By Charles.S.Perera

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ TO
Honourable Conservative Party MPs
Mr. Nick de Bois for Enfield North,
Mr. Bob Blackman forƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  Harrow East,
Mr.James Wharton for Stockton South,
Mr.Brian Binley for Northampton South
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ __________________________________

Honourable Sir,

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ We in Sri Lanka grew with lot of respectƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  and affection to the English people.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  We believed them to be just and fair.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  Lot of us tried to imitate the ways of the English, and likenedƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  our own people who are just, fair and reasonable to an Englishaen.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ We learnt their language and we read the literary work of the English more than weƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  readƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  the rich literary heritage of the Sinhala people.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  We learnt their legal System and even today the Sri Lankan Judges wear the wig and the cloaks like the English Judges.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  Our Universities too follow the English traditions.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ All that I have written ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Sir, is to make it clear to you how close we had been to the English people , with how much of affection we had held on to ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ some of the EnglishƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  ways and traditions.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ 

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ But all this we began to question when some of the British Ministers and Ambassadors began to break away from theƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  age old honoured ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ English manners, English Justice and democratic traditions, when Sri Lanka was infested by ruthless terrorism that devastated our country, terrorized our people, massacred innocent civilians, assassinated by human bomb blasts or snipers the best of our people, Ministers, Presidents, Intellectuals, Security Officers, and wounded even an Army Commander and a President of Sri Lanka.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ There were large numbers of Tamil expatriates who had settled down in UK and other European Capitals .ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  They wereƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  harnessed by theƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  Sri Lanka terroristsƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  by organization them into Terrorist Front Associations to collect funds to help the terrorists toƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  fight to carve out a part of Sri Lanka to set up a Tamil Eelam State.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ These large numbers of expatriate Tamils in UKƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  became influential in UK politics being a recognizable floating vote.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  In order to win them over certain of the UK MPs and Ministers like Mr.David MillibandƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  supported the cause of the expatriate Tamils in UKƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  providing political Assistance to the Sri Lanka Terrorists in their terror campaign in Sri Lanka, as these terrorists did not pause a threat to UK, but an asset for these UK MPs to win votes in some of their constituencies.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ The Sri Lanka terrorists became a powerful force armed with modern military equipment purchased abroadƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  with the huge sums of money collect abroad and with the support of the Foreign Government Ministers and Parliamentarians.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ But the present President of Sri Lanka Mr.Mahinda Rajapakse was determined to eliminate terrorism which defied all previous attempts by successive governments.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  Despite the efforts of the UK Foreign Minister David Milliband , who went all out to stop the Sri Lanka Government in its military operations against the terroristsƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  along with the French , Swedish andƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  Norwegian Foreign Ministers and the US Secretary of State Ms. Hillary Clinton, the Presdient of Sri LankaƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  Mr.Mahinda Rajapakse relentlessly continuedƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  the military operations until the terrorists were eliminated in May, 2009.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Having eliminated terrorists Sri Lanka freed fromƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  the fear of terrorism that lasted 30 years began to settle down to develop the country and reconcile the fractured Communal relations.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ The terrorism though eliminated in Sri Lanka the Terrorist Front OrganisationsƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  continue a viciousƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  anti Sri Lanka publicity campaign using ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ the large sums ofƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  money collected for terrorism now at their disposal, paying ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-persons ofƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  political importanceƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚,ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  media such as the UK Channel 4 and variousƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  human right watch dogs, accusing Sri Lanka for war crimes in the last phase of the military operations for the eliminations of terrorists. There is no truth in it as there had been no deliberate attempt by the Government Armed Forces ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ to shootƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  and kill civilians in their military operations against terrorists.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Sri Lanka having eliminated terrorism and making a concertedƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  effort to develop the country is relentlessly pursued by the Foreign Governments of the West , Human Rights Activists, and the UN Secretary General for a violation of human rights and war crimes ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ during the last phase ofƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  the military operationsƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  for the elimination ofƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  terrorist, threatening ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ to take ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ the Government and the Armed ForcesƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  before a tribunal ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ accused for ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ war crimes.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ In order to satisfy the International ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Accusers the Government of Sri Lanka appointed a Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Committee of well qualified, respected Sri Lankans free of political attachments to make an independent investigation to find out whether there had been violation of human rights or war crimes committed by the Armed and otherƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  Security Forces during the military operations to eliminate terrorism.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ 

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ The report of this Committee is scheduled to be released in November.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  But yet the International Accusers of Sri Lanka not satisfied with these efforts , without even the patients to await the release of the report of theƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  Committee appointed by the Government, ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ call for an International Investigation.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ In such a situation Sir, ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ it is very refreshing, encouraging and ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ heartening ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ for us the Sri Lankans to see that some of the Honourable members of the Conservative Party of United KingdomƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  came forward to take up the cause of the Government of Sri Lanka in the UK Parliamentary debate on the 15 September, 2011.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ We thank you Honourable Sir, ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ for your participation in the debate on Sri Lanka and making a favourable interventionƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  to defend the cause of the Democratic Government of Sri Lanka. We at last see that with yourƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  coming forward to defend Sri Lanka that English gentlemen, English tradition of ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ justice and ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ fair play , ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ and democratic political understandingƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  is still alive in theƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  United Kingdom.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ This is therefore to inform youƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  Sir,ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  that we the people of Sri Lanka who suffered under terrorism for thirty yearsƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  thank you immeasurably for your support and remain greatly indebted to you.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ I remain Honourbale Sir,

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Yours very Respectfully,

Charles.S.Perera