LTTE Terrorists Representatives Met Aussie Minister

The Hon Julie Bishop MP

Minister for Foreign Affairs

Parliament House

Canberra ACT 2600

Dear Madam,

We write in reference to your meeting in March 2015 with the representatives of International and Australian Tamil organisations.

While welcoming your continued interest in supporting the economic development and national reconciliation in Sri Lanka, we would like to point out that some of the individuals and organisations participating in the forum constitute the hard-line extremist fringe of the expatriate Tamil community.

One should not forget that Sri Lanka’s war against the LTTE lasted for 35 years mainly due the funds and arms supplied to the LTTE by foreign based organizations which at times worked with shadowy international agencies with their own agendas.   Furthermore, some members of LTTE front-organisations entered Sri Lanka, ostensibly for humanitarian and reconciliation programs, and taken part in bunker & boat construction, technology transfer and weapons training.  Not surprisingly, several Tiger Diaspora leaders in Australia were personally honoured with the title of ‘Maamanithar’ (the highest honour conferred by the LTTE/Tamil elam) by the former LTTE leader.  To this day, the LTTE lobby continues to carry out false and vicious propaganda against the government & people, the armed forces, the businesses and even the Cricket team of Sri Lanka.   This is in direct contrast to the theme of reconciliation advocated by the governments of both Australia and Sri Lanka.

These included holding demonstrations in the Western capitals, calling for to Sri Lanka to be brought to the war crimes tribunals (which would have to be based on the questionable UNHRC advisory reports and other dubious and highly partisan reports of anti Sri Lanka NGOs).  The pro-separatist groups are collecting money to form lobby groups to influence the politicians in some of the Western countries, the UNCHR   and the media. Australia and a few other countries publicly supported Sri Lanka’s efforts to pave a peaceful period in the war torn country to bring just returns for her people.

It is for these reasons that some extremist Tamil organisations and individuals are banned in Sri Lanka under UN Resolution 1373.

You would no doubt agree that the sovereign countries have the right to proscribe organizations and individuals who believe in armed violence similar to Al Queda and other organizations remain banned in Australia, USA and the EU.

If one was to recollect how Sri Lankan people were held to ransom by the LTTE (a k a Tamil Tigers) for 35 long years by exploding bombs in the cities, hacking unarmed civilians to death and using Tamil children as suicide bombers and child soldiers, one would be extremely amazed at the speed within which the rehabilitation, resettlement and the reconciliation process was adhered by the Sri Lankan Government subsequent to the defeat of the Tamil Tigers in 2009. Several international humanitarian organizations have commended the efforts of Sri Lanka Government including Australia.

Some of the salient statistics in this giant effort are as follows.

1. Nearly , 2000 sq. miles of land were cleared and recovered from land mines buried by the Tamil Tigers
2. All IDP camps were cleared and 300,000 Tamils displaced by the Tamil Tigers and the war were resettled.
3. 40,000 housed were built for the IDPs
4. Roads, railways, schools and hospitals were built and repaired.
5. Employment opportunities were created.
6. 6000 Tamil child soldiers were rehabilitated.
7. 12,000 Tamil Tiger armed cadres were rehabilitated and re-settled.
8. Elections were held and a new administration was elected.
9. Lessons Learnt Commission was appointed.
10.  Missing persons Commission was appointed.

(pls compare this scenario with the prevailing situations in Iraq, Afghanistan, Syria, Libya, Sudan etc.)

The Tamil language is one of the State Languages in Sri Lanka and every Tamil citizen has equal right to vote and elect a person to govern the Province or the Country.  Sri Lanka has remained a democracy even in troubled periods without civil commotion and refugee issues.  Since the end of the separatist conflict in May 2009, Sri Lanka has achieved a high growth rate in the economic sphere and is the leading country in the social development index in the South Asia.  The fact that no single act of terrorism or bombing occurred during the post LTTE period proves that the real peaceful process has begun providing benefits to the people at large.

Let us kindly remind you that some of the individuals and the organisations who now seek to meet you have nurtured the Tamil Tigers by providing funds and arms and they still continue to be a part of the Tamil separatism in Sri Lanka.  They are not interested at all with the reconciliation process in Sri Lanka but covertly and overtly involved in the movement to create a racist separate country in place of multi-cultural Sri Lanka which will lead to instability and political turmoil in South Asia, a part of the Indian Ocean Rim.

In conclusion, we kindly request you to consider the situation outlined above and reiterate the policy enunciated during Howard Coalition Government “not to entertain and recognize the fronts or individuals having links to the Tamil Tigers “

Ranjith Soysa

(Coordinator)

Members of the Association:

Society for Peace, Unity and Human Rights for Sri Lanka (Victoria)

Society for Peace, Unity and Human Rights for Sri Lanka (NSW)

Western Australia Society for Peace, Unity and Rehabilitation in Sri Lanka (WA)

Veera Parakramabahu Foundation Inc. (NSW)

Sinhala Cultural Association of Australia Inc.

Sinhala Cultural and Community Services Foundation (Victoria)

Viru Daru Diriya Fund (Victoria)

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