Foreign ministry in deliberate attempt to mislead the public
Posted on September 29th, 2015
By A Special Correspondent Courtesy Island
Sinhala translation of UNHRC draft resolution distorted and ‘sugar coated’ for public consumption
September 29, 2015, 7:20 am
The foreign ministry has posted on their official website the English language text of the US sponsored draft resolution on Sri Lanka which has been tabled before the UN Human Rights Council along with a Sinhala translation thereof. The Sinhala reading public will obviously be dependent on the Sinhala translation to form an opinion about this draft resolution. The Sinhala translation provided by the foreign ministry will also be made use of by the media in conveying to the public the contents of this contentious UNHRC resolution.
In this regard, The Island has uncovered a deliberate attempt to mislead the Sinhala reading public by distorting the wording of two of the most important operational paragraphs in this resolution. Operational paragraphs 6 & 8 of the draft resolution that is now before the UNHRC goes as follows:
6. Welcomes the government’s recognition that accountability is essential to uphold the rule of law and build confidence in the people of all communities of Sri Lanka in the justice system, takes note with appreciation of the Government of Sri Lanka’s proposal to establish a Judicial Mechanism with a Special Counsel to investigate allegations of violations and abuses of human rights and violations of international humanitarian law, as applicable; and affirms that a credible justice process should include independent judicial and prosecutorial institutions led by individuals known for integrity and impartiality; and further affirms in this regard the importance of participation in a Sri Lankan judicial mechanism, including the Special Counsel’s office, of Commonwealth and other foreign judges, defence lawyers, and authorized prosecutors and investigators;
8. Encourages the Government of Sri Lanka to introduce effective security sector reforms as part of its transitional justice process that will help enhance the reputation and professionalism of the military and include ensuring that no scope exists for retention in or recruitment into the security forces of anyone credibly implicated through a fair administrative process in serious crimes involving human rights violations or abuses or violations of international humanitarian law including members of the security and intelligence units; and increasing training and incentives focused on the promotion and protection of human rights of all Sri Lankans;
The Sinhala translations of these two operational paragraphs that appear on the foreign ministry website are reproduced herewith for comparison. If readers look at the last four lines of English original of operational paragraph 6, they will see that what is envisaged is the ‘participation’ of foreign judges, lawyers, prosecutors and investigators in the judicial mechanism that is to be set up. But the Sinhala version, the ‘participation’ of foreign judges, lawyers, prosecutors and investigators in the Sri Lankan judicial mechanism is said to be in the form of an ‘advisory office’ (upadeshaka karyalayak). The actual resolution before the UNHRC does not refer to any upadeshaka karyalaya. While the majority of the Sinhala public will find the participation of foreign judges, lawyers, prosecutors and investigators in a Sri Lankan judicial mechanism to be obnoxious, it can be made more palatable by saying that these foreigners will only be ‘advising’ the judicial mechanism.
Similarly in operational paragraph 8 reproduced above, it will be seen that what the USA and other sponsors of the resolution are ‘encouraging’ the government to do is to ensure through a ‘fair administrative process’ that no one ‘credibly implicated’ in violations of human rights or humanitarian law is either recruited or retained in the armed forces. This in other words is to tell the government of Sri Lanka to remove through an administrative vetting process individuals in the armed forces against whom there is insufficient evidence to go through a judicial process.
But when you read the Sinhala version of this same operational paragraph 8 put out by the foreign ministry, you see the phrase “sampradayika adhikarana kriyawaliye kotasak lesa”. The Sinhala version gives the impression to the reader that members of the military were to be removed through ‘traditional judicial processes’ in Sri Lanka. The original English version of operational paragraph 8 says nothing about any judicial process even though the Sinhala version says that the removal of members of the armed forces will take place only through a ‘sadharana adhikarana kriyawaliyaka prathipalayak lesa.” Such distortion of the original will not enable the Sinhala reading public to form an informed opinion about this draft resolution.
The foreign ministry has deliberately misled the Sinhala reading public by distorting and ‘sugar coating’ the more unpalatable operational paragraphs of the draft resolution that is now before the UNHRC. In putting out this deliberately distorted Sinhala translation, the foreign ministry has also wilfully misled the mass media that makes use of this translation in the belief that it is an authentic version of the original.
September 29th, 2015 at 4:22 pm
UNP’s motto is.
“Chingalaya modaya kavum kanna yothaya!”
Don’t be fooled. Ranil-Maru Sira-CBK are the TAMIL NADU government of SL. SL is a SUBSTATE OF TAMIL NADU today thanks to these traitors. BTW they also plan to build a bridge connecting SL with TAMIL NADU. LTTE was way better than these TAMIL NADU appointees.
September 29th, 2015 at 5:21 pm
Christie Says:
September 29th, 2015 at 5:00 pm
From what I have heard according to Human Rights Watch’s South Asia Director Meenakshi Ganguly they the Indian Empire’s most important target is Gota. They are after Mahinda and others but Indian Empire’s most wanted is Gota.
Christie Says:
September 29th, 2015 at 5:18 pm
හියුමන් රයිට්ස් වොච් ආසියා ඩිරෙක්ටර් මීනක්ශි ගන්ගූලි අඟවන විදියට ඉන්දියානු අදිරද ජඩයින්ට පලමුව ඕනෑ ගෝටාය. මෙම ඉන්දියානු පලිබෝදකය ටයිම් සඟරාවේ වැඩකරන කාලයේ මහින්දව මුනගැසී වාර්තා කර ඇත.
September 29th, 2015 at 5:49 pm
Thank you Christie for revealing it.
Gota should take extra care. He is the only person who can reverse the entire situation because general public still do not suspect him. But for MR, except for real patriots who realise his leadership value, people are finished with him. For him to reverse the situation is impossible.
If Gota runs for the presidency against Maru Sira in 4 years time, he will win without any doubt. That is what the RAW is in fear now. Gota is always against the 13A and he is not a politician who will do things to please certain people.
Gota should take precautions. For example Mr. Kadiragamar was hid by a sniper. So he has to take extra care because the enemy is not the dead LieTTE, it is RAW.
September 29th, 2015 at 6:30 pm
Deliberately misleading people is criminal and shows the level of dishonesty of the regime.
However, in all fairness, the previous government also misled the people on UNHRC matters. For instance it vowed not to let UNHRC officials in to the country but quietly allowed them including Navi Pillay herself. They also vowed not to demilitarise the north (as demanded by Tamil groups and UNHRC) but ended up demilitarising over 80% of the camps by acreage. Same story as regards Chennel 4. Two domestic investigations backed by foreign judges, lawyers, legal experts and even foreign politicians took place from 2006-08 (ACF affair) and in 2014-15 (Paranagama Commission).
Therefore, the scheme of fooling the people by successive governments on UNHRC matters is endemic and systematic. If there was no executive president, these criminal acts of dishonesty could be sued. As long as the executive presidency stays, these dishonest acts will go unpunished.
September 29th, 2015 at 6:38 pm
I agree with Hiranthe on Gota. However, we may be too late. Indian and US agencies will not take a chance. I vehemantly opposed the 18A even before it was passed. Sri Lankan presidents have always lost touch with reality in their second term and as predicted Mahinda was no exception. However, this slide would be much worse in their third term. If not for 18A, Gota would have contested the election in January 2015 and won. Basil fell out of favour by late 2014 and Mahinda removed him from the campaign.
Sadly 18A was the only thing Mahinda ever did with his two thirds majority. It was more than reversed in 2015 by the 19A making the 18A the shortest lived constitutional amendment.
September 29th, 2015 at 8:06 pm
AS SRI lANKANS ALL SHOULD BE HAPPY FOR ENDING THE WAR.WHETHER THIS GOVT OR PREVIOUS GOVT IT DOESN’T MATTER BECAUSE OUR SINHALA LAND WAS SAVED BY OUR OWN SONS AND DAUGHTERS WITHOUT ANY HELP FROM OUTSIDE FORCES. THAT’S THE GREATNESS OF THIS WAR OF THIRTY YEARS.
How can our leaders who worked day and night and our soldiers who fought without thinking of their own lives to save the Motherland could be war criminals? They all fought to save our country and the people of all races not only one section of the population. Every citizen suffered because of the war in this country. His Excellency Mahinda Rajapksa did what no one couldn’t do so is it a crime for ending the war? Why our Ungrateful citizens cannot understand the truth and stand against these evil,western backed Govt and show their discontent to this Geneva carnival of lies and distortions of truth. This is the time to stand up together to save our Motherland for the second time with this evil UNP Govt of Ranil the Butcher of Batalanda and Coup plotter Sira.First one was when Ran Nil signed a peace treaty with Prabakaran and handing him over half of the country in 2004. This Anti Sinhala manipulator always worked to satisfy his friends in the west.He never cared about our Sinhala nation. When we were winning the war he took it as a joke and teased them even in Parliament. The evil trio’s main aim is to send Mahinda to hell nothing else.They live with hatred to the man who is really a hero to millions in this country.A great statesman who is loved by Men,Women and Children as well as world leaders around the world.
Let’s join the Patriots against this evil Geneva resolutions and against the evil Satan America and the rest and keep our Lion Flag floating sky high.
September 30th, 2015 at 5:09 pm
Please listen to Udaya, courtesy Helabima.lk:
http://helabima.lk/read.php?as=9710&locationid=1443657203