Media Release : Wednesday, 30 February 2007

http://www.spur.asn.au/SPUR_20070530_Ratmalana_Bomb_Attack.htm

Western Democracies must garrotte Tamil Tiger Terrorists to stop them from bombing civilians

 SPUR unreservedly condemn Tamil Tiger Terrorist’s brutal attack on civilians and urge the International Community to unconditionally support the Sri Lankan Government’s endeavours to eradicate the scourge of terrorism from Sri Lanka, so that it can protect human rights and secure sustainable peace for all its citizenry.

As depicted in the photo, six-year-old Pavithra was on her way back home with her mother and two brothers when she was caught in the bomb blast.  She witnessed with tear filled eyes her seriously injured mother being admitted to hospital after the bomb blast. Her two brothers are currently missing. The Tamil Tiger terrorists, who conveniently dissociated itself from this act of barbarism, continue their campaign to provoke civilians in Sri Lanka and create mayhem by unleashing unbridled terror. This is the ground reality that the Government of Sri Lanka has to face on a daily basis. The international community tends very often to forget that Sri Lanka ’s democratically elected Government is dealing with the most ruthless terrorist organisation in the world.

The Prime Minister of Australia’s unwavering stance taken against the terrorists operating in Iraq , Afghanistan , Indonesia and elsewhere is worthy of praise. The prosecution of two Sri Lankan Tamils by the Australian Federal Police for aiding and abating the Tamil Tiger terrorists is welcome by all citizens who cherish the values of democracy. The Blair Government this week plans to introduce new anti-terror law that would give police “war-time powers” to stop, question and arrest people suspected of involvement in terror. Whilst toughening the operating environment in their own countries, there seem to be an inexplicable tendency to act like ‘benevolent statesmen’ when dealing with LTTE terror in Sri Lanka .

The standard response from Governments in Western democracies seems to be to request the Government of Sri Lanka and the LTTE terrorists to refrain from violence and seek a mutually agreeable solution to Sri Lanka ’s vexed terrorist problem. These patronising words are beginning to ring hollow. The people in Sri Lanka and its diaspora are fast becoming frustrated by this ambivalent attitude. The commitment of the LTTE to brutality and the violation of all norms of democracy including human rights are evidenced by taking a snapshot of their dastardly actions over the last week. These include:

(1) The escape of six female child soldiers and the subsequent protection provided to them by Sri Lanka ’s Child Protection Agency. Their testimony proves ongoing recruitment of children by the LTTE as soldiers. Their harrowing stories also confirm child molestation. The girls found shelter at the Siththandy camp on 25 May 2007.

(2) The discovery of over 10 Claymore Mines including a 25Kg Claymore Mine in Punnakulam in Batticaloa on 27 May 2007. The timely discovery of these mines has prevented civilian and military deaths.

(3) The firing at the ICRC office and its vehicles driven by monitoring representatives on 27 May 2007 at the Omanthai checkpoint area. The LTTE opened fire to kill two engineers trying to escape from the LTTE controlled area to the area controlled by Government. The LTTE political wing deputy leader S.Thangan admitted that they opened fire on the fleeing engineers when the ICRC representatives met him at Kilinochchi.

(4) The planned killing of resettled Internally Displaced People (IDP) by the LTTE in Eravur that went wrong when the Sri Lanka ’s army intercepted and killed the LTTE leader Nagulan and six other terrorists.

(5) The discovery of a LTTE suicide boat in Panichchankerni lagoon in Vakarei prevented the LTTE from attacking boats transporting food for IDPs

(6) Periodic shelling of the Muhamalai entry-exit point on 26 May 2007 preventing the transportation of food and essential commodities including medicine to Jaffna

The above list is only but a snapshot of atrocities carried out by the LTTE last week. The list goes on.

The Government of Sri Lanka is caught in a bind unable to consolidate the military victories that it secured in the East due to intermittent LTTE attacks, and apathy shown by the International Community and donor agencies. Areas liberated previously occupied by the terrorists in the East have paved the way for reaping a human rights dividend. However, this requires all stakeholders to work together to secure sustainable peace for people living in Sri Lanka ’s East. The International Community must act to support the Government’s initiatives to provide security and peace for all its citizens as this is the duty of a democratically elected Government. The Government is expected to provide peace and security for all its people sans any factor used for discriminating its citizenry including ethnicity, geographic location, language spoken or religion practiced.

If there is agreement that this is the norm in all developed Western and Eastern democracies such as the United Kingdom and Australia , how can one deny this noble object to the democratically elected government of Sri Lanka ? The Tamil Tiger Terrorists continue to kill and maim innocent civilians and guardians of law and order in Sri Lanka . Western leaders must be consistent and unconditionally condemn the Tamil Tiger’s callous and uncivilised bomb attacks. What is good for the goose must be good for the gander.

The Australian Government owes it to the peace loving people of Sri Lanka, the democratically elected Government of Sri Lanka and over 110,000 hard working Diaspora living in Australia to ban the Tamil Tiger terrorists under Australia’s Criminal Code Act of 1995 to protect human rights in Sri Lanka and secure sustainable peace.

The tiger must be belled.

Dr Dasarath Jayasuriya

President (SPUR Victoria)

Society for Peace, Unity & Human Rights in Sri Lanka (SPUR)
Reg No. A 003 07777 M
P.O. Box 4066
Mulgrave, Victoria, VIC 3170
Australia

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