Asada M ErpiniƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ 

It is sad that the brazen lies that have been propagated and repeated ad nauseum by LTTE backers have become facts today. The so-called international community, which in effect is a few affluent countries that violated the human rights of and massacred the innocents as long as one can remember, uses the concocted numbers and the doctored images to accuse, convict and pillory Sri Lanka and its valiant armed forces for every imaginable crime ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” genocide of innocent Tamils, human rights violations, rape of refugee women, using heavy weapons in no-fire zones, etc.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ One of the main reasons that allowed the LTTE supporters based in the rich countries to have a field day was the apathy of the Sri LankaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s embassies abroad. During peace time, when things are going hunky dory, it is fine to promote Sri Lanka tea, pristine beaches, cultural heritage in the Cultural Triangle and shopping in ColomboƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s premier departmental store. But during times of war, the priorities need to shift: Sri Lanka today has to wage a war in much greater might than its Eelam War IV that culminated on 19 May 2009. The anti-Sri Lankans, especially those domiciled abroad, have never before have been so vociferous and had reaped success as now with their vilification of Sri Lanka.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ There was a time in the Middle East when the Palestinian supporters organised a monthly event in places of learning to depict the atrocities committed by the Israelis on their innocents. There were vivid images of dead bodies of children and of women displayed on posters and placards that allowed to carry the message to those who were ignorant. Furthermore, employees of some government institutions were asked to sign a paper stating that they had no objection to a dayƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s pay from the monthƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s salary being deducted for the Palestinian cause: naturally, all expatriates gave their concurrence as they wanted to remain employed.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-The number of ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”innocentƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ Tamil civilians killed in the final stages of the war is 40,000ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚. That is the Gospel truth. Period. But how did this figure emerge? The UN in Colombo at the time said that they estimated that the number killed was 7126. But it did not release the figure as official because it admitted that it could not verify it.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Yet, a UN employee named Gordon Weiss during his attachment to the office in Colombo said that 20,000 civilians were killed by the Sri Lankan armed forces. When the man left Sri Lanka and descended on his native Australia the figure ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” Lo, and behold! ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” ballooned to 40,000. The fact that his book Cage was about to come out of the press and that he had fallen out with the Sri Lankan authorities are, of course, of no relevance in this episode!

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ From where did this magical figure of 40,000 come? When the Sri Lanka armed forces were getting ready for the final battles, the LTTE brazenly announced on Tuesday, February 17, 2009 that 40,000 people (Tamil civilians) were prepared to die in battle if no ceasefire was called. The figure that had such a dubious birth goes on increasing, depending on what the LTTE supporter wishes, to 100,000, 200,000 or even to 300,000.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Sri LankaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s embassies should immediately embark on a propaganda campaign to tell the world the truth, putting tea and tourism promotion on the back burner for the present. There are thousands of images of the massacres committed by LTTE that spanned a near three decade period. Additionally, there are videos of how the armed forces of Sri Lanka rescued 300,000 thousand Tamil civilians in May 2009, sacrificing over 6000 of their own men and women in uniform, while the LTTE fighters were shooting their own Tamils. There should be permanent displays at every Sri Lankan embassy though posters and TV of what the innocent and uninvolved Sri Lankans of all ethnic groups and religious faiths received at the hands of a gang of merciless killers, that now are being depicted as lambs who were at the mercy of ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”marauding armed forces of Sri LankaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Ironically, an image of a father carrying the dead body of his young son was used by NDTV of India a few days ago to portray the ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”criminal actsƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ of Sri LankaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s armed forces. In fact, the picture is of a father lamenting his loss after LTTE massacred 66 civilians in Kebethigollewa in June 1996 in a bomb attack. This is the sad price a country has to pay for inactivity!