(June 18, Melbourne, Sri Lanka Guardian) Melbourne-based Society for Peace, Unity and Human Rights (SPUR) has slammed Amnesty International for running campaigns against elected governments without campaigning on similar lines against ruthless terrorists.
Pointing out that AI runs campaigns against visiting dignitaries from democratically elected governments SPUR has asked AI to point out an instance where it has run similar campaigns focusing exclusively on terrorists.
Ranjith Soysa, spokesperson for SPUR told Sri Lanka Guardian that this amounts to condoning human rights violations of Tamil Tiger terrorists, the most ruthless in the world, and targeting in a partisan way the war-torn leaders waging critical battles to save democratic nations and their liberties.
“AI”, he said “should adopt a more responsible attitude to protect civilians and non-combatants from indiscriminate attacks of terrorists like the Tamil Tigers.
Here is the full text of SPUR statement on Amnesty International:
SPUR (Society for Peace, Unity and Human Rights for Sri Lanka Inc)
Reg: A003 0777 M
P.O. Box 4066, Mulgrave VIC 3170, Australia
Phone: (03) 9795 7143 Fax: (03) 9795 7142
14 June 2008
Supporter Relations Coordinator
Amnesty International-Australia
Locked Bg 23- Broadway ,NSW 2007
Dear Jasmine L
AI MUST PLAY BY RULES BASED ON GREATER UNDERSTANDING OF SRI LANKAN SITUATION
Thank you for the reply. But may I mention that AI has missed the point. We do not deny that AI is committed to protect human rights globally. However when it comes to Sri Lanka AI goes off course and gets lost in its own mistaken propaganda.
You will recall how AI’s attempt to shame Sri Lanka by its “Play by the rules” campaign in the World Cricket Cup backfired on AI. AI unashamedly politicized an international game when its duty was to depoliticise and foster harmony among all communities and nations. In Sri Lanka cricket is not only a force for unifying all communities but also creating harmony and understanding. The world famous bowler, Muthiah Muralidharan, a Tamil, would have been throwing grenades – not dooshras – if he were in the child brigades of Prabhakaran. So who is not playing by the rules?
Besides, the world reaction of cricket lovers was to ridicule AI for its shortsighted and misguided campaign. It is also pertinent to ask what was the outcome of this AI campaign? Did it have any impact on the on the course of events? Yes, it did have one impact: it emboldened the Tamil Tiger terrorist to go on the rampage with increased vigour to shoot down the Ceasefire Agreement on the basis that they can get away with blue murder.
It is well known that AI means well. But as they say path to hell is paved with good intentions. AI demonstrated against the President of Sri Lanka when he visited the Commonwealth Conference. This questions your boast of being impartial and holding the scales evenly. Have you ever run a campaign internationally targeting the Tamil Tiger terrorist leaders or institutions exclusively? Where and when did you hold any art exhibition, demonstration, seminar to highlight the war crimes and crimes against humanity committed by the Tamil Tigers? The UN peace-award winning Tamil leader, V. Anandasangaree, leader of the Tamil United Liberation Front, is on record saying that the Tamil Tigers have killed more Tamils than all other forces put together. This was echoed by Chandrahasan Chelvanayakam, the son of the father of Tamil separatism. S. J. V. Chelvanayakam. But you target the Sri Lankan government. Where is your sense of balance in making judgments?
We agree that you have written some reports against the Tigers. But have you ever run campaigns against the leaders of Tiger terrorists the way you have run against democratically elected leaders of Sri Lanka. Anton Balaingham, the architect of the deal that led the Sri Lankan government to surrender policemen to the Tamil Tigers, was based in London. It was on his word that the policemen would be given full protection that the Sri Lankan government agreed to surrender the policemen. Every one of them was shot dead. Did AI ever demonstrated against him? AI cannot plead ignorance because to do so would be to downgrade its authority as a watchdog of human rights. To date they flourish in UK, running criminal gangs, (See Economist – June 11), raking money from credit card frauds, standover tactics etc. Will AI ever dare to demonstrate against Tiger terrorism? Why not approach the Sri Lankan community in Australia, UK etc and demonstrate against Tamil Tiger terrorists to prove your credentials of impartiality?
Your representative in Australia, Ms. Robyn Kirkpatrick was confronted in a radio interview by H. L. D. Mahindapala, former Editor of Sunday and Daily Observer and former President of Sri Lanka Working Journalists’ Association on the issue of the terrorist activities of the Tamil Tigers. She was asked a simple question as to whether she considers the Tigers a terrorist organization and whether she would condemn those activities. She refused to do so. So much for the impartiality and objectivity of AI! It is your credibility that is on the line when you run partisan campaigns like PLAY IT BY RULES when your own representatives fail to play fair by your own rules.
In Sri Lanka the dirtiest four-letter word is: NGOs. They are corrupt, self-serving careerists pursuing a pro-Tiger agenda. They give respectability to Tiger propaganda. The Tigers say that they are targeting civilians because the Security Forces are targeting Tamil civilians. The Security forces admit that some civilian casualties had
occurred as a result of bombing. Even in these instances they do not deliberately target civilians the way the Tiger suicide bombers do or by planting of bombs in trains and buses. The NGOs repeat the same propaganda of the Tigers manufacturing excuses for mass murders of civilians by them.
Since we do not live in a perfect world and since we do not have perfect institutions (including AI) who should bear the prime responsibility for the current escalation of violence and killings? You will try to blame both parties under the pretence of maintaining a fair balance. But as pointed above your impartiality is in doubt. Besides, your trying to blame both parties does not accord with the facts. Just ask the question: who was it who violated 95% of the Ceasefire Agreement and you may arrive at the answer.
Then there are the UN reps who never fail to blame the government. But how many of them are performing their assigned duties? Alston Phillips, the Special Rapporteur on Extra-Judicial killings, is not even replying letter to the Peace Secretariat, saying he has no time. But he has all the time to level accusations against the Sri Lankan government. If he doesn’t have time should he be in that job?
Louise Arbour, HRC, is leaving a legacy of neglect tantamount to abusing the powers of her high-powered office. The latest report on Save the Children, UK, reveals shocking stories of white UN peacekeepers sexually abusing children. It is a report that can make you cry. Will AI demonstrate against the UN Secretary-General? Will it ask the UN Secretary General to play by the rules?
We are not defenders of the Sri Lankan government. We admit that the Sri Lankan government has made serious mistakes. But as Sri Lankan citizens we are proud to say that their mistakes pale into insignificance when compared to what the UN peacekeepers or the Tamil Tiger terrorists have done to innocent children.
AI cannot get away with one-sided judgments that will never help to solve the horrendous crisis faced by our people. If AI cannot play by the fair rules it is only fair that AI should wear a permanent plaster across its mouth to serve the cause of the war-weary people in Sri Lanka because with each biased act and utterance it is only exacerbating the crisis.
You would serve our people immensely if you and the other NGOs drop your pretences and work with greater diligence to be impartial and fair,
Ranjith Soysa
Spokesperson
SPUR
Copy Amnesty International - Sri Lanka Guardian
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