TAMIL GUARDIAN No. 355 ISSN 1369-2208 WEDNESDAY AUGUST 29, 2007free fortnightly The hunted soul of the Tamil Diaspora PAGE 6 Remembering another massacre

THE first anniversary of the mas- home. were also killed. coordinates on to the Sri Lankan But UNICEF’s Colombo sacre of fifty three school girls by Some 100 children were "These children are innocent military via the UNICEF and the chief, JoAnna VanGerpen told Sri Lankan Air Force jets was wounded, many critically. Girls victims of violence," said Ann M. International Committee for the reporters: "we don't have any evi- marked in Tamil Tiger-controlled from various schools in the near- Veneman, Executive Director of Red Cross (ICRC). dence that they are LTTE cadres." Vanni last week. The school girls by district of Mullaitivu and the UN children’s agency, The Sri Lankan government However, apart from the lone were killed on August 14, 2006 Kilinochchi were staying over- UNICEF, said in a statement. said it targeted an LTTE training protest by UNICEF, the Sri when four SLAF jets dropped six- night at the compound, attending The site of the building had camp, killing "50-60 terrorists" Lankan air strike on the school- teen bombs in repeated passes a two-day course in first-aid. been designated a humanitarian and showed journalists what if girls did not draw any internation- over the Sencholai-run children’s Four staff at the institution zone and the LTTE had passed its claimed was footage of the attack. al condemnation . 2 TAMIL GUARDIAN Wednesday August 29, 2007 NEWS AADDCCHHAAYYAA Rains, troop shortages hit SRI LANKAN & SOUTH INDIAN Sri Lankan push north RESTAURANT & TAKEAWAY Amal Jayasinghe ing anonymity. "This time, we nce analyst Tissa Ravindra Perera PROMPTLY ATTENDED SERVICE infiltrated their lines and kept said. AFP them on their toes." The military has suffered But for defence analyst Namal heavy losses trying to break into The Best Caterers In SRI LANKA'S military has been Perera, that success may require LTTE territory in the north of the unable to push into Tamil Tiger the deployment of a huge number island in recent weeks, while the South West London strongholds in the north due to the of troops if the military wants to Tigers have experienced similar threat of monsoon rains and a lack maintain control over the areas setbacks trying to gain a foothold of manpower, defence officials wrested from the LTTE. in the army-held Jaffna peninsula. Opening Hours: 12 Noon to 11PM and analysts say. "With the manpower commit- A recently retired senior mili- The government had hoped to ment in the east expected to be tary officer predicted that govern- build on recent territorial gains in very heavy, it will be a challenge ment forces might not be able to 164 Merton High Street the east of the troubled island by to deploy more men for a new replicate in the north the tactics going after guerrilla bases in the offensive in the north," Perera used in the east because the ter- South Wimbledon northern Wanni region, where the said. "It will be difficult at this rain was different. Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam time." "In the east, there are no clear- London SW19 1AZ (LTTE) run a mini-state. "As long as the army is tied ly demarcated areas of control "Inter-monsoon rains start in down in the east, the LTTE knows and that helped us to sneak into Tel: 020 8540 8192 October and it will be difficult to the military will not make a new areas dominated by the Tigers," move tanks and heavy guns in push in the north." said the retired officer, declining boggy conditions," said one field LTTE spokesman Rasiah to be named. "In the north, there commander who asked not to be Ilanthiriyan admitted the Tigers is a physical boundary and getting named. "But in the run-up to the had suffered a setback with the through that is not going to be monsoon, there could be smaller- loss of territory in the east, but easy. We have already lost a few scale operations." said they were bolstering their groups that tried." The LTTE last month admit- defences in the north. A February 2002 Norwegian ted losing its final bastion in the "Militarily you can't call this facilitated truce is in tatters and jungles of Sri Lanka's Eastern an advantageous situation," Ilan- some 5,200 people have been province, but vowed to keep up thiriyan said. "Because, if you killed in fighting in the past 19 hit-and-run attacks in the area. want to control one region, you months alone, according to gov- Fresh One senior officer attributed may have to lose control over ernment figures. the victory last month to a combi- another region." Sunanda Deshapriya, director nation of superior tactics, fire- The Rivira newspaper report- of the Centre for Policy Alternati- power and guerrilla-style attacks ed that the Tigers had withdrawn ves, an independent think-tank, behind enemy lines. cadres from the eastern front and said neither side was keen on 59 Kingston Road "What they used to do is send sent them to the north. returning to negotiations that col- small groups to harass us. We had "The next battle which will lapsed last October and predicted to tie up a large force to hold our start in the Wanni will be decisive the "war atmosphere" would con- London static positions," he said, request- for both parties," the paper's defe- tinue. SW19 1JN Government sidelines Karuna, UK sets up new Tamil front in East Tel: 07723 614 183 INA significant shift of strategy eral Secretary T. Sridharan to visit The move has angered the Ka- and political alliances in the east, Batticaloa and have a hurriedly runa faction which is claiming With Compliments the Sri Lankan Government is summoned meeting with govern- that the step was aimed at sidelin- believed to have virtually dumped ment officials and representatives ing the group, which assisted the the anti-Tamil Tiger Karuna para- of international and local NGOs. military in the recent months. Ga- military Group and is supporting The visiting delegation told nesh Mahesh, spokesman for the a new Tamil front for local elec- the NGO community that the pur- Thamil Makkal Vidithalai Pulli- tions in the volatile east later this pose of the visit was to listen to gal (TMVP) - the Karuna Group's year, The Sunday Times reported. the problems of the people of the political wing - told The Sunday JJenasenas FFoooodd The new front is led by the area and convey them to Presi- Times that the government was leader of the splinter Tamil Unit- dent Rajapaksa to find solutions. promoting groups which had ed Liberation Front (TULF), V. Among the grievances which never sighted the areas when the Anandasangaree and includes the they listened to were issues about people were facing difficulties. People's Liberation Organisation continued child recruitment by The plans to promote the new of Tamil Eelam (PLOTE) and the the Karuna group in the govern- political front come amidst critic- && WWineine Eelam People's Liberation Front ment-controlled areas and the dif- ism that the Karuna group has (EPRLF - Pathmanabha Wing). ficulties in travelling to some of been permitted to move with wea- Currently none of these three par- the areas newly regained from the pons in government-controlled ties have any parliamentary repre- LTTE. The delegation was later areas. sentation. flown to Vakarai, where for mon- The Nation reported that The trio are due to function as ths tens of thousands of Tamils Douglas Devananda, leader of the 225 Southcroft Road the Tamil Democratic Alliance were subject to indiscriminate Sri Eelam Peoples Democratic Party (TDA) and is inviting other Tamil Lankan bombardment, before (EPDP), Sri Lanka's largest Tamil parties to join the alliance to con- returning to Colombo. paramilitary group cum political London test local elections followed by Last Friday night the trio met parry, has urged the government provincial elections in the east, President Rajapaksa and briefed to make sure that the Karuna fac- SW16 6QT the Sunday Times said. The TDA him about the visit as well as the tion conducts its political activi- is to begin its political activities problems in the area. Mr. Sidd- ties unarmed. There have been in the east within the next few arthan who took part in the meet- several clas-hes between EPDP Tel: 0208 677 5668 weeks, the paper said. ing told The Sunday Times said and Karuna Group gunmen in the Apparently as a sign of suppo- their plans were to contest the two east in the past few weeks. rt, the Sri Lankan government this upcoming elections and their visit For several weeks Sri Lankan week provided a helicopter to Mr. was aimed at looking into the press reports have been suggest- Anandasangaree, PLOTE leader grievances of the people in the ing the TMVP will not be allowed With Compliments Dharmalingam Siddharthan and Eastern Province and the NGOs to contest the Eastern Province EPRLF-Pathmanabha Wing Gen- working in the region. elections to be held later this year. TAMIL GUARDIAN Wednesday August 29, 2007 3 NEWS Sri Lanka’s disappearances continue

NEARLY six thousand outstand- of President Mahinda Rajapakse. ing cases of enforced disappear- In a report titled "Return to ances in Sri Lanka are being War - Human Rights Under reviewed by the United Nations Siege", the New York based Hu- Working Group on Enforced or man Rights Watch earlier this Involuntary Disappearances, acc- month put the number of disap- ording to Amnesty International. peared between January 2006 and Over a thousand of those have June 2007 at 1,100. occurred since President Mahinda In its report, which cites a Rajapaske (pictured, right) 'credible non-governmental orga- assumed power in late 2005, nization that tracks disappear- Human Rights Watch said in a ances' as its source, the HRW stat- separate statement. ed that in the Jaffna peninsula In a report published on Aug- alone, 805 persons were reported ust 30, Amnesty International, the missing between December 2005 London based human rights and April this year. organisation accused both the Sri Inspection of records by HRW Lankan government forces and showed that the Government Ag- armed groups of responsibility for ent (GA) of Jaffna had registered hundreds of such abductions and 354 missing persons from April to disappearances since 2006. December 2006. "There are currently 5,749 In addition, in February this outstanding cases of enforced dis- year, HRW conducted interviews appearances in Sri Lanka being with the families of 37 persons reviewed by the U.N. Working who had "disappeared" over the Group on Enforced or Involu- previous year. ntary Disappearances," Amnesty Of these, in 21 cases the evi- International said in an article pu- dence strongly suggested the inv- blished to mark the International olvement of government security solved the case. government's respect for interna- unsubstantiated allegations and Day of the Disappeared. forces. In two cases the families The LTTE Spokesperson for tional law has sharply declined. outdated information do not justi- "Many cases implicate the strongly believed that the perpetr- Human Rights and Humanitarian "The government often appea- fy the demand for a special U.N. members of the security forces, ators were members of the EPDP, Affairs, Selvy Navaruban, accu- red indifferent to the impact on Observer Mission on Human Rig- others implicate armed groups a paramilitary group that operates sed the Sri Lankan government of civilians in the north and east...the hts in Sri Lanka," the government including the Liberation Tigers of along side the Sri Lankan army. continuing to target civilians, main areas of concern [are], from statement further added. Tamil Eelam (LTTE) and the Last week the international including government servants violations of the laws of war and The government also took iss- [Army-backed] Karuna Group," it ceasefire monitors of the Sri Lan- and school students in Jaffna. extrajudicial killings to unlawful ue with charges leveled by HRW further said. ka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) "Sri Lankan Armed Forces restrictions on the media and non- relating to abductions and disap- Amnesty said the victims are reported it had received compla- and its paramilitaries are respon- governmental organizations and pearances, saying its numbers on often taken in "for questioning" ints of Sri Lankan army involve- sible for all the killings and abdu- the widespread impunity enjoyed the "disappeared" and displaced by Sri Lankan security forces and ment in abductions in the north. ctions in Jaffna. The international by state security forces," the were based on "unsubstantiated held incommunicado with no According to the SLMM rep- community should pay attention report said. information." records of their detention avail- ort the ceasefire monitors had rec- to the mass sufferings of the Tam- However Sri Lanka rejected "The work of government able. eived two complaints on abduc- il people in the hands of the Sri the HRW report calling the accu- agencies to establish the where- Amnesty cited the case of the tions during the week August 6 to Lankan military," she said in a sations baseless and a violation of abouts of these persons has been head of the country's Eastern Uni- 12 alone, where the army was the statement. the country's sovereignty. ignored," the government state- versity who went missing in perpetrator. "The Jaffna military comman- "It is also regretted that (the) ment added. December 2006 while attending a The monitors also said that der Chandrasiri and the members HRW has thought it fit to issue However Brad Adams, Asia conference in Colombo. abductions were regularly carried of the Sri Lankan armed forces such a largely one sided report director at Human Rights Watch "He was in an area of the cap- out in broad daylight, and the vic- who are responsible for these weighed so heavily against the said following the publication of ital tightly controlled by the army. tim was on one occasion driven grave violations of human rights legitimate government," said the the report: "the government has It is likely that his captors were blindfolded through military and international humanitarian office of the President in a state- repeatedly promised to end and military agents," Amnesty said. check points. laws should be brought to the ment. investigate abuses, but has shown "He has not been heard from SLMM stated that nine cases international criminal justice sys- The President's office rejected a lack of political will to take since." of extortion and harassment were tem," statement said. the call by the rights group to cre- effective steps." Abductions and disappearan- also reported from Mannar during The 129 page long Human ate a United Nations human rights "Government institutions ha- ces of Tamils both in the north the same week but no payments Rights Watch report published on monitoring mission in Sri Lanka ve proven unable or unwilling to and east and in the capital Colo- were made while the police clai- Monday August 6 focused on ab- to end the abuses. deal with the scale and intensity mbo has soared under the regime med to have made an arrest and uses by the state and declared the "Largely unconfirmed and of abuse," he added. Looking for a way out of perilous Jaffna

Poornima Weerasekara and Easwaran Rutnam ing is banned inside the rooms Sweden were rejected twice. Now other alternative," he said. due to the lack of facilities. I am trying to go to the West Asia 64-year-old Rasamma is wait- Daily Mirror At present there are about 120 through an agency. I can't go back ing for the Police clearance for individuals occupying the 50 ro- to Jaffna under the current cir- her son. She says the whole oms we have," the manager of the cumstances although my parents process will take about two THE security situation for civil- tions. 'Ideal' lodge in Wellawatte said. and younger brother are still months. She has been living in the ians, especially youth in Jaffna A Wellawatte lodge manager "We give a daily update to the there. Each family must have at lodge for about 9 months, trying has deteriorated to such a level said of the inmates, more than Wellewatte police about new least one member working abroad to join her other son in Canada. that families have begun to flee half were from Jaffna seeking arrivals and those who leave our to send money. The cost of living This new delay was caused by the peninsula to seek refuge in security for themselves or their lodge. Some people come and there is unbearable, with a kilo of the surprise eviction of 385 Tamil Colombo and make an attempt to children, mostly young boys. stay for a few days to get pass- rice priced at Rs. 200, while lodgers from Colombo on July 7. send their sons overseas. Driven out of their homes by a ports or ID cards. Others are stay- chicken costs Rs. 1,500," he said. Rasamma and her son were also The international ceasefire 3 decade-long civil war, extraju- ing for months or even years," he In the mean time, he has been evicted and promptly allowed to monitoring team (SLMM) in its dicial killings, abductions, a high added. arrested on suspicion and released return. However, she has to get latest assessment report focuses cost of living and little hope for a A 23-year-old youth has been three times. He was compelled to the police clearance reports again. on concerns of the high prices on normal life, these families have stranded in this lodge for more leave his job because of this and "I had all the documents ready essential items, a general halt in trickled into Colombo on boats than one and a half years, atte- is now finding it difficult to find at that time. Now we have to wait the economy, increased difficul- and via planes, after the closure of mpting to go to Sweden. He had employment. again. My house was situated ties to enter the city of Jaffna, an the A9 highway. come to Colombo, abandoning "I want to continue with my between two army camps and I increase of military round-ups "We charge between Rs. 300 his advanced level studies as the studies. However much the appli- was caught in between the cross and house searches, emigration of and Rs. 1,700 per day. However, situation in Jaffna deteriorated. cations are rejected I will stay and fires. I feel at peace at the lodge. I skilled labour and fishing restric- meals are not provided and cook- "My visa applications to keep on trying because there is no don't want to go back," she said. 4 TAMIL GUARDIAN Wednesday August 29, 2007 NEWS APRC ‘dead in the water’

THE troubled multi-party com- leaders in the APRC who are This is following a threat by mittee appointed by Sri Lankan members of the ruling coalition. the right wing Janatha Vimukthi President Mahinda Rajapakse to With no agreement on a draft Perumana (JVP), Sri Lanka's thi- derive a southern consensus on proposal, on August 20 the Work- rd largest party, to defeat the bud- the ethnic conflict in Sri Lanka ing Committee of the UNP decid- get if the APRC proposals did not collapsed last week with his rul- ed to withdraw from the APRC include a unitary state devoid of ing party calling for an indefinite citing the latest adjournment. any federal features. adjournment and two more par- A spokesman for the UNP Last week the JHU complain- ties, including the main opposi- said with the decision to adjourn ed to the media that the APRC pr- tion party, walking out. the APRC indefinitely the "proce- oposals being discussed would The stated purpose of the All ss is dead in the water." have dire consequences on the co- Party Representative Committee The UNP had been vindicated untry and is a step to impose a (APRC) is to reach a southern as "they have been proved correct federal system even exceeding consensus on what power-sharing that the entire APRC process was the parameters of the Indian and arrangement to offer the Tamils. an eye wash," he said. US constitutions. It has, however, been criti- The UNP further announced "According to these propos- cized as a ploy by the hardline that it will not participate in any als, the constitution cannot be am- Rajapakse government to avoid further deliberations until the par- ended without a two-thirds major- returning to negotiations with the ties in the ruling coalition come ity in Parliament in addition to Tamil Tigers. up with a common stand regardi- obtaining the consent of the Pro- Earlier this month, the APRC ng the resolution of the national vinces to be set up," the party's announced that a final draft of a question. APRC representative Udaya proposed solution to the protract- As the UNP withdrew from Gammanpila said. ed conflict would be submitted to the APRC proceedings, Jaathika "Today, the government has a President Rajapakse on August Hela Urumaya (JHU), the hard problem in amending the present 15. line monks party led by a fire- constitution because of such a The APRC convened a series brand cabinet minister, also dis- clause included by President J.R. of meetings in early August with tanced itself from the APRC. Jayewardene who introduced it." aim of meeting the deadline. But The JHU is opposed to the "In the US, the centre has the as with past deadlines, it passed very notion of power-sharing with power for revenue collection. without result. the Tamils. Then, the government distributes The opposition United Nat- According sources close the collected revenues among its 50 ional Party (UNP) promptly set a APRC proceedings, the sudden states. This has helped the US target of August 20 to finalise the decision to move for an adjourn- government to prevent seces- draft report and linked its contin- ment came following representa- sions," he said. ued participation in future APRC tions made by the JHU to the "Sinhala, Mulsim, Tamils of proceedings to the committee President. Sri Lankan origin and Tamils of meeting the new target. Earlier, the APRC had taken Indian origin have been mention- However the ruling Sri Lan- the position that the unit of devol- ed as ethnic groups. Then the kan Freedom Party (SLFP) repre- ution should be the province and Malays and Burghers will never sentative Minister Vishwa Warna- the nature of the state should be get representation in the country's pala and a ruling coalition party "united" as opposed to unitary. top posts according to these pro- Mahajana Eksath Peramuna However the ruling collation posals," he further grumbled. (MEP) representative Nalin De parties including SLFP, MEP and The JHU founder and current Silva attending the APRC meet- the JHU had opposed this positi- Environment Minister, Champika ing on August 19 called for the on, insisting the word unitary mu- Ranawaka, launched a verbal indefinite adjournment of pro- st be retained, thereby entrench- tirade against the APRC Chairm- Sri Lanka’s hardline Buddhist monks are opposed to any form of ceedings. ing the impossibility of sharing an Tissa Vitarana accusing him of settlement with the Tamils, and the political party of monks walked They informed APRC Chair- power. conspiring against the Rajapakse out of the all party constitutional conference. Photo Daily News man Tissa Vitharana that the pro- According to the Sunday Lea- government to undermine the ceedings had to be adjourned in der newspaper , the government is military victories in the Eastern keeping with a 'request' made by now planning to delay finalising province. were parties of the ruling coali- asked. the President and no further meet- the APRC proposals until the con- Ranawaka told journalists that tion had not agreed to this set of In another move to undermine ings of the APRC should be held clusion of the budget vote in even the SLFP and the Mahajana proposals, along with the Muslim the APRC, according to local rep- until Rajapakse met with all party November. Eksath Peramuna (MEP), which parties, which some reservations orts, the president has appointed about these proposals. another committee comprising of "The APRC is an expert panel southern political parties under representing political parties in the chairmanship of Prime Min- the House. It was appointed by ister Ratnasiri Wickramanayake. Interested in writing or publishing? the All Party Conference assigned The aim of the new commit- with the task of seeking consens- tee, according to the report, is to ual approach to resolve the natio- 'iron out the differences' between And in any or all things Tamil? nal question. It has no post called the parties on the on the contro- chairman. Prof. Vitarana has been versial matters such as nature of assigned only to chair its meet- the state and the limit of devolu- ings as the most senior Cabinet tion. Then join our team! Minister in it." In March 2007, Vitarana, "He has no right to issue state- announced that the consensual ments as the chairman," Mr. APRC proposal, which was ho- No experience necessary, just lots of enthusiasm! Ranawaka added. ped to be ready by February, had "Today, we have gained a mil- been delayed because of the rul- itary victory in the East [against ing Sri Lanka Freedom Party's the LTTE]. Plans are in place to (SLFP) delay in submitting its We are looking for writers to work with us on articles and commentary push northwards," Mr. Ranawaka proposals. said. On March 22, the Minister on political and social affairs, Tamil culture and arts, including popular "According to information, said he wants the "exercise to be LTTE leader Prabhakaran has completed over the next 60 days," cinema, as well as other subjects. instructed his field commanders again moving the deadline to end to recapture the Vadamarachchi of May. We are also looking for people interested in desk-top publishing or area before November. He has The JVP, third largest political graphic design. emphasized his desire to die in his party represented in parliament home town rather than in Wanni." with 39 parliamentarians, has "There is a [therefore] a cons- boycotted the APRC since early piracy to reverse the military vict- December saying it is not int- ories. We wonder whether Prof. erested in formulating a political Email [email protected] for more details Vitarana is playing a part in this package based on federal concept. conspiracy," Mr. Ranawaka Editorial, p6 TAMIL GUARDIAN Wednesday August 29, 2007 5 NEWS Rajapakse and human rights abuses

Sri Lankan governments have become famous failing to hold abusers accountable.

Charu Lata Hogg International Herald Tribune

IN 1990, Mahinda Rajapaksa was The situation has deteriorated arrested at Colombo airport trying dramatically in the past couple of to smuggle dossiers on the "disap- years. A cease-fire agreement in peared" out of Sri Lanka to the February 2002 had put a halt to United Nations in Geneva. Rajap- serious fighting. While the Tamil aksa, then an rising politician Tigers continued to recruit child from the country's south, worked soldiers and assassinate moderate to organize the mothers of the Tamils, the situation was relative- "disappeared" during an insurrec- ly calm for a country that had tion of 1988-90, when more than been at war since 1983. The gov- 16,000 people went missing. ernment still committed abuses, Today, Rajapaksa is Sri but it was able to claim the moral Lanka's sixth president, leading a high ground against an opponent government accused of egregious that pioneered the use of suicide human rights abuses. Since fight- bombings. ing between government forces The government has lost that and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil high ground. Since it resumed se- Eelam resumed in full vigor in rious military operations against mid-2006, civilians have become the rebels last year, 315,000 peo- the primary target - not just in ple have had to flee their homes due to fighting. The government direct clashes but in the insidious Over 1100 Tamils have disappeared since January 2006, with many bodies dumped in brushlands. "dirty war" fought by both sides. has forced some to return home in Human Rights Watch researc- unsafe conditions against their group is notorious for abducting the murders, the government has under recently reintroduced Eme- hers spent months investigating will. Since January 2006, more and forcibly recruiting boys and failed to hold anyone to account. rgency Regulations, which allow allegations of abuses, publishing than 1,100 "disappearance" cases young men, sometimes as govern- The same goes for two Red Cross the authorities to hold a person for a report this month that uses eye- have been reported. Almost all of ment forces stand by and watch. workers murdered in June. up to 12 months without charge. witness accounts to show how the disappeared are Tamil men Despite numerous promises Since the renewed outbreak of Eleven media workers have security forces have subjected between the ages of 18-50, and in from President Rajapaksa and fighting, humanitarian groups been killed since August 2005. civilians to "disappearances," a majority of cases witnesses all- others to investigate, the govern- have faced severe restrictions on The government has arrested no indiscriminate attacks, forced dis- ege complicity of security forces. ment has done nothing to shut access to the embattled northeast one for those crimes. placement and restrictions on The government continues to down Karuna's child recruitment. and the government is cutting the Successive Sri Lankan gov- humanitarian aid. Critics of the cooperate with the Karuna group, Even aid workers face threats. number of work visas it grants to ernments have become famous government - as Rajapaksa was in a breakaway faction of the Tamil One year ago, gunmen killed 17 international nongovernmental for pledging to investigate abuses, the 1980s - have been threatened Tigers headed by the LTTE's for- local workers from the Paris-bas- organizations. setting up commissions, and then and demonized as national trai- mer eastern commander leader. ed Action Against Hunger. Des- The government has arrested failing to hold abusers account- tors and terrorist sympathizers. Like the Tamil Tigers, the Karuna pite evidence linking soldiers to journalists, Tamils and Sinhalese, Continued on page 15 Dangers to life as the rule of law collapses

ment to the Constitution was ado- Secretary General of Humanit- human rights violations by the The real situation is worse than anything pted. By now even the operation arian Affairs, to the effect that for military and the police could sur- any critic might portray of this limited measure to restore aid workers, Sri Lanka is one of vive is perhaps one of the most the rule of law and to make the the most dangerous places in the crucial political questions that dysfunctional apparatus of the world. This is no exaggeration need the attention of anyone who Asian Human Rights Commission state function, has been given up. since Sri Lanka is one of the most is seriously concerned with the None of these government dangerous places to live for any- improvement of human rights in spokesmen talk about the state of one. Sri Lanka. IN RECENT months spokesmen avoid the situation. Sri Lanka's constitution. The criterion of whether a The strategy needed by con- for the Sri Lankan government Thus, aggressive rhetoric has What had begun as the erosion place is safe to live or otherwise is cerned persons within Sri Lanka have become quite aggressive become a characteristic of spo- of democracy in Sri Lanka thro- the prevalence of the rule of law; itself and others in the interna- towards the country's critics. kesmen for the government. ugh constitutional means by Pres- a place where the rule of law has tional community who are con- The Attorney General severe- However, what no amount of ident J.R. Jayawardene has now collapsed is not a safe place to cerned with the human rights sit- ly attacked the International Inde- aggressive rhetoric can erase is reached a point of ruling without live. uation in the country, is to address pendent Group of Eminent Perso- the people's frustration through- reference to the constitution at all. What the government of Sri the complete failure of both the ns (IIGEP) regarding its two rep- out the country with a state that The 17th Amendment was buried Lanka should try to do is what justice and political systems. orts; the president and other spok- has failed to perform its basic and all attempts to exhume it have any government is expected to do, The problem about justice in esmen have attacked the report by functions. One of these basic been brushed aside. which is to investigate crimes cases like that of the 17 aid work- Human Rights Watch and now functions is to provide security In a country such as Sri Lanka irrespective of who the culprits of ers is that such investigations risk Action Contra La Faim is being for the people and this requires now, what is it that the govern- such crimes might be. serious repercussions. A govern- attacked and accused of being that the investigations into crime ment finds fault with in the criti- However, this has not been ment that is unwilling to face up responsible for the deaths of their and gross abuses of human rights cism relating to human rights? proved possible except in a few to such repercussions will neither 17 aid workers last August, about are carried out promptly and effi- The real situation is worse rare instances in Sri Lanka since be willing or capable to deal with which no successful investigation ciently. than anything any critic might 1971. such a situation. has been carried out and no one This is not simply possible, portray. Every citizen in the coun- The killings by security forces A solution to the human rights has been prosecuted. not only for politically loaded try has within themselves a far and the police during the decades problems in Sri Lanka requires a The government fearing that incidents, but even for ordinary bleaker image of the situation beginning from 1971 go into the strategy that absorbs the totality international reports on violations crimes. than what any external critic tens of thousands. However, if of the crisis that the country is of human rights may lead to the Sri Lanka's system of criminal might aptly portray. these were to be investigated it immersed in. sending of UN human rights justice is at its lowest depths and One criticism that is being vil- would cause a serious political It is this reality that the monitors or other forms of inter- this has been widely acknowledg- ified is the statement by Sir John crisis. aggressive spokesmen for the vention, rather believes that ed. In 2001, on the acknowledge- Holmes, United Nations Emerge- Whether any government that government are trying to divert silencing critics is the way to ment of this fact the 17th Amend- ncy Relief Coordinator and Under would try to investigate the attention from. 6 TAMIL GUARDIAN Wednesday August 29, 2007 EDITORIAL & OPINION TAMIL GUARDIAN The hunted P.O.BOX. 450, Harrow, London, HA2 2AS, UK [email protected] www.tamilguardian.com soul of the Tel / Fax: 020 8677 4456 WEDNESDAY AUGUST 29, 2007 No. 355 Tamil Now What? Diaspora The APRC legitimized international support for Rajapakse’s war.

The collapse of the All Party tion, even Muslim identity from the east. Representative Committee (APRC) earli- Tamil and Muslim places are being given er this month was an inevitability. The Sinhala names. Tamil and Muslim areas The Tamils will never have a voice in best that this sham at 'reaching a consen- are either being appropriated by the state - sus on the ethnic question' could have as 'High Security Zones' and 'Free Trade legislation that threatens their physical and ever done was to drift along indefinitely. areas' - or are being colonized by Sinhala political safety. For everywhere but in That, in any case, was its real purpose. settlers. Eelam, they are a minority. President Mahinda Rajapakse set up the The international community is well APRC in early 2006, a few months before informed on all these developments -as he resumed the war against the Liberation they have been from the time Rajapakse J. T. Janani Tigers. Ideologically committed to began his war. But instead of restraining Tamil Guardian Sinhala-hegemony, President Rajapakse him, they have encouraged and supported and the southern majority that swept him him. The EU and Canada banned the I START with an admission. For away from the conflict of Sri to power are opposed to any sharing of LTTE. Japan and multi-lateral donors like many years, I have been a British Lanka, seeking for themselves power with the Tamils. Reviving the the ADB and World Bank continued to Tamil. Britain has been good to and their children, safety, notion of an all party conclave was to provide funds. The US and UK sold more me, I had taken on the citizen- stability, prosperity and even forestall pressure for him to come up with weapons, while traditional arms suppliers ship of this country and I thought happiness. the matter ended there. One But this year, we need to ask a credible power-sharing proposal. Pakistan and China kept up their flow. could say, broadly, the moral - what sacrifices did they intend Such a proposal is, after all, only nec- They helped Colombo prepare the misery choices of Karna, having eaten to make, what did they believe essary if there is strong LTTE - without that has been visited on our people while of the bread of the Kauravas. they could take with them, and the Tigers' military pressure, no Sinhala telling us that they were for peace, for a But last year has shaken the what leave behind? government would need to take Tamil negotiated solution 'acceptable to all', for foundations of this identity. And As for the homes and land it must do so for the tens of that has almost invariably been political demands seriously. Even Sri Tamil grievances being redressed. thousands of others who, by in families for generations, did Lanka's international allies are urging The APRC was the fig leaf. Knowing some accident of birth and luck they intend to never return, or if state to share power with the Tamils to full well the main Sinhala parties are unit- are, like me, part of the Sri to return, under what conditions? end the conflict, not because they see the ed only on minimizing accommodation Lankan Tamil Diaspora. For now For those who walked away long-oppressed community as having a with the Tamils, international actors sus- as never before the words of the from the violence, did they anti Nazi activist, the Rev. intend to leave behind their hope right to it. The APRC was thus a very tained Rajapakse's charade. Despite the Martin Niemoller come to mind: and dream of Eelam? If they thinly disguised delaying tactic, intended pleas and protestations of the Tamils - walked away from politics, did to buy Rajapakse enough time to smash articulated by the parliamentarians, civil First they came for the they intend to repudiate their the LTTE. And even though the leading society and other 'non-terrorist' folk - and Communists, friends, relatives, and colleagues international actors knew this, they have even the Sinhala liberals terrified by the and I didn't speak up, who still believed in Eelam? because I wasn't a Communist. Did they intend, in the event continued to back the APRC as some sort rabid chauvinism that has become the Then they came for the Jews, that the international political of panacea for Sri Lanka's now glaringly mainstream of southern politics, the inter- and I didn't speak up, process has failed, as it was apparent ills. Meanwhile, they backed national community has cynically contin- because I wasn't a Jew. perhaps it was doomed to do, Rakapakse's war to the hilt. ued to tell us to wait for the magic pill Then they came for the that they would say to their Things have not gone according to Rajapakse's APRC, they assured us, was Catholics, children - now you are British, and I didn't speak up, Australian, American, German, plan. For well over a year the Sri Lankan bringing forth. because I was a Protestant. Norwegian, Swiss - forget that military has thrown itself into an all-out The show is over. The main opposition Then they came for me, there is a place for which people effort against the LTTE, but the move- UNP has seized an ideal opportunity and and by that time there was no are dying, and for which many ment remains a potent and latent chal- quit. The ultra-nationalist JVP left long one left to speak up for me. thousands have died already, lenge to Sinhala hegemonic ambitions. ago - apparently it doesn't want to be part called Eelam. For the Diaspora, there is a Did they intend to say to their Rakapakse crowed about capturing the of anything that weakens the unitary state. version of the Niemoller poem: children - "Well Uncle Bush / 'entire east' from the LTTE. The LTTE has International actors have been insisting Uncle Blair (delete as applicable) certainly withdrawn the bulk of its forces for years that 'the majority of people in Sri First they came for the plantation knows best … and as for cousin - and redeployed them in the north where, Lanka want peace.' This is true - but they Tamils Krishna who died in the battle if Sri Lanka wants to destroy the Tigers, also want a very specific peace. The I didn't speak up because I am not for Jaffna in 1995, forget him, a plantation Tamil because Uncle Bush/Uncle Blair the crucial battles will have to be fought. majority of Sinhalese want a unitary Sri Then they came for the Colombo says he is a terrorist", "And The east has meanwhile become a milita- Lanka with a Lion flag where Buddhism Tamils remember not to leave a SIM rized wasteland where hundreds of thou- is the 'first and foremost' religion. None of I didn't speak up because I am not card in any of your cousins hous- sands of people are engulfed in a human- the Tamils, despite the best will of the a Colombo Tamil es since who knows what could itarian crisis as army-backed paramili- international community, want that. Then they came for the Eastern happen", "And that tee-shirt .. Tamils... didn't I buy you one with a taries predate at will. As Sri Lanka strug- So the question is, now what? Is the I didn't speak up because I am not Panda on it ?.. no I know it's the gles to find the extra troops it suddenly international community going to act an Eastern Tamil Chola emblem, dear, but these need to both hold the east and attack the decisively to restrain the Sri Lankan state Then they came for the Jaffna are difficult times." north, there are efforts to raise Sinhala and ensure a just solution or is it, as it has Tamils... This year has seen the arrests militia. All manner of officially-sanc- been for a long time, going to continue to I emigrated, I am no longer a of Tamil activists all over the Jaffna Tamil... world, from every walk of life, tioned gunmen prowl the 'liberated' east. assist the Sinhala chauvinists in their every religion. Meanwhile, a massive effort is underway efforts to retain power over the Tamils? By definition the Diaspora It coincides with the failure to eradicate Tamil and, to their consterna- We think we know. are those who have at some point of the internationally backed chosen to walk away. To walk negotiations, and the new war of TAMIL GUARDIAN Wednesday August 29, 2007 7 EDITORIAL & OPINION

the Tamil Diaspora? It means that one may not use or threaten violence against the government of Sri Lanka. Nor praise any person who does this. Whereas the government of Sri Lanka may use and threaten violence against the Tamil people. And one may praise it for this. Some kinds of violence - such as the bombing of the school children at Sencholai may be war crimes. But the praise of war crimes is not an offence in UK legislation. Violence and the praise and support of it, is the monopoly of the state. One may support the idea of Eelam (and even this right is now open to question) but not support or praise the right to take up arms to achieve it. One may not praise or celebrate any of the rows and rows of dead in the Tamil homeland who have so taken up arms. But one may applaud Jack Straw praising (as he did in a recent Tamil gathering) the rows upon rows of tombstones of soldiers of the British empire from India and Tamil Nadu who fought for the British against the Germans in the first world war. It is also an offence to support a proscribed organisation. And British Parliamentarians, among whom the British Tamils have until recently had zero representation will decide who is proscribed. And what does support mean? It means to further the activities of a proscribed organi- sation. It includes addressing a meeting to encourage support for a proscribed organisation or to further its activities. aggression of the Sinhala future, and "any form of praise". which are considered irrelevant and safety of a section of the But what activities might this government against the Tamil Nothing could be more vague to the present - such as the public, seriously disrupts an include? The legislation does not North and East of Sri Lanka. than that. struggle of the ANC or William electronic system. say. If the LTTE runs the de The timing of these arrests have He went on to say: "My Wallace (better known as So for example one may not facto state in the Vanni, would been nothing short of political. Lords, I have made the point "Braveheart" of the Mel Gibson use or threaten violence to a this include all the activities of And so we come to the heart before that it refers to William movie fame) - might be exempt. person or property or an elec- this Tamil state - the building of of the dilemma. How far away Wallace in Scotland, to the Baronness Ramsay of Scotland, tronic system - to influence any roads, the operation of traffic from Eelam will you walk and Welsh nationalists in 1937 .., to speaking in support of the government in the world. Nor police and the local courts, the where will you find your place the Easter rebellion, and to any government said: "That (its bear- may one support, or praise a Tsunami relief, the provision of of safety? movement throughout the world ing on "existing circumstance") person who does this or who has medicine at a time when the But this international envi- - as I said, this applies to the is what makes the difference; it done this in the past several government is embargoing the ronment has been made possible whole world - where a move- is not about the ANC, William thousand years (unless their North and East? by legislation. And we come ment or organisation takes up Wallace or any of the other exa- political circumstances are If one may not further the back to the root of the dilemma. arms against the recognised mples given by the noble Lord." utterly irrelevant to the present activities of a proscribed How will you accept for government. We may support Which is lucky for the South circumstances). organisation, but the sole yourself and the generations to Africans - they may praise purpose of this organisation's come the legislation of the If one may not Man-dela for the activities that activities is to achieve British (substitute Australian, led him to a South African jail, Not surprisingly, independent Eelam, then may French, American, etc.) state in further the activities but only because their struggle as in Sri Lanka, the one conduct any activities in relation to issues that are of a proscribed may be deemed by the British Tamils are a minority support of Eelam? essentially Tamil, in relation government t be irrelevant to Presumably one could, as also to Eelam? organisation, but the present circumstance - and for in the UK, as they are long as these activities in support And so let us look at this sole purpose of this Mel Gib-son, who glorified worldwide. And they of Eelam were carried out by legislation. It is an offence under organisation's Braveheart, but not so lucky for some other organisation. the British Terrorism Act of 2006 the Tamils who are living with will continue to be. But how long before the to glorify terrorism (whether activities is to achieve the present. British state, for reasons of past, present or future). The independence, then While there are over 150, 000 geopolitical interests, decides to praise of the activities of the Tamil British citizens in London, proscribe the new organisation? South African ANC would be may one conduct there were none present in the Did Gandhi 's effort to take What would an organisation in conceivably caught under this any activities in commons or the Lords to debate over the salt works at Dharsana Sri Lanka have to do to avoid section. So too any statement in support of this point. Not surprisingly, for threaten damage to the property proscription? It would have to support of Subhas Chandra Bose. as in Sri Lanka, the Tamils are a of British India? Did he cause a give up arms and, with them, the Or for that matter, the founding independence? minority in the UK, as they are serious risk to the health or possibility of self-defence. American fathers. worldwide. And they will safety of any section of the Herein is the Kafkaesque What did the House of Lords continue to be. public during his marches? What dilemma that tears the soul of the have to say when they voted on The definition of terrorism of other political struggles? Diaspora. As in Sri Lanka, so it this act? Lord Thomas of that movement, but in these has now been broadened. It The government had initially is world wide, that the Tamils Gresford said: 'In this section . . terms we would still be means the use or threat of action, wished to make it an offense to will never have a voice in legis- .'glorification' includes any form glorifying it." for the purpose of advancing a 'condone' such a past or present lation that threatens their physi- of praise or celebration". The The government replied that political, religious or ideological person, but the word condone cal and political safety. For word is used to refer to acts glorification was only an offence cause, or to influence a govern- was deleted after parliamentary everywhere except in Eelam, committed at any time and in if it is about encouraging others ment, which involves serious and Lords debate and we are left they are a minority. any place in the world, whether to emulate terrorist acts "in damage to a person or property, with glorification (which means So how far will you walk going back 2,000 years or existing circumstances". endangers a person's life, or here praise or celebration). away from Eelam, and for how moving 2,000 years into the So battles that are in the past, create a serious risk to the health So what does this mean for many generations to come? 8 TAMIL GUARDIAN Wednesday August 29, 2007 FEATURES

Tamils living in the Vanni region are used to seeing LTTE fighters living and moving freely amongst them. Photo Lakruwan Wanniarachchi / AFP / Getty Images Surreal life in LTTE territory

Simon Gardner the 'border' that separates govern- from the Tigers in the east. Some would like to leave but ment and Tiger-held territory is With daily artillery duels say the Tigers impose restrictions. Reuters making life a misery for many. across defense lines that sand- But still many minority Tamils Some have improvised as in wich the roughly seven percent of say they prefer to stay put in rebel earlier stages of the conflict, run- Sri Lanka the Tigers control in the areas, fearing persecution if they SOCCER spectators roar with nized as independent. ning their mopeds or cars on a far north, and sporadic air strikes move to the Sinhalese-majority excitement as a goal is scored, "While the war is going on, at mixture of kerosene and gasoline. on rebel territory, residents south. children play in a nearby park as the same time we are looking Civilians cook with firewood repeatedly displaced by the con- Some families also fear their adults drink tea and an old man after the needs of the people and because cooking gas canisters are flict are bracing for more pain. relatives will be forced to join the cycles slowly along the road. after sports development," he also barred. Drinkable beer is "Life is very difficult. It is a Tigers' war effort as the LTTE Artillery shells thunder in the dis- added. "Football is the best kind another casualty. very bad situation," said 57-year- seek to boost their numbers by tance. of counseling for those trauma- Prices have sky-rocketed. old father of four Perumal recruiting civilians, some of them With the front line of renewed tized by the war." Petrol costs 550 rupees ($4.90) a Kumaravel, a translator who against their will. civil war just 20 miles (30 km) up Residents have had to adapt to liter on the black market in a dis- works for one of the handful of The Tigers, who have been the road, residents here in the a two-decade war that has killed trict where 70 percent of the pop- aid agencies still operating in fighting troops in the north like a Tamil Tigers' stronghold in Sri nearly 70,000 people. The sound ulation earns less than $1 a day. Tiger areas. conventional army with artillery Lanka's far north live a surreal of war is never far away. Ruins of The same liter of petrol costs "I am very worried about the guns and rocket launchers, have daily diet of fear, desperation and shelled buildings stand testament around 110 rupees in the govern- war, the shelling. Kfir (jets) som- threatened to switch to guerrilla hope. to past fighting, sections of wall ment-held south. etimes attack," he said, as he took tactics and strike major economic On closer inspection, some of still pockmarked by bullets and FED UP WITH WAR one of his daughters to watch a and military targets. the soccer spectators are wearing shrapnel. "Business is down because the musical show planned after the They say peace is impossible the Tigers' characteristic striped But a near four-year stint of road is closed," said 57-year-old soccer match. "This is not a nor- with President Mahinda Rajap- fatigues and carrying assault peace before a 2002 ceasefire fruit seller Subramaniam mal life. Every day I live in fear." aksa, who has vowed to wrest rifles. Cyanide capsules hang broke down last year has given Rajeshwari, tending her stall in Behind him, LTTE police control of all LTTE-held territory. around their necks in case of cap- civilians a taste of what life could Kilinochchi market. "People here marshal traffic along the main Analysts say that sets the stage ture. Red flags emblazoned with be like, and they long for the con- are living in fear. Everyone here north-south A9 artery - nick- for a bloody fight for the north, roaring golden Tigers and crossed flict to end. wants peace. That's what they're named the highway of death where an estimated 350,000 peo- rifles flap in the wind. New buildings have sprouted hoping for." because of the deadly battles that ple live inside LTTE-held terrain, Some of the players are up housing shops and trappings of Some traders now make just have been fought along it. and see no clear winner. Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam the Tigers' de facto state - a law 50 to 60 rupees profit a day, and Posters on a nearby bus stand "Let the Tamil people live in fighters too. court, customs house and even a complain turnover has fallen by depict the silhouette of an elite their traditional homeland," S.P. "During the war, we must consumer price control depart- more than 70 percent. Black Tiger suicide bomber, Thamilselvan, head of the Tigers' have a life too," said Anton ment. The focus of renewed fighting revered by the secular Tigers as political wing, said in an inter- Anpalagan, a physical education A government embargo on a that has killed an estimated 4,500 their most powerful weapon. A view. "Leave the Tamil people teacher and secretary of the Tamil host of goods from gasoline to people since last year has shifted Toyota pick-up truck in army without any military occupation Eelam Sports Council of the de cement coupled with disrupted to the north after the military cap- camouflage colors whizzes past, or persecution. That will be the facto state the Tigers want recog- trade due to the partial closure of tured vast swathes of territory bristling with rifle barrels. day there is no war." TAMIL GUARDIAN Wednesday August 29, 2007 9 FEATURES Lawlessness grows in strife-torn Sri Lanka

Abductions, killings and disappearances are rampant as conflict escalates

Minelle Fernandez The Washington Post

THE MEN who came to the shop gency campaign," the group said. April 7 identified themselves as Human rights groups have police officers, from the Criminal alleged state complicity in com- Investigations Department. Come mon extortion and kidnapping with us to the station, they told rackets as well, given the ease the proprietor, a member of Sri with which gangs have operated Lanka's Tamil community. He got in the capital, Colombo, and in into their van, tricked into what the north and east, the main con- turned out to be a kidnapping. flict zones, which are under tight A demand for $500,000 in military security. ransom arrived a few days later, Human rights workers com- the man's daughter recounted. plain that the government's initial After two months of negotiations response to the abductions was and threats, the kidnappers let the indifference. man go for $20,000 but have con- Leading politicians assert that tinued to terrorize the family with the opposition was exaggerating demands for more money and the situation for political gain. threats to abduct the man's son. One politician claimed that busi- The family went to the police nessmen were going abroad clan- to seek help following the abduc- destinely or dropping out of sight tion, the daughter said, and again "to free themselves from their after the new threats, but authori- wives to enjoy with their pretty ties took no visible action. ones in unknown locations." The case is one of a string of But a statement by an opposi- abductions, extrajudicial killings, tion lawmaker accusing specific disappearances and detentions individuals of involvement in the that have proliferated in Sri Lan- abduction racket appeared to spur ka during the past year as the rule the authorities into action. The of law breaks down amid escalat- Criminal Investigations Departm- ing civil war. The government of ent has since arrested several for- Sri Lankan military personnel have been implicated in the ongoing abductions and killings that have the majority ethnic Sinhala nation mer and current military and resulted in a breakdown of law and order in the country. Photo Sanka Vidanagama / AFP / Getty Images is fighting the Liberation Tigers police personnel, and the investi- who want an independent home- gations are ongoing. The outcry over human rights ya and the village because we're Colombo, Robert O. Blake, said land for the ethnic Tamil commu- In an interview, government violations prompted the govern- afraid it will be targeted," she in a recent television interview: nity. spokesman Keheliya Rambukwe- ment to appoint a Commission of said. "We live in fear. At night pe- "In the context of the collapse of This kidnapping, like many lla said that "abductions and ex- Inquiry to look into 16 high-pro- ople living near the forward def- the cease-fire and in the context others, remains unsolved, the fa- tortions are not new to Sri Lanka file cases. Its first case is the ense lines come to the town to sl- of the decline of some of the indi- mily said. It's unclear whether the and were common during the killing of 17 aid workers emplo- eep. Schoolchildren can't study." cators on governance, we unfortu- kidnappers were real police offi- southern insurrection of the '80s." yed by Action Against Hunger, or Eleven journalists have been nately had to defer consideration cers or impostors, but in today's He said the government and Action Contre la Faim. killed since August 2005, accord- of Sri Lanka for the Millennium environment, either explanation President Mahinda Rajapaksa But incidents continue. A rec- ing to an international media Challenge Corporation. is plausible. took the issue very seriously and ent move by the government to monitoring mission, which was in "But we very much hope that Violence has increased despite carried out a crackdown June 18. evict Tamils from temporary acc- the country last month. the president will seize the oppor- a 2002 cease-fire agreement, whi- In a July 10 interview, he said ommodation in the capital on the "Killings and attacks against tunity to embrace peace now and ch exists mainly on paper. Inter- there had not been "a single case grounds that they posed a threat to journalists remained unsolved, the [Tamil Tigers] as well, since national observers say both sides reported to the authorities" since national security stirred up huge leading to fears that media free- they are an important part of the are committing atrocities in a the crackdown. controversy. The Supreme Court dom is being deliberately and vio- process." conflict that has raged off and on But in many abduction cases, later ordered the suspension of lently suppressed through threats, A senior official in Sri Lanka's since 1983. victims say they are scared to go evictions. abductions and attacks," said attorney general's department said The LTTE army has "contin- to the police. Tamils are not alone in losing Jacqui Park of the International the state could not file criminal ued its deliberately provocative Mano Ganesan of the Civil basic rights, though the group is Federation of Journalists. proceedings in cases of violence attacks on the military and Sin- Monitoring Commission, which particularly vulnerable. Some countries have decided unless police provided sufficient halese civilians as well as its vio- has documented 133 cases of Vajira Dharmasena is a Sinha- to withhold or suspend aid to Sri evidence admissible in court. lent repression of Tamil dissenters abduction, is cynical about the lese nurse in the main govern- Lanka until they see the situation Commenting on criticism that and forced recruitment of both government's handling of the ment hospital in Vavuniya, a gar- in the country improving. the government was violating the adults and children," the Brus- matter. "The real culprits - the big rison town in the north with a Following the cease-fire, Sri rights of Tamil citizens, Rambuk- sels-based International Crisis fish - will not be apprehended," majority Tamil population. She Lanka was declared eligible for wella, the government spokes- Group wrote in a recent report. he said. "This government has lives in the Sinhala settlement of aid through Millennium Challen- man, said, "I'm not saying every- At the same time, "the govern- been appointing committees and Mamaduwa and says people live ge Corp., set up under President thing is perfect, but 39 percent of ment is using extra-judicial kill- commissions to monitor the in fear of attacks. Bush to reward countries that are Tamils now live in the Western ings and enforced disappearances human rights situation, but there "We try to avoid using the bus well governed. Province," which is controlled by as part of a brutal counter-insur- is no action on the ground." service that plies between Vavuni- But the U.S. ambassador in the government. 10 TAMIL GUARDIAN Wednesday August 29, 2007 OPINION UN cowed by Colombo’s fury

RESPONDING angrily to United that point of view." Nation's Secretary General Ban "We've seen almost 30 huma- nitarian workers killed over the Ki-moon expressions of support last 18 months or so," he added, for a senior UN official who des- calling on the government to cribed Sri Lanka as "the most probe civil war abuses and con- sider an international rights mon- dangerous place for aid workers," itoring mission." the Colombo government launch- The Consortium for Humani- ed a tirade on Ki-Moon, follow- tarian Agencies, an umbrella gro- up of 104 aid agencies operating ing up its earlier scathing attack in Sri Lanka, actually puts the against UN humanitarian coordi- number at 34, a figure the govern- nator John Holmes as a "terrorist" ment rejects. Holmes said he had positive who took a bribe from the Tamil and frank discussions with gov- Tigers. ernment officials, and had been Senior Sri Lankan minister reassured that abuses would be Jeyaraj Fernandopulle launched a looked into. He called on the gov- scathing attack against Ki-moon, ernment and the Tigers to ensure saying that he did not give a 'da- aid workers have access to the mn' about whatever the UN Sec- needy, and called for respect of retary General had to say, The international humanitarian law. Nation newspaper reported on However, the Sri Lankan gov- August 12. ernment reacted furiously to Hol- Fernandopulle was respond- mes's comments. Key govern- ing to Ki-Moon's criticism that ment figures accused Holmes of Fernandopulle's comments last bias and of deliberately seeking to week calling UN humanitarian tarnish the government's reputa- coordinator John Holmes a "ter- tion. rorist" who took a bribe from the Speaking in the parliament, Sir John Holmes was flown to Jaffna by the Sri Lankan military for an official visit. Photo Daily Mirror LTTE were "unacceptable and Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ratna- unwarranted." siri Wickramanayake said Sir Ki-moon reacted to Fernando- threatened to overshadow his sin- proportionate attention in some Meanwhile, Sir Holmes has Holmes' comments called into pulle's accusations and said com- cere desire to have the most con- parts of the media and threatens to has written to Sri Lanka's Presi- question the ability of the UN to ments by the Sri Lankan minister structive relationship possible distort or overshadow the rest of dent Mahinda Rajapakse explain- be impartial. calling his humanitarian coordi- with the government." the visit and the discussions, and ing himself and appearing to back "The government of Sri Lan- nator a "terrorist" were "unac- In his letter, Holmes said that my absolutely sincere desire to off from his earlier criticism of ka, in no uncertain terms, rejects ceptable and unwarranted,". he was not 'suggesting' either to have the most constructive rela- the Colombo government's hum- John Holmes' assertion that Sri "We believe them (the com- Reuters or in his discussions with tionship possible with the govern- an rights record. Lanka is not safe for humanitari- ments) to be unwarranted and the government that the govern- ment. I was certainly not deliber- President Rajapakse has not an workers," Mr Wickremanaya- unacceptable and the secretary- ment was not concerned about ately trying to strike a different or commented on the controversy. ke said. general fully supports the work of human right issues and not trying more negative note in this inter- Fernandopulle, who is also the "The government cannot but his emergency relief coordinator, to protect humanitarian workers view, as some have suggested." Chief Government Whip, told feel that Sir John has contributed John Holmes." Said UN spokes- "but simply referring factually to "On the contrary my desire The Nation, "I don't give a damn to those who seek to discredit the woman Michele Montas speaking the terrible incidents that have throughout the visit was to be about what this UN boss has to government and tarnish its inter- to reporters. taken place and the need to step consistent in public with what 1 tell me or Sri Lanka. He can say national image." She also said Sir Holmes, a up even further all our efforts to was raising in private, and 1 had whatever he wants, but I will still Defense ministry official Ke- Briton, has written to Sri Lanka's prevent such things in future. indeed raised my concern about go by what I said and that is, John heliya Rambukwella reacting to minister for disaster management That was my consistent message the safety of humanitarian work- Homes is a terrorist who takes Holmes’s comments told repor- and human rights, Mahinda Sa- throughout." ers with virtually everyone I met, bribes from the LTTE." ters a formal complaint was marasinghe, saying it was "regret- "It is all the more regrettable as you know, and also mentioned Fernandopulle also said that lodged with UN officials. table that a few words used in an that one phrase I used in an inter- it at the press conference with he had a busy schedule, and had "We have written to our per- interview have attracted dispro- view with Reuters, in response to you." better things to do than waste his manent representative in New portionate attention and have a question, has attracted quite dis- Sir Holmes also called for a time listening to what the UN York to take the matter up," said boss and the likes had to say. Rambukwella. He further said Sri "I do not care what the UN Lanka would ask for the UN Secretary General says. We can- undersecretary to retract his com- WITH BEST COMPLIMENTS FROMM not allow any foreigner to come ments. to our country and work against However the strongest criti- us," he said. cism against the senior UN offici- "I am a busy man and I have al came from minister Jeyaraj Fe- bigger problems to worry about rnandopulle who called him a CHETTY & CO. than a statement made by the UN "terrorist" and accused him of Secretary," he added. taking a bribe from the Liberati- SOLICITORS Fernandopulle's tirade was the on Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE). latest in a week long volley of Fernandopulle, told a media
accusations from the Sri Lankan briefing he believed Holmes had government against the United deliberately tried to harm Sri ✶ Nations. Lanka's reputation. ✶ CRIME PERSONAL INJURY CLAIM It also ended the matter, with "I would say Holmes is com- ✶ ✶ WILLS, PROBATE & TRUSTS the UN quietly dropping its prote- pletely a terrorist, a terrorist who IMMIGRATION & NATIONALITY ✶ sts and Sir Holmes seeking to supports terrorism. We consider ✶ FAMILY(DIVORCE/CHILDREN ACT) BUSINESS MATTERS mend fences. people who support terrorists also ✶ The whole saga started when terrorists," Fernandopulle told the ✶ CONVEYANCE(Residential & Business) HOUSING AND WELFARE BENIFIT Sir Holmes, at the end of his visit briefing. ✶ to Sri Lanka in early August, gave "So Holmes, who supports the ✶ LANDLORD & TENANT EMPLOYMENT an interview to Reuters in which LTTE (Tamil Tigers), is also a ter- ✶ ✶ CONSUMER AFFAIRS he said that the country had one of rorist. This person tries to tarnish CIVIL LITIGATION the worst records in the world for the image of Sri Lanka interna- humanitarian aid worker safety. tionally," Sir Holmes told Reuters: "I think the LTTE has bribed 894 Garratt Lane 79, Hoe Street "there is a concern ... about the Holmes." he added without giv- Tooting, London SW19 0NB safety of humanitarian workers ing any proof to back his accusa- Walthamstow, London E17 4SA themselves and the record here is tions. Tel: 020 8677 4770 Tel: 020 8521 1313 one of the worst in the world from UN Secretary-General Ban TAMIL GUARDIAN Wednesday August 29, 2007 11 OPINION Cash-strapped Sri Lanka seeks loans

THE cash crunch faced by Sri Rajapakse, reaffirming that the Lanka continued to worsen this Sri Lankan forces intend to cap- month with rating agencies con- ture the LTTE stronghold of sidering down grading the credit Vanni in northern Sri Lanka next, rating for the state following analysts expect more fighting in recent escalation in the island's the coming months. ethnic conflict, a sharp drop in The combination of prospects tourism and turmoil in the global of more war and recent global tur- credit markets. moil in credit markets have it Fitch Ratings, which rates Sri made harder for Sri Lanka, which lanka as BB- (or three levels has the highest borrowing costs in below investment grade), Asia, to raise funds overseas, announced that the escalation of reports said. violence between the military and Bond Issue LTTE and the mounting losses in The Economist, commenting US sub prime markets, which is on the Colombo's proposed $500 forcing investors to shun low- million bond issue argued that grade debt could lead to a ratings whilst it constituted a temporary downgrade for Sri Lanka. palliative, its long term conse- "We continue to regard the quences were serious. negative outlook on Sri Lanka's "There is no doubt that an ratings as appropriate," said Paul additional borrowing of US$ 500 Rawkins, London-based senior million would add heavily to the director of Fitch's sovereign team country's debt burden," the maga- to an email enquiry by zine said. Bloomberg. At the end of 2006 the foreign "The security situation debt had accumulated to Rs. remains a cause for concern and 956,620 million (approximately the macroeconomic policy envi- US$ 8696 million) and at the end ronment is not encouraging, par- of May this year it had risen to Opposition leader Ranil Wickramasinghe holds currency notes to protest economic policies ticularly in the light of current Rs. 1,210,900 million - about 11 global financial market turmoil," per cent higher than 12 months sionary rates the cost of foreign government can't meet the condi- Therefore, the magazine said, he added. before, it said.. borrowing was manageable - tions of good fiscal management it is contended that the money is On August 2, Sri Lanka hired "Therefore the additional debt even at the end of 2006 foreign required by these agencies, The in fact for war expenditure. JPMorgan Chase, Barclays alone would raise the debt burden debt payments absorbed only 12.7 Economist charged. The bottomline of the bond Capital and HSBC to help man- to Rs. 1,265,000 million. In addi- per cent of our export earnings. There are also doubts on what issue is that the government is age bond sales aimed at raising as tion the country has a higher However, this percentage has the loans would be used for. passing on a debt burden for the much as $500 million overseas. domestic debt as well. At the end been increasing in recent years The government claims it future, the magazine concluded. The launching of offensives of May this year the domestic and the bond issue would raise would use it for infrastructure These questions imply that the by the Sri Lankan forces seeking debt had risen to Rs. 1,560.8 bil- that as the interest rates are high- development. However, the borrowing is ill-advised. to drive the LTTE from the east- lion," it said. Public debt had er than the country has paid in the Economist argued that infrastruc- Complicating the bond issue ern province led to an escalation risen to nearly the amount of last past when it borrowed little from ture development at commercial further, Sri Lanka's main opposi- of fighting and has left the cease year's GDP. commercial sources. rates of borrowing is not prudent, tion United National Party has fire agreement signed in 2002 Last year Sri Lanka's debt ser- The period for repayment is as such investments pay off over a declared that it would not honour between the two sides existing vicing absorbed about 28 per cent also much shorter than the bor- long period of time. the agreement and suspend pay- only on paper. of government expenditure. rowings from multilateral agen- Besides, it is alleged that the ments if and when it comes to With Sri Lankan Defense In the past owing to the most cies. infrastructure for which the power. Secretary Gothabaya Rajapakse, foreign borrowing being from The government has resorted money is to be spent already have Furthermore, the UNP is con- brother of President Mahinda multilateral agencies at conces- to commercial borrowing as the been funded. Continued on page 15 Ruling Sri Lanka is a family affair

as a member of Parliament - is in ter's office went unanswered. tic governance on the island, The 4 Rajapakse brothers occupy the most charge of the Ports and Aviation For months, critics have tried which gained independence from powerful jobs, and critics are incensed. Ministry. to make political hay out of the Britain in 1948. Under Sri Lanka's Constitut- near-monopoly the brothers hold "Given the dominance of the ion, and throughout 24 years of on government. Two former pres- president, and his dependence on Henry Chu brutal conflict with the rebels, it idential Cabinet members crossed his brothers, it could be said that has not been uncommon for pres- over to the opposition this year, 100% of the budget is dependent Los Angeles Times idents to retain the Defense partly out of frustration that the on them, as they can block any- Ministry for themselves. Cabinet, though composed of thing," said Jehan Perera, execu- But by vesting so much auth- more than 50 people, wielded lit- tive director of the National Peace THE Rajapakse family business ds the Defense and Finance min- ority from other areas of govern- tle real power compared with the Council of Sri Lanka. "This is not is virtually everyone's business on istries, two of the government's ment in himself and his brothers, Rajapakses. healthy." this island. largest portfolios. Last year, defe- the current president, who was But Sri Lanka's hapless oppo- He said that civil society and That's because the family's nse alone accounted for 19% of elected two years ago, has ind- sition has been unable to mount a businesspeople were "very much line of work is running the coun- national spending, pushed to so ulged in blatant nepotism and serious challenge. The president's alienated by these happenings, try -- and fighting a civil war, to high a level because of the lapse overstepped the bounds of propri- aggressive military push against and they constantly speak out. boot. Between them, the four back into open battle between the ety, his detractors say. the Tamil Tigers has also made But that's about all they can do." Rajapakse brothers occupy the Sri Lankan army and Tamil Tiger "Maybe he could have all tho- him a popular figure among his Members of the opposition are most powerful jobs in Sri Lanka's rebels, after the collapse of a frag- se ministries and departments that nationalist allies in Parliament trying to overcome internal squa- democratically elected govern- ile cease-fire. deal with the war, but not some- and among some sections of the bbles and mobilize public opinion ment, including the biggest plum The architect of the govern- thing like finance," said opposi- ethnic-majority Sinh-alese public. against the Rajapakses' lock on of all: the presidency. ment's campaign against the Tig- tion politician Lakshman Kiriella. And so far, although bureau- government. An anti-government Indeed, by appointing his sib- ers is the hawkish defense secre- "Under the constitution, he can cratic corruption ranks as one of rally last month drew tens of tho- lings to key posts, President tary and decorated military officer hold all the ministries. It's not ille- the top grievances of ordinary Sri usands of protesters in Colombo. Mahinda Rajapakse has ensured Gotabhaya Rajapakse. Basil is the gal. But it's immoral." Lankans, no accusations have sur- But unless the ruling coalition that 70% of the national budget is president's senior advisor, descri- The Rajapakses do not reject faced that the Rajapakse brothers is hit by more defections, or pop- under the control of his family, bed by some as the power behind complaints that they control most have used their public authority ular discontent swells, change is critics say. It's an eye-popping fi- the throne. of the state's purse strings, choos- for private gain. unlikely. For the time being, the gure but, according to observers, The fourth Rajapakse brother, ing to ignore them. Requests for But some analysts are worried business of governing Sri Lanka a credible one. Chamal - the only one besides comment from the president's that the concentration of power is liable to remain all in the fami- Mahinda Rajapakse also hea- Mahinda to be elected to office, office and from the prime minis- sets a bad precedent for democra- ly. 12 TAMIL GUARDIAN Wednesday August 29, 2007 FEATURES The wretched of the earth

The Sri Lankan government may hail the scorching of the east as a victory, but for the civilians of the east it is hell on earth.

Sonali Samarasinghe The Sunday Leader

IN 1929, in a message to the Negroes of America, Gandhi was to say, 'There is no dishonour in being slaves. There is only dis- honour in being slave owners.' It was this message that later earned him a permanent place in the heart of black America. Indeed it was the power of this message so easily applied to the horror I beheld, that came to my mind, as I walked into an IDP camp in the east, two weeks ago. The Gandhian words of 78 years past, mediated to the suffer- Refugees displaced during the government’s military campaign in the East continue to live in poor conditions as a result of the scorched ing and strife of these disinherited earth policy adopted during the fighting. The refugee camps they live in are over populated, with poor sanitary conditions. people. So low, yet set up so high, as they attempted to wrest from male members of the 900 families about five months after the east- where before tall grasses swayed a tree. life some grain of dignity. presently in the camp. However, ern battle commenced, the IDPs gently in the breeze sheltering We later passed Panichchan- there are several divisions within hail from areas such as Vahaneri, under forest cover. kerni bridge over Upaar lagoon Born in dirty tents 50 metres. For example, the Akurana and Kulattumadu. A forlorn tree sprouting a and approached the Vaharai hos- Ichchalampattu division and the green leaf or two stands like a pital. It is the despair in the eyes of Muttur division where the people Sanitary conditions sentinel on the blackened stretch The Senior Nursing Officer the mothers as they clutched their are mostly fishermen. of land. Under the tree a soldier Jayeswaran and the visiting phy- new born babies - babies born Approximately 3000 dis- desperate to hide from the scorch- sician Dr. Daniel both explained under a dirty tent, on a mattress of Forcibly brought placed persons live in three ing sun above and weighed down that it was malnutrition and hepa- sand, flies and mud - that would camps in the area. by ammunition, stands guard. titis which were most prevalent surely lift our eyes to the biblical He explains that in April 2006 A temporary school has been while there were many who came hope of a world where men will they fled to Batticaloa from Sam- arranged for those in the camps in Poetic irony in complaining of vomiting beat their swords into plough- pur due to the fighting. Then they and around the vicinity. NGO blood. shares and their arrows into prun- were brought to this transit centre. activity is a little more prevalent There is a poetic irony to the The area including the hospi- ing hooks. We were brought here by for- in this camp. At least a mobile scene. The very hand that has tal was under the control of the In the realities of Killivetti, a ce and through cunning, the man medical service visits them once a been compelled by regime policy LTTE before March 15. Now, a number of women gather near a says angrily. Forty buses arrived week. to destroy the tree in the name of few yards away, a large army tent with their young children. with boards stating Sampur. Ther- The Regional Medical Officer war, now seeks its comfort in the camp and check point prevailed. Some squatting, others standing. efore we thought we were being (RMO) Dr. Vivekandarajah paints name of humanity. Sections of the hospital had They are collecting their weekly taken back to our villages and our a sorry picture of the situation in The flora and fauna, the habi- been damaged by the tsunami rations of 140 gms of sugar, and homes. But we were brought here the camps. He says due to poor tats destroyed by this method of while a maternity ward had been 1.4 kg of rice. For those with chil- to this transit centre instead, he sanitary conditions and weak wat- clearing the east, was heart aerially bombarded causing a dren under one year, milk is laments. er supply diarrhoea is most preva- wrenching to see. large section to collapse, alleged- included in the relief assistance. "We can't go out. We are like lent among the IDPs. As with But more devastation and des- ly killing some 10 patients. For those under 18, clothing prisoners. We like to at least go to IDPs across the globe it is malnu- pair were to meet us along the and even slippers are provided. Batticaloa but we can't. We are trition that poses the biggest way juxtaposed with hope as we Aerial bombardment Nothing is provided to those over forced to stay here," he adds. threat. The closest hospital is in also saw sandwiched between the 18 years of age. The children in the camp have Valachchenai. For an ailing IDP, destruction, clusters of newly bui- There was ample evidence of A wizened old lady is looking had their education interrupted sick in body, mind and soul, that's lt houses. Little enclaves of hope aerial bombardment all around. distraught. She quickly approach- due to constant movement. Now a lifetime away. and security - the work of several Close to the ward was what appe- es us when she knows we are they are attending the Killivetti Having spent the night in Pol- NGOs. ared to be an abandoned bunker. journalists from Colombo. "My Maha Vidyalaya close by. onnaruwa, the next morning on Hospital staff vehemently deny it grandson was taken in by the Says one young woman, "We July 27, we drive along the A15 Houses destroyed is an LTTE bunker. Civilians took army last Sunday (July 22)," the went to Batticaloa empty handed. road passing Kayankerni bridge refuge in the hospital premises 72 year old Somasunderam We came here empty handed." towards Vaharai and Verugal. And then we saw it as we ent- during the height of the military Muttupillai moans. "His name is Later, the rest of the journal- ered Panichchankerni. A row of offensive says a member of the P. Chandrakumar. He is 35 years ists and I proceed on our way in Scorched houses built for the victims of the hospital staff who did not wish to old, he has a wife and children." our air conditioned vehicle even tsunami. Easily recognisable as be named. The bunker was dug For the old woman living as the irony and pathos of our We see jungles scorched to the tsunami houses, the villages had for their safety during bombard- under a torn tent in the transit cen- mission hits me hard. ground by the military as it gets barely been resident in the houses ment. tre, deprived of her familiar sur- We reach the Alamkulam IDP ready to hold on to land it has for 10 days before all hell broke Opposite the hospital a Catho- roundings, this is more than she camp in Vaharai where 480 fami- captured. This method of clearing loose. They were bombed from lic church stands as if in eternal can bear. lies and 1615 people mark time the jungle area to prevent hide- above. We drove past houses pep- memory of the suffering and strife Those in the camp are mainly endlessly waiting for their lives to outs, we saw in endless succes- pered with the multi-barrel guns; of its people. The church had be- paddy cultivators says one of the be restored. Herded to this camp sion - black stretches of land a mortar embedded in the bark of en damaged by the tsunami. Sure TAMIL GUARDIAN Wednesday August 29, 2007 13 FEATURES Military administration in eastern Sri Lanka

Nanda Wickremasinghe WSWS

THE Sri Lankan military has ly, but the committees will have quickly demonstrated its inten- no independent budget or means The Sri Lankan military bulldozed LTTE cemetaries in Batticaloa after capturing the area. tions regarding the capture of the for implementing projects. island's eastern province from the All proposals will have to be as they are that the bunker is not facetiously I think. State of neglect Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam submitted to higher levels-divi- an LTTE one, they are also firm However outside the room (LTTE). sional or provincial secretaries. the church was not damaged in where Karunakaran is speaking to Why, we were to ask him was it that despite the large amount of Far from "liberating" the peo- Reports of the meetings will be the bombings but only by the us, young chaps stalk the surroun- ple of the East, the security forces sent to the headquarters of the tsunami. dings, armed with guns. Karuna tsunami aid, survivors still lan- guished in camps which were are establishing a military occu- eastern military commander. On the way towards Valachch- and his men it seems, have no pation over the entire area in If the real purpose of the com- enai and Batticaloa we see newly intention of giving up their most now not only run down and in a state of neglect but ill serviced preparation for stamping out any mittees were to develop backward built tsunami reconstruction hou- vital tool to power. opposition to the government and rural areas in the East of the ses bombarded with shells. The Karunakaran however praises with bad water supply. Sheriff confirmed that 1249 its continuing communal war. island, the involvement of the roofs had caved in, the walls dot- President Rajapakse as a man of Following the army's con- security forces would be unneces- ted with fire. Imagine for a mom- vision. A journalist in the group houses had been allocated to be built and upto now only 343 were quest of the LTTE's last major sary. ent the plight of those mothers, cannot help but ask how Karuna, eastern stronghold, President The Rajapakse government, those school children who had en- if he claims to work for the wel- under construction. Only 193 had so far been handed over. Mahinda Rajapakse ordered a however, has no more intention tered their new homes with hope fare of the eastern people, could victory celebration on July 19 at than its predecessors to end the after losing everything to the tsu- get together with a government Sheriff confirmed that 11 divi- sions come under the high securi- which he declared that a "new decades of neglect that have pro- nami only to lose it all once again. that is seen to have inflicted so dawn" was opening up for the duced widespread poverty and As I said last week in the first much pain and suffering on the ty zones in Muttur east or Sampur as gazetted by President Rajapak- East of the country. The ceremo- lack of basic services. installment of this eyewitness people of the east through its aer- ny, which evoked little popular Far from addressing the needs account of the east, little wonder ial bombardment and its scorched se. About 4000 families have been displaced he says. Most are enthusiasm, was an unabashed of villagers, these committees are the people of the east speaking to earth policies. glorification of the renewed civil instruments of the security forces us from badly maintained IDP There is a muttering under the in the Batticaloa District - in IDP camps, with friends and relatives. war that has already resulted in for spying, intimidation and camps have lost faith in humanity. breath and no real answer ensues thousands of deaths and turned repression. from Karunakaran. Sheriff said he has not recei- ved any direction from the autho- 200,000 into refugees. In the North and East, the Karuna dominates However he is eager to remind Just days later, Major General security forces work in close col- us that the east always suffered rities on what to do with these I also saw the office of the people displaced by the HSZ. He Parakrama Pannipitiya, the mili- laboration with Tamil paramili- under the Wanni leadership which tary commander of the eastern taries such as the Karuna group in Karuna boys standing by the way- never gave a place to the eastern however said that out of the 4000 side. A few metres away was an families the government had esta- province, issued a circular under suppressing dissent. people. It is because of the burden the rather deceptive title of Hundreds of people have been army camp. Side by side for the Karuna had for his people that he blished a transit camp in Pattithi- moment, it was obvious despite del and Killivetti housing 324 "directives for rural development "disappeared" or murdered over broke away, says Karunakaran work". In reality, the document is the past year-in all likelihood by the stout and even asinine denials defiantly. families with 1050 members, and of certain members of President 548 families with 1798 members, a blueprint for the imposition of a death squads operated either Rajapakse's cabinet, that the gov- respectively. military-dominated administra- directly or indirectly by the mili- ernment was working with Karu- Untold suffering Some families still remain in tion through the province, right tary. It would not be at all surpris- na Amman and his men. Be that as it may, we beheld Batticaloa where they fled to down to the village level. ing if members of these paramili- Meanwhile P. Karunakaran, untold suffering in the camps both safety while others have winged it The circular declared: "Rural taries were appointed to the claiming to be head of education in Trincomalee and Batticaloa. to India Sheriff said. development of areas liberated by newly established village com- and based at the Batticaloa office In all the camps we visited the The GA has identified 105 the forces after the humanitarian mittees. of the TMVP at Govindhan Road water supply was poor and sus- acres of land in Ralkuli, Muttur operations where there is a civil The military has also placed tells us that some 165,000 refuge- pect despite a tank installed. So- west, and the Land Reform population must be done under severe restrictions on the activi- es have fled the LTTE in the north me lived in tents ravished by the Commission has handed over to the supervision of the police sta- ties of various non government and have come to the east. He sa- weather even as others lived in the Divisional Secretariat this tioned in the area, as well as the organisations (NGOs)-local and ys the TMVP together with the shacks made of wooden planks. jungle area to be cleared to build armed forces". (These "humani- international-one of the few NGOs are now helping to resettle Many of the makeshift roofs did houses and relocate 500 displaced tarian operations" were in fact sources of assistance in many these people. not keep the rain from beating families, Sheriff added. offensive operations in flagrant areas. According to the circular, Amidst government plans to down into the shack where grand- This remains to be said. As the breach of the 2002 ceasefire village committees may identify develop the east, Karunakaran sa- mother to grandchild lived parti- pictures will demonstrate more agreement between the two projects but NGOs will require ys they do not want big projects. tioning the tiny space with saris. than a thousand words, the people sides.) approval from the district secre- 'We want to be with the people One enterprising man had set of the east are suffering. If they Village-level committees are tarial offices before any involve- and win them over. We want to be up a shop in one of the camps have been liberated from the to be chosen, not by a free vote, ment. like the south. We will rule here while many said their husbands Tigers as the government says but by the police and army. "It "Please note that in future and help the people through elec- who had been fishermen couldn't they are now imprisoned by will be mandatory," the circular NGOs should not be permitted to tions,' he says. continue their livelihood anymore poverty and strife. They are not explained, "to include in these do as they please in these areas as Dressed in a white tunic, look- due to the restrictions. allowed to leave their IDP camps committees a member of the before. In order to fulfill this ing a little like the southern politi- Divisional Secretary Muttur, which are surrounded by armed armed forces/STF [police para- work effectively, the relevant cian and speaking Sinhala with M.C.M. Sheriff said 17,000 fami- personnel. military units], a police officer, District Secretary, the Provincial only a slight accent, Karunakaran lies in 42 grama sevaka divisions The government may hail the and Grama Niladhari [village Secretary and the Commanding talks of winning the children had been displaced. After the war scorching of the east as victory official] serving in the respective Officers of different Army units over. all department schools had remai- under its belt for political mileage village". in these areas, STF and SPs How, I ask him, can you plant ned shut for one and a half mon- but for the innocent civilians of The president of the villages [police superintendents] have to a tree with one hand while you ths and only in the latter part of the east it is hell on earth. committee is to be either a mem- be well coordinated," the circular hold a gun in the other? September 2006 that people start- (Edited) This article was origi- ber of the police or the military. stated. We won't go to the schools ed to return to their homes in nally published by The Sunday Meetings to discuss "rural devel- The military and its Sinhala with guns, he tells me, rather driblets. leader on August 12, 2007 opment" are to be held fortnight- Continued on page 15 14 TAMIL GUARDIAN Wednesday August 29, 2007 NEWS Opposition seeks momentum against Rajapakse government

SRI LANKA'S newly formed the island's political scene. killing of innocent civilians. The- opposition alliance this week con- Kumaratunge, who sent a con- re is no point is cutting aid and tinued its mass protest campaign gratulatory note to Samaraweera making the rest of the country against the government of Pre- after the signing of the SLFP-M's suffer for their misdoings," sident Mahinda Rajapakase amid agreement for a common alliance Samaraweera said. speculation former President with the UNP, took a swipe at the Addressing the crowd, leader Chandrika Kumaratunga was Rajapakse government on her of the opposition UNP, Ranil going to reenter the southern return. Speaking to journalists Wickramasinghe, accused the political arena with it. after her meeting with Civil Mo- Rajapakse brothers of pushing the The National Congress, creat- nitoring Commission (CMC) on country into debt by taking loans ed from the tie up between the Extra Judicial Killings and Abdu- at high interest rates. He also main opposition United National ction convener Mano Ganeshan blamed the media for unquestion- Party and a splinter from the rul- and its senior member TNA MP ingly toeing the government line. ing Sri Lanka Freedom Party, Suresh Premachandran she said "There are three Buddhist edi- called the Mahajana Faction, held the government should not act tors in three Sinhala newspapers, another regionally rally this week. like terrorists. but they observe pansil every mo- The fourth in of a series of "A government which is fight- rning now by reciting the names protest rallies labeled the 'Peo- ing a terrorist organization has to of the three brothers," he said. ples' Wave' organised by the new work tactfully and with a clear The first Peoples' Wave rally alliance, it was held in Nittambu- vision and should not act like a was held in the Sri Lankan capital wa near Horagolla, the ancestral terrorist organization," she said, Colombo on Thursday July 26 home the Bandaranaikes, on "The government is a govern- and was attended by an estimated Friday August 25. ment. Terrorists are terrorists and 100,000 people. The Bandaranaike family had therefore the government cannot The main slogan of that event dominated the leadership of the behave like terrorists." was "The Great Betrayal of the SLFP since its founding. Preside- Speaking at the third rally Great Buddhist", which referred nt Kumaratunga was the last with held in Anuradhapura on August to the alleged secret deal between her mother and father (who 17, Samaraweera, a former For- Rajapajkse and the LTTE on the founded the SLFP) having previ- eign Minister, told the partici- eve of the presidential elections in ously been leaders. pants that international communi- 2005. President Rajapakse is thus ty should not punish innocent Speaking at the Nittambuwa the first leader of the party not people with aid cuts instead sho- event Samaraweera invited the from the family and his ascension uld punish the Rajapakse brothers ultra-nationalist Janatha Vimukthi has left seething tensions in the for violation of human rights and Perumana (JVP) , Sri Lanka's thi- party between those loyal to the corruption. rd largest party to join hands with family and those seeking reform. Gotabaya Rajapakse was app- him, to bring down the Rajapaksa According to local media ointed by the President as Sri La- regime. reports several Bandaranaike loy- nka's Secretary of Defence and is The JVP is reported to have alists teamed up with the SLFP in charge, along with Army com- rejected the call. The UNP gov- Mahajana Wing (SLFP-M) at the mander Lt. Gen. Sarath Fonseka ernment to President R. Premad- Former President Chandrika Kumaratunga is rumored to be in Nittambuwa event. The SLFP-M of prosecuting the war against the asa, of which Wickremesinghe discussions with the National Congress. Photo Daily Mirror is led by Mangala Samaraweera, a LTTTE. was a member, was responsible Kumaratunga loyalist who has Basil Rajapakse has emerged for crushing the JVP's second and esplanade in Matara, the Smar- has five members of Parliament split from the SLFP citing differ- as a powerful figure in the Raj- last armed inserrupction by mass aweera's electorate. According to decided to walk out of the ruling ences with Rajapakse. apakse administration is accused killings of JVP supporters and local reports thousands of people alliance after a meeting where The location of the rally, cho- of overseeing rampant corruption innocent villages suspected of attended the event which took Basil Rajapakse, presidential adv- sen to show Samaraweera's stren- by the family. supporting the Marxist-nationalist place in the southern province on isor and brother of president Ma- gth in the heart of SLFP, gains "Basil should not be allowed part. Friday August 10. hinda Rajapakse, insulted CWC significance with the return of to return to the US and Gotabaya The second National Congre- The National Congress is parliamentarian and Deputy Min- former president Kumaratunge to should be taken to task over the ss rally was held in Uyanwatte organising series of rallies across ister Muththu Sivalingam as 'Para the Sinhala districts to protest Demala'. against the increase in cost of liv- The word 'para' is a derogato- ing under the Rajapakse adminis- ry word in Sinhala. 'Para Demala' tration. The final rally in the seri- is a much used racial slur against es is scheduled to take place on Tamils. EEaassaann && ccoo September 8 in Hambanthota, the However, on Wednesday Aug- home district of the President ust 8, the CWC law makers met Rajapaksa. Highways and Road Developm- In addition, the opposition ent minister Jeyaraj Fernandop- Chartered Management Accountants party also announced plans to ulle and pledged to continue sup- hold a special national convention porting the government. in Kandy on September 9, the day Fernandopulle speaking after ❖ ❖ after the last Peoples' Wave the meeting stated that the con- Self Assessment Tax Returns protest rally in Hambanthota. flict was settled amicably and the With pressure on the Rajapak- portfolios of the resigned Minis- ❖ VAT Returns ❖ PAYE sa government continues to grow, ters would be retained in the com- the ruling alliance almost lost its ing weeks. ❖ slender majority in parliament on Affirming its allegiance to the Accounts & Book Keeping Thursday August 2 when the Cey- government, the CWC parliamen- lon Workers Congress (CWC), tarians voted with the government ❖ the largest upcountry Tamil party on Thursday August 9 when the Management Accounting resigned ministerial posts its proposal to extend the emergency members held and announced that regulations by another month was it was pulling out of the govern- taken up for voting. Specialists in Arranging Commercial Loan ment. CWC and the JVP voted with The ruling alliance which has the government in support of the 119 seats in the 225 seat parlia- motion whilst the Tamil National 196 Merton High Street South, Wimbledon ment is dependent on nationalist Alliance and the Western People's Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna party Front voted against it. 107 MPs London SW19 1AX and Buddhist monks led Jaathika voted in support of the proposal Hela Urumaya. while 15 opposed. The opposition Tel: 020 8543 8484, Fax: 020 8540 0107 According to the Sunday Lea- UNP abstained and stayed out of der newspaper the CWC which the chamber during the voting. TAMIL GUARDIAN Wednesday August 29, 2007 15 NEWS Cash-strapped Sri Lanka ... SELVARAJA

Continued from page 11 consecutive life closing low as economy, the Sri lanka tourist GOLD HOUSE sidering an unusual course of importers bought dollars to settle board announced that tourist action, of writing to HSBC, JP trade bills. arrivals fell 20.3 percent in July Morgan Chase and Barclays, the Some analysts expect the from a year earlier. three joint lead managers of the rupee to weaken to as much as The renewed war between the Retailer & Wholesaler of bond issue, questioning their 'col- 118-120 per dollar by the end of government forces and the LTTE lusion' in the corrupt activities of the year. Others are expecting 114 reduced arrivals by 23.7 percent Designers Jewelleries the Rajapakse government. per dollar. The rupee has depreci- in the first seven months of the Opposition leader Ranil ated over 4 percent so far this year and many hotels struggling Wickremesinghe, addressing a year, after weakening by around 5 with low occupancy are discount- Specilised in 22CT. Gold Jewellery public rally at Matara this month percent in 2006. ing rooms in a bid to lure clients. said the government was seeking The rupee is steadily depreci- Tourist arrivals in July totalled commercial loans for infrastruc- ating mainly due to trade-related 44,142 compared to 55,354 a year ture projects that are said to be moves in an economy that runs a earlier. Arrivals in June were 162 B Mitcham Road funded by China (Norochcholai hefty trade deficit because of down 30 percent. power and Hambantota harbour), costly fuel imports and the impact "The arrivals have come down southern highway (Japan), of inflation. because of the country's security London Colombo harbour (ADB). The Colombo All Share index situation but the (performance) He said for 22 projects the go- fallen around 20 percent since life has improved," said S. vernment has requested US$500 highs in mid-February amid esca- Kalaiselvam, director general of SW17 9NJ million in foreign aid, reported lating war between the state and the Sri Lanka Tourist Board. the Sunday Times newspaper in LTTE and high interest rates, "July is an off-season, so Sri Lanka. which have prompted some arrivals of more than 40,000 Tel: 020 8767 3795 "Then why is the government investors to turn to fixed deposits tourists is a considerable achieve- seeking US$ 500 million in a and bonds. ment amid the current situation." bond issue when some of these The bourse is down around 11 A number of foreign projects have already got foreign percent so far this year, with embassies have advised nationals aid?" he asked. renewed war between the state to avoid traveling to Sri Lanka Mean while Sri Lanka's rupee and LTTE hurting sentiment. citing the escalation in fighting. SHAUN FOODS weakened further to an eighth Further worsening the island's Military administration & WINE

Continued from page 13 itary administration? People are were captured from the LTTE ter- already suspicious about govern- rorists, safe from infiltration". chauvinist supporters have been ment plans," Thyagarajah told the Some 50 new police stations bitterly critical of NGOs, BBC on July 22. and posts are to be set up through- denouncing them as supporters of The military has bypassed out the East. In May, the govern- "LTTE terrorism" for exposing normal civilian channels. The ment established a new high secu- some of the army's worst atroci- Sunday Times noted in its rity zone in the Sampur and ties. "Situation Report" on July 29 that Muttur area to coincide with a 229, STREATHAM ROAD Last August the military was the circular has been sent directly new Special Economic Zone. implicated in the cold-blooded to the police heads in the eastern The establishment of a mili- LONDON murder of 17 aid workers from districts of Trincomalee, tary administration in the East is a the French-based Action Contre Batticaloa and Ampara, the com- sharp warning to working people la Faim (ACF). The bodies were mandant of the STF in the throughout the island. SW16 6NZ found lined up outside the ACF province, army brigade comman- Determined to prosecute its office, shot in the back of the head ders and district secretaries. The unpopular war and to put the eco- after the army reentered the town Daily Mirror reported that the nomic burden on the masses, the TEL: 0208 769 3105 of Muttur. eastern military commander Rajapakse government is increas- Jeevan Thyagarajah, execu- called a meeting of NGOs and ingly reliant on the military and With Compliments tive director of the Human Rights government officers in late July to anti-democratic measures. It will Consortium, an umbrella organi- explain its new directives. not hesitate in placing other areas sation of the NGOs, questioned Defence Secretary Gotabhaya of the country under military rule the intervention by the military in Rajapakse told the Island on July in order to shore up its shaky rule. development work. 14 that "the task of the armed This article was published by K & K Stationers "Is there going to be a civil forces [was] to keep the areas and the World Socialist Web site on administration in the east or a mil- strategic strongholds ... which 10 August 2007 & Printers Ltd Rajapakse and rights Supplier of Stationery, Art, Craft and Computer Printer Accessories Continued from page 5 influence. Indians have not for- es by all sides. Such a mission gotten their failed military inter- would - unlike the government or 94 Mitcham Road able. vention in 1987 or the Tamil Tamil Tigers - be committed to In response to this downward Tigers' assassination of Prime protecting the rights of all Sri London, SW17 9NG spiral, foreign governments Minister Rajiv Gandhi. Sri Lanka Lankans - Sinhalese, Tamil and Tel: 020 8767 5149 / 2398 haven't done much. Sri Lanka has relies heavily on India for naval Muslim - from extrajudicial little strategic or economic impor- intelligence to counter arms pro- killings, abductions, intimidation Fax: 020 8767 3210 tance to most countries. Foreign curement by the rebels. and indiscriminate military e-mail: [email protected] governments mostly limited their While in private these govern- attacks. criticism to "private messages" ments have raised concerns about As important, President and minor aid cuts. human rights abuses with Rajapaksa should remember his Associate Company The Sri Lankan Army has President Rajapaksa, they have days as a human rights activist Partridges warm ties to the US military. not exerted concerted pressure to and confront the rampant abuses 295-297 Lavender Hill Britain has close historical rela- make abuses stop. taking place on his watch. tions with its former colony and is These allies should work to Charu Lata Hogg is a South London SW11 1LP a major aid provider. Sri Lanka set up a UN human rights moni- Asia researcher at Human Rights Tel: 020 7228 7271 / 8204 receives 40 percent of its foreign toring mission tasked with protec- Watch and co-author of the report Fax: 020 7978 4148 assistance from Japan. India is the tion, monitoring, capacity-build- "Return to War: Human Rights e-mail: [email protected] big neighbor with the greatest ing, and public reporting of abus- Under Siege." 16 TAMIL GUARDIAN Wednesday August 29, 2007

Rs 100,000 donated to kid disabled by Sri Lankan bombers

THE Liberation Tigers have held at the family’s new home in donated Rs. 100,000 (about Naachchikkudaa, Poonakari. US$900) as a trust fund for a six The LTTE leader, Mr. year old boy whose right leg was Velupillai Piraphakaran, autho- blown off when a Sri Lankan Air rized release of the funds to help Force (SLAF) jets bombed his the youngster, TamilNet reported. village in Padahuthurai in Mannar The money has been deposited in district in January 2007. Muzhangkaavil branch of Bank At least 14 civilians, including of Tamil Eelam. seven children, were killed and The Bishop of Mannar over 30 injured when SLAF jets Diocese, Rt Rev Rayappu Joseph, blasted 25 houses in Padahuthurai who visited Padahuthurai hamlet, on January 2. which was completely destroyed Six year old Antony (right) by the jets, condemned the attack lost his right leg including the a crime against humanity," urged thigh and barely survived. His the International Community to father, A. Jegan, lost his right leg send independent observers to from knee while his mother and NorthEast. one and a half year old sibling There was no condemnation received serious injuries. by the international community. Jegan's four year old child was The UN expressed ‘concern’. killed. Sri Lankan airstrikes and Mr. S. Thangan, Deputy Head artillery bombardments are rou- of LTTE political wing, gave a tinely directed at Tamil civilian Tamil Eelam Certificate of areas in Vanni and, before they deposit for Rs.100,000 to Antony was captured by the military, in at a ceremony (pictured above) Batticaloa and Trincomalee. TOOTINGTOOTING RARAGUGU TRATRAVELSVELS A world wide travel agents SUPERMARKETSUPERMARKET For reliable, friendly and efficient service at competitive rates ✰ Air tickets ✰ Travel Insurance ✰ Transportation 66 Tooting High ✰ Visa arrangement for India Street Ragu Estate agents ✰ Property Management London Call Ragu on ✰ 020 8586 2323 Lettings, Sales ✰ Mortgages SW17 0RL 020 8471 9100 ✰ Construction

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