A tall story by Alan Rock:
Rock cannot rock the boat
Backdrop drama by Spectator
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. |