Last night, UK broadcaster Channel 4 aired ‘Sri Lanka’s Killing Fields’, a traumatic documentary exposing shocking new evidence of war crimes committed during the closing days of Sri Lanka’s civil war in 2009.
The footage screened ranks among the most horrific yet shown on British television.
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| Sri Lanka Killing Field |
Britain has renewed calls for Sri Lanka to investigate allegations of war crimes after video footage apparently showing the summary execution of naked and bound prisoners was broadcast on UK television.
A fantastic editorial in today’s Guardian: http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2011/jun/15/sri-lanka-evidence-that-wont-be-buried
“Naked prisoners shot in the head; the dead bodies of women who had been raped, dumped on a truck; the immediate aftermath of a shell landing on a hospital – images caught on mobile phones of the atrocities committed by government soldiers in the final months of Sri Lanka's brutal civil war. The story of what happened two years ago when government forces corralled hundreds of thousands of Tamils in horrific conditions into an ever-shrinking space, as they closed in the defeated Tigers, is well known. A UN panel last month found credible allegations of war crimes committed both by the Sri Lankan government and the LTTE. But the pictures of the shootings are new and Channel 4 has done what human rights organisations should have been doing in compiling and sifting through it.”
Absolutely disturbing...! The cowardice, the lies, the brutality, the hate, the absolute disregard for the life of fellow human beings is hard to accept (no matter how many times we watch this).
Captured on mobile phones, both by Tamils under attack and government soldiers as war trophies, the disturbing footage shows: the extra-judicial executions of prisoners; the aftermath of targeted shelling of civilian camps; and dead female Tamil fighters who appear to have been raped or sexually assaulted, abused and murdered.
How can people inflict this amount of suffering on other people??
Just a bunch of extremely dangerous and powerful psychopaths!
The common definition of a “psychopath” - formally referred to a personality disorder characterised by the inability to form human attachment and an abnormal lack of empathy, masked by an ability to appear outwardly normal.
Could we really define these people?!
A complete exposé... thanks to Channel 4 and John Snow. Yet, the all-mighty UN remains silent and the influence of the International Community powerless.
Who will bring peace to all the innocent civilians killed? We can only hope that one day this can be achieved.
A fantastic editorial in today’s Guardian: http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2011/jun/15/sri-lanka-evidence-that-wont-be-buried
“Naked prisoners shot in the head; the dead bodies of women who had been raped, dumped on a truck; the immediate aftermath of a shell landing on a hospital – images caught on mobile phones of the atrocities committed by government soldiers in the final months of Sri Lanka's brutal civil war. The story of what happened two years ago when government forces corralled hundreds of thousands of Tamils in horrific conditions into an ever-shrinking space, as they closed in the defeated Tigers, is well known. A UN panel last month found credible allegations of war crimes committed both by the Sri Lankan government and the LTTE. But the pictures of the shootings are new and Channel 4 has done what human rights organisations should have been doing in compiling and sifting through it.”
Absolutely disturbing...! The cowardice, the lies, the brutality, the hate, the absolute disregard for the life of fellow human beings is hard to accept (no matter how many times we watch this).
Captured on mobile phones, both by Tamils under attack and government soldiers as war trophies, the disturbing footage shows: the extra-judicial executions of prisoners; the aftermath of targeted shelling of civilian camps; and dead female Tamil fighters who appear to have been raped or sexually assaulted, abused and murdered.
How can people inflict this amount of suffering on other people??
Just a bunch of extremely dangerous and powerful psychopaths!
The common definition of a “psychopath” - formally referred to a personality disorder characterised by the inability to form human attachment and an abnormal lack of empathy, masked by an ability to appear outwardly normal.
Could we really define these people?!
A complete exposé... thanks to Channel 4 and John Snow. Yet, the all-mighty UN remains silent and the influence of the International Community powerless.
Who will bring peace to all the innocent civilians killed? We can only hope that one day this can be achieved.
According to Amnesty International, the importance of a film like this in terms of pushing the human rights agenda is great. The film reinforces the findings of the UN panel – namely that both sides committed war crimes and crimes against humanity.
It contains very graphic footage in a long format documentary that lasts one hour and therefore has more impact on the public than a written report.
The film has been hugely important; making it impossible for diplomats to ignore that gross human rights violations took place.
Amnesty International calls for an independent international investigation into the extent of violations of international human rights law and international humanitarian law.
Amnesty International has repeatedly called for the Secretary General to launch such an independent inquiry and has urged UN member states to support it.
Q&A: SRI LANKA’S KILLING FIELDS
Justice can only be served and healing delivered if the international community launches an international, independent investigation into war crimes and crimes against humanity committed in Sri Lanka. This historic opportunity must be seized, or the price for us all will be intolerably high.
“Channel 4 is lifting its normal commercial access restrictions to allow the film to be freely seen by anyone anywhere in the world. Additionally, it is bound to go viral via Youtube."
"This is not my normal kind of Snowblog. I end by asking you to watch this film. It could well prove a kind of a watershed, a moment when humanity, confronted with the evidence, cries ‘no more’. In our century of war – as the 21st Century is already beginning to feel – this could provide a moment when the perpetrators of war crimes meet the law courtesy of global disgust and pressure."
"You will see that the film had to be, as it is, horrifically true to the facts of what happened. I hope you will spare 50 minutes, it could be that it will make a difference.”
John Snow, Presenter
SnowBlog: http://blogs.channel4.com/snowblog/sri-lankas-killing-fields-project-affect-history/15457
Sri Lanka is trying to pretend these events are history. . .
They are not. . .
For more background on Sri Lanka’s Killing Fields, please visit, http://www.channel4.com/programmes/sri-lankas-killing-fields/articles/background-information
Help and Support: http://www.channel4.com/programmes/sri-lankas-killing-fields/articles/help-support
Sri Lanka’s Killing Fields is available to watch on 4oD
It contains very graphic footage in a long format documentary that lasts one hour and therefore has more impact on the public than a written report.
The film has been hugely important; making it impossible for diplomats to ignore that gross human rights violations took place.
Amnesty International calls for an independent international investigation into the extent of violations of international human rights law and international humanitarian law.
Amnesty International has repeatedly called for the Secretary General to launch such an independent inquiry and has urged UN member states to support it.
Q&A: SRI LANKA’S KILLING FIELDS
Justice can only be served and healing delivered if the international community launches an international, independent investigation into war crimes and crimes against humanity committed in Sri Lanka. This historic opportunity must be seized, or the price for us all will be intolerably high.
“Channel 4 is lifting its normal commercial access restrictions to allow the film to be freely seen by anyone anywhere in the world. Additionally, it is bound to go viral via Youtube."
"This is not my normal kind of Snowblog. I end by asking you to watch this film. It could well prove a kind of a watershed, a moment when humanity, confronted with the evidence, cries ‘no more’. In our century of war – as the 21st Century is already beginning to feel – this could provide a moment when the perpetrators of war crimes meet the law courtesy of global disgust and pressure."
"You will see that the film had to be, as it is, horrifically true to the facts of what happened. I hope you will spare 50 minutes, it could be that it will make a difference.”
John Snow, Presenter
SnowBlog: http://blogs.channel4.com/snowblog/sri-lankas-killing-fields-project-affect-history/15457
Sri Lanka is trying to pretend these events are history. . .
They are not. . .
For more background on Sri Lanka’s Killing Fields, please visit, http://www.channel4.com/programmes/sri-lankas-killing-fields/articles/background-information
Help and Support: http://www.channel4.com/programmes/sri-lankas-killing-fields/articles/help-support
Sri Lanka’s Killing Fields is available to watch on 4oD
This evidence cannot be buried !!!
Much love,
Anokhi
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