Blake sees promise in LLRC
US Assistant Secretary of State Robert Blake says Sri Lanka’s Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission had laid the groundwork for continued reconciliation following Sri Lanka’s 26-year-long conflict with the LTTE.
“The LLRC offers a very promising way forward to help Sri Lanka become again the Island of peace and prosperity,” Blake said. “The U.S. will support reaching those goals.”
He said this at Sri Lanka’s Independence Day celebrations held in the US on Saturday, the Sri Lankan Embassy in the US said in a statement today.
Sri Lanka’s Ambassador to the US Jaliya Wickramasuriya meanwhile recognized the strong relations between the U.S. and Sri Lanka, as well as the positive results of the re-development policies of His Excellency President Mahinda Rajapaksa for Sri Lanka.
“Sri Lankans know that the best solutions will be home-grown,” the ambassador said. “We know our country, we know our people and we know the expectations of our people. We know what works, and, because we are a democracy, we know that the solutions we seek will be adopted by a representative government.
“That is, after all, how the great democracies of the world have settled their internal issues, including the United States. As we look to the United States as an example of self-determination, I am happy to report that our relationship with the U.S. remains strong and is growing stronger.”
The ambassador called upon Sri Lankan-Americans to “tell the correct story of Sri Lanka’s progress,” and on Sri Lankan youth to “remember your roots.”
Colonialism and empire building were done by countries to; a) create settlements and penal colonies in other peoples’ land, b) spread colonial language and culture, c) exploit natural resources and c) establish trade and economic policies that will not empower but subjugate the indigenous and local inhabitants.
Britain captured the island of Ceylon from different kings, separately in battles or as transfers, many years ago. But Britain did not show sufficient interest to de-colonise or liquidate the Dominion of Ceylon from 1948 to 1972, as stipulated in the UN resolution for decolonisation.
Therefore, the Sinhalese from the southern kingdoms of Ceylon attached Tamil Eelam(TE) as a colony in 1972 and declared the Dominion of Ceylon as “Republic of Sri Lanka”, unilaterally and illegally, similar to the declaration of Southern Rhodfesia as a rebel republic by Ian Smith in 1965.
There was neither de-colonisation or re-colonisation of TE. TE was forcibly grabbed by SL from Britain.
And now the position of SL-TE fits perfectly within the parameters of colonialism. a) SL made settlements and penal colnies of Sinhalese such as Ampara, Kantale, Padaviya and Weli Oya in TE, b) The colony of TE was forcibly made to use Sinhalese as the official language from English and statues of Buddha are planted in TE c) SL continues to exploit resources such as deep sea fish and exotic timber. It is now trying to exploit oil and gas deposits in Mannar basin of TE. and d) trade and manufacturing licences are not granted to the people of TE but given to the pawns of SL.
Repression war crimes and geenocide were done with colonial attitude.
TE should be immediately decolonised.
Hey Justin, I cannot agree with some of your statements made over here,
(1) Srilanka then Ceylon was not a country captured by British with different kings, this is completely wrong. We all know the four ways British took over foreign lands for their King`s order.
Srilanka then Ceylon was handed over to British by a group of power greedy heads of divisions led by well famous Ehelepola Nilame. Even today you can see his decendents in politics.
(2) Elam “TE”, the meaning of this is seperate part of the island to a different language speaking people cannot be marked to same kind of Srilankan Citizens living in the same island. Srilanka is a one cuntry with different nationalities, Sinhalese/Tamils/ Muslims/Burgers/Jar.
In united states there living more than 300 nationalities, and some of the areas are more crowded by mostly spanish speaking people, but they are not demanding that part in the United States, seperately for them. They all live as one family one nation under one flag.
When we go back to the British regeme all the above nationalitie`s representatives fight for the Indipendence and country got free from British. The present question started after that one of foolish power hungry politicians wanted to take mean advantage of the religion and majority citizens group to make his Political Career with out interruption for ever and ever.
So it is a man made problem. Then I come back to TE, and this is not a requirement of all the tamil speaking people in Srilanka, as today if we look at the population in Srilanka on the base of nationality, we can see tamil speaking people spread out from Matara, Kandy, Colombo Galle, Ampara, Anuradhapura, Trincomalee, Negombo, where ever and every where in Srilanka. But TE is a demand of a group of “Terrorists” backed by neighbour country especially Tami Nadu- India.This is not a request of tamil people, but by a gang of thugs. Even though Srilankan governments tried very many times to settle this matter with out militery action but got unsuccessfull as the outer world looked at this point especially Human Rights Organizations on sympathitically, with out knowing the correct picture and badly misled by well traind and highly paid ” Foreign Brokers”
At the bigining of Rajapaksa addministration Srilanka neaded a “Hang Man” to eliminate this LTTE Epedamic as it was badly ruind the country`s economic, progress. A ll over the island “Bomb Threats” from railway stations, post offices, shopping malls,bus stands, government schools, and finally International Air Port. So how long a government can wait considering “Nice Tuney Rules, and Human Right Organizations instructions, as the whole country was in a mess of LTTE terrorism.
Those are the some of the facts that made Srilankan government to go out of the already established international Laws And Orders to eliminate LTTE/TE/Terrorism on the land
according to WikiLeaks, Blake knew some of the crimes against humanity in Sri Lanka. He kept quiet for known/unknown reasons.
modern age modern equipment psychology of mind leader legislation judiciary know what should be done with honesty integrity and efficiency and courage fear greed not a role to play here as unity dignity of the country depend on sincerity of the responsible human- humans who we know should be. history know them identify them citizens will watch their progress
Blake is fully aware of the attrocities that was committed against innocent Tamils and state terrorism (WikiLeaks). His silence may be interpreted as he supports the Rajapakse regime and not for accountability and justice.