Comments on: Still waiting for justice in Sri Lanka

By: Heshan

Heshan — Tue, 27 Apr 2010 03:58:20 +0000

“If one believes in God as his creator and provider, he should go to Him and ask God humbly to put the “radar” to work.”

If all of Sri Lanka believed in God, the country would not be in the sorry state it is in today. The country was better off under the Christian colonial administrators, that is the sad truth of the matter. Pick up a Michael Ondaatje book and you’ll see pretty fast that everything ran like clockwork. On the other hand, the irony is that not even 50 yrs after Independence, 2/3 of the country’s intellectuals ran off to former (British colonies) in the West, e.g. Canada, USA, and even Britain itself. Need you any more proof that the country is a failure.

By: Sivaratnam

Sivaratnam — Mon, 26 Apr 2010 16:43:58 +0000

Thank you very much Mr.Iqbal for presenting the actual position regarding SL. The truth cannot be swept under the carpet and it will come out one day. Then the world will know the real patriots and the traitors.

By: Dharmadasa/cgpex

Dharmadasa/cgpex — Sun, 28 Mar 2010 19:26:40 +0000

As a person directly involved in a COI with the author, I am utterly disappointed with very poor response or the non response by the state to the recommendations made by the Commissions. I hope your paper will draw the attention of those who matters.

By: Nithyananthan

Nithyananthan — Sat, 27 Mar 2010 07:43:17 +0000

The title speaks so well. It’s a very outspoken, credible still edible testimony by his experience. Having served in his capacity as the secretary for two long forgotten Commissions and experienced the disgust that sprang out of frustration and disappointment after waiting so long impatiently for justice, ombudsman Mr. MCM Iqbal had no choice but to oblige to testify the ground reality according to his conscience’s dictation.
Over the years, ever since the colonial masters departed Ceylon, the people of the Panels, Select-Committees, Conferences and Commissions to probe into various criminal misdemeanors ONLY to find majority of them (Related to Race Relations) left to die slowly in the oblivion – on the long run – without any purpose served accomplishment being heard. After the inauguration of such Commissions (COI) neither periodical progress reports nor observations or recommendations or implementation status of any remedial actions are heard. These adventurous hullabaloos are made to believe that they are meant for mere â€˜window-displays’ and designed to impress the IC and for their satisfaction and consumption â€“ the recent ill-fated APRC stands a good example.
Given the unimpressive track record of life-cycle and fate of such institutions in Lanka and the inaction, total disregard and blatant ignorance and unwillingness to take proper corrective measures by the successive governments in the background, presentation of this testimony, by a true citizen of Lanka, stands out to comfort the victims, the oppressed and the voiceless who continue their lifelong expedition of crawling, searching and craving for justice till the end.
It’s an impressive presentation. It merits to be known as â€˜A Testimony at ICJ Panel at the UN’ by its conscientious truthfulness and reality. Nowadays, who will / can come forward to present such testimony at a world forum other than a person of high moral gentility who is conscious enough to be true to himself. Even Dr. DJ too, who justified the bloodbath of genocidal proportion, was cleverly smart enough and sensibly didn’t contradict with Mr. Iqbal’s testimony â€“ it doesn’t mean that Dr. DJ was in agreement but he knows why he didn’t!. Mr. Iqbal, thank you, Sir! Nithy!

By: V.T.Ratnam

V.T.Ratnam — Wed, 24 Mar 2010 16:13:50 +0000

Thank you Mr.Iqbql.

You have ,as an a noble citizen of Sri Lanka , done an excellant job in recording a pinch of a never ending chain of crimes to Humanity by so called peoples republic democratic Sri Lankan Regimes.

My worry is, are others including myself justify our silence or inactions towards establishing free and fair justice for all ?

By: Dayan Jayatilleka

Dayan Jayatilleka — Wed, 24 Mar 2010 03:50:20 +0000

Mr Iqbal is an honourable former official, a man of conscience, whom I have been privileged to listen to and briefly interact with in the course of my former role in Geneva. He will confirm that I didn’t contradict anything that he, or the bereaved father of the murdered Trinco student asserted at the Amnesty sponsored seminar at the UN.

By: Leon

Leon — Wed, 24 Mar 2010 01:49:37 +0000

Thank you Iqbal. I am sure your services will be needed when SL is charged with crimes against humanity.

By: justitia

justitia — Tue, 23 Mar 2010 23:49:55 +0000

That all these commissions were a big farce is well known. The head of the IIGEP, a former Chief Justice said that the Attorney General’s Department,were in reality, “investigating themselves”. How they tried to bluff six eminent international jurists is a disgrace.Finally, when the truth was about to be revealed, the commision was denied funding for teleconferencing which was essential for witnesses abroad to give evidence incognito. Earlier, funding had been denied for retaining Independent Counsel, thus creating the charade of state lawyers masquerading as “independent counsel”.
This report blows the lid off the covered up sins of the lankan state. But tamils are still to live with freedom from fear and in their former homes.
The president and all ministers know all this, but pretend ignorance. Now Ban Ki-Moon threatens to expose all, to the world, through a panel of experts who will lay bare all the doings of the lankan state. This is causing a big uproar among the ‘patriots’!
Now a minister says that the 2/3 majority anticipated is for the president to have a third term – ‘executive presidency’ will continue !

By: Groundtruth

Groundtruth — Tue, 23 Mar 2010 18:51:49 +0000

It is clear the culture of impunity is total all over the country. No wonder the mass killings of people in the Wanni was denied by government. Where they cannot be killed they are rendered IDPs!

What future for justice if even the AG is unable to do his legal duty.

Hope the ICJ at the UN will give the publicity it deserves globally since all murder and disappearances have been swept under the carpet. Making pretence of “dhammadveepa” and sanctity of life stands fully exposed.

Even more disturbing is where and how does any decent government, wheneevr, set all this right? None of the grand manifestos of any political party even make any mention of this deathly phenomenon let alone set it right.

By: lal

lal — Tue, 23 Mar 2010 16:17:38 +0000

Thank you for giving us a painful, yet true picture of our society today

By: punitham

punitham — Tue, 23 Mar 2010 10:52:34 +0000

http://responsibility.org.uk/about.html –

“Man has responsibility, not power”
Tuscarora proverb

By: punitham

punitham — Tue, 23 Mar 2010 10:26:10 +0000

Iqbal
Very many thanks.

By: Spiritual man

Spiritual man — Tue, 23 Mar 2010 09:39:43 +0000

Do Sri Lankans have a sensitised conscience or do they call evil as good and good as evil?

Right believing results in right living.

When a man lives with an evil conscience, his mind becomes defiled to the extent of justifying injustice and cruelty to another man.

On the other hand, a convicting conscience, makes a man not to engage in injustice, cruelty, murder, bloodshed, unkindness and corruption.

The conscience of a good man is thus like a “radar”. It directs his path correctly.

When a man has a reprobate mind, his “radar” of conscience does not work and he always will think and engage in evil. His heart is hardened.

Truth does not lodge in His heart.

All the Sinhalese. regardless of their religion, must test their consci,nce and put their “radar” to work, if they desire reconciliation with Tamils and peace in the island.

If one believes in God as his creator and provider, he should go to Him and ask God humbly to put the “radar” to work.