Multirole.

Are you condoning the rape and murder of women? Even in Sri Lanka the law is such that women are protected. Sri Lanka signed the Geneva Convention on the 12th of August 1949 and ratified the Convention on the 28th of February 1959. I’m sure that you are aware of this Convention and in particular, the section relating to women (clause 27 I believe) which states the following…..

Protected persons are entitled, in all circumstances, to respect for their persons, their honour, their family rights, their religious convictions and practices, and their manners and customs. They shall, at all times, be humanely treated, and shall be protected, especially against all acts of violence or threats thereof and against insults and public curiosity. Women shall be especially protected against any attack on their honour, in particular against rape, enforced prostitution, or any form of indecent assault. Without prejudice to the provisions relating to their state of health, age and sex, all protected persons shall be treated with the same consideration by the Party to the conflict in whose power they are, without any adverse distinction based, in particular, on race, religion or political opinion. However, the Parties to the conflict may take such measures of control and security in regard to protected persons as may be necessary as a result of the war.

Now, I don’t really see how the contol and security of protected persons equates to the rape and murder of women.

As regards the insurgency, you might say that the Sri Lankan Government were fighting an insurgency, the Tamils might offer the presumption that they were fighting a civil war against all the elements of persecution mentioned above. The Sri Lankan Government knew that their actions were breaking the very convention they ratified in 1959.

All Governments and their armed forces commit atrocities. I suspect there are elemental forces which I have been fortunate never to have to explore which make some atrocities inevitable, but surely it is a matter of scale and intent? Is it a spur of the moment, small unit action which might be said of My Lai or Bloody Sunday? Or is it something which is far more controlled and purposeful? Part of the overall plan.

And has COIN got such a successful record? It didn’t work in Vietnam, it didn’t work in Iraq and it’s certainly not working in Afghanistan. You might go as far as to say it isn’t working in Libya or Syria either.

Regards,

kev35