AI and HRW, Stop Violating Our Rights

Dilrook Kannangara

In a pathetic display of a miserable diversion from what they ought to stand for, AI and HRW have degenerated to the lowest ebb of morale. I refer to how they attempt to discredit Sri Lankans, our nation and the Sri Lanka Cricket team by launching a smear campaign in the West Indies. Cricketers have nothing to do with human rights and AI/HRW bluebottles have no right to demoralise them. The proper game for AI/HRW to poke their dirty fingers is the game played by suicide bombers.

This is not the first time losers of the battlefield crept into the Cricket World Cup. In 1999 a similar situation arose when planes were used to display large slogans reading: killing tamils is not cricket. Of course its not cricket, otherwise Tamils won’t play cricket! This time it goes: Play by the Rule; well our cricketers know the rules of the game; they aren’t the clowns who missed the circus for the cricket!

It is more than clear that the smear campaigners are hell bent on violating the rights of not only Sri Lankan cricketers, fans around the world but also they are trying to destroy the very base of sportsmanship. It is the combined effort of hypocrisy and gross rights violation coming together to cause harm, mistrust, disgust and ill-will. Only they can make a complete mockery of human rights.

A. This smear campaign will achieve nothing but disgust. It will not reduce human rights violations in Sri Lanka. For the knowledge of AI and HRW I list down the major HR violations that actually takes place in Sri Lanka that go unnoticed.
1. Forced conscription of children and others into suicide brigades by the LTTE; in any civilised society abetting suicide is a grave crime.
2. Causing fear and terror among the 20 million population by causing bomb blasts deliberately targeting civilians, using innovative terror tactics, suppressing democracy and killing democratic politicians, etc by the LTTE. It is pathetic that no organisation stands up for human rights (HR) protection of the 20 million law abiding Sri Lankans threatened by the LTTE; all the following rights of the 20 million are at stake to varying degrees solely because of the LTTE and their affiliate human rights activists (omission also causes crimes).
2.1. right to live in any part of the country without fear/terror
2.2. right to get an education, attend schools and universities safely
2.3. right to engage in professions, occupations, vocations, self-employment and to travel to and from workplaces
2.4. right to protect the law & order and national and public assets
2.5. right to determine matters of national significance, the right to be a patriot and to promote patriotism
2.6. right to profess any faith and to condemn acts of terror, to travel to places of religious worship without being victim to roadside bombs, LTTE recruiters and road blocks
2.7. right to exterminate terrorists and other evil elements
2.8. right to play and engage in sports without being victim to terrorists, mud-slingers, jealous hypocrites, etc
3. Undue interference in Sri Lankan affairs by outsiders. We are a sovereign nation capable of managing our own affairs if we are left to decide our own future. We want our voted representatives to do what we want and not what clowns want them to do. Countries that do not give a flying f* about AI and HRW (China, Malaysia, Singapore, etc.) are doing really well in all aspects of human life, including HR and their leaders are our role models; we all hope that our country would be like one of them one day. Our nation is not a disaster to be exploited for human rights projects, etc. only to sustain an immoral livelihood for HR activists.

B. Then there are grave and real HR violations taking place or have taken place in Iraq, Afghanistan, Argentina, Germany, France, Rwanda, US, UK, South Africa, Korea, the Philippines, etc. Scores have been killed (and are being killed), intimidated, discriminated, ravished, marginalised based on skin colour and the list is endless. It is hypocrisy on the part of human rights activists that these crimes go unpunished, without apologies, without compensation and without much ado. Did these clowns ever paint their nonsense on soccer, rugby, tennis, basketball, baseball or other balls when their financiers were involved? Where is fair play which is a cornerstone of human rights? Foul play has replaced fair play in the texts of some HR activists.

C. What about the relative good of the Sri Lankan government and the security forces? Compare the number of sexual offences committed in the 24 year old war by the SLA with other conflicts. Factor in the added inducement present in the SL war theatre where LTTE engages girls, women and prostitutes as their main fighting cadre!! It is nothing but noble how decent SL government forces behave considering the World Wars, Bosnian-Serbian war, two Gulf wars, Northern Ireland, Afghanistan wars, Vietnam War, Pakistani-Bangladeshi war, Indian internal conflicts and Indian army in SL, etc. Moreover, educational, medical, recreational and administrative expenses in LTTE controlled areas are borne by the GoSL. Terror leaders’ children were educated by the GoSL free of charge!! Our concern for human rights has even extended to inhumans. Where on earth do you find such Mahatma qualities and why these go unnoticed all the time by HR activists?

There are a few lessons these HR activists need to learn.
1. Affairs of sovereign nations should be left for its citizens to handle. Any violation of the Geneva Convention should be taken up at the Hague and other proper forums.
2. Smear and mud projects, discredit, intimidation, abuse and the like will never cohabit with human rights; as the saying goes the end justifies the means.
3. Sport should be left to sportsmen, sporting officials and fans; sport has always been a powerful means of human integration and it should be left that way.
4. Cricket and clowns do not go together and therefore clowns and their balls should not interfere with the Gentlemen’s Game.
5. Play by the Rule; don’t violate the rules of morality, fair play and impartiality before adjudging the HR situation of others.
6. Our resolve to exterminate terrorists cannot be shaken away by acts of idiocy. We shall exterminate all LTTE terrorists and make them history.

Well, they have a lot to learn and they also have to learn how not to be remembered as World Cup Clowns.