Issue 46 April 2006: Fill & Download for Free

History is studied differently and exposed to the public differently depending on the time, place, resources and social conditions. For instance it is difficult to imagine gaining solid historical evidence about the Carthaginians as the Romans totally destroyed their civilisation, leaving our historical knowledge of them to be told by the victor and other of the Carthaginian enemies. Carthage must be Destroyed Another example is the history of the Armenian Genocide as rarely told in Turkey. This illustrates that history, whether true or not, varies depending on the forces in power.On 7 February 2006, five journalists were tried for insulting the judicial institutions of the State, and for aiming to prejudice a court case (per Article 288 of the Turkish penal code).[43] The reporters were on trial for criticising the court-ordered closing of a conference in Istanbul regarding the Armenian genocide during the time of the Ottoman Empire. The conference continued elsewhere, transferring locations from a state to a private university. The trial continued until 11 April 2006, when four of the reporters were acquitted. The case against the fifth journalist, Murat Belge, proceeded until 8 June 2006, when he was also acquitted. The purpose of the conference was to critically analyze the official Turkish view of the Armenian Genocide in 1915; a taboo subject in Turkey.[44] The trial proved to be a test case between Turkey and the European Union; the EU insisted that Turkey allow increased freedom of expression rights, as a condition to membership.[45][46] The Republic of Turkey does not deny the Ottoman Armenian casualties, but denies they weregenocide, specifically claiming that said deaths were consequence of war, and also were criminal killings neither approved nor committed by the Ottoman Empire. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Historical_revisionism_(negationism)As the saying goes, "History is written by the victors", and while not universally true this quote explains in it's simplicity a major problem with 'historical truths' that are passed down through generations as historical fact. How different might history be written had the Axis forces won the war, what history is taught in North Korea, how might Tibets history be written if the Chinese become a world power?It seems the OP is pointing to propaganda, a method used through millennia to control and coerce populations to a way of thought and belief useful to those in power. This does occur in todays media as it always has and is reasonably used by the OP here to illustrate a direct reference and analogy to various issues of historical teaching and general belief about historic events. As technology has progressed it becomes harder to hide the truth but it is still practiced and can still effect both current behaviour and documented history.From a review of the book "That Noble Dream", by Peter Novick -Review of That Noble DreamThe largely homogeneous group of early professional historians, influenced also by the general prestige of science, rallied around a belief that if history was done carefully as a scientific endeavor it would gradually progress ever closer to the objective truth of the past.The belief in objectivity faced its first serious challenge in the wake of World War I, during which many historians had been caught up in patriotic fervor and used their work as tools of propaganda for the American cause. The quality of historical writing during the war deteriorated to such a degree that Herbert Heaton recounted stories of historians spending their time “furtively buying and burning all of the copies they could find of their war-time utterances”This occurred in the twentieth century in democratic USA. While it was revealed and corrected it still makes me wonder how much of this disinformation occurred over the preceding thousands of years when fact checking of propagandist historical writings was far less necessary or prudent and possibly suicidal.

The DRI (Dietary Reference Intake) is 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight, or 0.36 grams per pound. This amounts to 56 grams per day for the average sedentary man and 46 grams per day for the average sedentary woman.Now, 1 egg gives 6 grams of protein and 70-80 kCal. So if you are eating just the eggs for protein and nothing else, your 'Recommended' number of Eggs will be 9 to 10. But, you need to read more.Now what is 'Recommended' Intake and what if you eat more or less than that.If you get too little protein, you can suffer from fatigue, weakness or muscle loss. Your metabolism slows down and you put yourself at risk of gaining weight. It also weakens your immune system.For more than recommended intake, there's research suggesting that too much protein can leave you dehydrated and may increase your risk for gout, kidney stones, and osteoporosis, as well as some forms of cancer.Besides, your muscles won't use more than 30 grams of protein consumed at one meal, according to the researcher's report in the September 2009 issue of the “Journal of the American Dietetic Association". So optimal amount of protein intake is 30 grams per meal.Now, your question could mean one more thing to me, you could be asking 'What is the Maximum Human body can handle'.To answer this part, the fact I am going to tell you is that Amino acids are absorbed at the rate of 1.3 grams to 10 grams an hour, according to a report in the “International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism” in April 2006. A large percentage is absorbed because partially digested food is in the small intestine for hours.Also, the Gastric Emptying time (T 1/2) for a solid meal is 127 minutes. It takes 4-5 half lives to reach steady state concentration. (The Link : Gastric emptying time of fluids and solids in healthy subjects determined by 13C breath tests: influence of age, sex and body mass index.)In addition to your overall health, several factors influence the absorption rate. Protein drinks are absorbed more rapidly than protein consumed with fiber-containing foods because fiber slows down nutrient absorption.So Absorption relates to the availability of amino acids over extended periods of time, which prevents muscle breakdown and provides raw materials for growth. Our body doesn’t just throw away all of the amino acids it can’t immediately use—it can store them for later.As you can see, it’s impossible to put a cap on how much protein your body can absorb in one meal. It’s definitely a hell of a lot more than the 20–30 grams that some people claim.

This answer may contain sensitive images. Click on an image to unblur it.No, it’s a victory for state terrorists using the pretext of “defeating terrorism” to conduct genocide.Here’s the definition of terrorism. By definition, not just both the Sri Lankan Armed Forces and LTTE are terrorists, but virtually everyone who’s engaged in a conflict militarily is a terrorist. Accusing the LTTE of being terrorists, while praising and commemorating the GOSL is illogical, and vice-versa. The Sri Lankan government is guilty of conducting terrorist attacks against civilians in the North and East during the war. The suppression of anti-GOSL journalists, Ex. Lasantha Wickrematunga, the arbitrary detention of Tamil youth, torture of Tamil civilians, white van abductions, enforced disappearances, use of sexual violence against Tamil youth, and the indiscriminate massacres of Tamil civilians for a political aim classifies as terrorism.The LTTE is responsible for documented massacres against innocent civilians. However, NGOs have documented that the GOSL has committed far more massacres against innocent civilians than the LTTE, and unlike the LTTE, the GOSL is guilty of using rape as a tactic of interrogation and torture.Sri Lankan Government atrocities against innocent Tamil civilians:(*NOTE: This is a long list so brace yourself)Inginiyakala massacre ‐ 05.06.19562. 1958 anti-Tamil pogrom3. Tamil research conference massacre ‐10.01.19744. 1977 anti-Tamil pogrom5. 1981 communal pogrom6. Burning of the Jaffna library ‐01.06.19817. 1983 Black July riots8. Thirunelveli massacre ‐ 24, 25.07.19839. Sampalthoddam massacre ‐ 198410. Chunnakam Police station massacre ‐08.01.198411. Chunnakam market massacre ‐ 28.03.198412. Mathawachchi – Rampawa ‐ September 198413. Point Pedro – Thikkam massacre ‐ 16.09.198414. Othiyamalai massacre ‐ 01.12.198415. Kumulamunai massacre ‐ 02.12.198416. Cheddikulam massacre ‐ 02.12.198417. Manalaru massacre ‐ 03.12.198418. Blood soaked Mannar ‐ 04.12.198419. Kokkilai‐Kokkuthoduvai massacre ‐ 15.12.198420. Vankalai church massacre ‐ 06.01.198621. Mulliyavalai massacre ‐ 16.01.198522. Vaddakandal massacre ‐ 30.01.198523. Puthukkidiyiruppu Iyankovilady massacre 21.04.198524. Trincomalee massacres in 198525. Valvai‐85 massacre 10.05.198526. Kumuthini Boat massacre 15.05.198527. Kiliveddi massacre in 198528. Thiriyai massacre ‐ 08.06.198529. Sampaltivu ‐ 04 to 09.08.198530. Veeramunai massacre ‐ 20.06.199031. Nilaveli massacre 16.09.198532. Piramanthanaru massacre ‐ 02.10.198533. Kanthalai‐85 massacre ‐ 09.11.198534. Muthur Kadatkaraichenai ‐ 08, 09, 10.11.198535. Periyapullumalai massacre in 198636. Kilinochchi Railway Station massacre ‐ 25.01.198637. Udumbankulam massacre ‐ 19.02.198538. Vayaloor massacre ‐ 24.08.198539. Eeddimurinchan massacre ‐ 19, 20.03.198640. Anandapuram shelling ‐ 04.06.198641. Kanthalai‐86 massacre ‐ 04, 05.06. 198642. Mandaithivu sea massacre ‐ 10.06.198643. Seruvila massacre ‐ 12.06.198644. Thambalakamam massacres ‐ 1985, 198645. Paranthan farmers massacre ‐ 28.06.198646. Peruveli refugee camp massacre ‐ 15.07.198647. Thanduvan bus massacre ‐ 17.07.198648. Mutur Manalchenai massacre ‐ 18.07. 198649. Adampan massacre ‐ 12.10.198650. Periyapandivrichchan massacre ‐ 15.10.198651. Kokkadichcholai‐87 massacre ‐ 28.01.198752. Paddithidal massacre ‐ 26.04.1987.53. Thonithiddamadu massacre ‐ 27.05.198754. Alvai temple shelling ‐ 29.05.198755. Eastern University massacre ‐ 23.05.199056. Sammanthurai massacre ‐ 10.06.199057. Xavierpuram massacre ‐ 07.08.199058. Siththandy massacre ‐ 20, 27.07.199059. Paranthan junction massacre ‐ 24.07.199060. Poththuvil massacre ‐ 30.07.199061. Tiraikerny massacre ‐ 06.08.199062. Kalmunai massacre ‐ 11.08.199063. Thuranilavani massacre ‐ 12.08.199064. Eravur hospital massacre ‐ 12.08.199065. Koraveli massacre 14.08.199066. Nelliyadi market bombing ‐ 29.08.199067. Eravur massacre ‐ 10.10.199068. Saththurukkondan massacre ‐ 09.09.199069. Natpiddymunai massacre ‐ 10.09.199070. Vantharamullai‐90 massacre ‐ 05, 23,09,199071. Mandaithivu disappearances ‐ 23.08.1990, 25.09.199072. Oddisuddan bombing ‐ 27.11.199073. Puthukkudiyiruppu junction bombing - 24.7. 199074. Vankalai massacre ‐ 17.02.199175. Vaddakkachchi bombing ‐ 28.02.199176. Vantharumoolai ‐ 09.06.199177. Kokkadichcholai‐91 massacre ‐ 12.06.199178. Pullumalai massacre ‐ 1983‐199079. Kinniyadi massacre ‐ 12.07.199180. Akkarayan hospital massacre ‐ 15.07.199781. Uruthrapuram bombing ‐ 04.02.199182. Karapolla‐Muthgalla massacre ‐ 29.04.199283. Vattrapalai shelling ‐ 18.05.199284. Thellipalai temple bombing ‐ 30.05.19985. Mailanthai massacre ‐ 09.08.199286. Kilali massacre ‐1992, 199387. Maaththalan bombing ‐ 18.09.199388. Chavakachcheri‐Sangaththanai bombing ‐ 28.09.199389. Kokuvil temple bombing ‐ 29.09.199390. Kurunagar church bombing ‐ 13.11.199391. Chundikulam‐94 massacre ‐ 18.02.199492. Navali church massacre ‐ 09.07.199593. Nagarkovil bombing ‐ 22.05.199594. Chemmani mass graves in 199695. Kilinochchi town massacre ‐ 1996‐199896. Kumarapuram massacre ‐ 11.02.199697. Nachchikuda strafing ‐ 16.03.199698. Thambirai market bombing ‐ 17.05.199699. Mallavi bombing ‐ 24.07.1996100. Kaithady Krishanthi massacre ‐ 07.09.1996101. Pannankandy massacre ‐ 05.07.1997102. Konavil bombing ‐ 27.09.1996103. Vavunikulam massacre ‐ 26‐09‐1996, 15‐08‐1997104. Mullivaikal bombing ‐ 13.05.1997105. Mankulam shelling ‐ 08.06.1997106. Thampalakamam‐98 massacre ‐ 01.02.1998107. Old Vaddakachchi bombing ‐ 26.03.1998108. Suthanthirapuram massacre ‐ 10.06.1998109. Visuvamadhu shelling ‐ 25.11.1998110. Chundikulam‐98 bombing 02.12.1998111. Manthuvil bombing ‐ 15.09.1999112. Palinagar bombing and shelling ‐ 03.09.1999113. Madhu church massacre ‐ 20.11.1999 .114. Mirusuvil massacre ‐ 19.12.2000115. Pesalai housing scheme massacre – 23 December 2005116. Trincomalee students massacre – 2 January 2006117. Manipay family massacre – 24 January 2006118. TRO employees disappearance –29 January 2006119. Trincomalee riots – 12 April 2006120. Puthoor massacre – 18 April 2006121. Muthur bombing – 25 April 2006122. Uthayan Daily Press Office attack – 2 May 2006123. Nelliyadi massacre – 4 May 2006124. Manthuvil Temple massacre – 6 May 2006125. Allaipiddy massacre – 13 May 2006126. Vadamunai pressure mine – 7 June 2006127. Vankalai family massacre – 8 June 2006128. Kaithady mass grave – 6,7,8 June 2006129. Pesalai church massacre – 17 June 2006130. Action Faim INGO staff massacre – 5 August 2006131.Nedunkerni ambulance claymore – 8 August 2006132. Eastern bombing and shelling – August - December 2006133. Allaipiddy shelling - 13 August 2006134. Senchcholai bombing – 14 August 2006135. Pottuvil massacre – 17 September 2006136. PTK bombing - 16 October 2006137. Kilinochchi hospital precicnts bombing – 2 November 2006138. Vavuniya Agriculture School massacre – 18 November 2006139. Padahuthurai bombing – 2 January 2007140. Silavathurai claymore attack – 2 September 2007141. Periyamadu shelling – 25 October 2007142. Tharmapuram bombing – 25 November 2007143. Iyankulam claymore attack – 27 November 2007144. Madhu school bus bombing - 29 January 2008145. Kiranchi bombing – 22 February 2008146. Murukandy claymore attack – 23 May 2008147. Nahathambiran temple pilgrim claymore attack148. PTK bombing – 15 June 2008149. Mullaitivu petrol station and bus depot bombing - 2 January 2009150. Thevipuram and Vaddakachchi shelling - 8 January 2009151. Tharmapuram Hospital shelling - 8 January 2009152. Visuamadu shelling - 17-20 January 2009153. Suthanthirapuram, Thevipuram, Udayarkattu and Vallipuram shelling - 20 January 2009154. Vallipuram Hospital shelling - 22 January 2009155. Suthanthirapuram shelling - 24 January 2009156. Suthanthirapuram and Udayarkattu shelling - 26 January 2009157. Puthukkudiyiruppu shelling - 26-31 January 2009158. Udayaarkaddu Hospital shelling - 26 January 2009159. Puthukkudiyiruppu Hospital shelling - 1-3 February 2009160. Suthanthirapuram shelling - 3 February 2009161. Ponnambalam Memorial Hospital bombing - 5-6 February 2009162. Mahtalan, Moongilaru, Suthanthirapuram, Thevipuram, Udayarkattu and Vallipuram shelling - 6 February 2009163. Puthukkudiyiruppu shelling - 7 February 2009164. Putumattalan shelling - 7 February 2009165. Suthanthirapuram shelling - 7 February 2009166. Devipuram shelling - 9 February 2009167. Pokkanai bombing - 9 February 2009168. Mattalan shelling - 9 February 2009169. Mattalan, Thevipuram and Vallipuram shelling - 11-12 February 2009170. Iranaipalai shelling - 13 February 2009171. Puthukkudiyiruppu Hospital shelling - 13 February 2009172. Thevipuram and Vallipuram shelling - 14 February 2009173. Mullivaikkal and Putumattalan bombing and shelling - 15 February 2009174. Valayanmadam shelling - 15 February 2009175. Mattalan shelling - 16 February 2009176. Valayanmadam shelling - 17 February 2009177. Ampalavanpokkanai, Idaikdu and Puthukkudiyiruppu shelling - 18 February 2009178. Valayanmadam bombing - 19 February 2009179. Ananthapuram, Iranaipalai, Mullivaikkal and Puthukkudiyiruppu shelling - 19 February 2009180. Valayanmadam shelling - 20 February 2009181. Ananthapuram, Iranaipalai, Pokkanai, Puthukkudiyiruppu and Valayanmadam shelling - 20 February 2009182. Ampalavanpokkanai, Mattalan, Mullivaikkal, Pokkanai and Valayanmadam shelling - 21 February 2009183. Ananthapuram and Iranaipalai shelling - 21 February 2009184. Iranaipalai shelling - 23 February 2009185. Puthukkudiyiruppu bombing and shelling - 25-26 February 2009186. Ampalavakanai shelling - 4 March 2009187. Mattalan and Valayanmadam shelling - 5 - 7 March 2009188. No Fire Zone shelling- 12 March - May 18 2009189. Mattalan, Mullivaikkal and Pokkanai shelling - 13 March 2009190. Valayanmadam bombing - 17 March 2009191. Valayanmadam shelling - 20 March 2009192. Mullivaikkal, Putumattalan and Valayanmadam shelling - 2 March 2009193. Pokkanai shelling - 7 - 19 April 2009194. Pokkanai shelling - April 2009195. Valayanmadam makeshift hospital bombing - 21 April 2009196. Valayanmadam shelling - 23 April 2009197. Mullivaikal massacres - 23 April - May 18 2009LTTE atrocities against innocent civilians(1983–2009)*Massacres in bold are ones committed by KarunaHabarana bus massacre - 17 April 1987Aranthalawa massacre - 2 July 1987Aluth Oya massacre - 17 April 1987Central Bus Station Bombing - 21 April 19871990 massacre of Sri Lankan Police Officers - 11 June 1990Kattankudy mosque massacre - 3 August 1990Palliyagodella massacre - 15 October 1991Kallarawa massacre - 25 May 1995Eastern Sri Lanka massacres - 16 October 1995Central Bank Bombing - 31 January 1996Temple of Tooth attack - 25 January 1998Gongora massacre - 18 September 1999Statistically, the Sri Lankan government is responsible for 92.5% of innocent civilian deathsThe IPKF is responsible for 5%The LTTE is responsible for 2.5%Sri Lankan government and IPKF killed more civilians than LTTE soldiersThe LTTE killed more Sri Lankan and Indian soldiers than civiliansHence, outlawing the GOSL’s history of violence against innocent civilians while publicizing the LTTE’s atrocities in the name of “defeating terrorism” is antithetical to the whole idea of “war on terror” by disregarding state terrorism, which was combatted during the “war on terror”(Ex. US invasion of Iraq)A Sinhalese soldier who served in the 58th Army Division, commanded by Shavendra Silva, during the final assault later recounted the horrors he had witnessed:“When I look at it as an outsider I think they’re simply brutal beasts. Their hearts are like that of animals, with no sense of humanity,” Fernando tearfully recalled.“They shoot people at random, stab people, rape them, cut their tongues out, cut women’s breasts off. I have witnessed all this with my own eyes. I have seen small children laying dead,” he continued.“I saw a lot of small children, who were so innocent, getting killed in large numbers. A large number of elders were also killed.“They were shooting when a large number of civilians were crossing through a lagoon, including women and children. The soldiers were shooting at them. They were not Tiger cadres, just normal civilians. So yes, I saw normal civilians getting killed with my own eyes.“I saw a family, a mother and three children. This small family was fleeing. As we were about to take them, one of the children was shot in the leg. The child fell. I carried that child with these hands. The mother was screaming.”“Fernando” said even the wounded were shown no mercy: “When they were at the hospital, one day I saw a group of six soldiers raping a young Tamil girl. I saw this with my own eyes.”“Fernando” was so horrified by what he saw that he described himself as “like a walking corpse”.[…]“If they wanted to rape a Tamil girl, they could just beat her and do it. If her parents tried to stop them, they could beat them or kill them. It was their empire.“For the soldiers at the battlefront, their hearts had turned to stone. Having seen blood, killings and death for so long, they had lost their sense of humanity. I would say they had turned into vampires.”These inhumane acts, “Fernando” said, extended to acts of torture and mutilation.“I saw the naked dead bodies of women without heads and other parts of their bodies.“I saw a mother and child dead and the child’s body was without its head.”[…]“Massive numbers of children, women and men were killed in the final stages of the war. When I say massive, in Puthumathalan alone, over 1500 civilians were killed.*Wouldn’t the actions stated above be classified as terrorism?IntimidationUsing unlawful intimidation against civilians is also, by definition, terrorism. The LTTE and GOSL are both guilty. However, unlike the LTTE, the GOSL’s use of torture and rape exceeds its perception as “war heroes”.Frances Harrison wrote in her book, “Still Counting the Dead: Survivors of Sri Lanka's Hidden War”:“Other human-rights groups have discovered evidence of sexual abuse by the Sri Lankan military at the end of the war. A middle-aged Tamil woman appeared on Channel 4 saying she had been raped in a forest clearing after surrendering to the army during the spring of 2009. She is the only woman to have spoken out publicly, albeit with her identity disguised. She gave this written statement: ‘The soldiers made all the men and women remove our clothes completely in front of the children. The women were forced to go around the army in a circle, while they laughed. All the women were then raped in front of everyone, irrespective of their age. Myself and my daughter were raped in front of her children.’ An anonymous male soldier also told Channel 4 that he’d witnessed a group of six soldiers raping a young Tamil girl. ...Every Tamil woman detained in Manik Farm feared rape, and absolutely nothing was done by the authorities to calm their fears. Some say there were empty tents for rape in certain areas of the camp where the lights were switched off at night to hide what went on. There were reports from aid workers of buses rounding up attractive young women to be taken away for sexual abuse and when that became too obvious, the women were summoned for ‘questioning’ one by one and then removed. ...Although the international media raised the issue of rape in the refugee camps in 2009, no Sri Lankan official or civil group came out with a clear condemnation to send a message to the security forces that this sort of behavior would not be tolerated. The Australian newspaper even reported that Sri Lankan officials were running a prostitution racket using women from one refugee camp.”Sri Lanka Campaign reports:Based on interviews with 27 war-affected individuals and human rights activists from the North of Sri Lanka, we find that – despite some significant improvements in the ground situation since the beginning of 2015 – much remains to be done in order for the government to break with the country’s legacy of authoritarianism. The findings reinforce the view that the climate of fear that was once pervasive in Sri Lanka has not lifted evenly or consistently over the past three years, with Tamils living in war-affected areas continuing to bear the brunt of oppressive state practises. As highlighted by the infographics on this page, these practises are deployed by a bewildering array of state security agencies, and are aimed at a broad range of individuals – including not only those with past connections to the LTTE (‘Tamil Tigers’), but also war survivors, rights activists, and ordinary citizens engaged in dissent*Model and actress, Cara Delevigne, reading the story of a Tamil rape survivorSri Lanka’s Secrets: How the Rajapaksa Regime Gets Away with Murder:“Women live under the constant threat of rape and sexual assault. In November 2013, while on a brief trip to Sri Lanka, the Australian senator Lee Rhiannon was arrested and forced to leave the country after meeting with a group of activists. One of them was a lawyer who showed her evidence of text message sent by an army commander in the north to Tamil women. 'The women were being used to service these army people. In some cases the women are raped, in other cases the term they use is "comfort women". Personally, I call that rape. This major-general sends the texts to the women when he wants to see them'.”Sri Lanka has one of the highest disappearances rates in the world. Amnesty International reports:Sri Lanka has one of the world’s highest number of disappearances, with between 60,000 and 100,000 people vanishing since the late 1980s.The mass disappearance of those who surrendered at the end of the country’s armed conflict is a clear indication of the institutionalization of the practice, with the state concealing the fate and whereabouts of the missing.*Documentary on the disappearancesWMC's Women Under Siege have stated the following regarding the LTTE’s etiquette:"But the LTTE have reportedly not used rape as a tactic, despite sexualized violence being aimed at their own ranks by government forces. The Sri Lankan government has used rape against Tamil men and women suspected of being members of the LTTE, as Human Rights Watch and others report, but the Tamil Tigers have seemingly not used it in retaliation. Review of press archives, human rights reports, documents of women’s organizations, and academic and policy literature revealed no incidents of sexual violence, in contrast to many detailed reports of robbery by LTTE cadre".Jo Becker, a child soldier expert and at Human Rights Watch activist:"groups such as the Tigers 'don’t just do military training—they do repeated deep political training of their military combatants.' For the Tigers, dogma about building a new society, where citizens are fairly treated, may contribute to the lack of rape. And whereas mainstream Sri Lankan culture is not known for its gender equality, the subculture of the LTTE may appeal to women who have been targets of gender-based violence. Women appear to join the Tigers as a means toward empowerment, sometimes after they have been raped by state forces or Indian troops. LTTE members also seem to receive severe punishment when those rules are broken"Freedom from torture reports:"The government’s proclaimed commitment to protect human rights seems empty, in the context of ongoing torture. We don’t need box-ticking exercises, we need meaningful change.“The constitutional and political crisis in December made clear that any progress can be too easily reversed. The government shouldn’t act only when there is international pressure. Sri Lanka owes it to its people to stop torture once and for all and to hold perpetrators to account.”With new Presidential elections scheduled to take place on 16th November 2019, the prospect of former President Mahinda Rajapaksa returning to power casts a dark shadow on the country’s chances of making meaningful progress on delivering accountability for recent human rights abuses.The dangers cannot be overstated. During Rajapaksa's first presidential mandate (2005-2015), torture in Sri Lanka was routine. Tens of thousands of civilians were killed in just a few months at the end of the civil war in 2009, in what the UN deemed a “grave assault on the entire regime of international lawIt is to note that despite the LTTE not being guilty of committing sexual violence, they are guilty of forcefully conscripting youth during Eelam war 4 by enforcing a “one child per family” policy, contradicting their agreement to uphold the Child Services Act(2006).Karuna FactorKaruna(Left) with LTTE Commanders Col. Nilavini and Col. RameshFrom my list above, you’d notice a significant portion of LTTE massacres against innocent civilians were conducted under Karuna’s command. The LTTE had enforced a policy of centralized command, meaning the North was governed by Prabhakaran while the East was governed by Karuna and his lieutenants. The policy of centralized command outlawed Prabhakaran’s influence in the Eastern province, making Karuna its sort of undisputed deputy leader. As such, it would be illogical to blame Prabhakaran for massacres committed in the Eastern province when he had limited control over the region, which is why 7000 eastern troops defected and remained loyal to Karuna and not Prabhakaran. Statistically, Karuna is responsible for the deaths of over 1000 innocent civilians, hence, by definition, making him a terrorist. Despite his crimes, the GOSL granted him political immunity, made him a member of Rajapaksa’s SLFP, made him an MP in parliament and assigned him over a dozen police officers to serve as his bodyguard in Colombo. This is contrary to the GOSL’s “war on terror” stance, given the fact that a high ranking member of a “terrorist organization” was given political immunity despite being directly involved in numerous massacres and atrocities against civilians.The TMVP, lead by Karuna and allied and supported by the Sri Lankan government recruited more children than the mainland LTTE and has been held responsible for the abduction of children and use of intimidation against civilians according to UNICEF and Human Rights WatchAllan Rock, who is a special advisor to the UN Special Rapporteur for Children and Armed Conflict, alleged that the Sri Lankan army had forcibly rounded up young Tamil children to fight for Karuna's militia. Tamil civilians have also complained that the TMVP is continuing to abduct children, including some in their early teens, for use as soldiers.The UN had also stated that the TMVP continued to recruit children during the war in the East. The UN further noted that children have been abducted in places like Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps. They have also accused the Sri Lankan government of using detained child soldiers in their media propagandaIf the GOSL really cared about the accountability for the victims of LTTE “terrorism”, Karuna would be sitting in a jail cell, not in parliament with his own team of bodyguards.Journalist Glenn Greenwald explains the logic behind what determines who is or isn’t a terrorist for the western world:“a country or group goes on the list when they use violence to impede US interests, and they are then taken off the list when they start to use exactly the same violence to advance US interests. The terrorist list is not a list of terrorists; it's a list of states and groups which use their power to defy US dictates rather than adhere to them.“An analysis of more than a hundred academic texts on terrorism, many by established ‘terrorism experts’, reveals that state terrorism is noticeable mainly for its absence. In some cases, state terrorism is simply defined out of the analysis by the employment of an actor‐based definition: terrorism, it is argued, is a kind of violence performed solely by non‐state actors. In other cases, the possibility of state terrorism is acknowledged but is then given a cursory treatment or simply ignored as a serious subject of research. … the absence of state terrorism is criticized for its illogical actor‐based definition of terrorism, its politically biased research focus and its failure to acknowledge the empirical evidence of the extent and nature of state terrorism, particularly that practiced by Western liberal states and their allies. … It is argued that the absence of state terrorism from academic discourse functions to promote particular kinds of state hegemonic projects, construct a legitimizing public discourse for foreign and domestic policy, and deflect attention from the terroristic practices by Western states and their allies.SL President Ranasinghe Premadasa ordered a clandestine supply of arms to LTTE in order to force IPKF to leave the island as their presence was unpopular. These same weapons were later alleged to have been used by the LTTE to kill Indian soldiers. Does this make Premedasa a terrorist since he provided weapons to a “terrorist organization” to fight a standing army?The GOSL is allied with Pakistan, a country accused of sponsoring terrorism. Hence, since the GOSL received aid to fight “terrorism” from a country that sponsors terrorism. Isn’t that antithetical to the whole “war on terror”?The double standard is exemplified by the current political climate. Prabhakaran kills 3000 civilians in 26 years and is called a “ruthless terrorist”. Rajapaksa kills 100,000 Tamil civilians in 3 months and is called a “war hero”.Hence, defeating the LTTE doesn’t end terrorism when those who were fighting against them were terrorists themselves.