eohr@link.com.eg

March 6, 2012

Dr. Yahia el Gamal, Honor President, EOHR, Cairo

Dear President,

I refer to the Egypt's Permanent Representative to the UN, Mr. Hisham Badr's recent address at the Human Rights Council's 19th session and he said 'Egypt has floated a plan at the UN Human Rights Council to resolve the Syrian crisis and stop bloodshed', while expressing his deepest concern over the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Syria.

I have profound respect for the Egyptian ambassador for seizing the opportunity to tell the council and the international community that Syrian impunity is unjustifiable and all those responsible for committing atrocities by killing their own people must be held accountable and no amount of explanation could justify another day of carnage in Syria.

Paradoxically, the most disturbing and the least enigmatic, is the statement of Mr. Badr, as the chief of Non-Aligned Movement and outside the council, he reportedly has pledged to support the Sri Lankan government if any resolution against the country is moved at the Human Rights Council on March 23, 2012.

Nearly three years since the Sri Lankan conflict ended, the Sri Lankan resolution is not even about the international investigations on the alleged war crimes committed by the Sri Lankans, as outlined by the UN's own expert panel report.

Today, the lives of Tamil minorities today in the North and East provinces are controlled by a military rule and the residents are reportedly living under the jackboot of an occupation army. The Governors of North and East provinces are ex-military officers alleged with war crimes charges and the military, civilian ratio is reportedly 1 to 10 in the areas. According to the Sri Lankan government's census report taken between 2008 and 2010, there are still 146,679 people unaccounted for since the war ended in May 2009.

The International Crisis Group recently released a report on Sri Lankan women's insecurity in the North and East, stating that 'the heavily militarised and centralised control of the north and east -with almost exclusively male, Sinhalese security forces - raises perticular problems for women there in terms of safety, sense of security and ability to access assistance. They have little control over their lives and no reliable institutions to turn to'. The group blamed the international community for failing to appreciate and respond effectively to the challenges faced by Tamil women and girls and called for a concerted and immediate action from the international governments to take steps to protect them.

Sri Lanka: Women’s Insecurity in the North and East

http://www.crisisgro...h-and-east.aspx

The military of Sri Lanka is All-Sinhalese, motivated by genocidal perceptions, and it has acquired proportions pervading diplomacy to economy. This is the very reason why Sri Lanka has been unable to contain its ethnic pograms, as it escalated from mob violence, massive refugee exodus to an all-out military rule today with minorities being psycologically conditioned by the system.

The long history of Sri Lankan ethnic violences is nothing new to the United Nations or the international community.

Failure and inexcusable delays on the part of the member nations of Human Rights Council to have a credible investigation into Sri Lanka's often violent and tortured history, must be viewed vis-a-vis the other repressive regimes killing their own people indiscriminately. The brutalities against innocent civilians we see today are growing more and more violent and finding amicable solutions are becoming ever more gridlocked for institutions like the United Nations.

Tamil National Alliance Leader Mr Sampanthan (Majority party in the North and East of Sri Lanka, which represents Tamils) said in his letter to UNHRC members-

"We are convinced that a speedy resolution of the ethnic issue through a negotiated settlement with the government on granting the North and East access to powers of governance is necessary to reverse these trends. Despite many government commitments at the talks not being honoured, we have patiently and responsibly engaged the government in a series of bilateral talks in this regard since January 2011. We were also very disappointed when the government irresponsibly and unilaterally withdrew from these bilateral talks in January 2012. We remain committed to the evolution of a reasonable, workable and durable political solution within an undivided, united country".

"We observe that at the upcoming 19th Session of the Human Rights Council in Geneva, a Resolution will be tabled that will declare that the government of Sri Lanka has not yet done enough to implement the recommendations of the LLRC, and will comprehensively address the issue of accountability. You are aware that the Sri Lankan government has consistently failed to abide by its commitments and to implement recommendations made by Commissions appointed by the government. This Resolution will provide an opportunity for the fulfillment of the commitments repeatedly made by the government of Sri Lanka, and now contained in the recommendations of the LLRC, and thereby for the realization of the legitimate aspirations of the Tamil people". TNA Leader.

http://www.tamilcana...om/article/6224

The UN panel of experts MARZUKI DARUSMAN, STEVEN RATNER and YASMIN SOOKA who are appointed by UN secretary general Ban Ki Moon has written the following in their recent article in New York Times.

"Given Sri Lanka’s unwillingness to take concrete steps, the best way to get to the truth is for the council to create an independent investigative body to determine the facts and identify those responsible, as we recommended in our report".

http://www.nytimes.c...y-war.html?_r=2

In my opinion, the Egyptian ambassador's statement about Syria at the council and the statement as the NAM chief outside the council depict two sets of different standards for humanity for different parts of the world.

Therefore, I invite your excellency's conscience, to urge the Egypt's ambassador to voice for the eluding peace and dignity for the Sri Lankan minority population and to invest his capacity at the Human Rights Council to make the world more safer and stronger.

Thank you very much for your kind attention.

Respectfully,

அகூதா, குவீன் இருவரின் தொடர் முயற்சிகளுக்கு நன்றிகள். இவற்றிலும் எனது பங்களிப்பு நிச்சயம் உண்டு.

Please encourage writing...

South African Deputy Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Marius Fransman, expressed similar concerns over double-standards adopted by certain countries. He noted that "The partiality in which some international bodies are perceived to respond to situation of human rights abuses in different parts of the world is also problematic. Some countries continue to enjoy the protection by certain Western powers even whilst gross human rights violations against their own neighbours is continuing.

It is the responsibility of the UNHRC to ensure that this type of selective application of the definition of human rights is being stopped." South Africa is a country that is in a position to give moral leadership to other countries on account of its remarkable transition from governance based on Apartheid to democracy with practices of truth telling, repentance and amnesty taking a prominent place.

However, it is also significant that while appreciating the positive recommendations made by the LLRC and other post-war developments, South Africa urged Sri Lanka to act decisively with regard to ongoing investigations on accountability.

http://www.island.lk/index.php?page_cat=article-details&page=article-details&code_title=46753

Office of the Deputy Minster Marius L Deputy Minister Mr M L Fransman Tel: 012 351 0150 Istainz@dirco.gov.za

Director: Mr. K . Pedro Pedrok@dirco.gov.za

Office of the Director General Director General Ambassador J M Matjila Tel: 012 351 0204 dgdfa@dirco.gov.za