Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International, and pay for Attorneys like Bruce Fein , western ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ media, and other influential Members of European Parliaments and even Senators of USA to launch a campaign against the Government of Sri Lanka .ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ 

The one time Commissioner of Human Rights of the UN HRC Louise Arbour started her own Organisation -International Crisis Group and continued to accuseSri Lankafor violation of Human rights and ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ war crimes.

That is how ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-violation of Human rightsƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ became the major slogan on which they were proposing to accuse Sri Lanka, and hoist before the foreign public the savagery of the Sinhala Majority government against the minority Tamils, and the necessity for them to be recognised as a separate ethnic group for whom a Separate territoryƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  should be carved out from Sri Lanka.

But curiously ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-violation of human rightsƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  has not the same definition as a Convention, and ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-Violation of human rightsƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ cannot beƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  applied for separation of communities or in war situations. No where in the 30 Articles of the Universal Declaration of Human rightsƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-violation of human rights ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ in war situations has been mentioned .ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ 

Universal Declaration of Human Rights is not even distantly connected to the Geneva Convention.

Therefore the ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-violation of human rights ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…- in war situation is not an offence under the Universal Declaration of Humana rights for which, any one has the right to ask ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Sri LankaƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  for accountability.

No laws could be passed after the end ofƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  terrorism to accuse the Government Armed forces to answer for ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-violation of human rights, war crimes or demand accountability ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  Such laws may be applicable for future events and not for what happened in the past when there were no such laws , even by manipulation of ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ existing declarations such as the Declaration of Human Rights or even the Geneva Convention

But under the Universal Declaration of Human rights no case could be brought against the Government or the Armed forces of Sri Lanka for violation of human rightsƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  as there is no Article in the Universal of DeclarationƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  of Human Rights to accuse Sri Lanka for violation of human rights even by implication.

This is how the Violation Human Rights came to be heard for the first time in reference to the elimination of terrorism inSri LankaƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ 

Resolution against Sri Lanka to be placed before the Human Rights Council in Geneva on the 27 February, 2012.

Why hasSri Lankabeen singled out for Violation of human rights and war crimes in the last phase ofƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  the military operations against the terrorist ?

Why have not other perpetrators of violation of human rights and war crimes not included in the resolution that is being presented to accuseSri Lankaand demand accountability?

If it is proposed to send an Independent Commission of investigation toSri Lanka, why such an Independent Commission of Investigation is not recommended to beƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  sent toIraq,Afghanistan, andLibyato see to what extentUSA,UK,Canada, andFranceare accountable for violation of human rights and war crimes in those countries?

What is highly offensive about this ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-violation of human rightsƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ and war crimes ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ accusation isƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  that while they accuse Sri Lanka for its genuineƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  military operations to eliminate a group of Sri LankanƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  terroristsƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  who terrorised Sri Lanka for 30 years,ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  theƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  Western countries such as USA, UK, FRANCE, GERMANY and CANADAƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  who are ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…- violating of human rights and committing ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ military crimesƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  in foreign countries away from their own counties against innocent civilians of those countries likeƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Libya or Vietnam are not been sighted in the resolution that is being put before the UN Human Rights Council on the 27 February,2012.

This is how the West is modernising the World inventingƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  machinery of all sorts to pollute the atmosphere, the air and the seas of the world and inventƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…- modernƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  termsƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  such as ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-VIOLATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS,ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚, ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-R2PƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ and ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-ACCOUNTABILITYƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ to accuse non-Western countriesƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  demanding ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-investigations ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…- by Independent International Commissions. WhileƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  being very careful to leave out their own countries which are in fact the worst of violators of human rights and war crimes taking cover under accusations levelled againstSri Lanka.

Sri Lanka despite being quite conscious of the fact that its Armed Forces ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ did not commit any violation of human rights in the elimination of the terrorists in its own country or committed any war crimes, appointed its own investigation Commission the LLRC and it will also implement the recommendations made in the Report of the LLRC.

In order to implement the recommendations of the LLRC Sri Lanka does not need a representative of a Nation Violating Human Rights- the US Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs Robert O, Blake to tellSri Lankawhat it should do, ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ as he did in his statement to the press:

ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-WeƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ve explained in some detail our views on the LLRC report, both on its merits and also on its shortcomings. As you know, there have been a number of other reports such as the UN Panel of Experts Report that describe in some detail some of their concerns about human rights violations and potential war crimes that occurred, particularly at the end of the conflict from January to May of 2009. You all are familiar with those, I donƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢t need to address those.

In our view the LLRC report did not cover in sufficient detail some of those allegations. So again, we think itƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s very important as part of finally achieving a just and durable settlement and reconciliation process that those be fully addressed, so we talked in some detail about that with our friends in the government today.ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚

What is repugnant in the statement ofƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  Robert O BlakeƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  a representative ofUSAis thatSri Lankawhich they accuse for violation of human rights, war crimesƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  and demand an accountability is, ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ thatSri Lanka, actedƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  as a responsibleSovereignStateto protect its territory andƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  its people carried out appropriately careful military operationsƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  against the terrorists.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Where it was necessary not to put in dangerƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  the lives of the Civilian Tamil population kept as a human shield by the terrorists, the Armed Forces of Sri Lanka in the last phase of the elimination of terrorists, even gave up the use of heavy artillery against the terrorists and using small arms risking their own ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ lives, while evacuating nearly 300000 Tamil civilians, successfully defeated the terrorists.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ 

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ In the cross fires at the last phase of the military operations against the terrorists some civilians may have got killed caught in the cross fire andƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  if there were such deaths it was not because the Sri Lanka Government Armed forces deliberately killed the civilians.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ And to say that there were 40, 000ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  deaths is a deliberately exaggeratedƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-lieƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ to put the blame on the Government Armed Forces.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ 40 thousand is a large number and as the 40 thousand ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ bodies could not have been buried at that ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-last phaseƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ of the end of terrorism,ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  they may have been strewn all over the smallƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-no war zone ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  where the final fighting took place and it could have been seen in the photographs, video clips, or films of the area made at the time.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  But there were no such strewn dead bodies.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  The Army could not while attacking the terrorists dragged away the dead bodies of the civilians in to the sea.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  So how can you account for such large numbers ofƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  deaths which has been ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ imagined by the anti Sri Lanka West ?

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ In such a situation an ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ intelligent person who has no bad faith will know that it is ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-stupidƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ for any one, a government or an Armed Force to be accused for violation of human rightsƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ or even demand accountability for such deaths.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Despite all the confidence that ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ the Government of Sri Lanka has ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ on its ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Armed Forces that they did notƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  either violate any human rights norƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  committed any war crimes had the courage andƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  a great sense of responsibility to appoint its own Commission the LLRC to investigate how the military operations had been pursued against the terrorists and what wrongsƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  the civilians Tamils had suffered during the period of terrorism.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ 

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ This type of investigation has not been done by USA the boastful Robert O Blake represents or any of the Western countries like UK, France, Canada Germany etc. responsible for innumerable deaths, violation of human rights in Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya or Vietnam , despite this, theseƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  Western CountriesƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  being the pontificators of Democracy, high principles, and honesty, shamelessly come forward to accuse others for crimes which they have not committed, forgetting that they are the guilty party who have committed more war crimesƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  and violated human rights many times over.