Sri Lanka is the biggest criminal on earth as far the US is concerned!
Posted on January 29th, 2013
ByƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Asada M Erpini
Is it not time to tell the US to get lost ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” even though Sri Lanka knows very well that it is a puny, powerless nation that the US can wipe off the world map in a jiffy ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” for the never-ending harassment it receives at the hands of the sole world super power?
A report dated 28 January in the local media states, ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-the United States will sponsor a new resolution against Sri Lanka at the upcoming United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) Sessions in Geneva in March. As if to celebrate the first anniversary of March 2012 resolution that the mighty and clean-as-a-whistle US was involved in, with the support of 23 other UN members that also included India, Sri Lanka is again destined to face the firing squad.
A member of the US team of senior officials that visited Sri Lanka recently has stated that the implementation of the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC) Report and the impeachment of the Chief Justice were related to the stance of the US and the steps that it proposes to take.
It is sad that the gentleman, of Indian ancestry, does not seem to accept that Sri Lanka is a sovereign, independent nation that, at least going by the charter of the United Nations, has the same standing as the US, Russia, China, India or any other country. In fact, as far as the UN is concerned, the Maldives, Bhutan or Nepal is no different to the hugemongous US.
The LLRC Report is a product of the moves initiated by the government of Sri Lanka. It is up to the same Sri Lankan government to take action on the LLRC Report as it deems fit ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” at its own pace and in the manner that it deals with such recommendations.
More importantly, the LLRC Report and the impeachment of the Chief Justice are both purely domestic matters. The latter, especially, was conducted according to the powers vested in the legislature by constitution of the Democratic Sovereign Republic of Sri Lanka and within the powers granted to the executive Head of State by the same constitution.
The US should find some other country to direct its poisonous barbs. There surely are at least a few other countries that fare far below Sri Lanka in matters of human rights, reconciliation with the minorities or the implementation of the judicial process. The US could even turn the light inwards and ask itself whether it has the moral right to be so concerned about Sri Lanka and how it goes about its own affairs when what the US has initiated, and continues to do, in Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Libya and Syria, and did in Vietnam in the late sixties, may not satisfy all the human rights obligations that it professes today, or did in the past.
And, why cannot the US, for a change, say something positive about Sri Lanka such as the near 300,000 civilians who were rescued from the clutches of a terrorist megalomaniac and were provided with the basic amenities to get back to the life that they had been deprived of?
January 29th, 2013 at 3:45 pm
SL should copy Israel and refuse to work with UNHRC saying “unfair treatment” and Tamil bias.
What is good for Israel is good for SL too. USA will be in a fix!!!
January 29th, 2013 at 3:57 pm
As the writer above says SL should consider as a mater of utter urgency to formally refuse to work with the UNHRC for the blatant bias agianst Sri Lanka that it has clearly demonstrated on many past occasions – S de Silva – London
January 29th, 2013 at 4:28 pm
This is off topic but so hilarious (and from Saudi Arabia) that I decided to share it with everyone.
Just read the first three paragraphs, your bound to read the whole thing and laugh for days!!!
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Forced into extinction (From The Economist)
LIKE much that moves in Twitter-mad Saudi Arabia these days, it started with a single message. A lady in Dammam, the hub of the oil industry on the kingdom’s Gulf coast, tweeted a complaint from a local shopping mall. Agents of the Committee for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice (CPVPV), she said, were causing an unpleasant scene. The government-salaried vigilantes, a bearded auxiliary police force familiarly known to Saudis as the Hayaa, had marched officiously into an educational exhibit featuring plaster models of dinosaurs, turned off the lights and ordered everyone out, frightening children and alarming their parents.
It was unclear precisely why the religious police objected to the exhibit, which apparently had been innocently featured at shopping centres across the Gulf for decades. Malls are one of the few public spaces where Saudis mix socially, and so often draw the Hayaa’s attentions. Gone, however, are the days when its agents can go about their business unchallenged.
Within minutes of the incident, a freshly minted Arabic Twitter hashtag, #Dammam-Hayaa-Closes-Dinosaur-Show, was generating scores of theories about their motives. Perhaps, suggested one, there was a danger that citizens might start worshipping dinosaur statues instead of God. Maybe it was just a temporary measure, said another, until the Hayaa can separate male and female dinosaurs and put them in separate rooms. Surely, declared a third, one of the lady dinosaurs had been caught in public without a male guardian. A fourth announced an all-points police alert for Barney the Dinosaur, while another suggested it was too early to judge until it was clear what the dinosaurs were wearing.
Not a few tweets cast the incident in political terms. “Why close the show?” asked one. “It’s not as if we don’t see dinosaurs in newspapers and on TV and in the government every day.” “They should go after the dinosaurs who sit on chairs,” suggested another, seconded by a tweep who advised that dinosaurs in gilt-trimmed cloaks, the garment of choice for senior sheikhs, would make a better target.
Several contributors injected bawdy innuendo into their comments. Noting that one of the displays showed a dinosaur riding on the back of another, one message declared that this was obviously sexually suggestive and possibly could be categorised as a Westernising influence. “I confess,” declared one penitent, “I saw a naked dinosaur thigh and felt aroused.” Another tweet provided this helpful tip to the suspicious CPVPV: “No, no, that long thing is a tail!”
But most of the messages singled out the religious police for ridicule. “They worried that people would find the dinosaurs more highly evolved than themselves,” explained one. “It’s the Hayaa that should be stuffed and mounted so future generations can learn about extinct animals,” quipped another. This message adopted a more pedantic tone: “Dinosaurs are a paleontological life form from an ancient geological era, and our clerics are a paleontological life form from an ancient social era.” “Hello? Stone Age? We have some of your people; can you please come and collect them?” pleaded one tweep. Another wrote: “If the dinosaurs were still alive they’d be saying, thank God for extinction.”
January 29th, 2013 at 4:36 pm
Interesting comments. If we keep accusing the U.S.A of atrocities it would not count to help clear Sri Lanka’s name. There is this notion of accounting combat death as civilian death by the NGO who are supportive of LTTE terrorist elements. Just recently Democrats Bob Casey of Pennsylvania and Patrick Leahy of Vermont senators have sent a letter to the Obama administration to investigate Sri Lanka for war crimes.
How do we as a nation maintain sovereignty while accommodating the investigation? The fact is 400,000 civilians were taken hostage by LTTE, at least 20,000 of this population (most of were elderly and women) died while moving close to 200 miles over 18 months. Some escaped to the south and some left the country. Another 2000-3000 died of indirect fire from the Sri Lanka military. About 400-800 LTTE elite fighters were killed in combat, I dont care how they died but these guys were bad people who had at least killed 20-200 people each. Another 15,000 LTTE recruits had surrendered to the military from camps and on the field.
This is what the NGOs and LTTE sponsored diaspora states to the foreign governments; “they shelled civilians, attacked civilians, hoarded civilians, in that process killed about 10,000-80,000 people.” They have based this on some random number using the matrix above.
I have yet to see a single article written well on how these numbers add up from the Sri Lanka side. No one questions how 350,000-400,000 people stayed alive during a 18 month onslaught, they forget Sri Lanka government provided food and medicine to these people and paid salaried of all government servants during this time.
The other option is to allow a forensic team to investigate on ground with the sponsorship of U.S.A, every team member will have to be vetted for LTTE association. In the meantime Sri Lanka can demand that these inquiries are originating from LTTE terrorist sponsored organizations and request any inquiry performed should be completed by people without any association with these groups.
As U.S Citizens it is time to bring things up a notch, we can call our senators (U.S) and indicate out displeasure of their positions. I have certainly done so to my two senators. It is time for Sri Lankans to call, many LTTE tamils are organised and calling as well as funding their campaigns.
Again forget accusing the U.S of all sorts, it is irrelevant, U.S has come a long way since 1660 after its first settlement was established. Europeans have come a long way after starving, eating and salting the wife and digging up corpses to eat, while untold tragedy was imposed on blacks. The atrocities on Afghanistan, Iraq, huh or any other nation is pale in comparison what Colonial America/U.S did unto itself.
from a U.S military veteran and Sri Lankan.
January 29th, 2013 at 8:29 pm
I do not think an outright boycott of the Commission is an option for Sri Lanka. Israel is a habitual violator of human rights and cannot be considered a role model for Sri Lanka to follow. If the Commission takes an unreasonable cause of action, Sri Lanka should make its case why it is not going to be governed by the Commission. Without recourse to the Security Council, it has no power to punish any member.
Certain anti-Sri Lanka members may leave the Commission by rotation. That allows another avenue.
The problem is India. An Indian delegation visited the island before the US and another group of Indians demanded early power devolution to Tamils. The US delegation which included an Indian (Vickram Singh) and the proposed resolution based their “facts” on what the Indians told them. Last year’s resolution was also drafted by India and presented by USA. UNHRC Commissioner is also an Indian from South Africa.
January 30th, 2013 at 3:25 am
Dilrook is correct when he said Sri Lanka must not do what Israel has done. Israel gets away with everything it does because Israel can count on the “world policeman”.
The UNHRC resolutions are not binding on the member countries. Those can be enforced only through the security-council resolutions.
As usual distorted information and sometimes outright untruths are supplied to these “fact finders” by various people in Sri Lanka and the “fact finders” launder them and turn them into “facts”.
Thereafter, those will be quoted as “authenticated facts”.
We have seen this happen time and time again.
January 30th, 2013 at 3:49 am
The fact that US themselves bring the resolution implies that this time also India may be behind the seen guaranteeing a win because US do not want to lose face particularly against a tiny country like Sri Lanka.
Even the last time it was India that swayed the voting and guaranteed the outcome they wanted.
All that Sri Lanka could do is lobby all the voting members of the UNHRC with facts and appeal to their good sense and judgement.
January 30th, 2013 at 4:03 am
I too agree with Dilrook that we are nothing compared to Israel who is in fact ruling US.
Only way is to really improve and win the 90% votes of Sinhalese than current 55-60 %. Rajapakse has to stop stupid acts of the Mervyn Silvas and the like. Instead he is becoming more and more like MS joker.
Why demote Champaka and appoint two additional jokes at a cost of 400 million ? He promised small cabinet and now look at the size of cabinet ? What is the point pleasing India when the sakkili Indians never never want Lanka to develop.
Why not get rid of 13A before everything ? Why not deolve all stupid merderous provincial councils and restore law and order ?
Only way to shut the bloody US inhuman idiots is to be more human, get rid of corruption and restore proper law and order.
January 30th, 2013 at 6:35 am
We’ve got to be wary of this new Secretary of State. He was decorated during the Vietnam War, but then denounced the United States for War Crimes in that very war. Such men are dangerous.
Hear what he said, I can’t be bothered reading all that appears in the tapescript, but it’s easier to listen to his “foolhardy” testimony. He says he and his pals had done horrible things:
http://www.democracynow.org/2004/2/20/john_kerry_then_hear_kerrys_historic
I just don’t want to read ALL his unpatriotic ravings, but I’ve taken a peek at it. And now he’ll want to lecture us!
http://www.wintersoldier.com/index.php?topic=Testimony
January 30th, 2013 at 8:44 am
the problem in Rajapakse wetting his sarama all the time !
This is a classic example of “then they came for me”. The poor courts system and the violated Constitution cannot protect the nation from a president who is panicking over war crimes allegations and who would violate the Constitution at will to save his skin. Now we have a trend of serial and habitual violation of the Constitution !
End result !!!
Sri Lanka is the biggest criminal on earth as far the US is concerned!
January 30th, 2013 at 12:40 pm
“Israel is a habitual violator of human rights and cannot be considered a role model for Sri Lanka to follow.”
Who says that? UNHRC? Islamic media? NGOs? YES.
Does Israel go suicide bombing, deliberately killing civilians, expanding into other countries? NO!
Israel has been painted a very bad picture by UNHRC, media, NGOs because they get Saudi money.
Same thing for SL. SL has been painted a very bad picture by UNHRC, media, NGOs because they get $300 million a year LTTE money. Even Obama and Clinton got it!!!
Israel and SL are different but they are both VICTIMISED by that Tamil dirt Pillay at UNHRC. So we must unite against this BS as we were unified against the SAME terrorist threat during war.
There is nothing wrong in copying Israel’s boycott. Just do it. It will become a trend and ultimately there will be only USA, EU and bloody India in UNHRC. This is the ONLY way to screw up the UNHRC.
January 30th, 2013 at 12:44 pm
YET ANOTHER TAMIL TIGER SC JUDGE!!!
“[TamilNet, Wednesday, 30 January 2013, 15:32 GMT]
When I came here [Jaffna] at the beginning of this century, I was told that even at midnight women could move around without any fear or concern about security. But now, there is fear and apprehension even when one is confined to houses. Rather than saying that only those who have come from the outside commit acts causing fear, it is more appropriate to say that it is the sons of Jaffna who largely commit such acts, without any shame or concern. A careful scrutiny would show how some one of us was there operating and is still operating, behind every wrong committed by the outsiders. We should build unity and an internal mechanism so that our people don’t turn into pimps and servants to the outsiders, said Trincomalee-based retired Tamil Justice C.V. Wigneswaran, while addressing the Vaddukkoaddai YMHA on the Pongkal day.”
Why appoint Tamils to SC?
They turn out to be terrorists after they retire.
January 30th, 2013 at 1:04 pm
Sri Lanka defends itself from Terrorism, Separatism, Invasions, Insurrections, etc.
This is our Democratic Right. No one can find fault with that. No one should find fault with that. But when we do defend the Nation, we ought to have all the facts ready to answer any questions from various groups.
However, the systems of Defense on a long term basis should be put in place NOW. By that we mean NO illegal migrants, and take care who is given dual citizenship, and where money is allowed to flow into the country and who uses it for what purpose. And there are many more other areas to secure too.
SECURITY is our Top Priority. Learn from the past. Secure the Country from Within.
January 30th, 2013 at 3:56 pm
Interesting comments. If we keep accusing the U.S.A of atrocities it would not count to help clear Sri Lanka’s name. There is this notion of accounting combat death as civilian death by the NGO who are supportive of LTTE terrorist elements. Just recently Democrats Bob Casey of Pennsylvania and Patrick Leahy of Vermont senators have sent a letter to the Obama administration to investigate Sri Lanka for war crimes.
How do we as a nation maintain sovereignty while accommodating the investigation? The fact is 400,000 civilians were taken hostage by LTTE, at least 20,000 of this population (most of were elderly and women) died while moving close to 200 miles over 18 months. Some escaped to the south and some left the country. Another 2000-3000 died of indirect fire from the Sri Lanka military. About 400-800 LTTE elite fighters were killed in combat, I dont care how they died but these guys were bad people who had at least killed 20-200 people each. Another 15,000 LTTE recruits had surrendered to the military from camps and on the field.
This is what the NGOs and LTTE sponsored diaspora states to the foreign governments; “they shelled civilians, attacked civilians, hoarded civilians, in that process killed about 10,000-80,000 people.” They have based this on some random number using the matrix above.
I have yet to see a single article written well on how these numbers add up from the Sri Lanka side. No one questions how 350,000-400,000 people stayed alive during a 18 month onslaught, they forget Sri Lanka government provided food and medicine to these people and paid salaried of all government servants during this time.
The other option is to allow a forensic team to investigate on ground with the sponsorship of U.S.A, every team member will have to be vetted for LTTE association. In the meantime Sri Lanka can demand that these inquiries are originating from LTTE terrorist sponsored organizations and request any inquiry performed should be completed by people without any association with these groups.
As U.S Citizens it is time to bring things up a notch, we can call our senators (U.S) and indicate out displeasure of their positions. I have certainly done so to my two senators. It is time for Sri Lankans to call, many LTTE tamils are organised and calling as well as funding their campaigns.
Again forget accusing the U.S of all sorts, it is irrelevant, U.S has come a long way since 1660 after its first settlement was established. Europeans have come a long way after starving, eating and salting the wife and digging up corpses to eat, while untold tragedy was imposed on blacks. The atrocities on Afghanistan, Iraq, huh or any other nation is pale in comparison what Colonial America/U.S did unto itself.
from a U.S military veteran and Sri Lankan.
January 30th, 2013 at 4:17 pm
Wickrema Singhe is a long lost relative of Vikram Singh who Vikram Singh is embarassed of! LOL!
January 30th, 2013 at 6:25 pm
If india go against us this time even after we try to accomodate Indian wishes including the tamil nadu bussiness men, we should leave UNHCR.
January 30th, 2013 at 8:44 pm
No. Don’t quit. But,
1. Completely get rid of importation of Bajajs, Tatas etc.
2. No Indian busses.
3. Change tax system to make sure Indian investers commit suicide.
4. Boycot all Indian bads.
5. carefully manupulate everything for them to lose everything.
Threaten now and see how.
January 30th, 2013 at 10:46 pm
Village rhetoric will not save sri lanka. You got to play the right game with these guys. ok if there were problems then let’s fix it. I know Mr. G. Rajapaksa believes whatever we do we will still get the business end of the stick.
few people died, so what! give them that, let em go digging, find a few skeletons and make a statement. what we must make sure is that no LTTE sheep is smuggled in to the region to spy for them.
Remember when a few tin pieces were found, how rapidly that was put to news stating SL Air force used cluster weapons?
Then by the time the news was retracted it turned out be a few takaran pieces, but the damage was done.
Read my comments above and let us implement a policy to permanently end this crisis.
In my experience is regarding the U.S forces: even when there are atrocities, they prosecute the ones that they cant get away with, then after a one or two years they give full pardon (see the culprits of My Lai Massacre, Iraqi-jail abuses, afgan abuses).
You got to play ball, on top it may look like you are making a bid difference but in reality it is just the same old thing.
When I was in U.S combat, we didnt care who we shot at, we were ready to waste 1000 to save one of ours. Gota I understand!
January 31st, 2013 at 12:15 am
Sometimes we got to do thethings in village style. BBC showed to the world how our village boys congratulated ( in English) pating each others back after finishing one job. If we try to do as the US guys say there will be no end to the black mailing. Our leaders will get more and more entangled with India also. As long as the people are with them they need not worry.
What is the campaign US army completed successfully. They got bogged down where ever they went?.
January 31st, 2013 at 3:12 am
SECURITY is our Top Priority. Learn from the past. Secure the Country from Within- Aggred but why Rajapakse wetting his sarama all the time !
Lorenzo,Please can you arrange We Tamil can donate a dozen of saram to him !!!
January 31st, 2013 at 5:35 am
Andy,
Don’t side track from the real issue with wise cracks, it won’t fly in Sri Lanka. The real problem is the Tamil Caste Issue of Tamil Nadu.
Not a peep out of TN leaders right now ! The real guilty party is silent.
January 31st, 2013 at 6:06 am
Fran Diaz
This is only to Lorenzo ! please do not misunderstand me , unfinshing job left over with him !
Lorenzo was former LTTE’S POW !
TN leaders right now ! The real guilty party is silent. !!! TN is nothing to do with us Fran Diaz ! We are lanka putha(lvarkal)!
January 31st, 2013 at 12:06 pm
Andy,
“TN has nothing to do with us …” Why did TNA keep running to T’Nadu for pow wows with the leaders there ?
Lorenzo knows what he is doing, whatever his past.