Text of a speech delivered by former President Mahinda Rajapaksa in Colombo, October 25, 2015.
Venerable members of the Maha Sangha, clergymen of all other religions, friends,
I address you thus, at a time of great peril to our nation. Various views have been expressed about the resolution passed against Sri Lanka in the Human Rights Council in Geneva. There was a debate in parliament about it as well. Some contentious points have been raised with regard to this resolution and as the former President and Commander in Chief I am duty bound to explain to the public my views on this resolution. The people of this country should be aware of the challenge confronting the country as a result of the government co-sponsoring the Geneva resolution against Sri Lanka.
I must first draw your attention to the operative paragraphs in the Geneva resolution which will have the most serious implications for this country. There are many dangerous operative paragraphs in this resolution. I wish to draw your attention to three of the most serious and unacceptable recommendations.
According to operative paragraph 6 of the Geneva resolution the government has agreed to establish a judicial mechanism to try war crimes. They have also agreed to the participation of foreign judges, prosecutors, investigators and lawyers in that judicial mechanism. What this means in effect is the setting up of an entirely new parallel criminal justice system in this country outside the existing system.
According to operative paragraph 4 of the Geneva resolution, the Sri Lankan government has already agreed to allow these mechanisms that are to be set up to ‘deal with the past’ to obtain financial assistance from foreign countries. What this means is that the mechanisms that will be set up to look into allegations of war crimes and other matters will be paid for and maintained by the Western powers.
If the Geneva resolution is implemented, the countries that sponsored resolutions against Sri Lanka in the Human Rights Council, will be the same countries that provide funding for the judicial mechanisms set up under that resolution and who provide the judges, prosecutors, investigators and lawyers to man those mechanisms. These will also be the same countries that tried their level best to stop the final phase of the war and failed. By what stretch of the imagination are we to believe that the cause of justice will be served by such an arrangement?
The government has been putting forward various arguments to justify their decision to implement the Geneva resolution. The appointment by Mrs Sirima Bandaranaike of an Egyptian judge to the Commission of Inquiry to probe the S.W.R.D. Bandaranaike assassination is taken as an example of a foreign judge participating in the Sri Lankan judicial system.
However Mrs Bandaranaike appointed that Egyptian judge to a Commission of Inquiry appointed under the Commissions of Inquiry Act and not to a court of law. The criminal case relating to the Bandaranaike assassination was heard in the ordinary courts of the country. Similarly the instance of the Commission of Inquiry into Missing Persons (Maxwell Paranagama Commission) appointed by me, being allowed to seek the legal opinions of several foreign experts in the law of armed conflict is also mentioned as a precedent for the participation of foreign legal experts in a Sri Lankan legal process.
My government did make arrangements for the Maxwell Paranagama Commission to obtain written legal opinions from several foreign experts on a written request made by the Chairman of that Commission. Sir Desmond de Silva QC, Sir Geoffrey Nice QC, Professor David Crane, Professor Michael Newton and Rodney Dixon – all experts in the law of armed conflict – and Major General John Holmes formerly of the British SAS provided some very valuable written opinions to the Paranagama Commission. It should be borne in mind that we are referring here not to the Maxwell Paranagama Commission Report which was tabled in parliament recently, but to the legal opinions provided to it by the foreign experts. The government should have circulated the written opinions of these international experts to the members of the UN Human Rights Council. There was plenty of time to do so before the UNHRC sessions but the government deliberately refrained from doing so.
“The Island” web edition published all these legal opinions in full some months ago. If the contents of those well argued legal opinions had been taken into account the war crimes project against Sri Lanka orchestrated by some western countries would have come to an end before it even got off the ground.
The Commission on Missing Persons is also a commission appointed under the Commissions of Inquiry Act and not a court of law. Furthermore the legal experts I mentioned earlier, only provided written legal opinions in an advisory capacity to this commission. All these opinions were very favourable to Sri Lanka. The difference between obtaining advisory opinions about the arguments that can be made in our favour from foreign experts and appointing foreign judges to hear court cases against our war heroes should be clear to everybody.
Various views were expressed about the report of the Maxwell Paranagama Commission appointed to look into Complaints of Missing Persons during the recent debate in parliament. I heard this commission being referred to as “Rajapaksa’s Commission”. I saw some politicians trying to justify their own plans by saying that Rajapaksa’s own commission had made such and such recommendation. I appointed the Paranagama Commission to look into Complaints of Missing Persons in August 2013. After January this year it has functioned under the present government. It is now a commission of the present government. From January this year the incumbent President had the power to make any changes he wanted in the functions of this Commission. So it is not correct to say that was a ‘Rajapaksa commission’. In any event what is of importance to us here are the implications of the Geneva resolution.
The involvement of foreign judges, prosecutors, investigators and lawyers implies the creation of a new criminal justice system parallel to the existing one. I am totally opposed to any such arrangement. I regard that very suggestion to be an insult to our courts system, legal profession, Attorney General’s Department and investigative bodies.
Through operative paragraph 8 of the Geneva resolution, the government has already agreed to remove from office members of the armed suspected of having committed human rights violations through an ‘administrative process’ even if there is no evidence against him that can be placed before a court of law. Some ministers claimed in parliament that there is no such recommendation in the Geneva resolution. I state with the utmost responsibility that operative paragraph 4 of the resolution requires exactly that and nothing else.
When the Human Rights Commissioner addressed the UNHRC on 30 September the matter on which he placed the most emphasis was the need to remove from office through an administrative process members of the armed forces suspected of having violated human rights. The government has agreed even to implement this patently unfair recommendation. If there is insufficient evidence to place before a court of law, no one can be declared a wrongdoer according to our legal system. On what principle of justice are such individuals to be removed from office through an administrative process? This is nothing but a project to persecute our war heroes.
There is another ethical issue here. This war was fought in Sri Lanka. If our war heroes are to be punished for war crimes, many things that were not crimes according to our law during the time of the war will have to be entered into our laws as crimes and given effect retroactively. Our constitution does permit retroactive legislation especially to give effect to international law in this country.
However, one of the most sacrosanct principles of criminal law is that a deed that was not a crime when it was committed should not be declared a crime through new legislation and punishment meted out retroactively. Even though the constitution allows retroactive legislation, this is never resorted to except in the most extreme circumstances.
The last time retroactive legislation was passed in was in the 1980s when SepalaEkanayake hijacked an Alitalia plane. At that time hijacking a plane was not an offence in our law. So the government at that time had to bring in retroactive legislation to make hijacking a crime and to punish Ekanayake. But there is no such issue here. If any member of the armed forces has committed murder there are laws against that in our country. Likewise if there are allegations, of torture, assault, rape or threatening of people against any member of the armed forces, all those crimes can be dealt with under our law.
If any of these crimes can be punished in our law, many would be left wondering why new criminal laws would be necessary at all. If new laws are introduced, that will be for only one purpose – to water down the evidentiary requirements and to enable the expeditious jailing of our war heroes. This is similar to wanting to remove from office through an administrative process even those members of the armed forces against whom there is no evidence, but are suspected of having violated human rights. The evidentiary rules in international war crimes tribunals have a lower benchmark than in our courts and the national legal systems of most countries. Life sentences can be handed down on little evidence.
This is one of the main reasons why the United States of America has prohibited international war crimes tribunals from ever trying any of its citizens. In 2002 the American government passed the “American Servicemen’s Protection Act” which empowers the American president to use force if necessary to obtain the release of any American citizen taken before an international war crimes tribunal. That is how the Americans protect their war veterans and other citizens. But what we see here are politicians falling over one another in their eagerness to betray our war heroes. One of the main reasons why the Americans are against any of its citizens being taken before these international war crimes tribunals is because of the glaring shortcomings in the international law relating to war crimes and the procedures of the war crimes tribunals.
The present attempt being made in this country is to introduce these faulty laws and procedures to Sri Lanka and to jail our war heroes expeditiously. No self respecting citizen should allow this to happen. If any member of the armed forces has done anything wrong, he should be tried according to our law and only in our courts.
In ruling a country governments do come under pressure from overseas. The government of the day has to find ways and means of dealing with that. There is no need for a government if we are going to agree to everything said by other countries.
The government has co-sponsored the Geneva resolution without considering its implications and without informing parliament and appraising the people about it. If a separate criminal justice apparatus is to be set up with foreign judges, prosecutors and investigators, our ordinary law as well as the constitution itself will have to be amended. Last week in an interview with The Straits Times in Singapore, the Prime Minister had said that foreign judges will in fact be involved in war crimes trials here.
The laws will be changed in this manner for the sole purpose of punishing our war heroes. Changing the constitution itself to punish the war heroes who brought an end to terrorism which had been stalking this land for forty years and which embroiled the country in a raging internal war for 30 years is a dastardly act. People belonging to all communities are now able to live in peace in this country because of the sacrifices made by our war heroes.
If we change the law to enable foreign judges, prosecutors and investigators to serve in our legal system, what happens after they finish jailing our war heroes? If the amendments to the law continues to remain even after jailing the war heroes, foreign judges, prosecutors, investigators and especially lawyers will continue to work in Sri Lanka and that may pose a major problem for the legal profession. There are many lawyers in parliament. I too am a lawyer.
One of the matters under discussion in this country with regard to the CEPA agreement with India was the provision made for Indian professionals of all categories including lawyers to work in Sri Lanka. If the laws are amended as envisaged to punish our war heroes, one of the unintended consequences of that will be the opening up of the Sri Lankan legal profession to foreigners even without CEPA.
If however, the law is changed only to punish our war heroes and after all the war heroes are jailed the laws are amended once again to restore the status quo ante, then it will become obvious to the people that this government amended the law only to punish our war heroes. That is not an acceptable situation at all.
The government has been engaged in an attempt to justify the position they have taken. One argument they have brought forward is that everything that is happening now had been agreed to in the joint statement made by the UN Secretary General and myself on May 23 2009. They have been misquoting the final paragraph of that joint statement to find justification for their own actions. That final paragraph went as follows:
“Sri Lanka reiterated its strongest commitment to the promotion and protection of human rights, in keeping with international human rights standards and Sri Lanka’s international obligations. The Secretary-General underlined the importance of an accountability process for addressing violations of international humanitarian and human rights law. The Government will take measures to address those grievances.”
Joint statements contain the ideas of both parties signing it. The positions taken by Sri Lanka and the UN Secretary General are clearly stated. Sri Lanka has accepted that she is committed to upholding human rights to an international standard and we are doing that. We have a whole chapter on fundamental rights in our constitution. The UN Secretary General speaks about the need for an accountability process. We never accepted that. All that we did was to look into any grievances in that regard.
We never undertook to set up war crimes tribunals or to man them with foreign judges and prosecutors or to sack members of the armed forces who have not been proven guilty of any wrongdoing through an administrative process. As per the pledge we made we appointed the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission and the Commission to look into Complaints of Missing Persons.
These plans that are being made to persecute members of our armed forces cannot be implemented without amending the law. Parliament has the power to thwart all these plans being made to victimise our war heroes who sacrificed so much in the war against terror. I appeal to all Members of Parliament regardless of party affiliation, not to allow the passage of any legislation aimed at persecuting members of our armed forces. This is a matter that goes beyond politics and is about our country, our nation, our sovereignty and our self respect.
The people should be vigilant about what these powerful forces are trying to achieve by jailing our war heroes, sacking through an administrative process those who cannot be jailed, and breaking the back of this nation. It is my belief that we as a nation are now faced with the most perilous moment since independence in 1948. We are all duty bound to come forward on behalf of the nation at a time like this.
Consequent to 9/11 the US declared a war on terror and countries were told ‘you are either with us or against us’. The LTTE foreign brains quickly came up with an unregistered alliance putting together Tamil political parties under an umbrella name Tamil National Alliance with representatives selected by LTTE and Prabakaran. That was how TNA came into being on 22 October 2001 months before the Norwegian brokered ceasefire agreement of February 2002. 5000 LTTE ‘volunteers’ rigged the elections to enable TNA to enter Parliament in 2004 winning 22 seats (TNA even took oaths in front of Prabakaran) enabling LTTE appointed TNA to carry out propaganda locally and internationally misusing parliamentary privileges.
TNA-LTTE one and the same
TNA Leader Sampanthan with Prabakaran and Tamilselvan
In 2003 TNA leader Sampanthan with LTTE’s Anton Balasingham and Tamilselvan
LTTE flag – LTTE’s Tamilselvan at head table, TNA leader Sampanthan and present ITAK leader Mavai Senathirajah
Sambanthan holds poster claiming ‘Stop Genocide Against Tamils” (can such a person be an Opposition Leader?)
Both TNA and LTTE are seeking the same objectives.
TNA manifestos/speeches have never condemned LTTE atrocities or demanded the release of Tamil civilians kept as human shields/hostages
TNA in 2001 declared in its manifesto that LTTE was the ‘sole Tamil national entity’ and the ‘sole representative of the Tamil people’ and LTTE had the right to negotiate on behalf of the Tamil people.
TNA in 2004 repeated same in its manifesto
The EU Election Observation Mission Chief John Cushnahan in his EU report on 17 June 2004 clearly established LTTE-TNA links “Firstly, the LTTE intended that no other rival Tamil party (or Tamil candidate from the mainstream political alliances) to the TNA would be able to claim to represent Tamil interests. A chilling message to this effect was sent early in the campaign when a UNP candidate and an EPDP activist were murdered. Incidents such as this seriously restricted the right of the parties other than the TNA to campaign freely in the Northern and Eastern Districts. During the 2004 elections, the major incidents of violence was perpetrated by the LTTE, whereas at the earlier elections; the primary source of the violence (although not all), were the two largest political parties.”
TNA is linked to and associates with the UNSC Resolution 1373 banned LTTE fronts – TGTE / GTF/BTF and a host of others operating from overseas. TNA are regular attendees to these functions and guest speakers funded by the Tamil Diaspora.
It is anyone’s guess as to why successive governments including the former failed to investigate or in the least openly declare TNA as representing the LTTE.
Having said that it now emerges that the TNA leader R Sambanthan is claiming a stake as Opposition Leader making merry of the disunity that prevails inside Parliament.
This takes us back to 1977 when A Amirthalingam of the TULF (formed in 1972) became the Opposition Leader from 1977 until 1983 with 18 seats to their credit.
The United National Party (UNP) with 141 out of 168 parliamentary seats routed the Sri Lanka Freedon Party (SLFP) that won only eight seats.
It was only because JR Jayawardena introduced the 6th amendment and with it the requirement for all Parliamentarians to take an oath of allegiance that the TULF walked out refusing to take the pledge including Anandasangaree who was as a result subsequently barred from practicing as a lawyer.
“no person shall directly or indirectly, in or outside Sri Lanka, support, espouse, promote, finance, encourage or advocate the establishment of a separate within the territory of Sri Lanka”.
The argument against Sambanthan’s selection as Opposition Leader draws upon the abuse and misuse that the TULF Leader Amirthalingam initiated as Opposition Leader.
LTTE were first declared ‘our boys’ by him, he represented the Vaddukoddai (Constituency that he first contested from in 1952) ideology being a founder member of the Federal Party or rather Confederal/Federation party that plotted to use unemployed Tamil youth to deliver what the old cronies were dreaming about. Eventually he was gunned down by the very boys he wanted to rule over inside his own home in 1989.
TULF youth wing members Uma Maheswaran and Urmila Kandiah both joined LTTE
Amirthalingam as leader of the Opposition even provided letters of reference to LTTE on government stationary
TULF Chavakachcheri MP V N Navaratnam openly supported LTTE and he introduced influential and wealthy Tamils living overseas to LTTE leaders.
TULF propaganda helped LTTE by branding Sri Lanka guilty of discrimination and perpetrating genocide.
By 1983 LTTE-TULF were already collecting funds from the overseas Tamil community. The first such public organization to collect funds was formed in 1978 through the Tamil Coordinating Committee in the UK to which Amirthalingam went on a world tour to campaign for misusing his title of Opposition Leader.
In 1977 a person who wanted to secede and create a separate state became the Opposition Leader. The damage he did openly and clandestinely is phenomenal. He used his position to internationalize his cause it was only in 1981 that the UNP presented a no-confidence motion against him. It was only Cyril Mathew who had the spine to criticize Amirthalingam inside Parliament. Though it must be said that it was Amirthalingam and Sivasithamparan who escorted Sirima Bandaranaike out of the chamber when her civic rights were taken away from her by JR Jayawardena. It was these same two that the LTTE shot at with Amirthaligam dying and Sivasithamparan miraculously surviving and Mrs. B had said ‘thank god no Sinhalese had done it’.
Sambanthan by virtue of links to the same organization that Amirthalingam clandestinely developed cannot be considered for this important post at this juncture wherein it is no exaggeration to say that Eelam has turned out to be an exercise that has geopolitical implications and interests of everyone other than Tamil Hindus or the tags being used.
It is for these reasons that the Speaker must take stock of how the post of Opposition Leader under Amirthalingam was used to promote separatist ideology, raise funds and carry out international propaganda campaigns abusing parliamentary privileges is likely to be repeated if Sambanthan is made Opposition Leader far more than how he currently misuses it being an MP.
Dr. Sudath Gunasekara President Senior Citizen Movement Mahanuwara
08-08-2015
Option 1
Option 2
1 An Undivided country (One Country) Sri Lanka From Point Pedro in the North to Devundara in the South and Madakalapuwa in the East to Puttalama in the West with the Lion flag eternally vibrating in the air
1 A Divided country ( Three Countries
Eelam, Kalisthan and Sri Lanka EELAM1/3rd Land area of the Island in the North and
North East for Tamils (5% popu: of the country)
with 2/3rd the coastal belt from Puttalam
via- Jaffna-Trinco to Kataragama, that will be
annexed to the Tamil Nadu very soon and
become a part of India subsequently.Kalisthan1/6th of the Island in South East for
Muslims (2% pop) andMalayanadu1/6th of the Island in the HILL COUNTRY
for Indian Tamils (3% pop) (Handing over
of this land had already begun two months
ago by vote hunting Ranil and Kiriella)1/3rd of the country in the South West for,
90 % of the total population of the Island,
Sinhalese, Tamils and Muslims with less
than 1/3rd the coastal belt that would be
annexed to North & East (EELAM) and
later to India
(This will mark the end of the 2500 year
glorious Sinhaldveepa or Sri Lanka )
2 One Nation ( Sri Lankan), Strong Government and Political Stability 3 A Unitary State 4 Independent, Sovereign and Free Country5 Country with a Non aligned Foreign policy6 Country without LTTE, without war, without Land mines and bomb blasts, without death bodies at every door step and with peace & prosperity all over the country
2 Three Nations Sri Lankan ,Tamil and Muslim,
weak Government and Political Instability 3 A Federal State where they will be killing each
other at perpetual communal wars4 A Subservient vassal state of the
West and India5 Country with a Foreign Policy aligned to the West6 A country with LTTE resurrected, war renewed,
with land mines and Time bombs, with deaths
and moaning at each & every house all over the country
7 A country with Buddhist Temples and religious Monuments such as Dagabas like Ruwanweliseya and Monuments like Samadhi Pilimaya, Avukana, and Galviharaya and Sri Dalada Maligawa, Sri Pada along with Hindu Kovils, Muslim Mosques and Churches8 A Government that gives priority to the Village and Villagers and the poor and with pride of place to Apekamata
7A country with Tami Kovilas and Muslim Mosques all over the country and a country without Buddhist Temple and without Dagabas like Ruwanweliseya and Monuments like Samadhi Pilimaya, Avukana, and Galviraya, Sri Dalada Maligawa and Sripada.8 Government that ignores the Village and Villagers and gives priority to the City and the Rich and Enthrone Paragetikama
9 A Patriotic, Charismatic and Smart Populist Peoples Leader and the choice of the Mahasangha as well A Leader admired by Hundreds of thousands in Defeat and invited to take over the reins of the nation again in one voice 10 A Strong Leader with a towering personality and stature like a Roaring Lion who can withstand any challenge and all External Pressure and who does not bow down before foreign intimidation and who will defend this Country to his last breadth even before the MARA
9 An Unpatriotic, Uninspiring, Desperate and a Dead figure head who is not a leader at all and who has lost 29 elections in succession who will enter the Guineas Record as
A) The First PM appointed without a majority in Parliament in the whole Democratic world
b) A Party leader who lost elections for the 30th time but still clinging on to power
10 A weakling who will give in to all external pressure and meekly submit to the West and India like a sheep and who will Run away in crisis and destroy this country by selling it to the Tamils, Muslims and the west to remain in power
11 Desapremi Abhimanawath Jatika Rajayak
11 Parageti, Nivata saha Vijatika Rajayak
12 To protect the Motherland
12 To destroy the Motherland
13 A Legitimate Prime Minister of the People
13 An illegitimate Prime Minister installed by conspiracy
14 Immediate results
14 Results in 5 years( 60 months as he promises
15 A Leader born to save the Motherland, Sinhala Nation and Sambuddha Sasanaya Diyasena and War Hero of Patriotic Sri Lakan masses
15 A Man born to destroy the Motherland Sinhala Nation and Sambuddha Sasanaya
If your choice is above then Vote forMahinda Rajapaksa (Modern Dutugemunu)by voting * UPFA *Mahinda Topping the list at Kurunegala & the whole country
If your choice is above then vote forRu-nil WickramasinhaBy voting UNP
*His supporters all over And elect Mahinda as Prime Minister with 125 seats minimum
To make him Prime Minister with Tamil and Muslim votes
Please rememberSri Lanka will never get a leader like this for another 500 years to save our Motherland & Sambuddha Sasana
Ranil -Don Juan Dharmapala of Kotte reborn as people say.
The destiny of this nation is entirely in your Hands. This is your last Chance to save the Motherland
You Vote UPFA, Mahinda and his supporters on 17 of August 2015 You save this Country and bring prosperity to all!EVERY VOTE CAST AGAISNT MAHINDA IS A VOTE AGAINST THE COUNTRY
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You Vote UNP, Runil and his cohorts On 17 of August 2015You Bring nemesis to this Country and yourself EVERY VOTE CAST FOR RANIL IS A VOTE AGAINST THECOUNTRY
The Committee for the Protection of Journalists – CPJ has released a list of 19 ‘journalists’ it claims to have been killed since 1992 in Sri Lanka. CPJ includes 39 journalists killed worldwide in 2013 – none reported in Sri Lanka since January 2009. In total 1007 journalists are said to have been killed worldwide since 1992, 595 of this number murdered with impunity, whatever that implies, meanwhile 456 journalists are said to live in exile since 2008. When terrorists do not have an internationally accepted definition and neither do journalists we arrive at a very tricky scenario of who and who are not terrorists/journalists. Despite terrorism not having a definition we are well aware that the LTTE has been identified by 32 nations as a terrorist outfit and if an organization is declared terrorist its members must be also terrorists. Therefore the majority of the ‘journalists’ names featured by CPJ unfortunately belong to the category of ‘terrorist’ while a large number of others killed have been gunned down by the LTTE. How does this equate to murder with impunity and zero press free media in Sri Lanka?
The Committee for the Protection of Journalists is just one of the many organizations claiming to protect the freedoms of journalists. With no acceptable definition and the unlikelihood of one it is good to quote how North Carolina’s law defines a journalist –
Any person, company, or entity, or the employees, independent contractors, or agents of that person, company, or entity, engaged in the business of gathering, compiling, writing, editing, photographing, recording, or processing information for dissemination via any news medium. When people are in the ‘business’ it certainly raises on behalf of whom they write for all ‘journalists’ working for a living have to comply to the rules and regulations of the employer. Therefore can there be an unbiased media or free media today?
With communication being the new battleground it is important how media in all its forms gains itself leverage as the watchdog of all that happens around the world and in one’s country. Thus, much effort is made to promoting media amongst the world public as indispensable. They are quick to come to each other’s defense, they offer awards amongst each other, they are aligned to the world’s powerful bodies and corporate entities – in other words like the humanitarian organizations they become no different to foreign governmental organizations, with local entities ever ready to speak on behalf of foreign governments without backing their own nation.
CPJ we may well remember was quick to award J S Tissanayagam no sooner he was arrested for links with LTTE. Which goes to show that media entities quickly garner together in solidarity irrespective of the wrongs been done.
The release of a list of 19 journalists killed is likely to be quoted during CHOGM and used against the Government and military forces as foundation to prove the already concluded notion that the nation is bordering ‘authoritarian’ rule – in Navi Pillay’s own words. Little merit is given to the fact that regular elections are held and politicians are voted in to office.
Top of Form
The 19 ‘Journalists’ named by CPJ according to their website categorized as MOTIVE CONFIRMED
Name of ‘JOURNALIST’
Date / Reason for Death
1. Shoba
Other names Isaipriya or Isaippiriya
Member of LTTE
Sri Lanka’s Defense Ministry declares ‘SHOBA’ as Lt. Col. Issei Piriya – member of the LTTE. She died during battle with 53 Division troops on May 18 May 18 or 19, 2009, in Mullivaikkal. She even appears in the annual sensationalized Channel 4 dramas on behalf of Tamil Diaspora.
She has undergone LTTE military training. Her LTTE Identity Card was 03424-T ESAYRUVI
She was married to senior Sea Tiger Trincomalee leader Siri Ram, who carried out many operations against the SL navy
Yet CPJ quoting Tamilnet and Channel 4 describes SHOBA as a ‘journalist’ – CPJ even called for an international inquiry into her death!!!
WOULD CPJ describe Al Qaeda TV presenters as ‘Journalists’ TOO and question US on drones that have killed them?
2. Puniyamoorthy Sathiyamoorthy
Supporter of LTTE
CPJ describes him a ‘supporter of the secessionist Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE)’ … who ‘wrote for many pro-Tamil publications and frequently contributed to official LTTE media’. He gave ‘live commentaries from conflict zones’
He was killed in a Sri Lankan artillery barrage in the Mullaitheevu district on February 12, 2009,
3. Lasantha Wickramatunga
editor-in-chief of the weekly The Sunday Leader, killed by unidentified gunman – 8 January 2009
Various sensationalism has resolved around the murder. The case remains unconcluded and investigations are continuing.
4. Rashmi Mohamed
Killed by LTTE
correspondent for Sirasa TV died on October 6, 2008 at UNP rally in Anuradhapura by a LTTE suicide bomber targeting Maj. Gen. Janaka Perera who also died alongside 27 others.
5. Paranirupasingham Devakumar
Killed by LTTE
May 28, 2008, in Jaffna
Jaffna correspondent for the independent channel News 1st, was stabbed to death when he was attacked by supporters of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), according to Sunanda Deshapriya, spokesman for local press freedom group the Free Media Movement
6. Suresh Linbiyo
Member of LTTE
Voice of Tigers (LTTE run radio station) – November 27, 2007, in Kilinochchi by a Sri Lankan Air Force air strike
Voice of Tigers”, (VOT),is a clandestine radio station operated by the LTTE
Tamilnet, the LTTE propaganda channel admitted the 3 VOT members were LTTE which again questions why CPJ would include them as ‘journalists’.
7. T. Tharmalingam
Member of LTTE
Voice of Tigers (LTTE run radio station) – November 27, 2007, in Kilinochchi by a Sri Lankan Air Force air strike
8. Isaivizhi Chempiyan
Member of LTTE
Voice of Tigers (LTTE run radio station) – November 27, 2007, in Kilinochchi by a Sri Lankan Air Force air strike
9. Selvarajah Rajeewarnam
a journalist for the Uthayan newspaper, was shot dead on 29 April 2007 while on his bicycle by unidentified gunmen
10. Subash Chandraboas
editor of a small Tamil-language monthly magazine, Nilam (The Ground), was shot to death at around 7:30 p.m.
11. Subramaniyam Sugitharajah
a part-time reporter for Tamil-language daily Sudar Oli killed on January 24, 2006, in Trincomalee while his way to work
CPJ website states that The newspaper and its Jaffna-based sister publication Uthayan came under attack by both LTTE and anti-LTTE forces in political violence
12. Relangi Selvarajah & husband
Killed by LTTE
Sri Lanka Rupavahini Corp – Gunned down on August 12, 2005, in Colombo by unidentified gunmen on the same day as Lakshman Kadiragamar assassination.
Selvarajah’s husband was affiliated with the formerly militant and now mainstream group, the People’s Liberation Organization of Tamil Eelam (PLOTE)
PLOTE is critical of LTTE
13. Dharmeratnam Sivaram
Known also as Taraki
A founding member and contributor to TamilNet and a military and political columnist for the English language Daily Mirror
April 29, 2005, in Colombo
Sivaram was a former member of PLOTE who defected to the LTTE. Rajan Hoole who was critical of Sivaram’s role as the Tamilnet.com’s editor, said he was involved in the murder of two PLOTE dissidents during his days as a Tamil militant.
Investigation continues and member of an armed gang has been arrested in this connection.
14. Lanka Jayasundara
Killed by LTTE
Wijeya Publications
December 11, 2004 by an LTTE grenade attack at a music concert
15. Bala Nadarajah Iyer
Killed by LTTE
Thinamurasu and Thinakaran
August 16, 2004, in Colombo
a journalist, writer, and political activist with the opposition Tamil group the Eelam People’s Democratic Party (EPDP)
16. Aiyathurai Nadesan pen name Nellai G. Nadesan
Virakesari
May 31, 2004, in Batticaloa
17. Mylvaganam Nimalarajan
BBC, Virakesari, Ravaya
October 19, 2000, in Jaffna
Six months after the murder of journalist Mylvaganam Nimalarajan, RSF queries President Kumaratunga
18. Anura Priyantha
Killed by LTTE
Independent Television Network
December 18, 1999, in Colombo – LTTE suicide bomb aimed at President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga at an election rally in Colombo
19. Indika Pathinivasan
Killed by LTTE
Maharaja Television Network
December 18, 1999, in Colombo – LTTE suicide bomb aimed at President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga at an election rally in Colombo
The above happens to be the list that will be infamously quoted as being the 19 reasons why the Government of Sri Lanka is guilty of MURDERING MEDIA, where NO MEDIA FREEDOM prevails. These will be quoted worldwide using whatever other terminologies in vogue amongst the same set of people making the reports, pointing fingers and coming up with solutions.
What has bypassed their attention is that out of the 19 MURDERED ‘journalists’ how many are actually qualified to be called a journalist per se.
When 32 nations designate the LTTE as a terrorist organization, banned by their own country laws how is it remotely possible for members of the LTTE to become journalists when they are eliminated by the armed forces? If the US Navy Seals can uninformed to Pakistan Government enter Pakistan and eliminate unarmed Osama bin Laden and his son, on what grounds is it prohibited for the Sri Lankan armed forces to take action against a similarly categorized terrorist group inside Sri Lanka’s own territory?
If so, ‘journalists’ categorized as No. 1, 6, 7, 8 are NOT journalists but members of the LTTE. Moreover, ‘journalist’ No. 2Puniyamoorthy Sathiyamoorthy by virtue of being a supporter of the LTTE puts him into the category of terrorist too. Thus, 5 out of the 19 ‘journalists’ are not qualified in the least to belong to the list of ‘journalists’ killed. CPJ needs to immediately remove these names from their listing.
Next, we come to the question of how these journalists died. Journalists featured under no. 4, 5, 12, 14, 15,18 and 19 were all killed by LTTE – thus, 7 out of the 19 journalists listed by CPJ have been killed by the LTTE (which is almost half of the number being quoted)
In what is easily attempted to mislead the reading public the CPJ claims that since 1992 – 19 journalists have been killed and the motive for their killing is given as confirmed. However, the motive is not explicitly given and no one is accused. Killed by ‘unidentified’ gunmen cannot be written off as being the responsibility of the Government. Most of these journalists had been members of armed groups, they had turned sides and tides, jumped from one group to another, written on behalf of one and then jumped ship and these situations are likely to have fostered various personal enemies over the years not necessarily from one. In the case of Lasantha Wickrematunga, the most high profile killing in the 19 named, we may well recall how the joint opposition Presidential candidate himself was accused of complicity in the murder. Speculations apart there is no hard evidence and in the absence of such we will simply be opportunities for turning stones and hurling stones.
We next come to the question of the lack of freedom of press and the ‘fear’ with which journalists write. If one writes lies, distorts truth and works to a malicious agenda it is one’s conscience that will always be pricking the nerves because the guilt of one’s actions will always shadow every thought and letter being penned.
Taking the statistics together it is easy to deduce the dates of these 19 murders
The last murder to have taken place was the killing of Lasantha Wickrematunga on 8 January 2009. We shall omit reference to Shoba, Puniyamoorthy Sathiyamoorthy and the 3 LTTE members of Voice of Tigers on account of them being LTTE and thus legally not entitled to be referred to as ‘journalists’.
Taking the 19 killings, omitting members and supporters of the LTTE the last killing was in 2009 and not a single killing has taken place since January 2009 to date in October 2013. How can media personnel be living in fear?
The CPJ has also included a separate list of 6 other journalists and categorized the motive for their murder as ‘unconfirmed’
These ‘journalists are:
1. Sahadevan Nilakshan – editor of Chaalaram magazine shot at by unidentified gunmen on 1 August 2007 in Jaffna
2. Sinnathamby Sivamaharajah – editor of Namathu Eelanadu killed outside home on 20 August 2006. He was a MP of the TULF and member of TNA.
3. Sampath Lakmal – reporter for Sathdina, killed on 1 July 2006
4. Vasthian Anthony Mariyadas – freelance reporter for Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation killed on 31 December 1999.
5. Atputharajah Nadarajah – editor of Thinamurusu. EPDP Member of Parliament 02 November 1999, in Colombo
6. Rohana Kumara – editor of Satana (UNP financed) killed by unidentified men on 7 September 1999 in Colombo.
However, there are some accusations of attacks on media and of late we have the examples of 2 journalists to take note of.
‘Faraz Shauketaly’ of the Sunday Leader was shot at on 15 February 2013. The Sunday Leader carried several articles on the attack ‘Leader Journalist Shot – Eswaran Ratnam, ‘The Shooting of ‘Faraz Shauketaly’ by Emil Van de Poorten writing that ‘shooting of Faraz Shauketaly is being treated (and will be treated and could be treated) in the Debacle of Asia (DoA), members of the Opposition all rushed with the obvious insinuation that it was a ‘Govt’ job. The insinuation and implication will always remain because ethical journalism has not meant that none of the accusations were ever corrected when the real reasons for the attacks were disclosed. The personal nature of his relationship leading to a recurrent monetary dispute being the center of the issue was never disclosed and will never be because it serves a better agenda to have the incident remain an attack on ‘media’.
The next case of attack comes with the news of a robbery on 23 August 2013 at the home of Mandana Ismail Abeywickrama Co-editor of the Sunday Leader. A suspect was killed by police, 3 were arrested. The immediate reaction was to implicate the Government and the armed forces. The interrogation revealed that the robbers had decided to rob a house ad hoc after a drinking binge in Bambalapitiya. Contrary to the version being floated to insinuate a totally different version the robbers had robbed both cash and items which included 18 nos of Rs.2000 notes, bangles, bracelets, pendants, rings, earrings total number over 60 items all of which were recovered barring an earring.. It is also true that 2 army deserters were among the 5 member gang and the army disclosed full details of them. 3 of the 5 were brothers. One of the soldiers had been arrested in September 2009 while in service for theft. The suspects too have been produced in court. However, the co-editor is now living overseas thanks to the false accusation on a highly controversial and questionable accusation of ‘media attack’. This like Shauketaly’s case cannot be categorized as a media attack though despite placing the facts it has suited vested parties and groups to continue to maintain the former version of things with the likelihood of being coveted journalistic awards for unfettered media service when the entire incident is out of scope and nothing to do with any role in media.
Its just as well that despite being pressed against the wall the Government and military continues to desist from putting the garbage out of those accusing them but the public deserves the right to know exactly how angelic these media fraternity actually are and how man skeletons are hidden inside their own closets whilst pretending to be doing the public a service.
විමල්ට, උදයට පාර්ලිමේන්තුවේ
උතුරේ සිදුවන්නේ කුමක්ද? මෙරට බහුතරය උතුරේ සිදුවන ක්රියාකාරකම් නොදනී. පසුගිය සෙනසුරාදා යාපනයේ ඌරාවිල් හිදී ද්රවිඩ පක්ෂ පහක නියෝජිතයන්ගේ සාකච්ඡාවක් පැවැත්විණි.
මේ පසුබිම මත ගුවන් යානා විනාශ කළ කොටි ගුවන් ඒකකයේ හිටපු ත්රස්තයන් පවා “යුක්තිය” ඉල්ලීම විහිළුවක් නොවේද? ද්රවිඩ පක්ෂ පහ තුළ එකී ඉල්ලීම ගැන අනාවරණය වන අවස්ථාවේ උතුරු මහඇමැති බ්රිතාන්යයේදී ශ්රී ලංකා රජයට අභ්යන්තර පරීක්ෂණයක් පැවැත්වීම සඳහා කිසිසේත් සහය නොදෙන ලෙස එරට සර්ව පාක්ෂික මන්ත්රී කණ්ඩායමේ නායක ඡේමිස් ධාරිගෙන් ඉල්ලා ඇත. එසේම එකී දේශීය පරීක්ෂණය සඳහා සහය වීමෙන් වලකින ලෙස බ්රිතාන්ය රජයට බලපෑම් කරන්නැයි ද විග්නේශ්වරන් තවදුරටත් දන්aවා තිබේ.
කැලම් මැක්රේ සිය අළුත්ම වාර්තාවේ දක්වා ඇත්තේ කොටින්ට එරෙහිව සිදු කළ මෙහෙයුමේදී සිදුවූ දේ ගැන හිටපු ජනාධිපති හෝ හිටපු ආරක්ෂක ලේකම් ගෝඨාභය රාජපක්ෂට දඬුවම් ලැබී නැති බවයි.