No excuse for anti-Tamil policies

by sivakaran | July 31, 2009 at 02:33 pm

397 views | 36 Recommendations | 8 comments

National Post, a new paper that was "broadly sympathetic to the Sri Lankan government's goal of confronting and subduing the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam", posted an opinion that "there is no excuse for anti-Tamil policies.

Sri Lanka must now be judged by the human-rights standards that typically govern developing countries. And by those standards, the country's recent conduct should be of great concern. According to UN figures, over 280,000 people -- about 10% of the country's Tamil population -- are still being detained in 30 military-guarded camps. While we do not believe the overheated theory currently making the rounds among Canadian Tamils that the Sri Lankan government is seeking to ethnically cleanse the nation, Colombo's actions have fed Tamil suspicions that they are destined to remain second-class citizens.

The opinion piece expressed dismay of the brutal treatment of reporters in Sri Lanka.

As journalists, we also are particularly appalled at the brutal treatment of reporters in Sri Lanka -- especially those who happen to critique the country's military. Over the last decade, about 20 journalists have been killed -- often by murderers linked to the government, the military or their supporters. In many cases, the murders were unsolved, and the government seems to have done precious little to unravel the crimes: Sri Lanka placed fifth on the recent Impunity Index circulated by the Committee to Protect Journalists. Only Iraq, Sierra Leone, Somalia and Colombia do less to track down those who murder journalists.

The journalist is puzzled at the double stardard on Israel and Sri Lanka.

The silence from CUPE, left-wing churches, Naomi Klein, campus activists and all the other folks who boycott Israel at the first sound of gunfire in Lebanon or Gaza is especially puzzling: The human-rights abuses and overall death toll in Sri Lanka are orders of magnitude above those witnessed in the recent Sri Lanka fighting. Press freedom, moreover, is vigilantly protected in Israel, a country where the most vicious criticism of the state, and even of Zionism itself, routinely appears in the country's media.

So why is it that Israel is the world's bete noire while Sri Lanka was recently commended by the UN Human Rights Council following its victory over the LTTE? Apparently, some humans' human rights count for more than others.

The Canadian newspaper claims that "Canada is the right country to ensure that the plight of Sri Lankan Tamils is on the world's radar screen"

Given its large Tamil population and commitment to human rights, Canada is the right country to ensure that the plight of Sri Lankan Tamils is on the world's radar screen. The war in that country is over. Colombo no longer has any excuse for its brutal policies.

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Uncle Sam (not verified)

at 18:27 on August 1st, 2009

"The problem is the so-called ngo's are preoccupied with their personal hatred of a nation and its people."

Pretty accurately sums up the situation.

Another interesting parallel you can find is that Israel, Sri Lanka and India were colonies of Britain. Some or the other way they managed to create (switch on / ignite / do their stuff) some kind of conflict in all of these countries, very conveniently , seeding hatred among the natives. The wedge they managed to insert to create such polarization in line with their dreadful "divide et impera" policy is so strong that even after half a century the hatred still boils like molten lava.

tikun

at 21:16 on July 31st, 2009

"Press freedom, moreover, is vigilantly protected in Israel, a country where the most vicious criticism of the state, and even of Zionism itself, routinely appears in the country's media.

So why is it that Israel is the world's bete noire while Sri Lanka was recently commended by the UN Human Rights Council following its victory over the LTTE? Apparently, some humans' human rights count for more than others."

You just have to wonder what is going on here. I think it has more to do with outright hatred rather then human rights issues. The problem is the so-called ngo's are preoccupied with their personal hatred of a nation and its people.

Amy Judd

at 14:48 on July 31st, 2009

Good find!

Uwe Paschen

at 19:08 on July 31st, 2009

Good Posting.

senthil5000

at 17:31 on July 31st, 2009

Canada and other countries should force sri lanka to release tamils from the open prison. Its against international law to keep the ethnic minority people inside the detention camps against their will, even after the war is over a long time back.

Uncle Sam (not verified)

at 18:58 on August 3rd, 2009

NGOs are people just a tad better than politicos - especially the left - liberal - communists. Sometimes they actually "do" something good. Otherwise their personal agenda is just the same as the political vermin. Money, name , fame and comfortable life. In a NGO's life , only the last item gets a little tough on rare occasions.

Arbol

at 07:35 on August 3rd, 2009

"I think it has more to do with outright hatred rather then human rights issues. The problem is the so-called ngo's are preoccupied with their personal hatred of a nation and its people."

First off, I would like to see israeli newspapers showing 'criticism of the state and even of zionism itself'. Criticism of zionism is not only practically banned in Israel but in pretty much the rest of the world. That's why if someone, in any part of the world, dares saying something, ANYTHING, against zionism they'll probably face accusations of "holocaust-denial".

NGO's members are grown up people, you know. They don't go about planning evil ways to convince others of "their personal hatred of a nation and its people". Lol! If you're a conspiracy theorist why don't you come up with a better plot?

tikun

at 18:05 on August 3rd, 2009

Arbol,

Your comments clearly make my point. The fact you can state your false view about Israeli newspapers clearly shows you have not seriously read them. NGO's are people my friend with personal agendas. You know it and so does the rest of the world. They are organizations that enter into the seedy world of fund raising and do all kinds of somersaults to get the money. In the end it is all about the "money" and compromise of their "impartiality" is thrown to the wind.