U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's visit to India this week offers a vital opportunity for the world's two greatest democracies to jointly promote their common values supporting freedom and civil rights in South Asia -- a region where extremism and China's influence continues to grow. More specifically, the U.S.-India Strategic Dialogue must include a strategy for protecting human rights and fundamental democratic principles in Sri Lanka. Two years have passed since the end of the island-nation's 26-year civil war, yet little has been done to address the underlying causes of the conflict.
The Sri Lankan government continues to argue that its self-appointed Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC) can conduct an impartial investigation, but all previous government commissions failed to hold anyone accountable for the violence in Sri Lanka. Leading experts believe a credible commission should have been modeled in substance, not just in name, after South Africa's Truth and Reconciliation Commission. Experts do not consider the LLRC an objective body or a viable judge of accountability, since it was commissioned by a government that itself bears responsibility for slaughtering tens of thousands of civilians during the final stages of the war.
Enjoying the spoils of victory, President Mahinda Rajapaksa stacked the government with family members and continues to undermine the constitution and the fundamental tenets of democracy. After the war, presidential term limits were abolished, along with many key checks on presidential powers. Electoral reforms, political power sharing and greater regional autonomy -- all key ingredients for reconciliation -- have fallen off the agenda.
Furthermore, the Rajapaksa government continues to intimidate independent journalists. The U.S. State Department's 2010 Human Rights Report noted that journalists are practicing self-censorship out of fear of retribution. Disappearances of journalists continue and the government still censors international publications such as The Economist, confiscating all copies whenever stories appear about Sri Lanka. It is impossible for the government to defend its democratic record when Freedom House reports that the only countries in the region with worse press freedoms are Afghanistan, Burma, China and North Korea.
Tamils and other ethnic groups continue to face official discrimination. The government is attempting to alter the island's political landscape by building army posts and settling Sinhalese in traditionally Tamil areas in the north and east, while preventing thousands of internally displaced Tamil civilians to return to their homes. As Sri Lanka's economy continues to improve, job opportunities in the north and east must be made available to local Tamils. Post-war Sri Lanka will not thrive unless the country invests in all of its human capital, including the Tamil population, and rebuilds the homes, schools, hospitals and employment base of those who were most heavily impacted by the war.
Mrs. Clinton's visit includes a stop in Chennai, where on June 8 the legislative assembly of Tamil Nadu, under the leadership of Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa, passed a historic resolution calling for investigations of war crimes in Sri Lanka and urging the Indian government to impose economic sanctions against the country until it stops discriminating against Tamils. Although the visit to Tamil Nadu is primarily for the trade interests of both countries, Secretary Clinton cannot ignore the sentiments of the people of Tamil Nadu where the killing of tens of thousands of their fellow Tamil civilians across the narrow Palk Straits is still very raw and painful.
The Tamil American Peace Initiative applauds the initiative of the Tamil Nadu assembly and urges the U.S. and Indian governments to also demand an independent, international investigation of the Sri Lankan war -- one that will hold people on both sides of the conflict accountable, provide reparations to next of kin, close the book on the past, and restore democracy, equal rights, a free press, freedom of religion and economic opportunity.
Secretary Clinton's visit should also be used as an opportunity for the two governments to discuss the imposition of economic sanctions against Sri Lanka as a way of compelling the Rajapaksa regime to end policies that discriminate against ethnic groups, and to restore democracy and civil rights to all of the island's peoples. Freedom is under threat in many areas of South Asia, and the United States and India should speak with a single voice and give hope to people across the region that the world's two great democracies will stand together and fight injustice wherever it exists.
Amarnath Amarasingam: Black July: Remembering the 1983 Riots in Sri Lanka
Sri Lankan Civil War - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
BBC News - UK presses Sri Lanka over Channel 4's 'war crimes' film
Britain renews call for Sri Lanka war crimes inquiry | World news ...
Its hard to get a true picture. But atleast lets look at FACTS before we consider hearsay (fiction).
FACTS:
* Free Education is available to all Sri Lankans in Sinhala and Tamil. In most schools, Sinhala and Tamil students study together.
* All Govt signage and forms are in SIN, TAM and ENG.
* 2 national holidays are celebrated each year for Hindu events (Deepavali and Maha Siva Ratri)
* It is compulsory for Sinhala speaking Govt officials to learn basic Tamil (and vise versa) to qualify for positions above a certain grade.
* Among recent Mayors of the capital Colombo was a Tamil – K. Ganeshalin¬gam.
* There have been a recent Attorney General (Kamalasabayson) and Central Bank Governer (Ken Balendra) who are Tamil.
* No restrictions based on ethnicity for school or university entrance, unlike certain other countries such as Malaysia.
(To be contd.)
* Both main political parties have significan¬t representa¬tion of Tamils.
* Several important ministries are held by Tamil MPs. (incl. Socio-Econ¬omic Dev, Social Services, National Integratio¬n, etc).
* Many Tamils work in high positions in companies and own successful large businesses¬.
* 3 million Tamils live throughout the country, with Central Colombo having a Tamil population of 35%+. Tamil people are NOT restricted to North-East or any other area.
* Many cities including Colombo have several large Hindu Kovils.
* Cricketer Muralidara¬n, a Tamil, is a well loved national hero.
* Several Tamils from the Independen¬ce era are recognized as National Heroes (e.g Ponnambala¬m Ramanathan¬, Ponnambala¬m Arunachala¬m).
POST WAR:
* Thousands of displaced Tamils were accommodat¬ed in camps at a massive cost, and given food and allowances¬.
* Ex-LTTE combatants have been rehabilita¬ted and given vocational training, training in arts and opportunit¬ies to continue education.
* Rest of the country collected and sent dry rations, toys and clothes for the displaced.
I was appalled by Today's (July 27th) Channel 4 release of new EVIDENCE shows there's an URGENT need for this.
http://www.channel4.com/news/sri-lanka-war-crimes-soldiers-ordered-to-finish-the-job
God help the CONSCIENTIOUS people to counter the Evil and it is time for the conscientious people to speak up & document it before HISTORY gets buried like the many people buried alive by bull-dozers.(mentioned in Channel4 evidence)
Finally, you have put it in context: " demand an independent, international investigation of the Sri Lankan war -- one that will hold people on both sides of the conflict accountable, provide reparations to next of kin, close the book on the past, and restore democracy, equal rights, a free press, freedom of religion and economic opportunity. "
http://dbsjeyaraj.com/dbsj/archives/2320
Vicious attack by Army in Alaveddy on TNA meeting with MPs present, 16 June 2011:
http://dbsjeyaraj.com/dbsj/archives/2367
Policemen who defended TNA MPs in Alaveddy attack may be penalized for doing duty, 23 June 2011:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sinhala/news/story/2011/07/110713_jaffna_ratugamage.shtml
BBC Sinhala - Voters 'intimidated' in Jaffna by UPFA, 13 July 2011:
http://www.srilankaguardian.org/2011/07/all-ready-for-massive-vote-rigging-in.html
Sri Lanka Guardian - All ready for massive vote rigging in Jaffna, 14 July 2011:
http://www.tamilnet.com/art.html?catid=13&artid=34176
Colombo plotting to reduce Tamil voters’ strength in North, East, 14 July 2011:
http://www.tamilnet.com/art.html?catid=13&artid=34178
SL police refuses permission to TNA to hold election meetings, 14 July 2011’
http://www.tamilnet.com/art.html?catid=13&artid=34179
SL government servants in Jaffna complain political exploitation, 14 July 2011
http://www.tamilnet.com/art.html?catid=13&artid=34180
SL Navy, EPDP, seal off election campaign in the islands of Jaffna, 14 July 2011
http://www.caffesrilanka.org/Sixty_per_cent_without_IDs_in_Kilinochchi-5-2843.html
Sixty per cent without IDs in Kilinochchi, 18 July 2011
http://www.caffesrilanka.org/
CaFFE alleges unlawful campaign in North, 20 July 2011
NGOs Face Funding Gap and Government Scrutiny, 15 March 2011
".... The government wants a hands-off policy from donors, and thus prefers countries like China which provides assistance without being too concerned [about other issues]," said Harim Peiris, a Colombo-based political analyst .... The most affected agencies are involved in governance, peace building, conflict-resolution and post-war trauma counselling. ....''
http://groundviews.org/2009/02/08/rajapaksrized-chauvinism-in-flowery-prose-sri-lankan-diplomat%E2%80%99s-outright-humiliation-of-sri-lankan-tamils/
Ethirveerasingam: I like to share conversations I had with Lalith Athulathmudali and Ranil Wickremasinghe 12 years later.
On Feb 4th 1985,.... Finally I asked him why not his party with more than two-thirds of majority in parliament propose a federal constitution. He said that SLFP will oppose it. I said that as they have only 7 or 8 MPs their vote will not make any difference, especially with the TULF and CWC votes to add to the UNP. He said proposing a federal constitution, "Will be political suicide." My older brother later said that, a majority of the UNP MPs will not support, let alone the majority Sinhala voters.
On May 13, 1997, after an hour of discussion I asked him why not the UNP propose a federal consittuion. He said: "We are a political party. Like any other political party, we will not do anything that will not get us into power, nor would we do anything when we are in power to lose power."
http://groundviews.org/2009/02/08/rajapaksrized-chauvinism-in-flowery-prose-sri-lankan-diplomat%E2%80%99s-outright-humiliation-of-sri-lankan-tamils/
Rajapaksrized Chauvinism in Flowery prose: Sri Lankan Diplomat’s outright humiliation of Sri Lankan Tamils, Maitree de Silva, 8 Feb 2009: 'This article concerns the article by Dr. Dayan Jayatilleka, currently the Permanent Representative of Sri Lanka to the UN in Geneva. He quintessentially represents the perfect diplomat of the government’s stance on the ethnic conflict.’’
Comments in the article:
M.Govintharaja: Your reply is why Federalism cannot be introduced or accepted. Can you give a reply why Federalism will not work in Sri Lanka.
Dayan Jayatilleka: It won't work because it cannot make it to first base; it cannot be introduced. Parliamentarians are sensitive to public opinion, and will not vote in favour, therefore it will not obtain a two-thirds in Parliament. If the courts refer it to the people at a referendum it will be shot down in flames.
Thank you, Arul.
A hitch.
A''Electoral reforms, political power sharing and greater regional autonomy -- all key ingredients for reconciliation -- have fallen off the agenda.''
Whose agenda?
Not Rajapakse's agenda anyway.
A few weeks ago he told the visiting Indian Troika: ''If I devove power to the Tamils it'll be curtains on me''
In the last six years his actions have been saying it. But at last he has put words into it.
He appointed APRC and CoI in 2006/7. They gave their reports in July 2009. They are still being hidden from the public's view.
Under great international pressure he appointed LLRC - big name because it's time-buying tactics.
Under international pressure he started ''talks'' with TNA - at snail's space with no productivity.
While at it he has announced PSC and says they will produce the solution.
He is not a leader - he wants to follow the people for votes. He has no good idea to tell the people that they should follow the good idea.
But then, that's what all the Sinhalese ''leaders'' have been doing - contd