Media Release

Friday, 24 September 2004

SPUR Condemns the Abduction of Civilians from Trincomalee and Urge the International Community and the Government of Sri Lanka to take Immediate Steps to Secure their Release

The Incident

The Society for Peace Unity and Human Rights for Sri Lanka (SPUR) in Australia, a founder member of the World Alliance for Peace in Sri Lanka (WAPS) condemns the Tamil Tiger Terrorist abduction of civilians from Trincomalee and the holding of them to ransom demanding the release of 10 imprisoned criminals guilty of breaking the country’s law. We see no difference between acts carried out by the LTTE terrorists and the recent kidnapping of British and US nationals in Iraq by the Tawhid terrorist groups.

President Bush in the USA, Prime Minister Blair in UK and the Prime Minister of Australia John Howard have all collectively said that they will not negotiate with terrorists under any circumstances and have demanded that hostages be released immediately. The brutal beheading of Jack Hensley and Eugene Armstrong and the impending execution of Kenneth Bigley are stark reminders of the disdain showed by terrorist for human life.  Terrorists such as the LTTE in Sri Lanka and those operating in Iraq such as Tawhid all have one thing in common. They do not respect the law or have any regard for human life or human rights.

If the Government of Sri Lanka procrastinates without taking the necessary steps to secure the release of Sarath Bandara and Chandana Piyasiri, the two Sinhalese civilians abducted and held to ransom by the LTTE terrorists, the Government would and should be held responsible for their unfortunate plight.  It is not good enough for the acting Defence Minster Rathnasiri Wickramanayake to say, “we condemn their activities and we are doing everything possible to secure their release” as the two innocent civilians have been in captivity since early August 2004. It is time for action not rhetoric.

Entirely consistent with their indifferent and biased behaviour, the SLMM’s impotent Norwegian leader says that he is helpless, and all he can do is to request the LTTE to release the abducted. The Norwegians should get out if they can not do the job properly

The LTTE are masters at testing the tolerance and compassion of the Sri Lankan Government, the International community and the Sri Lankan people.  Tickling the LTTE with a feather is not going to work - it is time to bring out the sledgehammer.

Proposed Strategy

The Tamil Tiger terrorists will and should never have equitable status to a democratically elected Government in any negotiations. As the incumbent Government in Sri Lanka, the people rely on the UNFA to provide a secure and safe environment for all its citizens to care for their families and enjoy life. This is a basic human right.

SPUR welcomes interest shown in the abducted civilians by the acting Defence Minister Mr Wickramanayake, the JVP leader Mr Weerawansa and members of JHU. We also applaud the Uthuru Neganahira Sinhala Sanvidanaya’s actions to increase the awareness and efforts to seek the release of the two Sinhalese citizens abducted.

We urge the Government and the UNF opposition to consider adopting the following strategy to secure the release of the innocent civilians:

-Consult other political parties in parliament (including the TNA and the CWC) to send a unified message to the LTTE directing unconditional immediate release of the abducted civilians; and

-Call in ambassadors from countries involved in seeking a solution to the terrorist problem in Sri Lanka such as Norway, India, Japan, USA and the UK, and solicit their support in getting a separate message to the LTTE seeking the abducted citizens release.

We urge you to implement the following if there is no response from the LTTE after three days.

-Take immediate action to progressively stop free movement of LTTE members in the uncleared areas in the East of Sri Lanka. This includes providing costly air transportation to members of the LTTE;

-Progressively wind back privileges given to the LTTE under the ceasefire agreement

-Convince the International community to follow a similar stance where inaction is punished by depriving material and financial aid to terrorists.

The LTTE executes civilians, especially Tamil civilians belonging to democratic political parties such as the EPDP and continues to test the patients of the Sri Lankan government. Inaction and Government preference to pursue a path of passive engagement has been misconstrued by the LTTE as a sign of weakness.

It is time to take a stance and challenge the LTTE’s intransigent bluff.

The national and international populous will applaud such a definitive stance against LTTE terrorism.

 

 

Dr Dasarath Jayasuriya

President

Society for Peace, Unity and Human Rights (SPUR), Victoria, Australia  

 

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