UN must excavate truth buried in LLRC

The fact remains that almost every Tamil from the North and East who has taken refuge in foreign countries had a family member or relative either killed, wounded, widowed or witnessed the war in its final stages. Yet the government insists no civilians were killed by the government security forces.

by Pearl Thevanayagam

(April 30, London, Sri Lanka Guardian) The title of LLRC (Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission) based on South Africa’s TRC (Truth and Reconciliation Commission) speaks for itself in that it is not the function of the LLRC to find out the truth. Truth is brazenly omitted in the title.

Right from the very beginning of the sittings this disregard to find out the truth of the war was clearly manifest in the kind of witnesses summoned to give evidence before the LLRC. Rohan Gunaratne, who claims to be a terrorism expert although international think-tanks have proved him to be a fraudster and not at all an expert on terrorism, some retired civil servants who never were in the theatre of war, media pundits who never left their editorial chairs except for briefings anddiplomatic pow-wows and octogenarian experts who could not tell a terrorist from a government soldier if he wore a cyanide capsule openly round his neck and carried an AK 47 are some main witnesses the commission relied upon.

Evidence was also heard from hundreds of war witnesses in the Wanni and relgious dignitaries. I would indeed be a miracle if the LLRC report contained any of the evidence from the last category mentioned.

Having followed and written daily media reports of three Presidential Commissions of Inquiry in the early nineties and none published for public scrutiny I have no faith in the LLRC commission and as widely known it remains a hoodwinking tactic of the government to brush aside criticism of war crimes particularly from the international community.

The fact remains that almost every Tamil from the North and East who has taken refuge in foreign countries had a family member or relative either killed, wounded, widowed or witnessed the war in its final stages. Yet the government insists no civilians were killed by the government security forces.

Frantic efforts by Foreign Minister G.L. Peiris into briefing the diplomatic corps only seem to reinforce the desperation of the government that in the near future it needs to face trial by the UN for war crimes, GLP’s repeated mantra that the report is not a UN report but only a report of the advisory panel set by the UNSG (United Nations Secretary General) not withstanding. GLP is not exactly known for his honesty. Remember his Nepal blunder when he was left with egg all over his face as the Nepalese government flatly denied it sought MR’s advice on how to quell its rebellion.

I remember another occasion during a cabinet press briefing when GLP proudly declared that henceforth all press releases would be in English, Tamil and Sinhala. The briefing panel announced this in English and Sinhala and we never saw Tamil press releases afterwards. When I questioned this, that irrepressible Alavi Moulana quipped, “Surely all journalists understand English”, to much laughter and immediate serving of snacks to stave off further volleys.

While GLP who on the one hand announces very frequently ( faster than Bloomberg update) that the advisory panel’s report to the UNSG is seriously flawed etc. etc he also sanctimoniously declares that the government will not be demonstrating or staging protest against the UN. Then he goes one step further and states the UN advisory panel could read the LLRC report (if it ever gets out in its fullest and honest form).

All the while President Rajapakse is calling the nation to join in a countrywide protest on May Day against the report!!! Utter madness and rot has set into the satellites surrounding the President and if this trend carries on he would be escorted in a strait jacket before the international court of justice. Perhaps then he could plead insanity and escape severe penalty.

By the way May Day marks the 18th anniversary of the assassination by an LTTE suicide bomber of the island’s most loved President, Ranasinghe Premadasa by the poorest of the poor and who not only promised one million houses for the homeless but delivered among his other well-known gestures such as free nutritious school meals and daily milk rations and of course Janasaviya program to help the poor become self-employed.

It would be too much to ask of the President to honour this statesman on May Day.

No leader of this country ever courted terrorists as overtly as President Rajapakse. Now there are reports Pathmanathan alias KP, the procurer of arms for the LTTE is willing to appear before the UN to give evidence supporting the government stance on eliminating the LTTE. Two ex-LTTE leaders Karuna and Pillayan are enjoying the President’s patronage and are now ministers in the government.

Another maverick and early compatriot of Tamil rebels, Douglas Devananda, has channelled his militant combat training in Lebanon and Israel to the now infamous `white van abductions and killings for ransom’ which is a side cottage industry with the direct blessings of the government. He also generates much influence among foreign politicians except in the UK where he is denied visa. He is in charge of the North and East administration and he flaunts his authority so much so that even North East university appointments have to pass muster with this VIP former Tamil militant.

It is now apt to quote a local saying that the woodpecker pecked all the hardwood trees with success but finally caught its beak in a pliant and soft papaw tree. Matthew Russell Lee reporting for Inner City Press yesterday stated that the UNSG has the power to ask the Human Rights Council (an arm of the General Assembly) or the Credentials Committee to follow up on the advisory panel’s report as was done on Cote d’Ivoire (Ivory Coast).

Apologist media for the government in Colombo claim that it is only the Tamils living abroad who are making the loudest noise about the UNSG’s report and that the Tamils living in Sri Lanka are greatly  relieved President Mahinda Rajapakse brought terrorism to an end. Nothing could be furthest from the truth. Imagine  their plight if they even uttered a word against the government. If the government cannot tolerate criticism from Sinhalese media what chances have the Tamils got?

So it behoves us Tamils in foreign climes to keep the momentum and seek the truth followed by justice. Then perhaps opportunities may arise for reconciliation. But for now the wounds are still fresh.

Pearl Thevanayagam can be reached at pearltheva@hotmail.com. Constructive comments are welcome and regrettably abusive emails would be ignored.

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Narendra Modi Vs Sanjive Bahatt IPS

Bhatt's motive comes under suspicion for two reasons. Firstly, his belated action in coming out with these allegations. Secondly, the questions that have been raised regarding the correctness of his claim that he was present at Modi's meeting whereas some participants have reportedly denied it.

by B.Raman

(April 30, Chennai, Sri Lanka Guardian) The tussle between Shri Narendra Modi, the Chief Minister of Gujarat, and Shri Sanjiv Bhatt, an Indian Police Service Officer of the Gujarat cadre presently posted in Junagadh, is becoming murkIer and murkier---not reflecting well on either Modi or Bhatt.

2. The tussle has given rise to suspicions of petty-mindedness and vindictiveness on the part of Modi and a motivated unprofessional agenda on the part of Bhatt.

3. The present tussle started with an affidavit reportedly filed by Bhatt before the Supreme Court, alleging that Modi had instructed officers during a late night meeting held on February 27, 2002, to allow Hindus "to vent out their anger" during the clashes as he wanted Muslims to be "taught a lesson" after the massacre of some Hindu pilgrims by some Muslims at the Godhra railway station. There is nothing new about these allegations. Such allegations had repeatedly been made by the detractors of Modi from time to time since 2002 without their being able to prove them. Nor has Modi been able to disprove them in a convincing manner.

4.The only way of convincingly disproving them is by producing the minutes of the meeting held on February 27,2002, and the Roznamcha (General Diary) entries of the relevant police stations after the reported meeting of Modi.If the allegations against Modi are correct, this would be reflected in the lack of any reference in the Roznamchas to additional police deployments. If the allegations against Modi are wrong, such additional deployments would be reflected in the Roznamcha entries. The silence of the Gujarat Government all these years regarding entries in relevant records would give ground for suspicion that for some hours after the Godhra incident no written records were kept, particularly of the meeting reportedly held by Modi.

5.Bhatt's motive comes under suspicion for two reasons. Firstly, his belated action in coming out with these allegations. Secondly, the questions that have been raised regarding the correctness of his claim that he was present at Modi's meeting whereas some participants have reportedly denied it. Bhatt and his supporters have produced a statement of Bhatt's driver to show that Bhatt did attend the meeting, According to the driver, Bhatt travelled to the meeting in the car of a colleague and the driver drove Bhatt's car behind them. If this is so, this should have been reflected in the duty register of Bhatt's car. If there is an entry in the duty register of Bhatt's car, Bhatt is probably right and Modi's supporters are telling a lie. If there is no entry, Modi's supporters are probably right and Bhatt is telling a lie. Why has the Gujarat Government not released so far the relevant entries in the duty register of Bhatt's car ?

6. The tussle has been made more complicated by Bhatt's allegation that his security cover has been withdrawn after he filed his affidavit. This has been denied by the office of the Director-General of Police, according to which Bhatt's security entitlement has been reduced, but not withdrawn. Bhatt had been given a security entitlement of five security personnel of which four have been withdrawn.

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7.The relevant question is when were they withdrawn. If they had been withdrawn before Bhatt filed his affidavit, Bhatt's complaint has no basis, If they had been withdrawn after he filed his affidavit, a strong presumption will be that there was a link between his filing his affidavit and a re-examination of the threat perception resulting in a dilution of the security provided to him.This would smack of petty-mindedness and vindictiveness towards Bhatt because of the affidavit

8. A large number of Tweets recveived by me have claimed that this was purely a professional decision taken in the police department and that it will, therefore, be incorrect to blame Modi for it. Bhatt's case is unique----whatever be his motives in filing the affidavit. He had made serious allegations against Modi. If Modi was sensitive enough, he would have ensured that nothing was done either by his office or by the DGP's office which could be misconstrued as vindictiveness. By failing to act till now, Modi has strengthened the impression that there is more than meets the eye in the dilution of the security provided to Bhatt.

9. In recent months, Modi has been trying to project a positive image of himself as a good and progressive Chief Minister---with some success. The way Bhatt's case has been handled---it is immaterial whether it was done by his office or by the DGP's office--- would provide credibility to those who have not been convinced of the genuiness of this positive image and have been arguing that it is the same old vindictive Modi who has been ruling Gujarat.

10. The shadow of his alleged post-Godhra vindictive reflexes continues to follow Modi wherever he goes and whatever he does.He may not be able to shake off this shadow unless he comes out with a white paper giving details of all actions taken by him and the police after the Godhra massacre, supported by relevant records of his office and the police.

( The writer is Additional Secretary (retd), Cabinet Secretariat, Govt. of India, New Delhi, and, presently, Director, Institute For Topical Studies, Chennai, and Associate of the Chennai Centre For China Studies. E-mail: seventyone2@gmail.com )

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Last Phase of Civil War at Mullivaikal: What happened really?

The memory of Mullivaikal’s dead men women and children was kept alive by the surviving victims. They will continue to raise the memory at all international forums and will not rest until the truth is revealed. Photo:Reuters

by Sivanendran

(April 30, Chennai, Sri Lanka Guardian)The events at Mullivaikal mark the climax of the civil war in Sri Lanka, the most vicious of the battles where the lives of poor civilians were totally ignored.

That the innocent civilians got massacred in large numbers is not in doubt, but the orthodox story omits entirely the context in which this occurred.

What is most important to keep in mind is that Mullivaikal today has sadly become largely a political tool, an excuse for ethno-nationalists on all sides to let loose their most radical sentiments and score points with their supporters. In the 2009 massacre in reports, the background and responsibilities for the disaster in Mullivaikal were absent. Preferred was the simple explanation: a black and white event in which the Tamils the terrorists were solely to blame.

"Truth and reason are eternal," Thomas Jefferson wrote to Rev. Samuel Knox in 1810. "They have prevailed. And they will eternally prevail . . ."

Mullivaikal was a village in Vanni besieged by the government forces. This massacre occurred because the Sri Lankan Army savagely lashed out s against the LTTE ignoring the civilian population of the area.. After promising safety and protection to the innocent inhabitants of Mullivaikal the governmental forces are said to have used disproportionate force indiscriminately attacking even assigned "no fire zones".

Throughout this period the U.N. adopted a position of "neutrality" that in practice meant inaction, even when large number of men, women and children were killed in these attacks. Sri Lankan forces attacked "no fire zones" or the warring parties otherwise violated ceasefire agreements.

It's a distasteful point, but it has to be said that, if you're committing whole scale slaughter, you don't let the women go since they are key to perpetuating the very group you are trying to eliminate. Many of the boys and girls were executed and buried in mass graves. Every day of this war has seen the most unspeakable atrocities committed against ordinary civilians. Trapped in this small land area, under constant Sri Lankan bombardment, sleepless and thirst-maddened, unarmed men, women and children succumbed to hallucinations, paranoia, and despair. The psyches of the people ruptured.

Mullivaikal is not simply a case of the international community standing by as a far-off atrocity was committed. The actions of the international community encouraged, aided, and emboldened the attackers. The fall of Mullivaikal did not have to happen. There was no need for thousands of skeletons to be strewn across that north eastern coast. There is no need for thousands of Tamil children to be raised on stories of their fathers, mothers, uncles and brothers slaughtered by Sri Lankan army.

How many died?

There are various estimates of the maimed and the dead. Some estimate the dead as about 10,000 whilst some others have even suggested as much as 100,000. The massacre accounts for an astonishing number of missing from the brutal conflict as a whole. By any standard, it was one of the worst and most concentrated acts of killing in the post-World War II era.

The fact beyond dispute is that during the siege of Mullivaikal thousands of Tamil men, women and children were killed. Most of them died when the enclave was completely encircled by the Sri Lankan Army and fell almost without a fight. A significant number reached safety only after the 18th May 2009.

It is now two years since the fall of Mullivaikal . Much has been written about the matter. Nonetheless the majority of reports have been limited to a broad media exposure of the event, with very little analytical rigor. Discussion of Mullivaikal cannot be limited to genocide and mass graves. A rigorous analysis of the events must take into consideration the background circumstances, in order to understand the real motives which led to the massacre.

Does Mullivaikal exemplify state brutality over the twenty five years of war? Let the truth be told. This is the question that needs to be answered by all including the international community.

Who is responsible?

The zone of Mullivaikal, like almost that entire coastline, is characterized by its flat terrain offering clear advantage to offensive forces. Sri Lankan army waited for months without attacking this enclave until the Indian elections were over. Given the resources available to both parties, and the characteristics of the terrain, it would seem that the Sri Lankan army had the necessary force to defend itself and be ever so mindful of the innocent people trapped in the war zone. This, however, did not occur.

Given the military advantage of the Sri Lankan forces it is very difficult to explain the amount of disregard that they showed to the innocent men, women and children in a siege situation, recklessly prosecuting a war in the absence of effective military resistance. The heavy casualties amongst the civilian population could have been avoided. The victims have many stories to tell. There are about 300,000 who survived these onslaughts waiting to tell their stories. There is no one asking for their stories much less to listen to them. There are many harrowing tales from these victims of Mullivaikal yet to be told.

The international community also bears responsibility for this massacre. Had the UN asserted its authority perhaps the world would have been spared of these mass killings.

The aftermath

Extensive forensic investigations of the Mullivaikal massacre sites have not been carried out systematically to identify the bodies and bury them appropriately. That area has been out of bounds to its inhabitants except the Sri Lankan military to enable them to clean up the land. We still do not know what the Sri Lankan army has done to the bodies. Is there a combined memorial or a mortuary in Mullivaikal for the dead?

The memory of Mullivaikal’s dead men women and children was kept alive by the surviving victims. They will continue to raise the memory at all international forums and will not rest until the truth is revealed.

Since the ending of the war in May 2009, the Tamil Diaspora has continued with their protest at the stalled investigations into the fate of their missing men, women and children and will do so again on the second anniversary of the massacre in May 2011. Their list of primary demands would include:

1.The full facts of massacre should be revealed and publicised.

2. A list of all dead and executed to be identified without delay.

3. A list of all survivors of Mullivaikal held prisoner in Sri Lanka should be released immediately.

So, here we are, two years later, going over the same old lines, while the families of the victims of Mullivaikal win nothing more than the moral high ground, which provides little in the way of closure. But, then, even closure is a tricky business. Even if the perpetrators themselves were to admit to the genocide and pay for their crimes, justice would not be served and the dead will not be brought back to life:

After all these years, there is still not a single high-profile political figure in Sri Lanka–who is capable of thinking of humanity over politics, of country over career. How can the people of Sri Lanka shrug it off not as the massacre of thousands of human beings, but as a tool to be used in political games?

UN Secretary General

A UN Secretary-General is not responsible for all UN actions - or lack of such, or for decisions made by the Security Council. Mr Bank ki Moon is however responsible for his own actions. During those fateful days in 2009, he had a choice: standing up against the Security Council in an attempt to shame politicians into intervening or keeping his head down and pretend he didn't know what was going on. Mr Moon chose silence, which satisfied the governments bent on ’business as usual’: seeing nothing and hearing nothing..

It has been argued that the Security Council was not really 'interested' or 'willing' to intervene and that this exempts him from blame. It is agreed that many politicians were extremely reluctant to intervene with force in Sri Lanka. But is it not exactly during such times when we most need a Secretary-General of the United Nations to speak up? Or, put differently, if politicians were head over heels to intervene to prevent crimes against humanity, why would we need a Secretary-General of the United Nations? Besides, the (unfortunately very belated) intervention of Britain and France almost at the end of the massacre showed that it was indeed possible to create enough public awareness for the international community to react.

If Mr Ban ki Moon had vigorously demanded a UN intervention and thereby confronted those governments in the Security Council that left civilians to their killers, he could rightly have washed his hands as he has since tried to do. However, for reasons of political and bureaucratic expediency he chose not to do so.

The United Nations must shoulder a large share of responsibility for allowing the massacre to take place under their noses however odious the LTTE tactics were. Through error, misjudgement and the inability to recognize the scope of evil confronting them, they failed to do their part to save the people of Mullivaikal from the mass murder.

The blame surely extends to the member states of the United Nations.

In the final days and hours of the advance on Mullivaikal, which American and Indian intelligence could monitor closely, the international community fell strangely silent. Mullivaikal duly fell, with consequences which were unspeakable in human terms, but not inconvenient diplomatically.

Mullivaikal– A call for justice

The Sri Lankan government deny that that there is anything to be explained or debated on this matter. This was only a problem of terrorism and its elimination. So many thousands people were killed and unknown number of prisoners were executed is not a matter that needs investigation. Even if a distinguished international judicial forum of unquestioned authority has found it to constitute unacceptable does not appear to persuade the Sri Lankan government that there is a need for an appropriate investigation of the matter. According to them there is nothing to debate because everything is settled and clear.

However, for the Tamils, it is noteworthy that "Mullivaikal" is used not as a geographic location but as a stand-alone term that denotes horror, "Mullivaikal" used in this sense has established itself as a horrible massacre of the innocent Tamils. Is Mullivaikal a hoax? Is it a myth based on a lie?

A distinguished panel of reasonable people with no ethno-religious axe to grind in the Sri Lankan quagmire have called for an investigation. If Sri Lanka has no blood on its hands why not agree for such an international investigation to bring a closure to this tragedy. We repeat- Let the truth be told.

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A brutal attack on FMA Razzak -- Kidnapped, eyes gouged and prevented from receiving treatment

The police and eyewitnesses found Razzak unconscious next to the houses of Army Major Mustafizur Rahman Bokul and his next door neighbour Nur Islam Sana. The perpetrators were brutally beating Razzak in order to confirm his death. His bother Bodiar was also being beaten in brutal method. The police did not arrest any of the perpetrators from the scene.

(April 30, Dhaka, Sri Lanka Guardian) Human Rights Defender cum journalist F M A Razzak, President of Human Rights Development Centre (HRDC) and Editor of the Pakkhik Gonomichhil (Fortnightly Mass Procession, a vernacular newspaper), based in Paikgachha of Khulna district, has been struggling for life at the Dhaka Medical College Hospital now. Mr. Razzak was abducted by around 20 people led by Mr. Kazal Sarder, who is a brother of Bangladesh Army Major Mustafizur Rahman Bokul, from Paikgachha town. At around 10:30PM on 29 April 2011, Mr. Razzak was abducted from the Dhaka-bound Bus Terminal of Paikgachha where he, accompanied by his younger brother Mr. Bodiuzzaman Bodiar and co-brother Mr. Bakkar, went to a medicine shop for buying medicine.

The abductors forcibly put Razzak and two other persons to a Nosimon (a locally made vehicle of shallow pump engine) beating randomly. On the way Bakkar was thrown from the vehicle while Razzak and Bodiar were taken to a field adjacent to the house of Major Mustafizur Rahman Bokul, who reportedly ordered his brother Kazal Sarder to kill Razzak immediately.

Around thirty men brutally beat Razzak and Bodiar with stick, rod, sharp weapons. The perpetrators pushed fingers into Razzak eyes that started seriously bleed. The right hand and leg of Razzak have been fractured in several places. He has sustained sever injuries all over his body.

Meanwhile, when the family received information from the pedestrians of the scene of abduction that Razzak and two of his relatives were abducted by a group of people, they looked for them in probable nearby places including the Paikgachha police station. The Paikgachha police expressed their ignorance about the alleged incident to the relatives. One of Razzak’s relatives called the Additional Superintendent of Police of Khulna district seeking immediate action by the police. Then, a team of police led by Sub Inspector (SI) Nurul Islam, who is the Second Officer of the Paikgachha police, comprising SI Delwar Hossain, SI Idris Ali and few Constables, moved slowly toward Godaipur village toward which direction the abductors drove their vehicle, according to the eyewitnesses. But, the police team was seen stopped their motorbikes at Godaipur Natun Bazar instead of searching the whereabouts of Razzak. One of Razzak’s relatives drove a motorbike toward the house of Major Mustafizur Rahman Bokul in Godaipur village under the jurisdiction of the Paikgachha police station and from around 300 yards away he heard noise of beating and cries of persons and requested the police to rescue the victims. Then the police only moved to the scene.

The police and eyewitnesses found Razzak unconscious next to the houses of Army Major Mustafizur Rahman Bokul and his next door neighbour Nur Islam Sana. The perpetrators were brutally beating Razzak in order to confirm his death. His bother Bodiar was also being beaten in brutal method. The police did not arrest any of the perpetrators from the scene. They (police) put Razzak’s unconscious body and Bodiar, who was critically injured, onto the same vehicle, which was used by the perpetrators at the time of abduction. The police brought them to the Paikgachha Upazilla Health Complex (local public hospital).

Eye witnesses told the Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) that Razzak’s both eyes was almost gauged out while he was bleeding from the eyes. His right leg and hand were fractured in several places. The whole body had injuries with marks of cut, bruise and swollen wounds.

The on duty medical officer of the Paikgachha hospital, who primarily examined Razzak did not find his pulse, told the relatives that the “patient had died already”. After receiving the information about Razzak’s abduction when AHRC contacted Razzak’s wife Mrs. Rahima Razzak after 2AM in Hong Kong time on 30 April early morning Rahima told the AHRC that she was told by the doctors that Razzak was “no more”. Meanwhile, the leaders of the journalist community came to the hospital and insisted the doctors to examine Razzak consistently to confirm Razzak’s life and death status. The doctors then re-examined Razzak for around 40 minutes and finally found Razzak was alive. They started giving the first aid to Razzak. His brother Bodiar’s right forearm is broken while the whole body is marked with serious injuries. The Paikgachha hospital, which me incapable of providing necessary treatment, referred Razzak to the Khulna Medical College Hospital (KMCH).

As the news of Razzak’s survival spread among people the perpetrators carrying various types of weapons came to the Paikgachha hospital to kill him (Razzak) when the relatives were taking Razzak and Bodiar to an ambulance for the KMCH. The inhabitants of the neighbourhood of the hospital attempted to catch the perpetrators. Then, the police prevented the people giving ways to the perpetrators to escape.

The doctors of the KMCH provided another first aid instead of any specialised treatment to Razzak and referred to the Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH), the largest public hospital of the country, for treatment. The doctors told the relatives that if Razzak’s eyes are not adequately and immediately treated within 24 hours since time of gauging the eyes he (Razzak) will permanently lose his eye sight. His right leg and hand also require immediate proper treatment in order to avoid permanent physical disability. Razzak returned to his sense but could not see anything.

Razzak told the AHRC that Major Mustafizur Rahman Bokul’s brother Kazal Sarder and their allies abducted him from the Dhaka Bus Stand of Paikgachha. He was taken to an open field next to Bokul’s parent’s house. Everyone of Major Bakul’s family including his mother tortured him. Kazal Sarder called his brother Major Bokul and asked, “the son of a bitch is brought to our house; what shall we do to him?” The mobile phone’s conversation was made handset free at that time. Major Bokul instructed to his relatives from the other end, “Take off his eyes and kill him!” The perpetrators then pushed screwdrivers into both of the eyes of Razzak and stirred the screwdrivers around the eyeballs. Razzak immediately became unable to see anything. Kazal Sarder also called the Officer-in-Charge (OC) of the Paikgachha police station told him that they want to gauge Razzak’s eyes in another handset free conversation. In reply the OC told, “First make sure that the eyes of the son of pig are taken out. Then, confirm me!” Razzak felt that he was being beaten with rod and stick until he lost his sense.

Razzak’s brother Bodiar told that he heard the OC’s conversation while the police officer was telling Kazal Sarder that “Police will not go (to the crime scene) until you finish him (Razzak).” “When the police were taking us (Razzak and Bodiar) to hospital by Nosimon Idris Daroga (Sub Inspector of police are locally called “Daroga”) told his other colleagues to through him beside the road from the vehicle (indicating Razzak) though the rest did not do that as some people were following the vehicle”, said Bodiar.

Bangladesh Navy personnel Shafik, son of Sultan Fakir was physically present in the torture of Razzak. Shafik told the fellow perpetrators not to hand over Razzak to the police, who may be compelled by local people to arrange medical treatment for Razzak. Instead, he suggested to handover Razzak to the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB), which will remain out of reach of the people and will murder him in the pretext of crossfire.

The journalists of Khulna allege that the KMCH doctors have been influenced by Major Bokul and other military officers. As a result, the doctors did not record the injuries of Razzak in details and avoided providing necessary treatment to Razzak. They have reasoned that as the medical college hospitals in Bangladesh are headed by the army officers the perpetrators of the military service dominate the whole hospital administration and medical cares whenever the officers of the armed forces wish to do. The relatives of Razzak and journalists seriously fear that in the DMCH, which is also headed by a Brigadier of Bangladesh Army, Razzak may be denied necessary medical treatment due to the interference by the military officers.

At 9:45AM Razzak was brought to the DMCH for treatment. Since then a large number of plain clothed officers of the intelligence agencies, who belong to the armed forces, have cordoned the hospital where no treatment is being given to Razzak and his brother. Doctors are barred from treating the victims due to the instructions from the officers of the armed forces. Razzak is left on the floor of the Radiology Unit of the DMCH.

 

 

 

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

Since 18 February 2011 the family and relatives of Razzak including his elderly parents, brothers and their wives and children have come under attack by the gang apparently led by Kazal Sarder and masterminded by Major Mustafizur Rahman on several occasions. The physical attacks led to hospitalisation of the victims for weeks.

Two shallow water pump machines that are owned by Razzak’s father for irrigation in the cultivation land had been taken away by Kazal and his gang, who tortured one of the brothers of Razzak while stole the first one and fabricated a theft case with the Paikgachha police.

The same perpetrators cut away (paddy) crops from the field of Razzak’s family on 27 April by Kazal Sarder and his gang.

On 28 April a police team led by the Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) of the Dakope Circle of Khulna comprising Sub Inspector (SI) Idris Ali and five other policemen went to Godaipur village to investigate the complaints of both parties - Razzak’s family and Major Bokul’s family. The police assured Razzak and his relatives that they (police) will protect them during the investigation. Instead, Kazal Sarder and his gang beat Razzak’s another brother and relatives in front of the police officers who did nothing to save them from physical attack.

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UNSG playing his fiddle to a deaf elephant

UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon also is fast being seen as a victim by some and a weakling by others – so much so that his photograph alone is enough for the Rajapakse supporters to emotionally excite blind followers, against the United Nations. This drama is expected to be staged on the streets of Colombo, on May 1.

by Nilantha Ilangamuwa

(April 30, New Delhi, Sri Lanka Guardian) There is much talk about Accountability these days – at UN level. Where was this Accountability problem when more than 60,000 Sinhalese youth disappeared and killed by the Sinhalese leadership just three decades ago? So now the United Nations came up with the report which is called “Darusman Report”, with lots of errors and is asking for credible investigation on Sri Lanka.

Many of us find this amusing and we see someone laughing. Who? – None other than the person who has hoarded more political power than most politicians of our current times - “His Excellency President Mahinda Rajapakse”.

UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon also is fast being seen as a victim by some and a weakling by others – so much so that his photograph alone is enough for the Rajapakse supporters to emotionally excite blind followers, against the United Nations. This drama is expected to be staged on the streets of Colombo, on May 1.

War crimes as directly observed by Sri Lankans happened in large scale through Sinhalese Youth Uprising against the Regime. That is the parallel of the Libyan uprising that we observe today. No UN, NATO or Allied forces came to our aid back then. There was no call for war crime inquiry. We managed ourselves. We reconstructed ourselves and we are continuing to fight for self governance at all levels of society. It was far more difficult for Sinhalese to see their own forces killing them. This seriously damages our self confidence as a community which is the foundation on which we elect National Government. Yet there was no one from the so called Global Governance to take care of us after that war.

Did anyone influence or urge or demand accountability for those massacres? Why not? Is that because of Sinhalese youth eliminated by the Sinhalese leadership are considered less valuable than Tamil civilians? When reading the reports by M.C.M. Iqbal who was secretary to two of Sri Lanka’s Truth Commissions, in regard to over 30,000 disappearances and/or deaths – I felt that those war heroes were the forgotten orphans. That they were dead and buried and their fight for freedom and self governance has also been buried with them. This is the kind of leadership we have. Now the so called international community is urging “accountability with credible International norms and standard.” The fact that there has been no mention of those war crimes in the UN Report and any UN inquiry is an insult to every Sri Lankan who has genuinely invested in self governance. The fact that the Political Leadership in Colombo is taking advantage of the report makes a mockery of our investments in democracy. It is also suicidal for the democratic forces within the political leadership. Yes, all democratic forces in that leadership are committing suicide.

There is a Sinhalese saying that, Beeri Alinta Weena Gayana Karanawa wage, (Looks like playing a fiddle to a deaf elephant). The official report of the United Nations which has asked for credible investigations into War Crimes which might have happened in Sri Lanka during the final stages of the ethnic War, also gives one the impression that the United Nations Secretary General is playing his fiddle to a deaf Elephant.

As Mr. Basil Fernando of the Asian Human Rights Commission based in Hong Kong has pointed out in his recent article “law without rule of law” published by the Sri Lanka Guardian, this current UN demand for accountability is like an audit report of Accounts without a Book-keeping system. Mr. Basil Fernando highlights the serious problems due to huge gap between reality and theory through which reports are structured. We, Sri Lanka have enough laws on paper but problem is that majority do not even have knowledge of it, leave alone reconciling it to our cultural norms or reconciling the actual outcomes to the outcomes that the laws would have produced. In other words, one who does not have a Plan or a Budget has to live with the reality of the actual.

To even make any sense of the UN’s expectations of Accountability, majority Sri Lankans, including victims of the recent war, need ground level education in global responsibilities. Until this is done, these reports would be twisted and abused by the Rajapakse clan to make a mockery not only of the UN system but also our own reality, from which they have alienated themselves.

The United Nations SG’s panel has totally ignored how this government kidnapped and held in the prison its former Army Commander who led the War against the Tamil Tigers Rebels, the four star General Sarath Fonseka. To majority Democratic Sri Lankans, this was an attempt by the Political leadership to claim ‘sole credit’ for the military victory, rather than share it on merit basis with the military leadership. When the real leadership is denied its earned credit, the morale of followers goes down and they are then easily manipulated by politicians and other custodians of power. UN has failed to address this issue in the report. General Fonseka is also a war victim and when he was imprisoned so were all those who fought on the basis of their faith in his position as a military leader. Yet, the UN inquiry failed to include this in its mandate. Is it because there aren’t enough Sri Lankan expatriates with political influence over western governments?

The UN report has used some facts without inner knowledge of our Nation, as if we are second class. We need someone who is a part of us, a Global body that treats us at Equal level to the richer members of the UN - to help us see ourselves – especially that part of us that influences us to kill our own for immediate political benefits.

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K B Ratnayake: Great sportsman and veteran politician

by Premasara Epasinghe

(April 30, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) Versatile sportsman, honest politician, one of the leading lights of North Central Province the highly respected former Minister of Sports and Speaker of Parliament K. B. Ratnayake passed away seven years ago on April 30 2004, at the age of 80 years.

He was a fine gentleman, cricketer, soccerite, tennis player and athlete from the Rajarata, North Central Province. In the 1940s, KBR had the proud distinction of leading Hartley College, one of the leading schools in the Jaffna district.

After completing his education at Hartley College, he served the villagers of the NCP as a land officer in the 1950s. He possessed a majestic personality, resembling a ‘Dasamahayodaya’ of the Great King Dutugemunu. He was a six-footer, who possessed a charming, pleasant and attractive personality. K.B.R., in reality, was a multi-lingual, and multi-cultural. He was a fine speaker in Sinhala, Tamil and English. This great man, never cared for caste, creed or colour.

Golden era of sports

He always stood for ‘One Sri Lanka’. His commanding personality, physical presence exuded the fragrance of the villagers of the Vanniya-Rajarata, Weu Bandi Rajjaya. He moved with kings, but always remained a simple honourable villager. He was a man who never forgot his roots. He served as the Private Secretary to Maithripala Senanayake, one of the most distinguished leaders and statesman that Sri Lanka possessed. K.B.R. was greatly influenced by the great man Maithripala Senanayake.

I can proudly, state here K. B. Ratnayake ushered the golden era of sports in Sri Lanka in the 1970s. He was the first minister to hold national sports festivals annually in outstations. He appointed late Gerry Gooneratne as the national cricket coach of Sri Lanka.

I still remember the first day I met this fine gentleman. Cricket match was in progress. I was attached to the sports desk of Daily News, covering this encounter in 1960. It was the centenary celebration of the Colombo Municipality. To mark this event, a cricket match was played at the Viharamadevi Grounds, Nomads Grounds, opposite St Bridgets Convent. The two teams - parliamentarians, were captained by former Thomian cricketer, Prime Minister Dudley Senanayake. The Municipality team was led by Vincent Perera, Mayor of Colombo. The umpires were Sam Wijesinha the Clerk to the House at that time and B. A. Jayasinghe Municipal Commissioner.

Brilliant speech

Winning the toss, batted. The Parliamentarians were in a spot of bother losing the openers Anandian Dr N. M. Perera and Royalist Anil Moonesingha. K. B. Ratnayake walked in joined Anandian Bernard Soysa. K. B. Ratnayake walked majestically. The first ball he faced off P. Sumathiratne, Colpetty MC, he dispatched to the boundary. This giant left-hand batsman thrashed the Minicipal members, scored a brilliant 65 runs. It included a towering six to the Art Gallery premises. He was at his brilliant best, K B R had eight hits to the ropes.

During the time K B Ratnayake was the Speaker, I cordially invited him to be chief guest at the launch of my book ‘Ma Dutu Cricket Lowa’(The world of cricket that I saw) in the year 1998.

In his own inimitable style, the Speaker Ratnayake made a brilliant speech, in Sinhala, Tamil and English. He traced Sri Lankan cricket history and mentioned about the First World Cup in 1975, how he watched with the president of the BCCSL Robert Senanayake.

K. B. R. kept the audience entertained with good humour. He said during the time that they played cricket, they used only pads, batting gloves and the box.

‘Today, the present day cricketers wear, head guard - helmets, thigh guard, shin guard, chest guard, arm guard and all sorts of guards. Sometimes, people ask us whether these people are going for a war’. The entire audience erupted in laughter.

Ratnayake as the Minister of Sports improved the standard of sports in the rural areas. During his period he recruited women-sports officers. He was responsible in recruiting K G. Badra and Sunil Gunawardane and many other outstanding sportsmen to the Sports Ministry.

‘Sunil and Badra ran together. Later, they ran to each other’. As witty as ever, he mentioned this to the SLFI audience. Laughter and cheering continued for few minutes.

Among those great men and women I met, K. B. Ratnayake stands out. K. B. R. was a true and genuine politician in the classical mould. He is a great man of honesty and integrity full of charisma and compassion. He is a fine human being with a golden heart.

This great leader, K. B. Ratnayake was born on February 23, 1924 and passed away on April 30, 2004.

He was elected to the Fifth House of Representatives from Anuradhapura on June 6, 1962.

He served as the Minister of Parliamentary Affairs and Sports from May 31,1970 to May 22,1972 and then again he was the Minister of Sports in late 1990s.

K. B. Ratnayake served as the Speaker from August 25, 1994 to August 18, 2000.

The demise of K. B. Ratnayake was an irreparable loss not only to their family but also to the whole country. Such gentlemenly politicians are a rare breed.

Dear Sir, I wish you eternal Bliss of Nibbana.

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Palestinian group pleads for Rizana

(April 30, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) A Palestinian group yesterday pleaded with the Saudi authorities to release the Sri Lankan domestic-Rizana Nafique who faces execution for the alleged murder of a toddler in her care, an official with the External Affairs Ministry said.

He said the group, know as the Sri-Lanka Palestine Friendship Association had made available a copy of the appeal to the Sri Lankan Representative Office in Palestine on Wednesday.

Rizana Nafique was sentenced to death by the Kingdom’s highest court for the alleged murder of a toddler in her care, some two years ago.

The defence has denied the charges saying the child had choked to death during a milk feed administered by the maid.

It also held that the maid was recruited as a domestic worker and not a baby sitter, and therefore she did not possess the required skills for such a task.

President Mahinda Rajapaksa has joined a host of others calling on the Saudi authorities to release the maid on humanitarian grounds, but there has been a negative response from the Riyadh.

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May Day message of the JVP

A social system where every four seconds a child somewhere in the world dies of hunger and 25000 people all over the world die of hunger every day cannot be a just one. The global capitalism has handed down to the masses poverty, hunger, disease, crime, war and death only. Fighting to change this vile social system is a responsibility that cannot be avoided and on this May Day working people including anti-imperialist, socialist and progressive masses should firmly resolve to struggle for such change.

(April 30, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian)The JVP while wishing victories for working people all over the world and all socialist and progressive anti-imperialist forces that struggle for their liberation also, on this 125th May Day commemoration, salutes all heroes and heroines who made various sacrifices including laying down their lives to win rights of working people. While extending its support to all peoples who struggle against imperialism and injustice and for the liberation of all downtrodden people, the JVP emphasizes, on this May Day, that it is prepared to link with such forces.

The capitalist world that we live in has handed down only injustice, frustration, unemployment, disease and death to the majority of the masses. The gap between the haves and have-nots is widening everyday while benefits of resources and products are centered among a few. The end result of this is the number of the poor increases. Vast majority of the masses in the world suffer and are pressurized despite a production is being turned that could fulfill needs of all.

A social system where every four seconds a child somewhere in the world dies of hunger and 25000 people all over the world die of hunger every day cannot be a just one. The global capitalism has handed down to the masses poverty, hunger, disease, crime, war and death only. Fighting to change this vile social system is a responsibility that cannot be avoided and on this May Day working people including anti-imperialist, socialist and progressive masses should firmly resolve to struggle for such change.

The world economic crisis that began in 2008 has not ended and everyday working people and the poor are swallowed up by this state of affairs. The intention of the present social system is not the protection of people’s lives but to fatten the profits of capitalists. The working people get further pressurized by not only having to shoulder the burden of the crisis, but they also have to bear the brunt of the crisis that forces them to lose their employment.

Within the global economic crisis a political crisis too is spreading throughout the world. This began in Greece and France and now has spread to several other countries toppling governments in Tunisia and Egypt. The working people and the youth actively contribute to this phenomenon. As these political crises and people’s agitations predicate an alternative, we look at it with optimism. Rallying of the masses all over the world for a genuine change is indeed an enjoyment for working people all over the world.

However, the issue is the absence of a strong and correct organization, a proper guidance that could direct those people’s struggles towards a direction that brings victories to working people, their rights and the liberation of the working and downtrodden people. The result of this void is the opportunity the imperialists have been given to plunder the advantage of people’s uprisings. Such a situation is not at all favourable to working people. This situation forces the need for the working people to organize themselves to a strong single force.

In Sri Lanka too the two capitalist groups that ruled the country during the past 63 years have proved to the maximum their impotency. The negative experiences that have been handed over in the economic, political, social and cultural sectors, especially after the open economy that commenced after 1978, indicate this impotency. The unemployment and poverty escalate daily while the masses are burdened with unlimited taxes, all kinds of fines and boundless indebtedness.

Present Rajapakse regime, like other regimes that have ruled this country, is constricting democracy and moving towards a dictatorship. The government, not only deprives democracy to slash rights of the working people, but also kneels before imperialists and takes and implement decisions that push working people from the pan to the hearth. The government has also deceived the working people with false promises and is denying the salary increases they are entitled to.

The government that manipulates the economy of the country to fulfill the desire of imperialists is selling valuable lands and resources to foreign companies. The farmers are chased out from their cultivated lands and the land is being sold to multi-national companies on the pretext of tourist industry and the so-called development. As such, masses have become refugees in their own land.

Furthermore, the present regime has not been able to give democracy and equal opportunities to the people in the North and the East or fulfill their basic needs despite the war has been over for two years. Thus they have benightedly opened doors for imperialist interventions. Political victimization is being aggravated and the confidence in law and order and the judiciary is being deteriorated daily.

In such circumstances it is evident that the rights of the oppressed including the working people could be assured only by an alternative social system that assures equal opportunities for all. The working people have no other alternative but to defeat imperialism and social injustice and struggle for a socialist society where justice, fair-play and independence triumph. Hence, we, on this International Workers’ Day, call upon all working people, including anti-imperialist, socialist, progressive and genuine patriotic forces, to rally with close fraternal ties and take the leadership to struggle for a better social system.

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BANGLADESH: Human Rights Defender in Critical Condition After Attack by Army

(April 30, Dhaka, Sri Lanka Guardian) A Bangladeshi Human Rights Defender F M A Razzak brutally tortured in Army Officer's house by the military officer's brother and relatives in the midst of extreme inaction by the authorities of the country on early hours in this morning ( 30th April, 2011), the Sri Lanka Guardian correspondent in Dhaka reported short while ago.

Initially Razzak's wife informed the Sri Lanka Guardian that the hospital doctors told her that Razzak was "dead".  After about an hour other doctors found Razzak alive! But his two eyes are gauged out and right leg and hand are seriously fractured. Doctors fear that he may become blind forever with permanent disability in his right limbs. Razzak is referred by Khulna Medical College Hospital to Dhaka Medical Collage Hospital for treatment. He is alive in critical condition.

More details will follow …..

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By Appointment With the Future Queen

Royalty and Labor Day

Jack Russell terrier Mabel watchesthe Royal Wedding on a big screen in St Salvadors Quad, on April 29, 2011 in St Andrews, Scotland. The marriage of Prince William, the second in line to the British throne, to Catherine Middleton is being held in London today. The Archbishop of Canterbury conducted the service which was attended by 1900 guests, including foreign Royal family members and heads of state. Thousands of well-wishers from around the world have also flocked to London to witness the spectacle and pageantry of the Royal Wedding and street parties are being held throughout the UK. - Getty Images

 Guest Column by Farzana Versey

Two days after Kate Middleton and Prince William walk down the aisle, a group of workers will take to the streets to celebrate the working class. If there is any contradiction it will be ignored. Or perhaps, there is no contradiction. The working class pays the least amount of taxes and therefore can spare a few quid for monarchical whimsies. The real tussle of labour is with the capitalist.

The British monarchy is politically the most ceremonial. It has also stuck to its religious and traditional roles; these give it rights without duty. Analyst and economist of the Victorian era, Walter Bagehot, had expressed it clearly: "The Sovereign has, under a constitutional monarchy such as ours, three rights – the right to be consulted, the right to encourage, the right to warn. And a king of great sense and sagacity would want no others."

Within the confines of palaces and horse stables, and the occasional outings in military zones and for social causes, it does not get in the way of the public. Therefore, the anti-monarchy voices are essentially of the intelligentsia. It is a teak-wood panelled clubby opposition mainly reiterating at regular intervals that the times they are a-changing, and like any vinyl record, it has some antique value. Rather charmingly it gets transposed with the antiquity of the object of protest. Karl Marx had foreseen this when he wrote, "The Tories in England had long imagined that they were enthusiastic about the monarchy, the church and beauties of the old English Constitution, until the day of danger wrung from them the confession that they are enthusiastic only about rent."

There have been humongous amounts of opinion column debates confined to discussing the future queen's middle class origins. One would have assumed that the middle class was a defunct species for Britons in the discourse. The reason for such an obsessive and often intrusive nature of investigation is that not only was Ms. Middleton middle class until her formal engagement, she was also working class. It has little to do with her history that harks back to a coalminer, the pits, a flight attendant and air traffic manager, but her job profiles of choice did not reveal grand professional qualifications, although she did study well, holidayed well and led a nice little life in a red brick house with pretty siblings and parents who ran a neat business. Her 'marrying well' hits out at the idea not of the monarchy but of the middle class. It is worse than betrayal of the class; it is the travesty of demoting and then rising, skipping over the fence, so to speak.

When she went shopping recently, she chose undergarments at the bargain section and just as easily moved to Calvin Klein for the next batch of smalls. She has also revealed that she got nightmares that on her wedding day she would be in the buff. It might well be the jitters, but it is also a rather trashy public statement to make. It is what would appeal to the lower end of the stalls. There is possibly no planned method, but then it is no madness either. It is an art that her mother-in-law, the late Princess Diana, had perfected – an Eva Peron-like persona. Eva, who addressed the poor, "the shirtless ones", with the famous words, "I leave you my woman's heart and I tell you once again that your companion Evita prefers to be Evita rather than the wife of the President…" She was not a politician, yet she knew that in an environment where self-esteem depended on how others viewed you, you had to have the masses on your side. 

Diana worked the assembly line of causes to become the people's princess. The people were not the intellectual class. They did not judge her and her foibles. She was way more popular than Prince Charles could ever be, and it had nothing to do with the fact that he talked to plants. Physical allure is one aspect, but it is the factor of benevolence that impresses upon naïve minds. They do not see it as a conflict situation. For them the monarchy is a fairytale – it is as imagined as it is real.

In the factories where they toil over making souvenirs, the kitsch goes well with the lack of aspiration forced upon the labour class that is given to believe they are the moving wheels of the economic carriage. The designers and sometimes tacky merchandisers redoubling as creators give them a blueprint but it is their hands that have shaped the mugs and plates and felt the heat of the kilns. While the formula is standard for the middle class minions of opportunity – the British flag, the royal emblem, the faces of the couple – for the working person each of these are symbolic of a comforting stability. Unlike politicians who swing to two extremes overtly, the changes in the monarchy are fairly subtle. The Queen remains the fulcrum and it is not without reason that she has refused to abdicate the throne. It is not about the British Empire anymore; that has been taken over by the House of Commons and its American-mimicked ideology. The Queen wants to keep alive the idea of the United Kingdom and that is the reason the pressure to be regal and proper has always been more on the future queens-to-be rather than any of the other princesses. Sarah Fergusson with her blazing red hair and toe being sucked by a millionaire moments were brushed off as specks of dust.

Diana was a callow young girl who had to be spruced up. The baggage she collected along the way went against the tulle trail that followed her on her nuptials, but she managed to get a royal canonisation. The attempts of Mohamed al Fayyad to erect a shrine at Harrods's for her and his son Dodi appealed to the in-betweens the most. The middle class found that it went well with its Tory going Labour politics where the immigrant, the paparazzi and anti-monarchism can come together while shopping for scented candles and scones at a place that would never reach Bond Street. They would not want that; it is their destination when the chips are up and in the 'Yes, Minister' stance they employ it can be as often as they like to give that slight nod of their coiffured head as their proffer a limp handshake to simulate a foppishness they imagine is their ticket to upward mobility.

The working class has no such concerns. It is free of both democracy and monarchy. However, while the former uses it, the latter indulges it. May Day rallies have been against the capitalist movement and the targets are the politicians or the moneyed. Winston Churchill has not been spared and neither has McDonald's. Why, one would wonder, attack an American franchise? Because the British middle class has become americanised. The best traders in the world are now watching their mustard Englishness being squirted with coquettish ketchup. There is only one way to go – fall in line.

   

TRH Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge waves to well wishers as she and Prince William, Duke of Cambridge leave Buckingham Palace driving a convertible car on April 29, 2011 in London, England. The marriage of the second in line to the British throne was led by the Archbishop of Canterbury and was attended by 1900 guests, including foreign Royal family members and heads of state. Thousands of well-wishers from around the world have also flocked to London to witness the spectacle and pageantry of the Royal Wedding.

The Americans, on their part, are quite besotted with the idea of 'history' and their own version of royalty is created in the Kennedy's. In an amusing piece, Vanity Fair was so totally smitten with a scoop photograph that shows Kate Middleton to be a distant relative of Edward Kennedy. A portion from the piece of fruitcake is worth reproducing:

"Middleton has the athleticism of a Jack, the charm of a Teddy, the shiny hair of a Maria Shriver, and the enigmatic reticence of one of the lesser-known Kennedys—Rose, for example. The 29-year-old, Berkshire-born Middleton frequently takes hunting and skiing trips with William, and would feel right at home swimming and playing tennis in Hyannis Port, where the Kennedys have owned a waterfront compound since 1927. Sartorially, Middleton is partial to basic trench coats, extravagant hats, and classic A-line skirts—all hallmarks of Kennedy women. Additionally, Middleton shares a birth date—January 9—with the singer Joan Baez, who of course shares a first name with Joan Kennedy, the first wife of Teddy Kennedy."

In her first eye-popping net dress at college, she would have been more Paris Hilton, but no one wants to go there. Not now, at least. She has gone through the motions, been trained like a filly and has reportedly been asked to watch clips of how Diana dealt with the paparazzi, the same paparazzi that have been held responsible for her accident and death.

Prince William seems incidental as Kate is the one being initiated. Her best career move yet is not her marriage, but her willingness to share 'digs' with Prince Harry. The clubbers will snort silently. This is just what the working class would do.

Farzana Versey is a Mumbai-based author-columnist. She can be reached at http://farzana-versey.blogspot.com/

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