Hon. Senator Kerry

We are happy to say the institutions of democracy works in Sri Lanka even today. In June 2007, 375 Tamils were evicted from Colombo by the police and the army on charges that they were plotting to bomb Colombo. This matter was taken up by local human rights groups like the Centre for Policy Alternatives, which filed action in the Supreme Court and the evictions were halted. So, Mr. Kerry that in spite of all these talks of genocide and ethnic cleansing, it is just hype. Even in our country the USA, this kind of things happens. Very recently a group of Muslims who were born and raised in Michigan were refused to be taken on Delta Airlines because they were suspected to be terrorists. It is unfortunate that these things happen even in this country.

It is with interest we inform you and your committee regarding the freedom of the press. In fact, for a small country like Sri Lanka the press freedom is a fundamental right. However, there are attempts to twart that freedom in all countries including the USA, but in spite of that democracy prevails both in the US and Sri Lanka. Last week the New York based World association of Newspapers released the figures for journalists and other media workers killed doing their job in the year 2008.You will be surprised to note that the number one country where most journalists were killed happened to be Iraq, with 14 fatalities, where we the USA and the United Kingdom are busily establishing democratic governance! Unhappily coming in second was the largest democracy in the world India with 7 journalists killed in the year 2008. Pakistan, which gets billions of dollars from the USA, has had 7 journalists killed last year. The Philippines, Mexico, and Thailand have had 6, 5, and 4 journalists killed respectively. These countries are touted as bastions of democracy and well known for long standing Western military and economic interests with heavy investment in trade and tourism. It is ironic that Mexico with all its drug cartels and border problems with the US are in the forefront of the UN Security council to bring Sri Lanka’s case in the Security Council. However, it was vetoed by China and Russia. We wonder why Mexico is so interested in this matter. On the other hand with all finger pointing at Sri Lanka as being the most dangerous place for journalists , according to the report only 2 perished last year. We say two is too much .We worry when NGO’S from the west like the Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International, and others who are paid by the western societies and governments interfere with the internal affairs of these democratic countries cause unnecessary havoc and headaches for all involved.

In addition, Human Rights Watch spent a few weeks in the war zone and has written a report that we find the conclusions are both erroneous and hypocritical to say the least. The methodology is flawed and the conclusions hence flawed as well. It is in fact a boilerplate report. They could change the name and write Gaza, Burma, North Korea or Syria. In fact, they have all refused to allow members of Human Rights Watch, including Israel.


Is it true in most war zones including ours like Iraq and Afghanistan. This year we find at least eight visas granted for US journalists to visit Sri Lanka. In addition, many foreign visitors have come and gone. To name a few, the Foreign Minister of India, Sir John Holmes the UN Under-Secretary General is in Sri Lanka. Sir John Holmes, the UN under Secretary General stated at a meeting with President Rajapakse of Sri Lanka, that he hoped the Sri Lankan government would ensure the welfare of the civilian displaced due to the conflict in the north. The UN envoy also expressed his deepest sympathy for the innocent people who were killed and injured due to the LTTE suicide air attack in Colombo yesterday. It was also reported by Human Rights Watch that civilians in the north are forcibly detained by the LTTE to use as human shields, which is a violation of laws of war.