What should the Commonwealth be doing on Sri Lanka?
Posted by ZoeWare - 23/07/09 at 04:07 pmThe debate about what the Commonwealth should be doing on Sri Lanka is a very hot one. What do you think about it?
We’ll kick it off here with a controversy corner from the RCS magazine about
Should Sri Lanka should be suspended from the Commonwealth?
What do you think about the Commonwealth’s role in Sri Lanka? This is your chance to have your say…
Category : Human Rights, Peace & Conflict
Tags: Conflict, good governance, Human Rights, Peace, Sri Lanka
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July 24th, 2009 at 10:19 am
Is it about suspension, or about doing something? Is it now the time that the offical bodies such as UN or CW go forward and actually do something about imposing their will?
Is it right for the UN/CW to impose their rules, and if Sri Lanka do not adhere, what then? do we force them? and if yes do we do the same on all rules imposed by UN/CW?
when will the UN start rolling down pennsylvania avenue to ask the same responsibilitues of the US on it’s rulings?
July 24th, 2009 at 2:25 pm
The Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group and the Conference should take up Sri Lanka on their agenda if they don’t have any indifference or ignorance found in the ‘SURVEY’.
Rt Hon Miliband thinks it is only about a 26-yr terrorist activity. There must have been many others who also could have been indifferent or ignorant about Sri Lanka and that is how it could have been left to grow into the present deadly situation of being one of the most intractable intrastate conflicts.
July 24th, 2009 at 3:06 pm
Ethnic Conflict in Sri Lanka: Seeking a Transformative Way Out by Ashok K Behuria, Strategic Analysis, Vol. 30, No. 1, Jan-Mar 2006: ??…The long drawn out ethno-political conflict in Sri Lanka has been accepted as a serious challenge for scholars, activists, peace-makers and the expanding international community of professionals engaged in conflict-resolution/ management/ transformation …. It is time now, therefore, for scholars and analysts to isolate the issues that contribute to the conflict, to dwell upon the socio-economic and political context that precipitates lasting ethno-political division and to seek a transformative way out of the crisis.??
Over the last three years the conflict has been made much more intractable. It is getting worse by the minute. The Commonwealth must send a monitoring mission as Sri Lanka has been refusing UN monitoring:
Philip Alston, Special Rapporteur on Extrajudicial Executions, UNHRC Seventh session, 3 June 2008 : ””In 2005 I sounded the alarm. I said that Sri Lanka was on the verge of a major crisis and I indicated to the General Assembly how to avoid the crisis. But nothing was done. The Sri Lankan government did not try and discuss the recommendations with me and it has not made any serious effort to resolve human rights problems. It only acted in Geneva to avoid the Council taking any measures against it”.
Immediate monitoring team must be sent there as i. evidence of crimes are being destroyed and ii. more and more crimes are being committed and we are nearing a point of NO RETURN.
July 25th, 2009 at 3:49 am
Dear Commonwealth countries
Please lend your eyes, ears, heads and hearts to this situation:
Sri Lanka: Briefing Paper – Emergency Laws and International Standards, International Commission of Jurists, March 2009:
”Sri Lanka has been in an almost constant state of emergency since 1971. Too often, Governments have responded to various crises by enacting a series of overlapping, vague and overbroad emergency laws that fail to meet basic human rights and criminal justice safeguards, and in some cases grant security forces immunity from prosecution. A wide variety of human rights organizations, including UN bodies, international non-governmental organisations and national groups, have criticized these laws for violating fundamental rights, enabling state repression of legitimate political activity, and exacerbating conflicts.”
July 25th, 2009 at 3:59 am
How many Commonwealth countries are worried about this:
Ending Deadly Conflict: Dream or Delusion? Gareth Evans, Melbourne, 22 August 2007 : ”We are doing better at diplomatic peacemaking, with successes from Cambodia to the Balkans to Northern Ireland to West Africa to Nepal and Aceh well outnumbering in recent years what remain so far the failures, eg. in Sri Lanka and Darfur.”
What is Commonwealth doing about this:
Sri Lanka?s Judiciary: Politicised Courts, Compromised Rights, International Crisis Group, 30 June 2009:
Sri Lanka?s judiciary is failing to protect constitutional and human rights. Rather than assuaging conflict, the courts have corroded the rule of law and worsened ethnic tensions. Rather than constraining militarisation and protecting minority rights, a politicised bench under the just-retired chief justice has entrenched favoured allies, punished foes and blocked compromises with the Tamil minority. Its intermittent interventions on important political questions have limited settlement options for the ethnic conflict.
July 29th, 2009 at 10:14 am
What should the Commonwealth be doing on Sri Lanka? Nothing like UN and International Community, just sit back and watch what these more than 200,000 are refugees are doing in a concentration camp.
May be just doing a media speech concerning plight of those refugee camp like UN , that?s all.
No one cares about innocent people and everything is do with politics in my opinion.
July 29th, 2009 at 12:50 pm
Frankly, Sri Lanka is precisely the sort of issue that the Commonwealth is not, and never has been, equipped to deal with.
In the days of Empire the response would have been simple; crush the Sri Lankan government in a military escalade, dot British residences across the Island and train a British police force and judiciary to maintain order.
This is no longer possible, or even morally viable. In order for the Commonwealth to justify its existing international values it must absolutely refrain from offensive military intervention.
By the same coin, attempts at forcing a result indirectly will not serve. No government in a position of absolute power will ever surrender that power, and will become more entrenched under external pressure. Economic sanctions have proved ineffective against Korea, and in Palestine have actually prevented a settlement from taking place. For years.
So in order for the Commonwealth to help Sri Lanka, Sri Lanka must want to be helped. The Commonwealth must sent a multinational peace mission from Commonwealth states with absolutely no stake in either side – in short states without large pro-tamil or pro-government groups established. Said peace mission must consist of diplomats and civilian police – these last must be drawn from local commonwealth states such as India, Pakistan etc. and should act under joint control of a Sri Lankan administration and the Diplomatic mission.
Further to this, I would propose that an International Commonwealth civilian police force should be made a permanent establishment as a means of training police across the world. It is only by the maintainence of civil order that political settlements actually occur. People tire of conflict very quickly. Given a taste of order things would change in Sri Lanka.
But we cannot force them to open up. That would be the basest hypocrisy for a Commonwealth which claims to have moved on from the days of Empire. If the shout goes up that Sri Lanka is to be overthrown by a Commonwealth military attack, I will be the first in line at the British Army recruitment office… but whether I should or not is another matter.
Sri Lanka has to want peace. How can the Commonwealth change their minds? Thoughts?
July 29th, 2009 at 1:13 pm
Karu, I think people care, a number have gone through similar experiences. so they appreciate the situation and want to do something. Its unfortunate that the statements and declarations have not done much.
I guess its time for action, what do you suggest the commonwealth does? Is there anything that you feel the commonwealth should and can do that it is not doing? Your suggestions are welcome.
July 30th, 2009 at 3:48 am
The Commonewealth should champion for a referendum in Sri Lanka. A referendum to know the choice of the people and implement the same with the support of an international police and peace keeping force. If Sri Lankan government fails to cooperate, economic sanctions should be imposed.
July 30th, 2009 at 9:36 am
No economic sanctions. Firstly, sanctions from the Commonwealth would be meaningless when the USA and China, the two economic/industrial power blocs, are not bound by any Commonwealth agreement.
Secondly, as has been proved by the Palestinian situation, economic sanctions would actually reduce Sri Lanka’s ability to maintain order. Order is crucial for political change.
If you want to see a Commonwealth that can ‘force peace’, then I for one will support it. But it will be no better than the British Empire, and it will be no better than the American pirates in Iraq and Afghanistan.
July 30th, 2009 at 11:21 am
Most of the commonwealth members(countries are human rights abusers and they voted for Sri Lanka for their self-congrtulating resolution in May. In other words they congratulated Sri Lanka for the killing of 53,000 in Mullivaikal in May 2009 alone. Sri Lanka made a propaganda of Tigers are keeping civilians as Human Shield. How can a few hundreds of LTTE carders can keep 300,000 civilians in gun point whilst they defend Sri Lankan army?
34 journalists have been killed by(under) the current government. Thousands of people have been abducted, murdered and disappeared by the government(White van abduction which is run by government).
Fonseka?s statement puts Foreign Minister in difficulty-18/07/09 Lankanews.com
“that the military had to overlook the traditional rules of war and even kill LTTE rebels who came to surrender carrying white flags during the war against the LTTE”.Many foreign ministers and diplomats who attended the NAM summit had inquired after the statements made by Fonseka from Bogollagama on the sidelines of the summit. They have further said that killing those who try to surrender in a war amounts to a war crime.-This is a clear statement by the Army Chief proofs that Sri Lanka committed a warcrime.
“The time has come for the whole Sinhala race which has existed for
2,500 years, jealously safeguarding their language and religion, to
fight without giving any quarter to save their birthright. I will lead
the campaign.”
Former Sri Lankan President J R Jayawardene
“I strongly believe that this country belongs to the Sinhalese?
General Sarath Fonseka, Commander of the Sri Lanka Army.The Commonwealth and the civilised
world that has so far failed miserably to save thousands of innocent lives, although it
has the power to act.
The world has clear evidences to proof Sri Lanka’s warcrimes and that Sri Lanka is committing genocide of Tamils.
Sri Lankan authorities have recently claimed that thirty years of civil war was over and Sri Lanka had defeated Terrorism in this
island. In reality, the so called “War on Terror” is over, deceptive Humanitarian and rescue operations are over but “War on the
Innocent Minority Tamils” that started almost two thousands years ago is still continuing and it has now taken a new dangerous turn.
Many of us studied in our history lessons about concentration camps and extermination camps that were operating in Europe during world war two. We were shocked, when we heard about how innocent Jewish people were killed by the Nazis in gas chambers. World leaders very often visit the Auschwitz extermination
camps in Poland and make statements like “We will not allow something like this to happen in the future” or ?Never again.
300,000 Tamils are persecuted inside controversial Nazi style Barbed wired
Concentration camps. They are left to die without medicind, food and freedom of movement.
The people in these camps once lived in their own homes.Farmers, fishermen, priests, doctors, nurses, engineers, lawyers,principals, teachers, civil officers and people from all walks life, who once lived happily, are now let to suffer in the torture chambers of Sri Lanka.
Many of these people owned farms and lands, they had savings, they still have many relatives living in other parts of the country
and overseas, who are willing and able to help. Sri Lankan authorities are not allowing anybody to rescue these people from these torture camps, instead they are coming up with all kind of excuses to stop any help reaching to the needy, so that they can
continue with their hidden agendas.
Sky news and Channel 4 news has recently reported that they saw dead bodies of the
Tamils lying outside the Tents. On average ten to fifteen people are dying of preventable diseases and untreated wounds. Hospital mortuaries are unable to cope
with the rising number of deaths.
Clearly, strong vested interests have developed through the brutal civil war, involving the military, bureaucracy, Buddhist clergy and the business elite, who will not easily vacate their vantage positions on the mere plea that war has ended.
Sri Lankan presiden Rajapaksa has a blueprint for the final resolution of the Tamil problem. It involves the systematic colonisation by the Sinhalese of the Tamil homelands north of Elephant Pass so that over the next decade or so, the demography of those regions will be altered to the disadvantage of Tamils. Sri Lanka already started to settle thousands of Sinhala families in Tamil areas in Tamils’ land and their houses whilst keep the house and land owers(tamils) in camps.This was how Colombo ?solved? the Tamil problem in the eastern provinces of Trincomalee, Batticaloa and Ampara.
“Keeping several hundred thousand civilians who had been caught in the middle of a war penned in these camps is outrageous. Haven?t they been through enough? They deserve their freedom, like all other Sri Lankans. Inside the camps, humanitarian workers are prohibited, on threat of being barred from the camps, from discussing with residents the fighting in the final months of the conflict or possible human rights abuses. ?Vague promises about the future release of the people illegally locked up in detention camps are no justification for keeping them there.
?Every day in the camp is another day that the government is violating their rights.?
-Brad Adams, Human Right Watch.
Sri Lanka has been committing huge crime against humanity. The crimes this country committing is much much more than any other country in the world. Sri Lanka should be expelled from Commonwealth and economic sanction should be imposed.
July 31st, 2009 at 12:28 pm
To reiterate: Commonwealth economic sanctions, or indeed any economic sanctions, would be totally ineffective.
Similarly, expelling Sri Lanka from the Commonwealth would only drive the country into an insular obscurity. The USA and China have proved that they will continue to supply ‘rogue states’ regardless of political affiliation. The situation would deteriorate, and without Commonwealth membership, yet another avenue to distribute wealth would be lost.
The Commonwealth cannot continue to live in this ineffective halfway house. It must make a choice, and two options present themselves:
#1: The Commonwealth must withdraw totally from the subject of conflict resolution, leaving such issues to the United Nations and the superpowers. I believe this is not optimal.
#2: The Commonwealth must, rather than suspending or expelling Sri Lanka, deploy a multi-national peace-keeping force on the island and force the Sri Lankan government to meet its obligations of good governance and non-discrimination. This would be the lesser of two evils as it would break the existing cycle, but in truth would destroy all credibility the Commonwealth has as a FREE association of INDEPENDENT states.
If the Commonwealth wants to remain peaceful, then it must stand by and let Sri Lanka burn. This does not preclude individual or unilateral action from Member states, but will not serve to change Commonwealth policy.
The Commonwealth can, however, change. But it must think very carefully before it takes up the mantle of the world’s moral policeman. Because that is what effective action against Sri Lanka would mean.
The men and women who draw the line in Sri Lanka will most certainly be heroes. But the precedent they would set… that’s not so good.
July 31st, 2009 at 12:52 pm
Should Sri Lanka should be suspended from the Commonwealth?
No! It is the time to do somethink in Srilanka. There is no point in Suspending Srilanka from the Commonwealth. CMAG should come up with strategies to Bring Values for human Rights in Srilanka specially of Minority Tamils and Resettle the 300,000 Tamils in NAZI STYLE Concentration Camps.
Rt Hon Miliband thinks it is only about a 26-yr terrorist activity. I strongly oppose this comment. The Tamils were in streets past 6 months and told the International Community what is the real root course of this countries conflict. According to Tamils view they feel that International Community has a defenition for Terrorism that is: Saving your own people from an Enemy is called Terrorism. This is What LTTE did and is that Terrorism ?
Srilankan Government says “The terrorism has been defeated and their is no LTTE terrorists in Srilanka”, if so then why six months to settle down the 300, 000 IDP ?
August 3rd, 2009 at 11:27 am
The million dollar question is why Sri Lankan government is not allowing any human right organisations inside the camp and affected areas
August 3rd, 2009 at 1:44 pm
24 years ago:
Ethnic Violence, Development and Human Rights, Netherlands Institute of Human Rights, Consultation – Utrecht, 1-3 February 1985:
”Although there are many longstanding ethnic conflicts, and special focus on the relation between ethnic conflict and human rights has been long over due, these two consultations were prompted by the continuously aggravating ethnic conflict in Sri Lanka. …….
2. that there is an immediate need for thc creation of an independent group which would have the function of making clear and making widely known the present serious condition of the Tamil people and their genuine demands. It is important that such a group should maintain its independence from the Tamil groups who are presently shouldering this burden and attempting to fulfil this function alone.”
Can Commonwealth do something NOW?
August 3rd, 2009 at 2:01 pm
Something? Something?
This topic is pointless unless there is some discussion. Simply reiterating the same points over and over again will produce no effect.
If there are suggestions aside from ‘do something’ then this issue loses its meaning. I maintain that economic sanctions will serve no purpose – similarly, any forcible action will radically alter the current mandate of the Commonwealth. The plight of the Sri Lankan people is serious, but beware, my friends, of the precedent that intervention will set.
August 4th, 2009 at 5:50 am
Thanks Bha…you have raised really some good points in regards to what’s currently happening in Srilanka. I agree with you that what currently happening in Srilanka is a human disaster. keeping thousands of tamil people in a camp, isolating them from the whole world and not even allowing the media and press reporters to visit the camp site is a gross violation of the foundamental rights of the minority tamil people. My opinions are: 1) Cth must formulate policies to stop the ongoing human rights abuse against the minority tamil 2) must pressure srilankan govt. to allow the reporters/journalist from the press and media (local and international) to observe and monitor the human rights situation and the living conditions of tamil people in the camps 3)Cth should hold a dialogue with its all member countries in terms of forming a Cth police force to secure peace and stablity in any of the Cth countries if they are engaged in a internal conflict, 4) must pressure the Srilankan govt. to improve its human rights in a given period of time otherwise suspending it from the Cth,5)providing proper support to the Srilankan Govt. and other non-governmental organisations in order to restore the peace unity and mutual respect between majority Sinholis and minority tamil.
August 4th, 2009 at 8:34 am
Mong, anyone can do that, doesn’t have to be the Commonwealth. However, for the any organization or nation to have a serious say, they must be in a position where the Srilanka government will sit down, listen and implement.
Am not sure the commonwealth has that ability yet, and it is a shame if they do and its not being used.
Sanctions are not a solution. we have seen countries that opt out on their own at the threat of a suspension. That shows how irrelevant the sanctions are or the body giving the sanctions.
The commonwealth needs to place itself in a position of relevance in all possible ways such that when similar events occur or are about to, the threat of sanctions or suspensions will hold back warring parties. It is at that point that the Commonwealth can implement your suggestions Mong.
August 4th, 2009 at 10:16 am
At this point they can facilitate the elders (The Elders are an independent group of eminent global leaders, brought together by Nelson Mandela, who offer their collective influence and experience to support peace building, help address major causes of human suffering and promote the shared interests of humanity.) to get in there and do something about the situation.
August 4th, 2009 at 1:02 pm
300,000 people detained in the camps in the North guarded by the Army and surrounded by barbed wire are not the only problem:
Forcible resettlements in East, Groundviews, Ruki, 1 August 2009:
”Government has started to dump displaced people in the East into remote jungle areas infested with wild elephants, against the wishes of the concerned people.”
51 yrs ago:
Emergency ?58 ? The Story of the Ceylon Race Riots(1958), Tarzi Vittachi:
”The Fifth Horseman of the Apocalypse rode into Ceylon in May 1958.What are we left with (in 1958)? A nation in ruins, some grim lessons which we cannot afford to forget and a momentous question: Have the Sinhalese and Tamils reached the parting of ways?”
The people behind the barbed wire are people who have been running around the North nad East of the country to escape aerial bombing and intense shelling of the last thirty years.
This is an extremely vicious conflict and is a challenge to the best of conflict resolution experts in the world.
August 5th, 2009 at 12:01 pm
Unfortunately, as justice4peace has ably demonstrated, the only stable administration historically in Sri Lanka was the British Colonial one!
Murangira’s points are quite correct. The Commonwealth needs to bring the Sri Lankan government to the table and attempt to bring a settlement diplomatically. ‘Hard Power’ will be ineffective and the Sri Lankan government will never cease their action against a Tamil Minority while they have the upper hand.
The point is, do Sri Lankans outside the fighting desire a settlement? If so, then that is something to build on. If not, then the Commonwealth must consider physical intervention proper, or abandon the Tamils to their fate.
And neither of those are good options.
August 5th, 2009 at 12:46 pm
Address by Bishop Duleep de Chickera at the Diocesan Council, Colombo, 19 October 2007:
Several connected trends have heightened our National Crisis. At least eight of these need immediate arrest and transformation if we are to raise our heads as a democratic and just people: The sustained alienation and humiliation especially of the Tamils, the largest minority Sri Lankan community, … To our utter shame and despite the rhetoric to the contrary, the Sri Lankan Nation has collectively signalled that the well being of the majority towers above the rights, dignity and safety of the Tamils. …. No one so far has been brought to book for hundreds of continuing assassinations and abductions of civilians, relief workers and even Clergy. One way or the other the State is responsible for these happenings. The judicial system, adequately equipped with competent persons, is unable to deliver justice to the afflicted. This has led to a state of unprecedented impunity and breakdown in law and order and crime; and the people are crushed by the vindictiveness and greed of the violent. The brazen violation of the 17th Amendment to the Constitution has re-politicised the organs of democratic governance. Nothing else seems to work, other than the moral integrity of the people and what is left of the conscience of the country’s political leadership…..??
August 5th, 2009 at 12:54 pm
Jaffna peninsula has been cut off from the mainland from August 2006:
Bishop Duleep de Chickera at the Diocesan Council, Colombo, 12 October 2006:
”I am deeply saddened and conscious that our brothers and sisters of Jaffna are unable to be with us due to travel constraints. The people of Jaffna have been experiencing tremendous hardship and danger over the past few months. Shelling, fighting, killings, abductions and disappearances take place daily. Regular curfews restrict movements and the closure of the A9 has cut us off from each other. The shortage of essentials is worsening and worrying. There is no regular supply of electricity. Schools function sporadically and uncertainty and fear prevails among all civilians.”
August 5th, 2009 at 1:00 pm
Bishop Duleep de Chickera at the Diocesan Council, Colombo, 25th October 2008:
”The participation of some of our Clergy and Lay Representatives is uncertain due to the prevailing war in the Vanni….. The tragedy of our Nation is the rapid deterioration of universal human values. People?s rights and needs are being systematically disregarded. This trend is compounded with the absence of a constructive opposition and civil society intervention. The triumph of corruption, intimidation, divisiveness, violence and lawlessness is dangerously gaining social endorsement. Correspondingly, the drive for good governance, social integration and law and order has ceased to motivate the people. Many are either too frightened or pessimistic to attempt change. The deterioration of law and order continues to be worrying. Brazen and violent acts of crime occur frequently. Media personnel in particular have been subject to assassinations harassment and intimidation. After arrest and a long period of detention without charges, the Sunday Times Columnist Tissanayagam?s case continues to drag. Lawyers who intervene in human rights cases are subject to acts of violence and threats. . The net result is that the natural course of justice is seriously impeded and the people increasingly lose confidence in the law enforcement authorities.
The Tamil community continues to undergo severe hardship in all parts of the Country. ……… ”
August 7th, 2009 at 9:06 am
Tamils are in this plight
i. 24 years after -
Ethnic Violence, Development and Human Rights, Netherlands Institute of Human Rights Consultation – Utrecht, 1-3 February 1985:
”It has to be investigated how the United Nations could play a more preventive role, e.g. by giving ethnic minorities more recognized formal standing in United Nations organs and proceedings, by creating better opportunities for minorities to call on the United Nations, or by giving the United Nations an arbitration role in emerging conflicts……
The Forum resulted ultimately in the establishment of a foundation called SIFFC (Standing international Forum on Ethnic Conflict, Development and Human Rights) with legal personality in Utrecht, the Netherlands, and a secretariat in London. An Emergency Committee on Sri Lanka, very much in line with the recommendations of the working group on Sri Lanka of the Second Consultation, was established as a first priority.”
ii. 28years after -
Ethnic Conflict and Violence in Sri Lanka – Report of International Commission of Jurists 1981:
”The fate of the Tamils in Sri Lanka remains a matter of international concern”.
Now elections are being held in districts barred to the media and hundreds of thousands of voters are in camps located in other districts. Is this the quality of democracy of the Commonwealth which keeps mum on Sri Lanka?
August 7th, 2009 at 11:56 am
See now, this is the issue. The Commonwealth can’t intervene without compromising its core values – namely those of National Sovereignty.
It is worth stating that as a sovereign nation Sri Lanka is well within its rights to deny secessionist rebels self-governence, much as Uighurs in Kazakhstan, Russia and China have been forbidden their own self-governing state.
But here, the Commonwealth must make a choice – has the Sri Lankan attempt to crush the Tamil Tigers become something more sinister? It certainly looks like it. More importantly, can the Commonwealth persuade the Sri Lankans to talk?
This seems unlikely. The Commonwealth may have to take concrete physical action if there is a unanimous vote at the 2009 CHOGM. Anything less, though…
Commonwealth citizens should lobby their own governments to take unilateral or multilateral action. The Commonwealth is a pacifist organisation, but member states are free to do whatever.
August 9th, 2009 at 1:25 pm
In recent months, in violation of all international norms and conventions the Sri Lankan Army conducted a genocide, slaughtering at least 20,000 innocent Tamil civilians. The Army demarcated safe-zones and then targeted them. Hospitals were targeted, often within hours of GPS coordinates being relayed to the Sri Lankan Army. Aid was not allowed in and medicine and food was critically short. Chemical weapons were used and heavy weapons were used against densely populated civilian areas. The media was not allowed to cover events from inside the war-zone and the war was prosecuted despite repeated calls for a ceasefire by the International Community and the opposing Tamil Tigers.
Now there are over 300,000 Tamil civilians held in squalid internment camps. Disease, deprivation, rape, abduction and murder are common. They live with the Tropical Sun beating down on them and with 15 people in a 5-person tent. Many families are split-up and people are forced to live with complete strangers. In Manik Farm, about 70 people are sharing 1 toilet, with people spending their days in queues, in the scorching Sun, for the toilet, food, water and other essentials.
The Government of Sri Lanka has shown a complete lack of desire to address the Tamil issues, instead of engaging with the Tamil community it has created proxies, such as Douglas Devananda, claiming to represent Tamils. However, even in an election where severe malpractice was alleged, including false identity cards, police bias to the governing alliance and intimidation, amongst others, where independent media was barred and only 20% of the voters turned up for the Jaffna Municipal Council elections and around 50% in the Vavuniyaa Urban Council election, the governing alliance managed only a remarkably close victory in Jaffna (winning 11 seats and 2 bonuses) to the Ilankai Tamil Arasu Kadchi’s (ITAK) (part of the Tamil National Alliance (TNA)) 8. The ITAK won Vavuniyaa Urban Council, with the ruling alliance third.
International leaders visit the Nazi death camps, they cry over Rwanda and they say “never again” and yet still they do nothing when it is happening here and now. A strong step in the right direction, if only to stand up to the Government of Sri Lanka and let them know that they are not free to commit genocide, would be to suspend them from the commonwealth and impose sanctions.
August 20th, 2009 at 7:43 am
Last weekend rains flooded the camps (guarded by barbed wire and army) tents, water-purifying system and sewage system were damaged and people didn’t have dry land to stand on and hygiene was unspeakable. The Sunday Leader reported ”IDPs swimming in excreta”.
The government blamed the UN and the UN blamed the government.
That is the fate of the Tamils in Sri Lanka.
Sri Lankan government has been oppressive. The UN has been feeble.
We need REAL Leaders everywhere for justice and peace for ALL.
September 4th, 2009 at 2:27 pm
Suspension is pointless. The Commonwealth has no meaningful power to suspend, approve, reinstate or recognise any country. That’s a sad fact. Just look at the farce in Fiji – the military leadership there is hardly bothered about being suspended.
Sri Lanka’s government too, I suspect, couldn’t care less. This is a regime that has blatantly conducted a near-genocidal war against its ethnic minority. Until recently, it was the only country in the world to regularly aerial-bombard its own civilians. And it still merrily locks up journalists, aid workers, writers, artists and just about anyone who criticises or even queries its “official” stance. So a Commonwealth suspension is irrelevant. What’s really needed is for SL’s numerous international sponsors to stop military aid and stop their funding of NGOs. As it is, most development aid to SL was diverted to its military misadventures. Of course trade links must be kept open and every attempt should be made to have SL conform with international standards of compliance in trade.
Where the Commonwealth can actually help is to bring some sanity to the people of Sri Lanka, of whatever ethnic persuasion. It can’t supply relief, it can’t put boots on the ground, and it has no power over internal affairs of members anyway. What it can do is get ordinary, preferably young, Sri Lankans talking, to each other, to realise the incredible mess the country is in, and convince them of their need to change. They’re a sharp, energetic and creative people. They alone can work towards a government they richly deserve. For sure, they don’t deserve the one they have now. This might sound very fuzzy, but frankly, unless there’s a huge shift in mentality, SL is going nowhere. The Commonwealth’s networks and powers of persuasion are needed here.
September 6th, 2009 at 3:18 pm
J.S. Tissainayagam, a senior journalist and Sunday Times columnist, was arrested on 7 March 2008 and sentenced to twenty-year rigorous imprisonment on 31 August 2009 by the Sri Lankan High Court. Mr. Tissanayagam has been indicted under the notorious Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) and Emergency Regulations (ER), and was charged for
a.printing and distributing the publication North Eastern Monthly magazine:
Providing security to Tamils now will define northeastern politics of the future It is fairly obvious that the Government is not going to offer them any protection. In fact it is the state security forces that are the main perpetrator of the killings – July 2006, North Eastern Monthly
With no military options Government buys time by offering watered-down devolution Such offensives against the civilians are accompanied by attempts to starve the population by refusing them food as well as medicines and fuel – November 2006, North Eastern Monthly
Committee to Protect Journalists, 31 August 2009: “…The retroactive sentencing sets a very dangerous precedent. The government has singled out articles written during the cease-fire, when terrorism laws weren’t even in effect.”
b. being funded by the LTTE
Reporters Without Borders, 31 August: ”The charges on which he was convicted include taking money from the Tamil Tiger rebels to fund the website. In fact, Reporters Without Borders established that the site was funded by a German aid project”.
What will the Commonwealth countries say about this?
September 7th, 2009 at 3:26 pm
You can read more of the emails and letters that the RCS received in response to this debate here: http://www.thercs.org/society/142
There are some interesting comments. From the emails they’ve published, it would seem that far more people are outraged at the suggestion that Sri Lanka should be suspended from the Commonwealth than agree with the proposal.
What do people think of the points these readers make?
September 11th, 2009 at 4:27 pm
Suspending Sri Lanka will serve no purpose. The Tamils all over the world have educated of their so called greiveinces and the root cause of their so called struggle. However, what the international media did not highlight is the greivences of all Sri Lankans. Most of the greiveinces highlighted by Tamils are common to all Sri Lankans irrespective of ethinicity. What matters in Sri Lanka is the political influence one has.
I feel that in order to bring peace and a long lasting solution to this problem in Sri Lanka, the international community should lend a helping hand and try not to dictate terms to Sri Lanka. David Milliband failed miserably because his approach was to try to ‘order’ people about. As a result his attitute was perceived by most Sri Lankans as that of a ‘colonial master’. Economic sanctions, suspension from commonwealth etc… will not work and it will be the poor who will suffer in the end.
September 11th, 2009 at 9:33 pm
The Commonwealth doors must be closed for Sri Lanka and other human rights violators. It must be declared as Genocide in Sri Lanka. Rajapaksa?s regime is the dangerous in the world history. His armed forces are one of the brutal forces in this planet. His concentration camps are worst than the Kitler?s death camps. Sri Lanka’s stinging attitude is a laughing matter in the eyes of International community now. Having observed the conduct of this civil war in Sri Lanka for the last two decades I have become very concerned over the plight of the minority Tamils. Certainly, the deceitful and manipulative behaviors of the Sri Lankan government in recent months do nothing to ameliorate my concerns. In fact, I believe we are witnessing a full-scale act of genocide, which has been implemented by that government against their Tamil minority. Why else would they keep independent observers out of their country? As usual in such cases the world’s governments are content to sit on their butts and do absolutely nothing to save anyone. Shades of Rwanda, Somalia, Sudan and so many other places on this earth. Each and every one of us should be deeply ashamed of because, like it or not, our respective governments represent us. We elect them; therefore, we are directly responsible for the policies they choose to pursue. To rein Sri Lanka, please do something to kick Sri Lanka out of Commonwealth.
kana
September 12th, 2009 at 1:59 am
Sri Lanka which is a pluralistic society should be governed in a democratic process with safeguard to minority concerns. The Commonwealth Society could facilitate in constructive dialogue to maintain structured democratic principles and governance.
September 13th, 2009 at 5:18 pm
It is right time for the Commonwealth to take action against the Government of Sri-Lanka (GOSL).The UN is not doing anything to stop the GOSL from terrorising the innocent Tamils now. Mahinda Rajapakse regime is taking the country into an irreversable ethnic conflict. The country is now more ethnically divided than before.
September 13th, 2009 at 6:23 pm
Commonwealth should severly punish Sri Lankan government for it’s war crime and inhuman activities against Tamils and journalists.
If the commonwealth has no choice but to suspend Sri Lanka from the commonwealth, so be it.
September 13th, 2009 at 8:57 pm
A suspension will only worsen the situation. Should a government that you do not trust be left alone to do as they please. May be the Commonwealth could go fully into Sri Lanka to facilitate the civil society and work with the people to restore peace, love and co-existence. SriLanka needs the world, the world needs to go to SriLanka. No not suspensions. they only hurt the people.
September 14th, 2009 at 10:51 am
In 2007, Simon Hughes of the Liberal Democrat debating the Sinhala-Tamil conflict in the House of Commons was confident that the ?Commonwealth will do more and take more responsibility?- 2nd May 2007 Column 1572.
His confidence on the Commonwealth soon reached a low point at the Westminster Hall, debating the same issue in June 2009 when he commented,
“…when the Tamil community in Sri Lanka and around the world including here (in Britain) looked to governments outside Sri Lanka and international organisations such as the EU, the Commonwealth and the UN to help in its hour of need such help was not forthcoming to the desired effect.” Column 295WH.
Similar sentiments were expressed by others taking part in this same debate.
As a seasoned politician, Hughes will know what he is talking about. But for us the lesser mortals we can only go by the objectives, which states, ?The Secretariat aims to increase awareness of and respect for human rights in the commonwealth?. If that is the sum total of its objectives the Tamils, together with the international academics, professors, Human rights organisations and diplomats have excelled in that objectives making the Commonwealth nothing more than a talking shop.
For instance, what action could the Commonwealth have taken, after Sri Lanka was voted out of UNHRC for its horrendous record of human right violations well documented by Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch and the International commission of jurists, as it continued the scorched earth policy of bombing Tamil villages after villages killing and maiming civilians in pursuit of the spectre of terrorism that became a shield of impunity protecting government from scrutiny for their human rights abuses. One British Minister belatedly said that the ?war on terror? ?is a mistake and may have done more harm than good?.
Here are some public statements that the Commonwealth Institution should have noticed and ?helped in the hour of need?
?.The plight of the Tamils is not due to a natural disaster but the result of conscious policy of a government that had no qualms of bombarding people that it claims as its own citizens with heavy artillery?. Professor Dr. John. Neelsen, University of Tubingen, Germany.
A stated relevance of the Institute says
We work to ensure that all people
Enjoy equal rights regardless of gender, race, colour, creed and political belief, can to fully exercise the inalienable right to participate in free and democratic political processes.
But, Professor Frances Stewart of the University of Oxford in an interview said
?One group (Sinhalese) has total dominance of the political system and another group (Tamils and Tamil speaking Muslims) does not have any access to it in Sri Lanka?
Professor of International Law Francis Boyle said
?It is the culmination of the long standing government of Sri Lanka policy to inflict genocide upon the Tamils in violation of the 1948 Genocide Convention to which Sri Lanka is contracting party.?
Richard Dixon of The Daily Telegraph (UK) sums up the ill effects of the long neglected actions of those very institutions; that were put in place with much cost and pomposity, which could have saved around 80,000 Tamil lives, and the rest of their property and their livelihhood.
?State terrorism has always been the major problem in this tiny island. For more than 60 years, successive Sri Lankan governments backed by racist Sinhala extremists have been oppressing the Tami minorities. They brutally killed thousands of innocent Tamils, burnt their properties and sent the rest in ships as refugees to the North of the country in the fifties, sixties, seventies and eighties. When the Tamils asked for their rights, Sinhala extremists always responded with violence. But then they finally came to the North to the Tamil homelands as occupying army causing more devastation at their door steps?
Surely the Commonwealth would have known about these atrocious events and yet opted to do nothing. If the Commonwealth cannot deliver what it says it would, then it should put its shutters down in the way The League of Nations shut its doors for its dismal failure.
September 14th, 2009 at 12:33 pm
As previously argued by other respondents in this debate, suspending Sri Lanka from the Commonwealth is entirely pointless and will not have the imagined or desired effect. The Sri Lankan government does not care about fulfilling the obligations of the Harare Declaration and upholding the Commonwealth’s values. The suspension of Sri Lanka will only serve to further alienate their Government from the influence of other Commonwealth nations.
Rather than directing petitions and protests towards the Commonwealth, I believe that efforts should instead be made to lobby national governments to encourage the Sri Lankan government to open the doors for discussion and resolution between the Sri Lankan people themselves. Only the individual actions of national member governments can uphold the ideals and values of the Commonwealth.
September 27th, 2009 at 3:09 pm
it should at least comment and recognise there is an issue…
October 3rd, 2009 at 8:53 am
It is not just a matter of suspending Srilanka from commonWealth.. That wont affect them in any way. they have found new allies china, russia who are protecting them from actions in the UN. This is the “2nd rise of nazism” in the world.. the rule of rajapakshae should be overthrown with all possible means.. justice to humainty should be restored.. Else there will be bitter consequences. The world will face the 3rd world war and the stone age will return..
October 3rd, 2009 at 8:54 am
Break the silence around this genocide, detention and human right abuses. Speak up! When every news channel in the world can talk about the video of one Israeli soldier being alive in captivity, why can’t they speak about the 300,000 dying in captivity? Do something that the issue is opened to all the media and in people’s minds. Then there will be a meaning for a ‘conversation’.
October 6th, 2009 at 7:37 am
Sri Lanka should be suspended from the commonwealth and it should urge its partners to strongly condemn GOSL actions on tamils. Also it should bring in economic sanctions on GOSL.
October 6th, 2009 at 8:52 am
You cannot do much since UN itself has no say in this matter. Just do what you can. Accept the fact, which should have been done 60 years back, “Right to Independent Sovereign State and Self Determination of Tamils”. Then Tamils will take care of the matter in their own hand. It is as simple as that.
October 6th, 2009 at 2:03 pm
Sri Lanka should be suspended from the commonwealth and it should urge its partners to strongly condemn GOSL actions on tamils. Also it should bring in economic sanctions on GOSL.All tamils should be released from prison and must be given equal rights.They should be allowed to go to their home
October 6th, 2009 at 2:06 pm
Sri Lanka should be suspended from the commonwealth and it should urge its partners to strongly condemn GOSL actions on tamils. Also it should bring in economic sanctions on GOSL.everyone should be allowed to go to their home and they should be given equal rights as singhales.
October 6th, 2009 at 2:26 pm
I totally lost faith in any government body or NGO’s or any other organizations as these are spineless and is operating in the name of working for the welfare of people. When thousands of people literally cried for life, during the atrocities by Srilanka, no one came forward to stop it but literally allow the country to kill innocent people and when every thing that is more than a 100000 people are dead and 400000 are behind the barbed wires and are treated worst than animals, whatever the actions or sanctions are meaningless. However to exhibit the atrocities of the Srilankan army with the help of Indian, Chinese and Pakistani Armies to the World, do something. As everyone knows these countries are equally responsible for all the attrocities and whatever the actions against the Srilanka should have to be applied for the above countries also.
October 6th, 2009 at 3:36 pm
Do commonwealth know,
1. Srilanka rejects visa to the UN people.
2. Srilanka does not allow anyone into the camps.
3. Srilanka soldiers involved in rape not only in Tamizh areas but also in Haiti.
4. Srilanka soldiers blindfold’ly killed unarmed Tamizhs.
5. Did Srilanka start any investigation on the hundreds of Tamizhs killed in the war or do commonwealth and UN?
6. If commonwealth and UN cannot question srilanka, why do these bodies exist? just to give people some posts to travel around the world?
7. Why can’t commonwealth and UN stand up against Srilanka and India? Don’t these bodies not have backbone?
8. Why are few countries (India, Srilanka, China, Pakistan, Israel, UK, USA, etc) so narrow minded, looking only for the benefit of themselves and so cunning to survive.
October 7th, 2009 at 8:01 am
It is not just a matter of suspending Srilanka from commonWealth.. That wont affect them in any way. they have found new allies china, russia who are protecting them from actions in the UN. This is the ?2nd rise of nazism? in the world.. the rule of rajapakshae should be overthrown with all possible means.. justice to humainty should be restored.. Else there will be bitter consequences. The world will face the 3rd world war and the stone age will return..
October 7th, 2009 at 8:04 am
This is the ?2nd rise of nazism? in the world.. the rule of rajapakshae should be overthrown with all possible means.. justice to humainty should be restored.. Else there will be bitter consequences. The world will face the 3rd world war and the stone age will return..
must be Sri Lanka should be suspended from the Commonwealth
October 7th, 2009 at 8:05 am
must must must be Sri Lanka should be suspended from the Commonwealth
October 7th, 2009 at 8:47 am
* My Biggest Request For Commonwealth Leaders,Please Don’t add the Block sheep of Srilankan country,Because HITLER was Best,RAJABAKSHAE was Worst in the world.
DEFFINETLEY SRI LANKA SHOULD BE SUSPENDED FROM THE COMMONWEALTH.
October 8th, 2009 at 3:11 am
Judiciary: The Sri Lankan judiciary is highly political and is not independent. The judiciary system has consistently oppressed the tamil rights. (Judicial system has reportedly been receiving monetary resources as an exchange for gratitude.)
Press Freedom: Sri Lankan denies the public?s right to information about issues that are of vital importance to them.
Elections are a farce in Sri Lanka.
Sri Lanka has committed all sorts of human abuses in the history of mankind.
Though the most evidence on war crimes are covered up, the remaining victims are living evidences.
According to French Charity Handicap International, which works with victims of war throughout the world, nearly 30,000 Tamil people were maimed.
Commonwealth for wellbeing of citizens. If Sri Lanka continues to be a member, Commonwealth for who?
Abolish Commonwealth!
October 26th, 2009 at 1:11 pm
When one reads stories such as the one on Sri Lanka’s Tamil Eelams and their predicament you start wondering why people especially the government do such horrible things to fellow humans. It becomes even more so if the international community such as the Commonwealth of Nations turns a blind eye on Sri Lanka and go all ballistic on Zimbabwe especially the UK. At least Zimbabwe did not target one ethnic group for extermination for demanding what is rightfully constitutional and a natural right to live and be a nation. If you are from a minority group with one tribe being more than 50% of the country’s population and, hear and see what have been happening in Sri Lanka then you get really scared and become unsure of the future. This is more so if the leaders of the country start with hate speech at every opportunity and this happening in Namibia just less than 20 years after independence. The Commonwealth have let the Tamil minority down big time and that renders it almost irrelevant in my eyes. Because if it cannot protect and ensure the safety of all its citizens what is the point of having CW in the first place? I hope the CW will not make the same mistake when it comes to other countries that might themselves in the Sri Lanka situation. Suspending Sri Lanka from the CW of Nations won’t take the problems of the Tamils away instead it will probably make it worse. The CW should have the balls and deal with the leadership pronto. If the CW is for the common good of the citizens then Sri LAnka cannot be left alone. Tamils need help not isolation into obscurity at the mercy of the military and other security forces. Help they need and is help they should get from the Commonwealth and international organizations such as the UN etc…
October 30th, 2009 at 7:48 pm
Without any doubt and any reservation I will say “yes” to this question. Srilanka has been racist state since its independance. It has committed crime agaist humanity as the world have come to understand atleast now. The human rights report released by US state department in October 2009 clearly describes all the Crimes Srilnakan Government committed during the unwanted war against LTTE. Thamils know srilanka is a racist and Terror state. It is very very important that commenwealth should suspend Srilanka to save the humanity in Srilanka.
October 30th, 2009 at 11:27 pm
My answer is YES, should suspend srilanka at the comming meeting 09, they have committed henious crime against humanity. If a student behaves baddly, he/she should be punished. this will bring shame on them and would correct themself if they have pride. I am sure Srilanka has its pride, so they will have time when thrown out of commonwealth, to feel a shamed and to contemplate to take measures to correct itself. If you leave her without any suspension, the mistakes will be repeated knowing that she is untouchable and no one really cares what she does to her citizens,Tamils, muslims or sinhalese. The culture of impunity will create more problem for law and order. Yesterday a mentally ill Tamil man was beaten to death with clubs after chaseing him into the sea by police officers- the guardians of law & order in front of a large crowd in Colombo. [PO] they were arrested, I am sure in few more days they will be released and transfered with a promotions. Taking srilanka’s record of past 50 years, it shows of being an undisciplined country,[Many Pogroms] it is time to act now to suspend SL from the commonwealth.
October 31st, 2009 at 12:27 am
‘My answer is YES, should suspend srilanka at the comming meeting 09, they have committed henious crime against humanity. If a student behaves baddly, he/she should be punished. this will bring shame on them and would correct themself if they have pride. I am sure Srilanka has its pride, so they will have time when thrown out of commonwealth, to feel a shamed and to contemplate to take measures to correct itself. If you leave her without any suspension, the mistakes will be repeated knowing that she is untouchable and no one really cares what she does to her citizens,Tamils, muslims or sinhalese. The culture of impunity will create more problem for law and order. Yesterday a mentally ill Tamil man was beaten to death with clubs after chaseing him into the sea by police officers- the guardians of law & order in front of a large crowd in Colombo. [PO] they were arrested, I am sure in few more days they will be released and transfered with a promotions. Taking srilanka’s record of past 50 years, it shows of being an undisciplined country,[Many Pogroms] it is time to act now to suspend SL from the commonwealth.
October 31st, 2009 at 5:19 pm
International community have done nothing to save the Tamils in Ceylon(Srilanka). Srilanka is one of the country in the commonwealth,but the commonwealth have done nothing to save Tamils in Srilanka. Commonwealth should visit srilanka and see the real situation in Tamil areas and Camps. Commonwealth should remove srilanka from the commonealth.
November 3rd, 2009 at 2:53 pm
I have read all the comments with much interest and deep sadness. The Sri Lankan government brutally and openly murdered 17 members of my family in 2009 alone – the world witnessed it in silence. I was one of those desperate individuals who stood in Parliament Square (taking emergency annual leave from work)trying to draw attention to the plight of the Tamils and begging the British government to stop the massacre – yet, it happened. My family alone have experienced the following – rape, moruder, torture, abduction etc. Why – because we are Tamils. The Sri Lankan government have consistently targetted my community. The Commonwealth should not accomodate rapists, murderers, genocidal governments etc. By continuing to have Sri Lanka on the team, the rest of the countries are okaying all the human rights abuses / violations that Sri Lanka is consistently carrying out. Please listen to the victims and ask us what our thoughts are as well – you cannot give me everyone and everything I have lost, but at least, you can deliver justice on my behalf.
November 3rd, 2009 at 8:27 pm
I would to say
SAY NO TO SRI LANKA TERORISM STATE AGAINST INNOCENT TAMILS.
100% True FACTS are:
1. More than $4 Billion USD from several countries directly or indirectly assist the Genocidal War
2. Sri Lanka: One of the Top Red Alert Countries for Genocide
3. 300,000 + civilians denied access of free movement in interment camps.
4. 216,000+ Civilians Killed by Sri Lankan Government Military Operations
5. Sri Lanka most militarized country in South Asia
6. Daily Aerial Bombardment on Safety Zones
7. Sri Lanka: #1 Human Rights Violator in South Asia
8. Sri Lanka: Listed 2nd Worldwide in Disappearances
9. Sri Lanka: Out of 173 Free Nations, 8th Worst In Press Freedom
10. Sri Lanka: Voted off United Nations Humans Rights Council
11. Womans and Young girls been raped and killed by Sri lankan Armys in IDP camps.
November 4th, 2009 at 8:50 pm
In my opinion that UN and Common wealth would have mediated to solve conflicts if srilan tamils were christians,
I remember from Indonesia that there were conflict between Majority Muslium and minority Christions , UN had intervened and got them seperate country for Christions.
I am extremely sorry about religious.
November 5th, 2009 at 7:07 am
I wish to bring to your notice what happened at the UN soon after the 1983 Black July:
Leo Kuper in Prevention of Genocide(1985): “….There were also political currents observable in the alignment of members, though I could not altogether fathom the geo political considerations involved. In the end a very mild resolution was passed calling for information from the Sri Lanka government and recommending that the commission examine the situation at the next meeting in the light of the information available. There was, however, only a bare majority for the resolution (10 for, 8 against and 4 abstaining). It is unfortunate that the United Nations did not take a firm stand at this stage…”
Comparing this with what happened at the UNHRC in May 2009:
Sri Lanka: UN Rights Council Fails Victims, Human Rights Watch, 27 may 2009:
‘… The resolution passed with 29 votes in favor, 12 against, and 6 abstentions. It largely commends the Sri Lankan government for its current policies and fails to address serious allegations of violations of human rights and humanitarian law by government forces, focusing only on the abuses committed by the LTTE. These states blocked a message to the government that it needs to hear, to ensure access to displaced civilians and uphold human rights standards. They undermined the very purpose of the council. …”
It can be seen that the Sri Lankan government has refined the way it obfuscates the international community at the UN. The Sri Lankan ex-ambassador to the UN has recently said:
http://blog.unwatch.org/?p=505
“I blocked UN rights council from investigating our war”.
Sri Lankan Tamils are pinning their hopes on EU members:
Speech of Austrian Foreign Minister Michael Spindelegger at the UN-General Assembly 26 September 2009:
‘’…. Together we have to build a world based on predictable and equitable rules, applicable to every member, big or small, strong or weak. Adherence to the Rule of Law and the principles of the UN Charter is critical to conflict prevention, stability and sustainable long term development.
One important focus of our work in the Council is to improve the protection of civilians in armed conflict. Despite significant progress, armed conflicts continue to darken the lives of men, women and children in many parts of the world. ….”
Speech by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yves Leterme, to the UN General Assembly, on 26 September 2009:
”…. Nothing can be created without men. Nothing can last without institutions. This means that these institutions should work efficiently. A better cooperation has to be sought so as to guarantee the best possible use of the limited resources of all. ….”
November 5th, 2009 at 7:14 am
Speech by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yves Leterme, to the UN General Assembly, on 26 September 2009:
”… In addition to the fragmentation of the UN system, two other trends stress the need for an enhanced multilateral commitment.
The first is the multitude of regional and sub-regional organizations, almost everywhere in the world. Although this enhances multilateral cooperation, it sometimes leads to a lack of harmonization between the regional and global institutions. A better cooperation has to be sought so as to guarantee the best possible use of the limited resources of all.
The second trend may be summed up by the words “incomplete multilateralism”. Countries get together on an informal basis to discuss international issues, such as the economic-financial crisis. These informal groups may initially speed up the decision-making process within the international multilateral organizations but they cannot replace those organizations.
Rather than being exclusive, multilateralism should be inclusive and transparent.
Nothing can last without institutions. But even the best organized institutions cannot function in the absence of human will and inspiration. Even the best organized institutions are powerless when men prevent their functioning.
But the worst international disorder is that millions of people are still being killed, maimed, raped in violence that occurs between and within states. The worst international disorder is that millions of people are denied a decent existence because of war, civil conflict, inter-ethnic fighting or harsh repression. This is our first and foremost challenge, because without peace, without security there is no development, let alone sustainable development. Without peace, without security, there can be no fair distribution of the wealth of our Earth.
An international legal order is required. But that order can only function if it is based on states governed by the rule of law. So I come back to the need for common positions which are necessary for a world that is safer, fairer and more prosperous. …”
November 7th, 2009 at 3:39 am
Now the international community would understand how unreasonable the successive Sri Lankan governments have been with the Tamils over the last six decades.
November 7th, 2009 at 3:52 am
UN and Commonwealth have double standards. Their behaviour towards Sri lankan government is totally different from their behaviour towards other oppressors.
Why is that the UN Secretary General’s stand over Gaza and Georgia very different from his stand over Sri Lanka?
Why is the Commonwealth’s stand over Fiji,Pakistan and Zimbabwe so different from its stand over Sri Lanka?
I can think of only one answer: Sri Lanka is an expert in the chess of international relations.
November 18th, 2009 at 9:40 pm
http://www.caribbeannetnews.com/news-19359–6-6–.html
CMAG needs to be reviewed and strengthened By Maja Daruwala, Executive Director
Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative, Commonwealth Secretariat, 20 October 2009:
”…. in the case of Sri Lanka, reports of large scale civilian deaths, impunity and stifling of human rights in Sri Lanka continued to emerge throughout 2008 and 2009 but CMAG has refused to put Sri Lanka in its agenda. …. Sri Lanka itself continues to serve as a member of CMAG during this period for a third consecutive (two year) term contrary to the 1999 Durban Communiqué that limits a country to a maximum of two consecutive terms. ….”
Commonwealth is creating Democracy Deficit!!
November 25th, 2009 at 2:35 pm
what should the commonwealth do to the pearl of the indian ocean?? help polish it!!!
most of the comments here seem to be on the lines of imposing sanctions and trying to teach sri lanka a lesson..BUT,,as a Sri Lankan who has gone through a few decades of a war WE DO NOT BELEIVE IN (IF the conflict can INDEED be defined as a “war” since the technical definition clearly states that a war should be between two countries..),,i would like to say that Sri Lanka had taught the REST OF THE WORLD a lesson,,a lesson on how to deal with terrorism,,a lesson on how to best safeguard human rights to the best of ability at times of conflict,,and a lesson above all that countries should be allowed to solve their own problems in their OWN ways.
did anyone say anything when G. W . Bush committed Genoside in Iraq with the hope of getting a few galons of oil??? did anyone complain when Israel scattered rockets left right and center killing thousands just because they were america’s “lovely sweet friend”..NO!!! WHY sri lanka??? because we are still under-developed?? because we do not have much power when it comes to international trade??or maybe because some people hate being beaten up in cricket by this “small nation”..???
we ladies and gentlemen,,are a nation of hope, pride and CULTURE..know who your allies are,,dont be the “bully-in-the-playground” and “jump on to the bandwagon” without knowing your facts..
next time you want to talk about Srl Lanka in such a manner,,just come here and have a look around..dont infringe on other nations because it’s as rude as poking someone in the eye..what happens within our borders should not be a problem to the rest of the world anyway..
try to give us a hand in development by granting subsidies in trade like the GSP PLUS..
there is more to anything than what meets the eye..
November 26th, 2009 at 7:20 pm
I don’t know what will do Commonwealth? Even US and all major sefish country didn’t care when Lot of Tamil people killed in Sri lanka war,simply sitting and watching genocide on Tamils. I lost confident on UN organisation when not stop killing our Tamil people. Commenwealth is another form of Useless organisation like UN. If really commenwealth is neutral organisation, it must take severe action against Sri Lanka, not only Sri lanka including India,China,etc for supporting to sri lanka for genocide on Tamils. particularly Indian PM Manmohan singh and sonia for killing not only Sri lankan tamil people,they killed Tamil Nadu True tamilan feelings also and misleading Indian policy for selfish benifit and revenge. Any action can take by commenwealth against these stupid Rajapakse brothers,Sarth pon,monmohan Singh and sonia? nothing will happen, simply all people sit and eat variety of food and close the session. These fellows don’t know feelings of affected tamils.
Let and see what they are going to do on this Issue?
November 27th, 2009 at 6:28 am
Commonwealth should severly punish Sri Lankan government for it’s war crime and inhuman activities against Tamils and journalists.
If the commonwealth has no choice but to suspend Sri Lanka from the commonwealth, so be it.
1. Srilanka rejects visa to the UN people.
2. Srilanka does not allow anyone into the camps.
3. Srilanka soldiers involved in rape not only in Tamizh areas but also in Haiti.
4. Srilanka soldiers blindfold’ly killed unarmed Tamizhs.
5. Did Srilanka start any investigation on the hundreds of Tamizhs killed in the war or do commonwealth and UN?
6. If commonwealth and UN cannot question srilanka, why do these bodies exist? just to give people some posts to travel around the world?
7. Why can’t commonwealth and UN stand up against Srilanka and India? Don’t these bodies not have backbone?
8. Why are few countries (India, Srilanka, China, Pakistan, Israel, UK, USA, etc) so narrow minded, looking only for the benefit of themselves and so cunning to survive.
November 29th, 2009 at 6:27 pm
http://www.tamilsforum.com/Prime%20Minister%20Reinforces%20Commonwealth%20Values%20281109.pdf
British Tamils welcome the initiative by our Prime Minister Gordon Brown in making a stand against Sri Lanka’s bid to host the next Commonwealth Summit in 2011, due to the conduct of its military campaign which had a
massive impact on the civilian population.
As the first world leader to call for ceasefire earlier this year, when the military onslaught had intensified, Prime
Minister Brown has again taken the lead to uphold the values of the Commonwealth, to which Sri Lanka remains a member.
Sentiments conveyed by Mr Brown’s office are that the next host to the summit must uphold the Harare Principles, which espouse the protection and promotion of fundamental political values of the Commonwealth,namely democracy and human rights. The host should “reflect the full range of Commonwealth values – and particularly respect for human rights”, it further stated.
The Commonwealth has in the past intervened by imposing sanctions, or through suspension, in the cases of former Rhodesia, Fiji, Pakistan, Nigeria and Zimbabwe. While the focus has largely been on violations of
democracy brought on by military overthrows of democratic governments, the Commonwealth should fulfil its mandate to include other violations such as human rights.
“A key aim for the Commonwealth is to foster democracy and human rights. The organisation’s credibility will be
severely harmed if it allows Sri Lanka to host such a prestigious meeting in 2011,” commented Louise Arbour, who is also the former U.N. High Commissioner for human rights. “Holding the meeting in Colombo will only reward a government that has consistently refused to live up to its international commitments or uphold its own
laws,” she has further stated.
British Tamils Forum urges the Heads of Governments of the Commonwealth to set precedents to promote member states to uphold the fundamental principles of the Commonwealth, in order to restore equality, justice, peace and security for all citizens in Sri Lanka through a credible political process.
http://www.tamilsforum.com
December 8th, 2009 at 1:31 pm
A naval blockade of Sri Lanka by the Royal Navy and the Indian Navy. Any other commonwealth countries welcome to send their own ships but these two are key, especially India. As well as this, the commonwealth should apply diplomatic pressure and offer to help rebuild Sri Lankan society and supply aid after their government relents. A suspension would do nothing, they’dcarry on regardless. As the commonwealth has no hard power of its own, it would fall to the member states to do something seperately. Firm but Fair force is the only thing that will stop these acts of racial violence.
February 4th, 2010 at 11:04 am
The Commonwealth Journalists Association The has issued a statement stating it is “appalled” at the Sri Lankan government’s continued persecution of journalists “for committing the ’sin’ of criticizing the ruling party”. Read the full article here: http://www.asiansinmedia.org/2010/02/02/commonwealth-journalists-condemn-sri-lankan-government/