U.S. Says Tamils Being Discriminated
By Easwaran Rutnam
Michael Posner
The United States says Tamils in the north are being discriminated and has called on the government to incorporate the Tamil population into the lifeblood of Sri Lanka.
At a live video online chat with journalists from around the world including Sri Lankans on Thursday night, U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Democracy, Human Rights and Labor Michael Posner said that as far as the U.S is concerned there is a big unfinished agenda in Sri Lanka.
“We are going to continue to raise those issues with the government,” Posner said in response to a question raised by a Sri Lankan journalist.
The online discussion was mainly focused on the U.S State Department’s annual global human rights report released recently.
Posner recalled the discussions he and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton had with External Affairs Minister G. L. Peiris in Washington recently.
He said that a range of issues were discussed including issues which continue to be of concern and the U.S government will continue to push on those issues.
“We are happy that there is a Lessons Learned and Reconciliation Commission but the government has to have an action plan that deals with reconciliation issues, deals with the issues of discrimination still going on in the north and a range of other things to incorporate the Tamil population into the lifeblood of Sri Lanka,” he said.
He also said that the U.S has not singled out Sri Lanka and that U.S will apply the same standard under the universal declaration to Sri Lanka as is applied with other countries.
Posner meanwhile rejected the characterization that the US has become an arbitrator to human rights around the world.
Asked if the human rights report can be used as a tool to take action against Sri Lanka or any other country, Posner said that the purpose of the report is to give the US a baseline of information on what’s going on in every country in the world.
“Every country is evaluated by the same set of standards or criteria. It gives us a basis for making policy but it’s not a policy making document. It’s a tool for diplomats on how to deal with a country,” he said.
On Sri Lanka the human rights report had noted that abductions were taking place in Jaffna and residents blamed the security forces or members of the EPDP.
Some disappearances appeared to be politically motivated, targeting civil society activists and persons believed to be LTTE sympathizers, the report had said.
Thank you the great American people.May God bless the American people.May God bless Michael Posner and his family.We know the sinhalese from head to foot.They will continue their genocide of tamils,land grapping,colonization and so on,They wont listen to US or UN or any one else.Therefore it is high time the Great US ,Western countries and other righteous countries initiate the independence of the Tamil Kingdom consisting of North and East taken over by the sinhalese in 1940s.
sri lanka is a rogue country. eelam war v is in the making believe that
Posner it looks like you have mislead by those diasporas or other Tamil Terrorist sympathizers. If you come to Sri lanka, and visit areas other than North you will be surprised to how millions of Tamils are living among other communities peacefully earning their living like other members (Singhalese & Muslims). Additionally, all these Tamils who living in other parts of the country are from North (Jaffna). It is your country who violates human rights grossly by illtreating and blacks (majority of the minorities), Afghans in Guntanamo prison camps, killing innocent civilians in Afghanistan and in Pakistan using drones, and did paved the way to current killings in Iraq, the country which your armed forces destroyed under the pretex of the Sadam Hussein has weapons of mass destructions. Now, you are itching to attack Iran with the help of your stooge Israel under a false pretex which is well known to the entire civilized world. You may call your country is a civilized one but remember you so called Americans cannot even hold a candle when it comes to the civilization of Iran. So whay don’t you live in your area and let others live in there areas. It will solve all the headaches that your country creates.
Mervyn,
All the Tamil in all the parts of Sri Lanka are not trhere.
The Tamils in the North are the Ethenic Tamils and Sri Lankan so are the Tamils in the East. The Tamils in the Hill Country r 90% Indian Tamils, as are thoses in Sea Street Pettah. Learn your History, and Geography first.
In the North
Tamil fishermen have been driven away from their own coastal villages which are now occupied by Sinhala fishermen from the south. Tamil farmers have been chased away from their own paddy fields which are now occupied by Sinhala farmers, the military and their families.
In the South
The homes of the Tamil people in Galle were set ablaze on the 14th April 2012 new year’s day due to a Tamil boy refusing to address as “Sir” a Sinhala soldier in civilian clothes.
In Prisons
Tamil prisoners held without any trial or due legal process is being beaten to death in the hands of the Sri lankan government authorities.
What is the role of the Diaspora in the above? All what the diaspora is doing is highlighting the above as these are not done in the local media.
Mervyn- you are talking through your hat. The people of the north are Sri Lankans as well, but in this case they happen to be ethnic Tamils. That does not mean you can ignore that. Go and see the plight of these poor people (not in Jaffna) but places around there …………. internment camps might be a great place to start your little trip. Think before you write ………… what if your wife, mother, father and children were kept in a prison for no reason other than being Sinhalese?
Also stop hoodwinking people that Tamils are living in the south holding onto your hand. I have a buffoon friend who happens to be Sinhalese who talks like you. Do you need the bloody U.S. to tell you this, don’t you have eyes to see this????
Well said Gotta the Hero! Time we stopped shooting the messenger.
Lots of idiots blame the U.S. for double standards. They say the U.S. invaded Iraq killed scores of civilians, very true. Now they are coming to preach to us wonderful civilised Lankans how to treat the Tamils. Idiots, who cares what the U.S. says. Can’t you see the minorities of Lanka have no rights. They are being wiped out. What is the issue here? U.S. flapping their tongues or the Rajapakses killing people.
Gotta the Hero, man you are wonderful and nicely stated your arguments. As far as Mervyn, he/she certainly comes from Kelaniya region – certainly needs for a check-up the DNA test whether he/she has M-Silva drop of blood.
Do not finger point what others say, and do as Gotta the Hero said. Open your own mind and see the reality of Sri Lankans (Tamils, Muslims, and Sinhalese are doing in their respective homelands.
If you go to any place south of Galle Face you will see thousands of potential Tamil terrorists playing innocent civilians. The Government must do all it can to send them back to where they belong.. the mud huts of Vanni and clear the way for the Sinhalese people to live without fear. If we listen to idiot Tamils who have been concieved when their “fathers” we out with the LTTE then you must find a lot of uncleaimed bodies in the mortuaries in Sri Lanka. Nothing of the sort but even if there were what the hell. They want regime change? Buil a boat and take off.. Australia, England, US you can all get the dole and live in proper houses. We can manage with out you whining about human rights while you plan to blow up people and places in you dream for Eelaam. The US and the UK have forgotten you. India is farting slightly but they will soon forget you. So shut up or get out.
Why this talk?. Do you know how many tamils have moved in Negombo area since the war ended? even my villiage that have been pure sinhalese for thusands of years is now home to TWO tamil families. Before we ONLY have maybee two muslims who got married with sinhalese woman. And for us to see muslims in our village its STRANGE
Our gramaseva sent a letter to all villiages +2000 asked if they thought it was a good idea to allow them to buy houses in our village. Can you imagine that of the two thousand villiages 400 sent back the letter and NO ONE dissliked it .
Everyone accepted the new commers. BUT in contrast when myself and my working friends went to Jaffna and Trincomale. We got stone trown at us , and we was told to go home to south cos we was sinhalese ????
IT IS TIME. THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY TOOK A TOUGHER STAND AGAINST SRI LANKA, FOR DENYING THE MINORITIES OF THEIR RIGHTS.
THE TAMIL MILITANCY BROUGHT ABOUT THE WAR WHICH WAS DEFINITELY
DUE TO THE EXTREMIST SINHALA BUDDHISTS.
WELL, THEY HAVE NOT YET WON THE WAR. THEY ARE FOOLING THEMSELVES.
BANDA STARTED THE ROT AND HE WAS KILLED BY A BUDDHIST MONK,THOSE WHO BROUGHT HIM TO POWER.RAJAPAKSES TOO SHOULD
KNOW THAT THEY TOO COULD FACE A SIMILAR SCENARIO.
THEY TOO CAME TO POWER WITH MONKS ENTERING PARLIAMENT AND CREATED HISTORY,WHEN A VENERABLE MONK HAD HIS PRIVATE PARTS MANHANDLED. THIS SHOULD GET INTO THE GUINESS BOOK OF RECORDS
Here is your HERO ACT LIKE mad man
Read this too
http://www.thesundayleader.lk/2012/07/08/gota-goes-berserk/
You invaded Iraq, Afghanistan, and other countries for your benefits. Are you the worlds police.
Nobody does any or say anything.
Tamils are wiping themselves out once again.
First, it was through the maniac Prabakaran & LTTE.
Now, taking furloghs in fishing trawlers
Northern Sri Lankans have gone beyond ambition. Initially with a eelam dream and now seeking greener pastures and ending up in Cocos Island instead of Australia.
Now Tamils are either discriminating or desecrating themselves.
Gotta the hero is experiencing his own bufoonery.
Gotta think, what if your Wife, father Mother & Children had to live the rest of their lives being Human Shields for Velu & a group of his elite men, cornered in a corner of the Wanni surrounded by the SLA……….
Diasspora are screwing their own kith & kin & Gotta is getting hyterical on racial lines.
November/2012.
UNHCR – Periodic Review.
SL will be screwed again….
Thank you …US/EU & India.