Lakshman Kadirgamar Memorial Lecture By Former British PM Tony Blair (2 PART VIDEO)

Lakshman Kadirgamar Memorial Lecture By Former British PM Tony Blair P1

Lakshman Kadirgamar Memorial Lecture By Former British PM Tony Blair P2

Rajapaksa's Electoral Debacle Helps Sirisena Take Over Party

Rajapaksa's Electoral Debacle Helps Sirisena Take Over Party

By P.K.Balachandran Published: 25th August 2015 06:28 PM

COLOMBO: The failure of former President Mahinda Rajapaksa to make the United Peoples’ Freedom Alliance (UPFA) win the August 17 Lankan parliamentary elections  is enabling incumbent President Maithripala Sirisena to take over the UPFA and its main constituent, the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP).

Prior to the August 17 polls, both the SLFP and the UPFA were with Rajapaksa, though Sirisena was the de jure Chairman of both outfits. But with the UPFA getting only 95 seats as against 106 secured by the United National Front for Good Governance (UNFGG) led by the United National Party (UNP), the SLFP has begun rallying round Sirisena, who, unlike Rajapaksa, is in power, occupying the post of Lankan President.

Senior leaders of the SLFP, who were earlier rooting for Rajapaksa and had fought the election to make him Prime Minister, are now with Sirisena, saying that Rajapaksa had split the party by his intransigence and not making up with Sirisena.

They also blame the smaller parties in the UPFA like the National Freedom Front (NFF), the Mahajana Eksath Peramuna (MEP) and the Democratic Left Front (DLF) for misleading Rajapaksa into believing that he could swing the elections without Sirisena’s help.

Had Rajapaksa not contested, the UPFA would have been united, and would have won, said Thilanga Sumathipala, a former Minister and media honcho. Rajapaksa loyalists had campaigned against those identified with Sirisena and brought about their defeat, Sumathipala said. The continued attacks of the pro-Rajapaksa small parties on those who had earlier worked for the unity of Sirisena and Rajapaksa, has forced UPFA General Secretary Susil Premajayantha to resign from the post, he pointed out.

According to Sumathipala, most of the senior leaders of the SLFP will rally round Sirisena and join or support the National Government proposed by Sirisena and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe.

Dilan Perera, a lawyer and former Minister, was a vocal supporter of Rajapaksa’s candidature for Premiership. But he was always for a Sirisena-Rajapaksa rapprochement for the sake of the party. Perera is now with Sirisena and blames the smaller parties for opposing cooperation with Sirisena in the formation of a “Combined Government.’

Explaining his resignation from a minister’s post ahead of the parliamentary elections, Perera said that he was not comfortable being part of a government  headed by a party which did not have an electoral mandate.

“The UNP, which was running the government, had only 48 MPs in a House of 225. The January 8 Presidential election had given Sirisena the mandate to rule. But the  UNP had pick pocketed Sirisena’s mandate!” he quipped.

Perera says that power in the National Government should be equally shared by the UPFA/SLFP and the UNFGG.

“Although the UNFGG got more seats, the UPFA/SLFP was not far behind. It was a split mandate and this should be reflected in the Council of Ministers and the distribution of portfolios,” he said.

The formation of the Council of Ministers is proving to be difficult. To date, only the Prime Minister and three other cabinet ministers have been sworn-in, all from the UNP. Senior leaders from both sides are eyeing high profile or lucrative portfolios. Though there are committees to sort out issues, the final agreement is expected to be thrashed out by a troika comprising President Sirisena, Prime Minister Wickremesinghe and former President Chandrika Kumaratunga.

Bid to verify identities of those in C4 footage causes controversy

Bid to verify identities of those in C4 footage causes controversy
Probe commenced in 2013– SLA
August 29, 2015, 8:40 am

By Shamindra Ferdinando

Army headquarters yesterday said that the Military Police were in the process of closely checking Channel 4 News video footage in a bid to establish whether those in uniform were actually Sri Lankan troops.

Military spokesman Brigadier Jayanath Jayaweera emphasised that the investigation had been launched in 2013 on a directive issued by the previous government. Brigadier Jayaweera said that it was an on-going process.

Former UPFA Southern Provincial Councillor Major (retd.) Ajith Prasanna yesterday however said that the government should never recognise the British media outfit bent on humiliating Sri Lanka at the behest of the LTTE rump. Ajith Prasanna, who had served the sixth battalion of the Sinha Regiment (6SR) said that there couldn’t be anything as demeaning as interrogating officers who commanded troops on the front. The Sinha regiment veteran blamed the new government for dragging officers and men before Military Police investigations.

Attorney-at-law Ajith Prasanna alleged that the government had placed commanding officers at different levels of those fighting formations in an extremely embarrassing situation. The retired officer accused the new government of bending backwards to appease Western powers. The government shouldn’t under any circumstances act in a manner inimical to national security interests, the attorney-at-law said. The former soldier insisted that none of the claims made by the Channel 4 News had been proved.

Responding to a query, the attorney-at-law said that the government stand on Channel 4 News had been an integral part of a major international conspiracy directed at the Sri Lankan state.

Brigadier Jayaweera stressed that the SLA was acting on a government directive issued in accordance with Sri Lanka’s overall response to international accusations pertaining to atrocities committed during the last phase of the conflict. The official said that any attempt to discredit the on-going probe as politically motivated or driven by international pressure couldn’t be accepted. The official pointed out that a Presidential missing persons commission had been in operation for several years, in addition to the previous government securing the assistance of international experts to inquire into war time accusations.

The HINDU Exclusive interview with the Sri Lankan Prime Minister RaW

The HINDU Exclusive interview with the Sri Lankan Prime Minister RaW

Sri Lankan people want good governance, transparency: Ranil

T. RAMAKRISHNAN


After a month-long exhaustive election campaign, United National Party leader and Sri Lanka’s Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe did not look tired when The Hindu met him at his official residence, Temple Trees, on Saturday morning. He was quite cheerful and relaxed. Answering questions on a range of topics, Mr Wickremesinghe is hopeful of his party getting a majority this time even though only on two occasions (1989 and 2010), a party or a pre-poll alliance of parties could get a majority. In conversation with T. Ramakrishnan.

Q: You have been contesting parliamentary elections since 1977. How significant is the present election and do you see any trend emerging now?

Ranil Wickremesinghe: This is one of the crucial elections like 1977. There is a definite trend against [former President Mahinda] Rajapaksa and the type of autocratic government they had. People are for open, good governance, transparency. They also like to see rapid economic progress.

Q: Only twice in the last 26 years did Sri Lanka see decisive verdict. Is it because of the proportional representation (PR) system ?

Wickremesinghe: We had brought in the PR system to ensure that there was no unwarranted swing of two-thirds majority. I would say that even, most elections, except in 2000 and 2004, have given a sufficient majority for the government to function.

Q: How do you view the President, in his letter to Mahinda, has referred to the possibility of the UPFA getting a majority ?

Wickremesinghe: It is only a statement that if the UPFA gets a majority, who he will consider for appointment [for the post of Prime Minister]. It is an internal document. The governing word for us is “if’ because we know it is not “when.” And the UPFA will not be able to get a majority. The UNP will get a majority.

Q: Is this election less costly for politicians?

Wickremesinghe: Yes. There were no cutouts, posters. On the other hand, the print and electronic media jacked up their targets.

Q: Less liquor this time?

Wickremesinghe: I think people have consumed liquor. But, there was no large gathering where you had to give liquor to people. That has come down to the normal level of consumption.

Q: Would you support any move to make election laws and rules more stringent.

Wickremesinghe: Yes. We are looking into it.

Q: Would you say that the entry of [Mr] Mahinda [Rajapaksa] has made the contest more exciting ?

Wickremesinghe: Well, a part of the media in the highest echelons has been backing him. They try to make out [that] Mahinda is the winner. But, except for the media hypes, we cannot say. They had thought that people were going to make up their mind in the last few weeks. But, nothing is working.

Has the Central Bank’s bond controversy created an adverse impact on the party and his government?

Wickremesinghe: No. They [the Opposition] have been attacking the UNP. I can see that. We have done everything possible. [We have done] three inquiries. [An] internal inquiry. They went to Supreme Court. I cannot be more transparent. We’ll continue with the inquiry in Parliament.

You have been talking of the need for a new Constitution. Why do you think that the present Constitution is no good?

Wickremesinghe: The existing Constitution is based on the executive Presidency. That was interpreted in a way different from the original intentions. [This means that] the Presidency must remain stronger at the expense of parliament. As we agreed to limit the powers of the President, we find that head is of one type and the body is of another. So, you once make all the amendments needed for that, you might as well streamline and bring it out as a new Constitution. It is difficult for people to read. As a lawyer, you must have a very clear document. We will reproduce many things from the present Constitution and make it in a way that people can understand and we will ensure those provisions which show that power is not focused on a single person.

You have referred to social market economy. Will it be similar to the German model?

Wickremesinghe: We have always been following that in certain areas. If you see in the last decade or so, how the market economy went [through]… The social market economy always had the emphasis on looking after the poor, the working class, middle class and you could see it in the [directive] principles of state policy. But, it is a restatement because in the last 10 years of [Mahinda] Rajapaksa’s rule and his policies, you had a system of crony capitalism. We want to distinguish ourselves from this crony capitalism.

Is it because you want to live down the UNP’s “pro rich” image?

Wickremesinghe: No. It [The country] has always been pro market economy, If you read the [directive] principles of state policy put in by us, you could see it.

Finally, what has emerged here is crony capitalism and family nepotism, which has to go. [This was] At the expense of reducing free education and free health, which all parties, whether they have socialist policies or [they are] for open market economy, always have safeguarded and developed further…. We are focusing on education and health care.

There is a perception that Sri Lanka does not have a solid manufacturing base.

Wickremesinghe: You must remember that we have a very competitive value added economy. We have no raw material. We have to get them and do value addition. We are far more competitive. But, we are catering to niche domestic market. Instead, we should be looking at niche international market.Would you be inviting foreign investors [for various proposed economic development zones]?

Wickremesinghe: Yes. We are saying that openly. We have to join global value chain

Your party once supported federalism?

Wickremesinghe: No, we did not support federalism. We had brought in 13th Amendment. We supported devolution.

In the 2002 Oslo communiqué… [referring to an agreement between the Sri Lankan government and the LTTE for exploring “a solution founded on the principle of internal self-determination in areas of historical habitation of the Tamil-speaking peoples, based on a federal structure within a united Sri Lanka".]

Wickremesinghe: The Oslo communiqué was to explore…We had to explore the proposals given [by the other side]. [In talks], we cannot say ‘no.’ We did not say we agreed [to federalism] But, we had said we would explore it during the talks.

Is the idea being opposed because of the fear of losing votes?

Wickremesinghe: We have always been for a unitary State. Ours is a small country. Devolution is the best way to take away barriers that have been constructed by the [previous] Rajapaksa regime for provincial councils to operate. We will give powers down to the level of villages.

You are referring to the system of cluster of villages…

Wickremesinghe: Unlike in your panchayat model where people are elected on party lines, this would be heads of grassroot organisations at the village and heads of religious institutions in a cluster. The politicians will come at the next stage – at the level of local authority.

Will it not lead to more tension between villages and provincial council administration?

Wickremesinghe: No. We, the government and provincial councils, are trying to get a coordinated plan which will have cluster level programmes that will be looked into and committed by “Gram Rajya” committees. We had operated this system – “Gramodaya Mandalas” - for a few years when [R.] Premadasa was Minister for Local Government. That was scrapped when provincial councils came.

On the issue of accountability, there were statements from the government earlier that by June, domestic mechanism of enquiry [on alleged war crimes] would be in place. Why the delay?

Wickremesinghe: Discussions are going on.

The delay is not deliberate?

Wickremesinghe: What we agreed finally is that let the report [of the UNHRC] be tabled and brought out to the public in September. Within the adequate time agreed by both sides, we will give our response.

What is your party’s stand on issues and grievances of upcountry Tamils have various grievances such as nomenclature change from Indian Tamils to Upcountry Tamils, a proper and comprehensive census and bringing in their areas of habitation under ‘Pradesiya Sabhas.’

Wickremesinghe: We are creating basic amenities for them. They are already under local authorities. The main issue is education. We are tackling it.

How do you propose to resolve the issue of problem of fishermen? What is your stand?

Wickremesinghe: Our stand is that it is our waters. But, if the Indian government agrees, we can give a bit of time if bottom trawling stops.

Given your emphasis on development, would you like India to play a big role in various development projects?

Wickremesinghe: Certainly. Their investors are free to come.

What about China?

Wickremesinghe: Chinese are also free to come and invest here.

Are Chinese loans being re-negotiated?

Wickremesinghe: We are renegotiating some of the loans.

Would you go for more loans from China?

Wickremesinghe: We [want to] get loans from anyone on a competitive basis and on concessional basis.

How do you plan to improve your relationship with the West which had hit a low during the presidency of Rajapaksa?

Wickremesinghe: I had been having good relations [with the West]. We are restoring [the ties with the West].

Given your deep interest in matters concerning archaeology, heritage history and heritage, are you contemplating collaborative projects?

Wickremesinghe: We will work something out. We are doing a lot of prehistory [projects involving] Tamil Nadu and Sri Lanka. I want to give more [attention] on the relationship between Kerala and Sri Lanka, especially on the southwest coast.

No international investigation! No devolution above 13th amendment! SL PM Ranil NDTV Interview

Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickramasinghe's Interview to NDTV: 

Full Transcript 

In an exclusive interview to NDTV's Sreenivasan Jain, Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickramasinghe has said Mahinda Rajapaksa had tried to play India and China against each other.

COLOMBO:  In an exclusive interview to NDTV's Sreenivasan Jain, Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickramasinghe speaks about his country's relations with India, the debt-ridden relationship with China and the way forward on the devolution of power  to the island's minority Tamils.

Here is a full transcript of the interview:

Many believe that Maithripala Sirisena's dramatic victory in the Sri Lanka elections would not have been possible were it not for the support of Ranil Wickramasinghe, one of the most seasoned politicians in Sri Lanka and who's now back as Prime Minister for the third time- sworn in almost immediately after President Sirisena took charge. Thank you very much indeed,

NDTV :Mr Wickramasinghe for joining me and is that a fair assessment, that without you Sirisena would not have won? You are the true kingmaker of this election?

Ranil Wickramasinghe: The kingmakers are the people who wanted a change. They didnt want a king, they wanted a president and the abolishment of the executive presidency. So we decided to have a common candidate. The UNP was the largest party in the opposition and certainly ran the organisations on the ground outside the northern province.
 
NDTV: But you know the change many believe came peacefully, except news came that actually there was an attempted coup by former president Rajapaksa. Now you actually came to visit him here at Temple Trees, the official residence, early  that morning, where he finally conceded. Did he concede immediately or was there some sort of planned coup?

Ranil Wickramasinghe: President Rajapaksa sent me a message, wanting me to give him a telephone call . that he had lost the elections. I replied that I will come there and discuss the

transition with him rather than do it over the phone. So when i came here, President Rajapaksa conceded defeat and we discussed the details of the transition.

NDTV: He didn't put up a fuss or anything?

Ranil Wickramasinghe: No there was no fuss when he met me, no.

NDTV: But you know the fact is that many believe that you are going to be the real power behind this throne; this is actually going to be a Ranil Wickramasinghe government, not a Sirisena government. Is that true?

Ranil Wickramasinghe: Well we have made Mr Maithripala Sirisena the President and the parties constituting the government will run that jointly.We want to bring an Amendment to the Constitution this month to abolish executive presidency. Then in June, most probably May or June, we'll hold parliamentary elections and the people can decide who should be the Prime Minister and head the government.

NDTV: Okay. You're saying that you're a transitionary government but many believe that it's a Wickramasinghe government because all the cabinet ministers are from your party.

Ranil Wickramasinghe: No the major party as I said was the UNP so therefore the major number of ministers are from the UNP. But, we did set apart a number of ministries to be offered to the members who supported President Rajapaksa in the SLFP.

NDTV: Now let's look at three big issues which India is concerned about. Number one is whether you will grant full autonomy to the Tamils or will that just remain a promise on paper?

Ranil Wickramasinghe: Well the agreement is that the 13th Amendment be implemented,  and that's the discussion we are having with the TNA. In principle all have agreed that the 13th Amendment should be implemented.

NDTV: You're okay with that?

Ranil Wickramasinghe: We are with that. We're only having discussions about the police powers and how it should function, that's all.

NDTV: But that's the key thing.

Ranil Wickramasinghe: No, police powers is a provincial subject but there are certain concerns Once we bring the independent commission in, how do we do that? To ensure that..there is big fear in the country, not only the North, that the nine ministers.. chief ministers may turn the police into their own private army. We're all concerned, even the TNA is aware of it, so we've got to have safeguards against it

NDTV: But you're not in principle against it? You're not in principle averse to granting full powers?

Ranil Wickramasinghe: The 13th Amendment will be implemented in full and then there's a question not only of an independent police commission; there's going to be independent public service commissions. So how that relates to the provinces also has to be discussed.

NDTV: The second is of course to do with the exaggerated pro China tilt by the Rajapaksa government. Will you rectify that? Because that's a matter of great concern for India.

Ranil Wickramasinghe: As far as we are concerned we will continue the tradition of a policy of friendship with India while we maintain our friendship with China, Japan and the other countries.

NDTV: But do you agree that the tilt towards China had gone a little too far during the Rajapaksa time? A lot of contracts were signed.

Ranil Wickramasinghe: I have always said that President Rajapaksa's regime tried to play China against India and India against China and they came a cropper.

NDTV: But what about the contracts? Many of these projects that Rajapaksa had signed during his time. The president was funded by the Chinese. You yourself have asked for investigations into some of them.

Ranil Wickramasinghe: We are looking into all foreign contracts and local ones and where there is corruption, we will certainly ensure we take action whether it be Chinese or any other country. We are also reviewing the port city project because we have not yet seen the feasibility study and the environment impact assessment. I asked..when i was with the opposition, I asked the government to table it in parliament. They didn't do so. Therefore we will have to look into the environmental and feasibility aspects.

NDTV: You will be looking into that? Do you believe there was corruption there?

Ranil Wickramasinghe: We're looking mostly into the two reports. Then we will know whether there has been corruption or not.
 =================================
NDTV: What about the question of prosecution of war crimes? 

Ranil Wickramasinghe: Our position has always been that whatever we do has to be within our domestic jurisdiction.

NDTV: So you're saying no international probe is going to be allowed?

Ranil Wickramasinghe: No, we're saying the jurisdiction to try any person who's committed a crime lies with Sri Lanka.

NDTV: So your stand remains the same as the previous government? A UN probe is not welcome; you will do your own internal probe?

Ranil Wickramasinghe: No, UN can give its probe. We'll engage the UN on these issues. That's the difference. We're going to engage the UN Human Rights Council on these issues. All we're saying is any criminal jurisdiction must be exercised in Sri 
Lanka. Any civil jurisdiction has to be exercised in Sri Lanka. Only the Sri Lankan courts can determine this issue. The same as India or USA. We are no different from anyone else but we will restore the independence of the judiciary.

NDTV: Okay, but you concede that these war crimes did take place?

Ranil Wickramasinghe:  Whatever the violations of human rights, we are looking into it. Anyway, the UN is going to send its own reports so there after we will decide what we're going to do. But we will have engagement and the UN report is not about going to the international criminal court. It's about whether violations took place or not

NDTV: Is Sri Lanka essentially a unitary state? A Sinhala state? Or is it a state that includes all its people? This is a concern that was there with the previous regime. There are concerns whether there's going to be any change in that position. 

Ranil Wickramasinghe: The 13th Amendment is on the basis of the present Constitution which India has accepted.  It's unitary and it's Sri Lankan. It's a country for Sinhalese, Tamils, Muslims, everyone. And that is accepted by everyone here. 

NDTV: Will former president Rajapaksa face justice for the charges that have been leveled by you during the campaign or has there been some kind of a deal that has been done?

Ranil Wickramasinghe: Yeah, we are looking into everything and if we need to take action, we will take action.

NDTV: You will? And right now what would you say is your single biggest challenge as Prime Minister?

Ranil Wickramasinghe: Our challenge now is first to get the Constitutional Amendments through.

NDTV: Right

Ranil Wickramasinghe: And to give the relief to the people and restore democracy.

NDTV: Right. Prime Minister, I wish you all the very best. It's a challenging time for Sri Lanka, but a remarkable one. Thank you.

உள்ளக விசாரணையை அரசு நிறைவேற்றும்:ஜாதிக ஹெல உறுமய!

உள்ளக விசாரணையை அரசு நிறைவேற்றும்

Submitted by P.Usha on Sat, 08/29/2015 - 10:28

இலங்­கையில் இடம்பெற்றதாகக் கூறப்படும் போர்க்­குற்றங்கள் குறித்த உண்­மை­களை கண்­ட­றிய உள்­ளக விசா­ர­ணை­களை மேற்­கொள்­வ­தாக புதிய அர­சாங்கம் வாக்­கு­று­தி­ய­ளித்­துள்­ளது. இந்த அர­சாங்கம் அதை முழு­மை­யாக நிறை­வேற்றும் என்று ஜாதிக ஹெல உறுமயவின் தலைவரும் பாரா­ளு­மன்ற உறுப்­பினருமான சம்­பிக்க ரண­வக்க தெரிவித்தார்.

தமிழ் அர­சியல் தலை­மை­களின் நம்­பிக்­கையும் அவர்கள் எதிர்­பார்க்கும் சர்­வ­தேச விசா­ர­ணை­யுமே இன்னும் நிறைவே­றாது உள்­ளது. அது நிறை­வேறக் கூடி­யதும் அல்ல எனவும் அவர் குறிப்­பிட்டார்.

போர்க்குற்றச்சாட்டுக்கள் தொடர்பில் தற்போது ஏற்பட் டுள்ள புதிய நிலைமை தொடர்பில் வின­வி­ய­போதே அவர் மேற்­கண்­ட­வாறு குறிப்­பிட்டார்.

அவர் இது தொடர்பில் மேலும் கூறு­கையில்,

நாட்டில் நல்­லி­ணக்கம் ஏற்­ப­ட­வேண்டும் என்ற போராட்டமே கடந்த காலங்­களில் முன்­னெ­டுக்­கப்­பட்­டது. அந்தப் போராட்­டத்தில் நாம் வெற்றி பெற்­றுள்ளோம். ஜனா­தி­பதி மைத்­தி­ரி­பால சிறி­சே­னவை வைத்து நாட்டில் பாரிய மாற்றம் ஒன்றை ஏற்­ப­டுத்­தி­யுள்ளோம். சிங்­கள,தமிழ்,முஸ்லிம் மக்கள் தமது ஜன­நா­யக உரி­மை­களை தடைகள் இன்றி அனு­ப­விப்­ப­தற்­கான சூழல் உரு­வா­கி­யுள்­ளது. வடக்கில் இன்று இரா­ணுவ அச்­சு­றுத்தல் என்ற குற்­றச்­சாட்டை யாரும் முன்­வை­ப­தில்லை. தமது காணி­களை விடு­விக்­கக்­கோரி யாரும் போரா­ட­வில்லை.

கடந்த ஆட்­சியில் மஹிந்த ராஜபக் ஷ மற்றும் அவ­ரது நம்­பத்­த­குந்த நபர்­களை வைத்து மேற்­கொண்ட சர்­வா­தி­கார நட­வ­டிக்­கைகள் அனைத்தும் சிறு­பான்மை மக்கள் மத்­தியில் மிகப்­பெ­ரிய தாக்­கத்தை செலுத்­தி­யது.

அந்த செயற்­பா­டுகள் சர்­வ­தேசம் வரையில் கொண்­டு­செல்­லப்­பட்டு நாட்­டுக்கு எதி­ரான மிகப்­பெ­ரிய அச்­சு­றுத்­தல்­களை தோற்­று­வித்­தன. இலங்­கையில் இடம்­பெற்ற யுத்­தத்தில் போர்க்­குற்­றங்கள் இடம்பெற்றுள்ளது என்ற குற்­றச்­சாட்டு பல ஆண்­டு­க­ளாக சர்­வ­தேச தரப்­பி­னரால் முன்­வைக்­கப்­பட்டு வரு­கின்­றது. ஆனால் அதற்­கான விசா­ர­ணைகள் உள்­ளக பொறி­மு­றை­களின் மூல­மாக
நடை­பெற வேண்டும் என்­ப­தையே நாம் தொடர்ச்­சி­யாக வலி­யு­றுத்தி வந்தோம். அந்த நிலைப்­பாட்டில் இப்­போதும் எந்த மாற்­றமும் இல்லை.

எனினும் கடந்த காலங்­களில் சர்­வ­தேசம் எமக்குக் கொடுத்த கால அவ­கா­சத்தில் நாம் உள்­ளக விசா­ரணை பொறி­மு­றை­களை சரி­யாக நடை­முறைப் படுத்­தி­னோமா என்­பதில் சிக்கல் உள்­ளது. ஆயினும் ஆட்சி மாற்­றத்தின் பின்னர் ஜனா­தி­பதி மைத்­தி­ரி­பால சிறி­சேன மற்றும் பிர­தமர் ரணில் விக்­கி­ர­ம­சிங்க ஆகி­யோரின் தலை­மையின் கீழ் நாட்டில் நல்­ல­தொரு மாற்றம் ஏற்­பட்­டுள்­ளது. இந்த மாற்­றத்தின் மூலம் தமிழ் மக்­களின் எதிர்­பார்ப்­புகள் நிறை­வேற்­றப்­பட்­டுள்­ளன. எனினும் தமிழ் அர­சியல் தலை­மை­களின் நம்­பிக்­கையும் அவர்கள் எதிர்­பார்க்கும் சர்­வ­தேச விசா­ர­ணை­யுமே இன்னும் நிறை­வே­றாது உள்­ளது. அது நிறை­வேறக் கூடி­யதும் அல்ல.

இப்­போது வெளி­வ­ர­வி­ருக்கும் சர்­வ­தேச விசா­ரணை அறிக்­கை எவ்­வா­றானதாக அமையும் என்­ப­தைப்­பற்றி எம்மால் கணிப்­பிட முடி­யாது. ஆனால் மஹிந்த ராஜபக்க்ஷ அர­சாங்­கத்தில் இருந்த கடு­மை­யான போக்­கினை இந்த அர­சாங்­கத்தின் ஆட்­சியில் சர்­வ­தேசம் கையா­ள­வில்லை.

மேலும் இலங்­கையில் நடை­பெற்ற போர்க்­குற்ற உண்­மை­களை கண்­ட­றிய உள்­ளக விசா­ர­ணை­களை மேற்­கொள்­வ­தாக இலங்­கையின் புதிய அர­சாங்கம் வாக்­கு­று­தி­ய­ளித்­துள்­ளது. இந்த அர­சாங்கம் அதை முழுமையாக நிறைவேற்றும். அதேபோல் இப்போதிருக்கும் நிலைமையில் சர்வதேசமும் எம்மீதான நம்பிக்கையை பலப்படுதியுள்ளதால் உள்ளக விசாரணைகளை சுயாதீனமாக நடத்தப்படும் என்ற நம்பிக்கை சர்வதேசத்துக்கு ஏற்பட்டுள்ளது. ஆகவே இலங்கை மீதான சர்வதேச விசாரணைக்கு இனி ஒரு அவசியம் இல்லை. அதை நாம் அனுமதிக்கப் போவதுமில்லை என்றார்.

US expected to accept SLA’s invitation

US expected to accept SLA’s invitation
August 26, 2015, 12:00 pm

By Shamindra Ferdinando

Lt. Gen. Chrishanthe De Silva addressing the media. Army Chief of Staff. Maj. Gen. Jagath Dias (center) and Military Secretary Maj. Gen. Mahesh Senanayake. Pic by Nishan S Priyantha With the warming of relations with the US consequent to the change of government in January, the Sri Lankan Army expects the US to participate at its post-war flagship project the annual two-day Defence Seminar early next month.

Army Chief Lt. Gen. Crishanthe de Silva yesterday expressed confidence that the US would accept Sri Lanka’s invitation to participate in ‘Defence Seminar 2015.’

This year’s event scheduled to take place at the Colombo Galadari Hotel on Sept 1 and 2 will deal with ‘National Security in the Context of Emerging Global Threats.’

China, India and Pakistan are among several dozen participating countries.

De Silva said that the SLA had extended an invitation to newly appointed US Ambassador in Colombo Atul Keshap recently and was confident of a positive response.

The Army Commander was responding to a query raised at a media conference held at the regimental headquarters, Sri Lanka Electrical and Mechanical Engineers.

The US placed a series of restrictions on the Sri Lankan military during the previous government though it provided crucial support during the war.

The inaugural Defence Seminar was held in June 2011, more than two years after the conclusion of the war.

Asked by The Island whether the SLA had examined the then US Defence Advisor Lt. Colonel Lawrence Smith publicly disputing at the inaugural Defence Seminar widespread war crimes accusations directed at the SL military in a bid to disapprove unsubstantiated allegations, Lt. Gen. De Silva said that they were engaged in a process meant to establish the truth. The US official was speaking on behalf of the first General Officer Commanding (GoC) of the celebrated 58 Division Maj. Gen. Shavendra Silva.

The US State Department declared that as the Defence Advisor had been there in a personal capacity, his statement shouldn’t be viewed as official US position. The State Department was reacting to an exclusive The Island report that dealt with the issue.

The US moved a resolution in the Geneva-based United Nations Human Rights in March 2014. The passage of the resolution paved the way for an external investigation into alleged atrocities committed by the previous government during the final phase of the offensive on the Vanni east front.

Army Chief of Staff Maj. Gen. Jagath Dias recalled the exemplary conduct of the military since the conclusion of the war. The GoC of the 57 Division which spearheaded the offensive on the Vanni central front said that the testimony of people of the Northern and Eastern Provinces could help improve SLA’s image to a large extent.

Responding to another query, Lt. Gen. De Silva said that he couldn’t comment on the alleged involvement of SLA personnel in the disappearance of media personality Prageeth Ekneligoda. The Army Chief emphasised that the SLA extended its fullest cooperation to the police investigating the alleged disappearance several years ago.

Former Afghan President Hamid Karzai will deliver the key note address at the ‘Defence Seminar 2015’.

The Army Chief said that the situation was continuing to improve with Sri Lanka expecting the biggest overseas participation at this year’s event.

US-Lanka to collaborate on September resolution at UNHRC

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US-Lanka to collaborate on September resolution at UNHRC

US fundamentally believes domestic process will provide a more durable outcome: Biswal Visiting US assistant secretaries hail new opportunities to work with GoSL on accountability and reconciliation

By Dharisha Bastians

Sri Lanka looked set to escape a minefield of international action on war crimes allegations with a US Government announcement yesterday that it would sponsor a resolution at the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva next month supporting the Government’s plans for a domestic investigation and reconciliation.

The announcement marks a departure from the previous US position that allegations about atrocities committed in Sri Lanka at the end of the war had to be probed internationally in the absence or failure of domestic processes.

US Assistant Secretary of State for Central and South Asian Affairs Nisha Biswal told reporters at the American Centre yesterday that the US government had decided to offer a resolution at the September session of the UNHRC.

“We have also expressed our hope that it will be a resolution of collaboration working with the Government of Sri Lanka and other key stake holders,» Assistant Secretary Biswal said, hinting at a consensus resolution that could be adopted without a vote at the Council. Washington has sponsored increasingly strident resolutions at the UNHRC for three years calling on the Sri Lankan Government to investigate allegations of major rights abuses committed during the last stages of the war. In March 2014 Washington was the main sponsor of a resolution that established a special UN investigation into the allegations.

But yesterday, in an apparently reversal of this position, the US Assistant Secretary also expressed her Government’s fundamental belief that a domestic investigation into the allegations of abuse would render a more “durable outcome.”

“We fundamentally support efforts to create a credible domestic process for accountability and reconciliation,” Biswal noted.

On Tuesday, Foreign Minister Mangala Samaraweera said he had briefed the visiting US officials about the framework of the domestic mechanism to address accountability issues outstanding since the end of the war.

The UN report is due out during the UNHRC September session, but Biswal said the US had yet to see the document. The Sri Lanka resolution in September would also reflect the findings and recommendations of that report by the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), she said.

Biswal said her Government recognized the different landscape and opportunity to advance reconciliation and accountability in the island.

Biswal and her delegation, including Assistant Secretary of State for Democracy, Human Rights and Labour, Tom Malinowski, were the first foreign dignitaries to arrive in Sri Lanka for high level talks since the 17 August parliamentary election. Both US diplomats heaped praise on the new Government’s efforts to foster reconciliation in a marked departure from strong diplomatic language used to criticise Sri Lanka’s lack of progress on accountability post-war in previous visits by US officials.

Relations between Colombo and Washington grew increasingly strained during the tenure of President Rajapaksa, who consistently resisted international pressure to probe war crimes allegations and seek reconciliation with the Tamil community.

Both top US diplomats expressed confidence in the new Government’s approach to engage with the international community on issues of human rights and reconciliation.

“There is an opportunity now that did not exist in the past, to work on this collaboratively,” Assistant Secretary Malinowski said, hinting at improved diplomatic engagement with Sri Lanka’s new administration.

Malinowski said the new Government’s approach to difficult human rights concern has been to defend the country’s interests without being defensive.

“The Government has reached out, it has listened, it has engaged in dialogue with everybody. It has acknowledged the need of truth-telling and accountability. In doing that it has won a tremendous amount of trust and confidence,” Malinowski told reporters.

Malinowski said trust in the new Government was encouraging the international community to give Sri Lanka the time and space it requires to deal with “difficult issues” of its painful past.

The Assistant Secretary for Human Rights cautioned however that the Sri Lankan Government would be judged based on actions and not promises.

Both officials who also met with representatives of the Tamil National Alliance last morning acknowledged that the Government would have to build trust and confidence in the domestic process to investigate the alleged violations in war time, since domestic mechanisms had consistently failed or failed to take off.

“The failures of the past are very much on our minds,” Malinowski said, “which is why there is an emphasis on trust-building.”

He said the US and the International Community would not walk away from the Sri Lankan issue in September, whatever the thrust of the new resolution.

“International attention will continue,” Malinowski said.

Assistant Secretaries Biswal and Malinowski held talks with President Maithripala Sirisena, newly-elected Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and leaders of the Tamil National Alliance, the main Tamil party during the visit.

Source: IL LK

ஐ.நா அமர்வில் இலங்கைக்கு சார்பாக அமெரிக்கா!

ஐ.நா அமர்வில் இலங்கைக்கு சார்பாக அமெரிக்கா!

August 26, 2015செய்திகள்036
ஐ.நா அமர்வில் இலங்கைக்கு சார்பாக அமெரிக்கா!

அடுத்த மாதம் ஐக்கிய நாடுகள் சபையின் மனித உரிமைகள் ஆணைக்குழு அமர்வில் இலங்கை சார்பான பிரேரணை ஒன்றை ஆதரிக்கவுள்ளதாக அமெரிக்கா தெரிவித்துள்ளது.

போர்க் குற்றங்கள் குறித்து இலங்கையின் உள்ளக விசாரணைப் பொறிமுறைகளுக்கு ஆதரவளிக்கும் வகையிலேயே இந்த நடவடிக்கையை மேற்கொள்ளவுள்ளதாக வௌிநாட்டு ஊடகம் ஒன்று செய்தி வௌியிட்டுள்ளது.

மனித உரிமைகள் ஆணைக்குழு அமர்வில் இலங்கை குறித்து பிரேரணைகளை கொண்டு வந்த நாடுகளில் அமெரிக்கா முன்னிலை வகித்ததோடு, இறுதியாக சமர்ப்பிக்கப்பட்ட பிரேரணையில் சர்வதேச விசாரணை அவசியம் என வலியுறுத்தப்பட்டிருந்தது.

எனினும் ஜனாதிபதி மைத்திரிபால சிறிசேன தேசிய விசாரணை குறித்து வழங்கிய வாக்குறுதிக்கு அமைய அமெரிக்கா இதற்கு ஒத்துழைப்பு வழங்க தீர்மானித்துள்ளதாக, தற்போது இலங்கைக்கு விஜயம் செய்துள்ள அமெரிக்காவின் தெற்கு மற்றும் மத்திய ஆசிய விவகாரங்களுக்கான உதவி இராஜாங்க செயலாளர் நிஸா பிஸ்வால் குறிப்பிட்டுள்ளார்.

இதுஎவ்வாறு இருப்பினும் குறித்த பிரேரணையில் உள்ளடக்கப்பட்டுள்ள விடயங்கள் குறித்து குறிப்பிடாத அவர், இந்தப் பிரேரணை அடுத்த மாதம் மனித உரிமைகள் ஆணைக்குழுவில் சமர்ப்பிக்க திட்டமிடப்பட்டுள்ள பிரேரணையை பின்பற்றியதாக இருக்கும் எனவும் கூறினார்.

US hails Sri Lanka

Biswal calls on President, PM

US hails Sri Lanka

* Mangala briefs US delegation on domestic accountability mechanism
* US proud of Sri Lanka’s commitment to democracy: Biswal
* Commends ‘tremendous progress’ towards good governance and reconciliation
* US diplomat for democracy and human rights says Lankans voted for change, twice this year
* Sri Lanka voted against impunity, against politics of division: Malinowski​

 By Dharisha Bastians

A top US diplomat hailed Sri Lanka’s “tremendous progress” towards good governance, reconciliation and democracy during a two-day visit to Colombo, weeks ahead of the release of a UN report on allegations of war crimes committed during the final stages of the war.

US Assistant Secretary of State for Central and South Asian Affairs, Nisha Biswal, told reporters, at the conclusion of discussions with Foreign Minister Mangala Samaraweera at his ministry yesterday, that her delegation was in Sri Lanka to reaffirm her Government’s strong support for the Sri Lankan people for their commitment towards the institutions of good governance, peace and prosperity.

“We are incredibly proud of the journey that is being undertaken here. The story that is unfolding in this great country is one that stands as a testament to the rest of the world,” Biswal emphasised during her remarks to the media at the Foreign Ministry.

Samaraweera told reporters that he had briefed the US delegation on measures taken to address concerns about alleged human rights violations, including independent domestic mechanisms to probe allegations about the final stage of the war.

The US has led moves at the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva to push Sri Lanka to probe allegations of extrajudicial killings and civilian casualties during the final battle against the LTTE and reconciliation, including a political solution to the ethnic question.

Biswal said that since her last visit to Colombo in May with US Secretary of State John Kerry, the US Government had seen not only commitment towards democracy but also “just a tremendous momentum of progress towards institutions of good governance, combating corruption and promoting reconciliation.”

The US Assistant Secretary of State also said they had informed President Maithripala Sirisena about US plans to support resettlement and education in Sampur, with a commitment of $ 1 million in resources. “We look forward to working with President Sirisena, the Prime Minister and with the new Government to ensure that the country is able to realise its enormous potential,” she said.

Assistant Secretary of State for Democracy, Human Rights and Labor, Tom Malinowski, who is also part of Assistant Secretary Biswal’s delegation, hailed Sri Lankan voters in all parts of the country for voting for change twice this year.

“What was most important to us was the message that the people of Sri Lanka have sent, twice now this year. The people in the north, south, east and west have told us they support change. Twice now they have voted north south east and west, for the rule of law, against impunity, for reconciliation, for building this country, development of this country and against the politics of ethnic and religious division, against extremism on both sides,” Malinowski said in his remarks to the media following discussions with Minister Samaraweera.

Malinowski said the US recognised that some of the decisions the Government would have to make to fulfill its promises would be difficult ones. “We know that this process is going to be slow and difficult. Nobody expects miracles,” the US diplomat said.

“But the US will stand by its side, so long as the Government of Sri Lanka continues to make courageous decisions,” he added.

The new US Ambassador to Sri Lanka and the Maldives, Atul Keshap, was also present during the discussions with Minister Samaraweera yesterday.

Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs Nisha Biswal, accompanied by the Assistant Secretary of State for Democracy, Human Rights and Labor Tom Malinowski met with President Maithripala Sirisena at the Presidential Secretariat on Tuesday.

Earlier in the day the two high ranking US officials met with Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and Foreign Affairs Minister Mangala Samaraweera to discuss issues relating to the national reconciliation, combating corruption and good governance.

During her meeting with the President, Biswal appreciated his initiatives towards democracy, peace and reconciliation in Sri Lanka.

 “The Government’s initiatives towards democracy, peace and reconciliation are highly satisfactory to the international community,” she said. President Sirisena has stated to the Assistant Secretary that his Government desired to maintain a cordial and fruitful relationship with the US, while strengthening the longstanding friendship between the two countries. Biswal extended best wishes on behalf of the US Government and the Secretary of State, John Kerry, to President Sirisena for conducting the recently concluded Parliamentary Elections in a free and fair manner.

- See more at: http://www.ft.lk/article/462565/US-hails-Sri-Lanka#sthash.Jwedbb7L.dpuf