SLFP Lawyers’ Assn tells UNHRC: ‘Don’t make Sri Lanka a Sudan’

Resolution pertaining to Sri Lanka at UNHRC meeting in Geneva:

“It is with great concern that nationally and internationally, we the members of the SLFP Lawyers’ Association of Sri Lanka, write to you as the local representative of the United Nations.

“The international concern is that a member country of the UN, an independent sovereign state, Sri Lanka, was able under the present political leadership to put an end to terrorist separatists, armed attacks against the state, which had lasted for three decades. It is not to be forgotten that these armed attacks (killings) commenced with the killing of the Mayor of Jaffna Alfred Duraiappa. Terrorism which has become an international phenomena of internal political instability of which the LTTE led brand was the most powerful and brutal, was now a thing of the past.

This gives an important signal to the International Community that if the LTTE, the most ruthless terrorist outfit could be defeated, terrorism in the rest of the world too could well be defeated with a strong political will and non interference in internal political affairs of a country. We hope and believe that UN member countries, who value sovereignty and non interference in internal affairs of other member states, would appreciate the role of the Sri Lankan government in defeating the LTTE.

Nationally, the Government of Sri Lanka had only performed to the best of its ability, the bounden duty of protecting its innocent citizens, irrespective of communal divide from the atrocities of the LTTE. Member countries only reminisce the Mavil Aru episode, how innocent unarmed Tamil civilians were deprived of water, will have to thank the Sri Lankan Government for having been successful in getting their water supply. We are certain that the member countries will not take the Mavil Aru episode as a denial of human rights of the Tamil citizens. This is not to speak in detail of the numerous mass massacres of unarmed harmless civilians such bikkhu novices at Arantalawa at the Sri Mahabodhi, Anuradhapura, Kebithigollewa bus travellers, train bombings, Central Bank bombing, etc., to name a few. If these were to be commended, then terrorism in any part of the globe if not commended, has to be condoned.

“We are certain that right thinking people of member countries would not condone such activities, but on the contrary, a democratically elected government's activities in defeating such actrocities will not be construed as violations of human rights of the armed terrorists, unless it is done hypocritically, with an ulterior motive of de-stabilising the democratically elected government. We hope and we are reasonably certain, that no member state would go that far, even unintentionally, in interfering with internal politics of another member state on the pretext of Human Rights, which is now been used to blackmail.

The era when children were conscripted by the LTTE and sent out with cyanide capsules around their necks and an A K 47 in hand is in the past. They now enjoy love and warmth of their parents and loved ones and see the teacher and blackboards in classrooms. The people in the North and East now see and enjoy the luxury of peace, instead of unending crime, murder and deprivation of the basics of Human Rights – right to live without fear, right and freedom to engage in economic activities of their choice, freedom of movement, free from extortion, etc, which had come to them after three decades. Do not be a party to put the clock back in Sri Lanka.

“We the Sri Lanka Freedom Party Lawyers’ Association, implore UNHRC member countries not to be parties to turn Sri Lanka into another Sudan by playing into the hands of neo-imperialists master-minds to de-stabilise the country”.