Monday, 14 March 2011

Mahinda Rajapaksa says western countries are refusing visas to Sri Lankan minister but issuing to ‘terrorists’















Srilanka's President Mahinda Rajapaksa this week grumbled that Western countries were refusing visas to Sri Lankan minister, but were issuing them to ‘terrorists’ – his word for Tamils who seek refuge abroad from his militarized rule.

“Some of these [Western] embassies even refused to grant visas to my ministers for official economic business, while they gave them to terrorists or suspected terrorists. All they need to say is that my government is persecuting them and claim refugee status,” he said.

Responding to accusations of his government’s abuses, he said critics were making money from leveling charges.

“These so-called activists and defenders of human rights and many NGOs are getting benefits, thanks to that [accusations].”

So much for reconciliation, peacebuilding and all that!

President Mahinda Rajapaksa has admitted that government ministers have been rejected visas by certain diplomatic missions of Western nations. He has claimed that the same Western nations have granted visas to terrorists.

In an interview given to Veronique Queffelec of France’s Entreprendre Rajapaksa has said that some Western diplomatic missions have refused to grant visas to ministers for official purposes, but had issued visas to terrorists and terrorist suspects.

Referring to the accusations leveled against the government by the media and various human rights groups, Rajapaksa has said that the opposition propaganda and people who want to win money through such means have manipulated most of these associations.

“These so-called activists and defenders of human rights and many NGOs are getting benefits, thanks to that,” the President has observed.

According to the President some Western diplomatic missions have denied visas to government ministers based on reports generated by such associations.

“Some of these embassies even refused to grant visas to my ministers for official economic business, while they gave them to terrorists or suspected terrorists. All they need to say is that my government is persecuting them and claim refugee status,” he has added.

In the interview Rajapaksa has also said that Sri Lanka acquired weapons from China, Russia, Hungary, India, Ukraine and Israel, adding, “It is no secret.” He has also noted that following the LTTE’s defeat, its remnants had fled to the UK and Canada, which did not act against the outfit’s unlawful activities in their soil

Kilde: Sunday Leader

Sunday, 13 March 2011

What is truly going on after the war in the North Sri Lanka? 'LeN expose’ after the tour















-Nobody knows where 80000 disappeared; 27000 orphans; 1000 acres land from every secretarial district plundered-

The religious leaders and the intelligentsia of the North allege that the Govt. of Mahinda Rajapakse while procliming that it is introducing ‘summer to the north’ (uthure vasantha) , is only engaged in plundering the resources of the north . What now remains for us in the north is the pothole ridden A9 road and the gigantic advertisement hoardings of the Companies belonging to the Majority community, they lamented.


The Govt. under the pretext of development of the north is transporting the trees , earth and sand via the Army to the south . If anybody opposes this action of the Govt. , he is either murdered or is abducted by the white Van , they added.

These were among the many charges made and reported , when the South Asian free media campaign (SAFMA ), Tamil media Organization , Muslim media Organization , professional newspaper Artistes Association , Professional media service conference and united media groups visited the north .













The 30 year old armed struggle of the Tamils in the north was terminated by the Rajapakse Govt. on 18th May 2009 by defeating them at war. On 18th May 2011 , two years will be completed since the war was won. Hence there is only two months more for this. After the LTTE was defeated , under the Minister of economic affairs , Basil Rajapakse , the programs with high flying names ,‘uthuru vasanthe’ for the north and ‘Eastern dawn’ ( negenhira udanaya’) for the East were launched .

This is what the religious leaders there had to say about these much hyped programs ….

The best illustration of the uthuru vasanthe’s achievement , is the A 9 road constructed under it. You can see for yourself the condition of that road. If you travel down that road by vehicle , the road is so rutty , the contents in your stomach will get thrown up to your mouth , they said. From the children of the Schools in the South promising to open the train service from Omantha to Jaffna , the Govt. collected funds. But up to now no one knows what happened to those funds. A professor of the University of the north revealing this added , after the war there is no opportunity for the media in the north to expose these truths and none is there to research and take these stories across to the outside ‘world’. He therefore urged the media of the south to undertake this task and communicate these handicaps and shortcomings to the world outside.

The Govt. invited local and foreign investors to commence businesses in the North and East . The govt. worked day and night to provide the necessary infra structure facilities like electricity , water and roadways towards this end. Ultimately ,the result was, the whole of north getting invaded by the Companies of the Majority race and Banks, along with their hoardings and advertisement campaigns. Anybody who travels down the A9 road can clearly see this invasion if he looks around. This is like the invasion of a new planet . Every 500 meter distance , an Army bunker also exists .

A former Municipal Commissioner of Jaffna ….
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What the Govt. is doing while showing to the world that it is developing the north is nothing other than pillaging and plundering the resources of the north and transporting them to the South. Since the day the war ended , that is 18th May 2009 , we are subjected to this looting and plundering. The Banks of the South came here collected our people’s monies and went away . Today , Jaffna means a venue of trade for the South of SL and India. The Indians and Chinese are coming here and signing various contracts . Our people do not get a single sub contract . All the contracts are given to the Southerners. Those who are here get nothing ,have nothing. Before the war , it is we who supplied grapes to the whole country . But now grapes are being imported. Most of our lands where we grew grapes are now being held by the Forces as high security zones. They don’t allow us to grow anything . But chillies are being imported from India wasting foreign exchange. This is Mahinda Rajapakse’s uthure vasanthe made up of. The govt . is acquiring 1000 acres of land from every Secretarial District in the North. When we ask for our legitimate lands , the Army says , those lands were held by the LTTE , and therefore they have to have their camps there. They say the LTTE wronged , but the Forces are now holding them wrongfully .But the fact of the matter is , we are the true owners. Yet , we are on the road. The Govt . has plundered thousands of acres of our lands and giving them over to foreign Companies .

Although the people of the north were not happy with the manner in which the Govt. concluded the war , they however began reverting to their normal lives thereafter. Following the end of the war , the fear that was in the northern people began to ebb to some extent. The prohibition on fishing was withdrawn . But after the recent murders of Jaffna zonal Director of education and a Hindu priest by shooting ,and the discovery of a number of dead bodies from a well, the people of the north are in a state of shock and fear. After these incidents the old fear psychosis that existed before the war ended has returned to them.















NGO Council in Jaffn
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During the last few months , a Jaffna zonal Director was killed . Thereafter a priest was killed. Lately , a number of dead bodies were discovered from a well.

The Forces have again begun collecting information about the residents in Jaffna after the war. They are taking photographs. Following the murders , they are searching the people on the roads again. Specially in the villages , people cant travel about after 6.00 p m. They are being questioned and taken into custody. When looking back and analyzing the murders committed , it is becoming clear that it is to deprive the people of the north their democratic rights that these crimes are being committed deliberately . When the Tamil political parties of the north are selecting candidates for elections they are confronted with undue problems. Those in the higher rungs speak against this ,but the ordinary people are scared to utter a word. Our biggest worry is, why is this Govt. not paying attention to the grave issues and dire problems of the Tamil people of the north. The Tamil people who reposed great hopes in a life of a peace after the war are losing those hopes , as we understand . They are now living in mortal fear and uncertainty.

After the end of the war ,about 50,000 members of the forces and the police are on duty in Jaffna. There are 15 Secretarial district divisions , 182,000 families comprising 675,000 members. Based on theses figures , for every 13 Jaffna residents there is a security personnel . Under this strict security blanket it is impossible to commit a murder let alone paste a poster . Moreover , in every village there are army and police intelligence officers in civil clothes mingling. Indeed , even where we stayed , Army intelligence unit officers have come to our Pillayan Hotel and searched for information about us and had gone.

Views of a religious prelate…..
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It was politics that was behind every murder and abduction committed during the recent past. Those who carry arms in Jaffna are only the Forces and Minister Douglas Devananda’s groups. Nothing can be done in Jaffna without their knowledge . To that extent they are mingled with the people . There is no difference between the Forces and Devananda’s group. Their conduct is uncouth and callous. All those who fell victims to murders and abductions are those who were hostile to the Govt., Forces and Devananda’s groups.

During the final stage of the war in the engagement between the Forces and the LTTE at Wellamulla Waikal district , due to the attacks launched by the Forces , a large number of civilians got killed. After the war , another large group was sent to refugee camps , and later they were re settled in their villages and homes. Another large number of people of the north are still in refugee camps. In Jaffna alone there are 65 refugee camps. Over 15000 youths supposedly LTTE suspects are still held in custody by the Forces . Neither the media nor outsiders can meet them.

Jaffna NGO Council ……
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There are reports that during the war , there were 320,000 Tamil residents under the LTTE administration. LTTE cadres do not belong to them. Of this 320,000 , 270, 000 have been registered. One lakh is in the Manik farms , 80,000 in Mulaitivu , 30,000 are re settled in other places , while 30 ,000 have fled the country or living in other areas of the country. What happened to 80,000 Tamil people is not yet known.

There are 27000 orphans in Menikdiwela who haven’t both parents. There are 42000 suffering from depression during the final phase of the war . Of them 36000 are youths. There are 36000 widows from the final phase of the war. 10,000 of them believe their husbands are still held in army camps.

When the Govt. forces captured the east from the LTTE , the NGOs were able to help the refugees without let or hindrance . But in the north the NGOs faced a lot of hindrances. The Govt. looks upon the NGOs with suspicion.

If we are to work in Kilinochchi and Mullaitivu , we have to get permission of the defense Ministry and the President task force. The NGOs have to discard their plans and perform their activities according to Govt. ‘s requirements.

Originally , the NGOs came forward to construct houses for the displaced people. But when the Govt. and India intervened and said they will build the houses , we withdrew. Though India told that it would build 50 ,000 houses for the displaced , so far not even the foundation stone has been laid. The Govt . has resettled these displaced people in wattle and daub huts . Because these tiny huts are built in close vicinity to the Army camps , the women folks in them specially are subject to immense hardships and embarrassment. India gifted 450 tractors for the northern people , but only 65 of them have been allocated to the north.

The Govt. has permitted the NGOs in the North to provide only drinking water and supplies for livelihood .

Youths who are suffering from depression must be cured promptly . Last year in Universities and villages suicides have increased substantially. Children who have lost their parents , even though they are given refuge in religious places , those are not proper solutions.

Although the war is over, in Thelpullai and Maradankeli districts the Govt . is maintaining high security zones.

Specially in Maradankeli high security zone, a number of Schools are there . But because these Schools are closed now , the education of the children in those districts are at a standstill.

The Mahinda Rajapakse Govt. promised during the period of the war to formulate a solution for the Tamil people’s national issue going even beyond the 13th amendment to the constitution . As the LTTE is defeated , there is no war now. When the President is asked about the solution to the Tamil people’s issue , he had stated that he is not prepared to concede what Prabhakaran demanded. India which promoted the 13th amendment as a solution to the Tamil people’s issue is also now silent. After the LTTE Organization was defeated in the war , specially in the north there is a strong hostile climate against India. When the England vs India cricket match played recently was shown on the Television , we saw the Jaffna youths and the elderly crowd cursing India and supporting the England team. India is blameworthy for the present dismal state of the Tamil people , they elaborated.

Religious leaders discussing with us had this to say ….
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After the war , our people nursed high hopes to live as Sri Lankan people. Even after one and half years is over, there are not even signs of a political solution. If the people of the north had been provided with electricity , water and roads , the people of the south are questioning what more need be fulfilled for them. Those who ruled this country since 1948 did not give thought to the Tamil people’s agendas and requirements. They failed to understand this. They did not create room for the people of the south to understand this either. As a consequence of this , the country was pushed into a 30 year cruel war. The Tamil people did not desire the war . They had no other option. After destroying the Tamil people’s struggle by bloodshed and weapons , the Govt. is once again talking of one nation and one country . There are two races , Tamils and Sinhalese in this country . That is the absolute truth. We also like to live within an united Sri Lanka .

Though Rajapakses scream that there is only race , that is not the stark reality .If this is not clearly understood , the people can once again be pushed to division and disaster. Instead of finding a political solution via the intervention of India , if we can create a harmonious relation with the SL Govt. that is more worth .

The refugees owing to the war are not Tamils alone , there are also Sinhalese and Muslims of the north. Like how the Tamils faced threats from the Forces , the Sinhalese and Muslims faced threats from the LTTE. A section of the Sinhalese and Muslims who received threats from the LTTE helped the Govt. Forces to defeat the LTTE . Yet their position after the war is no better than the Tamil refugees.

Kilinochchi Muslim Association Secretary , Rahman ….
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Muslims who were residing in Kilinochchi and Mulaitivu were evicted by the LTTE in 1990. The LTTE gave us only two hours to quit with our goods and possessions. After the rivirasa operations in 1997 , some of those who fled came back to Jaffna. When we returned to Jaffna , where our houses stood and the schools where our children went were all used by the Army and bunkers have been constructed .. From 1997 to 2002 , this region was demarcated as high security zone.

Now over one and half years have elapsed since the war ended. Yet , not a single political leader took any action to resettle the Muslims. Even a Muslim leader does not come forward to speak on our behalf. The Govt. also does not acknowledge that we are displaced people. During the LTTE administration our houses were in proper condition. But after the administration changed over to the Security forces , the roofs , tiles etc. of our houses and schools had been removed and used to construct the Army camps. Social services Minister Milroy Fernando and Minister of resettlement Vinayagamoorthy Muralitharan promised that when they receive aid from the Arab countries our houses will be built and given.

The main source of livelihood of the Jaffna people are agriculture and fishing. Because army camps and high security zones are established on their agricultural lands , they have been deprived of their agriculture lands.

During the war the fishermen were forbidden to go to the sea for fishing. But now they are faced with other complicated problems .

A leader of the fishing community, Gurunagar ….
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Indian fishermen are poaching on our territorial waters and trawling. Because of their trawling our equipments are getting damaged . Our nets are being cut by them . Consequently our fishermen are driven to dire straits. We have to work according to Navy ‘s instructions. The Navy told us that if we do not apprehend these Indian fishermen we wont be allowed to go out to the sea. Later we went along with Naval officers who came in civil attire and under disguise to sea. We then caught the Indian fishermen. We do not now have the prohibition imposed on us during the war. The Naval Force gives us a permit to go to sea., The fishermen must record on the Navy register how many fishermen are going to the sea.

Kangeshan (38) , a farmer from Jaffna…
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I am growing on this land taken on lease . I am paying annually Rs. 2000/- as rent . I have planted ladies fingers apart from cabbage and carrots . Cabbage and carrots grow well. I am paying Rs. 300/- per day for a laborer . He works from morning 8.00 till 5.00 p m. After having spent on manure , workers wages , there is a profit of Rs. 20,000/- to 30,000/- on an acre . This profit is every 8 months. We receive no assistance at all from the Govt. When we take our vegetables to the Chinnaveli trade Fair (pola) . Traders who come there , buy and go. In 1990 when the LTTE captured the area we went to Thenmarachchi , and returned in 1995. I have three children. All expenses are met via this income. Of course after the war the situation has improved. We have to register in Kopay division . We have been told to register again. We adhere to what we are instructed. We do not care about what is good or bad.

Following the recent murders and abductions , Jaffna is gripped by a fear psychosis . Jaffna society is again shuddering. They are living in suspicion and fear not knowing whom to trust.

A Professor of the Jaffna University ……
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There can be informants among you all. When we speak we do not know what would be our fate tomorrow. If we are here , you all can visit and meet us. Recently . a group broke the doors and windows of my house and entered . You all will speak and go away , but we have to live here . If you are publishing our stories , do not put our names. I beg you not to publish our photos.

Due to these earnest requests, the names and photographs of many are not published here.

Kilde: Lankanews
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Oversettelse på Norsk
(English to Norwegian translation)

-Ingen vet hvor 80000 forsvant, 27 000 foreldreløse, 1000 hektar land fra alle sekretærtjenester distriktet plyndret-

Den religiøse ledere og intellektuelle i nord påstår at Govt. av Mahinda Rajapakse mens procliming at det er å introdusere "sommer i nord" (uthure vasantha), er bare engasjert i å plyndre ressursene i nord. Det som nå gjenstår for oss i nord er jettegryte ridd A9 veien og den gigantiske reklame hoardings av selskaper som tilhører majoriteten samfunnet, klaget de.

The Govt. under påskudd av utviklingen i nord er transport av trær, jord og sand via hæren i sør. Hvis noen motsetter seg denne handlingen av Govt. , Han er enten drept eller bortført av den hvite Van, lagt de.

Disse var blant de mange tiltale og rapportert, da i Sør-Asia frie medier kampanjen (SAFMA), tamilske medier Organisasjon, muslimske medier Organisasjon, profesjonell avis Artistes Association, Professional media service konferanse og samlet mediekonsern besøkte i nord.

Den 30 år gamle væpnet kamp for at tamilene i nord ble avsluttet av Rajapakse Govt. den 18 mai 2009 ved å slå dem i krig. 18. mai 2011, to år vil bli fullført etter krigen var vunnet. Det er derfor bare to måneder mer for dette. Etter at LTTE ble beseiret, under ministeren for økonomiske anliggender, ble Basil Rajapakse, programmene med høytflygende navn, 'uthuru vasanthe "for nord og" Eastern Dawn "(negenhira udanaya') for Øst lansert.

Dette er hva de religiøse lederne der hadde å si om disse mye hyped programmene ....

Den beste illustrasjonen av uthuru vasanthe prestasjoner, er det A 9 veien konstruert under den. Du kan se selv tilstanden på veien. Hvis du reiser ned den veien med bil, er veien så rutty, vil innholdet i magen din får kastet opp til munnen din, sa de. Fra barn av skolene i Sør lovet å åpne tog fra Omantha til Jaffna, Govt. innsamlede midler. Men til nå ingen vet hva som skjedde med disse midlene. En professor ved Universitetet i nord avslørende denne ekstra, etter at krigen er det ingen mulighet for media i nord for å avsløre disse sannheter, og ingen er der for å forskning og ta disse historiene over til utenfor 'verden'. Han har derfor oppfordret media i sør til påta seg denne oppgaven, og kommunisere disse handicap og mangler til verden utenfor.

The Govt. inviterte lokale og utenlandske investorer til å starte bedrifter i nord og øst. The govt. jobbet dag og natt for å gi den nødvendige infrastruktur fasiliteter som strøm, vann og veier mot denne slutten. Til syvende og sist, resultatet var, hele nord bli invadert av selskaper i Majority rase og Banker, sammen med sine hoardings og reklame kampanjer. Alle som reiser nedover A9 veien kan tydelig se denne invasjonen om han ser seg rundt. Dette er som en invasjon av en ny planet. Hver 500 meter avstand, finnes en Army bunker også.

En tidligere Municipal Commissioner av Jaffna ....
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Hva Govt. gjør mens de viser til verden at det er utviklingen i nord er ikke noe annet enn plyndring og plyndring av ressursene i nord, og frakte dem til Sør. Siden den dagen krigen tok slutt, det er 18 mai 2009, er vi utsatt for dette plyndring og plyndring. Bankene i Sør kom hit samlet våre folks penger og gikk bort. I dag betyr Jaffna et sted for handel for Sør-SL og India. Indianerne og kineserne kommer hit og signering ulike kontraktene. Våre folk ikke får en eneste sub kontrakt. Alle kontraktene er gitt til sørstatene. De som er her får ingenting, har ingenting. Før krigen, er det vi som leverte druer til hele landet. Men nå druer blir importert. De fleste av våre landområder der vi vokste druer blir nå holdt av styrker som høy sikkerhetssoner. De trenger ikke tillate oss å vokse noe. Men chili blir importert fra India sløse valuta. Dette er Mahinda Rajapakse sine uthure vasanthe består av. The govt. kjøper tusen hektar med land fra alle Kontorservice District i nord. Når vi ber for våre legitime landområder, hæren sier, disse landområdene ble holdt av LTTE, og derfor må de ha sine leirer der. De sier at LTTE forurettet, men Forsvaret er nå holder dem feilaktig. Men faktum i saken er, vi er den sanne eiere. Likevel, er vi på veien. The Govt. har plyndret tusenvis av hektar av vårt land og gir dem bort til utenlandske selskaper.

Selv om folket fra nord var ikke fornøyd med måten Govt. avsluttet krigen, de imidlertid begynte å gå tilbake til sitt normale liv etterpå. Etter slutten av krigen, begynte frykten som var i den nordlige folk til å ebbe til en viss grad. Forbudet mot fiske ble trukket tilbake. Men etter de siste drapene på Jaffna sonal direktør for utdanning og en hinduistisk prest ved å skyte, og oppdagelsen av en rekke døde kropper fra en brønn, folket i nord er i en tilstand av sjokk og frykt. Etter disse hendelsene den gamle frykten psykose som eksisterte før krigen sluttet har kommet tilbake til dem.

NGO-rådet i Jaffn
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I løpet av de siste månedene, var en Jaffna sonal direktør drept. Deretter en prest ble drept. I det siste, var en rekke av døde kropper funnet fra en brønn.

Forsvaret har igjen begynt å samle informasjon om beboerne i Jaffna etter krigen. De tar bilder. Etter drapene, de søker folk på veiene igjen. Spesielt i landsbyene, folk skrånende reiser om etter 6,00 p m. De blir avhørt og tatt i forvaring. Når du ser tilbake og analysere drap begått, blir det imidlertid klart at det er å frata folket i nord sine demokratiske rettigheter som disse forbrytelsene blir begått med overlegg. Når det tamilske politiske partier i nord er å velge kandidater til valg de blir konfrontert med unødig problemer. De som i de høyere trinnene taler mot dette, men vanlige folk er redde for å ytre et ord. Vår største bekymring er, hvorfor er dette Govt. ikke betaler oppmerksomhet til graven problemer og alvorlige problemer av det tamilske folket fra nord. Den tamilske folket som reposed store håp i et liv i fred etter krigen taper disse håp, som vi forstår. De bor nå i dødelig frykt og usikkerhet.

Etter slutten av krigen, ca 50 000 medlemmer av styrker og politiet er på vakt i Jaffna. Det er 15 Sekretærtjenester distrikt divisjoner, 182 000 familier bestående av 675 000 medlemmer. Basert på avhandlinger tall, for hver 13 Jaffna beboere er det et sikkerhetspersonell. Under denne strenge sutteklut er det umulig å begå et mord si lime en plakat. Videre, i hver landsby er det hæren og politiet etterretningsoffiserer i sivile klær mingling. Ja, også der vi bodde, har hæren etterretningsenhet offiserer kommer til vårt Pillayan Hotel og søkte etter informasjon om oss og hadde gått.

Visninger av en religiøs prelat ... ..
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Det var politikk som var bak hvert drap og bortføring begått under den siste tiden. De som bærer våpen i Jaffna er bare Forsvaret og minister Douglas Devananda sine grupper. Ingenting kan gjøres i Jaffna uten deres kjennskap. Den utstrekning de er blandet seg med folket. Det er ingen forskjell mellom Forsvaret og Devananda's gruppe. Deres atferd er klossete og ufølsom. Alle de som falt ofre for drap og bortføringer er de som var fiendtlig innstilt til Govt., Styrker og Devananda sine grupper.

Under den siste fasen av krigen i engasjement mellom styrker og LTTE på Wellamulla Waikal distriktet, som følge av angrep lansert av Forsvaret, fikk et stort antall sivile drepte. Etter krigen var en annen stor gruppe sendt til flyktningleirer, og senere var de igjen slo seg ned i sine landsbyer og hjem. Et annet stort antall mennesker i nord er fortsatt i flyktningleire. I Jaffna alene er det 65 flyktningleirer. Over 15 000 ungdommer angivelig LTTE mistenkte er fortsatt holdt i forvaring av styrker. Verken media eller utenforstående kan møte dem.

Jaffna NGO råd ... ...
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Det finnes rapporter som under krigen, var det 320 000 innbyggere Tamil under LTTE administrasjon. LTTE kadre ikke tilhører dem. Av dette 320 000, 270, har 000 blitt registrert. En lakh er i Manik gårdene, 80.000 i Mulaitivu, 30.000 er re bosatte seg andre steder, mens 30, har 000 flyktet landet eller bor i andre områder av landet. Hva skjedde til 80.000 tamilske folk er ennå ikke kjent.

Det er 27 000 foreldreløse barn i Menikdiwela som ikke har begge foreldre. Det er 42 000 lider av depresjon i løpet av den siste fasen av krigen. Av dem er 36 000 ungdommer. Det er 36 000 enker fra sluttfasen av krigen. 10.000 av dem tror er deres ektemenn fortsatt holdt i militærleire.

Når Govt. styrker erobret øst fra LTTE, ble de frivillige organisasjonene i stand til å hjelpe flyktningene uten la eller hindring. Men i nord de frivillige organisasjonene står overfor mange hindringer. The Govt. ser på frivillige organisasjoner med mistenksomhet.

Hvis vi skal arbeide i Kilinochchi og Mullaitivu, må vi få tillatelse fra Forsvarsdepartementet og presidenten innsatsstyrke. De frivillige organisasjonene har å forkaste sine planer og utfører sine aktiviteter i henhold til Govt. 'S krav.

Opprinnelig kom den frivillige organisasjoner frem til å bygge hus for de fordrevne. Men når Govt. og India grep inn og sa at de vil bygge husene, trakk vi. Selv om India fortalt at det ville bygge 50 000 boliger for de fordrevne, så langt ikke engang grunnsteinen er lagt. The Govt. har bosatt disse fordrevne i tau og klatte hytter. Fordi disse små hytter er bygget i nær beliggenhet til hæren leirene, kvinnene folk i dem spesielt er gjenstand for enorme vanskeligheter og forlegenhet. India begavede 450 traktorer til den nordlige folk, men bare 65 av dem har blitt tildelt i nord.

The Govt. har tillatt de frivillige organisasjonene i nord for å gi kun drikke vann og forsyninger til levebrød.

Ungdommer som lider av depresjon må være herdet umiddelbart. I fjor på universiteter og landsbyer selvmord har økt betydelig. Barn som har mistet sine foreldre, selv om de er gitt tilflukt i religiøse steder, de er ikke riktige løsninger.

Selv om krigen er over, i Thelpullai og Maradankeli distriktene Govt. er å opprettholde høy sikkerhet soner.

Spesielt i Maradankeli høy sikkerhetssone, en rekke skoler er der. Men fordi disse skolene er stengt nå, utdanning av barna i disse distriktene er på stedet hvil.

Den Mahinda Rajapakse Govt. lovet i perioden av krigen til å formulere en løsning for det tamilske folkets nasjonale problemet går også utover 13. endring av grunnloven. Som LTTE er nedkjempet, er det ingen krig nå. Når presidenten er spurt om løsningen til det tamilske folkets problem, hadde han sagt at han ikke er villig til å innrømme hva Prabhakaran krevde. India som fremmet 13. endringen som en løsning på det tamilske folks spørsmål er også nå tause. Etter at LTTE Organisasjonen ble slått i krigen, spesielt i nord er det en sterk fiendtlig klima mot India. Når England vs India cricket match spilte nylig ble vist på TV, så vi Jaffna ungdom og eldre publikum forbannelse India og støtte det engelske landslaget. India er kritikkverdige for denne dystre tilstanden til den tamilske befolkningen, utdypet de.

Religiøse ledere diskutere med oss ​​hadde dette å si ....
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Etter krigen, ammet vårt folk store forhåpninger til å leve som Sri Lankas mennesker. Selv etter ett og et halvt år er over, er det ikke engang tegn på en politisk løsning. Hvis folket i nord hadde vært utstyrt med strøm, vann og veier, er folket i sør avhør hva mer trenger være oppfylt for dem. De som styrte dette landet siden 1948 ikke gi tenkt til det tamilske folkets agendaer og krav. De klarte ikke å forstå dette. De hadde ikke skape rom for folket i sør for å forstå dette heller. Som en konsekvens av dette, var landet presset inn i et 30 års grusom krig. Den tamilske folket ikke ønsker krigen. De hadde ingen andre alternativ. Etter å ødelegge det tamilske folks kamp av blodsutgytelser og våpen, Govt. er igjen snakk om en nasjon og ett land. Det er to løp, tamiler og singalesere i dette landet. Det er den absolutte sannhet. Vi liker også å leve i et forent Sri Lanka.

Selv Rajapakses skrik som det er eneste løp, det er ikke sterk virkeligheten. Hvis dette ikke er klart forstått, kan folk igjen bli presset til splittelse og katastrofe. I stedet for å finne en politisk løsning via intervensjon fra India, hvis vi kan skape et harmonisk forhold med SL Govt. som er mer verdt.

Flyktningene på grunn av krig er ikke tamiler alene, det er også singaleserne og muslimer i nord. Liker hvordan tamilene møtte trusler fra Forsvaret, singaleserne og muslimene møtte trusler fra LTTE. En del av singalesiske og muslimer som har mottatt trusler fra LTTE hjalp Govt. Styrker for å beseire LTTE. Men deres posisjon etter krigen er ikke bedre enn den tamilske flyktninger.

Kilinochchi Muslim Association sekretær, Rahman ....
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Muslimer som var bosatt i Kilinochchi og Mulaitivu ble kastet ut av LTTE i 1990. LTTE ga oss bare to timer til å avslutte med våre varer og eiendeler. Etter rivirasa operasjoner i 1997, kom noen av dem som flyktet tilbake til Jaffna. Da vi kom tilbake til Jaffna, hvor våre hus sto og skolene der barna våre gikk alle ble brukt av hæren og bunkere er bygget .. Fra 1997 til 2002 var denne regionen avgrenses så høyt sikkerhetssone.

Nå over ett og et halvt år har gått siden krigen sluttet. Men, tok ikke en eneste politisk leder noen handling for å omplassere muslimene. Selv en muslimsk leder ikke kommer frem til å tale på våre vegne. The Govt. også erkjenner ikke at vi er mennesker på flukt. I løpet av LTTE administrasjonen våre hus var i forsvarlig stand. Men etter administrasjonen skiftet over til Sikkerhetsstyrker, tak, fliser mv av våre hus og skoler hadde blitt fjernet og brukt til å konstruere hæren leirene. Sosiale tjenester Minister Milroy Fernando og minister for omplassering Vinayagamoorthy Muralitharan lovet at når de mottar hjelp fra de arabiske landene våre hus vil bli bygget og gitt.

Den viktigste kilden til livsopphold i Jaffna folk er jordbruk og fiske. Fordi militærleire og høy sikkerhet soner er etablert på deres jordbruksland, har de blitt fratatt sine jordbruk landområder.

Under krigen fiskerne var forbudt å gå til sjøen for fiske. Men nå er de overfor andre kompliserte problemer.

En leder av fiskeværet, Gurunagar ....
-------------------------------------------------- --------
Indisk fiskere er krypskyting på våre territorialfarvann og tråling. På grunn av sin tråling vårt utstyr blir ødelagt. Våre nett blir kuttet av dem. Følgelig våre fiskere er kjørt til Dire Straits. Vi må jobbe i henhold til Navy 's instruksjoner. Marinen fortalte oss at hvis vi ikke pågripe disse indiske fiskere vi vil ikke få lov til å gå ut til sjøen. Senere dro vi sammen med Naval offiserer som kom i sivile antrekk og under forkledning til sjø. Vi da fanget den indiske fiskere. Vi har ikke nå har forbud pålagt oss under krigen. The Naval Force gir oss tillatelse til å dra til sjøs. Må Fiskerne rekord på marinen registrere hvor mange fiskere kommer til sjøen.

Kangeshan (38), en bonde fra Jaffna ...
-----------------------------------------------
Jeg vokser på dette landet tatt på lease. Jeg betaler årlig Rs. 2000 / - som leie. Jeg har plantet damer fingrene bortsett fra kål og gulrøtter. Kål og gulrøtter vokser godt. Jeg betaler Rs. 300 / - pr dag for en arbeider. Han jobber fra morgen 8,00 til 5,00 p m. Etter å ha brukt på husdyrgjødsel, arbeiderne lønninger, er det et overskudd på Rs. 20 000 / - til 30 000 / - på en acre. Dette resultatet er hver 8. måned. Vi får ingen hjelp i det hele tatt fra Govt. Når vi tar våre grønnsaker til Chinnaveli handelen Fair (Pola). Handelsmenn som kommer dit, kjøpe og gå. I 1990, da LTTE erobret det området vi gikk til Thenmarachchi, og returnerte i 1995. Jeg har tre barn. Alle utgifter er oppfylt via denne inntekten. Selvfølgelig etter krigen situasjonen har bedret seg. Vi må registrere i Kopay divisjon. Vi har fått beskjed om å registrere seg på nytt. Vi følger det vi er pålagt. Vi bryr oss ikke om hva som er bra eller dårlig.

Etter de siste mord og bortførelser, er Jaffna grepet av en frykt psykose. Jaffna samfunnet er igjen shuddering. De lever i mistenksomhet og frykt ikke vite hvem du skal stole på.

En professor i Jaffna University ... ...
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Det kan være informanter blant dere alle. Når vi snakker vet vi ikke hva som ville være vår skjebne i morgen. Hvis vi er her, dere kan besøke og møte oss. Nylig. en gruppe brøt dører og vinduer i huset mitt og gikk inn. Du alle vil snakke og gå bort, men vi må bo her. Hvis du publiserer våre historier, ikke sette våre navn. Jeg ber dere ikke å publisere våre bilder.

På grunn av disse alvor forespørsler, navn og bilder av mange er ikke publisert her.

Kilde: Lankanews

Friday, 4 March 2011

Steven Pushparajah - Top Ten in Norway


















Tamilen Steven Pushparajah frå Ulsteinvik er kåra til rollemodell for innvandrarar.

– Ei anerkjenning for 24 år med hardt arbeid, seier Steven Pushparajah Karunasamy frå Ulsteinvik.

Steven er frå Sri Lanka men har funne sin plass i det norske samfunnet og har dei siste fem åra jobba som ingeniør på Ulstein Verft. Arbeidet består i å rekne ut styrken på skipa som blir bygde ved verftet.











NRK - Møre og Romsdal.

http://www.nrk.no/nett-tv/klipp/710472/

- Dette er mitt hovedfag og eg kjem til å vere i skipsindustrien resten av livet mitt. Ved sida av dette skal eg prøve å utvikle små produkt i marknaden.

Steven er ein av ti som i år blei kåra av konsulentselskapet Leadership Foundation til Topp innvandrar og ein som kan vere rollemodell for andre.

- Eg føler at ei Top Ten-kåring gir meg status og anerkjenning og at eg er eit forbilde for innvandrarar i Noreg.

Ulsteingruppa har eit internasjonalt miljø med 19 nasjonalitetar representert. Og på kontoret i Ulsteinvik er dei stolte av Steven.

- Dette betyr mykje for oss, det er ei anerkjenning også for bedrifta, kollegaene og miljøet her, seier HM-direktør i Ulstein Group, Torild Bugge.

Bugge synes det er stor stas for alle og seier Steven kan vere ein god rollemodell og eit eksempel vidare.

- Når vi har ulike rollar, kjem frå ulike kulturar og har ulik bakgrunn, så klarer vi å skape meir i fellesskap.

Dei utkåra må vere til glede også for statlege styremakter som krev at innvandrarane må yte for å kunne nyte eit liv i Noreg.

Det finst mange flinke som gjerne vil, men har problem med å sleppe til i arbeidslslivet. Arbeidsløysa er mykje høgare blant innvandrarar enn blant etniske nordmenn.

Geir Barvik, direktør i Integerings - og mangfaldsdirektoratet seier at vi har mange innvandrarar i arbeid og ligg på europatoppen.

- Men vi må få endå fleire i arbeid. Då er det viktig at dei som kjem til Noreg og får seg arbeid også kan bidra til å utvikle arbeidsplassen og også ta leiande roller.

Det starta med sveisearbeid for Steven, kort tid etter at han i april 1987 kom til Noreg som flyktning. Ingniørutdanning tok han i Ålesund og har sidan fått god jobb.

- Mitt råd er først og fremst at alle innvandrar som kjem til Noreg må lære seg språket. Så må dei vere oppsøkjande og kome ut i samfunnet.

Steven Pushparajah er den første innvandraren som nokon sinne har fått plass på kommunevallista til Ulstein Høgre. Tor Meinseth meiner det var på tide å bryte barrieren, og peikar på at Steven er ein ressursperson som er godt integrert i lokalmiljøet.








 
 
 

Steven Pushparajah, som nyst er kåra til ein av dei ti beste innvandrarane i Noreg, har fått plass på Ulstein Høgre si kommunevalliste til hausten.

Tor Meinseth, som både er formann i Ulstein Høgre og leiar i nominasjonsnemnda, meiner Steven Pushparajah er den første innvandraren som nokon gong har fått plass på kommunevallista til Ulstein Høgre.

– No har vi brote ein barriere. Det er viktig for partiet å få nye impulsar, og det er viktig for innvandrarar å engasjere seg i norsk politikk, kommenterer Meinseth.

– Ressursperson

Steven Pushparajah kom til Noreg frå Sri Lanka i 1987, og er i dag senior marinteknisk ingeniør i Ulstein Group.

For ei tid tilbake kontakta han Tor Meinseth og sa han var interessert i å melde seg inn i partiet. Meinseth sende brosjyrar, og ei stund seinare vart Steven medlem av partiet.

No har nominasjonsnemnda altså ført han opp på lista.

– Han er ein ressursperson som vi gjerne vil ha der. Han snakkar godt norsk, er godt integrert og kjenner godt lokalmiljøet, oppsummerer leiaren i nominasjonsnemnda.

Steven Pushparajah fortel at han har stemt Høgre ved dei tre siste vala, og han har merka seg at Høgre jobbar hardt for verdiskaping.

– I Noreg er det no mellom 15.000 og 16.000 innvandrarar frå Sri Lanka. Eg er politisk leiar for Landsrådet for norske tamilar, men har ikkje høyrt om ein einaste som er aktiv Høgre-politikar. Det synest eg i grunnen er rart.

Steven meiner norske politikarar bør engasjere seg meir i konflikten på Sri Lanka. I fjor sommar var alle partileiarane inviterte til å halde appell framfor Stortinget, men Erna Solberg frå Høgre var einaste partileiaren som kom.

– Eg har full respekt for haldningane hennar, seier Steven.

Eitt av måla hans er å få fleire tamilar til å engasjere seg i høgrepolitikk.

– Vi innvandrarar må tenkje på at vi er komne hit for å hjelpe til med å byggje landet, seier han.

Og får full støtte frå lokallagsleiar Tor Meinseth.

Kilder:
http://www.nrk.no/nett-tv/klipp/710472/
http://www.vikebladet.no/frapapir/article303114.ece
http://www.smp.no/nyheter/soere/article300377.ece
http://www.nrk.no/nyheter/distrikt/more_og_romsdal/1.7502621

Susheela Raman is an acclaimed British Tamil musician













Beautiful!!! Enjoy Susheela Raman's Consert here
http://liveweb.arte.tv/fr/video/Susheela_Raman_a_la_Mix_Box_Live/

Biography

Chennai (Madras) in India. This included "The Same Song" which was used by Mira Nair for the end credits of her film The Namesake. (Nair also used Raman's version of the 60's Hindi film song "Ye Mera Divanapan Hai' from the previous album). She sings for the first time in French with the song "L'Ame Volatile". Her training in Carnatic classical music makes its presence felt in Tamil classical titles such as "Sharavana," her singing "Meanwhile" (on the same album) in a rāgam called Kanakaangi, and in the song "Light Years" which features a melody in Kalyani rāgam as well as the veena playing of Punya 'Devi' Srinivas.





In 2006 Susheela was again nominated for a BBC World Music Award and was the subject of a one-hour documentary by French-German TV Channel ARTE, called Indian Journey directed by Mark Kidel.

Susheela's deal with Narada ended in 2006 and that year she independently recorded an album 33 1/3 which is a set of re-imaginings of some album tracks from the sixties and seventies. Artists covered include Bob Dylan, John Lennon, The Velvet Underground, Captain Beefheart, Jimi Hendrix, Can and Throbbing Gristle. The album features long term collaborators Sam Mills on guitar, Vincent Segal on cello, and tabla player and percussionist Aref Durvesh.

The album was released in April 2007 in France on the independent label XIII Bis.

Raman has also garnered acclaim for her live performances. She continues to research and discover music from Tamil Nadu, studying in 2007 with the Bhakti singer Kovai Kamla. Collaborator Sam Mills is currently working with Tamil Nadu film musicians for a future project.


 
 

 

 


Thursday, 3 March 2011

India is using its influence to block an international investigation on Sri Lanka













India and Sri Lanka war crimes investigation

US said that Sri Lanka may face forced international war crimes investigation for its conduct during the last phase of the war.

A Sri Lankan English daily said that India is using its influence to block an international investigation because it may be hauled to ICC for its complicity in the last phase of the war.

India should back UN panel on Sri Lanka's war crimes - HRW
The brutal attacks on fishermen who stray into Sri Lankan waters has given ordinary Indians a brief glimpse of the lack of accountability of Sri Lanka's security forces, and the unresponsiveness of the Rajapakse government to serious abuses.

“The Indian government was right to condemn the murder of its own citizens, and demand an investigation. But it also should ensure justice for Sri Lankan victims. When the UN panel of experts submits its report next month, it will be important to have the Indian government standing behind them.”

“India should take the lead in demanding that the full report of the panel be made public and, as warranted, encourage the SecretaryGeneral to implement its recommendations.”


















Sri Lanka attacks on fishermen are a wake-up call to India

The Sri Lankan Navy intercepted an Indian fishing boat from Tamil Nadu. Two fishermen jumped into the sea, but 28year-old Jayakumar stayed on his boat. The two survivors told the authorities that a Sri Lankan Navy official climbed into the boat and tied a rope around Jayakumar's neck. Then the naval vessel dragged the fisherman through the water, strangling him. Ten days earlier, Sri Lankan Navy personnel reportedly fired on an Indian fishing boat, killing a fisherman and wounding two others.

As protests erupted in Tamil Nadu, India's external affairs minister S.M. Krishna said such incidents were "unacceptable", while the government issued a statement expressing "strong and unequivocal condemnation of this violent incident".

Colombo denied the incident, and a Navy spokesman declared that the "allegations are baseless and without proof." To those who follow the human rights situation in Sri Lanka, its response was unsurprising. It routinely issues knee-jerk denials to allegations of abuses by its armed forces, no matter how compelling the evidence.

During its 2008-2009 military campaign against the separatist Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, the government engaged in repeated denials.

It deliberately misled the rest of the world, contradicting UN estimates on the number of civilians in the conflict zone, playing down the danger. The government only admitted over 300,000 non-combatants were there, while at the conflict's end it boasted of a dramatic "rescue" of civilians. Worse, despite evidence from satellite imagery and testimony from people on the ground, Sri Lanka repeatedly and robustly denied using heavy artillery in its "no-fire zone" in which civilians would be safe from the fighting. Many died. The government then proceeded to detain survivors in military-run camps, describing them as "welfare villages".

Last August, the US state department reported that Sri Lanka had failed to conduct an effective investigation into laws-of-war violations by government forces and the LTTE in the final months of the war, which ended in May 2009.

This followed an October 2009 report prepared by the Office of War Crimes Issues documenting violations of the laws of war. Sri Lanka responded by contending it was an effort "to bring the Government of Sri Lanka into disrepute, through fabricated allegations and concocted stories", when the government forces were in fact "engaged in a humanitarian mission".

The government's response was no better to horrific videotapes that allegedly show Sri Lankan soldiers executing prisoners in cold blood. When Britain's Channel Four News first broadcast a video, showing Sri Lankan troops executing two captives, the government said experts it had commissioned found the video to be fabricated.

Philip Alston, the United Nations special rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary, or arbitrary executions, commissioned a separate group of independent experts, who found strong evidence to suggest the video was authentic.

Human Rights Watch obtained photographs and video footage of the same incident from other sources, which show what appear to be the summary execution of prisoners by government troops.

One of about a dozen bodies visible, most of them bound and blindfolded, was identified as Isaippiriya, a 27-year-old woman reporter for the LTTE. A Sri Lankan defence ministry website lists a Lt. Col. Issei Piriya as an LTTE leader killed on May 18, 2009 by the 53rd Division, thus linking the Army to the alleged summary execution of prisoners.

The Sri Lankan government, however, said that the video is fake.

Human Rights Watch has examined more than 200 photos taken on the front lines in early 2009 by soldiers. Among these are a series of five photos showing a man identified as a long-term member of the LTTE's political wing.

The first two show him alive, with blood on his face and torso, tied to a palm tree. He is surrounded by several men wearing military fatigues. In the next three photos, the man is lying - apparently dead - against a rock. While Human Rights Watch cannot conclusively determine that he was summarily executed in custody, a full investigation is warranted.

Photos also show what appear to be dead women in LTTE uniforms with their shirts pulled up and their pants pulled down, raising concerns that they might have been sexually abused or their corpses mutilated.

Faced with credible allegations of violations of the laws of war, the government has insisted on only pointing to abuses by the Tamil Tigers.

In his speech in September at the UN General Assembly, President Mahinda Rajapakse said: "Over the past year, much has been reported and much has been said regarding my country's liberation from terrorism.

However, far less has been said of the suffering we had to undergo and the true nature of the enemy we have overcome." No one, least of all human rights defenders, will question that the Sri Lankan government faced a terrible challenge from the Tamil Tigers with their penchant for suicide bombings, recruiting children into combat, or using civilians as human shields. Human Rights Watch and others documented and condemned all of this. At the war's end, Mr Rajapakse promised UN Secretary-General Ban Kimoon that his government would investigate wartime abuses by both the LTTE and the Sri Lankan military.

But it's clear the government has no intention of doing so. Instead, it has followed the practice of its predecessors of creating commissions or inquiries to give the appearance of taking action, without ever really doing anything. Since independence in 1948, Sri Lanka has established at

least nine such commissions and numerous other inquiries, none of which have produced any significant results. There is no reason to believe that its new commission will be any different.

Last year, Mr Ban Kimoon appointed a panel of experts to address accountability issues relating to alleged violations of international human rights and humanitarian law during the final stages of the conflict.

The government's response was predictable - it publicly denounced the new panel, and a senior minister led a protest outside the UN offices in Colombo.

The government has toned down its rhetoric but has not cooperated with the panel.

Undeterred, the panel will submit its report to the Secretary-General in March.

India should take the lead in demanding that the full report of the panel be made public and, as warranted, encourage the SecretaryGeneral to implement its recommendations.

The brutal attacks on fishermen who stray into Sri Lankan waters has given ordinary Indians a brief glimpse of the lack of accountability of Sri Lanka's security forces, and the unresponsiveness of the Rajapakse government to serious abuses. The Indian government was right to condemn the murder of its own citizens, and demand an investigation. But it also should ensure justice for Sri Lankan victims. When the UN panel of experts submits its report next month, it will be important to have the Indian government standing behind them.

Kilde: Human Rights Watch

A US court has issued summons to India’s Congress party over the Sikh riots in 1984. Soon it will be Sri Lamka’s turn for 1983 riots and current war crimes


A US court has issued summons to India’s Congress party to answer charges of “conspiring, aiding, abetting and carrying out organized attacks on Sikh population of India in November 1984.”

The US district court for the southern district of New York issued the summons on Tuesday in a class action law suit filed by Sikhs For Justice (SFJ), a US based community group along with several Sikh survivors of the 1984 attacks.

The compliant against Congress alleges that in November 1984 the “organized killing” of Sikhs took place only in states where Congress was in power, according to SFJ legal advisor Gurpatwant Singh Pannun.

According to the government of India’s record a total of 3296 Sikhs were killed while a total of 35,535 claims for deaths and injuries were received throughout India, he said.

But “The gravity, scale and specially the organized nature of these attacks was concealed by the Indian governments’ portraying them as ‘November 1984 Anti-Sikh Riots of Delhi,’” Pannun said.

These attacks were neither “riots” nor were they confined to Delhi alone. In fact, during November 1984, Sikhs were attacked in 18 states and more than 100 cities of India in an identical manner and the attackers were led by Congress (I) leaders, the complaint alleged.














Indian National Congress, the political party in power then and now, committed the crime of Genocide against Sikhs as defined in Article 2 of UN Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide, 1948, it said.

The government of India, by painting the attacks on Sikhs in November 1984 as “riots” instead of “Genocide” and by failing to punish the leaders of Congress (I), violated its duties under Article 1 the Genocide Convention, Pannun said.

Seeking relief under Alien Tort Claims Act (ATCA) and Torture Victim Protection Act (TVPA) is motivated by an interest in seeking some form of justice for the victims of November 1984 Sikh Genocide, he said.

It will raise awareness to the international community regarding denial of justice to the victims and is a means of holding parties in power accountable for their gross violations of human rights – while also offering the potential to deter future abuses, Pannun said.

The SFJ complaint also refers to the February 2011 discovery of “mass grave” of Sikhs who were killed in November 1984 in Haryana

1983 Riots in Sri Lanka
Read here about July 1983 riots in Sri Lanka
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Soon it will be Sri Lamka’s turn for 1983 riots and current war crimes
 
Kilde: timesofindia

Tuesday, 1 March 2011

Sri Lanka risks forced war crimes probe: US

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
The US has warned Sri Lanka to apply international standards to its probe into the deaths of civilians in the final months of its civil war.

Washington says that if this is not done, there will be pressure to appoint an international body for the purpose.

It is the strongest human rights warning sent by the US to Sri Lanka since the government's final war over the Tamil Tigers in 2009.

Sri Lanka could be hauled before a war crimes tribunal over the killing of "many thousands of civilians" in the final months of its separatist war with Tamil rebels, a top US official said.

In the toughest warning since the end of fighting in May 2009, US Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs, Robert Blake, said Sri Lanka risked a forced international investigation.

His remarks came as the UN Human Rights Council was meeting in Geneva, where Sri Lanka has previously managed to avoid condemnation, thanks to the backing of several nations, including strong allies China and Russia.

Blake, a former ambassador to Sri Lanka, said it was "preferable" for Sri Lanka to have its own investigation in line with internationally accepted human rights standards, rather than face an external inquiry.

"It's important to say that if Sri Lanka is not willing to meet international standards regarding these matters, there would be pressure to appoint an international commission to look into these things," said Blake.

Sri Lanka has refused to investigate alleged war crimes, but President Mahinda Rajapakse has appointed a panel to probe why a 2002 ceasefire between the government and the Tamil rebels broke down.

International rights groups have rejected the government-appointed panel as eyewash, saying it fails to address war crimes by both sides during the 37-year conflict.

Sri Lanka's relations with the US were strained in 2009 when Washington voiced concern about human rights as the army killed the top leadership of the Tamil Tiger rebels, ending decades of insurgency.

After urging from the Tamil diaspora, a number of US lawmakers have pushed President Barack Obama's administration to take a harder line on Sri Lanka.

In a video interview from Washington on Monday, Blake said reconciliation, accountability and human rights were among the key elements the US wanted to see to normalise ties with the South Asian nation.

"The UN has estimated that many thousands of civilians were killed in the final few months of the war," Blake said.

The UN said that at least 7,000 civilians perished in the final months of fighting, while international rights groups have put the toll at more than 30,000.

Blake cited the UN Security Council reporting Libya to the International Criminal Court last week as a signal of global concern over human rights.

He said he was not comparing Sri Lanka with Libya, but said the Security Council's unanimous decision against Libya over the weekend underscored the resolve of the international community regarding crimes against humanity.

Kilde: AFP news agency