United Nations Human Rights Council has a sacred duty
Special ContributionBy Massey Subra
Mar. 28, 2012
Refugees in UNHRC office
I am at a total disarray as to why would Sri Lanka go all the way to UNHRC in Geneva to justify their position. They don’t have to, then why would they spend time, money and Rolaids to counter the UN charges? Relief is spelt R-O- L-A-I-D-S.
If Rajapaksa thinks he is free and clear in his mind that he is innocent and act in good faith he does not have answer any one. If that freedom is not available to all law abiding citizens then there is no need for laws; we might as well go back to nature. What prompted him and his people to go this length to defend what they consider are frivolous charges. One does not have to defend frivolous charges. I am not a lawyer, but I have been sued and if I am clear in my mind and I have that faculty well developed to know right from wrong then I do not appear, the judge knows the truth. Period.
They went to Geneva , if they won what would have happened? Nothing. If they lost, what is going to happen? Nothing. Then why waste time. Then if you are not going to respect the decision by the Human rights council why belong to it. Simply ignore it. Is it the stupidity or the ignorance of the Rajapaksas to waste time on it? Now that the UNHRC passed a motion, are you going to respect it and follow it?
You see, how ever clever one may be, the subconscious mind is honest to its real nature, ask any police detective and he will tell you that we know the felon right away, but we want to follow the rule of the law. That is where the felon gets his space. Honesty, sincerity, truth, integrity etc needs no proof or witnesses, they can stand alone on their own.
The problem for Mahinda Rajapaksa is he has no more room to manoeuvre he has reached point of no return, he has to keep on going in the same direction, he knows the end, but it is better to be defiant than face the end. There is slim sliver of hope he can get way, all criminals think that way.
As one judge said, a murderer thinks with extreme acuity and perspicuity, he is hard to knock down but we must persist till he exhaust all his options and we must persevere to prevail.
Since 1970 he has been getting away with crime, that one word crime has several faces and phases as applied to him. He knows it. He is no dumb criminal, he is a smart one in his own way, but then smartness has several minds. He was smart in one aspect that is criminality. His entelechy as Plato said is his intellect. Outside his intellect he is a weakling, which is why he uses people of high calibre.
This is where he lost the battle; he has to go to Geneva to defend the un-defendable for his conscious mind was over driven by his subconscious mind. He knows what I mean. We were both born in the same cusp. I can read him like a junior kindergarten book. That we call guilty conscious mind dragged him to Geneva . Geneva is no ordinary place on earth; it is a sacred site on earth.
If any one close to him asks him why he sent his people to Geneva , he will say that was a mistake. But why did not it appear to him before? That is the power of moral compass we neither can deflect it nor deviate from it.
Even if Mahinda Rajapaksa wants to obey, Mervyn Silva will spoil it. Why Mahinda cannot say anything to Mervyn? If Mervyn did crimes that Mahinda asked for how can he reprimand him?
What Mahinda ought to know is, the world want to investigate his involvement in several crimes. Why hide it from you or any one. That is the ultimate aim of the world body.
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Layne Hartsell on Peace, Hope and Possibilities: A reflection on talking with students at their non-nuclear poster demonstration at a recent festival
Editor's OpinionMar. 22, 2012
Patcharin(C) and Layne Hartsell(2nd R)
Recently, I met students working with KSGI in their booth at a festival at Sungkyunkwan campus and I was immediately impressed by the students’ energy and knowledge about nuclear nonproliferation and the cause of peace as they practiced public education for those who stopped by to look at their posters of Josei Toda and Dr. Ikeda, along with posters of scientists and philosophers. Undoubtedly, Dr. Ikeda's work and the people who make up KSGI have been an inspiration to these bright young men and women.
There has been much written about nuclear disarmament and weaponry – the topic continues to be a matter of utmost concern. As the students showed with their posters, great minds have addressed the issue, and I trust the erudition of Linus Pauling and Bertrand Russell among many others. Rather than comment on past literature and current events with which the United Nations atomic energy association is fully involved, and making great progress I would add, I would share a personal experience and some thoughts. A year ago, my wife Patcharin and I visited Hiroshima to go to the peace museum and to see the skeletal monuments there, as many millions have done in the past – and millions will in the future. We toured the museum and watched the films, and afterwards, as we were walking through Peace Park a woman approached carrying a Bible and began talking to us. She asked if we thought peace was possible. Having just visited the museum and seen the horror in the videos, I had to make a long pause before answering. My answer was a pensive, “I just don’t know...” Upon reflecting on this visit to Hiroshima, I still do not know. Much has to happen before such peace can come about and as a trained scientist my observations do not give reliable, affirmation of what I would like to see.
I reflect upon the Christian priest who blessed the first bomb before it left on its mission to strike a civilian population in Hiroshima. Military targets were not its aim. The priest retracted his blessing later. I reflect upon the scientists who worked on the bomb and who still work on weaponry far more powerful preparing for the only thing the weapons can be practically used for. I remember that the bombs over Japan were experiments on human beings and demonstrations to the Soviets; the military aim was empty. The ensuing Cold War led to an astronomical shift of wealth from general populations to a military-industrial complex to build more weapons than would be necessary to end civilization. Security falsehoods are central to some campaigns still today and will be in the future if an understanding of history is not widespread. Education is a major part of society if we want it to be civilized.
To say that there is hope could be criticized, and should be criticized as an empty word, unless significant, concrete evidence were not shown. Hope should be criticized because there are two other major crises which have now joined the nuclear issue, climate change and the violence of the grinding poverty of geoeconomic instability creating a flash pot for reactionary forces to form. Thailand is a daily example. Any of these three crises, all the result of human activity, could lead to a massive, degeneration of life as we know it today. Putting the past behind us is an irrational proposition, like the ostrich sticking its head in the sand.
Perhaps the hope which is real will come from the obvious interrelationship which we experience, everyday based on evidence. Civil society has indeed already begun and has been running a marathon. Beginning on the individual level as hope-action only can, action must extend to the social level. Major advances in civil rights in the 1960s in the US, the growth of science which is democratic and cooperative in itself, and the extension of and observation of international law are all significant examples. Even war today is less brutal than half a century ago. Though they are brutal, “smart bombs” are not the same as what was done in Dresden or Tokyo or London. At the same time, it is also true that the successful protest against one form of bomb or method or system allows little rest for civil society, because in some cases a newer more powerful bomb or draconian method or vicious system arises to replace the earlier. Civil society is built on grace and grit.
Individually, we know how difficult it is to change our lives, or lifestyles, to support life affirming systems. There are pressures and desires to conform to consumerism, to dominate others to get what we want and to escape into any number of behaviors which lead to corruption. One of the more serious social issues is the imperial or elitist aspirations found in wanting to be princes and princesses; such aspirations are not only against democracy, but deadly to the poor around the planet. Society will have to further develop from ‘life as greed’ using war to get what we want, to ‘life as cooperation’ to get what we need. It seems the way to go is to be found in, watering the seeds of partnerships and civil relationships and letting the seeds of ‘the human food chain’ wither as old and decrepit, inefficient and immoral. Life affirming activities and lifestyles will move us further along by building positive social structures for support. Complying with society and its responsibilities and rights does not have to fall into complicity with outdated or fossilized structures which are collectively leading to global crises.
Lastly, the fact that there are international laws, the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, Kyoto, the Universal Declaration on Human Rights, and economic movements for equity is very promising as civil society makes its great advances. Cluster bombs have been banned, governments have been replaced with little or no violence, even under severe conditions, and women have begun to make great advances in participating in the determination of how society will operate. Sweden continues to have more women in parliament than men, and who would have thought that Rwanda would have more women in parliament than any of the other countries, including Sweden? Costa Rica has banned its military and has protected a large part of the natural environment of the country, while other countries are following along on the eco-model. In Bolivia, the first Native American became president of a large nation-state, democratically elected, after decades of popular struggle under brutal, totalitarian conditions. All of these examples are the real basis of hope because they are actions which move humanity in a progressive, truly developmental way. The best checks and balances seem to be found in changing our minds to see interrelationship, changing our lives to harmonize ourselves with each other and nature, and then working in society to give rise to the constructive, diverse aspects of society. These elements are all, I believe, necessary for a multiplexical human community for true progress.
Peacefulness certainly has its risks and responsibilities which must be reflected upon seriously. Peacefulness and democracy are not to be seen as spectator sports. If peace is possible, then the elegant geometry of peace will balance with justice and truth and compassion and finally with courage, all found in the human spirit from which the geometry arises to change systems which do not act in peaceful ways. If peace is possible, I think it might follow the evidence I have provided as a basis for a political ecology of human happiness, or as one Buddhist king recently said, “Gross National Happiness. “
About the author: Layne Hartsell is a professor teaching in the language institute and bioscience department at Sungkyunkwan University, and is a founding member of the Seoul Global Study Group. He also works as an independent researcher on science, technology and society on issues related to poverty along with conducting research in philosophy of ethics and technology (nanoscience) at Sungkyunkwan Advanced Institute of Nanotechnology. He lives with his wife Patcharin in the Republic of Korea and in Thailand.
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Srilanka
Sex Abuse and Murder in Sri Lanka
Special ContributionBy Tim King
Mar. 15, 2012
One of many Tamil female rape/murder victims
Be forewarned, that the photos of war crime and sex abuse victims shown below, are shocking and gruesome. Tamil female rape/murder victims who died in mid-2009 at the hands of the Sri Lanka Army
(SALEM) - I have written several articles that examine the terrible crimes against innocent women and girls that occurred during the Sri Lanka civil war and the ensuing Genocide that enveloped the Tamil population in the island country's northern region.
The conflict wiped out most of the resistance force, the LTTE (Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam - aka 'Tamil Tigers'), and tens of thousands of innocent defenseless civilians who were directly targeted.
Along with the carnage came a barrage of sex crimes against Tamil women and girls that defy real description.
Be forewarned, that the photos of war crime and sex abuse victims shown below, are shocking and tragic moments captured in time, of female rape victims who were viciously killed.
The shocking images are bloody and horrible and yet very important, as Sri Lanka stands accused of war crimes and is the subject of a resolution calling for several measures of atonement and clarity, not that anything could ever ever be enough.
Humiliation, torture, children murdered in obscene ways, military leaders with white flags gunned down while they surrendered, white van disappearances that strike horror into the heart Tamil people.
The images attest to human cruelty that is simply beyond the imagination of western people whose governments when united, most of all, have a chance of forcing change on nations like this that by policy, practice deadly, mass murder against their own citizens.
Sri Lanka's actions against its own people stand as a textbook example of state terrorism. There was nothing rational or reasonable or justifiable about directing people into safe zones and then bombing them, or killing old men and old women, chasing families down, one atrocity after another. They are all photos of war crimes that took place in 2009, the photos have been authenticated, there are different versions of the photos and video, the SLA did a good job documenting their deeds.
At the bottom of this article is a quote from a man claiming to be a former Sri Lanka soldier; that confirms in my opinion, our worst suspicions, that it was even worse than we can imagine.
Plotting Genocide
Before making strident moves to ethnically cleanse the civilian population, Sri Lanka wiped out and silenced all journalists who were sympathetic to the Hindu and Christian Tamils.
Then, the United Nations observers were asked to leave by Sri Lanka's government; the UN ordered them to clear out, and this left the Tamils at the hands of the Sinhalese Buddhist regime of Sri Lanka President Majinda Rajapaksa, to die without witness... but not completely.
As these terrible photos testify, the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldiers like to photograph their handiwork. They rape and abuse women, murder them, and then abuse their corpses, for the camera.
Many Tamils recorded the attacks they suffered, and a great deal of media was preserved somehow, even though so many of the people who took the pictures and video died.
Where their images of suffering and death end, the SLA soldier's videos and photos begin. There have been officers of the Sri Lankan Army who have stepped forward to corroborate some of the darkest claims. Sri Lanka denies journalists access to the war zone, many disappeared people remain missing, stories of secret camps are rife, torture is commonplace.
New Images of Isaip Piriya
I have written at length about the tragic loss of a young, highly talented journalist name Shoba, who was more commonly known by the name Isaip Piriya. The images on the right show her in two vastly different settings; murdered in a Sri Lanka killing field where soldiers stripped the dignity of women before terminating their lives, and holding a small child (see: Two of Sri Lanka's Foulest War Crimes).
She was a reporter for TamilNet and other sources, and also worked as an actress, she sang and she danced. She also had a young child who died in the war a short time before she was molested and tortured and killed.
The group of women represented here in death are, Sri Lanka wants you to believe... terrorists.
Isaip Piriya's story is moving because she is an example of who the Tamil Tigers in so many cases are and were; versus what they are portrayed to be by the Sri Lankan government and media.
People do not choose the place of their birth, they don't ask for their particular station in life, or what family or economic setting they are born into; what we do know is that all human beings have the same basic needs, and under the UN Declaration of Human Rights, and by the simple basis of common sense, people need to have both religious freedom, and a number of pre-established Human Rights.
A gentle soul by all accounts of people who knew her, the SLA would later report that she was a high ranking military officer in the LTTE, she was no such thing.
In fact Isaippiriya had health-related issues that prevented her from even wearing a uniform for the Tigers.
LTTE Still Active
In her honor, and the members of the LTTE who fought the SLA in the Vanni and held out against tremendous odds, it is important to say that the LTTE is not inactive, and we have had recent contact from members of the military group and we are assured they are in fact, not a 'defeated' organization in any respect.
Some of the people who choose to leave comments on this story will charge that the LTTE was a 'terrorist' organization and the United States, which recently Murdered 1.5 million in Iraq, is who helped achieve this dubious designation for the Tamil Tigers.
What that same of group of people will not talk about, is how the LTTE had not only backed off on its insistence for the independent state of Tamil Eelam in north Sri Lanka, but also that a cease fire was in effect when Rajapaksa and his forces launched the deadly war's final state, in 2005.
The EU and UN all followed suit in adding the LTTE to the terrorist list; of course it wouldn't be surprising to learn that those two groups recently killed more people in Libya taking out Gaddafi and arming the new band of U.S. friendly rogue Muslim extremists, than all of the LTTE victims combined.
And on the subject of honor and the military and war crimes, the LTTE was formed to fight the SLA, and in 1983, after a battle left 13 SLA soldiers dead, a radical Buddhist monk led a band of Sinhalese Lankans into Tamil neighborhoods to murder hundreds and hundreds in retribution for the 13 dead SLA soldiers.
The history, when closely examined, almost always shoots down the excuses for this apartheid, Genocidal government. It tells a tale that began with greedy British colonization and a division of the native Sinhala and Tamil people.
Tamils were given preference under British rule, and have paid the price for this ever since Ceylon, as it was called then, finally gained independence from the British in 1948.
The racist policies forced onto these people by the British is the formula for lingering hatred and violence.
Tamils forced Muslims out in the 1980's when tensions heightened, cruelty was dealt out by both sides, but the LTTE would have never even formed if a population accounting for 18% of a country is threatened.
While wishing for a peaceful future, I strongly respect the Tamil minority culture, who first labored for thirty years in peace to maintain and preserve their culture, and then spent another thirty years as an armed resistance with the only goal really being the autonomy of Tamil people and the preservation of their language and culture.
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Srilanka
The Slaughter of Tamils in Sri Lanka, the Holocaust Post-Conflict (Part VI)
Special ContributionBy Muthamizh Vendhan
Mar. 12, 2012
A damage of Tamil's home
After the defeat and annihilation of the LTTE fighters tigers, the legacy of the independence aspirations of the Tamil minority of Sri Lanka has left the aftermath of a humanitarian disaster that still persists today and it seems to have returned back to clockwise to the situation in the first place, led to the conflict and resistance against the government of Sinhala Buddhist majority south of the island. After the catalog of massacres began to suffer the Tamil minority by the majority Singali since 1957, segregation persists today as it was in 1977, when universal suffrage this minority decided for the independence of their territory, the motherland of Eelam, which, for administrative costs, the British had annexed the kingdom Singalis the south during the colonial administration in Ceylon.
The strategy of strangulation socio-cultural and political current government against the Tamil minority is more than evident. Boot from the systematic occupation of land by 'settlers' singalies South, fostered by government planning policy Sinhala south. This strategy of occupation is based on the 'resettlement', the formation and proliferation throughout the territory of northern and northeastern urban settlements 'immigrants' singalies south, and all other kinds of measures 'demographic' to tip the balance and turn to the Tamils a minority in their own territory. In other words, doubly a minority both 'national' as they can or have now become in their own land of Eelam.
Demographic statistics speak for themselves. Taking, for example, the largest province of Sri Lanka, East (Eastern Province), nearly 10 thousand square kilometers along the coast of Bay of Bengal the Indian Ocean, the census figures from different times yielded of the colony of Ceylon until 2007, show a clear illustration of what precipitated the conflict and the genocide of Tamils.
The 1881 Census found that the percentage of the population was 58.96% Tamil while the Singalies of only 4.66% and others (35.99%) - between Muslims, Christians and Crios. In figures, 75,318 people and 5,947 Tamils living in Sangali ethnicity. But for 1981, although the Tamil population had reached over 400 000 ethnic percentage of the native community had fallen to 42% while Singalies with a population of 243,701 had risen to almost 25%, but together with other ethnic groups shared a slice-religious 58%, making the Tamils a minority in their own territory, this is in the Eastern Province of Sri Lanka, which covers an area equivalent to one third of the island.
For Census 2007, reversing the demographic trend continued at the expense of the Tamils, although since 1983 the territory of this had received tens of thousands of Tamils fleeing the slaughter of that year, between 5 000 and 6 000 were been killed during a single week by crowds of agitated Singalies by para-military government in the capital, Colombo, as well as fleeing the repression, harassment and robberies, murders, abductions and disappearances. Still, the Tamil population in 2007 only 40% scratching while Singalis remained above 21%, supported by programs of settlements and occupation of land and an influx of 'immigrants' Singalies encouraged by the government.
The long and eventful political process launched in 1988 and through which had accelerated the events that precipitated in an armed conflict and civil war eventually broke out in 2007. On January 1 of that year, the proclamation of former President Jayewardene, based on the constitutional amendment of 1978 - and which established the temporary union of the provinces north and east in one administrative body governed by a regional government elected, was abolished. Under pressure from the nationalists and the military singalies, Tamil Northern Province and the Northwest was operated and managed directly by the central government in Colombo and the East, and East again segregated from Tamil Eelam.
Demographic statistics of 2010 are not available, but according to several sources contacted and connected with displaced families when living in north and east, officials from England Tamil Forum, Tamil Party and others, agree that the percentage Tamil population in the Eastern Province has grown by two possibilities: first, by the exodus from south after the persecutions they suffered during the last decade but, second, that under pressure from the area north and northeast forced to move to the Eastern Province.
In the next installment Part VI (b) continues the approach of the abolition of press censorship and the iron that remained in the shadow of the Southern Sinhalese public opinion.
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Poem
CLOCK WATCHERS: An employee leaves work sharp at 5.00PM
Special ContributionBy Massey Subra
Mar. 09, 2012
The question is how does the employee know the time is 5.00PM?
Because the employee knew the time before was about 4.30PM
The question is how does the employee know the time is 4.30PM?
Because the employee knew the time before was 4.00PM
The question is how does the employee know the time is 4.00PM?
Because the employee knew the time before was 3.30PM
The question is how does the employee know the time is 3.30PM?
Because the employee knew the time before was 3.00PM
The question is how does the employee know the time is 3.00PM?
Because the employee knew the time before was 2.30PM
The question is how does the employee know the time is 2.30PM?
Because the employee knew the time before was 1.30PM
The question is how does the employee know the time is 1.30PM?
Because the employee knew the time before was 1.00PM
The question is how does the employee know the time is 1.00PM?
Because the employee knew the time before was 12.30PM
The question is how does the employee know the time is 12.30PM?
Because the employee knew the time before was 12.00Noon
The question is how does the employee know the time is 12.00Noon?
Because the employee knew the time before was 11.30 AM
The question is how does the employee know the time is 11.30AM?
Because the employee knew the time before was 11.00AM
The question is how does the employee know the time is 11.00AM?
Because the employee knew the time before was 10.30 AM
The question is how does the employee know the time is 10.30AM?
Because the employee knew the time before was 10.00AM
The question is how does the employee know the time is 10.00AM?
Because the employee knew the time before was 9.30AM
The question is how does the employee know the time is 9.30AM?
Because the employee knew the time before was 9.00AM
The question is how does the employee know the time is 9.00AM?
Because the employee knew the time before was 8.30AM
The question is how does the employee know the time is 8.30AM?
Because the employee knew the time before was 8.00AM
No wonder clocks ever get stolen in a work place.
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Poem
GUTLESS BOOK WORMS, PAPER TIGERS AND SENSELESS DONKIES
Special ContributionBy Muthamizh Vendhan
Mar. 7, 2012
Paper Tiger
There is a certain blend courage, integrity, character, determination, perseverance and principle which has no satisfactory dictionary name but has been called different things at different times in different countries, our American name is “GUTS”. No guts no glory!
“One must have fear, for courage is the outcome of fear” and to have fear one must do the things that will induce and instil fear in us, and 98% of the times that fear is just an illusion.
“I will die for my people and my country” Mahinda Rajapaksa “I am worried that I may get arrested and I have a young family” Rudrakumar
Tamil people you make the inference as to who is a leader and who is a loser. Mahatma Ghandi, Martin Luther king gave their life and Nelson Mandela stayed in the prison for 20 years. Patrick Henry said, “Give me freedom or give me death”. May be we are expecting a lot from a mediocre man!
I do not know anything about S.J.Emmnauel, Sam or Suren Surendran, Nediyavan and Vinayagam.
As far as I am concerned I am not willing die but I will do what my conscience says.
It dawned onto me this morning that if I should consider leaving my community. Yesterday we had a strong going at it about the troubles and tribulations of the community that is adrift without a captain, sail, rudder and a compass.
They say there are about 6 captains, no ship, 800,000 Tamils without any direction. But then we had a bright idea of a government and we formed a government called TGTE. We do not know how the vermins got in, but they did get in.
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Srilanka
Rajapaksa secretly inaugurated China project in Jaffna
Special ContributionBy Muthamizh Vendhan
Feb. 26, 2012
Jaffna, a controversial territory between India and Srilanka
Sri Lanka's President Mahinda Rajapaksa, during his last trip to Jaffna on 06 February, ceremonially declared open a renovated hospital and a swimming pool, both of which were criticised by local media, especially the diversion of funds intended to reconstruct schools in Vanni to the completion of modern swimming pool in Jaffna.
However, Mr. Rajapaksa had also inaugurated a China backed controversial project in Maathakal under the eyes of Sri Lanka Navy, without any public knowledge, informed sources in Jaffna now reveal. The controversial project to install windmills and solar panels along the coastal stretch from Thiruvadi-nilai to KKS and lease the occupied land of Eezham Tamil families, deprived of resettlement, to a Malaysian corporate of Chinese connections for 20 years was the one secretly inaugurated by the Sri Lanka's President together with the Sri Lanka Navy.
In October 2011, the Malaysian corporate, KLS Energy entered into an agreement with China Machinery and Engineering Corporation to 'develop' wind/solar hybrid power project in Jaffna.
The agreement was part of Malaysian Prime Minister's US$ 10 billion economic cooperation initiative with China.
The Malaysian corporate of Chinese connection will be installing windmills and solar panels to produce electricity and 'sell' it to the people of Jaffna, permanently replacing the coastal people and the proud palmyra palms that now stand there.
As reported earlier by TamilNet, the genocidal Colombo not only seals off Eezham Tamils from Tamil Nadu, but also effectively checks Indian ambitions there with proxy Chinese projects.
Yoshitha Rajapaksa, the son of SL president Mahinda Rajapaksa and an officer in the SL Navy and, is also playing a role in maintaining the colonial interests of Colombo, informed sources further said.
Yoshitha was commissioned as an Acting Sub Lieutenant in the Sri Lanka Navy in March 2009.
During the visit, Mr. Mahinda Rajapaksa, stayed in the newly constructed bungalow of the SL colonial military governor in North, Maj. Gen. (retd) G.A. Chandrasiri, the sources further added.
The bungalow was constructed using more than 190 million rupees from the budget of Northern Province.
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Prime Minister of the Diaspora Government released a statement on urging independent investigation on SriLankan war crime allegations.
Feb. 19, 2012
Tamil Diaspora Government
For the second time Tamil Diaspora Government(TGTE) urge international to hold independent investigations against Sri Lanka.
There are difference when handling war crime allegations made by the Lankan government and Army. There are differences between powerful international governments and international civil societies.
International organizations which raise voice on human rights such as Amnesty International , Human Rights Watch organization already announced the world that the Sri Lankan government do not have strength or fitness to carry out war crime allegations which made against them.
Due to this these international human rights organizations refused to present at the investigations carried out by the LLRC panel in Sri Lanka.
But however some countries encourage and made slight pressure against Lankan government to hold investigations on war crime allegation. Due to this government carried out own investigation by appointing LLRC commission and submitted a report towards international.
There are some errors in the above action. Some civil societies ignored this report a, some other governments released different statement s this regard. However some governments welcome the proposals of LLRC commission and stated government fail to mention the names of responsible persons involved in the war crime allegations of SriLanka. In such back round we should pay our attention towards report released by the United States.
Tamil people were cheated when the US government and other governments were fail to pay their attention to this issue according to the law and order. We do not wanted to fell surprise this regard. According to the UN Expert Panels report more than 40,000 civilians reported dead during the time of war.
Statement released by the Mannar district Bishop Rev. Irayappu Joseph stated they were unable to collect information’s on more than146,0000 people in the north. Judgement announced by the “Dublin “ civil courts contains it was war crime if the government take steps to destroy Tamil people in SriLanka.
Dublin courts further said when we pay our attention towards war crime allegation made against Tamil people of SriLanka a questioned raise weather the government was in a hope to carry out genocide attack against these people. Without considering the threats made by the Australian Foreign Minister Karat Ivan’s international society specially United Nation fail to full fill their duty by protecting Tamil people in the North.
Again by considering the report of LLRC commission released by the government international government has failed to full fill their duty . due to this Tamil people ,the TNA representatives international human rights organizations such as Amnesty International ,Human Rights Watch have ignored this report. By releasing a report to the media US government also accept that proper reasons on war crime allegations was not included in this report.
Statement released by the South African government says proposal should need to include brief explanation on war crime allegations of SriLanka. It’s a illegal activity when the war crime alligator carried out investigations in his own. In such situation the leading governments of the world which urge investigation on war crime allegation by considering the report of LLRC would mislead independent international investigations on war crime allegations of SriLanka.
If the international hopes to give another chance towards SriLanka they need to consider on LLRC report as well as they need to submit a proposal at the UNHRC council urging independent investigations against the SriLankan government or else independent investigation.
This statement was already made by the group of expert panel appointed by the General Secretary of the United Nation. SriLanka government to appoint investigation commission in their own as well as international also need to appoint another investigation commission to carry investigation against SriLankan according to the international law or else expert panel further says independent investigations to be carried out jointly by the two commission on war crime allegations against SriLanka.
In such situation we invite respective officials to submit proposal which contains independent international investigation against Lankan government at the UNHRC session Geneva which is schedule to hold on 5th of March.
We also hope power to be granted for international organization which carried out investigations against SriLanka to consider and investigate LLRC report submitted by the Lankan government.
Viswanadan Rudhrakumaran Prime Minister Transnational Government of Tamil Eelam.
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Srilanka
LTTE Linked overseas groups want armed struggle to continue in Sri Lanka
Special ContributionBy Massey Subra
Feb. 11, 2012
Srilanka's Defence Secretary Gothabaya Rajapaksa
If some organization has form and structure one can find ways to remove or it destroy it. But if LTTE has assumed a formless, structure less conscience in the mind of the people and the plasma of the universe you cannot confront it, because it defies and defeats all known forces and powers.
A man of Gothabaya's education and experience does have the capacity to understand such philosophy, he understands violence, use of force and weapons. Let me explain to him something that he can understand. When he says "LTTE Linked overseas groups want armed struggle to continue in Sri Lanka, he is basically being haunted by is own guilty conscience. Does he has the intellect to understand the status of his own mind? Only humans have the capacity to look into their own mind.
Mr.Gothabaya you cannot stop people from thinking, that power you cannot control; that power you will never be able to take it away from Tamils!
This little illiterate non descript has banged his head against one of the oldest of civilizations. If the Singhalese people do not find justice for him, the universal conscience will find justice for the whole of Singhalese people.
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India
Against Corruption, Injustice and Inequality...Towards Peace, Justice, Progress and Democracy...
Jan. 24, 2012
Lokshakti Abhiyan campaign
Recent turmoil in the country has shown the desire and will of the people for systemic change. It is evident that the constitution is often respected but rarely followed. That is why, in order to have fundamental changes, along with the constitution, it is also necessary for there to be an acceptance and clarity of the issues and a basis of the values involved. If the state does not recognise its duty to act on the values of equality, justice, simplicity, self reliance etc. as enshrined in the directive principles in the constitution, then we will have to motivate the citizens of this country to bring about a change in the ‘state’. The society then also needs to challenge itself. The inspired masses that have stood against corruption need to raise their voice against injustice too and instead of contributing to the destruction of resources and displacement, work towards human development for a beautiful and prosperous country.
Corruption is the reason for as well as a product of inequality, violence, loot and exploitation. Politics and economics are the means of corruption. It is important to change this now. It is important that along with the country’s manual labourers, peasants, workers, artisans etc. and the oppressed tribals, dalits, etc. sensitive and thoughtful citizens of this country participate in this campaign too. Every committed and responsible citizen should give at least 2 - 4 hours of his/her day or one day a week for development work (education, health, domestic production, service of the underprivileged etc.)
Join for democratic reforms, for a people’s democracy...
1. There is a lot of corruption in the politics and administration of the country. To change this, we need electoral and political reforms. Politics should not only be a game of the capitalists but also work in the interests of the common masses. This is the basis of a true democracy.
2. Instead of demanding 33% reservation for women in parliamentary institutions, let there be representation of both sexes from each constituency at every level of governance.
3. There should be an 80% attendance rate of representatives in the Vidhan Sabha or Lok Sabha and for the rest of the days in their electoral constituencies. Election expenses for publicity should be according to the rules and the minimum expenses for the candidates should be from the allotted election funds. The promises made by politicians and their parties in manifestos should be made binding on them.
4. The public should be given the “Right Not to Vote”, also called the “Right to Reject” so if there is not a suitable candidate in the elections and they can express their dislike.
5. Politicians, officials and employees should lead simple life styles. There should be a reduction in their unnecessary privileges.
6. There should be no violence and terrorism directed from the state. In the advent of every issue of dispute and conflict the country should adopt a line of dialogue. Public dialogue and public hearings should be organised to resolve conflicts.
Join for economic and social reforms towards a socialist society...
1. The first right to water, forests, land, minerals etc should be of Gram Sabha or Basti Sabha. The issues of development and the progress of a village or Basti should be first decided by the residents, and the decisions made by Gram Sabha and Basti Sabha should be on the basis of progress and employment. There should be an end to forced displacement of people from their land and a law for development planning should be made.
2. There should be strict controls upon the transfer and use of agricultural land for non-agricultural purposes. There should be no encouragement of corporatisation and contract farming and the influx of foreign capital in retail trade should be stopped. By implementing a land ceiling in rural and urban areas there should be equitable and fair use of the land. The excess land left after the ceiling should be distributed to the landless over which ownership should be given to both men and women. There should be no inequality in fixing prices of agriculture and industry products, let there be a proportionate equity.
3. There should be an end to inequality in the country. The politicians are working only for the interests of a handful of people, not for the interests of the masses. There shouldn’t be a difference of more than 1:10 in the income of the people and a line of prosperity should be determined. Tax should be levied on property and assets, not on small productions or incomes.
4. The honest producers of this country – workers, artisans, fisher folks, and others in unprotected and unorganised sectors continue to be oppressed and often victimised. The 93% of workers who have been denied social security pensions should be given protection equivalent to the organised and secured sectors. There should be access to food, water, shelter etc. to everyone equitably. Every service, every resource or development benefits should be equitably distributed.
5. Minimum wages should be as such that the whole family is provided for by the income of one. The below poverty line families list should be renumerated by the members of the gram sabha or the electorate of the urban areas.
6. The violence, discrimination and injustice upon dalits, tribals, women and minorities should be stopped and they should be given just treatment and respect.
Programmes at various places in Uttar Pradesh from 20th – 26th December 2011 and 9th –13th January 2012 at different places in Andhra Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh have been completed. 23rd – 29th January 2012, Lok Shakti Abhiyan will travel through Bihar and Jharkhand and then from 6th – 15th January 2012 in Maharashtra and Goa.
We urge all movements, organisations and individuals to join us in the campaign to make a better country. Be a Volunteer and also help through donations. Spread the word...
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India
May 17’s encounter with Mr Gnani – Who are the real intellectuals
Special ContributionBy Muthamizh Vendhan
Jan. 22, 2012
Indian journalist Mr. Gnyani
The intellectual circle in Chennai has remained polarized for long. There is a majority with one opinion and there is a minority with an opposite view point. The majority tries hard to get their point across, but the minority thinks they can ignore the majority view point because they control the media. Difference of opinion is healthy for a growing country and society and it should be encouraged. However, these polarized groups should meet and agree on issues that are critical to the safety and security of the people – is my humble wish. Two recent incidents highlight the situation more than anything else.
Interference of some individuals in a protest by May 17th activists to have the publisher “Malayala Manorama” removed from the Book Fair recently in Chennai on grounds of “Irresponsible Journalism fuelling interstate tensions”. Arundhathi Roy’s confusion on why the young and revolutionary minded May 17th activists were up against the magazine “Kaalachuvadu” during the release of the book “The Cage”. Let me first explain things the way I see it.
Chennai Book Fair Incident:
Reports from “The Hindu” and information gathered from other media suggest that the May 17th members held a protest at the Chennai Book Fair demanding the removal of “Malayala Manorama” from the premises. Their claim was that ”Malayala Manorama” was not holding itself to the expected standards of Journalism by publishing a false report that fueled the “Mullai Periyar” dam issue.
May 17th members were arguing that the “Mullai Periyar” dam issue was publicized and marketed by a small group of individuals to benefit a few business men of the region. The acts of these few individuals went against the interest of the people of both Kerala and Tamil Nadu. Further information is available that suggest that “Malayala Manorama” published the first article based on false information to convince the Kerala public that the Dam is not safe and would put the life of people living on the Kerala side in grave danger. There have been several other propaganda carried by other individuals over the course of time – one of them being the Hollywood movie funded by Kerala’s Congress Government. The movie did not do well in the box office both in Kerala and in Tamil Nadu but hit the headlines just because of the sensitivity of the subject. The Tamil Nadu government banned the movie on grounds that it will incite hatred and violence. The continuous propaganda has convinced many Kerala based journalists to fuel the “fear” to the Kerala public. Recently several Tamil families were forced to vacate Kerala by violent mobs and the latest news is that a Tamil Sabarimala devotee Santhavelu has been killed by some extremist elements in Kerala.
May 17th is a grass root organization that has worked in several issues pertaining to Tamil Nadu and the region. The group recently held a Press Release in Mumbai to highlight the involvement of some powerful politicians (Including Janata Party President Mr. Subramanya Swamy) in the murder of Rajiv Gandhi. They have conducted several protests to save the three accused in the Rajiv Gandhi trial (referred as the three Tamils). They have also been actively protesting for the decommissioning of the Koodankulam Nuclear Power Plant on the basis of its security threat to the lives of the people living in the region. May 17th has also aligned themselves to represent the issues of the Dalits who according to me are the champions of “Change” in this region. I call Dalits as champions of change because they are the ones who are feeling the real pain of our failed policies and practices and hence they are the ones who have the energy and focus to bring about change.
I think organizations such as May 17th should be recognized for their social commitment. It is interesting to see how they mobilize people towards such social causes and I am intrigued at the commitment shown by the young leaders of this organization in highlighting the real issues of the people to the government and the media. Also this organization, unlike other protest groups, is willing to reach out to the world in explaining the issues with patience. The Mumbai Press release stands an example for their approach of inclusiveness.
Coming to what happened at the Chennai Book Fair – the May 17th leaders convinced the Bookseller’s and Publisher’s Association of South India (BAPASI) office bearers on why Malayala Manorama should be removed from the fair. The BAPASI office bearers agreed and informed the Malayala Manorama representatives to close their stall. The stall was also closed. However it is learnt that some individuals persuaded BAPASI and Malayala Manorama to not heed to the protests of May 17th members. These individuals have suggested that Malayala Manorama should continue in their stall under their English publication name “The Week”. The individuals include leading journalist “Gnyani” a known name among Tamil literary circles. The argument of Mr Gnyani was that it is “undemocratic” to remove a publisher from the stall just because somebody is protesting against them.
What Mr Gnani is not realizing is that it was he who has intervened in a truly “democratic” process. I am not sure why he is not excited to see our citizens getting together and creating civil organizations that question irresponsible politicians, officers and journalists. India or for that matter this part of the world cannot move to the next level of growth if we do not get out civil society in order. We cannot continue to depend on powerful politicians and office bearers. It is the responsibility of the society to have “watch dogs” that puts the checks and balance in place to question those who attempt to manipulate our future to their benefit using their position and influence either given or taken by themselves.
May 17th democratically challenged Malayala Manorama for their irresponsible publishing practice. They succeeded in having them close their business in the heart of the region that was gravely impacted by their false practice. This information is a warning to all media organizations that they should not use their power for false purposes. This is a symbol of an “AWARE” society. The message could have been that “You cannot get away from cheating the people”.
Mr Gnani on the other hand did not see the big picture. He somehow assumed that May 17th does not have the authority or responsibility to remove a publisher. He fails to understand that every one of us (including himself) hold the authority to question injustice and take steps and demand correction. Some would argue that Mr Gnani belongs to the “group” that carries the caste baggage and will never understand or appreciate the “other side” of the argument. I disagree. I think Mr Gnani and the likes are not fanatics but they truly and honesty do not understand the meaning of “DEMOCRACTY” and that is the crux of the issue. Also I think some individuals have put up a wall before their senses that is preventing them from seeking wisdom. They are narrow and selective in accepting or appreciating the works of others, which is the reason these individuals are not able to grow beyond a level. I am sorry to see Mr Gnani joining this band wagon of “tank frogs”.
On the other hand, May 17th is willing to challenge, willing to reach out and willing to mobilize people to come behind them. There is huge potential for people behind May 17th to bring change. Change that will propel the Indian Civil Society to meet the challenges of our potential growth.
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Srilanka
PLEASE RETURN ALL THE PROPERTY STOLEN FROM TAMILS SINCE 1956
Special ContributionBy Massey Subra
Jan. 13, 2012
Anti-Tamil riots in Colombo, July 1983
“Every three years Singhalese in Sri Lanka have a harvest festival, the festival consist of civil riots to loot, steal and plunder properties of Tamils”
My New Year humble request to Sri Lankan Singhalese and their supporters
Daily I read so many articles about people with Singhalese names want to help Tamils. Then there are the people in Indian north who want to find answers to Tamil political problems. If at all if there is any one who needs help it is the Singhalese south, for they lack civil character, lack a civil society, civil leaders and civil government. As it is it is culture of impunity, you see it from the leader all the way down to ordinary people.
If you want to see, if Tamils can manage on our own, go to London , England , come to Toronto , Canada , Paris , France and Frankfurt , Germany and Sydney , Australia , Singapore , Malaysia , and even go to Jaffna , Sri Lanka .
I live in Canada, come to Toronto, I will at my own expense take some of these so called crocodiles along Markham road and around and show you within 25 years how we rebuilt one of the best socio-economic systems in the world. There are three important financial centres in Toronto ; King and Bay, Yonge and Sheppard and Markham road.
Can I kindly request Sri Lankan and the rest of the world? We don’t need any of your help, as the Greek man said to the customer that if you want to help me it will cost you twice the price. Inquired the customer why? He replied you do not have the know how to help me?
We have all necessary tales and tools within our system, we can handle our own needs, and we do not have problems. And to my Singhalese brothers in Sri Lanka all you have to do it to return all the properties you stole from us since 1956. Yes, every three years since 1956, there were civil riots to loot and plunder Tamil property in Sri Lanka . If any Singhalese thinks it did not happen, let have another LLRC to find out who stole from whom.
I think time has come to demand repatriation of all looted gold, land and property form Tamils in Sri Lanka .
What Sri Lankan needs is man with big stick, may be a combination of Patton, Winston Churchill and George Marshall
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Letter to Arundhati Roy to Boycott Book Release Function in Chennai Today
Special ReportBy Muthamizh Vendhan
Jan. 10, 2012
Arundhati Roy
Dear Comrade
New Year Greetings!
We have reliably learnt that you are coming to attend the book release function organized by Kalachuvadu magazine. Though we do not have any issues with the content of the book, we are really shocked to know you are coming to release the book published by Kalachuvadu, the Brahminical and anti-dalit anti-muslim journal which very cunningly has been launching a continuous attack on suppressed people of Tamil Nadu and Tamil Eelam.
To enable you to understand the stand of Kalachuvadu, we want to cite a few instances. In articles published this month and last month, they have attacked the Tamil Tigers without any valid evidence or fairness. We never say that no one should criticize LTTE. Everyone has all the rights to criticize LTTE. But our criticism should not power and add substantial strength to the Sri Lankan government to carry out the massacre and genocide of Eelam Tamils. The criticism should be balanced and forthright and in the interest of downtrodden voiceless people.
Their criticism says, "Only the Tigers killed more Tamils in 2009." In an article published this month, they say, India is NOT responsible for the killing of Tigers. These two sentences alone can explain that they were not written to criticize the mistakes of the Tigers, but to speed up the killing spree of Sri Lanka and also giving a clean chit to the Indian state. In 2009, they published the secret(?) interview of a Tamil man from Sri Lanka, which alone can explain very well how much they are helping out Sri Lanka behind the scenes.
Numerous articles in Kalachuvadu portray the Muslim people as terrorists and the magazine upheld Brahminism (in Tamil Nadu all the writers who are against Brahminism write the word PARPANNIAM, a word coined by Periyar EVR, the great social reformer). But Kalachuvadu, keeps on using the word BRAHMANIYAM for BRAHMINISM. The editorial board spearheaded by Brahmins, Brahminical leadership is pretending to be pro-people and pro-Dalit by appointing few Dalit writers as editors.
The same trap they are using to you also. Dear Comrade, the history behind you is written with lots of struggle you have waged for oppressed people and dalits. We always enjoy your solidarity whenever we are in trouble. but now, by publishing a good book and making it released by the great revolutionary like you, they want to put a mask on their face that is stained by the blood of Tamil people.
Tomorrow, we request you not to participate in the masquerade of Kalachuvadu to portray itself as a revolutionary that pretends to be in support of Eelam Tamils. This show-off ceremony is nothing but to fool the Eelam Tamil Diaspora who are generous in donating money to Kalachuvadu.
For your kind knowledge, Kannan, the Proprietor cum Editor of Kalachuvadu is the former member of ABVP (the student wing of RSS) and it is obvious what type of venom will come from this trained snake.
Dear comrade, do not get trapped. We have all our rights to alert our comrade against the masquerade of Kalachuvadu, the anti-dalit, anti-tamil, anti-muslim and brahminical ideologically and literally.
Tomorrow, our comrades will be there to shout the slogans condemning the brahminical Kalachuvadu, as the way you condemn the indian state when they butchered and slaughtered innocent tribals in the heart of India.
Our agitation is not against our own leader, our own comrade, our own revolutionary, you our sister Arundhati Roy but against the stooge of Indian state, the hidden mouthpiece of the Sri Lankan Government.
You taught us to fight for the oppressed and we will do so.
In solidarity, May 17 Movement
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Funny Proverb
Israeli doctor, British doctor, Canadian doctor and Sri Lankan doctor
Special ContributionBy Massey Subra
Jan. 4, 2012
Sri Lankan's president Mahendra Rajapaksa
An Israeli doctor says: "Medicine in my country is so advanced that we can take a kidney out of one man, put it in another, and have him looking for work in 6 weeks."
A British doctor says: "That is nothing; we can take a lung out of one person, put it in another, and have him looking for work in 4 weeks."
A Canadian doctor says: "In my country, medicine is so advanced that we can take half a heart out of one person, put it in another, and have them both looking for work in 2 weeks."
A Sri Lankan doctor, not to be outdone, says: "You guys are way behind...... We just took a man with NO brain, made him President, and now the whole country is looking for work.
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Scholar paper
Asian values based on Human Rights
By John S ThangDec. 23, 2011
Members of ASEAN countries
Human rights
The idea of human rights has existed throughout history, and it was assumed “the human right idea is the belief that all human beings have, or hold, human rights.” In ancient time, “the main Greek contribution to the human right idea resides in the conception of natural law (Oriend 2002).”
Similarly, one of Asia’s primary religions, Buddhism, is apparently connected to human rights because Buddha explains “nirvana” in the language of “freedom,” to wit, freedom from the miseries of life (Bauer & Bell)”. These various kinds and ways of freedoms are known as human rights.
However, the terminology “human rights” was popularly used only after the World Wars. On 6 January 1941 President Roosevelt said in his state of the Union message: “freedom means the supremacy of human rights everywhere. Our support goes to those who struggle to gain these rights or keep them” (Burgers 1992). To reaffirm, indeed, “it is that the contemporary human rights movement was born in appalled reaction to the Holocaust’s horrors” (Oriend 2002). The third general assembly of the United Nations adopted the universal declaration of human rights in December in 1948, three years after the end of the Second World War.
Subsequently, human rights became the main issues of international diplomacy and politics. “Human rights as guiding principles for national and international relations had begun in the period between the first and the Second World War”. In their [UN assembly] final comments, the delegates to that assembly made it abundantly clear that the declaration was born out of the experience of the war that had just ended (Morsinks 1993).
Uniqueness and nature of human rights
According to Jacques Maritan, the true philosophy of the rights of the human person is based upon the true idea of natural law. The genuine idea of natural law is a heritage of Greek and Christian thought (Aquinas). When we look back to Christianity, it is quite potential relevant to Jacques Maritan’s Natural law as Christian philosophy. It is similar in many ways to the Christian teachings, such as love one another, help each other, make harmony and peace in society, therefore, you can see many Christians used to do charity work in their communities.
Similarly, in the Nichomacbean Ethics (ca. 340 BC), Aristotle argued that in political affairs “justice” is to be “found among men who share a common life in order that their association bring them self-sufficiency, and who are free and equal…(Winston 1989).
It is understandable; human beings are unique that cannot be ignored. Aristotle described human nature as universal, “there is only one constitution that is by nature the best everywhere” (Winston 1989). And Lock defended the view that man has natural rights of life, liberty, and private property (Winston 1989).
According to (Orend) “Human rights do not tell us who or what we are; rather, they tell us how we should treat our fellow human beings. Human rights do not describe our nature; rather, they prescribe our behavior. Rights, most generally, are reasons to treat persons in certain respectful ways.”
Classifying human rights
Furthermore, we can classify human rights into four categories. According to Hohfeld in 1919, human rights are based upon: a claim, liberty, power, and immunity. Claim: is defined as “a demand or request for something considered as one’s due.” A liberty, defined as “the right or power to do as one pleases”. Immunity, defined as “freedom from an obligation” (Orend).
Moreover, the idea is that human rights should lead to bring the maximum amount of happiness for the maximum people. “A prominent example here would be utilitarianism, an elaborate ethical code designed to maximize the greatest happiness for the greatest number of people” (Orend).
Moral as human rights
According to (Winston 1989), “human right” can be seen to mean a kind of universal moral right that belongs equally to all human beings simply by virtue of the fact that they are human beings. “Most of the world’s major religions—Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism – support some form of the idea that each human person is the creation of some Divinity, has worth and value, and accordingly should be treated with a measure of dignity and respect (Oriend 2002).” Without morality, there will be no dignity and peace in the world. This morality must persuade humankind to enact world peace and harmony; this is the first step to implementing dignity and peace in the world.
On the other way, morality is possible to promote as human rights, if there is a good religious person, such as a good follower of Buddha or Christ. For example, the characteristic of good Buddha’s followers are having kindness, common sense, honesty, respecting elders and sincerity. This characteristic of the kindness is the same idea of human rights standards and norms. A religious institution and a good tradition practices in Asia did most of this kind of teaching. On the other hand, those practices are becoming very rare and deteriorating due to western capitalism being imported into Asia.
Social right
Donnelly says that “human rights arise from human action, and human rights specify a structure of social practices to achieve a particular realization of human potential” (Stammers, 1995). The social democratic approach shares the widespread view that human rights are, above all, moral rights (Stammers, 1995).
According to Rawl, his first principle is that “each person is to have an equal right to the most extensive total system of equal basic liberties compatible with a similar system of liberty of all.” The second principle deals with distributive justice. It holds that: “social and economic inequalities are to be arranged so that they are both: (a) to the greatest benefit of the least advantaged, consistent with the just savings principle, and (b) attached to offices and positions open to all under conditions of fair equality of opportunity” (Shestack 1998).
Moreover, Rawl’s principle of “social and economic inequalities”, we need to be seriously concerned about poor states, and the rich states have to bear the duty to balance the big gaps in development for the poor. Again this is a kind of obligation to rich states. In general, “a human right is violated when a duty-bearer fails to perform his correlative duty without just cause (Orend).”
Usually, it was seen that human rights stand for a weak people. Human rights protected and human rights activists tend to be seen on the side of the poor, minorities, lower classes, the underprivileged and the least strong person in term of power and wealth. (NHRI 53) said needing specialized human rights bodies to protect their interests are persons belonging to ethnic, linguistic and religious minorities, indigenous populations, non-nationals, migrants, immigrants, refugees, children, women, the poor and the disabled. Indeed, in general, these groups were faced oppression and victimized at the most.
In term of a philosophical point of view, human life is an art, and our future cannot always be fixed in a good position, because the world situation changes dramatically in terms of politics, culture and social changes every year. At the moment, you may be at the top or in the highest class but tomorrow you may be brought down to the least or lowest class. So, we have to accept the justification of this human rights protection and mechanism, to guard human beings in any circumstances at any level. That’s what you need to have balance, harmony, as well as human rights.
In my village tradition, when a group of us went fishing to gather with colleagues, we equally redistributed all which we caught in the end; even the one who didn’t catch any fish would receive an equal share. This is the custom and tradition that my villagers put into. This is an example of a collectivized based system. This is a good example of Asian values. However, it might be frustrating to someone who caught the most fishes but the system enabled the whole group to enjoy the benefits of his labor, so that no one went hunger. The negative point is that this system may make people not want to work hard and just rely on somebody else to do the work. In my view, we should given award to whom got the most in-order to maintain their incentive to work hard. In this way, we can encourage people to work efficiently, but, at the same time, we do not ignore the people who have nothing.
Contradiction of Asian Value
To be polite, smiling, greeting, courtesy, respecting the elderly and listening to elderly people are, in general, supposed to be Asian norms in terms of moral issues. According to some Asian leaders, Asian values place an emphasis on communitarianism rather than individualism. Sometimes Asian value was misled by just looking at the economic, particularly the Singapore city/state. Paradoxically, many of Singaporeans lost the right of freedom of expression. And Singapore has no system for redistributing wealth to the have-nots. It’s an argument, yes you can be material wealth for some limited time but on the other side, numbers of people are suffering and lack basic human rights.
Another case is Burma, where it is not possible to get detailed information of perpetrators and the victims of cases from the authorities. This clearly shows that the structure/system of governing is systematically failing. It is clear that human rights violations are happening.
Lack of human rights
Some Asian cultures have created worse standards of human liberty and dignity than others in their region. In some places, they still practice the cast system, kingship system, monarchy rule and misuse religious patterns. These have become bad aspects of Asian culture. Furthermore, in using this kind of culture system, particular Asian rulers benefit from it and make monopolistic governing institutions of power, such as a dictatorship, or militarization or communist systems.
In some parts of Asia, women are still under restriction and oppressed. According to the Confucian system, “Women should serve their husbands and parents-in-law. This even applies to one's kindly treatment of other relatives (younger wives, sister-in-laws, and so on), as well as of servants and even chickens and dogs.” Where women were traditionally considered merely servants, it is a challenge to advocate equal rights for women.
According to the international convention on Declaration on the Elimination of Violence against Women, Article 3: “women are entitled to the equal enjoyment and protection of all human rights and fundamental freedoms in the political, economic, social, cultural, civil or any other field.” This declaration guarantees to women the same rights as men have.
The problem in Asia is that neither the human rights institute nor the commission is able to fulfill human rights functioning and structuring. It is one of the obstacles. Firstly, many Asian countries are still undemocratic; being an autocratic system is the main issue. Secondly, there are some democratic countries, but it is still a flawed democracy and it is not effective, in term of judicial system, policing, and independent human rights institutions. There need a lot to be done to become a real authentic democracy or a full democratic system. Subsequently, many Asian countries have discouraged about their ability to uphold human rights. An autocratic or undemocratic system in Asia has led to a loss of human dignity, a dilemma like half baked bread as there is neither a western liberal system nor a good Asian traditional norm.
A just law
According to AHRC, Feb. ‘06, for any society to be governed by the rule of law required that it recognize the supremacy of the law and that all individuals are held equal before the law, state agencies and officials themselves must be held accountable to this law.
For example, in Burma, unchanging leadership is the systematic suppression of oppositional expression (Aryeh). Burma is precisely a place where this "harmony" is lacking. Actually, "Asian values" does not refer to an absolute, monolithic body of values. It is rooted in Buddhism. More importantly, it is the result of bitter, painful experience of life of over 50 years under military atrocities and mis-rule.
Promoting human rights in Asia
According to AHRC, here are some key aspects for promoting human rights in Asia: Enforcement mechanism will include proper policing, impartial prosecution, and an independent judiciary. Many Asian countries lack this proper policing, impartial prosecution, and an independent judiciary.
In Asia, ASEAN Human Rights Body is the only institution that represents states and a binding human rights treaty. At the 12th ASEAN Summit in Cebu, the Philippines, in January 2007, the Heads of State/Government of the 10 ASEAN Member States signed the ASEAN Declaration on the Protection and Promotion of the Rights of Migrant Workers. Although the ASEAN became a complete 10 member states in 1999, ASEAN is the only regional based formal institution in Asia. The ASEAN Charter was signed by the 10 Heads of State/Government during the 13th ASEAN Summit in Singapore on 20 November 2007. The Charter has now been fully ratified by all ASEAN Member States.
Article 14 of the ASEAN Charter stipulates the following:
“1. In conformity with the purposes and principles of the ASEAN Charter relating to the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms, ASEAN shall establish an ASEAN human rights body the ASEAN Charter as follows: “ADHERING to the principles of democracy, the rule of law and good governance, respect for and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms;”.
ASEAN Charter become forced to each member state party and became a formal regional mechanism and an institution. Although, ASEAN is a weak body and results in very little benefit. In fact, ASEAN is a formal regionally integrated institution. All the state members in ASEAN have responsibilities and have to follow the Charter. Through this ASEAN, a regional institution, can coordinate and conduct any regional issues. It is my hoped ASEAN will enable the region to become a strong in terms of future development and integration. Probably, ASEAN might be able to extend its activities to non-ASEAN members in Asia.
Conclusion
Both western and eastern cultures have human rights but the different how they are perceived and implemented. In the case of western democracies, they emphasized them on individual right and developed a systematic legal document, whilst in eastern cultures they emphasized them on a group, collective rights.
The skepticism in Asia is that they feel human rights are a tool used to encourage westernization of their own cultures. The view in Asia according to (Bauer & Bell) is that Liberal democracy is a specifically western value system alien to Asian culture and the western attempt to impose it on Asian countries must be denounced as cultural imperialism.
Asian people have historically preferred a collective system and a community based system. However, as part of the international economic system, capitalism has been forced into use around the world including in Asia, particularly in those Asian developed countries that are on their way to capitalism.
Therefore, here we need to make adjustments between regional based collective systems and the international economic system, state capitalism. This may involve a kind of modification of capitalism. It is possible to use capitalism to let regions continue their economic development, but the region rulers must adjust it to the local system and implement their own needs, such as redistributing the nation’s wealth into the grass roots level of the society where it is needed. It may be a kind of what Rawl calls social justice. Then, it will become a fair local collective system. Nobody will get suffer.
In my view, how to close the gap between the rich and the poor is a question that still needs to be discussed. In the end, this system can be called ‘neo-capitalism’ or a ‘modification of capitalism.’
The Global Digest editors Barry Welsh and Daniel Rhodes edited to this story.
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