Statement made on behalf of Sri Lanka by Prof. Rajiva Wijesinha, Secretary of the Ministry of Disaster Management and Human Rights, during the Interactive Dialogue on the Report of the High-Level Fact Finding Mission to Beit Hanoun.

Sri Lanka welcomes the report of the Fact-Finding Mission to Beit Hanoun and the presentation of Archbishop Tutu. The Mission appreciated the need for thorough investigation before pronouncing on so worrying a situation, and we are sorry that Israel did not feel itself able to cooperate with the Mission. The terrible suffering of the Palestinian people over so many decades is an issue that has worried the world, and we believe Israel, set up through the United Nations, and legitimately concerned about terrorist threats to its existence, should make it clear through cooperation with the United Nations that it subscribes to international norms and law, in its efforts at self defence. Discussion with Israeli personnel was intended to redress the imbalances perceived by Israel, and such discussion should not be denied in a context in which, as even the European Union had indicated, disproportionality was feared.

by: Prof. Rajiva Wijesinha

In the plethora of allegations being flung against the Sri Lankan government with regard to what is claimed to be a humanitarian crisis in the Wanni, Jehan Perera’s most recent essay may serve as an object lesson as to how the discussion has been so sadly affected by prejudice. I have long believed that, unlike many who assume the government is necessarily bad, Jehan tries to be balanced. Unfortunately he fails because he begins with preconceptions without considering the facts. 

The essay entitled ‘Humanitarian Crisis has larger implications’ is primarily about the decision that ‘all international humanitarian organisations’ should leave the Wanni, which he thinks ‘signals a war without limits and without witnesses’. But this in itself is just plain nonsense. A war without limits means a war which ignores international law, and this is something the government has never done. A war without witnesses implies a determination to do things which will not bear witness, but as Jehan later acknowledges, the government has ‘permitted the ICRC to remain’. Indeed, when the government issued its instructions for others to relocate, it had asked that both ICRC and WFP wait behind, and it was the UN that, in a Three Musketeers mood, announced that it should be all or nothing. – ‘I informed him that …. It is not possible for the staff of one UN agency to work alone’.

At least 25 terrorists were killed, 10 LTTE craft reported destroyed, including 3 large attack boats in the coastal waters at Valaipadu, off Nachchikudha, following an intense sea battle between Navy and LTTE, Thursday (Sep 18), since 11.30 a.m.  According to naval sources, the battle, which erupted 5 nautical miles West of Nachchikudha, lasted over 3 hours forcing LTTE to retreat with heavy damages.As the battle progressed, naval Rapid Action Boat Squadron (RABS) and elite Special Boat Squadron (SBS) craft were reinforced into the confrontation zone.

Prof. Rajiva Wijesinha, Secretary General of SCOPP and Secretary of the Ministry of Disaster Management and Human Rights met with the WHO officials of the Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse and discussed immediate mental health needs of Sri Lanka in relation to the conflict, and put forward some suggestions with regard to mental health and reconciliation He highlighted the fact that one of the key elements in advancing the peace process of Sri Lanka is confidence building between the parties through reconciliation and that dealing with the simpler mental health issues might assist with this. In this regard, Prof. Wijesinghe requested WHO assistance to initiate projects on reconciliation through the line Ministries, through assistance with therapy based on interactions.

Training for this purpose and providing space and opportunity for such interactions could serve an invaluable purpose. This was particularly true with regard to the reintegration of ex-combatants in the Eastern Province at present, and it would soon need to be extended to the Northern Province too.

by:Prof. Rajiva Wijesinha

Over the last month, Amnesty International has issued a number of statements about Sri Lanka. Its latest is entitled ‘Blocking Aid Workers Endangers Trapped Civilians’, and is replete with quotes from a gentleman named Sam Zarifi, who has taken the place of the previously ubiquitous Yolanda Foster. Yolanda’s concern with Sri Lanka had not been confined to her Amnesty hat. Right through August, she had been one of the key players in trying to orchestrate a letter of complaint to the Secretary General of the United Nations with regard to Sri Lanka.

That letter was finally sent it seems over the signatures of several Sri Lankan Non-Governmental Organizations. It was not however sent to Sri Lankan government officials and, at the time of Amnesty’s September 11^th demarche, it had not even been shown to the Sri Lankan Permanent Representative to the United Nations in New York. It had however been sent to heads of various UN agencies in addition to the Secretary General, including Radhika Coomaraswamy, Special Representative of the Secretary General for Children and Armed Conflict, the most senior Sri Lankan now working in the UN system. She had been encouraged to pass this around, but refrained from doing so.

A human skeleton, estimated to be at least 7000 years old, several other pre-historic stone tools including animal remains have been unearthed from the Godawaya archeological site in Ambalantota. The human skeleton was found in a burial chamber with its head pointing to the North, sources from the Department of Archeology said.

A team of archeologists had conducted this excavation in sand and gravel deposits in Godawaya, supposed to be a historic and pre-historic site with archeological value.

The LTTE launched its armed struggle over two decades ago vowing to protect civilians. But, today it has come to such a pass that it is shamelessly taking cover behind people. When Prabhakaran promised a final solution through war in his heroes` day speech of 2005, a few days after the induction of the present President Mahinda Rajapaksa, one may have thought he was equal to the task. Then, he threw down the gauntlet at Mavil Aru and dragged a wavering government into war. The rest is history.

The Defence Ministry order that all the INGOs as well as the UN agencies withdraw from the LTTE-held areas has compounded Prabhakaran`s fears. Time was when the LTTE rode roughshod over INGOs, which had to keep their local staff indoors for months on end to prevent them being forcibly conscripted. But, today the situation has changed. The LTTE is prostrating itself before INGOs pleading with them not to leave Kilinochchi. It is organising protests against the pullout of the UN. Civilians have also been banned from leaving the LTTE-held areas.

Statement of Prof. Rajiva Wijesinha, Secretary to the Ministry of Disaster Management and Human Rights, responding on behalf of Sri Lanka in the General Debate on ‘Human Rights situations that require the Council’s attention’. 

Sri Lanka is deeply touched by the concern expressed by countries of the European Union for the human rights situation in some countries in Asia and Africa. We hope that, with advances in globalization, such concern will soon be universal. As others here have pointed out, the moral stature this Council should command requires consistency. Though we know this is not easy, we hope all of us will strive to achieve it in time.

By: Marian Menaka Fernando

Professor G.L. Peiris, Minister of Export Development and International Trade, arrived in Geneva last week to attend the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) Conference on the World Trade Organisation (WTO) held in Geneva 11-12 September 2008 and the Geneva Trade and Development Forum in Crans Montana from 17-20 September 2008. 

The IPU Conference on the WTO constituted a high-level forum attended by Parliamentarians from many countries, to discuss various issues relating to the WTO and the multilateral trading system, including the Doha Round of negotiations, trade and climate change, international trade and the global food crisis, and developments in Information Communication Technology (ICT) and trade.