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LLRC Update 12.11.2010

Media Articles

http://www.tamilnet.com/art.html?catid=13&artid=32998

Jaffna fishermen complain against SLA restrictions before LLRC

[TamilNet, Friday, 12 November 2010, 12:25 GMT]

Representatives of Maathakal Fishermen Society complained Friday to the Lessons

Learnt & Reconciliation Committee (LLRC) against the closure of the fishing jetties

in Valikaamam North High Security Zone (HSZ) of Sri Lanka Army (SLA) and the

continuing restrictions to fish using the only jetty in the area, in Alaveddi Mahajana

Hall Friday. Witnessing before LLRC, the representative from Maathakal pointed to

the LLRC that Sri Lanka government that had urgently executed the verdict of the

Supreme Court to demerge the North and East had failed to execute the Supreme

Court verdict to allow resettlement in Valikaamam North HSZ though the two

verdicts were given on the same day.

The fishermen society representative said that only Usumaanthurai fishing jetty is

allowed to use in fishing and even there fishermen have to obtain passes from the

SLA authorities to fish during limited hours.

All the other fishing jetties located along the border of the HSZ are closed by SLA

and the fishermen have to walk ten miles up and down a day to fish from

Usumaanthurai jetty, he said.

The representative requested LLRC to help open the closed fishing jetties for their use.

Meanwhile, five family members of disappeared persons told the LLRC panel how

they were swindled into paying nearly two million rupees to persons who promised to

release their disappeared sons and daughters and added that the money was given to

persons who stood in front of the SLA camp in Jaffna town. They further told LLRC

that a Divisional Secretary and a Village Officer are involved in this swindle.

When they had complained to the SLA camp officials the complainants were told that

they know nothing about the persons who got the money, the family members told

LLRC.

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http://www.dailymirror.lk/print/index.php/opinion1/26979.html

Real objectives of the Commission on Lessons Learnt for Reconciliation

Friday, 12 November 2010 00:00

E-mail Print

By Jeevan Thiyagarajah

The writer focussed on two objectives of the Commission sitting on Lessons Learnt

for Reconciliation while making submissions this week. They were: people are
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assured an era of peace, harmony and prosperity; multi-ethnic polity undertake a

journey of common goals in a spirit of co-operation, partnership and friendship.

The first of the objectives needs to ensure that IDPs no longer have needs

specifically related to their displacement as a priority consideration. One fundamental

need is access to land. A related consideration is affordable credit lines are madeavailable to those recovering; to build their homes and to set up small scale

enterprises, weeding away from dependency on grant funds. As a region recovers

some form of protection is needed to ensure land and the environment in areas

previously affected by conflict are protected from exploitation.

Likewise local labour and resources should not be marginalised in any investments or

enterprises where exceptions made can be justified such as special skills not available

within the area. If though should not be a disincentive for investors.

According to the Department of Census and Statistics, 2009 mid year estimate, 68%

of our population is below the age of forty. In other words they were born after theyear 1970. This influential group including those who directly or indirectly were

scarred by the abnormality of war must be free to imagine a future of peace and

prosperity.

Might the legislature through a bipartisan or rather multi- party group of

Parliamentarians function as a Standing Committee to work towards this endeavor.

The concept of equality and equal opportunity is an aspiration which must fire the

imagination of the colours of people in the country. It is a practice which needs to be

seen not only in public service but also in the private sector. It needs to be stressed

that Discovery of an Idea and the Spirit of Innovation are the essential catalysts for

economic growth. It is true not only for the North and East but also the South as well.

Investment opportunities must be made available to all the provinces in an equitable

manner.

Certainly some form of affirmative action is required in the Conflict Affected Areas.

Such affirmative action should be confined to a definite time frame with specific

objectives. It is not to say, go back to quotas. It is about saying, can education provide

for catch up and streaming simultaneously if you have out grown classroom schedules.

Can employable skills be offered on concessionary terms for many due to

displacement ? Can the poor have access to micro finance and also be helped withenterprise development.

Can tax benefits and fast track clearances be given to investors who focus on such

measures. Can low cost homes options with easy payments be offered. Could access

to English and IT and entries into back of service industries be a reality for those who

are economically week to do so directly. This is not a new thought. Underserved areas

of Sri Lanka are indeed assisted to catch up.

Shared prosperity is reconciliation. Shared experiences of hurdles that need to be

overcome is reconciliation. Shared failures where solutions are sought in unison is

reconciliation

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http://www.priu.gov.lk/news_update/Current_Affairs/ca201011/20101112llrc_ext

ends_date_representations.htm

Friday, November 12, 2010 - 04.44 GMT

LLRC extends date for representations

Plans more visits to affected areas

The Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC) has decided to accept

written representations from individuals and organizations till December 31, 2010 as a

result of the extension of its mandate by President Mahinda Rajapaksa by a period of

six month in view of the large number of persons from Sri Lanka and abroad still to

give evidence before it.

The mandate of the LLRC was to expire on November 15 but now it will be able tocontinue hearings and submit its reports until May 16, 2011.

The Commission encourages individuals and organizations to send all written

representations to the LLRC office on or before December 31, 2010. This will provide

adequate time for the Commission to analyze and synthesize contents, and identify

key issues that need further study and deliberations, before finalizing the Report.

Presently, the LLRC is inviting persons and organizations that have already made

written representations to come before the Commission, to clarify and elaborate on

issues and articulate their points of view.

In addition, a large numbers of people and organizations in outstations, especially in

areas directly affected by the conflict, have expressed a desire to talk of their

experiences before the Commission.

The Commission is taking steps to provide maximum opportunity to people in the

affected areas to be heard by the Commission. In this regard, the Commission has

already held sessions in Batticaloa, Kilinochchi, Mullaitivu and Vavuniya. The

Commission is currently holding sessions in the Jaffna Peninsula from November 11

to 15. The Commission is also planning to visit Trincomalee, Ampara and other

affected areas in the North and East as well as areas outside the North and Eastincluding the Anuradhapura district.

The office of the LLRC is located at Lakshman Kadirgamar Institute of International

Relations and Strategic Studies, No 24, Horton Place, Colombo 7. Any person or

organization wishing to obtain information about written representations and the

future program of the Commission may contact S B Atugoda, Secretary to the

Commission at the above address.

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http://english.aljazeera.net/news/asia-pacific/2010/11/201011129320303606.html
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Sri Lanka has said that pictures broadcast on Al Jazeera purportedly of a

massacre of Tamils during the final stages of the country's civil war are "lies".

Keheliya Rambukwella, the media minister, told the AFP news agency on Friday that

the photos that shows graphic scenes of piles of dead bodies with hands bound and

blindfolded were put together from old material.

The "footage on the killings is nothing but lies" and a collection of "bits and pieces"

of a past clip shown on British television, Rambukwella said in a statement.

He said some of the photos, showing such scenes as lines of bodies and corpses with

shots to the head in shallow graves, were "fabricated".

Al Jazeera could not verify the authenticity of the images, which were obtained from

Tamil contacts. The contacts had said that they received the photos from a member of

the Sri Lankan military.

Line of bodies

It is claimed that the photos were taken in the closing months of the countrys long-

running conflict that ended 18 months ago.

One of the photos shows a line of bodies, including what is believed to be the body of

the son of V Prabhakaran, the leader of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, or

LTTE, that was defeated in the civil war.

Photos allege Sri Lanka massacre

Another photo shows the naked body of a young woman and the body of a boy,

perhaps in his early teens.

Rajiva Wijesinha, a Sri Lankan MP who is also a former secretary of the country's

human rights ministry, had told Al Jazeera that the country has launched an

"independent" inquiry into the photos of the alleged massacre.

"We have always said that any allegation will be investigated. We believe that our

inquiry going on is perfectly independent," he said.

Sri Lanka has repeatedly rejected international calls for an independent inquiry into

the war against the LTTE, in which the UN estimates at least 7,000 Tamil civilians

were killed.

Other estimates suggest the figure could be as high as 20,000 and the inference is that

many were killed by government shelling.

Colombo's inquiry

Sri Lanka has instead set up its own inquiry, called the "Lessons Learnt andReconciliation Commission", which critics say is a whitewash.

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Both Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International have refused to participate in

the inquiry, stating that it does not meet international standards for independent and

impartial inquiries.

For more than 25 years, the LTTE waged a secessionist campaign in Sri Lanka thatled to it being designated a terrorist organisation by 32 countries.

At one stage in the conflict 300,000 displaced Tamil civilians languished in makeshift

camps.

According to the latest figures, there are some 35,000 Tamils left in government

camps. There are more than two million Tamils estimated to be in Sri Lanka.

Emergency powers are still in force, and there is a heavy military presence in Tamil

areas and more and more Tamils are leaving the country.

Source:Al Jazeera and agencies

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Witnesses before LLRC accuse SLA for disappearances in Jaffna

[TamilNet, Friday, 12 November 2010, 06:04 GMT]

All the persons who witnessed before the Lessons Learnt & Reconciliation

Committee (LLRC) in Ariyaalai and Neerveali in Jaffna Thursday accused Sri Lanka

Amy (SLA) Intelligence Unit and soldiers for taking away their family members who

had disappeared without trace after arrest, sources in Jaffna said. Hundreds of mothers,

fathers and wives of the disappeared persons witnessed before the LLRC in Neerveali

where the session continued even after midnight Thursday. The wife of Rangasamy

Mahintharaj alias Reka who is said to be the former head of the Medical Wing of the

LTTE too witnessed before the Committee in Neerveali, the sources added. Many

witnessed directly while others submitted statements and appeals to the LLRC which

is to continue sittings Friday and Saturday in Jaffna peninsula.

Mahintharaj Thulasika, the wife of Rangasamy Mahintharaj alias Reka, the mother of

two children said that her husband had surrendered to the SLA at Vadduvaakal in

Mullaiththeevu and taken away from her. Later SLA soldiers at Oamanthai had shownhim to her and announced over loud speaker that the Head of the Medical Wing of

Liberation Tigers have surrendered to them and that others too should surrender

themselves.

Thulasika said that she had not had any information about her husband since his arrest

and appealed to the Committee to take legal action on him if he had committed any

crime.

In Ariyaalai, Seevaratnam Sathiyathevi, the mother of Seevaratnam Ranjan told

LLRC that her son was taken away by SLA soldiers from home on 07.01.2007 at 8:45

p.m. She added that someone had seen him 5 months ago in Oorezhu SLA camp andthat she was certain that his son was alive. She wants only the release of her son and
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not any compensation, she told LLRC. She cannot reveal the information about her

son, she added.

Nagalingam Sathiyaseelan who lives in front of Jaffna University witnessing before

LLRC said that his son, Rajivan, an engineer of Jaffna Technical was abducted on

21.08.2006 by a group of 15 SLA Intelligence wing men in uniform led by OfficerShiyal whom he can identify even today. His was abducted a week after his marriage,

Sathiyaseelan said.

The wife of Rajivan is an employee of UNHCR and their efforts to trace Rajivan have

failed, Sathiyaseelan said.

Tharmartnam Puvaneswary told LLRC that her son Tharmaratnam Sivasooriyan had

gone missing after entering the SLA Civil Administration office in Jaffna town where

he had gone to obtain pass to travel to Colombo had not come out.

She and Sivasooriyans wife who were waiting outside the office had not seenSivasooriyan coming out of the office. The SLA civil authorities had told that

Sivasooriyan had left when they asked them as to where he was, Puvaneswary told

LLRC.

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http://www.colombopage.com/archive_10C/Nov12_1289544183CH.php

Sri Lanka's reconciliation commission extends date for written representations

until December 31

Fri, Nov 12, 2010, 12:13 pm SL Time, ColomboPage News Desk, Sri Lanka.

Nov 12, Colombo: Sri Lanka's Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission

(LLRC) has extended its time period to accept written representations from public

until Dec 31, 2010, the government announced.

Under the instructions issued by President Mahinda Rajapaksa, the government last

week extended the mandate of the LLRC by six months.

The Commission's term was to expire on November 15 and it was extended to May 15,

2011 as a large number of witnesses from Sri Lanka and abroad is yet to giveevidence before the commission.

.

The government said the Commission encourages individuals and organizations to

send all written representations to the LLRC office on or before December 31, 2010

to provide adequate time for the commission to to analyze and synthesize contents,

and identify key issues that need further study and deliberations, before finalizing the

Report.

The LLRC is currently inviting the persons who have already submitted written

representations to appear before it to clarify and elaborate their views and experiences.
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In an effort to give the people in the conflict-affected areas to make representations

before the Commission, the LLRC is conducting sessions in those areas. The LLRC is

currently holding sessions in the Jaffna Peninsula until November 15. It has already

conducted sessions in Batticaloa, Kilinochchi, Mullaitivu, and Vavuniya.

President Rajapaksa in May 2010 appointed the eight-member Commission to reporton the lessons to be learnt from the events during the period from 21st February 2002

to 19th May 2009. The Commission is chaired by the former Attorney General Chitta

Ranjan de Silva.

From the evidence the Commission gathered so far, the LLRC has suggested

immediate administrative measures to ease the lives of resettled Internally Displaced

Persons (IDPs) and all people living in the former war-battered areas.

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http://www.asiantribune.com/news/2010/11/12/sri-lanka-denies-al-jazeeras-

images-brutal-killing-ltte-cadres

Sri Lanka denies Al Jazeeras images of brutal killing of LTTE cadres

Fri, 2010-11-12 04:27editor

By J.A. Fernando in Colombo

Colombo, 12 November, (Asiantribune.com):

Sri Lanka on Thursday denied the shocking new photos of LTTE cadres allegedly

killed by Sri Lankan Army during the final stage of 3 decade civil war which were

released by Doha based Aljazeera TV channel.

Al Jazeera recently aired images of a pile of dead bodies along with a video added on

popular video content sharing website www.youtube.com (link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b11Vvb4uyPQ) showing execution type killings

saying they were taken during the final stages of the Sri Lankan war between the

government troops and the LTTE that ended in May 2009.

Although, the television channel said they obtained the images from an unnamed

source and is unable to verify the authenticity of the photos a statement from the

Media Centre for National Security (MCNS) said that it is another Coup that has

been staged to tarnish the image of the Security Forces of the island nation which

eliminated the 21st century terrorism for the first time in global history.

By these campaigns proLTTE elements are in an attempt of tarnishing the image of

the Security Forces and the government of Sri Lanka. After eradicating the 30 years

long terrorism from the Sri Lankan soil, various false allegations were made by the

Tamil Diaspora and the local LTTE supporters with an aim of bringing back life to

the destroyed LTTE organization MCNS said with a strapping rebuttal.

Al Jazeera Television has been telecasting a series of news items continuously since

this morning (10) regarding false allegations of Human Right violation during the

final stage of the Humanitarian Operation. After expressing the view of the

government AL Jazeera Television stated that they cannot confirm the authenticity of

these visuals and they cannot take the responsibility to vouch that the visuals andpictures are true MCNS further said on Thursday in its release to public.
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MCNS noted that each time countering the false allegations the government had

proved the soldiers of the Sri Lankan Security Forces are well disciplined.

The fake News telecasted with some pictures without any reliable source by the Al

Jazeera television today also is a similar kind of attempt with an aim of tarnishing theimage of the valiant government troops as well as deteriorating the process of the

Lesson Learnt & Reconciliation Commission MCNS concluded.

The government this week extended the mandate of the LLRC, the panel appointed to

examine events during the war and make recommendations to avoid such repetition,

by six months.

The panel started its hearing in North on Thursday the November 11th whilst the

government denied access to the BBC to cover the proceedings without giving any

reasons to do according to BBC reports.

The MCNS statement further said that however the government vehemently

condemns and denies fabricated stories and futile attempts by unscrupulous local and

foreign forces aiming to cause damage to the prosperity and the Image of the country.

- Asian Tribune -

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http://www.dailymirror.lk/print/index.php/news/news/27005.html

LLRC coverage similar to House: Media Minister

FRIDAY, 12 NOVEMBER 2010 01:23

By Dianne Silva

The coverage of the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission was limited and

was similar to the coverage you get in Parliament, said Government Spokesperson

and Media Minister Keheliya Rabukwella.

Asked why the Defence Minister refused to allow a BBC correspondent to cover the

sessions of the LLRC held in Jaffna the Media Minister said, The coverage of these

sessions were limited to only a few, just like the coverage you see in Parliament, therenot everyone can attend the sessions, but they can report from outside. Even when

reporting on a court case, not everyone is allowed to be in there and you cant even

record what is happening, Rambukwella pointed out.

When contacted, Director General of the Media Centre for National Security Laxman

Hullugalle stated that no reason needed to be given for refusing the BBC

correspondent entry to cover the proceedings of the LLRC in Jaffna. We dont need

to give any explanation as to why he was not allowed in, Hullugalle said.

Members of the Commission were unavailable for comment due their commitments in

the North. The BBC in the meantime, claimed that this was the second time in two
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months that the government has blocked BBC News from traveling to the north to

cover the hearings of the war commission.

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LTTE senior official's wife witnesses on SLA war crime

[TamilNet, Thursday, 11 November 2010, 15:07 GMT]

I have not seen my husband Yogarathinam Jogi who was taken away by Sri Lanka

Army (SLA) in Vadduvaakal in Mullaiththeevu on 18th May 2009 after surrendering

himself expecting general amnesty as announced by SLA that day over loud speaker,

the wife of Yogaratnam Yogi, a senior member of the LTTE said bearing witness

before the Lessons Learnt & Reconciliation Committee (LLRC) Thursday around

3:30 p.m in Ariyaalai Saraswathy Community Centre. In response to a question by

Rajapaksa's LLRC panel Ms. Jeyavathy Jogi, who confirmed that her husband was Mr.

Yogi, further said that she saw her husband being taken away along with 50 othersincluding poet Puthuvai Irtathinathurai and Lawrence Thilakar who had surrendered

themselves to SLA. My husband surrendered himself to SLA believing that he will

be given amnesty as assured by the SLA announcement, Ms. Jeyavathy said.

Jeyavathy Jogi was the first person to witness before the LLRC Thursday in Jaffna.

It was earlier announced that LLRC will commence hearings Thursday morning in

Kurunakar but as the LLRC panel from Colombo arrived late the venue was shifted to

Ariyaalai.

Yogi Yogratnam

However, more than a hundred persons gathered at Saraswathy Community Centre in

Ariyaalai Thursday to witness before LLRC.

On being asked whether she could identify the [SLA] personnel who took her

husband away Jeyavathy said that she cannot do so as she did know them.

Jeyavathy further told the Committee that though she had appealed to Sri Lankan

Attorney General seeking help to trace her husband in August 2010 she had not heard

anything about her husband.

Mr. Yogaratnam Yogi was the political chief of the LTTE, who presided over the

handing over of LTTE arms in 1987 after the Indo-Sri Lanka Accord. The senior

leader was in charge of LTTE's research centre on war records.

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BBC denied access to cover war commission proceedings

Press Trust Of India

Colombo, November 11, 2010First Published: 17:07 IST(11/11/2010)

Last Updated: 17:10 IST(11/11/2010)

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The BBC has claimed that Sri Lankan authorities have denied them access to cover

the proceedings of a government-appointed Commission probing the last phase of the

LTTE war in former strife-affected areas in northern Jaffna peninsula. "Defence

ministry refused to give reasons for

preventing the BBC from covering the story in Jaffna," the British media giant

reported on Wednesday night.The denial came two days after President Mahinda Rajapaksa extended the

Commission's mandate by six months "in view of the large number of persons from

Sri Lanka and abroad still to give evidence before it."

In September, the BBC was denied coverage of similar proceedings in Kilinochchi,

the former stronghold of LTTE in northern Sri Lanka.

The eight-member Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC) was

appointed by the President on May 2010 to report on the lessons to be learnt from the

events in the period from 21st February 2002 to 19th May 2009. The LLRC is chaired

by the former Attorney General Chitta Ranjan de Silva.

The proceedings of the LLRC were open to the media ever since its inception.

However, the coverage was restricted when the proceedings took place outside

Colombo.

The LLRC is scheduled to conduct hearings in Jaffna peninsula beginning from

Thursday.

Foreign media requires prior permission for coverages in former battle zones althoughthe war ended 18 months ago with the death of LTTE chief Vellupillai Prabhakaran.

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http://news.in.msn.com/international/article.aspx?cp-documentid=4567317

New photos allege Sri Lanka war abuse, govt denies

Colombo, Nov 11 (PTI) New grisly photos of LTTE cadres allegedly killed by Sri

Lankan Army during the final stage of civil war were released by a TV channel,

prompting a strong rebuttal by Colombo.
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Dubai-based Aljazeera television aired images of a pile of dead bodies and execution

type killings saying they were taken during the final stages of the war between the

government troops and the LTTE that ended in May last year.

However, the television channel said they obtained the images from an unnamed

source and is unable to verify the authenticity of the photos.

After the appearance of images today on the channel, Sri Lanka the report, saying that

this is an attempt by pro-LTTE elements to tarnish security forces image.

Issuing a press release the Media Centre for National Security (MCNS) said, "By

these campaigns pro-LTTE elements are in an attempt to tarnishing the image of the

security forces and the government of Sri Lanka."

The MCNS said, "It is a similar kind of attempt with an aim of tarnishing the image of

the valiant government troops as well as deteriorating the process of the Lesson

Learnt & Reconciliation Commission (LLRC)".

The Sri Lankan government this week extended the mandate of the LLRC, a panel

appointed to examine events during the war and make recommendations to avoid such

repetition, by six months.

The panel started its hearing in North today and the government denied access to the

BBC to cover the proceedings without giving any reasons to do so,the BBC reported.

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Tamil editor blames Colombo of deceiving uprooted civilians in Jaffna


A leading journalist and the news editor of Thinamurasu Tamil daily published in

Jaffna, M. Vamadevan accused the Sri Lankan governments in power during the last

20 years of deceiving the uprooted people from Valikaamam North Sri Lanka Army

(SLA) High Security Zones (HSZs) saying that resettlement is not possible as they are

infested with land mines, witnessing before the Lessons Learnt & Reconciliation

Committee (LLRC) Thursday in Jaffna. Promises had been given to the uprooted

families that they will be soon permitted to resettle in their own places at various

instances by various Sri Lanka ministers and government officials but nothing hasbeen done to resettle them, Vamadevan told LLRC.

The Tamil National Alliance parliamentarians had been assured of resettlement in

Valikamam by the Sri Lanka government but eventually they too were deceived,

Vamadevan said.

Vamadevan, a person uprooted from Valikaamam North HSZ himself, told LLRC that

Sarath Fonseka, during his time of office as the chief of SLA had said the HSZ could

not be withdrawn as they were the supply routes to SLA in the on going war at that

time and asked what need was there for the SLA to retain the HSZs as the war has

now ended.

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The Vamadevan also described the plight of the uprooted people from Valikaamam

North living as refugees for more than 20 years in camps and in the houses of

relatives and friends.

Ms. Imelda Sukumar who had been recently saying that there are no HSZs in Jaffna

peninsula but only areas that have to be cleared of landmines was also present duringthe LLRC session Thursday in Ariyaalai Saraswathy Community Centre.

She intervened to point out to the LLRC that a SLA soldier had been killed and two

others injured in land mine explosion recently in Maaviddapuram in the HSZ.

*********************************************************************

http://www.rnw.nl/international-justice/article/sri-lanka-tightens-grip-media-

and-civil-society

Sri Lanka tightens grip on media and civil societyPublished on : 11 November 2010 - 4:12pm | By Linawati Sidarto (rnw.nl)

More about: civil society Human Rights Watch international justice media freedom

sri lanka tamil tigers truth commission

Colombo is limiting democracy and open debate by tightening its control on media

and aid workers, rights group Human Rights Watch said on Thursday.

Foreign and local aid workers in Sri Lanka has been ordered to register with the

powerful defence ministry on Wednesday. The 250 international and some 1,000

domestic aid agencies working in Sri Lanka would now have to obtain approval from

the defence ministry following a change in the law.

Meanwhile, the BBC Colombo correspondent Charles Haviland said on Thursday that

he has been denied access to attend public hearings of the Lessons Learnt and

Reconciliation Commission (LLRC) in Jaffna.

Jaffna is situated in the northern part of the country, which was the stronghold of the

rebel Tamil Tigers who fought a bloody civil war against the government for almost

four decades. The defence ministry is clearly keeping very tight control over the

northern areas, Haviland says.

This is very worrisome, HRWs South Asia researcher Tej Thapa commented onthese latest developments. The Sri Lankan government seems to be limiting any kind

of open democracy and debate.

Sri Lankan authorities have long been suspicious of international and local non-

government organizations, which were sometimes seen as sympathising with the

Tamil Tigers. The conflict ended in May last year when the rebels were wiped out in a

military campaign that has since been plagued by allegations of war crimes, which the

government denies.

Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa established the LLRC in May 2010 in an

apparent attempt to deflect calls for an international investigation into the alleged war
http://www.rnw.nl/international-justice/article/sri-lanka-tightens-grip-media-and-civil-societyhttp://www.rnw.nl/international-justice/article/sri-lanka-tightens-grip-media-and-civil-societyhttp://www.rnw.nl/international-justice/article/sri-lanka-tightens-grip-media-and-civil-societyhttp://www.rnw.nl/international-justice/article/sri-lanka-tightens-grip-media-and-civil-societyhttp://www.rnw.nl/international-justice/article/sri-lanka-tightens-grip-media-and-civil-society

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violations. International parties, including the United Nations, have called for an

independent probe into the allegations.

Last month, human rights organizations HRW, the International Crisis Group and

Amnesty International said they refused to testify in front of the commission, saying it

did not meet minimum international standards. They said the LLRC lacks mandate,credibility and independence and is proceeding against a backdrop of government

failure to address impunity and continuing human rights abuses.

Rajapaksa dismissed the criticism as "colonial."

HRWs Thapa, speaking from The Hague, said that she sees a serious widening of

control by the government, adding that she expects its going to continue for a

while.

Thapa particularly expressed concern over the fate of the thousands of former Tamil

Tiger combatants who are under detention. The ICRC (International Committee forthe Red Cross) has had very limited access to these detainees. We dont know under

what conditions these people are being held.

*********************************************************************

http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5i63YRCA5JdjmbsByPH

Lh1EeSY0-Q?docId=CNG.ec31db02884db2a70400efc9a7e3786f.481

New photos allege Sri Lanka war abuse

(AFP)8 hours ago

NEW DELHINew photos emerged Thursday of piles of dead bodies and

execution-style killings allegedly taken during the final stages of Sri Lanka's civil war

which ended in May last year.

Broadcaster Al-Jazeera said it had obtained the images from an unnamed Tamil

source who said they had been taken by a member of Sri Lanka's military.

Some of the disturbing photographs show bodies with twisted limbs piled on the back

of a trailer, others show almost naked corpses, blindfolded and with hands bound

behind their backs, lying in shallow graves.

Al-Jazeera said it was unable to verify their authenticity, adding that it was unknown

if the bodies had been collected after a clean-up or were the result of a massacre.

The military onslaught against the Tamil Tiger rebel group has been dogged byallegations of war crimes, with the United Nations, Western powers and rights groups

pushing for a probe of possible violations by both sides.

Other similar photos and video footage have emerged in the past.

In January, UN human rights envoy Philip Alston concluded that video footage said to

be of Sri Lankan troops executing unarmed Tamil Tiger rebels was authentic and

urged Colombo to accept a war crimes probe.

"These photos provide compelling reasons for why there should be an independent

international investigation into what happened," Yolanda Foster from rights group

Amnesty International told Al-Jazeera.

Sri Lanka has set up its own probe, the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation

Commission (LLRC), which critics say lacks credibility and is intended to cover upatrocities.
http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5i63YRCA5JdjmbsByPHLh1EeSY0-Q?docId=CNG.ec31db02884db2a70400efc9a7e3786f.481http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5i63YRCA5JdjmbsByPHLh1EeSY0-Q?docId=CNG.ec31db02884db2a70400efc9a7e3786f.481http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5i63YRCA5JdjmbsByPHLh1EeSY0-Q?docId=CNG.ec31db02884db2a70400efc9a7e3786f.481http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5i63YRCA5JdjmbsByPHLh1EeSY0-Q?docId=CNG.ec31db02884db2a70400efc9a7e3786f.481http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5i63YRCA5JdjmbsByPHLh1EeSY0-Q?docId=CNG.ec31db02884db2a70400efc9a7e3786f.481

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Authorities have blocked the international media from covering the proceedings.

The BBC complained again Thursday that its journalists had been prevented from

travelling to hear witnesses testify.

Sri Lankan authorities have allowed foreign journalists to the former conflict zone as

part of guided tours, but not allowed them independent access to the region.

The government, led by President Mahinda Rajapakse, rejects any accusation of warcrimes and says no civilians were killed during the fighting.

Al-Jazeera said the government had denied that its photographs were genuine. AFP

was unable to reach the government on Thursday, with ministers busy dealing with

the worst flooding in the capital in years after a severe rain storm.

New York-based Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International and Brussels-based

International Crisis Group say up to 30,000 ethnic Tamil civilians perished in the final

months of the conflict.

The Tigers fought for over 30 years for a separate state for the ethnic Tamil minority

on the ethnic Sinhala-majority Indian Ocean island.

On the Net:

Al-Jazeera report on Sri Lanka massacre:http://english.aljazeera.net/video/asia/2010/11/2010111010021857352.html

Copyright 2010 AFP. All rights reserved. More

*********************************************************************

http://www.srilankaguardian.org/2010/11/i-am-not-playing-politics-

government.html

I am not playing politics Government Agent Jaffna

Posted by Sri Lanka GuardianBreakingnews, feature, Interview, Politics 1:30:00 PM

(November 11, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) The Tamil media of Sri Lanka was

singled out and came under criticism by the Jaffna Government Agent of Jaffna, Mrs

Imelda Sugumar in a statement published in the Tamil Mirror reproduced in the

Thenee.com Tamil website did not refer to the very same information published in

the English media. The statement published in the Tamil Mirror did not even filter

in to the Tamil Mirrors English edition Daily Mirror.

It was widely reported in the Colombo media that: The Government Agent, Imelda

Sukumar who was the Mullaitivu GA during the war, . vehemently denied claims

that those who crossed over from LTTE controlled areas to Government controlledareas carrying white flags were fired at by the army during the height of the war.

The translation of the Government Agents comments states:

Distorted statements have been published by some about the evidence I gave before

the Lesson Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC).

When I gave evidence before the LLRC, I clearly stated that I will only give

evidence about incidences until January 22. I only gave evidence about the suffering

of the people until they moved in to the safety zone.

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I gave evidence in clear English, so that the LLRC will understand what I said to

them directly.

The media, as they wished, have published incorrect translation of my evidence. I

strongly condemn this.

The events I evidenced in Mullivaykal has been falsely stated by the media as

incidences that had taken place there. Because of non availability of correct

translation, they are falsely accusing me.

I wish to state, I am not a politician and am a government officer carrying out my

administrative responsibilities. I cannot act on the wishes of the politicians.

I repeatedly stated during my evidence that I will only tell about the events until

22nd January. My evidence is in the records of the LLRC.

*********************************************************************

http://www.srilankaguardian.org/2010/11/right-of-reply-imeldas-comment-

hurtful.html

Right of Reply: Imeldas comment hurtful and unacceptable

Posted by Sri Lanka GuardianHistory of Sri Lanka, ImeldaSukumar,

LakshmiParamasivam, Social 10:12:00 AM

"Truth has no rights and wrongs. Truth is a part of us. If we are talking to ourselves

without any expectations of benefits or fears of coststhen we are experiencing Truth

through that talk. That is what happens during meditation expect that mediation is

passive observation of ourselves. The moment we start allocating rights and wrongs

we are no longer experiencing Truth, but are moving towards knowledge and facts.

Once we experience Truththat Truth is often expressed to educate others. Facts,

Knowledge & Truth are the parallels of Body, Mind and Soul. The ultimate goal is

Soul at which level we naturally share with all genuine seekers of Trutheach as

per their level of seeking."

by Gaja Lakshmi Paramasivam

(November 11, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian)Dear Mr. Jayadevan;

I refer to your report published yesterday in the Sri Lankan Guardian, on statements

made by Mrs Imelda Sukumar. I focus particularly on the following passages relating

to Mrs Sukumar are reported by you:

1. The Government Agent, Imelda Sukumar who was the Mullaitivu GA during the

war, . vehemently denied claims that those who crossed over from LTTE controlled

areas to Government controlled areas carrying white flags were fired at by the army

during the height of the war. As the agent of the government, Mrs Imelda Sugumar

went out of the way to assert that no one carrying white flags was killed by thearmy.
http://www.srilankaguardian.org/2010/11/right-of-reply-imeldas-comment-hurtful.htmlhttp://www.srilankaguardian.org/2010/11/right-of-reply-imeldas-comment-hurtful.htmlhttp://www.srilankaguardian.org/2010/11/right-of-reply-imeldas-comment-hurtful.htmlhttp://www.srilankaguardian.org/2010/11/right-of-reply-imeldas-comment-hurtful.htmlhttp://www.srilankaguardian.org/2010/11/right-of-reply-imeldas-comment-hurtful.html

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2. In the article of Pearl Thevasagayam published in the Sri Lanka Guardian titled

Imelda Sukumar: victim of a propagandist media the statement of the GA was

quoted as no civilians carrying white flag was shot thus qualifying and limiting the

issue to civilians not being killed. From Pearl Thevasagayams quotation, one canadduce some killings of white flags carrying persons other than the civilians had taken

place in the war front. Verbatim of the LLRC evidence of the GA only can reveal

which of the above statements is correct

3. The white flag killings cannot be brushed aside like other killings, as it has definite

involved parties as witnesses. This single most event has exposed Sri Lanka to open

its horrendous war crimes agenda against civilians, the non armed and non state actors.

Mrs Imelda Sugumar should have been careful in her utterances if what was widely

reported of being said by her is accurate.

Forgetting the sensitivities, she blatantly acted as a mouth-piece of the government

that is trying very hard to beat about the bush to circumvent the truth of white flag

murders. The GA cannot claim of her ignorance, when circumstantial and tangible

evidences are stacked up on the white flag killings. Having failed to measure her

comments, she cannot be defended for her irresponsible and insensitive outburst at the

LLRC.

Mr. Jayadevan, I work closely with the Government Agencies in Northern Sri Lanka

and feel as if I am a part of them. This approach is necessary where one is not able to

understand and relate to the official structures and their realities, and hence has to rely

on common faith and beliefs. As you have rightly stated The Government Agent (GA)

Mrs Imelda Sugumar of Jaffna deserves the praise for her hard work under trying

circumstances in the war ravaged north. Your introduction (1 above) confirms that to

you, it was the Government Agent of Jaffna who gave evidence before the Lesson

Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC). As Government Agent, Mrs.

Sukumar has the responsibility to be bound by the limits of the position she holds. As

Mrs. Imelda Sukumaran, the citizenthe lady was free to give her independent

evidence. The Lesson Learnt and Reconciliation Commission needs to receive the

evidence within its proper context and not mix the two indiscriminately. Likewise

reporters who feed the Commission and the Public. That is when we would get to theTruth within and naturally share peace with all others who genuinely seek that Truth.

This is why sometimes such Commissions are called Truth & Reconciliation

Commissions.

Truth has no rights and wrongs. Truth is a part of us. If we are talking to ourselves

without any expectations of benefits or fears of coststhen we are experiencing Truth

through that talk. That is what happens during meditation expect that mediation is

passive observation of ourselves. The moment we start allocating rights and wrongs

we are no longer experiencing Truth, but are moving towards knowledge and facts.

Once we experience Truththat Truth is often expressed to educate others. Facts,

Knowledge & Truth are the parallels of Body, Mind and Soul. The ultimate goal is

8/8/2019 LLRC Update 12.11

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Soul at which level we naturally share with all genuine seekers of Trutheach as

per their level of seeking.

Families, Institutions, Governmentsare formed towards achieving this goal as a

group of peoplewith least real loss to particular individuals. Within Families, ones

weaknesses are balanced by anothers strengths and the whole family is even to thatextent in terms of the outside world. It is when the weaknesses are larger than the

strengthens that a family / institution / government is to be downgraded. A strong and

just society would do that. It is for this reason that confidentiality is a virtue in

hierarchical systems. To be effectivewe as a society need to accept the facts

produced by the whole family /institute /government for our own purposes. To take

each part separately amounts to dividing and ruling and would deviate us from our

path to the Truth that could be experienced by all of us. To allocate rights and wrongs

before we get there is to narrow our world. Within families / institutions /

governmentswe should allocate rights and wrongs only towards internal

compensation and not for external consumption.

If we see facts before we feel Truth then we are third parties to that extent and

hence we need evidence based lateral system. Once we move towards that system

we must follow the rules applicable to third parties. Under this systemwe accept

facts without thinking and accept as correct the verdict given by majority picture thatthe facts show. As third parties, we have the responsibility to not think for the

parties that produced the facts. We use them for our own purposes. That is the core

value and purpose of the Doctrine of Separation of Powersbetween Executive

Government and the Judiciary; between Management and Auditors and between

Makers and Users. Those who rely on facts and objective evidence are users. That

way we do not waste energies by intruding into others privacies. If we want to

express why something happened, we need to become part of the experience which

has common belief as its foundation.

Like in coordinate geometry we use both systemsthe vertical system of belief as

well as the lateral system of observed facts. The former promotes sharing

qualities/public service and the latter promotes private enterprise/business. The story

of the Divine Mango as the prize for the one who went around the world firstin the

competition set between the two sons of Lord Shiva (the Lord of the Mind)Ganesh

and Muruga highlights that both systems are right. Ganesh represents the vertical

systemwhere no proof through facts is required but the belief that the parents were

the world of the children. Muruga on the other hand did the physical work (parallel ofcash in business) and produced facts to prove to all including non-believers that He

won the race. We follow both systems and if combined with carewe would always

uphold the Truth. To be like Muruga, we needed in this instance to be soldiers at the

coalface. The parties mentioned below and yourselfare closer to Ganesh rather than

Muruga. Mrs. Sukumar was close to Ganesh when she was part of the ministerial

team which is now and not then and to the extent she was serving in the war zone

Mrs. Sukumar was close to Murugathe soldiers on either side. The facts Mrs.

Sukumar produced then ought to be taken as they happened by third parties including

yourself.

Some of the facts that Mrs. Imelda Sukumaran produced as a citizen are her propertyand we have the prerogative to take it or leave it. They are like her affidavit

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evidence. If Mrs. Sukumaran stated all that she sees in her everyday workwhich is

part of the root cause of the warthen she would not be able to hold that position of

Government Agentbut would at best be a low level clerical officer. To the extent

we relate to this issue through the Governmentwe need to not attribute that

weakness of the Government to lower level officers. In this instance the officers who

produced the facts at primary stage were the armed forces over whom the seniorministers responsible for tertiary stage did not have direct control. The most senior

officer of the army at that time was the responsible person for those facts. If those

facts were produced as per their policies and ordersthen they are not to be blamed

but only the seniors mentioned below:

You have reported in this regard:

4. The parties involved in the white flag surrender effort were the President of Sri

Lanka Mahinda Rajapakse who had given the okay to his brother Basil Rajapakse as

Commander in Chief of the state forces for the surrender, UNs Nambiar, US embassy

in Colombo, Norwegians, a senior journalist of the UK Times newspaper, Presidentsbrother Basil Rajapakse, a Sri Lankan MP and a Tamil from London who acted as

go-between to execute the peaceful white flag surrender of the desperate persons.

None of these persons would have felt an intuitive connection with the soldiers at the

coalface and v.v. at that point in time. In fact the soldiers are likely to have been on

their own and at best would have been driven by their regular trainingwhich was to

eliminate the LTTE. To therefore change within a short space of timeis to expect

extraordinary outcomes for which one or more in the above group ought to have had

extraordinary credits / positive karma in Peace. What happened was normal

behavior on the part of the soldiers and the blame needs to go to all members of the

above group who did not foresee /project that ordinary behavior from the soldiers who

were facing one of the toughest challenges they would have ever faced or were likely

to face. To them, winning would have been more important than Peaceas it was to

the LTTE.

You seem to be expecting transparency from Mrs. Sukumar who is working in a

system that needs confidentiality for it to be functional for Tamils of North. At the

same time you have failed to be transparent in terms of the names of the above senior

members of the white flag team.

If you base your search along appropriate principles and policies, you would realizeTruth and Peacewith or without Mrs. Sukumar with or without her title of GA.

*********************************************************************


Al Jazeera spotlights Sri Lanka's alleged War Crimes


Al Jazeera, the international news network headquartered in Qatar, published

photographs Wednesday "showing graphic scenes, with dead bodies blindfolded,

hands bound [and] shot through the head," that appear to provide further believableevidence of alleged massacre of Tamils during final stages of Sri Lanka's civil war.

8/8/2019 LLRC Update 12.11

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the son of Velupillai Pirapaharan, the leader of Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, the

news network said.

Sri Lanka's alleged War CrimesCourtesy: Al jazeera Television


perhaps in his early teens, Al Jaeera reported.

The Sri Lankan government has always denied allegations of war crimes and

promised to take action if it finds evidence of atrocities, the network said.

Sri Lanka officials responded to the damaging publicity from the prima facie

authentic photographs with the familiar refrain: "Sri Lanka has launched an

'independent' inquiry into the photos of the alleged massacre."


the war against the Tamil Tigers, in which a former UN spokesman has said more

than 30,000 Tamil civilians were killed.

The mounting evidence and the efforts by the Sri Lanka Government to whitewash

the war crimes by proceeding with its own commission of inquiries (LLRC) prompted

three international human rights watchdogs, International Crisis Group, Human

Rights Watch and Amnesty International, to slam the commission failing to meet

basic international standards for independent and impartial inquiries."

Philip Alston statement referred by

Al Jazeera Courtesy: Channel-4

"Some of the scenery in the photos is similar to that in video material leaked to the

international media which seems to show the execution of Tamil Tiger fighters by Sri

Lankan soldiers. Again the Sri Lankan government denied the military carried out the

executions, however, after detailed examination, professor Philip Alston, the UNs

former special rapporteur to Sri Lanka, said he believes the video is genuine," Al

Jazeera said.

Since the end of the war in May last year, no one from the military has been chargedwith any offence and no evidence has emerged from the government inquiries. Critics

say the Sri Lankan government is writing its own history, the news network added.

*********************************************************************

http://www.dailymirror.lk/print/index.php/opinion1/26830.html

Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith opposes continuing the emergency in peacetime

THURSDAY, 11 NOVEMBER 2010 00:00

On Tuesday 9th November, the UPFA government in Parliament passed the

continuation of the emergency regulations for a further month by 125 votes to 11. The
http://www.dailymirror.lk/print/index.php/opinion1/26830.htmlhttp://www.dailymirror.lk/print/index.php/opinion1/26830.htmlhttp://www.dailymirror.lk/print/index.php/opinion1/26830.html

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outcome of the vote was never in doubt for a government, that if it so desired could

muster a two-thirds majority in the legislative chamber.

Catholic Christian leaders oppose emergency in peace time

However, a few days earlier His Eminence Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith, the head of the

Catholic Church in Sri Lanka, argued against and opposed the continuation ofemergency rule in Sri Lanka, as its detrimental to national reconciliation and inter-

ethnic healing, in representations before Sri Lankas Lessons Learnt and

Reconciliation Commission (LLRC). Days earlier, His Grace Bishop Duleep De

Chickera, effectively the leader of the Protestant Christian community in Sri Lanka

had echoed similar sentiments. Clearly the Christian community in Sri Lanka, both

Catholic and Protestant, as represented by their lords spiritual, had made clear that

they considered the continuation of the war time emergency in peace time as a very

bad idea and detrimental to national reconciliation, democratic governance and the

rule of law. The Christian community in Sri Lanka is an interesting sociological entity

in that it is the only social segment which is multi ethnic and multi lingual and hence

strategic to national reconciliation. Almost all Sri Lankan Buddhists are Sinhalesewhile all Sri Lankan Hindus are Tamil, there are almost no Tamil Buddhists or

Sinhala Hindus in Sri Lanka, those two major religions have mono ethnic adherence

in Sri Lanka today. Not so Christians in Sri Lanka, which has both Sinhala and Tamil

adherents in almost equal measure. The Church in Jaffna or Mannar, matches its

counterparts in Colombo or Negombo. At about eight percent (8%) of the population,

the Catholic and Christian community is about the size of the Muslim community in

Sri Lanka, but politically diffused amongst the two national political blocs and not

particularly parochial in its voting pattern.

The current state of emergency law was imposed in Sri Lanka in August 2005 on the

tragic occasion of the assassination of former Foreign Minister Lakshman

Kadirgarmar by the LTTE. It has not been lifted since, being continuously extended

monthly by the government, though the war ended and victory was won by the banks

of the Nainthikadal lagoon in May 2009, over one and a half years ago.

No Emergency from

early 2002-mid 2005

Prior to August 2005, from February 2002 to July 2005, for a period in excess of three

years during the period of the cease fire agreement (CFA) between the government ofSri Lanka and the LTTE, Sri Lanka let the emergency lapse and did not prosecute or

charge anyone under the prevention of terrorism act (PTA). So for three years from

2002 to 2005, Sri Lanka did not have emergency law and prior to the prophets of

doom, did not become undone in the process or come apart at the seams. So Sri Lanka

has recent experience in non emergency rule and in a much less congenial security

situation. This was during a ceasefire, not a full borne victory we have today.

Detractors would argue that the LTTE benefited due to the CFA. However, that is

because an LTTE existed. Today it lies buried in the sands of the Nainthikadal lagoon

and there is no armed opposition to the Sri Lankan state and no real political

opposition to the government either, the main opposition UNP being a divided and

disunited bunch.

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Rump LTTE foreign network

is unarmed and overseas

The continued presence of LTTE sympathizers in the Tamil Diaspora who are hostile

towards Sri Lanka is often given as a rational for continued emergency rule. However

any LTTE rump today, is like Hamlet without the Prince of Denmark, the LTTE hasno leader, command and control or armed cadres or presence in Sri Lanka. Its much

vaunted international network are a bunch of money launders, human smugglers

and other criminal elements who would fall foul of their host country laws very

quickly if they sought to fund terrorism overseas in Sri Lanka. The successor to

Prabhakaran, KP is a state guest of Sri Lanka and Prabhakarans one time deputy,

Karuna, is now a minister in the government.

The rational for continuing the emergency is hard to see and bad for tourism,

investment, reconciliation, the development drive or the peace dividend.

(The writer served as Presidential Spokesman from 2001-2005)

*********************************************************************


24th Anniversary of the massacre of 320 Tamils in Batticaloa remembered

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 10 November 2010, 16:32 GMT]

The massacre of 320 innocent Tamils of Pullumalai in Batticaloa district on

10.11.1986 by Sri Lanka Army (SLA) and Sinhala thugs was remembered

Wednesday by the people of Batticaloa district. The SLA soldiers and the Sinhala

thugs who brutally massacred the 320 Tamils were not arrested during the United

National Party (UNP) government then and the present United Peoples Freedom

Alliance (UPFA) too has failed to take action on them or to pay compensation for the

affected or find the disappeared persons, sources in Batticaloa said. Complaints made

by the victims family membersto Sri Lanka Presidents Lessons Learnt and

Reconciliation Committee (LLRC) recently in Chengkaladi Secretariat were not

registered, the sources added.

Pullumalai is one of the fertile Tamil villages in on the western boundary of

Batticaloa district along the A5 Chengkaladi-Badulla road in Chengkaladi DivisionalSecretariat area.

Following a claymore attack on a SLA vehicle on 10.11.1986, more than 320 Tamils

among nearly 1100 families in Pullumalai Grama Sevaka division were massacred,

more than 50 injured and young women sexually abused by SLA soldiers and Sinhala

thugs.

Hundreds of youths were dragged away by the SLA in front of their parents and their

fate still remains a mystery.

SLA occupied the government hospital buildings in 1983 and launched attacks on theTamils five times after occupation, driving them away from their villages.

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During the brutal offensive of the SLA in 1990 the entire residents were uprooted and

were forced to live as refugees in camps and with relatives or friends.

Some of the uprooted families have now been resettled in Vipulanantha Village, a

location in the middle of the jungle without permanent houses or the basic facilities ofmedicine, transport, electricity.

Sri Lanka ministers including Vinayagamoorthy Muralitharan alias Karuna the

Deputy Minister of Rehabilitation, who often visit Batticaloa district have done

nothing to fulfill the needs of these families or to trace their relatives gone missing

after the massacre and subsequent attacks by SLA.

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http://mwcnews.net/news/centrals-asia/6515-photos-allege-sri-lanka-

massacre.html

Photos allege Sri Lanka massacre

Wednesday, 10 November 2010 13:49

By Agencies

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Media has obtained photographs that appear to show Sri Lankan army soldiers

abusing Tamil civilians in the final days of the Sri Lankan civil war.

The pictures show various graphic scenes, with dead bodies blindfolded and hands

bound, shot through the head and mounds of bodies on the back of a farmer's trailer.

It is claimed that the photos were taken in the closing months of the countrys long-

running conflict that ended 18 months ago.


the son of Velupillai Prabhakaran, the leader of the rebel group, the Liberation Tigersof Tamil Eelam, or Tamil Tigers, that was defeated in the civil war.


perhaps in his early teens.

Authenticity unverified

It is not possible to verify the authenticity of the images that were obtained by media

from Tamil contacts who said the photos were handed over by someone from the Sri

Lankan military. It is unclear why it has taken so long from them to surface.
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The photos come to light as Gamini Lakshman Peiris, the Sri Lankan minister of

external affairs, is in London to deliver as speech at the International Institute of

Strategic Studies. Ethnic Tamil groups have vowed to protest outside the venue.

The Sri Lankan government has always denied allegations of war crimes and

promised to take action if it finds evidence of atrocities.

Rajiva Wijesinha, a Sri Lankan MP who is also a former secretary of the country's

human rights ministry, told Al Jazeera that the country has launched an "independent"

inquiry into the photos of the alleged massacre.

"We have always said that any allegation will be investigated. We believe that our

inquiry going on is perfectly independent."

But Dr. Sam Pari, a spokeswoman for the Australian Tamil Congress, says there has

to foreign pressure on the Sri Lankan government to allow an international

independent investigation into the atrocity.

"The responsibility of pressuring Sri Lanka to allow an international independent

investigation falls upon the international governments that currently deal with Sri

Lanka in the form of trade, tourism etc," she told Al Jazeera in an interview.

"So if these governments start placing trade sanctions and travel bans on Sri Lanka,

then Sri Lanka will be forced to allow an international investigation into war crimes."

In May, Mahinda Rajapaksa, the Sri Lankan president, said that his government will

not punish the Sri Lankan army for "defeating terrorism".

"[] If the international community wants to punish Sri Lanka for defeating terrorism,

I'm not for that," Rajapaksa said.


the war against the Tamil Tigers, in which the UN estimates at least 7,000 Tamil

civilians were killed.

Other estimates suggest the figure could be as high as 20,000 and the inference is that

many were killed by government shelling.

'Whitewash'

Sri Lanka has instead set up its own inquiry called the "Lessons Learnt and

Reconciliation Commission" (LLRC), which critics say is a whitewash.

Both Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International have refused to participate in

the inquiry, stating that it does not meet international standards for independent and

impartial inquiries.

The human rights organisations say that the new photographic evidence warrants an

independent investigation.

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Some of the scenery in the photos is similar to that in video material leaked to the

international media which seems to show the execution of Tamil Tiger fighters by Sri

Lankan soldiers.

Again the Sri Lankan government denied the military carried out the executions,

however, after detailed examination, professor Philip Alston, the UNs former specialrapporteur to Sri Lanka, said he believes the video is genuine.

Since the end of the war in May last year, no one from the military has been charged

with any offence and no evidence has emerged from the government inquiries. Critics

say the Sri Lankan government is writing its own history.

For more than 25 years, the Tamil Tigers waged a secessionist campaign in Sri Lanka

that led to it being designated a terrorist organisation by 32 countries.

At one stage in the conflict 300,000 displaced Tamil civilians languished in makeshift

camps.

According to the latest figures there are some 35,000 Tamils left on the island.

Emergency powers are still in force; there is a heavy military presence in Tamil areas

and more and more Tamils are leaving the country.

*********************************************************************


SLA, police protection to Jaffna GA Imelda Sukumar

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 10 November 2010, 11:24 GMT]

Sri Lanka Defence Ministry has ordered protection to Ms. Imelda Sukumar, Jaffna

Government Agent (GA) in response to complaint made by her to the ministry of

continuous threat to her life through phone calls, sources in Jaffna said. Her residence

in the Old Park in front of Jaffna Government Secretariat is being guarded by SLA

from Wednesday morning while her office is provided with police protection, the

sources added.

Ms. Imelda Sukumar had recently publicly stated that there are no High Security

Zones (HSZ) in Jaffna peninsula, raising anger among the uprooted people fromValikaamam North in Jaffna peninsula by the SLA nearly 20 years ago, the sources

said.

Besides, Ms. Imelda Sukumar had witnessed before the Lessons Learnt and

Reconciliation Committee (LLRC) and her statement on the situation in

Mullivaaikkaal during the final days of the war on Vanni too had triggered anger

and dissatisfaction among the people affected by the war in Vanni, the sources further

said.

Ms. Imelda Sukumar had returned to Jaffna after a long period of time to assume

duties as Jaffna GA.

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http://www.srilankaguardian.org/2010/11/imeldas-comment-hurtful-and.html

Imeldas comment hurtful and unacceptablePosted by Sri Lanka Guardianfeature, Interview, Politcs, Rajasingham Jayadevan

7:16:00 AM

There is hard evidence available that unarmed men and women of LTTEs political

and civilian administration and some civilians went forward under international

arrangement with the white flags to surrender before the army.

by Rajasingham Jayadevan

(November 10, London, Sri Lanka Guardian) The Government Agent (GA) Mrs

Imelda Sugumar of Jaffna deserves the praise for her hard work under tryingcircumstances in the war ravaged north. When good governance in Sri Lanka overall

is on the declining scale, the situation in the war ravaged and military controlled north

is expected in addition to reflect the degeneration that inflicted the troubled area for

three decades in a much greater scale.

Mrs Imelda Sugumar recently gave evidence before the Lesson Learnt and

Reconciliation Commission (LLRC). It was widely reported that: The Government

Agent, Imelda Sukumar who was the Mullaitivu GA during the war, . vehemently

denied claims that those who crossed over from LTTE controlled areas to

Government controlled areas carrying white flags were fired at by the army during the

height of the war.

As the agent of the government, Mrs Imelda Sugumar went out of the way to assert

that no one carrying white flags was killed by the army. In the article of Pearl

Thevasagayam published in the Sri Lanka Guardian titled Imelda Sukumar: victim of

a propagandist media the statement of the GA was quoted as no civilians carrying

white flag was shot thus qualifying and limiting the issue to civilians not being killed.

From Pearl Thevasagayams quotation, one can adduce some killings of white flags

carrying persons other than the civilians had taken place in the war front. Verbatim of

the LLRC evidence of the GA only can reveal which of the above statements is

correct. Until such time, reliance must made on the wider reporting of the GAsstatement in the media that no one carrying white flag was killed by the army.

There is hard evidence available that unarmed men and women of LTTEs political

and civilian administration and some civilians went forward under international

arrangement with the white flags to surrender before the army. They were requested

by Presidents Basil Rajapakse to take extra care before an agitated army when

surrendering. But these men and women were massacred by the soldiers waiting for

their arrival with the white flags. All what is transpiring at the Trial at Bar hearing

against the Sunday Leader newspaper is further evidence about the white flag

massacre reported in that media.
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The parties involved in the white flag surrender effort were the the President of Sri

Lanka Mahinda Rajapakse who had given the okay to his brother Basil Rajapakse as

Commander in Chief of the state forces for the surrender, UNs Nambiar, US embassy

in Colombo, Norwegians, a senior journalist of the UK Times newspaper, Presidents

brother Basil Rajapakse, a Sri Lankan MP and a Tamil from London who acted as go-

between to execute the peaceful white flag surrender of the desperate persons. Therewere multi-link telephone talks between the parties when safety assurance was

obtained from Basil Rajapakse that the white flag surrender could take place.

I was in touch with the go-between person concerned when negotiations were taking

place and am fully aware of all what transpired and to the extent how the international

effort for peaceful surrender was shot in the face by the politically motivated blatant

murders of the white flags carrying men and women by the trigger happy army.

The white flag killings cannot be brushed aside like other killings, as it has definite

involved parties as witnesses. This single most event has exposed Sri Lanka to open

its horrendous war crimes agenda against civilians, the non armed and non state actors.

Mrs Imelda Sugumar should have been careful in her utterances if what was widely

reported of being said by her is accurate. Forgetting the sensitivities, she blatantly

acted as a mouth-piece of the government that is trying very hard to beat about the

bush to circumvent the truth of white flag murders. The GA cannot claim of her

ignorance, when circumstantial and tangible evidences are stacked up on the white

flag killings.

Having failed to measure her comments, she cannot be defended for her irresponsible

and insensitive outburst at the LLRC.

She has in fact opened a can of worms by her irresponsible comments that lead for the

need to critically look in to her administration of Jaffna. If is not a hidden fact that the

Jaffna administrative office Kachcheri is the money laundering centre of the

government minister and the paramilitary leader Douglas Devananda and some of the

government backed questionable businessmen.

The GA must seriously streamline her administration and remove the influence of the

corrupt politicians and businessmen who are able to extend their influence without

any fear. It is widely known that the Land Registry office is a money machine for

those who tamper with the deeds of innocent owners of properties and further the GAappears to be unwilling to ban the unlawful tax collection on (building) sand removed

from sea side by a paramilitary group.

We all know the GA was not given a first class administration to execute her ability,

but it is clear that she will be singing for the beans without duly dealing with the

burgeoning issues faced by the people.

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http://www.priu.gov.lk/news_update/Current_Affairs/ca201011/20101108president_extends_mandate_llrc.htm
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Monday, November 08, 2010 - 05.37 GMT

President extends mandate of LLRC

Many more await to give evidence

President Mahinda Rajapaksa has extended the mandate of the Lessons Learnt and

Reconciliation Commission (LLRC) by a period of six months in view of the large

number of persons from Sri Lanka and abroad still to give evidence before it.

In May 2010, President Rajapaksa appointed the eight-member Commission to report

on the lessons to be learnt from the events in the period, Feb 2002 to May 2009, their

attendant concerns and to recommend measures to ensure that there will be no

recurrence of such a situation. The Commission is chaired by the former Attorney

General Chitta Ranjan de Silva.

The mandate of the LLRC was to expire on November 15. It will now be able tocontinue hearings and submit its reports until May 16, 2011.

The initial period since its establishment was spent on infrastructure and

organizational work of the Commission.

Since then the Commission so far had regular public hearings in Colombo and in the

conflict affected areas of Vavuniya, Batticaloa and Kilinochchi. This included field

visits to meet people directly affected by the conflict. It spent 3 days each in these

areas where people in large numbers, at times around 500 a day came before the

Commission and expressed their grievances, explained the trauma undergone and

hardships faced, and also suggested remedial measures and aspects of reconciliation,

S. B. Atugoda, Secretary to the Commission said.

So far more than 100 persons including political activists, social workers, academia,

members of clergy, those engaged in conflict resolution and representatives from non-

governmental organizations have given evidence before the Commission. The LLRC

is expected to visit more places affected by the conflict in the coming period.

It has already submitted an interim communication recommending administrative

means to resolve some of the pressing grievances of the people affected by the

conflict.

The government has appointed an Inter-Advisory Committee to facilitate early in

implementation of these recommendations of the LLRC.

The Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch and the International Crisis Group

jointly turned down an invitation by the LLRC to place any relevant evidence they

have before the Commission.

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http://www.asiantribune.com/news/2010/11/07/sri-lanka%E2%80%99s-lessons-learnt-and-reconciliation-commission-llrc-tenure-extended
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Sri Lankas Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC) tenure

extended

Sun, 2010-11-07 07:31editor

* News

By Santhush Fernando in Colombo

Colombo, 07 November, (Asiantribune.com):

Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa extended the tenure of the Lessons Learnt

and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC) by another six months in order to facilitate

the Commission to record more evidence.

On May 15, President Rajapaksa appointed the eight member Lessons Learnt and

Reconciliation Commission to report on lessons to be learnt from the events in theperiod, February 2002 to May 2009, their attendant concerns and to recommend

measures to ensure that there will be no recurrence of such a situation, under a six

months mandate ending on November 15.

It is learnt that the Commission had already submitted its Interim Report to President

Rajapaksa. LLRC is to conduct hearing in Jaffna from November 11 to 15, following

the extension.

The mandate of LLRC has been influenced in part by the South African experience

and the Iraq Inquiry of the United Kingdom. The Commission was set up under

provisions of Section 2 of the Commissions of Inquiry Act (Chapter 393).

Former Attorney General and LLRC Chairman, Presidents Counsel C. R. de Silva,

iterated that the Commission wish to avail an opportunity for more members of

general public to testify before it.

The Commission is mandated to report whether any person, group or institution

directly or indirectly bears responsibility in events that occurred between February

2002 to May 2009.

It will also recommend measures to be taken to prevent the recurrence of suchconcerns in the future and promote further national unity and reconciliation among all

communities.

The appointment of LLRC follows cabinet approval to a memorandum by President

Mahinda Rajapaksa himself. It states that it has been apparent for quite some time to

the Government, that the conflict situation due to the very brutality and long duration

of the violence perpetrated against Sri Lanka, would have caused great hurt and

anguish in the minds of the people, that requires endeavours for rehabilitation and the

restoration of democratic governance complimented by measures for reconciliation.

Previously, President sanctioned Sri Lankas Permanent Representative in the UnitedNations to mention in his remarks at the UN Security Council Interactive Briefing on

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June 5, 2009 that the Government was in the process of initiating a domestic

mechanism for fact finding and reconciliation.

Last month, LLRC responding to the refusal by three International Non Governmental

Organisations (INGOs) to testify before it, slammed international rights groups stating

that the commission will defend its impartiality and independence, in a letter sent bySecretary of the Commission, S B Atugoda.

Commission notes with greater regret, the indirect aspersions you have cast on

hundreds of fellow citizens who were the victims of this conflict and several

responsib

llrc update 12.11

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