Britain snubs Sri Lanka again. President denied right of addressing Forum
Posted on June 6th, 2012
ByƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Mario Perera, Kadawata
I refer to D.B.S.JeyarajƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s article: President RajapaksaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s London address to Commonwealth Economic Forum cancelled ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” posted on his web site and reproduced in ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”InfoLankaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢. He says: In an unexpected, sudden development the Commonwealth Economic Forum the event in which Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa was scheduled to deliver the keynote address has been called off. The Commonwealth Business Council that had organized the event made a special announcement announcing the decision. In a tersely worded statement the Commonwealth Business Council stated-ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-After careful consideration the morning sessions of the Forum on Wednesday 6th of June have been cancelled and will not take place. The event will therefore commence with lunch at 1300hrs followed by the originally planned afternoon sessions beginning at 1400hrs.ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ Although the Business Council had not given any reasons for the abrupt cancellation speculation was rife that the decision was taken on account of the huge controversy generated by President RajapaksaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s anticipated address.
I must sat at the onset, that this gentlemanƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s pro Tamil bias cleverly camouflaged by apparent objectivity is quite visible to the discerning eye. First and foremost I take objection to his phrase: In an unexpected, sudden development…when referring to the cancellation of MRƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s speech (keynote address) at the stated forum. One vividly remembers the case of the aborted Oxford Union speech in 2010. This is then the second such occurrence. I recall to mind the pithy Sinhala saying that: the one who meets out incessant blows and the one who bends his head to receive them are both fools. In my view the Oxford Union debacle should have alerted the Sri Lankan side of what was to be expected at the Commonwealth Economic Forum. In fact nothing had changed as regards the circumstances, only the time and place.
What happened is not just the ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-UnexpectedƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ (as Jeyarah calls it) annullement of long planned presidential speeches, but minutiously programmed occurrences under the supervision of the British government. They would no doubt retort that it was not an official event under the aegis of the government. But then their police department, under whom does it function? Recently written articles indicated that racist Tamil trouble mongers had sought permission of the police to conduct their anti-Rajapakse campaign. This was permitted under the guise of ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”democracyƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢. The invitation of the C.E.Forum had all the hallmarks of a democratic initiative as well. The ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”guardians of democracyƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ should have enabled both, if they were going by the letter of the law. In anticipation of trouble which was always on the cards, the police should have taken measures to curtail the protests to controllable limits, thus preempting the need to provide the lame excuse of ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”security threatsƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ and ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”unforeseeable violenceƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢. On the one side, there were private rebellious organisations supporting a defeated murderous terrorist group, and on the other, the president of an independent, sovereign country. The British governments concern should have been .heavily tilted in favour of the latter. But what happened is a disgrace to the very word ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”democracyƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢. The LTTE is a banned organisation. This means that gatherings under its banners (Jeyaraj mentions ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”tiger flag bearing diapora elementsƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢) and slogans in its support themselves come under that very same ban. But the upholders of democracy let all that happen thus humiliating a Head of State. Where BritainƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s sympathies lie is clearer than the midday sun. Just think of Al Qaida supporters. Would they have received the same treatment?
Jayaraj refers to the ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”huge controversyƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ generated by President RajapaksaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s anticipated addressƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ as being the cause of the annulment. So this is an overt admission that a ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”huge controversyƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ was taking place which would result in fanatical demonstrations. Surely the police knew that. Scotland Yard and other security departments were surely aware (if they are worth their salts) that buses had been mobilised to bring down Ealam supporters to the venues concerned. They had given permission to the opposing factions knowing fully well the eventual outcome of the agitations, and their anticipated reaction of inability to provide adequate security. In the end a banned organisation won the day all in the guise of democracy and fair play. Indeed the slogan ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”fair boy, fair playƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ is all too well known for its fallacious logic to be commented on.
We can in no way accept this event, as was the case of the preceding one, as being the outcome of unexpected sudden developments. This was another insidious way of snubbing our President, which in turn means, snubbing our country. It goes to show the unbridled penchant of these white power blocks posing as being the ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”International communityƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ to bulldoze over the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Sri Lanka. The end purpose is to force our government to accept their dictates, which in the final analysis means the granting of ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”Tamil EalamƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ whether in smaller or larger doses at a time. This was also the blatant averment of SambanthanƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s address to the TNA in Batticaloa. That speech on all fours with PrabhaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s heyday rhetoric was well timed, well planned and inflammatory, contradicting his theatrics with the lion flag just a few weeks earlier. The thrust of the TNA and all its supportive groups, with the blessing of the white power blocks have only one and only objective: Tamil Ealam. The struggle is no more with armed Tamil units but with the so called diaspora, Tamil Nadu politicians with the blessing of India, and the white neo-colonialists. The weapons flaunted are the slogans of ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”war crimesƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢, ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”genocideƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ and the stale nauseating repetitions about ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”human rightsƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ by physicians who not only cannot heal themselves but also contaminate the world with their incurable diseases. Not to see this is being mentally blind…which means being more blind than the physically blind. The complacent ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”wait and seeƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ policy will finally be to our detriment.
Interesting to note that MR will also be received by the Pope in a Vatican beset with scandals: pedophilia, financial, and more recently, plots to overthrow the present incumbent of the papacy even using those having access to the latterƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s bedroom. A news article already indicated that MR might be questioned about supposed threats to the life of ace LTTE sponsor Rayappu Joseph. Hope MR in turn will question the secessionist posture of the Catholic Church in Sri Lanka throughout the thirty year old war and thereafter. Also for questioning is the Tamil priestsƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ declarations that Prabha was Jesus Christ, the Tamil clergy, Moseses and the LTTE suicide squads other Christs waiting to shed their blood for the ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”liberation of the chosen Tamil peopleƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢. Was the stony silence of the Vatican in the face of such scandalous behaviour and heretical ideologies a sign of assent? MR could well cite the words of the latin poet: qui tacet, consentire. Yes these are questions worth asking from the premier international professor of morality. Our government must not develop a mind-set of being an eternal punching bag. The big, fat white bodies punching us are themselves much exposed to serve as punching bags considering their horrendous past and present histories, and it is time that they be paid back with the same coins they dole out to us.
Milton wrote that: they also serve who stand and wait. Is our government content to stand and wait?…which ultimately appears as the only option when the seats are being pulled away from under their butts as seen in the Oxford Union and C.E.Forum fiasco? Time will tell, but it is also the nature of time to run out. That is the tragic reality.
Mario Perera,
Kadawata
June 6th, 2012 at 12:56 pm
“The one who meets out incessant blows and the one who bends his head to receive them are both fools”- very correct Mario. I write this message from London and I am really confused with the GOSL approach to this problem. At the same time, I don’t understand President Mahinda Rajapakse’s logic in coming here and get him humiliated again. Mind you, It is not difficult for anyone to get 1000 of Tamils in half an hour in London, because most of these Tamils who have got political asylum are illiterate and do not work for living. They are totally depending on government benefits and free housing. Instead of sitting at home, they always come in thousands for this type of demonstrations. We had a brilliant diamond Jubilee celebration last week end, did you see a single Tamil among the crowd on your TV. Not at all, certainly, they are not part of the commonwealth and not interested in that sort of celebrations. Considering the fact that the Tamil Terrorist Headquarter was located in London a few years ago and Tamil terrorist activities were coordinated and conducted from London office with full knowledge of British security establishment, it seems to be an extremely risky expedition for President to expect normal business in London.
June 6th, 2012 at 1:53 pm
DBS Jeyaraj was a soft-LTTEer because his office was set fire by the LTTE and his legs were broken by the LTTE and he was threatened with death in front of his wife. Otherwise, he is a perfect Tribalist and and he is singing bhajans for dead LTTE.
Those days, when I criticized DBS, people scolded me and told me that he was an anti-LTTE Tamil, and some Sri Lankans gave him Journalist awards too.
Now, for DBS, LTTE brutal violence is a heroic chapter of the Tamil struggle.
June 6th, 2012 at 1:56 pm
I think, there is little more than a grudge between Vatican and the other protestant-Christian groups. So, they are being bashed at this time. I guess, president Rajapakse should think about other Christian groups than the Vatican group.
June 6th, 2012 at 2:08 pm
It is very sad, the place we all looked upto as mother of all parliaments & democracy has resorted to such disgraceful actions. These in turn gives legitimacy to banned LTTE & its supporters as well as present MPs of the British Parliament.
It is incumbent upon the host country to see that such things should not happen in British soil. When I was a student in London, then the Prime Minister held his govt. with only one seat majority. Yet when a thug from West Germany at that time……..wanted to visit UK, all people said stop him coming to the country.
Then Mr. Callaghan (then Prime Minister) said the visit will go ahead as scheduled, because if Britan cannot deal with ONE corrupt individual, how can we win wars. Nothing happened & the visit took place & people were proud of their Prime Minister.
Those sentiments, courage & fair play has gone with the present Brish Govt, beacuse they are dependent on LTTE funds , Votes so the disgracing a head of state of a Soveriegn nation goes on.
Sri Lankans, incliding GOSL should decide what is appropriate in these circumstances & have dialog & associationns with China , Russia & any other country in the world EXCEPT Britain.
We need not bow down to un-eduacted miserables who live on Social assitance for generations in the UK. I feel sorry for our President to be humilated like this. All Sri Lankans should hold British Govt. responsible. Thanks you all for listening……………….Expat from Canada~ Gamunu
June 6th, 2012 at 2:17 pm
Let me disagree.
By not running away from the stinky crowd, the president has made a statement. Tamil Diaspora’s stink does not deter him as the stink of the LTTE didn’t bother us approaching them and wiping them out.
Unfortunately for Britain, it stinks with these criminal refugees.
June 6th, 2012 at 3:11 pm
What has happened to UK? Is British police unable to control the LTTE ragtag rubble in UK? What a shame?
June 6th, 2012 at 4:45 pm
Could someone advise me as to
1. whether there is any method of launching a protest against these kinds of treatment to a democratically elected head of state of a country and
2. what the repercussions would be if we leave Commonwealth and UN as a protest
June 6th, 2012 at 5:01 pm
Lorenzo:
President did not have to hide from LTTE. Instead, he should have asked his organizers to arrange something that would not fail.
Even the meeting of supporters on the road was a win. At least, he should have addressed a meeting with the supporters in open air. Only when British involve all these problems arise. Instead of involving British organizations, Sri Lankan people would have organized something just to discourage Tribalists.
June 6th, 2012 at 5:02 pm
Foolish govt has reduced the army to just 15,000 in Jaffna.
This is a grave mistake the dumb govt will REGRET SOON.
Mark my word, London type of protests will happen in Jaffna in another 3 years’ time.
Actually it has started in a small scale.
1. LTTE flags used in May Day TNA rally.
2. Burning constitutions.
3. OPEN protests by university students AGAINST the army.
4. BRITISH HC planned to be opened in Jaffna like US and Indian crap.
5. de facto seperate area mentality is GROWING.
6. At the next presidential election Run-NIL will promise (he has already promised) to 100% demilitarise Jaffna peninsula. He will be given a hero’s welcome in the election campaign. His opponents (Rajapakshas) will be treated like in London.Actually it will be WORSE than London as TNA will burn tyres, cut down trees, collect excreta by the roadside, people will sing curse chants, some will throw stones. When army/police responds, that will creates a MAJOR international cry and unify even other Tamils in the country. They will parade the wounded/dead THROUGHOUT the country and Tamil Nadu.
June 6th, 2012 at 5:41 pm
This snub has to be reciprocated in some way.I am sure the British police will not condone their action but regret in silence as their budgets are cut by the political pay masters who are in cahoot with these bogus asylum seekers and their terrorist bunch harboured in UK.London HC should strongly protest to the FCO office in London.People in Britain is with SL for eliminating these terrorists and angry with the influx of these bogus refugees in UK.Those politicians who support these terrorists should be exposed to their constituents when nearing the next elections.Western democracies are going through some self infliction detrimental to their diminishing economic power that would lead to piracy and banditry from the emerging countries.But the good people of UK is with SL but not the politicians.
June 6th, 2012 at 5:57 pm
Our man shows both courage and whimpiness when dealing with US and UK. He attended the ceremony probably to regain a recognition among the Commonweath and knowing that SL will hold the CHOGM next year(?). He should know better ‘once bitten twice shy’ to avoid humiliation at the hands of these manipulative people, which brings shame on our country more than to the institution of Presidency. What one can’t understand is why we and the rest of Asians and Africans still go along with this defunct organisation called Commonwealth, which lost it’s merit decades ago. A campaign should begin among Asiatic and African political leaders to totally move out from this organisation. It’s a shame to host CHOGM in Sri Lanka the very people(British) who were responsible to put an end to our monarchy which lasted two milleniums and beheaded our leaders who fought to save our country from marauding British. It’s funny when we read comments in Dailymirror the number of people (probably mostly Sri Lankan Christians and Catholics) who still believe in and support the British monarchy. As Lorenzo observes(on the Tamil issue), these fools will realise the consequences of their actions now, bowing down to US and UK demands. Well we never had a foriegn policy other than being subservient and subjugated ‘subjects’ of the British people and London has been the refuge for our politicians. When will we produce that defiant leader?
June 6th, 2012 at 9:03 pm
Sunil,
I think you ex-buddy is practicing meditation. He went there to test himself of humiliation. That is a good thing and we should commend him for that. But reducing army presence is FOOLish.
His Excellency Lorenzo the king is always right. There is nothing wrong in defence even though everything wrong in aggression. We should have aligned more toward Putin.
June 6th, 2012 at 10:20 pm
British and the west have interests. They do not care for Tamils or Sinhalese. They only care for their interests. To fight them you need power. Power in a small country is through people and you gain that by good governance.
June 6th, 2012 at 11:44 pm
Dham,
I totally agree on deterrence – a bit of Trinco to Russians and a bit of Magam to Chinese. I hope you read the article here by RT. Well I still admire Mahinda with all his misdemeanors and errors in judgement and certainly he is not ex. He is certainly not practicing DhasaRajaDhamma either, but having a firm grip on power converting his enemies to work for him, which may eventually bring about his downfall. Country at this point in time, needs him irrespective of his capacity.
June 7th, 2012 at 2:07 am
The reason for the protest in UK is Terrorism and their propaganda. The organaisations of LTTE terrorism
are Global Tamil Forum, British Tamil Forum,Transnational Government of Tamileelam and some more. Their heads are Rev.Father.Immauel Germany, Suren surendiren UK, and Visuvanathan Uruthirakumar USA. All above persons
are inciters of Trouble allover the world. Only by accusing SLG without cosidering the Situations of all communities
they play a political drama. They get friendships with world leaders. Hier LTTE money play a major roll.
Other undergroud Group do Business , investments and moneylaundering all over the world. Innocent and Brained washed, Tamils and lack of world Knowledge among Tamils are the good Fertiliser for LTTE and Tamil Terrorism.
The well educated Tamils who oragnise the following organisations after Death of Pirabakaren to handle the
Blood money without fear. By visiting the following website we can find more about their activities.
http://tamilsforum.co.uk
http://www.tgte-us.org
http://globaltamilforum.org/gtf
June 7th, 2012 at 6:54 am
We agree with Nandimitra on “British and the west have interests. They do not care for Tamils or Sinhalese. They only care for their interests. To fight them you need power. Power in a small country is through people and you gain that by good governance”.
However, government has no control over the misdeeds of the citizens of Lanka, some who deliberately plan to bring down the good name of the country. We can only be vigilant, and expose the planned criminal activities and draw our own conclusions as to who is good or bad. Create a Hall of Shame for anti-National activists – that may act as a deterrent.
Also, Lanka may be hard pressed to find a genuine friend in ex-Empire builders whose interests in Lanka lay in Trade, Tea & Trinco and lately, Mannar oil. Kudos to our President for his persistent efforts to find common ground with errant groups.
June 7th, 2012 at 9:41 am
Power in a small country is through people and you gain that by good governance.
Well said ,Nandimitra but We Sri lankans never learn ! Eg: Three years finished where is our political solution !
June 7th, 2012 at 10:43 am
British people have begun to complain in private that they now realise that their democratic right to invite guests and also their cherished freedom of speech is being eroded by being gradually controlled by recent migrants like the Tamil Tiger Diaspora. I hope there wont be a backlash against South Asians in Europe and especially in UK, because of the high handed undemocratic activities of Tamil Tigers and their partners in disruptive activities overseas, clutching to straws to avoid deportation from UK.
Justice will prevail and those who violate British democracy and the right to free speech may find themselves in trouble from British Authorities and Citizens.
June 8th, 2012 at 1:44 am
No L.T.T.E dogs or some white pigs can scare our Lion of Hambantota so easily. We should be proud of this white sarong dressed hero who send the barbarious Prabakan and his whole gang of blood thirsty murderers to hell. We should not look back and be afraid of these white coloured so called International community of few one sided Givernments who ruled by the gun same like terrorists ( No difference both kill the innocence)
Our country is peaceful and people on both sides enjoy the freedom and it’s moving very fast towards prosperity. Our Defence secretary gaurantees the security for our peoples and we should trust them and believe in them rather than criticizing. They have a plan for the country same like they got rid of Prabakaran and his devils so I hope our citizens will give their full backing to this Government to overcome all the difficulties and to make our country a prosperous nation for all of us to live in peace. No other Government has worked like this one and no leader has guts and courage to lead our beautiful nation like my hero His excellancy Mahinda Rajapaks. For the sake of our beloved homeland let’s get united to face those white pigs and L.T.T.E blood thirsty murderers.
June 8th, 2012 at 5:08 am
He has done the best thing ( even though I do not like to sit in that hell hole and stand up intermittently to say alelooia and ah-men.
Why ? Because he had the guts to show compassion to evil.