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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Friday, 22 October 2004
Sri
Lankans who are keenly watching the peace process, which is designed and
managed by the 'international community', look forward to your
visit to Colombo and the Wanni while recalling your statement that
'Japan will treat both Sri Lanka and the LTTE as equal partners'.
As
you no doubt are aware Prabhakaran, the leader of the LTTE who will host
you in the Wanni, is a criminal wanted by the Interpol and by the Indian
and Sri Lankan courts. The fact that you have visited him earlier was a tacit
endorsement of the terrorism of the LTTE. It appears that in order to
“further” the peace process in Sri Lanka the UN resolutions against
terrorism are being flouted by the “international community”. While
various interested parties are waiting for another visit by you to the
Wanni to further their political gains, your image will diminish further in
the eyes of the Sri Lankans who oppose the LTTE’s terrorism.
As
things stand now, the Norwegians have failed to kick start the peace process
which has being stalled since April. Sri Lankans are questioning Norway's
duplicity, where it is attempting to be the facilitator of the peace process
while funding the LTTE. To bolster the Norwegians, the Swiss and the Finns
have joined in and they too wish that Sri Lankans ignore the basic fact that
they are violating UN resolution 1373 by allowing the LTTE to conduct
activities to promote terrorism in Sri Lanka, from their respective countries.
Following
key aspects are pinpointed to highlight the intransigence of the LTTE which
has been overlooked by yourself and other members of the 'international
community' involved in pressurizing the democratically elected Government
of Sri Lanka to concede to the LTTE’s impossible demands, with the aim of
furthering the said peace process.
According
to the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission, over 95% of the approximately
3000 violations of the ceasefire that have been recorded by them have been
committed by the LTTE. These include smuggling of arms, sinking of ships,
establishing new camps, killing political rivals, killing and kidnapping
civilians, killing Muslims due to ethnic reasons, moving armed cadres
into Government areas .In this connection , we wish to draw your
attention to the recent statements of the ICJ , Human Rights Watch and Amnesty
International, who have strongly urged the LTTE to " make a clear public
commitment to international human rights standards and practical ways of
putting them into effect".
To
this day the LTTE has refused to honor the undertaking given in 1998 to Mr.
Olara Otunu, the UN Special Representative for Children and Armed
Conflict. Neither the facilitator, nor the prestigious nations in Europe,
who are keen on providing space to the LTTE even at the risk of
balkanizing Sri Lanka, has succeeded in stopping this war crime. Faced with
this horror, Tamil parents have committed suicide and according to the
University Teachers for Human Rights - Jaffna, the LTTE members are sexually
exploiting these child soldiers.
The
LTTE has brazenly flouted the United Nations Security Council Resolution on
suppressing the financing of terrorism adopted after the 9/11 carnage in
various countries by terrorizing the Tamil population, carrying out hate
campaigns and raising and laundering funds through bogus front organizations
who pose as charities, to perpetuate terrorism in Sri Lanka.
Despite
the LTTE's hold over some sections of the Tamil people in given areas in the
North and the East, many Tamil groups have rejected the position taken by the
LTTE. The majority of the Sinhalese and the Muslims and some sections of
the Tamils will never accept the demands of the LTTE. Therefore, the
LTTE's insistence is nothing but a ploy to scuttle the peace process. This has
been confirmed by the breakaway LTTE leader Karuna, when he stated that
the LTTE leader's tactic was to drag the peace talks indefinitely to derail
the peace process, so that he could achieve his dream of carving out a
separate Tamil state from Sri Lanka.
If
Your Excellency is really keen on helping Sri Lanka to arrive at a stable
peace, kindly consider the above factors carefully before traveling to the
Wanni through Colombo to make another futile press statement indicating
that Japan and other members of the international community are keen that both
parties should sit down for negotiations, while using billions of dollars
worth of foreign aid as a carrot. Issuing such a statement is grossly unfair,
as what is implied is that the democratically elected Government of Sri Lanka
and it’s people are required to unconditionally accept the absolutist and
absurd demands of an internationally banned terrorist organization in order to
advance the ‘peace process’ and thereby to be rewarded with foreign aid
which is vital for Sri Lanka’s very existence.
In
conclusion, we request you to hark back to the post cold war peace agreements drawn
by the victors paving the way for international stability and request you not
to ignore Sri Lankan political and economic realities. Your visit should
prove that the members of the international community are conscious of
justice, pluralism, democracy and the international obligations.
We look
forward to your visit to Sri Lanka wishing that it will not be another one
sided arm twisting exercise.
Dr
Dasarath Jayasuriya
President
Society
for Peace, Unity and