BBC Hardtalk – May 25,2009 on Sri Lanka
Posted on May 27th, 2009

Ira de Silva London, Ontario, Canada

Hon. Des Brwone, M.P.
British Parliament
London, U.K.
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Dear Sir:

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ 
I am writing to you regarding your discussionƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ on Sri LankaƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ on the BBC programme Hardtalk dated May 25,2009. I noticed that you still consider yourself as Britain’s “special envoy to Sri Lanka” even though that attempt by the British government to foist you on Sri Lanka to interfere and dictateƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ was rejected back in February 2009. Perhaps you and the British government feel that it is your entitlement, unfortunately Sri Lanka does not subscribe to that view. You had no answer to the question as to what you could achieve in Sri Lanka given that the Sri Lankan government had rejected your appointment.
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In your self conferred position as Britain’s special envoy, you made a dash to the U.N. with your Tamil supporters and much publicity to attempt to force Sri Lanka to agree to a ceasefire. Your Foreign Secretary ably assisted by Mr. Kouchner of France went to Colombo to browbeat the Government there to do the same. There was an endless litany of what the British “wanted to see happen” in Sri Lanka and it was quite clear that it was not the defeat of the LTTE. All of you were working feverishly with the U.S. to save the LTTE leadership perhaps hoping to get them to the U.K. to join the many LTTE supporters there who are still demonstrating in front of parliament. Although you denied this it was not convincing as your actionsƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ had proved otherwise.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ In your attempt to convince you even went so far as to call the LTTE terrorists. Up to now the BBC has always called them rebels. I trust that from now on the BBC will follow your informed opinion and refer to LTTE terrorists.
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You had no answer as to why you still felt that you were “the envoy” claiming that you would be going back to Sri Lanka in June to give the government of Sri Lanka some detailed directions as to how to solveƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  problems andƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ in an underhand way provide British support for the remaining LTTE holdouts. YouƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ listed an unimpressive list of your contributions to conflict resolution in different parts of the world but had no answer for British actions in Iraq and Afghanistan. BritainƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ is currently supporting a resolution at the U.N. regarding a war crimes investigation in Sri Lanka but you had no credible answer as to why there was then a need to discuss war crimes investigations in Iraq and Afghanistan. You believed that if there was occasional news reporting from those theatres of war it was sufficient to exonerate your government and the others involved of war crimes. IfƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ your government had any integrity you should institute an immediate investigation into your crimes before you try to impose an investigation on Sri Lanka. Do you not find it curious that it is only Britain and the European Union with indirect support from the U.S. that are supporting the investigation against Sri Lanka?ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ These are the very countries that have invaded so many countries, murdered and subjugated millions, devastated countries without any hesitation, robbed and pillaged for hundreds of years and are continuing to do so even today and then attempting to sit in judgement on Sri Lanka which has had to fight a brutal terrorist insurgency on it’s own soil substantially on it’s own. Your belief in double standards came out loud and clear.
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You did not realise what you admitted to but you clearly stated thatƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ there are 300,000 Tamils in the U.K.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ and the implication was that it is those Tamils who were driving your bogus claims of concern, forcing you to continue the charade of being the “special envoy” and your continued attempts to interfere in Sri Lanka.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ What you inadvertently made clear was that it is not the Tamils in Sri Lanka that you and your governmentƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ are concerned about but the possible votes of the Tamils in Britain as you face the next election.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ 
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I hope that the officials in Sri Lanka make a note of your comments on this programme that were not very flattering to them, your constant refrain that they were difficult to deal with, that they said one thing and did another, that they agreed to your appointment and then refused you (that must have hurt your ego although in retrospect it was the best thing that Sri Lankan officials could have done for Sri Lanka) that politics in Sri Lanka got in the way of your best efforts etc. I am sending a copy of this letter to the Foreign Secretary of Sri Lanka hoping that he will take some time out from his busy schedule to watch your performance and inform himself of your attitude to Sri Lanka as well as prepare himselfƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ and other officials so they can deal with your ego, bombastƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ and feigned assistance when you visit Sri Lanka. It would be better still if they can get your input in a phone call. It wouldƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  save the British taxpayers some money and Sri Lankan officials some valuable time when there is so much that needs to be done in post conflict Sri Lanka.
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Yours truly,
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ 
Ira de Silva
London, Ontario, CanadaƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ 

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