Reconciliation on hold in Sri Lanka – Letter sent to the National Post, Canada for publication
Posted on August 1st, 2009

Jeanne JayasingheƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  Australia

Dear Kelly McParland,

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ The National Post has been one of the few papers in the western world that has shown consistent balance when it came to reporting on the terrorist activities of the Tamil Tigers in Sri Lanka and Canada. The National Post and one of its journalists, Stewart Bell, has had first hand experience of the tactics used by the Tamil Tigers to subdue any opposition. We have always valued the reporting in your paper, however, your analysis of the current situation of the IDPs in Sri Lanka seems to be rather biased.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Yes, the war is over in Sri Lanka, but not all the fighting cadres who had been indoctrinated and brain washed for the past 30 years were not killed or “destoyed” as you mention. Many of these are currently in the camps and have to be identified and taken away to be dealt with under the law of Sri Lanka.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Throughout the last months of the war, the UN and other international agencies kept mentioning a figure of 250,000 civilians who were in the ever shrinking territory held by the LTTE. When these civilians were finally helped to break out by the armed forces, the number had increased to 300,000. If the figures mentioned by the UN, Red Cross and other INGOs was correct then the extra 50,000 would be LTTE cadres who had joined the civilians not counting the families of LTTE cadres who had already been counted as civilians.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ The government has to ensure they find every one of these cadres and deal with them according to the extent of the crimes they have committed against the country and the nation. This is a must.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ For the last several years, the LTTE has been burying land mines in the areas they controlled. There are no maps to show where these mines have been buried. The government has to clear each area before they can be declared safe for human habitation. This is also a must.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ The LTTE has also systematically destroyed the infrastructure of the towns and villages as they retreated. Before civilians can be sent back to these areas, at least the basic infrastructure has to be put in place. This too is a must

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ You say the “Tamil minority is restive” This is a figment of the imagination of the Tamil Diaspora living in Canada and other countries in the west. The displaced people are being treated well in the camps.

While the conditions are not five star quality, they are being provided the more than the basic necessities. There are banks, stores where they can buy food, schools for the children and other amenities to ensure they can normalise their lives slowly until they can return to their former homes.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ You do not mention the thousands of child soldiers who are currently being rehabilitated, among whom are several who are being prepared for Advanced Level exams with the help of the best teachers from leading schools in the south.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ The camp inmates themselves are on the lookout for the LTTE cadres, now in the camps, who harrassed them during the past two years of their misery. The police have to intervene to prevent these cadres being killed by their former victims. Some cadres who held high positions within the LTTE in the camps are enjoying the protection of some international NGOs by being employed in their offices in the camp.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ It is also necessary to ask, what the Tamil Diaspora living in Canada has done for these displaced persons, who, in the first place, were displaced by the LTTE, when they were dragged all the way to the east coast of Sri Lanka by them. The Sinhala people in Sri Lanka as well as abroad, have been providing food, clothes, toys for the children and other essentials. The Sinhala people have reached out to these people, what has the Tamil Diaspora done except fund the LTTE to procure weapons with which they killed and oppressed their own people?

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ With respect to journalists being murdered in Sri Lanka. This is not condoned by the people. Governments for the past several years has been resorting to this and it has been condemned by people.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ With regard to media freedom, yes, the media must be free, but it should not be the freedom of the wild ass. The media should also have a certain responsibility to report correctly and provide an accurate picture of events and not give their favourite slant on issues. Sadly, most journalists in Sri Lanka do not know the meaning of being an independent reporter and have sold their services to the highest bidder.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Despite the hype of the international agencies who would like to create a crisis situation in Sri Lanka, you need not worry about human rights in Sri Lanka.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Jeanne Jayasinghe
Australia

One Response to “Reconciliation on hold in Sri Lanka – Letter sent to the National Post, Canada for publication”

  1. Raj Says:

    You are quite right in all the points mentioned in the article.

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