Seeing is believing

There is no gainsaying the fact that protecting human rights is of utmost importance and it is the duty of one and all to do their best to protect human rights. Various international organisations have mushroomed at different levels, claiming that their sole aim is to protect human rights due to the global importance of protecting human rights.

The principal body among them is the human rights wing of the United Nations. The United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) was set up on March 15, 2006 by the General Assembly of the United Nations by adopting a resolution to replace the previous UN Commission on Human Rghts.

The official website of the UNHRC says that the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) represents the world's commitment to the universal ideals of human dignity. It also says that the UNHRC has a "unique mandate from the international community to promote and protect all human rights".

According to the OHCHR, it has a mandate to promote and protect human rights for all and that the "OHCHR leads global human rights efforts and speaks out objectively in the face of human rights violations worldwide". Its official website also claims that the OHCHR provides a forum for identifying, highlighting and developing responses to "today's human rights challenges", and acts as the principal focal point of human rights research, education, public information, and advocacy activities in the United Nations system.

These facts came into focus with the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navanethem Pillay's visit to Sri Lanka. She eventually made a long overdue visit following the Government's invitation. Pillay had been invited to Sri Lanka a couple of years ago but she postponed her visit for a variety of reasons.

During her week-long stay in Sri Lanka, Pillay met relatives of people who are alleged to have disappeared during the final stage of the humanitarian operation. It is an open secret that LTTE sympathisers and certain INGOs had a hand in it as they had done in the past, projecting the number of deaths and casualties of terrorists as those of civilians. They highlighted the so-called human rights violations of LTTE terrorists who had waged a war against the legitimate army of a sovereign State.

In contrast, the number of civilians and soldiers killed or disappeared during this period is nearly five times more. When the number of civilians killed or abducted by the LTTE is added, the figure is ten times more than the number of disappearances the LTTE cohorts are harping on. Barely anybody had shown any interest in the human rights of those killed or maimed by the Tigers though there are enough and more godfathers of human rights to speak on behalf of the Tiger terrorists who had been killed.

Nearly 5,000 Security Forces and police personnel are believed to have been abducted and 'disappeared' during the 30-year terror unleashed by the LTTE. Recent investigations by Defence Intelligence Units have revealed that these soldiers and policemen had been subjected to extreme torture.

LTTE cadres in custody had confessed that the abducted forces personnel and civilians were subjected to slavery, torture and systematically killed by LTTE terrorists at intervals.

Although the LTTE cohorts and a section of the Tamil Diaspora are harping on losses incurred by the LTTE, none of them even uttered a word on the terror perpetrated on the Security Forces personnel and civilians apart from the human rights violations.

The LTTE had indulged in abductions, kidnappings, torture and acts against hapless people since 1972 until this ruthless terrorist outfit was crushed militarily in May, 2009. The Tigers intensified the abduction of security forces personnel from 1981 and thereafter abductions and kidnappings became the order of the day until 2008.

It is on record that 3,484 security forces personnel, 1,189 policemen and 1,175 civilians had 'disappeared' at the hands of LTTE terrorists. This is in addition to the abduction and conscription of 609 Tamils into terrorist ranks.

Some hardcore LTTE cadres, now in custody, who are respondents in a case in the Vavuniya High Court, confessed that 26 Army personnel abducted by the LTTE had been interrogated, denied food for several days, shot and burnt on tyre pyres by the LTTE after their bodies were sprayed with kerosene.

It is common knowledge that the LTTE had held hapless civilians as a human shield, subjecting their own community to untold misery. There had been many instances where the Tigers had shot civilians who had attempted to escape from that human shield. But lo and behold, nobody came to the rescue of civilians until President Mahinda Rajapaksa ordered the Security Forces to liberate them from the jaws of death.

The million-dollar question is where were those godfathers of human rights at the time? Did a single human rights watchdog even utter a word of comfort on behalf of those helpless civilians who had been forcibly held by the Tigers as a human shield against the advancing Security Forces? Regrettably, the UNHRC and Pillay seemed to be in the land of nod. There was a deafening silence on those grave human rights violations by LTTE terrorists.

When the Security Forces, having liberated over half a million people by sacrificing their life and limb and ushered in peace for all communities to live in harmony, the godfathers of human rights have emerged from nowhere to pontificate to Sri Lanka on the human rights of LTTE terrorists killed in action. It's baffling that they are more concerned over the human rights of Tiger terrorists killed in action than those of civilians.

In the event the UNHRC had been sincere in exercising its mandate to protect human rights, it would have definitely played a key role in protecting civilians in the North and the East and helped prevent them being used as a human shield. If the UNHRC acted in keeping with its sterling principles, the sufferings of the people in the North and the East would have reduced considerably. Sadly, they turned a Nelsonian eye and permitted the LTTE to inflict hell on thousands of civilians who were eventually rescued by the Security Forces despite heavy artillery fire from the Tigers.

If one were to make a careful study of Pillay's sweeping statements during the humanitarian operation, it is evident that precious little had been done to relieve the people's sufferings in the North. On the other hand, some of her controversial statements seemed to be an inspiration to the Tigers.

Perhaps, this would have been due to the fact that Pillay was not aware of the true ground situation in Sri Lanka. Else, she could have been ill-informed on the latest developments in Sri Lanka at that stage. One couldn't also rule out the possibility that the international community, including Pillay, could have been misled by the false propaganda of the LTTE and its supporters.

The UNHRC or INGOs which are now making a big hue and cry over human rights should first and foremost talk about the human rights of hundreds and thousands of civilians who had been either killed, maimed or lost their loved ones rather than gloating over the human rights of LTTE terrorists killed in action.

Is it appropriate for Pillay to tell the Government under which ministry the Police Department should come? This is purely a matter for the President and the Government to decide.Before trying to meddle in internal matters of a sovereign state, Pillay must probe the massive human rights violations in Afghanistan by the US-led NATO forces. The UNHRC should not act as a toothless tiger against the flagrant human rights violations by the US-led NATO forces. Certain Western countries which pontificate to us on human rights must first clear the garbage in their own backyards before pointing an accusing finger on countries which do not dance to their tune.

It is earnestly hoped that the UNHRC chief, having got a clear picture on Sri Lanka, would change her mind even at this late stage. She must make an in-depth study of genuine cases rather than swallowing lock, stock and barrel all the concocted stories that have been dished out by local NGO goons and the LTTE rump. More importantly, she must take serious note of the circumstances which led Sri Lanka to embark on that great humanitarian mission. Now that Pillay has spoken to all concerned, she should get a clear perspective of Sri Lanka.