The Sri Lankan Government last month declared that its military operation against Tamil rebels has ended, but there remain a number of outstanding issues that if left unaddressed could lead more violence, stated Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.
In his remarks at a gala at the Foreign Policy Association in New York, Mr. Ban said that he has made it clear to President Mahinda Rajapaksa that though the fighting might be over, “there is much more to do.”
Mr. Ban, who was honoured with an award in recognition of his efforts in tackling global humanitarian issues, expressed his deep concern over the situation in Sri Lanka’s refugee camps.
He got a first-hand look at the situation in the camps, which are housing over 280,000 people displaced by the recently-concluded conflict between the Government and Tamil rebels, when he visited the country from 22 to 23 May.
In recent days, he has said that the Government has addressed some concerns he raised over humanitarian access to the camps, and that he was encouraged by its commitment to return 80 per cent of those displaced in the fighting to their homes by the end of this year. Nevertheless, he has noted that the conditions in the camps remain difficult.
“People must be allowed to return to their homes. There must be reconciliation. The Government of Sri Lanka must hold out their hands to the minority,” he told last night’s gathering.
“If this is not addressed, there might be more violence,” he warned.
The Secretary-General also called for accountability for those who may have committed human rights abuses, as was agreed in the joint statement issued with the Government at the end of his recent visit.
Mr. Ban reiterated his commitment to continue his work for the people of Sri Lanka, and for all people suffering from breaches of humanitarian law and human rights, in a wide-ranging speech that also touched on the violence plaguing various parts of the world, the economic crisis, and climate change.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yBDxtTpIDIo
Saturday, June 20, 2009
‘Enter the Dragon’ after end of the ‘Tigers’
dailymirror
The Sri Lanka’s (SL) Ambassador in Geneva , Dayan Jayatileke recently , extolled China at the United Nations Human Rights Commission (UNHRC) . He praised thus because China took steps to support the resolution in favour of Sri Lanka thereby defeating that brought against SL at the UNHRC. It is evident from this that China is not only assisting SL in the war , but is protecting it in the diplomatic front too.
Immediately prior to these enunciations of Jayatileke , at an interview with the Indian media, President Mahinda Rajapaksa declared that he fought India’s war. In other words , the annihilation of the Tamil Tigers who killed India’s leader and was a threat to India is a victory for India. In that case , it brings to question why China helped SL to win the war ?- A victory which was India’s necessity .The Indian media had reported that China provided arms, funds and even advice to SL to destroy the Tamil Tigers . According to some Indian media reports , China supplied six F 7 jets free of charge in 2008. It is indeed therefore baffling as to why China which considers India as its rival in the region went this far to help SL win the war, which victory India also was desirous.
It was only after China signed the agreement with SL for the construction of the Hambantota harbour that China went out of the way to help the SL Govt. in the war. If China is to establish its hegemony in the Indian Ocean , the Hambantota harbour will be a vital centre . Pakistan , Bangladesh and Myanmar harbours will be the other Centres to serve China’s objective. This constitutes the ‘ring of pearls’. What is most worth for China is the Hambantota harbour, because SL is described as the ‘crown’ of the Indian Ocean. But, if this ‘crown’ is to be owned by way of the Hambantota harbour, SL must become a protected Country absolutely free from terrorist threats whatsoever . Not only the SL Govt., even China became restless and distraught at the time when Hambantota came under Tamil Tiger threats .This was because China was opposed to Hambantota coming under terrorist threats . To China, not only Hambantota , the whole of SL’s security and its fortification are important for its regional hegemony . It is on this account China helped SL wholeheartedly to defeat the Tamil Tigers.
The majority of the inhabitants of Hambantota are Sinhala Buddhists. It is also the ruling Rajapaksa and his family’s political territory. Besides, it is JVP’s stronghold. The JVP , a left wing party is not well disposed towards India . Although China does not interfere with SL’s internal affairs , it has a close rapport with the JVP. The latter’s vigilance against India’s undue pressures gives solace to China though it may not perhaps be instigating the JVP. Above all ,China is assured of political security by the President Rajapaksa family from Hambantota.
Going by the profound links between the Rajapaksa Govt. and China , and latter’s relationship with the JVP , it is clear ,today these ties are stronger than the strength India wielded over the Tamil politics in SL during the period 1983 to 1987 . India during that period was manipulating SL politics via the Tamil politicians and the Tamil armed groups . However , China has not still reached this stage of manipulative politics in SL . Yet, in the backdrop of the close ties and rapport China has built within the SL politics and the media today , reaching that stage is not a distant or difficult task.
Following the liquidation of the Tamil Tigers , India is posed with a problem of renewed thinking to look out for avenues to manipulate SL politics. May be, India is getting down SL’s TNA politicians to console them with this objective in view.
Today, China is well ahead of India in its involvements in SL . It is apparent that the opinions of the Sri Lankans are not in disfavour of China’s stance towards SL. A majority of Sri Lankans are well disposed towards China for its contributions to the annihilation of the Tamil Tigers and China’s stance towards the development process of SL. But, a majority of the Sri Lankans are antagonistic to India’s insistence on a political solution for the Tamil community. Earlier, the majority were in favour of it despite their dislike . That was during the Tamil Tigers’ reign of terror, when they agreed to a political solution fearing the terrorism of the Tamil Tigers.
If India was to win over the Tamil politicians and the Tamil community for their political manipulations in SL, it should have found a political solution for the Tamils during the terror reign of the Tamil Tigers . But now it is too late. From every angle , India is now in a deep quandary unable to outwit China’s manoeuvres within SL.
At present, China has no cause to manipulate SL ‘s politics though it may be watchful in respect of the future elections in SL and the Govt. which may be elected to power . In the event of a new Govt. being installed in power following the change of the Rajapaksa Govt., the new Govt.’s posture towards the Hambantota harbour will be of prime importance to China . Prior to the Hambantota harbour construction , China had no concern about which Govt. was elected to power in SL. But now it is not so; because of the harbour , China in the future will be obliged to resort to manipulative politics in SL owing to the Hambantota harbour In any case , some sources say , China is more inclined to exert pressure on the SL Govt. and its Army rather than on SL politics . There seems to be a truth in this as China has been maintaining cordial and profound relations with SL’s Defense establishment during the war to crush the Tamil Tigers. As the SL’s Defense Establishment’s strength is growing progressively , so does the security relating to the Hambantota harbour conforming to China’s requirements . The new stringent measures taken by the SL’s defense Establishment to protect the Island’s coastal belt seems to be to the liking of China , for SL’s security is crucial for China’s ‘ring of pearls’
UN says two staff members arrested in Sri Lanka
Sat Jun 20, 4:46 AM
COLOMBO (AFP) - The United Nations said on Sunday that two of its employees working among tens of thousands of war-displaced civilians had been arrested by Sri Lankan authorities.
The two men, both ethnic Sri Lankan Tamils, were reported missing eight days ago and were subsequently discovered to have been taken into custody by Sri Lankan officials, the UN office in Colombo said in a statement.
"We are not aware which, if any, charges have been laid, and nor are we aware of the details of any accusations," the statement said.
The two men were working for the UN refugee agency and the UN office for Project Services in the northern region of Vavuniya
Human rights organisations have reported that thousands of Tamils had been taken from the state-run camps for people displaced by the recently ended war between troops and Tamil Tiger rebels.
The UN has often been at odds with the Sri Lankan government over Colombo's handling of the final days of battle against the rebels and the treatment of 300,000 people displaced by the fighting.
The separatist Tamil Tigers were defeated last month when they lost the remaining territory under their control and their founder and chief Velupillai Prabhakaran was killed.
COLOMBO (AFP) - The United Nations said on Sunday that two of its employees working among tens of thousands of war-displaced civilians had been arrested by Sri Lankan authorities.
The two men, both ethnic Sri Lankan Tamils, were reported missing eight days ago and were subsequently discovered to have been taken into custody by Sri Lankan officials, the UN office in Colombo said in a statement.
"We are not aware which, if any, charges have been laid, and nor are we aware of the details of any accusations," the statement said.
The two men were working for the UN refugee agency and the UN office for Project Services in the northern region of Vavuniya
Human rights organisations have reported that thousands of Tamils had been taken from the state-run camps for people displaced by the recently ended war between troops and Tamil Tiger rebels.
The UN has often been at odds with the Sri Lankan government over Colombo's handling of the final days of battle against the rebels and the treatment of 300,000 people displaced by the fighting.
The separatist Tamil Tigers were defeated last month when they lost the remaining territory under their control and their founder and chief Velupillai Prabhakaran was killed.
In Sri Lanka Camps, UN Blind and Deaf Without Cameras or Cell Phones, African Concern
[ InnerCity Press ][ Jun 20 03:18 GMT ]
While it has been reported that in the UN-funded internment camps in Sri Lanka "UN officials have been stopped from bringing in cameras and mobile phones," the Spokesperson for Secretary General Ban Ki-moon on Friday told Inner City Press, "I don't think the UN would accept that." Since the UN did accept the detention by the government of UN staff earlier this year, it is not clear if the UN would accept being barred from exposing abuses they see in the camps or even photographing them. [ full story]
While it has been reported that in the UN-funded internment camps in Sri Lanka "UN officials have been stopped from bringing in cameras and mobile phones," the Spokesperson for Secretary General Ban Ki-moon on Friday told Inner City Press, "I don't think the UN would accept that." Since the UN did accept the detention by the government of UN staff earlier this year, it is not clear if the UN would accept being barred from exposing abuses they see in the camps or even photographing them. [ full story]
Sri Lanka standby loan still not ready for board approval: IMF official
Sri Lanka standby loan still not ready for board approval: IMF official[ LBO ] - [ Jun 20, 2009 03:12 GMT ]
June 20, 2009- An International Monetary Fund loan for Sri Lanka is still not ready for approval for its executive board, an official said, though the country is rapidly emerging from a balance of payments crisis.
IMF spokesperson Caroline Atkinson said Friday "whenever there is final agreement, then a program would go to the Executive Board."
Last month Atkinson said she expected the loan of at least 1.9 billion US dollars to be approved within "weeks".
The loan had been delayed as it awaited approval from the US Treasury, which also consults other agencies, including the State Department, which is yet to approve the loan.
The US executive director votes on the loan after receiving a report from the international monetary affairs office of the Treasury. The US has to biggest share of votes in the IMF.
In March Sri Lanka floated the rupee as a prior action to the loan and the country's balance of payments has since turned.
Balance of payments crises are caused when a central bank sells foreign exchange to keep an exchange rate peg and prints domestic money at the same time, undermining the same objective.
The vicious cycle can rapidly deplete foreign reserves backing the local currency issue. Net foreign assets of Sri Lanka's central bank fell from about 3.0 billion dollars to 830 million US dollars during the peg defence period.
June 20, 2009- An International Monetary Fund loan for Sri Lanka is still not ready for approval for its executive board, an official said, though the country is rapidly emerging from a balance of payments crisis.
IMF spokesperson Caroline Atkinson said Friday "whenever there is final agreement, then a program would go to the Executive Board."
Last month Atkinson said she expected the loan of at least 1.9 billion US dollars to be approved within "weeks".
The loan had been delayed as it awaited approval from the US Treasury, which also consults other agencies, including the State Department, which is yet to approve the loan.
The US executive director votes on the loan after receiving a report from the international monetary affairs office of the Treasury. The US has to biggest share of votes in the IMF.
In March Sri Lanka floated the rupee as a prior action to the loan and the country's balance of payments has since turned.
Balance of payments crises are caused when a central bank sells foreign exchange to keep an exchange rate peg and prints domestic money at the same time, undermining the same objective.
The vicious cycle can rapidly deplete foreign reserves backing the local currency issue. Net foreign assets of Sri Lanka's central bank fell from about 3.0 billion dollars to 830 million US dollars during the peg defence period.
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