In his recently published book ‘The Cage’ former United Nations spokesman Gordon Weiss is critical of the UN and points to evidence of the government of Sri Lanka committing war crimes.
As the UN spokesperson in Sri Lanka during the conflict, he experienced first-hand how the UN was unable to fulfill its duties. RNW asked him about the role of the UN and the lack of accountability in Sri Lanka.
Could you give a brief account of what happened with the UN in the last phase of the war?
As the last phase of the war gathered pace, and as air attacks began on the nominal capital of the Tamil Tigers (Kilinochchi) in 2008, the government warned the UN that it should pull its staff out of the north. There were government air strikes and those came dangerously close to UN positions in Kilinochchi. Our staff were spending time hiding in bomb shelters. They were unable to effectively carry out their duties, which were largely to distribute humanitarian aid. So the UN complied with the government request and pulled out. From that point onwards there was effectively no international independent presence inside the northern region, except for the International Red Cross. They have a history of not talking about the things that they see when they’re working behind the lines. But the UN was certainly no longer there and no longer capable of making judgements on what was going on. Thereafter it had to rely on the government, and the government alone for access to Tamil areas to deliver humanitarian aid. Whether the UN ought to have stayed, despite the attacks is a moot point and something that an accountability investigation needs to answer rather than me.
In the last part of the war, did the UN fail?
My position on this is that simply by virtue of the number of people alleged to have been killed and the fact that the UN was on the ground, you have to look at it and say ‘well, something went wrong’. Now to what degree it was a UN failure or not, is a matter of debate. I think the UN could have done more, it ought to have done more. But of course the ultimate responsibility for this rests with the warring parties, not with the UN.
Is the UN accountable?
I think the UN has to be accountable for the way that it managed its operations in Sri Lanka and for the stand that it took in various instances. Was it correct for them to pull out their humanitarian operation in September 2008, when they were warned to do so by the government? Was it right for them not to take on the government of Sri Lanka publicly about its use of heavy weaponry? Was it right or wrong of the UN not to have said anything about the attacks on medical points and hospitals, which we also knew was going on? So there are many questions that are still open. The UN has promised an investigation into what happened and into its own role. We have yet to see whether the Secretary General is going to make good on that promise.
In Sri Lanka there has not only been a war with the Tamil minority, but also within the Sinhalese population. Is there justice in Sri Lanka for any of the victims?
I think that’s part of the problem. What happened in 2009 in the final stages of the Tamil-Sinhalese war was predictable, because there had been such large bouts of violence unleashed against people in Sri Lanka by the government in previous administrations. So there’s a history of it and there’s also a history of a lack of accountability. Almost nobody has done jail time for the crimes that were committed in 1971 and in the uprising in 1987-1990 when tens of thousands of Sinhalese were killed. So there is a long and very profound history of a lack of accountability, a lack of rule of law and a lack of justice for crimes that were committed in the name of the state.
Do you some Tamils will pick up arms again?
During riots in 1983 the killing of Tamils is what really led to this insurgency. So the killing of tens of
thousands more, if that many were killed and I think that’s true, I hardly think that that is going to cure the Tamil grievance. If I were a Tamil I would feel very gloomy about the prospects of any real future in Sri Lanka. But I think any sort of armed uprising is very futile and I doubt if that is considered by anyone with their head screwed on.
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There is no doubt in my mind that European Courts are one of the best in the world for independence judiciary and the Dutch court will deliver the verdict based on the facts that were presented to them.
Lawyers must provide full details of the Tamils' struggle for equality, justice, rule of law, R2P and human rights since independence from the British. Prior to colonial rulers Tamils had their own kingdom. As the Tamil leaders during the independence period were too cozy with the Sinhala leaders and living among Sinhala in Colombo, they opted for a united country and failed to request the British for the Tamil homeland. Thus, the Tamil leaders have betrayed the Tamils by trusting DS Senanayake and others who promised that the Tamils will be treated equally. It is very clear that Mohd Jinna of Pakistan, a great leader has achieved by requesting for a separate Pakistan from the British. Former Tamil leaders' incoorect decision, trusting the Sinhala who had racist inner motive of Sinhala nationalism, paved the way for Tamils' bloodshed and sufferings at the hands of the Sinhala Apartheid Buddhist hooligans and regime.
The politics in India will change. Like Jeyalalithaa, one day India will have a strong and vibrant Hindu nationalist leader in power, then it will become time for the Sinhala to receive the pain and the sufferings; The Sinhala must not forget that Rajiv Gandhi has ordered the Indian Air Force planes fly over Tamils areas in support of the Tamils struggle that made Sinhala hooligans and their racist forces like chickens. No solution to the ethnic crisis or Sinhala Buddhist Apartheid mindset means more bloodshed and sufferings to the orinary people - Tamils and the Sinhala. What you do, will come back to you - Lord Buddha
LTTE killing fields
http://youtu.be/JMIags81F6I
http://youtu.be/sc5W_D9CJdY
http://youtu.be/RH-VQUk8BNI
http://youtu.be/3-p08ZFj33g
LTTE killing fields
http://youtu.be/JMIags81F6I
http://youtu.be/sc5W_D9CJdY
http://youtu.be/RH-VQUk8BNI
http://youtu.be/3-p08ZFj33g
LTTE chasedout Sinhalese and Muslims from North before 1983...
LTTE killed Rajiv Gandhi
http://youtu.be/JMIags81F6I
War crimes investigations required immediately. Like Sudan or East Timor referendum must be held immediately.
Weiss was an embarassment to the UN and now that he has been cut free is singing for his breakfast anyway he can. Hard to belief someone as irrelevant today can still manage to get an interview, unless the journalist looking for his comments are just as irrelevant and looking for a buck. Hey that sounds like Channel 4 too me. Interesting connection with all this.
for more than 40,000 people died in the recent fights.still no international investigation or intervention. when compared to Libian regime,srilankan government is far worse.
it seems like "no oil no justice"
there should be an international investigation into this matter to bring the culprits to justice.srilankan government is incapable or unwilling to investigate this matter.not a single a person is prosecuted for the 1958,1980,1977 and 1983 riots against tamils. US and European initiative should be welcomed.
why can't they have a referendum to decide whether tamils want an indipendent or not. the way they had election in south sudan.this is democratic way of soving this problem.
Crimes were commited by many. Starting from Portugese, Dutch and British during their illegal occupation of Sri Lanka.Then since independance many atricities were commited during several race riots and JVP rebellions in 1971 and 1989.IPKF(Indian Peace Keeping Force)were also responsible for many crimes including Jaffna Hospital massacre.So the list is never ending and it is impossible to targed just one period or episode.Just ignoring other incidences is a grave injustice to the innocent people who died.Why just be selective in asking for a probe on the last stage of war against tigers.This expalins the true agenda behind the investigation calls.No country ever asked India to investigate IPKF atrocities and India will ask them to fly a kite.
Nothern issue is a Sri Lankan problem affecting the whole country.A referandum must include every citizen of Sri Lanka.Full stop.
there should be an international investigation into this matter to bring the culprits to justice.srilankan government is incapable or unwilling to investigate this matter.not a single a person is prosecuted for the 1958,1980,1977 and 1983 riots against tamils. US and European initiative should be welcomed.
why can't they have a referendum to decide whether tamils want an indipendent or not. the way they had election in south sudan.this is democratic way of soving this problem.
miss gordon you spike by your as ,hay man are you know the our culcher & histery ?are you know the meny tamils came from where?wich cuntry?man ,if you hasn't knolge,you should have to larnts befor toke abut my cuntr poblam, IF REALY CONCERN ABAUT TAMILS!!!!!YOU MHOUST ASK YOUR COUNTRY PRESIDENT TO GEVE PART OF YOUR COUNTRY??SO YOU CAN DO IT. you lieing in chanal 4 vidio!!!! what you think abut in IRAQ,PAKISTAN,AFGINISTAN,LIBEYA?NATO & US KELED & KELING inacents civil populations thosse countys!!! I DON'T BILIVE, UN ,AI,IRC,CG,C4.BBC.CNN.ALSI...........THOSS gental PIG WORKING FOR MANY !!!!they don't care inacant civilans !!!!!. in my country SRI LANKA we know how the resfect hiuman raihts even your country and eu, us.we resfect tamil minoraty but i never agry with them (LTTE)what thay demand .US,EU,your country never resfect then in SRI LANKA for minoraty. in UN office bein meny sampatisam LTTE as navanadan pillay ,nambiyar,.......... .......... ......... for may or oter risans,they don't toke IRAQ,LEBAYA,PAKISTAN,AFGANISTAN,keling inacant civilans by NATO,US.
where tamils came from? u need history lesson and as u know very well tamils didnt come from a whore and lion. all u need now English education. i am sure u can use the money paied to u writing comments on the net by GOsl to get a good english teacher.
by the way U shoud be happy that tamils let sinhalese asses to live in Our country.which happend to taken over by Cross breeds like u.
Assume if Mahathma Ghandhi come out of his grave and says Sinhalese Gov did something wrong too in this conflict.Then immediately a member of SL ruling family would declare that M Ghandhi is bribed by LTTE or part of LTTE, then the sadest part is 90% of Sinhalese would just believe it whole heartedly. I sincerely hope this statement would help some Sinhalese who have some brains to open up their mind.
Gordon Weiss is telling lies. SL govt found all UN staff having a inordinate relationship with LTTE and most of them were in their pay roll. Govt of SL found this and asked them to leave and if they were there SL would have been commercial venture for UN/ICRC and NGOs. Since this president came to power they got rid of all these tricksters and we won the war by not allowing the west to encourage the SL Govt to have ceasefire when LTTE were trapped.
Accountability is the most important thing whether it be an individuals actions or a governments responce to war and if everything committed was just and right there need be no fear in being accountable. That being said Sri Lanka is as the name says not a Sinhalese country, not a Tamil country not a Burger country, not a Musiilm country it is a country for all Sri Lankans and all indivuduals regardless of language or religion should be treated equally. There is no use in talking and blaming for actions of the past, Terrorism acts have been commited on the part of the LTTE & the GOSL is the past. We have to move forward and peace and equality is the only way for a happy future for our children and the generations beyond.
The europeans starting from the Portugese then Dutch & finally the Britishers colonised Srilanka to steal our riches,the Britishers used the divide & rule law to divide the Sinhalese & the Tamils,which was the root cause of the ethnic conflict in Srilanka,I dont trust these white skinned men including this man Gorden Weisse,he is a persona non grata in Srilanka,& is currently promoting his book to earn some money,now that most of the european economies are in dire straits,they will need to look towards asian countries which are gaining progress rapidly.
The europeans starting from the Portugese then Dutch & finally the Britishers colonised Srilanka to steal our riches,the Britishers used the divide & rule law to divide the Sinhalese & the Tamils,which was the root cause of the ethnic conflict in Srilanka,I dont trust these white skinned men including this man Gorden Weisse,he is a persona non grata in Srilanka,& is currently promoting his book to earn some money,now that most of the european economies are in dire straits,they will need to look towards asian countries which are gaining progress rapidly.
The europeans starting from the Portugese then Dutch & finally the Britishers colonised Srilanka to steal our riches,the Britishers used the divide & rule law to divide the Sinhalese & the Tamils,which was the root cause of the ethnic conflict in Srilanka,I dont trust these white skinned men including this man Gorden Weisse,he is a persona non grata in Srilanka,& is currently promoting his book to earn some money,now that most of the european economies are in dire straits,they will need to look towards asian countries which are gaining progress rapidly.
Our defence secretary made it clear that no hospital should operate withing LTTE controlled are. How can any one blame the Sri Lankan government for shelling the hospitals in LTTE area. LTTE are terrorist.
Lot of people died because LTTE were using them as human shild. Sri Lanka government has no choice but to bomb civilians because LTTe were hiding among them. Sri Lanka is a Sinhalese country and the Tamils can not claim that we are bad for them. We did not kill all the Tamuils, but only those among the LTTE. We only killed LTTE terrorist. Who can blame us for that.
Gorden Weiss is right in one point, he says that “There were government air strikes and those came dangerously close to UN positions in Kilinochchi”. Yes, ThamilChelvam’s hide out which bombed by SL Air Force was next to UN office in Kilinochchi.
It is a common fact, Not only for UN but also for others, “its dangerous to live with terrorists”
Gorden Weiss is right in one point, he says that “There were government air strikes and those came dangerously close to UN positions in Kilinochchi”. Yes, ThamilChelvam’s hide out which bombed by SL Air Force was next to UN office in Kilinochchi.
It is a common fact, Not only for UN but also for others, “its dangerous to live with terrorists”
These white(this is in no way an insult & not meant to the many right thinking Gentlemen!!!) skinned pundits thinks that what ever they utter is accepted as the gospel truth by all not realizing that they are exposing their nakedness.If they are so concerned for the Tamils,WHY DID THEY SIMPLY KEPT SILENCE WHEN LTTE DRAGGED ALL TAMIL CIVILIANS WITH THEM AS A CANNON FODDER???UN staffe not only finaced LTTE but their staff aided and abotted in many ways and some were caught carrying bombs in UN official vehicles.Also when LTTE kept some of UN staff under detention, neithr they did inform Sri Lanka Police nor the Govt.
Weis has got caught with his pants down by trying give false information in his book, probably because he was bribed by LTTE.
These UN people kept dead silent when innocent Sinhales, Muslims as well as Tamils civilians,Young Buddhist priests,Infant chidren,Buddhist devotees at Anuradhapura,Muslim preying in Mosques,Hindu priests and many Tamil Politicians were brutally massacred with bombs,landmines,expolsives etc.But No Catholics or Christaian Priests were killed,WHY???.
The truth is, none can escape RETRIBUTION.
This is very truthful article. Hats off to Mr. Weiss. At least, now the world community has opened their eyes after so many atrocities have made to the minority Tamil civilians by the state thugs and the criminal rulers.
After all these carnage how can be Tamils live with these heartless inhuman Shingalese majority people. There is only way to have a referendum in Tamil area by the UN and make a decision whether to live with these inhuman or separate.
First, come with your real name,I didn`t bcse you didin`t had the guts.Second, it is common knowledge that you were the boot-lickers of the britsh during the colonial period and for that you were rewarded with top government jobs over the HELA PEOPLE WHO WAS ALSO AT THAT TIME WERE THE MAJOTITY but lived with self dignity whereas to you ,you-all sold your souls to the BRITISH for comforts and a place in the society above the majority.But with the Independance , all this changed to the disadvantage of the bootlickers,so you lost PRESTIGE. Now is that not the truth the whole and nothing but the truth??? By the way we are not singalese or singala. BUT TRUE TO LAST DROP OF BLOOD ;WE ARE HELA:
There are enough and more Tamils who live with these 'heartless inhuman' Sinhalese in the South and other parts of the island, and are carrying on their lives in a totally normal manner. Even the annual 'vel' festival has been resumed in Colombo. So what's this guy griping about?
How come 55% of Tamils living among Sinhalese in areas other than north. They own land,Houses, business, and educate their children as well.Will they all go back to north then after a referandum? I guess Tamils are already planning to go back in a hurry to their promised land.Wake up you racist lunatic!
He was brainwashed by the LTTE and he believes that. Is he still on the LTTE Payroll ?
leave aside his lack of knowledge about how the war between the Tamils and Sinhalese started, for that he has to go to the Bandaranayaka regime time but he was there in the battle field when the UN forgot the responsibilities. that is what he is talking about and that is what is important to us.
UN staff could not do their work which is "HELP LTTE to separate Sri Lanka" This is what this guy is telling here. UN is famous to do this, and how many time they have done this? Does UN help governments, democracy. No evidence to that. Does UN help Terrorists, just think a bit, 98% UN help goes to anti government / anti democracy. People will realize this slowly, but surely
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