Friday, July 9, 2010

Top Three UN Officers Dodged Crimes By USA in IRAQ & Pinpointed Sri Lanka

AT THE DEBATE ON CIVILIAN PROTECTION AT THE UN SECURITY COUNCIL, THE MOST SENIOR UN OFFICERS (Ban Kimoon, Navi Pillai, John Homes) FORGOT U.S. ATROCITIES IN IRAQ AND PIN POINTED SRI LANKA. SRI LANKA DELEGATES SLAMMED FOR POLITICIZING CIVILIAN PROTECTION.

The guardians of human rights (UNHRC, UN) have double standards on atrocities against humanity. One standard is for USA, UK, EU (friends) and another standard for other nations. The credibility of UN has come down to zero due to step-motherly treatment by super powers. If the UN top most senior officers ignore super powers' war crimes just because those nations contribute more funds to run the UN, the existence of UN is is to legitimize western dictatorship in the world therefore international community should boycott United Nations. UN gen secretary Ban Ki-moon, Human Rights Commissioner Navi Pillai and John Holmes (Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator)have dodged human casualties in Iraq and finger pointed Sri Lanka during debate on Civilian Protection at UN Security Council. Dr. Palitha Kohana slammed for politicization and selectivity characterizing the debate on Civilian Protection at UN Security Council

JOHN HOLMES,
"Nevertheless, I fear all too little has changed for the better on the ground in recent years," he said, noting that civilians accounted for most casualties in armed conflict. In 2009 alone, there had been thousands of civilian deaths in Gaza, Sri Lanka, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Somalia and elsewhere; 2010 did not look much better. Displacement through conflict was getting worse, he said, recalling that 2009 had seen 6.8 million people internally displaced, more than at any point since the mid-1990s. Conflict had displaced an alarming total of 27.1 million people around the globe — the highest ever — at the end of 2009.

NAVI PILLAY
Recalling the conflict in Sri Lanka, she said there had been unacceptably high civilian losses caused by both sides, noting also that some progress had been made since the end of the conflict in returning and resettling internally displaced persons. Concrete initiatives must now follow to provide justice and redress to victims, while promoting accountability and longer-term reconciliation. She welcomed the Secretary-General's decision to set up an expert panel to advise him on the issues in Sri Lanka.

PALITHA KOHONA
( Sri Lanka) said that although a substantial normative framework had been developed for the protection of civilians, the politicization and selectivity characterizing the debate on implementation had affected its credibility, thereby calling into question the sincerity of the concerns expressed for the plight of civilians affected by armed conflict. The issue could not be addressed on humanitarian terms alone, and nor could the normative framework be applied in a merely theoretical manner.

He said that his country's experience in dealing with terrorists that used the civilian population as shields behind which to launch attacks showed the complexity of the challenges involved. Many of the rules of war were based on the presumption that parties to a conflict are conventional armies, but terrorists totally disregarded those laws and principles. The causes of armed conflict must also be addressed, including the proliferation of small arms and light weapons, he said, adding that there was also a need to recognize the legitimate role of the military in civilian protection, though it was not an exclusive one.

The principle of unimpeded access for humanitarian personnel must be respected, but it could not disregard the State's primary responsibility to ensure their safety and security, he said. In Sri Lanka's experience, the military, often at huge cost, had had to bring civilians out of harm's way, he said, adding that military and humanitarian personnel must therefore seek to work in partnership. Similarly, civilian displacement must not be politicized or turned into a theoretical problem, he said, calling for the development of a means for holding non-State actors accountable and recognizing the problems of asymmetrical conflicts.

Transcript on Debate on Civilian Protection 7th July

(At UN meda briefing on Sri Lanka questions raised by Iner City Press, (Popularly "LTTE Pimp") 0:02 Hunger strike 0:32 Gotabaya's call 1:25 Statement of Ban Ki-moon on withdrawal of UN Country rep. 2:23 reaction on panel 2:43 visa to panel)

Thursday, July 1, 2010

The Handshake - Namal Rajapakse & General Fonseka

(Dialy Mirror Editorial, 01 July 2010)

The rush of emotions is obvious.

Though both General Fonseka and young Namal Rajapaksa looked a little diffident there was certainly no sign of regret. The handshake however would have brought back the memories of the good old days when the two families remained thick before the dark clouds of the present day saga overshadowed the recollections.Reportedly it was Namal who had first extended the hand to the former Army Commander and chances are that this move was much more spontaneous than the one made by his father on the nominations day. Rajapaksas, whatever others may say, know how to make the right moves at the right time and given the knack that the young Hambantota district MP has displayed in cultivating people so far, he is definitely picking the ropes faster than the father.One thing for sure. While it is quite courageous from the part of the young Namal to make the move it is also quite magnanimous of the General to reciprocate the gesture the way he has done as was seen in photos. He could have well afforded to cold shoulder Namal Rajapaksa however much undiplomatic it would have looked. Instead General Sarath Fonseka opted to be the gentleman. Perhaps he would have thought ‘what can he do about the work of the adults’.

The handshake came a few hours after the Court of Appeal dismissal of the writ application filed by the General against the second court martial set up against him. It was also on the same day that the BBC Sandeshaya quoted the former Army Commander as saying that he was prepared to meet the UN panel to advise Ban Ki-Moon on the alleged human rights violations by Sri Lanka. The General was also quoted as saying in the same story that he did not see the conditions imposed by the EU to renew the GSP plus concession as an ‘intervention of the internal affairs of the country’.

“The EU has demanded the release of political prisoners -- which includes me," he had said.

And all this at a time when President Rajapaksa and his ministers are going hammer and tongs, making mince meat out of the UN and the EU for their latest moves.

Had he not fallen out with the Rajapaksas, the General may not have gone for that public posturing on the UN and EU, one may say.

There are indeed a lot of ‘ifs’ and ‘buts’ in the saga.

However, nothing seemed to have mattered for the duo that shook hands in parliament. Together they made a beautiful picture in an extremely dull budget day.

source: http://www.dailymirror.lk/print/index.php/editorial/106-editorial/14387.html