By Sujeeva Nivunhella

Head of Mission of Sri Lanka to the EU, Ambassador P. M. Amza accused the producer of the documentary filmƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”No Fire Zone: The Killing Fields of Sri LankaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ forƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ misinterpreting what the witnesses have said in Tamil, to suit the Channel-4 agenda.

Intervening at a panel discussion that followed the screening of theƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  controversial film at the premises of the European Parliament last week,ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ which was jointly organized by Amnesty International,ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  Human Rights Watch andƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  International Crisis Group, the envoy saidƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ that civilians, who spoke in Tamil, at no stage claimed the attacks were carried out specifically by the Sri Lankan Army,ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  rather they always mentioned that “they attacked”, leaving it ambiguous.

The Ambassador also pointed out that anyone with a sound knowledge of the Tamil language would identify them as serious mistakes and misinterpretations and manipulations done to suit the Channel-4 agenda.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  As the civiliansƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ statements constitute important evidence in any conflict, tampering (with words) to give a completely false view, is a matter of serious concern, he said.

The Ambassador also refuted allegations on the killing of a 12-year-old boy identified as the son of the LTTE leader.

Amza, while casting doubts on Channel-4 making sweeping conclusions based on few pictures depicting a man clad in a uniform similar to Sri Lanka Army personnel,ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  a clean and neat bunker,ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  a man in slippers, and an ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”expert opinionƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ based on the pictures given to himƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ that the boy was captured by the ArmyƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  who then fed him a snack and killed him at point blank range, questioned as to why the ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”expert opinionƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ disregarded the possibility of him being killed by his own bodyguards, to avoid being captured by the Sri Lankan armed forces.

The Ambassador reminded the producer Callum Macrae that he is yet to hear his reply to the question he raised in London in June 2011, during a live debate that was broadcast by BBC Asia Network in London.

He said that irrespective of Sri LankaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s categorical rejection of the Channel-4 footage and its authenticity, Sri Lanka nevertheless, is in the process of investigating the allegations.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  In this context, he reiterated Sri LankaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s request to Channel-4 to provide original materials available with them to help the investigation process rather than pleading for Pounds through projects such as the ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”Kick-starterƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢, in order to go on a globe-trotting venture with the film.

Amza also said that some well-known NGOs harp about Sri LankaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s human rights record, but they have forgotten the crimes of the LTTE when accepting the donations in dollars. “I am saying this with authority and proof at hand”.

He also accused the Global Tamil Forum (GTF) for acting as independent human rights activists now the LTTE is wiped out, but they were the ardent supporters of LTTE and its killing spree through funding and other propaganda before.

Amza concluded by saying that ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”No Fire ZoneƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ is doing an injustice to the ordinary Sri Lankan people who are yearning for nothing but peace, dignity and normalcy in life.