Now that the LTTE is Crushed - Some Advice for the "Western Powers"
(By: Stephen Long - Los Angeles, California)
 I just returned from a lengthy visit to Sri Lanka, and
I witnessed first-hand the Government's splendid victory over the LTTE
terrorists. Every day I read with great interest the many comments and
opinions that were written on the conflict by both Sri Lankan and
international journalists. From my perspective, I can assure you that
the Government acted with restraint and compassion throughout the entire
ordeal. I also saw that the so-called "Western Powers" were totally
misinformed on the situation, which resulted in their passing a hasty
judgment that condemned the Government's conduct toward the IDP's and
the human shields still trapped in the No Fire Zone.
Having said this, I am grateful for US Congressional
Representative Heath Schuler of North Carolina for his support of the
Government's relief efforts yesterday, and for accurately reporting what
he saw with his own eyes in the IDP camps in the North. I'm sure his
report will go a long way towards correcting misperceptions in America.
A couple of things I could never understand: The first
is why were the "Western Powers" so interested in preserving the life of
the terrorist leader, Prabhakaran? Secondly, why was the US Ambassador,
Robert Blake, feeding his boss, Hillary Clinton, such erroneous and
false information that lead to her "disappointment" with the Sri Lankan
Government, and her eventual condemnation? I'm sure the answers to these
questions will eventually surface over time, but examining them here is
not the focus of this article.
I would like to offer some advice to the "Western
Powers" in regards to re-examining their policy and approach to dealing
with Sri Lanka:
During the thirty-year conflict many people of all
ethnicities left Sri Lanka to seek greener pastures in Western
countries. There are approximately 300,000 of them in Canada, 200,000 in
the US, and another 300,000 in European countries. Many of these
immigrants used the "political asylum" card, and as we have later
discovered, many of those were lying about the persecution they claimed
they received at home. I'm not singling out only the Tamils in this
respect; Sinhalese and Muslim immigrants also played the same hand.
Now that the war against the LTTE is over, the
"Western Powers" need not accept any more immigrants from Sri Lanka who
attempt to seek political asylum. This should come as a great relief to
many of those countries who now find themselves embroiled in protests
from two fronts: caught in the middle between trying to please new
political constituents, and simply doing the right thing by protecting
Sri Lankan embassies, places of worship, helping out with the IDP's in
the North, etc.
Secondly, drug trafficking was one of the primary ways
the LTTE raised money to finance its war in Sri Lanka. A
little-publicized story a few years ago even revealed that the LTTE had
attempted to dig a tunnel from British Columbia in Canada down to
Washington State, through which it would smuggle drugs into America. Now
that the war is over, the LTTE drug trafficking should cease. There are
still LTTE front organizations in the Western countries, however, and I
suggest you put an end to them just as Canada banned the World Tamil
Movement. Many members of these organizations still have the LTTE dream
in their heads, and perhaps they need to be taught that the dream was
really a nightmare, and that their donations had actually helped to fund
death and destruction instead of their mythical Eelam.
The LTTE, as it has been revealed, was closely
associated with a variety of extremist groups in other countries, and
they helped each other train their cadres in the fine points of suicide
bombing, guerilla warfare, and weapons use, among other things. They
also assisted one another in the smuggling of weapons. Now that the LTTE
has been crushed there should be fewer light aircraft, submarines,
tanks, and other weapons smuggled from other countries. I know it may
only make a dent in the huge international illicit weapons trade, but
every little bit counts. Still, don't give up on "following the money
trail," and do your best to expose those who supplied the LTTE with
weapons until they are prosecuted in every country.
I suggest that Senator Patrick Leahey and Hillary
Clinton stop listening to the rubbish of Bruce Fein, the mercenary
former Deputy US Attorney, Washington lobbyist, and spokesperson for
various LTTE front organizations in North America. He is reportedly
being paid $100,000 a month to tell lies about the GOSL and the
Rajapaksa brothers, and currently works for an American organization
called "Tamils Against Genocide". Just to show you where his morals are,
while he condemns the actions of the GOSL against the LTTE terrorists,
he also represents the Turkish Government and condemns the actions of
the Kurdish terrorists against the government. It's the same issue - and
he gets money from both sides from two clients. Very clever. Mr. Fein is
hardly a credible, unbiased source of information, and when he calls on
influential policy makers in Washington, I suggest they lock their
doors.
It is obvious that both Senator Leahey and Secretary
of State Hillary Clinton have been "pitched" by Mr. Fein, since their
leanings on the Sri Lanka issue are toward his point of view. I'm sad to
say that it appears they have paid attention to this materialistic
Beltway prostitute, and the GOSL has suffered unfairly as a consequence.
I suggest they start investigating how Bruce Fein can represent banned
terrorist front organizations and get away with it for nearly two years
- and still be a practicing member of the American Bar Association.
In regards to prosecuting Defence Secretary Gotabaya
Rajapaksa, Presidential Advisor Basil Rajapaksa, and Army Commander
General Sarath Fonseka for genocide in the international courts, I think
the "Western Powers" should give up this ridiculous pursuit. The UN High
Commissioner for Human Rights, Ms. Navi Pillay of South Africa, wants to
investigate this silly allegation, but she should stop and listen to her
comrades who supported Sri Lanka in the UN resolution last week in
Geneva. Perhaps she has been listening to Bruce Fein, too. I suggest
that the UN and the "Western Powers" start concentrating on how they can
help the IDP's in the North - seriously and quickly - and accept the
fact that the authorities in Sri Lanka simply did what they had to do to
rid their country of a terrorist scourge (the same that they would have
done on their own turfs.)
I think it's time the media in Western countries takes
an honest, serious look at the great progress Sri Lanka has made on a
number of fronts - in spite of dealing with a 30-year war against
terrorism: the elections and massive re-development programs in the
Eastern Province, the appointment of a former child soldier for the LTTE
as Chief Minister for the Eastern Province, the Government's excellent
health care and educational systems, the rehabilitation and appointment
of former LTTE chief "Karuna Amman" as Vice President of the largest
political party in the country, Sri Lanka Freedom Party, the rapid
rebuilding of tsunami areas (and compare this to post-Katrina New
Orleans), and many others. While they're at it, the Western journalists
can show the world how beautiful Sri Lanka is, and what a great place it
is for tourists.
Lastly, the "Western Powers" should be very careful
about pushing Sri Lanka too closely into the arms of China, Russia,
Pakistan, India, and other neighbors in the Asian region. A close
relationship with China, for example, developed during the war against
the LTTE when the GOSL couldn't get arms anywhere else. Now China is
building a US $1 billion seaport in Sri Lanka's south, and is
financially helping the Government care for the IDP's in the north. The
"Western Powers" should be thinking about the balance of power in the
region, and figuring out ways it can mend some fences with the GOSL -
fast. The "Western Powers" don't seem to understand that every country
has to have friends and allies in order to survive, and if they are
abandoned by the West, then they have no choice but join the camps of
China, Libya, and its Asian neighbors who are perhaps more friendly and
sympathetic to their needs and goals.
The policies and neo-colonial interests of the
"Western Powers" need to be examined closely by all parties from this
point forward. Everyone should learn to respect Sri Lanka as a
democratic, free, sovereign nation that deserves a decent place in the
international community. Give Sri Lanka a break. Stop wasting time
trying to make an enemy, and concentrate on making a good friend
instead. |
