The much-awaited report of Sri Lanka's Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission, tabled in Parliament recently, has established a key fact — that there were “considerable” civilian casualties in the final stages of the military operation that ended in the total defeat of the LTTE. This is a step forward from the Sri Lankan government's earlier insistence that there were “zero civilian casualties.” The LLRC has avoided the more difficult task of fixing blame for these casualties wherever it seems the military might have been at fault, citing a lack of evidence. But this handicap has not prevented it from blaming the LTTE for most such incidents. The LTTE's methods of using Tamil civilians as human shields, firing on soldiers from inside hospitals, and its other atrocities designed to put civilians at risk are well known. Fighting such a ruthless terrorist group posed a complex challenge for Sri Lanka. But for the same reason the LLRC critiques the 2002 ceasefire agreement as flawed — treating the Sri Lankan state and the LTTE as equal powers — the report sadly misses the point that the state is held to far higher standards of accountability than a non-state group. Exonerating the military from deliberate attacks on civilians in the No Fire Zone, the report claims the military's return of fire into the NFZs was in keeping with the “principles of proportionality” — in other words, such action was unavoidable given the objective of defeating the LTTE.
Still the LLRC report has come up with the recommendation that the government “ascertain more fully the circumstances” of five incidents in which civilians were killed, and if wrongful conduct by security personnel is established, prosecute and punish the guilty. Based on testimony from affected families, it has also asked the government to investigate the disappearance of several LTTE members who surrendered to the military. Expressing “doubts” about the authenticity of the footage in the Channel Four documentary, Sri Lanka's Killing Fields, it has nonetheless asked the government to address the allegations in it of horrific rights violations by Sri Lankan military personnel, to “establish the truth or otherwise” of these allegations. It has recommended that, despite the confusion over civilian casualties, the government pay out compensation to the affected people as a “humanitarian gesture.” Given the ethnic polarisation in Sri Lanka, these recommendations seem painfully insufficient. Even so, this is Sri Lanka's first attempt at introspection about the war. If the government is serious about reconciliation and learning lessons from the past, it must make a start by acting on the LLRC's recommendations.
Keywords: Sri Lanka, LTTE, zero civilian casualties, Sri Lanka Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission, LLRC, No Fire Zone
There is no point in speaking of LTTE which used people as human
shields. This is what all rebels do when crushed. It is the duty of
the Government to ensure safety of its civilians which did not happen
in this case. Srilankan Army & Government deliberately knew people
will be killed and still they kept bombing. The fundamental reason
might be the Anti Tamil happenings which appears all the way in
Srilanka's history. Atleast now Srilanka must follow India's policy in
treating Ethnic and Linguistic difference if not, its just a matter of
time till the next armed conflict.
Very pertinent, timely and comprehensive article.SrilAnka needs to resolve this issuie once and for all for the sake of its people.this is the need of the hour.The key findings of the report must be acted upon quickly.
Every one of the commissions or investigations or inquiries
established by the Sri Lankan government to examine human rights
violations or establish what happened around particular incidents did
not result in justice for any of the victims. LLRC is just another futile and farcical attempt at accountability in Sri Lanka !! LLRC encourages impunity and injustice for the Tamil Hindu victims in Sri Lanka.
LTTE failed due to its manifestation of traditional hierarchy among Tamils based on caste and region. Northerners in Jaffna command all decision making ranks leading Karuna, its deputy leader and main war strategist to secede as his Eastern Tamils were mainly used in the front lines. In the final stages Tamils from Wanni region was used as shields without much hesitation for the same reason.
It is true that the LTTE used the Tamil civilians as human shield. It >is also true that the Srilankan military killed the innocent Tamil civilians in the name of the war against the LTTE. It is a another genocide. The first one was during the Jeyavarthane's regime. The Tamilnadu govt. passed a resolution in the assembly as to Rajapkshe is a war criminal and to face the judgement. But alas, the Centre is not hearing the words of TN govt.
It is pointless trying to establish justifications here, when the truth is plainly obvious. One way to show Tamils in the Diaspora that Singhala people have been tolerant and fair is to start letting Tamils that live in the south to feel the heat so that they themselves will scream loud and clear how fair Singhala people have been treating them all along. Let the Tamils in Sri Lanka feel the pinch so that it will create a point of reference to Diaspora Tamils to realize who singhala people are. Kissing the butts of the West will never resolve any so called problems. The only way is to live peacefully amongst the majority as majority shall always prevail in any democracy; whether in the West or in Sri Lanka.
I don't know why, The Hindu tries to justify all acts of Sri Lanka.
Known for neutrality and supporting voiceless to get their justice, The
Hindu sadly fails here.
Rajah you dont need to acquire from any source how the LTTE was firing at the people when they were trying to flee from the LTTE control area at the last stages of war.This was clearly shown in Aljazeera.
What happened was genocide and I don't know why any independent media must call the incidents anything lesser. Terms like first attempt at introspection, acting on LLRC's recommendation etc. are too weak to describe the horrendous incidents that happened in the last months of the war. Sadly our beloved nation looked the otherway & let Tamils to get slaughtered.
Even now only India can ensure an honorable settlement for the Tamils negotiating as they are from a position of great weakness. We should not allow our strategic concerns to blind us from our Moral Duties. Of what use is the large defence spending & regional power status if we cannot leverge it to a good cause when needed?
In the first place was there a conventional war in Srilanka ? Srilankan government fought a war against the most ruthless and ignorant LTTE which didn't except any one or group who didn't agree and help them. LTTE killed them all. The LTTE were given enough time and no-fire zones demacated for the civilians to be freed from any involvement in the war even in the final stages of war. Did they allow any one to leave? The plain truth was that LTTE top rankers were the most merciless and rude lot on the innocent tamil people (Diaspora is excepted for they were in santuary) and also the most crooked thinking lot who created all woes in Srilanka. The diaspora never forced the LTTE to release the innocent people who LTTE was hijacking from place to place. Can one imagine that how did the besieged people manage on water shelter and sanitory issues under LTTE in last stages of war?.So is it worthwhile to look for war crimes or to find ways to rebuild a unified,peaceful and prosperous nation?
Both sides did atrocities against common people who wanted to live in
peace. When you ask the ordinary persons they will tell you it is our
fate to live at this worst situation. The people are not going to
forgive the government or the factions who raise against the government
because no one has the true intention of caring for the welfare of the
people.
@ christopher kay, In india , tamils are well represented in the government and historically there were no major discrimnation against them.In fact LTTE has tried to encourage sepratist movements in our state and failed because people were not keen to support it.Naxalites exist in several parts of india and they growing due to the incresing divide between the corrupt government and people.
Tamils in srilanka had been mistreated for a long time, this led to the formation of a ruthless terrorist organisation called LTTE. Terrorist organisations dont funciton witout covert support from people. Srilanka should look into its own history ( with secular eyes) and try to reconcile with its remaining tamils to prevent emergence of one more terrorist outfit. Violence will never end violence, it can only hold it for a while. More needs to be done by srilankan government if it really wants to stop sectarian violence.
Of course which government would own up to such accusations when not certain which side really caused the war crimes? It has been a finger pointing game. Then although the West mentioning that both sides alleged to have committed killings of civilians but there is no one to answer to such questions from the side of the terrorists, as they have all been killed. It is however, LTTE that is to be blamed for using innocent Tamils as a human shield against the firing of Govt troupes. Then how about the illegal wars by the West against Iraq and elsewhere where tens of thousands have been plainly murdered and then call such crimes as collateral damage? Sri Lanka has done away with worst terrorists ever known to have existed and stood by its success where the West couldn’t have stomached. This is a clear case in point where a small nation such as Sri Lanka standing its ground against mighty West. Thanks to India, China, and Russia and like minded other nations standing by Sri Lanka against big bullies . On the other hand, which nation will allow a minority of 12 per cent to have autonomous state within a state? India has a sizable Tamil population around 65M and Canada has its French speaking population and then the USA with huge numbers of Hispanics/Latinos. The question that arises is why Sri Lana should when all those above mentioned nations object to granting autonomy?
The experiment with truth is an eye opener about the atrocities of the Srilankan government against the civilians ,though there is every chances in having some error in implementing the law and order .but it should never be an act of revenge from the government against the public .
Time teaches us permanent lessons with should be learnt by heart by
the world.
The article states: "This is a step forward from the Sri Lankan government's earlier insistence that there were “zero civilian casualties.”" In other words, or to put it more bluntly, the Sri-Lankan government's earlier insistence was a pure lie. A lie that it knowingly maintained for 2+ years.
The article then states: "The LTTE's methods of using Tamil civilians as human shields, firing on soldiers from inside hospitals, and its other atrocities designed to put civilians at risk are well known." Now where was this information acquired from? Given that the government has and continues to maintain a total blackout on what happened during the final stages of the war, not allowing any domestic or foreign investigations into what exactly happened, how is it that this information is "well known"? What proof, if any, is there of the alleged LTTE atrocities mentioned in the article?
Srilankan state has so far refused to admit heavy casualties which took place in putting down the rebellion. It has won the war but didn't do much to alleviate the sufferings of its own civilians. It has failed to function as the state of both Sinhalese and Tamilians and became biased in favor of the former. At least now it has to make amends for its biased nature and take steps to become the state of all people and pay reparations to the victims of the war.
Their Conscience & God knows what is Truth! Analyzing the fact is waste of time(in this issue) instead...All my Srilankans brothers & sisters(includes Tamils & Sinhalese)should hereafter live without fear & lead a peaceful life is my only wish! Hope this happens else there will be Unrest in Srilanka & Tamilnadu!
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