AsokaƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  Weerasinghe Kings Grove Crescent . Gloucester . Ontario. K1J 6G1 . Canada

11 January 2013

Siobhain McDonagh,
British Labour MP for Mitcham and Morden ,
South London
The Parliament, Westminster, London, UK

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Dear Siobhain McDonagh:

I have just read the proceedings of the debate on 8 January 2013, on ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”Sri Lanka and the UN responsibility to protect.ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢

I knowƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚¦I knowƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚¦SiobhainƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚¦you win some and you lose some.

Your love-in with the Tamil Tiger terrorists and their leader, Velupillai Prabhakaran is astounding as well as hilarious.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  Your preamble in which you said ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-I hope that this debate will mark a small step in the attempts of the Tamil people of Sri Lanka to gain justice.ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  What ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”justiceƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ may I ask?

*I am not sure which Tamil people that you were talking ofƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚¦but I sure do know that these are not the same Tamil people that I know of in Sri Lanka. The minority Tamils (3.9%) that I know of, each one of them could own a square inch of land in every nook and corner of Sri Lanka, but not the majority Sinhalese (75%). They are not allowed that luxury according to a Dutch Law, to own land in the Northern Jaffna peninsula. With that Fact, whose ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”justiceƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ are you rooting for in Sri Lanka?ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  These Tamils have been the ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”privileged minorityƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ since the British colonial times and the Sinhalese were the ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”wronged majorityƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢. You got your knickers in knots on that one, havenƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢t you, Siobhain?;

*Surely, you are not talking of the same Tamils that I know of that populate 40% of the population of the capital Colombo, and the Tamil women driving around in BMWs, wearing designer jeans and sunglasses, are you?ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  What ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”justiceƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ do they need, Siobhain?;

*Surely, you are not talking of the same Tamils who own 75% of the elite real estate in Wellawatte, a rich suburb of Colombo, where someƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  Tamil owners have refused to rent their annexes to the majority Sinhalese, are you?ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  DonƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢t you realize that itƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s the Sinhalese that need ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”justiceƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ and not the Tamil?;

*Surely, you are not talking of the same Tamil women who walk around the capital Colombo, preening like peacocks in gold threaded saris, with a crimson thumbprint between their eyebrows, and laden heavily with 24 carat gold jewellery, and no non-Tamil bothers them, are you? And what more justice do you want for these Tamils?

*Surely, you are not talking of the same Tamils that I know of,ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  who own three out of every five shopsƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  selling gold jewellery, cloth and gold threaded saris, household goods, eateries along the mile long business-strip Main Street in Pettah in Colombo, and 75 percent of their patrons are from the majority Sinhalese community, are you? And what more justice do you want for these business-rich millionaire Tamils?

*Surely, you are not talking of the Tamils around the island who have enjoyed justice for their children sending them to International Schools for their education spending scores of thousands of rupees for their term fees, are you?;

*Surely, you are not talking of the 295,873 Tamils who were liberated from the clutches of your Tamil Tiger terrorist friends who used them as a human shield for 30 months, and witnessed justice unfold all around themƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  like petals of a morning dew studded jasmine, enjoying the miracles that the Sri LankaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s government performed with their magic wand, sending backƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  everyone of them to their renovated war batteredƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  roofless and bullet pock-markedƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  walled homes three years after the end of the 27 year long horrible Tamil Tiger separatist war of yours.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  It is a miracle that your British people were unable to enjoy after the six-year long World War II.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  Your people had to wait for 15 (1960) long years to beƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  sent toƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  newly built LondonƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s Council homes in Lambeth, Elephant & Castle, Bermondsey, Camberwell, Shoreditch, Wembly, Brixton and many more other London Boroughs.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  How do I know, you may ask!ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  I was there helping your people as I was proofing the Bills of Quantities working for the London County CouncilƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s Architect DepartmentƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s Quantity Survey Division.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  Since you were born that year, ask your senior MPs who are now representing these former Boroughs, and they will confirm that I am truthful.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  So what is your problem with ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-justiceƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ for the Tamils in Sri Lanka, Siobhain?

* The Tamil people that I know have their own University in Jaffna and discourage the Sinhalese students to study there, and in 1977 the Tamils stoned and chased 400 Sinhalese undergraduates and lecturers from the campus.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  Yet, the Tamil students people all the Universities in the South.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  So what ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-JusticeƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ for the Tamils are you calling for, Siobhain?ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  DonƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢t you see that you are being used as a stupid dreamer by your Tamil constituents, and you are getting your knickers twistedƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  all the time and these Tamils are laughing at you?

If these are not the same Tamils that you are talking of, then who the hell are you talking about and belly-aching for, Siobhain?

Through out that debate when your intention was falling apart like wind-swept autumn leaves from its branches, with eloquentƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  compassionate expressions of facts and wisdom by your colleagues like Ian Paisley Jr., James Wharton and Aidan Burley , I am sure your Tamil terrorist leaderƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  Velupillai Prabhakaran might have been turning in his graveƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  and lookingƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  up at the sky hoping that you would speak to him from theƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  parliament chambers saying:

ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-O Prabha, Prabha wherefore art thou Prabha!ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  Deny thy father and refuse thy name and adopt the name McDonald for my sake; or if thou wilt not, be but, sworn my love, and IƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ll no longer be aƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  McDonagh and will adopt the name Velupillai.ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚

He was a fool for whom you are still batting for, and after so many years at the wicket, donƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢t you realize that you still havenƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢t scored a run?ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  DonƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢t you think it is time for you to retire yourself on this file and let what your parliamentary colleagues said during the debate sink into you through brain-osmosis?

Think about it Siobhain.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  I am sure you have other important and necessary things to do for your constituents inƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  Mitcham and Morden, without getting your knickers in knots trying to speak for the Tamils who flew out of the cuckoos nest in search of greener pastures in the west, and not homing on their Motherland, Tamil Nadu in India, where 62 million Tamils live,ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ which is only 24ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  salt water-miles away from the north-western tip ofƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  that Jaffna peninsula, not that they were discriminated or persecuted. They were economic refugees, plain and simple.

O by the way, Siobhain, why are you tagging the UN along in your debate which had been pathetic, ineffective and brankrupt when it came to saving the over 5,300 Tamil child soldiers who were trained for three months by your Tamil Tiger friends and sent to the front to get killed and the young girls trained as suicide bombers.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  That is despicable, isnƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢t it?ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  The Sri Lankan government has done more for the child soldiersƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  than the UN,who were liberated, rehabilitated and sent back to schools and universities to re-tool their lives as doctors, lawyers, engineers and architects.

If searching for ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”war criminalsƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ in this Tamil Tiger separatist war is in yourƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  political agenda, here is a tip off so that you can make your mark as a humanitarian parliamentarian.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  Help the chest-thumping sobbing Tamil mothersƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ to close this sad chapter, whose kid daughters were kidnapped and trained for the Tamil Tiger Baby BrigadeƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ under theƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ leadership of the Australian nurse, AdeleƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  Balasiongham.

Have her arrested and chargedƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ in an InternationalƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ War Crimes Court.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  She is now a Britisher and was said to be living in a mansion in New Malden, South London,ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ a stones throw from your constituency.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  This is the Tamil Tigress who slipped a capsule of cyanide over the head of each Tamil Tigress child soldier on graduation after a three month combat training to be swallowed if they get captured by the Sri Lankan soldiers.

Or is it that she is your Sunday Church Strawberry and Tea ally who discusses discreetlyƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  in whispers how to pin Sri Lanka to the wall as a ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ human rights violator in an International War Crimes Court, while sipping the best Ceylon Orange Pekoe in Sri Lanka made Noritake bone-china cups, and munching scones with clotted cream slathered with strawberry jam, and that is whyƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  you donƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢t want to touch her, as she is your friend.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  That would be a shame, Siobhain andƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  also let the Nobel Peace Prize slip away from your fingers.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  Just go after ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ her withƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  hammer and tongs and a lasso.

And as a final note, you defend your caseƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ for your friends the Tamil Tigers saying, ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-Canada has bravely stated it will not attend the 2013 summit unless significant progress is made on human rights and accountability.ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚

Let me be blatantly blunt about my adopted country having been a student on CanadaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s involvement in Sri LankaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s separatist Tamil politics since August 1983 when Canada opened their flood gates for the presumed Tamil convention refugees.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  Canada couldnƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢t care two spice-tasty meat samosas from your constituentƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s The Raj Indian Cuisine at 175 London Road in Mitcham, or even The Casuarina Tree South Indian Cuisine restaurant at 407 London Road in Mitcham, as that statement by CanadaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s Primer MinisterƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s megaphone diplomacy is for the ears of the 300,000 Tamils in Canada, the majority who reside in the nine vital ridings in the Greater Toronto Area, which will make or break their majority in parliament. These Canadian anti-Sri Lanka statements are tied up to domestic politics, as you should know as you too seem to be of the same disingenuous political brand. ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-Give me your votesƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ and money for my election fund my Tamil friends and I will speak for your cause in parliamentƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  Right Siobhain?ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  So, just forget what Canada does and say about Sri Lanka.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  They are up to no good when they have difficulty to see the mote in their eyes and have no moral right to get involved in Sri LankaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s internal affairs.

And in conclusion, I raise my glass and say ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-hereƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s Top-OƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢-the-Irish luck for the rest of your political lifeƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚, to you, Siobhain, which I hope will be an honest one.

Sincerely,

Asoka Weerasinghe (Mr.)