Shenali D Waduge

When biased people get together and hold a biased trial what is the outcome? A biased judgement. We have had enough of bias to last a lifetime and it seems to be getting worse. What needs to be made clear is that the UN and whoever they call the International Community demanded an investigation into the last 3 months. The preposterous demand completely ignored 30 years of suffering and only a handful of victims became the star focus. Bias went to a new level with sugar coated words issuing from the UN/UNHRC and foreign envoys mixing up allegations with evidence and an edited video doing the rounds is supposed to be the compelling evidence of war crimes. Where have you heard of such justice! The point that needs to be made clearly is that a domestic inquiry was held. It was called the LLRC. A country does not hold domestic inquiries just because the UNHRC head changes or a Government hostile to the West is replaced with a government favourable to doing exactly what the West wants them to. The actions of the US/UNHRC/UNSG and the EU bloc nations taking part in this charade is making a mockery of world justice and using Sri Lanka as a case study guinea pig to try out on other General Assembly members.

The Ceasefire agreement was signed at a time when in early 2000 under the rule of Chandrika Bandaranaike 2000 soldiers were killed by LTTE while in July 2001 the Katunayake International Airport was attacked.

The CFA was officially signed on 22 February 2002 without the knowledge of the President and demarcated territory to a terrorist organization and LTTE were allowed to do ‘political work’

LLRC

• 407 pages
• Mandate issued by Presidential Proclamation on 15 May 2010
• Public Hearings commenced on 11 August 2010
• Interim Recommendations made on 13 September 2010
• Chairman of Commission – C R de Silva
• Report Published in November 2011 (time limit to hand over report extended from 3 Nov 2010 to 15 May 2011)
• Period to be covered 21 February 2002 to 19 May 2009
  • Why the ceasefire agreement of 21 February 2009 failed and the sequence of events that led to 19 May 2009
  • Whether any individual, group or institution is directly/indirectly responsible
  • Lessons from these events
  • Restitution to those affected
  • Institutional, legislative and administrative measures taken to prevent recurrence, to promote national unity, reconciliation among all communities

The LLRC regrets that a COI has not been launched for the deaths of over 600 policemen

LLRC acknowledged ethnic cleansing of Muslims on 30 Oct 1990 from North and East at gun point by the LTTE. LLRC recommended that the GOSL facilitate the early return of Muslims to the areas they were chased out from.

The Commission also notes the Sinhalese living in Jaffna were forced to leave in 1977 and evicted my mid 1980s and by 1987 there were no Sinhalese living in Jaffna. The Consortium of Humanitarian Agencies established to support the peace initiatives following the 2002 CFA reported in 12 December 2003 ‘that no information was available about the Sinhalese who were displaced from Jaffna at the onset of the war’. However according to census data of 1981 there were 5648 Sinhalese in Jaffna district!

LLRC on Channel 4

• GOSL and the Rapporteurs experts point to ‘several technical ambiguities in the video which remain unclarified’
• Commission expresses doubts on the integrity of the video
• Technical issues and forensic questions raised by independent experts – Dr. Chathura de Silva and Prof. E A Yfantis casting doubts on authenticity of the video, especially the probability of electronic tampering and artificial construction of the ‘blood effect’ in the video.
• Non-availability of copy of broadcast footage to clarify technical ambiguities
• Commission finds troubling technical & forensic questions of a serious nature that cast doubts on the authenticity of this video and credibility of contents. Trauma evident on bodies of victims does not appear to be consistent with the type of weapon used and the close range at which the firing is seen to have taken place.
• The Broadcaster had not responded positively to the request made by the Commission to provide more comprehensive information.
• The Commission states that if summary executions had taken place it would be best to investigate and take action and clear the good name and protect the honor and professional reputation of the soldiers who defended the territorial integrity of Sri Lanka and particularly the many thousands of soldiers who perished carrying out their combat duties cleaning and professionally against a widely condemned terrorist group who used most inhuman tactics in combat. Offences, if any of a few cannot be allowed to tarnish the honor of the many who upheld the finest traditions of service.

The LLRC has covered important areas

• Cease Fire Agreement
• Political activities of the LTTE
• Jurisdiction of the SLMM
• 20 gives status of security forces casualties and LTTE casualties – from 2006 to May 2009 the Security Forces had lost 5556 personnel in action, while 28,414 were wounded and 169 missing in action. LTTE had lost 22,247 of which 11812 were identified by name.
• Chapter 4 covered the distinction of civilians and combatants / principle of proportionality / supply of food and medicines :

Poignant excerpts from the LLRC given below shows what a sham the UNHRC’ international investigators’ are attempting to project using the might of their western owned and controlled propaganda channels.

Anyone having control over mainstream media, human rights organizations through funding and even the UN through diplomacy can come up with all sorts of makebelieve fairy tales and sell them as truth as we see now taking place.

Just because Sri Lanka is a small country and we have meek leaders unwilling, unable and unconcerned to defend the interests of the country it is immoral and unethical the manner individuals, agencies and organizations pretending to be champions of justice and accountability are behaving.

Let time and truth eventually come and be recorded in history of the lies that has taken place these last 3 decades and in particular these last 6 years. It is shameful and disgusting to witness people in positions fall to such low levels for power and money.

One domestic inquiry is enough. LLRC is that domestic inquiry. Why should there be any need for another domestic inquiry and it sounds very childish when the UNHRC says a domestic inquiry with international judges ….doesn’t that make it an international inquiry!!! The First world may think that the leaders in power are foolish but we the people are not!

Shenali D Waduge

LLRC report – http://www.priu.gov.lk/news_update/Current_Affairs/ca201112/FINAL%20LLRC%20REPORT.pdf

LLRC submissions – https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1-G11r2htrux0XMeL27wtKHOnu2vJhmLnLgQEypHFo04/edit?f=0#gid=0