[TamilNet, ]
The United Nations Human Rights High Commissioner Navanetham Pillay, in her latest oral update to the UN Human Rights Council is more concerned with whitewashing the Sri Lankan government than looking at the tragic situation of Tamils, writes Malaysia’s Penang State Deputy Chief Minister Professor P. Ramasamy, in an article sent to TamilNet on Thursday.
“I think that the report should be more appropriately entitled ‘Strengthening Democracy in Sri Lanka’. In essence, close reading of the report in its entirety will reveal that she picked her words carefully to drive home the point that her main interest in Sri Lanka is not about inquiring into gross violation of human rights against Tamils, but to strengthen democracy and human rights in Sri Lanka. Tamils are not given prominence in the report. In fact, Tamils are treated just like another minority in the country, he further writes.
All the positive propaganda about Navi Pillay by certain governments and NGOs is a ploy to hide the real truth of the UN as an agency that serves the geo-political interests of the US and its allies,” Professor P Ramasamy writes.
Full text of the article by the Deputy Chief Minister of Pengang, Prof P. Ramasamy, follows:
Navi Pillay’s Oral Update: Gross Betrayals of Tamils!
Navi Pillay, the UN High Commissioner of Human Rights, a celebrated global personality and a champion of the underdogs, has proved it once again that she is after all an agent of the West. In her latest Oral Update, she is more concerned with whitewashing the Sri Lankan government than looking at the tragic situation of Tamils. This Oral Update is a follow up on what she presented in Colombo after having visited and examined the state of human rights in Sri Lanka.
This Oral Update is not different from the earlier one. It is obviously more polished and well-presented to the requirements of the prominent international players. I think that the report should be more appropriately entitled “Strengthening Democracy in Sri Lanka”. In essence, close reading of the report in its entirety will reveal that she picked her words carefully to drive home the point that her main interest in Sri Lanka is not about inquiring into gross violation of human rights against Tamils, but to strengthen democracy and human rights in Sri Lanka. Tamils are not given prominence in the report. In fact, Tamils are treated just like another minority in the country.
In this Update, she commends the excellent cooperation extended by the government. She gives credits to the impressive human rights achievement by the government with the help of the international community. She says that vast majority of the internally displaced persons had been settled another instance of achievement by the government. She is pleased that the government has taken the initiative to invite the Special Rapporteur from UN.
She thinks that the recent elections to the Northern Provincial Council will bring about better devolution of power. On the large military presence in Tamil areas, compulsory acquisition of private land and the role of military in civilian areas, she contends that all these are not simple and straightforward issues that could be resolved overnight. She thinks that these are complex issues that would have to be tackled through the initiatives of the various responsible ministries. Of all the internal mechanisms, she praises the LLRC. She is pleased that the government has accepted a number of its recommendations; for instance, the separation of the police from the Ministry of Defense. Touching on LTTE, she said that the outfit should be held responsible for war crimes.
Navi Pillay does not talk about the mass killings of Tamils during the last stages of the war. More than 100,000 Tamils were mercilessly killed by the Sri Lankan troops. Is she blind to this episode? While she talks about the intimidation of minorities, she avoids even mentioning the mass murder of Tamils. If she can gloss over such an incontrovertible fact, then she must definitely have a particular agenda in talking about human rights in Sri Lanka.
She mentions about the LTTE in relation to war crimes. What about the murderous Sinhala regime that decimated hundreds and thousands of Tamils with the support of the international community. Who raped hundreds of Tamil women? What about the thousands of Tamil prisoners languishing in prisons without any form of support? She praises the recent elections for the Northern Provincial Council, but what about the systematic attacks against candidate Ananthi?
This Update by Navi Pillay is highly irresponsible one. It is an insult to Tamils who suffered and endured thirty years of war. With two reports, she has marginalized the victims and exalted the oppressors. By her non-committal to the principles of democracy and human rights, she has weakened the demands for Tamils for justice and freedom. All the positive propaganda about Navi Pillay by certain governments and NGOs is a ploy to hide the real truth of the UN as an agency that serves the geo-political interests of the US and its allies.
In the final analysis, UN’s real intention is not so much to understand the sufferings of Tamils so that they could seek justice, but ensure that Sri Lankan government is “rehabilitated” so that it could shed its “international pariah” status. Naveen Pillay is doing a wonderful job in this direction!
TN