US intensifies lobbying in Geneva

As the vote on the resolution on Sri Lanka at the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) is nearing, the concerned parties have intensified   their lobbying sprees.

The draft resolution, calling for an international inquiry into allegations of human rights violations and accountability issues during the  final years of the war, have been sponsored by five countries this time-the United States(prime mover), the United Kingdom, Montenegro, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and Mauritius.
The US, as the prime mover, called for a side event on March 7, 2014 for the countries and international organizations interested in Sri Lanka’s issue.  Around 30 countries attended the meeting, and some of them stood strongly with Sri Lanka against the resolution which was now in circulation among the member countries.
The Sri Lankan side rebuffed the resolution forthwith, and called it an attempt to infringe the sovereignty of the country.





Prof. G.L. Peiris, head of the Sri Lanka delegation, had to go to London in view of the    Commonwealth Day celebrations in London, including the Multi-Faith Observance at Westminster Abbey


Sri Lanka’s Permanent Representative to the UN in Geneva Ambassador Ravinatha Aryasinha, who attended the meeting said  in a statement at the meeting , “The draft resolution on Sri Lanka deposited with the Human Rights Council by a core group comprising - the USA, UK, Mauritius, Montenegro and Macedonia, violated the constitutional provisions of Sri Lanka, and is highly intrusive in nature and is in breach of the sovereignty of the Sri Lankan people and the territorial integrity of Sri Lanka”.

He said the resolution set a bad precedent, and could, in the medium-to-long term, have an adverse impact on all developing countries in the Council.

The sponsors of the resolution have, however, called for yet another side event on March 18. They appear to be resolute on passing this resolution.

In the meantime, the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) issued its official statement on March 10, welcoming the draft resolution laying stress on an international inquiry. Already, the TNA remained engaged with the sponsors of the resolution. It is apparent that the TNA wants to prevent the draft resolution from being watered down by the intervention of some powerful members who have historical and friendly ties with Sri Lanka.   The TNA appeared to have taken serious note of this matter. Therefore, it is vigorously engaging the movers of the resolution to get it adopted by the UNHRC with the call for an international inquiry.

The statement says, “The TNA is committed to the achievement of permanent peace and reconciliation in Sri Lanka, which will enable all Peoples in SriLanka to live with dignity, equality and justice. We believe that tangible progress on accountability and genuine reconciliation are necessary ingredients to the achievement of a peaceful, united Sri Lanka. We therefore welcome the fact that the draft resolution envisages the establishment of an international investigation led by the High Commissioner for Human Rights, both in respect of war-time abuses committed by both sides and violations of human rights throughout the country since the end of the war. We look forward to the co-sponsors effecting revisions to the draft over the following weeks that will clarify and strengthen the scope of the forthcoming investigation. We will remain engaged with the international community to this end, and also to ensure that the outcome of the resolution will be overwhelmingly positive for all Sri Lankans, particularly for victims of grave abuses committed during and after the war.

The statement has been signed jointly by party leader R. Sampanthan and Northern Province Chief Minister C.V. Wigneswaran. Despite them welcoming the resolution, a section of the TNA   which harbours an extremist line, is against the content of the resolution calling it not strong enough to prevail upon the government.

After an international event in Geneva to lobby for the resolution, Northern Provincial Council member of the TNA Ananthi Sasitharan, the wife of LTTE leader Elilan, and MP M.A. Sumanthiran were on a collision course.

Ms. Sasitharan, notorious for her  inflammatory rhetoric, charged that she was not allowed to speak at that meeting by Mr. Sumanthiran. She also charged that the international community was soft peddling on Sri Lanka’s issue.  


Comrade Watagala, the UPFA candidates were taking schoolchildren to show them the newly built Outer Circular Kottawa –Kaduwela Road.      This is a kind of propaganda



It is learnt that Mr. Sumanthiran has barred her from speaking, merely because of her husband Elilan’s involvement in human rights violations during his time in the LTTE.  In anticipation of questions from the attendants on such LTTE atrocities that can be traced to Elilan’s command, Mr. Sumanthiran, as reported, did not allow Ananthi’s presence.

Furious by Mr. Sumanthiran’s action, Ananthi started making scathing comments to the Tamil press which eventually began portraying Mr. Sumanthiran as someone not committed to the cause of Tamils.  It is learnt that there is resentment with some Tamils in the north over the barring of Ananthi from making any comment at the meeting.



GL interacts with Royal Family
Amid UNHRC sessions, External Affairs Minister Prof. G.L. Peiris, head of the Sri Lanka delegation, had to go to London in view of the    Commonwealth Day celebrations in London, including the Multi-Faith Observance at Westminster Abbey. At the reception held at Westminster Abbey, the Minister met with the members of the Royal Family including Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh.

In his remarks with the Minister, the Duke of Edinburgh recalled his visit to Sri Lanka in 1940. Also Prince Charles referred to his last visit to Sri Lanka. The Minister attended these meetings, representing President Mahinda Rajapaksa   representing Chair-in-Office of the Commonwealth and communicated the President’s goodwill message to the Queen.

Later, on Tuesday, Prof.  Peiris   held  discussions with  Mr.  Kamalesh  Sharma,  Secretary-General  of  the  Commonwealth,  at  Marlborough  House   in  London .



CBK in a mission for religious unity
Former President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga is in the limelight again because of her active participation for a particular cause- to bring about religious unity in a pluralistic society. South Asia Policy Research Institute (SAPRI), chaired by the former President, started a discourse with the dignitaries of the four main religions to evolve recommendations for fostering religious unity. SAPRI conducted several meetings in this regard, and a report was prepared.  Now, it has to be presented to the political leaders as the next step. Therefore, she sought appointments with President Mahinda Rajapaksa, Prime Minister D.M. Jayaratne and two Ministers. In the meantime, she met opposition UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe at 10.00 am yesterday and had a discussion which lasted for one hour and ten minutes.  UNP MPs Ravi Karunanayake, Mangala Samaraweera and Ruwan Wijewardene also accompanied Mr. Wickremesinghe to this meeting.

Mrs. Kumaratunga observed, right at the beginning, that religious intolerance had become intolerable and therefore she thought of making this initiative. She reportedly mentioned that some heads of diplomatic missions of Middle-East countries approached her and requested her to take an initiative.

Besides, she discussed current politics on an unofficial basis during the meeting.  It looks apparent that she is rather interested in a regime change than finding herself in active politics again. For that, she seems to be intent on harnessing the support of some members within the government, who are disgruntled with the present state of affairs, but remain loyal to the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP).


Mrs. Kumaratunga observed, right at the beginning, that religious intolerance had become intolerable and therefore she thought of making this initiative


Besides, it is learnt that Mrs. Kumaratunga has sought a meeting with newly appointed JVP leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake to present this report.
After that, SAPRI representatives sans Mrs. Kumaratunga met with National Languages and Social Integration Minister Vasudeva Nanayakkara to discuss the measures for fostering inter-faith harmony. The Minister fleshed out details about the measures he had taken for religious unity coupled with ethnic harmony.
“SAPRI had focused on religious unity only. We have initiated a lot of actions both for religious unity and ethnic harmony. I gave details about our efforts,” he said.




Election law flouted
The election law continues to be flouted by the candidates in the fray. They leave no stone unturned in their effort to bag as many preferential votes as possible. During the meeting among Elections Commissioner Mahinda Desapriya and the political party representatives in the fray, JVP member Sunil Watagala got a telephone call from party’s candidate Sarath  Pathirane.

“Comrade Watagala, the UPFA candidates were taking schoolchildren to show them the newly built Outer Circular Kottawa –Kaduwela Road.      This is a kind of propaganda,” he said.

Upon hearing the complaint, Mr. Watagala brought it to the notice of the Election Commissioner.   Mr. Desapriya replied, “I also heard about it.  It is a violation of the election law. It is pathetic that top rung members flout the election law.”



Yatiyantota Crematorium
The crematorium, constructed at a cost of Rs.11 million two years ago in the Yatiyantota Pradeshiya Sabha still remains unopened.  Its chairman U.D.Wasantha Kumara complained to Sabaragamuwa Chief Minister Mahipala Herath that an invisible force was blocking the opening of the crematorium.
The Yatiyantota Pradeshiya Sabha won the National Productivity Award as the best local authority last year. The chairman noted that the crematorium was financed by a loan.

“Quarterly, we pay Rs.140, 000 as loan instalments along with the interest accrued.   I am perplexed about the invisible force that is blocking the opening,” he said.
The Chief Minister replied that the invisible force should not be a ghost but a ‘two legged being’.

The chairman responded saying that a few individuals involved in the construction of the crematorium were unhappy with it since  he personally monitored the work, and raised concerns about the standards.

“There is a person looking for some inducements. He blocks the opening as a result,” he said.