I have had several important responses to my email

1.       Joe Ladislaus, a very fine committed person, whom I know well and is well informed, asks if diplomatic immunity which bogged down the TAG/Bruce Fein indictment in the US will be repeated here. I am not a legal expert but just an ordinary doctor of medicine. However, my opinion for what that is worth, is that I have never been impressed by that 1,000 page indictment and was convinced that it would end in a dustbin.  I would point out that filing action in the ICC is somewhat different from filing action in the US Courts. Moreover, Gotabaya Rajapaksa has no diplomatic immunity. He can be charged as being at the very top of the ‘chain of command’. He, and not Mahinda Rajapaksa, gave the orders. He is responsible. So let us start there.

2.       Noel Vethanayagam, another thoroughly committed person, suggested setting up a bank account in the UK, Australia or Canada for the purpose. It would be easy for people to contribute by bank card, paypal etc. he also makes the very valid point that THIS is the time to get moving – a time when the Tamil diaspora is disillusioned by the resolution by the US in the UNHRC.  I agree. I don’t want to sound clever, but I did point out in a massive article after the Mar 2012 UNHRC meeting that the UN and its bodies, including the UNHRC were talk-shops. So, the result was expected (at least by me).
  

3.       Yes, a bank account “Fund for Peace with Justice for the Tamil people in Sri Lanka” will have to be set up. Set up where? Count Australia out. Australia is a waste of time now, and worse when the Govt changes in Sept and bad is replaced by worse. So the two places are UK or Canada. Perhaps both. There is ni reason why two bank accounts cannot be set up. Whatever is done it must be done NOW –yes right now. Delay is lethal. There are enough accountants and lawyers in both the UK and Canada who can advise how this can be done – and get a move in and DO it.

4.       As for me, I want to make some comments but I do not want to create alarm and panic. I am 81, in (mild) heart failure – or so I think. That does not mean that I will drop dead tomorrow but I MIGHT. Since I am treating myself, I should know. That said, although I am happy to get things started, I cannot do the whole thing,

There are, however, a number of people who can. Dr Kamal Nathan in Australia is one of the few  Australians with his head screwed on the right way. Take Dr Kamal Nathan out, and you can forget about Australia.

There are several in Canada. The person who comes to mind is Usha Sriskandarajah. She is a most capable person in whom I have every confidence.

As for the UK, I have not been there for some time and do not know the situation too well. There is just too much infighting and a lot of talk but no action. However, I am sure there are individuals, yes individuals, who can help.

It is very much like what is going in in Sri Lanka where these is the TNA and Bishop Rayapppu Joseph. Bishop Rayappu has done far more for the tamil people than the TNA has – whatever the claims to the contrary. Someone in the UK will have to put up his hand. I will like to see this hand, and make sure that it is not a con-man.

My greatest contribution is to get Geoffrey Robertson involved, and this I will try and do. if I could have got to London to see him, it might have been easier, but today with email and Skype and God knows what, one does nit need to run all over the place. That said, the one on one meeting is still very useful.

What I can do is to establish contact with him (I have done this already some years ago) – so I should say ‘re-establish contact” – get some basic problems sorted out and then meet with him later.

I would also like to establish contact with the lass in Chatham House (London), Charu Lata Hogg, who got that Human Rights Watch Report “We will teach you a lesson” together. So with one visit to London, two things can be done – meet Robinson and Hogg. I should also meet with Francis Boyle in Illinois.

Time I will have to find. That’s not easy because I have to see patients to put food on the table. The longest I can spend out of Australia is 10 days (and that is difficult enough). So I will have to rely in emails, phone calls, Skype etc.

The most urgent thing is to get moving setting up a fund and make damned sure the money  does not go down the drain. “People will not donate”. That’s nonsense. People will –especially after the NHRC (expected) debacle, IF they know that the money will be well spent and not squandered (which it has – I am not going to be specific).

I have also ot to get some school kid to drop in after school and do some tying for me since this tying with one finger is just crazy. My very important paper on “An epidemic of Rape of Tamil women and girls  in the North and East by the Sinhalese Armed Forces and Police” has been held up for an year because I have no typist, and no office to work out of, using my kitchen is not an alternative.

We have also got to set up an ‘Action Group” of a few committed people. This is imperative and urgent.

If we don’t act now and with urgency, Tamil Eelam will disappear before our very eyes and WE will be responsible for this disaster..

Brian Senewiratne