SPUR stresses need to counter rump LTTE's manoeuvres

by Manjula Fernando

In the aftermath of a series of attempts by the LTTE to discredit Sri Lanka in international fora including at the prestigious Commonwealth Heads of State conference (CHOGM) recently, a Sri Lankan activist in Australia fighting LTTE propaganda said it is time the Government addressed the core of this issue.

"Rather than investigating isolated incidents, it will be better if an analysis is done to see why the West is willing to listen to the rump LTTE, knowing very well that they are nothing but terrorists," said Jeanne Jayasinghe of Society for Peace, Unity and Human Rights for Sri Lanka (SPUR), a voluntary organisation based in Australia.

She said the Australian litigation against President Mahinda Rajapaksa was an attempt to embarrass the Sri Lankan Government at the CHOGM.

"The rump LTTE is trying hard to build a case so that their 'transnational government' will be able to get the UN to divide Sri Lanka and create their 'dream Eelam' for them, just like Kosovo and East Timor."

She said Prabhakaran never agreed to peace talks and kept shifting the goalpost because he was aware of the dangers posed by the so-called international leaders of the LTTE.

"They may not have held guns or been in the field, but they were worse. They raised the funds and directed the operations on the field."

"He (Prabhakaran) knew that the moment he signed a peace agreement, he would be finished.

The kingpins living in the West who directed operations would take over the reins of power and kick him out. He would have ended up a designated war criminal."

Citing Canada's call to discuss allegations against Sri Lanka at CHOGM, Jayasinghe said these LTTE leaders through their elected agents in Parliaments were pushing governments to take action against Sri Lanka and this was a serious threat that needs to be nipped in the bud.