Developments out of Oxford 'Tamil' Protest
Oxford Union Watch | 04.12.2010 11:34 | Anti-militarism | Ocean Defence | Repression | Oxford | South Coast
Lame excuses and explanations by the Oxford Union is to be questioned. Further possible protest action is planned with an aim of exposing the involvement of the defence secretary's action 'in a private capacity' and that of Bell Pottinger.
The 'disruptions' due to Nick Griffin and David Irving during a not so cold November 2007 [1] is not comparable by any means here. It is widely reported that the president of Sri Lanka fled the scene of mass protests that got so close as 'brickbats and snowballs' on the high security motorcade in London. It was the British Tamil students who had led this humiliation of a modern day tyrant.
Addressing Mahinda Rajapakse as 'his excellency', James Kingston, president of the Oxford Union clearly seems entrapped by the workings of British and Indian intelligence agencies. Blissfully unaware of how close the shameful meddling in international geopolitics is catching up on this digital age on archaic and outdated institutions, citing the Thames Valley Police's advice is a lame excuse.
The Oxford Union was clearly used in an twisted operation of some sort that had started with inviting Mahinda Rajapakse as guest of honour to conclude the recent commonwealth games in New Delhi.
Questions that should be asked are
Do we really need such an independent body playing such dangerous games with innocent people's lives thousands of miles away? (one explanation for Britain not arresting Mahinda Rajapakse at this instance is due to the threat of the Sri Lankan army running riot in Tamil areas)
What would have happened if the weather was more severe and the Tamil protesters could not exert the pressure they seem to have narrowly managed to come up with in London?
Channel 4 releasing an extended video and submitting it to the special UN panel already investigating earlier submissions from the shorter version is clearly a well timed action to infuriate the Tamil protesters. [see Channel 4 website featured articles of last four days].
Mahinda Rajapakse and clan maintain that 'not one civilian was killed' by their forces in recent massacres and go on to use the phrases like 'the humanitarian war' and 'the world's biggest rescue operation' to describe despicable actions that include targeted bombing of hospitals, schools and eventually two declared 'safe zones' full of civilians almost in to oblivion.
His latest pronouncement in London was that many of his officers are 'Sandhurst trained'
so they could not have committed such atrocities. He failed to mention the gift from Tony Blair few years back when one of his sons was placed in to the Brittania Royal Naval Academy in Dartmouth.
It is an insult to humanity that the like of the Oxford Union, Liam Fox and Lord Bell exist in this modern day and age.
In the case of the Oxford Union, apart from the threat of ruining the aspirations and careers of James Kingston as levelled by Asian Tribune we can sense crocodile tears for the safety of students and the town of Oxford.
Oxford Union Watch urges wider participation in uncovering the truths tp prevent any further insults to humanity.
[1] http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/education/article2951490.ece
[2] http://213.251.145.96/articles/2010/Sri-Lankan-President-s-alleged-war.html
Due to the onslaught on the freedom of WikiLeak.org domain and ongoing electronic assaults the WikiLeak staff's statement is reproduced below
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Sri Lanka - Ambassador reports Sri Lankan President responsible for "alleged war crimes"
WikiLeaks Staff, 1 December 2010, 19.00 GMT
Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa and his family are responsible for alleged war crimes against the Tamil, according to a cable sent by US ambassador to Sri Lanka Patricia Butenis.
Butenis said complicity in alleged war crimes by the president and leader of the opposition was stalling progress in launching investigations into the country’s civil war.
The long running conflict between the government of Sri Lanka and the LTTE, also known as the Tamil Tigers, was ended in May 2009 after the Sri Lankan army defeated LTTE leaders in an area known as the “no fire zone”.
The cable, dated 15 January 2010, updated the Secretary of State on war crimes accountability following the end of the country’s long and bloody conflict.
Ambassador Butenis noted there had been some limited progress in investigating potential war crimes, but noted:
“There are no examples we know of a regime undertaking wholesale investigations of its own troops or senior officials for war crimes while that regime or government remained in power.
“In Sri Lanka this is further complicated by the fact that responsibility for many of the alleged crimes rests with the country’s senior civilian and military leadership, including President Rajapaksa and his brothers and opposition candidate General Fonseka.”
With regard to alleged LTTE war crimes, Butenis noted:
“Most of the LTTE leadership was killed at the end of the war, leaving few to be held responsible for those crimes. The Government of Sri Lanka (GSL) is holding thousands of mid- and lower-level ex-LTTE combatants for future rehabilitation and/or criminal prosecution. It is unclear whether any such prosecutions will meet international standards.”
The revelations coincide with a visit by President Rajapaksa to the United Kingdom. Rajapaksa, who has been in the UK since Monday, is due to meet with UK Defence Secretary Liam Fox.
Rajapaksa was also scheduled to speak at the Oxford Union on Thursday until the university issued a statement cancelling the event on Wednesday afternoon. The statement cited “security concerns” due to the large number of protestors expected to picket the event.
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[3] http://www.asiantribune.com/news/2010/12/02/asian-tribune-questions-president-oxford-union-about-lamentable-u-turn
Due to the evident deceptive nature of the source the published mail communication is reproduced below (the insertion of 'Asian Tribune' within James Kingston mail is verbatim)
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Afterwards, the editor of the Asian Tribune sent the following email to Mr Kingston, especially seeking clarification with regard to the bribery claims:
Dear Mr. James Kingston,
Thank you very much for the telephone conversation I had with you this afternoon.
You confirmed to me that you have cancelled the Oxford Union lecture to be delivered by the Sri Lanka President Mahinda Rajapaksa tomorrow in the afternoon.
You said that you have decided suddenly to cancel the lecture on the advice of the Oxford Police.
I asked you whether you cancelled it on the instigation of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, a rump terrorist organisation.
You said that you have taken an abrupt and sudden decision in the light of an anticipated massive protest by the Tamil Tigers?
But you have not told me that whether you have sought the assistance of the Police in Oxford to continue with your lecture program in the light of such that?
Have you made a written request to the police for security arrangements and if so kindly forward us a copy of that request.
Were you all advised by the Oxford Police not to hold such lecture tomorrow? If so please forward us their written advice?
In case you have decided on your own, please tell us the compelling reasons for you to undertake such frivolous and irresponsible decision?
I have already told you in my telephone conversation and other office – bearers of the Oxford Union has been heavily bribed by rump LTTE to cancel this Oxford Union lecture. Your comment please
Waiting to have your response early before we go to post your telephone conversation with me and trust that my request is in order.
Thanks and regards.
K.T.Rajasingham
www.asiantribune.com
Mr James Kingston replied back to the editor by email. It is as follows:
Dear Sir,
The decision to cancel the visit of His Excellency was one not taken easily or lightly.
However, in light of new information surrounding the planned protest to be staged by the Tamil Diaspora living in the UK. The planned protest would have been the largest ever faced by Oxford; and we were advised by the police that this would place the community as a whole Asian Tribune serious risk of disruption. We have a responsibility to the safety of our students and the town as a whole; our decision was made in light of our concern for these responsibilities.
The decision to cancel this was made entirely by the Oxford Union. No other groups had any input whatsoever into this decision. We have accepted no bribes by any groups, nor indeed have any other political organizations had any influence on our decision.
Many thanks,
James Kingston,
President.
Oxford Union Watch
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