Posted By Gareth Evans
Friday, May 1, 2009 - 11:00 PM
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The U.N. Security Council's shameful failures in Sri Lanka.
By Gareth Evans
As the whole world watches the continuing calamity in Sri Lanka, with thousands of civilians dead and tens of thousands more at risk as government forces try to quash the last of the insurgent Tamil Tigers, the United Nations Security Council remains mired in debates over whether or not to even discuss the issue, with a minority of member-states obstructing any collective action in response to the crisis, or even an official review.
As the Sri Lankan army continues its assault on what is left of the separatist Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), tens of thousands of civilians remain trapped inside a shrinking conflict zone, at risk not only from the fighting but from starvation and lack of water and medical attention. Despite the government's April 27 announcement that the military had been ordered to cease using air attacks, artillery, and other heavy weapons against remaining LTTE-held areas, such attacks have carried on with increased intensity.
The trapped civilians are not the only ones at risk. More than 170,000 who have managed to escape the worst of the fighting remain imprisoned in desperately overcrowded camps and medical centers. Scores are reported to have died after fleeing the conflict zone, and the military has been overwhelmed by the number of civilians flooding into reception areas.
Moreover, the government's screening process for those fleeing the conflict zone is both highly chaotic and without any international monitoring presence. Given a not-insignificant history of government-linked disappearances, the safety of those suspected to have LTTE ties is also of grave concern.
The reality is that both the LTTE leadership -- a murderous bunch of extremists for whom no tears should be shed by Tamils in Sri Lanka or by anyone anywhere -- and the Colombo government have abdicated their responsibility to protect Sri Lankan civilians from mass-atrocity crimes.
And the tragedy is that they have now been joined in this abdication by the Security Council itself, notwithstanding the unanimous resolution of the General Assembly, meeting at the heads of government level in 2005, that it should take "timely and decisive" action when "national authorities are failing to protect their populations from genocide, war crimes, ethnic cleansing and crimes against humanity."
To their credit, France, the United States, Britain, and a number of other proactive Security Council members have ratcheted up pressure in recent weeks. They have pushed -- albeit cautiously -- for the council to review Sri Lanka as an official agenda item, and carefully negotiated a series of informal remarks on behalf of the council.
But because of consistent obstruction by a handful of member states, the issue continues to be relegated to informal statements and unofficial meetings -- not in the Security Council chamber -- but in the basement of the U.N. building. Those signaling varying degrees of opposition to council engagement have been China, Russia, Libya, Vietnam and --most surprisingly and disappointingly, given its role in advocating human security generally and civilian protection specifically -- Japan. While the tacit approval of a military endgame against a terrorist group is understandable enough, looking the other way as tens of thousands of innocent civilians are imperiled in the process is indefensible.
Since February, four U.N. envoys have been dispatched on missions to Sri Lanka to assess the deteriorating humanitarian situation, the status of displaced persons, and to discuss political solutions to the current crisis with President Rajapaksa and senior government officials. Despite obtaining a series promises from Colombo, no U.N. needs-assessment team has been received, humanitarian access remains limited, and the shelling continues.
Well aware of the absence of determined and united international action -- by the council in particular -- the government has defaulted on its promises and paid mere lip service to calls for restraint, all the while pursuing its military onslaught. But Colombo's intense efforts to prevent a review by the Security Council, with much lobbying in member state capitals, show how much weight effective council action would have.
Immediate -- and official -- action by the Council should include securing a U.N. needs assessment, the lifting of all restrictions on the delivery of humanitarian aid, and open access for the ICRC and U.N. agencies to all reception and screening points. The council could also facilitate steps toward an internationally-supervised surrender of the LTTE and a lasting political settlement.
It must be made crystal clear to both the Tigers and the Sri Lankan government that they will be held accountable for their actions. The council could consider a U.N. commission of inquiry to examine the likelihood of war crimes committed by both sides.
The longer the Security Council delays taking action of this kind, the longer atrocities will continue. Its relative silence is a matter for growing shame with each passing day.
Gareth Evans is president of the International Crisis Group and author of The Responsibility to Protect: Ending Mass Atrocity Crimes Once and for All.
The U.N. Security Council's shameful failures in Sri Lanka.
I disagree with this comment - LTTE leadership -- a murderous bunch of extremists for whom no tears should be shed by Tamils in Sri Lanka.’ This is a misunderstanding by the international community. One of the major reasons, I feel, that this conflict has escalated to what it is now, is the recent ban on the LTTE by the European Union. This has strengthened the hard-liners in the Sri Lankan government to pursue a military solution, with the perceived blessings of the West. This has also significantly impacted on enabling the SL government to ban freedom of speech (even of the Singhalese media) and to heavily militarise the government and is heading in a similar direction to Pakistan, with heavy leanings towards China and Iran. There has not been a single proposal, that has been on the table, to bring about a viable political solution, because the SL government has no intention of doing so, whatever they may say to Western governments and media.
The amount of “terrorist acts” done by the Sri Lankan government and their paramilitary groups are far more than any alleged attacks done to civilians by the LTTE – and the lack of media presence has been a key factor in this most silent of genocides. It is important to note that not a single tourist has been harmed or targeted by the LTTE. The strength of feeling at the recent protests in London should show that the LTTE are not regarded as terrorists by the Tamil people and lifting the ban on them will enable more people influential in the Tamil community to engage in exploring a just political solution to this 30 year conflict.
In 1977, the last free & fair elections before the major riots of 1983 (which caused the mass exodus of Tamils from Sri Lanka), the Tamil community voted overwhelmingly for a party whose main aim was to create a separate state in the North & East, which was the homeland of the Tamils before the British Colonial rule.
the government changed the constitution to allow the seizing of assets and imprisonment of anyone calling for a separate state for the Tamils (6th amendment of the Sri Lankan constitution). This oppression lead to the movement for separation to go underground although it has wide support from the Tamil community inside and outside Sri Lanka. The recent and ongoing atrocities by the Sri Lankan army will only further strengthen this call.
Thank you, Mr.Gareth Evans for writing this valuable article and considerable policy changes towards srilanka. It is a painful fact that International community only realise the core issues or problems after a human tragedy. This happens in Dar fur, Somalia, Yugoslavia and many other countries, now in Srilanka. Earlier when Tamil people we citizens of Srilanka says we are facing discrimination and oppression in our country under the ruling of majority sinhalese governments. We voted for tamils self determination and separate tamil eelam in 1976 and elected all 22 members on this referendum. But you, IC never acknowledge that tamils are facing serious threats to their existence in their homelands.
Now after 7000 peaople are being killed and more than 11 000 people are being injured in last three months, you all are tending to realise the facts and issues in Srilanka.
Our elected parliamentarians are saying LTTE is the only saviors of tamils, now the whole world wants LTTE's destruction even when thousands of people are being massacred by Srilankan government. LTTE and Srilankan government are the two parties involved in this deadly war. International community urged both parties for a urgent ceasefire to save more than 400 000 civilians affected by the offensive war created by government. LTTE more than three times wellcomed IC's call for a ceasefire. But srilankan government never ever took this calls into consideration. Who is terrorist here?
The country which expelled aid workers and NGOs from the affected northern region. A country which has killed
17 action farm workers, more than 6 tamil elected parliamentarians, many journalists who were criticizing the government, more than 10 0000 civilians after the peace talks broken, using internationally banned chemical, phosphorous and cluster weapons on its own civilians, committing extra judicial killing, raping, kidnapping and torturing.
Accepting and acknowledging tamils self determination and two states in the island is the only solution. This demand will only stop srilankan government from committing more and more human tragedy and catastrophic in north eastern part of the island.
"Many are tortured or simply shot. Also, it is regularly rapes" in the concentration camps created by Srilankan government.
http://translate.google.com/translate?prev=hp&hl=en&js=n&u=http://www.medico.de/presse/pressemitteilungen/sri-lanka-noch-immer-hunderttausend-zivilisten-im-kampfgebiet-eingekesselt/3206/&sl=de&tl=en
Sri Lanka: Safe Zone Situation Report by Father Reginold
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CDbrOr6sAgE&feature=channel
tragedy on 25th April 2009, people are moving towards LTTE controlled areas
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bFuJ5xWb_C8&eurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.tamilnational.com%2Ftamil-eye%2Fact-of-war%2F820-a-mothers-wail.html&feature=player_embedded
Mother's Tear - No medical facilities - 23rd April 09
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jEur7LAW5uc&feature=channel
SL ARMY BOMING
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HPyC99LJH34
Human catastrophe in Vanni Feb Report English
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j4n3kP2Py38&feature=channel
Breadwinner was killed in SLA shell attack - 13th Mar 2009
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yhoi7XXuhSY&feature=channel
Sri Lankan Army Attacked The Makeshift Hospital
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pJBAQYTPmxU
The U.N. Security Council's shameful failures in Sri Lanka.
I am surprised to note that Mr Gareth Evans has lack of knowledge about Sri Lankan Tamil problem. He mentions that LTTE are bunch of murderers. If you call them murderers there is no word to describe Sri Lankan Governments who has been carrying out thousand times more murders (well documented) since 1956 even before the establishment of the LTTE. Please read the history before you write this type of Article in the name of ICG. I accept with comments made by Mehesh which is 100% true. All the countries who banned LTTE should take full responsibility for these murders. They knowingly helped this genocide by helping Sri Lanka who enjoy killing people including Sinhalese for many years.
Dear Mr Evans,
Thank you for your timely article condemning the UNSC for its inaction. Your carefully worded comment suggests that you have a very good understanding of the realities in Sri Lanka. The Tamil diaspora hopes that your efforts do not end with this comment.
The United Nations Security Council's excuses to not debate or make a resolution to condemn the Sri Lankan government's murder of innocent Tamil civilians appears to indicate that the Council can be held to ransom by a handful of nations or that the agenda of the Council is a 'flavour of the month' that is at the mercy of the Council's chair. It would be a sad day if this is indeed the case. Is it?
Prof Francis Boyle's recent and past statements in online international media appears to suggest that there are provisions to circumvent such inaction and to take the issue to the UN General Assembly.
If there is indeed a way under the UN Charter to take the matter to the General Assembly, and if that can be actively articulated by the US, UK and France, why are they not doing it? Have we reached the stage where the foreign policy of every major power is now dictated by national interests in relation to China?
If Australia can play a more proactive part in having this issue debated at the UN Security Council or UN General Assembly, could you, Sir, kindly have a word in private to your Labor comrade Mr Stephen Smith? Thank you and best wishes.
First of all, I would like to express my gratitude for bringing some truth to the situation in Sri Lanka. Although I agree in your assessment that the Sri Lankan government is standing by while war crimes are being committed, it must also be brought to attention that they are responsible for most of them. Furthermore, the Tamil Tigers are not "a murderous group of extremists" that Tamil people should not shed a tear for. If this were the case, why have there been numerous protests around the world with hundreds of thousands of protesters waving their flags? This false view that you have generated of the Tamil Tigers is due to the widespread propaganda by the Sri Lankan government, further endorsed by other countries.
If in fact you were to go back in history to look at the origin of the Tamil Tigers, you would see that they evolved out of necessity since peaceful protests by the Tamil people, beginning from 1948 (independence from Britain) that produced few results. This then culminated in the anti-Tamil riot in 1983 that killed thousands of Tamil people, destroyed numerous Tamil businesses as well displaced hundreds of thousands of Tamil civilians. It is this escalation of events that led to the taking up of arms by the Tamil Tigers. One could no longer just stand by helplessly protesting to government that were setting out suppress the Tamil people.
Furthermore, although Sri Lanka claims to be a democracy, there is a lack of freedom with respect to many of our rights, most especially pertaining to Tamil civilians. Journalists are being targeted for publishing the truth or criticizing the government. It should also be noted that Sri Lanka has the highest number of disappearances of any country in the world. In addition, human rights violations are occurring in the conflict zone where there is no media access. Claims are made by the government that this is because of the lack of safety. The first step should be to allow access to these zones so that the world can see for itself that Sri Lankan government is the one responsible for these human rights violations, instead of placing the blame on the LTTE.
Why should we stop Rajapakse from continuing with War on Terror?
Why should we stop Rajapakse from continuing with War on Terror?
When the twin towers fell and the innocents died, we declared war on Terror. We have done the right thing and we have been successful in preventing many disasters in our great cities. Unfortunately,Some of the countries that have been terrorising their minorities for a long time, have started to use the loop holes in the "War on Terror" strategy. to declare war on the vulnerable. War on innocent mothers and children. Failed state that bombs Innocent Tamils
Theory of War on Terror has failed miserably in countries like Sri Lanka because the oppressor has got the freedom to declare war on the innocents who are already going through hell in their hands. Many freedom movements that have been fighting for the freedom of the oppressed are now wrongly branded as Terrorists groups. Some of these countries like Sri Lanka have been spending so much money in doing false propaganda, to convince the world that these freedom movements had links with Al Qaeda.
War on Terror is a great idea but the problems come when we wrongly recognise the Terrorists and the ones who are fighting the Terrorists. When the “War on Terror” strategy is used by a Terror government that is already killing it's own citizens, alarms should be raised to protect the vulnerable. Did we permit Saddam Hussain who was a democratically elected president to wipe out all the Kurdish people? Hitler was democratically elected but he was still responsible for killing millions of Jews. Rajapakse government, although it is democratically elected, shouldn't be allowed to use the “War on Terror” agenda to annihilate Tamils.
UK government would never bomb the whole city of Belfast and force people to live in the bunkers without food and medicine for months, if they had to catch few hundreds of IRA rebels. They wouldn't use chemical weapons against innocent women and children unless they had a hidden agenda of killing the people. Sri Lanka is doing something what no other governments on this earth would do for their own citizens. The way how the war is being conducted in Sri Lanka is a clear proof that “War on Terror”, “Humanitarian operations”, and “Hostage rescue” are just the buzz words used by the Sri Lankan government to deceive the international community.
Gareth,
Thanks for your effort to bring the Tamils plight and they are grateful for you.
LTTE are freedom fighters and there is no doubt it. so please do not name them as 'a murderous bunch of extremists'. You are well know person in this world so that you should know more about them. Also, please find the report from Sonali Wickrematunge, Lasantha Wickrematunge's wife, and it is very clear that the Sri Lankan government is doing GENOCIDE against Tamils for several years now:
http://www.tamilnet.com/art.html?catid=13&artid=29274
If you need to blame someone then it should the Sri Lankan government for using food and medicine as weapons of war against Tamils.
So please bring the true stories and understand the root cause of this GENOCIDE of Tamils.
thanks.
‘State terror’ waging ‘racist war’ - Sonali Wickrematunge
“The free Sri Lanka in which I was born no longer exists. Our country has entered a Dark Age characterized by tyranny and state-sponsored terror, where the government publicly, cynically and unapologetically equates democratic dissent to treason,” Sonali Wickrematunge.
http://www.tamilnet.com/art.html?catid=13&artid=29274
Grim scenes at Sri Lankan camps
This is in Sri Lanka and still the UN and rest of the world watching this happening in front of their eyes.
http://www.channel4.com/news/articles/politics/international_politics/grim+scenes+at+sri+lankan+camps+/3126257
Channel 4 made history after this coverage.
Slow-motion genocide to exceed horrors of Srebrenica, warns Prof
Dear Gareth,
I hope you would understand the meaning of GENOCIDE after reading this. I am not saying this but a white professor saying and proving this.
Professor Boyle of University of Illinois College of Law, an international expert on Boznia and crimes of Genocide said Tuesday, "[s]ince the outset of this latest crisis in January, the GOSL has exterminated about 7000 Tamils in Vanni, certainly a "substantial part" of the Tamil population in Vanni and Sri Lanka. If not stopped now, the GOSL's toll of genocide against the Tamils could far exceed the recent horrors of Srebrenica." Prof. Boyle's call for urgent food drop to the civilians close to starvation in the Safe Zone, has gathered momentum, and international media are seeking his comment on the urgency of humanitarian support.
http://www.tamilnet.com/art.html?catid=13&artid=29273
Thanks.
You should go to Sri Lanka and judge the LTTE by asking the Tamils.
Please go and see this video:
http://www.channel4.com/news/articles/politics/international_politics/grim+scenes+at+sri+lankan+camps+/3126257
Who is Nelson Mandela? Nethaji? What about all the freedom fighters? Just reserach.....then write about...
LTTE represents the real anger of the Tamil people against discrimination, humiliation and oppression by Sinhala chauvinism.
LTTE represents real frustration of Tamils who earlier demanded equal rights through democratic means and resulted in empty promises and broken truces.
LTTE represents hopes as it resists genocide of Tamils in the hands of Sri Lanka.
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