AI's campaign against Sri Lanka at the Cricket World Cup
Angry Sri Lanka blasts Amnesty International for human rights cricket campaign

Asoka Weerasinghe Gloucester . Ontario .. Canada

April 4, 2007

The Editor
International Herald Tribune Asia-Pacific

Dear Editor:

*Re: Angry Sri Lanka blasts Amnesty International for human rights cricket campaign*.

You reported that the “London-based Amnesty said it saw no problem in using the World Cup to educate people about human rights”.

You also reported that Tim Parritt, Amnesty’s deputy Asia Pacific Director, defending their foolishness had said, “Just as cricket teams need an independent umpire to make objective decisions, so too does Sri Lanka need independent human rights monitors….”

I am at a loss to see AI’s “objective decision” taking their campaign to the Cricket World Cup grounds in the Caribbean with the slogan “play by the rules”. If they think that they have the God given right to destroy every Sri Lankan school boy’s idolation of their cricketing heroes, by insinuating that they are not “playing by the rules”, and crushing their dreams of emulating Sanath Jayasuriya (Sinhalese) with the bat, or Muttaiah Muralitharan (Tamil) with the ball, or Farveez Maharoof (Muslim) as an all-rounder, then Amnesty International has missed the mark by miles. Their campaign has shown that AI has learned nothing about Sri Lanka, as cricket has been the crucible of harmony and unity among all ethnic groups – Sinhalese, Tamil, Muslims and Burghers, since the game was introduced by the British colonists over 150 years ago.

AI's strategy was arrogant, wrong, misjudged, misplaced and intrusive.
Ask any Sri Lankan school boy whether they would now support AI when they grow up having watched AI trying to target their cricketing heroes and tip them off balance when they were going after the coveted Cricket World Cup. I won’t be surprised if the answer will be an unhesitant resounding “NO”. That’s how foolish Amnesty International was. They have now lost a full generation of possible supporters with their ill-conceived strategy.

Asoka Weerasinghe
Ontario, Canada