Media Release
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Society for Peace, Unity and Human Rights in Sri Lanka (SPUR) Reg No. A 003 07777 M PO Box 4066 Mulgrave VIC 3170 Australia Email : Public Officer : Spokesperson : Webmaster |
Ph: +61 3 9548 0276 Fax: +61 3 9548 0276
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Sunday, 24 October 2004
It
is alleged that with the Sri Lankan Government's help, Thillayampalan
Sivanesan alias Soosai, the head of the Sea-Tiger wing of the world's most
brutal terrorist organization the LTTE is now in Singapore receiving medical
treatment. Soosai is a ruthless terrorist who is directly responsible for
killing civilians, Sri Lanka's
defense services personnel,
smuggling of arms and narcotics,
attacking ships including commercial vessels in the Northern and Eastern
waters of Sri Lanka. In one of the attacks, a Chinese trawler
named Ufauan-u 225 was attacked on 21 March 2003 and 23 Chinese nationals
killed.
Singapore
is well known for its efficient legal system and at present, an Australian
national is facing capital punishment for an alleged
offense relating to the smuggling of narcotics. If the Singapore system
follows criminals with such determination, it is indeed
paradoxical to note that Soosai, an international terrorist has been
allowed to make use of medical facilities available in Singapore with
impunity.
At
a time when South East Asia is experiencing a number of deadly bomb
explosions, Singapore's alleged willingness to accommodate one of the most
ruthless cold-blooded killers in the whole of Asia sends shivers down the
spine of peace loving citizens of the world. The threat from Soosai's
terrorist group (the LTTE) is not confined to Sri Lanka. It is considered as
an organization providing
skills, strategies and expertise to other international terrorists. Dr Peter
Chalk, a Senior Policy Analyst at Rand Corporation USA recently stated that
“the LTTE is probably a decade ahead of al-Qaeda, but more intrinsically,
the group itself may be serving as a critical benchmark for informing and
guiding development in a wider area of maritime terrorism”.
The
LTTE has not given up its goals of using terrorism as a means of achieving
their racist, despotic, unjust demand for a separate state in Sri Lanka. They
continue to proclaim that suicide bombers are their best bargaining chip to
bludgeon the democratically elected government in Sri Lanka to accede to their
racist demands. Violating the rights of the children, the LTTE continues to
recruit child soldiers for their terrorist activities. They are continuing to
assassinate political opponents including Tamil politicians as the LTTE’s
manic, increasingly desperate self appointed leader Prabakaran does not
believe in pluralism.
Fair
minded people who are concerned about the spectre of international terrorism
are perturbed by the alleged steps taken by Singapore to open its doors to a
ruthless terrorist. The Singapore Government must be made aware that by this
act of providing medical treatment for Soosai, that they are violating the UN
resolutions against terrorism, in particular Resolution Number 1373.
Singapore
should uphold international law and avoid double standards when dealing with
international terrorists. By having one set of rules for terrorists
threatening Singapore and their immediate neighbours, and another set of rules
for terrorists such as the LTTE, Singapore is in danger of giving mixed
messages to aspiring international terrorists.
Ranjith Soysa
Spokesperson
Society
for Peace, Unity and