Ira de Silva London, Ontario, CanadaƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ 

The Editor
The Island
Colombo, Sri Lanka
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ 
Dear Sir:
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It was no surprise that India voted against Sri Lanka once again. What is galling to Sri Lankans is the fact that Sri Lankan and Indian officials continue to claim that India is a “friend” which it is not and is proved by history.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Every time India stabs Sri Lanka in the back this hypocrisy isƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  stated by the Indian representatives. For example in Geneva the Indian representative statesƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ “as a neighbour with thousands of years of relations with Sri Lanka, we cannot remain untouched by developments in that country and will continue to remain engaged in this matter.” What he means by remaining engagedƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ is continued interference and attempts to impose India’s policy on Sri Lanka for India’s gain and the detriment of Sri Lanka. If Sri Lanka wants to have peace and prosperity, the GOSL and the Sri Lankan people should wake up andƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ work towardsƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ India not continuing it’s “engagement”ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ because it spells trouble for Sri Lanka. Geneva has shown who are Sri Lanka’s actual friends and it certainly is not the U.S., Canada and the E.U. and emphasises India’s continued policy of hostility.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ 
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Most Sri Lankans who have any knowledge of India’s policy on Sri LankaƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ asre aware of what theƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ thousands of years of relations with India has meant for Sri Lanka. As recorded in Sri Lankan historical documents it hasƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  been thousands of years of aggression. invasion, and attempts to subjugate/annex ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Sri Lanka.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  As recently as 1987, India forced Sri Lanka to agree to the infamous Indo-Sri Lanka agreement and the 13th amendment with threats of invasions, parrippu drops andƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Indian warships in full viewƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  in Colombo. Today in GenevaƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  India states,ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  we call on Sri Lanka to move forward on its public commitments, including on the devolution of political authority through full implementation of the 13th Amendment and building upon it.” If Sri Lanka wants to confirm to the world that it is a sovereign and independent nation, is it not time to call India’s bluff and revoke the 13th Amendment which India has used over and over again to browbeat Sri Lanka? The President has stated that Sri Lanka needs a home grown resolution – let him do so and abrogate the 13th Amendment without any delay.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Is it not time to assert our independence, if we are in fact independent, and charter a course that is beneficial to Sri Lanka and Sri Lankans and not India and Tamil Nadu who have no interest in human rights of Sri Lankans, it’s economic well being or future other than being another state of India?ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  If the Sri Lankan public can see the dangers of Indian dictation via Geneva and other international fora as well as economic control and domination, ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ why does the GOSL notƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ behave as if it is aware of the threat to the country and act to protect the country and it’s citizens as it did in rescuing the country fromƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  Indian created LTTE terrorism? It is not sufficient that the GOSL states that it will not interfere in the internal matters of India, it should state clearly that it will not tolerate India’s interference in the internal matters ofƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ SriƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Lanka either. Everyone knows that to keep saying India is a “friend” is a diplomatic nicety but Sri Lankans urgently need to be reassured thatƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ the GOSL, while making these inane assertions will take steps to control the Indian “invasion”, show resistance to IndianƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ dictates and not hand over Sri Lanka’s political and economic future to India.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ 

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ India saysƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  “we urge Sri Lanka to take forward measures to ensure accountability. We expect these measures to be to the satisfaction of the international community”.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ The whole world knows that India does not follow these conceptsƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ nor do it’sƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  partners in this resolutionƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  who are destroying the lives and livelihood of countries throughout the globe without any accountability orƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ concern for human rights. ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ 

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ It is hoped that the Sri Lankan public will say to the GOSL that it has had enough of India’s aggression andƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ meddling and deal with India as it would do with any other country andƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ evaluate it’s policies with more care so that Sri Lanka will be protected from India’s machinations against it.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  If thereƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ is any future resolution in Geneva Sri Lanka can count on India voting against Sri Lanka so what does Sri Lanka gain with this charade of India being a friend?

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Yours truly,

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Ira de Silva

London, Ontario, Canada
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