World Alliance for Peace in Sri Lanka   

PO Box 4066, Mulgrave VIC 3170, Australia

Phone:   +61 3 9548 0276 Fax:   +61 3 9584 0276

Email:   ranjiths@spur.asn.au, Website:  http://www.spur.asn.au

   

Media Release by WAPS - Saturday, 18 December 2004

 

The statement of the US, EU and Japan on the JVP's stance on the peace process is misbegotten

              

It is reported that the US, the EU and Japan, three co-chairs of the Tokyo Donor Conference have expressed their deep concern about the JVP’s criticism of Norway, 'the facilitator.'

The peace process was put on the back burner with the withdrawal of the LTTE from the discussions and the 'non-negotiable' ISGA proposal picked out of a hat and flaunted before the peace brokers. Since signing of the CFA, the poor record of the LTTE is available for the donors for inspection. The violation of the basic provisions of the CFA,  killing of the anti- LTTE Tamils, attacks on Muslim civilians, suicide bombings in Colombo and the continuous recruitment of child soldiers indicate the manner the LTTE measured up to the donors' expectations in this regard.  It is unfortunate that the EU, Norway and Japan had been following a policy of appeasing the LTTE in Sri Lanka and as well as in their territories. In the circumstances, it is inconceivable how the main 'donor nations' expect the JVP, the democratically elected representatives of Sri Lankan people to silently agree to the terrorist LTTE’s blueprint.

The donors' statement confirms the suspicions lurking in the minds of the Sri Lankan people that these donors have different measurements to gauge terrorism, while the UN is very clear on how responsible nations should stem terrorism the world over. Therefore, the statement of the 'donor nations' and the appeasement of the LTTE by Norway and the EU, places a clear choice before the people of Sri Lanka. Either accept the terrorist LTTE’s terms and the silver pieces of ‘the donors', or there will be hell to pay.

We ask the donor nations to tell the Sri Lankan people how they justify Norway's role viz a viz the LTTE. Can you expect sensible people to exculpate Norway for brazenly encouraging the terrorism of the LTTE. May we repeat a section from the landmark report on Child Soldiers for the Donors' elucidation. The report, 'Living in Fear' ( Human Rights Watch ,Nov 2004) says." The donor community is well-placed to insist that the LTTE abide by its commitments under its own repeated declarations to cease under-age recruitment. The Tokyo Conference Declaration has provided the space for such an insistence.". We consider it appalling that the Donor countries have chosen to criticise the democratic stand taken by the JVP while covertly extending a blind eye to the LTTE’s continuing intransigence and terrorism.

Finally, we like to draw the attention of the Donor nations to the comments made by International and Indian security experts about the very serious threat posed by the LTTE to the stability of the South Asian region. Right thinking Tamils who are against Tamil terrorism too have publicly said that the LTTE is not the sole representative of the Tamils of Sri Lanka.

The Donors should not expect the true representatives of the Sri Lankan people to submit pusillanimously to terrorist LTTE’s demands without examining the long-term repercussions to the Sri Lankan nation and the South Asian region. Sri Lanka needs a meaningful peace with justice to all its citizens and not peace at any cost. These Donor nations need to realise that they cannot attract respect and honour whilst they continue to hold a poor country like Sri Lanka to appease illicit, racist and Fascist demands of a world condemned group of terrorists, the LTTE.

 

 

Ranjith Soysa

Spokesperson of the World Alliance for Peace in Sri Lanka (WAPS)

 

President - Sri Lanka United National Association of Canada

President - Society for Peace, Unity and Human Rights of Sri Lanka (SPUR) Victoria

President - Society for Peace, Unity and Human Rights of Sri Lanka (SPUR) NSW

President - Western Australian Society for Peace Unity and Rehabilitation (WASPUR) in Sri Lanka

President - Sri Lankans Against Terrorism- NSW

President - Sinhala Cultural and Community Services F. Vic

President - Apey Shakthi- New Zealand

Coordinator - Hela Muthu Ketaya, New Zealand

President - Canadian Association for United Sri Lanka-Canada

President - Sri Lankan United National Association-Canada

President - Sinhala Centre- U.K

President - The International Campaign for the Liberation of the Sinhala Nation- U.K

President - Sinhala Association of Sri Lankans in the U.K                            

President - New York Society of United Sri Lankans-U.S.A

President - United Sinhalese Association in Italy- Rome.

President - Pacific Alliance for Peace in Sri Lanka, Vic (National Office), Australia

President - Alliance Against Tamil Domination, UK

President - Veera Parakramabahu Foundation (VPF), NSW, Australia

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