CLASSIFIED | POLITICS | TERRORISM | OPINION | VIEWS

Reply to HRW on "Colombo Cover-up"

L Peiris

James Ross, Legal and Policy Director of New York-based Human Rights Watch (HRW), in a hard hitting column appearing in the Tuesday edition of the Daily Mirror, said the Sri Lanka government has failed to "seriously investigate and prosecute those responsible for the horrific abuses of the past two years – the unlawful killings, the "disappearances," the Karuna group’s abduction of children. The cover-up is the government’s determined effort to keep the issue off the international agenda." [TamilNet, Tuesday, 08 January 2008,]

How educated and intelligent people come to such conclusions is laughable. The Sri Lankan government is dealing with one of the most ruthless terrorist organisations in the world. Cadres or supporters of this organisation have infiltrated most of the international organisations, have disapora in every western country, collecting and funding the terror campaign, spreading false propaganda to the extent of enticing gullible peace prophets like James.

It is easy for armchair critics like James to talk, but the armed forces in Sri Lanka are not playing hide and seek with boy scouts. He has said that the "government has failed to "seriously investigate and prosecute those responsible for the horrific abuses of the past two years – the unlawful killings, the "disappearances". Horrific abuses have been perpetrated by LTTE terrorists for the past two decades on the Sri Lankan public and the nation. The killings and disappearances carried out by these murderous swine must have been lawful, for James not to take any notice. He speaks about the "Karuna group’s abduction of children", what about the hundreds of children abducted by LTTE terrorists over the past three decades! Is this issue not an international agenda and if so what action has the UN, US, UK, Norway and others done to end this?

James, investigations and prosecutions for crimes committed can be properly executed only in a normal environment. Unfortunately, at the moment Sri Lankan law enforces do not have the luxury of such an environment. The GOSL will have to first address the problem of LTTE terrorists and terrorism. To cure a wound you have to rid the germs that fester it, putting clean bandages on top will not cure the wound. The GOSL can address and solve human rights and other problems, only when they exterminate Tamil terrorists and terrorism.

The gallant armed forces personnel are sacrificing life and limb, for their country and fellow human beings. The GOSL are now doing what they should have done a long time ago without listening to international pacifists like James who unfortunately is a misled individual. Over 19 million Sri Lankans, Sinhala, Tamil, Muslim and other community people want this conflict to be brought to an end. It is only a few thousand disgruntled Tamils [especially the Tamil disapora abroad] fronted by cyanide neck laced suicide bombing murderers led by the megalomaniac despot who reject it.

James which policy or which law in the world says that a legal democratically elected government of sovereign nation of 20 million [sinhala, tamil, muslim and other] people has to sit down to peace talks with a bunch of suicide bombing terrorists fronting a few thousand Tamil people, who demand a separate state made up 1/3 the land area and 2/3 of the sea coast of Sri Lanka to form a mono ethnic state of Eelam. The pathetic dream of the maniac despot!

Sri Lankans, Sinhala, Tamil, Muslim and other community people all have the same rights and privileges under the current constitution. Even persons of Indian Tamil origin, mainly plantation labourers can not only aspire but have become parliamentarians and Ministers in Sri Lanka.Tamil people hold very important positions and coveted jobs live quite comfortably in peace bringing prosperity to their families and to Sri Lanka. These aspirations of any Sri Lankan are acceptable and appreciated. However hidden aspirations of division, dissent, terrorism cannot be tolerated. The sovereignty and unitary status of the Sri Lankan nation is non-negotiable under any circumstance.

James talks of investigations and prosecutions of the worst cases like the execution-style slaying of 17 Action Contre la Faim aid workers and the massacre of the Trinco Five. It clearly shows that James has never been a combatant at war. In Iraq and Afghanistan US and British forces lost their own men due to what they term ‘friendly fire’. Armed forces personnel have to take split second decisions in the heat of battle. The 17 Action Contre la Faim aid workers and the Trinco Five were all Tamils. What was there to differentiate them from Tamil terrorist cadres? Did the LTTE suicide cadres display their wares when they mingled with innocent people? Armed forces personnel have to safeguard their own lives and those of their comrades, they have a sacred duty to their families You can’t apply ‘Queensbury’ rules when battling ruthless, merciless terrorists. It’s either kill or be killed.

There is nothing to stop humanitarian groups and journalists, access to conflict areas. But they should do so at their own risk without wasting tax payers money in asking the GOSL for protection when confronted by terrorists or caught in crossfire. However there is no necessity for a UN field mission, as it is the responsibility of Sri Lankan armed forces to combat terrorists in this internal conflict. It is up to the President to decide, not agree to international whims if we need UN peacekeepers on Sri Lankan soil.

Let the 20 million people and the GOSL tackle the LTTE terrorist problem without interference from the James Ross’s of this world.

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