He says

“the bottom line is that you have very serious allegations and you’ve got a handful of experts who are extremely close to the government to provide no sense of an impartial investigation of the type required ………And finally, they have used the analysis of another gentleman who is apparently based in Australia, but of Sri Lankan origin, who claims to have and appears to have a significant technical credentials in this area.”

The words “another gentleman” ….. “but” of Sri Lankan origin….. who “claims to have” and “appears” to have …..” is innuendo and conveys DOUBT

Here is an UN official, trying to discredit an acknowledged world leader in his field of expertise by casting an explicit doubt, in reference to Mr. Siri Hewawitharana who is one of the world’s leading digital video systems experts.

He is the former Head of Cisco’s global broadcast and digital video practice. He was Head of systems engineering for Star TV Hong Kong, Head of Visual Communications for OTC and Director of Engineering for WIM TV. And as Chief architect of Optus’ Network Systems Design Broadcast and Satellite TV operation, he was responsible for creating and operating Optus’ $47 million Pay TV Video Operations Centre and presently is the Executive Director at IPTV Systems.

The Data used for analysis was what Channel 4 published. Its available in the Public Domain. The analysis and conclusions are based on TECHNICAL facts. The UN Rapporteur has the “Whole World” to choose any other expert of his choice from but he does not conduct his own Technical Analysis and instead fall back on innuendo to cast doubt. In fact what is the need to carry out what he calls a “…..of an impartial investigation….” when there is a detailed report made available an the Data analyzed are in the Public Domain? What prevented him from making his own analysis using experts of his choice and publishing a counter claim BEFORE shooting off his mouth?

It seems to me that Prof. Philip Alston cannot find an expert from the whole world who is willing and is able to challenge the Technical Analysis of Mr. Siri Hewawitharana.

The UNHRC has stated that being a lawyer herself, she had thought it fit not to make a pronouncement on this issue until the authenticity of the contents of the video in question was established.

There is a fall out when someone like Prof. Philip Alston with a privileged position as an official of the UN system deviates from the impartiality that is demanded from his office.

When he chose to use innuendo in the way he had used it in this case, he would be shooting himself in the leg as the LTTE is proven to have bribed even an US Congressman and under cover Agents from the US security services whom they believed were US State Dept Officials, in an attempt to get de-listed from the US Terrorist list (FBI)

The LTTE is very active in Australia and has access to billions of US Dollars.

Three weeks ago I raised concerns that arose from your provocatively Headlined article above, in the following two posts

September 25, 2009 @ 12:22 pm
http://www.groundviews.org/2009/09/23/a-continuation-of-war-by-other-means/comment-page-1/#comment-9317

September 27, 2009 @ 1:27 am
http://www.groundviews.org/2009/09/23/a-continuation-of-war-by-other-means/comment-page-1/#comment-9362

I would like to know your learned views regarding the matters raised therein.

At the same time I would also like you to address your mind to the following post that I addressed to undergroundview and SomewhatDisgusted as it contains additional information relevant to your article

October 4, 2009 @ 2:57 pm

Awaiting an erudite response from you

Off the Cuff

While I fervently hope that Islets of jaffna confinement is not true, knowing the history of this regime, anything is possible. There cannot be any dispute in SL dealing with them in accordance with the laws of the land and due observance of international covenants but another “abu ghraib” is a clear no-no.

Thanks a lot for your awesome posts!!

Some friends of mine, actually record your comments on the cassettes and listen to them at home in a garage, while repairing their cars.

The truth is powerful!! I guess, the pen sometimes is mightier than the sword!!

I saw on another thread- Off the Cuff-demands of the URL about the Channel 4 video .

http://www.tamilnet.com/art.html?catid=13&artid=30262

“Sri Lanka’s government did four separate studies of the video footage that purports to show Sri Lankan troops killing naked, blindfolded men during the civil war.

However, Philip Alston, U.N. investigator on extrajudicial killing, said none of the studies cited by Sri Lanka appears to be independent and impartial”

I’m a bit worry, about this cruel and inhuman reshuffle of Tamils (like cattle) from one concentration camp to another.

It looks like….it will become a norm – rampant colonization, resettlement-but not to the native villages, ridiculous and un-ending “security clearances” even for 1 year old orphan-baby and the sad and vile enslavement of all Tamils.

What do you think about the Islets of Jaffna Tragedy?

Because, the modus operandi of the Sinhalese Colonial Masters is cruelly unfolding right there.

In my opinion, this is the future for the NE Tamils, period!!

http://www.tamilnet.com/search.html?string=islets+of+Jaffna

Can you look it over and give an input on this? Thanks
You are welcome to my blog
Mawatha Silva

“Secondly, your question about screening IDPs. So far, 10,000 have been identified. Most of these people are discovered through intelligence gathering and finger pointing. There is no label on a person that says “this person here might have been a terrorist cadre”. So that may explain why IDPs are not being systematically screened and released as you expect them to be. It’s just not as simple a process as one might hope. In addition, perhaps there are other logistical issues with managing that many people. Perhaps there are other (more insidious) reasons, as you suggest. But so far, the most sane reason seems to be to screen for cadres.”

The SL EU Ambassador at Brussels Ravinatha Ariyasinha has officially stated that more than 100,000 IDPs have already been screened and issued with IDs. Isn’t what you have written flies flatly on your face? Come on friend, for once, could you guys be truthful?

I agree that this nation could ill-afford another bitter war but that is precisely what this regime wants, or so it seems. That is why many of us moderates want this handshake, reconciliation and move on but unfortunately this regime appears to intentionally sowing the seeds for another uprising. It is not a surprise anymore – with the increase in defence budget recently announced. This regime only believes in the forced subjugation of the Tamils and this is the inescapable view of the majority of the Tamils and while the regime had the easy way to decimate the LTTE, it is not going to be that easy to tackle the diaspora and the international community. That will be wishful thinking. It is exactly this we want to avoid. Such antagonism will not benefit anyone.

You said:

” you have still not answered my two questions. If mines is the issue, why not let them stay with their relatives and/or friends. Again, if mines is the issue why are they kept in the camps with guns pointed at them? Why not allow them freedom of movement – in and out of the camps. If the issue is the filtering of ex-LTTE combatants, then in the last five months, it could release all those who had already been screened. So, when is this regime going to tell us the truth? or you are going to go around in circles in defending this regime.”

I don’t think mines were ever a severe issue. Mines do not justify restricting freedom of movement. If someone voluntarily chooses to walk into a minefield, that’s mostly his/her business. It’s not a valid reason. I agree.

What are significant issues however, are the weapons caches which are buried about and the LTTE cadres mingling with civilians who will have the potential to unearth those caches.

If you check the news, you’ll see that weapons caches are being recovered on a regular basis and basically discovered using the same process as demining. This is a significant threat and I believe this is what’s collectively referred to as “demining”.

Secondly, your question about screening IDPs. So far, 10,000 have been identified. Most of these people are discovered through intelligence gathering and finger pointing. There is no label on a person that says “this person here might have been a terrorist cadre”. So that may explain why IDPs are not being systematically screened and released as you expect them to be. It’s just not as simple a process as one might hope. In addition, perhaps there are other logistical issues with managing that many people. Perhaps there are other (more insidious) reasons, as you suggest. But so far, the most sane reason seems to be to screen for cadres.

I asked you for reasons as to why you think the govt. is running camps, not why you think the govt. is despicable. So far, you’ve given me a whole list of their screw ups (some with which I agree with and some with which I don’t) but not a single reason to explain why the govt. might be running these camps. Your anger against the govt. (understandable or not) should not be confused with reasons for running the camp.

“And don’t forget how this regime packed up Tamils in buses from Colombo to remove them from Colombo and because of the international pressure it relented.”

The greatest concern is the bitter racial enmity is tearing this nation apart and I would have thought that there would have been some sincerity on the part of this regime to move ahead with reconciliation and resettlement so that people can get on with their lives.

I agree. If only things were that simple. There is a significant section of people who refuse to let others get on with their lives and choose instead to stir up racial enmity so that their own racial goals can be achieved. These are the people who are our common enemy. You see them quite regularly on these forums and their express intent is to start Eelam War V. If instead, those same people refocused their energy on establishing a just society for all races and address any issues that can be considered unfair by minorities, perhaps we could have progressed ages ago. But as long as the goal is establishing racist Eelams and splitting this country, I don’t think anyone’s going to get on with their lives anytime soon. That’s why defeating their racist ideologies are of great importance.

BTW, please read this discussion between Devanesan Nesiah and “Off the cuff”. You may find alternate perspectives in relation to internment. http://www.groundviews.org/2009/09/17/the-internment-%E2%80%93-a-collective-punishment/

Cheers!

I have raised concerns that arose from your provocatively Headlined article above, in the following two posts

September 25, 2009 @ 12:22 pm
September 27, 2009 @ 1:27 am

I would like to know your learned views regarding the matters raised therein.

At the same time I would also like you to address your mind to the following post that I addressed to undergroundview and SomewhatDisgusted as it contains additional information relevant to your article

October 4, 2009 @ 2:57 pm

Awaiting an erudite response from you

Off the Cuff

“And do you reckon the facts fit your theory? Since the govt.’s main intention, as you say, is to massacre Tamils, why don’t they just send the refugees back to the Vanni and make them walk over the LTTE’s minefields? Surely, this would accelerate the process of reducing their numbers, and achieve the objective you assumed of them?”

No one is getting fooled here. The massacre that happened during the last days of war is the most inhuman and the most bloodiest. There has never been guesses that this regime is not only brutal but has little or no regard for human lives, in this case it happens to be Tamils. It knows the world is watching and while the world turned the other way to bury the ruthless LTTE it is not going to be as cosy now that it involves civilians. As I have explained earlier, it defies logic and reason – the regime says it is keeping the IDPs in the camps because of mines and you have still not answered my two questions. If mines is the issue, why not let them stay with their relatives and/or friends. Again, if mines is the issue why are they kept in the camps with guns pointed at them? Why not allow them freedom of movement – in and out of the camps. If the issue is the filtering of ex-LTTE combatants, then in the last five months, it could release all those who had already been screened. So, when is this regime going to tell us the truth? or you are going to go around in circles in defending this regime.

There are deep seated animosities between the two races and both have to share blame for the predicament that the country is facing. Having said that, there can be no excuse for this regime for the punitive actions, when the entire Jaffna library was burnt to ashes with the army preventing anyone trying to save it, the army and police watching Tamils being massacred during the July 83 pogrom. And don’t forget how this regime packed up Tamils in buses from Colombo to remove them from Colombo and because of the international pressure it relented.

The greatest concern is the bitter racial enmity is tearing this nation apart and I would have thought that there would have been some sincerity on the part of this regime to move ahead with reconciliation and resettlement so that people can get on with their lives. This regime could have made a positive contribution by making a sincere effort in extending a friendly hand to heal the wounds they have long suffered and endured. Alas it doesn’t seem to be that. When they escaped from the clutches of the LTTE any reasonable person would have thought and expected to be treated fairly as a citizen of this country. Their misery has not abated and it is like poking fun at them, caging them up and threaten them that they will be shot if they leave. Do you think this is a joke? So, how on earth do you expect to win the trust? Do you think it is for fun that the army numbers are going to be increased when the deafening claim is that terrorism has been completely defeated? Go after the LTTE, they have no respect for lives and democracy but there is no decency or right to lock up civilians. Thank god that the delusion label you want to affix on those who raise these issues is not sticking.

As I have reiterated a number of times, there was (quite frankly I don’t know whether there is still, as this regime has gleefully screwed itself up) a fantastic opportunity to put the past behind. How could a regime that received a pat for defeating terrorism could so quickly lose it is beyond me.

Because then the begging bowl would dry up very very fast. India, China, Pakistan, Libya, etc would shy away from “donating.”

“Why do *you* think they are running these camps?”

Because they know when the last IDP’s leave the camps, Eelam War IV will commence quite quickly.

Because then the begging bowl would dry up very very fast. India, China, Pakistan, Libya, etc.

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Because they know when the last IDP’s leave the camps, Eelam War IV will commence quite quickly.