Ranjit Rupesinghe, Brisbane, Australia

Attention: Senator Bob Brown

For thirty long and painful years little Sri Lanka was crying out to the world for a helping hand in combating the evil of LTTE terriorism that had a vice like grip on that beautiful land. No one took notice and if some powerful western countries did, in hypocritical style, it was to lecture to Sri Lanka that the best course of action was to “sit down and negotiate” something that they themselves shunned in conflicts they were and are still involved in, around the globe. Nevertheless, after years of failed “ceasefires” etc the government of Sri Lanka (GOSL) decided that the bleeding had to stop. The time had come to militarily carry the fight to the most ruthless of all terrorist outfits in the world. Subsequently, with precision planning and brilliant military strategy the security forces of the country liberated Sri Lanka without assistance from the west, and despite western skull duggery in the dying stages of the war. Now instead of standing and applauding that country for liberating the region and indeed the world of the cancer of LTTE terrorism, knockers from the west, (probably green with envy, pardon the pun,) are now trying to punish Sri Lanka through baseless and indeed fabricated allegations of human rights abuses, with daily threats of sanctions etc without looking at the bald facts of Sri Lanka’s situation, post war.

The government has to take a multi pronged approach to reconstruction and rehabilitation that got under way no sooner the LTTE terrorists were consigned to the scrapheap of history, security and de-mining being two important issues on the agenda.

It is most disappointing therefore, to now learn that you and your party have joined the strident critics, agreeing with the myopic and hare brained view that sanctions must be placed on Sri Lanka. Where has your intellectual rigor and analytical skills gone? Where were you, a party that always spoke on behalf of the underdog, when the LTTE was wreaking havoc and mayhem in that country over a long period of time slaughtering, on conservative estimates, nearly 100,000 innocent men, women and children, including the political leadership of the country? How many of you had the ticker and the honesty to ask the murderous LTTE to cry halt to their killing spree. You are now shedding crocodile tears for the separatist cause, wanting to punish Sri Lanka, instead of handing her the kudos she deserves for single handedly ridding the world of an undiluted evil, and supporting her in the mammoth task of re-building the north and the east which was laid waste by LTTE terrorist savagery.

You refer to the “appalling conditions in the camps” . Dear oh! dear! Are you aware of the fact that apart from the camps in the eastern province the goverment has to contend with thousands of refugees in other parts of the country (Muslims and Sinhalese) “ethnically cleansed” by the murderous LTTE? The GOSL is acutely conscious of the fact that the question of re-settlement of internally displaced people (IDP’s) is of paramount importance, a problem mind you, not of Sri Lanka’s making. But they have to pay cognizance to important “on the ground factors” such as security, de-mining (vast areas having been mined by the terrorists) lest they later be accused of deliberately leading idp’s to their death. On the question of security, they have to ensure proper screening of idp’s lest the country is confronted by fresh conflict from the remnants of the terrorist LTTE. A massive rehabilitation program, inconjunction with UNICEF, is also underway for hundreds of child soldiers left destitute and mentally and physically scarred. These are the huge problems facing the GOSL and the legacy left by a gang of criminals over 3 decades of sheer brutality. Sri Lankan Australians would have expected that a thoughtful party such as yours, which supposedly stands for justice, fairplay and balance, will look at things dispassionately and not be moved by emotive tosh seen across television screens which is nothing more than a crude public relations stunt by remnants of the LTTE terrorists and the separatist diaspora trying to prop themselves up after an ignominious defeat but who still control a vast war chest of ill gotten funds through narco terrorism, credit cardcams etc. Don’t take my word for it please take the time to read the FBI report on this subject.

I heard you mention to Laurie Oakes, another apologist for the LTTE terrorists, that “Norway had gone half way round the world” to act as “a honest broker” in the conflict. If it’s not so serious it would make make Sri Lankans laugh at this suggestion. The land of Alfred Nobel played a most duplicitous role and was responsible for prolonging the misery in the island so much so that I don’t think they can any longer play a constructive role in the affairs of Sri Lanka. In retrospect, their role is akin to handing the keys to the chicken coop to the fox. Put simply, Sri Lanka has lost all faith and confidence in “Norwegian diplomacy”. As things unravel in Sri Lanka, you will learn in greater detail the way Sri Lanka was dudded by certain countries and their representatives masquerading as NGO’s.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ In all the circumstances, I would strongly recommend that you personally undertake a trip to my old country and see for yourself the herculean task at hand for the GOSL, instead of carping from your plush parliamentary suite in Canberra. I am sure if you contact the Sri Lanka high commission, all the help will be extended to you to travel on a fact finding mission, though I must say the country is awash with “do gooder NGO’s” some of whom are having a good picnic in Sri Lanka hoodwinking the generous people who pay for this profligate life style.

Thank you.

Ranjit Rupesinghe,
Brisbane, Australia