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A tall story by Alan Rock:

Rock cannot rock the boat
 

The allegation against the Government security forces by the United Nation's special advisor to the special representative for children and armed conflict Alan Rock was more amusing to Sri Lankans than a warning. Mr. Rock has recollected some bedtime stories of legendry comedy King Kekille in which his verdict eventually punishing the victim while acquitting the perpetrator free.

The King Kekille story retold by a learned foreigner makes us believe that Ambassador Rock has adapted King Kekille's bizarre judgements in his concluding remarks after visiting the North East of Sri Lanka. The only difference between the two is that Mr. Rock has deviated from King Kekille's authoritarian verdict and put some diplomatic lining into it.

It is unfortunate that we have to 're-import' the comedy during a time that innocent people especially children in the North and East have been threatened by a terrorist group. Despite the UN warnings to the LTTE, reports of kidnapping children for weapon training, killing and torture of their parents who refused to obey the Tigers have become routine in these areas. The Government which was keen to show this horror to Mr. Rock in the hope of bring justice to these innocent victims and as a part of its long standing policy of openness and constructive engagement with UN human rights mechanism, provided Mr. Rock unhindered access to all areas and facilitated him meetings with a cross section of stakeholders.

Mr. Rock is not the only envoy who made the good office to support certain invisible foreign elements trying to interfere in the affairs of this country. Mr. Rock's faux pas too would be a similar effort which he would have intended to convince the international community that the Sri Lankan government is behaving like a terrorist organisation, and direct involvement of the UN is essentially necessary at this juncture.

We read stories of certain NGOs labelling Sri Lanka as a failed state, most violence spreading country and so on. Sri Lankans who know the clear agendas of NGOs functioning here could well understand the secrets of their international counterparts.

However, as on previous occasions, the media did not treat Mr. Rock's statement as a scoop as many of them perhaps did not want to tarnish their names. Even the publicity they gave Mr. Rock's findings backfired Mr.Rock after the President asked him to produce credible evidence to investigate the allegations and agreed to mete out justice to the affected parties. Mr. Rock's cannot now escape from the responsibility. So come on Mr. Rock with your concrete evidence and show the world your master skills of investigations and do justice to these innocent children, or else face the morse.

Mr. Rock was a powerful Minister in the previous government defeated recently by the people in Canada. The LTTE terrorism was propergated in Canada during that time, and Mr. Rock was allegedly a strong campaigner against banning the LTTE in Canada and had participated in LTTE fund-raising in Toronto. According to the local dictum - the change of spots would not change the tiger, and Sri Lankans believe that Mr. Rock's attitude would not be changed after he joined the UN, and his conclusion after his visit in the conflict area indicates that he was either bought over by the Tigers or their cronies or misled by other agencies. However, knowingly or unknowingly, he has already walked into the tiger trap and clearing his name is indeed a challenge.

The people of this country and others concerned would like to know how did Mr. Rock, master investigative expertise to pass such judgement on an elected government. If he is found to be so competent to do such a complicated job within a few hours, as Minister Rambukwelle said that we do not to seek the assistance of the Scotland Yard Police to investigate certain complicated crimes including the murder of MP late Nadarajah Raviraj, but invite Mr.Rock to help us.

Why did Mr. Rock intrude on wrong boundaries, rather than finding child conscription, went on to comment on the link between the government forces and the Karuna faction. The LTTE has been working overtime to prove their allegation - links between the government and the Karuna faction since they failed in their efforts to use the Government as cats paw to eliminate the Karuna faction. And Mr. Rock's statement in this regard could evidently strengthen the hand of the LTTE.

If the Government is really helping the Karuna faction to abduct children, even a kindergarten child would understand the Government would not take UN man to show it. Therefore, it is worthy for Mr. Rock to use his competency to investigate his own sources of information and whether there is a set drama here and at the UN which put him into a sorry sight.

The long queues where thousands of patriotic youth present themselves to be enlisted in security forces would bear ample testimony that this country is not desperate to recruit child combatants. The Government should extend another invitation to Mr. Rock to observe such youth recruitment and dispel his apprehensions.

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Gamin Gamata - Presidential Community & Welfare Service
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