Sri Lanka Express

Colonialism, Human Rights, and Scoundrels

2009-05-01T22:45:00.000-07:00

By Hassina Leelarathna

The European Union is baring its white imperialist fangs after being outmaneuvered by Sri Lanka in its bid to strongarm Colombo into a ceasefire. The real purpose of adding the Swedish foreign minister Carl Bildt to the ride taken by French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner and British Foreign Minister David Milliband to Colombo is quite clearly stated in Bildt’s blog writings:

LTTE Propagandist Seneviratne Refused Entry to Malaysia

2009-04-30T09:49:00.000-07:00

Sri Lanka Express

Longtime LTTE supporter Brain Seneviratne was refused a visa to enter Malaysia where he was planning to meet LTTE operatives and conduct propagandist activities, according to a report in SinhalaNet.

The Queensland based doctor was refused entry at the Kuala Lumpur airport and deported to Australia. He was tipped to meet LTTE arms dealer K.P. Pathmanathan and launch LTTE fundraising scheme while in Malaysia, the report said.

Seneviratne reportedly faced a similar investigation when he was stopped and questioned for several hours by Canadian immigration authorities during a recent visit to Toronto where LTTE supporters have been holding massive rallies to support the Tigers.

Seneviratne, who claims to be a ‘full-blooded Sinhalese related to the Bandaranaike family,’ has crusaded the Eelam cause for the past thirty years, often telling foreign audiences that he resigned from the University of Ceylon in protest of the ‘Sinhala-Only Act’ and blaming the Buddhist clergy for the separatist conflict.

Another of his claims is that Sri Lanka denied him a promotion to the post of professor of medicine at the University of Ceylon because he is a Christian. That claim has been debunked with evidence showing that the university gave the position to the best qualified person – Dr. Varagunam, a Tamil Hindu Prior to that, the position was held by a Muslim – Dr. Macan Markar.

Kouchner, Miliband: Came, Saw, Could Not Conquer

2009-04-29T10:04:00.000-07:00

Sri Lanka Express

Colombo - The French Minister of Foreign and European Affairs Dr. Bernard Kouchner and Secretary of State for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office of the United Kingdom David Miliband did not see their mission of getting a ceasefire deal accomplished during their official visit to Sri Lanka.

In addition to discussions with Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollogma, the two ministers called on President Mahinda Rajapaksa, visited the IDP welfare centres in Vavuniya, and the Field Hospital donated by the French Government in Chettikulam.

According to an SL Foreign Ministry press release the two delegations met with all the relevant line Ministries involved with the current humanitarian efforts relating to the IDPs, including the Attorney-General, the Secretary to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs as well as the Secretaries to the Ministries of Healthcare & Nutrition, Social Services, Justice, Nation Building.

Foreign Minister Bogollagama told the visiting dignitaries that Sri Lanka was on the threshold of defeating terrorism and briefed them on the ongoing efforts by the Government and the close collaboration with the international community as well as UN agencies and the ICRC, in supplying the needs of the displaced population including shelter, food and health. The two visiting dignitaries while expressing concern for the security and welfare of the displaced civilian population, condemned the LTTE for holding the civilian population hostage in the “no fire zone,” the ministry said.

At a joint press conference, Miliband said: "Now is the time for the fighting to stop ... There is no question that the military advance of government forces over last six months has been striking. But winning the peace is as vital as winning the war.” Kouchner told reporters that he would press authorities to allow humanitarian access to those civilians still inside the conflict zone.

Tamils drop their black flags in favor of terrorist option

2009-04-27T17:15:00.000-07:00

Tamils in Canada waving flags of a terrorist group that used suicide bombings and child soldiers.

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Wanni Rescue Ops Will Continue, Sans Heavy Weapons

2009-04-27T10:37:00.000-07:00

Sri Lanka Express
The media has twisted the GOSL’s statement on the Wanni operations, a senior defense official was quoted on the defense ministry’s official website as saying. A terse statement issued this morning said “… combat operations have reached their conclusion. Our security forces have been instructed to end the use of heavy caliber guns, combat aircraft and aerial weapons which could cause civilian causalities.”
Foreign media quickly interpreted the statement as an end to hostilities against the LTTE. The Sydney Morning Herald said this was an ‘about-face’ for ‘ Mr Rajapaksa's Government [which] has been under huge pressure from overseas to halt fighting to protect civilians caught up in the conflict.’ In Chennai, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and DMK President Karunanidhi immediately responded by ending his fast, started six hours earlier demanding a ceasefire in Sri Lanka.
A subsequent statement on the defense ministry website, referred to the news reports as ‘a crude and unethical way of media reportash,’ adding that rescue operations would continue. The site quoted an unnamed defense official as saying: "Security forces are now reaching victory, 'combat mission reaching its conclusion' and in no form will leave a breather for the internationally banned terrorist outfit or its leaders who are much wanted for thousands of war crimes and crimes against humanity."

China Gives Rs. 2m Emergency Aid

2009-04-27T09:23:00.000-07:00

Chinese Government has donated Rs. 2 million to the Government of Sri Lanka as emergency relief assistance to civilians who had fed the LTTE, Foreign Ministry sources said.

Highest Priority Civilians Miliband told

2009-04-27T09:17:00.000-07:00

Sri Lanka Express
Colombo - Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama told David Miliband, Secretary of State for Foreign & Commonwealth Affairs of the UK during a phone conversation initiated by the latter today that the Sri Lanka Government’s highest priority is to ensure the safety of civilians entrapped in the North and that combat operations had ‘reached its conclusion.’ Minister Bogollagama explained that the security forces hitherto had been engaged in a rescue mission of the entrapped civilians and would continue to do so since the LTTE had not made any attempts to release the persons being held hostage.
Miliband said the UK had pledged an additional contribution of Sterling Pounds 2.5 million today towards the humanitarian effort.

White House Statement Accuses GOSL, No Mention of LTTE Hostages

2009-04-26T11:47:00.000-07:00

Sri Lanka Express

The Obama White House, commenting for the first time on the Sri Lankan situation, has accused the Sri Lankan government of shelling safe zones and ‘blocking’ international aid. The statement issued on April 25 makes no mention of the civilians being held hostage by the Tamil Tigers. Full text of the White House statement on continuing conflict in Sri Lanka follows:

The United States is deeply concerned about the plight of innocent civilians caught up in the conflict between the Government of Sri Lanka and the Tamil Tigers, and the mounting death toll. We call on both sides to stop fighting immediately and allow civilians to safely leave the combat zone.
We call upon the Government of Sri Lanka to stop shelling the “safe zone” and blocking international aid groups and media from accessing those civilians who have managed to escape. International aid workers should have access to all sites where internally displaced persons are being registered and sheltered. The United States is working with international partners to attempt to care for those civilians who can be reached.
We call on both sides to strictly adhere to their obligations under international humanitarian law. We are very concerned about reports of violations, and take these allegations very seriously.
It would compound the current tragedy if the military end of the conflict only breeds further enmity and ends hopes for reconciliation and a unified Sri Lanka in the future.

France to Set Up Field Hospital in Vavuniya

2009-04-26T10:13:00.000-07:00

Sri Lanka Express

France is deploying a detachment of 72 emergency aid personnel to Sri Lanka to set up a field hospital in Vavuniya near the conflict zone. The detachment, under the command of Lieutenant-Colonel Patrick Delforge, will carry tents and equipment needed for consulting and operating rooms, Le Monde reported. French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner announced that the amount of the French contribution to the High Commissioner for Refugees in Sri Lanka will be doubled from 500 to 1000 million euros. Financial assistance from the humanitarian emergency to French NGOs in Sri Lanka will also more than doubled, he said.

Recent Australian Asylum Seekers Sinhalese - HC Says

2009-04-26T09:16:00.000-07:00

Too poor to pay smugglers

Responding to the Australian government’s concern that the military campaign in the Wanni could provoke an exodus of ‘boatpeople’ seeking asylum, Sri Lanka’s high commissioner said most of the recent asylum seekers who had arrived in Australia were ‘Sinhalese economic migrants’ who were too poor to pay smugglers.

Los Angeles Rally Calls for Release of Civilians Held Hostage by LTTE

2009-04-25T23:27:00.000-07:00

Unease over US Policy
(Sri Lanka Express)
Los Angeles, CA - ‘Honk! Sri Lanka is winning the War on Terror,’ said the placard, and commuters driving past the Federal Building on Wilshire in Westwood on Friday afternoon (April 24) honked and gave the thumbs up to Sri Lankans who were holding a rally to call for the release of civilian hostages being held by the LTTE and to protest the US’ approach to the Sri Lankan situation.
Organized by Sri Lankan Patriots (SLP), the four-hour long rally drew many young expatriates in addition to the activists usually seen at these events. Buddhist monks from several Sri Lankan temples also participated.
‘No, no, no more ceasefire,’ and ‘Never again LTTE, We are for Sri Lanka,’ were chanted in unison while people in cars stopped at the lights stuck their heads out to hear the words and read the messages on the plethora of placards displayed by the protesters.
SLP secretary Gamini Edirisinghe said many in the community were eagerly looking forward to the final defeat of the LTTE and the return to peace in Sri Lanka. At the same time, there is concern and unease he said about remarks made by US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and other high officials about Sri Lanka’s monumental struggle to eliminate terrorism. “Instead of trying to end this terrorist menace, it looks like they are trying to keep the LTTE alive by calling for a ceasefire and criticizing the Sri Lankan government for the ‘humanitarian crisis’ which was caused by the Tigers,” he said, explaining posters such as “”Why is US hindering Sri Lanka’s war on terror’ that were being carried by the protesters.

No Surrender to Third Party - Gothabaya

2009-04-25T18:19:00.000-07:00

Sri Lanka Defense Secretary Gothabaya Rajapaksa has firmly refuted a call by the US that beleaguered LTTE supremo Vellupillai Prabhakaran should surrender to a third party.
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Give Amnesty to Tigers -- Tokyo Chairs

2009-04-25T17:24:00.000-07:00

Sri Lanka Express

Washington, DC (April 25, 2009) - Representatives of the Tokyo Co-Chairs (U.S., European Union, Norway and Japan) have called on the Sri Lankan to offer amnesty to the Tamil Tigers and to pave the way for a political dialogue with the militant group. They also called on the two sides to ‘end hostilities’ and to devise a ‘clear resettlement plan.’

The co-chairs, meeting on April 22 to discuss the humanitarian situation in northern Sri Lanka, said they welcomed the escape of civilians from the conflict zone but said they remained ‘deeply concerned’ about the large number of civilians still being held by the Tigers and condemned the outfit for preventing people from leaving.

Assistant Secretary for South and Central Asian Affairs Richard Boucher participated for the United States.

Additionally, they discussed the need for the Tigers to free all civilians and for the Sri Lankan military to guarantee the civilians’ safe passage, Robert Wood, Acting Department Spokesman said in a press release.

“We fully support the UN Secretary-General’s call for UN staff to be allowed into the conflict zone to facilitate relief operations and the evacuation of civilians. We call on the Government of Sri Lanka to allow UN and International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) access to all sites where newly arrived displaced persons are being registered and provided shelter,” they said.