Why international observers are needed in Sri Lanka
Comment~Editorial - Edmonton Sun, June 15, 2009
by Lorrie Goldstein
Sri Lanka is a sovereign nation. It had the right to bar Liberal MP Bob Rae and Conservative MP Deepak Obhrai, parliamentary secretary for foreign affairs, from entering the country.
Canada, after all, recently barred British MP George Galloway for the same reason Sri Lanka says it did Rae -- security concerns. Which just goes to show countries can act within their rights and still be wrong.
Canada argued Galloway gave "material support" to Hamas.
Sri Lanka banned Rae because of his alleged sympathy for the terrorist Tamil Tigers.
In the real world, Galloway may be a self-aggrandizing buffoon with a one-sided view of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, but he has never been charged with aiding terrorists, was allowed into Canada in 2006 and wasn't barred by the U.S.
Rae has been publicly critical of Sri Lanka's often brutal treatment of its Tamil minority, as have many human rights groups. He has a longstanding interest in the country and has met in the past with Tiger members in a bid to kickstart the peace process. But it's absurd to suggest he's a security risk or endorses terrorism.
What's worrisome, as Rae noted, is that if Sri Lanka is this paranoid about letting in Canadian observers following the end of its 26-year civil war with the now-defeated Tigers, what is it planning for 200,000 Tamil civilians rendered homeless by the war after thousands were killed in the fighting?
Sri Lanka has been bizarrely suspicious of Canada, presumably because we've accepted hundreds of thousands of Tamil civilians as refugees.
But Prime Minister Stephen Harper also declared the Tigers a terrorist organization. He has rightly protested the barring of Rae and Obhrai and the recent attempted trashing of Canada's embassy in Sri Lanka by government supporters while police stood by.
With Sri Lanka this paranoid about even an ally in the war on terror, how can it be trusted to respect the rights of Tamil civilians following its military victory?
That's why international observers are needed. To see that it does.
13 Comments
What the Tamil Tigers have done now, inspite of real estate capture by the GOSL in the North East(NE), is to show to the world that the GOSL is a war criminal bunch and dishonest with Tamils.
The Tamils in exile, the Tamil diaspora, have now taken over the responsibility to continue with the freedom movement of the people of NE till independence is achieved. Surely, they will achieve.
I met a Jewish friend of mine and he said that Jews are in exile for 2007 years now. Though, it is two centuries ago, the Jews still believe that they are in exile. Tamils are in exile only for 37 years. Tamils will not idle till they become full fledged citizens of Tamil Eelam.
A freedom movement does not depend on persons or leaders. Leaders come and go but the movement goes on. Tamils of NE had GG Ponnambalam, SJV Chelvanayakam, A.Amirthalingam and V.Prabakaran. Their physical death is not of significance. Their firm stand has taught the Tamils to be firm in their stand for independent Tamil Eelam, which is the only survival kit for the people of NE.
The UN and the IC will soon act against SL, realising the nature of its dangerous terrorist culoture as a state. North Korea is branded as a terrorist state. By the same standards SL too is terrorist though in a different dimension.
Perhaps then, the Sinhalese will open their eyes to the crime of genocide against Tamils in the NE.. It may be too late then.
While Sri Lanka's right to refuse entry to Bob Rae is acknowledged, this type of action does raise the suspicions of all concerned parties more so the Tamils the world over, on what actions the GOSL will take regarding the IDPs.
At present, President Rajapakse and his regime is riding a huge wave popularity. This is the time for MR to display Moralm high ground of the state. MAKE USE OF THIS WINDOW OF OPPORTUNITY. It will not last long.
God bless Sri Lanka
It is not what the elected Government thinks - correctly, as the Consulate in Canada issued a Visa?
but what the MR Brothers think - they are always in " sarong-raised" mode to put it colloquially.
The fate of such people is pathetic.
What part of "no" doesn't this lady understand? I hope she isn't holding her breath.
Tamils were seeking international mediation since 1983, started with Indian mediation at Thimpu. The twisted policies of India did not work very well with the middle class educated Tamils.
In 2002, LTTE managed to destroy the military stucture of Sri Lanka and recaptured part of the Jaffna peninsula while the IC and India came in favour of the murderous Sri Lankan state.Hence Sri Lanka accepted the engagement of IC with body and soul. International abetters of genocide started to rearm the racist Sri Lankan state and branded the Tamils and LTTE as terrorist.
In 2009, Sri Lankan state massacared 50,000 Tamils with the support of India, China etc without witness. UN provided the moral support for the Sri Lankan state to carry out the genocide.
Whatelse thses IC can do to save the Tamils in Sri Lanka? What are they going to achieve more in Sri lanka by monitoring the art of genocide?
If SL is "bizarrly suspicious" of and has it in for Canada, it should also have barred Bev Oda from visiting - it did not.
Nor is it "bizarrly suspicious" because of the hundreds of thousands of Tamil refugees. This has been the case since 1983. Seems no reason to havesudden suspicions now, surely ?
It was perhaps the spectacle of thousands of Tamils in western capitals, waving the flag of a banned organization (in all of those capitals) with impunity, trashing SL embassies, proclaiming "LTTE=Tamils" and "VP our leader" and the seeming inability to deal with it that leads Sri Lankans to feel they despite the end of hostilities in their land, are still under siege.
While Bob Rae's intentions may have been misconstrued, perhaps it was his Liberal Party colleagues who contributed more to his discomfiture more than anyone else
I believe that Canada banned LTTE because of US pressure. They do it just to please US. The ban is only for the name. LTTE carry on their fund raising,underworld activities and their mass rallies in support of LTTE by waving LTTE flag,blocking roads etc.. as usual.Canada did nothing to stop these activities.
That's why so many politicians and lawyer's [most of them are on LTTE pay}blatantly support LTTE by saying discrimination,genocide ,blood bath,mass killings ,dissapearences...etc..Unfortunately our embassy officials did nothing and I have doubt that even our embassy officials also on LTTE pay in Canada.
The other reason these politicians support LTTE is tamil's votes.Anybody who support LTTE getting their votes.
The real truth about Srilanka cannot visible or hear in Western countries because the LTTE propaganda machine and it is still very powerful even LTTE eradicated in SL.
So Srilanka not bizzarely suspicios about Canada,they have reasons beyond doubt to be suspicious about Canada.So I must say Canada did not ally in the war on terror in SL.We don't need any more international observer's.There is nothing to observe about.
“…Sri Lanka this paranoid about even an ally in the war on terror, how can it be trusted to respect the rights of Tamil civilians...”
Well, Sri Lanka would welcome any foreigners even without entry visa if the person is from Myanmar, North Korea, Zimbabwe, Sudan, Pakistan, Iran and Russia. According to the current Sri Lankan leader those countries are the real allies in the war on terror!
I wonder if Canada gets an election in fall and liberals get elected as the current polls suggesting then Mr. Bob Rae would most probably the next foreign minister of Canada.
All I can dream now is that grade 4 Tamil poems about that fat milk lady (not the one from London Ontario) Pavalakody from Piont Pedro!
Srilanka is a sovereign state,so does Zimbabwe.However every nation should also adhere to the International Laws and norms.Srilanka is not exempted from this rule and she has to protect her minorities,other wise it does become the business of the civilized world to make sure that Srilanka does adhere to International norms.Cheers,Siva.
Srilanka is a sovereign state,so does Zimbabwe.However every nation should also adhere to the International Laws and norms.Srilanka is not exempted from this rule and she has to protect her minorities,other wise it does become the business of the civilized world to make sure that Srilanka does adhere to International norms.Cheers,Siva.
Why should the West be surprised by the actions of GoSL? SL has not been a functioning democracy for a while. The current GoSL, a politico-military cabal, was able to use captions such as 'democracy', 'war on terror' to hoodwink the West and prosecute its military campaign against the LTTE. The military victory and how it was achieved have created different dynamics of their own.
Firstly, the GoSL is not going to open its borders for foreigners to come in and gather evidence of war crimes or understand what its true intentions are. Secondly, the civilian leaders are in for the long haul, and the victorious military is intent on exercising its primacy over the national affairs, particularly relating to the Tamil question. Irrespective of the outcome of the power play between the civilian and military leaders, the demographic landscape of the Tamil homeland in the North and East will continue to be changed irreversibly, and the North-East will remain under a full or de-facto military rule for years to come.
The GoSL is likely to defy the West the same way as North Korea, Burma, Iran, Zimbabwe and others have been defying the West, particularly if the GoSL cabal sees the West as a threat to its continued hold on power. The expatriate Tamils' pontification and grandstanding is a 'moral hazard' - it is the Tamils in SL who are the ones bearing (and will continue to bear) the brunt of GoSL brutality. India is the only country that can exercise real leverage over the GoSL and remains the only hope of any solution for Tamils.
Sam Tambipillai,Srilankas future decide by the people of SL.Not by the UN,HRW or rich countries of West[as you called international comunity}. You believe that IC mean only the US,Canada,Europe,UK and Scandinavians.No Mr.Sam IC mean whole world that include China,Russia,India,Iran,Pakistan and also N.Korea,Sudan even SL have no connection with them.
The common poor tamils don't need Ealam.I believe Our President within next few years settle all the IDP's and become a real leader of Tamils.The tamil leaders you refer from Ponnambalam to Praba did nothing to poor tamils.They suppress their freedom,deceived and robbed their future.
LOL! How Cute... another White Liberal advocating the use of the International community because they feel we "Little Brown People" are not able to tend to our own affairs. Such Arrogance!