Monday, November 19, 2012

UN Failed In Sri Lanka, Yes It Did! – OpEd, Albany Tribune

By Sanjaya Arachchige

November 17, 2012

The mechanism that UN has put in place to “leak” information that is intended to be leaked is admirable. The second report that it leaked about Sri Lanka few days ago has served its purpose like the first one. Since the report has been officially released, it is appropriate for us- ordinary Sri Lankans to express our views on the UN’s “Failure” and its “Leaking” strategy regarding Sri Lanka.

Ever since this “Leak”, the Western media has been firing volleys of news alerts, using this piece of information as their latest propaganda weapon against our country. It has reinvigorated the misinformation campaign against Sri Lanka orchestrated by Amnesty, HRW and Crisis group along with their Tamil Tiger backers in the Western world. Yet, none of these intended outcomes of the “Leak” seems sufficient to cover up the UN’s “grave failure” in Sri Lanka. The true “system breakdown” as the UN chief calls it, is clear even in usually distorted news reports on the BBC on this issue.

Since the UN in its report categorically refers the “failure” to the final stage of the conflict, we can assume that UN had been successful in Sri Lanka for the rest of the 26 years that the conflict sustained. On that point, anyone familiar with Sri Lanka would agree that Sri Lanka had been a remarkably successful story not only for the UN but also for the Amnesty and other Human Rights worthies now critical of Sri Lanka. In fact, we never heard of such leaking reports from UN during that period when terrorism walked freely in our country.

Sri Lanka was the home to the Asia’s longest running internal war is a fact known to many. However, few know what compelled Sri Lanka to live with it for 26 years. That is where this success story matters.

The story begins with the notorious anti-Tamil riots in 1983 that no one cared to demand “independent investigations” of any sort to find out the culprits. In a matter of years, a gang of cutthroats became the deadliest terrorist outfit known to the humankind. The outfit’s contributions to the domain of terrorism include; invention of suicide terrorism, horrendous orgies of violence called “village massacres” to be used for ethnic cleansing, disgraceful “Baby Brigade” of child soldiers to lead the attack fronts and above all, the sophisticated propaganda mechanism that works hand in hand with certain organizations profit from human sufferings.

Therefore, the UN is not without souvenirs to prove its effectiveness during its successful years in Sri Lanka. It has ample bomb blasts killing civilians, village massacres, suicide blasts, assassinations and yearly major terror attack at country’s economic nerve centers – perhaps , sufficient enough to leak another report on “past success” in future .

During this time, the UN had been extremely successful in issuing elegantly drafted messages of its “concerns” and frequent “urges” for “both parties” to settle the matters peacefully.

The true success perhaps lies in something else. That is in making it impossible for the successive governments of Sri Lanka to sustain any meaningful campaign to fight terrorism. The conflict not only bled Sri Lanka but also kept the region unstable for about 26 years. When one understands the value of the success then it becomes clear why the UN laments so much on its failure.

Now let’s look at the possible damage that the UN’s failure has caused. No lives are lost in Sri Lanka due to terrorism . The country is rapidly developing and becoming increasingly stable. The very stability has become a headache for the UN’s masters as it has attracted investors from the emerging world superpowers like China, India and Russia. The country has not only become a model for hapless nations fighting terrorism but also become the pillar of regional stability. The war that was so vital to keep the pivotal region unstable to check the ongoing change in the world order has been lost! The losses incurred by Human Rights worthies who made fortunes out of this war should be added to the damage.

Finally, let us envisage the situation had the UN been still successful in Sri Lanka today. There would be one more bleeding country like Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iraq, Syria, etc. and one less middle-income country in the world . Sri Lanka would have retained its prominent position in the UN’s list of shame for child soldiers. Tamil Tiger would have retained its title as the deadliest and richest terrorist organization with its own Navy and Air Force. The region would have remained unstable with no headache from China and India gaining control over the resources. There would be sufficient human sufferings for the western media and human rights worthies to cash in.

Thus , the UN did have a complete system breakdown that led to a grave failure in Sri Lanka as the report suggests. This is true if the organization has been tasked to ensure continued conflicts and turmoil in the third world countries. In that case, the report should have recognized the efforts of Ms. Navi Pillay and Mr. Vijay Nambiar to rescue the terrorist outfit even at the last moment of the battle.

However, the world has no right to fuss too much over the UN’s lackluster performance in Sri Lanka. The organization has been exceedingly successful with Iraq, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Libya, Syria, and Palestine.

Maybe for the UN, what has happened has happened with Sri Lanka. If there is anything left to do, that is to prevent Sri Lanka from achieving lasting peace. As long as there is no proper reconciliation, there is always the opportunity to reignite the flames of destruction. Perhaps these leaking reports, the war crimes ballyhoo, and anti-Sri Lankan propaganda would achieve their purpose eventually.

Perhaps they wouldn’t if our nation stands resolute for peace and stability.

(The views expressed are the author’s own.)

Wednesday, October 3, 2012

Hydrogen Energy Technologies are ESSENTIAL for Sri Lanka!

By Ananda-USA

October 04, 2012

I have been advocating Hydrogen Energy Technology for many years as an important aspect of achieving of Energy Independence for Sri Lanka at this forum and elsewhere, and I am pleased that the Government of Sri Lanka is taking the initiative to explore Hydrogen Energy Technology for transportation. 

However, Hydrogen Energy Technologies should be viewed more broadly as a GENERAL SOLUTION to meeting all of Sri Lanka's energy needs .... as I explain below.

Hydrogen gas can be PRODUCED by electrolysis of water using time-varying renewable energies such as solar, wind, or excess hydro power. In the future, if Sri Lanka acquires nuclear power plants, electricity produced by these nuclear plants, and  even conventional fossil-fueled plants, can be used during off-peak hours to produce hydrogen, as a part of maximizing power plant utilization. 

The hydrogen thus produced can be STORED in tanks in a variety of forms: as a compressed gas, a gas adsorbed on certain metal hydrides from which the hydrogen can be released very simply by mild heating, or as a cryogenic liquid. 

The hydrogen thus produced can be UTILIZED to fuel transportation vehicles having on-board storage tanks and fuel-cell power units and can be dispensed from local gas refueling stations. Alternatively, the hydrogen can be used to produce electricity in large fuel-cell plants co-located with the electrolysis plants at conventional electric power generating plants. Existing electricity production plants are very convenient for co-locating hydrogen plants because the high-voltage power transmission lines and switch yard infrastructure necessary for tapping into the electricity distribution grid already exist at such plants. 

Furthermore, use of  hydrogen as an energy storage medium solves the so-called LOAD-LEVELLING problem that LIMITS the amount of time-varying renewable energies that can be fed into the existing power grid served by conventional "base-load" power plants.  To preserve the stability of the power grid, this amount can be only a small fraction of the base energy generating capacity.  With hydrogen energy storage available for storing the time-varying renewable energy at whatever time it is produced, the stability of the grid can be preserved, without having to increase the installed capacity of conventional power plants. Hydrogen production and storage will enable generating plants to run near maximum capacity at all times with the excess above the electricity demand used to produce and store energy in the form of hydrogen, thus maximizing plant utilization.

Finally, both the production of hydrogen by electrolysis of water, and the generation of electricity  by consuming that hydrogen in fuel cells, is POLLUTION-FREE, and does not produce any global warming gases, or result in a net consumption of water. When these environmental benefits are combined with the potential of hydrogen technologies to utilize indigenously produced energy by replacing imported fossil fuels, improve the nation's balance of payments, reduce power plant costs, and enhance the rate of return by maximizing plant utilization, there is no doubt that deploying hydrogen energy technology is a win-win strategy for Sri Lanka.  In a world competing fiercely for fossil fuels, this will prove to be an increasing sound strategy in the future.

If Sri Lanka is to grow economically, then we must have a plentiful supply of inexpensive indigenously produced energy, that cannot be held hostage to events in foreign countries. Hydrogen energy technologies ... in all their forms .... are the solution to Sri Lanka's energy needs, and the need for energy security as a sovereign nation. As we develop our infrastructure in post- war Sri Lanka and progress towards becoming the New Wonder of Asia,  let us adopt and invest our precious capital in the best energy technologies that will serve the nation's long-term interest. As a country that is making  MAJOR INVESTMENTS in NEW INFRASTRUCTURE, Sri Lanka has a UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY to seize the initiative and lead the world in the deployment of a sustainable cost-effective non-polluting energy strategy.

I applaud the initiatives now being taken by the Government of Sri Lanka to firmly embed Hydrogen Energy Technologies in Sri Lanka's overall energy strategy.

Jayawewa, Sri Lanka!


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Sri Lanka enters hydrogen fuel era with workshop in Colombo tomorrow

ColomboPage News Desk, Sri Lanka.

 




Oct 03, Colombo: Sri Lanka will take the first step to the hydrogen fuel era with the first ever hydrogen workshop in Colombo tomorrow.

A hydrogen desk set up in the Southern Province of Sri Lanka under the assistance of the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) has organized the Hydrogen and Renewable Energy conference in Colombo on October 4th at the Cinnamon Lake Hotel as the first step to formulate Sri Lanka's hydrogen road-map.

According to the UNIDO National Director for Sri Lanka Nawaz Rajabdeen the second objective of the workshop is to use Public Private Partnership (PPP) model for wider hydrogen implementation in the country.

The experts conducting the workshop, Prof. Lalit Mohan Das of Indian Institute of Technology, UNIDO's International Centre for Hydrogen Energy Technologies (UNIDO-ICHET Associate Director Dr. Nikolaos Lymberopoulos and Senior Project Engineer of UNIDO-ICHET Dr. Frederico V Campbell arrived in Colombo this morning.

The meeting will bring together senior representatives from interested private enterprises and the government to gain insights from major international organizations on the status of hydrogen and fuel cell technology at global level, the progress made in hydrogen production from renewables and storage and the potential investment opportunities and commercialization challenges in Sri Lanka, according to the Consultant and Adviser Vittorio Coco of Sri Lanka's first Hydrogen project.

Rajabdeen announced in May that Sri Lanka would be stepping into hydrogen fuel era shortly and the first step would be through the SME sector.

"We are not looking at an immediate energy supply here - rather, the first step in our transition to modern energy Hydrogen in the medium to long term as we realize that energy independence is more and more crucial," Rajabdeen has said.

The Urban Council of Weligama has set up the hydrogen desk to develop an intercity hydrogen program for the Southern Province as the first step.

Under the advice of Coco, Sri Lanka will launch a pilot project to test hydrogen-powered three wheelers in Galle Fort where the diesel-run vehicles are not allowed to operate.

Similar project launched in India under the guidance of Prof. Das has proved that Hydrogen can be used as an alternate energy resource for vehicles and the hydrogen-powered Indian three wheelers are estimated to cost only 12% in comparison to standard three wheelers used there.

Prof. Das is also behind the famous hydrogen project in India called DELHy3W (Delhy-3W Hydrogen 3-wheelers project) with Mahindra and Mahindra.

Mahindra's HyAlfas, the world's first hydrogen powered three wheeler launched in January 2012, have reported 80 kilometers mileage for just one kilogram of hydrogen.

The three wheeler demonstration project in the Galle Fort in Sri Lanka is modeled on HyAlfa. The PPP venture plans to use 15 hydrogen powered zero emission three wheelers in Galle Fort and monitor them carefully for their pollutant free runs.

The confab tomorrow will feature presentations from the Sustainable Energy Authority, the DFCC Bank, ADB, BoI, UNIDO ICHET(Istanbul), UNIDO(Delhi), EU Delegation-Colombo, and the Indian Institute of Technology.

Delhy-3W Hydrogen 3-wheelers project, UNIDO India activities in the clean energy field, EU activities in the renewable energy field and hydrogen initiatives, funding opportunities for renewable energy in Asia, credit facilities in the field of renewable energy and hydrogen projects in Sri Lanka, and investments opportunities in Sri Lanka for renewable energy and hydrogen will be discussed at the workshop.

Sunday, September 16, 2012

All should respect people's verdict!

  Editorial
SundayObserver.lk

September 16, 2012

The masses have taught a good lesson again to extremist Opposition politicians and those who exploit racist and religious sentiments to gain political mileage. The resounding victory of the United People's Freedom Alliance (UPFA) at the recent elections to the North Central, Sabaragamuwa and Eastern Provincial Councils are also a singular victory for all loyal and patriotic citizens.

It is not only a victory for democracy which demonstrates the masses' gratitude for President Mahinda Rajapaksa for eradicating terrorism and taking the country towards new economic horizons, but also sends a clear signal to the international community.

Voters of Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa, Kegalle and Ratnapura districts gave a convincing mandate to President Rajapaksa and his Government to continue the ongoing development work. The UPFA, having secured the top slot at the Eastern Provincial Council elections, has reiterated the fact that people in Trincomalee, Batticaloa and Ampara districts reject communal politics in toto.

It is an open secret how the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) conducted its election campaign in the East, in a desperate bid to advance the now defunct LTTE's previous claim as the sole representative of the Tamils. There had been an unprecedented cash flow to TNA coffers as the LTTE rump in the West worked overtime to realise Velupillai Prabhakaran's utopian separate state.

Nevertheless, the people in the East were far too intelligent and demonstrated in no uncertain terms that they were not ready to fall prey and return to those dark days again. The UPFA's victory at the Eastern Provincial Council polls was not only a great setback to the TNA, but also demonstrates to the international community that the majority Tamil community is firmly with the Government. It was a fresh endorsement by the Tamils and Muslims for the Government's efforts to develop the province after terrorism was eradicated.

The UPFA's landslide victories in Sabaragamuwa and the North Central Provincial Councils proved beyond a shadow of doubt that the masses support the President and the UPFA to the hilt. The UNP and JVP spewed fabricated stories on university admission, oil imports, child abuse, rape and even a diabolical lie on the year five scholarship examination in their election campaigns, in the hope that they could pull wool over the masses' eyes and secure more votes.

Here too, the masses repudiated these two parties outright. The JVP and the UNP polled a lesser number of votes compared to the 2008 Provincial Council elections. The UNP secured four seats less this time than what it held at the previous Sabaragamuwa and North Central Provincial Councils. These four seats also went to the UPFA, which increased its majority further in the two Provincial Councils. The JVP, in a desperate bid to cover its political nudity, propounded a theory that the election results would not reflect the party's true position. All in all, the country emerged victorious at the elections.

The masses in the three provinces gave a fresh mandate again and endorsed the Mahinda Chinthana, which has been successfully implemented since President Rajapaksa took office in November 2005. Having eradicated terrorism in May 2009, the Government embarked on an ambitious reconciliation process while developing the North and the East.

It goes without saying that people in the North Central, Sabaragamuwa and Eastern Provinces depend mainly on an agro-based economy. In this scenario, local farmers received more recognition and an added value to their produce under the Mahinda Chinthana while those in the Eastern Province are already reaping the dividends of peace. The growth rate in the province is 22 percent, compared to the country's eight percent overall growth rate.

On the President's instructions, the UPFA Government still abides by its 2005 election pledge by providing a massive fertiliser subsidy which is a boon to farmers. The subsidy which was initially provided for paddy cultivation alone has now been extended to all other major crops.

Local paddy and dairy farmers have been enjoying good returns as they now have a better market for rice and fresh milk. After the Eastern and Northern Provinces were liberated from the grip of LTTE terrorists, people in these areas are now contributing more to the national economy. The tremendous growth in the paddy, dairy and fishing industries in these provinces had resulted in a greater flow of cash into those areas. This in turn, has increased the people's purchasing power in those provinces. This is precisely why the people in the East eschewed petty communal differences and supported the UPFA.

The Government's efforts in strengthening the rural economy and eradicating terrorism earned the masses' encomiums in the three provinces. There is no doubt, whatsoever, that public opinion at the recently concluded Provincial Council elections reflects the general thinking of the entire country.

While the majority of people defeated the wily schemes of traitors against the country, the strength that the country and its Government would receive from the polls victory in facing the international challenges is immeasurable. President Rajapaksa and his Government have given people the foremost place in the country. The mandate given by the masses at the Provincial Council elections in the North Central, Sabaragamuwa and Eastern Provinces are an added strength and courage for Sri Lanka to debunk the concocted stories and baseless allegations levelled by LTTE cohorts and some Western politicians who rely on the Tamil Diaspora votes for their political survival. President Rajapaksa's sincere wish since he became Head of State almost seven years ago is to build a country devoid of political, social or religious leanings.

As the President has repeatedly emphasised, the doors are still open for those who wish to join the patriotic forces in its victorious march towards new economic horizons after winning the battle against stark LTTE terrorism.

Though the UNP and the JVP had made several subtle attempts to cover their previous defeats by alleging election malpractices, they were obliged to acknowledge that the PC elections were free and fair. All major election monitors said that this was a free and fair poll.

People in these three provinces have steadfastly endorsed the Government's policies at this critical juncture as they were deeply cognizant that President Rajapaksa is the only leader who could provide the correct leadership to the country. The masses in the North Central, Eastern and Sabaragamuwa Provinces by their verdict have ensured that no insidious elements here or abroad could thwart the Government's forward march by levelling war crimes allegations. The international community should at least now respect the masses' verdict. The election victory is a clear manifestation that the people who truly love the country are with the Government, despite the election gimmicks of the UNP, TNA and JVP. The people have also approved the Government's rural development drive despite various misconceptions propagated by political parties with vested interests.

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 Sri Lanka always considers India as a friendly land and people - President Rajapaksa

Sat, Sep 22, 2012, 01:17 am SL Time, ColomboPage News Desk, Sri Lanka.
Sept 22, Sanchi:



India's federal structure and the emergence of states have not erased Sri Lanka's vision of India as a single land of friendship with the great bonds of history and Sri Lankan people have always considered India as a friendly land and people, Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa said.

"I believe this tradition of embracing all of India in friendship will continue to enrich our relations," President Rajapaksa said Friday addressing the ceremony to lay the foundation stone for the Sanchi University of Buddhist and Indic Studies in Madhya Pradesh of India.



The President laid the foundation stone for the University of Buddhist and Indic Studies in the presence of dignitaries from Bhutan, Myanmar, Thailand, Japan, Cambodia, Mongolia and Nepal.

President Rajapaksa together with Bhutan's Prime Minister Jigme Yoser Thinley planted a sapling of the sacred Sri Maha Bodhi Tree in Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka which is believed to be a sapling of the Bodhi tree in Bodhgaya under which Buddha attained enlightenment.

Thanking for the opportunity to lay the foundation stone, the President said the Buddha's message of tolerance and understanding is of great relevance today, as the "tragic results of enmity and hatred towards other faiths leading to violence and destruction, and great loss to societies" are seen.

"It is of equal importance in the East and West alike," said the President adding that undoubtedly there is a need to go back to the roots of civilizations and search for the wisdom that prevailed in the ancient world.
"The Buddhist and Indic value systems that paved the way to modern concepts of human rights and fundamental freedoms need to be revived," he noted.

The President expressed the hope that the University of Buddhist and Indic Studies will grow strong and the graduates of the University will be inspired by the Buddha's teachings.

"The Government and people of Sri Lanka and I will continue to contribute towards the success of this University," he assured.

Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh Shivraj Singh Chauhan, Governor of Madhya Pradesh Ram Naresh Yadav, Sri Lanka's External Affairs Minister Prof. G. L. Peiris, MP Sajin Vaas Gunawardena, Secretary to the President Lalith Weeratunga, Indian High Commissioner in Colombo Ashok K. Kantha and Sri Lankan High Commissioner in New Delhi Prasad Kariyawasam also participated in the ceremony.

Tuesday, July 31, 2012

‘Leave no room for petty politics’ urges President Mahinda Rajapaksa; We Concur!

By Rasika Somarathana

DailyNews.lk
July 31, 2012


President Mahinda Rajapaksa yesterday emphasized that he will not allow petty minded politicians to benefit by harping on the ethnic issue. “Petty politics shattered the harmony and peace which existed 30 years ago, among all communities be it from North or South. Now with terrorism being a thing of the past, those bonds, once wounded are getting stronger again”’

We have gained nothing but loss from disharmony. It is unity, not ethnic division which will define our success”, he said addressing a large group of rehabilitated former LTTE ex-combatants and their families at Temple Trees.

The event was organized to provide soft loans to socially re-integrated trainees to start their own employment. The loans up to a maximum of Rs.250,000 were provided through state banks with government releasing an initial allocation of Rs.300 million for the purpose.

The President after distributing the cheques among loan recipients said the government has also released Rs.400 billion for development work in the north carried out for the benefit of the public.

He told the gathering that it was the government that took care of the people and not ones from the outside. He told them that the diaspora what ever they say does not genuinely care about their needs .

Recalling the past, President Rajapaksa said 30 years ago, people from all communities lived in brotherhood both in the South and North “In our School holidays we went on visits to the North. We shared our rooms with Tamil students from the North.

We went together to the Temple and Kovil” “We had strong bonds, be it cultural, religious or others. However, we lost all that. It is now time to rebuild that harmony we lost due to petty politics” he said.

He told the rehabilitated trainees that their childhood, youth, happiness had been lost to the gun culture which they were forced to embrace and added it was time for them to begin a new life with hope and vigour for a brighter future.

He told the trainees that they had been rehabilitated in accordance with established humanitarian practices and it was now time for them to rise as productive and erudite citizens.
“By working with commitment and dedication the loan recipients could become successful entrepreneurs, he added.

The President pointed out to the rehabilitated ex-combatants that some of their colleagues were now engaged in employment both in state and private sectors. Some have gone abroad for jobs and others are pursuing professional careers in arts, sports etc. he added.

“Also the government has taken steps to recruit 5000 rehabilitated ex-combatants to the civil security department, he noted explaining them the livelihood opportunities they have,” he said.

He reminded them that they are now going to a socially and economically rapidly developing environment which was quite opposite to the one they formerly occupied.

He urged the loan recipients to use the facility to the maximum and become successful partners of the country’s development.

“The country needs to go forward as one nation, driven by one powerful development thrust from which the whole country equally benefits,” he added.

The government has reintegrated 10,375 former combatants from the North and East into the society following the successful completion of the rehabilitation programme.

The socially reintegrated have received vocational training as a part of the rehabilitation process to enable them to be self-employed.

During the event Minister Chandrasiri Gajadeera also spoke. Senior Ministers A.H.M.Fowzie, D.E.W.Gunasekera, Ministers Rishard Baththuideen, Douglas Devananda, other politicians, ambassadors, High Commissioners, government officials, state bank officials, military officers too were present.

Friday, March 9, 2012

Why the resolution isn’t right Second showdown in Geneva:

By Dr. Dayan Jayatilleka
Island.lk
March 06, 2012

The US resolution at the UN HRC in Geneva has deepened the schisms in Sri Lankan society. That resolution will have the same polarising function as did the Ceasefire Agreement (CFA), in defining each political tendency in the popular mind for a while to come.

Today the country is tragically dividing between those who accuse the Government of mounting protests against the US resolution at the UN HRC resolution against Sri Lanka as a diversion from issues of the rising cost of living, and those who claim that the demonstrations against the rising cost of living are wittingly or not, part of a foreign plot to de-stabilise the government which is defending national sovereignty.

That’s a debate easily resolved. If the government is using protests against the HRC resolution to mask the cost of living, that’s no excuse not to protest against such a resolution. Rather, it is a reason to protest either independently against that intrusive resolution while also protesting against the cost of living, or moving in parallel with the government on this issue while proceeding against it on the domestic front. Any other stance and tactic would only be tantamount to support of a move against one’s country; a move which has doubtless incensed the vast majority of or citizens.

Conversely, if oppositional protests (allegedly involving NGOs) are helping de-stabilise the government and undermine our defence of national sovereignty, then the answer surely is to cease and desist from those policies and actions that generate those protests, and to never meet such protests with responses that can only trigger more protests and international criticism which help the project of undermining our sovereignty.

The dominant elements of the centre-right Opposition, the UNP (apart from its ‘Reformists’, that is) opine that there is nothing wrong, or particularly anti-Sri Lankan, with a resolution that calls on the state to implement its own LLRC recommendations. The TNA has, after a sporadic show of realism, finally taken the line of the Tamil Diaspora’s pro-Tiger lobby by calling on the member states of the UNHRC to support the resolution. For the most part, the cosmopolitan civil society commentators are cheering the resolution on. On the left, the JVP opposes the resolution but opposes the government still more, on economic issues and dismissively terms the government’s anti-resolution mobilisation, a mere tactic. The breakaway Movement for People’s Struggle (Jana Aragala Vyaparaya) is strangely silent and submerged. Both these currents of the radical Left make no reference and give insufficient attention to the stand of China, Russia, Cuba and the NAM on the Resolution, and are ambiguous on the LLRC. For their part, the leftists within the government are firmly against the US move and for the LLRC’s implementation.

The reasoning of the Opposition’s leading ideologues is flawed. The problem with the resolution is not that it calls for the implementation of the LLRC recommendations. The problems are (a) where the Resolution is coming from, (b) the body of the text that precedes the seemingly innocuous points about the LLRC and (c) the sleight of hand where it expresses disappointment about the LLRC report and goes beyond it to issues of ‘accountability’. Furthermore, a resolution would provide a UN mandate – as was sought, and would have done, had we not outdrawn and shot it down at the UNHRC in May 2009. UN resolutions are notoriously elastic (Russia and China haven’t forgiven the endgame in Libya, behind the mask of UNSC 1973, meant to institute a no-fly zone for the protection of civilians in Benghazi). Even without the mandate of a resolution, the UN SG’s Panel of Experts report on Sri Lanka, originally meant to advise him on standards and norms of accountability, monstrously mutated into a 190 page indictment. The three ‘expert panellists’ co-authored a piece in the New York Times a few days ago, calling for stringent action on Sri Lanka by the UN HRC at this session, thereby amply demonstrating the partisan prejudice and politics of their project.

Certainly the implementation of reform recommendations of the LLRC report must be fast-tracked, and a compressed time–frame committed to by the government, preferably so swiftly as to pre-empt the US resolution by removing its purported basis. Even if it fails in prevention, this would help us rally the support to defeat it. However, this commitment must be made to and in the Sri Lankan Parliament. The Government of the Republic of Sri Lanka is primarily responsible to the citizens of Sri Lanka. That is what popular sovereignty in a res publica, a republic, is about. The popularly elected government of Sri Lanka is not responsible in the first or last instance to any international forum or intergovernmental body comprised of governments responsible to their respective citizenries. Sri Lanka’s Opposition may do well to move a resolution demanding a time frame and suggesting one for the implementation of the LLRC report. The push or indeed drive for implementation of reform must be from within our society, with the international solidarities and multipliers of our choosing.

I rather doubt that the vast majority of Sri Lankan people want Karunanidhi, Jayalalitha and Vaiko, still less the Tiger flag waving demonstrators who will camp in Geneva from March 5th to the 23rd, to help guarantee and hasten the implementation of the LLRC reforms. With support like this, the LLRC does not need enemies.

None in Sri Lanka and India, who were supportive of the war against the LTTE, are on the side of the resolution. Conversely, those who practised appeasement of the LTTE, were against the war, were fellow travellers of the Tigers (e.g. Vaiko, the TNA) or were lukewarm and vacillating with regard the war and considered Mahinda Rajapaksa a greater enemy than Prabhakaran, are all supportive of the resolution. This congruity, and the presence of Tiger flag bearing demonstrators outside the UN HRC in Geneva, will not be lost on the vast mass of the Sri Lankan people. The people will also remember who in the world community stands with and who stands against a Resolution which has so greatly roused the enthusiasm of the Diaspora Tigers.

As for accountability, the number of civilians killed in North Vietnam by the US bombing campaign named Rolling Thunder, commencing February 1965, was 182,000. The number of children who died in the sanctions on Iraq, according to Denis Halliday, the administrator of that programme who resigned in disgust, was 5,000 a month. Guantanamo, the vast prison camp located on the soil of a foreign country against the wishes of that country, still remains open despite a presidential pledge to close it. The National Defence Authorisation Act has provisions only describable as draconian.

These are the guys whose draft resolution seeks to preach to us about the observance of international law in the fight against terrorism? Of course it must, but who are they to tell us that, when they are serially responsible for the most egregious violations of international law, ranging from the invasion of sovereign states on false pretexts, to the practice of ‘extraordinary rendition’. Doesn’t the hypocrisy just get to you? And if it does not, what does that say about you?

In my closing remarks at the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva after the special session on Sri Lanka in May 2009, I equated the allegation of war crimes and crimes against humanity committed by Sri Lanka, with the charge that Iraq possessed WMDs and asked whether we should buy a used car from the guys who sold the world the Goebbelsian Big Lie on WMD.

None of this is to say that all is well in Sri Lanka; far from it. Let me explain by way of analogy. A stable functional piece of furniture usually needs four legs. If it is to rest firmly, it needs these four legs to be even. Politics and political discourses in Sri Lanka remind me of furniture which either doesn’t have four legs or which have one or more legs shorter than the others.

Analogous to the four legs of a piece of furniture, the four pillars that a strong successful state and a good society must rest upon equally, are national sovereignty, popular sovereignty, individual rights and self-determination.

National sovereignty means that a nation-state (or a pluri-national state) is a political unit or community entitled to its unity and territorial integrity, and has the right to determine its own path, regulate its own affairs, without external domination, intervention or interference in its internal affairs.

Popular sovereignty means that the right to rule rests with the people, who decide who rules, how and for how long. If the rulers violate this social contract, this sacred trust, the people have the right to replace, even overthrow them. The Sri Lankan Constitution makes explicit that as a republic, sovereignty is vested in the people, who exercise it through a regularly and periodically elected Executive president and legislature.

Individual rights pertain to the sovereign individual person; to the equality of every citizen, who is inalienably possessed of a stock of rights and freedoms which must not be transgressed upon.

Self-determination refers to the right of a collective to determine its own destiny. The structural coordinates of that collective or community impose limitations upon the degree to which the right of self determination is exercised. The right to set up an independent state belongs to a nation, not a national minority. An established nation-state possesses the right of self determination. The entire (multiethnic) nation and not one part of it, is the legitimate agency of self determination. A nation which is under colonial occupation or annexation has the right of self determination (e.g. Occupied Palestine). An ethno-national minority, on the other hand, has a structurally more limited right to self governance and self administration, which may be termed the right to autonomy.

A society must rest on the equal recognition of all four of these principles, rights and fundamental values. Though at different points of history, one or the other may find itself emphasised due to the threats posed and the tasks at hand, all four must be held in equilibrium; never abandoned or counter-posed to one another.

This may require much struggle, change, transformation. But that will be undertaken one way or another, by the sovereign citizens of Sri Lanka at a time and on issues of their choosing, and with the solidarity of allies of their choice.

 Shadow of LTTE Terror Documentary Video



Wednesday, February 29, 2012

US-Indian Resolution against Sri Lanka Only the First and not the Last

By Dilrook Kannangara
LankaWeb.com
February 29, 2012

When the illegal CFA was signed, there were widespread protests organised by patriotic groups against it. Their slogan was a ‘respectable peace’. Interestingly the current President participated in them. These protests were extremely popular although the then government tried hard without succuss to downplay them; so successful that the CFA UNF government was toppled prematurely just two years later. Similar protests were launched in 1958 against the illegal Banda-Chelva and Dudley-Chelva (1965) Pacts, 1987 Indo-Lanka Peace Accord and the political package of 2000. People burnt the political package inside and outside the parliament. PTOMS (2005) is another case of public anger against anti-national moves despite the fact that collapsing PTOMS meant no tsunami aid to people under LTTE control. An excellent move that proved invaluable when war broke out a year later. However, there aren’t any such protests today. Government sponsored protests are too politicised that only UPFA activists and organisers participate in them. The problem with government sponsored patriotic agitations is their contradiction. On one hand they support unpatriotic moves of the government and on the other they want to display patriotism to the rest.

What created this pathetic situation?

All potent patriotic individuals and groups have been subjugated by the government. Wimal Weerawansa, Patali Ranawaka, Ven Ellawala Medhananda, Ven Elle Gunawansa and most other patriots and the movements they powered have been totally subjugated by the government. As a result there are no patriotic forces that can function independently and objectively against threats facing the nation. This is a much bigger threat than the threat posed by separatists and their western warlords. To some extent they are good salespersons. They very successfully sold patriotism to voters to get elected. But once elected they have abandoned that which made them winners.

Their cheap antics are a disgrace to the nation and fail to achieve anything. People find these antics amusing. Barking, screaming, name calling, threatening and burning aimed at UN agencies and powerful UN members cannot achieve anything. Nothing was achieved this way. Only decisive action can achieve tangible outcomes.

When the government entertains TNA demands, there is no one to oppose them either in public or from within the government!

Where are the patriots within the government? Probably they have very complex excuses – which the public either cannot understand or rightfully, don’t bother to understand – for not opposing the appeasement of TNA!

Give into some demands and there will be more demands

It was silly on the part of the government to entertain TNA concerns in the first place, sometimes at the expense of national security and equality. Once these initial demands were met (some demands were more than met), TNA leaders like typical bloodhounds started making more demands. It should have been expected. Now the demands, grievances, aspirations, allegations and all other names for extortion have snowballed. It is too big for the government to handle now. TNA has not made it a secret. They openly declare their “little now, more later” strategy. Knowingly the government has fallen head first into their trap.

Stupid antics of some by the name of patriotism look even worse in this background.

When demands cannot be won through puppets, puppeteers directly get involved. Before agreeing to anything demanded by US, EU or India, the government must consult the people, China, Russia and other genuinely friendly nations. All their interests must be protected in any move. Giving into US and EU demands will not make them friends but it can turn our friends into enemies. Same goes for TNA. Giving TNA demands never make TNA any better. It only destroys the future of non-Tamils.

We are in Geneva because of incompetent reconciliation advisors

A new breed of go-betweens emerged after the war triumph in 2009. They are called reconciliation advisors who are nothing but election refuse. People repeatedly rejected them at elections defeating them. If they had done their job properly, Sri Lanka will not be in Geneva today. Thankfully at this very late hour the government has finally realized their incompetency and not appointed them to any key position to handle the impending Geneva showdown.

Reconciliation advisors argued the reason behind allegations of war crimes is the weakness in government propaganda campaign that was not consistent. Though it is true the government propaganda campaign was weak, it is only part of the problem. They naively argued that if western nations and India know the ground reality, they would not believe anything the LTTE rump is spreading. Assuming their naive argument is correct, what did they do about it? Nothing.

US, EU and India know very well the ground reality. A few dozen visitors from these places have visited Sri Lanka with annoying frequency. They know Sri Lanka is safe for Tamils; they know Tamils enjoy an unfair advantage in Sri Lanka in terms of land rights, Tamil own land laws, the right and ability to live in any part of the island nation, all fundamental rights and equal rights. There is nothing they don’t know about it. Yet they demand more. Reconciliation advisors kept advising to appease Tamils and TNA more and more until their demands snowballed to a level they cannot handle. If TNA demands were cut down at inception, they would not be making any demands today.

Geneva has destroyed all reconciliation efforts and as a result Tamils and non-Tamils are divided to the extent they were before the reconciliation process.

What to do now?

This is not the last resolution USA will be presenting against Sri Lanka. It is only the first in a series of resolutions aimed at creating Tamil Elam and appointing pro-US and pro-Indian TNA puppets as its supreme rulers. TNA leaders are now in India getting further instructions.

At the very least now, the government must recognize the danger of inaction. The only political solution is ethnic integration in the north where the problem is. The Indian model of ethnic segregation is not going to work in Sri Lanka. It is the Sri Lankan model based on ethnic integration that works. Reconciliation advisors must make an about turn from ethnic segregation efforts (devolution, power sharing based on ethnicity) to ethnic integration efforts (making sure the Jaffna peninsular is not Tamil only). Reconciliation must break barriers to integration by scrapping the Thesawalamei Law that very effectively prevents integration. Scrapping this has no negative impact on the outcome of any future election.

Legal action must be taken against TNA for conspiring against the Constitution and the nation. The 13th Amendment must be put before the public. War time solutions are not suitable for peacetimes. People can decide its suitability to modern ground realities. Scrapping the 13A can save billions of dollars every year that can go into development benefiting everyone.

The independent Tamil nation USA and India trying to create in the island to counter China, Pakistan, Burma, Sri Lanka, Russia and any other potential obstacle to neo-colonialism will be ruled by TNA. Eliminating TNA from the political sphere, legally, can disrupt their plans. It can make things easier for a proper political solution based on ethnic integration to be implemented. Similarly, western neo-colonial rulers have appointed their puppets in East Timor, Libya, etc. When it cannot be done peacefully, western colonials have used genocide to achieve it as exemplified in Diego Garcia. They provide useful geopolitical platforms to launch attacks on other nations. Giving into these moves to appease the puppeteer and the puppets is the worst the government can do. That will make Sri Lanka without any friends as friends of Lanka will find it a threat after puppet nations are created in its place.

Amidst this clamour there is resentment growing in the electorate against the government that is prepared to appease TNA at the expense of UPFA voters. Any power sharing deal no matter how weak it sounds with the TNA will be punished by voters at the next election. Since TNA will never be satisfied, no TNA voter will vote for the government. Even if they do the loss will be many times more than the gain. Losing the next national election will seal the fate of the Rajapaksha family in the hands of the opposition, US-EU axis of evil and the LTTE rump gunning for its blood. The government will be saved only to the extent it saves the interests of the people and its voters in particular.

This nation cannot stand on its own. The only way it can deflect interference from powerful nations is by having a symbolic military presence of China in the island. All nations big and small avoid confronting China for obvious reasons. There is no sense in putting off Chinese military presence in the island. It is a win-win situation for both nations which will be welcomed by most South Asian, African and Latin American nations. China is the centre of the new Non Align Movement. Sri Lanka has already aligned with China in development, finance of projects and credit. It is time to reaffirm this alignment economically, politically and militarily. Australia’s economic alignment with China saved it from one financial crisis after another. Singapore too avoided financial crises thanks to its very heavy economic alignment with China. Chinese military expertise will save Lanka from Indian sponsored separatists and any military threat they may mount.

President Premadasa successfully deflected Indian and British interference through his political and military alignment with China until Indian sponsored terror groups killed him. It is on record he is the only elected national leader since 1956 who didn’t offer any political solution to South Indian separatists. He surprised many by despatching the Indian invading army without any compromise. If anything came close to it, without a doubt it must be May 2009 when the Army Commander toured China with a military delegation at a time when India was expected to interfere in the island to avoid a “human rights catastrophe”. Since China is the only substantive lender and financier of Lankan projects, pro-western political parties have no future in Sri Lanka. If ever they come to power they will have to either lose their puppeteers and face dire consequences or lose the steady development support from China. That is a huge political incentive for the government to economically align with China. Economically, India is vastly disadvantageous to Lanka even without CEPA.

Indian action before Geneva has surprised many; it’s conduct during and after Geneva will shock them.



The Lion Flags say it ALL! 
Sri Lanka Prevails against Australia in ODI in Melbourne - March 01, 2012


Wednesday, February 8, 2012

"Ruthless" Video Exposes LTTE's Atrocities

Defence.lk

February 08, 2012

"Ruthless" the documentary movie produced by the Ministry of Defence and Urban Development was launched today,(08 Feb) morning at the auditorium of Media Center for National Security. 

The Documentary depicts many horrendous atrocities committed by Tamil Tigers, during the past three decade long of war. So far, quite a few were revealed to the world. Majority of them were hidden and remained unknown and needed to be unearthed to show the world that, how Tamil Tigers really were. Sometimes, people who have witnessed them still feared to reveal their horrific experiences since; they know who LTTE was when they were under them. 

However, the documentary "Ruthless" recounts true accounts of survivors who once, had lived under brutal and repressive regime of Tamil Tigers; now speak freely, of what they had experienced during the days of war. 

The Tamil Tigers not only targeted innocent civilians but also targeted many religious places, the clergy, children and even their disabled and wounded cadres. 

The "Ruthless" is a story about such crimes against humanity. 

It is well known to the world that many calculated efforts are being taken by various groups to whitewash the LTTE and its atrocities and accusing the government of Sri Lanka for allegedly committed war crimes instead.
The "Ruthless" is released amidst such allegations to show the world that what really had happened during the time of war. 

"Ruthless"  Video PART I.



"Ruthless" Video Part II



.....................................................................................................................................................................

"Sandahiru Seya" The triumphant Stupa

Defence.lk  

The government has planned to erect nine monumental Stupas in each province of the country in appreciation of the noble service rendered by the armed forces and Police to defeat terrorism and bring lasting peace to the country.
As the first phase of the project, construction of the first Stupa in the ancient city of Anuradapura is being underway on the directions of Secretary to the Ministry of Defence, Mr. Gotabaya Rajapaksa.
The laying of foundation is being done about 40-50 feet below the ground level.
Estimated material required for entire construction as follows.
Material Quantity
Bricks (16"x8"x2") 30 Million
6"x9" metal 75000 cubes
ABC material 90000 cubes
Cements (50Kg Bags) 40000
Those interested can witness the ongoing construction at the site at Anuradhapura (near to southern entrance of Sri Maha Bhodi and opposite the Sarananda Pirivena) and make their contribution for this noble project.
Donations can be made in following ways.
         1. Cash - Can be deposited to the following accounts
                "Sandahiru Seya Fund" A/C Number 72535040 of Bank of Ceylon - Independence Square Branch
                "Sandahiru Seya Trust" A/C Number 204-1-001-8-0004467 of People's Bank - Headquarters Branch
        2. Cheque - drawing to the A/C Number 7040500 of Bank of Ceylon - Torintan Branch or A/C Number 204-1-001-8-0004467 of People's Bank - Headquarters Branch
        3. Buying tickets (for bricks and cements)  from ticketing counters at the site, all police stations, Bank  of Ceylon and Peoples Bank branches island wide.
For donations, please contact following officials of the Ministry of Defence who coordinate the project.
Mr. Lesli Rupasinghe +94 11 2430 860/870 Ext 279
Lt Col Milan Athukorala +94 11 2430 860/870 Ext 222

Religious Observances before commence the construction




























 Laying foundation stones

Tuesday, January 17, 2012

Eelaam Homeland struggle was to hide Tamil Caste difference & unify discontented Tamils


By Shenali Waduge

LankaWeb.com
January 17, 2012

In understanding the nature of Sri Lanka’s conflict it is important to not only understand the nature of the Tamil caste & class system but analyze how intricately absorbed it is into the social, political, economical, religous hierarchy of how Tamils live or rather should live. The “ethnic” tag was introduced simply to sideline the divisions existing between Tamils & showcase a united front locally & internationally. Using “ethnic discrimination” by Sinhalese against Tamils was a perfect theme & perfect reason to start a conflict. The conflict enabled higher caste Tamils to keep a hold on lower caste Tamils by camouflaging the real intention & lower castes had no choice but to accept this homeland utopian vision. This did succeed to a great extent. It is now time for the world to know the truth and falsity of labeling Sri Lanka’s problem as “ethnic”.

It is also time for Tamils to seriously think of their own future vis a vis continuing generations old caste systems or to follow the path of equality amongst the Tamils before accusing the Sinhalese.

 1956 Official Language Act
The 1956 Official Language Act making Sinhala the only official language yet allowing reasonable use of Tamil language is often cited as the grounds for the “Ethnic” problem. Yet apart from a few small protests there were no large demonstrations on record to oppose this. Tamils even started to learn Sinhala. We need to remember that English was the language being used however less than 6% of total Tamils in Sri Lanka were actually fluent in English. By 1956 Tamils constituted 50% of the clerical personnel of the railway, postal and customs services, 60% of all doctors, engineers and lawyers, and 40% of other labor forces.

 How many would agree that the Eelaam struggle began in 1923 with Sir Ponnambalam Arunachalam which evolved towards the 1931 demand for 50:50 representation when in reality the Tamil representation in terms of population was 70:30. The denial of this eventually led to the formation of Ilankai Tamil Arasu Kachchi in 1949 (Tamil kingdom Party). The ITAK conveniently changed its name to read Federal Party which today is known as Tamil National Alliance.  

It was the Prevention of Social Disabilities Act; not the Official Language Act that Tamils opposed!

Part of SWRD Bandaranaike’s plan was to penetrate into the “low caste” votes of Tamils using division amongst Tamils to garner votes. This similar strategy has been & is still used in present day politics. Thus the Social Diasbilities Act No. 21 was passed in parliament in 1957 giving lower castes the right to attend schools & kovils. Its good for the western world to know that it was a Sinhalese who opened the doors for low caste Tamils to attend schools & kovils – places that were taboo to them by their own Tamil brethren. No sooner the Tamil high castes & high classes realized the dangers of mainstream parties courting the low castes they devised their response. It was to create the best division possible. A rift between the Tamils & Sinhalese which would strike better success than low caste-high caste divisions. Who remembers the satyagrahas, the tarring of Sinhala letters on vehicle registration numbers. All launched by the ITAC & Tamil Congress – both high caste/class political parties. 

 It is important to note that all these happened a year after making Sinhala the official language. Why did the Tamils not cry foul over the Sinhala Only Act in 1956 but oppose the Social Disabilities Act on 1957 with such venom? It is because Tamils wanted to deprive their own. However, the 1956 Act became a ruse which led to the Bandaranaike Chelvanayagam Pact which had nothing about the language issue but referred to devolving regional power which would enable them to continue ruling over low caste Tamils for eternity. In 1971 an amendment was brought to the Prevention of Social Disabilities Act which naturally did not go well with high caste Tamils & led to large scale protests.

 Similarly, when the Government introduced university standardization in 1973 those that opposed were those who were against equitable distribution. Students of all ethnicities from Colombo, Jaffna, Kandy, Galle who had been privy to education opposed opportunities that would be enjoyed by students from Batticaloa, Vanni, Nuwara Eliya, Monaragala & other less developed districts. While the composition of the ethnicities did not change entrance, for Tamils it meant not only the Vellalar caste but lower caste Tamils too would gain university entrance. This was why Tamils opposed the 1973 standardization.

 Caste riots amongst Tamils
Why is there no reference to caste riots amongst Tamils – where Vellalars, dhoby’s, barber castes were attacking each other in 1871. How about the Vellalars attacking the Paramba caste in 1923 because according to their caste they had no rights to hire drummers for funerals. In 1931 the Vellalars attacked the Pallar castes also for hiring drummers. The message of the Vellalars was clear – no low castes could hire drummers for funerals! Do Tamils need to be reminded that they did not allow low castes to enter any place that the high castes frequented? Yet when a government directive on “equal seating” emerged violence broke out in 1929 against low caste Tamils sitting on benches as previously they had to sit on the floor! This was how Tamils treated their own!

Continuous petitions were written pleading the Government to cancel the directive. Sir Ponnambalam Ramanathan went so far as to request the Colonial Office in London to encode caste into legislative enactments.

 Struggle for Tamil Eelaam never began with the LTTE
Those ignorant of these facts would give the 1956 Sinhala Only Act as being the reason for the emergence of the LTTE & to its demand for a separate homeland. How false this claim is. Why was the ITAC formed in 1949 which denotes a separate homeland in its name? Why did the Tamils want 50:50 representation? Why did Tamils gather to put forward the Vadukoddai Resolution calling upon Tamils to take up arms? Why did Tamils allow Tamil police officers to be assassinated while these political leaders watched when all non-Tamils were forced to leave by armed groups in the North? 

 Though the LTTE was a guerilla force it had to abide by the rigid Tamil caste system thus the links to high caste political parties. Prabakaran & his main stooges may have all been low caste & low castes in terms of numbers may be more than the high caste Tamils but the caste system is such that low caste Tamils will hardly revolt – they are born to accept & never challenge the caste they are born into. That caste differences were very much prevalent is clear in the manner low caste Tamils of the East were used for high risk operations including Karuna who was deprived “promotion” for being low caste which resulted in his ultimate defection & which helped liberate the East eventually from the LTTE. Tamils who cry “discrimination” may like to recall how in the refugee camps during 1983 the high castes refused to share common toilet facilities with the low castes & a lot of problems arose inside the very camps housing only Tamils!

 The TNA
Who are they? They are a group of Jaffna centric vellalar caste Tamils who do not represent Tamils. They merely represent their caste & aspire to regain supremacy for their caste. They should in essence be banned for their vision & mission in entirety is to continue a political struggle for a Tamil Homeland. It is a party that needs to be banned in Sri Lanka for political parties are not meant to divide the nation. If the TNA does not represent the Tamil people accept representing the continuous of the Vellalar caste rigid traditions it is time the Government stop playing footsie with such a political party.

 Essentially what we must all know is that the Vellalars will never allow lower castes to challenge their status quo in marriage (even political marriage for convenience is regarded taboo). The Jaffna vellalars think themselves the elite while the Eastern Tamils and upcountry Tamils are looked down upon lower than the low castes Tamils of Jaffna.

 So the decision or rather solution for the future of Tamils lies within themselves. Do they continue the age old caste differences or do they put caste, class & regional differences aside. Can the West explain how devolution is likely to provide an answer to these bitter sentiments that exist where Tamils do not want their own to sit with them at dinner, to drink from a teacup belonging to a low caste or to ever into a marriage all because of the caste factor? Obviously the West does not understand or know the complexity of the caste factor amongst Tamils.

 It may be just 2 years since the elimination of the LTTE. It is too soon for the low caste Tamils to realize they are in a better position now to decide how they should live politically. They will soon realize that they are not bound to galvanize behind political parties like the TNA that pretends to fight for their cause but is only the custodian of the Vellalar traditions. All that the TNA attempts to do politically has nothing to do with the betterment of the Tamil people and all to do with keeping the low castes from straying elsewhere politically especially tying up with southern political parties.

 What is really important to Tamils
In so far as what is important for the Tamils, it is obvious they need to identify how far they are willing to let go of generations old caste & class barriers. For in defending the caste system they are unlikely to protect either the Tamils or the Tamil culture. The dangers of this arises from large numbers of younger Tamils seeking foreign pastures who are enveloping foreign culture not wanting to be tied to age old traditions that prevails & with time they are unlikely to chant separate homeland either. So Tamils are likely to loose the obvious which is the homeland as well as loose out on protecting its culture simply because they paid scant attention to its protection. The present day calls is for learned Tamils to start protecting the Tamil culture rather than going behind separate homeland themes meant only to hide their caste differences.

 Tamils must look back critically at the past 30 years. Did the conflict have adverse effects on the Tamil elite/high class and the high castes? No. Who actually suffered then? It was the low castes who have been suffering all along and the irony is that the paid low caste stooge Prabakaran was a puppet in the hands of the Tamil vellalars who used him to deprive his own. Prabakaran cared not to raise his own caste except to glorify himself. Prabakaran cared not to uplift the lives of the other low castes sharing what he earned from LTTE Inc, then these Tamils are never likely to find a savior any time soon unless they begin to change among themselves.

 The Indian factor
Just as political parties used caste difference to gain political mileage, religious groups used caste to entice low caste Tamils who were poor to follow Christianity/Catholism. Similarly, low caste Tamils became a tool for foreign interferences and India & its intelligence agencies too followed this strategy.

India is no stranger to caste differences. There are 166million untouchables in India. India’s Untouchables are relegated to the lowest jobs, and live in constant fear of being publicly humiliated, paraded naked, beaten, and raped with impunity by upper-caste Hindus seeking to keep them in their place. Merely walking through an upper-caste neighborhood is a life-threatening offense. 20% that is 11m Dalits live in Tamil Nadu & more than 50% live below the poverty line. Neither the AIADMK nor DMK have done anything to change the lives or livelihoods of the Dalits and it is no different in other States of India.

So for India using low castes of Sri Lanka would be nothing new. Part of the plan to economically develop the North with Indian assistance is certainly aimed at uplifting the technical & educational know-how of Tamils in order to incorporate them into India’s larger plan for the region. It is good for Sri Lanka to be more alert about what countries give post-conflict for the giving factor is more often camouflaged by what they plan to take ultimately!

 Hiding behind facades that the Sinhalese are discriminating the Tamils, promoting these lies, distorting facts, paying western media to carry the wrong message is in reality doing damage to one’s own people. People who had been marginalized through the colonial periods, throughout post independence and even while the LTTE prevailed is the real story of the Tamil low castes who had to endure 30 years of suffering. Is this the destiny of the low caste Tamil people? Is it only the vellalars that must thrive in Sri Lanka? This is the question that needs to be answered first by Tamils & next by the West.

Thursday, January 12, 2012

Sri Lanka is still under threat - warns Secretary of Defence: LTTE rump groups and Pro-LTTE organizations trying hard to achieve their separatist ideology in the country

By Hon. Gotabaya Rajapaksa
Secretary of Defense
Defence.lk
January 11, 2012



Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa yesterday said that there is a possibility that the re-emergence of LTTE in Sri Lanka, as LTTE sympathizers abroad still struggling to achieve the LTTE's separatist ideology in the country.

He made this observation speaking on 'Future Challenges to National Security in Sri Lanka' organized by Sri Lanka Foundation Institute and Associated Newspapers of Ceylon Limited, at the auditorium of the Institute.

The Secretary described extensively on following topics in his public lecture.

* The reorganisation of the LTTE in the international arena
* The possible re-emergence of terrorism within Sri Lanka
* The efforts by some to take Sri Lanka's internal issues in front of international bodies
* The challenges posed by the regional geopolitical situation
* The possibility of creating instability within Sri Lanka through indirect means

Full text of the speech

Public Lecture at the Sri Lanka Foundation Institute:

FUTURE CHALLENGES OF NATIONAL SECURITY IN SRI LANKA

I consider it a pleasure and a privilege to have been invited to deliver the first Public Lecture at the Sri Lanka Foundation Institute on the topic, "Future Challenges of National Security in Sri Lanka".

Although Sri Lanka today is one of the most stable and secure countries in the Asian region, it needs to be understood that national security is still a critical issue for us. It was less than three short years ago that the LTTE was defeated, after having caused enormous suffering for all Sri Lankans for three decades. The LTTE's military defeat in May 2009 was a pivotal event in Sri Lanka's history. It lifted the veil of fear that hung over daily life and impacted each and every Sri Lankan for a generation. It eliminated the primary obstacle to Sri Lanka's future prospects and brought back a long overdue sense of peace and stability to our people. It is vital that we do not take any of this for granted. Sri Lanka still has enemies, and they are still at work to bring back disharmony and conflict to our nation.

There are several threats that will be covered during the course of this lecture. These include:

* The reorganisation of the LTTE in the international arena
* The possible re-emergence of terrorism within Sri Lanka
* The efforts by some to take Sri Lanka's internal issues in front of international bodies
* The challenges posed by the regional geopolitical situation
* The possibility of creating instability within Sri Lanka through indirect means.

The first threat to consider is the on-going activities of LTTE linked organisations outside Sri Lanka. Despite the military defeat of the LTTE and the elimination of its top leadership two and a half years ago, the rump of the LTTE's global establishment is still active. There are ex-LTTE cadres, pro-LTTE activists and LTTE sympathisers still operating in various guises through various groups in many countries around the world.

After the demise of Prabhakaran, the LTTE's former head of procurement Kumaran Pathmanadan, better known as KP, took control over the LTTE's international network. However, a breakaway faction emerged almost immediately, led by Nediyawan, who was a follower of Manivannan (alias Castro), the former head of the LTTE's international network. The key reason for the emergence of a breakaway faction was that while KP's group declared they would continue their struggle for a separate state through democratic means, Nediyawan's group felt that objective could only be achieved by following the violent ideology preached by Prabhakaran.

Following the arrest of KP in August 2009, Rudrakumaran took over the leadership of his organisation and worked towards establishing a "Government in Exile". This group now fashions itself as The Transnational Government of Tamil Eelam. Its primary objective is to lobby Foreign Governments for the establishment of a separate state in the North and East of Sri Lanka. The so-called "Transnational Government" has more than twenty so-called "Ministers" and an advisory committee comprising prominent pro LTTE activists. Even at the start of this year, Rudrakumaran not only outlined the group's clear intention to intensify its lobbying of foreign Governments to support a separate state, but also stated its hope to encourage the resumption of direct struggles within Sri Lanka.

Another prominent LTTE-linked group is the British Tamils Forum, which is an umbrella organisation established in the United Kingdom with the aim of mustering support from the immigrant Tamil community and local politicians for

the division of Sri Lanka. One of the primary objectives of this group has been to influence the thinking of the British Government in favour of the LTTE's interests. Evolving from the BTF is the Global Tamils Forum, which emerged in February 2010. The head of the GTF is the so-called Father Emmanuel, a Priest who was once hailed by Prabhakaran as "a freedom fighter who has given leadership to a movement committed to setting up the homeland to Tamil Eelam". Father Emmanuel has been engaged in a propaganda campaign against Sri Lanka for many years, targeting Tamil expatriates, Foreign Governments and International Organisations. Under his guidance, the GTF has successfully won over a number of politicians from various political parties in European countries as well as the United States, Australia, Canada, and India to support the separatist cause. In addition, the GTF and the BTF have courted officials within international organisations such as the United Nations, the European Union and various non-governmental organisations to obtain their support.

In the meanwhile, Nediyawan's group, known as The Tamil Eelam People's Assembly or the Tamil National Council, has been working with other international groups to promote the separatist cause in many parts of the world. Nediyawan's group has control over most of the assets of the LTTE's international organisation. It also presently controls the more than 350 Tamil schools that function in Europe supposedly for the promotion of Tamil language and culture. In reality, these schools aim to inculcate separatist sentiments and hatred towards the Sinhalese amongst 2nd and 3rd generation Tamils living abroad.

The on-going indoctrination of the students in these schools is a matter of grave concern. It affects a significant number of children all over Europe. These LTTE-linked Tamil schools have a student population of approximately 6500 in Germany, 5800 in Switzerland, 5000 in France and nearly 2000 more in the rest of Europe. These are large numbers. A proportion of the school fees charged from these students is directed into the coffers of LTTE-linked organisations. So is the income generated from events organised by these schools. It should also be noted that during the war, these schools functioned as a selection ground for future terrorists. In certain schools, the administration made arrangements for batches of students to undergo military training in the Wanni. Some of these students fought against the Security Forces during the Humanitarian Operation. Others returned to their countries and continue to work towards the separatist objective from outside Sri Lanka.

Some evidence has emerged in recent times that the on-going conflict within the various factions of the rump LTTE organisations has led to some control of the Tamil schools passing to Rudrakumaran's faction. In this struggle, the Rudrakumaran faction was aided by Vinayagam, a senior LTTE intelligence cadre who fled Sri Lanka during the last stages of the Humanitarian Operation. Other LTTE cadres, including Achchudan, Samraj and Shankar who managed to leave Sri Lanka before the LTTE's defeat, continue to work independently in various pro-separatist activities. While also working with the other LTTE-linked groups from time to time, these LTTE cadres are responsible for various criminal activities in the countries they reside in. One of the most high profile of these criminal activities is the trafficking of persons internationally. Charging between 15,000 and 30,000 US dollars per person, they use the remnants of the LTTE's international shipping operation to smuggle people to western countries. The voyages of the "Sun Sea" and "Ocean Lady" vessels from South East Asia to Canada in 2010 are well known examples of this activity. The money raised will be used to further promote the separatist cause, and perhaps even sponsor future terrorist activities in Sri Lanka.

Irrespective of the conflicts that may exist within the various LTTE-linked groups just mentioned, we must understand that all of them are united by a common agenda. Their unwavering intent is the division of Sri Lanka and the establishment of a separate state. There are several strategies through which they will try to achieve their objective. These include:

* The winning of international opinion for the separatist cause
* Increasing international pressure on Sri Lanka in various areas; and very particularly through pushing for international investigations into war crimes and claims of genocide
* Undermining all efforts of the democratically elected Government of Sri Lanka to create a better future for its citizens, and
* Continuing to push for the resumption of conflict within Sri Lanka

It is important to note that many of these LTTE-linked groups claim that they no longer have any interest in terrorism. Most of them say they engage only in political activism and not violence. Almost all of them pretend to have a democratic face. But make no mistake. The Tiger has not changed its stripes. The modus operandi of the LTTE linked organisations remains as unchanged as their agenda. There is no doubt that these groups will continue trying to create an enabling environment for a separate state internationally, while also encouraging the resumption of an armed struggle within Sri Lanka.

To understand why the LTTE linked organisations remain so powerful, we need to understand the electoral politics of western nations. The stances that Governments adopt are a consequence of their internal politics. Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia and many parts of Europe have very large immigrant Tamil populations. These populations form notable voting blocs within electoral constituencies in those countries. Although the number of radicalised elements within the overall Tamil population is small, they are politically very active. These radicalised elements and LTTE-linked groups use skilful propaganda to project their anti-Sri Lanka objectives as goals the entire Tamil population is interested in.

A number of local politicians, state officials and even parliamentarians have been elected due to the voting power of such minority blocs in many countries. Quite often in western democracies, voter turnout is very low among traditional populations but high among immigrants. That is why the propaganda of the LTTE-linked groups is taken so seriously: politicians see courting immigrant

Tamil votes as an aid to getting into power. Take the United Kingdom for example. When running for re-election as Mayor of London in 2008, Ken Livingstone sought the active support of the British Tamils Forum during his campaign. A number of Parliamentarians, (Keith Vaz, Simon Hughes and Andrew Pelling), all joined a protest march against the Humanitarian Operation organised by the BTF in London in January 2009. These were all attempts to court an important voting bloc in their constituencies.

The power wielded by the ex-LTTE groups in the domestic politics of foreign nations is not limited to its claim to speak for a significant vote base. The financial strength possessed by the rump of the LTTE's international network is also a formidable factor. Historically, the LTTE was able to raise large amounts of funds from the immigrant Tamil community through various means. These included funds generated through front organisations pretending to be involved in charitable works in Sri Lanka, through fundraising events and institutions including the Tamil schools, and through illegal activities such as extortion, drug smuggling and human trafficking. At the time of its defeat, the global network of the LTTE had a lot of funds at its disposal. While control of these funds was somewhat dispersed after the elimination of the LTTE's top leadership, and the breaking into factions of the remaining organisation, these assets are still out there. Through their current activities, the LTTE-linked groups are still able to generate a lot of income. This income enables them to forge close links with powerful individuals in the international community. For example, after losing her seat in parliament in 2010, British MP Joan Ryan was almost immediately hired by the Global Tamils Forum to be its Chief Executive.

The sympathy afforded to the LTTE-linked organisations by members of certain foreign Governments due to voting pressure and financial motivation is only one dimension of the problem. The LTTE-linked organisations also work tirelessly to canvass powerful individuals and groups within the larger international community to support its cause. This includes influential figures within global bodies such as the United Nations and the Commonwealth,

members of various Rights groups and Non Governmental Organisations, and international media personalities. Financial support is sometimes offered to the organisations themselves. For example, Amnesty International recently accepted more than 50,000 dollars raised by the Canadian Tamil Congress. Through such activism, LTTE-linked groups in various countries systematically persuade individuals and groups in influential positions to accept their propaganda. It is little surprise that Amnesty International was one of the three groups that organised a screening of Channel 4's propaganda programme at the European Parliament a few months ago. The influence the rump of the LTTE has on such international organisations allows it to demonise the Sri Lankan Government and portrays this country in the most negative of lights. As a result, a lot of pressure is built on the Government in the international arena.

This problem is perhaps most acute in the international media. The LTTE has long maintained close links with certain media establishments and individual journalists in order to promote its interests. These links have paid the LTTE great dividends. During the Humanitarian Operation, a number of international media organisations displayed great bias against the Sri Lankan Government. Supposedly respectable media outfits such as the United Kingdom's Channel Four and others have even taken to broadcasting what seems to be little more than LTTE propaganda during the past two years. Although they are promoted as objective reports, these propagandist programmes have cast LTTE combatants in the role of neutral observers and reported baseless allegations and fabrications as pure fact. Because of their supposed objectivity and the general ignorance of foreign nationals about the true picture in Sri Lanka, these programmes can greatly influence foreign opinion against this country. This is a grave threat to our national security, because it contributes to an increasingly enabling environment for the separatist cause on the world stage.

While this problem seems to be mostly international, we must realise there is a possibility, though a remote one at this stage, that terrorists will reorganise within this country. As mentioned before, one of the stated objectives of the

LTTE-linked groups abroad is to encourage and facilitate the resumption of an armed struggle in Sri Lanka. There is ample evidence that members of these groups, as well as LTTE cadres who managed to flee Sri Lanka during the Humanitarian Operation, are consistently trying to contact various people within this country and encourage them to regroup militarily. We must not forget that there are also LTTE cadres who escaped detection and detention during the Humanitarian Operation, and are still at large in our society. Unlike the detainees and surrendered cadres, these individuals have not undergone rehabilitation and their terrorist intentions may remain unchanged. Even among the cadres who were rehabilitated and reintegrated into society, there could still be some individuals who have not entirely given up their belief in militancy.

Although the power of the Government to impede the activities of the LTTE-linked organisations abroad is limited, it has a much greater level of control within Sri Lanka. The Defence establishment is well aware of the potential threat of terrorism that continues to exist within this country. Action is being taken to guard against that potential threat becoming a real one. One of the primary ways to guard against the re-emergence of terrorism is the strengthening of our intelligence network. Intelligence is a critical tool in the fight against terrorism. During the Humanitarian Operation, numerous attempts to set off bombs in civilian areas and attacks on political targets were foiled through the work of our intelligence services. I have confidence that the regrouping of armed cadres and the re-emergence of terrorism can be similarly curtailed through these services. At the same time, it is of critical importance that the Security Forces maintain a strong presence in areas that were traditionally used by the LTTE for terrorist activities.

Unfortunately, there are some parties even within Sri Lanka that question why the Defence establishment continues to be so large and why so much money is allocated in the national budget for the Defence Ministry. These parties seem to have forgotten the lessons of the recent past. We all know how the LTTE sprang up from being a small group of armed militants into one of the world's

largest and deadliest terrorist organisations within a short number of years. At its peak, the LTTE had more than 30,000 cadres, and had an extremely sophisticated land fighting force, a deadly naval wing and a fledgling air wing. During the terrorist war the LTTE waged against this nation, approximately 30,000 military personnel lost their lives, more than 25,000 became disabled and many thousands of civilians perished at its hands.

The LTTE was a deadly threat, and it is only two and a half years since its military arm was defeated. We are very much aware of the efforts being undertaken in the international arena by the LTTE-linked groups to keep the separatist cause alive. The regrouping and reorganising of terrorists within Sri Lanka is still a threat to our national security. It is only logical that the Government takes every precaution it can to guard against it. Maintaining a sizeable Army and establishing camps in strategic locations throughout Sri Lanka is essential. This is particularly true of the jungle areas in which the LTTE established camps, and through which it conducted its terrorist operations against our Security Forces.

Similarly, we are aware that one of the greatest strengths of the LTTE was its ability to smuggle weapons acquired through funds raised abroad into Sri Lanka through the sea. The LTTE was the only terrorist organisation in the world to develop an offensive air capability. It acquired this strength through light aircraft smuggled into Sri Lanka by way of the sea. In addition, it also smuggled in surface-to-air missiles, surface-to-surface missiles, artillery guns, heavy and medium mortar, armoured vehicles and enormous amounts of ammunition and explosives through the sea. To guard against the possibility of such things happening again, as well as to prevent other criminal activities including human trafficking, drug trafficking and also to prevent piracy in this region, it is essential that the capabilities of the Sri Lanka Navy be strengthened to enable it to dominate the sea.

In sum, even though the war ended two and a half years ago, there is still a need for the continued existence of a strong military within Sri Lanka. This is a fact that the vast majority of Sri Lankans are more than happy with. However, it is also a fact that a handful of people and groups with vested interests exploit in the political arena. They use the existence of a large military within Sri Lanka to manufacture claims about the "militarisation" of this country. The thrust of the complaint is that the military has a pervasive influence on day-to-day affairs, particularly in the North and East. This is a wilful distortion of the actual picture.

It is true that the civilian administrative system was not fully functional in the immediate aftermath of the Humanitarian Operation. Therefore, for a short period of time after May 2009, the military stepped in to fill the breach and assist in administrative activities which are carried out by civilians. However, now that the situation has normalised and the civil service is back in place, the military is no longer involved in administration. Even when it comes to the upholding of law and order, the role of the military has been drastically curtailed with the lifting of the emergency regulations. Day to day law and order activities have been completely entrusted to the Police. The claim that the military is involved in every aspect of day-to-day life in the current context is a gross misrepresentation of reality.

It must also be emphasised that, as a sovereign state, Sri Lanka has every right to set up military establishments in any part of its territory. The role of the military is ensuring the safety, security and sovereignty of this country. To do this, it must be ready to face any force that threatens the nation, whether internally or externally. That is why it is essential that military establishments, whether Army, Navy or Air Force, should be positioned in strategic locations. There are military establishments in every part of Sri Lanka. There are camps not just in the North and East, but also in the South, the hill country and in Colombo. The claim that this represents militarisation is pure nonsense.

The real reason for the claim about militarisation is that it is yet another ploy in the campaign to portray what is happening in Sri Lanka in the most negative of lights. It is a ploy aligned with the strategy of the LTTE-linked organisations to portray Sri Lanka as a nation using military might to persecute innocent Tamil people. This is a manufactured claim that is vastly at odds with Sri Lankan reality. However, it is a useful tool for the LTTE-linked organisations and the pro-separatist movement because it helps them construct an alternate reality in the eyes of foreign powers about what is happening in Sri Lanka. It is purely a political tool, and it is being deployed because the agenda of these parties has not changed.

Closely linked to the false, negative picture the LTTE-linked organisations try to project about Sri Lanka's present is their attempt to tarnish the success of the Humanitarian Operation. Bringing Sri Lanka before the Human Rights Council of the United Nations and even to the International Criminal Court in Geneva is one of the goals of the rump of the LTTE. Having been defeated militarily, they seek to generate claims about war crimes and even try to use the term genocide in describing what happened in Sri Lanka. This is part of the strategy they employed throughout the conflict period. During the Humanitarian Operation too, it used the exact same terminology to build international pressure against Sri Lanka. It used all the influence it had cultivated over the years with foreign politicians, international organisations and media groups to try and prevent the defeat of its military organisation and save Prabhakaran and the rest of the LTTE's leadership.

In reality, it was the LTTE that ruthlessly and frequently violated human rights and committed war crimes Aerial footage captured during the Humanitarian Operation showed to the world how LTTE cadres fired at the civilians trying to escape its clutches. Now there is more evidence coming to light about the brutal tactics it used to maintain power within its fast diminishing territory during the final stages. The LTTE tried to forcefully abduct some 600 children from families who had sought shelter in a church. When the church

authorities resisted this attempt, it mercilessly shelled the church that same night. It piled up sick and wounded cadres and civilians onto a group of buses and then exploded them while they lay trapped helplessly within. During the very last days, the LTTE even exploded its ammunition dumps near civilian encampments as it realised that military defeat was inevitable.

There is little doubt that in the months and years to come, the rump of the LTTE organisation will only step up its efforts to damage Sri Lanka's reputation in the international arena and drag this country before international bodies on war crimes charges. It represents nothing less than an effort by those keen to keep terrorism alive to disgrace the reputation of our brave professional servicemen who had the strength and courage to comprehensively eliminate terrorism from this country.

The primary issue being spoken about by the LTTE-linked organisations and their sympathisers is accountability for civilian casualties that took place during the Humanitarian Operation. In this context, there are several issues to note. First, it needs to be understood that in any conflict, a certain number of civilian casualties are bound to occur. This is particularly true in conflicts where civilians are used as a human shield by one of the warring factions, as the LTTE did. While the Government established a very clear zero casualty policy at the start of the Humanitarian Operation, this was mainly to emphasise safeguarding civilian lives as the foremost priority of the military. By maintaining this priority very clearly from the first day of operations to the last, it was possible to keep civilian casualties at a minimal level. Utmost care was always taken to minimise collateral damage during military operations. Nevertheless, as with all conflicts in all parts of the world, some civilian casualties would have taken place. Ascertaining the extent of these casualties has been the Government's intention for some time.

The approach the Government has taken in this regard has been professional. The Department of Census and Statistics, which is the official

Government Department for such matters, was asked to conduct a complete census of the area in question. In the questionnaire that was used, the issue of those who died or went missing during the Humanitarian Operation was directly addressed. With the completion of the census, it should be possible to identify by name all or most of such persons. The census is complete, and the report is being prepared. It will be released in the near future. What can be stated beyond doubt is that the overall number of actual deaths is nowhere near the amount claimed by various parties with various agendas. The number is certainly far too small to give any credence to the absurd accusation of genocide often made by the LTTE-linked organisations.

Second, it is also important to realise that the total number of dead and missing will include people in the several categories:

* Those who died of natural causes
* Those who died of accidents
* Those who left this country through illegal means, particularly by boat to India or to South East Asia, and from there to the West
* Those who died whilst fighting as members of the LTTE
* Those who died as a result of being coerced to fight by the LTTE
* Those who died as a result of resisting the LTTE

It is only for the remaining deaths that the Sri Lankan Military can bear any sort of responsibility. This number is too small to lend credence to the allegation of irresponsible mass military action that is at the heart of the claims about war crimes made by the rump of the LTTE and its sympathisers.

A closely related issue to the number of civilian deaths during the Humanitarian Operation is the allegation of impunity that is levelled against the military. Again, those who level this criticism have very little understanding of the true picture. The Sri Lankan Armed Forces are not some ragtag groups assembled at random and sent to war, but historic institutions with a long and

distinguished track record of professionalism and discipline. The military's officer cadre comprises people of a very high calibre. They have received ample training, including university education, not just in Sri Lanka but in prestigious military academies all over the world. The military has well-established internal mechanisms, including directorates for the upholding Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law. It also has a strong military justice system to deal with offenses of any kind. During the course of the Humanitarian Operations, the specific allegations made against military personnel were investigated, and allegations considered credible are being and will be dealt with under both military and civil law.

Of course, it must also be understood that there is a distinct difference between the actions of individuals operating on their own accord outside the bounds of military obligations and any military operations undertaken for the achievement of specific military objectives. A soldier raping someone has nothing to do with military operations. It is a criminal act that can also be dealt with under the general law. However, if somebody is targeted and killed through a military operation for having been involved in terrorist activities, that is a legitimate military objective which takes place for the upholding of national security. Perhaps the best example of such an operation in recent times is the assassination of Osama bin Laden. There is an argument that he could have been captured alive. However, the position of the US Government is that bin Laden was a grave threat to national security and that he was therefore killed in a covert operation by the United States military. The same standard should be applied to situations in smaller, less powerful countries such as Sri Lanka.

Yet another issue brought into international focus by those critical of Sri Lanka is reconciliation. The principle thrust of the criticism is that not enough is being done. Here, again, there is some misunderstanding about the actual situation in Sri Lanka. Reconciliation is certainly important, but what is necessary in Sri Lanka is vastly different from what was needed in other countries about which the term is often used. Sri Lanka is not, for example, a

nation that suffered from a dictatorial undemocratic Government that ruled for many years over a marginalised population. It is instead a fully-fledged democracy. During the period of the conflict, a number of Presidents and Governments from different parties were elected by the people to govern the country. Despite the conflict, all people outside the North and East lived in peace with security and dignity. Communal harmony prevailed. Even the majority population of the commercial capital is no longer Sinhalese. On the contrary, Colombo has been a shining example of multicultural coexistence for many years. Replicating its success throughout Sri Lanka is only a matter of time and economic growth. It is quite evident that the reconciliation necessary in this country is not quite the same thing that those who talk about it, particularly outside Sri Lanka, often imagine it to be.

Nevertheless, the Government took steps not long after the end of the Humanitarian Operation to establish the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission. This Commission was mandated to study all matters connected with the conflict, including the breakdown of the ceasefire and the Humanitarian Operation. Its report has been released, and it has made certain comments on existing issues as well as recommendations to overcome them. This is a large, comprehensive report that is presently being studied. Once its contents have been assimilated, the Government will decide on how best to implement the proposals made by the Commission. It is therefore clear that the criticism levelled against the Government with regard to reconciliation is both out of context and grossly premature.

The attempt to internationalise the situation in Sri Lanka, and the harsh criticism being levelled against this country by parties with vested interests is particularly unfortunate in today's context. The Government of Sri Lanka has done an enormous amount of work since the end of the Humanitarian Operation to bring back normalcy to a long-suffering segment of our population. Soon after the defeat of the LTTE, particular attention was paid to the North, where there were several issues that needed to be addressed urgently. The most pressing of

these was resettling the 294,000 Internally Displaced People who had been the LTTE's human shield during the last stages of the war. The areas they were displaced from had been mined heavily by the LTTE as it retreated. Demining these areas quickly was critical to resettlement, and it is pleasing to note that demining was carried out at an unprecedented pace. The Sri Lanka Army did the bulk of the work while several Non Governmental Organisations and foreign agencies provided a lot of assistance. As demining progressed, reconstruction of villages and resettlement of IDPs took place. Most of the demining work is now complete and there are less than 3,000 IDPs remaining in camps today. It has to be emphasised that these people are staying in the camps voluntarily, and that they will be resettled as soon as their villages are fully de-mined and deemed safe for occupation.

Another critical issue the Government faced involved the 11,000 former LTTE cadres who surrendered or were detained during the course of the Humanitarian Operation. Despite the fact that all of them had been engaged in terrorist activities, the Government took the bold decision to rehabilitate and reintegrate the vast majority of them to society without delay. That was a commendable decision that speaks volumes for the Government's commitment to reconciliation, and it should be noted that such generosity has rarely been shown to similar detainees in other parts of the world. Neither in Afghanistan nor Iraq nor in any other recent conflict have combatants been rehabilitated and reintegrated with such speed.

Unfortunately, some sections of the international community are wilfully blind to this fact and continue to criticise the Government on the issue of detentions. But any examination of the facts will show the truth. There were 595 child soldiers among the 11,000 LTTE cadres in Government custody. They were rehabilitated under a programme supported by UNICEF and reunited with their families within one year. All adult cadres also underwent extensive rehabilitation programmes. Psychological care, spiritual therapy and vocational training were provided, and the vast majority of them have now been reintegrated with

society. Only a small number of cadres with known higher-level involvement in LTTE activities have been earmarked for prosecution. Today, there are less than 700 detainees remaining in Government custody.

In addition to demining, resettlement and rehabilitation, the Government has also provided a great deal of assistance to citizens in the North to help them resume normal lives. Support has been given for the restoration of livelihoods. This includes concessionary financing being extended to individuals for farming, fishing, and business. Markets and other facilities to support these activities are being rapidly developed. Infrastructure development has also been expedited. Programmes are underway to rapidly develop roads, rail, electricity, and irrigation. It should be emphasised that the military is playing a key role in undertaking these development programmes, as these are considered high priority and difficult for civil organisations to handle on their own. Through all these means, the Government is working very hard to restore normalcy to those civilians who suffered for so many years because of the LTTE's dominance in those areas.

Perhaps the most critical gain resulting from peace is the restoration of democracy and democratic institutions to that part of the country. Despite the war ending less than three years ago, local authority elections, provincial council elections, a Presidential election and a General election have all been held over the past two years. Last year in the North, people were able to exercise their franchise freely and without fear for the first time in three decades. It should be noted that international observers had few adverse comment about the conduct of all these elections. That electoral transparency and political plurality has returned to these areas is clear from the results of these elections, in which the Tamil National Alliance did well. However, the Government party ran a close second in a number of Districts. That is a significant achievement in a region that suffered for so long under a virtual dictatorship.

Apart from the threat posed by the reorganisation of LTTE-linked groups abroad and what is happening in Sri Lanka, another critical factor to consider is the broader geopolitical situation in this part of the world. All of you should be aware that the part of the world between the Horn of Africa and the Pacific is becoming increasingly important in international economics, politics and military activities. Emerging economies in this region are shifting the axis of global trade and commerce away from the west. Global energy security, industrial activity and even financial stability are increasingly dependent on what is happening in the Asian region. Asia is also critical for global security, as most of the countries from which terrorist groups like al-Qaeda draw their strength lie within this region. For all these reasons, increasing global attention is being paid to Asia. Sri Lanka is situated in a uniquely strategic geographical position within this region. That fact has focused the attention of many western powers on our country. They are all keen to see that Sri Lanka never aligns itself with anyone other than them. They are particularly worried that Sri Lanka is becoming increasingly close to powers emerging from this part of the world.

In this context, there is a strong misperception that exists internationally and even in Sri Lanka about the extent of Chinese influence on this country. The fear in this regard is unfounded. China is a country that Sri Lanka has had a close relationship with for many years. The primary involvement of China in Sri Lanka is in commerce and trade. In this regard, Sri Lanka is little different to a number of countries around the world. China is fast becoming one of the world's greatest economic powers, and its commercial links and economic influence on other nations will only increase as befits a nation of its strength. This is only natural, and not something to be unduly worried about. Sri Lanka has many friends on the global stage. China is one of them. There is no reason for anyone in Sri Lanka or outside to worry about the relationship between our two nations.

A more realistic potential threat to our national security is the possibility that certain groups may strive to create instability in Sri Lanka through indirect methods. Having seen political change accomplished in countries such as Tunisia,

Egypt and Libya through uprising, some parties that have failed to achieve their objectives through democratic means might resort to such activities even here. This is only a very minor possibility, but we have already seen certain groups encouraging students to take to the streets in various protests in the recent past. To a certain extent, such protests are perfectly fine as long as they are peaceful, do not disrupt the life of the people, and does not obstruct university education overall. Under such conditions, they are in fact an encouraging indicator of the robustness of our democracy. Unfortunately, there could be some who seek to expand these protests into something less peaceful and therefore less conducive to democratic dialogue. We need to be aware of this possibility and guard against it. The last thing Sri Lanka needs now is for our fast-tracked economic development to be derailed by instability.

Sri Lanka is a democratic nation. The true value of democracy is that engagement with the Government is not only possible but also welcome. The democratic process will sort out the disagreements that are bound to arise from time to time. The Government must and will listen to the voice of the people. Unlike the countries in which dictatorships reigned before being derailed by popular uprising, if the people wish to change the Government in Sri Lanka, they can do so without any problem at the polling booth. In actual fact, elections at every level have been held all over Sri Lanka over the last two years, and it is clear from the results that the popularity of the Government is extremely high. Any group or person trying to resort to non-democratic means to destabilise Sri Lanka because they have not achieve their objectives within the democratic process should be resisted and rejected.

In this context, it is important for all of us who believe in our motherland to stand together and work towards the betterment of the nation, irrespective of our political differences. Unfortunately there are a handful of Sri Lankans who do not seem to care for their homeland. Speaking to the media, publishing articles and making presentations at various forums, these individuals harshly criticise not only the Government because of whatever ill feelings they harbour against it,

but also speak against the country as a whole. While their ability to speak in this fashion demonstrates the freedom of speech that exists in Sri Lanka, their actions are unwarranted. Whatever disagreements one may have with the Government, speaking or writing or working against the nation itself is not just unpatriotic but treacherous. Such actions beg the question whether there is a hidden agenda behind such actions; an agenda that is not far removed from the one shared by those who seek to destabilise this country.

During the course of this lecture I have highlighted a number of national security threats that face this nation. We must face reality and guard against all eventualities. It is of vital importance for all of us to protect the peace that has been regained after so long and at such cost. We must stand firm and not allow anyone to drive this country back to the state it was in during the past thirty years. As a nation, Sri Lanka has had more than its fair share of suffering. We must all work together to put the past behind us, and work towards a brighter future for this nation and all her people. That will be the best defence against those who seek to oppose us. Let us all work together to make this better future a reality.

Thank you.