Bandula Kothalawala, London

Mr Gordon Brown, British Prime Minister, has given a warning to Sri Lanka about the consequences of her action! He is due to convey it to the Sri Lankan President in person in a telephone conversation later on Sunday!

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I have a great deal of sympathy for Mr Brown, his party and especially for his Foreign Secretary who has had sleepless nights over Sri Lanka in the past few weeks. They are all in serious trouble! ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ The Government of Sri Lanka should appreciate their difficulties and show more understanding.

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To be honest, it has not always been that bad. Mr Brown as Chancellor of the Exchequer used to pride himself on the achievements of his Government. In fact, those halcyon days, Mr Brown would make the proverbial rooster claiming credit for the dawn blush. And then, things started turning sour. The financial meltdown caught the poor Mr Brown and his Government in their panties. Of course, Mr Brown who used to wax lyrical about the robustness of the British economy found the perfect excuse. Ninja loans in the USA!ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ 

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And then, the wretched Daily Telegraph! It is a nasty piece of work! The newspaper has unashamedly persuaded MPs, mostly those of Mr BrownƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s Party, to make extravagant false expenses claims so that it could expose them later and discredit Mr BrownƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s cabinet colleagues and ex-cabinet ministers. In fact, the Newspaper has gone to the extent of getting ex-ministers to make claims on repayments of non-existent mortgages! Shame upon the Tory press!

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And then, to make matters even worse, the stupid pollsters claim that Mr BrownƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s party has gone into free fall. Luckily, it was the young David – Foreign Secretary ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” who jumped to Mr BrownƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s rescue. (Never mind the cynic who put it rather differently – a coup de grace?) In fact, the idea was whispered to David by Keith Vaz. ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ How about a stern warning to Sri Lanka about the consequences of her actions? It could buy some time for Mr Brown and his Government. Short of invading another country (Iran?) and facing the consequences, this is the best Mr Brown and his Government could think of for the moment to deflect abuse hurled against them.

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What if Sri Lankans have the impudence (they often do, mind you) to ask about the consequences of the action of Mr BrownƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s Government and that of his pals in Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan? The young David has already worked out all possible questions and answers.

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QƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  Some say that more than half-a-million civilians were killed in Iraq?

AƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  It is just propaganda by George Galloway.

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QƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  WerenƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢t there massacres of Afghan civilians by the British and Americans? DidnƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢t the US Air Force kill 143 civilians a couple of days ago?

AƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  It is disinformation by Cubans, Iranians, and North Koreans. ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ 

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QƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  How about the slaughter of civilians in British colonies, especially in Sri Lanka?

AƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  Rubbish! You should read history books by eminent British historians like David Irvin.

QƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  We hear that your Government has allowed LTTE supporters to camp on the Parliamentary Square for weeks now and that they are protesting against our Government. They even carry LTTE flags?ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  I would have thought that your Government would respect your own laws.

AƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  We expect you to obey international humanitarian law. ThatƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s the point.

QƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  If you were so concerned about the civilians, why didnƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢t you get your LTTE friends to free them?

AƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  Ring off.

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Bandula Kothalawala

London

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