By Charles.S.Perera

They do not seem to understand either peace, or justice.

The ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-Global StatesmenƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Nelson Mandela, Desmond Tutu, Kofi Annan, and Jimmy Carter, now demand international concern over the post-war conduct of Sri Lanka. ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ 

Archbishop Desmond Tutu ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ is known to be a highly excited man where terrorism in Sri Lanka is concerned. ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ He knows only the Sri Lanka terrorists point ofƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  view ,andƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  knows nothing of the point of view of the people who suffered from terrorismƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  or that of theƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  governments that tried to come to a political settlement with the terrorists and failed.

The same could be said of Nelson Mandela who apparently did not make any effort to understand what the problem with the terrorists in Sri Lanka was, but believed the stories recounted by the terrorists or their sympathizers that the terrorists were in fact freedom fighters claiming freedom from a Sinhala Government which isƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  like the apartheid South Afrikaner Governments of South Africa.

With such scanty knowledge ofƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  Sri LankaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s anti or post terrorist situationƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  neither Nelson Mandela nor Desmond Tutu could justify their ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ demand ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ for International concern over post terrorist conduct of a government which had enough of interference from the International Community in favour of terrorism, and against a government and a people who are seeking unity and peace after thirty years of terrorism, assassinations, deaths, murders, and suicide bombs.

Kofi Annan was like Banki Moon an Administrator,ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  not at all a Statesman with political ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ experience ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ in leading a Nation.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  His leadership in the UNO marked the downwards trend of the once august Assembly set up to bring Nations together and settle their disputes in ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-healthyƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ discussions. ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ 

Koffi Annan saw the UNOƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  ridiculed and stepped over by the Bush Administration to wage ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ an unnecessary war against Iraq, making a comic spectacle ofƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  aƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  Kofi AnnanƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  unable toƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  pronounce a word to stop the blatant act of a headstrong American President do what he wants, when he wants, with or without the UNO sanctions.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ 

Kofi Annan did not have the guts even to resignƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  from being the Secretary General of UNO to show his disagreement with the arbitrary decision of a member state which disregardedƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  the authority of the UNO, which was ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ a slap on his face by the Bush Administration !ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ 

Kofi Annan was also responsible for the Oil for food scandal where Iraq wasƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  required to sell petroleum in order to pay for food and medicine for its people.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  It is alleged that even Kofi AnnanƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s son Kojo Annan ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ profited from this ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ scandalous arrangement.

That is the background to ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ one of the four elder ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-StatesmenƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ who now raises concern over post terrorist ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ conduct of the Sri Lanka Government.

Worst of the four elders, grouped to get the International concernƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  raised against Sri Lanka are Nelson Mandela and Desmond Tutu.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  Some may take exception to citing Nelson Mandela as a misguided Statesman.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  Of course the world recognizes him with respect for his indefatigable fight against apartheid.

The President Mahinda Rajapakse ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ is ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ also an indefatigable fighter against terrorism, why then should Nelson Mandela join a band of persons who have nothing in common except the office from which they have retired , to be referred to as ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-global statesmenƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  by the Agence France Press, to ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ bring disrepute to an equally great President of Sri Lanka that has brought peace to his country, and ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ now trying his best to unite the communities and usher in progress and development.

But where Nelson Mandela is misguided is in his interference in to the affairs of the Government of Sri Lanka about which he has no first hand information. What he knows about terrorismƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  in Sri Lanka is what he has been told by the actors themselves of terrorism, and their sympathizers .ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ 

Nelson Mandela who fought against the Apartheid Government of South Africa, who denied the fundamental rights of democracy to the indigenous Black population thinks that the Government of Sri Lanka is a government similar to the apartheidƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  White Government of South Africa.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  There against the White Government, the Blacks, lead by Nelson Mandela were freedom fighters.

But that is not the case with Sri Lanka. In Sri Lanka it was a handful Tamil youths trained by the Secret Agents of the Indian Government with an expansionist agendaƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  as terrorists that was let lose in Sri Lanka in 1983, who assassinated 13 policemen of the Sri Lanka Government, and provoked the Sinhala people in the south in sympathy with the ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ assassinated policemen, among them the unscrupulousƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  criminals , to unfortunately rise against the Tamil people, thus preparing ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ the ground for terrorisms to take root in Tamil populated areas in the North and East.

Beginning from then the terrorists gradually befriended the Tamil expatriates some of who had left Sri Lanka after the 1983 riots – started by the terrorists themselves, collected money from them and built a strong ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  armed force capable of taking on the Government armed forces.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  They demanded separation of a part of Sri Lanka to set up their own ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Eelam State for Tamils.

That has nothing in common with what the anti-apartheid movement that was headed by Nelson Mandela.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  Nelson Mandela does not know this background, that is why he is now acting as a misguided Statesman, interfering into Sri Lanka GovernmentƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢sƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  efforts in governance, after eliminating terrorism that had barred its progress and development.

Edmund Tutu who has been called by the Zimbawe President Mugabe ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…- the evel BishopƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ is the same.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  He does not know ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ any thing about terrorism in Sri Lanka and their objective of dividing Sri LankaƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  and the communitiesƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  by demanding the setting up ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ of a separate State for Tamils, in a country where the Sinhala, Tamil and Muslims had lived together for generations.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Unfortunately, the Catholic Church which is not very ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-patrioticƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ preparing Sri Lanka to be a Catholic dominated country, after its failure to do soƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  through Catholic Action which was brought to an end by the intervention ofƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  late H.L.Mettananda, P. de S.Kularatne and others, has notƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  kept the Archbishop Desmond Tutu informed of the reality about Sri Lanka terrorism. ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ 

Archbishop Malcolm Ranjit Patabendige Don, should have if he is a real patriot of the country informed Desmond TutuƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  the real situation and asked him not to interfere in to the affairs of Sri Lanka as the Catholic Church is well representedƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  in Sri Lanka and it can do what is necessary withoutƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  Desmond Tutu having to discredit Sri Lanka on issues he is quite ignorant about.

Before Nelson Mandela, and Archbishop Desmond Tutu, ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ as ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-eldersƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ trying to interfere into the Affairs of Sri Lank should look into grave situation in South Africa with regard to migrant workers, and criminality in general.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  It is much better those matters are satisfactorily settled, before they intervene to settle ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ matters that do not concern them.

In an article ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-The Crime Shaking MandelaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s familyƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚, Eliza Griswold ofƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  the Daily Beast.com reported on 24 July,2010:

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-Although HIV/AIDS is a horribly familiar crisis, the grinding toll of South AfricaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s everyday violence remains little more than statistics. With an average death toll of 50 a day, the country is the worldƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s second-leading murder capital of the world. (Colombia is number one.) But when it comes to rape, South Africa tops the list. A girl in South Africa has a one in three chance of finishing secondary schoolƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬‚and a one in two chance of being raped.

So whatƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s being done about this kind of violent pandemic?

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ The Earth Time in an article, ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-Three ment burnt alive by South African MobƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ on 4.8.2010 reported, ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-An angry mob in a South African slum burnt three men alive on Wednesday after accusing them of stealing power cables.

Residents of the settlement in Lenasia South on the southern outskirts of Johannesburg surrounded the three men in their pick-up truck and set the vehicle alight with the men inside shortly after midnight, police told the South African Press Association. ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Times Topic:South Africa, reportedƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  in an article , ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-South Africans take out rage on ImmigrantsƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ on 20.5.2008 :

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-REIGER PARK, South Africa ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬‚ Feneck Mgawa, a 39-year-old mechanic from Malawi, came to South Africa 18 months ago. He owned a box of tools and got work right away, living modestly in a hovel in a squatterƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s camp and sending cash home each month to his wife and two children.

He was exactly the kind of foreigner the hateful mob wanted to kill.

Last weekend, the marauders came to his shack and looked him over. Just to be sure they were not misdirecting their rage, they asked, ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-Are you a foreigner?ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ He spoke enough Zulu to lie, but what was the use? His accent would have given him away. He escaped with his life only after being beaten with sticks and pelted with rocks, he said.

Mr. Mgawa is now one of 6,000 immigrants displaced in recent days by xenophobic violence here in Reiger Park, just east of Johannesburg. Like many of the others, he is afraid to return to his shack or go to his job. He sleeps on the floor of a church and eats sandwiches and porridge donated by South Africans who are appalled at the murderous behavior of their countrymen.ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚

Again Robyn Dixon , the Times Staff Writer wrote on 20 May,2008 in an afrticle Migrants burnt alive in South Africa :

ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-The brutal apartheid-era practice of setting opponents on fire has been revived in this country’s crowded, litter-strewn shantytowns. But now the victims are foreign migrants.

Anger over unemployment and rising prices and simmering resentment against illegal foreign migrants have exploded into xenophobic violence in South Africa, with at least 22 people slain in the last 10 days. Hundreds more have been injured and as many as 10,000 have fled their homes, as analysts struggle for explanations as to what triggered the violence.ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚

This mob ruleƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  seems to go unattended, and it continues even today.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  Nelson Mandela and Desmond Tutu during the few years left for them should concentrate their efforts to make South Africa treat the immigrants from their neighbouring countries more humanly, and as brothers and sisters.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ 

Desmond Tutu had recently announcedƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  that he is retiring from public life to have tea with his wife. ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ It is better that he spends his time more usefully that way, instead of poking his nose into matters he has not grasped quite well, worrying his head unnecessarily over what has been reported to him ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ by the terrorist sympathizing expatriate Tamils andƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  anti Sri Lanka pro terrorist western governments.

There is no prosecutions and disappearancesƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  of human rights activists in Sri Lanka, asƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  theƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚EldersƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ have been informed.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  If they are correctly informed they will know that these are falseƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  accusations made by the opposition political parties to defeat the aims of the present governmentƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  and come to power themselves. These are also publicised by some western governments who had an ulterior motive to save terrorism in Sri Lanka- a developing country which shows every possibility of rising above their ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-under developedƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ status.

The Sri Lanka Government led by the President Mahinda RajapakseƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  was able to defeatƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  and completely eliminate the scourge of terrorism.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  This government is quiteƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  capable ofƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  looking after itself and develop the country and unite the communities to form a a united Nation of Sri Lankans.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  Therefore, what it requires now is for theƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  foreignƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  states and groups of humanitariansƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  to keep away from interfering into its affairs until it progressively settles all problems it encounters after it ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ eliminated terrorism.

We are still left with one more ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-ElderƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ good Mr.Jimmy Carter the formerƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  President of USA. He is a good individual very Christian does not want to displease others. He had been brought into the ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ group of ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ three ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-sagesƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚, I presume ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ because of his Noble Peace Prize. ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ 

As the rest he too must have got moved by stories recounted to him by the pro-terrorist expatriate Tamils. These white people more often think that coloured people are only capable of doing what is undemocratic and justƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  according to their Christian Standards. And having learnt of bad colouredƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  political leaders they tend to put every one in the same ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-basketƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚. ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ 

Mr. Jimmy Carter should try to get first hand information about Sri Lanka, ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ before end of terrorism, and after end of terrorism, ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ before he joins the ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ band ofƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-the wiseƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ to castigate Sri Lanka ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ on hearsay evidence.

For that purpose the Christian Church in Sri Lanka should step into inform other Christians that Sri Lanka is not what they have heard about from a selected few people sympathetic to terrorism in Sri Lanka.

The writer, is an independent citizen, without any connection to any political party or the government, who has seen different governmentsƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  which had come and gone, and understands which government is doing a service to help Sri Lanka get onto the correct path of development. ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ 

Sri Lanka has the potential to develop and rise above its present status of a developing country. This potential wealth is ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ being correctly exploited by the present government for the development of the country and unite the communities.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  Therefore, the groups of humanitarians, ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ human rights activists, and westernƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  governments ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ in respect to their Christian benevolence and democratic adherence should leave Sri Lanka and its GovernmentƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  without being interfered, ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ to continue its remarkable progress it is making ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ towards development.