British Foreign Secretary comments on 60th Anniversary of Sri Lanka’s independence
British Foreign Secretary (Foreign Minister), David Miliband, commented yesterday on the 60th Anniversary of Sri Lanka’s independence.
[Foreign Secretary David Miliband-file pic]
He said:
‘The 60th anniversary of Sri Lankan independence is a time to reflect on the health and welfare of the nation and its people as it moves forward in the 21st century. The cycle of violence in Sri Lanka has worsened in recent weeks. Civilian lives have been lost from all communities and regions of Sri Lanka. The end of the formal 2002 cease-fire agreement does not remove the obligation of all parties to the conflict to protect civilian life.
‘I wholeheartedly condemn these attacks upon civilians and those responsible. My thoughts and condolences are with the victims of the attacks, and their families. I call for an immediate end to practices which target civilians or put them in peril. I urge all in Sri Lanka to take steps to safeguard the civilian population and find ways to reduce the violence.
‘Violence can never provide an answer to Sri Lanka’s problems. People in Sri Lanka need to find space to realise their many similarities, rather than becoming further polarised by their differences. A sustainable solution to Sri Lanka’s conflict can only emerge through a just political process involving all communities.’
Devinda Fernando said,
February 7, 2008 @ 10:55 am
*** The 60th anniversary of Sri Lankan independence is a time to reflect on the health and welfare of the nation and its people as it moves forward in the 21st century. ***
Words fail to capture the Irony of his statement.
The British are the people who share the majority of blame for this mess on so many levels,… and to this day they continue to Pontificate and Preach to Sri Lanka about her affairs. They simply need to Shut the F**K up and leave us to deal with our own affairs. They invaded our country, robbed us of our culture, desicrated our religions, stole our wealth and played divide and conquer… Now they sit there living off the Friuts of their Savage Militaristic Former Empire dictating ‘Morality’ to their former colonies. What Nerve these people have?
ealan said,
February 7, 2008 @ 12:44 pm
Well said! Who bothers about civilians anyway
dayan jayatilleka said,
February 7, 2008 @ 1:49 pm
Can violence ever provide an answer to Iraq’s or Afghanistan’s problems? I ask this because I’m a little confused , since the UK is conducting violent military operations in both countries….!
A.Rajasingam said,
February 7, 2008 @ 4:06 pm
The last sentence ‘A sustainable solution to Sri Lanka’s conflict can only emerge through a just political process involving all communities’ is meaningful. Violence has to be stopped at any cost and it is not the answer.
Canaga said,
February 8, 2008 @ 12:26 am
Yes well said. However, you colonised a three kingdom island, and left with an unfortunate unitary system – you are used to. This caused all the problems. Very sadly, the Tamils are at the receiving end of all this, almost from the day of independence. You should regret very much.
Sam Thambipillai said,
February 8, 2008 @ 2:54 am
David Miliband has said that the People in Sri Lanka need to find space to realise their many similarities, rather than becoming further polarised by their differences.
This is exactly where Britain failed in their former island of Ceylon. They failed to act, especially from 1948-1972, with this unrealistic thought in mind.
Britain very well knew that any constitution of any country describes the aspirations, hopes and expectations, and provides a sense of security for all the people of any country.
Britain also knew that a constitution is a consensus document of ALL the citizens and that when that consensus is reached it would become the covenant and living document between the state and ALL the people.
Britain was well aware that a constitution can never be a unilateral document of the people of a nation in the absence of the people of another nation, when there are two nations and peoples in a country.
Britain was conscious that any constituion is merited firstly for its process and then for its contents.
Britain was aware that when the island was still the dominion of Ceylon, in 1972, ALL the elected representatives were to form a constituent assembly and reach consensus on the contents of the covenant between the state and ALL the citizens of dominion of Ceylon.
Britain knew that the elected representatives of the North East, by majority, desired the constitution for the island to provide the ability for the people of North East to freely determine their own future. And when this request was not consented, the elected representatives of North East walked away from and boycotted the constituent assembly.
Consequently, Britain was aware that the representatives of North East did not agree on the contents of the 1972 constitution and that there was no consensus between the people of ALL the nations of the island.
Britain was aware that the Sinhala nation decided to unilaterally continue with the constitutional process and introduce Sinhala Buddhist favoured contents of the constitution and unilaterally annex North East illegally.
Britain was aware that in a strict sense it was not not a “constitution” for the entire island but was simply a framework for the dominion of Sinhala nation on the Tamil nation, and that the constituent assembly failed in its process and contents to draft a constitution committed to the inherent dignity, equality and unalienable rights of ALL the people.
Therefore, Britain should have intervened in 1972 and either refused to accept the rebel state of Sri Lanka or asked the representatives of North East to form their own constituent assembly and declare Tamil Eelam as an independent sovereign state.
Because Britain failed in its responsibility, today, we are engulfed in Brutal war. Aspirations, hopes and expectations of both nations remain shattered. We have been drinking from a cup of bitterness and hatred since 1972.
After 36 years now, many inhabitants of the island have come to realise that Sinhalese freedom is inextricably bound to Tamil freedom and that the destinies of both are bound together as two countries but in one island.
I agree that the Tamil nation and the Sinhala nation must sit down at the table of brotherhood and talk peace, but Britain must act for it like how it did for Rhodesia at Lancaster, than just speaking out.
dingiri said,
February 8, 2008 @ 7:11 am
“I wholeheartedly condemn these attacks upon civilians and those responsible. My thoughts and condolences are with the victims of the attacks, and their families. I call for an immediate end to practices which target civilians or put them in peril. I urge all in Sri Lanka to take steps to safeguard the civilian population and find ways to reduce the violence.”
…And heres me thinking this is a condemnation of the recent civilian bombings in the South. Not sure why our two most belligerent Sinhalese are taking offence. ….Unless its something Freudian.
We cant blame the Brits for everything. The current ethnic problems started well after they left. They didnt have to devide an conquer in Sri Lanka. They merely took over from the Dutch and then absorbed the Kandian kingdom. They then put down the 1818 uprising rather more brutally than the Govt is putting down the LTTE. But that was 200 years ago.
Still, nothing to get too upset about this is typical bland statement from a typical politician.
dingiri said,
February 8, 2008 @ 7:20 am
If the Brits left it the way the Portugese found it. The Tamils would have the Jaffna, Killinochi, Mulaitivu and part of the Mannar districts. The East would most certainly be part of the southern Sinhalese state.
ilaya seran senguttuvan said,
February 9, 2008 @ 9:55 am
Devinda Fernando // You are so obsessed with the “F” word, I think you need to visit a Sexual Rehab Centre pronto. They may help you to be cured to the point where you can write without the “F” word. Now that you are at it, also have your damaged brain repaired. If you succeed, your
contribution to these pages may be more rational and useful.
Canaga said,
February 10, 2008 @ 3:03 am
What every one seem to overlook is the endless aerial bombing of civilians in the North – by a GOVERNMENT. Which country does this occur other than that governed by barbaric illiterate politicians, who can not meet the force.
What else can any one do to counter such barbaric bombing and killing of civilians and school children.
This is what Britain left the beutiful Ceylon with.
Suresh M said,
February 10, 2008 @ 1:51 pm
Dr. Dayan Jayatilleka,
You’re little confused !
You ought to be confused, as you’re heading a “Human Rights” mission for a bunch of thugs who kills its minority population. British being a former superpower, never bombed their own citizen, including Irish.
Tell me now, why you’re confused?
Suresh M said,
February 10, 2008 @ 1:57 pm
# 9,
ilaya seran senguttuvan.
Sir, Fernando’s problem is not sexual in nature, but cultural.
My advise will be “go back to Portugal”.
Gamini said,
February 10, 2008 @ 9:48 pm
Typical non-commital non care attitude by the colonial masters when it comes to the natives, If these same incidents had occured in Israel the reaction would have been.
‘I urge the LTTE to immediately stop idiscriminantly targetting civilians… we also urge the goverment of Sri Lanka to use restraint in targetting the terrorists’
Some terrorists are more equal than others !
Devinda Fernando said,
February 16, 2008 @ 4:38 pm
LOL! – We cant change the fact that we were colonized, nor I if I have Portuguese lineage in me. We cant change the fact that the British conquered and unified the country despite how many of the Disputed Kingdoms out there you people claim…. We cannot change the fact that these Historic events Occurred. We cannot resurrect an Ancient Kingdom that no longer exists, We can only deal with the problems and situations that exist today. You Tamil Nationalists and LTTE supporters who hang on to this Pipe-Dream Fantasy of returning to the Old days of some long dissolved Tamil Kingdom makes me laugh so much. What are we going to do? Destroy the roads, Electricity and technology, unlearn English and go back in the past?
Wake up please . Sri Lanka is what it is now, Multi Ethnic, integrated, and centrally structured. Deal with it and try to move on with your lives.
By the way, my Last name does not make me Portuguese or Sri Lankan or whatever it is my actions, my loyalties, and place of birth that do. You would do yourselves a favor to remember that.