| by Robinhood
( February 25, 2014, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) Sunli Samaradheera, a community leader who was recently abducted by Rajapaksa Regime and later freed due to a fierce public protest. This was the first time the murderous Rajapaksa Regime has abducted and freed a person going against their demands due to a massive public campaign. Following the aggressive public protest launched by the residents of Wanathamulla the Rajapaksa brothers have to vomit the victim before liquidizing him.
In order to sustain its administration in power and to secure the vote bank of the majority Bhuddists, the Rajapaksa’s are promoting and nurturing the Singhalization concept by refusing the Equal Right and a political solution of the Tamil masses. When the ethnic minorities claim their fundamental and political rights the regime suppress those demands by the influence of its ally nationalistic stooges (Sihala Urumaya, Bodu Bala Sena & Ravana Balaya) and label the minorities as unpatriotic instigating separatism thereby violating the freedom of expression, fundamental and political rights of the minorities and establishing the Rajapaksa power among the majority Bhuddist Singhalese.
The abduction of Vanathamulla Sunil has so far reached the ears of international community. Even the UNHRC (United Nations Human Rights Council) is examining about this recent abduction. In the coming UNHRC session in Geneva it is evident the International community has to reach certain decisions about the lack of progress of accountability and the rising Human Rights abuse and impunity of the authoritarian Rajapaksa regime in power. Using uncivilized administration such as abductions, enforced disappearance and murder the Rajapaksa regime has impounded itself locally and internationally.
At a time when a support is needed despite political indifference to save the country the regime has called for an election. Due to the corrupt election malpractice and abuse of power the opposition is unable to enlighten the people to render their support to the present regime to save the country from the upcoming UNHRC resolution in Geneva. The regime anticipates that it can temporary silence the international community by winning the western and southern PC elections by using its usual treachery by labeling the opposition as unpatriotic among the public thereby garnering the votes during this election and portray a false picture to the international community that people still looking forward for the administration of the Rajapaksa regime and wants to continue in power. In order to achieve this, the regime chief often thrust his chest in public campaigns and reminds the public of the electrocution of him by the international community thereby tries to get the sympathy of the general public by undermining the genuine war victory.
In order to sustain its administration in power and to secure the vote bank of the majority Bhuddists, the Rajapaksa’s are promoting and nurturing the Singhalization concept by refusing the Equal Right and a political solution of the Tamil masses. When the ethnic minorities claim their fundamental and political rights the regime suppress those demands by the influence of its ally nationalistic stooges (Sihala Urumaya, Bodu Bala Sena & Ravana Balaya) and label the minorities as unpatriotic instigating separatism thereby violating the freedom of expression, fundamental and political rights of the minorities and establishing the Rajapaksa power among the majority Bhuddist Singhalese.
The regime well knowing that its power is slipping by its hand, use this unfavorable condition to its advantage by accumulating the falling public opinion. To achieve this dastardly act, the regime trying to counter and combat all public demonstrations, protest and opposition activities by launching attacks, abductions, killings and abuse of power. For a genuine protest launched by the Rathupaswala residents demanding pure drinking water the regime, retaliated the protest by calling the military and attacking the residents thereby killing four protesters including two students. Before that the regime gave shooting orders for a protest organized by the workers of the free trade zone in Katunayaka and killed one worker and assaulted many. Later the regime gave shooting orders for another protest organized by the fisheries community in Chilaw demanding fuel subsidize and killed one fishermen. There is no information so far regarding the two Human Rights activist Lalith and Kugan who were abducted during the Human Rights Day in Jaffna. In June 2012 two supporters of the JVP were killed by state led mobsters when they were arranging a political rally in Katuwana Hambantota. In June 2012 the STF launched an attack in the Vavuniya prison and killed two Tamil inmates and assaulted many causing permanent disability. In November 2012 the regime deploying the STF (Special Task Force) and killed 27 prison inmates following a hunger strike launched by the prisoners against unlawful release of prisoners by the orders of the Defense Secretary used for contract killing from the Magazine Prison alleging that the prisoners trying to break the armory. In July 2012 a group of LTTE prisoner was brutally assaulted and one inmate Ganeshan Nimalruban was killed by the STF alleging the prisoners has taken the prison officials into hostages. There were incidents reported when the LTTE detainees demand for legal proceedings, cells where LTTE prisoners were detained were spilled with cesspit water and remain to dry.
When implementing urban development projects the regime does not follow the best interest of its citizens instead the regime follow an authoritarian way similar to which it showed at the Nandikadal in Mullaitivu during the final phase of the war. The Urban Development Authority has totally been militarized after it took over by the present regime. Mobsters who come wearing military uniforms inside the urban villages do not listen to the residents of the area. They try to do their official duty by referring the names of the Rajapaksas. A similar incident occurred in Wanathamulla where the residents did not abide the orders of the UDA. Therefore the defense secretary personally has to intervene to the situation where he met Samaradheera Sunil. During the time Sunil firmly told the peoples resentment straight to the defense secretary without hesitation which led to the abduction of Samaradheera Sunil.
These above incidents are direct consequence of the current executive presidential system. The Rajapaksa regime is delivering the illegitimate rights of the 18th amendment of the constitution legislated in 2010. In order to change the present despotic governance of the Rajapaksa all political parties and civil societies are currently aligning in Sri Lanka. The abduction of Samaradheera Sunil and the latter escaping from the killing clutches of the Rajapaksa is none other than people’s uprising. The powerful message depicting from this incident is that people can overcome inequity by means of struggle and protest. Amid an aggravated people protest the Rajapaksa regime is compelled to withdraw its despotic actions launched against the people. People have to follow similar actions to end the authoritarian powers of the executive presidency. The abduction of Sunil in Wanathamulla and people’s rescue mission via protest is only a beginning of some incidents in the future.
The regime exhibits a picture to the public that the Tamil Diaspora is behind formulating of the debate in the UNHRC in Geneva. The regime calls these Diaspora elements as the remaining fragments of the LTTE. If those fragments can able to make the UNHRC dance according to its tune how powerful can those fragments be? As a matter of fact organizations following the footsteps of the Liberation Tigers of the Tamil Ealam (LTTE) or organizations that have parallel views of LTTE has a contemptuous view about the resolution in Geneva. They simply demand a referendum from the UNHRC to legislate the self determination rights for the Tamil community living in the North and East of Sri Lanka also the UNHRC to inquire and investigate of genocide took place in the final stages of the war.
However there is a short term and long term equitable measures remains between the UNHRC resolution and the right to self determination of the political aspirations of the Tamil community. This would materialize at a time when the Rajapalsa regime continuously neglecting the demands of the international community, failing to investigate possible Human Rights violation in the final stages of the war and negligence to fulfill a political solution to the Tamil national issue. Though the Rajapaksa regime calls the TNA for discussion to find a political solution, it deliberately neglects in constructing a conducive environment free of military for the ethnic Tamils to live without fear in the north of Sri Lanka in a post war context for the TNA to participate in a meaningful meeting with the regime. While calling the TNA for discussion, the regime is sponsoring its pro nationalistic anti Tamil political stooge the Sihala Urumaya to start a protest until death against TNA for an unknown political solution and given the leadership opportunity to contest in the upcoming western PC elections in a province where there are more minorities.
Though the regime has presented seven recommendations in its LLRC (Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission) and rhetoric about its implementation the regime has failed to implement at least one of the recommendations duly. Though the war has ended in Sri Lanka we all know the ethnic conflict has not ended. It also evident in order to resolve the ethnic issue the Rajapaksa regime has no political will. At the same time the Rajapaksa regime is using the Tamil national issue to its existence among the majority Bhuddist in the country. From the results of the Northern PC elections it is outrageously evident, though Rajapaksa vociferate that he has freed the people of the North and East from the clutches of the LTTE the Rajapaksa regime has failed to win the hearts and minds of the Tamil population. Amid abuse of power, utilization of state resource and militarization the TNA (Tamil National Alliance) won a unanimous victory of obtaining 80% of the seats in the NPC. As a result for a duly elected Provincial council the Rajapaksa regime is manifesting a step mother treatment by not duly disbursing funds to the NPC for its developments. Important political appointments which should be appointed with the consensus of the chief minister, is appointed by the Regime chief on his own whims. While explaining the current political situation the chief minister Mr. Vigneshwaran in a media communiqué stated that he officially met President Mahinda Rajapaksa many times and convinced him the need and the urgency to implement certain continue the NPC to but failed to fulfill the pledges as promised. From this it is evident the Rajapaksa government is reluctant or unwillingness to work with the NPC. As a result the NPC has passed two new bills in its council calling for an independent international UN investigation for the war crimes and human rights abuse committed during the final stages of the war and for the recently discovered mass grave in Mannar.
Through this development it is manifested that the objective of the Tamil extremism has overflowed from its political solution. Today the aspirations of the Sri Lankan Tamil political alliance has become an inseparable element and reached beyond from a political solution to an international inquiry for a human rights abuse committed during the war. It is believed that through this development the Geneva resolution befits with the Tamil aspirations. During the recently appointed presidential commission to investigate the missing people during the war the Tamil people were weeping and alleging they are unable to find their relatives who surrendered to the army. Eye witnesses who saw this crime committed by the SL army during the war will again gets reported. Unfortunately due to the self censorship of the pro government media, the majority Singhalese community is unable to realize the true grievances of the Tamil community affected by the war. Meantime through the Tamil media and pro Tamil websites these evidences are continuously refreshed to the hearts and minds of the affected. However the TNA has to struggle all alone to bring justice to its people without the support of any political parties in the south. When you take the recently discovered mass graves in Matale suspected to be the members of the JVP and in Mannar supposed to be the members of the LTTE, the presidential commission appointed to investigate the Matale mass grave is not active. The exhumed parts of skeletons have been sent to investigation to China which is a pro Rajapaksa country. JVP (People’s Liberation Front) does not bother to call for an international investigation. Therefore the protest against mass graves has only become a protest of the Tamils.
Until now there is not a single protest or reports prepared for the human rights abuses happened during the insurgency act in 1988/89 period. The Bhuddist Singhalese people in the south have simply forgotten about the incident. Even the JVP has never asked for an investigation for its leader who was killed after taking into custody. Therefore the human rights abuses happened during the war time have become a struggle meant for the Tamils. It is a pity that the UNP, JVP or Gen. Fonseka’s party does not give any support for the cause. In other words the Tamil Diaspora and the international community have become colleagues for the cause of struggle to find justice for the Tamils in Sri Lanka. Today the neighboring Tamil Nadu has become the strongest and the closest partner in campaign for the Tamils in Sri Lanka.
Recently the Tamil Nadu government led by Jayalaitha decided to pardon the convicts for the killing of its Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi after 24 years. From this action we can witness the direction of the South Indian politics. But in Sri Lanka the Rajapaksa regime not only given pardon but given political appointments for Karuna Amman and Kumaran Pathmanathan who were top LTTE leaders.
From the coming General Elections in India it is believed that Jayalalitha’s party would win more than 30 seats in Tamil Nadu. This would aggravate to increase her power to exert more pressure to the Central Government. The powerful leftist parties too are in alliance with Jayalalitha and their position too is to call for an international inquiry against Sri Lanka.
Meanwhile as a result of refusing the internal investigation of the proposal of the UNHRC in Geneva by the Rajapaksa regime now it is moving towards an international investigation by the UN. There is no wonder that investigation too would be refused by the Rajapaksa’s.
Meanwhile due to the military politics of the Rajapaksa, the war crime and the inquiry into the violation and the inequality of human rights too would be suppressed. In such a situation the Sri Lankan Tamils would ally with the Tamil Diaspora, Tamil Nadu state government, Indian leftist powers and the western democratic countries. Through such an alliance in order to protect and safeguard the rights of the Tamil people there would be punishment meant for human rights abuses and violation of equal rights.
Robinhood of Sri Lanka : Defending the rights of the unlettered and minorities
 Sunli Samaradheera, a community leader who was recently abducted ...){kind=link}