Category Archives: LTTE

September 13, 2016 · 4:52 am

Weak-Kneed GSL Response to UNHCR Moves at Geneva in September

Sanja de Silva Jayatilleka,  whose preferred title is ” September in Geneva: Sri Lanka at UNHRC” … The highlights are my imposition, Michael Roberts

mangalaat-unhrc-2015

The September session of the United Nations Human Rights Council will start on the 13th of this month. There is a report on Sri Lanka due to be presented there. It is the Report of the Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances on its mission to Sri Lanka. I am no lawyer or any kind of expert but as I have closely observed the Council from a ringside seat (in the years 2007-2009) and am familiar with it, I checked it out. Even someone like me can see when a report is making a wildly expansive claim. At first glance it seemed to me that the members of the Working Group were making lurid allegations against the Sri Lankan state. Then I wondered if they were making them against the LTTE, which would certainly fit. It quickly dawned on me that they meant the State after all, since they refer to “counter-terrorist activities” – and that could only be the State. Continue reading →

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September 7, 2016 · 2:17 pm

A Mundane Announcement about An Outstanding Event

Three or four News Agencies provided this rather prosaic notice about the launching of Major-General Kamal Gunaratne’s THE ROAD TO NANDIKADAL in early September; but ‘saved the day’ by deploying interesting snaps.

nkl-today Pic used by http://telo.org/?p=170018 

 September 4, 2016, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian: Security analysts are said to be keeping a close eye on the book ‘Road to Nandikadal’, true story of defeating Tamil Tigers by Major General Kamal Gunaratne, expected to be released after his retirement on September 5. The book will be released on September 6, a day after his retirement. The Sinhala and English versions of the book will be released on the same day. It is said that several incidents that occurred during the war including the killing of Velupillai Prabhkaran. Major General Gunaratne was the Commanding Officer of the 53 Division, that is believed to have killed the LTTE leader Prabhakaran.

fig-80-situ-map-2008-12-23-23-12-44 Situation Map –23 December 2008 Continue reading →

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September 7, 2016 · 11:33 am

Defeating the LTTE: Major-General Kamal Gunaratne in Riveting Q and A

Shanika Sriyananda, courtesy of DailyFT, 7 September 2016, which carries the title “The Road to Nandikadal”... and also in http://sangam.org/road-nandikadalmaj-gen-kamal-gunaratne/. ..…Note that the highlighting is embellishment by The Editor, Thuppahi

Battle-hardened soldier Maj. Gen. Kamal Gunaratne, who has shed his Army uniform which he wore for 35 years, yesterday urged political leaders of the country to maintain the hard-earned peace. Maj. Gen. Gunaratne, who is credited for commanding his troops of the 53 Division to fight the 45-minute final battle of the Eelam IV war, which killed LTTE Leader Velupillai Prabhakaran and put the curtains down on the 30-year-long war against LTTE terrorism, will be launching his memoir ‘Road to Nandikadal’ today (6) at his alma mater, Ananda College. In an exclusive interview with the Daily FT, he explained the historical failures that led the LTTE to become a stronger fighting force, the motive of writing of his memoir, the downfall of the LTTE, transforming the SLA to a victorious Army, allegations on human rights abuses and the last days of the final battle.  “I wrote this book for the poor parents who sent their sons to fight with the ruthless LTTE, the elite people in Colombo and abroad and the human rights activists, who were misled by a wrong picture about the our soldiers and the war,” he said, adding that he doesn’t want his memories to be buried with him after his retirement.  Maj. Gen. Gunaratne said that for the LTTE to make a comeback with the same vigour it needed a leader like Prabhakaran, who was an equally committed, dedicated, disciplined and ruthless terrorist leader.
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September 6, 2016 · 1:41 am

Tigress Rathika Pathmanathan’s Turbulent Journey, 2006-16

Zahrah Imtiaz,  in Daily News, 16 August 2016, where the title is “Rathika–A  Succcess Story”

At 23, Rathika Pathmanathan has borne many names; orphan, LTTE combatant, Ex-LTTE combatant, call centre girl and finally writer and activist. Her journey has been long and arduous and as she stood in a crowded auditorium at the OPA, for the launch of her maiden book of narrative stories and poems in Tamil, ‘There is a darkness called light and I grope for myself in the thick of it’ (with Sinhala and English translations), last week, she stood as a testament to what successful rehabilitation needed to be.

AA-rathika 22 Rathika Pathmanathan

“This book is an honest declaration of my feelings and thoughts during and after the war. It bears the scars of that time,”she said and added that it was a project undertaken to record the sufferings of the people who went through the war. “I am surprised at the courage I have gained to be able to speak before a large gathering today. A few years ago, I did not know a word of Sinhala, we didn’t know what ‘Kauda’ (who are you?) meant. I was depressed and had no one to talk to and as I lay in hospital in Colombo, I started to write poetry.

“As I kept writing, I felt more relieved and empowered, so I kept writing. The writing calmed me down. This book helped me get out of depression and learn to live a better life,” she explained. Continue reading →

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September 3, 2016 · 2:54 pm

The Missing in Lanka: An Old Bibliography … Further Supplemented

The passage of the Office of Missing Persons Bill in the Sri Lankan Parliament and the highlighting of this issue in Groundviews makes it imperative for serious analysts to scour the literature and take note of the problems in pursuing the topic in circumstances beset with continuing propaganda associated with a deadly war where agit-prop tactics were central to the activities of all sides. The “sides” include liberals, radicals and humanists whose ideological commitments sometimes clouded judgment and ability to assess ground realities.

No one is free of subjectivity. So all subjectivities and readings have to be put to the test. This includes the claims — whether related quietly or histrionically — by grieving relatives. Their power of conviction and force of telling — just study some of the pictures — does not gaurantee truth of tale. They could have been misled or been primed by agit-prop stories that have been imbibed, absorbed and are now, today, retailed powerfully and with truth effect. The point here is that GRIEF can distort interpretation and that sympathetic hearts can be misled. A clinical approach must adhere to pragmatism in due measure.

disappearances --Pic WSWS 04-alternative2013-01-30 19.34.38 ++ Continue reading →

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September 3, 2016 · 11:04 am

Groundviews on Disappearances and the OMP

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Raisa Wickrematunga: “Searching for Answers: The Road to the OMP,” 30 August 2016, https://groundviews.org/2016/08/30/searching-for-answers-the-road-to-the-omp/

Bhavani Fonseka: “The Office on Missing Persons: A New Chapter or Another Empty Promise?” 18 August 2016, https://groundviews.org/2016/08/18/the-office-on-missing-persons-a-new-chapter-or-another-empty-promise/

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September 2, 2016 · 3:14 pm

The Tamil Tigers are part of Jeremy Corbyn’s Fantasy World

Padraig Colman, courtesy of https://pcolman.wordpress.com/2016/09/01/corbyn-and-the-tamil-tigers/

Part of the dissatisfaction with Corbyn arises from his tendency to espouse causes which have little to do with the reality of practical politics in the UK itself in 2016. As recently as April 2016, Jeremy Corbyn said he fully supports Tamils in their struggle to achieve self-determination in Sri Lanka.

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Corbyn Supports Freedom Fighters:  To a certain western mind-set everything is black or white, minorities are always oppressed and discriminated against, governments must be bad, and rebels must be romantic freedom fighters. I recall that in the 1970s, my own trade union in the UK was contributing funds to the LTTE (Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, known as the Tamil Tigers) because they were obviously “freedom fighters” defending the oppressed Tamil minority.

In 1983, Jeremy Corbyn became an MP. In Sri Lanka, 1983 is remembered  with horror for the pogrom known as “Black July”. Thirteen soldiers were killed by the LTTE. Anti-Tamil riots ensued and lasted for ten days with property being destroyed and up to 3,000 people being killed and 200,000 displaced. Continue reading →

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September 2, 2016 · 5:13 am

Dayan Jayatilleka dissects Sambanthans’ Approach and the Issues of Devolution

Dayan Jayatilleka, courtesy of Colombo Telegraph , where the title reads “Weakening The Center Through Covert Federalism: Reading Sampanthan’s Spin,” …https://www.colombotelegraph.com/index.php/weakening-the-center-through-covert-federalism-reading-sampanthans-spin/……… and where many comments will be found. Also see https://www.facebook.com/pages/DrDayan-Jayatilleka/550235091746278

aa-Map SLSampanthan

What Mr. Sampanthan did not say in Matara recently was as important as what he did say. What he said was as follows: “…This Constitution is going to be framed one with the framework of a united, undivided and indivisible Sri Lanka…We do not want this country to be divided. But the people want power to be devolved within the regions. The power that is required to maintain the unity and territorial integrity of the country, Defence, the Army, Navy and the Air Force will be under the control of the Central Government. Foreign Affairs Currency and Finance, Immigration and Emigration to be under the central government. These powers need to be kept at the Centre to ensure the unity and the indivisibility of the country. Other powers will be devolved…The Southern Province will have their Provincial Council with enhanced powers. The Sabaragamuwa, Central Province will have their Provincial regions with extraneous enhanced powers. Similarly the North, East and Central Provinces will have their own areas with enhanced powers.” Continue reading →

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August 29, 2016 · 2:04 pm

“Alvin” and Corporal Nawarathne receive Prestigious World De-Mining Award

tNews Item

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The US-based Marshall Legacy Institute (MLI), engaged in provision of technical support for clearance of landmines world-wide, has selected the Sri Lanka Army’s Mine Detection Dog (MDD), Alvin and its handler, Lance Corporal G.N.W.M Nawarathne of 7 Field Engineer Regiment, Sri Lanka Engineers (SLE) as the MLI’s ‘Team of the Year – 2016’ to receive the MDD Award of the Year – 2016 during the ‘Clearing the Path’ Gala celebration on 26 October 2016 in Washington, DC.  The two-member Army de-mining team, Alvin and its handler, Lance Corporal Nawarathne has been working together to-date since 28 December 2011, having de-mined approximately a land area of 73,340 sqm   in the North and East. Their operations have so far recovered 20 Rocket Propeller Grenades (RPGs), 48 grenades, 137 Anti Personnel Mines (APMs), 24 unexploded ordnance, 18 detonators and 243 ammunition and other explosive remnants of the war. Continue reading →

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August 28, 2016 · 3:34 am

Ban Ki-Moon faces Thalif Deen on Eve of Sri Lankan Visit

Thalif Deen, courtesy of The Sunday Times, 28 August 2016, and … where the title is  “UN Chief non-committal on international judges for war crimes probe here”

In an exclusive interview, UN Chief Ban Ki Moon talks to Thalif Deen at the United Nations, ahead of his visit to Sri Lanka on Wednesday

NEW YORK—UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, who will be on an official three-day visit beginning Wednesday, singled out the “ tremendous progress” made by Sri Lanka in overcoming development challenges, including in the health and development sectors. “Successive Governments have promoted strong growth policies that have reduced poverty and increased living standards throughout the country,” he noted. In an exclusive interview with the SundayTimes, Ban spoke of the peaks and valleys in the UN’s politically-fluctuating relationship with Sri Lanka, while at the same time, lamenting the slow movement towards implementing “transitional justice and reconciliation.”

SRILANKA-UNREST-UN-BAN...U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon (r) is greeted by IDPs (Internaly Displaced Percons) as he visits Manik Farm in Sri Lanka on May 23, 2009. Just days after Colombo declared victory over Tamil Tiger, he toured the sprawling Menik Farm camp, 250 kilometers (155 miles) north of Colombo, which was jammed with civilians who had fled the war zone. AFP PHOTO/JOE KLAMAR (Photo credit should read JOE KLAMAR/AFP/Getty Images)

SRILANKA-UNREST-UN-BAN…U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon (r) is greeted by IDPs (Internaly Displaced Percons) as he visits Manik Farm in Sri Lanka on May 23, 2009. Just days after Colombo declared victory over Tamil Tiger, he toured the sprawling Menik Farm camp, 250 kilometers (155 miles) north of Colombo, which was jammed with civilians who had fled the war zone. = AFP PHOTO/JOE KLAMAR ... in May 2009

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