Ambassador Robert Blake’s Remarks for the Opening of the Military Law Exchange Program:
Galadari Hotel, Colombo
August 13, 2008
Major General
I am honored to be here with representatives from the Ministries of Foreign Affairs, Defense, Justice, and Higher Education to mark the opening of the U.S.-Sri Lanka Military Law Exchange Program. I would like to thank particularly the Service Commanders and the Inspector General of Police for supporting this Exchange Program.
I would also like to recognize and thank my colleagues from U.S. Pacific Command Staff Judge Advocate’s Office and the Galadari Hotel for their hard work in organizing this conference.
In 2007, the Pacific Command's Staff Judge Advocate’s Office, in partnership with the American Embassy in Colombo, hosted a similar program with the Sri Lanka Ministry of Defense to exchange ideas on ways to improve transparency, accountability, and human rights within the military justice system. Together we developed follow-on activities to further enhance Sri Lanka’s military justice institutions and promote accountability in the military. This seminar is one such activity.
Ladies and gentlemen, the United States, like Sri Lanka, is engaged in a sustained struggle against terrorism. We recognize that the people of Sri Lanka continue to face the threat of terrorism from the Tamil Tigers.
The United States has been a steadfast supporter of Sri Lanka’s efforts to defend itself from the murderous activities of the LTTE. With the benefit of US radars and training, the Sri Lankan Navy has enjoyed impressive successes in interdicting and destroying LTTE arms shipments.
The United States also has arrested and prosecuted many individuals over the last two years for attempting to illegally supply weapons to the Tamil Tigers. We also took steps to prevent the Tamil Rehabilitation Organization from serving as a conduit for terrorist supplies and funding. All these are actions that we have taken to help the government fight terrorism and we will continue those.
While every sovereign nation must defend its people, history has shown that it is very difficult to defeat a terrorist insurgency by military means alone. Whatever space can be opened up militarily, there also needs to be space opened up politically for a political solution. We have urged the Government to articulate its vision and a plan that tell people on the island what kind of future they can live in, and how power will be shared among the communities.
Such a plan can give Sinhalese, Muslims and Tamils assurance that they will enjoy a future of hope, respect and dignity with full and equal rights. People need to see and understand the future prospects for autonomy within a united Sri Lanka.
An important part of ensuring that future of hope and opportunity and facilitating a process of national reconciliation is ensuring respect for human rights. This is particularly important for the men and women of the armed services who represent the Government and the people of their country.
In battle, soldiers everywhere may occasionally act outside the law. What is important is that there are laws and institutions set up to investigate and respond appropriately to such transgressions in a manner that is transparent to the country’s citizens. The successful empowerment of such institutions and the full implementation of such laws are measures of a strong and well-regulated military and a strong and healthy democracy.
The United States has been a strong advocate for human rights in Sri Lanka. We have expressed our concerns about significant human rights problems such as forced disappearances, extra-judicial killings, child soldiers and challenges to media freedom.
Just as we hold ourselves to uphold the highest democratic standards, we expect democratic friends like Sri Lanka to live up to those same democratic ideals.
As the warriors of a democratic society and government, you, like we, have an obligation to protect human rights, hold people accountable for past abuses, and shield the population from any further abuses. We are committed to work with the Government and civil society to help achieve that goal.
Over the next three days, this seminar will build on our shared experience from previous seminars. Last year we focused on military justice, detainee treatment and rules of engagement. This year, we will move from the philosophy of military justice to a practical discussion of the nuts and bolts of providing for military justice, including the process of reporting and investigating human rights abuses. This year we will also discuss the law of the sea and coastal state jurisdiction, as the Sri Lankan participants of last year’s seminar requested.
I am encouraged by the increasing complexity and practical nature of the discussions taking place, which I hope will help the Sri Lankan military uphold the highest standards of military conduct. I wish all of you successful deliberations in this important seminar.
Thank you.
END:
T4J COMMENTS;
The ambassador has forgotten the basic premise of the US judicial system of the defendant or arrested party are "innocent" until proven guilty. Even if the defendant may be found guilty by a prejudiced, biased and some times racist or dioscriminating judge who might suffer from paranoia of the word "Terrorism", the guilty verdict could be easily over turned in higher courts if the defendants so chose, and have the ability to spend a million dollars on legal fees, with some compitent criminal attorney or some "ambulance chaser" attorney, or Clarion Bird who are now notorious among the Tamils of the likes of BRUTUS ..........., and Judas Iscariots/Ettapans.
The US judicial system is such that defending an innocent citizen or resident becomes "Cost Prohibitive" when the attorneys charge $500 per hour, to read, write, listen, talk, and appear in criminal courts or negotiate for a plea bargain deal with the District Attorney or US Attorney (Federal), considering the defendant would have already spent a minimum of 3-4 years in jail while defending his innocence or some infringement of draconian laws on Terrorism because of the fear of the US with the middle east politics and Moslem war fare which has no bearing at the tiny island of Sri Lankan and the emerging new nation of Tamil Eelam, which has the best natural harbor in the world, Oil and Gas, mineral sands and the 200 mile economic zone extending into the Indian ocean on the 3 sides of the boundaries of a small country.
With 66 % of the marine borders the emerging nation possesses and the 200 mile economic zone into the Indian ocean, the land mass, millions of Tamils, Muslims and Sinhalese in one province, and the Tamil diaspora, totaling nearly a million Tamils, the new Nation of Tamil Eelam which also has natural resources such as Oil, Gas, mineral sands, Ports, New Airports, maritime rights, and one of the best geographical locations, just 20 miles from India, close proximity to Bangla Desh and Burma in the Bay of Bengal, 4 days sailing time to the middle East, and 5 hours lying time, making it one of the top 50 nations in the 192 member United Nations. ( Take a look at the nations that are competing in the Olympics, and Tamils have a better chance in winning Olympic medals than half of those countries that are now participating, including putting a great cricket team like the worlds best bowler ever being a Tamil.)
The theory of the Island is too small to divide is nothing more than "Balder Dash" or Horse Shit.
Without imposing trade and diplomatic sanctions, the United States still continues to covertly and overtly support the dictatorial, undemocratic, Tamil installed President who was fraudulently "crowned" as the President who has unlimited powers unmatched in the 192 nations other than a few despotic dictators. US sanctions could only assist in improving the blatant Human Rights violations record the current presidency has the dubious distinction of boasting with a 33 % inflation, Child Sex Tourism, being the Gay Capital of the world, and 500,00 children being used for child prostitution (under 18 ), (Both young children of both sexes), pornography, massage parlors, child labor including domestic servants and armed forces.
US has turned a Nelsonian Eye to such violations, as some Americans also are enjoying such pleasures and possible privileges enjoyed by US citizens as tourist, and investors, or officials of the GOSL.
Sri Lanka will easily qualify as a STATE TERRORIST if there are such a unbiased list made by the EU, UN or USA. One of the few nations which has been killing, kidnapping, abducting, torturing, raping, and arbitrarily arresting it's own minority citizens on a daily basis, including a daily dose of aerial bombing, shelling and machine gunning the Tamils. There is also an embargo of food, fuel, medicine, and building material in the Northern Province where a Tamil has to spend 10 rupees on an aspirin which is readily available in Colombo at 25 cents. A bag of cement is 9,000 rupees, where as in Colombo it is 700 rupees. Just imagine the percentage increase the Tamils are forced to pay, and the 3 years of suffering of the Tamils which still continues without any hope, but despair.
Having said all above, Tamil charities and Non Profit Associations in the diaspora should get rid of their old habits of bribery, corruption, family bandyism, incompetency, dishonesty, secretive, hypocrisy, and political chicanery. the officials who are under Federal investigations in USA, Canada, EU, and UK should resign their positions, and also control of the Tamil Net which was founded by the great Tamil journalist Sivaram who was later assassinated with the help of Tamil quisling groups, and GOSL under President Chandrika Bandaranayke and Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapakse's administration. The body was found in the high security zone a few hundred yards from the Parliament, after being abducted in a "White Van", in front of Bambalapitiya Police station around 8 PM.
More details would be released by the Tamils For Justice unless attorney Bruce Fein and these Tamils do not cooperate with the demands of thousands of Tamils in the name of "common decency" and transparency that is required when handling public funds of the Tamils.
Donald Jayantha Gnanakone
Founder - Tamils For Justice.
Tamilsforjustice.org
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