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Peter Harold,
Resident Representative of the World Bank for Sri Lanka,
Dear Sir,
Handing over a Tamil copy of the report for 2004 of the
development plans
including the continuation of humanitarian aid to the
Tigers’ Organization
We were deeply worried about on press reports about your
organization published in several Sri Lankan newspapers on 21st July
2004. The above report said that a Tamil copy of the report for 2004 on
development plans including the continuation of the humanitarian aid was
handed over by you to the political wing leader of the Wanni Tigers’
Organization Thamil Selvam at Kilinochchi. The above reports quoted
Thamil Selvam saying in a speech accepting the report that the Tigers
were prepared to face a war at any time if the government was getting
ready for a war. These reports further said that Thamil Selvam quipped
that if the government was going to hold a referendum on the Interim
Self Governing Authority, they would have to resort to a war again. We
do not know how far these press reports are true. But we assume them
true unless you or the Wanni Tigers’ Organization reject them as false.
World Bank is a lending organization recognized
throughout the world. It often deals with sovereign states. Never before
have we heard about the World Bank extending financial aid to a
terrorist organization anywhere in the world or officially presenting
its reports to such organizations. There could be criticisms on the
conduct of the World Bank, but never has there been such a criticism in
respect of the World Bank.
What you are doing today in Sri Lanka is that same thing
that we have never heard of before. As the ban on the LTTE was lifted by
the previous UNP government it is true that it is now not an officially
proscribed organization in Sri Lanka. But that does not mean that the
LTTE has come to the democratic mainstream. As you know it is an armed
organization that conscript child soldiers into their fighting units.
Reports released recently by the UNICEF and the Amnesty International
had stressed this fact. We hope you are aware of the fact the Tigers’
Organization had attacked the NGO “Hello Trust” on 24th June It is a
well known fact that several vehicles belonging to that NGO were badly
damaged.
It can be no secret that the LTTE had sent the woman
suicide bomber to assassinate the Sri Lankan government minister Douglas
Devananda. This is an internationally famous incident as she missed her
target and blew herself up killing several police officers.
No new criteria are necessary to understand that an
organization still employing suicide bombers to get rid of their key
targets is a terrorist organization whether it is proscribed by law or
not. Not any sensible person will find it difficult to understand it.
LTTE continued to kill members of the government armed forces and
civilians throughout the cease fire both in Colombo and the Eastern
province. On the other hand it is a separatist organization that seeks
to divide an internationally recognized sovereign state, Sri Lanka, and
establish a separate state on one third of the land in Sri Lanka. We
need not recall the fact that the LTTE has assassinated several state
leaders as well as leaders of several famous political parties and in
particular the former prime minister of the neighbouring state of
India, Rajive Gandhi. You cannot not know that the LTTE does not allow
any alternative opinion or organization to raise its head and terrorise
people in the North and East at gun point. Even if you nothing of that
we do not believe that you do not know that India has named LTTE a
proscribed, terrorist organization within their country for killing its
beloved leader,Rajiv Gandhi and LTTE leader Velupille Prabakaran and
Intelligence leader Pottu Amman have been sentenced to death by and
Indian court. You also may know that LTTE is still a proscribed
organization in United States of America and several western countries
irrespective of whether you know the Indian government’s stand on the
LTTE.
In this backdrop we cannot understand why you went to
Kilinochchi to meet Tiger leaders there and submitted Tamil copies of
your official reports to them. Is it your intention to help separatist
Tigers get international recognition despite their being responsible
for the above mentioned incidents and a lot more things we have not
pointed out?. Or else are you in a state where you cannot get rid of the
tricky diplomacy you were made to practice during the previous UNP
regime. If you thought it necessary to officially give the Tamil
translation of your report to the relevant authorities, you could at
least have submitted it to all Tamil parliamentarians representing North
East and the rest of the country. We could bear with it even with
reluctance if you had submitted it to the puppet parliamentarians of the
LTTE who were elected in a corrupt election manipulated by the armed
force of the LTTE. It’s unlikely that you do not know what the election
monitoring mission of the European Unity had said about the 2004
parliamentary election in the North and East.
Therefore what you have done cannot be justified by any
means. You have come forward to gain recognition for a terrorist
organization operating to split Sri Lanka by employing suicide bombers
and assassinating their political opponents. You have knowingly or
unknowingly contributed to wash the blood stains off the LTTE body,
which is presently being done by certain international organizations
including Norway and a few other countries. We who strongly believe that
all the dollars you have lent cannot cost the sovereignty of Sri Lanka,
will not tolerate this at all.
While accepting the Tamil translation of your report what
has Thamil Selvam has said in your own presence? Isn’t it that they
would resort to a war if the government decided to seek public opinion
on the Interim Self Government Authority in a referendum. One of their
puppets MP S K Gajendran told in the parliament recently that if the
government did not do what they wanted they would send 22000 soldiers
serving in the North to Colombo in coffins. Does this murderous threat
imply their quest for peace? It should be clear to you that only those
with a terrorist mentality and none who practice democratic conventions
will reject an opinion which will be testified in a referendum, a true
reflection of the public will. You have there given the Tigers an
opportunity to threat ,before your eyes, a democratically elected
government which amidst immense difficulties makes a serious effort to
bring about honorable peace.
We have a lot of criticisms about your economic policy.
But we have never branded your organization as a one which promotes
terrorism and separatism. You must have dealings on loans and aid with a
government elected by the people of a country and not with an armed
organization which celebrate the heroism of suicide bombers. We strongly
condemn this act you have done in total disregard of the standards of
diplomacy and we would like to emphasize that it is your duty
responsibility to refrain from such acts that will harm the sovereignty
of Sri Lanka and its territorial integrity. We would be very grateful to
you if you let us know comments on this matter.
Thanking you,
With full of patriotism for the motherland
Patriotic National Movement
22nd June 2004
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