Tamil Genocide in Sri Lanka Emerges Into Public View

UN urges war crime investigations; Warning- Genocidal death photos beyond graphic.

(SALEM, Ore.) - Our report on Sri Lanka's genocide of the Tamil people and war crimes against Liberation Tigers of Tamileelam (LTTE), came at a time when the wagons of the Sri Lankan government are tilting over on their sides. The response to that story has been almost overwhelming as evidenced by the associated comments. (see: World Ignores Genocide of Sri Lanka's Tamil Population)

The response tells us what we feared; that these events of wanton slaughter were on the verge of sliding out of sight forever. When the story was published, it soared to the top of the lineup on Google under Sri Lanka Genocide where it remains at the time of this writing.

It is time for other news agencies to increase the tempo with regard to genocidal events and bring them into world view. There is no other way. The images are horrific but they are real and moving and must be seen.

The brand new United Nations report is leading to serious issues for Sri Lanka, as detailed in the UN release in the sidebar below.

It carries with it a potential to reveal the truth about the Tamil people and their tragedy in seeking independence from the Sri Lankan government. Interestingly, and importantly, the Tamil people represent different nationalities and religions; they are diverse and not easily categorized. They have experienced grave suffering as a result of their ambitions to seek political independence in Sri Lanka since 1983, the year the 16-year long Civil War began.

(Note: This article contains images of human corpses in terrible states; likely something that most people have never seen. Rather than scrolling downward, if you want to avoid seeing the images referenced, simply go to the top of the story and hit the printer icon and the story will open without images.)

'Terrorists' and Genocide

The story of the Tamil Tigers LTTE may the most overblown in the usage of the word 'terrorism' ever, and that is really saying something.

This is used by the Israelis against the Palestinians they displace; the Americans describe Arab freedom fighters trying to repel an occupation that has claimed over a million civilians on their soil with this word; it is the term China uses when describing Muslim ethnic minority Uyghurs seeking equal rights, and the list goes on. It is high time we stop describing those who fight for human freedom; against military occupations that violate international law, with this ugly, branding word.

The UN report acknowledges this, if not in so many words, while also pointing to the fact that several contemporary issues in Sri Lanka, if left unaddressed, will deter effort towards genuine accountability and may undermine prospects for durable peace in consequence.

Regarding the images with this article, they came from Athirvu.com, which received photos of 134 persons killed in the final war. The purpose of publishing these photos is to help relatives identify the dead. The photos clearly show that some of them were shot in the head, likely execution style. Some photos show fire bombs used by GOSL.

The images of Tamil Tiger corpses being handled by government forces, the close up shots of of people who are clearly civilians who were shot in the head, bludgeoned to death, the government uniforms; these tell the story that no words can convey.

But the most disturbing scenes yet, (of course this point is debatable) are contained in a YouTube video. We are told these are the victims of female Tamil rape victims. It appears that they were sexually brutalized before being murdered and left lying on the ground without a shred of dignity.

This is beyond disturbing. These are the people who the government says died because they were 'human shields' which is the pat line these days when governments behind state sponsored terrorism are accused of murderous crimes against their own citizens. I don't know how a woman can be a shield for humans when she is being held down on the ground and raped.

The same day our report was published, Sri Lanka's president, Mahinda Rajapaksa, was booted from the Time Magazine Top 100 Poll.

Sri Lanka: UN rights chief urges further investigations into reports of war crimes

Released by UN 26 April 2011

High Commissioner for Human
Rights Navi Pillay

The United Nations human rights chief today urged further investigations into the conduct of the final stages of the conflict in Sri Lanka after a UN panel into those events found there were credible reports that both Government forces and Tamil rebels had committed war crimes.

Navi Pillay, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, said she hoped that the “disturbing new information” in the report of the three-member panel – which was released yesterday by Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon – “will shock the conscience of the international community into finally taking serious action.

“As the report itself says, addressing violations of international humanitarian or human rights law is not a matter of choice or policy; it is a duty under domestic and international law,” Ms. Pillay said, according to a press release issued by her office in Geneva.

The panel was set up to advise Mr. Ban on accountability issues relating to the final stages of the conflict, which ended in May 2009 when Government forces declared victory over the rebel Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE).

Thousands of people died during the conflict, which raged on and off for three decades, and the fighting ended with large numbers of internally displaced persons (IDPs), especially in the country’s north.

The panel found credible allegations of serious violations committed by the Government, including killing of civilians through widespread shelling and the denial of humanitarian assistance.

The credible allegations regarding the LTTE concerned numerous serious violations, including using civilians as a human buffer and killing civilians attempting to flee LTTE control.

The panel’s first recommendation is that the Sri Lankan Government should respond to the serious allegations by initiating an effective accountability process beginning with genuine investigations.

“The eyewitness accounts and credible information contained in this report demand a full, impartial, independent and transparent investigation,” Ms. Pillay said. “Unless there is a sea change in the Government’s response, which has so far been one of total denial and blanket impunity, a full-fledged international inquiry will clearly be needed.”

The High Commissioner noted that the panel found that the Lessons Learned and Reconciliation Commission convened by the Sri Lankan Government was deeply flawed and did not satisfy the joint commitment of President Mahinda Rajapaksa and Mr. Ban for an accountability process.

She urged the Government to implement a series of measures suggested by the panel, including: repealing the Emergency Regulations and modifying provisions of the Prevention of Terrorism Act; resolving outstanding cases of disappearances; and ensuring due process for the remaining LTTE detainees.

Ms. Pillay stressed that in the long term, “justice will be essential if there is to be true reconciliation after this terrible and divisive conflict.”

She added that she remains very concerned about the protection of witnesses and civil society activists, including journalists, in Sri Lanka, especially in the wake of “calls from certain elements for reprisals in light of the panel’s report.”

Mr. Ban announced yesterday that he is carefully reviewing the report’s conclusions and recommendations.

Speaking to reporters today after briefing Security Council members in a closed-door session, he said he hoped that the Sri Lankan Government would give the UN “a constructive response that points the way towards national reconciliation and peace.”

He stressed that the report was released “as a matter of transparency and accountability,” adding that he hoped UN Member States would study it closely.

The panel members were Marzuki Darusman of Indonesia (chair), Yasmin Sooka of South Africa and Steven Ratner of the United States. They began their work in September 2010.

Then more tables turned on the Sri Lankan president and government, when the U.N.-appointed panel found that allegations of war crimes committed by the Sri Lanka government and the Tamil Tigers during the final battles of their 27-year war are credible and could lead to formal charges if investigated.

The panel's report also criticized the U.N. for not revealing casualty figures at the time. Doing so, it said, "would have strengthened the call for protection of civilians."

"The Panel's determination of credible allegations reveals a very different version of the final stages of the war than that maintained to this day by the Givernment of Sri Lanka. The Givernment says it pursued a 'humanirarian rescue operation' with a policy of 'zero civilian casualties.' In stark contrast, the Panel found credible allegations, which if proven, indicate that a wide rage of serious violations of international humanitarian law and international human rights law was committed both by the Government of ri Lanka and the LTTE, some of which would amount to war crimes and crimes against himanity. Indeed, the conduct of the war represented a grave assault on the entire regume of international law designed to protedt individual dignity during both war and peace."

"Specifically the Panel found credible allegations associated with the final stages of the war. Between September 2008 and 19 May 2009, the Sri Lanka Army advanced its military campaign into the Vanni using large-scale and widespread shelling, causing large numbers of civilian deaths. This campaign constituted persecution of the population of the Vanni. Around 330,000 civilians were trapped into an ever decreasing area, fleeing the shelling but kept hostage by the LTTE. The Government sought to intimidate and silence the media and other critics of war through a variety of threats and actions, including the use of white vans to abduct and to make people disappear."

As in the case of Israel's 'Operation Cast Lead' against the civilian population of Gaza which happened in 2008 and 2009, the Sri Lanka's army shelled hospitals on the front lines.

The UN report states that, "All hospitals in the Vanni were hit by mortars and artillery, some of them were hit repeatedly, despite the fact that their locations were well-known to the Government".

Tens of thousands are said to have lost their lives from January to May 2009, many of whom the Panel says, died anonymously in the carnage of the final few days.

And there were other atrocities. Later in the report it is stated that: "The Government subjected victims and survivors of the conflict to further deprivation and suffering after they left the conflict zone. Screening for suspected LTTE took place without any transparency or external scrituny. Some of those who were separated were summarily executed, and some of the women may have been raped. Others disappeared, as recounted by their wives and relatives during the LLRC hearings. All IDP's were detained in closed camps. Massive overcrowding led to terrible conditions, breaching the basic and social and economic rights of the detainees, and many lives were lost unnecessarily. Some persons in the camps were interrogated and subjected to torture. Suspected LTTE were removed to other facilities, with no contact with the outside world, under conditions that made them vulnerable to further abuses."

Mahinda Rajapaksa

There are few secrets about Mahinda Rajapaksa, president of Sri Lanka. Media groups allege that press freedom was greatly reduced in Sri Lanka after Rajapaksa's became President. In 2008, Reporters Sans Frontières / 'Reporters Without Borders' (RSF) ranked Sri Lanka 165th among 173 countries in its annual Worldwide Press Freedom Index. Then the number squeaked to number 158.

"RSF’s 2010 Press Freedom Index has Sri Lanka at number 158, nearly tied with Saudi Arabia. This makes the rankings somewhat suspect. In Saudi Arabia, all newspapers are owned by the royal family or their associates. All TV and radio stations are government owned. Saudi journalists are forbidden by law to criticise the royal family or religious authorities and writers and bloggers are routinely arrested. Sri Lanka is obviously not this bad." - Indi Samarajiva, The Sunday Leader

WikiLeaks released secret US cables in 2009, stating that American diplomats including Patricia Butenis believe that Mahinda Rajapaksa was responsible for the massacre towards the end of the end of the war with the LTTE. It was relayed that the country's senior civilian and military leadership, including President Rajapaksa and his brothers and opposition candidate General Fonsek, are responsibile for many of the alleged crimes, which they deny.

Wikipedia explains that Rajapaksa was chosen by the Sri Lanka Freedom Party to run against former Prime Minister and Opposition Leader, Ranil Wickremasinghe, the leader of the United National Party, in the 2005 presidential election. Mahinda Rajapaksa gained a narrow victory, winning by 190,000 votes.

Many Tamil voters were forcibly restrained from voting, according to reports, and many did favor Ranil Wickremasignhe and his UNP party in the election. Rajapaksa won the election with 50.3% of the vote.

The complaints against this man and his politics are wide ranging, and they include corruption prior to the election, particularly through what became known as the Helping Hambantota case, and for having ordered the violence against civilians that puts him on a level where he can be compared with Hitler, Stalin and Pol Pot.

Wikipedia also relates the fact that the president of Sri Lanka probably never had any intention of finding real peace without a mass extermination of Tamil people.

"Although styling himself as a man of peace and a willing negotiator, Rajapaksa signaled his intention to end the peace process once in power by forging an alliance with the Sinhalese nationalist Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna and the Jathika Hela Urumaya. The JVP had opposed the original 2002 peace process as treasonous."

Comments from our readers about the Tamil Genocide:

Please visit www.pflt.org, the website of the 'People's Front of Liberation Tigers (PFLT-Uk), registered as another major political party in the UK.

Thanks a lot Tim. I thought no one in western world cares about my people (Tamils). You did!!! Thanks heaps. Please continue your remarkable service. Please don't be discouraged by Sinhalese racist comments. They think killing Tamils is an acceptable thing.

I am a Tamil from India. Sri Lankans are know for their diplomacy and have successfully kept this information out from the world for a long time. Every dog has its day though.

my lord...I can't watch these pictures. I knew something was going in this country. Never knew this was happening. How can a government kill their own people. Arrest all who are responsible. As someone else said why did our media ignored this issue ?. shame on them

Tim, I thank you from the bottom of my heart for writing this article. I am a medical student and a 2nd generation Tamil, and I have been involved in attempts to spread awareness about this genocide... however the progress is slow (as it must be for the Palestinians). When Tamils speak out on behalf of their own, they are often dismissed... so it is wonderful to see a non-Tamil shed light on the genocide. If our human rights and advocacy organizations can work with you to help raise more awareness, please let us know. Thanks!

Congratulations, Tim. You have really opened the Pandora’s Box that had been kept securely closed by the excellent management of information by the Sri Lankan Government (SLG).

The SLG had always taken a disingenuous approach of perpetrating deliberate misrepresentation of facts and floated on lies hoodwinking the world that the LTTE was the foremost Terrorist Organization in the world, blaming it for the countless killings and political assassinations which it actually was not involved. The SLG launched a well-orchestrated international propaganda campaign to convince the International Community that the Tamil struggle was nothing more than naked terrorism. Playing on the sensibilities and anxieties of western nations about global terrorism, Sri Lanka obtained global sympathy by propagating a view that she too was a victim of a similar phenomenon.

Tragedy is not erasable and the Tamil people today are and will forever be, traumatized by these events. Post Traumatic Stress Disorder is rampant in the population and the existing laws in Sri Lanka that openly discriminate against Tamil people are a joke, though anything but a laughing matter. The United Nations and High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay, appear to be on the verge of fulfilling their obligations as world leaders. From war criminal to Time Magazine top 100 poll, back to war criminal: Mahinda Rajapaksa needs to be arrested and tried in a war crime tribunal along with those who carried out his orders. The soldiers on the ground are far from innocent, but these matters begin with national leadership, or in this case, a distinct lack of it.

Tim King is a former U.S. Marine with twenty years of experience on the west coast as a television news producer, photojournalist, reporter and assignment editor. In addition to his role as a war correspondent, this Los Angeles native serves as Salem-News.com's Executive News Editor. Tim spent the winter of 2006/07 covering the war in Afghanistan, and he was in Iraq over the summer of 2008, reporting from the war while embedded with both the U.S. Army and the Marines. Tim holds numerous awards for reporting, photography, writing and editing, including the Oregon AP Award for Spot News Photographer of the Year (2004), first place Electronic Media Award in Spot News, Las Vegas, (1998), Oregon AP Cooperation Award (1991); and several others including the 2005 Red Cross Good Neighborhood Award for reporting. Tim has several years of experience in network affiliate news TV stations, having worked as a reporter and photographer at NBC, ABC and FOX stations in Arizona, Nevada and Oregon. You can send Tim an email at this address: newsroom@salem-news.com

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Comments Leave a comment on this story.

All comments and messages are approved by people and self promotional links or unacceptable comments are denied.

SILVA August 15, 2012 7:38 pm (Pacific time)

RAJAPAKAYA THE PRESIDENT ALLOWED THESE CRIMES AGAINST HUMANITY

Raj-Sri Lankan June 22, 2012 4:08 am (Pacific time)

Why dont you silent about US crimes against Iraq, Pakistan, Afghanisthan, Libya, Vietnam (earlier),..... Thats why this a joke. Poor Tim you cant talk about those think. If you do that, I beleive that you are an independant jurnalist.

Sanjay Anand, Australia June 12, 2012 3:54 pm (Pacific time)

The sickening morans who make degrading comments about these hapless victims are either sons or brothers of the murderous scavengers. These are one of the few images of the atrocities committed by the barbaric Srilankan regime. Oh my god I just can’t imagine how more than 40,000 [the real figure is much higher] Tamils were butchered in cold blood. Just imagine the pain, sufferings and the torture these victims have gone through. The blood thirsty Sinhala army have absolutely shown no mercy for these defenceless victims. Their only crime was being a tamil.

Even still after 3years the war has ended thousands of tamils including women, children and the elderly languishing in concentration camps behind barb wires, surrounded by the army and the paramilitaries. Daily there have been disappearances, rapes and all sort of things happening. Even the Nazi death camps had better facilities.

Srilanka’s Rajapaksa and Syria’s Asaad are both cold blooded murderers. These monsters have unleashed terror on their own people. They will do whatever means to remain in power. And what the UN has done so far is absolutely nothing. The secretary general Bi Ki moon is bloody useless; he got to be the worst in history. There is ample evidence for war crimes against humanity and still the UN hasn’t done a thing.

Even though it is heartbreaking to watch these images, but it is very important to expose the atrocities. Tim, please continue your great work. We all living in a civilised world but yet these dictators continue to live among us and brutally suppress their own people.

Sanjay Anand, Australia April 13, 2012 6:25 am (Pacific time)

Tim King, you have done a fantastic job by exposing the atrocities committed by the barbaric Srilankan army. The horrific treatment these girls endeavoured at the hands of the blood thirsty Sinhala army is beyond comprehension. Their only crime was being a Tamil. The hapless unarmed civilians were butchered in cold blood. Each day I pray for these victims that justice will be served and the murderers will rot in hell. The UN celebrates national women’s day each year. Who is going to give justice to these victims and bring the murderous Rajapaksa brothers to the international criminal court? Definitely not under the leadership of the toothless tiger Bi ki moon.

Supriyo Ghosh October 25, 2011 7:44 pm (Pacific time)

A nuremberg type trial should be held for Sree Lankan Government buthers

A Sri Lankan Sinhalese female June 17, 2011 2:19 am (Pacific time)

I'm so so sorry...and I know sorry doesn't help...I saw the video...on this site...and I just can't understand how people could do this...i know war is never pleasant...but the extent of the inhumanness is so disturbing...I'm so so sorry...

Editor: Thank you for writing, there are few who could understand this. I lament my own country's slaughter of Iraqi people and the endless support for Israel's military, etc. We are all just human beings, and sometimes some groups show their worst side.. The key is simply to stay human. Best to you.

Ruma June 15, 2011 10:35 pm (Pacific time)

funnyman April 27, 2011 7:20 pm (Pacific time) How could this page mention that Hon Minister Mahinda Wijesekera has been killed in the explosion when he is still alive??

Venkatesh June 5, 2011 2:20 am (Pacific time)

The day change VERY SOON tell to the world the SINGHLA RASSCAL EACH AND EVERY BODY THROWN INSIDE THE DEEP SEA

kumara May 13, 2011 6:21 am (Pacific time)

how many people killed the brabakaran. now not kill people. your faking petition

Mr. S May 10, 2011 2:35 am (Pacific time)

@Mr. M, pardon me, I think I inadvertently stole your ID while typing my reply. Not sure why my previous post is under the handle 'Anonymous' though...must just be a glitch in the software. Anyway, my work here is done. Tim's enduring silence to my question about those who suicide-bombed our women and children says it all. And bin Laden's death can't have come at a better time for us: we Sri Lankans felt the same joy after we killed Prabhakaran and his band of TERRORISTS two years ago. I hope you can understand at least now that it's not triumphalism but patriotism that fuelled our street parties that day. Have a good day, folks, cheers.

Mr. M May 6, 2011 1:50 pm (Pacific time)

Mr. S, I beg your pardon?. You have stolen my identity...I don't know how many identities you have stolen already haha...anyway apology accepted. Best wishes to Tim. And cheers to you Mr. S

Mr. S May 6, 2011 5:51 am (Pacific time)

Apologies. The comment under user name 'Anonymous' and the last one under 'Mr. M' were by me.

Mr. M. May May 4, 2011 5:08 am (Pacific time)

I don't think you can comprehend English very well if you read my comments, saw Tim's pathetic replies and still think that he's an impartial journalist. And if no one is bothering to reply to me, why did you just reply? You and your precious terrorists can keep screaming like spoilt brats in a sandpit. The FACT remains that we will never give anyone a separate state and we will kill whoever tries it again, just like you killed bin Laden after he attacked you. Cheers.

Mr. M May 3, 2011 11:40 am (Pacific time)

Hi Mr S, It was very nice to see your pointless comments and personal attacks on Mr. Tim. This is nothing new to the tamil community and even the world has began to realize that. Whenever there is a news against your country, then the writer is a rebel supporter and the people who write comments are also automatically presumed rebel supporters. As you may see, barely nobody is writing a reply for you, because it is just a waste of time. Your comments are pointless, irrational, full of hatred and assumptions. Then who is going to answer your questions, whether it is multiple choice, or yes or no. Who cares

Anonymous May 2, 2011 10:16 pm (Pacific time)

Tim, I beg your pardon? How did I suddenly change gender? Are you sure your info on me is correct? ;) Yes, I also just saw that the photo is fake. Certain sections of the media were running it over and over with glee, hence the confusion. They too have retracted it. I am not a military expert by any means, but the LTTE certainly did have a few tanks. One or two of those were captured from the Sri Lankan Army while a few more were acquired by the LTTE through other means and assembled in their jungle hideouts. Both the Sri Lankan Army and the LTTE had tanks of ex=Soviet origin. As for their shoddy excuse for a 'submarine', I have observed it first-hand and it was designed for two people, if I remember right. It seemed to have been meant for either a suicide attack or as a means for senior Tigers to escape trouble surreptitiously (though goodness knows how someone as obese as Prabhakaran could've fit in it). And you still need to answer my question: is it or is it not an ACT OF TERRORISM to send suicide bombers to attack unarmed civilians? Your response, please. Your silence on this issue is beginning to give me the impression that it's terrorism only when western or Tamil (non-Sinhala, in a nutshell) civilians are killed.

Mr S. May 2, 2011 5:22 am (Pacific time)

Romesh Perumal,

Thank you, I am quite enjoying making this gutter trash reject dance like this.

@Tim, buddy, the LTTE had T-56's, T-80's and even the same model of tank as the Sri Lanka Army! They raised $300 million a year through their global network. They weren't some Viet Cong-style peasants but a proper army. And you still haven't answered my question...all it takes is a simple yes or no. Tiger got your tongue, I see.

And oh no, that wasn't an insult, that was the truth. Your replies confirm it. And obviously the majority of your readers believe it. Just look at the comments here: 99% are by LTTE supporters who are worshipping you (Tamils have always worshipped white skin, so this not a surprise to us). We call your kind of fiction 'punakku'. Ask your Tamil friends what that word means...it has the same meaning in Sinhala as it does in Tamil.

Sri Lanka apart, here's something else for you to investigate:

http://i51.tinypic.com/kd7fv6.jpg

While I hope that terrorist really is dead, the above link is quite interesting. Over to you, Mr. Investigative Journalist (lol).

Tim King: The photos are already proven as fake Mrs S., we published them a few hours ago in Gordon Duff's article. Do you know very much about tanks? I like how you say they "even" have the same tank as the regular army. Such an equal playing field you seek to describe, but history tells us this is not the case. I've seen the captured LTTE hardware that was shown to Al Jazeera; the 'submarine'? LOL at this end too, believe me.

Romesh Perumal April 29, 2011 4:40 pm (Pacific time)

Mr S.. I applaud your responses to Tim King the so called journalist is rather a paid marketing consultant for LTTE terrorists(also sly move - posting pics of the so called dead 'Tamil' civilians when they are actually pics of dead SINHALESE killed by the LTTE in their village massacres.

Sri Lanka will never be divided....Not today, Not tomorrow..never ever. Keep trying to bring baseless war crimes charges against our president - Thats a pipe dream :)

April 29, 2011 1:43 pm (Pacific time)

But NATO/Obama invade Libya. Gadaffi, one of the lesser of the evils that NATO and the western world put into place, gets invaded..go figure. Can you say "resources"?? I knew you could..Can you say, gadaffi is not going along with the NWO/federal reserve bank, like what saddam did? I knew you could...invade libya for humanitarian reasons? please Mr obama/soretoro, or whatever your name is, view this article, then tell me with a straight face about humanitarian reasons... grrrr

Chandran.V April 29, 2011 5:24 am (Pacific time)

Hi, Tim,
Heartfelt thanks to you..
Truth will never die..

Mr. S April 30, 2011 9:18 pm (Pacific time)

Tim, why are you silent when I asked what you call a militant group that sends suicide bombers to target unarmed civilians? Tiger got your tongue, eh?

Tim King: Not at all. The side with the resources ha the hardcore weapons like jet fighters and guided rockets, and the poor resistance fighters have weapons that range from slingshots, to unguided rockets, to suicide bombs.

And I just noticed that you wrote that the Tamils were 'forcibly restrained' from voting at the election in which Rajapakse beat Wickremasinghe. That is correct, but you have conveniently omitted the FACT that it was Prabhakaran who restrained the Tamils from voting. Why? Because he knew Wickremasinghe would probably win if the Tamils voted, and W'singhe would've been a dove, thus scuppering Prabha's plans for war. Having a hawk like Rajapske suited Prabha's warlike agenda. Too bad for him he underestimated our president. The only one who sabotaged the peace process was Prabhakaran himself. Get your facts right, you poor gutter tabloid fiction writer.

Tim King: Right, a personal insult, that is about what I would expect. The vast majority of our readers believe we indeed have the facts right.

Romesh Perumal April 30, 2011 9:05 am (Pacific time)

Tim King - do you believe in fair and balanced reporting? Have you ever interviewed the family members of all the victims of LTTE brutality - tamils, sinhalese, muslims whom the overseas diaspora aka economic refugees have forgotten. It appears you are more a paid spokesman for the supporters of the LTTE ( an organization that has been banned in many countries including the US and the EU)than a journalist.

Tim King: I only work for humanity, and when it comes to tragedy I look at the numbers. In no way do I mean to downplay other deaths; those are your words not mine. Just remember that one man's terrorist is another man's freedom fighter. Your use of nomenclature in this respect has no weight with me. That is a label used by governments that practice state terrorism, and label others with the acts they themselves commit. All we need to know is that Mahinda Rajapaksa killed the peace process as soon as he entered office, that is the proof that no party can ever dispute.

Mr. S April 29, 2011 5:03 am (Pacific time)

Tim, Tim, Tim, I don't know what this mysterious 'news group' you are referring to is because not many of us have ever heard of you. I took a look at the previous reports you have done on this site about our so-called 'genocide' and guess what, quite a few of the photos of dead 'Tamil' civilians you're gleefully displaying are actually of dead SINHALESE who were butchered by the LTTE in their village massacres. And relax, I'm not blowing any cork. You're not the first two-dollar 'journalist' to accuse us of war crimes and you certainly won't be the last. It sounds like you're a weed-smoking ultra-liberal hippy. It is interesting that you mentioned us drawing inspiration from Israel. I personally believe that modern-day Israel is an artificial state created by the west to subjugate Arabs, but those guys know how to maintain a strong military tradition while surrounded by hostile forces. But unlike Israel, we didn't steal anyone's land. The whole of Sri Lanka is our land, no part of it is specially reserved for anyone. No single community has any right to carve out a mono-ethnic state, especially when they form less than 20% of the entire population. Most Tamils were shipped into Sri Lanka by the British colonials to pluck tobacco and tea (the Sinhalese flatly refused to be slaves to the white man, you see, so they had to ship in some cheap labour from India), while a few are descended from the invading south Indian armies who were kicked out by us centuries ago. Notice the theme here? You say the LTTE weren't terrorists? Then what do you call a militant group that sends suicide bombers to target unarmed civilians? I'd appreciate it if you could answer this question. The LTTE never represented Tamils. They forced the Tamil people to either accept them or get shot. If any Sri Lankan soldier committed any crime, they will be court-martialled and disciplined by us internally. And you may be surprised to know that Tamils actaully aren't systematically discriminated against in Sri Lanka. Sure there were a few problems 3 or 4 decades ago but it was never at the level that black people in the USA were subjected to. You people didn't even let blacks ride in the same bus as whites until the 60's! Today most schools teach Tamil to their Sinhalese students, and Sinhalese to Tamil students. I myself learned Tamil throughout primary school. We have several Tamil radio and TV stations. Hell, Tamils have more rights in Sri Lanka than they do in places like Malaysia. I understand why the Tamil diaspora is barking at us. They spent a lot of money over 3 decades trying to create a fantasy homeland but failed spectacularly. I'd be angry at the Sinhalese too if I spent 30 years of my wages funding a mere pipe dream. Good luck getting our president to The Hague. As you know very well, he has friends in very high places in China, Russia and India, and they all have separatist problems too and would hate to see a separate state pop up in Sri Lanka.

Mikan April 29, 2011 2:23 am (Pacific time)

Thanks for posting the true ! We are tamil peoples living in Srilanka as slaves ! under the genocidical government ! We need freedom !

Periya Palani April 29, 2011 1:20 am (Pacific time)

We(Tamils) are strongly believe that there are hidden forces behind Srilanka (especially India and China), that also should be accounted by International community.

Mr. S April 28, 2011 7:50 pm (Pacific time)

Mate, you don't write 'facts'. You're just another western mercenary with a pen who is paid to write sensationalist propaganda against my country, on behalf of a terrorist organization that is banned even in your country to boot. I only came across this article of yours in an online forum where a pro-LTTE rat had posted the link. I have never heard of Salem News before, so I don't know if this is a well-respected institution in Oregon or just some small town publication, but you are certainly making it look like some tabloid ragsheet. I notice that you are replying only to my comments, so I'm sure that I have got your attention.

You doubt that the LTTE were terrorists? Let me give you a quick summary of their history. Vellupillai Prabhakaran and a few close friends of his formed the Tamil New Tigers (TNT) in 1972. The TNT was just one of about 40 militant Tamil groups agitating for a separate state in Sri Lanka (the so-called 'Tamil Eelam' dreamland). In 1976, Prabhakaran changed its name to the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE). By 1986 or so, the LTTE was pretty much the ONLY Tamil separatist group left in Sri Lanka. What happened to the others? Here's what: a few were quickly finished off by the Sri Lankan military, a few more gave up violence and joined the democratic process (they are still there in our parliament) but the vast majority of these Tamil groups were eliminated by the LTTE themselves because they wished to be the SOLE representatives of the Sri Lankan Tamil people.

When President Rajapakse was elected in late 2005, he gave the LTTE every chance to re-start the peace process but Prabha would settle for nothing less than war, culminating in the failed suicide bombing of retired General FOnseka and the closure of the Mavil Aru sluice gates. Not only that, they would regularly send suicide bombers to target civilians in public transport and places of worship. If that isn't terrorism in its most vile form, I don't know what is. If anyone did that in the US, would you expect the White House to just sit there and idly watch? Please get your head out of your rear end and stop being so naive, buddy. Our govt was well within their rights to bring an end to Prabhakaran's madness. War is an ugly thing, so a few Tamil civilians may have been killed in the corssfire, especially since the heroic LTTE didn't have the guts to face our troops in open battle and instead went hiding behind old Tamil women and children who they forced at gunpoint to be their human shields. And since when was it a war crime to kill terrorists?

And since you're so worried about war crimes, why don't you investigate the war crimes your comrades in the American armed forces commit every day in Iraq and Afghanistan, or even the untold atrocities they committed in Kosovo, Vietnam, Laos, Korea, Latin America...the list goes on. How many civilians have you yourself killed on duty, Tim? You people say that you want to 'introduce democracy' to the world but anyone with half a brain knows that you invade countries at your whim to alter the geo-political balance to your favour. Thank goodness that the USA is weakening and the BRIC nations are rising.

We are not frightened of any UN report. This is not even a real UN report but just another 'expert panel' report that ends up on Ban Ki Moon's desk and then in his dustbin. Moon himself has admitted that he has no authority to order a probe, which begs the question as to why he even ordered the 'expert panel' report in the first place. Obviously it was just to make his wetsren paymasters and the Tamil diaspora shut up for a few days.

We took on and defeated a terrorist group that even your own FBI named the most fanatical in the world. A few biased journalists and diplomats with their big mouths don't scare us. Bring it.

Tim King: OK tough guy, you're getting ready to blow a cork because you thought the press had your back but the press is diverse and our news group is known for reports on genocide and atrocities, sadly, but importantly. We break the reports and that gives the other media the courage to often take the next important step. Find an example of my excusing US war crimes. And you're out of luck, all of my time in combat was spent shooting people with a camera and that is all. This story is not 'personal' nor was it ever intended to be. It is not an overall indictment of Sinhalese; and all who are guilty are the same when it comes to these crimes against humanity regardless of where they are from, including the US and the UK. I have to say you sound like your are taking lessons from Israel; impunity is not a lasting position and while the reality may be that it will go in the SG's desk drawer, it may not. And I'm sick of this 'terrorist' BS, you aren't getting anywhere with that one. These people sought independence and they were crushed and subjected to merciless illegal punishment. Your president is a war criminal parading.

Saj April 28, 2011 6:10 pm (Pacific time)

How many civilians you americans killed in Vietnam, Iraq etc? Where were the war crimes reports there? All the dead bodies you see here are tiger combatants. To die for their cause was their ethos - that is what they wore a suicide capsule as a symbol around their necks. And they didn't take prisoners. Remember you must walk a mile in another man's shoes to understand them. Look at the crimes the trigers committed before you judge.

Tim King: Well Saj, isn't just about the place you are born? When one side shows humanity it encourages a like response. When this happens to a culture of people, the violence may continue forever because people don't easily forget. I have been looking into this and I am not having a problem understanding why the Tamil people sought independence. Americans, we are revolutionaries... I don't endorse violence on either side. I abhor war crimes committed by my countrymen and I criticize them and I do write about it, but there is nothing in the world that compares to what happened in Sri Lanka, not a chance. Pray for peace, reconcile, hand war criminals over to world courts.

Romesh Perumal April 28, 2011 11:16 am (Pacific time)

Tim, I am sure the terrorist supporters will make you a honorary member for all the misleading information you publish. I am still baffled as to how dead terrorists = war crimes? Does that mean the the coalition forces are also guilty of war crimes since they are battling insurgents in Irag, Afghanistan etc. Perhaps these countries that hold poor countries to one standard and the rich to another should lead by example by indicting themseleves for war crimes. The Sri lankan people are at PEACE without the miserable LTTE terrorist and we dont care what the west says. The west has no leverage over Sri lanka whether you like it or not.

Justine April 28, 2011 10:26 am (Pacific time)

Tamils cannot rest until the devil Rajapakse and his brother are hung in public till death. We also should bring the other perperators to the front line. Indian govt. has a long hand in this genenocide and they too have to be punished. The chinese too have to pay war damages to the Tamils for colloborating with the Sinhala govt. The Japanese massacared the Hans in WW2 and the chinese still are waiting for the Japanese to say sorry.

Mr. S April 28, 2011 8:34 am (Pacific time)

Hi, Tim. Firstly, I must say it was nice of you to publish my first comment. You pro-LTTE fiction writers...oops I mean journalists (lol) normally don't publish any negative comments on your sites so it was a pleasant surprise to see mine up here. Thanks for that. However, why you think my initials contain S is a mystery to me, but hey, I'll just go with it. You ARE paid for making stuff up, after all.

Secondly, I'm writing frankly now to say thanks for wasting the money of the pro-LTTE Tamils in America. No matter how much they pay you to write this BS about my country, we will NEVER give them Tamil Eelam. Read up the history of Sri Lanka from an UNBIASED source (and no, I don't mean the delusional rantings of your Tamil friends, the British media or even the Mahavamsa) and you will realize that our history can basically be summarized as a series of foreign invasions which were eventually routed by the Sinhalese. We were a majority Sinhala Buddhist country 2000 years ago, and we will remain so for another 2000 years and more. Deal with it. Sri Lanka is the oldest country in the world within her current borders and guess what, buddy, we're gonna keep it that way no matter what the cost.

I guess you're also bitter that our small nation, which you'd never heard of until a few years ago, has managed to eliminate terrorism while the over-hyped military of your own country has barely won a single war since 1945. That must be quite embarrassing.

I know you can see my IP address; I could've hidden behind a proxy, but I'm not like the LTTE to go hiding from anyone. And oh, your incompetent government's puppets in the UN can take my contact details and stuff it where the sun don't shine.

Good luck to your buddies in Iraq, Afghanistan and Libya. You're gonna need it. It isn't a surprise to see that there are more PMC personnel in Iraq and Afghanistan than there are American troops. No wonder you guys send your officers to Sri Lanka for military training now.

We will never let anyone divide our country. Your braying only entertains us.

Tim King: I just write the facts.

Bobby April 28, 2011 8:27 am (Pacific time)

Reply to A Tamil April 28, 2011 7:05 am You are not Tamil either !! You are a sad Sinhalese Racist. Sinhalese men like you have become blind , foregoing all sense of justice and fairness your fellow Sri Lankans Tim King is a very good human being with kind heart and this is more important .

A Tamil April 28, 2011 7:05 am (Pacific time)

Thanks a lot, white master Tim. As a reward for this fine piece of fiction, I offer you the finest skill of We Tamils: I will scrub your commode spotless! First one's free!

Tim King: You are no Tamil, but I'll bet the UN Panel would like your contact information Mr. S.

S. Kandiah April 28, 2011 3:48 am (Pacific time)

Words are inadequate to express what Tamils feel, so I have to do with a simple 'Thank you'. It is heartening to see that there are people like yourself who care about the truth and care about others, in a world where some want the Tamils to simply 'forget what happened and move on'. Would they do so, if their brothers, sisters, mothers, fathers, sons and daughters had been similarly brutalised? Once again, thank you.

Tamil April 28, 2011 1:45 am (Pacific time)

Dear Tim King of the Salem-news.com Thank you, thank you, thank you for your dedication to the truth and high journalistic standards !!

Sivananasuntharam April 28, 2011 1:42 am (Pacific time)

Thank you all for bringing tamil genocide to limelight. It should be the begining of a new era of peacefol settlements to suffering ethnic issues all over the world. Proceed...

Murali April 28, 2011 12:16 am (Pacific time)

Great Job Tim, for reporting the TRUTH !

Victim Tamil April 27, 2011 11:11 pm (Pacific time)

The SriLanka state terrorism torture and terrorize innocent tamils including children, pregnant women, and even senior citizens last sixty years with the protection of regional super powers. Specially the regional super power India blindly support and protect SriLanka state terrorism. The neutral democratic civilied western powers are hesitating to go aganist wishes of India to help innocent voiceless tamils in SriLanka. But only this time came to light because due to their internal conflict between Rajapaksas and Fonsekas.

ram April 27, 2011 9:59 pm (Pacific time)

thanks to you.. Mahinda Rajapaksa should be punished..

PATRICIAN-MANMATHAN April 27, 2011 9:30 pm (Pacific time)

RECONCILIATION AFTER =UN INVESTIGATION 4 LEASDERS PLEASE UNITE ESJAY-RUDRAKUMAR-SAMPANTHAN AND 3 RAJAPAKSAS

PATRICIAN-MANMATHAN April 27, 2011 9:28 pm (Pacific time)

RECONCILIATION AFTER -INVESTIGATION ON ALL4 COUNTS OF ARMY,5 COUNTS OF TAMIL-TIGERS AND 2 COUNTS OF THEUN ESJAY-RUDRAKUMAR AND RAJ-SAMPANTHAR UNITE NOW OR PLEASE STEP DOWN I WILL TAKE OVER WITH EDIRWEERASINGHAM MANMATAHN 07956-620-069

Romesh Perumal April 27, 2011 9:21 pm (Pacific time)

How are pictures of terrorist casualties = war crimes? The democratically elected government of sri lanka conducted a war against terror. The terrorist group (LTTE) lost which resulted in a number of casualties. The LTTE has been labelled as the most ruthless terrorist group. I am not sure how terrorist casualties are war crimes. Then the western countries that invaded Iraq, afghanistan etc are all war criminals. They should be tried first since they are the examples of what every other person/country needs to aspire to be.

Peace April 27, 2011 9:10 pm (Pacific time)

TO all caring Tamils: Mr. Tim has produced a well-researched article to bring out the TRUTH. Please do your part/duty: - Be a voice for the voiceless in Sri Lanka • Work for a credible independent investigation of the conduct of the war • Work for Accountability for all who are missing • Work for the dignity of Tamils • Work for the political rights of the Tamils • Work for a free press in Sri Lanka • Share our insights and experience to make a better world

Victim Tamil April 27, 2011 8:22 pm (Pacific time)

The SriLanka state terrorism is torturing innocent tamils including children, pregnant women, and even senior citizens last sixty years with the protection of regional super powers. Specially the regional super power India blindly support and protect SriLanka state terrorism. The neutral democratic civilied western powers are hesitating to go aganist wishes of India to help innocent voiceless tamils in SriLanka. But only this time came to light because due to their internal conflict between Rajapaksas and Fonsekas.

funnyman April 27, 2011 7:20 pm (Pacific time)

"The story of the Tamil Tigers LTTE may the most overblown in the usage of the word 'terrorism' ever, and that is really saying something." Hahaha oh really? The panel itself had things like this to say about these champions of human rights and the "sole representatives of Tamils" (all of which has been conveniently omitted from this hack job of an article): 177. The Panel’s account of the allegations associated with the final stages of the war also reveals six core categories of potential serious violations committed by the LTTE: (a) Using civilians as a human buffer. Despite the grave dangers and terrible conditions in the conflict zone, the LTTE refused civilians permission to leave, using them as hostages and at times using their presence as a strategic human buffer between themselves and the advancing SLA. Civilians were increasingly sacrificed as dispensable “cannon fodder” while the LTTE fought to protect its senior leadership. The LTTE’s refusal to allow civilians to leave the area added significantly to the total death toll in the conflict. (b) Killing civilians attempting to flee LTTE control. From February 2009 onwards, the LTTE instituted a policy of shooting civilians who attempted to escape the conflict zone, significantly adding to the death toll in the final stages of the war. It positioned cadre along points where civilians were trying to escape and shot at groups of men, women and children whom in their desperation were prepared to wade through the lagoon or cross minefields to try to reach Government-controlled areas. Some drowned in the panic as they tried to escape the shooting. (c) Using military equipment in the proximity of civilians. The LTTE fired artillery from the NFZs, in proximity to IDP populations, and fired from or stored military equipment near IDPs or civilian installations such as hospitals. They did this even though they knew that it would provoke a response from the SLA and that any retaliating artillery would cause harm to civilians. Sometimes they fired from among civilians before quickly moving away, leaving the civilians on the receiving end of the return fire. (d) Forced recruitment of children. The LTTE operated a policy of forced recruitment throughout the war, but in the final stages greatly intensified its recruitment of people of all ages, including children as young as fourteen. It recruited more than one child per family and beat relatives who tried to resist, in a desperate attempt to prevent their children from being carried away from them to an almost certain death. This policy was enforced with great cruelty and regardless of the hopeless military situation of the LTTE. (e) Forced labour. The LTTE forced civilians to bolster their defence lines through digging trenches and other emplacements used for its own defences, thereby contributing to blurring the distinction between combatants and civilians. It thereby exposed civilians to additional harm from shelling. (f) Killing of civilians through suicide attacks. During the final stages of the war, the LTTE continued its policy of suicide attacks outside the conflict zone. Even though its ability to perpetrate such attacks was diminished compared to previous phases of the conflict, it perpetrated a number of attacks outside the conflict zone, including a suicide bombing at a screening centre in Mullaittivu on 9 February 2009, in which around 30 people died, and a suicide attack killing Minister Mahinda Wijesekera at Akuressa on 10 March 2009, killing around 15 people. But I suppose the panel just got those bits wrong. Yeah, funny that.

LankaLiar April 27, 2011 5:50 pm (Pacific time)

An evil island poulated with animals

mandy April 27, 2011 3:28 pm (Pacific time)

Thank you Tim for alerting the world genocide of Tamils. Time to arrest Mahinda.

Sivan Sivam April 27, 2011 5:02 pm (Pacific time)

If Sri Lankan government forces are RIGHT then UN must be WRONG?

Joe Gudino April 27, 2011 4:49 pm (Pacific time)

Nuke SriLanka and Singahal people now.

ravindran April 27, 2011 4:06 pm (Pacific time)

@madayan, as your username implies, you are ignorant and just falsely accuse everyone. I don't think that will work for ever, now that the truth is slowly coming out.

Ravindran April 27, 2011 4:04 pm (Pacific time)

This is too graphic. I can't imagine the mentality of those who did these atrocities.

David Moore April 27, 2011 3:28 pm (Pacific time)

OMG. UN should bring these people to justice. How come the human world allowed this to happen in the first place? It is unbeleivable.

mandy April 27, 2011 3:27 pm (Pacific time)

Thank you Tim for alerting the world genocide of Tamils. Time to arrest Mahinda.

Raj April 27, 2011 2:12 pm (Pacific time)

Tim, thank you for having the courage to tell this story! I am so sick of reading AP and reuter articles that gloss over the atrocities committed against the Tamils.

Velu Balendran April 27, 2011 1:43 pm (Pacific time)

Any human being reading your article and not experiencing a stir in their soul is no human at all. Thanks Tim.

Ramy Siva April 27, 2011 12:59 pm (Pacific time)

Mr Tim Thanks a lot for bringing out the Tamils genocide to the world. Keep up the good work

Sam W April 27, 2011 12:32 pm (Pacific time)

Srilanka North and East is Freeland .. If you are Srilankan Army.. you can do any things.. Nobody ask for that ... NO media.. No one know... Atleast UN open his/her eye little bit.. does not work with Srilankan current government.. any ways .. who is gulity should be punish by the justice thanks for UN and media s

Nathan April 27, 2011 12:15 pm (Pacific time)

Tim, You are a great human being. God bless you. Keep up your excellent work.

Sri April 27, 2011 12:07 pm (Pacific time)

It's a shame and a disgrace that Russia and China would want to block a full invstigation. After all Sri Lanka has a bad record of pogroms and holocaust before. Do Russia and China not stand up for human rights and humnitarian rights of people everywhere. As UN member countries don't they wish to know the truth,the whole truth and nothing but the truth?

madayan April 27, 2011 12:03 pm (Pacific time)

LOL, Salem "news" singing for its supper. How's the ad revenue? Any more 'donations' from the LTTE coffers lately?

David Hikoshike April 27, 2011 11:03 am (Pacific time)

Excellent report Mr Tim. Sri Lankan family run Goverment is absolutely behind this war crime and genocide. If the so called human rights defender countries don"t bring the perpetrators to justice, there is noway they can talk about it in any means. Thanks Tim again

dishan silva April 27, 2011 10:39 am (Pacific time)

this video is even horrible.. what they are saying in the background proves how animal these guys are...

'the body is still warm, lets f*** it?' one says...

http://www.lankanewsweb.com/news/EN_2011_04_26_005.html

Rajash April 27, 2011 9:26 am (Pacific time)

Mahinda Rajapakse is removed from Times top 100
see
http://www.time.com/time/specials/packages/completelist/0,29569,2066367,00.html

shaun April 27, 2011 9:20 am (Pacific time)

Thank You for showing the world , the worst human right abused committed by Srilankan government in the 20th century.

G Kannan April 27, 2011 8:28 am (Pacific time)

God bless you Tim. 100 millions Tamils of the world are highly indebted to you. Guilty should be punished. Justice to massacred Tamil civilians is the sacred duty of mankind.

Muthamizh Vendhan April 27, 2011 6:22 am (Pacific time)

Mr Tim. THANKS TO EXPOSE MORE NEWS ABOUT SRILANKAN GENOCIDE AGAINST TAMILS

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Tamil Genocide in Sri Lanka Emerges Into Public View

'Terrorists' and Genocide

Sri Lanka: UN rights chief urges further investigations into reports of war crimes

Mahinda Rajapaksa

Rape and sexual violence

Comments from our readers about the Tamil Genocide:

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