War Heroes

The "Appalling" chorus against Sri Lanka

Light Refractions

(By: Lucien Rajakarunanayake)

The latest to use the word was the unnamed BBC correspondent who was quoted on the 11.30pm BBC News on Tuesday night. "Appalling". That was how the BBC Correspondent described the conditions at the relief village for the IDPs in the Vanni.

Just one damning word is all that was needed. There was no effort to explain why it was appalling, or when this was said. For the BBC, as for many other western news organizations today, just the word was enough. It is somewhat like the word becoming flesh as it is said in the Bible. The word is the truth, and it suited the BBC news presenter who was reporting on the Special Session on Sri Lanka at the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva earlier that same evening.

A glimpse of the Sri Lankan Minister speaking at the Special Session, a few frames of people undergoing hardship at an IDP centre and the BBC correspondent's mighty proclamation " It is appalling". End of story. The point is made. The message is conveyed that Sri Lanka deserves to get a battering from the "International Community" in Geneva for the "appalling" condition at the IDP centres.

Cut. Move to the next item on the news - so many killed in Pakistan, thousands upon thousands of refugees on the move there, which is described as biblical in proportions, but there is nothing appalling about that. There never can be, because the reporter BBC or whatever other channel, and the presenter knows the great trek has been caused at the behest of the Americans, who are urging Islamabad to be as tough as ever with the Taliban. Mormon polygamy will be looked at with Nelsonian blindness by US law enforcers, but Sharia Law is certainly bad for Pakistan and Afghanistan. Why are we not appalled?

It's not as funny as it initially seems, when one sees how the international media has allowed itself to be manipulated to present a picture of a country that suits the political agendas of the ruling groups in some western countries, and the interests of the pro-LTTE Tamil citizens of who can today make up a considerable vote bank in some electorates or districts in those countries. The truth or the background to current developments is not of importance anymore. It is the power of gripping words and the images that can send a negative message that matter. And most of the media people who report on Sri Lanka have come with considerable baggage of that stuff in their mental rucksacks.

In guess you recall the words of the popular baila which goes "And she's got kerosene oil in her brain". Well it is something like that, but this is no piece of fun. Most of the journalists who go up to report on the IDPs carry plenty of barbed wire in their brains, and precious little of anything else, such as intelligence, or powers of observation, and objectivity, that one usually associates a good journalist with.

Either because the bedside stories their mothers or grandmothers read to them had much to do with it, or their readings on conflict have been confined to the days of the Second World War or more recently the tragedies in Srebrenica in the Bosnian War, they have an instant mental link between barbed wire and concentration camps. The IDPs in Sri Lanka are held in concentration camps surrounded by barbed wire - this is the refrain of the international media today. It is a chorus that is fully in sync with the chanting of the pro-LTTE expatriate Tamils, who are now well rooted citizens of western countries, and have no regrets about what the LTTE has been doing to their own kind for nearly three decades.

Let's try to ignore the fact that these media guys do not know that concentration camps did not have their beginning here, but in the British controlled South Africa, during the Boer War. That they were later were perfected by the western Christian, anti-Semitic regime of Hitler in Nazi Germany and in the other parts of Europe the Nazi troops ran over; by its Eastern Axis Partner Japan, especially in Malaya, and was later used to terrible effect in the more recent Bosnian War.

They just don't know that the vast, majority of people who own property in Sri Lanka use barbed wire for boundary fencing. This is not to prevent the owners or residents on such property from escaping, but to keep unwanted outsiders from entering. Those who write about barbed wire surrounded concentration camps show pictures of these places, where the strands are thin and so far between that it cannot prevent anyone from easily creeping through. Hardly the stuff of concentration camps; but they are the tellers. The world is supposed to believe them

But the piece of barbed wire writing that deserves a cake was what appeared in the Guardian UK, usually a good and respected newspaper of the mainstream. The Guardian writer said the Sri Lankan government put barbed wire round the IDP camps to prevent journalists getting there and learning the truth about how the IDPs where treated by the LTTE before they escaped and came to the relief centres, or camps, if you like to all it that. Don't you think that deserves a special prize for journalism of an overly fertile imagination? Can you give one reason why the government would try to prevent journalist learning of the atrocities of the LTTE? And, who is the journalist worth one's salt who can be put off the trail of a story just by a few strands of barbed wire around the location? But the Guardian has also joined the ranks of Sri Lanka bashers today, so it is most unlikely to prevent such unimaginable flights of fancy in print and on the web.

There are two other words also buzzing around the diplomatic and media circuits that are training their guns on Sri Lanka in the new battle the country is facing. It is "Uninhibited" and "Unimpeded". That is what we are supposed to extend to foreign aid workers, including the UN types who leak unverified and unverifiable information to the bloodthirsty media about the conditions in the IDP relief centres. Leading the trumpeter making this call for unhindered and unimpeded access is Ban Ki-moon. No less than the General Secretary of the United Nations.

What these new warriors of peace, who could only issue statements that both sides exercise restraint during the entire struggle with the LTTE seem to have forgotten is that Sri Lanka is a sovereign state, and that we bloody well have the right to lay down our own terms on who enters any place in the country, and especially to deal with our own citizens. Those who are just now overcoming all the tragedy and trauma of being held hostage by the LTTE, when all these patrons of unhindered and unimpeded access could do was warn of an impending bloodbath, which to their terrible discomfiture did not materialize.

I'd like to ask Ban Ki-moon when he asked the United States of America to allow "unhindered and unimpeded access to any relief workers" to that genuine concentration camp, complete with barbed and razor wire and much more in Guantanamo? Is it because this ugly blot on the American name is located on Cuban soil, leased out to the US, or is it that any or all of those alleged terrorist inmates at Gitmo have less rights to equal treatment under Human Rights than the Tamil civilians who have been so brutally treated by the LTTE.

"Unhindered and unimpeded" my foot. That should be the real response. Just for a start let's introduce rules that anyone, aid workers included, who wish to serve in the IDP centres should be certified as being free of HIV/AIDS, of any suspicion of Swine Flu or whatever technical term that is now called now to help the US Pork Industry, should have no suspicions of being paedophiles, and that gay and lesbian couples, whether married or in civil union will not be allowed there. There are a few more restrictions one can think of. I suggest the Swine Flu impediment be extended to anyone from any US state or Mexican region that has had even one suspected case of the illness. We can then be sure that Hillary Rodham Clinton will not be coming this way.

Just watch how everyone from the BBC to the TimesOnline, Human Rights Watch and Ban Ki-moon himself, will be shouting out that this is all so....yes bloody appalling.

But Ban Ki-moon is also an appalling type. Addressing a Media Briefing in Kandy last Saturday he picks his words very carefully to say that what he saw when flying over the terrain of war in the North was sobering. He then says that what he saw at the IDP centre he visited was saddening. How true, indeed; and then he goes on to say the government was doing a very good job in looking after the IDPs, but lacked enough resources. ....But you can't keep one of these appalling guys down. He next speaks to a CNN reporter, on camera to be sure, and opens his heart out to say that all of what he saw was....yes, appalling. Maybe he was afraid of the appalling time he would have from the pro-LTTE American & Canadian Tamil mobs that would have a violent protest at his sobering and saddening comments about Sri Lanka. That is being charitable. But what an appalling guy this Secretary General must be. Would he have said it better if he had spoken Korean? I wonder.

Wanni war heroes given military honours & their service appreciated

"The ability to evaluate the situation objectively has always been a sign of true leadership" - General Frido and Senger Etterlin.

round commanders and hundreds of troops in the Army who sweated day and night for victory over terrorism, mostly during the last leg of the Wanni battles were hailed and their national contribution appreciated during a mammoth saluting parade that got underway at Army Headquarters Thursday (28) morning.

The military ceremony saw Commander of the Army General Sarath Fonseka, appreciative of their roles, presented silver parchment scrolls to twelve War Heroes who were at the forefront of the battles against separatist terrorists.

Major General G. A. Chandrasiri, Major General M. C. Mendaka P Samarasinghe, Major General N. A. Jagath C. Dias, Major General Nandana Udawatta, Major General G. D. H. Kamal Gunarathna, Brigadier Prasanna P. De Silva, Brigadier Sathyapriya D. T. Liyanage, Brigadier L. H. Shavindra C. Silva, Brigadier C. P. Gallage, Brigadier P. M. Rohana Bandara, Colonel Nihantha D. Wanniarachchi, and Colonel G. V. Ravipriya were the recipients of those conferment, awarded by General Sarath Fonseka on the occasion.

Under the shade of fluttering regimental flags in the esplanade, more than one thousand and two hundred soldiers, belonging to infantry and other regiments serving Wanni in a colourful military parade, commanded by Major General Kamal Gunarathne saluted their chief, General Sarath Fonseka, as rhythmic melodies of "Peradiga muthu etayayi me" and "Hela jathika abhimane" resonated adding patriotic sentiments to the occasion.

General Sarath Fonseka, in a moving address to his troops commended them for their gallantry and valour. Here is the full text of the Commander's speech;

"In order to mark the victory over terrorism that spanned over thirty years, posing a threat to unitary nature and sovereignty of our motherland, and also to pay tribute to all War Heroes who relentlessly fought to eliminate the scourge of LTTE terrorism from the Sri Lankan soil, this mammoth Saluting Parade was organized.

Let me on this occasion of commemoration also recall cherished memories on our fallen War Heroes, those went missing, turned disable and those sustained injuries during this battle. That memory gives a deep sense of sorrow, but accomplishment of their mission offers solace to us.

This battle victory was largely dependent on leadership of the officers and soldiers who fought in the battle ground. His Excellency, President Mahinda Rajapaksa and Secretary Defence as well as those here and abroad offered leadership and guidance to this fight deserve our tribute and commendation. Fighting units, Task Forces, Service and Logistic units extended their maximum support to us and such cooperation is gratefully acknowledged. Those who provided protection to the ground while fighting was on elsewhere also receive our praise.

New recruits and soldiers who joined the Army en masse contributed largely to this victory. Had they failed to do so, we would not have been able to see an end to this battle. Parents and their family members who directed those heroic soldiers to join the Army also deserve our praise. The Army's strength rose to 200,000 from 116,000 as some 80,000 novices joined the Army in the past few months. Their entry helped us enormously to hold on to the territory thus captured and minimize soldier casualties.

Our ancestors facing similar threats in the past overcame such challenges at the risk of their lives. We have inherited a motherland through their sacrifices, gallantry and valour. The entire country, other than a handful of politicians and segments of people who betrayed the country, supported us whole-heartedly, like one people celebrating this victory.

Rescue of thousands of besieged Tamil people, affected by terrorism was to be launched through a humanitarian operation after Mavilaru episode, enabling them to live as they wished. It was one of our objectives. We brought the entire nation under one flag after eliminating terrorism once for all. It is a matter of pride for Sri Lanka. We fulfilled the mission and the entire Nation is indebted to the Army for that. We have added another 'Dutu Gemunu' reign to history once again.

Sri Lanka Army's sacrifice for successful completion of this fateful "Eelam war - 4" cannot be challenged or equated to a parallel by anyone. 190 officers and 5200 soldiers sacrificed their lives and 27,000 soldiers sustained injuries or turned disable during this battle. Of the total national dedication towards this battle, the Army has contributed more than 96 percent to it. The Army got rid of 22,000 terrorists and captured 9000 of them alive, destroying all their assets and resources. By granting relief of death to those LTTE cadres, the Army amply depicted its discipline and dignity. More than 70 percent of the enemy's maritime and aerial resources were demolished by troops of the Army. Therefore, service and commitment, rendered by Army officers and other ranks in this battle cannot be equated to that of any other individual. As Commander of the Army, I am proud to state so, on behalf of the entire Army.

By introducing changes to the Army, all necessary training were imparted to the troops, all required facilities and essential devices were provided and more importantly, competent military leaders were posted to right seats and appointment of junior leaders among soldiers was made as required. Though the war was to be completed in three years, our collective efforts made it possible to eliminate the enemy within two years and ten months. We are determined to bring peace to the country and we have created an environment, conducive to peace and security. We must still consolidate that basis to avoid any such threats in the future too.

In conclusion, let me thank President, Secretary Defence, the government and everybody for helping us achieve our target that led to the fall of 'Prabhakaran' and all the terrorists. Let me also thank my wife, children, all well-wishers and staff at Army Headquarters for their unstinted support given to me during the period of the battle. Let us resolve to rally round as one people in order to develop this country and lead it to be a prosperous one. Let peace prevail in Sri Lanka," the Commander concluded.

DNA test assures Prabha and Charles

Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) test conducted by Sri Lanka Army Medical Corps today (28 May) on Charles Anthony and Prabhakaran re-affirmed both of them have been identified as father and son after matching. Authorities after referring the samples to scientists conducted a match on both of them.

KP's local agent arrested at IDP camp by Sirimevan Kasturiarachi

The local agent of the LTTE's notorious international arms dealer Kumaran Pathmanadan, aka KP, was arrested by Army intelligence yesterday at a welfare camp in Vavuniya.

Army sources said that the man Identified as Urumaran, was well educated and KP's direct contact in the supply of weapons to the LTTE.

Initial investigations had revealed that he was fluent in English and some other European languages. He had travelled abroad on nineteen occasions.

He had joined the civilians and reached a welfare camp in Vavuniya but someone who knew about him had tipped off Army intelligence yesterday morning. On being questioned Urumaran had admitted that he was the local handler of arms and ammunition that came to the LTTE from abroad mainly on sea going vessels.

Once these arms vessels reached Sri Lankan waters Urumaran was the one who directed them where and when to unload the weapons. Investigations also revealed that he had been in constant touch with KP even after arriving at the welfare centre, Army sources said.

The investigations were at the initial stage even by late afternoon yesterday and they believe the whereabouts of KP could be traced by questioning and monitoring the telephone calls he received on his satellite phone.

Courtesy : The island

Prabhakaran's parents in a welfare village

Terror leader Prabhakaran's father, Veraswami Thiruwengadam Velupillai and mother Velupillai Parvathi PILLAI of seventy-nine years of age had been identified by military authorities while living inside one of the welfare village in Vavuniya, Today (28 May).

Late LTTE leader's parents who had sought refuge with others after exiting from Puthumattalan area, are now highly pleased with welfare facilities at the welfare camp including those set up to provide medical facilities and other welfare facilities by the Government.

Sri Lanka resolution wins at Geneva: defeat for hypocrisy

(By: Walter Jayawardhana)

The United Nations Human Rights Council voted heavily in favor of Sri Lanka against a few nations who were ganging up to condemn Sri Lanka for its alleged conduct in the war against terrorists and accepted a Sri Lankan resolution that demanded "the principle of noninterference in matters which are essentially within the domestic jurisdiction of states", by an overwhelming majority.

Sri Lanka said in the resolution that warring against terrorism inside the country is Sri Lanka's business and others do not have any right to interfere in it.

The Sri Lanka resolution presented against the Western allegations received 29 votes against the 12 who opposed it. Six nations abstained from voting.

He also said this victory is a victory for the country's principles to treat the IDP's humanely and kindly and defeating terrorism resolutely in the country.

Sri Lanka's Army Commander General Sarath Fonseka has also alleged that some Western nations tried to save Prabhakaran and his top men as a last ditch effort to destabilize both Sri Lanka and India.

High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay earlier told the emergency meeting that the United Nations should start a war crimes probe against Sri Lanka. But her appeal had to be dropped since majority of members were opposed to such a move. She said Sri Lanka government was obliged to follow humanitarian law even when fighting terrorism.

The Sri Lankan resolution was supported by China, Cuba, Pakistan and other countries. They said Sri Lanka should be supported financially to help the IDP's.

The anti-Sri Lankan resolution was supported by Britian, France, Canada, Switzerland and other countries.

Ambassador Dayan Jayatileke likened the effort of the nations who were trying to censure Sri Lanka to an effort of holding a war crimes tribunal for the victors of the World War 2 for dropping the atomic bombs at Hiroshima and Nagasaki. He said the attempt is most outrageous. He was quoted having said, "It's outrageous. Sri Lanka has just prevailed over a notoriously fanatical and formidable army, the Tamil Tigers." He said the Sri Lankan conflict was purely a domestic matter and other countries had no rights to interfere.

Russian President assures continued support to Sri Lanka

(By: Lucien Rajakarunanayake)

Russia will continue to assist Sri Lanka for the restoration of peace and reconstruction of the country, said the President of the Russian Federation Dmitriy Medvedev, in a telephone conversation with President Mahinda Rajapaksa, today.

In discussing the current situation in Sri Lanka after the defeat of the LTTE's terrorism, President Rajapaksa thanked the Russian President for the considerable assistance given to Sri Lanka in the fight to eradicate terrorism from the country.

President Rajapaksa expressed his gratitude to President Medvedev for the support that Russia had extended to Sri Lanka in the UN Security Council, where attempts were made to obstruct the humanitarian operation to free the Tamil civilian hostages from the LTTE, and also for the support given to Sri Lanka at the UN Human Rights Council.

President Medvedev said that Russia considered Sri Lanka as an old friend and ally, and looked forward to continuing the warm relations between the two countries. He assured that Russia will give all assistance to Sri Lanka for the restoration of peace, reconstruction, and for necessary and expeditious relief to the large number of internally displaced persons.

President Rajapaksa also conveyed his thanks to the Russian Prime Minister Vladmir Putin, who too had been very helpful to Sri Lanka in the battle against terrorism, during his term as President.

He invited President Medvedev to visit Sri Lanka at his earliest convenience, which will help further strengthen the friendship between the two countries.

In the telephone conversation that was initiated by the Russian President, it was agreed that the Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov will visit Sri Lanka in October this year.

Eastern Tigers want to Surrender

THE LTTE groups which are known to have infiltrated the Eastern Province have sought the help of National Integration Minister Vinayagamurthy Muralitharan to arrange for them to surrender to the military.

After the EP was liberated, these small groups were holed up in the jungle and continued to attack villages such as Moneragala and Ampara and are said to have killed a number of civilians.

Minister Muralitharan who before his defection from the LTTE led its fighting cadres as eastern commander told Daily Mirror yesterday that the leaders of these groups had contacted him and asked for his support to surrender to government forces.

“All the leaders except one known as Ram contacted me during the last couple of days. I took up the matter with the defence authorities. We are ready to grant them amnesty if they surrender right now,” he said.

Meanwhile, Mr. Muralitharan who said there were only about 60 LTTE cadres hiding in the East, pointed out that LTTE’s international relations head Kumaran Pathmanathan alias KP had promised to rescue LTTE leader Velupillai Prabhakaran during the final stages of the battle , but  KP was not able to keep his promise.

“KP did it deliberately. He wanted Prabhakaran to die on the battle field so that KP can be the next leader. The financial division of the organization is controlled by KP,” the Minister said.

He said there was an international campaign launched by KP to solicit more money from the Tamil Diaspora.

“I request the Tamil Diaspora not to donate anything for the LTTE. The organization is no more now.  Its armed struggle was crushed. Tamil people should now organize themselves politically,” he said. (Courtesy: Daily Mirror)

Massive Hauls of LTTE Weapons & Explosives Continue to Emerge

WANNI: ARMY TROOPS, engaged in their continued search operations in VELLAMULLIVAIKKAL and ASIKULAM areas for another day during Monday (25) found four more partly decomposed dead bodies of Tiger terrorists, one pistol, one pistol magazine with three rounds, one 40 mm grenade launcher, two hundred and eleven T-56 weapons, two T-56 magazines, forty-four rounds, one suicide belt, twenty-one I-com radio sets, one generator (Yamha 4.4), thirty-eight ARMR ammunition, one thousand detonators, one DET code roll, eleven parcel of explosives, three suicide jackets, five claymore mines, one T-81 weapon, two sniper weapons, fifteen Rocket Propelled Grenades (RPG), eleven 60 mm mortar barrels, nine 60 mm mortar base plates, thirty-four Multi Purpose Machine Guns (MPMG), fourteen G3A3 weapons, sixteen FNC weapons, thirteen SLR weapons, five 303 rifle, fifty paddle gun ammo box (thirty-five rounds each), nineteen MPMG ammo box ( two hundred rounds each), twenty-one MPMG ammo box (two hundred rounds wit links), six GPMG ammo boxes (two hundred rounds wit links), twelve 12.7 ammo boxes (eighty-five rounds each), three 40 mm grenade launcher bomb boxes  (thirty-two rounds each), nine Oxygen cylinders (large), four MPMG empty drums, seven hundred 12.7 ammunition, one compressor, fifteen acid cans (five Liter), six sea mines, four Oxygen cylinders (small), three diving jackets, seven diving kits, six diving shoes and ten compressor oil cans.

Meanwhile, troops conducting search operations in KALAPOKAKULAM, THERUMURUKANDI and AMPAKAMAM areas uncovered two pistols with four magazines, two 81 mm mortar barrels, four 81 mm mortar tripod clamping collars, one unknown mortar barrel, three RPG barrels, three fifty weapon barrels and one body part, one 12.7 mm body part, three upper collars and five tripod legs, eight GPMG weapons and five barrels, four Light Machine Gun butts and twenty-eight body parts, two G3A3 weapons, two T-81 weapons, two T-56 MK I weapons, two T-56 MK II weapons, six T-56 MK III weapons, four unknown tripods, four unknown tripod legs, six unknown weapon holders, eleven :MG drums, eleven T-81 magazines, forty-five G3A3 magazines,  sixteen T-56 magazines, six receiving covers, sixteen T-56 cocking handles, ten SLR magazines, twenty-two Rocket Propelled Grenade (RPG) bombs, twenty-nine hand grenades, five unknown grenades, four Arul bombs, thirty-one 120 mm mortar chargers, two 60 mm mortar charger boxes, 200 kg of TNT explosives, 83 kg of primers, 4 kg of  low explosives, 13 kg of black powder, 12 kg of low explosives (brown colour), 36 kg of C-4 explosives, 530 kg of steel balls, 25 kg of Aluminum balls, twenty-four bottles of chemicals, seventeen thousand three hundred switches, five hundred and seventeen fuses, eighteen artillery fuses, 55 kg of unidentified chemical powder, one hundred and five tubes of white explosives, one firing device, eight claymore mines, forty five jumping mines, one hundred and eight Jonny mines, thirty booby trap devices made of 81- mm mortar bombs, one booby trap device made of 60-mm mortar bomb, thirteen booby traps made of RPG rounds, forty four 120 mm mortar bombs, one hundred and thirty- eight 81 mm mortar bombs, one I-com set and thirty-nine 60 mm mortar bombs, the same day (25). 
 
In the meantime, troops on search operations in KADAWANA, KINNIYA MAGAUTHTHU jungles and THERUMAVELI areas collected one pistol with two magazines, twelve 9 mm ammunition rounds, six T-56 weapons, five T-56 magazines, one hundred and seventy nine 7.62 ammunition, 15 m flexible wire, one 84-s weapon, one claymore mine, two hand grenades, one electric detonator, fifty one 84-s ammunition rounds, one trapped 81 mm mortar bomb and one hand grenade on Monday (25).

War crimes charges against Sri Lankan leadership

(By: Colonel (Rtd) V A Siriwardana)

It has been reported that certain Western countries are in the process of collecting evidence to try the Sri Lankan Leadership, both Political and Military for committing war crimes. What are War Crimes? The concept of War Crimes is a recent one, came into being after conclusion of the World War II. Mass murder of millions of non combatants by Nazi Germany prompted the allied powers to initiate the concept of War Crimes which resulted in the Nuremberg Trials of 1945-46.

Article 147 of the Fourth Geneva Convention defines war crimes as: "Willful killing, torture or inhuman treatment, including willfully causing great suffering or serious injury to body or health, unlawful deportation or transfer or unlawful confinement of a protected person, compelling a protected person to serve in the forces of a hostile power, or willfully depriving a protected person of the rights of fair and regular trial, ...taking of hostages and extensive destruction and appropriation of property, not justified by military necessity and carried out unlawfully and wantonly."

In the case of an armed conflict not of an international character, serious violations of article 3 common to the four Geneva Conventions of 12 August 1949, namely, any of the following acts committed against persons taking no active part in the hostilities, including members of armed forces who have laid down their arms and those placed hors de combat by sickness, wounds, detention or any other cause:

(i) Violence to life and person, in particular murder of all kinds, mutilation, cruel treatment and torture; (ii) Committing outrages upon personal dignity, in particular humiliating and degrading treatment; (iii) Taking of hostages; (iv) The passing of sentences and the carrying out of executions without previous judgement pronounced by a regularly constituted court, affording all judicial guarantees which are generally recognized as indispensable. Other serious violations of the laws and customs applicable in armed conflicts not of an international character, within the established framework of international law, namely, any of the following acts: (i) Intentionally directing attacks against the civilian population as such or against individual civilians not taking direct part in hostilities; (ii) Intentionally directing attacks against buildings, material, medical units and transport, and personnel using the distinctive emblems of the Geneva Conventions in conformity with international law; (iii) Intentionally directing attacks against personnel, installations, material, units or vehicles involved in a humanitarian assistance or peacekeeping mission in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations, as long as they are entitled to the protection given to civilians or civilian objects under the international law of armed conflict; (iv) Intentionally directing attacks against buildings dedicated to religion, education, art, science or charitable purposes, historic monuments, hospitals and places where the sick and wounded are collected, provided they are not military objectives; (v) Pillaging a town or place, even when taken by assault; (vi) Committing rape, sexual slavery, enforced prostitution, forced pregnancy, as defined in article 7, paragraph 2 (f), enforced sterilization, and any other form of sexual violence also constituting a serious violation of article 3 common to the four Geneva Conventions; (vii) Conscripting or enlisting children under the age of fifteen years into armed forces or groups or using them to participate actively in hostilities; (viii) Ordering the displacement of the civilian population for reasons related to the conflict, unless the security of the civilians involved or imperative military reasons so demand; (ix) Killing or wounding treacherously a combatant adversary; (x) Declaring that no quarter will be given; (xi) Subjecting persons who are in the power of another party to the conflict to physical mutilation or to medical or scientific experiments of any kind which are neither justified by the medical, dental or hospital treatment of the person concerned nor carried out in his or her interest, and which cause death to or seriously endanger the health of such person or persons; (xii) Destroying or seizing the property of an adversary unless such destruction or seizure be imperatively demanded by the necessities of the conflict."

What certain Western Countries are trying to imply is that the use of Artillery and Air power by the Armed Forces during the last stages of operations to rescue the civilians held hostage by the LTTE, amounts to committing War Crimes. If this is accepted, it is going to create a precedent that will open flood gates for other countries to bring similar charges against particularly the US, NATO Countries and even the UN Security Council that has authorized certain operations, particularly in former Yugoslavia, Iraq and Afghanistan. Forces involved in all these operations heavily used Air and Naval power to discharge millions of tons of explosives into densely populated cities, resulting in deaths of thousands of non combatants and large scale destruction of property. Video clippings of all these are available with all major TV networks.

More than anything else, such a precedent, if created, will be the biggest boost to terrorism world over. No military any where in the world will be able to function effectively thereafter, thus giving virtually a free run to terrorist groups such as Al-Qaeda and others. The Leaders of the Western Countries trying to initiate War Crimes charges against Sri Lanka should first check with the Senior Officers of their own Militaries whether they would operate without Heavy Weapons and Air Power if they have to face a similar situation i.e. to neutralize an enemy force that possesses heavy weapons.

Terrorists are called 'terrorists' because they do not abide by the Laws of Armed Conflicts or any international convention. They will use civilians as much as possible to their benefit and will always find cover among innocent civilians for survival. In such situations, when military operations are directed against terrorists, certain amount of civilian casualties are unavoidable, however unfortunate that may be. If this situation leads to War Crime charges against Political and Military leadership of a country, then the only option is not to launch any military operation and allow terrorist a free run.

Recent action by the Sri Lankan military does not fall into any category of War Crimes as given in the definition above. So there is no basis for framing charges of War Crimes against the political or military leadership of Sri Lanka. On the contrary, the President of Sri Lanka should be commended for taking the unprecedented step of ordering the military to stop using Artillery and Air Power against LTTE in spite of the military risking heavy causalities due to not using the fire power of heavy weapons and aircraft. It is the military commanders who decide how to deploy weapons and no other leader in the world has taken such a bold decision or gone to such an extent to ensure civilian safety. From the very beginning of the operations, the Government instructed the Military to ensure zero civilian casualties. Although zero civilian causality in a conflict is not possible in the literal sense, what that meant to the military was to take every possible step to ensure the civilian casualties are kept to the minimum possible level.

The Sri Lankan military followed the instructions of their Commander In Chief to the letter and the civilian causality figure was the lowest when compared to other contemporary military campaigns in other parts of the world. Not a single complaint of rape, looting or willful destruction of places of religious worship, education etc have been received.

Therefore what the Western Countries who are contemplating War Crimes charges against Sri Lanka should do instead is to perhaps learn a lesson from the conduct of the political and military leadership of Sri Lanka and not to blunt the effectiveness of their own militaries by creating a very dangerous precedent.

'West was trying to save Prabhakaran to destabilse India and Sri Lanka' says General Fonseka

(By: Walter Jayawardhana)

General Sarath Fonseka said in a television program by the state owned ITN that the last ditch effort made by certain countries in the West to impose a ceasefire on Sri Lanka in the guise of saving civilians was actually made to save Prabhakaran and his top men.

He said this effort was made, "with a long term view of destabilizing countries like India and Sri Lanka like the Middle East with a never ending problem."

General Fonseka said certain NGO's who were working in Kilinochchi have not built even a bathroom for the civilians and all their money and expertise have gone into the military effort of the terrorist organization, the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam(LTTE).

He said certain boats and submarines and the engines used for them had been done with NGO expertise and imported engines.

General Fonseka taking part in the Sinhala language program of 'Thulawa' by the ITN revealed that it has been now surfaced after the aftermath of the annihilation of the LTTE that certain security analysts and other media experts who were often demonstrating around the Lipton Circus for press freedom have been constantly in the payroll of the LTTE to the tune of hundreds of thousand of rupees per month.

All these people were writing obstructing the legitimate activities of the army. As soon as the LTTE collapse, when certain sources of the LTTE itself revealed the information to the security forces the culprits had fled the country General Fonseka said. To secure the future of the country, General Fonseka said the culprits should be prosecuted for treason.

General Fonseka further revealed that the cellular satellite phone used by Prabhakaran is in the hands of the government and the army has received highly important information from the phone. He said further information will be informed about the important contacts of Prabhakaran from the phone information.

He said the Western attired KP, who was the Interpol wanted arms procuring criminal who has thoroughly enjoyed life with the money collected by the Tamils seems to be the only senior LTTE leader trying to be the leader of the movement.

He is once again, also wanted in relation of the Rajiv Gandhi assassination. He reminded that Prabhakaran built up his army when Sri Lanka Army was only 10,000 strong with help from India. Today India is very wary about the LTTE and the Sri Lanka army is 200,000 strong. It is going to be 300,000 strong very soon. So, it is not possible for KP to build up the LTTE again in Sri Lanka, Fonseka said.

General Fonseka said all top level and second level LTTE leaders have been destroyed by the army. It has been done according to an indigenous plan by the army. He reminded KP that it is not difficult for him to devise another similar plan to devastate if it starts operating once again in Sri Lanka or abroad. .

In an obvious reference to certain UNP leaders who insulted the army General Fonseka said they spoke like that because they were jealous and some hated the army for personal reasons. Referring to the man who said any fool could go to war, General Fonseka said that particular man's close relative had been discharged from the army. Referring to the man who said that army was going to Medawachchiya instead of going to Kilinochchiya Fonseka said he was trying to advise the army but he was not fit even to stitch underwear to the army as a tailor.

He said among the dead were 195 officers and 5224 soldiers. 5000 were fully disabled. He said the Army killed 22,000 LTTE cadres and 9000 LTTE cadres has surrendered to the army. During the fist phase 1,15,000 civilians have been rescued and later 80,000 have been rescued , he said.

General Fonseka said he had to reorganize the army according to abilities of the soldiers disregarding only seniority. He also had to change the way of fighting suitable to the indigenous conditions disregarding what is said in the text book.

Some people blamed the government for getting involved in the war when the LTTE used drinking and irrigation water as terrorist weapon and blocked the Mavil Aru sluice. Earlier against the war against the LTTE there had been no common plan.

Battles were waged to capture a road, a fortress etc. But this time he personally prepared a plan to capture all land under the LTTE within three years and it was completed within two years and ten months killing all top leadership of the LTTE. Earlier, in contrast, it was like running about the place trying to protect a heap of oranges, Fonseka said.

He said he was thankful to Prabhakaran for starting from Mavil Aru since it was the most convenient point for Sri Lanka to enter a war.

Over 10,000 ex-terrorists under Govt care

From the day the Wanni battle took a fierce turn over 10,000 LTTE terrorists surrendered to the military, according to top military officials.

The continuous defeats of the LTTE had made its cadres to abandon the outfit in large numbers. Over 7,237 terrorists who had surrendered to the military are now being rehabilitated at various rehabilitation centres. Among them are 1,601 females.

Another batch of 202 terrorists including 80 males are living in IDP camps. According to officials, they were identified by the military and separated from the refugees in the welfare camps. "They surrendered to the troops when the military offensives got tough. The 202 terrorists including females are well trained LTTE terrorists", they said. The officials said over 2,379 LTTE terrorists were identified by the military. Among them are terrorists who volunteered to surrender to the troops.

Over 2,065 males said that they surrendered to the troops at the Forward Defence Lines as they were disillusioned with their leadership. They had sensed the historic defeat and realised that the LTTE cadres had to fight to protect the life of the LTTE leader and not for Eelam. The terrorists who surrendered are provided with facilities and most of them have been sent to rehabilitation camps.

Over 271,967 refugees have sought protection under the Government. The majority of them who had been kept by the late LTTE leader as hostages fled the No Fire Zone in Puthumathalan despite the terrorists' tough warnings from April 20-22.

Having successfully concluded the world's biggest hostage rescue operation, the military saved the lives of over 180,000 people without firing a single round of bullets.

The IDPs are being facilitated in Government welfare centres in 29 locations, including Government schools.

Meanwhile, a spokesman for the Sri Lanka Army said that over 6,000 soldiers had sacrificed their lives and over 30,000 were injured.

According to sources, the LTTE suffered a loss of over 22,000 terrorists.

Courtesy: Sunday Observer

Canada must protect Sri Lankan Canadians

The Government of Canada and provincial police forces must take immediate steps to protect peaceful Canadians of Sri Lankan origin.

Early this morning a 'Sinhalese' Sri Lankan restaurant in Brampton was firebombed by suspected Tamil Tiger supporters. Last week the Sri Lankan Buddhist Temple in Scarborough was set on fire, again by the same extremists, causing $40,000 in damage.

Other Sri Lankan community establishments (as opposed to Tamil Tiger fronts) are under significant threat in Canada but especially in the Greater Toronto Area. Peaceful Canadians of Sri Lankan origin cannot even gather at places of worship in Toronto . Their children are under threat in their schools and other places. Many of them have received hate mail and threatening phone calls. Some say that they are scared to organize cultural or sports events because they fear Tamil Tiger operatives.

The threat level has increased significantly since the Tamil Tigers and their leader Prabhakaran were eliminated earlier this week. This follows a worldwide pattern; Sri Lankans have been attacked and injured and Sri Lankan establishments, including many embassies, in Great Britain , Europe, and Australia have been attacked and damaged.

It is with regret that I say that nothing has been heard from government officials, provincial or federal, subsequent to the attacks and threats in Canada on Sri Lankan establishments except for Minister Jason Kenney's condemnation of the burning of the Scarborough Buddhist Temple . I am especially dismayed by the silence of the Premier of Ontario, Mr. McGuinty.

There is no point in issuing anodyne statements by Canadian politicians. What is required is action. What is required is proactive police protection of establishments that the community has identified and that should be 24/7 until the threat passes. What is required is active intervention in schools to remove the threat of Tamil Tiger thuggery within.

It is terrible that innocent, law-abiding Sri Lankan Canadians are being subject to these outrages. As Consul General for the Government of Sri Lanka I have been approached by many with their stories. It is not within my power to protect these people. I can only appeal to the Canadian authorities to put a stop to the Tamil Tiger operatives who threaten the people whose homeland I represent.

Controversial aid ship heading for Lanka despite objections

A vessel said to be carrying supplies for the displaced people in the north has entered the Red Sea after traveling through the Suez Canal and is said to be heading for Sri Lanka despite the government saying it has not been given clearance and the Navy placed on alert.

The Ship 'Captain Ali' (IMO: 6619920) is carrying approximately 884 metric tons of food, medicine, and other essential humanitarian relief items destined for the 330,000 Tamil civilians in the Vanni area of Northern Sri Lanka displaced by the war. The Mission to Sri Lanka began the 1st leg of its journey from the Port of Ipswich, UK on 20 April 2009.

President conferred with title - Vishawakeerthi Sri Threesinhaladishwara

His Excellency Mahinda Rajapaksa, President of Sri Lanka and Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces has been conferred with the highest national honour   Vishawakeerthi Sri Threesinhaladishwara .

The prelates of Malwathu and Asgiri chapters awarded the title to the president at the national ceremony to mark the reunification of the country and honour and invoke blessings on the President and war heroes for liberating the country and nation from terrorism held at the historic Magul Maduwa of the Sri Dalada Maligawa in Kandy today (May 23).

An emotionally moved President said the blessings of the Maha Sangha was the greatest strenght in the effort to unite the divided nation after thirty years, and placed his reverence at the feet of the venerable maha sangha. He recalled with gratitude the yeoman service rendered by the Defence Secretary, Service Chiefs,IGP and the gallant armed forces in the battle to protect and unite this country.

"As a cabinet minister, I was conferred the 'Sri Rohana Jana Ranjana' title at this historic venue.While conferring that title, the late chief prelate stated what he expected from me.If he was alive today,I know he would have been the happiest, as his dream to unite this nation has come true', the President recalled to memory.

Continuing the President said the most urgent task was to build a just society and added that because of a prolonged cruel war, the state would not have met all needs of the Maha Sangha."We shall from now, meet all such needs to build a just and free society", the President asserted. He further noted that all must work according to the Buddhist doctrine towards such a noble objective to build a righteous society.

On this occassion, Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa, Air Chief Marshall,Donald Perera, Army Chief, Gen.Sarath Fonseka, Navy Commander, Admiral Wasantha Karannagoda, Air Chief Marshall, Roshan Goonetilleke, IGP,Jayantha Wickremeratne and Civil Defence Chief, Rear Admiral Sarath Weerasekere were awarded  "Sthuthi Sthroththa Pathra" (Scroll of facilitation) in recognition of their worthy contribution towards uniting the nation.