Tigers’ inhumanity towards Tamils
If the UN Human Rights Council intends
assessing the human rights situation in Sri Lanka impartially and
fairly, it would pay heed to and act on what the Tamil Democratic
Congress (TDC) has had to say on LTTE brutalities and excesses.
To begin with, the right-thinking could be glad that there are groups
in the Tamil community which are courageous enough to speak the truth in
the most forthright manner.
Our hope is that there would be more such groups which are able and
willing to speak their minds out on the horrors visited on them by the
LTTE.
For, the Tigers need to be fearlessly exposed at every possible
opportunity, particularly in UN fora, the deliberations of which shape
the future of the world.
The Tigers’ revolting inhumanity towards their prisoners and others
who are unfortunate enough to suffer the wrath of the LTTE is now well
known. LTTE dissidents are among those who are subjected to a slow,
agonizing death in the most appalling of conditions.
Further proof of this comes from the TDC appeal to the currently
sitting UN Human Rights Council, which we frontpaged yesterday.
The truth of the matter is that those held by the LTTE are allowed to
wither and die in locations which are chillingly inhospitable. Some of
these are dank dungeons infested with killer creatures and insects. Such
prisoners do not re-emerge among the living, leave alone see their loved
ones once more.
The challenge facing global fora such as the UN Human Rights Council,
is to visit the areas in Sri Lanka where the LTTE has a presence and see
for themselves the terrible excesses of the Tigers and the unspeakable
oppression they heap on the Tamil people themselves.
Once these violations are ascertained at first hand, the sole source
of blight and destruction in Sri Lanka could be established. It is none
other than the LTTE which has been remaining unswayed from the path of
terror.
The position of the State on these issues has been cogently conveyed
to the UN Human Rights Council by Human Rights and Disaster Management
Minister Mahinda Samarasinghe.
The State is not only committed to the protection of the rights of
everyone, it has also put in place the relevant mechanisms to achieve
this end effectively.
Two of these are the Presidential Commission of Inquiry to
investigate and inquire into alleged human rights violations and the
International Independent Group of Eminent Persons, which is observing
the operations of the former body.
Thus the State is going the extra mile to ensure accountability on
the part of those exercising State power. Besides, the law enforcers are
put on notice that they should prove exceedingly effective in the
discharge of their duties.
Thus the State is doing its utmost to establish accountability and
transparency. But what of the LTTE? Could it be permitted to continue
with its bestiality? Clearly, the world community should take the Tigers
to task. |
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