Stephen Rapp dodges question on international investigations

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 08 January 2014, 11:57 GMT]
The visiting US Ambassador for Global Criminal Justice Stephen Rapp, who met Tamil civil society representatives in Jaffna on Wednesday, was dodging proper response on calling for international investigations at the forthcoming Human Rights Council session to be held in Geneva in March. The top US diplomat was seen advocating a slightly stronger version of resolution than the one in last year at the forthcoming UN Human Rights Council sessions in Geneva. He was citing impracticality, as some permanent members at the UN Security Council would save the Sri Lankan State. The civil representatives in Jaffna urged him to at least propose a political solution in the next resolution that is being drafted by the USA.

In the meantime, Uthayan Daily published in Jaffna flashed a news item citing the national list parliamentarian of the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) Mr MA Sumanthiran that Mr Rapp had assured the TNA on the USA calling for international investigations in the resolution to be placed at the UN Human Rights Council this March. Mr Rapp met Maavai Senathirajah and MA Sumanthiran Tuesday night for two hours.

The civil society representatives in Jaffna questioned the veracity of the claim by Mr MA Sumanthiran in the report filed by Uthayan as Rapp was clearly advocating for something else than what was reported in Uthayan.

Since a very strong resolution would find it difficult to win the support from member states, especially from the permanent members of the security council, it was only advisable to think along the lines of a slightly stronger resolution than the previous one, Mr Rapp told the civil society in Jaffna.

Responding, the civil society representatives urged the visiting US diplomat to propose a framework on a political solution in the resolution.

The Sri Lankan State was earlier buying time and space to complete the structural genocide on the nation of Eezham Tamils, the members of the civil society told the visiting US official.

Commenting to TamilNet, the civil society members said that the SL State was only accelerating its genocidal grip on the nation of Eezham Tamils, after very visit by foreign officials, who seem to be preoccupied with geopolitical bargains than delivering justice to the nation victimized and being victimized by genocide.

A record of the last one-year would show the extent of structural genocide committed on Eezham Tamils, irreversibly annihilating their nation and territoriality, using the time given by the UNHRC. The genocidal partners are just waiting for further progress in the structural genocide so that soon they could wash their hands off, citing new ground realities, as they now cite excuses. The visits of the officials and politicians of the USA, UK and New Delhi foretelling furtherance of genocide is invariably the past experience of Eezham Tamils, commented Tamil activists for alternative politics in the island, calling for exploring creative ways in forcing the culprits to come to senses.

Mr Rapp was scheduled to meet with the chief minister of the Northern Provincial Council and the Bishop of Jaffna after his meeting with the civil society representatives.

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