By Mandana Ismail Abeywickrema
Several foreign nationals are trapped amongst thousands of war displaced in the IDP camps in Vavuniya and are being screened for links with the LTTE.
The foreign nationals of Tamil origin are from Britain, Norway, the Netherlands, New Zealand and Australia. These foreign nationals have entered the government controlled areas from the war zone in the last few months.
A Foreign Ministry official told The Sunday Leader that the judicial process was on track with regard to the foreign nationals in the IDP camps.
The official also said the Foreign Ministry had not received any formal requests from the missions (in Colombo) concerned even by Friday.
Foreign Secretary Dr. Palitha Kohona has been quoted by the Australian media saying the Australian nationals in the IDP camps would undergo screening, along with an estimated 280,000 Tamils in the camps. "We can't start a two-track process that gives preference to foreign nationals," Dr. Kohona has said.
Human Rights Minister Mahinda Samarasinghe meanwhile has reportedly said the foreign nationals of Sri Lankan origin will be screened for links with the LTTE. The government has also said the registration and security screening of IDPs would be completed in 180 days.
Human Rights Ministry Secretary Prof. Rajiva Wijesinha told The Sunday Leader that he was informed of a New Zealand national trapped in the IDP camp in April by the New Zealand High Commission in New Delhi. He said the Australian High Commission has also informed him of two Australian nationals in the IDP camps.
"The New Zealand national was located and was about to leave the camp when there was an influx of civilians to the camp last month," he said.
According to Prof. Wijesinha, he has not been informed of other foreign nationals trapped in the IDP camps. Due to the influx of civilians the return of the New Zealand national was delayed.
"When the government asked all aid agencies and foreign citizens to leave, these people have stayed back. Whether they were being forcibly held we do not know," he said.
Military Spokesperson Brigadier Udaya Nanayakkara when queried on the latest reports on the foreign nationals in the Wanni IDP camps said he only knew about the British national in the camp and not of any others. He said an inquiry is being conducted on the British national.
Representatives from the British, Norwegian and Dutch missions in Colombo have however confirmed to The Sunday Leader that citizens from their respective countries were trapped in the IDP camps in the north.
Spokesperson for the British High Commission in Sri Lanka, Dominic Williams told The Sunday Leader they were working with Government to get the British citizen (Damilvany Gnanakumar) back to the UK, but refrained to comment on the matter further.
Spokesperson for the Norwegian Embassy in Colombo, Rannveig Skofteland said embassy officials were working with the government and the ICRC to get the Norwegian released from the camp.
Meanwhile, an official from the Netherlands Embassy in Colombo said they too were in the process of working out a method to get the Dutch national back to their country.
Attempts by The Sunday Leader to get a confirmation on the three Australian citizens in the IDP camps failed
Sunday, June 7, 2009
Ban calls for probe: Lanka says no way
United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon on Friday called to probe “any credible accusations of human rights violations” -- war crimes -- committed during the final phase of the war against separatist Tiger guerrillas, but Sri Lanka yesterday rejected the call.
“The Government of Sri Lanka firmly stands by its earlier position that no such probe will be initiated, both local and otherwise,” Foreign Secretary Palitha Kohona said. The use of the words “any credible accusation” suggests that even the head of the UN is negative, he told the Sunday Times.
Mr. Ban’s remarks in New York came after he briefed members of the UN Security Council on his May visit to Sri Lanka. His near 36 hour itinerary included a tour of the one-time No-Fire Zone in the Mullaitivu district.
Ban Ki-moon
Dr. Kohona’s remarks appeared at variance with those made to the Reuters news agency by H.M.G.S. Palihakkara, Sri Lanka’s Permanent Representative at the UN. He was quoted as saying in a news report dealing with the UN Secretary General’s remarks that the Government had “initiated a process of reconciliation and fact finding.”
Asked for his comments, Dr. Kohona said “we stand by that quote.” Foreign Ministry officials explained that the assertion only meant there would be fact finding if and when the situation arose.
Mr. Ban told a news conference after he briefed the Security Council: “I would like to ask the Sri Lankan Government to recognize the international call for accountability and full transparency. And whenever and wherever there are credible allegations of violations of humanitarian law, there should be a proper investigation.”
He added: “Any inquiry, to be meaningful, should be supported by the members of the United Nations, and also should be very impartial and objective. I have been urging the Sri Lankan President on this matter. He assured me that he will institute the necessary procedures to ensure the transparency and accountability of this [process].”
Mr. Ban said he had three objectives during his Sri Lanka visit. First was to urge the Sri Lankan Government to allow “unimpeded access” by international humanitarian workers, including UN agencies to help more than 300,000 displaced people. Second was to help the displaced people and the Government to re-settle them in their original home provinces. Third was to help Sri Lankan Government to reach out to the minorities, including Tamils and Muslims.
The UN Chief cautioned that “It is very important at this time to unite and heal the wounds, rather than enjoy all this triumphalism in the wake of the end of conflict.”
Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa also strongly articulated the Government’s position. In an interview with The Sunday Times (before the UN Secretary General briefed the Security Council), he said “I am not worried because we will not allow such a thing. It was proven at an international forum (the UNHCR), when the international community said in one voice that Sri Lanka had defeated the worst terrorist organization in the world and we must commend them on that and not punish them. The majority of the IC accepted the fact that the Sri Lankan government did the correct thing.”
“The Government of Sri Lanka firmly stands by its earlier position that no such probe will be initiated, both local and otherwise,” Foreign Secretary Palitha Kohona said. The use of the words “any credible accusation” suggests that even the head of the UN is negative, he told the Sunday Times.
Mr. Ban’s remarks in New York came after he briefed members of the UN Security Council on his May visit to Sri Lanka. His near 36 hour itinerary included a tour of the one-time No-Fire Zone in the Mullaitivu district.
Ban Ki-moon
Dr. Kohona’s remarks appeared at variance with those made to the Reuters news agency by H.M.G.S. Palihakkara, Sri Lanka’s Permanent Representative at the UN. He was quoted as saying in a news report dealing with the UN Secretary General’s remarks that the Government had “initiated a process of reconciliation and fact finding.”
Asked for his comments, Dr. Kohona said “we stand by that quote.” Foreign Ministry officials explained that the assertion only meant there would be fact finding if and when the situation arose.
Mr. Ban told a news conference after he briefed the Security Council: “I would like to ask the Sri Lankan Government to recognize the international call for accountability and full transparency. And whenever and wherever there are credible allegations of violations of humanitarian law, there should be a proper investigation.”
He added: “Any inquiry, to be meaningful, should be supported by the members of the United Nations, and also should be very impartial and objective. I have been urging the Sri Lankan President on this matter. He assured me that he will institute the necessary procedures to ensure the transparency and accountability of this [process].”
Mr. Ban said he had three objectives during his Sri Lanka visit. First was to urge the Sri Lankan Government to allow “unimpeded access” by international humanitarian workers, including UN agencies to help more than 300,000 displaced people. Second was to help the displaced people and the Government to re-settle them in their original home provinces. Third was to help Sri Lankan Government to reach out to the minorities, including Tamils and Muslims.
The UN Chief cautioned that “It is very important at this time to unite and heal the wounds, rather than enjoy all this triumphalism in the wake of the end of conflict.”
Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa also strongly articulated the Government’s position. In an interview with The Sunday Times (before the UN Secretary General briefed the Security Council), he said “I am not worried because we will not allow such a thing. It was proven at an international forum (the UNHCR), when the international community said in one voice that Sri Lanka had defeated the worst terrorist organization in the world and we must commend them on that and not punish them. The majority of the IC accepted the fact that the Sri Lankan government did the correct thing.”
Sri Lanka: Avoid a Postwar Witch Hunt
Source: Human Rights Watch
Reuters and AlertNet are not responsible for the content of this article or for any external internet sites. The views expressed are the author's alone.
(New York) - The Sri Lankan government should ensure that military defeat of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam does not result in new "disappearances," unlawful killings or the jailing of government critics, Human Rights Watch said today. The Sri Lankan government appears from its statements to be preparing to take action against individuals and organizations that criticized it during the war, Human Rights Watch said. On June 3, 2009, the media minister, Lakshman Yapa Abeywardana, said the Defense Ministry was preparing to bring charges against journalists, politicians, armed forces personnel and businessmen who have assisted the LTTE."The last thing Sri Lankans need right now is a witch hunt," said Brad Adams, Asia director at Human Rights Watch. "The country desperately needs healing. The government should make clear to everyone, especially Tamils, that it will respect their rights."In addition to the media minister's statement, in late May, the Army commander, Gen. Sarath Fonseka, said in a televised interview that the government would take action against journalists whose reporting benefited the LTTE, saying that they would be prevented from leaving the country and prosecuted for treason. Inspector General of Police Jayantha Wickremeratne accused unnamed Sinhalese media-freedom activists of being paid by the LTTE to generate false reporting intended to implicate the army in war crimes.Sri Lankan security forces have long been implicated in enforced disappearances and unlawful killings following the capture of LTTE strongholds. In the 12 months after government forces captured the northern town of Jaffna from the LTTE in December 1995, more than 600 people, mostly young men suspected of having LTTE links, "disappeared." Although several mass graves have since been uncovered, the fate of most of them has never been determined, and successful prosecutions of security forces personnel have been few.Enforced disappearances and killings of people suspected of being LTTE supporters also occurred in association with the government's taking of LTTE-controlled territory in eastern Sri Lanka in late 2006 and early 2007. Government security forces were implicated in the mafia-style killing of 17 humanitarian aid workers shortly after government forces retook the northeastern town of Mutur from the LTTE in August 2006. Human Rights Watch reported on numerous serious human rights violations in the east in late 2008."Disappearances" of ethnic Tamils in the north and east and in the capital, Colombo, allegedly by members of the security forces or Tamil armed groups remain a serious problem."The Sri Lankan government needs to ensure that the abuses that occurred when LTTE strongholds fell in the past don't recur," said Adams. "This is crucial for building trust between communities."The government announced victory over the LTTE on May 18 after a devastating 25-year conflict. The last months of fighting came at a terrible cost in civilian lives, estimated at more than 7,000 civilian dead and 14,000 wounded. Human Rights Watch reported on serious violations of international humanitarian law by both sides. However, a full accounting of abuses is not yet possible because of government restrictions on access to the conflict zone by the media and human rights organizations.Since 2008, virtually all civilians who managed to flee the fighting to government-controlled areas have been sent to government detention camps in northern Sri Lanka. Almost 300,000 persons, including entire families, are currently in these camps, where they are denied their liberty and freedom of movement, either for work or to move in with other families. In recent months, the government has also detained more than 9,000 alleged LTTE fighters and persons with suspected LTTE connections. The United Nations and other international agencies have had little or no access to the screening process, and the government has in many cases failed to provide families of the detained with any information. Many families still do not know the fate and whereabouts of their relatives.Human Rights Watch urged the Sri Lankan government to take steps to ensure the safety of both civilians and LTTE fighters taken into custody. This includes registering and providing public information about all persons who have been in LTTE-controlled areas, and allowing international humanitarian agencies to participate in processing them. Those detained should have prompt access to family members and legal counsel.The Sri Lankan government has rejected calls from opposition politicians to end Sri Lanka's state of emergency and to repeal the draconian Prevention of Terrorism Act, which has been used to arrest and indefinitely detain suspected LTTE supporters and government critics. Human Rights Watch called upon the Sri Lankan government to treat internally displaced persons in accordance with the United Nations Guiding Principles on Internal Displacement and respect their basic human rights. "The government should recognize that respecting the rights of all its citizens, including political opponents and critics, displaced civilians and captured combatants, will have important long-term implications for Sri Lanka's future," Adams said
Reuters and AlertNet are not responsible for the content of this article or for any external internet sites. The views expressed are the author's alone.
(New York) - The Sri Lankan government should ensure that military defeat of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam does not result in new "disappearances," unlawful killings or the jailing of government critics, Human Rights Watch said today. The Sri Lankan government appears from its statements to be preparing to take action against individuals and organizations that criticized it during the war, Human Rights Watch said. On June 3, 2009, the media minister, Lakshman Yapa Abeywardana, said the Defense Ministry was preparing to bring charges against journalists, politicians, armed forces personnel and businessmen who have assisted the LTTE."The last thing Sri Lankans need right now is a witch hunt," said Brad Adams, Asia director at Human Rights Watch. "The country desperately needs healing. The government should make clear to everyone, especially Tamils, that it will respect their rights."In addition to the media minister's statement, in late May, the Army commander, Gen. Sarath Fonseka, said in a televised interview that the government would take action against journalists whose reporting benefited the LTTE, saying that they would be prevented from leaving the country and prosecuted for treason. Inspector General of Police Jayantha Wickremeratne accused unnamed Sinhalese media-freedom activists of being paid by the LTTE to generate false reporting intended to implicate the army in war crimes.Sri Lankan security forces have long been implicated in enforced disappearances and unlawful killings following the capture of LTTE strongholds. In the 12 months after government forces captured the northern town of Jaffna from the LTTE in December 1995, more than 600 people, mostly young men suspected of having LTTE links, "disappeared." Although several mass graves have since been uncovered, the fate of most of them has never been determined, and successful prosecutions of security forces personnel have been few.Enforced disappearances and killings of people suspected of being LTTE supporters also occurred in association with the government's taking of LTTE-controlled territory in eastern Sri Lanka in late 2006 and early 2007. Government security forces were implicated in the mafia-style killing of 17 humanitarian aid workers shortly after government forces retook the northeastern town of Mutur from the LTTE in August 2006. Human Rights Watch reported on numerous serious human rights violations in the east in late 2008."Disappearances" of ethnic Tamils in the north and east and in the capital, Colombo, allegedly by members of the security forces or Tamil armed groups remain a serious problem."The Sri Lankan government needs to ensure that the abuses that occurred when LTTE strongholds fell in the past don't recur," said Adams. "This is crucial for building trust between communities."The government announced victory over the LTTE on May 18 after a devastating 25-year conflict. The last months of fighting came at a terrible cost in civilian lives, estimated at more than 7,000 civilian dead and 14,000 wounded. Human Rights Watch reported on serious violations of international humanitarian law by both sides. However, a full accounting of abuses is not yet possible because of government restrictions on access to the conflict zone by the media and human rights organizations.Since 2008, virtually all civilians who managed to flee the fighting to government-controlled areas have been sent to government detention camps in northern Sri Lanka. Almost 300,000 persons, including entire families, are currently in these camps, where they are denied their liberty and freedom of movement, either for work or to move in with other families. In recent months, the government has also detained more than 9,000 alleged LTTE fighters and persons with suspected LTTE connections. The United Nations and other international agencies have had little or no access to the screening process, and the government has in many cases failed to provide families of the detained with any information. Many families still do not know the fate and whereabouts of their relatives.Human Rights Watch urged the Sri Lankan government to take steps to ensure the safety of both civilians and LTTE fighters taken into custody. This includes registering and providing public information about all persons who have been in LTTE-controlled areas, and allowing international humanitarian agencies to participate in processing them. Those detained should have prompt access to family members and legal counsel.The Sri Lankan government has rejected calls from opposition politicians to end Sri Lanka's state of emergency and to repeal the draconian Prevention of Terrorism Act, which has been used to arrest and indefinitely detain suspected LTTE supporters and government critics. Human Rights Watch called upon the Sri Lankan government to treat internally displaced persons in accordance with the United Nations Guiding Principles on Internal Displacement and respect their basic human rights. "The government should recognize that respecting the rights of all its citizens, including political opponents and critics, displaced civilians and captured combatants, will have important long-term implications for Sri Lanka's future," Adams said
SRI LANKA: Will Tamils Have A Say In Reconstruction?
COLOMBO, Jun 8 (IPS) - For people in Sri Lanka’s war-torn North, for many years life has meant virtually living out of a suitcase while moving from place to place to escape the rigours of war and bloody combat. In the late 1980s when government troops were battling Tamil separatist rebels for control of the northern capital of Jaffna, journalists from the Tamil daily newspaper Udayan - who themselves were fleeing the fighting - printed the newspaper, virtually on the run. "We moved an entire printing press out of Jaffna and published the paper while being among the displaced," said a veteran journalist of the Jaffna newspaper, reflecting on a common problem faced by many northerners during nearly three decades of war. Weeks after government troops crushed Tamil rebels and their leader Velupillai Prabhakaran, the government is pushing ahead with a massive reconstruction and rehabilitation effort - prioritising resettling most of the nearly 300,000 civilians who are housed in internally displaced person (IDP) camps in the northern town of Vavuniya. These civilians - held hostage by Tamil Tiger guerrillas for months, or too frightened to flee rebel-controlled areas - are being housed in overcrowded, government-run camps which U.N. agencies say need more attention in terms of basic needs. Central Bank (CB) Governor Ajith Nivard Cabraal said the immediate priority is resettling displaced people as quickly as possible and providing them basic facilities like roads, power and other infrastructure. "We will fast track this work," Cabraal, part of a special Government Taskforce on Rebuilding the North, told IPS. Chairman of the Taskforce, Basil Rajapaksa told a group of Tamil professionals in Colombo on Friday that they planned to resettle 80 percent of the displaced by the end of the year. Firzan Hashim, Deputy Executive Director at the Consortium of Humanitarian Agencies (CHA), says northern residents have been displaced multiple times - and in some cases, more than 10 times over the past several years. "Whenever there was fighting and their lives were threatened, they had to move on," he said, adding the hope that finally residents in the North will be able to settle down in their own homes, permanently. Thousands of people have died in the fighting over a separate homeland for the minority Tamil community since 1983, when the conflict escalated after a rash of attacks on Tamils by groups from the majority Sinhalese community. The Taskforce led by Rajapaksa, Presidential Advisor and younger brother of President Mahinda Rajapaksa, is conscious of the need to consult the Tamils in redeveloping the North where few Sinhalese and Muslims - another minority - live. Friday’s meeting with about 30 Tamil professionals was aimed at seeking their views and comments on the huge reconstruction programme ahead. "It’s good that the government wants to interact with others and get views from the public on development issues," said a lawyer, present at the meeting. This is a very different approach to how the government shut out any outside observers from the nearly 2-year military campaign that crushed the rebels. In spite of this virtual blackout on credible information the government drew criticism from the international community and U.N. agencies that civilians were dying as a result of the campaign. The government has rejected the claims and snubbed many foreign leaders, noting that the rebels were the main culprits - for herding the civilians while on the move and using them as human shields. The lawyer said Rajapaksa gave a detailed description of the plan and said that the ‘return to normalcy’ in these areas was of paramount importance. When asked whether the residents are being consulted, Rajapaksa gave one instance - from the eastern development phase - where, when a bridge was being built, residents said they were unhappy as it was not being built for their purpose but for a tourism investor. "It was then explained to the people that this infrastructure is for the people’s purpose," Rajapaksa was quoted as saying. Cabraal said with landmines strewn all over the North, intensive de-mining has begun to clear the towns and then the outlying areas. Ten new de-mining machines are being brought in. - each to work with 65 de-mining professionals. The CB is also planning to lend 200,000 rupees (about 1,740 dollars) per individual for small business, animal husbandry, fisheries and other activity under a 3 billion-rupee (26 million dollar) project to rejuvenate the former livelihoods of the displaced - many of whom are farmers and fishermen. "We want to get cracking on roads, schools, police stations and power connections. In the first phase the government will focus on returning the families to their homes, and will rebuild the cities, in the next phase," Cabraal said. This stretch of the war has seen some of the worst fighting in recent times as both government forces and rebels used all weapons at their disposal, causing enormous destruction of property. To fund the development, the government is relying on a combination of support from friendly, non-western countries - including China, India, Iran, Jordan, Libya and Pakistan - together with re-allocation of public resources intended for projects in other parts of Sri Lanka. Hashim said fresh issues would arise with new high security zones or no-go zones being established in former rebel-controlled areas. Army camps, air and navy bases and police stations will be constructed as part of an overall security plan in the area. "While security is necessary it is also important that these people are resettled with facilities that are equal or even better than before," he said. "They should not be allowed to linger on roadsides for handouts." The CHA and other civil society groups are seeking representation on the Taskforce. "There is a need for open discussion and engagement with civil society on the needs of the people and it appears the Taskforce is amenable to such a discussion." Everything rests on how quickly the government restores normalcy in the North. "There is a need to restore confidence and trust," the lawyer said, adding that this was stressed at Friday’s meeting
What price victory?
The world welcomes the end of the civil war that has ravaged Sri Lanka for decades. Unfortunately, questions have emerged about how the conflict was brought to a close and whether war crimes were committed in the final bloody days of fighting. The Colombo government has dismissed the allegations as unfounded; the defeat of the Tamil Tigers has overshadowed charges that the guerrillas used civilians as human shields. An investigation is required: If war crimes were committed — no matter which side is responsible — perpetrators must be held accountable. No government or rebel group must believe it is immune from the rule of law.
The Sri Lankan conflict was a long civil war that claimed 80,000 to 100,000 lives. Both sides inflicted indiscriminate damage on civilian populations — the government by resorting to artillery and air power, the rebels by their suicide attacks. The guerrillas even used Tamil compatriots as human shields.
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During the last weeks of the conflict, the number of civilian casualties increased as the Tigers retreated to an ever-shrinking area. Rebels claimed civilians joined them out of fear of government forces; the government countered that the refugees had been uprooted at gunpoint. The government said civilian-occupied areas were no-fire zones for heavy artillery; the rebels insisted that pledge was a sham, providing various pieces of evidence to support their allegations. No definitive proof was available as the fighting reached its conclusion; the government kept journalists and human rights groups from the war zone, and Tamil Tiger claims were viewed with suspicion and often dismissed as propaganda.
Since the fighting ended, however, independent observers have been able to examine the war zone and what they have found is disturbing. A strip of beach where thousands of civilians retreated was pockmarked by craters that, in the words of one expert, look to be the work of "a very large" shell.
The civilian casualty list is long and growing. The number of refugees exceeds 265,000; some say it tops 300,000. Equally troubling is the death toll. The government says civilian deaths were unavoidable, adding that the military did not use heavy artillery as alleged while the Tamil Tigers used civilians as shields and in some cases even killed civilians themselves.
Officially, the United Nations has estimated that 7,000 people were killed in the final offensive. Unofficially, however, it has been reported that the death toll for the last month of fighting could exceed 20,000 civilians. The discrepancy has prompted calls for an investigation into whether war crimes were committed. Mr. Navanethem Pillay, the U.N. high commissioner for human rights, rightly noted that "victims and the survivors have a right to justice and remedies." As he explained, "establishing the facts is crucial to set the record straight regarding the conduct of all parties in the conflict." The European Union's human rights commissioner agrees.
The Sri Lankan government has dismissed any criticism of its actions. Officials say they should be applauded, not censured, for ending one of the world's most vicious insurgencies. Mr. Palitha Kohona, the minister of foreign affairs, firmly rejected the allegations, arguing that "We would have finished this war months ago if we hadn't cared about hurting civilians." The local press was even more succinct: "The time has come to tell the salmon-eating international busybodies to go home."
The diplomatic response has been more restrained. When European governments brought a motion before the U.N. Human Rights Council, calling for an international investigation into whether war crimes had been committed by either side, the council instead passed a resolution commending the government's victory and urged it to protect minorities.
Colombo is no doubt aggrieved that its victory has been sullied. It is upset that Western governments, which demanded support in their war against terror while permitting the Tamil diaspora to fund the Tiger rebels, would demand that Sri Lanka be held to account. But the laws of war and the notion of crimes against humanity are premised on the belief that there are limits to how combatants conduct themselves in conflict.
If anything goes, then all conflicts could be ended much quicker. But we insist on standards to restrict the behavior of combatants, and it is only the prospect of their enforcement that gives them force and utility. Laws that are disregarded when they are needed most are worse than useless, because they endanger those who rely on them for protection.
If the government is telling the truth, it should have nothing to fear from an investigation. A complete, unvarnished international assessment of its conduct would vindicate its counterclaim that the Tamil rebels are the real criminals. Stepping forward would also demonstrate the government's readiness to reach out to its long-aggrieved Tamil community, a vital first step toward true reconciliation and enduring peace in Sri Lanka
The Sri Lankan conflict was a long civil war that claimed 80,000 to 100,000 lives. Both sides inflicted indiscriminate damage on civilian populations — the government by resorting to artillery and air power, the rebels by their suicide attacks. The guerrillas even used Tamil compatriots as human shields.
window.google_render_ad();
During the last weeks of the conflict, the number of civilian casualties increased as the Tigers retreated to an ever-shrinking area. Rebels claimed civilians joined them out of fear of government forces; the government countered that the refugees had been uprooted at gunpoint. The government said civilian-occupied areas were no-fire zones for heavy artillery; the rebels insisted that pledge was a sham, providing various pieces of evidence to support their allegations. No definitive proof was available as the fighting reached its conclusion; the government kept journalists and human rights groups from the war zone, and Tamil Tiger claims were viewed with suspicion and often dismissed as propaganda.
Since the fighting ended, however, independent observers have been able to examine the war zone and what they have found is disturbing. A strip of beach where thousands of civilians retreated was pockmarked by craters that, in the words of one expert, look to be the work of "a very large" shell.
The civilian casualty list is long and growing. The number of refugees exceeds 265,000; some say it tops 300,000. Equally troubling is the death toll. The government says civilian deaths were unavoidable, adding that the military did not use heavy artillery as alleged while the Tamil Tigers used civilians as shields and in some cases even killed civilians themselves.
Officially, the United Nations has estimated that 7,000 people were killed in the final offensive. Unofficially, however, it has been reported that the death toll for the last month of fighting could exceed 20,000 civilians. The discrepancy has prompted calls for an investigation into whether war crimes were committed. Mr. Navanethem Pillay, the U.N. high commissioner for human rights, rightly noted that "victims and the survivors have a right to justice and remedies." As he explained, "establishing the facts is crucial to set the record straight regarding the conduct of all parties in the conflict." The European Union's human rights commissioner agrees.
The Sri Lankan government has dismissed any criticism of its actions. Officials say they should be applauded, not censured, for ending one of the world's most vicious insurgencies. Mr. Palitha Kohona, the minister of foreign affairs, firmly rejected the allegations, arguing that "We would have finished this war months ago if we hadn't cared about hurting civilians." The local press was even more succinct: "The time has come to tell the salmon-eating international busybodies to go home."
The diplomatic response has been more restrained. When European governments brought a motion before the U.N. Human Rights Council, calling for an international investigation into whether war crimes had been committed by either side, the council instead passed a resolution commending the government's victory and urged it to protect minorities.
Colombo is no doubt aggrieved that its victory has been sullied. It is upset that Western governments, which demanded support in their war against terror while permitting the Tamil diaspora to fund the Tiger rebels, would demand that Sri Lanka be held to account. But the laws of war and the notion of crimes against humanity are premised on the belief that there are limits to how combatants conduct themselves in conflict.
If anything goes, then all conflicts could be ended much quicker. But we insist on standards to restrict the behavior of combatants, and it is only the prospect of their enforcement that gives them force and utility. Laws that are disregarded when they are needed most are worse than useless, because they endanger those who rely on them for protection.
If the government is telling the truth, it should have nothing to fear from an investigation. A complete, unvarnished international assessment of its conduct would vindicate its counterclaim that the Tamil rebels are the real criminals. Stepping forward would also demonstrate the government's readiness to reach out to its long-aggrieved Tamil community, a vital first step toward true reconciliation and enduring peace in Sri Lanka
India accused of complicity in deaths of Sri Lankan Tamils
Jeremy Page, South Asia Correspondent
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India was accused yesterday of complicity in the killing of an estimated 20,000 civilians in the last stages of Sri Lanka’s 26-year war against the Tamil Tigers.
Major-General Ashok Mehta, a former commander of Indian peacekeeping forces in Sri Lanka, said that India’s role was “distressing and disturbing”. Two international human rights groups said that India had failed to do enough to protect civilian lives.
“We were complicit in this last phase of the offensive when a great number of civilians were killed,” General Mehta, who is now retired, told The Times. “Having taken a decision to go along with the campaign, we went along with it all the way and ignored what was happening on the ground.”
Despite being home to 60 million Tamils, India has provided Sri Lanka with military equipment, training and intelligence over the past three years, diplomatic sources told The Times. More controversially, it provided unwavering diplomatic support and failed to use its influence to negotiate a ceasefire for civilians to escape the front line, they said.
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India joined a bloc led by China and Russia at a special session of the UN Human Rights Council last week to thwart a proposal for a war crimes inquiry, and instead supported a resolution praising Sri Lanka. In January India voted in favour of a war crimes inquiry into Israel’s operation in the Gaza Strip, which killed an estimated 926 civilians.
General Mehta said that the Indian Government, led by the Congress Party, wanted to counterbalance China and Pakistan, its main regional rivals, which had each increased arms sales to Sri Lanka in the past few years. It also wanted to avenge the Tigers’ assassination in 1991 of Rajiv Gandhi, the Prime Minister and late husband of Sonia Gandhi, the current Congress leader, he said.
Brad Adams, Asia director of Human Rights Watch, said that neither reason justified failing to act when the Red Cross warned of an “unimaginable humanitarian catastrophe”. India “could have saved many lives if it had taken a proactive position — and it would not have affected the outcome of the war,” he said.
Sam Zarifi, Asia Pacific director of Amnesty International, said: “India . . . simply chose to support the [Sri Lankan] Government’s notion that it could kill as many civilians as it would take to defeat the Tigers.”
India says that it provided Sri Lanka with non-lethal military equipment and sent officials repeatedly to persuade the Government to protect civilians. “We’ve consistently taken the line that the Sri Lankan Government should prevent civilian casualties,” a Foreign Ministry spokesman said.
However, President Rajapaksa of Sri Lanka told NDTV: “I don’t think I got any pressure from them. They knew that I’m fighting their war.”
Mr Rajapaksa told The Week magazine that he planned to visit Delhi next month to thank Indian leaders. “India’s moral support during the war was most important,” he said.
Diplomats, human rights activists and analysts say that Delhi either did not use its full diplomatic force or, more likely, gave Colombo carte blanche to finish the war. India’s only real concerns, they said, were that the conflict should not create a flood of refugees to India. Some raised questions about Vijay Nambiar, a former Indian diplomat, who is chief of staff to Ban Ki Moon, the UN Secretary-General. The Times revealed last week that Mr Nambiar knew about but chose not to make public the UN’s estimate that 20,000 civilians had been killed, mostly by army shelling.
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India was accused yesterday of complicity in the killing of an estimated 20,000 civilians in the last stages of Sri Lanka’s 26-year war against the Tamil Tigers.
Major-General Ashok Mehta, a former commander of Indian peacekeeping forces in Sri Lanka, said that India’s role was “distressing and disturbing”. Two international human rights groups said that India had failed to do enough to protect civilian lives.
“We were complicit in this last phase of the offensive when a great number of civilians were killed,” General Mehta, who is now retired, told The Times. “Having taken a decision to go along with the campaign, we went along with it all the way and ignored what was happening on the ground.”
Despite being home to 60 million Tamils, India has provided Sri Lanka with military equipment, training and intelligence over the past three years, diplomatic sources told The Times. More controversially, it provided unwavering diplomatic support and failed to use its influence to negotiate a ceasefire for civilians to escape the front line, they said.
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Sri Lanka's crucial role in power struggle
Sri Lanka’s hidden massacre of Tamil people
India joined a bloc led by China and Russia at a special session of the UN Human Rights Council last week to thwart a proposal for a war crimes inquiry, and instead supported a resolution praising Sri Lanka. In January India voted in favour of a war crimes inquiry into Israel’s operation in the Gaza Strip, which killed an estimated 926 civilians.
General Mehta said that the Indian Government, led by the Congress Party, wanted to counterbalance China and Pakistan, its main regional rivals, which had each increased arms sales to Sri Lanka in the past few years. It also wanted to avenge the Tigers’ assassination in 1991 of Rajiv Gandhi, the Prime Minister and late husband of Sonia Gandhi, the current Congress leader, he said.
Brad Adams, Asia director of Human Rights Watch, said that neither reason justified failing to act when the Red Cross warned of an “unimaginable humanitarian catastrophe”. India “could have saved many lives if it had taken a proactive position — and it would not have affected the outcome of the war,” he said.
Sam Zarifi, Asia Pacific director of Amnesty International, said: “India . . . simply chose to support the [Sri Lankan] Government’s notion that it could kill as many civilians as it would take to defeat the Tigers.”
India says that it provided Sri Lanka with non-lethal military equipment and sent officials repeatedly to persuade the Government to protect civilians. “We’ve consistently taken the line that the Sri Lankan Government should prevent civilian casualties,” a Foreign Ministry spokesman said.
However, President Rajapaksa of Sri Lanka told NDTV: “I don’t think I got any pressure from them. They knew that I’m fighting their war.”
Mr Rajapaksa told The Week magazine that he planned to visit Delhi next month to thank Indian leaders. “India’s moral support during the war was most important,” he said.
Diplomats, human rights activists and analysts say that Delhi either did not use its full diplomatic force or, more likely, gave Colombo carte blanche to finish the war. India’s only real concerns, they said, were that the conflict should not create a flood of refugees to India. Some raised questions about Vijay Nambiar, a former Indian diplomat, who is chief of staff to Ban Ki Moon, the UN Secretary-General. The Times revealed last week that Mr Nambiar knew about but chose not to make public the UN’s estimate that 20,000 civilians had been killed, mostly by army shelling.
Over 20,000 Sri Lankan refugees killed as war ended: report
May 29, 2009 07:01 PM
Olivia Ward FOREIGN AFFAIRS REPORTER
Days after the defeat of a UN Human Rights Council measure calling for an investigation into alleged human rights abuses during a Sri Lankan assault on the Tamil Tiger rebels, reports of escalating casualty figures persist.
The latest, from the Times of London, alleges that "more than 20,000 Tamil civilians were killed in the final throes of the Sri Lankan civil war, most as a result of government shelling."
The report, based on an estimate from a Roman Catholic priest who fled the "no-fire" zone, unnamed expert sources, and analysis of aerial photographs, was fiercely denied by the Sri Lankan government.
Sri Lankan national security official Laksham Hullegalle called the images published by the newspaper "unbelievable," and told the BBC that the government had done no heavy shelling in a "no fire" zone since it announced an official halt to attacks with heavy weapons on April 27.
The video showed an aerial view of a devastated area "the size of a large football stadium," where it said Tamil civilians had been trapped for weeks under bombardment. But it also showed images that suggested the Tigers had military positions in the middle of camps for displaced people, drawing fire from Sri Lankan forces.
In Geneva, a spokesman for UN human rights commissioner Navi Pillay said that the door was not closed to an inquiry into human rights violations, and human rights groups urged a probe into the actions of both sides.
Many believe that Tamil civilian casualties are far higher than the 7,000 estimated earlier by the UN.
Olivia Ward FOREIGN AFFAIRS REPORTER
Days after the defeat of a UN Human Rights Council measure calling for an investigation into alleged human rights abuses during a Sri Lankan assault on the Tamil Tiger rebels, reports of escalating casualty figures persist.
The latest, from the Times of London, alleges that "more than 20,000 Tamil civilians were killed in the final throes of the Sri Lankan civil war, most as a result of government shelling."
The report, based on an estimate from a Roman Catholic priest who fled the "no-fire" zone, unnamed expert sources, and analysis of aerial photographs, was fiercely denied by the Sri Lankan government.
Sri Lankan national security official Laksham Hullegalle called the images published by the newspaper "unbelievable," and told the BBC that the government had done no heavy shelling in a "no fire" zone since it announced an official halt to attacks with heavy weapons on April 27.
The video showed an aerial view of a devastated area "the size of a large football stadium," where it said Tamil civilians had been trapped for weeks under bombardment. But it also showed images that suggested the Tigers had military positions in the middle of camps for displaced people, drawing fire from Sri Lankan forces.
In Geneva, a spokesman for UN human rights commissioner Navi Pillay said that the door was not closed to an inquiry into human rights violations, and human rights groups urged a probe into the actions of both sides.
Many believe that Tamil civilian casualties are far higher than the 7,000 estimated earlier by the UN.
Slaughter in Sri Lanka- The Times has revealed that at least 20,000 Tamils were killed on the beach, Evidence gathered by The Times has revealed that
Evidence gathered by The Times has revealed that at least 20,000 Tamils were killed on the beach by shelling as the army closed in on the Tigers“Deeply disappointing” was how a human rights group yesterday described the vote in the United Nations Human Rights Council hailing the victory of the Sri Lankan Government. This is a breathtaking understatement.It was an utter disgrace. The 47-member body, set up in 2006 to replace the previous corrupt and ineffectual UN Commission on Human Rights, has abjectly failed one of its first and most important tests.It was asked by its European members to investigate widespread reports of atrocities and war crimes committed by both government troops and the Tamil Tigers in the final weeks of the conflict.The council chose instead to debate a one-sided, mendacious and self-serving motion put forward by the Sri Lankans. This welcomed the “liberation” of tens of thousands of the island’s citizens, condemned the defeated Tigers, made no mention of the shelling of civilians and kept silent on the desperate need to allow the Red Cross and other humanitarian groups into the camps where some 270,000 Tamil civilians have been interned.Support for this deeply flawed resolution came from the usual suspects - China, Russia, India, Pakistan and a clutch of Asian and Islamic nations determined to prevent the council ever investigating human rights violations in their own or any country.It was sad to see Israel, for obvious political motives, joining in this charade, claiming that massacres, violence, repression and internment are an “internal affair”.To her credit, Navi Pillay, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, insisted that there needed still to be an inquiry into “very serious abuses”. Those abuses, it now emerges, are far, far worse than the outside world imagined.The UN estimated that 7,000 people were killed in the first four months of this year; the figure now appears to be at least 20,000. Thousands of these victims died as a result of the shelling by the Sri Lankan Army of the strip of coastline where the final remnants of Tiger resistance were trapped, along with at least 100,000 civilians.Photographs taken by The Times present clear evidence of an atrocity that comes close to matching Srebrenica, Darfur and other massacres of civilians.In the sandy so-called no-fire zone where the trapped Tamil civilians were told to go to escape the brutal army bombardment, there are hundreds of fresh graves as well as craters and debris where tents once stood.This was no safe zone. This was where terrified civilians buried their dead as the shells landed - after the Government had declared an end to the use of heavy weapons on April 27.Some civilians were probably killed by the Tigers, whose brutality and ruthlessness over the past 28 years has fully justified their depiction as terrorists. Finding out what happened, however, is impossible: the army has barred entry to all outsiders.Food is short, sanitation appalling; wounded and traumatised civilians are in desperate need of help.That much is clear from those who have been able to escape. More sinister reports are now circulating of systematic “disappearances”, of families separ- ated and young men taken away.But until the Government allows in aid workers, the presumption must be that it wants nothing to be heard or seen of what is going on.This tactic was used in the final push to beat the Tigers. The army wanted no witness to the onslaught, no journalists to alert the world to human rights violations, no photographers to record the suffering.Sri Lanka, now basking in its victory, may set the pattern for other nations battling against insurgencies. For them, victory is all that matters. Most of Sri Lanka may rejoice at the end of a bloody civil war.But the UN has no right to collude in suppressing the appalling evidence of the cost. The truth must be told.
Doctors who braved bombs in Sri Lanka imprisoned
Government accuses medics of collaborating with Tamil Tigers
By Andrew Buncombe, Asia correspondent
AFP/GETTY IMAGES
Civilians injured during the conflict were treated at a makeshift hospital inside the conflict zone
enlarge
Three doctors who struggled to help tens of thousands of civilians wounded in Sri Lanka's war zone could be held for up to a year before being charged with harming the country, the government has revealed.
Sri Lanka's Human Rights Minister, Mahinda Samarasinghe, said the doctors were being detained on "reasonable suspicion of collaboration with the LTTE [Tamil separatists]". He said the men had to be presented before a court on a monthly basis, but that investigations could take more than a year.
In the final bloody months of the war, the three government-appointed medics – Thurairaja Varatharajah, Thangamuttu Sathyamurthi and V Shanmugarajah – worked with the most basic medical facilities to run a makeshift clinic inside the conflict zone.
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Without many of the drugs they required, or sufficient staff numbers, the doctors struggled to manage while their clinic came under regular bombardment, reportedly from both the LTTE rebels and government forces.
Yet, to the fury of the government, the doctors were also one of the few sources of independent information about the civilian casualties of a conflict that was all but hidden from view.
The medics regularly spoke with the media, including The Independent, about the situation inside the war zone. They talked of shortages of food and medicine, and how their clinic was often hit by shelling. They talked about their efforts to prevent the spread of disease.
Their testimony often stood in stark contrast to the position of the Sri Lankan military, which denied using heavy weapons as it sought to breach the LTTE defences and free up to 250,000 civilians trapped there. Indeed, the military claimed that those who were injured or killed – the UN estimates 15,000 were wounded and at least 8,000 killed – were hit by LTTE firing. The government insisted that the testimony of the doctors could not be trusted, and that they were under the control of the LTTE.
In the very final days of the conflict, the three doctors fled the conflict zone and were detained by Sri Lankan troops. It is understood that one of them, Dr Varatharajah, was injured and had to be airlifted to hospital.
In an interview with the BBC, Mr Samarasinghe said the three men were being held by the criminal investigation department in Colombo.
"I don't know what the investigations may reveal, but maybe they were even part of that whole conspiracy to put forward the notion that government forces were shelling and targeting hospitals and indiscriminately targeting civilians as a result of the shelling," he said.
The only organisation with access to the doctors is the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), which was the sole aid group that had access to the conflict zone.
Satish Kumar, brother-in-law of Dr Shanmugarajah, said he had been told by ICRC officials that they had been able to give him some clothes and that "he had not been tortured".
Mr Kumar, who lives in Norway, said: "If the government charges them, then we can approach a lawyer. Everybody knows they've not done anything other than help civilians and try to save lives. They may have given some casualty figures, but is that an offence? It's obvious how many people were injured – they are now all in the camps."
The UN said it has repeatedly raised the question of the men's detention.
In an effort to raise their profile, the men had been put forward for the Félix Houphouët-Boigny Peace Prize, established in 1989 by Unesco to recognise those who have "made a significant contribution to promoting, seeking, safeguarding or maintaining peace".
Gordon Weiss, a UN spokesman in Colombo, said: "Our position is that these men are government medics who played a big role in saving a great many lives. If the government believes there is a judicial process, they should be charged or else let go."
Testimony: Exposing reality of life under fire
* "We are unable to treat people properly because a lot of aides have fled the hospital. We go into bunkers when there is shelling, and try to treat them as much as we can when there is a lull." – Dr T Varatharajah, 12 May, after confirming 50 deaths in Sri Lankan army mortar attacks on his hospital.
* "Today we can hear the gunfire and shelling. Yesterday, another 80 civilian casualties were brought to the hospital. Today at around 5.30am we heard the sound of artillery fire." – Dr T Sathyamurthy, 18 April. He estimated around 300,000 refugees were trapped in the war zone.
* "We are doing first aid and some surgeries as quickly as we can. The situation is overwhelming; nothing is in our control." – Dr V Shanmugarajah, on 10 May, when he estimated 378 civilian deaths at his hospital alone.
By Andrew Buncombe, Asia correspondent
AFP/GETTY IMAGES
Civilians injured during the conflict were treated at a makeshift hospital inside the conflict zone
enlarge
Three doctors who struggled to help tens of thousands of civilians wounded in Sri Lanka's war zone could be held for up to a year before being charged with harming the country, the government has revealed.
Sri Lanka's Human Rights Minister, Mahinda Samarasinghe, said the doctors were being detained on "reasonable suspicion of collaboration with the LTTE [Tamil separatists]". He said the men had to be presented before a court on a monthly basis, but that investigations could take more than a year.
In the final bloody months of the war, the three government-appointed medics – Thurairaja Varatharajah, Thangamuttu Sathyamurthi and V Shanmugarajah – worked with the most basic medical facilities to run a makeshift clinic inside the conflict zone.
Related articles
More Asia News
Without many of the drugs they required, or sufficient staff numbers, the doctors struggled to manage while their clinic came under regular bombardment, reportedly from both the LTTE rebels and government forces.
Yet, to the fury of the government, the doctors were also one of the few sources of independent information about the civilian casualties of a conflict that was all but hidden from view.
The medics regularly spoke with the media, including The Independent, about the situation inside the war zone. They talked of shortages of food and medicine, and how their clinic was often hit by shelling. They talked about their efforts to prevent the spread of disease.
Their testimony often stood in stark contrast to the position of the Sri Lankan military, which denied using heavy weapons as it sought to breach the LTTE defences and free up to 250,000 civilians trapped there. Indeed, the military claimed that those who were injured or killed – the UN estimates 15,000 were wounded and at least 8,000 killed – were hit by LTTE firing. The government insisted that the testimony of the doctors could not be trusted, and that they were under the control of the LTTE.
In the very final days of the conflict, the three doctors fled the conflict zone and were detained by Sri Lankan troops. It is understood that one of them, Dr Varatharajah, was injured and had to be airlifted to hospital.
In an interview with the BBC, Mr Samarasinghe said the three men were being held by the criminal investigation department in Colombo.
"I don't know what the investigations may reveal, but maybe they were even part of that whole conspiracy to put forward the notion that government forces were shelling and targeting hospitals and indiscriminately targeting civilians as a result of the shelling," he said.
The only organisation with access to the doctors is the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), which was the sole aid group that had access to the conflict zone.
Satish Kumar, brother-in-law of Dr Shanmugarajah, said he had been told by ICRC officials that they had been able to give him some clothes and that "he had not been tortured".
Mr Kumar, who lives in Norway, said: "If the government charges them, then we can approach a lawyer. Everybody knows they've not done anything other than help civilians and try to save lives. They may have given some casualty figures, but is that an offence? It's obvious how many people were injured – they are now all in the camps."
The UN said it has repeatedly raised the question of the men's detention.
In an effort to raise their profile, the men had been put forward for the Félix Houphouët-Boigny Peace Prize, established in 1989 by Unesco to recognise those who have "made a significant contribution to promoting, seeking, safeguarding or maintaining peace".
Gordon Weiss, a UN spokesman in Colombo, said: "Our position is that these men are government medics who played a big role in saving a great many lives. If the government believes there is a judicial process, they should be charged or else let go."
Testimony: Exposing reality of life under fire
* "We are unable to treat people properly because a lot of aides have fled the hospital. We go into bunkers when there is shelling, and try to treat them as much as we can when there is a lull." – Dr T Varatharajah, 12 May, after confirming 50 deaths in Sri Lankan army mortar attacks on his hospital.
* "Today we can hear the gunfire and shelling. Yesterday, another 80 civilian casualties were brought to the hospital. Today at around 5.30am we heard the sound of artillery fire." – Dr T Sathyamurthy, 18 April. He estimated around 300,000 refugees were trapped in the war zone.
* "We are doing first aid and some surgeries as quickly as we can. The situation is overwhelming; nothing is in our control." – Dr V Shanmugarajah, on 10 May, when he estimated 378 civilian deaths at his hospital alone.
Sri Lanka refuses to allow Mercy Ship to unload relief
Despite repeated appeals by the Directors of Mercy Mission, a humanitarian project with a ship loaded with relief items donated by expatriate Tamils in Europe to help Tamils caught up in the war in NorthEast, Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) has been detaining the Mercy Mission ship the MV “Captain Ali,” for more than three days, and is refusing to allow the 884 metric tons worth of relief items to be unloaded, sources close to the project said. Latest information indicates Colombo is moving towards returning the ship back to international waters, and force the ship to return to its origination port.
Captain Ali, the Mercy Mission ship
An ex-Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) monitor, Mr. Kristjan Guðmundsson, from Iceland, doctors, and humanitarian workers have accompanied the humanitarian relief on board the ship.Full text of the press release issued by the project office Friday follows:RE: Detention of Mercy Mission Ship by the Sri Lanka NavyCurrent Situation: It is with regret that Mercy Mission (UK) learns that the Government of Sri Lanka (GoSL) detained the Mercy Mission ship the MV “Captain Ali” (IMO: 6619920) on 04 June 2009.Mercy Mission (UK) understands that the Sri Lanka Navy allege that the MV Captain Ali is not in compliance with the International Ship and Port Facility Security (ISPS) Code. If this is the case and the non-Mercy Mission persons responsible for this compliance did not fulfill their responsibilities and handle these matters in the appropriate, professional manner, Mercy Mission (UK) apologizes.But, Mercy Mission (UK) wishes to categorically state that the Government of Sri Lanka and the President of Sri Lanka have been notified of the Mercy Mission ship and the project to assist the 300,000 internally displaced persons living in the camps in the North on a number of occasions:
On 22 April 2009, a letter addressed to the President of Sri Lanka describing the Mercy Mission Project was presented to the Sri Lanka High Commission in London;
On 27 May 2009, in informal conversations at the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, Arjunan Ethriveerasingam discussed the Mercy Mission ship MV Captain Ali with Hon. Minister of Disaster Management and Human Rights Mahinda Samarasinghe and Hon Ambasador to the United Nations Dayan Jayatillake;
On 31 May 2009, Mercy Mission faxed and emailed letters notifying the GoSL of the ships arrival later in the week to:
Mr. S. Ganegama Arachchi, Chief of Protocol, Ministry of Foreign Affairs;
Honourable Minister for Disaster Management and Human Rights Mr. Mahinda Samarasinghe;
Honourable Minister of Abdul Risath Bathiyutheen, Ministry of Resettlement & Disaster Relief Services;
Dr. Palitha T.B. Kohona, Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Mercy Mission (UK) is also disturbed and concerned to learn of the arrest and continuing detention by the Criminal Investigation Division (C.I.D.) of the consignee of the goods in Colombo, Mr. Arumugam Athmanathan, President/CEO, SAI International Associates. Mr. Athmanathan is a diabetic and it is reported that he is being denied access to his insulin medication. He has been held for over 36 hours thus far.Events:
04:10 hours (Sri Lanka Time), 04 June 2009: while in international waters (GPS coordinates: 07 06.0n 079 23.5e) approximately 30 miles away from the Sri Lanka coastline, the MV Captain Ali was hailed by the Sri Lanka Navy and “asked” to move into Sri Lankan waters.
05:10 hours: Five (5) vessels of the Sri Lanka Navy intercepted the MV Captain Ali in international waters and escorted her to the anchorage in Sri Lankan waters.
09:30 hours: The MV Captain Ali anchors where ordered to do so by the Sri Lanka Navy (GPS coordinates: 06 52n 079 49e). Thirteen (13) members of the Sri Lanka Navy board the ship and, in a professional and courteous manner, search it from stem to stern checking the passports of all those onboard as well as the ship’s papers. They find that, as stated repeatedly by Mercy Mission, the ship contains only emergency humanitarian relief (food & medicine). Later GoSL statements confirm this and make no mention of any illegal items. Eleven (11) members of the SL Navy are left on board to provide “security”.
Morning of 04 June 2009: Mr. Atmananthan of SAI International Association, the consignee of the ship’s goods is arrested and continues to be detained without charge. Resolution & the Future: Mercy Mission (UK) implores the Government of Sri Lanka to engage with the Mercy Mission in order to overcome any paperwork errors and ensure that the emergency humanitarian relief (food & medicine) donated by the Tamil Diaspora are delivered to the internally displaced persons (IDPs) in the camps. To that end, Mercy Mission seeks the GoSL’s permission to allow the ship and her cargo to enter into Colombo Port, be cleared appropriately, and handed over the Government Agent - Vavuniya, a local NGO, or a GoSL Ministry for distribution to the IDPs.The GoSL has itself repeatedly pleaded with the international community for assistance with the humanitarian catastrophe that has overwhelmed them. With the sole objective of providing this desperately needed emergency humanitarian relief to the 300,000 IDPs in the camps and in the spirit of “engaging”, “reconciling” and “building bridges” with the Tamil Diaspora, Mercy Mission (UK) appeals to the Government of Sri Lanka to please let this assistance reach those who are in such desperate need.Mercy Mission (UK) has attempted to be completely transparent, accountable and purely humanitarian, as can be seen on our website (www.vannimission.org). On the website we have given the GPS locations and “live mapping” of the ship’s progress and the “monitor onboard”, an ex-SLMM monitor, Mr. Kristjan Guðmundsson, has been openly reporting (blogging) on the ship’s progress.Whatever the outcome of this process we at Mercy Mission hope, and will continue to strive for, a greater engagement with the Government of Sri Lanka and an exploration of the ways and means that the Tamil Diaspora can engage with the Government in order to help those in need.
Captain Ali, the Mercy Mission ship
An ex-Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) monitor, Mr. Kristjan Guðmundsson, from Iceland, doctors, and humanitarian workers have accompanied the humanitarian relief on board the ship.Full text of the press release issued by the project office Friday follows:RE: Detention of Mercy Mission Ship by the Sri Lanka NavyCurrent Situation: It is with regret that Mercy Mission (UK) learns that the Government of Sri Lanka (GoSL) detained the Mercy Mission ship the MV “Captain Ali” (IMO: 6619920) on 04 June 2009.Mercy Mission (UK) understands that the Sri Lanka Navy allege that the MV Captain Ali is not in compliance with the International Ship and Port Facility Security (ISPS) Code. If this is the case and the non-Mercy Mission persons responsible for this compliance did not fulfill their responsibilities and handle these matters in the appropriate, professional manner, Mercy Mission (UK) apologizes.But, Mercy Mission (UK) wishes to categorically state that the Government of Sri Lanka and the President of Sri Lanka have been notified of the Mercy Mission ship and the project to assist the 300,000 internally displaced persons living in the camps in the North on a number of occasions:
On 22 April 2009, a letter addressed to the President of Sri Lanka describing the Mercy Mission Project was presented to the Sri Lanka High Commission in London;
On 27 May 2009, in informal conversations at the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, Arjunan Ethriveerasingam discussed the Mercy Mission ship MV Captain Ali with Hon. Minister of Disaster Management and Human Rights Mahinda Samarasinghe and Hon Ambasador to the United Nations Dayan Jayatillake;
On 31 May 2009, Mercy Mission faxed and emailed letters notifying the GoSL of the ships arrival later in the week to:
Mr. S. Ganegama Arachchi, Chief of Protocol, Ministry of Foreign Affairs;
Honourable Minister for Disaster Management and Human Rights Mr. Mahinda Samarasinghe;
Honourable Minister of Abdul Risath Bathiyutheen, Ministry of Resettlement & Disaster Relief Services;
Dr. Palitha T.B. Kohona, Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Mercy Mission (UK) is also disturbed and concerned to learn of the arrest and continuing detention by the Criminal Investigation Division (C.I.D.) of the consignee of the goods in Colombo, Mr. Arumugam Athmanathan, President/CEO, SAI International Associates. Mr. Athmanathan is a diabetic and it is reported that he is being denied access to his insulin medication. He has been held for over 36 hours thus far.Events:
04:10 hours (Sri Lanka Time), 04 June 2009: while in international waters (GPS coordinates: 07 06.0n 079 23.5e) approximately 30 miles away from the Sri Lanka coastline, the MV Captain Ali was hailed by the Sri Lanka Navy and “asked” to move into Sri Lankan waters.
05:10 hours: Five (5) vessels of the Sri Lanka Navy intercepted the MV Captain Ali in international waters and escorted her to the anchorage in Sri Lankan waters.
09:30 hours: The MV Captain Ali anchors where ordered to do so by the Sri Lanka Navy (GPS coordinates: 06 52n 079 49e). Thirteen (13) members of the Sri Lanka Navy board the ship and, in a professional and courteous manner, search it from stem to stern checking the passports of all those onboard as well as the ship’s papers. They find that, as stated repeatedly by Mercy Mission, the ship contains only emergency humanitarian relief (food & medicine). Later GoSL statements confirm this and make no mention of any illegal items. Eleven (11) members of the SL Navy are left on board to provide “security”.
Morning of 04 June 2009: Mr. Atmananthan of SAI International Association, the consignee of the ship’s goods is arrested and continues to be detained without charge. Resolution & the Future: Mercy Mission (UK) implores the Government of Sri Lanka to engage with the Mercy Mission in order to overcome any paperwork errors and ensure that the emergency humanitarian relief (food & medicine) donated by the Tamil Diaspora are delivered to the internally displaced persons (IDPs) in the camps. To that end, Mercy Mission seeks the GoSL’s permission to allow the ship and her cargo to enter into Colombo Port, be cleared appropriately, and handed over the Government Agent - Vavuniya, a local NGO, or a GoSL Ministry for distribution to the IDPs.The GoSL has itself repeatedly pleaded with the international community for assistance with the humanitarian catastrophe that has overwhelmed them. With the sole objective of providing this desperately needed emergency humanitarian relief to the 300,000 IDPs in the camps and in the spirit of “engaging”, “reconciling” and “building bridges” with the Tamil Diaspora, Mercy Mission (UK) appeals to the Government of Sri Lanka to please let this assistance reach those who are in such desperate need.Mercy Mission (UK) has attempted to be completely transparent, accountable and purely humanitarian, as can be seen on our website (www.vannimission.org). On the website we have given the GPS locations and “live mapping” of the ship’s progress and the “monitor onboard”, an ex-SLMM monitor, Mr. Kristjan Guðmundsson, has been openly reporting (blogging) on the ship’s progress.Whatever the outcome of this process we at Mercy Mission hope, and will continue to strive for, a greater engagement with the Government of Sri Lanka and an exploration of the ways and means that the Tamil Diaspora can engage with the Government in order to help those in need.
World obliged to act when genocide occurs: Obama
The international community has an obligation, even when it's inconvenient, to act when genocide is occurring," US President Barack Obama said Friday during a visit to Germany. He was responding to reporters asking how the Holocaust mantra of "never again" might apply to current crises in the Darfur region of Sudan or in Sri Lanka. He also said that it is up to other nations to take action to stop genocide when it occurs. Meanwhile, the UN's top human rights official, former war crimes judge Navi Pillay, has again called for an "independent international inquiry" into the violence against Tamil civilians in the Sri Lankan conflict.
President Barack Obama
When asked about genocide, President Obama told reporters in Germany his administration is working to end the genocide in Sudan.Later, during a visit to a Nazi concentration camp, President Obama argued today’s leaders of must not rest against the spread of such evil. This place teaches us that we must be ever vigilant about the spread of evil in our times. ... We have to guard against cruelty in ourselves ....," President Obama said after touring the Nazi concentration camp at Buchenwald, where 56,000 Jews were killed. "And it is now up to us, the living, in our work, wherever we are, to resist injustice and intolerance and indifference in whatever forms they may take and ensure that those who were lost here did not go in vain."Last month, as thousands of Tamil civilians were being slaughtered by Sri Lankan artillery, President Obama addressed the Colombo regime directly, saying: [T]the government should stop the indiscriminate shelling that has taken hundreds of innocent lives, including (in) several hospitals."However, Sri Lanka escalated its shelling killing a further thousand people a day, according to an investigation by the The Times newspaper in London.Obama’s call came two months after US Secretary of State spoke directly to President Mahinda Rajapakse by telephone over the killing of civilians. “The Secretary stated that the that the Sri Lankan Army should not fire into the civilian areas of the conflict zone,” a press release by the State Department said.Over 20,000 Tamil civilians were killed in the four months before Sri Lanka declared victory, UN officials told The Times newspaper.The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay said Thursday that the UN stands ready to support an inquiry into abuses in Sri Lanka's civil war."I believe that accountability is a prerequisite for the attainment of justice and reconciliation for all Sri Lankans and, thus, a foundation for lasting peace," she said.In response Sri Lanka attacked the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, saying it needed to be a "regionally a far more representative and transparent body," before Sri Lanka would cooperate
President Barack Obama
When asked about genocide, President Obama told reporters in Germany his administration is working to end the genocide in Sudan.Later, during a visit to a Nazi concentration camp, President Obama argued today’s leaders of must not rest against the spread of such evil. This place teaches us that we must be ever vigilant about the spread of evil in our times. ... We have to guard against cruelty in ourselves ....," President Obama said after touring the Nazi concentration camp at Buchenwald, where 56,000 Jews were killed. "And it is now up to us, the living, in our work, wherever we are, to resist injustice and intolerance and indifference in whatever forms they may take and ensure that those who were lost here did not go in vain."Last month, as thousands of Tamil civilians were being slaughtered by Sri Lankan artillery, President Obama addressed the Colombo regime directly, saying: [T]the government should stop the indiscriminate shelling that has taken hundreds of innocent lives, including (in) several hospitals."However, Sri Lanka escalated its shelling killing a further thousand people a day, according to an investigation by the The Times newspaper in London.Obama’s call came two months after US Secretary of State spoke directly to President Mahinda Rajapakse by telephone over the killing of civilians. “The Secretary stated that the that the Sri Lankan Army should not fire into the civilian areas of the conflict zone,” a press release by the State Department said.Over 20,000 Tamil civilians were killed in the four months before Sri Lanka declared victory, UN officials told The Times newspaper.The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay said Thursday that the UN stands ready to support an inquiry into abuses in Sri Lanka's civil war."I believe that accountability is a prerequisite for the attainment of justice and reconciliation for all Sri Lankans and, thus, a foundation for lasting peace," she said.In response Sri Lanka attacked the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, saying it needed to be a "regionally a far more representative and transparent body," before Sri Lanka would cooperate
The UN secretary-general has called for an inquiry
The UN secretary-general has called for an inquiry into possible war crimes committed during Sri Lanka's offensive against Tamil Tiger separatists. Ban Ki-moon told UN Security Council on Friday that any "credible accusations" against either the military or the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) should be investigated. "Whenever and wherever there are credible allegations for the violations of international humanitarian law there should be a proper investigation," Ban told said after the closed-door meeting. [ full story comments (7) ]
UN chief warns Sri Lanka against 'triumphalism'
By Gerard Aziakou – 1 day ago
UNITED NATIONS (AFP) — UN chief Ban Ki-moon on Friday warned the Sri Lankan government against "triumphalism" after its recent defeat of the Tamil separatist insurgency and urged it to "heal the wounds" of the bitter conflict.
"I would like to take this opportunity to warn against the risk of triumphalism in the wake of victory," Ban told reporters after he briefed the 15-member Security Council on his visit to ethnically divided Sri Lanka last month.
"It is very important at this time to unite and heal the wounds, rather than enjoy all this triumphalism," he added, after the Sri Lankan army last month crushed the 30-year-old separatist rebellion by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE)."
Ban reiterated that the purpose of his visit was to press for unimpeded humanitarian assistance to the more than 300,000 Tamil civilians displaced by the fighting and for their speedy resettlement,
But he stressed that for the longer term the priority was to help the Sri Lankan government reach out to minority Tamils and Muslims.
Tamils make up 12.6 percent of the 20 million population of the Sinhalese-majority island but have long complained of discrimination and restriction of movement.
Ban said he had been told by Colombo that "conditions have improved since my visit and restrictions have been eased."
But he also said that the "challenges still remain huge" and "this requires international assistance."
The UN boss also called on Colombo to "recognize international calls for accountability and transparency."
"Whenever and wherever there are credible allegations of violations of humanitarian law, there should be a proper investigation," he noted.
Earlier Friday, Amnesty International urged the Security Council to probe war crimes allegations against Sri Lanka.
The London-based rights watchdog said the Security Council should also demand full humanitarian access to state-run camps where the 300,000 people who fled Sri Lanka's war zone are being held.
Earlier this week, Ban rejected charges that the UN had deliberately underestimated the death toll in the ethnic conflict in Sri Lanka.
Press reports cited confidential UN estimates that more than 20,000 civilians were killed by Sri Lankan army shelling.
The Amnesty statement also cited reports of young men being taken away from the displacement camps by pro-government paramilitary forces and said they risked being tortured or even killed.
Among those detained by the military are six foreign nationals of Sri Lankan origin and three doctors who worked inside the war zone and provided information about civilian casualties.
The Sri Lankan government is also detaining some 9,000 suspected Tamil Tigers without legal safeguards or notice to their families, Amnesty said.
Copyright © 2009 AFP. All rights reserved. More »
By Gerard Aziakou – 1 day ago
UNITED NATIONS (AFP) — UN chief Ban Ki-moon on Friday warned the Sri Lankan government against "triumphalism" after its recent defeat of the Tamil separatist insurgency and urged it to "heal the wounds" of the bitter conflict.
"I would like to take this opportunity to warn against the risk of triumphalism in the wake of victory," Ban told reporters after he briefed the 15-member Security Council on his visit to ethnically divided Sri Lanka last month.
"It is very important at this time to unite and heal the wounds, rather than enjoy all this triumphalism," he added, after the Sri Lankan army last month crushed the 30-year-old separatist rebellion by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE)."
Ban reiterated that the purpose of his visit was to press for unimpeded humanitarian assistance to the more than 300,000 Tamil civilians displaced by the fighting and for their speedy resettlement,
But he stressed that for the longer term the priority was to help the Sri Lankan government reach out to minority Tamils and Muslims.
Tamils make up 12.6 percent of the 20 million population of the Sinhalese-majority island but have long complained of discrimination and restriction of movement.
Ban said he had been told by Colombo that "conditions have improved since my visit and restrictions have been eased."
But he also said that the "challenges still remain huge" and "this requires international assistance."
The UN boss also called on Colombo to "recognize international calls for accountability and transparency."
"Whenever and wherever there are credible allegations of violations of humanitarian law, there should be a proper investigation," he noted.
Earlier Friday, Amnesty International urged the Security Council to probe war crimes allegations against Sri Lanka.
The London-based rights watchdog said the Security Council should also demand full humanitarian access to state-run camps where the 300,000 people who fled Sri Lanka's war zone are being held.
Earlier this week, Ban rejected charges that the UN had deliberately underestimated the death toll in the ethnic conflict in Sri Lanka.
Press reports cited confidential UN estimates that more than 20,000 civilians were killed by Sri Lankan army shelling.
The Amnesty statement also cited reports of young men being taken away from the displacement camps by pro-government paramilitary forces and said they risked being tortured or even killed.
Among those detained by the military are six foreign nationals of Sri Lankan origin and three doctors who worked inside the war zone and provided information about civilian casualties.
The Sri Lankan government is also detaining some 9,000 suspected Tamil Tigers without legal safeguards or notice to their families, Amnesty said.
Copyright © 2009 AFP. All rights reserved. More »
Do not approve IMF loan, Senators tell Clinton[TamilNet, Saturday, 06 June 2009, 12:55 GMT]"With the [Sri Lanka] government still refusing to address any of the major concerns that you [Secretary of State Clinton] and others have raised, we believe it would send the wrong signal to approve the IMF loan. It would suggest that to gain international support, the Sri Lankan government did not need to heed the world community's concerns; it merely need to win the war. Before receiving major financial support, the government should first take at least some steps to reassure the world that it is adjusting its policies, by allowing access to the conflict area and international monitoring of the screening process...," said Senators Patrick Leahy and Robert Casey in a letter to the Secretary of State Hillary Clinton Friday.
Leahy, Casey letter to ClintonThe Government should further assure the world by "placing the IDP camps under civilian control, releasing IDPs and reuniting them with their families, and pursuing reconciliation with critics rather than squashing dissent," the Senators added.
Senator Robert Casey, chairman of Foreign Relations Subcommittee
Senator Patrick Leahy, current chairman of the Judiciary Committee
"Sri Lanka was the first humanitarian and human rights crisis to emerge on the Obama administration's watch, and your response and the President's have been strong and principled," the Senators said, in what appears as an indirect response to an earlier Time Magazine article which said that Obama was failing the test on dealing with the first humanitarian disaster his administration faced."As you know, the final months of the conflict in Sri Lanka took a terrrible toll on civilians, in part because the LTTE unconsciounably held hundreds of thousands of civilians as human shields, but also because government forces indiscriminately shelled the area where these civilians were concentrated. Despite repeated appeals from President Obama, as well as from the United Nations and many other governments, the Sri Lankan government continued to target these civilians, and to prevent humanitarian groups from helping those who managed to flee. To this day, against all evidence, the government denies that its actions caused any harm to Tamil civilians - a position that will make reconciliation even more difficult to achieve," the Senators said.
Leahy, Casey letter to ClintonThe Government should further assure the world by "placing the IDP camps under civilian control, releasing IDPs and reuniting them with their families, and pursuing reconciliation with critics rather than squashing dissent," the Senators added.
Senator Robert Casey, chairman of Foreign Relations Subcommittee
Senator Patrick Leahy, current chairman of the Judiciary Committee
"Sri Lanka was the first humanitarian and human rights crisis to emerge on the Obama administration's watch, and your response and the President's have been strong and principled," the Senators said, in what appears as an indirect response to an earlier Time Magazine article which said that Obama was failing the test on dealing with the first humanitarian disaster his administration faced."As you know, the final months of the conflict in Sri Lanka took a terrrible toll on civilians, in part because the LTTE unconsciounably held hundreds of thousands of civilians as human shields, but also because government forces indiscriminately shelled the area where these civilians were concentrated. Despite repeated appeals from President Obama, as well as from the United Nations and many other governments, the Sri Lankan government continued to target these civilians, and to prevent humanitarian groups from helping those who managed to flee. To this day, against all evidence, the government denies that its actions caused any harm to Tamil civilians - a position that will make reconciliation even more difficult to achieve," the Senators said.
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