US-resolution inadequate, India should seize opportunity: New Delhi-based CHRI

[TamilNet, Friday, 09 March 2012, 19:28 GMT]
“The proposed resolution does not go far enough. It will not immediately call for direly needed international investigations — a bitter disappointment. In this context, the proposed resolution must not preclude future UNHRC efforts that demand justice, accountability and international investigations in Sri Lanka. The resolution should be voted on only as a first step in the right direction, and not as a final step to water down scrutiny or as a tactic to delay urgently needed justice in Sri Lanka,” said Maja Daruwala, Director of the New Delhi-based Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative (CHRI) in a feature appeared in The Indian Express, Friday. She urged India to seize the opportunity and sway votes at UNHRC in favour of accountability in Sri Lanka.

The article argues that stability in the neighbourhood is in the interest of the regional power.

“Stability requires that alienated populations experience justice for the past and in the future. Denials, diplomatic spin and cosmetic efforts that paper over past misdeeds cannot achieve this. Today, only a negative peace exists in Sri Lanka,” the article said.

Even India’s other considerations –the need to contain China and to be sensitive to the aspirations of Tamils– could also be served by supporting accountability, the article further argued.

Denouncing the LLRC as “deeply flawed” and Sri Lanka’s military board of inquiry as handing over the investigation to the very accused, Ms Daruwala said, “It is these kinds of sleights of hand that will need to be addressed by all, including India.”

The growing stature of India in international affairs demands a leadership position and India has to be bolder and more confident on human rights at international level. India should seize the excellent opportunity at the current UNHRC session and enhance its stature by swaying votes in favour of accountability, the New Delhi-based organisation said.

* * *

Commenting Eezham Tamil civil activists said that stability doesn’t come merely by ‘accountability’ if it doesn’t lead to the right to self-determination of the genocide-affected nation.

The civil activists in the island also expressed serious disappointment over the political and media circles even among the Tamils that blindly uphold the US-resolution without taking note of the dangerous features in it that seals justice and permanently blunts political aspirations of Eezham Tamils.

In an informal consultation in Geneva on Thursday, the US Permanent Representative to the UN, Eileen Chamberlain Donahoe was asked why the resolution appears rather benign.

According to the ambassador the resolution was not a move to condemn Sri Lanka. Bringing Tamil population “back into the national life of Sri Lanka,” was the thrust deducible from her discussions.

Roping in Eezham Tamils first by a genocidal war and now by diplomacy is the strategy of the architects of the US-Sri Lanka partnership, civil activists said, adding that these are not the views of a people who disbelieve in everything.

Several civil groups and activists in the island have already told the US government with irrefutable evidence that whatever the USA considers ‘positive’ in the LLRC recommendations were semblances incorporated into the report by a commission that has no faith in whatever it was telling, just for the sake of hoodwink and for buying time to go ahead with the agenda of structural genocide.

How could a resolution upholding such a hoodwink, bailing out the genocidal state from international accountability as well as from constitutional restructure, bring in justice, peace and stability to the region, is perhaps known only to the architects of strategic

Chronology:

09.03.12  US-resolution inadequate, India should seize oppor..

08.03.12  US-resolution binds Tamils to less than the 13th A..

07.03.12  World socialists reject both US-backed resolution ..

06.03.12  Thousands gather in Geneva denouncing deceptive de..

06.03.12  Tamil Nadu demands India to declare Rajapaksa guil..

06.03.12  Sumanthiran, Sritharan contradict reasoning Geneva..

05.03.12  West has to concede to Tamils its failure of ‘war ..

02.03.12  US demand on Sri Lanka is not enough: UNSG Panel o..

01.03.12  US, Sri Lanka squabble whether hang or slaughter E..

29.02.12  Enragement over US-India stand results in Sumanthi..

27.02.12  SL colonial governor coordinates anti-UN demonstra..

26.02.12  Peace academic denounces US-LLRC formula, urges al..

25.02.12  TNA plans boycotting UNHRC, requests people to rem..

25.02.12  US ‘tables’ Rajapaksa formula while pretending pre..

24.02.12  UNHRC sessions open on Monday amidst US–Sri Lanka ..

18.02.12  TNA tries to sell Indo-US pre-emption to Eezham Ta..

16.02.12  Sumanthiran comes forward to save Rajapaksa from i..

22.01.12  TNA should use its Tamil national mandate: Bishop ..

01.01.12  Majority ITAK members welcome civil society report..

13.12.11  TNA leadership faces admonition from civil society..

External Links:

The Indian Express:

Demand accountability from Sri Lanka

Protest sends away Sri Lanka’s law academic in Tamil Nadu conference

[TamilNet, Friday, 09 March 2012, 09:55 GMT]
Organizers of an international conference at Manonmaniam Sundaranar University in Thirunelvely, Tamil Nadu, decided to escort out Ms Jeeva Niriella of the Colombo University law faculty through the side door, when barging in protestors accusing Sri Lanka of genocide demanded Jeeva to leave India. The afternoon session of the 3-day conference on Thursday was disrupted to the disbelief and shock of the organisers, reported Times of India on Friday. During the morning session, Ms. Niriella was eulogising ‘women empowerment’ in Sri Lanka, citing Srimao Bandaranayake, world’s first woman prime minister and the current chief justice who is a woman. She was silent to a question about large-scale crimes committed on women in the island.

Members of Naam Tamizhar Iyakkam, May 17 Movement, Sri Lankan Tamils Protection Federation, as well as MDMK cadres, participated in the protest.

"Jeeva Niriella was visibly shocked by the sudden development. We were also taken aback. Since we thought that the safety and security of the delegate was important, we took her out of the venue through another exit. We then told the protesters that she was sent and that she would not participate in any of the sessions for the rest of the conference," Times of India cited a faculty member from the MS University.

In an orchestrated way Sri Lanka sends abroad its academics, politicians, artists and agents of other walks for an image-building exercise, and some foreign institutions and individuals interested in making inroads into Sri Lanka provide space for these exercises, activists in Tamil Nadu said.

Tamil Nadu chief minister Ms. Jeyalalithaa recently wrote to the prime minister in New Delhi to discourage the frequent visits of Sri Lankan delegations to Tamil Nadu.

The diplomatic missions and immigration desks of New Delhi Establishment stringently vet Eezham Tamil academics visiting India.

SL soldiers clash, killing 3 among them inside camp in Jaffna

[TamilNet, Friday, 09 March 2012, 06:15 GMT]
A clash among the occupying soldiers at a major Sri Lanka Army (SLA) camp in the Jaffna peninsula has taken the lives of at least 3 and has injured many on Friday morning, news sources in Jaffna said. The SLA camp is located along the A9 Highway, at Nu'naavil, 5 km south of Chaavakachcheari town. In a territory where the occupying soldiers in the camps often exceed the number of local people, such clashes within the SLA are common, sporadically ending with killings, the sources further said.

The people around the Nu'naavil camp heard heavy exchange of gunfire on Friday morning.

2 soldiers died inside the camp and one succumbed to his injuries while being taken to the hospital.

Ambulances were running to and fro indicating the gravity of the clash and the number of injured soldiers.

SL military officials in Colombo have admitted the death of 3 soldiers without noting the cause of the death.

The Nu'naavil camp was notorious for abductions and killings of Tamils in the past.

Promote Dublin report, build solidarity, recognize Self-Determination: grassroots activists in UK

[TamilNet, Thursday, 08 March 2012, 21:22 GMT]
Grassroots activists of the British Tamil Forum (BTF) and journalists from the UK-based International Association of Tamil Journalists (IATJ), who came together with leftist activists of the Socialist Resistance (SR) and Denmark-based leftist activist Ron Ridenour, in a meeting held in London on Wednesday, resolved to promote the findings of the Dublin Tribunal on Sri Lanka and to give foremost priority to the work on building solidarity with trade unions and progressive groups in the UK on the campaign to recognize Tamils Right to Self-Determination. The meeting which was chaired by Fred Leplat of the SR, also had participants from the NSSP, Sri Lanka.

Talking about the need for the international community to “understand issues and accept Tamils’ right to self-determination”, Gopi Gopiratnam from the International Association of Tamil Journalists, said that before 2009, the whole world was against the Tamils’ struggle and supported the Sri Lankan regime.

Referring to organizations like TNA and GTF who are still negotiating with powers like the US and UK, he argued that though Tamils are aware of the western complicity with the Colombo regime, some are still under the illusion that the west will deliver a just solution.

Thanaraja Vakesan of the BTF who spoke briefly about the history of the two nations in the island, noted the glaring flaw of the British colonial power in creating the unitary state. “It is an incomplete decolonization of the British, a forced marriage between the Tamil nation in the North and East of the island and the Sinhala nation in the south.”

Stating that the very existence of the Eezham Tamils in their homelands is at threat, he added that this could only be addressed by recognizing the right to self-determination.

Ron Ridenour, Denmark based leftist writer and author of Tamil Nation in Sri Lanka, noted four different types of power alignments that worked against the Eezham Tamils in favour of the Colombo regime – the Western bloc led by the US, with India included, the Eastern bloc, led by China and Russia, the NAM countries, and the ALBA countries.

“Cuba and ALBA are caught in an ideological blind between supporting oppressed people and supporting sovereignty of third world states,” he said, adding that Cuba and the other Latin American countries have forgotten their moral responsibility to stand with the Tamils and have provided immoral support to the Sinhala regime.

Ron Ridenour also opined that the Permanent People’s Tribunal, which had tabled a report on the conflict in 2010, should work further on its findings to popularize the case of genocide of the Eezham Tamils to other peoples.

Requesting the Tamil people to rise above sectarian politics, he stressed the need to build solidarity with other oppressed groups, criticising the belief that the western establishments would aid the Eezham Tamils.

During an interactive discussion which followed, an Eezham Tamil from the audience pointed out flaws in the concept of ‘internal self-determination’, stating that the Tamil struggle was clearly for an external self-determination from the unitary state of Sri Lanka.

US-resolution binds Tamils to less than the 13th Amendment

[TamilNet, Thursday, 08 March 2012, 07:01 GMT]
A draft resolution that appears in media reports as has been tabled by the USA at Geneva UNHCR, while specifying the ‘constructive’ LLRC recommendations that has to be implemented, talks of only de-militarizing the North but not the East and confines the model of political solution to undefined devolution of powers to the provinces and not to the North-East homeland of Eezham Tamils. While internationally binding Tamils to further dilution of the already inadequate provisions of the Indo-Lanka Agreement, the US-resolution giving international endorsement to LLRC-implementation bails out Sri Lankan state and its regime from international investigations of the genocidal crimes and from the need of any constitutional restructure of the unitary state.

The resolution ‘encourages’ the UNHRC to provide ‘advice and technical assistance’ to such a hoodwink, the steps of which too will be decided by Sri Lanka, and requests the UNHRC to present a report after a year, at the 22nd session.

While limiting, specifying and binding Eezham Tamils to seek political settlement only within the provincial model that is already existing in the unitary constitution, the imbalanced resolution on the other hand gives much scope, freedom and time to the manoeuvrings of the genocidal state.

The resolution also seals and binds the UN or any other international organisation from pursuing the case of Sri Lanka any further.

The only irritant in the resolution projected by Sri Lanka is that for the first time the state requires to comes under official international scrutiny by a UN body.

But, while Sri Lanka as a state could always manipulate every step of international scrutiny through bilateral ‘give and take’ or opportunistic alignments in the international bodies, the Eezham Tamil nation without state has no guarantees to get anything.

The game of farce enacted by the ultimate saviour and the genocidal state is ingeniously camouflaged to the gullible. Hats off to the ‘management’ of the deception, as we see sections of Tamils are already ‘thanking’ the Obama Administration.

In the early 1980s, to diffuse stress on the Sri Lankan state and on the Jeyawardane regime, the USA with the help of Colombo-US Tamils like AJ Wilson tried with the ‘District Councils’.

India’s stand on the current US-resolution is a much-debated topic.

Sections of academics in Tamil Nadu worry that another Tibet should not come in the southern part of South Asia. But informed diplomatic circles say that many of the Chinese inroads into the region take place with the silent nod of India.

India is explicitly shameless in expecting returns from Sri Lanka for its complicity in the genocide.

“India is persuading Sri Lanka to allocate oil exploration blocks in the waters that separate them as it considers the location too strategically important to allow companies from other nations to base themselves in this area.,” The Hindu said on Tuesday.

“New Delhi expects a favourable response after having stood by Sri Lanka during its annihilation of the LTTE's military structure even though sections of the world community and Indian domestic public opinion assailed the security forces for human rights abuses,” The Hindu feature further said.

A Tamil Nadu academic on Wednesday exposed that even the barbed wires that kept the Eezham Tamils in the crime-filled detention camps have gone from India, from some businessmen having access to corridors of power.

Sections of media in Tamil Nadu lament that while much debate goes on internationally on the US-resolution at Geneva, the various states within India, outside of Tamil Nadu have no idea on what is going on.

How to expect the other states in India to take a stand, when the nuances of the US-staged farce is neither understood nor explained properly even in Tamil Nadu?

Whether the US-resolution getting passed in the UNHRC would relieve or further plunge the already traumatised Eezham Tamils is the question that is seriously debated in their political circles.

Polity in Tamil Nadu may have to think of its own paradigm in creating currents rather than being carried away in the waters of others.

* * *

Pro-US lobbyists among Tamils claim ‘success’ in bringing out the draft resolution. But the differences between an earlier ‘leaked’ draft and the ‘finally’ tabled draft, show the failures resulting from passive lobbying without an enlightened mass movement.

The US resolution appeared in Sunday Times in Colombo on Wednesday, as the version that has been finally tabled in the UNHRC at Geneva, follows:

* * *

An earlier version of the draft resolution that was leaked and was being circulated in the media two weeks back follows. Note the changes that have occurred between the two drafts:

For comparison purposes, additional texts are indicated by underlines and removed texts are shown by delete marks.

Guided by the Charter of the United Nations, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the International Covenants on Human Rights, and other relevant instruments,

Reaffirming that States must ensure that any measure taken to combat terrorism complies with their obligations under international law, in particular international human rights, refugee and humanitarian law, as applicable,

Noting the Report of Sri Lanka’s Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC) and its findings and recommendations, and acknowledging its possible contribution to Sri Lanka’s national reconciliation process,

Welcoming the constructive recommendations contained in the LLRC report, including the need to credibly investigate widespread allegations of extra judicial killings and enforced disappearances, de-militarize the north of Sri Lanka, implement impartial land dispute resolution mechanisms, reevaluate detention policies, strengthen formerly independent civil institutions, reach a political settlement involving devolution of power to the provinces, promote and protect the right of freedom of expression for all, and enact rule of law reforms,

ExpressingNoting with concern that the LLRC report does not adequately address serious allegations of violations of international law, and expressing serious disappointment that the Government of Sri Lanka has not fulfilled its relevant legal obligations and stated commitment to initiate credible and independent investigations and prosecutions of those responsible for such violations,

1. Calls on the Government of Sri Lanka to implement the constructive recommendations in the LLRC report and additionally to take immediateall necessary additional steps to fulfill its relevant legal obligations and stated commitment to address serious allegations of violations of international law by initiatinginitiate credible and independent investigationsactions to ensure justice, equity, accountability and prosecutions of those responsiblereconciliation for such violations,all Sri Lankans,

2. Requests that the Government of Sri Lanka present a comprehensive action plan before the 20th session of the Human Rights Councilas expeditiously as possible detailing the steps the Government has taken and will take to implement the LLRC recommendations and also to address alleged violations of international law,

3. Encourages the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights and relevant special mandate holdersprocedures to provide, and the Government of Sri Lanka to accept, advice and technical assistance on implementing those steps. steps and requests the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights to present a report to the Council on the provision of such assistance at its twenty-second session.

Chronology:

09.03.12  US-resolution inadequate, India should seize oppor..

08.03.12  US-resolution binds Tamils to less than the 13th A..

07.03.12  World socialists reject both US-backed resolution ..

06.03.12  Thousands gather in Geneva denouncing deceptive de..

06.03.12  Tamil Nadu demands India to declare Rajapaksa guil..

06.03.12  Sumanthiran, Sritharan contradict reasoning Geneva..

05.03.12  West has to concede to Tamils its failure of ‘war ..

02.03.12  US demand on Sri Lanka is not enough: UNSG Panel o..

01.03.12  US, Sri Lanka squabble whether hang or slaughter E..

29.02.12  Enragement over US-India stand results in Sumanthi..

27.02.12  SL colonial governor coordinates anti-UN demonstra..

26.02.12  Peace academic denounces US-LLRC formula, urges al..

25.02.12  TNA plans boycotting UNHRC, requests people to rem..

25.02.12  US ‘tables’ Rajapaksa formula while pretending pre..

24.02.12  UNHRC sessions open on Monday amidst US–Sri Lanka ..

18.02.12  TNA tries to sell Indo-US pre-emption to Eezham Ta..

16.02.12  Sumanthiran comes forward to save Rajapaksa from i..

22.01.12  TNA should use its Tamil national mandate: Bishop ..

01.01.12  Majority ITAK members welcome civil society report..

13.12.11  TNA leadership faces admonition from civil society..

World socialists reject both US-backed resolution and Sri Lanka’s opposition

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 07 March 2012, 17:04 GMT]
“The Obama administration is pushing the resolution as a means of pressuring the Rajapakse government to accommodate US interests and those of India […] At the same time, the Sri Lankan government has mounted a hysterical campaign at home against the supposed “international conspiracy” to tarnish the country’s name […] The bourgeois Tamil National Alliance (TNA) is likewise manoeuvring. It previously condemned the LLRC report, but now calls for the implementation of its recommendations—in line with Washington and New Delhi. The TNA is desperately seeking US and Indian backing for a “political solution”, from which it hopes to benefit […] The Socialist Equality Party rejects both the phony US-backed resolution and the Rajapakse government’s chauvinist campaign against it, said World Socialist Web Site on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, Sri Lanka’s ‘socialist’ ploy and ambassador in Geneva, Tamara Kunanayakam was cited by Daily Mirror on Tuesday, accusing that the Western countries want only a ‘regime change’ in Sri Lanka.

“Over the past 10 years, the US has sought to impose the concept “responsibility to protect” or “R2P” to justify military interventions in countries where, according to them, the Government is unable to protect its own citizens,” she said.

“Like “terrorist States” or “rogue States”, the notion of “failed States” is part of a repertoire that, is used to justify interference in the internal affairs of sovereign States, but under an angelic and moralizing appearance,” she countered UK foreign minister referring to Sri Lanka as a failed state.

When the Rajapaksa regime with the abetment of the West twisted the war on terror paradigm to conduct a genocidal war against Eezham Tamils, the same diplomats worked for mobilising support, New generation Tamil political circles in the island pointed out.

Further comments from a Tamil political activist in the island:

The Colombo-based Tamil bourgeoisie, thinking in terms of preserving the Colombo-centric system and buttressing the genocidal state at any cost, was always there from Ramanathan to Lakshman Kadirgamar, despite seeing what the Sinhala bourgeois state used to behave later.

When the Sinhala bourgeoisie was indicted for the pogrom against Tamil Muslims of Puththa’lam in 1915 (the first ever ethnic pogrom in the island), and the British imprisoned many of the Sinhala leaders, it was Sir P. Ramanathan who went to London to bailout them and to save the Colombo-elite system in 1918. But within a year the Colombo Tamils were politically ditched and were deprived of political representation. In addition, the Tamil Muslims to this day remember the treachery of the Tamil elite.

Lakshman Kadirgamar should have been alive to see the genocide his diplomatic mobilisation had led to.

Looking at the nations in the island from the illusions of Colombo has always pervaded the political realities.

World Socialist Web Site feature by Sarath Kumara rightly exposes the LLRC farce of the Colombo-centric state and its imperialist abetters, in contrast to what Tamara in the garb of socialism and anti-imperialism try to defend the agent state guilty of genocide. For that matter, it is not the Sri Lankan state, but it was the LTTE that has demonstrated an anti-imperialist paradigm in universally defending the plight of nations without state.

“Only the working class, in a unified struggle for a workers’ and peasants’ government and socialist policies, can defend the most basic democratic rights and address these horrific war crimes,” concludes Sarath Kumara.

The reality in the island is that even the working class needs parity, at least in self-respect, to come together. This is where the reality– the collective psyche of the affected nation – needs to be addressed as a priority, in ways appropriate to national questions, to pave way for to think of a united struggle in the region.

Chronology:

09.03.12  US-resolution inadequate, India should seize oppor..

08.03.12  US-resolution binds Tamils to less than the 13th A..

07.03.12  World socialists reject both US-backed resolution ..

06.03.12  Thousands gather in Geneva denouncing deceptive de..

06.03.12  Tamil Nadu demands India to declare Rajapaksa guil..

06.03.12  Sumanthiran, Sritharan contradict reasoning Geneva..

05.03.12  West has to concede to Tamils its failure of ‘war ..

02.03.12  US demand on Sri Lanka is not enough: UNSG Panel o..

01.03.12  US, Sri Lanka squabble whether hang or slaughter E..

29.02.12  Enragement over US-India stand results in Sumanthi..

27.02.12  SL colonial governor coordinates anti-UN demonstra..

26.02.12  Peace academic denounces US-LLRC formula, urges al..

25.02.12  TNA plans boycotting UNHRC, requests people to rem..

25.02.12  US ‘tables’ Rajapaksa formula while pretending pre..

24.02.12  UNHRC sessions open on Monday amidst US–Sri Lanka ..

18.02.12  TNA tries to sell Indo-US pre-emption to Eezham Ta..

16.02.12  Sumanthiran comes forward to save Rajapaksa from i..

22.01.12  TNA should use its Tamil national mandate: Bishop ..

01.01.12  Majority ITAK members welcome civil society report..

13.12.11  TNA leadership faces admonition from civil society..

External Links:

WSWS:		US exploits UNHRC resolution to pressure Sri Lanka
Daily Mirror:		West wants ‘regime change’ in SL-Tamara

Tamil Nadu Catholic Church reminds umbilical cord relations at Kachchatheevu fete

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 07 March 2012, 08:42 GMT]
Amidst intense presence of the occupying Sinhala military at Kachcha-theevu during the annual fete of St. Antony on Sunday, the Ramnad diocese of Tamil Nadu Catholic Church that jointly conducts the prayers along with the Jaffna diocese, reminded the umbilical cord relations of the people on either side of the Palk Bay. The theme of this year’s joint prayer by Tamil Nadu and Jaffna Catholic Church was war-torn Eezham Tamils reuniting with their relatives. The commanders of the occupying military were shocked when Fr. Michael of Ramnad, delivering the sermon, deeply felt for the mass killings of Eezham Tamils and death of humanism in the island, and said that the sons of the soil should be released, they should be honoured and they should lead their lives as heroes (Maaveerar).

Fr. Michael, leading the team from Ramnad of Tamil Nadu, delivered the sermon on behalf of the joint prayer.

The main theme of the prayer was that the war-affected Eezham Tamils should be able to trace their relatives and should be able to reunite with them.

Regretting the severed umbilical cord relations of people on either side of the Palk Bay and deeply feeling for the mass killings of Eezham Tamils and death of humanism in the island, the religious leader was praying for the return of normalcy.

The sons of the soil should be released, they should be honoured and they should lead their lives as heroes (Maaveerar), Fr. Michael declared in the presence of the commanders of the occupying Sinhala military.

The commander of the occupying SL forces in Jaffna, Maj.Gen Hathurusinghe, the commander of the SL Navy in the north and the Sri Lanka Government Agent in Jaffna, Mrs. Imelda Sugumar were present at the occasion. SL Minster Douglas Devananda who had come for the fete was not present during the sermon.

The main prayer theme, i.e., tracing the missing, was repeatedly echoed by the priests and by the thousands of devotees during the fete.

The Kachchatheevu sermon makes a sharp contrast with the last Madu church sermon by the Sinhala Archbishop of Colombo and his recent statement shielding the Colombo regime.

The 13th century Saint Antony of Portugal is revered as a guardian of fishermen. The fete of the saint will continue in the coming weeks at the other uninhabited islands, Paalai-theevu and Katkada-theevu in the Eezham Tamil waters, and also at the coastal places such as Ma'n'niththalai, Allaippiddi etc in the Jaffna Peninsula.

Eezham Tamils visiting Kachchatheevu fete from Jaffna and the islets was severely constrained due to unrest in Neduntheevu (Delft) under the parish of which the church at Kachchatheevu comes, and due to SL minister Douglas Devananda monopolising the boat service to take his supporters, news sources in Jaffna said.

The unrest in Neduntheevu was due to a public agitation by the people of the island protesting the rape and murder of a 13-year-old schoolgirl allegedly by a member of the EPDP paramilitary of Mr. Douglas Devananda.

Vada-thaarakai (North Star), the only public boat from the Jaffna side that usually goes from Neduntheevu was blocked by the SL minister to carry him and his party.

The occupying SL military, along with its commanders in Jaffna, was present in large numbers at Kachchatheevu. The entire organisation of the fete was completely controlled by the occupying SL Navy.

More than 5000 people from Tamil Nadu and around 2000 fro Jaffna and Mannaar have come for the fete this year. Only around 600 were able to go from Jaffna.

The Indian media, especially from Tamil Nadu, was keen in live-relay of the proceedings of the fete. Thanks to the communication tower at Rameswaram, even Indian mobile phones could operate locally from Kachchatheevu.

A usual event that takes place on the sidewalks of the church fete is meeting of the representatives of the fishermen of either side. The Catholic Church using its influence and social control used to sort out fishing issues between the parties.

However, as the unfolding scenario in recent times is orchestration of issues by Establishments in New Delhi and Colombo, the matters have gone beyond the social control of the Church.

SL Minister Douglas Devananda tried to cash in on the situation by posing mediation between visiting fishermen representatives at Kachchatheevu on Saturday evening. The minister was also seen attempting to impress upon the media that had come from Tamil Nadu.

Citing the depletion of fish shoals on the Tamil Nadu side, the TN fishermen wanted the Jaffna-Mannaar fishermen to agree to two-days-a-week fishing by them in the Eezham Tamil waters. The Jaffna-Mannaar fishermen didn’t agree. The main issue of the fishermen from Jaffna.Mannaar was the use of trawlers by the Tamil Nadu fishermen. According to the Tamil Nadu side, doing away with trawlers was not immediately possible.

The arrogance and intimidating attitude shown by those who had come with the SL minister was not helpful to the talks, media sources said.

Satellite image showing the location of Kachchatheevu [Image courtesy: NASA, Visible Earth, Legend by TamilNet]

The uninhabited islet of Kachcha-theevu lying between Neduntheevu Island off Jaffna and Rameswaram of Tamil Nadu was un-demarcated between India and Sri Lanka until 1974, when Indira Gandhi government decided to cede it to Sri Lanka with some reservations. According to the provisions, Tamil Nadu fishermen could rest at the islet during fishing and also could visit the annual church fete, conducted jointly by the dioceses of Jaffna and Ramnad.

In the last many decades, the occupying Sinhala military permits neither the fishermen nor other visitors from either side, except for one night and two days of the annual fete.

The church fete used to be an occasion for the closely related people of either side to meet without the hazards of travel documents, without the psychological conditioning of the states on either side and without travelling the long way round via Colombo. But in the last several years even the annual social get-together has found with severe constrains.

Possibility of finding oil in the Palk Bay is the underlying cause for many of the evils faced by the Tamil fishermen on either side and is an important reason for New Delhi treading upon Eezham Tamils by favouring genocidal Colombo, strategic and economic analysts point out.

“India is persuading Sri Lanka to allocate oil exploration blocks in the waters that separate them as it considers the location too strategically important to allow companies from other nations to base themselves in this area,” a feature appeared in The Hindu on Tuesday said.

“New Delhi expects a favourable response after having stood by Sri Lanka during its annihilation of the LTTE's military structure even though sections of the world community and Indian domestic public opinion assailed the security forces for human rights abuses,” The Hindu feature further said.

Maritime boundary in the Historical Waters of the Palk Bay between India and Sri Lanka. [Courtesy: U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Intelligence and Research, 1975]

Chronology:

07.03.12  Tamil Nadu Catholic Church reminds umbilical cord ..

Related Articles:
06.03.12   Tamil Nadu demands India to declare Rajapaksa guilty of geno..
05.03.12   Nimalarajan murder-suspect rapes and kills 13-year-old girl,..
26.12.07   Kachchatheevu/ Kadchatheevu


External Links:

The Hindu:

India urging Sri Lanka to allocate oil exploration blocks

Thousands gather in Geneva denouncing deceptive deliberations

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 06 March 2012, 17:25 GMT]
While the USA and Sri Lanka and their respective blocs at UNHRC squabble whether the LLRC machination against the nation of Eezham Tamils has to be left to Sri Lanka or internationally monitored in implementation, thousands of Eezham Tamils gathered in Geneva on Monday, denounced the deceptive deliberations and demanded international investigation on the genocide, recognition of the sovereignty of the nation of Eezham Tamils and called for a UN-sponsored referendum among Tamils in the island and in the diaspora. The demonstration organized by Walk for Justice and backed by the Tamil Coordination Committees (TCC) of various countries in the Europe also demanded the immediate release of detainees in the island and removal of occupying Sinhala military from the Tamil homeland.

• Appeal handed over to UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Ms. Navaneetham Pillay

In a letter addressed to the UNHRC chief Ms Navaneetham Pillai, presenting the demands on behalf of the demonstrators, Walk For Justice welcomed the recent resolution of the European Parliament calling for international investigations and expressed its regrets over the lack of will among the powers.

“Despite the deceptions, duplicity and double standards that the Eelam Tamil nation has witnessed, even today we are gathered showing last bit of faith in the international order,” the letter said in making the demands.

Having such an ability to mobilize the masses, the Eezham Tamil polity in the diaspora was conspicuously silent for long in allowing the deceptions to take place and in targeting the right places where the demands have to be addressed by the masses, diaspora watchers commented.

Chronology:

09.03.12  US-resolution inadequate, India should seize oppor..

08.03.12  US-resolution binds Tamils to less than the 13th A..

07.03.12  World socialists reject both US-backed resolution ..

06.03.12  Thousands gather in Geneva denouncing deceptive de..

06.03.12  Tamil Nadu demands India to declare Rajapaksa guil..

06.03.12  Sumanthiran, Sritharan contradict reasoning Geneva..

05.03.12  West has to concede to Tamils its failure of ‘war ..

02.03.12  US demand on Sri Lanka is not enough: UNSG Panel o..

01.03.12  US, Sri Lanka squabble whether hang or slaughter E..

29.02.12  Enragement over US-India stand results in Sumanthi..

27.02.12  SL colonial governor coordinates anti-UN demonstra..

26.02.12  Peace academic denounces US-LLRC formula, urges al..

25.02.12  TNA plans boycotting UNHRC, requests people to rem..

25.02.12  US ‘tables’ Rajapaksa formula while pretending pre..

24.02.12  UNHRC sessions open on Monday amidst US–Sri Lanka ..

18.02.12  TNA tries to sell Indo-US pre-emption to Eezham Ta..

16.02.12  Sumanthiran comes forward to save Rajapaksa from i..

22.01.12  TNA should use its Tamil national mandate: Bishop ..

01.01.12  Majority ITAK members welcome civil society report..

13.12.11  TNA leadership faces admonition from civil society..

Tamil Nadu demands India to declare Rajapaksa guilty of genocide

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 06 March 2012, 13:07 GMT]
In a pan-Tamil Nadu fasting campaign organised by the Communist Party of India with the support of many major political parties of Tamil Nadu on Tuesday, the Government of India was urged to declare Sri Lanka’s President Mahinda Rajapaksa as guilty of genocide. The CPI demand supported by the ruling AIDMK and by political parties MDMK, VCK and Tamil National Communist Party gains much significance against the backdrop of repeated bailouts of the Rajapaksa regime in the international forums by the New Delhi Establishment, political observers in Chennai said. The main fasting campaign, participated by a large number of party activists, took place in front of the Thaamparam divisional secretariat in Chennai.

Tamil Nadu State General Secretary of the CPI, Mr. D. Pandian led the fasting campaign.

On behalf of the ruling AIDMK, Mr. Ponnaiyan delivered the solidarity address.

Inaugurated by veteran supporter of Tamil Eelam, Mr Pazha Nedumaran, and welcomed by CPI’s Tamil Nadu General Secretary Mr C. Mahendran, the campaign was addressed by the leader of the Viduthalai Chiruththaikal Katchi (VCK), and parliamentarian, Mr. Thirumavalavan.

On behalf of MDMK, Mr Senthil Athipan, and representing the Tamil National Communist Party, its General Secretary, K. Venkatraman, addressed the participants.

Supporting the cause of Eezham Tamils, The Communist Party of India plans a series of agitations in Tamil Nadu and in other parts of India in the coming months, Mr. Mahendran told media.

Pazha Nedumaran addressing the gathering organised by the CPI

V. Thirumavalvan of the VCK addressing the gathering

Thaamarai C Mahendran, the Tamil Nadu state secretary of the CPI

Chronology:

09.03.12  US-resolution inadequate, India should seize oppor..

08.03.12  US-resolution binds Tamils to less than the 13th A..

07.03.12  World socialists reject both US-backed resolution ..

06.03.12  Thousands gather in Geneva denouncing deceptive de..

06.03.12  Tamil Nadu demands India to declare Rajapaksa guil..

06.03.12  Sumanthiran, Sritharan contradict reasoning Geneva..

05.03.12  West has to concede to Tamils its failure of ‘war ..

02.03.12  US demand on Sri Lanka is not enough: UNSG Panel o..

01.03.12  US, Sri Lanka squabble whether hang or slaughter E..

29.02.12  Enragement over US-India stand results in Sumanthi..

27.02.12  SL colonial governor coordinates anti-UN demonstra..

26.02.12  Peace academic denounces US-LLRC formula, urges al..

25.02.12  TNA plans boycotting UNHRC, requests people to rem..

25.02.12  US ‘tables’ Rajapaksa formula while pretending pre..

24.02.12  UNHRC sessions open on Monday amidst US–Sri Lanka ..

18.02.12  TNA tries to sell Indo-US pre-emption to Eezham Ta..

16.02.12  Sumanthiran comes forward to save Rajapaksa from i..

22.01.12  TNA should use its Tamil national mandate: Bishop ..

01.01.12  Majority ITAK members welcome civil society report..

13.12.11  TNA leadership faces admonition from civil society..

Five ex-LTTE members abducted since February 27

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 06 March 2012, 02:13 GMT]
Five former members of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), who were released last year by the occupying SL forces for integration with their families after the genocidal SL military's ‘rehabilitation’ programme, have been reported missing last week.

On 27 February, two armed men, who came in a vehicle, asked for Mr. Muthaiah Subramaniyam and took him in their vehicle saying that he was being taken for an inquiry and that he would be released. The abduction took place around 9:00 p.m. in Ki'linochchi.

He was living with his family since 10 June, 2010.

3 more abductions have been reported in Ki'linochchi and Mullaiththeevu districts since 27 February.

Another person has been abducted in I'nuvil, Jaffna.

The families of abductees didn't want to reveal the details or names fearing for the safety of the victims.

Sumanthiran, Sritharan contradict reasoning Geneva absentia

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 06 March 2012, 00:22 GMT]
In a meeting held by the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) in Jaffna on Monday, explaining to the public why the TNA opted out canvassing in Geneva, TNA’s Vanni parliamentarian Sritharan and nominated parliamentarian Sumanthiran came out with contrasting reasons. As the TNA has publicly rejected the LLRC recommendations, is there any point in going to Geneva where the resolution is harping on implementation of the recommendations; won’t it be strengthening the resolution, asked Sritharan. But, Sumanthiran implied that the resolution comes after TNA conferring with the US State Department four months back and that it won’t be diplomatically beneficial to the sponsors of the move if the TNA is present in Geneva.

Commenting political observers said that the contradiction of perceptions in the TNA had caused irrevocable damages to the Eezham Tamil cause at a crucial time.

The confusions of naïve activists and waste of resources and energy could have been avoided had the TNA stood firmly on its rejection of the LLRC paradigm, announced it openly and had stayed away from the Geneva sessions. But some articulating TNA members publicly welcomed the LLRC recommendations and they have signalled naïve activists. The game is something similar to trapping the LTTE in Oslo, the political observers said.

The UNSG panel report first paved way for watering down Sri Lanka’s historically intended and powers-abetted genocide into ‘war crimes of both sides’. Then there was no end. As the adage in Tamil says of the donkey metamorphosing into an ant (Kazhuthai theaynthu kadde’rumpaana kathai), now it has become upholding the LLRC recommendations that reject even the war crimes and fixes date for the completion of structural genocide, Tamil political observers in the island said.

The nominated TNA parliamentarian, Mr. Sumanthiran, in his speech in Jaffna on Monday was bragging of the recognition the TNA gets from the USA and India.

Such a political force of international recognition and its leaders should not go to Geneva to stand at the gates, giving food parcels to delegates, to canvass, Sumanthiran said.

Political parties like the TNA have no official space in the Geneva sessions of States. They may show their presence only in organizing private campaigns to the diplomatic delegations of the member states. Some registered human rights organisations get the chance of speaking in the sessions, but they get only 3 minutes each and there one cannot claim the identity of the party, Sumanthiran explained the futility of TNA visiting Geneva.

The UNHRC had met several times since May 2009. Some people who had not asked us about the previous sessions now ask why we had not gone, Sumanthiran accused.

However, Sumanthiran who implied the connections between the TNA visit to the USA and to the present resolution move in Geneva, said that the situation may be different in June or September and the TNA may have to then consider conducting a hosting campaign to delegates of states in Geneva.

He said that he held discussions for one and a half hours with the US State Department in January too, while on his visit to Canada. He was told that there were policy changes in the USA and they would be beneficial for Tamils.

A declaration in the international organisation is important. That is what is being attempted now. If the declaration is not observed then it will be questioned in the next meet. The USA is bringing in such a move. The moves of the West, even it comes from the USA, are likely to face defeat in the current international scenario. Who will table the resolution will be known next week. We decided that it is not diplomatic for us to go to Geneva now, Sumanthiran further said.

A few days ago, Sumanthiran welcomed the implementation of the LLRC. Some diaspora activists from the UK and even the Global Tamil Forum have been made to welcome the LLRC recommendations by the pro-US lobby. While the lure is trapping Colombo to commit to the international organisation, the fear in the Tamil circles is that their polity getting trapped in return to commit to accepting non-descript solutions and structural genocide of their nation in the island.

While Sumanthiran made the Cambodian analogy to the BBC, the US ambassador in Colombo spoke of a ‘long haul’ and the US State Department’s Ms Otero spoke in Geneva on ‘sowing seeds’, the Eezham Tamils were reminded of the continuity of the deception laid in Oslo in 2002, political observers witnessing the TNA meet in Jaffna told TamilNet.

When the Natchiappans convened a conference in New Delhi blunting righteous justice to Eezham Tamils, the Tamil polity in the island passionately defeated it. Why the 'articulating' sections in the diaspora are not showing the spirit in facing the deception coming from the USA is a question, the Tamil political observers in the island further said.

Chronology:

09.03.12  US-resolution inadequate, India should seize oppor..

08.03.12  US-resolution binds Tamils to less than the 13th A..

07.03.12  World socialists reject both US-backed resolution ..

06.03.12  Thousands gather in Geneva denouncing deceptive de..

06.03.12  Tamil Nadu demands India to declare Rajapaksa guil..

06.03.12  Sumanthiran, Sritharan contradict reasoning Geneva..

05.03.12  West has to concede to Tamils its failure of ‘war ..

02.03.12  US demand on Sri Lanka is not enough: UNSG Panel o..

01.03.12  US, Sri Lanka squabble whether hang or slaughter E..

29.02.12  Enragement over US-India stand results in Sumanthi..

27.02.12  SL colonial governor coordinates anti-UN demonstra..

26.02.12  Peace academic denounces US-LLRC formula, urges al..

25.02.12  TNA plans boycotting UNHRC, requests people to rem..

25.02.12  US ‘tables’ Rajapaksa formula while pretending pre..

24.02.12  UNHRC sessions open on Monday amidst US–Sri Lanka ..

18.02.12  TNA tries to sell Indo-US pre-emption to Eezham Ta..

16.02.12  Sumanthiran comes forward to save Rajapaksa from i..

22.01.12  TNA should use its Tamil national mandate: Bishop ..

01.01.12  Majority ITAK members welcome civil society report..

13.12.11  TNA leadership faces admonition from civil society..

Nimalarajan murder-suspect rapes and kills 13-year-old girl, villagers enraged

[TamilNet, Monday, 05 March 2012, 23:06 GMT]
An EPDP paramilitary operative on Saturday raped and killed a 13-year-old student of Neduntheevu Maha Viththiyaalayam, Jesudasan Lakshini, triggering anger among the villagers of Neduntheevu (Delf), an islet off Jaffna. The villages encircled the camps of the Sri Lanka Navy and the SL Police on Sunday and demanded that the civilian representatives of the islet should be present to monitor that investigations were being carried out. The suspect was earlier arrested in connection with Nimalarajan killing, but escaped legal processing with the backing of SL Police, the residents alleged.

At least 600 civilians had come together on Sunday protesting against the SL military and the SL police.

The enraged villagers who had apprehended both the culprits handed them over to the SL Police demanding immediate investigations.

Fearing that the SL police and Navy would send away the alleged culprits, the protesters blocked the Ku'rikaadduvaan jetty, disrupting communication to and from the islet.

The leadership of the EPDP paramilitary was trying to describe that the culprit, caught by the villagers after the brutal rape and killing was no longer employed by the EPDP. An EPDP paramilitary operative named Uthayan was trying to divert the attention away from his group.

On Monday, schools remained closed and black flags were flown throughout the islet.

Chronology:

05.03.12  Nimalarajan murder-suspect rapes and kills 13-year..

19.10.10  Identify murderers of Tamil journalist, RSF appeal..

20.10.06  Nimalarajan remembered by Jaffna Journalists

19.10.05  Nimalarajan remembered in Jaffna

18.10.05  Nimalarajan's fifth anniversary commemorated

20.08.04  Nimalarajan murder case struck off from roll call

19.08.04  SC allows petition of Nimalarajan murder suspects

17.05.04  Suspect in Nimalarajan murder allowed reduced bail

31.03.04  Nimalarajan murder suspect accused in sexual assau..

30.03.04  Nimalarajan murder suspect arrested

26.03.04  Warrant issued for arrest of Nimalarajan murder ac..

20.01.04  Court asks SL Police for progress report on Nimala..

20.10.03  Nimalarajan murder suspect remanded

17.10.03  Jaffna journalists fast to mark colleague’s murder

13.10.03  Nimalarajan Memorial Lecture to be held at LSE

29.09.03  Fasting campaign to demand inquiry into Nimalaraja..

27.07.03  Two more suspects to be arrested in Nimalarajan mu..

26.04.03  CID told to produce Nimalarajan murder suspect

27.03.03  Court orders arrest of key suspect in Nimalarajan ..

25.02.03  Weapons in Nimalarajan murder case sent to govt. a..

17.11.02  RSF plans Nimalarajan memorial discussion

11.11.02  SLA asked for EPDP weapons over journalist's murde..

18.10.02  Nimalarajan remembered

18.10.02  'Douglas Devananda not questioned over journalist’..

11.09.02  Nimalarajan murder case suspects allowed bail

20.08.02  Nimalarajan murder suspects further remanded

11.08.02  Murder weapon in Nimalarajan case seized

07.08.02  Another EPDP member arrested in Nimalarajan murder

06.08.02  Police to search EPDP offices

02.08.02  EPDP man remanded in Nimalarajan murder

04.07.02  Ex-EPDP cadre makes confession on journalist's mur..

07.06.02  Jaffna court seeks EPDP's weapons list

01.05.02  Tamil journalists still face danger - RSF

26.03.02  CPJ criticizes tardy investigation of journalist's..

10.02.02  CID to expedite Nimalarajan, Kumar murder investig..

19.10.01  Jaffna journalist's murder investigation said aban..

22.03.01  Blair urged over Jaffna journalists

25.01.01  "Right to life not guaranteed in constitution"

22.11.00  Jaffna University students stage protest march

03.11.00  Demonstrators protest in Kaluwankerny

31.10.00  Trouble flares at Batticaloa protest

27.10.00  Hartal to protest journalist's slaying

27.10.00  Trinco hartal over massacre

25.10.00  Journalists protest colleague's slaying

21.10.00  Thousands mourn slain Jaffna journalist

20.10.00  Jaffna journalist killed for his reporting

19.10.00  Senior Jaffna journalist shot dead

West has to concede to Tamils its failure of ‘war crimes–reconciliation’ paradigm

[TamilNet, Monday, 05 March 2012, 07:16 GMT]
The West, especially the USA has to concede to Eezham Tamils that its post-war paradigms of war crimes accountability and reconciliation have failed to bring in solutions from Sri Lanka, commented a new generation Tamil politician in the island, citing the repeated state of affairs at the UNHRC in Geneva. Attitudinal change and fresh thinking in the West should at least now accept the reality of genocide in the island and approach the question from the angle of right to self-determination of the affected nation. Polity of Tamils in the island, diaspora and in Tamil Nadu also should stop playing second fiddle to futile paradigms of others and should stage their own paradigm for their own problem to make it inevitable for the powers, especially India and the USA to listen to, the politician added.

Further comments from the politician:

The way the USA that architected the genocidal war in the island shows debacles in its openly projected positions ever since the last stages of the war raises some serious questions:

Whether the USA is pretending of those projected positions but wants the opposite to take place;

Whether it has really gone weak in handling global affairs even in matters like that of the Eezham Tamils who are so far not enemies to any of the powers in the world;

Or whether it is poor understanding, theoretical incapacity and moral incapacity in the US Administration that paves way for the choice of wrong paradigms that are deemed to fail and muddle up matters further.

Whatever could be the reasons, it is high time the Tamils have to take an account of what has actually happened ever since their polity was made to commit to ‘experimenting internal self-determination’ at the US-architected Norwegian peace process to now its polity being made to not only welcome the LLRC recommendations but also to internationally campaign for them.

While being lured by the chances of ‘international monitoring’ of the LLRC-implementation, the Tamil polity has been made to drop international investigation of the war crimes, and more than that, political solution of any description at all. Enough has been said on the thrust of the LLRC recommendation. If the Oslo Communique paved way for the genocide, endorsement to LLRC sanctions the structural genocide.

Whether with tacit understanding with the USA or not, the Colombo regime makes the best use of anti-US polarisation in the international arena in transforming the US model of ‘legitimized counterinsurgency’ into ‘Asian model’ of legitimized genocide.

Meanwhile, the New Delhi Establishment repeatedly proves how ingenious it could be in coming out with reasons for bailing out the genocidal regime and state of Sri Lanka. The former foreign secretary and present ambassador of New Delhi in Washington, Ms. Nirupama Menon Rao, has long back outlined the policy that India alone should handle Sri Lanka.

The US ambassador in Colombo, Ms Patricia Butenis said last week “ We are in this for the long haul.” Of course, during this ‘long haul’ of deceptive outcome, the Eezham Tamil polity will be given chewing gum after chewing gum by the USA. We see one such for Geneva and the end of the sessions will be time for another gum.

But Rajapaksa regime and the State of Sri Lanka is not for any ‘long haul.’ The time has been fixed for the completion of structural genocide and they are working on it systematically and swiftly. Even a regime change in the island will not stop it because it is not the regime but the genocidal state. Getting anything from this state is extracting fibre from stone, as a saying in Tamil goes.

For how long the Tamil polity is going to fail in making a right stand and right demands has to be questioned at least at the end of the current Geneva sessions.

The role that could be played by the people’s force in Tamil Nadu is of utmost significance in this respect, in inspiring even the middle class minded Eezham Tamil polity. For we have seen how sections in the diaspora didn’t want to offend the masters when there were mass uprisings in the diaspora during the war and when the diaspora re-mandated the Vaddukkoaddai Resolution.

Chronology:

09.03.12  US-resolution inadequate, India should seize oppor..

08.03.12  US-resolution binds Tamils to less than the 13th A..

07.03.12  World socialists reject both US-backed resolution ..

06.03.12  Thousands gather in Geneva denouncing deceptive de..

06.03.12  Tamil Nadu demands India to declare Rajapaksa guil..

06.03.12  Sumanthiran, Sritharan contradict reasoning Geneva..

05.03.12  West has to concede to Tamils its failure of ‘war ..

02.03.12  US demand on Sri Lanka is not enough: UNSG Panel o..

01.03.12  US, Sri Lanka squabble whether hang or slaughter E..

29.02.12  Enragement over US-India stand results in Sumanthi..

27.02.12  SL colonial governor coordinates anti-UN demonstra..

26.02.12  Peace academic denounces US-LLRC formula, urges al..

25.02.12  TNA plans boycotting UNHRC, requests people to rem..

25.02.12  US ‘tables’ Rajapaksa formula while pretending pre..

24.02.12  UNHRC sessions open on Monday amidst US–Sri Lanka ..

18.02.12  TNA tries to sell Indo-US pre-emption to Eezham Ta..

16.02.12  Sumanthiran comes forward to save Rajapaksa from i..

22.01.12  TNA should use its Tamil national mandate: Bishop ..

01.01.12  Majority ITAK members welcome civil society report..

13.12.11  TNA leadership faces admonition from civil society..

Related Articles:
18.12.11   Indo-US competition deprives justice to Eezham Tamils
25.11.09   Heroes and rulers, eternal struggle of humanity
02.10.07   International Chakkadaththaar

African Art found in Kayts Island off Jaffna

[TamilNet, Sunday, 04 March 2012, 15:42 GMT]
Head part of a metal sculpture showing features of African Art, discovered while digging a well at Allaippiddi in the Kayts Island off Jaffna, has been brought to the notice of professionals in archaeology by the efforts of a local teacher Nadarajah Vakeesan of Bharathi Vidyalayam. The artefact, found in the Palk Bay side of Kayts, an ancient as well as colonial harbour island, where pottery dating from pre-Christian centuries, a hoard of Chola artefacts and a cargo of Chinese ware dated to 12th century CE have been found earlier, and where some early Islamic and European colonial monuments are also located, now shows its Black African connections too, academics said.

The piece of African art found at Allaippiddi in the Kayts Island of Jaffna

The sculpture, 14cms in height and 12cms in width is yet to be ascertained of its metal content, said Prof. P. Pushparatnam of the University of Jaffna, talking to media on the artefact acquired by archaeology field officers P. Kapilan and S. Manimaran.

Prof. Pushparatnam was citing the protruding jaw, thick lips, receding forehead, stylized curly hair, the back of the head and the long neck, in linking the sculpture to African Art.

Many African communities, especially from the Horn part of East Africa and Northern Africa in the ancient and medieval times, and many other Africans during the colonial times, were in contact with southern parts of maritime South Asia due to mercantile, mercenary, religious and labour reasons.

The inner side of the moulded halve of the figure

The long neck depicted in the sculpture is considered a sign of beauty by many African peoples. The finish just at the shoulder probably means that the sculpture was originally designed like that. But, what has been found is only one halve of the moulded image, as could be seen from the photo of its other side. The two perforations on the face and another attempted one are deliberate.

In the absence of context and typological studies it is difficult to say when and from which part of Africa the sculpture had come to Jaffna, but, there are strong literary and folk evidences available in Jaffna for the peninsula’s contacts with an African people identified by the name Papparavar, at least in the times of the Kingdom of Jaffna, academics said.

Papparavar is a mercenary soldier community that had come to Jaffna, according to historiographical literature Vaiyaapadal that was written in the times of the Kingdom of Jaffna. It seems later they took to fishing.

Even though the identity of the community is not found in the caste system of Jaffna today, there are at least some place names that remind us of the settlements of the Papparavar. Vaiyaapaadal places them under the Pa’l’luvili caste.

The land where the Nayinaa-theevu Amman temple stands today is known in its land deeds as Papparavan Challi (meaning the shelly land of a Papparavan). The temple is located in an archaeological site. Nayinaa-theevu, which is an adjacent island of Kayts was also sometimes called as Papparavath-theevu (the island of Papparavar: vide, the family chronicles of the Kaarainakar temple priests; Aanma Tharsanam, Ka’napatheesvarak-kurukka’l memorial volume, published in 1969).

Another related place name is Papparavap-piddi (the coastal high ground of Papparavar), north of Chaalai in the sand bar that links the Jaffna Peninsula with the main island. This is also an archaeological site.

Pappara-theasam and Papparavar are general references to Africa and its black people in the Tamil lexicons and as implied through corroborative evidences available in the neighbouring languages. In Sanskrit, Babhroo is a country associated with people of curly hair and deep brown colour. Related terms Barbar in old Greek and Arabic and Berber in later European languages, referred to people of the Berber territory of the Western part of North Africa, i.e., Morocco.

Morocco played a significant role in trade, geographical voyages, Islamic missions and mercenary soldiers in the pre-European medieval times of maritime South Asia. Ibn Battuta, who met the king of Jaffna during his travels in mid 14th century, had come from Morocco. Many of the early missions of maritime Islam of a particular mystic school associated with Dargahs that had come to South India, Maldives and to the island of Sri Lanka, originated from Morocco.

Ma’nkumpaan near Allaippiddi in Kayts and the Nayinaatheevu Island have some early Muslim monuments associated with the Dargah tradition.

However, the sculpture of African Art found at Allaippiddi, could neither belong to Islam nor to the hybrid Arab cultures of North Africa. It is Black African, academics said.

Vaiyaapaadal makes a differentiation of Papparavar and Choanakar–whether Muslims or not– and mentions them with separate identity, when it lists out the mercenary soldier groups that had come to Jaffna. Choanakar are generally the Arabs.

For more details on the African community of Papparavar in Jaffna and on the etymology of the term in Tamil, Sinhala, Maldivian and Sanskrit, see the column on Papparavap-piddi appeared in TamilNet on 22 February 2008.

The Kayts Island, due to its location facing the Palk Strait and guarding the entrances into the Jaffna Lagoon, was in the hub of maritime contacts since very early times.

Pre-Christian pottery sites, probably of protohistoric period, have been found in the island at Chaaddi and Kumpu’rup-piddi (Ragupathy 1983, Pushparatnam 2004). In the 1960s the then curator of the Jaffna museum, Mr. M.P. Selvaratnam acquired a hoard of Chola artefacts found at Naaraanthanai in Kayts. In 1971, Prof K. Indrapala discovered a Chola inscription at the fort off Kayts and in1977 Prof John Carswell found a cargo of Chinese ware at Allaippiddi.

Kayts has got its name from the Portuguese Cais, meaning harbour.

The Tamil name of the harbour, Ooraath-thurai (as found written in the Tamil inscriptions of 12th century CE and as used in the speech of the local people), means the harbour of a particular type of sail-ships. (See the link below)

Related Articles:
03.05.11   Ooraaththu'rai (Kayts), Pa'n'naiththu'rai, Matara
09.09.08   Chaaddi
22.02.08   Papparappiddi/ Papparavappidd

Worried Colombo consulted top D.C. law firm for advice

[TamilNet, Sunday, 04 March 2012, 15:22 GMT]
John Bellinger, currently a senior partner in a large Washington Law firm, and formerly the legal adviser to the State Department in the Bush Administration, writes in a popular website that the Sri Lankan Government consulted him for advice on the war-crimes charges against Sri Lanka's President Rajapakse in the D.C. District Court. The article also discloses that Sri Lanka requested the U.S. State Department to intervene in the Rajapakse war-crimes case more than nine-months ago, but the State Department delayed issuing the "Suggestion of immunity" until after Judge Kotelly formally requested the views of the U.S. Government. Judge Kotelly dismissed the case on the grounds of Head of State Immunity.

Bellinger was the predecessor to Harold Koh, the current legal advisor to the State Department. The Justice Department’s filing attached a letter from Harold Koh stating that the “Department of State recognizes and allows the immunity of President Rajapaksa as a sitting head of state from the jurisdiction of the United States District Court in this suit.”

Bellinger states in his article: "The Administration’s [Obama's] Suggestion of Immunity for Rajapakse is consistent with longstanding State Department practice. However, the Administration’s delay in recognizing the immunity of a sitting head of state is unusual and may be another indication that Obama Administration officials want to appear to be more supportive of human rights litigation in U.S. courts against foreign government officials.

"This is the second time the Administration has delayed in asserting immunity for a sitting head of a foreign state. Last year, in an Alien Tort Statute case, the Administration waited for more than a year after receiving a formal request for immunity from the Rwandan government before filing a Suggestion of Immunity for Rwandan President Paul Kagame."

Bellinger cautions that the U.S.'s policy of delaying recognition of the immunities of foreign government officials in U.S. courts is likely to be viewed by other countries as inconsistent with international law norms and could have adverse reciprocal implications for U.S. government officials (including Obama Administration officials) who may be sued in foreign courts.

Rajapakse had appointed counsel, Mitchell Berger from the lobby firm of Patton Boggs to represent him in the D.C. Court.

The Complaint by the three Tamil plaintiffs alleged multiple violations of the Torture Victims Protection Act (TVPA) based on Sri Lanka's President Rajapaksa’s command responsibility for the extrajudicial killings of Ragihar Manoharan, the son of Plaintiff Dr. Kasippillai Manoharan, of Premas Anandarajah, a humanitarian aid worker for Action Against Hunger, and husband of Plaintiff Kalaiselvi Lavan, and four members of the Thevarajah family, all relatives of Plaintiff Jeyakumar Aiyathurai.

Chronology:

04.03.12  Worried Colombo consulted top D.C. law firm for ad..

02.03.12  Supreme Court's June ruling can undermine Rajapaks..

01.03.12  Head of State immunity saves Rajapakse from war-cr..

19.02.12  Court to decide if US can save Rajapakse from war-..

05.02.12  Fein: TVPA's plain language interpretation negates..

20.01.12  Tamil plaintiffs oppose US Government's stand on R..

15.01.12  Executive overreach to provide immunity to Univers..

14.01.12  US "suggests" immunity to Rajapakse from suit

18.12.11  Rajapakse case, a legal pioneer, reaches historic ..

17.12.11  Rajapakse accepts Court summons, asks US to confer..

04.12.11  War crime litigations reach crucial phase in US co..

23.11.11  Judge Kotelly to decide Rajapakse's legal fate in ..

19.10.11  Rajapakse says will defy Court Order, Shavendra hi..

14.10.11  US Court authorizes use of TamilNet to serve Rajap..

01.10.11  Rajapakse, an enemy of all mankind, filed U.S. Cou..

20.09.11  Rajapakse has no immunity against war crimes prose..

06.08.11  US Court rules Rumsfeld can be sued for torture

27.06.11  Colombo fears judgment against Rajapakse in US Cou..

18.06.11  Hague summons reaches Rajapakse for US Court case

02.06.11  U.S. case: Rajapakse ducks service, Court order so..

09.02.11  DC Court to serve summons to Rajapakse

29.01.11  Ambassador, an honest man sent to lie for Sri Lank..

28.01.11  Rajapaksa sued in US Courts over war-crimes, plain..

23.01.11  TAG to file civil case against Rajapakse in Texas ..

External Links:

Wiki:		John B. Bellinger III
LAWFARE:		TVPA Lawsuit Against Sri Lanka President Dismissed, after Administration Submits Delayed Suggestion of Immunity
A&P:		Arnold & Porter LLP: John Bellinger
Volokh:		Harold Koh Discussion with John Bellinger on International Law and the Obama Administration
LT:		Judge Holds Sri Lankan President Immune from Liability Over Killings