Asoka Weerasinghe Kings Grove Crescent . Gloucester . Ontario .ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  Canada

24 January 2011

Robert O. BlakeƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ 
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ (former U.S. Ambassador to Sri Lanka)ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ 
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Bureau of South and CentralƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  AffairsƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ 
Washington, DC, U.S.A

Dear Bob:

I came across the 22^nd January ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ColomboPage which said, ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-Former US Ambassador says Sri LankaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s reconciliation process is slow.ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  Those remarks were made during your address to an audience at the Rice University in Houston, Texas, on the Obama AdministrationƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s Priorities in South and Central Asia and its foreign policy.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  You had said that after the Eelam war ended in May 2009, ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-its reconciliation has proceeded more slowly.ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  I wish you had said ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-, ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚¦more slowly and cautiouslyƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ and it is not a bad thing ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ to be cautious as the Sri Lankans have to get it right once and for all.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  I would have accepted that remark grudgingly.

Bob, the first impression I had about you after that remark was, ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-This Yankee doesnƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢t get it, does he?ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  He is no James Cagney in Yankee Doodle Dandy and he still hasnƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢t been able to get out of his mask as a shady character when it comes to Sri Lankan affairs.ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚

Bob, ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ hereƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s an Aesop fable that was related to me by myƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  kindergarten teacher which she said had a moral , and wanted to know from us what it was.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  We, little fellows scratched our heads, thought about it, and 90 percent of the class got it right.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  HereƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s the story Bob.

The Tortoise and the Hare :ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  The story concerns a hare (Bob O Blake) who ridicules a slow-moving tortoise (President Mahinda Rajapaksa) and is challenged by him to a race.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  The hare who thought he was smart (like Robert O Blake) soon leaves the tortoise behind and confident of winning decides to take a nap midway through the course.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  However, when he woke up he finds that his competitor, crawling slowly but steadily, had arrived at the finishing line before him. UmmmƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚¦ being slow and steady certainly didnƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢t harm the end result of the tortoise, did it Bob?ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  That is what the Sri Lankan story is all about. ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Slow and steady and ultimately wins the race.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  That was the moral in case you didnƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢t get it. To hell with this Yankee, IƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢d say. “You take your time Mr. President and sort Sri LankaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s problem, and just ignore this YankeeƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s comment.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  This guy is playing politics and is impatient.”

President Rajapaksa, just has to ignore comments by people like you who had not learnt their lessons after the 9/11 and who were pressuring the Sri Lankans for a Ceasefire during April and May of 2009 to save the lives of the Tamil Tiger terrorist leaders and give them another day to terrorize the country for the want of their mythical ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ mono-ethnic, racist, separate state, Eelam.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  You wouldnƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢t have even considered such a Ceasefire call had it been Obama Bin Laden, would you?ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  That is why I called you a ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-shady characterƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢, and you are one of them Bob.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  And you are a Big time Bully as what IndiaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s Rajiv Gandhi was.

There is a reason for the ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-ReconciliationƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ process to be slow and cautious.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  The question that the President has to deal with is how to drum it into the thick skulls of the TNA parliamentarians and other separatist Tamils, that they are indeed a minority in the country, and that they have to accept and act like one, and not trying to act as the majority.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  That is part of the reconciliation and that takes time;

The question that the President has to deal with is to drum into the thick skulls of the TNA parliamentarians and the separatists Tamils is that it is time that you lot begin to say ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-SorryƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ to the majority Sinhalese as very soon they will stop saying ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-SorryƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  to you lot.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  That is part of the reconciliation, as his knife cuts both ways and not just one way and that takes time;

The question that the President has to deal with is how to drum into the thick skulls of the TNA parliamentarians and the separatist Tamils to understand that Sri Lanka belongs to every citizen in Sri Lanka whether they happen to be Sinhalese, Tamils, Muslims, Burgher or whatever.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  And that is part of the reconciliation and that takes time;

The question that the President has to deal with is how to drum into the thick skulls of the TNA parliamentarians and the separatist Tamils is that they just cannot migrate south and make 41% of the population in the multi-ethnic capital Colombo, and not allow the majority Sinhalese go up north and make up 41% of the population of the City of Jaffna.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  And that is part of the reconciliation and that takes time;

The question that the President has to deal with is how to drum into the thick skulls of the TNA parliamentarians and the separatist Tamils that they just cannot come south and become entrepreneurs ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ in the heart of Colombo opening up the Rasaiah Gold Jewellery Store,ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  Ponnaiah Tamil Grocery Store, Suppaiah Saree Emporium and Thannaiah Thosai Boutique, and not allow the Sinhalese entrepreneurs open the Podi Appuhamy Bakery, Loku Appuhamy Curry Hut, Sudu Appuhamy Tailor Shop and Kalu Appuhamy Gem Merchants in the heart of Jaffna.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  And that is part of ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ the reconciliation and that takes time;

The question that the President has to deal with is how to drum into the thick skulls of the TNA parliamentarians and the separatist Tamils is that Sri Lanka has the right to guard the sovereignty and its territory from foreign invaders and bullies like IndiaƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ that flew Mirage jet fighters over Sri Lankan skies in June 1987 and parked naval destroyers off the shores of Colombo intimidating the Sri Lankan administration. ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ And once upon a time had to cope with IndiaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s Indira GandhiƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s plan to bring Sri Lanka into the fold of the so-called Indira Doctrine and wanting to repeat IndiaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s Bangladesh success, and that is why Sri Lanka has set up army camps up north with several thousands of army personnel to guard what is Sri LankaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s.. And that is part of the reconciliation and that takes time;

And one other question that the President has to deal with is how to drum into the thick skulls of the TNA parliamentarians and the separatist Tamil who complain that the families of the soldiers will set up homes in the North, to point out that ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ this is called ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-Family ReunificationƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ in Canadian parlance, which the Tamil refugees work the system and enjoy no sooner they are accepted as permanent residents.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  They bring in their grandmothers, grandfathers, brothers, sisters, and uncles and aunts to join them.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  And that is part of the reconciliation and that takes time.

So Bob, stop being impatient.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  Just take a deep breath.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  You know as well as other Americans know that the minority Tamils in Sri Lanka are doing extremely well and much better than your American Katrina effected citizens who are still languishing in trailer parks and that of your Black citizens of Harlem.

And one more word to you from me ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” just keep your hands off Sri Lanka as you have done enough harm to the progress of this beautiful, little island nation.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  And that hurts coming from Americans who pretend that they are Yankee Doodle Dandies.

Remember the moral of the Aesop fable, the Tortoise and the Hare ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” Slow and steady wins the race.

Sincerely,

Asoka Weerasinghe (Mr.)