CLASSIFIED | POLITICS | TERRORISM | OPINION | VIEWS

Uphold the timely action of Sri Lankan Navy

MEDIA RELEASE - 13 March 2003

Uphold the timely action of Sri Lankan Navy and expose the LTTE violations and intransigence to the World Community!

The latest reports confirm that the sri Lanka Navy (SLN) has sunk a ship owned by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) suspected of carrying arms to Sri Lanka. As usual the LTTE has claimed that the vessel was not carrying arms or any illegal cargo. (Has the LTTE ever taken responsibility for arms smuggling, ethnic cleansing and suicide bombings etc?)

It is the normal practise for a merchant vessel to obey when it is challenged by the Navel authorities in any sea-lane anywhere in the world. Why did the LTTE ship refuse to obey the SLN's demand? If they were not a rogue ship carrying illegal cargo such as arms and munitions, why did the crew of the LTTE ship open fire and engage in 'a battle with' the National Navy?

If one ponders over the details of arms shipments smuggled by the LTTE, according to records available with the Indian government, as well as the Sri Lankan naval authorities and internationally recognized authorities on terrorism such as Dr Rohan Gunaratne (Terrorism Research Centre in University of St Andrews, UK), it will be seen that the LTTE has been using the vast sea frontage of the East and North-West of Sri Lanka as their supply routes for arms. The LTTE 'merchant navy vessels' have been actively involved in undermining Sri Lanka's authority over its territorial waters frequently. The current incident is one of many where they were caught red handed. The LTTE should not assume that all the people can be fooled all the time when it was only a few weeks ago the LTTE's attempt to smuggle arms in a vessel camouflaged as a fishing trawler was foiled and the crew on the instructions of the Tamil Terrorist chief decided to explode themselves with the representatives of Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) on board.

This is about the 6th known attempt by the LTTE to smuggle arms into the island since the signing of the MOU. There would have been many other attempts that didn't show on the radar of the SLN. The SLMM should read these danger signals properly rather than attempt to pull the wool over the eyes of Sri Lankans and handover a clean sheet to this dangerous terrorist group.

We warmly applaud the courageous Sri Lanka Navy and the defence establishment headed by the President for acting promptly and rightly to safe guard the sovereignty of Sri Lanka. Whether it was a cargo or armed ship, the SLN has the right and duty to demand to stop and search a suspect vessel. If not, why should Sri Lanka have a Navy? It reminds us of a Sinhala idiom which questions the non-use of the 'sword' during a war Our wise old people asked if the sword is not used for 'war' should it be used to cut jak fruits? (Yuddeta nathi kaduwa kos kotandatha?)

It has been clear for a long time that the LTTE is taking the Peace Mongers and the UNF Government on a ride and consolidating their military position under the cover of the ceasefire. The LTTE and the Norwegian peace contractors may take the inept Sri Lankan Government on this ride, but the vigilant Sri Lankan patriotic public and the defenders of the Nation should keep their eyes open as the Tamil Tigers remain the World's most violent terrorist group.

We request the Sri Lankan Government, the Sri Lanka media and the Sri Lankan public to tell the world whether the LTTE is amassing arms to build a peaceful Lanka or are getting ready to kill millions of Lankans when the evil leader decides to strike.

The appeasement of terrorism and the consequent inexorable dominance of the Tamil Tiger Terrorists should be stopped NOW.

President - Society for Peace, Unity and Human Rights, Victoria, Australia

President - Society for Peace, Unity and Human Rights, NSW, Australia

President - Veera Parakarmabahu Foundation, NSW, Australia

President - Sri Lankans Against Terrorism (Inc) in Australia, NSW, Australia

President - Society for Peace, Unity and Rehabilitation, Western Australia

President - Apey Shakhti, New Zealand

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