Who is in charge: the Foreign office, Defence ministry or the Oxford Union ?

Who is that third person eavesdropping from the back of Mahinda Rajapakse talking to Lord Butler?
He had a lot to say back in 2008. I remember him as a Cambridge academic.

James Langman as I commented earlier is an idiot who fell for the propaganda mandarins of Sri Lanka Freedom Party. The very people who were seen scurrying along corridors of University College in October with Deputy High Commissioner P. M. Hamza in October.

Defence Secretary Liam Fox though has a lot to answer. His excuse this time was to address a ceremony to honour the memory of a former Oxford Union Offical and ex-Foreign Minister of Sri Lanka.

 http://www.theyworkforyou.com/mp/liam_fox/north_somerset

6. Overseas visits
Name of donor: Sri Lanka Development Trust
Address of donor: 50 Lothian Road, Festival Square, Edinburgh EH3 9WJ
Amount of donation (or estimate of the probable value): £3000 for return flight
Destination of visit: Colombo, Sri Lanka.
Date of visit: 14 – 17 November 2009.
Purpose of visit: to attend the Sri Lanka Freedom Party national convention and for meetings with the President of Sri Lanka and the Foreign Minister.
(Registered 20 November 2009)
Name of donor: 1) Government of Sri Lanka
2) Sri Lanka Development Trust
Address of donor:1) High Commission for Sri Lanka, 13 Hyde Park Gardens, London W2 2LU
2) 50 Lothian Road, Festival Square, Edinburgh EH3 9WJ
Amount of donation (or estimate of the probable value):
1)Hotel accommodation for my wife and me in Colombo; value £900
2)Return business class flight to Colombo; value £2650
Destination of visit: Colombo, Sir Lanka
Date of visit: 14-18 February 2010
Purpose of visit: to undertake a series of meetings and discussions with the Government of Sri Lanka exploring practical ways of facilitating investment in social infrastructure projects across Sri Lanka.
(Registered 15 March 2010)

Register last updated: 6 Dec 2010.

Liam Fox has at the last minute cancelled his speaking trip to Sri Lanka due to take place on the 18th December. Pressure from the Foreign Office and human rights activists forced him to back down. There was fears that his trip would send the wrong signal to the country as calls are growing that Sri Lanka should bow to demands for an independent investigation into allegations of war crimes.

His statement said “Dr Fox has postponed his private visit to Sri Lanka due to an extension to his scheduled official visit to the Gulf. He intends to carry out an official visit to Sri Lanka next year during which he proposes to fulfil the speaking engagement that he had planned.”

Act Now Director Graham Williamson said "We are delighted by this news. Clearly the Government has negotiated a compromise with the Defence Secretary; 'call off your private trip and we'll sanction an official one later'. Well, we don't think it is appropriate for a British Government Minister to visit Sri Lanka at all until that country accepts an independent investigation into war crimes. We shall campaign against any other visits.

He added "We are also concerned about Liam Fox's connection to Sri Lanka (he has been on a number of paid trips there as a Shadow Minister) and we shall be exposing those connections to his electorate by campaigning in his constituency next year".

Act Now will announce next year's activities in his North Somerset in the near future.

Its Palitha Kohona lurking like a fox - the current the Permanent Representative of Sri Lanka to the UN.
As the Permanent Secretary to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Government of Sri Lanka and as the former Secretary-General of the Secretariat for Coordinating the Peace Process (SCOPP) he is alleged to have committed War Crimes and Crimes Against Humanity. He is widely accused for playing a central role in hoodwinking various global bodies including the UN.
Inner City Press based within the UN reports his criminal activities in detail.
He was also a member of the Government delegation at the talks held in February and October 2006 Geneva, Switzerland with the LTTE. He also led the Government delegation to Oslo for talks with the LTTE.
During the persecution of Julian Asange it is important to point out that he is a citizen of both Sri Lanka and Australia.
Like Mahinda Rajapakse he is a lawyer by profession, having qualified in Sri Lanka Dr. Palitha Kohona went on to write his thesis in Cambridge ‘The Regulation of International Trade through Law' - a far cry from the content of the lies Mahinda Rajapakse delivered as a speech to the Oxford Union in 2008.

Also noteworthy is that Prof. G.L. Peiris is pictured with the UK SLFP within the Dorchester, London.
Prof. G.L. Peiris is to the far left.
A Rhodes scholar to Oxford, and once Vice-Chancellor University of Colombo he has been close to genocidal politics in Sri Lanka since early 90's. He has used his professorship in law to scuttle many peace negotiations, being a part of or leading negotiations like Kohona in various global venues.
G. L. Peiris has defected political parties twice and hence manged to remain as senior adviser to three successive regimes (2 SLFP, 1 UNP).
He was appointed as post war Foreign Minister to douse the flames of truth soon after selling the country short to the IMF to secure emergency payments of $ 2.5 bn.

Good interview back in May 2010
 http://www.foreignpolicy.com/articles/2010/05/25/sri_lankas_government_rejects_war_crimes_accusations

 http://wikileaks.ch/cable/2009/05/09LONDON1082.html

Reference ID: 09LONDON1082
Created in 2009-05-07 14:02 US Embassy, London
WikiLeaks released on 2010-12-01 23:11

HMT has decided to support the USG position delaying Sri Lanka’s proposed Stand-By Arrangement with the IMF

The UK Government has provided GBP 7.5 million (USD 11.25 million) since October 2008, including Prime Minister Brown’s recent pledge of GBP 2.5 million (USD 3.75 million) in additional support.

Special Envoy Des Browne Finally Makes It to Sri Lanka
--------------------------------------------- ---------
[...] a cross party group of MPs visited Sri Lanka May 4-5 at the Sri Lanka Government’s invitation, including the Prime Minister’s Special Envoy for Sri Lanka Des Browne, the February 2009 appointment of whom the Sri Lankan Government has rejected (reftel C). Browne’s visit was allowed by the Sri Lankan Government on condition that Browne was visiting in his capacity as an MP sitting on the cross party parliamentary group, which the UK agreed to. In their May 6 statement, the parliamentarians echoed the same themes as Miliband. Waite said they had found the situation in the IDP camps to be a “little bit better,” but “not nearly as good as it should.” Waite also reiterated that the UK Government still acknowledges Browne as the Prime Minister’s Special Envoy, noting that Browne had been doing a lot of outreach to the Diaspora community resident in the UK.

 http://wikileaks.ch/cable/2009/12/09LONDON2768.html

Reference ID : 09LONDON2768
Created : 2009-12-10 16:04
Released : 2010-11-30 23:11 by US Embassy London

(some relevant quotes)

SUBJECT: SHADOW DEFENSE MINISTER FOX PLEDGES CLOSE U.S.-UK
COOPERATION IF TORIES GAIN POWER

Ambassador Susman met December 9 with Liam Fox, Shadow Secretary of State for Defense. (Mike Threadgold, Head of Fox’s Private Office, and U.S. Embassy Political Officer Chris Palmer attended the meeting as notetakers.) Fox, a committed Atlanticist, underscored his desire to work closely with the U.S. if the Conservative Party wins power in next year’s general election. He affirmed that when Winston Churchill first raised the notion of the “special relationship” it was as a wartime leader. The special relationship will remain strategically central to UK foreign policy regardless of which party is in power in the UK, Fox underlined. However, the relationship will be especially close in the defense sphere under Tory leadership, Fox stated. He affirmed his desire to increase joint defense procurement with the United States. Increasing U.S.-UK “interoperability is the key” since the U.S. and UK will continue to fight together in the future.

[...]

Turning to India, Fox criticized the Labour government for policies which reinforce the Indian government’s long-held view that HMG’s foreign relations on the subcontinent are “skewed to Pakistan.” Fox predicted this would not be a factor under a Conservative government, since the Conservatives are “less dependent” than the Labour Party on votes from the British-Pakistani community.

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gq4W5_jsv6k&feature=watch_response_rev

Dr. Palitha Kohona was then as Foreign Secretary, based in Sri lanka co-ordinating tje surrender of Tiger soldiers with the UN.
Tamils are Kohona's brothers and sisters while vast majorites of Tamils, he claims live in non-Tamil areas - no mention of paramilitary death squads [1]
Kohona says Tigers are prosecuted in most democracies in the world - but now Kohona isn't going to travel to most of these democracies fearing an arrest warrant as he is an Australian hence prosecutable in the International Criminal Courts- Sri Lanka is not a signatory to the Rome Statute. Australia is.

Kohona's assertions that the 'post conflict' island must be allowed to move on with 'development' goals and that he is beyond culpability has been debunked by Professor Francis Boyle last year.

 http://www.tamilnet.com/art.html?catid=13&artid=30063
Boyle debunks Kohona's war-crimes braggadocio

Inner City Press also reports of new developments closer to the structures of the International Criminal Courts (ICC). Human Rights Watch (HRW) director Rickard Dicker has allegedly said “I would look to China... and to Australia and the US to arrest Sri Lankans in their country who may have committed war crimes.”

This is resultant from the rejection of the Presidential Lessons Learnt Commission set up by Sri Lanka, to avoid any real investigations. ICC prosecutor Luis Moreno Ocampo at the United Nations stated “ICC Prosecution “Could Be an Option” for State Party Nationals … of Sri Lanka”

[1]  http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/us-embassy-cables-documents/108763
The defence Secretary, a US citizen, allegedly with full knowledge of the US embassy in Colombo, ordered the Tamil paramilitary groups sanctioned extra judicial killings in Colombo and other areas outside the declared war zones.

It is reliably learnt that Adam Werrity, claiming to be personal assistant to Liam Fox arrived in Sri Lanka on December 16 to coordinate with the ministry of External Affairs which was providing “protocol assistance and facilitation” for the Private Visit!!

This proves that when Fox excused himself citing “an urgent commitment on an official trip to the United Arab Emirates” he was in fact lying.

Earlier comment by Wikileaks could be suggesting wrongly that Bell Pottinger is in recently leaked US embassy cables.
They may well be in future releases but as far as we are aware not so far, at least associated to their long standing contract with government of Sri Lanka.
Some research dissatisfied with Paton Bogg's performance in the US, Bell Pottinger (Sans Frontières) had been enlisted to 'facilitate' Mahinda Rajapakse and entourage to attend UN heads of governments summit in New York.
The fee is unknown. It is also assumed the president carefully venturing outside the UN realm, attending a private glittering function in Texas was also the work of Bell Pottinger. Paton Boggs might have either given in to protests or proved themselves up to the level of services as provided by Bell Pottinger, customised to dictators.

The Wikileak on Sudan's dictator Bashir, already convicted in the ICC and wanted for most serious crimes maintaining bank accounts in the UK where tens of millions of dollars are stashed away is more fitting an example to comprehend Rajapakse - Bell Pottinger relationship. The Rajapakse brothers are known to buying in to real estate in New York and Los Angeles.
Another Bell Pottinger client, ever incumbent election fixer supreme dictator of Belarus holds clues as to the power of this relationship (was the making). The Rajapakse extended family and election fixing seem to be synonymous words.

Anyhow the piece on recent Private Eye titled 'How PR works' featuring this emerging relationship seems to suggest that Bell Pottinger and the The Times are partners -The Oxford Union ? I'm not so sure now given the massive fallout created by a clear 'debacle'. [see News Article soon to be published on Oxford Indymedia]

In Sri Lanka there are revebrations from the postponed / cancelled event from Dec 2nd at the Oxford Union echoes. Papers and News Websites revealed the postponement / cancellation coming officially from James Kingston being responded to by the president Mahinda Rajapakse.
What is interesting to note is Samia Yakub of Bell Pottinger sent out the emails with Bell Pottinger signatures, to all media!
So the chances are the following is Samia Yakub's own spin
'I am very sorry this has had to be cancelled but I will continue to seek venues in the UK and elsewhere where I can talk about my future vision for Sri Lanka.'

Full content of the official communiqués of the Sri Lankan government is as follows:

Statement issued by Mr Lalith Weeratunga, Secretary to the President of Sri Lanka

For security reasons the speech by His Excellency President Rajapaksa of Sri Lanka at the Oxford Union, the home of free speech, has been cancelled. This is a decision that has been made unilaterally by the Oxford Union, reportedly as a result of pressure applied by pro-LTTE activists.

His Excellency said:

“I am very sorry this has had to be cancelled but I will continue to seek venues in the UK and elsewhere where I can talk about my future vision for Sri Lanka.“

His Excellency went on to say

“I will also continue in my efforts to unite all the people of our country whether they live in Sri Lanka or overseas.

As a united country we have a great future.

If we allow divisions to dominate we will not realise our true potential.

We have had thirty years of division and conflict. We must now secure peace and harmony for all Sri Lankans.“

Samia Yakub
Bell Pottinger Business & Brand
Direct Line: [Edited out]
Mobile: [Edited out]
Switchboard: [Edited out]
www.bell-pottingerbb.co.uk
Part of the Bell Pottinger Group
A CarbonNeutral“ Company

###

Do you want to contact Samia Yakub to ascertain the truth?
See next comment for contact details for her and her bosses.

The contact details of the press release of Sept 23 as found in the footer first.
This nonsense on Sustainability, Peace and Prosperity was not much different to the 'speech' in the Oxford Union back in 2008. The goal then was to discredit the voices of despair that were to soon follow in Sri Lanka. This time around the trick is to stop criminal investigations in to war crimes and crimes against humanity working out of the UN. Rajapakse brothers, clearly guilty have been trying hard to align support from other such offenders and the UN Summit for Heads of Government was the best place for it!
Due to the direct fallout from the Oxford 'debacle', the subsequent arrest warrant obtained in London and the despot the back door exit two days ahead of schedule allegedly tipped off by UK intelligence services - the UN appointed panel to investigate War Crimes is now 'allowed visas'. Sri Lanka had banned this panel from setting foot in the island, even as the following speech was being delivered within the UNO HQ!
---
This has been distributed by Qorvis Communications, LLC on behalf of the government of Sri Lanka. More information is available at the United States Department of Justice, Washington, DC.

Government of Sri Lanka

CONTACT: Iain Burns, 020 7861 8632,  iburns@bell-pottinger.co.uk,

Samia Yakub, 020 7861 2507 or  syakub@bell-pottinger.co.uk
or
John Moore, +1-202-683-3110,  jmoore@qorvis.com, for the Government of Sri Lanka

---

Sri Lanka Makes Pledge for 'Sustainable Peace and Prosperity' at UN Summit

NEW YORK, Sept. 23 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- President Mahinda Rajapaksa of Sri Lanka today promised, "to deliver sustainable peace and prosperity to all" while ensuring that "terrorism will not be able to raise its ugly head again," as he addressed the United Nations General Assembly in New York.

He said: "The entire focus of our nation is now on building a lasting peace, healing wounds, ensuring economic prosperity and guaranteeing the rights of the whole nation to live in harmony.

"Economic and political reconciliation must go together," the President added. "Towards this end, constitutional changes which appropriately reflect aspirations of our people will be evolved with the full participation of all stakeholders."

The President also used the opportunity to state that: "We believe that for the rebuilding and healing of our nation to succeed, the process must evolve from within. If history has taught us one thing, it is that imposed external solutions breed resentment and ultimately fail."

Among the highlights of the President's speech:

Reconciliation

-- "Let me be clear, no nation on earth can wish Sri Lanka's Tamil

community more good fortune than Sri Lanka itself."

-- "Let us join hands and break the bonds of mistrust to rise to new

horizons."

-- "Sri Lanka has already returned over 90 percent of the internally

displaced persons to their original villages that were previously

riddled with landmines."

-- "Despite the lingering dangers that have remained, Sri Lanka has

nevertheless repealed a substantial part of the emergency regulations

so necessary during our conflict situation and plans to repeal a good

part of the remainder in the coming months."

The Economy

-- "Our economy is well on the way to realizing the dividend of peace. We

are experiencing steady and sustained growth including during the last

quarter of over eight per cent, moderate inflation and low interest

rates."

-- "During the last five years, we saw our per capita income double. It

is our ambition to take this further; to double yet again the present

per capita income by 2016 and also become one of the top 30 countries

for doing business by 2014."

Terrorism

-- "Those who were observing from afar, suggested that the Sri Lankan

government should have conceded to the demands of the terrorists, need

to be reminded that terror is terror, whatever mask it wears and

however it is packaged."

-- "Many of the atrocities of terrorism that the West has come to

experience in recent times, the people of Sri Lanka were themselves

the victims of, for nearly 30 years, losing almost 100,000 lives,

among them being a President of Sri Lanka, a visionary leader of India

and scores of intellectuals and politicians."

The Future

"As we rebuild our lands and our economy we hope sincerely that the international community will be prepared to take a practical approach to develop partnerships with Sri Lanka through international trade, investment and capacity building."

This has been distributed by Qorvis Communications, LLC on behalf of the government of Sri Lanka. More information is available at the United States Department of Justice, Washington, DC.

Government of Sri Lanka

CONTACT: Iain Burns, 020 7861 8632,  iburns@bell-pottinger.co.uk, Samia

Yakub, 020 7861 2507 or  syakub@bell-pottinger.co.uk; or John Moore,

+1-202-683-3110,  jmoore@qorvis.com, for the Government of Sri Lanka

The use of Wikileaks cables as admissible evidence is to be tested in US courts

 https://indymedia.org.uk/en/2011/01/472996.html

Channel 4 plls up Bell Pottinger's role on covering up mass killing of Tamil CIvilians

 https://oxford.indymedia.org.uk/2011/10/487280.html