Dr. Chula Rajapakse MNZM Spokesperson, United Sri Lanka Association Wellington NZ

Rt Hon John Key,

Prime Minister of New Zealand,

NZ Parliament.

Dear Mr. Key,

I write in the aftermath of last weeks terrorist attacks in Paris and this weeks lockdown in Belgium , to offer some reflections.

It was the foreign minister of France  along with his British counterpart that travelled un invited to Sri Lanka in May 2009 to exert pressure to withdraw it’s offensive that eradicated tiger terrorism from Sri Lanka few days later after three decades with not a single terrorist attack since.

Had the  then Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapakse relented to this pressure, terrorist attacks like those in France last week may well have been common place in SL  even now, as they were then. As you recounted on Q & A on your return from the CHOGM of 2013 in Colombo, your   personal security person may still not be travelling in the same transport with his wife even when going to the same destination, lest  their children are deprived of both their parents, in a single terrorist attack.

It’ s against this back ground  that many of us back you whole heartedly in your unrelenting stand against could be terrorist infiltration into New Zealand be it from suspected Jihadist or from people smugglers.

Sadly, Sri Lanka’s reward for having achieved eradication of terrorism that still appears  to be an ever distancing dream in the west, has been an yearly inquisition at the UNHCR  that has led to further commissions to inquire into allegations already investigated by multiple presidential commissions, over seen by international luminaries, largely because the Tiger Diaspora who funded decades of terror in SL are not happy with their findings.

The latest panacea for Sri Lanka’s perceived ills, suggested by the powers that be  through Samantha Powers US  ambassador to the UN now on a visit to SL is a trifurcated  federation to replace what has been a unitary state for over  two thousand five hundred years, which could arguably be also a stepping stone to a trifurcated secession.

It is a sad irony that this goal of three decades of tiger terror and their funding diaspora  is now being imposed on the victims of this terror by the US .  Arguably the real motivation for these actions  is US’s  desire to distance a strong and united Sri Lanka from China as this would be more conducive to US’s own aspirations in the Indian ocean.

Sri Lanka’s closeness to China post cessation of terrorism came through it becoming the main investor in  Sri Lanka’s   economic revival through contributions to infra structure development , roads, rail, ports airports etc. If US wants to displace China form it’s perch in Sri Lanka, the obvious way to go would be through a similar strategy rather than through draconian impositions that are likely to be resisted to the hilt.

I feel it pertinent for New Zealand to be aware of and  mindful of the above as it discharges it’s responsibilities in the UN security council. NZ should  also use this information to influence when possible, US into a stand of greater compromise and understanding towards Sri Lanka.

Thank you very much.

Yours Sincerely,

Dr. Chula Rajapakse MNZM

Spokesperson,

United Sri Lanka Association

Wellington NZ

25.11.15