Change of Working Culture of Sri Lankan Foreign Missions Towards a new Sri Lanka
Posted on June 2nd, 2009
Vajiragnana WarnakulasuriyaƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Melbourne, Australia
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Mr.Rohitha Bogollagama Honourable Minister of Foreign Affairs,
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Sri Lanka
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Dear Sir,
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ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Change of Working Culture of Sri Lankan Foreign Missions Towards a new Sri Lanka
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ It is no secret that nearly a million or more of Tamils live abroad today and itƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s their willful or compulsory funds that made LTTE to equip state of the art weaponry as discovered by the defense forces.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ At no time we thought all Tamils were LTTE nor do they share the LTTE ideology, but I am sad to say we Sinhalese abroad have been wrong. This assumption is proven beyond any doubt looking at the number of Tamils who parade in the Cities all over the Western countries on their anti Sri Lankan protest marches. Even at the moment when the LTTE was killing their own people, they didnƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢t care for those innocent, their own tribe, but continued the support to save only the LTTE leaders with the help of the hired international community.
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We tend to believe ninety-nine percentages of the Tamil elders are well educated and a very high percentage is professionals. However back in Sri Lanka during the last three decades all-small children were brain washed in such a way to portray the Sinhalese, whether itƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s the forces or the simple villages as devils or ferocious animals, therefore they have to be killed at sight. This indoctrination was so effective that anyone in thirties and under who has never had any contact with the Sinhala people believed it is the gospel truth, this made it easy for them to kill Sinhalese without mercy. During this period lay Sinhalese never killed any Tamil or even the LTTE except by the forces.
This teaching accompanied brutal killing styles too, such as hacking, bombing, setting alight the innocent toddlers, children and the parents of the villages, it was the intense hatred by the terrorist leaders who transformed the unpolluted minds of the innocence to become so vicious, for them these acts may have been a game, just as present day kids play computer games with modern day weaponry.
Sadly we have seen the same style of hatred taught to children born in distant shores by these highly qualified professionals when they have variety entertainments to raise funds for LTTE projects or during martyrsƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ dayƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s celebrations. Here the children are dressed in LTTE uniforms brandishing all sorts of modern fire arms killing the enemy, they are now grown up to teenagers who do not hesitate to sort to violence as we witnessed recently in the news papers in various cities.
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As for these professionals, they unashamedly spread false sickening stories about Sri Lankan forces and the Government which are believed by those in important high offices, these allegations are supported by doctored photos and statements from unpatriotic Sinhala journalists, parliamentarians who are on the LTTE payroll.
Sadly most of our High Commissioners are so inefficient they did not defend the countryƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s tarnishing image at anytime. Some even wait till they get the green light from Sri Lankan foreign office to defend the country they are suppose to be representing in the foreign soils.
This nonsense should seize immediately, though the LTTE is defunct in Sri Lanka, it is very much alive in foreign soils, hence the Sri Lankan ambassadors should change their old fashion culture of attending onlyƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ to Sri Lankan gatherings and limiting their services to passport renewals, registering of birth, pension disbursement etc, surely these are not the important services expected from the office of the High Commissioner.
I believe High Commissioner should
It looks like we have a dearth
Its time the Government start grooming such people if they cannot be found at present, the habit of dispatching close relatives, friends, school mates or party supporters who lack the knowledge to promote the countryƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s value that benefits both countries is a gross wastage of this important position.
A foreign diplomat training Institute should be created if such a one doesnƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢t exist now, experts who are competent in history of Sri Lanka, politics, journalism, toast mastering, economics, body language and constitution etc should be some of ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ the themes that needs to be presented.
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However their example was not taken as a cue by the High Commissioners to lobby on Sri Lankan issue, thankfully here in Australia Major General Janaka Perera was an exception after he occupied the high office. He is the only one who spoke on our issue effectively to those who need to be told. There had been idiotic High Commissioners and Consuls who even attended Vellupulle PorabakaranƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s Birthday! They were at a loss as to what impartially serving the citizens of Sri Lanka means.
LTTE back home is crushed, but their supporters who keep hope alive have not stopped lobbying and spreading false propaganda, they have become so vigilant now to take the government to the International Criminal Court. The pictures of brutal atrocities LTTE committed in the past are doctored and published these days as the Defence forces appalling crimes. These allegations get the credibility with endorsements of our own unpatriotic parliamentarians and journalists, for the international community to say that they get confirmation from reliable sources! Money can do wonders, even those who boast of possessing high principles, with least efforts these are thrown out the window and has become ardent defenders of once FBI assessed most brutal Terrorist Mob in the Globe.
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Those IDPƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s are Sri Lankans and their welfare is the responsibility of the GOSL, which is why they take necessary precautions to resettle them in their original places of abode, after carefully de-mining the land mines so that the safety of their lives are assured.
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ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ This task can easily handled by the Army bomb experts, the welfare of the people in those temporarily camps too can be attended to by our own people, we do not need any physical presence of international organizations, what GOSL need from the international community if at all is any financial or material contributions only. Sri Lanka is not a barbaric Nation, even during the time Europe was indulging in cannibalistic practices Sri Lanka can be proud of their virtuous and excellent moral values, respecting the life of the living beings that one could remember in memoriam.
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At this moment department of Immigration should not be greedy to think of the windfall they would get from issuing dual passports, this has to be dealt case by case and in consultation with the defence secretary and his approval if I may say.
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ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ In concluding Sri Lankans must UNITE and muster all means to make the country of ours a pleasant country for all to live in Peace and Harmony, so that we expatriates can visit on and off and spend glorious unforgettable times with our friends and relatives once again.
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ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Vajiragnana Warnakulasuriya
Melbourne, Australia
Now that LTTE being eliminated, its time for the expatriate sensible Tamil community to come to the aid of these unfortunate Tamils, these people lived a dignified life, though not a lavish life styles of the expatriates. Nevertheless they are good cultured God fearing innocent people, some of them unfortunately were misguided, and the responsibility has to fall on the expatriates. ItƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s not late for them to think clearly of their own kith and kinƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s present plight and come to senses and extend their helping hand. Other Sri Lankans have not wasted any time to excercise their duty to see to the needs of these people.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚
June 3rd, 2009 at 6:58 am
Well written, timely and a good eye opener. Let us hope that our Hon. Minister of Foreign Affairs will look into the points you have raised.
What you say about our missions abroad is really true. It is high time that the government stopped appointing political apointees to embassies abroad. Only well trained people who undergo foreign diplomatic training should be appointed. People in the calibre of Palitha Kohona are assets of our country.
Also we should commend Ravinatha Aryasinghe our embassador to EU, Belgium, Luxambourg for highlighting the activities of ltte front organisations.
I only hope this letter will reach our Hon. Minister and corrective action is taken to improve the image of our country through missions abroad.