Making Foreign Policy on the Street
The declared threat, the demonstration, siege, fast unto death outside the office of the UN in Colombo by the Wimal Weerawansa led National Freedom Front, raises interesting and alarming questions about policymaking in our country.
Wimal Weerawansa announced that he would call upon his supporters to surround the UN office until the UN Secretary General disbanded the advisory panel he has set up on alleged war crimes in Sri Lanka. It was reported that the Government of Sri Lanka (GOSL) had informed the UN that these were the views of an individual and not that of the GOSL. Days later, Weerawansa, a cabinet minister and key supporter of the president and regime, leads a demonstration of hundreds to the UN office, blocks the entrances and exits to the building, declaring that they will not move until the panel is disbanded.
It has also been reported that the police attempted to disperse the demonstrators but were withdrawn, according to one report on the instructions of the Defence Secretary, and that a senior police officer was man-handled by the protestors.  The Foreign Secretary subsequently visited the office along with NFF representatives and managed to ensure that the besieged UN staff could be evacuated with police protection.  In a subsequent press conference, Weerawansa declared that unless the panel was not disbanded within a day, his supporters would embark on a fast unto death. It is understood that the GOSL maintains that it will provide security to the UN staff at the same time as it respects the right of the NFF to demonstrate. UN staff, were instructed to work from home following the demonstration and attempted siege. Later, essential staff were allowed to return to work in the building and Weerawansa commenced his fast.
Weerawansa and his supporters were effectively placing the UN office under siege. No one disputes their right to demonstrate, but to besiege the UN office surely raises questions about collective cabinet responsibility, our international obligations and policy –making? Can a cabinet minister and indeed one who is known to be so close to the president of the republic, mouth off, bluster and threaten in this way on an issue which the regime has placed such overwhelming importance and can the government stand by and say he is acting in his individual capacity? Can a cabinet minister unilaterally engage in such egregious action with possibly grave policy implications? Is collective cabinet responsibility so far removed from all of this? Indeed if he was acting without the consent and/or support of the president, will any action be taken against him for encroaching on the turf of what surely should be that of the minister of external affairs and for bringing the country into disrepute by besieging the office of the United Nations? He is reported to have said that he is prepared to lose his cabinet position if the powers that be disagree with his action.
Mr Moon’s panel, pilloried by the regime, is the object of Mr Weerawansa’s “patriotic” ire. Is this populist politics way out of control answering to the needs of a regime pathologically in need of an enemy and hyper sensitive to the war crimes charge or is this an excess of righteous enthusiasm in defence of our sovereignty?
The regime has gone to great lengths in a) insisting that Mr Moon has exceeded his powers under the Charter in appointing this panel and b) in insisting that there is no need for one since no such alleged crimes were committed by the security forces and that in any event as per the joint communique issued by Mr Moon and the president, the regime has set up its own Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC).
On a) there appears to be difference of opinion. Whilst a number of member countries of the NAM and Russia and China agree with the regime, others, mainly from the West do not and have urged the regime to call upon the expertise of the panel, seeing it as complementing the LLRC. The panel – incidentally headed by a former Indonesian attorney –general Darusman who the regime chose to appoint to the Independent International Group of Eminent Persons (IIGEP) attached to the Commission of Inquiry (COI) whose report nothing has been heard of since – is an advisory panel to the Secretary General. It will make recommendations to him. Any further action by the UN can only be pursuant to a Security Council resolution, which in turn will be vetoed by the Chinese and Russians, unless of course they are too embarrassed and/or appalled by the siege.
On b) were the panel to conclude that no war crimes were committed by members of the security forces the matter would effectively be laid to rest on the word of an international panel. Likewise, were the panel to conclude that such crimes were committed by the LTTE, it would dispel the attempts to keep alive the “atrocities” of May 2009 as a means of galvanizing support for the secessionist cause.
In this context it should also be noted that the LLRC does not deal with accountability in respect of allegations of war crimes but rather into the causes of terrorism. It does not have investigative powers. Nor is it empowered by a victim and witness protection mechanism. Neither does it meet the criteria enunciated by the US Ambassador to the UN Susan Rice for such commissions, which were endorsed by the minister of external affairs. Corresponding to the regime’s imputation of Darusman and other panel members’ bona fides is the point that the head of the LLRC was the former attorney general with whom the IIGEP had many problems. There is also a committee that was appointed in response to the State Department report to the US Senate Appropriations Committee on allegations of war crimes in Sri Lanka. Some LLRC members sit on this committee. This committee was to have reported in December last year. Its deadline was then extended to April 2010 and now to July 2010. Note, the LLRC has a mandate for four months.
Most worrying is the state of our foreign policy. Both the GSP+ issue and the Moon Panel have been badly mismanaged. The regime has misled the public over GSP+ form the outset-making it out to be a negotiation when it was an agreement with stated obligations and eminently amenable to a win-win outcome whereby the concession would have been extended and human rights protection strengthened. The regime insisted too that it was politically motivated and the subject of a conspiracy hatched by local traitors and the international community bent on avenging the military defeat of the LTTE. Whilst the final letter from the European Commission could definitely have been better drafted – a point reportedly made by some of the member states- it is relevant to ask as to whether the 15 conditions laid down in it were in response to eventual entreaties from the regime as to what it needed to do to secure extension of the concession or as to whether it was an unacceptable and unilateral ultimatum from the Commission to a sovereign state – as the regime insists it is.
Mr Moon’s panel has been blown out of proportion as the thin edge of the wedge in respect of an international war crimes probe. As a consequence, the regime has invited speculation of the “ she doth protest too much” variety and it will have to fight the panel tooth and nail and probably not much else. Yet another zero-sum situation that could have been avoided. The regime wants to present a picture of political stability, peace and reconciliation but cannot resist confrontation, bombast and turbulence.  Their brand of populist politics and pseudo-patriotism leads them to dig policy holes for themselves and destroys the goodwill this country has earned over the years as a respected member of the international community.
Foreign policy cannot be made on the street and God forbid that Weerawansa alone on a tiny stage, except for a motley crew of cohorts, fasting to death outside the UN building should be emblematic of Sri Lanka in the international community.
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The writer asks CAN? many times as he is the one who has the right to decide what citizens like me can do. YES, YES, YES … – the Minister – a citizen – elected by the people has the right to protest as anyone else. Who cares about protocols when one is subjected to double standards? The Minister is doing a symbolic protest on behalf of many in the country and is an opportunity for the real people to influence the foreign policy.
Listen, I can think for myself – Thank you.
I ask the wrier ‘What right you – paid by overseas funds – have to tell us what to do?
One can’t help thinking that Mr Ban of the UN may have been misunderstood due to his own errors here. His “panel” was set up to advise him, as Secretary General of the UN, on “accountability issues” in relation to the last few months of the defeat of the Tamil Tiger insurgency. Perhaps he actually took this action with the intention of heading off possible war crimes investigations, rather than as a precursor to them, as some have claimed. However, if Mr Ban is to be even-handed, it is unacceptable to single out only Sri Lanka for such deliberations & he should have asked the panel to report to him on accountability issues in relation to all nations and governments involved in armed conflict, not just Sri Lanka. But some other governments wouldn’t like that, would they?
Another issue lying behind this matter is the way in which certain INGOs, such as Human Rights Watch & the International Crisis Group have almost attained the status of goverments in the workings of the UN. Such groups frequently produce reports with highly controversial conclusions and recommendations all based on Western models of liberal democracy regardless of the social & historical context outside the Western world. In the case of Sri Lanka, their recent recommendations seem tailor-made to revive and re-animate the horrors of recent past conflicts yet again, while totally ignoring the need to understand and overcome the deeper social & historical roots of the conflict.
Between the sun and the moon
we are lost …
between cool reason and hotheaded antics
we are lost
i dont see a virtue
in these two extremes
search the middle way
search your heart
not groundviews
these are dime a dozen
we need to find the ground
of our being
who are we really
but fools who blabber
lost souls without a
true faith
dont know politics
dont know religion
dont know fasting
the art of self-surrender
kneel!
kneel!
kneel again
ask forgiveness
for this arrogance
throw your pride
into the sea
and face the ground
of your being
groundviews??
pah
Political juveniles
All of you!
Come share my
Suffering
And share my anger
Enough with these
Stupid words
Kneel!
Kneel!
And kneel again
So, according to the commenter above me, the place of one’s employment (and ostensibly the origin of said institution’s funds) has more bearing over his right to say what he wants, than the bearing the responsibilities of an elected office have on “freedom of speech” of Wimal Weerawansa. Irony, much?
His “who cares about protocol (read responsibility)” attitude has got us quite far indeed.
ireddyu:
Talking of double-standards, there are plenty one can throw at you.
For one, does your memory still hold that this President (MR), when ostensibly felt every avenue has failed, jumped on the plane to the UN to make a case. Then it seemed quite alright for MR the MP but now??
May be you should tell the masses that in one instant the MR regime declares, just like an empty vessel, that it would not go begging to the EU for the GSP+ but then again and again goes to the EU to beg for it. After all, the EU has made it plain, either follow the rules attached to the provision of GSP+ or leave it. No one is pushing down the throats of this regime to take it. You should seriously open your eyes, ears and your brains to know what is actually happening around you.
When the civilians were freed from the clutches of the LTTE, who do you think fed them? Where did the funds come from? It would be interesting for you to ask WW or even the President.
If you don’t call these double-standards, then take the next drive to a psychiatrist to check your “balances”.
Dr S. Muttu, where was your voice when a band of ruthless terrorists were holding a sovereign nation at ransom, bombing and massacring its innocent civilians? Perhaps you were in the parlour, doing what the king was doing ( counting his money). Yes, the international community was there then, watching in silence. Even the UN decide it was too busy to pay attention to some insignificant country in some backyard that was fighting for its survival. Now, its woken up from its deep slumber, talking of human rights and inhuman wrongs. Please, Dr Muttu, do us a favour. Go back to your counting.
At least I get a case of wine from this.. I had a friendly wager with a good friend that this “Farce” sorry “Fast” will not go beyond the week end… I was proved right!! More power to ole Wimal!!! Lol…
Everyone has a right to make a fool of himself….. and if the people are gullible enough to fall for these theatrics…. They deserve what they get!!!
inzam:
Many countries labeled and banned the LTTE as a terrorist organisation, and rightfully so, for their horrific acts. Now the time has come to scoop the state terrorists who far exceeded the LTTE in every way. How many sorties bombed and killed innocent civilians, what more its own citizens?
inzam,
Excuse my borrowing your words, but where was YOUR voice when a band of ruthless terrorists were holding a sovereign nation at ransom, bombing and massacring its innocent civilians?
Thank you Dan
ask yourself what you are doing for your country – other than giving expert comments and pontificating from the side lines …
this is a good starting point – why? why do we have a whole horde that does nothing but comment? I mean for cricket matches it may be ok …
we need players – doers and then again not just puppets and puppet masters who enact drama ….
reality counts and it starts with YOU
Oops… the previous comment was from Inzam and NOT poosa. I happened to be using the same PC as poosa who had left a previous comment and forgot to change the pen-name in the address box.Hence the muddle. Sorry for the muddle but I reiterate that I stand by my comments. Inzam
CORRECTION;
Dan: If you had listened carefully enough, my voice, together with those of millions of other concerned citizens was there for all to hear. But, like the Tower of Babel, it was drowned by the collective drumming of parochial interest groups (locally and internationally) glorifying the image of the ruthless terrorist outfit as ‘freedom fighters’ and justifying the carnage inflicted by them upon the innocent, in trying to achieve their cause, however legitimate that cause may have been. Up until 9/11, the West .(the UN included), did not see it fit to condemn terrorism in Lanka or to take action to stem the flow of donor ‘aid’ to terror groups but instead had their vuvuzuelas ready for blowing in unbridled support and used all forms of clandestine means of channelling resources to replenish their destructive arsenal.This, they did through interest groups who paid their local lackeys handsomely, so much so that these local “kings” must be still counting their money in the air-conditioned comfort of their chambers. I’d like to ask you where YOUR voice was during all this time. Now, dont tell me I was’nt listening. I sure was but did not happen to hear you at all. Perhaps, you were too busy yourself, doing your own counting and I dont blame you for that….. And to the ORDINARY LANKAN who so patriotically copied words from JFK’s mouth. Well, he exemplifies the malady that afflicts most Lankans today – idle talk. These so called arm-chair critics love to talk and talk they must because words are free and do not cost them anything. He says “Reality counts and it starts with YOU”. Wonder where he himself is in this whole equation and what HIS role is supposed to be? I say this because JFK’s advise was meant to be introspective and this so-called patriot masquerades under such a well-meaning pen-name. What a travesty.What a fake.
REading the poem, I think the writermay be one honest soul in this world.
I have a feeling he has reday access to internet. THere was yet another report on the atrocities committed by US in South Korea few days ago.
Very literate folks in in Colombo, earning good money should read the history of the crisis in Congo in the sixties, Story of rise and rise of Mobutu and early death of Lumumba, and UNSG Hammerskjold, Nobel prize for peace awarded to American Secretary of State after the bombing of the main hospital in Hanoi, watergate story about how diplomatic missions launder money received under accidental fall of bombs on the Chinese Embassy in Belgrade, Watergate revealings foriegn on how aid budget back to presidential election campaigns etc.
Version you read in google and Wilkipeadia may not be entirely true but all these give you glimpses to build a plausiblle story and understand therealpolitik..
Sad thing is NGO stalwarts of international standing are so busy that they have no time to write about the every day affairs of ordinary Sri Lankans living outsidethe plush districts Colombo 7 and Wellawatta..
There are thousands of folks who parted with their sons and daughters, going out wearing the cyanide tablet never to see them again, young famileis who were decapitated in the night one at a time in the full view of the rest, or the suffering of families whose young sons or siblings who took up robes and went on pilgrimages to meet murder squads, IDPs who left their homes with few belongings 20 years ago under LTTE diktats, or the businessmen who were manufacturing cyanide phials, or politicians who posed for photos with the lads to win votes.
Be real Janzee
I am not depending the Minister or the Government which I have no part or say. I am depending my country against agitators, who still believe in Colombo elitism that they have the god given right say what majority should do and who are paid by external elements driven by vested interests,. It is no secret that the organisation headed by the writer has a poor reputation for exploitation of funds and helping terrorist cause against the country’s interest. That makes him unsuitable for making public comments of matters of national interest.
NGO and INGO funded organisations should stick what they are meant to do. Some are doing a reasonable job, others have wasted resources what really should have gone to deserved, Some others have make it an art form to make a good living in the name of helping the poor.
By the way, do remember the extravagant INGO funded free lunches you attended to plan how to help poor.
Dr.P.S,
Thank you for your intellectual observations on the WV’s fast (farce ?). It is the view of many that the MR regime paved the way originally for Mr. Moon to take action the way he did. MR really wanted to show to Mr Moon that he won the war against terrorism when many other countries are still sruggling with it , and wanted to get the credits from the international community to boost his popularity. That is why MR invited Moon to visit Sri Lanka in May 2009 after the war ended , and showed some of the areas of war theatre and the internment camps he has established to ‘PROTECT ? ‘ (or Punish) the displaced Tamil persons around 300000. On this visit Moon would have diffinitely noted the pathetic situation of the Tamil poeple locked in camps with barbedwire fence and guarded by armed soldiers without allowing the movement of the inmates and not allowing MPP or NGOO to visit the camps. This seen would have prompted Moon for his actoon on accountability. The triumphalism displayed by the government for months and years was another reason for Moon’s action. After having done all these, now he government cries that a Panel is going to take them to tasks over war crimes which they nakedly and unknowingly showed to Moon. This is too late.
Next Dr, the Tamils of Colombo seek your intervention into another issue. They have been asked to register with the Police once again. This is really blatant violation of their fundamental and human rights. How many times they have been asked to register like this ? . There is no end to this atrocities of the Police to the Tamils. The hidden idea is money making. Once you successfully intervened and reversed the action of the Defense Secretary in the case of arresting young Tamil persons from the hotels and forcefully sending them to the North. A similar situation is coming up again at a time the government boasted to the International community including the EU that they have removed the Emergency regulations on the registration of Tamils with the police. Then why are they doing it now? . Please intervienne to stop this menace and discrimatory action. The Tamils are indebted to you for safeguarding their human rights through CPA. Thanks.
Gentlemen
WE ARE LOST
dont just blabber
just think on this – accept this reality
WE ARE LOST
and never mind where i fit – I am lost too
Inzam/Poosa,
“Dan: If you had listened carefully enough, my voice, together with those of millions of other concerned citizens was there for all to hear. But, like the Tower of Babel, it was drowned by the collective drumming of parochial interest groups (locally and internationally) glorifying the image of the ruthless terrorist outfit as ‘freedom fighters’ and justifying the carnage inflicted by them upon the innocent, in trying to achieve their cause, however legitimate that cause may have been. Up until 9/11, the West .(the UN included), did not see it fit to condemn terrorism in Lanka or to take action to stem the flow of donor ‘aid’ to terror groups but instead had their vuvuzuelas ready for blowing in unbridled support and used all forms of clandestine means of channelling resources to replenish their destructive arsenal.”
Yes, strangely, your millions of voices were raised to protect yourselves. The world did not hear in the past nor even in the ‘post-conflict’ present, your millions of voices raised to protect a minority community.
As to international support of LTTE, it is not true that “up until 9/11, the West (including UN) did not see fit to condemn terrorism in Lanka”. The US State Dept (Albright) declared LTTE a terrorist outfit in 1997, four years before 9/11. Strangely, Sri Lanka itself declared the LTTE a terrorist group only from 1998 to 2002 (after the US), and again in 2009. UK declared it a “proscribed terrorist group” in 2000 (pre 9/11). Australia did so in 2001, and the EU countries in 2006.
Take a look at the list here of the countries that listed LTTE as a proscribed terrorist organization. The only famous ones not on board are China and Russia, yet your government is in bed with them now, aren’t they? Yet, it is the West that is being painted as Sri Lanka’s enemy.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_designated_terrorist_organizations
Singapore deported LTTE fund-raisers and arms smugglers (expat Sri Lankan Tamils working in Singapore) throughout the mid to late 1980s and 1990s. I believe other countries did so too. At the time, I heard the arms were coming from the East, from China, the Middle East, not from the West.
It is well known too that reports of the Sri Lankan ethnic conflict in the international media in the 1980s and 1990s only ever featured the Sinhalese/GOSL point of view and gave blow by blow details of LTTE atrocities. There was never any news of GOSL violence against Tamil civilians. Tamil suffering through those years travelled only through an unofficial network, a Tamil grapevine linking relatives from SL to those abroad (and no, it was not the LTTE grapevine). As a journalist in Singapore, I know that letters to the press speaking of state terrorism against SL Tamils were always rejected for publication because embassy spokesmen would deny it. So please don’t tell me about how the world wasn’t listening to the Sinhalese point of view on the ethnic conflict. It was the only viewpoint available to the world.
It was only from 2002 with the establishment of the SLMM that the West started to see that there was another side to the story–that all the while the Sinhalese were crying to the high heavens about LTTE bombing of them, Tamils in the North had been subjected to violence and dispossession by militants from both sides of the conflict, including the terrorism of the State.
Inzam,
“I’d like to ask you where YOUR voice was during all this time.”
It doesn’t matter where my voice was. It wasn’t me who had the arrogance to demand accountability from known civil society actors without declaring first my name and verifying my own superior role in civil society. Not to mention the viciousness with which you accuse a civil society actor of having profitted from the ethnic violence, from the safety of your pseudonym. I gather from what you said in response, that your voice was safely expressed incognito together with millions of other voices, unlike Dr. Saravanamuttu and other civil society actors who have courted danger to themselves with their signed writings and other activities.
Me–I have the highest admiration for anyone from civil society who dares to raise their voices against terrorism from the state and elsewhere, and to sign their name to it. Unfortunately, I don’t have their courage. I don’t think you do either.
(guys dont fight – all of us are in a serious predicament)
let your intelligence sink and hit
rock bottom
we are sunk
we have lost
we are lost
embrace this
our defeat
come to terms for once
with this great defeat
let the pundits and politicians
describe and prescribe
they have a show
to keep afloat
but let your own intelligence
hit rock bottom
its the only way
it can rise up high
Ordinary Lankan,
I agree wholeheartedy with what you say. Unfortunately, there are lots of people who have mistaken defeat for triumph. This false sense of triumph is currently floating them up, up and away from reality. It is hard when people have lost their moral compass to embrace the “ground of their being” (as you call it). They live at the level of the ego.
Belle
“It is well known too that reports of the Sri Lankan ethnic conflict in the international media in the 1980s and 1990s only ever featured the Sinhalese/GOSL point of view and gave blow by blow details of LTTE atrocities. There was never any news of GOSL violence against Tamil civilians. Tamil suffering through those years travelled only through an unofficial network, a Tamil grapevine linking relatives from SL to those abroad (and no, it was not the LTTE grapevine).”
Not true. The Indian media, particularly The Hindu was very pro-Tamil in the 1980s when Delhi backed the militant groups, and the Indian foreign ministry accordingly lobbied heavily against Sri Lanka in diplomatic circles. The only countries that offered substantial military aid to SL was Israel, Pakistan, and apartheid South Africa. Not even Ronald Reagan wanted to touch SL despite JR Jayawardene’s fervent anti-communism. Perhaps you forgot as it was a long time ago.
The Indian position changed somewhat during the IPKF war and only turned against the Iyakkam after Rajiv Gandhi was killed. By then, the diaspora lobby was ready to take over the mantle.
ireddyu:
This is becoming quite interesting actually. I was lamenting on the injustices of this bloody regime. I have no doubts whatsoever that, driven by purely racial instincts, the majority, who happens to be Sinhalese, have bought the rhetoric of a bloody regiment that utterly disregarded any form of human compassion and dignity. You ought to be ashamed of yourself. Even before SG Ban or any other outside parties requested for such accountability the ordinary citizens of SL should have demanded that. It is not an issue of Sinhalese and Tamils. The civilians were hammered by both tyrants and pray tell me that their blood and tears should not go unanswered.
It is because that the voices of these hapless victims have been subdued through lies and treachery that external voices and action has become necessary. Never mind about PS and the likes of him writing articles here and there but the moot point is this bloody regime would and should not be allowed to hide behind the facade of the likes of you, claiming to be the majority voices. Now that Minister WW has provided further avenues through his erratic behaviour, it is a matter of time that the goons are dragged away to have their day in court, something they never gave their hapless victims. You can shout at the top of your voice and be very dramatic about it, but there is nothing you can do about it. This applies for all the LTTEs who were partners in crime with the bloody regime.
Wijayapala,
Sorry–I should have said “Western” media rather than international media. My response was to Inzam’s claim that the West did not condemn terrorism in SL. Also, I was talking about media representation of the conflict (rather than foreign relations and military support) because Inzam had said something about Sri Lankan anti-LTTE voices being drowned out.
EUREKA!
Eureka!
I have finally found
We are
LOST
Without a single guide
Repeat this mantra
Feel this…
Meditate on it
Don’t gloss over
This stark fact
You will be stronger for it
Let your big fat ego
Describe and prescribe
Nothing will ever change
We are lost
Like a pack of stray dogs
Running here and there
But we don’t know it
Don’t struggle
Don’t fight it
Just BE lost
Lose yourself
Completely
To find yourself
Completely
Half baked solutions
For half baked people
Been through all this
For centuries
Grow up
Grow up
Into political adulthood
This land is yours
When you
Embrace reality
Liberty comes
To the real
Not to the false
Belle,
“Sorry–I should have said “Western” media rather than international media.”
You’re still wrong. Off the top of my head, John Tully of the BBC in those early years had labeled the SLA as the most undisciplined army in the world.
Wijayapala,
“You’re still wrong. Off the top of my head, John Tully of the BBC in those early years had labeled the SLA as the most undisciplined army in the world.”
No, I’m not wrong. A drop of water does not an ocean make. I was a journalist in the 1980s and hence a regular reader of the international papers. I know how they depicted the conflict in those days.
Take a look at this BBC timeline of the conflict. See who comes across as the bad guy. Most of it is based on press statements by the government. Note the difference in language used to referring to LTTE vs SL Army actions.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/51435.stm
The UTHR (J) tells a more complex story, featuring also state terror.
How can one say that
‘It is well known too that reports of the Sri Lankan ethnic conflict in the international media in the 1980s and 1990s only ever featured the Sinhalese/GOSL point of view and gave blow by blow details of LTTE atrocities’
when Ethnic cleansing of Musloms from Jaffna,a total of1000,00 in 1990, was not reported inany major newspaper in the West.
Nor was the murders of 687 policeman, after surrendering under Premadasa’s orders to LTTe given any publicity even in Sri Lanka. President Premadasa did not want to give publicity to his own debacles after arms and ammunition was smuggled to hem to fight the IPKF.
Nor did the very learned gentry of the NGOs make any attempt to bring these events to the focus of the world opinion. In all likelihood they were not folks who played Cricket and Rugby and downed whiskies hobnobbing with visiting Western parliamentarians.
Each one of us have some conceited feeling that we have some answers – and this keeps us trapped
I say – drop it all – smash it – get rid of the fancy stuff and big ideas
engage with what is – and you will find yourself
the only truth you will find – that is within – and it is speaking to you right now
check it out brethren
do it inside out – go in
then come out
have nothing to lose
to gain everything
Tmama:
There cannot be double standards as far as human lives are concerned. The race should never be the issue. As much as the death of innocent civilians across the divide and the forceful eviction of Muslims has been condemned and the LTTE paid a heavy price – being branded as terrorists by many countries and lost the goodwill it had initially generated. Surely you are not suggesting that the SL regime should take that treachorous and slippery path which, now has been acknowledged that is what exactly is has been doing.
From what you have mentioned, you seem to have only selected memory – it suddenly starts working and recalls incidents that are Sinhala related only. Many innocent civilians died on both sides and both of the recalcitrant parties have to answer for their deeds, evil deeds indeed. Stop this rhetoric that only the atrocities of the Sinhala went unnoticed – it went up to the UN, just to confirm you can ask the President.
Well, Tmama, at the end of the day, yes we have become a laughing stock but if that is not enough, let us not smear the name of the Enlightened One – if we have some conscience in us. Winning the terrorists will never be an issue but killing thousands of civilians to consolidate one’s position should never take root as a culture.
Tmama,
“How can one say that ‘It is well known too that reports of the Sri Lankan ethnic conflict in the international media in the 1980s and 1990s only ever featured the Sinhalese/GOSL point of view and gave blow by blow details of LTTE atrocities’ when Ethnic cleansing of Musloms from Jaffna,a total of1000,00 in 1990, was not reported in any major newspaper in the West.”
Perhaps GOSL/Sinhalese were not concerned enough about the ethnic cleansing to publicise it. Just a case of more Tamils dying, right, since the Muslims are Tamils? As I note above, why did GOSL not offer SLA protection to the Muslims but instead formed a (untrained) Muslim Home Guards to see to their security needs?
“Nor was the murders of 687 policeman, after surrendering under Premadasa’s orders to LTTe given any publicity even in Sri Lanka. President Premadasa did not want to give publicity to his own debacles after arms and ammunition was smuggled to hem to fight the IPKF.”
You just answered your own question and strengthened my claim that GOSL controlled information about the ethnic conflict that was made available to the wider world. Rarely was the Tamil side of the issue dealt with in the international press until recent years.
“Nor did the very learned gentry of the NGOs make any attempt to bring these events to the focus of the world opinion.”
An Amnesty International Report of 1990 says that it was not allowed into SL between 1982 and 1990. I don’t know whether other INGOs were allowed in during that period. State terror against JVP during this period also did not make it much to the international news so I would speculate that INGO movement in SL was generally restricted at this time. Your NGOs have a secretariat linked to GOSL. Visa and work permit applications too are an instrument to control information leaving the country. Even now, GOSL is working on plans to tighten control of NGOs. NGO movement into Northern and Northeastern provinces have always been restricted. So how was any viewpoint other than the government’s going to come out?
This whole notion of anti-LTTE voices being drowned out is way off base. It was the only voice that was ever heard (until recently). And anti-LTTE worked out in effect to be anti-Tamil.
bella – let me get this stratight? Just a case of more Tamils dying, right, since the Muslims are Tamils? in ur believe “DID THE LTTE GIVE MUSLIMS -24 HRS TO GET OUT OF NORTH OR NOT? – ANSWER YES OR NO -PLEASE
AKRAM,
You sound really angry. But I don’t think you have any clue about what I am saying. Maybe you should try reading the discussion between Wijayapala, Inzam and myself to grasp in what context I made that statement. It was an ironic statemement: I don’t condone LTTE massacres and other LTTE exclusionary treatment of Muslims at all. And I am far from denying that this happened. Nor do I see Muslims as merely Tamils–I see them as human beings, just like Tamils and Sinhalese.
The question was posed to me about why the Western media did not report LTTE’s ethnic cleansing of Muslims in the north. And my answer is that they did not report it because the government of Sri Lanka did not care two hoots about Muslims to publicize it to the Western media. I am saying that FOR the GOSL, Muslims are merely Tamils, and all Tamils are not worthy of consideration. But when Sinhalese are killed, then GOSL gives the news to the Western media (because Sinhalese lives are precious, in their mind).
I hope you have gotten it straight now!
I think writers like Belle and Jancee do nor recognise the huge admiration and sympathy ordinary western liberals had for the LTTE outfit whatever be the ethnic cleansing, murders, and racketeering they were conducting.
LTTE had loads of money money to hide their trail, even to manipulate SL Army procurements, and means to infiltrate very hearts of western media centres, NGO outfits. THeir spokesman Wasanth Rajah was a section head at BBC while being a close confidante of CBK. Anton Balasingham had British Commission training at the start and the veneer of a Marxist, and he was at the centre of the very wealthy diaspora in London and Europe. Image in Europe at the time were that Tamils in Sri Lanka were a econoimically backward, educationally downtrodden minority.
Those who visited Sri Lanka may have formed a more balanced view but preferred to project the aura best suited to the Western liberal mindset; so ethnic cleansing, depitation of monks, villagers were not the points bright young roving reporters like Muller and Sackur wouldpursue with any energy.
My own understanding improved when I heard the stories of the doctors who were inside the nofire zone of LTTE. It was educative to hear how much better their own education / economic conditions had been in comparison to Matale Sinhala kids where he was at the very start in the 80s and 90s.
GoSL of the day did not want to rock the boat of a ‘Tourist Island’ by dwelling on LTTE atrocities but dirt cannot be pushed under the carpet for ever.
belle belle bella – muslims dont CONSIDER THE EAST A HOME LAND – WE ARE FOR ONE COUNTRY UNDER ONE FLAG, WE DONT WANT TO FORM A SEPERATE STATE -SO DONT TRY TO [FOOL] US TO BE INVOLVED IN UR OWN SELFISH CAUSE…long live sl – look at people like muthalip and other heroic security personnel. if the muslims were in the north , ltte would have being dead long ago.
Tmama,
“I think writers like Belle and Jancee do nor recognise the huge admiration and sympathy ordinary western liberals had for the LTTE outfit whatever be the ethnic cleansing, murders, and racketeering they were conducting. ”
I don’t know about Jansee, but I lived in the West for many years and met all these ordinary western liberals at universities and in the arts circles. They usually had very little clue about the SL ethnic conflict–all they knew was that the LTTE were a bad lot. They didn’t even know where Sri Lanka was located. Admiration for LTTE, indeed!
If the West had so much sympathy for the LTTE, why did they brand them as terrorists and curtail their fund-raising and business activities?
Why do the Sinhalese hate the LTTE so much? Is it not because you have heard so much about them and their atrocities? What do you know about the behaviour of the SL Army forces in the north through the 1980s to the end of the 20th century? Have you heard of their massacres of the Tamils, their rapes, their day-to-day terrorizing of the Tamil folks? I bet you haven’t. It happened. repeatedly.
Recently, some of my students opted to do a project on the SL ethnic conflict. I told them to be careful, to be objective, because I was an SL Tamil and I wanted to hear BOTH sides of the story and not the pro-Sinhalese version you get in the textbooks. None of them, after much reading of media reports, could tell me anything about the Tamils. All they could find was info on how the Sinhalese were terrorised by the LTTE. According to the reading they did, Tamils were the trouble-makers, and the poor Sinhalese, the victims. So that should tell you whose side of the story got prominence in the international media.
One thing you need to know—the international media doesn’t work like your government rags. Just because someone is a section head in the BBC doesn’t mean he can influence stories on Sri Lanka. In fact, his very connections would be a liability against him. Professional media run from internal influence like the plague. In the end, though, in every Western country, including the bastion of the free media, USA, the media is ultimately constrained by pressure from their own government. And their own government has to maintain good foreign relations, and don’t veer far from repeating GOSL propaganda. It is only post-war that the Western media is taking a hard tack on GOSL. Because now, as there is no LTTE to distract them, they can see GOSL and its supporters for who they are—war criminals, worse barbarians than the LTTE because they were entrusted by voters to protect them. Worse barbarians too in the sheer scale of their killing.
Yes, LTTE had the money–a lot of money as a terrorist force. But you can’t compare their money and influence to that of GOSL, who had trade commissions and embassies all over the world and lots of money-making deals to offer to other governments. I can’t believe that you actually think a terrorist group has more power than a national government!
“Those who visited Sri Lanka may have formed a more balanced view but preferred to project the aura best suited to the Western liberal mindset; so ethnic cleansing, depitation of monks, villagers were not the points bright young roving reporters like Muller and Sackur wouldpursue with any energy. ”
Was the international media given access to the North by GOSL so that they could report the truth? Have you not heard of rejected visa applications for bright, energetic reporters?
Your comments simply exhibit your total ignorance about the media and the journalistic career. Why wouldn’t bright young Western reporters pursue such stories, if they’re given half a chance? Decapitation of monks, massacres of villagers–those are front page stories; they’re “scoops”. These are the quick path to senior positions and grand salaries.
Balasingam was at the centre of the wealthy diaspora in UK? And had the veneer of a Marxist? In UK, they can easily distinguish between real and pseudo Marxists—real British Marxists are poor.
“GoSL of the day did not want to rock the boat of a ‘Tourist Island’ by dwelling on LTTE atrocities but dirt cannot be pushed under the carpet for ever.”
You underestimate your government. They are experts at pushing dirt under the carpet. Nobody in the world does it quite like them! Even the Chinese government can learn something from GOSL.
Writers like you, Tmama, need to find out what actually was happening up there in the North from the 1980s to the end of the last century. Then we can talk. I am not inclined to be patronised about what is the truth from people who rely on the propaganda of a terrorist State for information.
“Image in Europe at the time were that Tamils in Sri Lanka were a econoimically backward, educationally downtrodden minority.”
They were. And they still are. Most of the 1st generation migrants, the refugees are factory workers, shop assistants and petrol kiosk attendants in the West. Only the very best are doctors and engineers–a minority of a minority. Are you actually envious of the little successes a community has been able to accomplish for itself after having to leave their blessed country because they didn’t have any opportunities?
“My own understanding improved when I heard the stories of the doctors who were inside the nofire zone of LTTE. It was educative to hear how much better their own education / economic conditions had been in comparison to Matale Sinhala kids where he was at the very start in the 80s and 90s.”
I have no idea what you’re talking about here. Who is the “he” you refer to?
As somebody said, you folks need an enemy. For a long time, it was the LTTE. Now the LTTE is dead, you need to find someone else to blame. So it’s western liberals. These Western liberals didn’t carpet bomb innocent civilians in Sri Lanka nor do they go around in white vans, abducting and killing dissenters. Isn’t it time to look at yourselves, your corrupt politicians, your criminal government?
AKRAM,
“belle belle bella – muslims dont CONSIDER THE EAST A HOME LAND – WE ARE FOR ONE COUNTRY UNDER ONE FLAG, WE DONT WANT TO FORM A SEPERATE STATE -SO DONT TRY TO [FOOL] US TO BE INVOLVED IN UR OWN SELFISH CAUSE…long live sl – look at people like muthalip and other heroic security personnel. if the muslims were in the north , ltte would have being dead long ago.”
I, as a Jaffna Tamil, can tell you that, the LTTE made a monumental injustice to the Jaffna Muslims; one cannot find words to express one’s remorse of that happening and no amount of compensation would suffice in rectification! However, the Tamil community must not be held accountable because of one man’s (VP) blunder.
I wanted to make that absolutely clear before I continue. Whatever the LTTE did or did not do must not infringe on the right of a Tamil to stand up against the GOSL. Recently, when W. Weerawansa protested in front of the UN Office, the GOSL announced that it was his democratic right; can the same government tolerate if a Tamil attempts such a protest against current regime? When a Tamil asks for equal rights on par with the Sinhala, he/she does not ask for a separate state! Tamil identity; Muslim identity; are important for the peoples and they should have the right to be treated as equal in terms of individual/community on par with the Sinhala community; this is the point.
Please point to me where the Tamils who participate on these forums made references to a separate state for Tamils as a solution. If you are a true Muslim you would know what I am on about; if not, you will have to wait for when your turn comes!
Hmm, Belle.. you whine about Sri Lankan “terrorism” not being publicized as occurring by the Sri Lankan state. And you as a “journalist” in Malaysia know better even though you seemingly have never stepped foot in Sri Lanka. What you want is the Sri Lanka and the Sinhalese to be labelled terrorists while the LTTE and the Tamils to be portrayed as angelic victims terrorized by a sub-human race of thugs.. Yes, the Sinhalese are just lowly thugs and anything they have to say is worthless because they’ve dared challenge the Holy chosen ones — the Tamils.
hmm, I think sane posters here are best off ignoring Belle. Her thick racism and absolute hatred of the Sinhalese leaves no room for discussion.
” As somebody said, you folks need an enemy. For a long time, it was the LTTE. Now the LTTE is dead, you need to find someone else to blame. So it’s western liberals. These Western liberals didn’t carpet bomb innocent civilians in Sri Lanka nor do they go around in white vans, abducting and killing dissenters. Isn’t it time to look at yourselves, your corrupt politicians, your criminal government?”
Belle,I believe I was the one who said that us Sinhalese always need an enemy lol. However, try to understand why the Sinhalese find it incapable of finding fault with their goverment–many of them, quite frankly, believe every little thing that the government says. Most of them have never read UTHR(J) and they dismiss reports by human rights groups as propaganda. I hope that, when their is a war crimes investigation, the truth comes out and most Sinhalese can see how the government treated the northern Tamils. Maybe then, at that point, the Sinhalese people will wake up.
Hi Belle,
“As I note above, why did GOSL not offer SLA protection to the Muslims but instead formed a (untrained) Muslim Home Guards to see to their security needs?”
Probably for the exact same reason why the SLA formed (untrained) SINHALA Home Guards for their security.
Incidentally the SLA could not have protected the Muslims in Jaffna from expulsion because that area had been controlled by the LTTE.
“Nor did the very learned gentry of the NGOs make any attempt to bring these events to the focus of the world opinion.”
An Amnesty International Report of 1990 says that it was not allowed into SL between 1982 and 1990. I don’t know whether other INGOs were allowed in during that period.
So if the current gov pursued a similar policy today, all the human rights outcry would disappear?
If that ridiculous notion were actually true, Mahinda would have barred all these groups the minute he was elected Pres!
“The question was posed to me about why the Western media did not report LTTE’s ethnic cleansing of Muslims in the north. And my answer is that they did not report it because the government of Sri Lanka did not care two hoots about Muslims to publicize it to the Western media.”
Your ideas are getting even more bizarre. So Western media is such a passive entity that it has to wait for the government to publicize atrocities? So if I were to understand you correctly, the West only began to take notice of atrocities against Tamils because the government publicized them?????
You haven’t considered the possibility that the West would hardly care about Muslims because they’re not Christians.
“I lived in the West for many years and met all these ordinary western liberals at universities and in the arts circles. They usually had very little clue about the SL ethnic conflict–all they knew was that the LTTE were a bad lot.”
Then can you please explain why the Massachusetts State Assembly of the USA passed a resolution calling for Tamil Eelam in **1979**????
http://www.asiantribune.com/news/2005/05/22/prime-mover-1979-massachusetts-eelam-resolution-still-believes-separate-tamil-state-
“If the West had so much sympathy for the LTTE, why did they brand them as terrorists and curtail their fund-raising and business activities?”
Rather late in the game. By the time it was proscribed, the LTTE had already amassed a fortune to fund its war machine.
I don’t know where you got the idea that the US banned the LTTE before SL did. The LTTE was banned all the way back in the late 1970s under the Prevention of Terrorism Act, the original having been drafted by Attorney General Shiva Pasupathy who went on to become an LTTE bootlicker and helped draft the ISGA!!
dear ps,
i wont say that WW was correct – but look at this way, we only have to hold on till something big happens or a new kid on the world block makes changes – was hoping NK would attack SK and SL would have being old news.
by the way, take a look at the guy who was giving us advice at the time of killing the LTTE -miliband – what’s your view on him and UK?
:” Today, a special Mail investigation can reveal the depths of Miliband’s embroilment in the torture scandal – and shows that Labour’s latest golden boy is in complete denial about New Labour’s record in sanctioning and then covering up British involvement in torture over the past decade.
Indeed, I can reveal that David Miliband uttered no fewer than six massive lies when grilled in an interview with BBC inquisitor Andrew Neil on the subject of torture for the first time
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/debate/article-1295158/TORTURE-INQUIRY-Nailed-David-Miliband-6-lies-abuse.html?ito=feeds-newsxml#ixzz0tu5KYyPa
AKRAM,
[Edited out.]
“belle belle bella – muslims dont CONSIDER THE EAST A HOME LAND – WE ARE FOR ONE COUNTRY UNDER ONE FLAG, WE DONT WANT TO FORM A SEPERATE STATE -SO DONT TRY TO [FOOL] US TO BE INVOLVED IN UR OWN SELFISH CAUSE”
Please present some quotes from me that say that I’m for a Tamil separate state, and that I said that the East was a homeland for Muslims.
If you can’t follow someone’s argument, it’s best you stay out of the fray, rather than making totally false accusations that you just pluck out of thin air.
“if the muslims were in the north , ltte would have being dead long ago.”
Couldn’t resist your own brand of supremacy, could you? Yet, you think nothing of accusing others of the same. What a hypocrite!
Jansee
Thank you, I am natural in making things interesting,
While you are bursting your bladder and blowing-up fuses to depend your pay masters, I had fun sailing around the Bay.
Take it easy Jansee
Say Hi to colleague Desapriya, Thanks
Wijayapala,
“Incidentally the SLA could not have protected the Muslims in Jaffna from expulsion because that area had been controlled by the LTTE.”
Later, they were able to take over Jaffna. I suppose they just needed the right motivation. Muslims in trouble weren’t a good enough reason for them.
“So if the current gov pursued a similar policy today, all the human rights outcry would disappear?
If that ridiculous notion were actually true, Mahinda would have barred all these groups the minute he was elected Pres!”
He did bar them, remember, from the war action and in the aftermath? Journalists who proved too enterprising had their visas revoked or rejected. That’s why they were not able to tell us much about what happened in there.
Yes, if GOSL continues to restrict the international media and the INGOs, that is exactly what will happen— the human rights outcry will die down in time in the media. It will only remain if the Western governments and UN decide to continue pressing for war crimes. It seems GOSL is now looking at tightening their control over over NGOs.
“Your ideas are getting even more bizarre. So Western media is such a passive entity that it has to wait for the government to publicize atrocities? So if I were to understand you correctly, the West only began to take notice of atrocities against Tamils because the government publicized them?????”
No, the West began to take notice of atrocities against Tamils with the CFA, with the Scandinavian countries getting involved in the SLMM. That gave the West access to the Tamils on the ground for the first time, and a chance to build contacts with Tamil sources. Until then, they had to rely on government information. News has to be authorized–they can’t write stories based on hearsay, ‘he said…she said’. Even if they get info from non-official sources, they need people in authority to confirm the info. That’s how presses work.
The situation was such that journalists had to be prepared to court danger to themselves in order to get real news, rather than rely on government releases. There were cases of journalists getting shot at. And you know how the local ones got abducted/killed. Not many journalists are prepared to get shot at, so that’s now the news flow is kept thin. Do you expect journalists to be heroes?
“You haven’t considered the possibility that the West would hardly care about Muslims because they’re not Christians.”
No, I never considered that. Journalists couldn’t care less what your religion is, as long as they get their bylines and scoops.
“Then can you please explain why the Massachusetts State Assembly of the USA passed a resolution calling for Tamil Eelam in **1979**????”
I didn’t know that! What a surprise! But there wasn’t any effective follow up action, was there? So much for American liberalism. At any rate, that woman’s call for a separate state is not liberalism–that’s more radical stuff, more left-wing.
You guys throw the term “liberals” about easily, especially as a bad word, but I don’t think you really understand what it means, and how to distinguish it from Western left-wing politics, from radical democratic politics, etc. Liberals don’t go in for separate states, and they abhor violence.
“I don’t know where you got the idea that the US banned the LTTE before SL did. The LTTE was banned all the way back in the late 1970s under the Prevention of Terrorism Act, the original having been drafted by Attorney General Shiva Pasupathy who went on to become an LTTE bootlicker and helped draft the ISGA!!”
Yes,that was a mistake. I thought it was weird at the time, but the other info checked out.
Huh,
I have nothing against the poor and the underprivileged among the Sinhalese being susceptible to government propaganda. But I have no sympathy for educated Sinhalese trying to hide their head in the sand. I find it utterly irresponsible.
Look at Tim, for eg. Look at how he tries to discredit me with false accusations and cries of racism simply because I suggested that Sinhalese forummers here should go up to the North and find out what has been happening all this while. Why does he feel so threatened by a simple urge to people to find out the truth? I’m not trying to impose my views on him–I’m saying go and find out.
The truth is these people don’t want to know–because it serves their interests not to know. Then they can carry on oppressing the minorities without any qualms. Even if there was a war crimes investigation, such people will continue to deny the information. Remember there are still Germans out there today denying the Holocaust ever happened.
And it’s just amazing to me that a majority community that has worked so hard for decades to stop minorities from getting equal rights sees no irony in calling other people racists!
Dear Belle,
RE: “Later, they were able to take over Jaffna. I suppose they just needed the right motivation. Muslims in trouble weren’t a good enough reason for them.”
I’m sorry, but this statement makes no sense whatsoever. Just think about this for more than a few seconds, and it’ll be blindingly obvious as to why. You can’t hide prejudice and one-sided thinking under a veil of indignation Belle, people see right through it. This is what I was getting at in my earlier post.
Anyway, I owe you a lengthy reply for it and will do so soon. Just haven’t been able to find sufficient time.
SD,
“I’m sorry, but this statement makes no sense whatsoever.”
Well, what can I say? The whole ethnic conflict in Sri Lanka makes no sense whatsoever given how you guys are blessed with a country that’s full of natural resources and one with a glorious cultural heritage too. Instead of making the most of that, you folks preferred to focus on denying minorities their rights. I mean, really, what is with that? Why don’t you guys focus on the ridiculousness of that situation?
“You can’t hide prejudice and one-sided thinking under a veil of indignation Belle, people see right through it. This is what I was getting at in my earlier post.”
You are right about the indignation. Except it had nothing to do with race issues. I was frustrated that every time I write, people sidestep the larger issues I raise and focus instead on quarreling with me about minor details. My issue here is about how the Sinhalese side of the conflict was given more attention in the world press rather than the Tamil side. To me, that is an important issue to explore because free flow of information is integral to reconciliation and peace. But quickly, my discussion gets deflected into LTTE atrocities. I DONT WANT to talk about the LTTE. I don’t want to be put in a position of defending them. I want to talk about Tamil rights and how much people know about Tamil suffering through these decades.
And I really can’t believe that people here refuse to even consider that their governments have had very tight control of information. Even during the tsunami crisis, no less than the UN Sec Gen of that time was refused entry to the Tamil areas. So how do they think journalists are going to get stories about the Tamils and SLA behaviour in the north? We know journalists get ‘disappeared,’ shot at, abducted, killed, but no, GOSL doesn’t control information! Instead, it’s more convenient to believe that Western journalists didn’t get the Tamil side of the story because they were too lazy, or didn’t care.
Instead of wasting your time seeing through me, why don’t you spend your time seeing through the motivations of these other forummers here? Why don’t you address their prejudices? For eg, is my prejudice more evident than Akram who says “if the muslims were in the north , ltte would have being dead long ago”? And what about Tim’s comment–is that even a rational interpretation of my argument? What about his indigation? Can you see through that?
Why don’t you address your own prejudice and one-sidedness?
“My issue here is about how the Sinhalese side of the conflict was given more attention in the world press rather than the Tamil side.”
belle, I feel that you construct a careful narrative all the time and I feel that I should make a few comments regarding some of what you claim.
Well you of all people know that the Tamil grievances were hijacked by the LTTE with the aid of the diaspora. LTTE only existed for so long because of the bitter and sometimes hateful feelings of the diaspora and their bank rolling.
It is the LTTE that stopped the free flow of information. LTTE setherd and filtered/monitored all communications into and out of their controlled areas
1. for security reasons.
2. for taxing purposes.
Then they sent out a carefully constructed message from their side. They withheld all the real suffering under their regime and simply blamed government for not providing enough aid. All the while LTTE was mis managing the aid going into their controlled areas. By charging taxes on top and using the aid for war activities first, then for humanitarian needs.
LTTE had satellite phones, radio and TV links with the world. They were regularly in touch with their constituencies around the world feeding propaganda. It is because of this one way feed of propaganda that the world media was hesitant in carrying it. So don’t give us this BS of Tamil side not being heard. The whole world could hear Parabakaran’s Mahaveera speech live.
You may claim publicly here how agnostic you are about the LTTE and how you’re past that but you certainly seem to be very apologetic or wilfully downplay their role in all your gripes. You just can’t do that and seem unbiased because they were a good portion of the blame. You need to somehow acknowledge that, come to terms with it, the same way I acknowledge the grave mistakes and injustices of July riots by Sinhalese thugs and other unfortunate events in history. Even when you’d refer to these events, you’d straight away attribute it to the whole Sinhalese community when it was really a select group of racist mobs that did the carnage, while other many good Sinhalese tried to help the victims even risking their own well being. So you need to understand why lot of people don’t find your sentiments or certain claims very genuine so to speak!
Since the Tamil cause was completely hijacked by the LTTE, the world press and community solely focused on the LTTE and quickly realised what a ruthless, bloody, inhuman bunch they were. So they progressively banned them and toned down against immense lobbying pressure from the diaspora. It took them long enough and even after banning, they still turned a blind eye towards fund raising since Tamils had a significant constituency.
The answer to your question is, Tamil side got ample coverage! But it was always about violence and suicide bombings killing innocent civilians because that’s the message LTTE sent to the world. “We will kill indiscriminately until you give us a state!”. So deal with the message you aided in giving to the world.
It’s shameful and frankly a war crime that diaspora supported this. Lately there has been few round ups of certain charities and individuals because the SL intelligence has gathered more information and has been supplying intelligence to these nations’ authorities. Not enough is being done yet. UN takes no initiative in prosecuting these war criminals. Shameful!
On another point, instead of discussing the true nature and realities of the conflict, the Tamil diaspora machinery always went for the maximum propaganda effect and this seriously hurt their credibility. Use of terms like genocide etc only made rational analysts suspicious of the Tamil side’s motives. The diaspora did a stellar job undermining their own cause than Sinhalese propaganda could ever achieve. Even now look at MIA. Most people are disillusioned with her activism and her honesty. Just listen to the buzz on the web.
I have also been following the sentiments of some of the Western countries and especially in places like Canada and Australia with large Tamil populations, the public is actually highly unhappy by the conduct of the Tamil diaspora.
They really feel like they have been taken for a ride. The very people who were given refuge, blatantly lied back to them to get favours done for the LTTE. In both countries various charities have been busted for lying to the general public and collecting funds for the LTTE under charitable fronts. Not only that at the height of the war, they had the kahonas to hijack streets, public places, disrupting daily life all the while waving a flag that depicts a banned organisation in their country. Grossly undermining the law of the land not only in terms of that but resorting to disruptive protests that cost the tax payer huge amounts of money. I will not even go into gang activities, people smuggling operations, etc.
So I can keep writing about this, but I have given you here an introduction into the misguided ways of the Tamil’s (some) message to the world and how they have managed to do more harm than good for their cause. And now with these latest attempts of trying to screw SL under war crimes allegations, I feel is also doing more damage and going further backwards in reconciling differences and moving on. We’ll see what happens. But know this, there is an equally or greater formidable force on the opposing side who will take things to the very bitter end. Just think the recent battle that culminated in Nandikadal lagoon as an example of this. May we have the wisdom not to burn down the whole house.
Dear Belle,
“I didn’t know that! What a surprise!
Yes,that was a mistake.”
It’s good to see that you are capable of learning. I was expecting you to make more of a fool of yourself but you proved me wrong.
In the future though, try to avoid mixing self-righteousness with ignorance. Bad combination!
“Yes, if GOSL continues to restrict the international media and the INGOs, that is exactly what will happen— the human rights outcry will die down in time in the media. It will only remain if the Western governments and UN decide to continue pressing for war crimes.”
Then how come nobody pressed for war crimes in the 1980s when the war began and far far worse atrocities took place?
“No, the West began to take notice of atrocities against Tamils with the CFA,”
Sheesh, since you put it that way I suppose we should be grateful to Mahinda for flushing that CFA down the toilet! I was under the false impression that the CFA proved that Sinhalese were not bloodthirsty Tamil-haters as you would like us to be.
It’s too bad the West didn’t pay attention to UTHR-J all those years. They didn’t seem to be too constrained by the alleged closure of press in the 1990s.
“Journalists couldn’t care less what your religion is, as long as they get their bylines and scoops.”
And they won’t pursue scoops that their audience will ignore. Anti-Islamic press is an excellent seller in the West.
“Look at Tim, for eg. Look at how he tries to discredit me with false accusations and cries of racism simply because I suggested that Sinhalese forummers here should go up to the North and find out what has been happening all this while.”
Hey but didn’t I mention my own experiences in the N-E during the CFA?
“My issue here is about how the Sinhalese side of the conflict was given more attention in the world press rather than the Tamil side. To me, that is an important issue to explore because free flow of information is integral to reconciliation and peace.”
But dear, isn’t that a perception? Most Sinhalese would argue that their side has been ignored. That’s a perception too!
“I DONT WANT to talk about the LTTE. I don’t want to be put in a position of defending them.”
But we don’t want to talk about Mahinda’s grinning and be put in a position of defending it! I’ll make you a deal- I won’t talk about LTTE, and you won’t bring up war crimes. Can we shake on that?
Observer,
That’s a whole lot of information you gave about the LTTE and the diaspora supporters. Could you please give us just as much information about government and SLA action and behaviour with regard to the Tamil population from the 1980s up to the final phase of the war–who did what, where, etc, especially in the north. Can you explain why it is that nobody KNOWS FOR CERTAIN whether or not the SL state committed war crimes?
You see, until you do this, all your post confirms is my claim—that the international media ran the Sinhalese view of the conflict, how THEY were victimized by the Tamils, the LTTE, what a bad lot the Tamils are, see what they’ve done, etc.
“The answer to your question is, Tamil side got ample coverage! But it was always about violence and suicide bombings killing innocent civilians because that’s the message LTTE sent to the world. “We will kill indiscriminately until you give us a state!”. So deal with the message you aided in giving to the world.”
Do you know what a “metonym” is? It’s a figure of speech where the part is made to stand for the whole. For eg, the “crown” stands for the monarchy, a “sail” stands for an entire ship. It is a rhetorical device that is often used for dishonesty in discourse by making false equations between people. You make the LTTE a metonym of the Tamil people. But the Tamil people are far more complex than that—a very small minority, the LTTE, were abominably violent, but the vast majority of them are displaced peoples, refugees, hapless victims of violence from both sides of the conflict. Who has heard their side of the story?
“Even now look at MIA. Most people are disillusioned with her activism and her honesty. Just listen to the buzz on the web.”
“Most people”? Could you give me an idea of the numbers? For all we know, all the buzz on the web could be written by a handful of people (perhaps even employed by GOSL).
“It’s shameful and frankly a war crime that diaspora supported this.”
More rhetoric. Please point to the parts in the Geneva Conventions that say that fund raising for a declared terrorist group is a war crime.
“It is the LTTE that stopped the free flow of information. LTTE setherd and filtered/monitored all communications into and out of their controlled areas
1. for security reasons.
2. for taxing purposes.”
Are you saying that the LTTE actually suppressed information on government action taken against Tamil civilians, on state massacres of Tamils, state-executed disappearances of youth in the 1980s? You must be joking.
Overall, a nice attempt at distracting and creating a fog around what I’m saying. But my eyes are still on the ball.
Wijayapala,
“It’s good to see that you are capable of learning. I was expecting you to make more of a fool of yourself but you proved me wrong.
In the future though, try to avoid mixing self-righteousness with ignorance. Bad combination!”
Well, that will teach me to admit to mistakes in exchanges with you! Usually, I assume that the people I dialogue with are just as keen as I am in learning, i.e. that the exchange is an honest one, and that everyone has holes in their information. But I see that with you, this is about power. You can’t resist a little dance of triumph, can you, your own pathetic little version of victory parades of naked bodies, desecrating on graves of the vanquished, etc?
“Then how come nobody pressed for war crimes in the 1980s when the war began and far far worse atrocities took place?”
Far worse atrocities took place in the 1980s than the current suspicion that 10s of thousands of Tamil civilians were killed in the last phase of the war? Please do tell.
“Sheesh, since you put it that way I suppose we should be grateful to Mahinda for flushing that CFA down the toilet!”
Nope, the ‘damage’ had already been done. You can’t make people unsee things they’d already seen.
“I was under the false impression that the CFA proved that Sinhalese were not bloodthirsty Tamil-haters as you would like us to be.”
Even though I’ve learned not to admit mistakes to you, I will confess that at the time I thought that was true. But seeing how your folks behave now post-war, I can see in retrospect the CFA only showed that you guys were tired of being victims of violence, and ready to negotiate.
“It’s too bad the West didn’t pay attention to UTHR-J all those years. They didn’t seem to be too constrained by the alleged closure of press in the 1990s.”
The UTHR (J) had to shift operations to the south. As such, press could hardly use it as an authoritative source on what was happening in the north. Journalists would still have to go back to GOSL to confirm what they’d found out, and GOSL would have screamed at them (I’ve been at the wrong end of such screamings in the past) and demanded they provided evidence. And how were they going to do that?
“And they won’t pursue scoops that their audience will ignore. Anti-Islamic press is an excellent seller in the West.”
But this a story about terrorist violence–that always sells in the West and elsewhere.
“But dear, isn’t that a perception? Most Sinhalese would argue that their side has been ignored. That’s a perception too!”
Don’t know anything about the study of media representations, do you? There are strategies to quantify bias through examination of language, frequency of reports, norms of address, etc. It’s not a matter of perception.
“But we don’t want to talk about Mahinda’s grinning and be put in a position of defending it! I’ll make you a deal- I won’t talk about LTTE, and you won’t bring up war crimes. Can we shake on that?”
That’s an unfair deal. I’ll agree not to mention Mahinda’s grinning if you won’t talk about the LTTE. The war crimes is another matter.
Belle,
I’ve been wondering how you’ve fashioned this narrative of yours about the Sri Lankan conflict. Now you’ve revealed the formulation. Elegantly simple. You just don’t want to talk about the LTTE.
What if a German didn’t want to talk about the Nazis in World War 2? Here’s what his/her take might be:
“The Allies repressed and humiliated the German nation for decades. Then they declared war on Germany, and went on to firebomb German cities and slaughter thousands of innocent German civilians. When Germany finally surrendered, they imposed war crimes trials on what remained of the German leadership without any corresponding investigation of their own atrocities.”
Or how about a similar Japanese narrative, where we simply take Tojo and his kamikaze forces out of the equation:
“The US imposed a crippling embargo on Japan for years. Then they attempted to invade the Japanese homeland. Faced with fierce resistance, the US began to mercilessly target Japanese cities for wholesale destruction, culminating in the nuclear annihilation of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. After the Japanese surrender, the US began a long military occupaton of the country, with US forces still stationed there despite popular opposition.”
Or, just for fun, how about Star Wars minus Darth Vader and his stormtroopers:
“The Rebel Alliance, a family-run cult of religious zealots, unleashed a campaign of terror throughout the galaxy, resulting in the wanton destruction of state property, the deaths of countless humanoids and other sentient creatures, the cold-blooded murder of the Emporer, and the collapse of interstellar order.”
Naturally our war would also look completely different if We Just Don’t Want To Talk About The LTTE. And you articulate this alternative universe view quite superbly on this forum. In that sense, you’re not too different to some other folks here who Just Don’t Want To Talk About 1983, etc, etc.
You would all do well to remember that no matter how convinced you may be of your own narrative, and how eloquently you express it, that old Jedi mind trick doesn’t work on everyone.
Rajivmw,
Ah, so where Observer uses misleading metonymy, you want to use misleading metaphors, equating one situation falsely with another? Let’s look at your metaphors shall we, and their inappropriateness?
In the cases you have mentioned, the Nazis, Japanese, the Rebel Alliance are the ones who instigated the conflict spontaneously. They were not provoked. They had imperialistic ambitions. So then of course, not talking about their misdeeds would entirely misconstrue the story of how the other parties defended themselves. The LTTE did not spontaneously instigate this conflict. They were provoked. They reacted, rather than acted. That they became very good at reacting doesn’t however make them the instigators of the conflict. They did not want an empire—they wanted their own state.
So then, if anyone wants to tell the story of the SL ethnic conflict, they need to spend some time at least talking about the provocation. To ignore that would be to refuse to talk about a most salient aspect of the conflict.
Another problem with your metaphors–unlike those cases that you mentioned, in SL, the ones who provoked the conflict won.
This is not the case of Allieds vs Nazis. It’s about two sets of Nazis at war with each other. So, shouldn’t we give equal time and space to them in telling the ‘true’ story of the conflict instead of just focusing on one? Does that not show YOUR bias?
At any rate, I am not saying that one should not talk about the LTTE in telling the story of the ethnic conflict. I was merely saying that I would like to talk about the war victims in this case. They would be equivalent to the Jews in the Allied/Nazi case. Are they not too part of the story of the ethnic conflict?
You are quite hopeless with your metaphors, I must say. So I am the Jedi? Does that make you the Dark Side?
Hi Belle,
“Usually, I assume that the people I dialogue with are just as keen as I am in learning,”
See that’s the thing- up until now I didn’t have any indication that you were interested in learning more or less listening to anyone who disagreed with you. Hence my genuine surprise that you admitted your mistakes. I even admitted that *I* had erred about you!
The advice about avoiding mixing self-righteousness with ignorance was intended to encourage you to loosen up a little with the self-righteousness, not to make fun of your ignorance in isolation. Nobody here has absolute knowledge of anything after all.
“Far worse atrocities took place in the 1980s than the current suspicion that 10s of thousands of Tamil civilians were killed in the last phase of the war? Please do tell.”
Far worse atrocities took place that did not involve the L— (I know how upset you get when you hear that word).
“Journalists would still have to go back to GOSL to confirm what they’d found out, and GOSL would have screamed at them (I’ve been at the wrong end of such screamings in the past) and demanded they provided evidence.”
Since when do journalists have to get their stories cleared by the govt??
“There are strategies to quantify bias through examination of language, frequency of reports, norms of address, etc. It’s not a matter of perception.”
Good point. So you believe that the media was biased against the Sinhalese?
“That’s an unfair deal.”
Kindly explain how it’s unfair.
“The LTTE did not spontaneously instigate this conflict. They were provoked.”
What provoked the creation of the LTTE in 1976?
Observer,
“And now with these latest attempts of trying to screw SL under war crimes allegations, I feel is also doing more damage and going further backwards in reconciling differences and moving on. We’ll see what happens.”
Can you please elaborate on how war crimes investigation would set the reconciliation movement backwards? What are the elements of “reconciliation” to which you refer? If there have been war crimes, wouldn’t “moving on” involve bringing these criminal elements along with you into Sri Lanka’s future and inviting further trouble down the road?
“But know this, there is an equally or greater formidable force on the opposing side who will take things to the very bitter end. Just think the recent battle that culminated in Nandikadal lagoon as an example of this. May we have the wisdom not to burn down the whole house.”
Exactly, and it’s people like you (who I hope aren’t dumb enough to belong with the opposing side that will take things to the bitter end) who should do something to pre-empt them from burning down the whole house, don’t you think? Rather than use them as a threat to frighten off those who want Tamil issues to be addressed? Because the next “Nandikadal lagoon” episode will happen in the south. It can’t happen in the north due to the militarization of that area and because the IC and Tamil diaspora are just waiting for something like that to happen to add more fire to their cause. You will be playing right into their hands.
You guys think that as long as you keep stoking the fire of making the LTTE, the Tamil diaspora and the so-called Western conspiracy the enemies of Sri Lanka, that you can ward off intra-Sinhalese conflict. Except that the trouble could come from the outside, be it a natural disaster, a global recession, IC sanctions, anything at all. By climbing into bed with certain countries, you’ve ensured that the West CANNOT leave you alone.
belle – The LTTE did not spontaneously instigate this conflict. They were provoked. They reacted, rather than acted..
so walking out of peace talks were reacting? so why do YOU THINK THE LTTE REACTIVELY KILLED INDIA’S HEAD RAJIV GANDHI –
revenge of sonia gandhi was sweet as it was served cold !!!!!!!!!
why did LTTE reactively kill adfread dureappa and lakshman K?
belle, see you’re being deceptive again! I very clearly stated that the LTTE hijacked the Tamil cause period! No where I said that the LTTE represented the Tamil cause. Which is not true and most here would agree with me. I challenge you to quote my words where I may have indicated such a statement. So you can kindly take back your “metonym” lecture and use it as a door stop.
What I said clearly is that it is the LTTE that sent a message to the world on behalf of the Tamil community in Sri Lanka that they were a bunch that solve problems using brutal violence. Diaspora was only too happy to aid with this message. It is a shame because many within the Tamil community (Northern) in SL opted for peaceful measures but they were either bullied, silenced, killed or coerced into the LTTE path. This was my argument. I wasn’t trying to brandish the Tamils with LTTE and any honest reader would concur.
but the vast majority of them are displaced peoples, refugees, hapless victims of violence from both sides of the conflict. Who has heard their side of the story?
Yes they are/were. They were displaced for 3+ decades more or less. Because of the LTTE war effort. During the time they were under the LTTE control we did not hear much because like I said before, LTTE controlled what you heard. They were basking in the glory of how Killinochchi is the defacto capital and kids were going to school under the protection of their defacto police force. What they forgot to mention was the mandatory weapons training they were given at/after school!
Soon as the war erupted again the LTTE were pushed back and finally the civilians started to break away and to come to the government side, then the world media picked up on their IDP status again. Right towards the last few months of the war and the time to date after the war’s end, Tamil IDPs have become a front page issue. They have been featured on practically every major news paper, current affairs program in the world media. So my argument is Tamils got more coverage into their predicament after coming to the GOV SL side! I know for you, this is very hard to swallow fact! People in the know, knows! If you pay any attention to world media, you would have to be insane to say that Tamil issues haven’t been given more prominent global coverage since they came under SL GOV administration. I think the SL administration is to commended for that and goes against your notion that it is the SL Gov that was responsible for lack of limelight.
“Most people”? Could you give me an idea of the numbers? For all we know, all the buzz on the web could be written by a handful of people (perhaps even employed by GOSL).
In regards to MIA, you only have to read the recent NY Times, Huffington Post articles and the huge number of user comments, blog posts that has generated in response to that. I don’t think these sites tolerate spam and trolls can only do so much. They get voted down very easily. If that is not enough why don’t delve into the social media space like Twitter, FB, etc. Believe me these people have better English than what the state education English standard here can provide for. If you claim they’re gov stooges then it is a commendation to the state of English literacy in the SL state school system today! and also for the SL Gov media savvyness
We can safely argue they haven’t caught up to the web 2.0 age yet!
“It’s shameful and frankly a war crime that diaspora supported this.”
More rhetoric. Please point to the parts in the Geneva Conventions that say that fund raising for a declared terrorist group is a war crime.
Umm because they were the enablers of crimes against humanity! A defacto regime of a military arm. Without the financing there wouldn’t be LTTE. So in effect, the diaspora funding machinery was an administrative component of the LTTE while Prabakaran and co were the commanding officers in the military. Had there been an international transitional Tamil government back then, it would have been these guys and the administration that have a direct hand in acts that violates conventional rules of engagement in war. Do you think you can get away that easily? Absolutely not! After the WW2 even the Nazi propaganda officers were held accountable. So why not the LTTE international propaganda arms? UN agrees that LTTE have allegedly carried out war crimes. The ground commanders maybe dead but not the enablers, financiers and propagandists. I guess if things work out there will be an opportunity argue over the technicalities at the ICJ. So let’s save it for then shall we? Rather than waste time on this forum.
Overall, a nice attempt at distracting and creating a fog around what I’m saying. But my eyes are still on the ball.
Overall, nice attempt at avoiding the crux of my argument
You would all do well to remember that no matter how convinced you may be of your own narrative, and how eloquently you express it, that old Jedi mind trick doesn’t work on everyone.
ditto, I am sometime baffled who do they take us for? They expect to erase a good 80% of our knowledge and the experience we have lived through and expect to subscribe to a careful narrative they have constructed from ancient history to this day. They must think people who live in Sri Lanka are absolute idiots who have no idea what’s going in our country and the world! If I keep reading this stuff I’m going to get a brain hemorrhage soon. It’s fun exposing them nonetheless, so I will keep risking my health… lol
To everyone,
Thank you for proving my point that it was the Sinhalese side of the story that prevailed in the international pressure. Your verbal diarrhoea about the LTTE and the Tamil diaspora compared to your total inability to give info on the State’s handling of the terrorist threat and its treatment of Tamil civilians demonstrates that the Tamil side of the story was silenced. LTTE silencing of the Tamils indeed! Close to a million Tamils migrated during the period of the conflict. You mean they didn’t have stories to tell? Why did their stories not get coverage in the international media.
It is plumb ignorance to talk about the propaganda arm of a terrorist group as being stronger than a State’s machinery. Not to mention that being considered a terrorist group already cripples one’s credibility.
As for the question of why the LTTE started in 1976. It’s a 20 year difference between 1956 and 1976, no? Time for Tamil kids to grow up resenting their fathers’ losing their jobs in the civil service, among other factors, and resenting the fact that they could never have what their fathers before them once had.
The other question about journalists needing clearance from government. It all depends on the government concerned. Some governments are quick on the draw with threats to sue (like GOSL, and Singapore too). And you can’t wiin these suits because government supporters will crawl out of the woodwork to deny, deny, and deny. International press are wary of being sued unless they have unshakeable proof. Where would they get that since their movements were restricted, in a country that blithely killls or disappears journalists?
When did you all find out about the 10s of thousands of youth killed in the late 1980s? I see lots of details of JVP behaviour. But when did you know about government massacres of youth during this period? Do you still have what can pass as proof, after all these years? And yet, the normal daily folk saw it with their own eyes, no? So how come the silence about the state terror?
Observer,
“belle, see you’re being deceptive again! I very clearly stated that the LTTE hijacked the Tamil cause period! No where I said that the LTTE represented the Tamil cause. Which is not true and most here would agree with me. I challenge you to quote my words where I may have indicated such a statement. So you can kindly take back your “metonym” lecture and use it as a door stop.”
I asked about what happened to Tamils during the conflict years. You come out with details of LTTE. What am I supposed to think? That one stands for the other, no? It is only in your second follow-up response that you mention the Tamil civilians.
“It is a shame because many within the Tamil community (Northern) in SL opted for peaceful measures but they were either bullied, silenced, killed or coerced into the LTTE path.”
So what are you doing to help this peace-loving people? I see no concern about this. How can we start to talk about the peace-loving Tamils without getting the discussion hijacked by stuff on the evils of the LTTE? See, it’s not just the LTTE and GOSL that hijacked their voice—you folks are doing it too.
“If I keep reading this stuff I’m going to get a brain hemorrhage soon.”
Shhh, let’s keep this a secret between us—I think you’ve already haemorrhaged.
“It’s fun exposing them nonetheless, so I will keep risking my health… lol”
See—there’s the evidence that the bleeding has already started. You’re willing to risk your health for an argument. More evidence of brain haemorrhage? You’re making up stuff about what’s in the Geneva Conventions.
Hi Belle,
“Thank you for proving my point that it was the Sinhalese side of the story that prevailed in the international pressure. Your verbal diarrhoea about the LTTE and the Tamil diaspora compared to your total inability to give info on the State’s handling of the terrorist threat and its treatment of Tamil civilians demonstrates that the Tamil side of the story was silenced.”
Going by your style of reasoning, can we conclude that the Tamil side of the story prevailed, given YOUR “verbal diarrhea” about the Rajapakshas and the Sinhalese compared to your total inability to give info on the LTTE’s handling of the “liberation struggle” and its treatment of Tamil civilians?
“As for the question of why the LTTE started in 1976. It’s a 20 year difference between 1956 and 1976, no? Time for Tamil kids to grow up resenting their fathers’ losing their jobs in the civil service, among other factors, and resenting the fact that they could never have what their fathers before them once had.”
Umm.. Prabakaran’s father did not lose his job and even continued to receive his government pension when he was living in India during the war. Mr. Velupillai apparently was a district land officer in Jaffna, a very senior position. Prabakaran himself was a class 8 dropout, and reading DBSJ’s bio of the father it is difficult to imagine that Prabakaran aspired to be like him.
The rest of the pre-83 Tigers were mostly juvenile delinquents from broken homes. They were NOT the cream of SL Tamil society. For example, the famous Charles Anthony joined after running away from his alcoholic father in Trincomalee. Even after 1983, the L— took in mostly the poor and uneducated, with a particularly strong aversion to intellectuals.
Most educated youth (from the right families) did not become militants after the 1972 standardisation policy but rather opted to move and study abroad, although some members of this “2nd wave diaspora” chose to return and engage in militancy, like EROS or the LTTE’s Vaithilingam Sornalingam aka Shankar.
“Some governments are quick on the draw with threats to sue (like GOSL, and Singapore too). And you can’t wiin these suits because government supporters will crawl out of the woodwork to deny, deny, and deny. International press are wary of being sued unless they have unshakeable proof.”
Could you kindly show us one example where the GOSL successfully sued an international news outlet?
“When did you all find out about the 10s of thousands of youth killed in the late 1980s?”
During the late 1980s.
Wijayapala,
“Going by your style of reasoning, can we conclude that the Tamil side of the story prevailed, given YOUR “verbal diarrhea” about the Rajapakshas and the Sinhalese compared to your total inability to give info on the LTTE’s handling of the “liberation struggle” and its treatment of Tamil civilians?”
How can I have verbal diarrhoea about the Rajapakshas and the Sinhalese considering that nobody knows what happened? Isn’t that why a war crimes investigation is necessary? To find out?
I don’t have any inability in giving info on LTTE atrocities. It’s well documented. But unlike you guys, I’m not obsessed about the LTTE, clinging to them and their antics like children to a lollipop. No doubt talking about the LTTE endlessly gives you comfort, takes away the need to face yourselves and your own responsiibilities.
“mm.. Prabakaran’s father did not lose his job and even continued to receive his government pension when he was living in India during the war. Mr. Velupillai apparently was a district land officer in Jaffna, a very senior position. Prabakaran himself was a class 8 dropout, and reading DBSJ’s bio”
So, are you saying that if he hadn’t dropped out of school, he could have aspired to success in the civil service too, like his father? I personally know two of his classmates from Valvettithurai. They did excellently at school. Why did they migrate?
“The rest of the pre-83 Tigers were mostly juvenile delinquents from broken homes. They were NOT the cream of SL Tamil society. For example, the famous Charles Anthony joined after running away from his alcoholic father in Trincomalee. Even after 1983, the L— took in mostly the poor and uneducated, with a particularly strong aversion to intellectuals.”
How come there were so many ” delinquents” around? Did it not have to do with poverty and lack of opportunities to thrive? Of course, they took in the poor and uneducated, the better off ones fled the country. What exactly is your point here?
“Could you kindly show us one example where the GOSL successfully sued an international news outlet?”
Why should I do that? I’m saying that the international press didn’t run stories about army misbehaviour and atrocities through the 1980s and 1990s because they never could get solid evidence. So why should they be sued? For not running stories?
Recently of course, one gets more such news because evidence is available. Maybe the more pertinent question is why GOSL has not sued Channel 4 for a recent report showing photos apparently belonging to a senior SLA commander and interviews with unidentified soldiers. Shouldn’t we presume guilt? Here’s the relevant report:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2JMB_ltEjV0
“’When did you all find out about the 10s of thousands of youth killed in the late 1980s?’
During the late 1980s.”
Do you realise the implications of what you’re claiming? This means that the Sinhalese voted a known genocidal political party into power in 1989! Do you really want to slander your community like this? Isn’t it true rather that the first Commissions of Inquiry into Disappearances of Persons were set up in 1994, when there was a regime change, and it was then they started finding mass graves? As MC Iqbal says, “The mass graves at Hokandara, Essella, Wavulkelle, Walpita Farm and Ankumbura had also been disinterred on a judicial order. It was in evidence that the people of the area knew the existence of these graves even though they are not known nationally. Yet they had not been acknowledged by the authorities.”
My point in asking the question about when you knew about the state terror exacted on Sinhalese youth in the late 1980s was to refer you to the incredible hold your governments have on information. They can even hide mass massacres! Everyone knew. And yet, nobody knew. Not enough anyway to find the evidence to make it to the press. The exact same thing happened with the Tamils. That’s why the international media was full of info on what the LTTE was doing, but never had info on what the government forces were doing until the CFA period.
Hi Belle,
“I don’t have any inability in giving info on LTTE atrocities.”
Likewise, we don’t have any inability in giving info on atrocities by the various govts. The information is out there.
“I’m not obsessed about the LTTE, clinging to them and their antics like children to a lollipop. No doubt talking about the LTTE endlessly gives you comfort, takes away the need to face yourselves and your own responsiibilities.”
I agree. You seem to be obsessed about the Rajapaksas, clinging to them and their antics like children to a lollipop. No doubt talking about the Rajapakshas endlessly gives you comfort, takes away the need to face yourselves and your own responsiibilities.
“So, are you saying that if he hadn’t dropped out of school, he could have aspired to success in the civil service too, like his father?”
No. I disproved your argument that lack of opportunities directly led to Tamil militancy, and you failed to defend your argument (stay focused, Belle!). Unless you can state that your VVT scholar friends joined the LTTE in its early pre-1983 years instead of migrating abroad to study.
“How come there were so many ” delinquents” around?”
But there weren’t “so many” delinquents. The LTTE barely had 10 members in the 1970s and 30 at most when Black July took place. It was only after Black July that Tamil youth entered the war en masse.
My point was to show that it was primarily anti-Tamil violence, and not mere discrimination, that led to the beginning of the war.
“Could you kindly show us one example where the GOSL successfully sued an international news outlet?”
Why should I do that? I’m saying that the international press didn’t run stories about army misbehaviour and atrocities through the 1980s and 1990s because they never could get solid evidence. So why should they be sued?
You seem to have problems keeping track of your own stories. Earlier you said:
Some governments are quick on the draw with threats to sue (like GOSL, and Singapore too). And you can’t wiin these suits because government supporters will crawl out of the woodwork to deny, deny, and deny. International press are wary of being sued unless they have unshakeable proof.
Thus for your claim that the govt was ready and eager to sue, you have to provide evidence. As it stands, your claim is unsubstantiated.
“Maybe the more pertinent question is why GOSL has not sued Channel 4 for a recent report showing photos apparently belonging to a senior SLA commander and interviews with unidentified soldiers.”
Thank you for debunking your own argument.
“Do you realise the implications of what you’re claiming? This means that the Sinhalese voted a known genocidal political party into power in 1989! Do you really want to slander your community like this?”
Unlike you, I don’t have compunctions about criticizing my own community, and frankly I find it quite idiotic for you to first accuse us of not speaking up, and then accuse us when we do speak up!
In this particular case, most of the deaths occurred after Premadasa was elected President. Specifically, most of them occurred after the JVP began to target the families of the security forces, which then unleashed its full fury against the JVP and its perceived supporters.
Premadasa was elected on the platform of getting the Indians out of Sri Lanka, as it was the IPKF that was the primary driver of the 2nd JVP insurrection. Premadasa could only move against the JVP after the electorate was convinced that he would not tolerate Indian soldiers in the island.
“They can even hide mass massacres! Everyone knew. And yet, nobody knew. Not enough anyway to find the evidence to make it to the press.”
As it turned out, there were some erstwhile defenders of human rights in that period who exposed the UNP regime’s misdeeds:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sinhala/news/story/2007/04/070404_humanrights.shtml
Sri Lanka has backtracked and will now allow a United Nations team to visit the country and share evidence gathered during an investigation into whether war crimes were committed during the final phase of the island’s bloody civil war, a Cabinet minister said Saturday.
Full story – http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20101218/ap_on_re_as/as_sri_lanka_un