Violence and accountability
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Cartoon by Albert Ashok
As conflict raged, the United Nations Commissioner for Human Rights had stern words for those on both sides. “All violations of international humanitarian law and human rights law must be investigated and those responsible for breaches – including deliberate targeting of civilians, indiscriminate and disproportionate attacks, the killing of injured persons and the use of human shields – must be brought to justice,” her spokesman told reporters.
The year was 2004, and fighting in Fallujah in Iraq was taking an ongoing toll on ordinary people. The UN Commission on Human Rights special rapporteur on the right to health had earlier listed “extremely serious allegations” against the US-led coalition that had taken control of Iraq and called for an independent inquiry.
UN investigators continued to keep a close watch on Iraq. Just last year, special rapporteur on torture Manfred Nowak – who in 2006 had condemned the US detention centre in Guantanamo Bay as a “torture camp” – urged President Barack Obama to investigate US forces’ complicity in torture in Iraq.
Political wheeling and dealing affects the UN’s ability to take action on human rights abuses. Nevertheless, many of its officials are experienced in cutting through the lies and evasions of governments to uncover what happens in conflict zones. Numerous states – including the US and other Western powers – have been challenged over human rights abuses.
Human rights organisations such as Amnesty International have been unsparing in challenging governments and rebel forces across the world over human rights violations. In March 2003, as the US-led coalition went to war in Iraq, AI warned that “”Those who have launched the military attacks must take responsibility if their action provokes a human rights and humanitarian catastrophe.” In April, AI condemned the coalition’s use of weaponry that caused excessive civilian casualties, in no uncertain terms: “The use of cluster bombs in an attack on a civilian area of al-Hilla constitutes an indiscriminate attack and a grave violation of international humanitarian law.”
The mistreatment of detainees too was soundly condemned by AI. It was not only international organisations which raised the alarm about abuses – the media also played a part, including those in the USA. While some swallowed their government’s propaganda, others were willing to expose its misdeeds and those of its allies. In 2004 CBS and the New Yorker exposed the horrors of Abu Ghraib. In the UK, the Independent’s veteran correspondent Robert Fisk risked his life to report the experience of ordinary Iraqis while UK-based Channel 4 TV asked probing questions about the official version, to the discomfort of the British government.
Many of those who challenged violations of international law and human rights norms in Iraq were all too aware of the evils of the regime which the coalition overthrew. Yet this did not justify the infliction of further abuses on the Iraqis who had suffered so much under Saddam’s rule. There have also been some critics of the West’s action in Iraq, such as the Iranian government, which had dubious human rights records themselves. This does not mean that their criticism was not, on this occasion, justified.
Now, the United Nations has produced a report detailing grave abuses by both the Sri Lankan government and Tigers as the war drew to an end. Much of what is revealed is not new, though some Sri Lankans – both government and Tiger supporters – are in deep denial that ‘their’ side could possibly have done any wrong. (Likewise, there are some Americans, Russians, Congolese, Syrians and citizens of many other nations who strongly resent any criticism of their government’s human rights record, however powerful the evidence of wrongdoing.)
Some people appear to believe that Sri Lanka has been singled out for criticism, and are indignant. Yet the UN, AI and the more enterprising Western news media have exposed human rights abuses by many other national governments, including the USA and European nations, as well as by armed insurgents.
Why make a fuss, others may ask, when such violence is common? Is it not better to accept that abuses occur, and that in the midst of conflict, life is cheap, especially for the poor and powerless across the globe? Yet if violations are not challenged, those waging war are less likely to strive to minimise harm to vulnerable people, and there will be little hope of building a more just and less violent world.
It is also important for victims of violence to have their experience acknowledged, rather than denied. Some measure of justice – at the very least, recognition of their suffering – can help individuals, and communities, to heal.
Accountability is a 2 way process.
1. FIRST the voters of the Vadukodai Resolution at the 1977 election (and again in 2009 in the diaspora) must be hold to account for crimes committed to 20 million people over 32 years as a DIRECT result of trying to achieve what was resolved.
2. AFTER THAT the accountability for the alleged abuses affecting 40,000 (not sure this number has any validity) for a few months in 2009 can start.
No #2 without fulfilling #1 first.
Selective accountability rubbish should be rejected outright.
The Sri Lankan government killed 17 members of my family – in 2009 alone.
Why?
Because we are Tamils.
My priorities are accountability and justice!
I want those who harmed my family brought to justice!
It is the duty of the United Nations to commit to a war crimes investigations.
There is no point in arguing about this – war crimes have been committed.
Let there be investigations.
If the Sri Lankan government are not war criminals, then why are they kicking up such a fuss about this – surely it will be in their best interests to have their names cleared?
Do they have the blood of more than 40,000 Tamils on their hands?
By the way, why have they still occupied the Tamil areas and why is the Nanthikadal Lagoon still closed to everyone.
Have they not finished destroying the evidence of the more than 40,000 Tamils they have brutally murdered?
Are you Shanti or Pottupillai? Why do you use different names to post the same post? I saw over at Hindustan Times you were crying about the “loss of 17 family members” which considering your seeming deceitfulness is probably a pathetic lie.
If they were indeed killed — were they killed “because they were Tamil”? If so, why are there still a million or so Tamils in Sri Lanka? SHouldn’t they be killed for being just Tamil as well? And how do you know they weren’t shot by the LTTE or recruited as child soldiers? Maybe they’re hiding in Thailand waiting to board a ship to Canada?
TT
In a Recent channel 4 news item , it was revealed , that there were 430,000 Tamil people were registered in the census which conducted in may 2008 , but after the war , there were only 290,000 odd people were accounted for, which means over 100,000 unaccounted for ? see it for yourself, here is the link
http://www.channel4.com/news/un-leak-points-to-crimes-against-humanity-in-sri-lanka-war
There was no official census carried out in 2008. Only the Department of Census and Statistics through its officers and procedures can carry out a census. Otherwise it has no validity.
A similar thing happened in Jaffna district. An army census in 2006 reveal the total population of the Jaffna district to be 600,000 (including children of course). But the Jaffna district registered voters (only adults) is higher than this!
There were no proper census in the north and the east since 1981. Relying on wrong censuses is like relying on a wrong stopwatch to keep time! Olympic records will be broken in such a case!
TT
A whole heap of top civil servants, retired diplomats and some professors have gone and told LLRC that successive governments have done the ethnic minorities injustice from the time of independence, driving them to take up arms. They should have consulted you before wasting everybody’s time and money.
“A whole heap of top civil servants, retired diplomats and some professors have gone and told LLRC that successive governments have done the ethnic minorities injustice from the time of independence.”
I’m telling you with FACTS that Tamil racism started EARLIER than Independence and continues to this date! Northern Tamils started to vote for Tamil racist parties (not just their names are racist but also their aspirations, demands, grievances, homelands, etc. are ALL Tamil Only).
Check the 1947 Jaffna district election result.
And in 1931 the then most senior Tamil politician (who later became to lead the premier Tamil political party) made a highly racist demand. He demanded that Tamil speaking people making up only about 30% of the population be given 50% of representation rights! What an apartheid racist demand! It was cut down by the British. So Tamil racism has a longer history than since independence.
TT:
“I’m telling you with FACTS that Tamil racism started EARLIER than Independence and continues to this date! Northern Tamils started to vote for Tamil racist parties (not just their names are racist but also their aspirations, demands, grievances, homelands, etc. are ALL Tamil Only).”
Of course, of course, to bluff that only 70,000 civilians were in the war zone but when about 300,000 people came out the FACTS were totally different – it all depends on who is talking about FACTS. Just throw your FACTUAL journey of deceit and lies into the rubbish bin. What else you and Mahinda have up on your sleeves?
You mean to say the political parties in the south do not sound Sinhalese? Oh, by the way I almost forgot, Mahinda spoke in Tamil (no, no, he started his speech in Tamil, not in Sinhala or English) during the UN General Assembly address. You should immediately seek an audience with him to reprimand him that he is a racist for talking in Tamil. I will hold my breath with patience and reverence till hearing the good news from you for undertaking such a noble task.
Jansee,
Why do you make extreme statements.
There is nothing wrong with languages here. It is racism embedded into ACTC, ITAK, TULF, TNA, LTTE, etc. That is the issue here.
70,000 figure is as absurd as 400,000 IF it related to the TOTAL Vanni population. These are NOT facts but estimates.
The argument “WEll, they started it..” doesn’t justify the LTTE or the Tamils actions over the last 30 years. You don’t loose your moral compass and decency just because God forbid the government doesn’t talk to you in your native language or limited college admittance for a few years. Grow up! Look up Martin Luther King Jr. and the African Americans in the United States (one of them is president there right now!).
TT
Vaddukoddai Resolution – 1976.
Why on earth did the Tamils wait till 1976?
Because they were too naive to have realised by 1949 what we are capable of doing to them – even if it takes several decades. They still don’t know what we have up our sleeves.
Anyway geopolitics is not in their favour.
Absurd!
The 1931 racist 50-50 apartheid demand, the 1922 declaration of Tamil Elam, Ceylon’s first racist political party was formed in 1944, Jaffna district voting for that party in 1947 overwhelmingly.
All this happened BEFORE 1948.
They exhausted all peaceful avenues to get TE and failed. That’s why they took up arms. Never did it occur to them there is a better solution – change the aspirations!
TT
You must be a teacher of Logic.
No, I’m a slayer of Tamil Tigers.
A distinguished panel of reasonable people with no ethno-religious axe to grind in the Sri Lankan quagmire have called for an investigation.
If Sri Lanka has no blood on its hands why not agree for such an international investigation to bring a closure to this tragedy.
Let the truth be told.
“If Sri Lanka has no blood on its hands why not agree for such an international investigation to bring a closure to this tragedy.”
For valid political reasons.
e.g. When LTTE moved its weapons into the No Fire Zone, SLA shelled it. It is PERFECTLY valid according to the international law. No war crimes. But how will the Tamil community take it?
Even presumably educated Tamils don’t take it very well. Then how will MOST Tamils who are not educated take it?
They know nothing of war crimes. In their ignorance ANY civilian death is a crime. That will make things very difficult for the government. That is why the government is against investigations.
Army officers like Fonseka loves war crimes investigations because they didn’t commit any war crimes and they don’t give a damn about what the Tamil people think. That is a political matter, not military.
@TT
your reason for opposing investigation is that the Tamils (who actually went through the hell) will get to know what really happened to them??
You definitely deserve to be a teacher of logic!
What an unwise thing is that!
It is about official justification of attacks by the government based on the compliance of international laws. However, extremist Tamils will never accept compliance with the international laws.
TT
Your analogy and other stories are quite irrelevant to the point here , fact remains , is that piece of paper which Mrs Imelda Sukumar has signed a legitimate one ?
Rubbish!
Imelda Sugumar was the GA for Mulaitivu. She had no authority over these matters that don’t traditionally fall on any GA. Anyway she was prevented by the LTTE from doing a good job. LTTE manipulated numbers (among others) for its advantage.
Accountability is vital as impunity breeds contempt.
The war is over but Tamils are still terrorized by the Repressive Rajapaksa Regime
Tamils in the North and East are dragged to Colombo in coaches to force them to protests against the UN Panel report.
The Sri Lanka army has threatened civilians with consequences if they do not join the protest marches.
The minorities are made to be subservient to the interests of the majority.
With army and police are from the mono-ethnic Sinhalese majority minorities cannot complain to any neutral body to seek justice.
It makes it vital that minorities are given an independent power sharing mechanism to manage their affairs locally without having to travel 300 km in up to 12 hours.
“Accountability is vital as impunity breeds contempt.”
I agree totally in most circumstances. However, in the case of Sri Lanka, MR regime has lodged itself as the sole savior of the Sinhala race by totally defeating the LTTE and on this context, the Accountability that is thrust on the MR regime is seen as an attack on the Sinhala Buddhists.
Similar situation existed during the time of the LTTE; they portrayed them as the sole representative of the Tamil people; any attack on them was seen as an attack on the Tamil people.
How do you handle this situation?
Shanmugam, that is a serious accusation you are making about people being forcefully dragged to colombo. Do you have any evidence to back it up?
Sri Lanka ruling party claims that accountability will harm “reconciliation”
However, reconciliation Rajapaksa style is a complete misnomer.
The comic nature of an Orwellian state is embodied in Sri Lanka today.
Tamils are press ganged by the police into signing a petition against a UN investigation.
Tamil children are being forced to sing the national anthem in Sinhalese.
Sri Lanka expands its military in times of peace, as its army holds an iron grip of terror over Tamil areas.
Stories of land and house being appropriated and handed out to Sinhala citizens are rife, but of course foreign journalists are prevented from going to those parts of Sri Lanka.
Tamil citizens continue after the war to ‘disappear’ and mangled tortured bodies continue to surface.
Foreign projects to help the war battered Tamil community are effectively stifled by the Sri Lankan state.
And Sri Lanka media continues its self-censorship with little reporting of the persecution of the Tamil population.
And the state sends former generals to foreign capitals to sell its ‘successful war on terror’ which massacred over 40,000 Tamil civilians.
It would be unbelievable fiction, if it tragically wasn’t happening to real people.
To dislike, Tamils or Sinhalese is to be racist, but to dislike Sri Lanka Government is to stand against a value system that is no different to acting against a Nazi Germany, Hutu Rwanda or any other fascist state.
There are/were 2 versions of PEACE and WAR.
1. The SL version.
2. The TE version.
There are 3 versions of reconciliation.
1. The SL version
2. The TE version
3. The version that tries to reconcile 1 and 2 above.
#1 is the best way forward for Sri Lanka. According to that the winner must remain the winner, the loser (armed TEs) must remain the loser and we should build upon that.
#3 is nothing but confrontation at a different kind. Confrontations of all kinds bring nothing good.
#2 version is best suited to Tamil Nadu and irrelevant to SL.
Savitri
Thanks for writing this short and sharp writing.
Ashok
Thanks for the cartoon that cannot be better to convey the message – nail just on the head.
Burning_Issue
You raise an important point. Even today, there are some Tamils who are unwilling even to consider that the Tigers might have done wrong, just as some Sinhalese react defensively to any criticism of the Sri Lankan government. Yet in time, I believe some of those in denial about the infliction of harm on defenceless noncombatants by rival armed forces will come to acknowledge what happened. This has occurred in other countries, and indeed in Sri Lanka in the past.
If it is “justice” you are talking about, justice delayed is justice denied!
First the supporters of the Vadukoddai Resolution MUST accept their culpability to the crimes on 20 million people for 32 long years. That will open up space for the others to look into allegations of crimes against a MUCH SMALLER population in Vanni for a few months. If this does not happen first, then there is no need for the other to happen.
UN report is very important for healing the nation and reconciliation
Accountability will stifle the unprecedented savagery towards the innocent .
The whole slaughter of the civilians under guise of fighting “terrorism” should not be repeated .
The Sinhalese should ask themselves, albeit silently behind the outward invective bravado, what in the Sinhala culture that allowed one of them to inflict unprecedented savagery on another human being
The shocking ruthlessness of such barbarity is highlighted in the UN report :
Contrary to the Rajapaksa regime’s assertions that there were ” ZERO civilian casualties ” the UN Report critiques the regime for causing avoidable civilian casualties; for example, it alleges that the UN hub in the No-Fire-Zone was shelled on January 24, 2009: “The United Nations security officer, a highly experienced military officer….discerned that the shelling was coming from the south, from SLA positions…. When United Nations staff emerged from the bunker…. mangled bodies and body parts were strewn all around them, including those of women and children. Remains of babies had been blasted upwards into the trees…. This was in the NFZ and there was no LTTE presence inside the United Nations hub….”
http://transcurrents.com/tc/2011/04/lankan_regime_is_being_faulted.html#more
——
Recently there was shock and horror in the polite Sri Lankan Society when the baby elephant was drown in the recent floods and was wedged in the tree after the water receded. Few tears (Duka Nedda) were shed for the poor creature
But how many tears were shed by the polite Sri Lankan Society for the mangled remains of tiny Tamil babies which were stuck in the trees in the so called No Fire Zone ?
None ?
A deathly silence from the polite Sri Lankan Society ?
was that the tone of the report. Sounds emotive to me.
Dear Rohan
“Accountability will stifle the unprecedented savagery towards the innocent . ”
Kindly explain to us the accountability put into the 2002-6 peace process by the UN and other parties interested in human rights.
“The Sinhalese should ask themselves, albeit silently behind the outward invective bravado, what in the Sinhala culture that allowed one of them to inflict unprecedented savagery on another human being.”
Tamils should ask it first. Tamil Tigers (all of them Tamils) were braded the MOST RUTHLESS by a third party (FBI of the US).
If the type of ferocity used against the LTTE in the last stages of the war brings to the minds of Tamil Elam supporters thoughts of humanity (for a change), it has been very successful! Until then they never raised a voice against EXTREME barbarity unleashed by Tamil Tigers on others and upon itself.
Sri Lankans have not hesitated to use violence against those who threaten the unitary status, Sri Lankan values, etc. This must never change.
e.g. The total genocide of the Tamil Chola invaders was much more gruesome than the TE war. More Tamil speaking invaders (Cholas were invaders) were killed than the war. It was so ferocious that Cholas dared not think of retaking Lanka.
Even today some Tamils consider Cholas as heroes and other SLs consider King Vijayabahu who wiped out the Cholas as a hero. Tigers adopted the Chola tiger flag while Sri Lanka army has the Vijayaba Regiment named after the great vanquisher of the Cholas.
It must be repeated if SL as it is, faces any grave threat. Some Tamils supported the war against the Cholas as some Tamils played a lead role within EPDP, TMVP, DPU, LRRP, NIB, NDI, etc. to wipe out the LTTE. They must be rewarded as in the past.
“The total genocide of the Tamil Chola invaders was much more gruesome than the TE war. More Tamil speaking invaders (Cholas were invaders) were killed than the war. It was so ferocious that Cholas dared not think of retaking Lanka.”
What is your evidence for this TT? Why is it then that the Cholas had invaded Sri Lanka not once but a number of times?
WP,
Not after the total wipe out in the 11th century. Even if there were very small invasions compared to the 993-1070 one, these were immaterial comparatively.
If I can remember, SL forces went to TN and fought the Cholas along with other anti-Chola South Indians. Thanks to all their efforts the Chola kingdom shrank even in TN. Wasn’t it so?
VP’s death and OBL’s death falling in May just two weeks apart is very encouraging. Both triumphalist campaigns take place in May not this year alone but for many years to come.
A well planned fantastic start for President Obama’s election campaign targeting 2012 just like MR did.
SLs should not be stopped from celebrating the SAME justice delivered just because SLs are not white, an eastern country or because VP wasn’t an Islamic terrorist. Its the same thing.
“sri lankan forces occupy tamil areas”? what’s this? thousands have died because of this very (invalid) tamil-area idea… wanna continue?
“a deathly silence from polite sri lankan society…” maybe my memory is failing but i can’t remember the clamour arising from dollar farm or sri maha bodhi massacre,even AI was silent…
i think it would be most sensible to forget this whole unholy mess and move forward,the ltte is finished;whatever the diaspora dreamers might like to think.
and it doesn’t seem like anyone here has been to wellawatte in the recent past,the streets,not the drawing rooms of the expat types – the death of the ltte has been the best thing that has happened to them for the last thirty years,war crimes or no…
does anyone know anything about Darsuman’s past interactions with SL. This man should have never been part of this panel considering he is a human rights activist & an activist judge.
The GoSL are ignorant in calling this report an assault by the diaspora. It’s clearly not, it’s a piece of liberal activism.
I also don’t understand how these people make recommendations with regard to the Emergency Regulations & PTA. Those are matters of national security. as such any recommendations with regard to those should be accompanied by a thorough examination of the security situation here. The panel clear hasn’t done that nor is it remotely qualified to do that.
“The GoSL are ignorant in calling this report an assault by the diaspora. It’s clearly not, it’s a piece of liberal activism.”
I think this is one of the very important perspectives to look at the report, which has not so far been taken seriously. Not forgetting the diaspora influence it, we must look into this aspect as well. I think diaspora has become a vehicle to a “liberal attack”.
Thanks!
It isn’t the Darusman report that asks the government to repeal PTA/ER.
In the last three decades, UN Human Rights Committee, Amnesty International, International Commission of Jurists, International Bar Association have been sakin the successive governments to repeal it and saying that there are national lawsto deal withthe issues.
Sr, the darsuman report clearly asks for the ER & PTA to be removed. the first mentioning of this can be found on page viii, under part C of the other immediate measures to advance accountability. I don’t know how these other organizations came to the similar conclusion, but POE has done it without any analysis of the security situation, nor are they capable of doing such an analysis.
Faced with the threat of creating a Tamil Nadu in SL by way of race based power sharing, SL should increase the number of army camps in the north.
A haul of LTTE arms has been recovered in the east following the release of the report. It proves that LTTE remains are trying to make use of the situation created by the report to relaunch terror.
These moves should be militarily defeated using whatever amount of force needed. It is a good opportunity to restart the hunt for LTTE terrorists.
lankathilaka
Amnesty International has, over the years, moved from focusing solely on governmental human rights abuses throughout the world to also challenging abuses by other powerful armed groups, including the LTTE, which has been criticised in numerous AI reports.
the way of the Dodo and yapa
Please can you say more about what you classify as ‘liberal activism’ or ‘liberal attack’, and how this might apply to the numerous condemnations by human rights organisations of abuses by non-governmental armed groups such as the LTTE or, in Uganda, the Lord’s Resistance Army, as well as abuses by the USA and its allies.
Savi, Liberal activism goes beyond mere condemnation of human rights violations. it goes onto actively prescribe how a society should be organized. This report with it’s commentary on media restrictions democratic governance, restrictions of ‘freedoms’ & 13th amendment, does exactly that. It goes beyond saying “hey, you’ve committed war crimes”, using accountability as a catch phrase to recommend amendments issues going beyond accountability.
sorry, i meant 18th amendment not 13th
Dear Savitri,
What you omit to mention about AI and the rest is this. Not a single Western political or military leader has yet been indicted for War Crimes, punished by their domestic courts or even been successfully pursued by human rights organizations like AI, HRW etc.
Until that happens, they are just pawns in the geo-political game, to be used as pressure points against recalcitrant regimes like our very own.
Oh, AI’s reply to the LTTE question (in 2009) was revealing. “Talks and political devolution”!! Unbelievable.
“2. I don’t buy that argument. There were other options available to the government. It didn’t have to kill thousands of civilians.
3. The fact is, the Sri Lankan government never sought a political solution to the ethnic conflict or to try to undercut what support the LTTE had from the Tamil population by showing that the government was prepared to meet some demands for autonomy.
4. Furthermore, the government could have taken other steps towards the end of the war to minimize civilian casualties, by making greater efforts to avoid attacks against the civilians.”
http://blog.amnestyusa.org/iar/sri-lanka-are-releases-of-displaced-civilians-genuine/#comments
Let’s see if AI devote the same energy and commitment to investigating Bin Laden’s execution and the death of a ‘human shield’ as they’ve done for Sri Lanka.
http://thecarthaginiansolution.wordpress.com/2011/05/02/bin-laden’s-death-a-war-crime-immediate-un-investigation-demanded/
Nice comparison.
If SL had a pro-western party ruling at the time, there would not have been any panels.
Anyway without taking it for granted, SL should ensure that it NEVER signs the Rome Statute.
Re: Tony Blair
Absolutely nothing happens to him. He still carries out “peace building” and “war preparation” initiatives around the world, unhindered.
The NATO forces have bombed and killed Gadhaffi’s son(who is not into politics) and three of his grandchildren! When the Western Cruisaders are killing children and family members of a State Leader the impotent UN watches on! The sheep are listening to what is dished out to them!
Mango
Very few top leaders anywhere in the world have been indicted for war crimes, but those who were included Slobodan Milosevic, who had been a European head of state. Former UK prime minister Tony Blair – unlike Sri Lankan leaders – continues to risk prosecution by the International Criminal Court, since the UK has signed and ratified the Rome Statute, and human rights campaigners in Britain and abroad have been working for years to bring to justice those responsible for breaking international law with regard to Iraq.
I am not sure what you regard as ‘successfully pursued’, but international campaigning has ensured that governments and armed rebel groups face certain risks and may be denied certain kinds of support internationally if they violate human rights, as well as coming under domestic pressure.
Ironically, while some attack international human rights organisations as pawns of the US and other Western governments, others attack the same organisations as pawns of enemies of the USA and West! According to the ‘Get US out! of the United Nations’ website, for instance, ‘The United Nations (financed by American taxpayers!) has long been a safe harbor for terrorist and oppressive regimes which target America as the enemy’, and this belief is held by vocal sections of the right wing in the USA.
Dear Savi,
Thanks for the reply. My apologies for not defining ‘Western’ more clearly. I meant the democratic, EU, US, political/power bloc. Milosevic was an old-school communist (strong man) of an East-Bloc country.
Blair might risk prosecution, but we both know that neither the UK, US (or Russia or China) will allow it. No current or future British PM will allow an ex-PM to be sent to the Hague.
http://tonyblair.org/the-uk-the-international-criminal-court
HR campaigners can work as long as they like, but Blair won’t be visiting the Hague in the near future.
All I asked was that AI treat the West’s crimes (and war crimes) with exactly the same intensity as it does, Sri Lanka’s crimes. But they will not do so.
By my own rough reckoning the West has racked up an impressive 1.3 million civilian deaths for the same period as the Eelam Wars. Yet, AI hasn’t managed to get a single Western politician.
http://thecarthaginiansolution.wordpress.com/2011/02/13/sri-lanka-can-never-beat-the-west/
To give you a simple example, where is AI’s sports-based campaign (e.g. at major football matches in the UK or USA) against US & Western bloc massacres and huge civilian deaths in their current adventures in the Mid-East?
AI managed it easily against Sri Lanka with that idiotic anti-SL cricket team ‘Play by the Rules’ campaign during the 2007 World Cup.
Western HR organisations are pawns of Western bloc governments, when it suits them. When it doesn’t suit them, they can be conveniently ignored.
I oppose only Sri Lankan leaders being ‘held accountable’ by AI and then prosecuted via UN mechanisms. If Mahinda, Fonseka, Gota et al are suspected (with solid evidence) of war crimes, they must be prosecuted. Where is AI’s campaign for Gens. Powell & Schwarzkopf, Pres Bush II, Blair and Gen. Jackson joining them in the dock? Justice must be equitable. Our guys did no more or less than anyone in the US/NATO/British leadership have done in the last two decades. If our guys our guilty, then so are the above and all should be treated alike.
Savi, what do you think to AI’s solution to the Eelam Wars? Talks and more devolution!
AI then have the gall to press for UN action against SL literally days after VP was killed, in May ’09. AI then supported the EU’s GSP+ suspension.
By the way, after Obama killed Osama do you think AI will demand the same level of accountability for OBL’s execution and the death of human shields, as it does of Sri Lanka?
http://thecarthaginiansolution.wordpress.com/2011/05/02/bin-laden’s-death-a-war-crime-immediate-un-investigation-demanded/
Dear Savi,
It seems that AI really has declared war on Sri Lanka.
“Amnesty International will not rest.”
“We will not stop campaigning until the victims and their families get the truth and the justice they deserve.”
“There WILL/b> be an international investigation into these war crimes and abuses.“
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1T1gTx4spS8
Jim McDonald, AI’s ‘country specialist’ speaking in New York, April 2011.
The obvious question: has AI done the same about any Western country which has been involved in their various wars of choice? And if not, why not?
http://thecarthaginiansolution.wordpress.com/2011/05/03/amnesty-intl-declares-war-on-sri-lanka/
Light fuse and retire to a safe distance……
Mango
One example is AI’s campaign earlier this year to the Swedish authorities to take action against George W Bush if he visited (http://www.amnesty.org/en/library/asset/AMR51/009/2011/en/e82562ec-75c9-4092-9a3a-d2d51484e67d/amr510092011en.html). Bush cancelled the visit (http://www.amnesty.org/en/news-and-updates/president-bush-cancels-visit-switzerland-2011-02-06). To quote, ‘Amnesty International sent Genevoise and Swiss federal prosecutors a detailed factual and legal analysis of President Bush’s criminal responsibility for acts of torture he is believed to have authorised. Amnesty International concluded that Switzerland had enough information to open a criminal investigation against the former president… Amnesty International has repeatedly called on US authorities to investigate the responsibility of the highest US officials for torture, and of President Bush in particular, most recently after the publication of his memoirs in November… Anywhere in the world that he travels, President Bush could face investigation and potential prosecution for his responsibility for torture and other crimes in international law, particularly in any of the 147 countries that are party to the UN Convention against Torture.’
“President Bush could face investigation and potential prosecution for his responsibility for torture and other crimes in international law, particularly in any of the 147 countries that are party to the UN Convention against Torture.”
No.
According to this Convention certain types of interrogation are not considered torture.
GWB checked with officials on the legality of these methods before specifically and officially oking them.
Anyway rest assured, NOTHING with happen to ANY western leader ever in regards to alleged or real war crimes. They are the witness, the judge and the jury.
Dear Savi,
Thank you for that. I appreciate your reply. Bush’s excuse for cancelling was that he was afraid of violent demos… Hmmm. Maybe he was concerned. But I doubt it and here’s why.
The US’s real power was shown when it forced Switzerland to change its 300+ years of banking secrecy laws to allow the US tax authorities to get details of US tax evaders hiding their money in Geneva. http://tinyurl.com/6b4x3gz
300 years of Swiss banking laws overturned on US orders. I’d love to be a (semi) benevolent superpower.
If the US can do that do a European ally, do you seriously imagine that the Swiss govt would allow Bush’s arrest?
Bush’s arrest warrant was predicated on his approval of torture. Will AI, HRW etc will apply the same conditions to Obama’s travel plans, given that the US has admitted that info gleaned at Guantananmo (through torture, on Obama’s watch) helped to locate OBL prior to his execution?
I think not.
What do you reckon to AI’s calls for unending action against SL?
Mahinda probably can’t believe his luck. If his astrologer had told him that May was going to be a good month, he’ll be in for a massive bonus
A terrorist leader executed without trial, human shield(s) killed, bodies disposed of without any further ado… reminds me of some thing which happened in a South Asian country a few years back… I’m trying to think of the country.. Surinam? Senegal? Sierra Leone? Ah.. yes, Sri Lanka, I believe.
p.s. don’t get me wrong. I think AI does excellent and valuable work and save lives when they stick to their original core mission, which was to represent the voiceless and political prisoners. But when dive into geo-politiccs, when they opine that we should’ve started to (for the millionth time) negotiate rather than try to deal with the LTTE militarily (as the LTTE also wanted), it’s time to hit back.