When Pigs Fly: Britain Preaching Human Rights to Sri Lanka
12/07/2011 95 Comments
When Britain ruled Sri Lanka
Who issued this scorched-earth policy in response to local resistance against a foreign invasion army?
….”cut down every yielding tree, pull down every dwelling house, destroy all fields, canals and irrigation reservoirs, kill all males over the age of 14 years and slaughter all cattle leaving those which are needed for the use of the army.” The army followed the orders to the letter, killing between 40,000 to 100,000 enforcing the promulgation. The rebel leader was beheaded.
Was it the Waffen SS Einsatzgruppen in Ukraine and Poland? Was it the Imperial Japanese Army in Manchuria? Was it the Imperial Belgian Army in the Congo? Was it Spanish Conquistadores destroying the Aztec Empire? No, it was Governor Brownrigg’s order to the British Army in 1818 to crush the “Uva Wellassa” rebellion in Ceylon.
Today’s ex-imperial Britain is a kinder, gentler country given to pontificate on the benefits of international humanitarian law, human rights and the rest of the tedious drivel. Its politicians are unable to resist their lecturing, hectoring and proclamatory urges regarding Sri Lanka’s post-war political and military landscape, with incessant demands for accountability, justice, truth-telling and independent investigations about the ending of Eelam War 4.
Despite no longer being the ruling Imperial power in Sri Lanka, British politicians and its foreign ministry (charmingly called the Foreign and Commonwealth Office) are unable to accept the uncomfortable political reality that, despite Sri Lanka’s lack of economic and political power, Britain’s proclamations demanding obedience no longer receive an reflexively deferential response from Sri Lanka’s political leadership. British politicians genuinely see nothing untoward in the ex-colonial power acting in loco parentis to an ex-colony.
The Global Tamil Forum, (a front group for the defeated LTTE terrorist group), recently showed off its most powerful British politicians who vied with each other to issue barely veiled threats against Sri Lanka including war crimes trials, international investigations and other powerful weapons from its ‘human rights’ arsenal. Who are these historically illiterate British politicians and international humanitarians intent on promoting the loser’s interests above those of the elected, legitimate (if authoritarian) government of Sri Lanka?
David Miliband (ex-Foreign Minister and Labour MP)
Miliband said that the ‘international community’ must act on the conclusions of the UN Panel Report as the evidence of war crimes committed by both parties are overwhelming.
David Miliband feels the love of Eelam
Not content with having visited Sri Lanka in May 2009 to demand (note the imperial mindset) that the Sri Lankan government halt it’s offensive against the LTTE on the grounds of excessive Tamil civilian casualties he then lead EU calls to indict Sri Lanka for war crimes at the UNHRC in Geneva in May 2009. Both attempts ended in ignominious failure. During his failed attempt to win the Labour leadership contest, he was strongly supported by sections of the diaspora Tamil community who appreciated his sterling work in trying to prevent an LTTE defeat.
Miliband strongly supported the 2nd Iraq War, the invasion of Afghanistan, UK’s strict anti-terrorism legislation and best of all, voted very strongly against an investigation into the Iraq war.
Siobhain McDonagh, Labour MP for Mullativu and Mulliavaikal
Siobhain is a truly heroic Fluffer for Eelam. She’s always available for pro-Eelam demonstrations, glorifying LTTE suicide bombers, economic boycotts against Sri Lanka’s poorest people and anti-Sri Lankan activities in the European Union. When not agitating for Eelam, she attends to her UK constituency (Mitcham & Morden – two dreary London suburbs), but always finds time to promote Eelam.
McDonagh and Eelamists boycotting Sri Lankan garments
McDonagh could barely contain her excitement at the GTF launch.
“..there’s never going to be a quick fix or an easy answer..” [to what? Eelam? Regime change in Sri Lanka?]
“..the guys from Channel 4 have been extraordinary and dedicated to this cause and they’ve become more dedicated and not less … they text and contact me and Lee [Scott] all the time telling us what the next step they’re taking [is]..”
Confirmation (if any were necessary) that Channel 4 has long since abandoned any pretence of impartiality and is fully behind the dregs of the Eelam struggle. McDonagh is at the forefront of British MPs who want to “get tough with Sri Lanka”.
She wants to make Sri Lanka’s poor, even poorer, believing wrongly that this will make Sri Lanka bend to the dictates of pro-LTTE British politicians
The LTTE's favourite British MP
“I believe that a boycott of Sri Lankan goods by British citizens will help Sri Lanka to resolve its past, in the same way that the boycott of South Africa helped that country to bring about peace and reconciliation.”
McDonaugh strongly supported the 2nd Iraq War, the invasion of Afghanistan, the UK’s strict anti-terrorism legislation and best of all, voted strongly against an investigation into the Iraq war. The payback for McDonagh? Eelamists’ votes at the 2009 UK election and for the foreseeable future.
Alistair Burt MP, Foreign Office Minister
Speaking on behalf of the Government, Burt, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, emphasised that reconciliation and long-lasting peace in Sri Lanka could only be achieved through a credible and independent investigation into the allegations of war crimes committed during the final stages of Sri Lanka’s military conflict
A political descendant of Governor Brownrigg lays down the Law to uppity natives in Sri Lanka about how it needs to modify its behaviour to suit British political dictates.
Yolanda Foster – Amnesty International
She called for an international investigation into the serious violations of international humanitarian and human rights law during Sri Lanka’s civil war and highlighted the inadequacy of the Sri Lankan Government’s Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC) in addressing accountability or justice due to the limitations of its independence and mandate.
Amnesty International's Yolanda Foster and LTTE activist together at last, promoting “Sri Lanka’s Killing Fields”.
Yolanda proud stood alongside the pro-LTTE Global Tamil Forum promoting Channel 4’s “Sri Lanka’s Killing Fields” ‘documentary’. Yolanda has not yet had time (perhaps she was too busy doing her hair?) to initiate a campaign to indict and prosecute Adele Balasingham, self-admitted groomer of child suicide bombers, now living in safety and comfort in Morden, only a few miles AI’s smart, new central London head office.
However much Sri Lankans may dislike aspects of the current Sri Lankan government (corruption, waste, nepotism, abuses of power, hubris), they dislike even more, British politicians allying themselves to pro-LTTE diaspora Tamil groups trying to achieve through ‘international humanitarian action’, what they failed to achieve through 30 years of war. Pigs really will fly when British politicians utter the phrase, “let Sri Lankans decide their own destiny without Britain’s continuing, malign support for the racist, irredentist cause of Tamil Eelam”.
The Carthaginian Solution 
love the blog…some seriously good analysis which the govt should be doing
Good work.
Semi related and maybe able to use it some time.
The secret history of Monsanto, Agent Orange and the mutilation of innocent Vietnamese
Thanks. Actually I think we could learn a lot from the Vietnamese. They don’t appear to hold any grudges against the US (perhaps because they won? 🙂 and are now even working with the US in many areas.
Pingback: Have Sri Lanka’s Tamils been forgotten? | ikners.com
mango…you should check these out:
Part 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dpiw29-BOYU
Part 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4lk7FXtbuec
Part 3: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YjG07Fdlzgs
hot hot from canada
Thank you Bonchi Baba. A superb find. Definitely sounds like blackmail to me! “If you want our votes, support our quest for Eealm” seems to be the unambiguous message. Any idea of how old these video are and how accurate the translation is?
this was just after the LTTE and World Tamil Movement(LTTE front org) was banned in Canada back in 2006 when the conservative government came into power.
translation is pretty accurate
would be nice if something like this comes out of UK..
Hi Bonchi,
The UK Labour Party is almost completely pro-Eelam. Why? Guaranteed votes. Look at the Brit speakers at the annual ‘Heroes Day’ in London.
http://www.tnrf.co.uk/2010-at-excel/nggallery/page-3/
During the last election, all major UK parties made no secret of their desire for Tamil votes (not that all Tamils supported the LTTE). This is how the UK Lib Dems courted the LTTE-supporting Tamil diaspora in London. With election leaflets in Tamil and later, in English.
LibDem election letter in Tamil only, (aimed at Tamil households)
http://www.electionleaflets.org/leaflets/3747/?m=1
LibDem election letter in English, concentrating on how Pattisson stood up for ..the concerns of Lewisham’s Tamil community”
http://www.electionleaflets.org/leaflets/3744/?m=1
Here’s the Maveerar Pete Pattisson surrounded by his supporters 🙂
http://tinyurl.com/36v4ujj
wow…everything done so openly
Toronto functioning like PTK and London functioning like Kili
Yes, Eelam has definitely been achieved in London and Toronto. There’s even an ‘Eelam Shop’ in London. 🙂
Labour MPs queuing up to express their support for Eelamists, to secure their votes during the 2009 UK elections:
And the same politicians now have the cheek to lecture Sri Lanka!
Good stuff Mango.
See my article on Alistair Burt.
http://www.island.lk/index.php?page_cat=article-details&page=article-details&code_title=28632
Thanks. This is what I said on your blog:
I think Burt’s just saying whatever’s been agreed at the FCO. He certainly won’t be making up HMG policy on the hoof. There are obviously different camps within HMG (pro and anti-GoSL) and at the moment, the antis are in the ascendancy. A bit like GoSL itself, with it’s hawks and doves, with the hawks definitely on top. 🙂 As an Irishman living in SL, I think you have a unique perspective on SL, regarding our war, the post-war situation and UK’s continued grandstanding.
Mind you, I’m always a bit suspicious of ‘active Christians’ (or active Buddhists/Muslims/Hindus etc). A good dose of Father Ted’s ‘that would be an ecumenical matter’ would sort him out 🙂 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IvvwNR3vF44
On this Mau-Mau business, the UK High Court’s just agreed to allow compensation claims by some Mau-Mau survivors. HMG’s response is priceless. “The government will continue to defend fully these proceedings given the length of time elapsed and the complex legal and constitutional questions the case raises. Our relationship with Kenya and its people has moved on since the emergency period.” I have to sort of agree. Even Blair and Brown balked at apologising for various colonial-era misdeeds.
The problem is that guys like you refuse to weigh the evidence in an unbiased manner and draw an objective conclusion. A lot of what Channel 4 said could easily have been confirmed or disproved by the IDPs had the LLRC implemented a simple witness protection mechanism. GOSL has done its best to hide the evidence (nothing new here) which is one indication sign of guilt.
Nihalam, Quote: “GOSL has done its best to hide the evidence (nothing new here) which is one indication sign of guilt.”…Does it mean UK also had things to hide when they strongly opposed to investigate war crimes in Iraq? Is it also one indication or sign of guilt? If so they (they think they are the international community) have no moral right to ask for investigations into Sri lanka. Is it difficult for you to digest?
“guys like you”
Guys like me would certainly like to know the truth and wish the government would make an effort for its own sake to prove the truth
. Looking at the evidence in an unbiased manner makes me think the Channel 4 case is shaky.. I have examined it in some detail in an unbiased manner
Guys like me are happy to have their views challenged.
Which Channel 4 video are you talking about? There are quite a few. In particular, the authenticity of one of them was confirmed by the UN Rapporteur, Philip Alston, who hired three independent experts to do the job (all three confirmed the tape was authentic). What credentials do you possess that are superior to the credentials of these experts? For example, in examining the evidence in “some detail” in an “unbiased manner”, did you perform a ballistic test? Are you an expert when it comes to acoustics? To hell with you and your amateur analysis!
OK Nihal. I see you are not interested in civilised debate. Never mind, I will make another attempt to engage you in adult discussion. The way these things work in grown-up world is that someone puts forward a point of view and then the other grown-up counters the argument with facts, logic and reason. Are you ready for that, or do you just want to be a keyboard warrior? Do you just want to shout: “To hell with you and your amateur analysis!” Try not to be ludicrous.
Your faith in “experts” is touching but naive. Forensic experts put a lot of innocent Irishmen in jail for 15 years through a combination of incompetence, malice and a desire to get a conviction. No, I am not a ballistics or acoustics expert and I would have no idea how to analyse a videotape or DVD for authenticity. I state quite plainly in my article: “I am not in a position to judge the provenance of the footage used by Channel 4.”
I am not an expert. Neither are you. Neither, it seems, are those you call “three independent experts” hired by Philip Alston. Who are these “experts”? Daniel Spitz is the current Medical Examiner for Macomb County, Michigan. Spitz was appointed Medical Examiner by his father who was the county medical examiner before him. He achieved notoriety by ruling a an execution-style death as suicide while failing to notice a bullet hole in the victim’s neck and the bullet lodged in his jaw. Grant Fredericks has a bachelor’s degree in Communications from Gonzaga University, a Catholic Jesuit university in Spokane, Washington and has had no training in photogrammetry and no more expertise in the science of making measurements by use of photographs than the average layperson. A Commission found fault with his methodology in a particular case: “In the absence of such expertise, his opinion deserves no greater weight than the opinion of any other careful observer.” He was caught lying on the stand about his company’s ties to Taser, and was obviously trying to support a police cover-up. Spivack only worked with LVMPD for just eight months during 2008-2009. His membership of the ACFE has no significance – it has a membership of 20,000 and anyone can become a member by simply paying a membership fee. Spivack appears to be a not very successful self-employed private investigator (he filed bankruptcy in 2003),with little verifiable work experience, and flaky credentials.
Here is where you come back to me and say politely that I have no credentials to say that these men are unqualified. I will then say to you look at the detail of what I have said about them and challenge the specifics in order to prove me wrong. That would be the grown-up way.
The government produced its own “experts” who attested the tape showing summary executions was a fake, but these experts were not expert enough for Alston. One of those experts was Siri Hewawitharana. Executive director of IPTV systems Siri Hewawitharana, Sydney (previously, head of Cisco’s global broadcast and digital video practice division) was one of those experts.
I am not qualified to judge his credentials but when I asked him this is what he told me:
“I was the head of R&D in biggest Broadcast Video company in London at that time and won 2 Emmy awards for Technical excellence for Cinema and video industry… I started this company with 2 friends and later went to change the world in video technology… UN experts are not experts in this field and not qualified to comment on the video since first one did not have any formal qualifications on this field and 2nd one only had a degree and had not specialised in video technology which is highly specialist field that is not taught at the Uni. 2nd expert is a demonstrator at the uni and not even a teacher… Just because you have a DVD player and a TV does not mean you are a expert in video or TV.. I design global video, TV and satellite, cable networks and am one of the top experts in this field.. Also advise US, Asian and Australian security agencies on video surveillance techniques..”
He may be lying. He may be a fantasist. He may have his own agenda. You judge. He has posted details of his technical analysis on YouTube.
See: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RRrGDPKVJh0
Although, like you, Grant Fredericks, Jeff Spivack and Daniel Spitz, I am not qualified to judge the technical aspects of the tape, I am highly qualified to analyse communications in the English language.
Alston conceded that there were “a small number of characteristics of the video which the experts were unable to explain” but asserted that “each of these characteristics can, however, be explained in a manner entirely consistent with the conclusion that the videotape appears to be authentic.”
Whatever about the technicalities of video recording that is a very strange statement in relation to the English language. There is a lot of fudging there! The unexplainable characteristics can be explained in a manner consistent with the conclusion that the video appears to be authentic. When you unpick his words it turns out that Alston is not saying the experts have said the video is authentic. The unexplainable can be explained to fit a conclusion that the video appears to be authentic. Even if they came out and said directly that the video was genuine and had not been tampered with, this is not proof that it shows Sri Lankan soldiers killing Tamils.
Yeah, yeah… trying to cast credibility on three expert witnesses chosen by the United Nations shows your IQ level. The UN has enough money to pick a quality expert, thank you very much. I’m glad you admit you’re in no way qualified to judge the quality of the tapes (which is why I don’t bother to “check out” your armchair analysis). For the record, I don’t claim to be a forensics/acoustics/ballistics expert either; that’s why I defer to the opinion of those who ARE experts.
“Trying to cast credibility on three expert witnesses chosen by the United Nations”.
I think what you are trying to say is that I am casting DOUBT on the credentials of those “experts”. I am certainly not trying to cast credibility on them.
Yes, I am questioning their credentials. You should do the same. Don’t trust the experts.
I have set before you information about those three people and given you the opportunity to prove me wrong. You have abdicated from that opportunity.
“I don’t bother to ‘check out’ your armchair analysis.” It is not a very productive tactic to put on a show of discussing something and at the same time boast that you are not going to bother to look at your interlocutor’s argument. If you are not going to read my analysis, why not be silent?
You are a very passive and gullible fellow if you are happy to “ defer to the opinion of those who ARE experts” without checking out the credentials of those experts.
“For the record, I don’t claim to be a forensics/acoustics/ballistics expert” – I know that. It doesn’t mean you have to accept anyone presenting themselves as an expert.
As I said, only an idiot would question the credentials of three expert witnesses hired by the United Nations. For the record, you’re questioning the credentials of more than three people:
About the author:
Jeff Spivack is a Forensic Multimedia Analyst currently in private practice, formerly serving in that capacity with the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department. In addition to providing forensic video and audio analysis services, Mr. Spivack provides training upon request to law enforcement agencies, and serves as a beta tester and authorized technical representative for Cognitech, Inc. forensic video analysis software products. Mr. Spivack is a member of the American College of Forensic Examiners Institute, is designated by that organization as a Certified Forensic Consultant, and has been qualified
as an expert witness on the subject of forensic video analysis in courts throughout the United States in both civil and criminal proceedings.
Acknowledgments:
This author is deeply grateful to the following professionals:
1. Detective L.D. Frost of the Athens-Clarke County, GA Police for his invaluable assistance in conducting live fire testing of an AK-47 for comparison recordings.
2. John Brunetti, Forensic Science Examiner with the Connecticut State Forensic Lab, for generously conducting a peer review of this report and making insightful suggestions, which were incorporated in the final report.
In the interest of full disclosure and disclaimer, Detective Frost’s and Mr. Brunetti’s participation were voluntary, using their own personal time and resources, and no official endorsement by the Athens-Clark County Police Department or Connecticut State Forensic Lab should be inferred.
————————–
Not only does Spivak possess significant experience in regards to forensics, but his analysis was PEER REVIEWED BY OTHER PEOPLE. Do you know what PEER REVIEWED means? It means his results were CONFIRMED by a third party.
I’m sure I could make a similar case for the other two authors. but having to explain trivial points to idiots becomes boring after a while. Go read Alston’s report; you might learn a thing or two.
Click to access TechnicalNoteAppendix.pdf
Hi Nihal,
Thanks for dropping by and appreciate your comments. You say “Which Channel 4 video are you talking about?” Indeed! There are as many versions of the C4 videos as there are luxury buses leaving Wellawatte for Jaffna. Some were faked, some real, some spliced together, some shot at different times etc.
Take your pick depending on your prejudices and entrenched positions. The war crimes crap will remain and swirl around the place, but no current or future Sri Lankan govt can have its policies dictated to by Channel 4’s patently partial ‘documentary’. Didn’t you read what the director wrote in his hysterical opinion piece?
Look here: http://tinyurl.com/5u9pgdv
Mango,
So you admit some tapes were real. Good good. According to the Sri Lankan Ministry of Defense and the LLRC, ALL the tapes are fake.
Some of the tapes MAY be fake; although none has been proven to be a fake so far. What is far more important is that some of the tapes ARE real, and GOSL refuses to conduct any investigations, period.
Also, for the record, there is no one in Sri Lanka who is competent enough to pass judgement on the tapes. Usually when there is a high-profile case, foreign experts will be called in. Foreign experts (Scotland Yard) was called in to do ballistics testing after Premadasa was assassinated. The same Scotland Yard was also called in to do ballistics pertaining to the Trinco 5 case; these results were later distorted and manipulated by GOSL (usual cover-up scenario). So the point is that GOSL has no problem calling in foreign experts, since it knows it is incapable of doing the job on its own.
Nihal. I think that you have a problem here in that you are operating on the assumption that Mango and myself are defending the GSOL. I cannot speak for Mango but I know him to be a rational man.
My viewpoint is that of a neutral observer (a foreigner living in Sri Lanka with no allegiance to any party or ethnic grouping). I am looking at the logic and semiotics of the Channel 4 programme.
“GOSL refuses to conduct any investigations, period.” That is a valid point which can be made without indulging in personal insults.
Your thinly veiled attempts to cover up the war crimes of GOSL are quite obvious. You have a lot to learn; might I suggest that you stay out of Sri Lankan politics altogether, since you obviously don’t know the ins and outs.
Channel 4 had telecast the videotape sold by Ramawickrema: Shavendra Silva’s statement confirms
Believe it or not !– there is no original videotape on the war in National Rupavahini library
(Lanka-e-News, -02.Aug.2011, 3.45A.M.) The Lanka e news reported earlier that the video footage telecast by channel 4 had been obtained from none other than a Govt. media personnel who was assigned to the battlefield to cover the war operations. Now, no less a person than Major General Shavendra Silva , the SL’s permanent representative to the UN has confirmed this via his statements.
His statements to the media yesterday clearly confirm this. He said, “ the pictures which depict that I gave orders 4 days prior to the conclusion of the war , on the 17th of April 2009 , the day on which the operation was launched to release the largest number of persons used as human shields by the LTTE and on which day lakhs of them were rescued from the LTTE control , were telecast over the Rupavahini ,ITN and Swarnavahini channels.”
http://www.lankaenews.com/English/news.php?id=11469
“Your thinly veiled attempts to cover up the war crimes of GOSL are quite obvious. You have a lot to learn; might I suggest that you stay out of Sri Lankan politics altogether, since you obviously don’t know the ins and outs.”
You have a perfect right to tell me to stay out of Sri Lankan politics. I have no intention of taking part in Sri Lankan politics. You are right to say that I have a lot to learn. Don’t we all? I am doing my best. As a long-term resident of Sri Lanka I have a perfect right to take an interest in what goes on here and to write about. Most people seem to appreciate my contribution.
Why would you think I would want to make “thinly veiled attempts to cover up the war crimes of GOSL”? Do you think I am in the pay of the government. What exactly do you imagine about me?
Just as a matter of interest – do you live in Sri Lanka?
I’m quite aware of your tendency to play semantic games, Colman. You even try to dismiss the Alston’s analysis of the report by resorting to linguistic crockery:
“I watched the Channel 4 programme ready to engage in critical analysis of language. The title, Sri Lanka’s Killing Fields, is a distortion from the start. ”
“I also found an opportunity to study semiotics, to see how emotions can be manipulated by images and music, as well as voice-over commentary. ”
“I am not in a position to judge the provenance of the footage used by Channel 4”
“Many, including government spokesman Rajiva Wijesinha, [iv] and Asian Tribune Tamil correspondent KT Rajasingham[v] have gone into the technicalities of the video.”
“The government produced experts who attested it was a fake but these experts were not expert enough for the critics. ”
“Whatever about the technicalities of video recording that is a very strange statement in relation to the English language. There is a lot of fudging there! The unexplainable characteristics can be explained in a manner consistent with the conclusion that the video appears to be authentic.”
You do realize that the authenticity of the CH4 tape has NOTHING to do with either the English language or the potentially volatile emotions of the viewers? I think you are aware of the latter fact, on some level, considering your rather laughable attempts to dismiss technical aspects on the basis of OPINIONS given by Rajiva Wijesinghe and Rajasingham, BIASED pro-government sources, neither of whom is qualified to pass judgement on the technical aspects of the video. Also, Alston’s experts reply to the allegations made by the government “experts” in the technical footnote. Finally, your attempts to dismiss the credentials of Alston’s three experts is preposterous. The fact that three DIFFERENT experts came to the same conclusion means that the results are at least THREE times as likely to be correct. By DIFFERENT I mean INDEPENDENT. Try and find three DIFFERENT experts who DON’T work for GOSL, who can dismiss the findings in Alston’s report. It’s impossible to do that, which is why GOSL went to the extent of making its OWN joke of a tape to try to dismiss the CH4 (execution) clip.
Speaking of credibility, here’s a classic line from Padraig:
““Even former LTTE female combatants praise the SLA for always behaving like gentlemen.”
Hahahahaha. Padraig, if you actually expect people to take you seriously after writing the ^^, good luck with that.
“resorting to linguistic crockery”. Crockery is something one eats off. Plates, bowls , saucers. What has crockery got to do with this discussion?!!!
You call it “semantic games”, I call it logic and reason.
I really don’t give a rat’s arse about GOSL. I like a civilised debate which entails grown-ups disagreeing without calling each other idiots.
Spivack’s conclusions don’t seem as resounding as you claim. Spivack actually says: “the recording cannot be excluded as authentic”. “Of course, there is no way to confirm solely from this recording the identity of the potential victims or the shooters.” “There are unexplained characteristics of this file, the most troubling of which from a file integrity standpoint is the text which appears in the final 17 frames of video.”
As I have said many times before, I haven’t a clue if the tape is genuine. I haven’t a clue if war crimes were committed. It would be an unusual war in which crimes were not committed. Wars are like that.
My modus operandi is to say “Some people say this and some people say that”. I really have no opinion of my own. No dog in the fight.
Channel 4’s tape of summary executions has been validated by some “experts”. Other people have challenged the bona fides of those experts. Siri Hewathirana claims to have the technical expertise to challenge their expertise and to state that the tape was faked. I don’t know if he’s a flake. I have said that he may have his own agenda.
I am setting the different options in front of my readers and letting them decide. Some can decide without calling me an idiot or a government lackey.
Again I ask you – why do you think I would be defending the GOSL? I am a pensioner living up in the mountains. I do not receive any payment from the government. I do not know anyone in the government. I have no influential connections. I have no wish or need to impress anybody.
The government is, no doubt, capable of war crimes. You can’t prove it. I can’t prove it. I have no interest in proving GOSL innocent. They are an unsavoury collection of gobshites. However, your experts are not as reliable as you claim.
I repeat my question: Why would you think I would want to make “thinly veiled attempts to cover up the war crimes of GOSL”? Do you think I am in the pay of the government. What exactly do you imagine about me?
Just as a matter of interest – do you live in Sri Lanka?
Despite being a so-called expert in “communications” or the “English language” or whatever else you claim, it seems that you’re not aware of particular figures of speech:
http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/crock_of_shit
Do you know what “excluded as authentic” means? It means the authenticity of the tape CANNOT be dismissed particulary in relation to the third-rate analysis of GOSL “experts”:
“However, the recording cannot be excluded as authentic, particularly based upon the flawed criteria and factual errors pervasive throughout the Sri Lanka government’s published certainty.”
Nice job with the selective quoting there, Colman!
Spivack also says that the authenticity of the tape cannot be confirmed with absolute certainty UNLESS the original device upon with which the tape was made is subject to a rigorous analysis. However, ABSOLUTE certainty is not a NECESSARY condition for REASONABLE shadow of a doubt.
“As I have said many times before, I haven’t a clue if the tape is genuine.”
Oh you haven’t a clue, despite the fact that your little blog post there has a header with the work FAKE printed in red all over the top.
“Siri Hewathirana claims to have the technical expertise to challenge their expertise and to state that the tape was faked.”
Siri Hewathirana is unwilling to submit his analysis to peer-review; this lack of a transparent peer-review process is the essential difference between GOSL “experts” and Western experts.
“The government is, no doubt, capable of war crimes. You can’t prove it.”
Only a government lackey would make such a claim. Gothabaya Rajapakse gave orders to shoot surrendering LTTE. Orders which were obviously carried out. This is a war crime. Why do you think SF is in jail? Furthermore, GOSL shelled schools and hospitals during the last stages of the war. Gothabaya is on public record stating that hospitals are fair targets. It’s a good thing that clowns like you don’t formulate public policy (except in the Third World, unfortunately).
Yes I am familiar with the term “crock of shit”. I am also familiar with the term “Crock of Gold” – it’s the title of a wonderful book by the Irish writer James Stephens. Stephens was a decent poet as well as prose writer. You must be quite a poet yourself if you can coin a word “crockery” that readers are supposed to identify with crock of shit. The usage is, I think, unique to you. I salute you for your originality. As Ezra Pound said: “Make it new!”.
“Oh you haven’t a clue, despite the fact that your little blog post there has a header with the work FAKE printed in red all over the top.” That picture was taken from the Sunday Leader, the main paper that criticises the government. I have also quoted in my “little blog post” (10,000 words) Leader contributors who consistently attack the Rajapaksas
I think we’ve taken up enough space on Mango’s blog with our little dance a deux. Perhaps it would be better if you came over to my blog to abuse me there, as you are mainly attacking me and my article, rather than dealing with Mango.
You make many assumptions about my biography and character. You know nothing about me. I will briefly state my position. One of my main aims is to educate westerners that the Sri Lanka situation is more complex than they think. I have a unique perspective because, as Mango points out, I am a foreigner who has actually chosen to live in Sri Lanka. I have been here getting on for ten years and intend to stay forever. I have not left Sri Lanka for five years. I do not live among the Colombo fleshpots. I am, as far as any foreigner can be, part of my village community.
It is an eight-hour drive to Colombo, but I manage to keep in touch through various contacts, publications, websites, newsletters. I am sure that I am not as well-informed as yourgoodself, but I am probably better-informed than most of the parachute journalists who write about Sri Lanka.
“It’s a good thing that clowns like you don’t formulate public policy (except in the Third World, unfortunately).” I have absolutely no influence whatsoever, I am happy to say.
I am not a government lackey. I once looked Mahinda Rajapaksa when he attended the Nuwara Eliya flower show as PM, but that is thye sum of my dealings with the man. Because I am a foreigner, I have no axe to grind. Mine is the only white face for miles. My immediate neighbours are Muslims. Most of the people around us are Tamils. My wife is Sinhalese. We get on well with the local Buddhist priest who is very ecumenical. I have no party affiliations. Most of our middle class friends would be UNP supporters (Sajith faction). I do not support the UNP, SLFP, JVP, JHU or any other party. I cannot think of any politician (anywhere) who could win my admiration.
I have been called a government lackey before. I have also been accused of supporting the LTTE. That shows my lack of bias.
When the government decided to try for a military defeat of the LTTE I thought it was a bad move. I was surprised that it succeeded. Like the majority of people actually living in Sri Lanka, I was glad that the LTTE were defeated. It seems unlikely that this was achieved without war crimes. Horrible things were done by the Allies at the end of the Second World War. Look at what is happening in Libya now. I think it would have been better for Sri Lanka had investigations swiftly been carried out and punishment effected. However, the Rajapaksa government continues to be popular and does not feel the need to succumb to foreign pressure. It will not always be popular. There are many problems to be solved and, quite frankly, the war crimes issue is a distraction. As Mango says: “Only weak or failing states submit themselves to war crimes and certainly not a war-winning state”.
You have still not answered the question: “Do you live in Sri Lanka?”
I only mention your background because you try to dismiss the CH4 report via ad hominem attacks on Alston’s three experts. You see, this goes both ways. You have your reasons for why the CH4 tape is misleading – they have theirs. While both you and they are entitled to hold an opinion on the matter, I attach more weight to their opinion, for obvious reasons.
Attempting to educate Westerns on Sri Lankan issues is one thing, but covering up war crimes is a wholly different matter. Perhaps, like Arthur C. Clark, you might want to stick to the flora and fauna. Politics is a dirty business in SL; unless you’re familiar with past precedents, any arguments that you formulate in the present will lack viability. For example, the stuff on the CH4 tape is nothing new. Soldiers abuse corpses on the battlefield while policemen are notorious for abusing live human beings at checkpoints. The purported mass graves are nothing new; mass graves have been around since the first JVP rebellion, continuing on into the Indian presence into the country, followed by contributions from the Sri Lankan Army. Nepotism is as old as time. And then there is the involvement sic influence of the Buddhist clergy in the formulation of public policy; this too has a precedent that goes back at least 50 years.
“Only weak or failing states submit themselves to war crimes and certainly not a war-winning state”.
Winner and lose alike must face the repercussions ensuing from the fallout of the war. If the latter includes turning civil society upside down, then the no-holes barred Blitzkreig approach to “winning” at any cost ought to be called into question.
*However, ABSOLUTE certainty is not a NECESSARY condition for “beyond REASONABLE shadow of a doubt.”
Nihalam, It is not acceptable man, not aceptable. Do you like to go to galoas due to a “tiny tiny shadow of a doubt.” I don’t think so. Be fair man, come out of your knickers and show courage to be neutral. You appears to have a grudge with SL government about Sarath Fonseka in jail. Settle your private grudges without selling out my country of 20 million people. It is not your #u@%ing private property. As Colman said, even if your holy channal 4 video is authentic, it cannot prove that the people in the video are SL military personel. The whole debate simply ends there. What if I accuse that one of them in the video is “probably” you? Why are you so determined to be a water boy for that Alston? Why not try to be a water boy for Siri Hewa? Sarath Fonseka is not coming out of jail for a while anyway. It is just like Osama Bin Ladin is not coming back to life. Isn’t it enough for you to settle down?
Dear Nihal,
It looks like GoSL has certainly got your knickers in a twist. What they’ve cunningly done is kicked the whole issue into the long grass. Do you know what that means?
By disputing the UN’s own expert panel with its own technical report, they’ve sown enough doubt and confusion about the original execution video that very few people (except for the professional whiners in the international ‘human rights community’) care anymore. Things have moved on.
I presume you’ve already read the disclaimer taken from Alston’s report (Tech Note Appendix).
“Image Authentication” Version 1.0 2007.06.041, establishing the authenticity of a disputed multimedia (video and audio) recording to a high degree of scientific certainty is highly problematic, particularly when provenance of the recording cannot be verified, as is the case with the subject of this analysis. http://tinyurl.com/bwqp3lq
It’s that annoying ‘P’ word again. Provenance. And the UN wanted to base an investigation with that sort of get-out clause? Alston must be delusional.
The reason for GoSL refusing to investigate the tapes is obvious. Which govt willingly submits to an external investigation by partial, corrupt, biased outside bodies? Certainly not a strong government, and GoSL for all its many acknowledged faults will not bend to West-based whining Eelamists and their fellow travellers intent on chasing after GoSL only for war crimes. Only weak or failing states submit themselves to war crimes and certainly not a war-winning state.
Padraig has earned his right to comment about any aspect of Sri Lankan politics. Unlike so many other commenters, he lives there.
What’s the big fuss about the white flag affair? Gota didn’t need to give any specific orders. The soldiers at the front would’ve seen to it that not a single senior LTTE commander survived the war. It was obvious. If Gota gave such orders over unsecure comm links then he should be prosecuted for being careless. Their annihilation made an unequivocal statement to the effect “please don’t try this sort of armed insurrection ever again.”
If the ‘war crimes’ nonsense gets unbearable, GoSL already has Western best-practice to follow.
How To Say “Sorry” for Deaths Under Torture during Counter-terrorism Operations.
Simply say that the soldiers responsible will be given an “administrative reprimand.” If possible avoid making a formal apology and say that “all detainees are treated humanely,” except for isolated cases.
http://www.thenation.com/article/americas-secret-afghan-prisons?page=full
How to punish your own soldiers for ‘excesses’ – the Western Way
Over 100 people have died under torture in NATO’s War on Terror. Wherever possible punish low ranking soldiers only. Then pass legislation indemnifying high official from trials and war crimes charges.
http://www.salon.com/news/opinion/glenn_greenwald/2011/07/01/torture/index.html
The thing is, GoSL still hasn’t learnt how to say ‘sorry’ with a straight face.
p.s. A simple question for you. Was the complete destruction of the LTTE a ‘good thing’ or a ‘bad thing’?
@ Mango,
Things have moved on.
Yes, things have moved. Which is where your analysis lacks depth. Using the military to crush the LTTE was one thing – I don’t think anyone takes issue with that – but turning the country into one’s personal fiefdom, as the Rajapakse’s are doing, is another matter. The lack of transparency you saw in investigating military excesses is now transferring into other arenas. Duminda Silva incident, Sarath F fiasco, selling off prime real estate to China, bankrupting the country through ventures like Mihin Airlines and the proposed CC Games, extremely high inflation – there is a connection between all these things. You cannot run an economy the same way as you fight a war.
It’s that annoying ‘P’ word again. Provenance. And the UN wanted to base an investigation with that sort of get-out clause?
As I explained to Padraig, there are two possible degrees of certainty: absolute and sufficient, where sufficient equals beyond a reasonable shadow of a doubt. The authenticity of the CH4 tape falls into the second class, as Alston makes very clear in the technical report.
What’s the big fuss about the white flag affair?
It’s a war crime. If a Western (NATO) military commander gave such orders – regardless of what you think – he would lose his job. The point is that the orders came from the very top. This shows that it is not a case of individual soldiers behaving badly, but official policy.
How to punish your own soldiers for ‘excesses’ – the Western Way
The difference is that in the West, there is a large barrier between military and civil society. The war with the LTTE was a good testing ground for Rajapakse. He saw that the (Sinhalese) will look the other way, regardless. In the Sri Lankan sense, no soldier being punished = no Rajapakse associate being punished.
“Duminda Silva incident, Sarath F fiasco, selling off prime real estate to China, bankrupting the country through ventures like Mihin Airlines and the proposed CC Games, extremely high inflation – there is a connection between all these things. You cannot run an economy the same way as you fight a war.”
These are all bad things. There are many more appalling things that could be mentioned. Don’t put me in the position of defending these things. It is possible to discuss issues without calling your interlocutor a clown or an idiot.
You still haven’t answered my question. Do you live in Sri Lanka?
As I said, precedent is what matters (which is why even the legal system attaches so much weight to it). If a politician can shoot another politician in broad daylight and get away with it, then what is so difficult to believe about a few soldiers, free of any prying eyes, executing POWs in a remote location? Of course such an inference does not, by itself, prove that said incident occurred beyond a reasonable shadow of a doubt, but it does raise certain questions. My personal view of the matter is that the Sri Lankan opposition to any investigation of the CH4 tape stems from certain phobias: (I) it would be like giving the Tamils an upper-hand, (II) by some bizzare logic, it would, existentially speaking, add legitimacy to the LTTE, and (III) it would strain the relations which certain elements in the upper echelons of the political estabilishment share with their nationalist support base.
Nihal, do you live in Sri Lanka?
Very strange logic from Nihal but lack proper details except subterfuge..
His comments
“Siri Hewawitharana is unwilling to submit his analysis to peer-review; this lack of a transparent peer-review process is the essential difference between GOSL “experts” and Western experts.” ( I corrected my name since they cannot even get my name right)
I am available for the challenge, so who is publishing this rubbish?
This is news to me since I have challenge and mail to UN to do a rebuttal to my findings.. Since it is the data that extracted from the original video.. So far no replies… I am happy to go to any law court to testify since my findings come from the video meta data not buy looking at it subjectively since UN experts are doing that and that’s why I said Dr Who and Star war is look real but Are they? We call this “Chroma Key” and I can make any thing real and fortunately for SL Govt. some Tamil Nadu film producers lack the knowledge of faking for real.
Issue is more skull thuggery than Nihal’s very minute knowledge on the whole fiasco.
When Ch4 first telecast few minutes of so called execution video, I extracted the whole technical metadata and publish few details so that any court of law can verify these data… I did not fully publish the whole data since it will give the game away to the fakers..
Funny thing happen after my report… Some how Ch4 refused to provide the tape to UN but another person did supply a tape to UN for analysis… Surprise surprise, this tape metadata is different to the Ch4 tape and 2nd tape has modified certain data to correct my rebuttal BUT this created more metadata anomaly in the 2nd tape. Worst is UN so called experts so the anomaly ( 17 frames) but still refuse to find out why.. ( That tell the whole story of their expertise).
By law ONE Frame is enough to throw it out since one frame is enough to make it fake since one frame is a edit point.
Not sure about Nihal’s agenda but my advise to him is “be your own man” and Servile mentality will not help you in the long run unless you are after NGO blood money. Remember WMD ? ( came from the richest country on this planet)
I will not defend any one accuse of serious crime and all I done was to provide data from the tape… Case closed.
You were paid a tidy sum by GOSL to cover up war crimes. Care to disclose how much you were paid? Did Rajapakse also offer you a holiday in Singapore and other perks, as he did Deepali Wijesundera for SF’s conviction?
I am not in a position to judge the veracity of your claims as per the technical aspects, since that is not my area of expertise. However, it should be apparent to any third-party observer that if the authenticity of the tape was so easy to dismiss, a similar methodology would have been adapted by Alston’s experts. The fact that three experts refuse to substantiate your claims implies a sinister agenda on your part. I doubt that your case would hold water in an international court, or any court for that matter.
By the way, you might want to explain why GOSL aired its own version of the alleged execution clip. Wouldn’t this prove that said incident actually occurred, which contradicts GOSL’s original claims? Who is hiding what, it’s quite obvious here.
Hey Nihalam, Weren’t you paid a handy sum by Norwegian Eelam guys to promote them? Do you care to publish the amount? Weren’t you given a luxury holiday in Germany by the Pro-LTTE GTF in September last year? I’ll prove them one by one when you prove your accusations on Siri Hewa. Take up the challenge man.
You are asking who is hiding what. It is you who hide a lot of things here. Just because you have a big mouth the world is no longer taking the bull dum seriously. That time was long gone. Regardless of what wrong things SL government is doing (very similar to a UK or USA government is doing), the democratic process has elected them. Who are you accusing about nepotism? 20 million people of Sri lanka? Because they elected 3 members of the same family to the parliment? Which planet are you living in? Are you expecting MR to send some elected members home just because they were related. Would you do it? Honestly? I think I had enough bull dum from you so far. It is not worth it.
Video Forensics
Likewise, authenticity differs significantly from integrity. Integrity ensures that the information presented is complete and unaltered from the time of acquisition until its final disposition. For example, the use of a hash function can verify that a copy of a digital image file is identical to the file from which it was copied, but it cannot demonstrate the veracity of the scene depicted in the image.
Nihal you make me laugh…. for the record not a cent was paid to me by any one re, this issue.. I lost 18 Million Pounds in 87 stock crash and recovered later.. I do not need the money since I am comfortable and spend most of my money on charity and education… I advise top 10 companies in the world re. this technology and products… I also travel extensively almost every week so I do not need paid holidays either… Got more than two million points on Hyatt Hotel groups and happy to offer you free holiday if that help to get out of your depression re. earthly matters.
I am disappointed about your attitude and bitterness .. Love to know what you do for living and hope you are not a failed asylum seeker…
I also teach the subject in US, China and Japan tech area, free of charge.. If I find any bright engineers I get them positions in US or UK tech companies.
BTW, GOSL’s video is with Sinhalese audio so do I need to comment further?
You should check Alston’s background before comments… Remember they were paid to do Alston’s biddings. Also you should ask why 2nd Rapporteur hired 2nd video guy ( Grant) to analyse the video… He said video is edited, it got optical zooms ( which mobiles only had after 2009 sept on smart phones) and frames are out of order… So who is lying here ? My info is Alston is “Persona non grata” at the UN.
Once edited video is out of the window. Remember that original video handed to me by US defence for analysis well before ch4 put this to air.
Well, Siri, I always like to give individuals the benefit of the doubt, whether it’s Adolf Hitler or the Pope. In line with said principle, I did a Google search for any groundbreaking research that you may have done in your respective field – e.g. electrical engineering – and I came up with nothing. In fact, when I looked at your linkedin profile, http://www.linkedin.com/in/hewawitharana, it says you don’t even have a Ph.D! So you are not the “doctoral” type of expert; rather, you’re someone with a lot of real-world experience. I have no idea why exclusively Sri Lankan websites consider you to be a “renowned” expert, when in fact, not even a Wikipedia entry exists for your name. Of course, I may be wrong – can you point me to papers that you have published in top EE journals? To be fair, at least you don’t run around on various blogs calling yourself “Dr. Siri”, as one prominent psuedo-intellectual by the name of Jayatillake does. Finally, it looks like all of your assertions have been refuted in Alston’s technical report:
Expert statement two, submitted by Mr. Siri Hewawitharana:
11
Assertion 1) “There are indications that the original video is edited since original layer stopped at 1:02.781, video editing stopped at 01:02.312 and audio dub stopped at 1:02.152. If it is the original audio, it should have played all the way to 1:02.781 and should not have 2 video layers indicating an
original and an edited version.”
Response: This assertion is inconsistent with the multimedia file submitted for analysis to thisauthor. The file analyzed, VideoDJ.3gp, contains only one video track, 1 minute, 17.13 seconds in length and one audio track, 1 minute, 17.28 seconds in length. The slight disparity between video and audio track lengths is attributable to the video track’s variable frame rate. There is no second layer indicating an edited version.
Assertion 2) “It is said that the video came from a mobile phone video source, but there are only two formats in mobile video formats (the old 3GPP format and the new MP4 format). However, the Channel 4 video is much higher in quality than either format can create today.”
Response: Mr. Hewawitharana does not provide a basis for this blanket statement, nor does he furnish comparisons of samples from representative commercially available video-capable mobile phone devices. The fact is that a wide variety of mobile phones are equipped with imaging sensors with 5 megapixels or greater, far higher than most standard definition digital video camcorders, and are capable of recording video at 30 frames per second at 640 X 480 (VGA) or even higher resolutions. Furthermore, limitations with respect to the recording’s quality are primarily a function of quantization
and compression of the video and audio, not necessarily the source camera’s imaging circuitry and microphone/audio preamplifier. Thus, video originally captured with a “high quality digital video camera” would be significantly degraded after computer software conversion to .3gp format (as was the case with test video converted for the purpose of this analysis), and difficult to distinguish from mobile phone video simply on the basis of subjective perceived quality. Quality varies widely among video mobile phones, and the multimedia file submitted for analysis cannot be excluded as authentic on the basis of its relative quality.
Assertion 3) “Within H-264 coding (used for MP4 format) there is also an extra component called Motion Vectors (VMC) which are used to predict motion on the temporal and spatial domain. Channel 4’s video has quite high quality VMC and it appears that this VMC came from a video camera and not from a mobile phone source.”
Response: H.264 does indeed make use of motion vectors. However, H.263 (the codec actually present in the recording submitted for testing) also makes use of motion vectors, as does every MPEG implementation of interframe compression, so the use of motion vectors is not unique, nor is it an “extra component”. See “ITU-T H.263 Appendix III Series H: AUDIOVISUAL AND MULTIMEDIA SYSTEM”4 for a detailed description of quantization, spatial compression, and temporal compression. Mr. Hewawitharana does not specify what metric he employed for determining “quite high quality VMC” allegedly found that leads him to conclude that the motion vectors are consistent with a video camera rather than a mobile phone source. In point of fact, many high quality standard definition video
cameras record in DV25 format, which is an intraframe compression scheme that employs spatial compression only, not temporal compression, and therefore contains no motion vectors.
Assertion 4) “Since the original video was originally in AVI and QuickTime format, this indicates that the original video is of high quality that originated from a video camera source, as mobile formats 12 does not use AVI or QuickTime. If a change of mobile format to AVI or QT format is attempted, then the resulting video is likely to be of very bad quality. However, in this case the video is of very high quality.”
Response: Mr. Hewawitharana provides absolutely no basis for his purported determination of the video recording’s original file format. Furthermore, video transcoding software varies in quality, and utilities are widely available that are capable of enlarging the video using resizing algorithms that do not result in any more than negligible further degradation.
Assertion 5) “The gun shot was not in synchronization with the video. Normally audio is always ahead of the video since video processing takes more time. In this case, the audio is very late indicating video and audio editing.”
Response: First, there are two presumed gunshot audio events captured on video as well as the audio track, not one. As previously described, video/audio synchronization for both events ranges from an audio delay of 0.068 to 0.122 seconds, well within acceptable limits. Again, as previously noted, audio and video quantization processes occur independently and the two tracks are synchronized and multiplexed in a separate process. Audio may be “ahead” of the video or it may be delayed, subject to a number of variables.
I think you see what I’m getting at, Siri. The 3 experts did not disagree with you over one or two trivial points, which is often common among experts, but over several major points . What it means is that either you’re wrong and they’re right, or they’re wrong and you’re right. The fact that THREE experts with NO connection to GOSL completely disagree with your findings would indicate that your analysis was faulty. Whether the fault was intentional or not, I do not know, although I’m willing to bet that financial considerations were a big part of it. You really ought to come clean and say that analysis was for monetary gain alone, and does not reflect your real capabilities.
By the way, you claim not to defend war crimes. Do you see a connection between the following and the CH4 tape?
We can’t look at TamilNet here in Sri Lanka because the government blocks it.
Hello Padraig:
Here is a similar picture: http://media.nowpublic.net/images//47/5/475666a0858bd36f9379a5f587eb8594.jpg
If the average citizen takes delight in photographing dead corpses, what does that say about the values of the society in general? It is a sick society. “Sinhala-Buddhism” or whatever they call it, is a morally bankrupt failure that is preventing the island from progressing.
P.S: Apologies for referring to you as an idiot and clown. I see now that your view of the situation is based on naivety than anything else. I do, however, repeat my earlier suggestion: that you refrain from commenting on politics. A lot of blood has been shed; the Sinhala-Buddhists are in denial, and the Tamils, of course, must bear the brunt of racism and discrimination for who knows how long to come. The NGO’s did what they could. In particular, Norway did what it could, but at the end of the day, the 21st century weapons supplied by China and Russia were too much for the LTTE (though their leader, Prabhakaran, was a genius, in many respects, if you care to study his life in more depth).
Regarding the question of my whereabouts, it is best that I leave said question unanswered. Government apologists like Siri are always eager to pass on the details to the CID and other institutions. The man already claims to have my photo and bio. Not that I have any fear of such individuals.
Well , Nihal, you are a big man to concede that I am not a clown or an idiot. I will not accept the label of naive either.
One of the western misconceptions about Sri Lanka that irritates me most is the thing about “happy smiley people”. I know about the bloodshed. I have no illusions. One has to live somewhere. Most countries have black marks against them
Even you have to live somewhere. I am not particularly interested in where you live. I am interested in the fact that you probably don’t live in Sri Lanka but are prepared to tell someone who does live here to shut up about Sri Lanka.
“Prabhakaran, was a genius, in many respects, if you care to study his life in more depth”. Could you be more specific about the respects in which he was a genius and how would you recommend that study his life in more depth?
GoSL being beyond dumb. Just use any of these proxies and you can view Tamilnut in all its deranged glory 🙂
http://www.iweb365.info/
https://freesslproxy.com/
http://alazingo.com
http://www.iweb365.info/
http://www.proxplaza.com
“The fact that THREE experts with NO connection to GOSL completely disagree with your findings ….” That’s the key here. Because they have NO connection to GOSL but have a lot of connection to pro Eelam western politicians they came up with that conclusion. Isn’t it right to argue if your argument is valid that Siri has some thing to do with GOSL just because Siri was born in Sri lanka. In the same line of argument, just because you were born in Sri lanka (unfortunately for lot of us), then you must be favouring GOSL too. But you are not. In that case can’t Siri be neutral contrary to your narrow belief? By the way you did not prove your accusations of bribes to Siri, did you? Does it mean it is not worth reading your crap any more?
. Because they have NO connection to GOSL but have a lot of connection to pro Eelam western politicians they came up with that conclusion.
You can’t prove your point; it’s nothing more than conspiracy. The three experts had no political connections; they were hired by Alston, who works for the UN. If the UN had an anti Sri Lanka agenda, it would impose sanctions on SL. And that’s just the beginning.
Isn’t it right to argue if your argument is valid that Siri has some thing to do with GOSL just because Siri was born in Sri lanka.
That was never my argument. My contention was that three experts were in complete disagreement with one expert, in which case it’s all the more likely that the lone expert is wrong. That’s the whole point of peer review. We begin with three non-Sri Lankan experts who believe the video is real. Multiply that by three. And three again. Unless Siri is some kind of genius, it’s pretty clear who’s right and who’s wrong here. Saying that all three experts worked for the LTTE is rather silly.
1. “You can’t prove your point; it’s nothing more than conspiracy. ”
Doesn’t it match your accusations about Sarth Fonseka’s jail term, bribes to Siri, White flag case etc etc. They are all conspiracy and you also cannot prove your points. If UN starts anti SL agenda just like what they did to many other smaller nations (libya, Iraq, Iran, Afganisthan…) under the influence of powerful nations like US, UK etc, remember one day would come that many countries with gang-up and split from UN. China and Russia is waiting for such to happen. When that day comes UN sanctions will not worth two grams of bird-shit. Sri lanka already endured sanctions from EU regarding GPF+ on the garment industry. But everyday news items talk heavily about EU’s financial trouble rather than SL’s financial trouble. Ironic isn’t it?
2. “We begin with three non-Sri Lankan experts who believe the video is real. Multiply that by three. And three again. ”
“Three” is mathematically larger than “one” for sure. However, when Alsthon commissioned an investigation that investigation was carried out by those so called experts (and they also do not possess PhD’s you were asking from Siri) three experts. However the investigation produced ONE report and that still counts as ONE, not three. When Siri did his analysis he may have involved probably 10 of his peer experts to do the ground work, who knows? Does it mean it had 10 “independant” investigations? No. Just because Alston’s investigation had three people involved, they all worked together in one project (because they called themselves experts in three different but related fields, so they had to help each other) and came up with ONE report and therefore it doesn’t count as three “independant” reports. It was simply “Alston’s” report vs “Siri’s” report, one on one. UN appointed Alston, and GOSL appinted Siri. Then Alston used three and Siri used god knows how many, but who cares? One report vs another one report. Everybody Siri used also have certainly agreed on the outcome of Siri’s report.
As an example, when GOSL apponted LLRC it had 8 experts in it. In the way you argue about Alston’s report, GOSL can argue that 8 independant experts came up with exactly the same idea and therefore it cannot be taken as biased. Do you agree?
Philip Alston said – I decided that it was incumbent upon me to commission independent and impartial evaluations of the videotape. I retained three experts: in forensic pathology (Dr Spitz), forensic video analysis (Mr Spivack), and firearm evidence (Mr Diaczuk). “Together”, the reports by these experts strongly suggest that the video is authentic.(http://www.asiantribune.com/news/2010/06/04/video-footage-fake-media-expert-siri-hewa-picks-holes-un-rapporteur%E2%80%99s-findings)
“Together” was the keyword here and therefore the one “Alston” report and one “Siri” report carry similar weight in terms of independance.
To me, Siri is a genius and he has brought much more honour to his motherland than you. I would like to go with the “known devil” rather than the “unknown god”. Siri may not have produced “papers” to EE (or DD, CC, BB etc ) as you have challenged him, but only less than 0.00000000001% of practical minded people on this earth cares less about UK’s EE. None of the industrial countries (like China, France, Germany, Sweden, Korea) except few (not all) former British colonies give bird shit about EE and other similar organisations in UK. They all know that EE and similar ones are nothing but money earning clubs not any different to a “Kroatian Dance Club”. I myself had few english letters borrowed from UK’s organisations hanging behind my name for few years until I realised that I am wasting my money and dignity. I have grown up a lot from there dumping those letters as morning spit, long time ago.
Padraig,
I am interested in the fact that you probably don’t live in Sri Lanka but are prepared to tell someone who does live here to shut up about Sri Lanka.
You don’t see me lecturing you about the IRA, do you? I have some pretty strong opinions in regard to the latter; nevertheless, when it comes to picking out the subtler points of said issue, I would defer to the opinion of an Irishman, since there are probably aspects of Irish culture pertaining to the IRA, which a non-Irishman would have little knowledge of. My experience is that even with the advent of the digital age, one still cannot pickup entirely on these little nuances, unless he has been exposed to said culture for an extensive period of time. Quite often, there is also a language barrier.
Yes, you may have lived in SL for some time, but you did not grow up there, so it’s likely that you’ve failed to pick up on certain subtle cultural nuances. The locals may treat you well, for whatever reason, but that is not indicative of how they treat each other. Again, I’m not discouraging you from forming an opinion; I’m merely pointing out that the public perception in regards to the war is partly shaped by cultural aspects which an outsider would find difficult to grasp. For example, if I told you that there are strong currents of homosexuality prevalent in the Sri Lankan Armed Forces, as well as police, that translate back into certain repressive aspects of Sinhalese culture, you might be at a loss for words. Which is perfectly acceptable; when I read James Joyce, I was under the impression that alcoholism is rampant in Ireland due to the priests abusing young boys – no doubt a shallow, misguided impression.
*no doubt a shallow, misguided impression.*
In other words, there are probably deeper reasons as to why the Irish are fond of alcohol, reasons which an Irishman understands best.
“You don’t see me lecturing you about the IRA, do you?” You don’t find me lecturing anyone about anything.
Sri Lanka is my home. I try to understand it by writing about it. If I make mistakes I welcome correction. I would be very happy to hear your views about the IRA. If I thought you were in error I would correct you in a polite fashion.
“I have some pretty strong opinions in regard to the latter”. What does “the latter” mean. You are not referring to the second of two things. If you mean you have strong opinions about the IRA, don’t be coy. Say what they are. Are you assuming that I support the IRA? I don’t know. You don’t make yourself clear. What is your point? For the record, I do not support the IRA.
“If I told you that there are strong currents of homosexuality prevalent in the Sri Lankan Armed Forces, as well as police, that translate back into certain repressive aspects of Sinhalese culture, you might be at a loss for words.”
I am rarely at a loss for words. What you have stated there does not surprise me in the slightest and, in fact, I have been writing something on that theme for some time. Any information you can give me would be welcome.
Alcoholism is certainly a problem in Ireland. (It seems to be a problem in Sri Lanka also.) Just as the Eskimos have many words for snow, the Irish have many words for being drunk. “In other words, there are probably deeper reasons as to why the Irish are fond of alcohol, reasons which an Irishman understands best.”That does not necessarily follow – an outsider might have a different perspective and experience a revelation that the native would be blind to.
My wife is always chastising me for saying all Irish catholic priests are child molesters. So, i would have no problem with you making cultural assumptions about Ireland.
The thing is, as Emerson wrote “All generalisations are dangerous, including this one.” So, go ahead and make cultural assumptions. If I think they are wrong I will challenge them. I will not say that you have no right to speak.
@ Manju,
LOL, what conspiracy? White Flag case is real, Palitha Kohona is under investigation by Australia at the moment. SF implicated Gothabaya directly, that’s why he got a jail sentence. If SF had implicated anyone else, he would be a free man today. Gothabaya is the one who bears responsibility for the most of the war crimes; it was he who gave the orders to bomb hospitals, no-fire zones, kill those holding white flags, etc.
When Siri did his analysis he may have involved probably 10 of his peer experts to do the ground work, who knows?
No, he did not. Siri was paid a large amount of money by the Sri Lankan Government to claim that the report was false. The reason Siri did not involve 10 of his peer experts to do the groundwork is because all of Siri’s claims were debunked in Alston’s reports. 10 experts cannot be wrong 95% of the time.
Siri may be a “genius” to you, but if this “genius” did a similar thing at wherever he works, he would be fired the next day. Experts are not hired to fudge data (except perhaps in Sri Lanka).
Nihal
“I attach more weight to their opinion, for obvious reasons.”
That is, of course, your right. However, I do not actually have an opinion on the matter. In my article, I set out reasons for doubting the credentials of your “experts”. I set out the argument of Siri Hewawitharana. I really have no way of knowing who is correct.
I am not covering up war crimes. I am familiar with past precedents. I am well aware of the culture of impunity which means that crimes do not get investigated and that there are strong links between political criminals and “ordinary decent criminals”.
I am interested in writing about many of the issues that you list. You have no right to make assumptions about me. Thank you for your advice but you have no authority to give it. What exactly is your background?
I am familiar with Arthur C Clarke. An old friend of mine lived with Uncle Arthur’s niece and they spent a holiday with him in Sri Lanka back in the 80s. I fear that the old codger did not stick to flora and fauna but also stuck to young boys. That is not something I wish to emulate.
You have still not answered the question. Do you live in Sri Lanka?
Well Mango, old chum, I think we’d better step aside and let the two of them duke it out. Nihal’s got me floored. It’s back to the old flora and fauna for me!
Nihal is a ‘guerrilla intellectual’ and was outed by David Blacker a long time ago! 🙂 🙂
Let me guess, Blacker is another high-school dropout? You really should find new role models, else you die an unhappy soul : (
Hi Nihal/Heshan,
Blacker’s educational attainment’s irrelevant. The content of his writing is what matters. He regularly shredded your arguments and assertions on Groundviews and Indi.ca – in fact it got so bad, I felt sorry for you! 🙂
Hi Nihal, Do you live in Sri lanka?
Nihal where did you get Dr part since if you look into my Linkedin profile it says Bsc and Msc and also TV Engineering from Royal TV Society which only invitation can be there… If you want to be a Director in UK TV station you need TV Engineering qualifications… It is only country that ask for this and other is from BBC Research… So don’t get your nickers twisted re. US based cowboys and my background…. Have you seen them getting two Emmys for outstanding engineering excellence in Video and film design? Have seen them designing multi million dollar Satellite, TV and Cable stations? Also running global video strategy in global network company?
I am also not connected to SL Govt and I also work for US govt too… Impartial investigations does not need labels, ONLY facts.
BTW ch4 Video is H264 and nothing to do with the H263 and only a idiot will put that there to confuse people like you.. Two are like chalk and cheese if you know what that means.
“The slight disparity between video and audio track lengths is attributable to the video track’s variable frame rate. There is no second layer indicating an edited version.”
This is laughable and I saw this article from Tamilnet idiot who is nothing but a apologist which does not know how video is recorded and how sophisticated our analysers are… They are US$ 200K+ if you want to know.
BTW frame rate is constant so where do you go from there ?
If you care to look into my screen grab with show all the layers you can see the old layer and new layer… Only idiot or a blind man will argue… or I say a ltte man..
Nihal why are you hiding? and our work is on PD and you may have change your work and now do something ( I have your photo and bio) that is money grabbing NGO work so why not come out and show your work and face, Rather than using ltte work in here? What’s the point in showing terror bodies which are on PD… Good terrorist is a dead terrorist.
May be you are a coward that hide behind a ltte sari or a bad looser in life. You are nothing but a apologist for terrorist for few dollars.
As far as I am concern my contribution to this debate is over since you cannot have a debate with a idiot or a terrorist sympathiser.
Bye
No need to hide, man. You don’t possess a Ph.D, so while your practical knowledge may be first-rate, the same cannot be said about your abilities as a theorist. You have published exactly zero papers that appeared in any top-rated EE journal. I would like to know, if possible, which universitie(s) you claim to teach at?
And yes, your analysis of the CH4 tape was outright refuted by Alston’s three experts. You can label them “terrorist sympathizers”, “asylum seekers”, “idiots”, etc. but at the end of the day, the world court has accepted their version of events, and not yours. In typical Sri Lankan fashion, you refuse to concede defeat on your part. Unfortunately, quite a few Sri Lankan intellectuals seem to suffer from this “ego-mania” (I can’t think of a better description). Even the President (Rajapakse) once threatened to go to the United Nations because of the deteriorating human rights situation at the time; several decades later, he is playing second fiddle to the Southern nationalists, conjuring up theories of the IC destabilizing the island.
” In typical Sri Lankan fashion, you refuse to concede defeat on your part. ”
You too Nihalam.
Dear Siri,
Thanks for dropping by and commenting on this matter. You may be interested in the background and qualifications of Alston’s experts, as unearthed on this article.
http://srilankausa.weebly.com/un–forensics-hoax.html
p.s. I wouldn’t worry too much about Nihal Perera. He’s obsessed with Sinhala Buddhist conspiracies! 🙂
Nihal still won’t say whether he lives in Sri Lanka.
Nihal says:”Prabhakaran, was a genius, in many respects, if you care to study his life in more depth”.
Hitler was kind to animals and was a vegetarian.
Intelligence and generosity are mutually exclusive, Padraig.
They are?? Wow, the things we learn on the internets!
“Intelligence and generosity are mutually exclusive, Padraig.”
That seems like an aphorism of Wildean acuity. What exactly does it mean?
Generous people can never be intelligent? Intelligent people can never be generous?
What has that got to do with my comment?
Enlighten us by being less gnomic and esoteric.
Explain the “many respects” in which Parbhakaran was a genius.
Guide us on how we might study the genius in more depth.
@ Nihal who says: “….for the record, there is no one in Sri Lanka who is competent enough to pass judgement on the tapes.” Siri has already given his opinion on the various real and fake tapes and muddied the waters brilliantly, leaving the ‘humanitarian organisations’ and their distraught followers crying into their cappucinos.
Nihal says: ”..Gothabaya is on public record stating that hospitals are fair targets.” It is also legally recognized that if a hospital or any other structure is being used for military purposes it is no longer a protected place.
“The presence of a protected person [i.e. civilian hostages] may not be used to render certain points or areas immune from military operations.“4th Geneva Convention, Article 28.
The armed forces are not liable where injury to civilians results from unavoidable collateral damage, provided it is proportionate to the military gain expected of the attack. The military gain was the total destruction of the LTTE. A very necessary and laudable aim, no?
“Civilians do not enjoy absolute immunity. Their presence will not render military objects immune from attack for the mere reason that it is impossible to bombard them without causing injury to the non-combatants.“
Oppenheim’s ‘International Law’
Gota is an idiot? Objectively, no. He may be intemperate, a post-war PR liability and short-tempered but not an idiot.
Nihal says: …. the no-holes (sic) barred Blitzkreig approach to “winning” at any cost ought to be called into question.”
The SLA did not conduct a no-holds barred blitzkrieg, (which means a fast-moving, combined arms offensive). It was more in line with Zhukov’s rolling counteroffensive against the Wehrmacht. Massive material superiority, unrelenting pressure across all sectors and massive firepower. A war of this nature has to be won at all costs. What would you have preferred? That the LTTE be tickled to death?
Where I agree with you is that MR’s continued hubris (corruption, nepotism etc) will result in his family’s nemesis. That is inevitable.
Nihal says (of the white flag affair), ”.. If a Western (NATO) military commander gave such orders – regardless of what you think – he would lose his job.”
Have you been asleep for the last months? Just three examples to prove you wrong.
1. Bin Laden – executed on kill orders, the West having waded in a decade’s worth of Muslim/Arab civilian blood in Iraq & AfPak to get to him.
2. Three UK terror suspects executed by drones. No capture, no trial. Nothing. Boom.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/nov/18/british-terror-suspects-killed-drone-pakistan
3. A US citizen, Anwar al-Awlaki, (a suspected terrorist) executed by drone strike in Yemen. No capture, no trial. Nothing. Boom. Your president (and Nobel Peace Prize winner ☺), Obama called the strike a major “milestone” in the fight against Al Qaeda.
“The death of Awlaki is a major blow to Al Qaeda’s most active operational affiliate. He took the lead in planning and directing efforts to murder innocent Americans … and he repeatedly called on individuals in the United States and around the globe to kill innocent men, women and children to advance a murderous agenda.”
If it’s good enough for the US/NATO, it’s certainly good enough for Sri Lanka.
Not a single Western/NATO commander has been sacked for their own ‘white flag’ deaths. Our white flag deaths weren’t war crimes. It was pest control with public health benefits.
Regardless of the distance between the military and civil society in some Western countries (and certainly not in the US or UK), the Sri Lankan MOD can still learn from the West on how to evade command responsibility for issuing illegal orders.
Please provide proof that Siri was paid in an excessive manner for his analysis services. Otherwise, people may think you’re just a bog-standard Sri Lankan gossip. All mouth and no trousers.
On Sri Lankans’ attitude to displays of dead bodies, please read this from Prof Roberts. Perhaps you’ve been away from the island for so long that you’ve forgotten that different sensibilities apply. Perhaps you’re easily shocked.
http://thuppahi.wordpress.com/2011/06/29/death-and-eternal-life-contrasting-sensibilities-in-the-face-of-corpses/
Here, the LTTE display dead SLA soldiers in Killi town centre.
http://tinyurl.com/cepnsfr
Both sides did it to prove their own version of casualty figures. Let’s not pretend to be naïve innocents.
Nihal says: ”..if I told you that there are strong currents of homosexuality prevalent in the Sri Lankan Armed Forces, as well as police, that translate back into certain repressive aspects of Sinhalese culture, you might be at a loss for words.”
Do tell. Were you molested by Sri Lankan Army soldiers? Please provide us with some peer-reviewed data on sexual dysfunction and homosexuality in the Sri Lankan armed forces, authored by you with extensive field notes and irrefutable facts. Is the prevalence of homosexuality in the SLA greater than in civil society?
Nihal says (of Siri), ”…at least you don’t run around on various blogs calling yourself “Dr. Siri”, as one prominent psuedo-intellectual by the name of Jayatillake does.”
Are you jealous of Dr. Dayan Jayatilleka’s intellectual prowess and many achievements in the global diplomatic sphere against Sri Lanka’s Western critics?
Trying to compare NATO to the Sri Lankan Army is the equivalent of comparing ant to an elephant. NATO has something called “nuclear weapons” which could vaporize all of Afghanistan, Iraq, etc. and make such places uninhabitable for a dozen centuries due to radioactive fallout. It’s a good thing the Sri Lankan Army – which used every weapon in its arsenal – does not have such weapons.
Were you molested by Sri Lankan Army soldiers?
You should ask the policemen who stop boys at checkpoints and abuse them. Or maybe you should ask Jagath Dias why he stuffed a poker up Prabhakaran’s rear… perhaps a monk abused him?
Are you jealous of Dr. Dayan Jayatilleka’s intellectual prowess
Why would I be jealous of someone who recieved their Ph.D at age 56, when the average age is 30?
Here, the LTTE display dead SLA soldiers in Killi town centre.
Notice how the soldiers in the picture you linked are not in a state of undress. Try harder!
Hi Nihal,
NATO haven’t used tactical nukes because they’re useless in COIN campaigns. Next you’ll be telling us that the US won the Vietnam war because it inflicted higher casualties on the NVA.
I’m still waiting for your peer-reviewed paper on sexual dysfunction and transvestism in the Sri Lankan armed forces. You’re the one who made the allegation and its up to you to prove your point. Unless of course in typical Sri Lankan style you’re content to make allegations without providing any proof? 🙂 🙂
First you cast aspersions on Dr DJ’s PhD and when that’s exposed as being untrue, you move the goalpost to his age of attaining his PhD.
LTTE corpses were usually stripped after death to remove suicide belts and vests. The SLA corpses weren’t because they didn’t carry suicide vests.
Hey Nihal,
Visit Sri Lanka before Sri Lanka visits you! ☺ Great news from the US Senate which is about to enact legislation that will allow the US govt to detain you (a probable terrorism suspect) on US soil, indefinitely and without trial.
You’ve got brown skin, speak in an odd sing-song non-American accent, shake your head to mean ‘no’ when you mean ‘yes’ and look distinctly Asian/mid-Eastern/Pakistani/Muslim, no? You’re probably a damn-near perfect terrorist suspect.
The only safety valve is a waiver from the SecDef. Ha ha ha!
So, you’ve spent half of your life trying to get away from the Sinhala-Buddhist hegemonist terrorists in Sri Lanka and a US law that could’ve been imported directly from Sri Lanka’s anti-terrorist legislation might lock you up indefinitely. They’ve even copied the SecDef waiver. I wonder if Gota’s doing consultancy work for the Pentagon.
I’m keeping my fingers crossed that this legislation is enacted. It might give us all a break from being lectured to by the US State Department.
http://www.businessinsider.com/the-new-national-defense-authorization-act-is-ridiculously-scary-2011-11
Actually Mango, I’m a Sinhalese Burgher. And no, no one is going after random Muslims right now. In fact, the Muslims are building a “victory mosque” very close to the sight of the WTC. You really should try and get out more (out = out of Sri Lanka). There is more to life than “hero and terrorist”, “Sinhalese and Tamil”, “white man vs. everyone else”, etc. Ever heard of multiculturalism? It is here to stay, except maybe in Maharaja’s Lunketistan.
Hi Sorry,
Using a friends computer at work. Above post is from Nihal Perera.
Cheers.
Hi Nihal,
Sinhalese Burgher? Good for you (and quite irrelevant, of course!). Do keep us informed of the latest US legislation and if you do happen to get rounded up, you’ll be able to play the Sinhalese Burgher card, no? 🙂 I’m all in favour of multiculturalism — this is an area where the West is far ahead of SL. There is indeed more to life than “Sinhalese vs Tamil” & ‘white man’ vs the rest. I’m well aware of things work in the West.
Actually, your whole blog is rather irrelevant, but that’s another story : ) You really ought to learn how the “legislation” works. It only applies to people caught overseas, aka POWs and people who are not US citizens. I happen to be a US citizen (threw the Sri Lankan passport away 15 years ago), so its unlikely I will ever be detained under the Patriot Act or any other act.
There is a certain style of argument one finds on blogs. Questions are avoided as the interlocutor moves on to another subject.
“Nihal” berates Mango for a lack of multiculturalism and tells him he should get out of Sri Lanka (how does he know Mango’s location?). I happen to know that Mango is extremely multicultural in his personal life.
Nihal berates me for “lecturing” about Sri Lanka because I am not Sri Lankan, although Sri Lanka has been my only home for ten years. He now proudly boasts that he himself gave up on Sri Lanka 15 years ago. Does he ever comment on matters American? Although he is a US citizen he would surely not understand all the nuances of US life not having been brought up there.
Despite his professed multiculturalism, he adopts the right-wing designation for the 13-story Sufi Muslim community centre two blocks from the WTC – he calls it the “victory mosque”. The organisers say the aim is to promote inter-community peace.
Nihal is very blasé about US civil liberties. The ACLU give a different view: “Many provisions in the amended Patriot Act have been abused – or have the potential to be – because of their broad and sweeping nature”:
http://www.aclu.org/reform-patriot-act
Click to access patriot_report_20090310.pdf
Nihal,
I’m only going on what’s being reported. Anwar al-Awlaki, a US-born US citizen has already been executed in Yemen without capture or trial by a drone strike. The US govt simply ignored whatever US legislative constraints that existed to get rid of al-Awlaki.
Still confident of not being detained under current or future US legislation for real or unproven acts of terror or supporting terrorist causes?
I challenge you to test your faith in the US justice system. Create your own blog supporting Al-Quaeda and see how long you remain free.
According to the Michigan Citizen “Imam Abdullah, 53, the leader of the Masjid El-Haqq mosque, was shot to death Oct. 28 in an FBI “terrorism task force” raid at a Dearborn warehouse.
http://michigancitizen.com/fbi-murders-detroit-imam-targets-muslims-nationally-p7960-1.htm
“The mosque, whose membership is primarily Black, is located in a poor Detroit neighborhood on Clairmount near Linwood. The FBI also raided two homes on Tireman and Genesee in Detroit. …Imam Adullah’s family members, who washed his body for burial in the Muslim custom, said he was shot at least eighteen times. The FBI reportedly airlifted a police dog killed during the melee but accorded no medical attention to the Imam.”
The LA Times has a news item on a report human rights center at New York University’s law school, that the FBI is targeting surveillance and entrapping Muslims.
http://articles.latimes.com/2011/may/19/nation/la-na-muslim-report-20110519
American Civil Liberties Union and the Council on American-Islamic Relations filed suit against the FBI, alleging that it used a paid informant to infiltrate several Southern California mosques and “indiscriminately collect” personal information on possibly thousands of Muslim Americans. The undercover operation, which began in 2006, resulted in perjury and naturalization fraud charges against one member that were later dismissed.
“very close to the sight of the WTC” – probably means “site”.
“Nihal” berates Mango for a lack of multiculturalism
There is no multicultarlism in SL. That’s one reason why people like Mango believe the West has some secret agenda against SL.
Although he is a US citizen he would surely not understand all the nuances of US life not having been brought up there.
You assume a lot of things, don’t you. Unfortunately I cannot post my bio here, since losers like Siri are only too happy to pass on such info to the CID.
The organisers say the aim is to promote inter-community peace.
That’s not the point. The point is that regardless of what the organizers think, the law allows for the mosque to be built – which is exactly what’s happening. In SL it’s the other way around. If the Sri Lankan Army think a temple bell shouldn’t be rung in the North on November 27th, then a temple bell isn’t rung on November 27th, even though there is no actual law which says a temple bell cannot be rung on November 27th. So Mango’s hype about a piece of legislation in the US designed to target people of a particular complexion should be taken in context – people are not losing their rights in the USA, only in Lunketistan.
Anyway, this blog is a waste of time. Typical Sinhala-Buddhist narrow-minded view of the world, interspersed with the ravings of a lunatic Irishman. I only dropped in because Mango tried to promote this site on GV.
I shall leave you fools in peace. Cheers.
“There is no multiculturalism in SL”. You are shifting ground again. I am not discussing whether there is multiculturalism in Sri Lanka. You specifically accused Mango of knowing nothing of multiculturalism and said he should get out of Sri Lanka like you did. How do you know he didn’t?
“You assume a lot of things, don’t you.” You yourself constantly employ the tactic of making assumptions about other people, including me, attributing to them views they do not hold while avoiding answering their questions. You are again avoiding my point. You want to stop me writing about Sri Lanka because I wasn’t born here. You feel you have the right to write about the US even though you were born in Sri Lanka.
“people are not losing their rights in the USA, only in Lunketistan.” Again you are slithering. I did not deny people are losing their rights in Sri Lanka. You did deny that people were losing their rights in the US.
“the ravings of a lunatic Irishman” – translate that as sweet reason and calm polite discourse.
Well, what a shame and Nihal/Heshan has chosen to leave us with that devastating riposte. Aiyooo, Vut too doo, no, men?
Nihal the bitter Christian and fail Phd since he is now looking for NGO money.. He change his work now so that he get ngo cash… what a fake.
My info is he is angry with SL since he think he should be treated differently due to his academic work… Got studies free from SL now trying to sell his should for few dollars.. Portuguese genetics at work…
———————-
Nihal Perera (UP), has published and presented in several venues.
Refereed Book Chapters Nihal Perera. Rebuilding Lives, Undermining Oppositions: Spaces of War and Peace in Sri Lanka, In Spatializing Politics: Culture and Geography in Postcolonial Sri Lanka, eds.,Cathrine Brun, Tariq Jazeel: 168-93 (Sage 2009)
Refereed Journal Articles Nihal Perera. People’s Spaces: Familiarization, Subject Formation, and Emergent Spaces in Colombo Planning Theory 8, 3 (2009): 50-74 Nihal Perera. The Planners’ City: The Construction of Town-Planning Perception of Colombo Environment and Planning A 40, 1 (2008): 57-73
Conference Papers: People’s Towns: Mahaweli Planning (Sri Lanka) of the 1980, Urban Redevelopment in East Asian Cities: The People’s Approach, Hong Kong, May 6-9, 2009 Compromised Visions and Emergent Spaces: The Redevelopment of Dharavi, East Asia Regional Conference on Alternative Geographies, Seoul, South Korea, Dec. 13- 16, 2008 Spaces of Recovery: A View from a Post-Tsunami Settlement (Sri Lanka), Workshop: Visioning the Urban, Institute of Gender and Women’s Studies, American University of Cairo, Cairo, Egypt, May 26-27, 2008
Moderator: Urban (Re)development in East Asian Cities: The People’s Approach, East Asia Regional Conference on Alternative Geographies, Seoul, South Korea, December 13- 16, 2008
Reviewed Refereed Journal Articles for Planning Theory
Urban Studies Planning Perspectives Journal of Planning Education and Research (JPER)
Reviewed Grant Proposals for Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada British Council
Planning Consultancy: Evaluation of the development plan for the City of Deyang, Sichuan Province, China, 2008
Current Professional Committees: Member, Technical Committee, 10th Asian Planning Schools Association Conference, Ahmedabad, India Member, Book Prize Committee, International Planning History Society (IPHS)
Directed, East Asia Summer Program (field study in China), summer, 2009
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