Sri Lanka attacks on fishermen are a wake-up call to India

[CONNAN]

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ON JANUARY 22, the Sri Lankan Navy intercepted an Indian fishing boat from Tamil Nadu. Two fishermen jumped into the sea, but 28year-old Jayakumar stayed on his boat. The two survivors told the authorities that a Sri Lankan Navy official climbed into the boat and tied a rope around Jayakumar's neck. Then the naval vessel dragged the fisherman through the water, strangling him. Ten days earlier, Sri Lankan Navy personnel reportedly fired on an Indian fishing boat, killing a fisherman and wounding two others.

As protests erupted in Tamil Nadu, India's external affairs minister S.M. Krishna said such incidents were "unacceptable", while the government issued a statement expressing "strong and unequivocal condemnation of this violent incident".

Colombo denied the incident, and a Navy spokesman declared that the "allegations are baseless and without proof." To those who follow the human rights situation in Sri Lanka, its response was unsurprising. It routinely issues knee-jerk denials to allegations of abuses by its armed forces, no matter how compelling the evidence.

During its 2008-2009 military campaign against the separatist Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, the government engaged in repeated denials.

It deliberately misled the rest of the world, contradicting UN estimates on the number of civilians in the conflict zone, playing down the danger. The government only admitted over 300,000 non-combatants were there, while at the conflict's end it boasted of a dramatic "rescue" of civilians. Worse, despite evidence from satellite imagery and testimony from people on the ground, Sri Lanka repeatedly and robustly denied using heavy artillery in its "no-fire zone" in which civilians would be safe from the fighting. Many died. The government then proceeded to detain survivors in military-run camps, describing them as "welfare villages".

Last August, the US state department reported that Sri Lanka had failed to conduct an effective investigation into laws-of-war violations by government forces and the LTTE in the final months of the war, which ended in May 2009.

This followed an October 2009 report prepared by the Office of War Crimes Issues documenting violations of the laws of war. Sri Lanka responded by contending it was an effort "to bring the Government of Sri Lanka into disrepute, through fabricated allegations and concocted stories", when the government forces were in fact "engaged in a humanitarian mission".

The government's response was no better to horrific videotapes that allegedly show Sri Lankan soldiers executing prisoners in cold blood. When Britain's Channel Four News first broadcast a video, showing Sri Lankan troops executing two captives, the government said experts it had commissioned found the video to be fabricated.

Philip Alston, the United Nations special rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary, or arbitrary executions, commissioned a separate group of independent experts, who found strong evidence to suggest the video was authentic.

Human Rights Watch obtained photographs and video footage of the same incident from other sources, which show what appear to be the summary execution of prisoners by government troops.

One of about a dozen bodies visible, most of them bound and blindfolded, was identified as Isaippiriya, a 27-year-old woman reporter for the LTTE. A Sri Lankan defence ministry website lists a Lt. Col. Issei Piriya as an LTTE leader killed on May 18, 2009 by the 53rd Division, thus linking the Army to the alleged summary execution of prisoners.

The Sri Lankan government, however, said that the video is fake.

Human Rights Watch has examined more than 200 photos taken on the front lines in early 2009 by soldiers. Among these are a series of five photos showing a man identified as a long-term member of the LTTE's political wing.

The first two show him alive, with blood on his face and torso, tied to a palm tree. He is surrounded by several men wearing military fatigues. In the next three photos, the man is lying - apparently dead - against a rock. While Human Rights Watch cannot conclusively determine that he was summarily executed in custody, a full investigation is warranted.

Photos also show what appear to be dead women in LTTE uniforms with their shirts pulled up and their pants pulled down, raising concerns that they might have been sexually abused or their corpses mutilated.

Faced with credible allegations of violations of the laws of war, the government has insisted on only pointing to abuses by the Tamil Tigers.

In his speech in September at the UN General Assembly, President Mahinda Rajapakse said: "Over the past year, much has been reported and much has been said regarding my country's liberation from terrorism.

However, far less has been said of the suffering we had to undergo and the true nature of the enemy we have overcome." No one, least of all human rights defenders, will question that the Sri Lankan government faced a terrible challenge from the Tamil Tigers with their penchant for suicide bombings, recruiting children into combat, or using civilians as human shields. Human Rights Watch and others documented and condemned all of this. At the war's end, Mr Rajapakse promised UN Secretary-General Ban Kimoon that his government would investigate wartime abuses by both the LTTE and the Sri Lankan military.

But it's clear the government has no intention of doing so. Instead, it has followed the practice of its predecessors of creating commissions or inquiries to give the appearance of taking action, without ever really doing anything. Since independence in 1948, Sri Lanka has established at

least nine such commissions and numerous other inquiries, none of which have produced any significant results. There is no reason to believe that its new commission will be any different.

Last year, Mr Ban Kimoon appointed a panel of experts to address accountability issues relating to alleged violations of international human rights and humanitarian law during the final stages of the conflict.

The government's response was predictable - it publicly denounced the new panel, and a senior minister led a protest outside the UN offices in Colombo.

The government has toned down its rhetoric but has not cooperated with the panel.

Undeterred, the panel will submit its report to the Secretary-General in March.

India should take the lead in demanding that the full report of the panel be made public and, as warranted, encourage the SecretaryGeneral to implement its recommendations.

The brutal attacks on fishermen who stray into Sri Lankan waters has given ordinary Indians a brief glimpse of the lack of accountability of Sri Lanka's security forces, and the unresponsiveness of the Rajapakse government to serious abuses. The Indian government was right to condemn the murder of its own citizens, and demand an investigation. But it also should ensure justice for Sri Lankan victims. When the UN panel of experts submits its report next month, it will be important to have the Indian government standing behind them.

Sri Lanka attacks on fishermen are a wake-up call to India | Human Rights Watch

[Akaal]

Bhartiye govt. if have that one thing known as will, then it should take away SriLanka govt. right to have/possess a navy.

[Bad Wolf]

for Indian gov its a time to gain faith from Indian by sending friget to protect fishermen

[True Patriot]

for Indian gov its a time to gain faith from Indian by sending friget to protect fishermen

Forget about sending frigate for protection, our country gifted a Sukanya class OPV to the Lankan navy. Now probably it is being used to kill Indian fishermen since the LTTE is no more.
There is some hope for Tamil fishermen now that JJ has come to power. Those who were in power earlier only cared about keeping their ministerial berths secure in the central Govt.
Earlier today I was going through a thread on PDF. I was really upset at some Indian members trying to please the Lankans & condoning Rajapakse's crimes at the cost of Tamilians from their own country. One guy even went ahead and called TN a small state who's view did not matter.It was really depressing to see a fellow in Indian demeaning our own citizens to appease a foreigner.
Hundreds of Indian fishermen have been killed by Lankans. EVEN PAKISTAN IS NOT SO BRUTAL TO INDIAN FISHERMEN WHO STRAY INTO THEIR TERRITORIAL WATERS. They send them to prison.

[Skull and Bones]

I was really upset at some Indian members trying to please the Lankans & condoning Rajapakse's crimes at the cost of Tamilians from their own country. One guy even went ahead and called TN a small state who's view did not matter.It was really depressing to see a fellow in Indian demeaning our own citizens to appease a foreigner.

There are many false flagger in PDF, and there ain't many Srilankan members in there. And no Indian in PDF can say that.

[True Patriot]

There are many false flagger in PDF, and there ain't many Srilankan members in there. And no Indian in PDF can say that.

The guy was 'Guns and Roses'.I have read many of his posts and he does seem to be an Indian.Anyway I don't really care about his point of view.The problem is it seems to be the Indian Govt point of view.Despite hundreds of killings what have they done except appease Rajapakse?
India is not small country and this ain't the 1980s.We are a nuclear power and have a formidable military. We have good ties with US and Russia so we need not worry about them interfering if we take action against Lanka.
India should be more assertive in its neighborhood.
I don't know how many people in the rest of India realise, but their is a growing feeling among the costa communities that they are being neglected by the Govt of India. Politicians and separatist elements are trying to exploit this sentiment. They mix this issue with the North south divide, Dravidian ideology and make a dangerous cocktail.

[Skull and Bones]

^^^^^

We don't have to exert any force, only a little diplomatic pressure is enough to bring them into their sense. And Sri Lanka is already under pressure from UN for war crimes, that'll intensify our stand even further.

[Patrician]

India needs to get tough with SL. This policy of appeasing SL for the fear that they might favour the Chinese otherwise, is not going to take us anywhere.

[xXX-Nair:::Saab-XXx]

why do some Indians dont support Tamils...i have seen it in the other forum too...are Indian blood thinner than others...

Why the hell do u have the worlds largest defense forces...when a country bullies us...

What the hell is government doing...it cant support our Tamil brothers...It cant criticize Rajapakse government for the killing of innocent tamils in Srilanka...

we dont support our Sikh brothers when they are Put to shame by removing there Turban in public...

we dont support our Muslim brother when they are detained in foreign land for being a Muslim or named as Khan

Whats the Value of an Indian in this world...

Even the Chinese government Supports the people of Chinese Ethnicity if they are not treated well in other countries even if let that person be a non PRC citizen...

[divya]

^^^^^^^^^^^^in short we suck in international front

[xXX-Nair:::Saab-XXx]

^^^^^^^^^^^^in short we suck in international front

yes d even sad to see some Indians in forum is not against atrocities done on Tamils in Srilanka by Rajapakse Government...they say its a global diplomacy to increase Support in srilanka...is diplomacy bigger than Blood relations...

[JanjaWeed]

@nair saab... Our leaders are too concerned about what outsiders might think about them just incase they take some strong action!! they are not worried about the sentiments or life of their own public!!

[xXX-Nair:::Saab-XXx]

@nair saab... Our leaders are too concerned about what outsiders might think about them just incase they take some strong action!! they are not worried about the sentiments or life of their own public!!

But atleast public should support it...Do u know when ever a issue of tamils in srilanka come most Indian members are mute...some leave the debate...other talks about srilankan diplomacy....is it not that our duty to protect the Tamil brother...

[JanjaWeed]

But atleast public should support it...Do u know when ever a issue of tamils in srilanka come most Indian members are mute...some leave the debate...other talks about srilankan diplomacy....is it not that our duty to protect the Tamil brother...

that's a different story alltogether. they had our full backing till they bit the hand that fed them!! but yes.. after the annihilation of ltte by the sri lankan govt, we should have been more pro-active than we are!!
coming back to the topic, our govt needs to be firm when it comes to protecting the life & livelyhood of our fishermen!! maybe Amma might pull up the centre on this!!

[Coltsfan]

Bhartiye govt. if have that one thing known as will, then it should take away SriLanka govt. right to have/possess a navy.

I would assume you were drunk / high when you made that comment. I don't believe you would make such a comment in a right frame of mind.