Question raised on truth of Navi Pillay statement (Tamil Net)
UN Human Rights chief Ms Navanetham Pillay, in a press interview in Colombo towards the end of her recent visit to the island, has said that no one she had met there used the word genocide. TamilNet comes to know that there were specific instances in which responsible civil society members meeting her had told her about genocide in the island, using the very word genocide in English.
Ms Navi Pillay held her civil society meetings under ‘Chatham House’ rules. In Vanni she told people that they could whisper in her ear. Has she misused such conditions to suppress what had actually been told to her, in order to shield an imperial design that accommodates genocide by the Agent State? Why should she hide the fact that the island Tamils in deed spoke to her on genocide, asks the civil society in the island.
Ms. Navi Pillay gave an exclusive interview to Easwaran Rutnam, the editor of Colombo Gazzette, on 31 August.
“The Tamil Diaspora tends to often raise the issue that there is genocide taking place in Sri Lanka. During your visit have you seen something to that effect or is it an exaggeration,” asked Mr Rutnam.
Navi Pillay replied: “Well nobody used that word to me; not in authorities or civil society. Genocide is particularly a legal word. I [inaudible] people since I was judge on the genocide tribunal to say that there has to be proof of an intent to destroy in whole or in part a nation, a group. This is what happened in Rwanda. That is a clear case of genocide. However it’s not for me to judge. It’s only after proper investigations the judges, based on the evidence, can conclude whether and what crimes were committed.”
At least two respectable civil society members who met Navi Pillay have told her in clear terms that what had taken place was genocide and what is taking place after the war in 2009 is structural genocide committed on the nation of Eezham Tamils, TamilNet learns this week from first hand sources in the island.
If the former international judge, who has investigated Rwanda and has found it a clear case of genocide, now as the UN human rights chief chooses to suppress even submissions on genocide by Eezham Tamils in the island, then that itself is a matter for investigation, commented civil society circles in the island.
Washington and New Delhi that architected the war and the aftermath in the island do not concede that the Sinhala State has committed genocide and is committing structural genocide.
The upper layer of Tamils being pro-imperial is the obstacle to the Tamil struggle for liberation and self-determination, Tamil political analysts say.
If Ms Navi Pillay thinks that genocide in the island has to be proved through proper investigations why shouldn’t she call for it now itself, rather than waiting for the end results to ‘prove’ irrefutable, but then irredeemable genocide, ask civil society circles.
Ms Navi Pillay's predecessor Ms Louise Arbour went as the chief of the International Crisis Group (ICG), after her tenure in the UN. The ICG, under her leadership was in the forefront in denying the genocide committed on Eezham Tamils. At a later stage, when world public criticism was mounting on, the ICG came out with a similar statement like that of the present statement of Ms Navi Pillay that genocide has to be proved by legal means as though it is somebody else's job and not of their concern.
TN
