http://www.dailynews.lk/2012/06/29/news04.asp

Canada hastens Sri Lanka human smuggling prosecution

Canadian prosecutors announced Wednesday they were foregoing a preliminary hearing and proceeding to trial for six men charged with smuggling hundreds of Tamils aboard a rickety ship into Canada.

No reason was given for the expedited process, but the case is politically charged and prosecutors may opt to go directly to trial if they deem the rush to be in the public interest.

Direct indictments were filed against two Canadians and four Sri Lankans, who stand accused of bringing 492 asylum seekers aboard the rickety cargo ship MV Sun Sea to Canada in August 2010, according to local media.

The daily National Post said four of the six are in Canadian custody, including one suspect who was arrested in Toronto on Monday.

A fifth was arrested in France and is facing deportation to Canada to stand trial for organizing the voyage across the Pacific Ocean, while the sixth remains in Sri Lanka.

All face up to life imprisonment and CAN$1 million (US$975,000) in fines if convicted of organizing illegal entry into Canada for the asylum seekers.

The MV Sun Sea's arrival on Canada's Pacific Coast provoked a public outcry in 2010 that resulted earlier this month in new legislation aimed at cracking down on human smuggling.

Canada and Sri Lanka had said the migrants may have included members of the Tamil Tigers, outlawed in Canada as a terror group before their defeat in 2009 after a lengthy civil war.

Most of the migrants' refugee claims are still being considered and they remain in Canada. At last count, six had been accepted as refugees, six had their claims rejected while 23 had withdrawn applications. AFP

 

http://www.defence.lk/new.asp?fname=spur_responds_to_sampanthan's_itak_20120625_04

SPUR responds to Sampanthan's ITAK speech

"While masquerading under the English name 'Federal Party', ITAK which translates to 'Ilankai Thamil Arasu Katchi' or 'Lanka Tamil State Party', has been a chief contributor to the divisive ethnic politics that have plagued Sri Lanka for many decades", stated SPUR in a communiqu‚ released on Sunday(June 24).

Full text of the communiqué released by the Society for Peace Unity and Human Rights for Sri Lanka (SPUR) on 24th June, 2012.

The Society for Peace Unity and Human Rights for Sri Lanka (SPUR) views with great concern the provocative, divisive and duplicitous statements made by Mr R. Sampanthan, the Leader of the Ilankai Tamil Arasu Kadchi (ITAK) at its 14th National Convention recently held in Batticaloa, stated in a communiqu‚ released on Sunday( June 24).

This is clearly illustrated by Mr Sampanthan's own boast that the ITAK 'was created by S.J.V. Chelvanayagam, the father of Tamil Nation, for the purpose of establishing self determination of the Tamil people on this island. This objective is evident in both the name of the party and in the manner in which it operates'.

Mr Sampanthan admits that the Tamil United Liberation Front, of which his party was a member, 'took the historical decision to establish the separate government of Tamil Eelam in 1976'. However his claim that 'Based on this decision of our party, and the need to place ourselves in a position of strength, Tamil youth decided to oppose violence with violence and began to rise up as armed rebel groups' is utterly misleading because the infamous 'Vaddukoddai Resolution' adopted in 1976 under the chairmanship of ITAK founder Chelvanayakam calls for the 'Tamil Nation in general and the Tamil youth in particular to come forward to throw themselves fully into the sacred fight for freedom and to flinch not till the goal of a sovereign state of Tamil Eelam is reached'.

He also speaks of an ITAK 'which does not have any history of armed struggle, which has always rejected such struggle'. However, the TNA / ITAK not only endorsed the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) as the 'sole representatives of the Tamil People' but directly benefitted from the violence perpetrated by the LTTE on Tamil political opponents. In particular, the Sri Lankan General Elections of 2004 saw unprecedented vote rigging by the LTTE in favour of TNA/ITAK candidates, a fact widely reported by international monitors and rival Tamil Parties.

The ITAK never condemned the LTTE for its terrorism, ethnic cleansing, Tamil child conscription, extortion from Tamils people and the holding Tamil civilians as 'Human Shields' against the advancing Sri Lankan Security forces. This was left to other Tamil political parties, Human Rights Groups as well as Sinhala and Muslim communities or organisations. Ironically, the LTTE assassinated a number ITAK Leaders, but the party remained a captive of the LTTE. A possible explanation lies in Sampanthan's statement that refers to the elimination of the LTTE as 'the destruction of their bargaining might'.

Mr Sampanthan further states that the ITAK does not 'consider the 13th Amendment to be an acceptable solution' and that they have not given up their rights 'under international law to external self determination'. He also says 'The softening of our stance concerning certain issues, and the compromise we show in other issues, are diplomatic strategies to ensure that we do not alienate the international community. They are not indications that we have abandoned our fundamental objectives'. This is a form of deception similar to the 'Little Now, More Later' policy for separatism of S.J.V. Chelvanayagam which makes any nation building discussions with the ITAK and similar race based political parties such as the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) a totally unproductive exercise. It is also necessary to examine TNA/IATK agenda in relation to the Constitution of Sri Lanka.

Mr Sampanthan attempts to entice the Eastern Muslims into supporting the opportunistically concocted entity of a 'Tamil speaking people' with claims that the 'North and East of Sri Lanka are the areas of historical habitation of the Tamil speaking people', ignoring the fact that the ITAK endorsed LTTE carried out brutal massacres and ethnic cleansing of Sinhala and Muslim communities in these very parts of Sri Lanka.

While Mr Sampanthan's speech may encourage extreme elements in the Tamil community and the foreign based LTTE fronts which still harbour dreams of reviving the LTTE, their plans will be strongly opposed by Sri Lankans of all ethnic and religious backgrounds who have already experienced separatist terrorism for nearly three decades.

SPUR strongly believes that economic development, reconstruction, the enshrining of individual rights, good governance and equitable opportunities for all its people, rather than subdivision into ethnic territorial units, should be the basis addressing any issues faced by Sri Lanka.

Ranjith Soysa

(Spokesperson

http://www.defence.lk/new.asp?fname=RCMP_arrests_mastermind_behind_human_20120626_02

RCMP arrests mastermind behind human-trafficking racket

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) have arrested a man charged over the smuggling of 492 Tamil migrants into Canada. RCMP says they arrested Nadarajah Mahendran at Toronto's Pearson International Airport without incident and aboard a flight originating in Sri Lanka.

Mahendran is one of six men charged over the August 2010 arrival of the MV Sun Sea in British Columbia.

Police in Thailand, Australia, France and Norway have all helped with the investigation.

Public Safety Canada says five men have now been arrested, and four of the men are in custody in Canada.

The department says one man is facing extradition from France, and a warrant is still out for the sixth man.

Courtesy: Winnipeg Free Press

http://www.defence.lk/new.asp?fname=csd_job_boon_for_ex_lttesr_20120625_01

CSD job boon for ex-combatants

Over 1,800 rehabilitated ex-combatants turned up at Kilinochchi on Saturday to join the Civil Security Department (CSD) following the CSD's call for ex-combatants to join its ranks. The government is planning to recruit a large number of rehabilitated ex-combatants to the CSD. They are slated to take part in development activities in the North. CSD Chief Rear Admiral Ananda Peiris said over1,800 ex-combatants from the Northern Province turned up to collect applications to join his department. "We distributed over 2,000 applications.

'They were very enthusiastic about joining the Civil Security Department," he said.

According to CSD sources, most applicants will be recruited and it will be continued in the future as well.

Sources said the recruitment of ex-combatants to its cadre will be carried out in other Northern districts shortly.

They will be paid salaries according to CSD salary scales. The minimum salary will be not less than Rs 18,000, sources said.

The recruitment process is continuing in the North. The chosen applicants will be offered employment shortly.

Minister C B Ratnayake, MPs Namal Rajapaksa and M Chandrakumar and Northern Province Governor Major General G A Chandrasiri, were present.

The government has launched a number of programmes to find gainful employment for rehabilitated ex-combatants.

The current initiative to recruit them to the CSD is a concept of President Mahinda Rajapaksa. The initiative is carried out under the guidance of Defence and Urban Development Ministry Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa. During the last stages of the humanitarian operation, 11,664 former LTTE cadres surrendered to the Security Forces.

Most have been rehabilitated and reintegrated into society.

Courtesy : Daily News

 

 

http://www.sundayobserver.lk/2012/06/24/main_Editorial.asp

Crime blown out of proportion

Unlike in the past, today we often read about serious crimes such as murder, rape and child abuse in the country. Incidents of this nature could lead one to infer that crime is on the increase. Hence, it behoves us to take a closer look at these incidents to see whether the police or the Government is reprehensible as all sorts of allegations are being levelled by the Opposition.

There is a large number of radio and television channels, newspapers and websites at present which blow up stories out of proportion for reasons best known to them. In days gone by, we only had the Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation and handful of newspapers which reported these stories in a free and fair manner.

However, crime stories, dramatised by unscrupulous scribes and radio/television presenters as if they had been eyewitnesses to these gory incidents, are lapped up by gullible people. The manner in which these stories are projected by some newspapers and radio stations, rather than discouraging such incidents, glorifies them and rouses the curiosity of the present generation of youth. Moreover, such stories are tendentious and presented with ulterior motives.

In other words, most of the print and electronic media today give undue prominence to such incidents, thereby luring those with a similar mindset to follow suit. There is a popular demand for crime stories today, especially rape cases. Some newspapers, radio and television channels, in a relentless competition with one another, exploit such stories to gain the maximum mileage and cheap popularity to increase their market share.

On the other hand, there also is a marked increase in reporting such crime cases to the law enforcement agencies in the country. The Police Department has spared no pains to apprehend such miscreants and bring them to book. Hence the police are now uncovering almost all crime incidents reported in the media.

In this scenario, one could run away with the idea that there is an increasing crime wave in the country. It has now come to light that almost all major crime reported in recent times has been either due to personal disputes or sudden provocation.

Disgruntled Opposition Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe, in the mistaken belief that he could gain maximum political mileage by exploiting certain crimes that had caught public attention over the past few months, has said that a woman was free to walk from Point Pedro to Point Devundara when he was Prime Minister. By this, Wickremesinghe had attempted to paint a gloomy picture of the current security situation.

It seems strange that the UNP and Opposition Leader had apparently forgotten the fact that not only a woman but even a heavily armed soldier could not walk freely from Point Pedro to Point Devundara during the UNP regime as LTTE terrorism was at its peak. At the time, nobody could go beyond Anuradhapura for that matter, let alone Point Pedro.

Wickremesinghe fails to realise that it was President Mahinda Rajapaksa who created a peaceful environment for anybody to get about freely in any part of the country.

Opposition politicians should desist from attempting to gain petty political mileage from any untoward incident. The Katuwana incident has been a blessing in disguise for the JVP, at a time its small vote base is deteriorating further. Will the Government, even in its wildest dreams, instigate any attack on the debilitated JVP, which poses no threat to the ruling party?

Would any Government politician even dream of getting involved in such incidents especially in Hambantota, the President's home town? True to form, the Opposition blames the Government even for any isolated incident in Hambantota. Does the Government need to suppress its political opponents who are incapable of posing any threat to it?

People are more intelligent and certainly no fools to swallow Somawansa's bait hook line and sinker. The JVP owes a debt of gratitude to the main accused for giving it a political slogan. The masses are acutely aware that Wickremesinghe, who is drifting in the political wilderness, would stop at nothing to browbeat Sajith Premadasa, who is posing an increasing threat to the UNP leadership.

Sarath Fonseka, who is languishing in the political arena, having gained a presidential pardon, has jumped on board the bandwagon by exploiting the Katuwana incidents for his political survival.

The police are doing its utmost to track down all suspects of the Katuwana double murder. In the event the Opposition is sincere on acting in a responsible manner, it should help the police to carry out its investigations rather than jumping to conclusions.

The police, in recent months, have uncovered several mysteries pertaining to crime. The law enforcement officers have done much to check undesirable characters in a praiseworthy manner. It would be only a matter of time for the police to end crime in the country.

Nevertheless, the police alone cannot eliminate crime. Public co-operation is of utmost importance and public awareness programs should be held to educate the masses against crime.

If one were to analyse the most serious crime reported in recent times, it is crystal clear that most of these incidents stem from personal disputes.

Crimes committed in the North and the East were not reported prior to the eradication of terrorism. Today, the number of incidents reported in the country includes those of the two provinces as well. Since the total number of crimes reported in the country in recent years is marginal, nobody could point an accusing finger to say that the crime rate has increased.

It seems that even an isolated incident in recent times had received extraordinary public attention due to the intense publicity given to those incidents.

Any right-thinking person would condemn the Katuwana and Kahawatte murders in no uncertain terms. It is the bounden duty of one and all to create more public awareness to eradicate crime.

Religious and social leaders too should play a greater role to change the people's mindset to banish crime in the country.

Gotabaya Rajapaksa:

A legend of our times

By Dr. Telli C. Rajaratnam

Gotabaya Rajapaksa is a ‘born leader’ as he has exercised effective leadership as Secretary of Defence and Urban Development. ‘Some achieve greatness’ denotes, above all, those whose greatness is self-made. But all of the really great leaders must be regarded as achievers, whatever their advantages of birth and training.

Alexander the Great was born to kingship and inherited a strong army. With Aristotle as his tutor, he was perhaps the most privileged person, educationally, that there has ever been. Nevertheless, what he achieved in his short life was beyond anything that could remotely have been expected of him. Much the same is true of Julius Caesar.

Courage, fearless speech and absolute honesty are the tenets of Gotabaya’s success. He cannot pretend. He is forthright with raw honesty and speaks his mind and heart.

This has been advantageous as well as disadvantageous to him. Of all the qualities required for leadership, only one is indispensable - courage. Without it, all the others are more or less useless. Courage has been shown by all who we recognize as true leaders, from Alexander to Margaret Thatcher.

A leader must have the ability to take hard decisions and calculated risks. Leaders have to give courage to others, while creating the illusion that they know exactly what they are doing.

After escaping an LTTE bomb blast

Gotabaya was born great, achieved greatness and had greatness thrust upon him.

As all human beings, we have short memories. More so, for patriotism. People tend to forget the most important factors which have historical value. The most memorable historical factor was winning the war against terrorism. The joint effort of the Armed Forces under the able directives of the Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa and the leadership of President Mahinda Rajapaksa was able to rescue the nation from the evils of terrorism.

Anti-terrorist operations

He has commanded many anti-terrorist operations in the North and the East in different capacities. Among them was his command of the 1st Battalion of the Gajaba Regiment in the important Vadamarachchi Operation in 1987 and Operation Thrividabalaya in 1990 respectively, to rescue the Jaffna peninsula and the Jaffna Fort from terrorist control.

He completed his basic officer cadet training at the prestigious Military Academy at Diyatalawa and proceeded to Pakistan to complete the Young Officers’ Course at Rawalpindi and later a mid-career course at Quetta.

He had advanced training in Counter Insurgency and Jungle Warfare at Assam, India. Later in his career, he graduated in Advanced Infantry Training from Infantry School Fort Benning, USA.

As a staff officer, he completed his Staff Course at the Defence Services Staff College in Wellington, India in 1983.

He obtained his Masters degree in Defence Studies from the University of Madras in 1983.

He has also obtained a Postgraduate degree in Information Technology from the University of Colombo in 1992.

He is a revered figure in Sri Lanka for leading the military operation which drove out the opponents from the entire Eastern Province of the country.

He was the ground norm for the victory of the 2009 war against the LTTE. In recognition of the services rendered to the nation, the University of Colombo conferred a Doctorate to him.

Our Air Force pilots have returned to base. The air strikes have halted. The Naval boats have slowed their speed. The Army has slowed its pace. Aggression against innocent people by the LTTE and the terrorists have been halted.

When the President ordered our Armed Forces into combat as the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, he had three clear goals: to enable the Tamil people, the victims of some of the most vicious atrocities in the North due to terrorists and militant groups, to return to their homes in safety; to destroy the LTTE; and to deploy our Armed Forces to protect all the people of the North. Those goals were achieved.

Unnecessary conflict has been brought to a just and honourable conclusion. He survived an assassination attempt in December 2006. We have sent a message of determination and hope to the entire world.

The doctrine

The doctrine of Gotabaya Rajapaksa is discipline, honesty, effective strategies, straight talk, courage, wisdom and above all love for the country before self.

Think of all the millions of innocent people who died in this bloody century because democracies reacted too late to evil and aggression. Because, the duty of the Defence Secretary was well performed, the past is gone not with helpless indignation, but with a hopeful affirmation of human dignity and human rights. In a world too divided by fear among people of different racial, ethnic and religious groups, he has given confidence to the friends of freedom and pause to those who would exploit human differences for inhuman purposes.

History tells us that solidarity means strength, progress and success. Peace, co-operation, development and progress are what the entire international community is hoping and striving for. The developing nations must continue to work closely together in the spirit of solidarity and co-operation and raise their voice and strengthen their position in international affairs if they are to secure their fundamental interests.

Over 30 years or more, we have not been able to solve this problem. We required a balance between the need to achieve a military victory and the needs of humanity. In this sense, necessity has been viewed as a limitation to unbridled barbarity.

The application of the doctrine of military necessity makes use of the principle of proportionality as a mechanism for determining the positioning of a fulcrum between these competing poles.

Using proportionality thus gives effect to the recognition that the choice of methods and means of conducting war or armed conflict are not unlimited.

The means and methods of conducting war operate to achieve a particular military objective, which consequently assists in achieving a larger political objective.

While necessity might determine the legitimacy of the armed attack, proportionality determines the amount of force that might be used. In a sense, necessity operates at a macro level, while international humanitarian law operates at a micro level, though both might lie on the same continuum given the difficulties in the transition.

This difficulty is most apparent when the principles of necessity and proportionality have been incorporated into conventional international law, particularly international humanitarian conventions.

The development of these conventions and the application of these principles require some consideration if one is to arrive at an understanding of their application in a modern armed conflict. Military necessity has been described as “a basic principle of the law of war, so basic, indeed, that without it there could be no law of war at all.”

The acceptance that, while the object of warfare is to achieve the submission of the enemy, which may require the disabling of as many enemy combatants as possible, this should only be achieved in a manner that does not cause any unnecessary suffering or damage.

The UDA

The Urban Development Authority now comes under the purview of the Defence Ministry. ‘The Development Plan for the City of Colombo,’ the theme of the Sujatha Jayewardena Memorial speech by Gotabaya Rajapaksa at the Sri Lankan Foundation Institute, was presented in a coherent and scholarly manner and was well-received and ably strengthened public aspiration for the transformation.

Desire to move toward a sustainable eco-city to optimize quality of life for its community gained significant momentum soon after the end of the war against terrorism and dividends of peace in Sri Lanka.

By encouraging the innovation of green architecture and technology, he lucidly clarified the way in which a coherent framework for applying sustainable design to all sectors of society in developing Colombo city would enhance the quality of life of the community, in consequence by making the city vibrant and modern.

The rate of unprecedented population growth over the years increased the urban population while thinning the rural population.

Planning, developing and managing our urban environments more wisely will benefit health and improve environmental outcomes: Public health intervention to reduce dependence on motor vehicles thus improves air quality, locating jobs, services, schools and shops close to where people live, promoting active modes of transport (walking and cycling) and providing mass transit options.

Good for the environment because it reduces carbon dioxide emissions and good for business because it reduces the cost of traffic congestion. Mass transit is particularly good for young people, the elderly and the disabled, who may not have access to a motor vehicle.

The profile of our population and their needs and aspirations will also be very different in the future.

How can Colombo continue to be a special place for its community, a home that offers hope and opportunities, a home that offers a high standard of living and above all, a city that is socially inclusive, where no one is left out? Concluding his deliberation, Gotabaya Rajapaksa appealed for national consensus to make that vision a reality. This is the moment when we must come together. Let’s commit to share our knowledge in order to build the ‘Grand City’. The scale of our challenge is great. With courage, with heart and hand, let us all combine to take Sri Lanka forward.

- defence.lk

SFJ marks 16th anniversary:

 

http://www.sundayobserver.lk/2012/06/24/sec04.asp

Soldiers and Jaffna folk work in harmony.

By Shanika SRIYANANDA

Young Krishnakumar Kajenthini, babies - Jegatheeswaran Apisha and Skandharasa Santhos will be among thousands of people of Jaffna who will pay gratitude to the soldiers as they are alive. Their gratitude to the soldiers knows no bounds for helping them to survive.

In every sphere of their lives, soldiers who made the country a peaceful nation for them to live without fear and bloodshed, are committed for over the last 15-years to serve the people.

The Palaly Army base was established in 1963 to prevent the illegitimate entry of foreign intruders to the island. It was gradually transformed to a Task Force which was subsequently elevated as the Security Forces Headquarters – Jaffna (SFJ) on 19th June 1996. Since its inception, the SFHQ-J rendered an exceptional service to the nation as the centre of command of the Northern military. Presently, this esteemed military establishment is giving its maximum contribution towards upgrading of Jaffna life through various welfare and development programs for civilians.

“Actively participating in the government’s efforts to develop the Northern province, the soldiers in Jaffna are on a mission to protect people while making them realise living together is the key to a unitary State free of terrorism, Commander Security Forces - Jaffna (SF-J) Maj. Gen. Mahinda Hathurusinghe said.

The SFJ, which marked its 16th Anniversary, is the premier government institution which holds tightly all ends in the peninsula strongly to make it a safer place for people to live. “ We are satisfied with the endeavour we have done for the last 16 years to facilitate people and solve their problems in their day-to-day lives”, he said.

The SFJ Commander said his soldiers were committed and soldiers play a major part in Jaffna. “ The relationship between the soldiers and the people of Jaffna is excellent and for every issue they run to the nearest camp to seek redress for their problems”, Maj. Gen. Hathurusinghe said.

In an interview with the Sunday Observer, he said the SFJ’s tentacles were everywhere and at every moment the soldiers are ready to protect them. “ We are serving people based on compassion. It is to foster peace among the people of Jaffna.

The conflict is over and we have been able to establish peace. In this direction there is a lot to be done for the process of conflict transformation. There is peace-making and peace-building.

We have already done the peace-keeping and now it’s the peace-making and peace-building. Peace making is what we build on what we have achieved”, he said.

According to the SFJ Chief, peace-making is basically with conflicting groups, where they are allowed to understand the conflict on why they fought and its futility.

“ Here you will bridge the conflicting parties and all segments of society- the clergy, people, intellectuals, schoolchildren and academics.

In the peace-building process which is the transformation process, bringing positive peace, where soldiers are involved. There are various tracks that run to achieve results and they are the civil society, academics, religious persons, the police, the judiciary”,he pointed out.

Maj. Gen. Hathurusinghe said in Jaffna, people belong to the two religions - Hinduism and Christianity- they live together in harmony. “ Basically, the message from all religions is the same.

They teach love, passion, how to treat people equally, give them the best what you could do, and make them happy in the way you could. Soldiers are in that process and the SFJ has understood the Army’s role in going according to those lines in peace-building and gaining trust among the people”, he said explaining the success story on SFJ’s brainchild - development committees set up to create a forum to solve the problems of the Jaffna people at village level.

“In this concept development committees are set up and every village is incorporated into the concept at Divisional, Brigade and Battalion levels. In each committee at village level it includes the village headman, Grama Seva Niladhari, respected people in the village, priest or the kurukkal, senior citizens, Advanced Level and university students.

This committee meets every fortnight and discusses problems and issues in the village”, the SFJ Commander, who gets calls from ordinary people about various grievances, said.

If the problems are solved at their level, the committee will handle but if the issues are complicated they will be brought to the SFJ, which in turn directs the relevant authorities to find solutions.

“ These development committees are powerful fora to solve the problems at village levels and it is the vehicle that we are using to go to the public. It is very effective and we discuss issues among each other and share their grievances, requirements and address them effectively. Because of the success of this system people trust us.

We have been able to give our best to them and people believe in what we are doing now”, he said.

Another effective tool that the SFJ used in its strategy to strengthen the bond between soldiers and the people is ‘Civil Military Coordination’ (CMC) which is headed by a senior Army officer and also at each battalion level. It is also a fine forum for the people to discuss their problems and the reporting mechanism is clear. There are 15 CMC offices in Jaffna.

Commenting on the success of the Army’s assistance in development projects like infrastructure development, constructing houses Maj. Gen. Hathurusinghe said the Army alone has constructed over 1,773 houses in Jaffna.

He said people are convinced as these areas are on a rapid development drive, former LTTE cadres mere doing well and people were leading normal lives.

Maj. Gen. Hathurusinghe said the amazing factor is Sinhalese blood runs in most of the Jaffna people as the highest contribution to the Blood Bank in Jaffna Hospital was from the soldiers.

“ Every month the Army organises a blood donation campaign and they donate 150 litres of blood. The total requirement of blood in the Northern province is 600 litres and the Jaffna’s requirement which is between 125 to 150 litres of blood is supplied by the soldiers”, he said.

The SFJ had given priority to a series of multi-religious observances in its 16th year celebrations. A Catholic mass was organised on June 17 at St. Mary’s Church, Oddahapulam which was followed by prayers at the Jumma Muslim mosque in Jaffna on the evening of the same day.

On the 18th morning, officers and other ranks serving at the SFJ attended a Pooja at Mavaddipuram Hindu temple.

The same day evening, a Bodhi Pooja was organised at the foot of the Bodhi in the Palaly SFJ Headquarters premises.

In the main ceremony held on June 21, Maj. Gen. Hathurusinghe and senior officers paid tribute to fallen heroes who sacrificed their lives for the country’s sovereignty, placing bouquets of flowers at the War Hero Monument at Palaly.

A Guard of Honour was accorded to the Commander SFJ before he visited soldiers undergoing treatments at hospital.

He wished them all a quick recovery and distributed gift parcels to inmates. During all ranks at lunch, Maj. Gen. Hathurusinghe thanked officers and other ranks serving in Jaffna for their immense contribution towards achieving lasting peace, assisting the government’s development programs for Jaffna and initiating humanitarian measures for the Jaffna populace.

The SFJ’s chief said they facilitate war widows amounting to 29,000 widows in Jaffna and are mainly concerned about the education sector.

“ After eradicating the 30-year long terrorism, Universities were coming back to normal but certain political parties were still trying to meddle with higher education misleading undergraduates.

We requested these youth not to get caught in these traps. The SFJ through development committees discuss with them and try our best to solve their issues.

The SFJ is not groping in the dark and people are aware of what we are engaged in and they also know we are genuine in our efforts”, he said adding that even in the middle of the night anyone can walk on the streets of Jaffna as the situation in Jaffna is safe and the people are humble and friendly.

The SFJ which had a strength of over 27,000 troops earlier but have now reduced to 15,600 with the situation back to normal. “ I have received heaps of letters from the people in Jaffna requesting not to reduce the troops from their areas as they feel they are safe when the soldiers are deployed in those areas. People want us but certain political parties don’t want military presence for their own gains”, he said.

With the dismantling initiative of High Security Zones in the Northern Province the Government has released 3,741.09 acres, from the land area, earlier declared as the Jaffna High Security Zone (HSZ). According to latest statistics, an area of 6,381 acres has been renounced as cantonment areas, similarly to what exists in other provinces of Sri Lanka.

With a motto - protection for all people- the SFJ has already changed its flag logo, which was highly displayed a military theme.

At present, instead of two rifles there will be two spears to show the strength of the people of Jaffna, Palmyrah tree, the sun and the moon, conch shell, greenery to show prosperity and the blue to represent the fisheries sector which is the second main livelihood in the peninsula.

“We decided to change the flag as peace has dawned and to show the people that we are there to protect them. In this manner to facilitate the people to change their perceptions”, he said.

Maj. Gen. Hathurusinghe’s statement referred to the idea of Prof. Subramaniyam Leelakrishnan who lives on Mudaliyar Canagasabai Road in Manipay. “I am firmly for One Country, One Nation and One Religion concept. We all must live like children of one mother.”

http://www.sundayobserver.lk/2012/06/24/sec03.asp

Opinion:

Human rights and LTTE atrocities

by K.M.H.C.B. Kulatunga

The wrecked car of Major Gen.Parami Kulatunge

Genocide of Tamils, acts against mankind, war crimes and human rights violations are some of the popular terms that have been used by certain countries in the West and the LTTE rump to tarnish Sri Lanka’s image in the international arena.

Some of the Western politicians, who heavily depend on Tiger sympathisers and LTTE Diaspora for their political survival both in the form of voting and funding, are playing a major role in levelling concocted war crimes allegations to an Army which had liberated over a half a million hapless civilians from the jaws of the LTTE terror.

Since the latest sessions of the UN Human Rights Commission are now on, we would like to enlighten the international community and the Colombo-based diplomats on some of the worst ever acts against the mankind, carried out by the LTTE.

When the people of Sri Lanka were at the receiving end, fearing for their life without knowing as when the next LTTE’s massive bomb would explode at a public place, none of those human rights activists ever uttered a word against the Tigers.

Now that Sri Lanka had won its own battle, almost single handedly with the support of only a handful of friendly countries, those who indirectly supported the Tigers now try to tell Sri Lanka on what it should do. They even go to the extent of telling us as where we should locate our military camps and how we should implement our reconciliation process.

One thing we would like to stress strongly to all those diplomats here is that locating Army camps, dismantling high security zones, implementation of LLRC proposals or the manner in which the reconciliation process should go forward are entire matters of the Government of Sri Lanka.

They should refrain from attempting to advocate Sri Lanka on those as they are internal matters of a sovereign state. As any other sovereign nation, Sri Lanka has a right to take its own decision and such would entirely a matter of Sri Lanka.

President Mahinda Rajapaksa and the Government is acutely aware of what the country needs the best.

No other country, foreign leader or international organisation could have a greater pain and worry on people of Sri Lanka than our own leaders. Hence, the world should let Sri Lanka resolve its own internal matters.

We know how Sri Lanka’s friendly countries has been helping even from the difficult periods. But they have never interfered with our internal matters.

It is those who never supported us during the humanitarian operation and turned a Nelsonian eye when the LTTE terrorism was at its best who are trying to advise and intimidate Sri Lanka. They have no moral or logical right whatsoever to do so.

If those who advocate us on human rights and reconciliation are genuinely interested in the well-being of the people in Sri Lanka, especially those who are living in the North and the East, they should demonstrate their sincerity by making a tangible contribution for the development process in those two provinces. Instead of not making any such worthwhile contribution, certain countries in the West try to play a mere advisory role. Why could not give such advice to LTTE terrorists when they were at their best, subjecting all Sri Lankans to untold privations?

In the name of liberation to Tamils in Sri Lanka, the LTTE subjected untold misery to their own community. Moderate and peace-loving Tamils, who rejected terrorism and violence, were gunned down in broad daylight. One of the most unfortunate such incidents took place exactly 27 years ago.

On June 26, 1985, the LTTE shot dead the Principal of St. John’s College, Jaffna, C.E. Anandarajah in Jaffna purely for the ‘sin’ of allowing students of his school to play a friendly match against a Security Forces team. Prabhakaran showed his cruelty when the LTTE later claimed responsibility for Anandarajah’s death, saying that the principal was killed for organising a match between the students and the Security Forces. Was that the liberation Prabhakaran was talking about?

Although any killing or terror act could not be approved by any right-thinking and loyal citizen, one could still understand if Prabhakaran and his goons were only killing and targeting Sinhalese. But there was no race or religion for the LTTE terror.

Anyone who opposed their terror acts were simply eliminated in the most inhuman manner. Hence, Apart from thousands of Sinhalese, many Muslims and Tamils too had to die during LTTE’s three decades of terror. In most cases, the LTTE carried out its genocide not only against Sinhalese but also against Muslims. Even Tamils who rejected violence were gunned down by the Tigers.

On June 27, 2002, the LTTE cadres threw grenades and attacked a crowd guarding the Valaichenai Mosque and killed five Muslims. The LTTE had been making a big hue and cry over rights of minorities in Sri Lanka. Don’t the Muslims has an equal right as Tamils as a minority?

Six years ago, the then Deputy Chief of Staff of the Sri Lanka Army Major General Parami Kulatunge was assassinated by the LTTE. On June 26, 2006, a suicide bomber killed the third seniormost in Sri Lanka Army along with three others at Pannipitiya. At the time of his death, Major General Kulatunge had served Army for over 34 years.

Major General Kulatunge, two other soldiers and a civilian were killed when an LTTE suicide bomber riding a motorcycle blew him up targeting the vehicle of the Major General, near Pannipitiya junction. He was on his way to his office at the Army Headquarters from his official residence at the Panagoda Army base when the suicide bomber struck at the entrance to Sri Devramvehera road connecting the Old Kottawa road and the Highlevel Road. Besides Major General Kulatunge, his driver Sergeant Gomes and Lance Corporal Buddhika were also killed in the attack.

Debris of vehicles were seen scattered over a wide area at the explosion site and parts of a head believed to be that of the suicide bomber were lying about 50 metres away from the spot of the blast.

The attacker had clearly targeted Major General Kulatunge’s vehicle as his Peugeot was totally destroyed. Other vehicles including the backup security vehicle had minor damages.

This is just one of the many such suicide attacks carried out by the LTTE.

The West as well as international organizations such as the UN should commend Sri Lanka for its speedy resettlement program and steps taken to develop infrastructure facilities in the North and the East.

More importantly, the rehabilitation of the ex-LTTE cadres has been exemplary, setting new world standards.

Recently, a rehabilitated ex-LTTE combatant from Kilinochchi, Sri Kanthan (21) had his wedding at Welikanda, Kandankaduwa rehabilitation center. Sri Kanthan tied the knot with 19-year-old Thangarasa Induruvee at a glamorous and a most traditional Hindu wedding ceremony in the presence relatives and officials at center – an ample testimony how Sri Lanka Army treats even their one-time enemies.

Thangarasa was Sri Kanthan’s fian?e‚ before the latter was dragged and forcibly conscripted into the terrorist outfit. Sri Kanthan was all praise for the officials at the rehabilitation center who had put every effort in tracing the whereabouts of his fian?e‚ and making their dream come true.

“This was a total surprise. I thought I’d lost him forever and when they said that he was at Welikanda, I was lost for words”, an emotional Thangarasa was quoted as saying on the twist of fate experienced.

“They who claimed to be our ‘sole saviors’ were the perpetrators and those who I was forced to take-up arms against were the true-angels”, Sri Kanthan had said, looking into the eyes of his lost-found love. Has there ever been a single incident of this nature where an Army had treated an enemy in this fashion.It is Sri Lanka’s rich Buddhist culture that has inherited these social values.

People in Sri Lanka know how to respect not even to a stranger but also for an enemy. Foreigners need not enlighten Sri Lankans on human rights and values as we have been a civilised nation with a rich culture, long before those countries in the West were founded.

http://www.sundayobserver.lk/2012/06/24/sec02.asp

Over eight lakhs of landmines unearthed over the years

Brig. Ruwan Wanigasooriya

The resettlement programme launched by the government with the end of the humanitarian mission in the Northern and Eastern Provinces is at its final stage.

There are only 6,034 persons remaining in welfare villages, Army spokesman Brigadier Ruwan Wanigasooriya said yesterday.

Brigadier Wanigasooriya said the Resettlement Ministry with the assistance of Security Forces and the Police resettled over 135,000 out of 290,000 persons displaced by LTTE attacks within five months, beginning August 2009.

"The government resettled around 100,000 and 12,000 persons in 2010 and 2011.

In addition, 10,620 persons in Jaffna IDP camps were resettled during the last three years.

Arrangements are in place to complete the resettlement programme by end 2012. Already 625 persons have been resettled this year," he said.Around 24,000 displaced islandwide have resettled with their relatives, the Brigadier said.

He said the remaining 6,034 are to be resettled in Vanni, Kilinochchi, Mannar, Vavuniya, Mullaitivu, Pudukudirippu, Wellamulla and Waikkal areas.Statistics reveal the government has resettled around 260,000 persons.

Arrangements have been made to resettle the 6,034 in the above areas after the clearance of landmines.

The Army identified 1,938 square kilometres with landmines, where they began clearing in 2009, Brigadier Wanigasooriya said.

Mine clearing activities have been completed in 1,816 square kilometres. Only 122 square kilometres are left for clearing.

According to the Economic Development Ministry's Mine Action Director Monty Rathnayake, the government spent Rs. 8,884 million for landmine clearing in the past three years.

The Army conducted clearing activities in Jaffna, Kilinochchi, Mannar, Vavuniya, Mullaitivu, Trincomalee, Batticaloa, Ampara, Polonnaruwa and Anuradhapura along with the Economic Development Ministry and several NGOs.They detected around 840,000 landmines and other explosives from war affected areas and destroyed the explosives, the Brigadier said.

 

http://www.dailynews.lk/2012/06/25/sec01.asp

CSD job boon for ex-LTTEers

Rasika SOMARATHNA

* Over 1,800 apply

* Enthusiasm high

Over 1,800 rehabilitated ex-LTTE cadres turned up at Kilinochchi on Saturday to join the Civil Security Department (CSD) following the CSD’s call for ex-combatants to join its ranks. The government is planning to recruit a large number of rehabilitated ex-LTTE cadres to the CSD. They are slated to take part in development activities in the North. CSD Chief Rear Admiral Ananda Peiris said over1,800 ex-LTTE combatants from the Northern Province turned up to collect applications to join his department. “We distributed over 2,000 applications.

‘They were very enthusiastic about joining the Civil Security Department,” he said.

According to CSD sources, most applicants will be recruited and it will be continued in the future as well.

Sources said the recruitment of ex-combatants to its cadre will be carried out in other Northern districts shortly.

They will be paid salaries according to CSD salary scales. The minimum salary will be not less than Rs 18,000, sources said.

The recruitment process is continuing in the North. The chosen applicants will be offered employment shortly.

Minister C B Ratnayake, MPs Namal Rajapaksa and M Chandrakumar and Northern Province Governor Major General G A Chandrasiri, were present.

The government has launched a number of programmes to find gainful employment for rehabilitated ex-combatants.

The current initiative to recruit them to the CSD is a concept of President Mahinda Rajapaksa. The initiative is carried out under the guidance of Defence and Urban Development Ministry Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa. During the last stages of the humanitarian operation, 11,664 former LTTE cadres surrendered to the Security Forces. Most have been rehabilitated and reintegrated into society.

 

http://www.defence.lk/new.asp?fname=twist_of_fate_ex_combatant_enters_marriage_after_rehabilitation_20120619_03

Twist of fate: Ex-combatant enters marriage after rehabilitation

Sri Kanthan, 21, a rehabilitated ex-LTTE combatant from Kilinochchi, entered marriage on 17th June, at the Welikanda, Kandankaduwa rehabilitation center. Sri Kanthan tied the knot with Thangarasa Induruvee, 19, at a glamorous and a most traditional Hindu wedding ceremony in the presence relatives and officials at center.

Thangarasa was Sri Kanthan's fianĉe‚ before the latter was dragged and forcibly conscripted into the terrorist outfit.

Sri Kanthan was all praise for the officials at the rehabilitation center who had put every effort in tracing the whereabouts of his fianĉe‚ and making their dream come true. "This was a total surprise. I thought I'd lost him forever and when they said that he was at Welikanda, I was lost for words", said Thangarasa speaking with an emotional outburst on the twist of fate experienced.

"They who claimed to be our 'sole saviors' were the perpetrators and those who I was forced to take-up arms against were the true-angles", said Sri Kanthan as he dearly looked into the eyes of his lost-found love.

Commissioner-General for Rehabilitation Dharshana Hettiarachchi, Coordination Officer for Rehabilitation Colonel G.H.M Sirishantha and the Center-in-Charge Major Rajarathna were also present at the occasion.

 

http://www.defence.lk/new.asp?fname=rehabilitation_beneficiary_youth_20120619_04

Rehabilitation Beneficiary Youth to receive International Sports Training

A programme was launched today (19th June) to unearth the sporting skills of beneficiaries of Rehabilitation centers and the rehabilitated and reintegrated youth at the Sugathadasa Stadium with the mediation of Ministry of Sports, Ministry of Prisons & Rehabilitation and Bureau for Commissioner-General of Rehabilitation.

The selected youth with outstanding sporting talents will undergo a Structured Sports Training programme conducted by expert coaches. This programme will be a boon to these talented youth to further enhance their sporting talents and skills.

Under this programme talented youth in sports such as Volleyball, Football, Cricket, Swimming, Karate, Rifle Shooting, Weight Lifting and Athletics will be directed to undergo the training programmes under the guidance of fully qualified International and National Sports Coaches, who will coach them personally.

It is not so long ago that these misguided youth were forced to take up arms against their own country and since having being guided to the correct path, their future now is clear. Expressing their views these talented youth say that they are grateful to all the governments' efforts in peace building and that there is no space now left for separatism.

These sporting progarmmes will bring the hidden talents of the youth which were restricted to Vanni to the attention of the whole world.

Hon Minister of Sports Mahindananda Aluthgamage, Hon Minister of Prisions and Rehabilitation Chandrasiri Gajadeera, Commissioner-General for Rehabilitation Dharshana Hettiarachchi and a panel of distinguished personnel were present at the occasion.

http://www.defence.lk/new.asp?fname=a_legend_of_our_times_20120620_04

A legend of our times - Opinion

(By: Dr. Telli C. Rajaratnam )

In the footsteps of inspirational leaders

Mr. Gotabaya Rajapaksa is a 'born leader' as he has exercised effective leadership as Secretary of Defence and Urban Development. 'Some achieve greatness' denotes, above all, those whose greatness is self-made. But all of the really great leaders must be regarded as achievers, whatever their advantages of birth and training.

Alexander the Great was born to kingship and inherited a strong army. With Aristotle as his tutor, he was perhaps the most privileged person, educationally, that there has ever been. Nevertheless, what he achieved in his short life was beyond anything that could remotely have been expected of him. Much the same is true of Julius Caesar.

Courage, fearless speech and absolute honesty are the tenets of Mr. Gotabaya's success. He cannot pretend. He is forthright with raw honesty and speaks his mind and heart. This has been advantageous as well as disadvantageous to him. Of all the qualities required for leadership, only one is indispensable - courage. Without it, all the others are more or less useless. Courage has been shown by all who we recognize as true leaders, from Alexander to Thatcher.

A leader must have the ability to take hard decisions and calculated risks. Leaders have to give courage to others, while creating the illusion that they know exactly what they are doing.

Mr. Gotabaya was born great, achieved greatness and has greatness thrust upon him by his absolutely honesty has not a popular notion. As all human beings, we have short memories. More so, for patriotism. People tend to forget the most important factors which have historical value. The most memorable historical factor was winning the war.

The joint effort of the Armed Forces under the able directives of the Defence Secretary Mr. Gotabaya Rajapaksa and the leadership of President Mahinda Rajapaksa was able to rescue the nation from the evils of terrorism.

Anti-terrorist operations:

Following the failed assassination suicide bomb attack on 01st December, 2006.

He has commanded many anti-terrorist operations in the North and East in different capacities. Among them was his Command of the 1st Battalion of the Gajaba Regiment in the important Vadamarachchi Operation in 1987 and Operation Thrividabalaya in 1990 respectively, to rescue Jaffna peninsula and the Jaffna Fort from terrorist control.

He completed his basic officer cadet training at prestigious Military Academy at Diyatalawa and proceeded to Pakistan to complete the Young Officers' Course at Rawalpindi and later a mid-career course at Quetta. He had advanced training in Counter Insurgency and Jungle Warfare at Assam, India. Later in his career, he graduated in Advanced Infantry Training from Infantry School Fort Benning, USA.

As a staff officer, he completed his Staff Course at the Defence Services Staff College in Wellington, India in 1983.

He obtained his Masters degree in Defence Studies from the University of Madras in 1983.

He has also obtained a Postgraduate degree in Information Technology from the University of Colombo in 1992.

He is a revered figure in Sri Lanka for leading the military operation which drove out the opponents from the entire Eastern Province of the country.

He was the ground norm for the victory of the 2009 war against the LTTE. In recognition to the services rendered to the nation, the University of Colombo conferred a Doctorate to him.

Victory at war :

A narrow escape- 01st December, 2006

Our Air Force Pilots have returned to base. The air strikes have halted. The Naval boats have slowed their speed. The Army has slowed its pace. Aggression against innocent people by the LTTE and the terrorists have been halted.

When the President ordered our armed forces into combat as the Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces, he had three clear goals: to enable the Tamil people, the victims of some of the most vicious atrocities in the North due to terrorists and militant groups, to return to their homes with safety; to destroy the LTTE; and to deploy our Armed Forces to protect all the people of the North. Those goals were achieved.

Unnecessary conflict has been brought to a just and honourable conclusion. He survived an assassination attempt in December 2006. We have sent a message of determination and hope to the entire world.

The doctrine:

The doctrine of Gotabaya Rajapaksa is discipline, honesty, effective strategies, straight talk, courage, wisdom and above all love for the country before self.

Think of all the millions of innocent people who died in this bloody century because democracies reacted too late to evil and aggression. Because, the duty of the Defence Secretary was well performed, the past is gone not with helpless indignation, but with a hopeful affirmation of human dignity and human rights for the 2010. In a world too divided by fear among people of different racial, ethnic and religious groups, he has given confidence to the friends of freedom and pause to those who would exploit human difference for inhuman purposes.

History tells us that solidarity means strength, progress and success. Peace, co-operation, development and progress are what the entire international community is hoping and striving for. The developing nations must continue to work closely together in the spirit of solidarity and co-operation and raise their voice and strengthen their position in international affairs if they are to secure their fundamental interests.

Over 30 years or more, we have not been able to solve this problem. We required a balance between the need to achieve a military victory and the needs of humanity. In this sense, necessity has been viewed as a limitation to unbridled barbarity.

The application of the doctrine of military necessity makes use of the principle of proportionality as a mechanism for determining the positioning of a fulcrum between these competing poles. Using proportionality thus gives effect to the recognition that the choice of methods and means of conducting war or armed conflict are not unlimited.

The means and methods of conducting war operate to achieve a particular military objective, which consequently assists in achieving a larger political objective.

While necessity might determine the legitimacy of the armed attack, proportionality determines the amount of force that might be used. In a sense, necessity operates at a macro level, while international humanitarian law operates at a micro level, though both might lie on the same continuum given the difficulties in the transition.

This difficulty is most apparent when the principles of necessity and proportionality have been incorporated into conventional international law, particularly international humanitarian conventions.

The development of these conventions and the application of these principles require some consideration if one is to arrive at an understanding of their application in a modern armed conflict. Military necessity has been described as "a basic principle of the law of war, so basic, indeed, that without it there could be no law of war at all."

The acceptance that, while the object of warfare is to achieve the submission of the enemy, which may require the disabling of as many enemy combatants as possible, this should only be achieved in a manner that does not cause any unnecessary suffering or damage.

The UDA :

The Urban Development Authority now comes under the purview of the Defence Ministry. 'The Development Plan for the City of Colombo,' the theme of the Sujatha Jayewardena Memorial Speech by Mr. Gotabaya Rajapaksa at the Sri Lankan Foundation Institute, was presented in a coherent and scholarly manner and was well-received and ably strengthened public aspiration for the transformation. Desire to move toward a sustainable eco-city to optimize quality of life for its community gained significant momentum soon after the end of the war against terrorism and dividends of peace in Sri Lanka.

By encouraging the innovation of green architecture and technology, he lucidly clarified the way in which a coherent framework for applying sustainable design to all sector of society in developing Colombo city would enhance the quality of life of the community, in consequence by making the city vibrant and modern.

The rate of unprecedented population growth over years increased the urban population while thinning the rural population.

Planning, developing and managing our urban environments more wisely will benefit health and improve environmental outcomes: Public health intervention to reduce dependence on motor vehicles thus improves air quality, locating jobs, services, schools and shops close to where people live, promoting active modes of transport (walking and cycling) and providing mass transit options. Good for the environment because it reduces carbon dioxide emissions and good for business because it reduces the cost of traffic congestion. Mass transit is particularly good for young people, the elderly and the disabled, who may not have access to a motor vehicle.

A visionary leader: Inspecting house construction sites for low income families in Colombo	Beautification of Colombo : Diyawanna walkway and leisure area

The profile of our population and their needs and aspirations will also be very different in the future. How can Colombo continue to be a special place for its community, a home that offers hope and opportunities, a home that offers a high standard of living and above all, a city that is socially inclusive, where no one is left out? Concluding his deliberation, Mr. Gotabaya Rajapaksa appealed for national consensus to make that vision a reality. This is the moment when we must come together. Let's commit to share our knowledge in order to build the 'Grand City'. The scale of our challenge is great. With courage, with heart and hand and let us all combine to take Sri Lanka forward.

(The writer can be reached through the following email: tellicrajarathnam@yahoo.com)

http://www.defence.lk/new.asp?fname=Parama_Weera_What_it_takes_and_what_it_means_20120615_02

'Parama Weera': What it takes, and what it means

(By: David Blacker)

The eyes stared expressionlessly back at me from the fifteen small pictures, some clear, and some blurred; reflections that only hinted at the men behind those eyes. But sharp or soft, they all looked so innocuous, so devoid of any indication of what they had once seen. So normal.

To look into those fifteen pairs of eyes, to read their names on the Wall that held thousands of similar names, was to gain no hint of the impossible acts of bravery that their owners had committed. Acts that would now see them join the eight who had gone before.

Twenty-three names for twenty-three men. Twenty-three individual acts of supreme courage, selected out of twenty-eight years of war. The faces were tucked away in the second page of the Sunday Times, and I stared back at them for awhile before reading the short paragraph beneath each. The words were trite, cliched, dry; unable to capture the struggle of courage over fear that must have dominated each man's last moments; the pain, the heat. And of course, that ultimate singularity, as they stepped forward and died, alone.

That solitude was also what singled them out, along with their courage, for none of them had done what they did as part of a whole, or at the order of someone else. They had each decided alone to do what they did, each for hisown reasons.

At this year's commemoration of the defeat of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), the government decided to award the 'Parama Weera Vibushanaya(PWV)', Sri Lanka's highest award for bravery (equivalent to the British Victoria Cross and the American Medal of Honour) to fifteen members of the Sri Lankan Armed Forces for courage displayed in combat and, almost without exception, conducted in the last two years of the war.

Fifteen may not seem like a huge number, but to give you an idea of its significance, consider that since the PWV was established in 1981, it had been awarded only eight times in the twenty-one years that preceded the Cease-Fire-Agreement between the GoSL and the Tigers. Therefore, for it to be awarded over a dozen times in two years is an indication of the intensity of the fighting after the CFA collapsed, and the sacrifices needed to destroy the Tigers; particularly in the last year of combat.

The Presidential Proclamation of 1981 that brought the PWV into effect states that the medal is to be awarded for ... individual acts of gallantry and conspicuous bravery of the most exceptional order in the face of the enemy, performed voluntarily whilst on active service and with no regard to the risks to his own life and security with the objective of safeguarding thereby, the lives of his comrades or facilitating the operational aim of his force.

The twenty-three recipients of the PWV are all men and, with few exceptions, young. These are not generals or admirals. They didn't command thousands of subordinates, or carry out great acts of strategy that would be recorded in military textbooks.

Usually, they were in charge of less than a dozen men. Sometimes, not even that; being the youngest and most junior soldiers in their units. Only eleven of them, less than half their number, were officers.

Twenty of them were soldiers. Two were sailors and one an airman. Twenty-one were Sinhalese, one a Moor, and one a Tamil. And all of them are dead. In the eighteen years since the PWV was first awarded in 1991, not a single one of its recipients has ever lived to feel that medal's weight on his chest or test the military code that requires even the Chief of the Defense Staff to salute, without regard to rank, the wearer of that 32-mm wide crimson ribbon. Some died leading attacks that would drive the enemy back to ultimate defeat; but many died in desperate rearguard actions to ensure that their comrades and friends retreated to safety; and at least one to save the life of a politician. As many of them died to save someone as those who died whilst killing the enemy.

Although the PWV was instituted in 1981, it wasn't awarded for a full decade. Then in June 1991, a dramatic battle at the gates to the Jaffna Peninsula captured the imagination of the country's population. Elephant Pass. Arguably, no other battle in the Eelam Wars would ever attain the legendary status of that engagement, for it contained all the elements necessary to elevate a mere battle into a legend worthy not just of the history books but the story books as well - a memorable name, a brave and outnumbered group of warriors surrounded by a cruel enemy, ultimate victory against all odds and, finally, and perhaps most importantly, a tragic hero.

(To be continued...)

http://www.sundayobserver.lk/2012/06/17/fea01.asp

Despite severe dearth of Consultants:

Mullaitivu now has a full-fledged hospital

By Shanika SRIYANANDA in Mullaitivu

It was 11 am, the OPD of the District General Hospital Mullaitivu was crowded. People from all walks of life and all corners of the district get treatment from the hospital. Located close to the A-34 Highway, the hospital, damaged by the LTTE, has now turned into a fully-fledged hospital with the latest medical equipment and more treatment facilities.

Wasantharaja Kirupthika, an employee of the Bank of Ceylon was in the OPD to get a urine test done. The 22-year-old who is an asthmatic is one among those who are happy as the hospital is being developed with the latest medical facilities. She had gone to Mancholai base hospital when the district was under the LTTE control as this hospital was mainly used by the LTTE to treat their cadres and their families.

Majority of poor people didn’t have access to the hospital as the LTTE wanted it to be used for LTTE cadres. “ During those days there were no improved medical facilities”, she said.

Kirupthika is among thousands of people in Mullaitivu who clamour for specialised medical care in the hospital, where there is a severe dearth of consultant doctors. Specialists who are transferred to the hospital have a short stint as they want a posting to a hospital where they have more comfortable lives.

It is noteworthy, to write about how the 25 young doctors, including 22 Sinhalese and three Muslims provide medical care in all sections of the hospital.

Dr. Mahendraraja Gajendran Dr Kasun Bandara

Kirupthika said, since a few people are conversant in Sinhala and English, it is easy for them to communicate with doctors when they are Tamils. “At the moment we manage to talk to them and speak to them in halting English and Sinhala. It helps us learn the two languages at least a little”, she said.

Recalling the terror-filled days under LTTE control, she said they never went to the hospital during those days as the LTTE were kidnapping youth and children. “We live peacefully now and doctors are there at any time to treat us.

They are dedicated and committed to treat us”, Kirupthika said, adding that people in Mullaitivu are happy that their villages are being developed with infrastructure facilities like roads, which are getting wider and being tarred, for the first time in their lives.

Two young doctors, Kasun Bandara and Mahendraraja Gajendran, echoing the same sentiments, requested more Tamil doctors to serve the people of Mullaitivu. “Since my appointment to this hospital in January 2010 we are witnessing the development taking place in the hospital.

When I came here there were no direct buses to Colombo and also to other areas but today there are buses daily to Tangalle, Anuradhapura and Ampara”, Dr. Bandara, an old Royalist from Dehiwala, said.

At present there are 24 doctors including three consultants in Paediatric, Gynaecology and Surgery. There are three Tamil doctors and two Muslim doctors and the rest are Sinhalese doctors.

“Now we are happy as we got three Consultants and hope they will stay here for some time”, they said adding that Consultants who came earlier returned to their places of interest citing ‘lack of facilities’ in the district.

The young doctors who are providing better health care for over nearly two years since the hospital was re-constructed after the LTTE destroyed it, said they need guidance from Consultants to handle critical cases.

The two ambulances in the hospital are busy throughout the day transporting patients in critical condition to Vavuniya or Jaffna hospitals. As junior doctors, they said, they are reluctant to take some decisions while treating critically ill patients admitted to the hospital. “We can’t handle Caesarean cases, patient who suffer heart attacks, appendicitis and other emergency cases like accidents due to the non availability of Consultants in the hospital”, they said.

“These people are poor and most of the families there have only one parent to look after the children. We have to transfer the critically ill patients to Vavuniya or Jaffna hospitals for tertiary care. When one in the family is critically ill, the single parent can’t afford to go with the patient as there is no one at home to look after the other children. The other issue is they are not financially stable to spend money when they are transferred to other hospitals”, Dr. Gajendran said.

They said the people of Mullaitivu who suffered for over 30 years due to terrorism are an innocent lot and the majority of them have now realised that the LTTE destroyed their future. “ We don’t treat them as Tamil patients and whoever comes to us we provide our best services to them”.

In January 12, 2009 soldiers of the 59 division took full control of the Hospital, which was destroyed by the LTTE who had taken away all valuable equipment before the army’s capture. The LTTE had built a massive earth bund opposite the hospital and they reached the site through Thanni-atu in Mulleyaveli.

The LTTE propaganda machine claimed that advancing troops had launched shell attacks on the hospital but the roof of the main building which had not sustained a single damage was evidence to prove it was false.

But the LTTE had destroyed the children’s park within the hospital premises and had destroyed the doors, windows, fans and air-conditioners before they abandoned the area.

Later in 2010, after the hospital was re-opened, the Army handed over a massive stock of medical equipment and accessories kept by the LTTE. The medical stock, worth more than Rs. 15 million was recovered during the Wanni humanitarian operations. The stock, comprising twenty wheel chairs, complete sets of usable anaesthesia injections, operating tables, trolleys, surgical equipment, sterilisers, surgical beds and many more items were handed over to the hospital to be used.

Dr Bandara said snake bite victims were admitted to the hospital frequently as the forest patches were being cleared for development and also resettling displaced people.

According to doctors they have necessary equipment for the ICU but the ICU is still not functioning due to the lack of staff including an anaesthetist and the nursing staff. A mother who was in the Paediatric Ward with her son said, people were happy as there was no one to snatch their children. “Earlier, there were doctors in this hospital but they were mainly science students who were given a brief training on medicine. They lack knowledge on how to provide quality medical treatment. Many people died as they didn’t get proper treatment. But now we have qualified doctors”, she said.

The doctors said people from villages in Janakapura, Weli Oya, Sampath Nuwara, Nedunkerni were coming to the Mullaitivu hospital. With a daily attendance of 500 to 600 patients to the OPD and in-house patients to the full bed capacity which is nearly 200 beds, over 70 babies are born in the hospital monthly.

“For five normal deliveries there is one caesarean operation”, said Dr. Bandara, who is staying in the doctors quarters in the hospital premises. He learnt to speak in Tamil when he was doing his internship at the Batticaloa hospital said people were helpful and his patients stop for a while to talk to him when they meet him even in the town, though sometimes he couldn’t remember each and every patient he treated.

Dr Gajendran said treating patients at the hospital gives young doctors experience in medical care. “ We invite young doctors to come and serve here. As doctors we can do a lot to heal their bitter wounds”, he said.

At a time when the Government is taking all efforts to bring reconciliation among all communities everyone must appreciate the silent commitment rendered by these doctors from the South. Reconciliation is not something needed to be done in a big way but every little effort counts in a big way. But... in this process of reconciliation, the Tamils in the North have a greater opportunity to contribute their share towards their own people who are trying to stand on their feet from the rubbles of decades long deadly memories.

“Thamil dactargal yean engalukku vandu sevai seyya marukkurargal? (Why do the Tamil doctors refuse to serve us) Engalukku sevai seyya ithu than tharunam (This is the time for you to help us)”, said Kirupthika.

http://www.sundayobserver.lk/2012/06/17/main_Editorial.asp

LTTE Diaspora, a threat to UK security

Some opportunist parliamentarians in the Opposition did their damnedest to gain political mileage by projecting a gloomy picture during Sri Lanka's 2006-2009 humanitarian operation, thereby giving a prop for LTTE terrorists.

When the Security Forces marched victoriously, demolishing Tiger power in towns in the North and the East, certain UNP parliamentarians had the audacity to question whether the Security Forces had really liberated those areas. They even accused the Government that its Security Forces were going towards Medawachchi though it claimed to have gone to Kilinochchi.

At the time, Opposition leader Ranil Wickremesinghe and parliamentarian Dr. Jayalath Jayawardena went on regular overseas junkets, tarnishing Sri Lanka's image and that of the Security Forces in the international arena. While Dr. Jayawardena sang hosannas in favour of the INGOs and the LTTE Diaspora, his leader misled world leaders.

This too could have influenced the US and the countries which supported it to pass the recent Resolution against Sri Lanka at the UNHRC Sessions. Several Opposition politicians too waxed eloquent over it, thereby giving the last drop of oxygen to the moribund LTTE leadership which was eventually vanquished at the Nandikadal lagoon three years ago.

It is still fresh in the people's minds how Dr. Jayawardena and several Opposition politicians made tendentious statements to exert undue pressure on the Government through the international community and retard the Security Forces' forward march. As a result of these deplorable acts, the Government had to battle against deadly terrorists on one hand and opportunist politicians on the other during that dark era.

Despite the LTTE being crushed militarily, Dr. Jayawardena continues to pander to the whims and fancies of the LTTE Diaspora and Tiger sympathisers. At a time the Government has embarked on an ambitious reconciliation program having successfully resettled displaced persons and put in place infrastructure development in the North, Dr. Jayawardena is now attempting to give a political twist to isolated incidents to gain undue political mileage.

He has written to Pope Benedict XVI, seeking the Holy Father's intervention on alleged threats against Mannar Bishop, Rt. Rev. Dr. Rayappu Joseph. In his letter, Dr. Jayawardena has stated that the Bishop has been victimised by various comments by "chauvinistic and communal-minded" people. He has also taken to task the local media of being "sympathetic towards the Government". The UNP MP has called upon the Pope to use his good office to ensure that the Bishop could "continue his mission without threats, intimidation or false accusations".

The Holy Father is highly respected and honoured by millions of people across the globe. Hence, Dr. Jayawardena, being a Roman Catholic himself, should have known better rather than make such an appeal as this does not come under the purview of the Holy Father. Dr. Jayawardena, in doing so, has insulted the Holy Father.

When Sarath Fonseka was serving a jail sentence, his sympathisers wrote to US President Barack Obama seeking the release of the former Army Commander. At the time, they were told in no uncertain terms that there was no point in making such an appeal to the US President since only President Mahinda Rajapaksa could pardon him.

Fonseka was subsequently granted a presidential pardon, following DNA parliamentarian Tiran Alles' fruitful rounds of talks with President Rajapaksa.

In like vein, in the event the Mannar Bishop has been "victimised by various comments made by chauvinistic and communal-minded people", as Dr. Jayawardena alleges, such a complaint should have been lodged with the relevant authorities here and certainly not the Pontiff in the Vatican. We also fail to see the logic in Dr. Jayawardena complaining to the Holy Father against the local media. Had the local media being "sympathetic towards the Government", as the UNP MP alleges, he should settle the score locally, at least by speaking to the relevant media personalities and appealing to their media institutions.

Dr. Jayawardena should have desisted from dragging the respected spiritual leader of millions of Catholics around the world to gain petty political advantage. On the other hand, it was done in a sinister manner, just days after President Rajapaksa had a private audience with Pope Benedict XVI. Is there any point in complaining to the Pope over the alleged questioning of the Mannar Bishop by law-enforcement agencies over certain matters relating to national security. Parliamentarian Jayawardena knows only too well that Rt. Rev. Dr. Rayappu Joseph is a citizen of Sri Lanka and is not exempted from the laws of the land. If the need arose to question the Bishop of Mannar, the police and the Security Forces have every right to do so in a respectful manner. The controversial conduct of the Mannar Bishop is a secondary matter. One wonders whether Dr. Jayawardena had been inspired to do so following the unruly manner in which the LTTE Diaspora protested in London recently. Even if he had been spurred on by these protesters, one should not take him seriously as he had a notorious track record of being extremely sympathetic towards a terrorist outfit that had killed thousands of civilians for nearly three decades.

The violent and unruly manner in which the LTTE Diaspora behaved in London during Queen Elizabeth's Diamond Jubilee celebrations, calls into question UK's security, rather than that of Sri Lanka. Scotland Yard and the London Metropolitan Police seem to have woken up only after the recent protests in the British capital.

The LTTE Diaspora, which funds even certain Western politicians, who survive on the expatriate Tamil vote, has the wherewithal to assemble thousands of its members across Europe within a matter of hours. Hence, it has the liberty to disrupt the day-to-day life of the London citizenry at any time and bring things to a complete standstill.

The LTTE rump is exploiting the maximum advantage of the five-star democracy that prevails in Great Britain. But does this provide them the right to protest at the drop of a hat anywhere at any time of the day and disrupt the lives of the majority of other citizens? This runs counter to the principles of democracy. A coterie of such people in the UK should not be permitted to hold the entire city administration to ransom in the guise of democracy.

This is akin to the LTTE's killing of its own community and moderate Tamil leaders for their so-called liberation. The British authorities must take the bull by its horns and conduct a close study of a possible security threat by LTTE activists there and take stringent action before it is too late.

http://www.defence.lk/new.asp?fname=Russia_always_backed_Lanka_ambassador_20120614_01

Russia always backed Lanka: ambassador

Russia, while stressing that the Sri Lankan government had no option but to defeat LTTE terrorists militarily, yesterday said Sri Lankan leaders had tried their maximum to minimise casualties in their efforts to eradicate terrorism. Russian ambassador to Sri Lanka Vladimir Mikhaylov said. Russia supported

Sri Lanka's effort to eradicate terrorism from the beginning as it believed that protraction of a conflict under any pretext could only increase casualties.

The ambassador who is about to compete his term of office in Colombo said terrorist attacks were very common incidents when he assumed duties as the Russian envoy in Colombo four years back.

"When I came here in 2008, the war on terrorism was in full swing and terrorist attacks were very common incidents," he said.

Speaking at a reception to mark Russian Day at Galle Face Hotel, Colombo, Mikhaylov said he himself saw drone videos of thousands of innocent civilians being forcibly held by LTTE terrorists.

He said he saw armed LTTE terrorists shooting at civilians trying to escape from the custody of terrorists.

The Russian envoy said his country was ready to work with the Sri Lankan government to promote national reconciliation.

The ambassador said Russia is widely viewed in Sri Lanka as a friendly nation.

He said Russia and Sri Lanka has forged more closer ties in the fields of trade, aviation and culture. "Efforts of both embassies brought an 80 percent increase in bilateral trade within the last three years and this trend continues in 2012," he said.

Mikhaylov said Russia opposes any form of pressure on selective countries under the guise of human rights and reiterated that safeguarding human rights, political economic and social freedoms within states should be fulfilled by the particular governments.

Senior Minister DEW Gunasekera said Russia always stood by Sri Lanka in times of need.

The minister thanked Russia for creating more educational opportunities for Sri Lankan students in Russia.

He said relations between the two nations have improved during the past few years.

Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa, Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Minister Rajitha Seneratne, Petroleum Resources Development Minister Susil Premajayantha and Deputy Speaker Chandima Weerakkody were among the large number of invitees at the reception.

Courtesy : Daily News