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“Killers of Raviraj thought they can crush the Tamil struggle by killing Tamil leaders who speak to the Sinhala people in their language”, said Dr. Vickramabahu Karunaratne, speaking at a commemoration meeting recently, paying tribute to slain MP Nadarajah Raviraj. N. Raviraj, Tamil National Alliance Parliamentarian for Jaffna district was assassinated an year ago, on November 10th 2006 in Colombo. The veteran leftist leader Dr.Vickramabahu Karunaratne who is the General Secretary, Nava Sama Samaaja Party said that paying tribute to the slain MP right in the city where he was killed is the way to show “disgust to the militarists and the chauvinists.”

Making blunt criticism of those advocating war efforts in the Government of Sri Lanka as a means of solution to Tamil aspirations, Dr. Karunaratne said, “Killers of Raviraj have brought disaster to the country.” He added the message in the government’s budget is not only for the Tamils but to the Sinhala in the south as well. The mass is expected to learn to live in huger and poverty is the message in the budget, according to Dr. Karunaratne.

“We must take courage and continue the struggle for which Raviraj sacrificed his life. Only then we can be satisfied that his sacrifice is not wasted,” Dr. Karunaratne emphasized in his tribute.

[Nadarajah Raviraj - at his last press conference, which was held at hotel Renuka in Colombo, on September 23rd 2006]

Full Text of Speech by Dr. Vickramabahu Karunaratne, at the First Commemoration of Nadarajah Raviraj, TNA Parliamentarian:

I am very thankful to the organisers of this meeting for making this a success. It is very creditable that this meeting is held in Colombo where Raviraj was brutally gunned down. By that we clearly show our disgust to the militarists and the chauvinists.

After one year even with the help of the Scotland Yard, the government has failed to find the killers or any clue in that direction. At the beginning it was reported that certain pro government military groups were suspected and even some three wheelers involved have been taken in to custody. But now there is absolute silence. How can they finish the investigation that will come to their own camp? Every body except the police is aware of the culprits.

They thought that by killing Tamil leaders who addressed the Sinhala masses they can crush the Tamil struggle. Kumar Ponnambalam and Raviraj were leaders who could address the Sinhala in their own language. They think of eliminating Tamil leaders by super technology supplied by Western rich uncles.

This war mongering policy brought misery to the Tamil home land. Thousands killed and lakhs were destitute. Entire villages razed to the ground. But the real problem for them is the break down in the south . They are unable to pass the budget. Even if they manage to get through it will face the opposition of the people. What does the budget say ? There cannot be any welfare, there cannot be proper health, eduction,and transport; learn to live in huger and poverty; multi dimensional taxes for the local industrialists and traders; no jobs for the majority except in armed forces, eternal tears and bereavement. This is the message of the budget. This is the message not for the Tamils but to the Sinhala in the south. Killers of Raviraj have brought disaster to the country. Now they are fighting each other. They cannot agree to their own war budget. their own peril is near. there is protest in America against the policy of supporting the war efforts of the Mahinda regime. In Briton protest has gone to the Parliament. In India, Tamil Nadu chief minister and the left alliance have challenged the Indian rulers. Their peril is near.

We must take courage and continue the struggle for which Raviraj sacrificed his life. Only then we can be satisfied that his sacrifice is not wasted.

Expressing solidarity with those Sri Lankan journalists who are courageously committed to revealing realities from the ground and to risking their lives in the service of truth, The National Press Council of Sri Lanka has called on the government of Sri Lanka to investigate attacks on the Press that are taking place in high security zones around the country.

“During the past two years twelve media personnel have been killed, with the Uthayan newspaper paying the highest price in terms of human life: five members of its staff have lost their lives in the service of journalism and the freedom of expression,” the press release said.

Full Text of Press Release, issued by National Peace Council of Sri Lanka:

Free Media Essential for Democracy

The morning attack on the Sunday Leader printing press by a group of unknown assailants is an appalling incident. The group, armed with guns and clubs, forced staff members onto the ground and set fire to the printing machinery by throwing a petrol bomb. The National Peace Council deplores the increasing frequency with which newspaper staff are being targeted in this kind of violent attack. Last year in March 2006, the Uthayan newspaper in Jaffna was subjected to a similar attack. This latest attack demonstrates a climate of impunity where wrong doers think they can get away with anything. The previous week has also seen the abduction of a translator employed at the Uthayan newspaper office in Jaffna in the high security zone.

During the past two years twelve media personnel have been killed, with the Uthayan newspaper paying the highest price in terms of human life: five members of its staff have lost their lives in the service of journalism and the freedom of expression. The Uthayan newspaper reports critically on the conditions of ordinary people in militarily-controlled Jaffna, and presents a Tamil viewpoint that is at odds with the present strategy of the government and its allies. The Sunday Leader newspaper has also made a name for itself as an outspoken critic of the present government and as an advocate of a negotiated political solution to the ethnic conflict.

Threats of aggression and death issued to journalists who publish fact-based information judged by some to be injurious to political parties or powerful business interests symbolise a canker in the body politic. The National Peace Council affirms that the government has the responsibility to provide protection for all citizens who wish to pursue their constitutional right to freedom of expression and publication. It is the right of all Sri Lankans, journalist or ordinary citizen, to exercise freedom of thought and expression. This right is guaranteed by Article 14 of the Sri Lankan Constitution, which states that, ‘Every citizen is entitled to […] the freedom of speech and expression including publication’.

The National Peace Council expresses solidarity with those Sri Lankan journalists who are courageously committed to revealing realities from the ground and to risking their lives in the service of truth. We salute their determination to deliver accurate reporting and the willingness of media personnel to continue their work in the face of such fatal risks. We call on the government to investigate these latest incidents, both in Ratmalana and in Jaffna, and take legal actions against the culprits. In addition we call on the government to put in place protection mechanisms that would ensure the safety of journalists in Sri Lanka and the right of Sri Lankan citizens to access a diverse media that provides free and accurate reporting on national affairs.

Executive Director
On behalf of the Governing Council

Calling for Canada To Take Active Role in Sri Lanka, Liberal Party Foreign Affairs Critic Bob Rae in a statement released yesterday by the party in Ottawa said that “It is clear that the ceasefire has fallen apart and It is equally clear that there is no military solution to the underlying causes of the conflict.”

He pointed out in the statement that the United Nations Human Rights Commissioner Louise Arbour has taken a strong position, urging action and change by all parties to the conflict. Mr Rae said in his statement that “There is no excuse for Canada’s silence and inaction.”

“Canada should be doing more to support Ms. Arbour’s recommendations,” said Mr. Rae.

Last week when speaking at a meeting organized by Canadians for Peace in Sri Lanka in Scarborouh, Mr. Rae said “To think there is a military solution on either side is a delusion.”

The former Ontario premier Bob Rae, who has met leaders on both sides several times, said the government air strike that killed S.P. Thamilselvan, the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam second-in-command, could start a new spiral of violence.

But though Mr. Rae added the LTTE must be part of any solution to the conflict, he said he told Thamilselvan not to expect Canadian approval of Tiger tactics, which include suicide bombings and recruitment of child soldiers.

The Sri Lankan government, on the other hand, must resolve the grievances underlying the war and has failed to tell the world how the standoff can end peacefully, Mr. Rae said.

“We’ve been waiting and we’re still waiting because such a plan is not forthcoming”

Advocating a confederation and urging an arms embargo against Sri Lanka, The Boston Globe wrote an editorial on Nov 14th. Now the prestigious broadsheet has published responses to the editorial from Sri Lanka’s Ambassador to the US, Bernard Goonetilleke and a reader Siva Sivalogan of Dedham.

The Full Text of both responses is as follows:

“Violence drags on in Sri Lanka” contains numerous misperceptions.

It says Tamils “live mostly in the island nation’s north and east.” However, 54 percent of Sri Lanka’s Tamils now live outside the north and east, among Sinhalese, Muslims, and others.

We do not deny that human-rights abuses occur in a climate of conflict, but they are not part of government policy. Where credible evidence was available, legal action was taken, details of which have been communicated to US authorities.

Regarding the necessity of “a United Nations monitoring mission,” dialogue is underway with the Office of the High Commissioner of Human Rights on how assistance could best meet Sri Lanka’s needs.

A “current offensive into the Jaffna peninsula” resulting in 300,000 displaced civilians describes a situation that never happened.

The editorial proposes “an international arms embargo on Sri Lanka.” It is easy to impose embargoes on legitimate governments. How can embargoes be imposed on the Tamil Tigers, who purchase heavy artillery and other warlike material unhindered?

If, by “a meaningful devolution of power to the Tamil areas,” you mean the north and east, it is noteworthy that Sinhalese and Muslims together outnumber Tamils in the east.

The highway to the north is operational except at the Muhamalai entry point to the peninsula, which the Tigers tried to breach in August 2006.

“Constitutional changes” for devolution of power are being negotiated, the outcome of which cannot be determined by the international community, but by the people of Sri Lanka following a democratic process.

Bernard Goonetilleke
Sri Lankan ambassador
Washington

________________

Tamils have legitimate grievances
November 19, 2007

IN THE name of fighting global terrorism, the US policy in Sri Lanka unfairly supports the Sinhalese majority against the minority Tamils. Europeans, meanwhile, are debating removal of the ban on the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam. Most of the Tamils consider the Tamil Tigers as their legitimate representatives.

Sinhala politicians continue to deny rights to the Tamils. The Marxist Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna, a Sinhala coalition partner of the government, issued an ultimatum for its support: abolition of the 2002 cease-fire agreement, dissolution of the all-party group that was developing a plan for power sharing, and an end to negotiations with the Tamil Tigers.

The government’s “war for peace” strategy, while displacing half a million Tamils, is altering the demographics of the Tamil areas to ensure that Tamils will never again be able to make a demand for their rights. The Sinhala Army commander stated to Britain’s Channel 4 that kidnappings and killings of Tamils would continue until terrorism is defeated.

The international community agrees that Tamils have legitimate grievances. The former US ambassador to Sri Lanka, Jeffrey Lunstead, acknowledged mistakes in not engaging the Tamil Tigers during his term. Senator Hillary Clinton has argued for nuance in how one regards the Tamil Tigers’ tactics in fighting for the Tamils’ freedom.

We need a coherent US policy that recognizes the Tamil Tigers as representatives of the Tamils, and supports an arms embargo along with UN intervention to allow the Tamils their right to self-determination and to decide their future.

Siva Sivalogan
Dedham

Tamils Rehabilitation Organization (TRO), TRO-USA in a statement issued today stated that an appeal will be made to the U.S. Treasury to review its decision and remove the proscription. The Press Release also said that TRO-USA will immediately cease financial activities, as required by the laws of the United States.

The Statement reiterated that TRO is NOT a “front to facilitate fundraising and procurement for the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE),” and added “all funds received are utilized according to the wishes of the donor, in line with the stated mission of TRO. None of these funds are, or have ever been found to have been, misappropriated for use by any other organization or used inappropriately by TRO itself.”

The Mission of TRO stated on its USA website is, to “Bring relief to the people of North-eastern Sri Lanka by facilitating the provision of food, clothing and shelter and Provide help via self development programs amongst the people of North-eastern Sri Lanka”.

TRO expressed disappointment over the actions of the U.S. Treasury Dept and said the proscription will severely impact the Tamil people and cause further suffering to the most vulnerable sections of the Tamil population.

TRO earned high marks for swift relief operation in the aftermath of the 2004 Boxing Day Tsunami, in several independent reports. And it has maintained throughout that Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), which controls the areas where the TRO works requires symbiotic relationship with the Tigers.

TRO functioned under charity status in the USA but press reports over the past year suggested that the U.S. officials will be watching closely to make sure aid doesn’t end up in the hands of the LTTE, which Washington considers a terrorist group.

Related: TRO freeze, not against Tamils-Ambassador Blake

US ambassador Robert Blake today said that the purpose behind the freezing of TRO assets in the US was to block funds to LTTE and not for Tamil civilians. He reiterated the US stand that the final solution to Sri Lanka’s conflict should be a negotiated one. He said The U.S. will continue to support efforts to stop human rights violations against Tamils.

And “the U.S. will continue to vigorously support efforts to stop human rights violations against Tamils, including abductions and threats against Tamil journalists,” the embassy press release emphasized yesterday.

[US ambassador Robert Blake was forced to walk along Galle Road from the US Embassy premises to American Centre near Galle Face Hotel this afternoon when that section of the Galle Road was temporarily closed due to VIP movement. Blake came to American Centre to brief media on US decision to freeze TRO funds. Pic by Indraratne Balasuriya-Courtesy: Daily Mirror.lk]

Full Text of Statement by Ambassador Robert Blake on the TRO at a press Conference at the American Center – November 16, 2007:

I want to welcome all of you today to the American Center.

The purpose of this press conference is to explain in more detail the announcement yesterday by the U.S. Department of the Treasury that it is freezing the assets of the Tamils Rehabilitation Organization because the TRO acts as a front to facilitate fundraising as well as arms and other procurement for the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam.

As you all know, the United States in 1997 designated the LTTE as a Foreign Terrorist Organization.

Since then, it has been a felony under U.S. law to provide material support or resources to the LTTE.

In August 2006 and April 2007, the FBI arrested a total of 9 people who the U.S. Department of Justice subsequently charged with various crimes, including conspiracy to provide material support and resources to the LTTE.

3 of those arrested have pled guilty to Conspiracy to Provide Material Support to a Foreign Terrorist Organization. 3 more have pled guilty to bribery charges related to alien smuggling. Prosecution continues against the others, and the overall investigation is continuing.

Those arrests made clear once again that the United States is committed to enforcing its laws against support for designated terrorist groups wherever they may operate.

Those arrests also led to discovery of operational and financial links between the Tamils Rehabilitation Organization and the LTTE.

The TRO, as you all are well aware, is a charitable organization with offices here in Sri Lanka and in a number of countries abroad.

The U.S. Government has concluded that, in the United States, the TRO has raised funds on behalf of the LTTE through a network of individual representatives. According to sources within the TRO, the TRO is the preferred conduit of funds from the United States to the LTTE in Sri Lanka.

The TRO also has facilitated LTTE procurement operations in the United States. Those operations included the purchase of munitions, equipment, communication devices, and other technology for the LTTE.

The LTTE oversees the activities of the TRO and other LTTE-linked organizations in Sri Lanka and abroad. Directives issued by the LTTE suggest that LTTE-affiliated branch representatives are expected to coordinate their efforts with the respective TRO representatives in their locations and report all activity to the LTTE.

That is the extent of what I have to say about TRO links to the LTTE, but as you can see those are very serious charges.

It was on the basis of these links that the U.S. Department of the Treasury in Washington DC yesterday designated the TRO under Executive Order 13224, which is aimed at financially isolating terrorist groups and their support networks.

Designations like this are an important tool to not only block illicit assets, but also shut down channels used by terrorists and other dangerous groups to raise, move and store money.

Upon designation, any assets of the designees held under U.S. jurisdiction are frozen and U.S. persons are prohibited from dealing with the designees.

I would like to emphasize that this designation is an action against the LTTE, not against the Tamil people.

The United States continues to support a just, negotiated political settlement to the conflict that meets the aspirations of all communities, including Sri Lanka’s Tamils.

The U.S. will continue to support efforts to stop human rights violations against Tamils.

The United States also believes that a solution to the conflict in Sri Lanka and respect for the rights of the Tamil people can only be found through peaceful negotiations.

That concludes my remarks. I would be pleased to take your questions.

Thank you.

[Source: US Embassy, Colombo, Sri Lanka]