Robert Blake refuses to comment on US human rights probe on Sri Lankans and Rudrakumaran issue

Presenting hard facts about New York immigration lawyer Visuvanathan Rudrakumaran’s direct links to Sri Lanka’s violent terror group Tamil Tigers (LTTE), a designated foreign terrorist organization (FTO) in the U.S., to which State Department’s Robert Blake described him as ‘only an advisor and not a well known Tiger operative’ in his December 9 press briefing in Colombo Blake refused to comment when Asian Tribune raised the issue with him.

To a second query by the Asian Tribune as to how the US Department of Homeland Security happened to initiate a probe on Sri Lanka Defense Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa’s alleged human rights violations and atrocities while battling the Tamil Tigers unless the State Department provided reports and documents Robert Blake, the Assistant Secretary for South and Central Asian Affairs Bureau in the State Department, refused to comment.

Ambassador Blake used the well known media interviewing technique called the “blocking and bridging”. But he was not very good at it.

“Blocking” means deftly avoiding an unwelcome question which Robert Blake considered the Asian Tribune’s two questions hostile or controversial because he considered the Asian Tribune request for information cannot be disclosed.

But Mr. Blake being a seasoned diplomat did not use the technique “bridging” taking the issue from unfriendly to friendly territory by making a smooth transition from a controversial question or topic to an area that fits to both Ambassador Blake’s and Asian Tribune agenda.

Robert Blake needs to be reminded about certain basics of the usage of diplomacy when confronting situations the Asian Tribune created in asking two simple questions:

Only “block” a question completely where there is a good reason to do so. Often you can address the question briefly and then smoothly bridge to your chosen point. If you must block a question, don’t say “no comment,” or “I can’t answer that.” Instead, explain why you can’t answer and bridge to a message topic or message point that is important to you and one where you can give additional information.

Blocking and bridging is particularly critical in situations involving a crisis or controversy. The guideline here is: “Asked about a problem? Talk about a solution.” In other words, when faced with questions about a problem, whether or not you address the question directly, you must bridge swiftly to a discussion of the measures in place to deal actively with the problem.
Unfortunately Mr. Blake failed to do so.

The Asian Tribune sent two e-mails December 14 (2009) requesting Assistant Secretary Robert Blake to provide it with two clarifications (1) About his statement in Colombo regarding Visuvanathan Rudrakumaran (2) about his second statement at the same media briefing regarding investigation of some Sri Lankan officials on alleged human rights violations.

To the first media query about Rudrakumaran’s activities in be half of the US and worldwide Tamil Tiger revival and possible violation of US federal laws on ‘material support’ to FTOs Mr. Blake categorically stated: “I won’t say Rudrakumaran is a well known LTTE activist. He is an advisor on several peace delegations in the LTTE. And to the best of our knowledge he has not committed any crime in the U.S. If people have information to the contrary we welcome that information.”

Asian Tribune provided Mr. Blake some hard facts about Mr. Rudrakumaran’s deep-root connections to the Sri Lankan terror group.

To the second media query about US State Department investigations regarding alleged human rights violations of Sri Lankan individuals Robert Blake said: “The State Department is not responsible for the investigations of the kind you are talking about. I do not have anything to say about investigations of specific individuals.”

Attached to the Asian Tribune e-mail query to Mr. Blake was a report this Online Daily carried on December 12 under the caption “Blake absolves Rudrakumaran of his LTTE ties despite his deep roots to Sri Lanka terror outfit” asking the State Department assistant secretary to provide an explanation as to how he views Rudrakumaran in the light of the hard facts provided in the report.

In that e-mail we wrote: “Seasoned diplomats do not ignore when the media expect explanations arising out of a statement attributed to him which involved relations between two nations that are eager to drop the rhetoric and mend fences.”

Following is the second e-mail sent to Robert Blake on 14 December regarding the media query about US investigation of certain Sri Lankan individuals on alleged human rights violations and war atrocities:

To: Ambassador Robert O. Blake December 14, 2009
Assistant Secretary, Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs
U.S. Department of State
From: Daya Gamage – US National Correspondent – Asian Tribune

Sub: Gen. Sarath Fonseka’s interview with the DHS

At the conclusion of your Excellency’s three-day official visit to Sri Lanka at the media briefing in Colombo on December 09 (2009) you made the following remarks to a query about former Sri Lanka Army Commander General Sarath Fonseka’s appearance before the Human Rights Violators and War Crimes Unit of the US Department of Homeland Security scheduled for November 04 (2009) in Oklahoma City, OK.

“The State Department is not responsible for the investigations of the kind you are talking about. I do not have anything to say about investigations of specific individuals.”

The Asian Tribune on November 06 (2009) under the caption ‘U.S. Moves to ‘stump’ Sri Lanka on Human Rights goes through Green Card holder Sarath Fonseka’ I raised the following issues/questions/observations in the body of the report.

Here are the issues/questions/observations raised by me:

(Begin Quote) The Human Rights Violators and War Crimes Unit of the Department of Homeland Security which was established in January 2009 - anyone knowledgeable of the operation, coordination and investigation of issues such as human rights, war atrocities and crimes and genocide within the United States government is well aware - does not act alone but in a close rapport with the Department of State and even with the Department of Justice, all three being high cabinet departments that work in collaboration with the White House and its National Security Council.

Which is why the assessments, observations, investigations and reports of these issues, issues that are connected to a particular country and that of to any individual of that country who has the capacity to get connected to these issue done by the State Department are shared with the newly established Human Rights Violators and War Crimes Unit of the DHS.

In the case of General Fonseka - whose has been mentioned in State Department reports his alleged involvement with human rights abuses – it is obvious that the State Department shared the information and data in its possession with the DHS. In the whole exercise of inviting Gen. Fonseka to the ‘voluntary interview’ the State Department cannot claim ignorance. And Sri Lanka’s alleged human rights abuses and war atrocities are not department-wide monitored but only by the South and Central Asian Affairs Bureau of the State Department headed by former American ambassador to Sri Lanka and now the bureaus’ assistant secretary Robert Blake. (End Quote)

Further under the sub-heading in the same Asian Tribune report Where does the State Department fit into the equation in General Sarath Fonseka’s issue? Can Robert Blake’s office declare ignorance? I said the following:

(Begin Quote) Foremost, Human Rights Violators and War Crimes Unit of the Department of Homeland Security has no jurisdiction to step into the ‘area’ of the State Department, which is the foreign policy and diplomatic arm of the U.S. Government, to gather information of incidents that occurred overseas connected to human rights, war crimes, atrocities and genocide and prepare reports.

The Unit heavily depends on the wisdom of the State Department to scrutinize the information provided to it to prepare for the prosecution of alleged rights abuses.

The Asian Tribune contacts in the U.S. Federal government particularly highlighted the vital role the State Department plays in this type of investigations, scrutiny, interrogations, ‘voluntary interviews’ and finally leading to prosecutions or any other legal actions and remedies.

In Gen. Fonseka issue the U.S. State Department becomes a vital link to the DHS and Department of Justice from the beginning to the end.

In agreeing to persuade DHS to give clearances for Fonseka to leave the U.S. with no hindrance is a strategic step taken back by Robert Blake’s office at this moment. (End Quote)

"Mr. Ambassador:

The knowledge I have as to the basic operation of the US State Department and its liaison with other US departments on issues of this nature your remarks absolving the State Department do not tally with my comments/observations/remarks in the Asian Tribune report.

If my observations/comments are factually incorrect or misleading or false could you enlighten me how the ‘Fonseka Issue’ ended up in the US Department of Homeland Security.

This is a very reasonable inquiry to clear the air on this issue following your Excellency’s remarks in Colombo. Asian Tribune understands that your Excellency’s office or any other office in the US State Department was “not responsible for the investigation of any kind” as you said in Colombo but would like you to enlighten us as to how the DHS’ Human Rights Violators and War Crimes Unit, which does not cross your path regarding developing reports on Sri Lanka or any other country, suddenly got interested in Sri Lanka’s alleged human rights violations and atrocities unless your office notified with reports encouraging the DHS to open investigation which is the responsibility of its ‘unit’ Human Rights Violators and War Crimes Unit.

Look forward to an early reply."

Since there was a deafening silence from Mr. Blake for closer to two weeks Asian Tribune sent him a reminder referring to the December 14 two e-mails.

Mr. Blake’s office sent this reply:

"Sir:

Thank you for your interest. Unfortunately Ambassador Blake will not be able to comment.

Regards, Karlygash

Karlygash Faillace
Press Officer
Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs
US Department of State"

Let the readers and those who are interested in these two issues take a guess as to why Mr. Robert Blake avoided comment to provide explanations to two statements attributed to him.

- Asian Tribune -