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- 27
November 2002
-
- Her
Excellency
- Mrs
Chandrika Kumaranatunga
- The
President
- Democratic
Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka
-
- Your
Excellency,
-
- Protecting
Democracy in Sri Lanka
-
- Preamble
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- Under
the United National Front (UNF) Government the country is fast approaching
the point of 'no return'. This Government, under the leadership of Mr Ranil
Wickramasinha came to power under the pretext of delivering economic
development and ushering in enduring, stable peace. After almost 12 months of self-flagellation, corruption,
nepotism and mismanagement, the reality is far fetched from what was dangled
in front of the unsuspecting populace at the time of the last election.
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- The
cost of living is unbearable as demonstrated by recent increases in the
price of bread and natural gas. Institutionalised thuggery is rife with
subversive midnight attacks on democratically elected JVP parliamentarians.
Nefarious activities of Minister Jayalath Jayawardena and inaction by the
Prime Minister have clearly demonstrated that cabinet members are corrupt.
The LTTE terrorists are rejoicing as the UNF Government continues to pander
to their undemocratic demands. Minister
Moragoda has lost focus as he attempts to dabble in the peace process
neglecting his legitimate portfolio requiring him to deal with economic
reform.
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- Peace
loving law abiding ordinary citizens who cherish democracy have been the big
losers. The guns totting LTTE terrorists and unethical, unscrupulous
businessmen have been the big winners.
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- We
appeal to you as the democratically elected leader of the Nation to liberate
our country from this precarious position. We urge you to show courage and
demonstrate leadership to save our Nation and its people from falling into
the bottomless abyss that has been created by the UNF Government.
-
- Undermining
Democracy
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- The
UNF Government has gone out of their way to legitimise the LTTE terrorists
while gaining nothing but a temporary halt to suicide bombings and
assassinations in return. Whilst the Government is haemorrhaging due to
incompetent personnel (including Ministers) occupying positions of great
influence, the LTTE has systematically strengthened their role as the
wielder of 'absolute power' in the North and East of Sri Lanka.
They have annihilated those expressing views counter to what is being
preached by the master terrorist, Prabakaran.
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- The
LTTE has systematically eliminated opposition to its absolute rule by:
§
Murdering
and killing their political opponents: A good example is Wednesday's
unprovoked attack and burning of the EPDP office in Chavakachcheri by LTTE
carders lead by Pappa. Two people lost their lives as a result of this attack;
§
Orchestrating
attacks on security force camps by using civil organisations, school and
university students and LTTE carders in mufti;
§
Continuing to
import arms and heavy weapons using sea routs;
§
Building its armed
terrorist strength by recruiting children; and
§
Harassing and
demeaning the Sinhalese and Muslim communities in the East.
-
- Subverting
Judiciary
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- We
would like to bring to your notice the 'Two-State' system that is being
gradually created by the UNF Government, with tacit support from the LTTE
terrorists as evidenced below:
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- §
Prabakaran
was recently sentenced to 200 years in jail by Sri Lanka's judiciary for
bombing the Bank of Ceylon building. To
date, he roams free. His
terrorist associates are being wined and dined by the UNF Government. What
message does this give to law-abiding citizens of Sri Lanka who do not
belong to a heinous terrorist group like the LTTE?
Perpetrators of violent crime in the North and the East of Sri Lanka
are free to roam as they wish, as long as they subscribe to LTTE's ethos of
violence.
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- §
The
LTTE is systematically wiping out any individual or organisation expressing
dissenting views. This is highlighted by the predicament of the EPDP. The
irony is that the party that participated in democratic processes is being
victimised whilst the LTTE terrorist are thriving under the UNF Government
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- §
The
Sinhalese and the Muslims in the Eastern Province bear the brunt of the LTTE
terror. Ethnically cleansed, they are marooned in refugee camps at the mercy
of LTTE terrorists. On 22
November, the Ellan Force, a front for the LTTE has requested all peace
loving Muslim people to vacate Mannar. Furthermore, the Muslim and the
Sinhalese people in the Eastern Province have been subject to immense
cruelty by the LTTE. At present, the UNF Government and the corrupt Minister
in charge of rehabilitation Jayalath Jayawardena have completely ignored the
welfare of the displaced Sinhalese people indigenous to the East.
-
- Leadership
for Deliverance
-
- Your
Excellency, we urge you to lead the people out of this darkness and
despondence that is rapidly infecting the populous.
Just like you, we all yearn for peace.
However, that peace should be stable, enduring and subscribing to
retaining the dignity of the Sinhalese and the Muslim people. Instead of
punishing a convicted criminal in Sri Lanka and in India, the UNF Government
is grovelling to Prabakaran, handing him on a platter the North and East of
Sri Lanka. The UNF Government talks as if there is no alternative.
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- There
is an alternative. What we need
is assertive effective leadership. There
is no doubt that Ministers in the UNF Government have continued to undermine
your leadership at every opportunity. Time is now right to re-establish your
true position as the President of our Nation.
-
- We
urge you to demonstrate leadership by discharging powers bestowed in you
through our cherished constitution. Draw a line in the sand and make a
stand. The people are with you.
Your Excellency must make a beginning by taking immediate steps to:
-
- §
De-merge
the North and the East of Sri Lanka as there is no historical, cultural or
archaeological evidence to support the racist LTTE claim to governing the
North and East of Sri Lanka as one entity;
- §
Apply
the law of the land equally to all criminals without fear or favour,
irrespective of whether they belong to the LTTE or not; and
- §
Request
the public prosecutor to lay criminal charges against all those who are
aiding and abetting the sustenance of the terrorist leader Prabakaran
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- We
eagerly await a positive response from your Excellency as the survival of
the Nation is in your trusted hands.
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-
-
- Yours
faithfully,
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-
-
-
-
-
- Mr
Marlin Abeyatunga
- President
SPUR Australia
- And
Convenor for Pacific Alliance for Peace in Sri Lanka
- Malin Abeytunge
PRESIDENT
- 2 September 2002