|
President Rajapaksa had to appoint a Commission of Inquiries followed
by an International Committee to probe alleged human rights violations
in Sri Lanka to counteract the pressure put on by the so-called human
rights groups and according to the media reports, these committees are
to be effective since this month.
It is strange to see that, whenever the Tiger terrorism is to be
wiped out from our soil, various 'rights' groups come from all
directions and the end result is either a complete stoppage or weakening
of the actions against terrorism and thereby paving the way to
strengthen the hands of the terrorist outfit.
The Tiger terrorism of the country is going on since the early 1980s
and the successive Governments have failed to wipe out same despite
several attempts to do so. The first such attempt had to be stopped due
to the intervention of India.
Now the Rajapaksa Government is all-out to get rid of LTTE terrorism
from our soil, the same very champions of 'human rights', 'free media',
'abduction', 'disappearance' etc. have started their usual game via
media and through street demonstrations.
Two weeks ago, one of their games of 'abduction of journalists' was
turned to be a case of 'arrest of hard core terrorists', the so-called
free media and human rights champions became comedians of the day and
their true nature was exposed.
Ironically, the so-called international community, foreign funded
NGOs and human rights group were not to be seen as at today, when there
were disappearances, abductions and killings were the norms of the day
during the infamous Bheesana Samaya in the late 80s, when the UNP
Government showed no mercy to the misguided youths who attempted to take
the laws of the land into their own hands.
No Commission or Committee of Inquiries was appointed to probe the
human rights violations of those affected on both sides of the conflict
up to now, although there were Commissions to cover-up issues or to get
political leverage.
Disappearances, abductions and killings are carrying out daily by the
LTTE terrorists at their liberty, in areas under their control during
the last two and half decades while the so-called international or local
'human rights champions' are marinating a blind eye towards them.
The most recent victim of such abduction and killing by the terrorist
outfit is Selliah Kurukkal Parameshwaran, the head priest of the
Santhiveli Pilleyar Kovil, Batticaloa for blessing the county's
democratically elected President. Hence, duplicity of the so-called
human rights groups is quite visible.
It is also interesting to note how the champions of democracies of
the world, who define 'human rights' and pretend to show that they are
the owners of 'human rights' of the world, are responding to situations
affecting their nations.
These democracies are also champions when it comes to interpretation
of the words to suit their benefit while following a different policy
towards smaller developing nations such as ours. The killing of a
terrorist suspect (in fact an innocent 'tourist' not a terrorist')
instantly by the British Police under the new terrorism laws and
subsequent justification is a case in point.
The news item appeared under the title 'Law is second to policy in
fight against terrorism' in one of the local media, reproduced from The
Telegraph, is timely and is an eye opener to those who attempt to put
pressure on the Government on various types of human rights issue at a
time when the country is fighting against one of the most ruthless
terrorist outfit in the world.
The policies followed by strategies should come first before the law,
as the news report quite correctly identified, although the responses
must be lawful.
When fighting terrorism, States have to be innovative as the
terrorists. The methods of the terrorists have to be matched and the
terrorist hunted to their hideouts, for god's sake, to protect the lives
of the innocents and those of VIPs who opposed to terrorism.
S. AKURUGODA, Australia, via email
I refer to the irresponsible and inconsiderate drivers of vehicles
abusing their rights on the road as their performance on the highway is
most disgusting. Commonest of those are the three wheeler drivers and
motor cyclists. Their behaviour reveals unawareness of civic rights and
regulations of the highway code.
Very often you will find that most drivers of these two groups fail
to change their signals once a turn is taken either to the left or
right.
As a result, drivers of other vehicles who follow these wrongdoers
are misled leading to unnecessary accidents causing misery and death to
innocent people. The traffic Police should make a note of these two
classes of vehicles in particular and impose heavy on the spot fines to
bring this nuisance under control.
BANDHU GUNASEKERA, Katubedda
Congratulations on an excellent article 'Don't be a traitor Mangala'
by Goshaka well documented with incidents from both sides of the floor.
(Reference DN Feb. 19) Alas! our people have a well documented history
of being traitors to our Motherland.
The Sinhala term Pavaladena (selling out) happened first with the
Portugese, followed by the Dutch and then the British and the main
object was to get power or enhance power.
How very sad and true!
TERRENCE DE SILVA, via email
It is with utter sadness and disgrace that I write regarding the baby
elephant 'Migara' of the Pinnawela Elephant Orphanage soon to be removed
from his birth place and transported to China as a goodwill gesture by
the Sri Lanka Government to the Government and the people of China to
commemorate fifty years of economic ties between the two countries.
The article which appears in the Daily News (Reference DN Feb. 17)
prompted me to write this letter with the hope that all Sri Lankans will
wake up and think about this inhumane act.
According to the article and some other articles that I have read
about this subject, I gather that 'Migara', his mother 'Menika' and
grandmother 'Komali' were all born in captivity at the Pinnawela
Elephant Orphanage.
To young 'Migara' this is home. This is where his family and extended
family live. This is where he plays, eats and bathes. Not the jungles of
Sri Lanka but the orphanage at Pinnawela.
To remove him from here and move to a far away country where the
climate, surroundings, food to some extent, the elephant language spoken
to him from the time of his birth but most sadly the utmost lonelines
without his own family and the extended family would be definitely heart
breaking and is cruel.
My personal feeling is that he may not survive too long due to
loneliness, boredom and unfamiliar surroundings and the people. A zoo is
not a place for young 'Migara', a far away country from his born and
raised environment at Pinnawela. To remove him from his so called home
is cruelty.
If you take away a young child from his or her family and give it
away to an unknown family in a far away land where the climate, food,
language and culture is different to what one is used to from birth, I
think it will be a terrible mistake and a shock to the system and will
perish in no time.
It doesn't matter how many veterinarians or helpers or mahouts
accompany 'Migara' but the fact of the matter is that once these
individuals leave the 'baby elephant' it will not survive.
Please ask, plead or do whatever you can and request the President to
stop this act of cruelty and let Migara' live his happy life in his home
at Pinnawela. Good luck Migara.
ASHLEY HERATH, Canada, via email |
