US cable confirms Sri Lankan government’s collusion with paramilitary death squads

[Hannah Bell]

US diplomatic cable released last week by WikiLeaks confirms the Sri Lankan government’s collusion in the criminal activities of various paramilitary groups, including the Eelam People’s Democratic Party (EPDP) and Tamil Makkal Viduthalai Pulihal (TMVP), during its war against the separatist Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE).

Blake’s cable to the US State Department noted that the Colombo government saw “several advantages in allowing paramilitary groups”, not only for operations against LTTE, but to “enhance security in Colombo by kidnapping and sometimes killing those suspected of working with the LTTE. Frequent abductions by paramilitaries keep critics of the GSL fearful and quiet.” The memo said the paramilitaries also gave Colombo “a measure of deniability”.

The cable reported that Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapakse, the president’s brother, ordered Jaffna military commanders to “not interfere with the paramilitaries on the grounds that they are doing ‘work’ that the military cannot do because of international scrutiny”—in other words extra-judicial killings and other illegal activities. The defence ministry also instructed top officials “not to interfere with operations of military intelligence”, which worked closely the paramilitaries.

Blake’s cable confirms what the World Socialist Web Site and the Socialist Equality Party, along with various human rights organisations, reported and condemned at the time. While Blake and the Bush administration were well aware of the crimes being committed, Washington maintained a diplomatic silence and fully backed Rajapakse’s renewed war against the LTTE.

http://www.wsws.org/articles/2010/dec2010/slwi-d29.shtml

[mahina]

1. This just in.

At least it's irrefutable now. Refudiatable. Whatevas.

F-ing criminals, and we support them.

[blindpig]

2. "Stability" is very important to empire. n/t

[DCKit]

3. Almost eight hours and nobody's squawking "Old News"?

"We already knew this" or "It's common knowledge"?

I guess our resident PTB trolls and spammers take their holidays and vacations seriously.

Thanks again, Hannah.