Asoka Weerasinghe (Mr.) Kings Grove Crescent . Gloucester . Ontario . K1J 6G1.Canada

3 December 2011

Hon. John Baird, PC., MP

Minister of Foreign Affairs, House of Commons, Ottawa, Canada

Dear John:

Yesterday was a bad day for me, a sort of double-whammy day.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  Not that you would care but I thought that I should tell you anyway,ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  since we are residents of neighbourly ridings, and since you were indirectly involved in my bad day, and it is therapeutic that I address you, whether you like it or not.

I recall my first meeting, I believe with you, around ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ late 1974.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  I was helping to take visitors around during the weekends at the newly renovated OttawaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s Museum of Nature (Victoria Memorial Museum).ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  I always zeroed in on the younger crowd as they seemed to be excited about the dinosaurs in the ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-Life Through the AgesƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ Hall.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  I met many smart kids then and among the ones that I recall was a youngster, perhaps about five years old, who was smart as a tack, and when I asked whatƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ his name is, I was told that he was John Baird from Nepean, and I remember this meeting vividly ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” curious, bright and smart as a tack boy! ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Although I worked on all the newly renovated halls in the Museum of Nature as well as the Museum of Man, I was very conversant on the Dinosaur Hall since I was one of the team of four who created and built that Hall.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  The others were Dr. Dale Russell (dinosaur specialist), Dr. Dick Harrington (Pleistocene paleontologist), Alan Todd (a bright young designer who later became the Chief Designer for the National Gallery), and I was the Researcher for the Hall and Head of Thematic Research. So you and a few other kids got a good grounding on the duck-billed dinosaurs (Brachylophosaurus vanadensis) and horned dinosaurs (Anchyceratops longitrostris) et cetera.

But unfortunately I was no soothsayer then.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  And if I were and realized that this ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”smart as a tackƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ kid, ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ John Baird, 37 years later will turn out to be the mouthy Canadian Minister of Foreign Affairs, I would have told you ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-Listen little John, in the year 2011 you will become CanadaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢sƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  Minister of Foreign Affairs and you are going to do your mouthy ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…” song and danceƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ about my old country, Sri Lanka, at the UN as well as in front of the ParliamentƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s Foreign Affair Committee, and youƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  will not be a trustworthy witness, as you would know nothing about Sri Lanka, as you wouldnƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢t know how to ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”danceƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ the Viennese Waltz because you wouldnƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢t know why ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ you have two left feet rather than a left and a right, and your counting will be abominable ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” it wonƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢t be a ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”one-two-three ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…”one-two-three countƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢, and since you will not have an ear for music you will count ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”one-two-three-four-one-two-three-four.ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  Since you have no ear for music, you will be singing off key Pete SeegerƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”Where have all the flowers Gone.ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  So little John, so just donƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢t pretend that you know all about Sri Lanka and just skip that part in your life, without embarrassing yourself, and hurting the Sri Lankans who did not get on a plane and land at the Pearson International Airport ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ in Toronto and say ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-I am a refugee and running away from persecution by the majority SinhaleseƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚, but only to get on a plane and hurry back to Sri Lanka after receiving the Canadian passport, for holidays, visiting family and weddings, etcƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ . According to statistics 71% of Sri Lankan-Tamils who landed as Convention refugees have returned to Sri Lanka on visits.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  Interesting, isnƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢t it, John?

This is where my bad double whammy day comes into play.

The Ottawa Citizen of 2 December 2011 reported on Page A3 that ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-Harper, First Nations to discuss reserves ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” Tories criticized in Commons for in action on crisis.ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  This was all about the Attawapiskat First NationƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s community.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-Earlier in the House of Commons, the government faced allegations that it is incompetent and unwilling to address the human face of a housing crisis in Attawapiskat, in northern OntarioƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚, it said.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  And NDPs Charlie Angus wanted to know ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-Stephen HarperƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s plans to get Attawapiskat out of this disgraceful level of poverty.ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚

John, this is disgusting and sick.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  And here, you guys go to the UN and do your ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”song and danceƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ challenging Sri LankaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s Human Rights violations.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  That is a cart-load of Byward MarketƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s bunches of baloney, isnƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢t John.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  You guys have a lot to learn from little Sri Lanka, when they performed miracles by managing to resettle in re-built houses within two years, ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ the 300,000 Tamil refugees who were liberated from the Tamil Tigers. ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ This was after a 27-year war with the Tamil Tigers. ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Wow! Bingo!! Beautiful!ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-Are you watching Canada?ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  I understand the last 6,000 will be resettled no sooner their land is demined.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  John, donƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢t you ever undermine my Homeland, Sri Lanka, just because you want the Tamil votes in the greater Toronto Area.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  You know it and I know it, and thousands of others know it.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  It is not nice, it is not kosher and it is not cricket.

You know what John?ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  Every indigenous Indian person at the Attawapiskat Reserve ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ in Northern Ontario would ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ have moved heaven and earth to change places with the 300,000 ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…” PrabhakaranƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s Human ShiedƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ Tamil refugees who were liberated by 19 May 2009 ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ by the Sri Lankan government forces, who were well looked after ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” fed, clothed, medically cared, ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ housed, given seed money and utensils before they were sent to their own ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ homes to start their new lives.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  You just canƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢t beat that humanitarianism, John.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  Just wake up to reality and for GodƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s sake be honest with yourself.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ And you might wonder why the ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-double whammyƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ John? It is because I still havenƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢t weaned myself away from Mother LankaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s milk as itƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s still nourishing my mind and body.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Thus, it is a case of ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-O! Mother Lanka I shall stand on guard for thee from the Canadian parliamentƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s bullies.ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ It is ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ that simple.

Now coming to the second whammy.

I read in CNNEWS ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” Baird talks tough on Sri Lanka bylined Jessica Murphy, Parliamentary Bureau which said ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-Sri Lanka needs to take accountability for serious allegations of war crimes committed its 25-year civil war, Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird.ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  So keep pandering to the Tamil Diaspora, I know so that we (I am a card carrying Conservative) can hang on to the 15 ridings that we picked up from the Liberals in the Greater Toronto Area on May 2, and I suppose we need a few more to give Stephen Harper a record back to back majority in four years and decimate the Liberals. Whom are you trying to kid, John? Your ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”song and danceƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ routine against Sri Lanka motives are transparent as a veil worn by Salome, and it is sick as it is immoral wanting to win the next Conservative majority riding on the backs of the peoples in Sri Lanka who want nothing but peace and reconciliation and want to get on with their lives without having the John Bairds in Canada finding reasons to stall that need after a 27 year old bloody war, that even Canada funded surreptitiously.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  LetƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s get that one right, John!

You talk of the Government of Sri Lanka committing war crimes, John, the government was not shadow boxing with a bunch of toddy guzzling phantoms.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  They quite rightly as a legitimate democratically elected government was fighting the most ruthless Tamil Tiger terrorists in the world who were supported by India, Canada (donƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢t look surprised John), Britain, Norway, Denmark, France and Germany.

These terrorists snuffed out almost 100,000 innocent, unarmed civilians, assassinated with suicide bombers and snipers, two heads of state, Rajiv Gandhi of India and President Premadasa of Sri Lanka,ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  Cabinet Ministers equivalent to CanadaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s John Baird (Foreign Minister),ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  Christian Paradis (Industry Minister), Peter MacKay (State Minister for Defence), ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Nycole TurmelƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ( Leader of the Opposition), several members of parliament ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ (for Vadukkodai, Manipay, Kopai, ex-MP for Jaffna, Jaffna, Trincomalee, and three mayors of Jaffna (equivalent to Mayors of Montreal), and ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ you deliberately left these rascals out of your ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ mouthy spiel and covered their butts and provided a cloak of respectability to the Tamil Tigers.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ They were the most brutal and ruthless terrorists in the world.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Osama bin Laden was just a puppy in the world of terrorism and not a match for the Tamil Tiger leader Prabhakaran, who had 388 suicide bombings under his belt and perfected the suicide bomb-vest. How come John? ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ That is sick.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  Not good at your level of parliamentary responsibility and honesty. ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ I know the separatist Tamils in Canada may have been cheering you.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  Well, that doesnƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢t chalk a mark on parliamentary honesty, morality and civility against your name, and that is for sure!

Remember what I would have told that little John at the Museum of Nature in late 1974, ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-You will turn out to be a mouthy Foreign Minister in 2011 and will be speaking of Sri Lanka which ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ you would know nothing of with a song and dance routine.ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  This is why John that your motives are transparent as the second veil of Salome.

ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-Other countries have taken 10 years for reconciliation, other countries never reconcile,ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚Baird said. ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-But itƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ is incredibly important,ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ you said.

Of course, you are absolutely right.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  Canada took 47 years to reconcile with the Japanese-Canadian, didnƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢t we, when the Conservative Prime Minister Brian Mulroney apologized to them ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ in parliament announcing with a compensation package, on September 22, 1988.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  Among the Japanese -Canadian kids who were sent to interment camps were David Suzuki (environmentalist), Joy Kogawa (writer), Roy Miki (writer/poet) and Normal Takeuchi (Museum designer and artist).

So why this hurry John?ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  Why this God damn hypocrisy. It is obvious that you know absolutely nothing about Sri Lanka.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  This Tamil separatism went back to the 1920s.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  They think they own that piece of real estate in the north and east of the island, 33% of the land boarded by 66% of the coast line for 12.6% Tamils (now reduced to 3.9%).ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  They got their motherland across the Palk Strait in Tamil Nadu where 65 million Tamils live.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  Did you know that John?ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  And the Palk Strait is just a 22 miles stretch of water, perhaps the distance from Orleans to Kanata where the Tamil Tigers used to cross in fiberglass speed boats at night in about 40 minutes carrying fuel in barrels and arms in caches during the warring days.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  It is that close.

ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-Baird praised the UN for publishing a recent report on Sri Lanka contradicting the governmentƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s position, a report the minister says ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-deeply disturbing.ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  Come on John, donƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢t be a joker!

LetƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s get this right John, and please follow my thread. This report was NO UN REPORT.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ This report was not a UN Report at all.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  It is a report compiled on a private initiative by the Secretary-General Ban ki-Moon, and has NO nexus with the UN.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  This report is flawed in many respects.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  It is important that there should be a proper understanding of the gravity of the errors of this report. There are several reasons why I think the process adopted was incurably flawed, and with its strength, no one could even hang a thieving rat even if the fellow was caught red-handed with a piece of stolen cheese stuck on its snout.

The panel starts insisting that they have no investigative power and that they are not embarking on any investigation at all.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  With regard to this, on the first page of the executive summary, they say, ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-The panelƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s mandate however does not extend to fact finding or investigation.ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  In confirmation of this, page 3 of the main report, it is said ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-The panel has not conducted fact finding as that term is understood in United Nations practice.ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  Got it John?

Then again on page 6 of the main report, it said, ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-The panel and United Nations officials repeatedly made clear to the government the scope of its mandate as an advisory panel to the secretary-general including that it was not engaged in any investigation.ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  Got it John?

Once again, on page 14 it is stressed ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-the panelƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s mandate precludes fact finding or investigation.ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ Got that one John?

The panelists themselves recognize the difficulty of finding reliable material.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  In the opening page of the report, they say, ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-Due to scarcity of objective reporting from the conflict zone, it was difficult to determine precisely what had happened during the final military assault.ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Got it JohnƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚?ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  So what is all this colonial arrogance of a ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-We are Holier Than ThouƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ attitude in you when the news report says, ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”The Minister called ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-deeply disturbingƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  What was that then, John?ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  What was in this disingenuous report that disturbed you so deeply?ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  I thought you were that grown up ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”smart as a tackƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ dinosaur hunting kid of 1974.

John, some of the findings in this Darusman Report (note I didnƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢t call it a UN Report) are also unacceptably vague.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  For example, on page 44 they say, that some of the women ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-may have been raped.ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  They donƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢t say that they were raped.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  What is all this baloney by these Yahoo panelists, John?ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  Either these women were raped or they were not raped.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ It is that simple.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  That statement was not worth two prairie straws flayed by the winter winds.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  And I could go on and on John.

In short, Ban ki-MoonƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s panel of threeƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  (Marzuki Darusman, Steven Ratner and Yasmin Sooka) who produced this Darusman Report have proved that they are not worthy of their standing in any Bar of any country.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  This report is based on hear say, unsubstantiated video clips and are not based on any rational law followed in any civilized democratic country which includes Canada; not English Law, not Roman Dutch Law, nor American Law.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  In short they have followed the vindictive law of the jungle because all three of them carried baggage which showed that they were biased against Sri Lanka and would do anything to pin Sri Lanka onto the wall.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  You may do your ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”song and danceƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ but I could puke at your feet for accepting that cut and paste TamilNet Darusman Report.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-Two years after the civil war weƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ve seen no meaningful attempts at reconciliation with the Tamil minority,ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ Baird said, the news report added.

You are just being ridiculous John. For one thing you wouldnƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢t be able to see anything with your eyes closed, so have them open when you want to get some information about Sri LankaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s reconciliation process and ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ progress.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  Secondly, donƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢t you see that you have a serious problem about Sri Lanka, John? ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ You are talking to too many Ragavans, ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Nadarajas, Poopalapillais, Rasalingams, Manjulas and Kandaiahs.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  Try this new recipe for a change.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  Talk to de Silvas, Yapas, Gunasekeras , Hettiarchchis, Hippolas,ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  Basnayakes and Weerasinghes, andƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  I can assure you that you will be provided with some honest reporting on the reconciliation process and progress.

Thirdly, after Canada letting the Tamil separatist Diaspora stuff two million dollars a month for 13 long years into the Tamil Tiger War chest to buy sophisticated weapons to kill my Sinhalese people, isnƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢t it too much of a colonial arrogance for you to question the progress of the reconciliation process?ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  When Canada let the Tamils cut a cheque for 7.5 million dollars from a Bank in Vancouver in 1994 to buy 10 tons of hexogen, a plastic explosive like Semtex and 50 tons of TNT explosive materials from ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ the Rubezone Chemical Factory in the Ukraine to bring down the Central Bank BuildingƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  in ColomboƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s Business District on January 31, 1996 with a truck bomb using those explosive materials, killing 114 and maiming 1338 people for life, isnƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢t it immoral for you to make it public your concerns about the reconciliation progress in Sri Lanka, just two years after they ended the 27 year long war.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  You seem to be in a vulgar hurry to see progress. ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ They have to sort things out for themselves, not to satisfy you or Prime Minister Harper, or Amnesty International.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  If it is going take them two years or five years, so be it because they have to get it right. ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ No doubt the people in Sri Lanka is going to ask, ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-who the hell is this John Baird, anyway?ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  And what would your answer ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ be John?ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  IƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢d like to know.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  Canadian Viceroy for Sri Lanka! Ha!!

Well, now that you have questioned ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚¦no meaningful attempts at reconciliationƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚, let me answer that question as a Sri Lanka Watcher myself, who seems to be quite pleased and happy with their ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-attempts.ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚

The appointment of a Minister of Languages and Social Integration, and experienced politician and a Union Leader, Vasudeva Nanayakkara is a positive step by the Rajapaksa Government.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  The Sri Lanka Government has declared 2012 as the Year for a Trilingual Sri Lanka – Sinhalese, Tamil and English as national languages.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  Canada, I understand is helping with that move and so is Graeme Fraser our National Languages Commissioner.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  The last time I spoke with him about a month ago at a dinner for the Minister, who was visiting Ottawa, he was quite happy with the progress.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  Ask Graeme Fraser to brief you before you mouth off again to please your Tamil voting public in the GTA;

On Wednesday, 25 November, a vital step towards the establishment of a single and united Sri Lanka was taken in Parliament when a motion was initiated to set up the long awaited Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) on resolving issues related to the conflict.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  This motion is to help all persons, and that includes the Tamils that you are so concerned about, would be fully empowered and live in harmony.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  The PSC will be represented by all political parties, and that will include the Tamil political parties unless they, as their habit is, would boycott it because they might see that the PSC is an impediment to establish their mono-ethnic, racist Tamil state, Eelam. These guys in the North better learn to live with the majority Sinhalese as the 41% of the population in the capital Colombo who are Tamils are living in harmony with the majority Sinhalese, Muslims and Burghers.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ And there are some who are inter-marrying and taking vows to ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”Live Happily ever AfterƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  You have no right to spoil that bliss and their future. There is no easy way out;

As an effort to reconciliation and rehabilitation of the disgruntled ex-Tamil Tigers, on September 29^th, some 500 rehabilitated ex-Tamil Tiger men and women cadres were taken on a five-day trip to the South, as part of the final phase of their rehabilitation programme.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  They began the trip at Omanthai railway station and after their visit to Colombo they proceeded south to Kalutara and Kataragama before they returned north to Vavuniya.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  The rehabilitation camp when they started had 11,000 ex-Tamil Tiger cadres and by September only 2,700 remained who will be reintegrated into society soon.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  What more do you want, John?ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  These Tamils are demanding that they be left alone to enjoy their dignity that the Rajapaksa government is affording them.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  They are the people who will be living in Sri Lanka and not your Canadian-Tamil constituents who would only fly in and out of the Colombo airport wanting to sun themselves on the coastal beaches to regain their lost tan;

On September 30, the Government of Sri Lanka reintegrated 1,800 rehabilitated former Tamil Tigers into society at a ceremony held at Temple Trees, the PresidentƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s residence, and I believe our High Commissioner Bruce Levy too was in attendance.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  They had undergone a two-year rehabilitation programme.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  The parents and family members who too were in attendance rejoiced the reunion of their children after the completion of the successful rehabilitation programme.

John, if you want to know more, then please ask me, and I will inform you, but please donƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢t ask the Nadaraja crowd, as they will misinform you as they have already done so.

You know John, if you and your Department of Foreign Affairs with Amnesty International who believes that they are the WorldƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s Human Rights Police who lost its squeaky clean innocence this September when they accepted $50,000 from a Tamil Group after a Walk-a-Thon who defended the Tamil Tigers vigorously during TV panel discussions during the last phase of the war, ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ and now by money-association have become their ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”His MasterƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s Voice;ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢, put together a Manual ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” How to Win Wars without Human Rights Violations for Dummies, I wouldnƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢t have read the head lines in The Ottawa Citizen like, ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”Pakistani border troops told to shoot back – Army Chief changes rules of engagement after controversial NATO air strikeƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ and ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”Pakistan stops NATO supplies ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” Islamabad retaliates after air assaults on outposts kills as many as 28 soldiers’.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  Consider this as your next project as it would stop a lot of heart-break around the world, and may be that this Manual would be the genesis that would make Amnesty InternationalƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  go out of business, ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ but, then who cares!ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  It certainly wonƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢t be me.

And finally John, just to comment on your statement, ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-Sri Lanka needs to take accountability for the serious allegations on war crimesƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚¦,ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ which I find it a darn silly request.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  Ask these accusers of Sri Lanka to show their burden of proof and tangible evidence at some international court of law and let Sri Lanka defend itself.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  You are obviously no lawyer.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Ask Irwin Cotler (Liberal MP), whom I have an immense regard as a Human Rights lawyer.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  You donƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢t ask for accountability on allegations. ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Would youƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚¦other than asking your accusers to go and fly a kite or jump off the UN building!ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  Right?

Sincerely,

Asoka Weerasinghe (Mr.)