DAMNING VIDEO FOOTAGE ON SRI LANKA SENDS SHOCK WAVES IN GENEVA
- Channel 4 Killing Fields Premiered To UNHRC
By Janith Aranze
Director of Killing Fields, Callum Macrae
In a sensational twist following the damning UN Panel Report on Sri Lanka, the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) on Friday, June 3 was shown video footage compiled by Britain’s Channel 4 television network, as evidence of government troops executing Tamil prisoners during the final stages of Sri Lanka’s bloody civil war against the LTTE in 2009.
The one hour documentary titled Killing Fields was screened in Geneva to the UNHRC on Friday at 11:00 a.m. It showed disturbing footage captured on mobile phones of the extra-judicial executions of prisoners, the aftermath of targeted shelling of civilian camps and dead female LTTE fighters who, according to a description provided by Channel 4, states that the women appear to have been raped or sexually assaulted and abused before being murdered.
The film also showed horrific atrocities carried out by the LTTE who used civilians as human shields as government troops closed in on Tiger held territory.
The Geneva session was attended by a delegation of four government representatives from Sri Lanka; Minister of Plantations and Human Rights Mahinda Samarasinghe, Minister of Healthcare and Nutrition Nimal Siripala De Silva, Attorney General Mohan Peiris and Head of Sri Lanka’s mission at the UN in Geneva, Kshenuka Seneviratne.
Director of Killing Fields, Callum Macrae, told The Sunday Leader that government representatives immediately rubbished the film. Macrae said, “They criticised the film and continued to insist that the video footage shown was not authentic. They claimed that the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Committee (LLRC) are investigating these issues and that everything will be fine in the end.” He insisted however, the government has no basis to doubt the footage. “The film has been absolutely, vigorously authenticated, not just by UN experts but by independent forensic pathologists and video experts we hired to examine the footage. Both experts have concluded there is no reason to doubt the footage,” Macrae said.
Elaborating further, Macrae said that the whole meeting lasted approximately two hours, with him answering questions at the end. “The whole meeting went on for around 2 hours, the room was packed, people expressed real, genuine shock at what they had seen. It was one of the most fascinating meetings I’ve ever been a part of,” he stated, adding, “the government tried to fight a war without witnesses, however they did not account for satellite images and mobile phones.”
In light of this new evidence, Macrae stressed the need for the UN and the international community to act upon it. “The international community cannot turn its back on Sri Lanka, this evidence needs to be acted upon otherwise it leaves potential for future tragedies to occur,” he asserted.
Early last week, Seneviratne expressed her displeasure to the UNHRC at the way the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Navi Pillay has continually referred to the UN Panel’s report, which she claims is based on ‘unverified information.’
“The High Commissioner unbecomingly deems it appropriate to call for action on the recommendations of the said report, which are based on unverified information and also un-sourced, and would remain so for the next 20 years,” Seneviratne stated to the UN session in Geneva. She went onto claim that the policies of the Sri Lankan government are based exclusively on the welfare of its citizens. Seneviratne said, “The policies of the government are solely based on ensuring the welfare of its people and therefore is well aware of its responsibilities.”
actually some people thought they were mini George Bush to Sri Lanka and committed criems against humanity. As a result, Sri Lanka’s good reputation has been eroded.
quite true our big shots thought that they have super powers.what is happening to the other devil the Serbia general..
As the leader of the Canada’s Liberal leader said that finding the truth about what went wrong during the war is important for real reconciliation between communities, the government of Sri Lanka will need to engage countlessly to counter allegations. As a result, it is wasting its time. Why not allow an international inquiery to clear its name if Sri Lanka did not commit war during the war.
They better not, cuz they have actually committed the war crimes
It had been proved before that these footages are doctored and the people shown are not Sri Lankans. If the Sri Lankan soldiers committed these crimes how is that they did not do the same to the Tamil people who were rescued by them when held by the LTTE as human shield. This is propaganda by the LTTE rump.
Navi Pillai herself is Tamil from South Africa and her role at the UNHRC is not a surprise.
P.A. Samaraweera:
Then why not ask the president to allow to have an inquiry to clear these accussation if your argument is true/valid. Refuse to face an inquiry sends a wrong message to the world. As a result, now most believe that war crimes have been commited during the war.
Yeh right they look like Europeans or Chinese?????
You have two faces
1. Poor Tamil people were rescued by Army ( Moderate face)
2. Navil pillai is Tamil so she supports Tamil ( racial face)
nothing happened guys march towards establishing the Budhist nation Lanka
happy Samaraweera??????
WHO PROVED THE FOOTAGE IS DOCTORED? PLZ EXPLAIN
“how come they don’t do the same”
Really???IDPs lack basic sanitary facilities..Children are separated from parents..Girls are investigated in a vulgar manner..
I am not surprised you know nothing of this,as your propaganda media machine in south never makes the people aware of these atrocities..
You know what propaganda is??Telling the world that these people were “rescued”..If so why not let the world talk to them..????
Sam,
You are a pitiful and cold hearted guy to write a shameless comment.
I have seen parts of the footage and read the official report. There is little doubt that people were brutally killed. The most important question that should be answered is who are these people (victim and villian). The past tells us that the LTTE are capable of such atrocities (have committed them). It is up to CHANNEL 4 and their sources to identify who was responsible. Simply saying they are Sinhalese soldier is not enough. Anyone can put on a uniform. I am not defending anybody here, don’t get me wrong, I am only an observer in all this, but it is probably a question everybody is or should be asking. Innocent until proven guilty, not guilty until proven innocent, and by the way you prove your guilty. Until the political motivations and transparency are shown there is little that can be moved on with this. If you know who did, say so, otherwise the family of the victims and a nation are being tormented.
Ham,
I dont blame you. That’s the opinion most of my Sinhala friends have. They are never told the true picture of the racial discrimination by the successive Lankan govt to thrive in their positions. Majority of the Sinhala people dont even know the actual pictures. i am Tamil and I am assuring you that they are the Sinhala soldiers who are killing the naked and unarmed LTTE guys.
Good comments. If they are not sinhalese army then there will not be any problem for international ivestigation. If the governent is genuine they will allow for impartial inquiry without any hesitation.
SO who bombed buses during war???who kept those parcel bombs in bus and shops???who killed monks and sinhalese in villages??There is very little evidence that LTTE did??so why blame them???
Remember as you said not guilty until proven
Attrocities of any kind are not commendable. However,what I cannot understand is where was the int’l community when more than 500 policemen who surrendered on Govt instructions during the cease fire were murdered and buried in mass graves.
Where was the int’l community when CB was bombed in’96 when hundreds of civilians were killed !, and the list goes on…..
Whoever commits these need to be prosecuted. However, the double stads. of the Int’l commty is perplexing !
Absolutely you are right. As sri lankans , we should find the culprits in all cases and this would be good lesson for our future generations.
The Muderers of those 500 poicemen and the killers of thousands of civillians are now being feted and given VIP treatment by this Govt. These guys are ministers and good mates of the ruling party while the man who led the forces against LTTE terror languishes in Prison. You call this Justice? Forget about the International Community. Dont we as a apeople have our own sense of fairplay. We dont have please any country or International organization. We have have to have something called self respect
Its ridiculous we compare, the government with LTTE.. LTTE is considered as terrorist organization.Government should not do what LTTE did if people are surrendered. And in fact the Int’l community definitely branded & proscribed LTTE as terrorist organization. We always to the mistake by comparing an activity of Terrorist organization with a government….
True, i agree. the international community is accusing both LTTE and SL ARMY for war crimes
Gunasekera: you are correct about that. The same criminal from the LTTE who murdered these poor policemen in cold blood is a Government of Sri Lanka Minister. 90% of GOSL Ministers have Grade 5 education and a lengthy criminal past and present. Get your facts correct. Your GOSL = LTTE = underworld thugs = all paramilitary groups = JVP. Get this correct my friend.
Mr. Gunasekera Police men were uniformed government servants and the innocent civilians were not armed to teeth. Don’t you have heart to accept that 80 times the number civilians were mercilessly massacred? You don’t want to harm a poisonus snake or kill acockroach but human life is so cheap for you. Where on earth did you learn your DHAMMA and all the preaching? Blood is not only in the hands of the Government equally with the people who don the saffron dress.
I am not supporting the LTTE. Govt. is failed on gain war victory. Channel -4 video clip major impacts to the reputation of Sri Lanka. If political leadership appointed to the focal point some intelligence guys, we can survive. But too late today. JR carrier spoil by very professional HW Jayawardena, Premadasa carrier by Sirisena cooray, CBK by A.Ratwatte. These all good lesson to future political leaders. MR came to power from political root. Still not realize the weakness.
The Cat is out of the Bag. How will the Government react to this , Send a white van for Macrae.
Gonapala:Good one
I have seen the Channel 4 broadcast and it was much less than 1 hour long. However the quality of the film etc. showed it had been edited and could not have been taken by a mobile phone camera. Some of the Tamil community do have a genuine grievance and do not need blatant fabrications of this sort, which not only harm our cause but discounts all our genuine efforts to bring about change in our beloved country. Mr.McCrae might have fooled his audience, but he would never fool the independent forensics experts who have already commented on this footage and the Sri Lankan government seems satisfied.
Selladurai,
Are you an expert to say the video has been edited, just by watching it?
You try to support the SL stand on this issue.
Wonder how much you get rewarded!
In any case, your comment will not be taken seriously by inteligent readers.
So selladurai should be appointed as the worlds most renounced video footage analyst:)
Beginning of the End folks……its just a matter of time now.
Oh how I wish…….!
How is it that the UN sees nothing wrong in the USA illegally entering a country and executing an unarmed man in front of his child, while the SL army can\t execute known terrorists in their own country?
You mean the innocent 30 thousand people killed by Govt shelling ?
Sri Lanka had every right to go after Prabhakaran, just as the US did bin Laden. The difference is that the United States did not bombard and destroy Abottabad finally. President Obama had the option to bomb that house and chose not to because there were innocent women and children there. So he sent a tactical unit in there to do the job. Mahinda Rajapakse bombarded the north and to this day insists that not a single civilian was killed. How the heck is that possible?
You are taking about USA activities in an enemy territory.
But what is being discussed is the country’s civilians perished by the forces by whom it got to be protected.
The worry of the state is that the videos are taking and passed over to international community by NON other than the members of the forces who were directed by their ‘conscience’, ‘humanity’ and honest integrity’.
They are even ready to come out and testify that the videos are genuine provided they and their family are safe. They know that Fonsaka’s experience is a warning to them. Hence they will wait until an internationally observed investigative mechanism is in place.
When that happen the people who said and says that their videos are fake will have no places to hide their face.
Guzban,
Why are you worried about US. First address the issue at you own backyard. Do you mean the number 1 terrorist Bin Laden is innocent of all the calamities around the world?
Your presumption to be able to tell me what to worry about is laughable. From where I live, both Jaffna and the US are far from my backyard. Having said that, Bin Laden was a FREEDOM FIGHTER when they were fighting for US against the russian forces in Afghanistan, but suddenly he bacame the number 1 terrorist when he turned around!
Who said BL was innocent? Only some idiot seems to think that all those killed in the conflict were INNOCENT. Innocent of what?
All of you have conveniently forgotten the atrocities committed by the LTTE, killing CIVILIANS engaged in PRAYERS in temples and mosques. Even the Tamil political leadership which opposed LTTE was murdered in cold blood by the LTTE. Now once the LTTE lost the war, fittingly, with an axe to his head, you suddenly care about civilian deaths? How many bombs did the LTTE set off? Where were you civilian rights protectors then?
Ms. Seneviratne, then tell the world if the policies of the govt are based on the welfare of its citizens, how is it that a 21 year old has been shot dead with countless injured for showing their opposition to the ‘private sector pension bill’ which the govt like many of its bills is trying to show down the throats of its citizens.
Of course they are going to pooh pooh the video. This is the Rajapakse way of deflecting the truth. Accuse the “Western” countries of being out to get Sri Lanka (for what reasons?), and when patriotic Sri Lankans are made to believe that we must protect the country, all this evidence will be disregarded. The chances of “fake” videos being presented in formats like this, is laughable. Fake videos are easily examined and authenticity or lack of, can be proved. It is so obvious that civilians have been killed in this situation, and the Rajapakse’s are responsible.
The denials by the Rajapakse regime, is too loud, and only the guilty are afraid.
“The policies of the govt are solely based on ensuring the welfare of its people” &
” zero civilian casuality” but the humanitarian rescue operation undertaken by the peace loving govt ,unfortunately gone “little” out of control. Thats all.
Nothing serious. Sri lankan experts of all kinds have already rejected the findings of the report & the channel 4 video reports as fake & will continue to deny all the way.
All these experts and the big shots are paid by Ltte. Cell phone videos & satellite maps are all fake. This is all ltte handiwork against a sovereign country and patriots to tarnish the good name of the country. Wait for our Lessons learned & blah blah commission report which is being extended & extended to include more “facts”.
With the long & record number of presidential commission experiences our panel of experts have, we can assure you of ‘unbiased, honest report as soon as every one is ready to receive it. Until then let us kick out the infamous UN panel
experts in the name of sri lankan patriotism.
i dont understand y the government says the VIDEO IS NOT AUTHENTIC.
sri lankan government says it has assessed the video n found its fake. y not release the report as an evidence that it is fake?
wats the point of these peope like Seneviratne screaming in top of their lungs , its fake. prove its fake, thats y u gettting paid for. come up with evidence, release the report of the sri lankan government version of the video. who analysed the video for the government?
That is because these war criminal vedioes are not fake. How to expect the criminals to come forward and accept their crime?
u r exactly correct ramees.
I think ‘Saving Private Ryan’ is also a true film.. but no one arrested Tom Hanks
the sinhalese guys from down south now dont start saying its international conspiracy and LTTE proxy work.
sri lanka dont have oil or nuclear weapon. 36% of sri lankan population earn less than $2 a day. y will international community CONSPIRE against a POOR country? we r no north korea or lybia.
THERE IS NO INTERNATIONAL CONSPIRACY…..ITS USED AS A TOOL MY THE POLITICIANS.
AND THE VIDEO SAYS EVEN LTTE TERRORISTS COMMITTED HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS.
…. perhaps but what to the same weeping ‘International Community’ going to do about the LTTE Violations… ?
Nothing.
Anxiously waiting to see the war criminals punished without any mercy. It is shame that Mahintha, his brothers and all his criminals gangs with the support of our own criminal minded Sri Lankans went and executed minimum 40,000 civilians. In total 110,000 civilians are unaccounted within 2 years. I wanted these war criminals to be punished
The war criminal was punished way back in 2009. He and his terror gang funded by diaspora terror loving cowards, were killing citizens of Sri Lanka for the past 30 years.
people should remember that Hitler enjoys support among Germans when he involved in massacare. The situation in Sri Lanka is similar to Germany during the Hitler time. As a result, Germans suffered a lot. To avoid similar situation, Sri Lanka should clear its name as soon as possible by facing an international inquiry.
Ramees I second it.
From where can we see the video???
Kshenuka Seneviratne is a paid agent of government and she is doing a wonderful job at complete denial of all criminality by government! But video cameras do not lie, neither do satellite imagery and tens of thousands of eye witnesses. That is why there should be a full scale independent international investigation by way of follow-up to the UN Advisory Panel Report so that the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth is bared once and for all and end this dubious game of shadow boxing by government agents who possibly are more fearful of the consequences of such an investigation and baring of the truth itself. As for the LLRC which is endlessly dragging its feet and time, it is a dead duck and a joke. It is a well kwown fact of life that procrastination is the thief of time. The government by its antics is showing it all the way.
western countries dont like our Mahinda because he has a backbone. I have seen the Channel 4. If the victims are LTTE what wrong in killing them???
Sri Lanka is going down people. I think the sooner you realise this the better.
Don’t bet on things like fast punishment or anything of that sort. This is international stuff & it takes time, if at all any action is taken. Look at how many years it took to bring Radco Miladic to Haque ? Sixteen years, but Sri lankan situation is different & the politics around it too. Perpetrators should be punished not only for the crimes they committed but also to stop others or even them doing it again in the future.That lesson should be taught at any cost Sri lanka can’t afford to undertake another “humanitarian rescue operation with zero casuality policy”. It’s too much !
Ramees………….. from which planet are you ??
OR
Does your kind intend talking over the Leader ?????
In ancient times, people like you were provided a seat on a ” Pol Ula”.
Ramees – Who are the criminal minded Srilankans – 1) LTTE goons who killed more than 70,000 Sri Lankans by their indiscriminate bombing of public places, by hacking and smaching on ground, by indiscriminate shooting — I really wonder why Government is not using some channel to broadcast the REAL videos of devastations done by LTTE thugs – 2) Diaspora tamils who funded these killings 3) Western figures funded by LTTE Diaspora thugs — All these guys are real criminals -
Idiots stop blaming the west for everything. The whole country runs on hand outs given by the west wonderfully called Aid money. Mahinda steals majority of it & gives you the rest, maybe 10% of what you should have really received. Fools think SL has NO petrol to make all this money. We have Gems, Tea and some textile exports. What else do we have to offer the westerner? There was real crime committed by the GOSL. Accept what happened. Only good thing what came of this carnage is the LTTE is gone. Now it is time to take Mahinda and his clown brothers and other goons to the International court for war crimes. Mahinda killed the Tamils and Premadasa killed the Sinhalese. Premadasa paid the price for what he did, now it is Mahinda’s turn.
Which Sri Lankan soldier takes his mobile phone to war? And then films the “so-called execution” of captured terrorists. And to make matters worse, hands it over to so-called tamil diaspora Lawers in Europe to show it to the rest of the world? Who believes such cock and bull? Moreover, even the faces of the “Executioner” is not shown. The voices in Sinhala could always have been added through modern technology. I am certain this clip may have been produced by that infamous Tamil Nadu film director – Seeman – who has had a close relationship with prabhakaran and has always been agitating against the Lanka.
Therefore it nullifies everything ?
Oh yeah… but the problem is the man who killed the most was already killed.
u r exactly correct,rameed
The UN experts have certified the video technical features as genuine. That does not mean that the assailants are soldiers and the victims are tamils .as they are made out to be. The Tamil Tigers were known to wear soldiers uniforms and attack villgers. How can we be sure these videos were not made by the tigers to blame the attacks on the soldiers.
John
SL should let the UN investigate this accusation.The reluctance of SL to do this implies to me they are guily of war crimes
hOW Can lack of evidence IMPLY GUILT? This is like saying sl has to prove it’s innocense…. why…. If SL govt kills “civilians” who funded the LTTE in other countries I would call that perfectly fair. These “civilians” had started referring to the LTTE as “namma podiyangal” (our boys) and sl as tamil eelam (tamil ceylon) and to the sun goat as “suriya deyvam” and “thalaivar”…. and suddenly when an axe fittingly tonks his head in two, we see sour grapes everywhere crying for the civilians.
A break, through the heap of ash of lies struggling to hide itself from being revealed. The rulers who Crucified Jesus, perished and had to leave the Truth to shine through the milleniams.
Socrates the ‘law maker’ drank the poison presented by the Rulers to make the laws immortal for humanity.
Poor mortals struggling for survival seem to believe lies and more lies will make them survive Time the mighty mover of Truth and peace. Jesus Said Oh Lord! Forgive them for “they Know not what they Do !”
LTTE Terrorism was eradicated by State Terrorism.
But, the latter persists to this day, enforced by the armed forces & police, and holds citizens in its grip.
Dissenters against the regime go missing – like the recent ‘disappearance’ of two JVP activists.
Crusification of Jesus and the crusification and crime against the humanity and its own citizens by the so called Buddhist regime leaders and its army is unbelievable and should not be tolerated. Let Buddha’s teachings punish the perpetrators of this crime against the humanity. Sri Lanka’s Ban ki Moon should learn their crime and take corrective measures to punish the perpetrators.