I have no doubt that a lot of investigations are being done but the government is very poor about informing the public

While the demonstration sponsored by the Sri Lankan Mission to the UN was taking place we handed over the below petition to the United Nations. We were thrilled to note that only 24 Sri Lankans participated in this demonstration and that too due to the pressure applied by their employees.
We are also aware that Mr. palitha Kohona will be hosting these participants for lunch tomorrow. It truly has been a pathetic attempt by the Sri Lankan Mission to the UN orchestrated by Mr. Palitha Kohona and Ms. Muditha Haliyedda!
We thank all patriotic Sri Lankans for keeping away from this event!

Sincerely,

Sanath de Silva


THE GRAVE HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS IN SRI LANKA



While expressing our most profound gratitude to you for contacting the dictatorial regime of Sri Lanka with reagard to the deteriorating human rights situation in our beloved motherland Sri Lanka, we wish to enlighten you on certain disturbing developments that have taken place since you made this statement.

a) The Sri Lankan mission to the United Nations has attempted to mobilise the Sri Lankan expatriates living in New York and suburbs to hold a protest against you in front of the United Nations. This attempt has been engineered by Mr. Palitha Kohona and Ms. Muditha Haliyedda, both diplomats of the Sri Lankan mission against the covenants and traditions of the United nations.

b) The conducted a meeting at the official residence of Mr. Palitha Kohona on March 10th evening and directed two adult video shop owners to release their Sri Lankan employees with pay to participate in this demonstration scheduled to be held on March 12, 2010 from 12.00 noon to 3.00pm. Since these diplomats did not have a favorable response form the Sri Lankan expatriate community, who do not recognize the recent dictatorial acts of the Sri Lankan regime, they have chosen to get the assistance of these adult video shop owners who have in their employ 40 to 50 illegal Sri Lankan employees. These unfortunate illegal aliens have no other option but to participate even against their will so that they can continue to be employed under these unscrupulous employees.

c) While the embassies and overseas missions of the Sri Lankan regime continue to engage in practises violating fundamental rights of Sri Lankan expatriates and also of their own employees, the Sri Lankan regime continues to commit atrocities against the citizens of Sri Lanka. The opposition candidate Gen. Sarath Fonseka is still held in custody and is about to be tried in front of a military tribunal in violation of the Rule of Law. Political writer Prageeth Eknaligoda disappeared six weeks ago and has not been found so far. Opposition candidates Shiral Lakthilake and Tiran Alles have been summoned to the Criminal Investigations Division of the Sri Lankan police and questioned trying to extract statements that could help the government to frame charges against Gen. Sarath Fonseka. Journalist Lal Priyantha has been intimidated through same arm of the law enforcement expecting him to implicate Gen. Sarath Fonseka. Eight senior police officers have been sent on compulsory retirement as they refused to break the law while carrying out illegal orders of the Secretary of Defence, Gotabhaya Rajapaksa, who is the brother of the president.

d) We have in our possession a copy of a letter sent by the Sri Lankan embassy in Washington, DC to the government of Sri Lanka, which will establish the extent of intimidation exercised by the mission headed by a close relative of the President of Sri Lanka. This man possesses no qualifications to man this august office, hitherto manned by intellectuals and highly qualified professionals. We, Sri Lankan expatriates in Washington, DC are made to writhe in shame because of the conduct of this person. We also will soon take matters up with the US State department as we would like to find out whether these so called diplomats are permitted to threaten or intimidate US permanent residents, citizens and other Sri Lankan expatriates hiding behind the diplomatic cover!?

We wish to thank you once again, Your Excellency, and hope that you will continue to intervene in Sri Lanka, until a true democratic system is established in our country.


Sincerely yours,




Sanath de Silva
2388 Glenmont Circle, Apt.105
Silver Spring, MD 20902
Tel: 240-669-8222