Meeting with American Tamil Diaspora & Statement on Sri Lanka
Posted on August 19th, 2009

Ira de Silva London, Canada

Mr. Robert Blake
Assistant Secretary of State, South & Central Asia
State Department
Washington,D.C.
U.S.A.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Dear Sir:
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ 
I have written to you in the past when as Ambassador in Sri Lanka you were doing what you could to help the Tamil Tiger terrorists (LTTE),ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ projectingƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ an attitude that your mandateƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ wasƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ toƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ “instruct” the government of Sri Lanka in their dealings with the terrorist LTTE. It was not to benefit Sri Lanka butƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ for the benefit of the LTTE. Right up to theƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ elimination of the hierarchy of the LTTEƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ in May you did your utmost to provideƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ the LTTE hierarchy with an avenue of escape so they could live to fight another day.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Your statement on August 11th indicates that you are continuing your efforts to help the LTTE.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ 
Since the elimination of the LTTE hierarchy on May 19th, U.S. policy appears to be one of vindictiveness towards Sri Lanka because it did not submit to U.S. dictates.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ThisƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  attitude wasƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ illustrated when the U.S. moved to deny the IMF loan to Sri Lanka,ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  Mrs. Hilary Clinton claiming that it was not an appropriate time for the loan.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ In addition to being miffed because Sri Lanka did not succumb to intimidation by the U.S. and other western countries trying to stop the war against the terrorist LTTE, it had been reported that the Obama administrationƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ had received funding from the Tamil diaspora. During the last presidential election there was even a campaign called Tamils for Obama comprised of LTTE supporters. Perhaps that was another factor in the currentƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ administration’s anti-Sri Lanka, pro LTTE stance.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ I referƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ you to the latest interview ofƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ M. Thirunavakarasu, a close advisor and confidant of the LTTE leader who was with him in Sri LankaƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ till May 16,2009 and is now living in TamilNadu, India in which he claims that Prabhakaran was confident that the U.S. would rescue him as he had contacts to Mrs. Hillary Clinton presumably via the American Tamil diaspora.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ (Copied below is the question and his answer at his interview). It is this same American Tamil diaspora that funded LTTE terrorism in Sri Lanka and lobbied successiveƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ U.S. governments to achieve their goal of dividing Sri Lanka, that contacted Mrs. Hillary Clinton to save PrabhakaranƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ that you are now meeting with to supposedly recommend that the Government of Sri Lanka engage with them on the future of Sri Lanka. Their goal is to divide Sri Lanka. Having suffered thousands of deaths, massive destruction because of them and knowing that they have not changed their goal, what makes you believe that the people and government of Sri LankaƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ should “engage” with them?ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Currently their “concerns and perspectives” areƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ to continue to promote the LTTE agenda in Sri Lanka as they have done for the past twenty-five years.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Since they are American citizens should not your engagement with them be to wean them away from supporting terrorism rather than provide them with the means to achieve their goal of dividingƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Sri Lanka?
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ 
Are your continued meetings with the U.S. supporters of Tamil terrorism because you are unawareƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ of the following –
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ 
The LTTE supporters of the Tamil diaspora are attempting to re-group and continue their objective of dividing Sri Lanka?
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ 
The LTTE leader in the U.S.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ is a key leader in the post Prabhakaran administration of the LTTE?
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ 
When the current leader of the LTTE Pathmanathan (KP) was arrested and brought to Sri Lanka, the leader of the LTTE in New YorkƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ issued a statement calling on the so-called international community (the same community, led by Norway and the U.S.,ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ that workedƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ feverishly to rescue Prabhakaran)ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ to censure Sri Lanka.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ 
Given the continued efforts of the Tamil diaspora in the U.S. to continue the LTTE aim of dividing Sri Lanka, can you explainƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ why you believe thatƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ these Tamils outside Sri LankaƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ who have and continue to support the division of Sri Lanka by any means available to them should be given a role in the future of Sri Lanka?
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ 
If the official policy of the U.S. government is that it is against terrorism in the world, why is it that the Tamil terrorists in Sri Lanka are the exception?ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ 
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ 
Why are there meetings with the ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ American Tamil diaspora supportive of the LTTE and why are theyƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ consultedƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ on U.S. policy on Sri Lanka but not theƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ non-LTTE Sri Lankan expatriates in the U.S who far outnumber them? ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Do you not believe in equal representation before making decisions?ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ 
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ 
I am copying the future U.S. ambassador to Sri Lanka Ms. Patricia Butenis as she was involved in these discussions with LTTE supporters in the U.S. so she is aware of the situation and does not attempt to carry on as she did in Bangladesh where, according to press reports, she never had a reputation of being diplomatic and was giving lectures and directives in “bold language” on how Bangladeshis should run their country. She hopes that in Sri Lanka she will speak diplomatically although she is not sure. I trust that you will ensure that she is given a course in diplomacy before she makes uncalled for statements in Sri Lanka or attempts to “run” the country as a client state of the U.S.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ 
Yours truly,
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ 
Ira de Silva
London, Canada

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ 
M. Thirunavakarasu – Former advisor to LTTEƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ 
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ 

Q: What were the orders Prabhakaran had issued to his cadres during the last days of the Eelam war?
A:
During the last days, top LTTE leaders had realised the futility of carrying on the fight. So naturally they discussed the possibility of a formal surrender..

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Prabhakaran scotched the talk of a possible surrender saying, ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-Our people have held talks with Hillary Clinton. So we can expect America to intervene. Let us try to withstand the military assault for at least another three days.ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚
But several obstacles came up in the way of an American intervention. Prabhakaran realised too late the ground reality that the US could not intervene.

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