‘Unable to muster support even for a demo’:
Support for LTTE rump in Germany on the wane
by Shirajiv Sirimane in Berlin
The support for the LTTE rump is fast fading in Germany and the
Tamils have realised that the Government is sincere in its efforts to
develop the North and the East and ensure equal opportunities for the
minorities.
Second Secretary of the Sri Lankan Embassy, in Berlin, Kohula
Ratnasingam said that though the number of Tamils in Germany is around
65,000 they cannot muster support even to conduct a demonstration.
“Tamil sympathisers had planned to conduct a large demonstration in
front of the Sri Lankan Embassy while Sri Lanka was celebrating its
Independence.
Though there are around 5,000 Tamils in Berlin only five turned up
for the demonstration”, he said.This clearly shows that the LTTE rump is
fast dying and that the Tamils have realised the Government’s
sincererity.
He said that Sri Lanka’s Ambassador in Germany Sarath Kongahage had
done a great deal of work to debunk the myths of the Tamils in Germany
and have succeeded to overcome the pressure.
“We must also thank the German government for its assistance in this
regard.” Many Tamils are keen to return to Sri Lanka and though they
could apply for a German passport they prefer to have a Sri Lankan
passport. “The Embassy is facilitating this,” he said.
Some Tamils are also exploring opportunities to invest in Sri Lanka
especially in agriculture, education and the tourism sectors in the
North. Ratnasingam, a Tamil himself, said, “I asked the Tamils whether
they were looked down by the Sri Lankan Government and added that if it
was so he wouldn’t be a Second Secretary,” he said. He said that German
Technical Colleges are of a very high standard and Sri Lankans should
learn the German language and enrol in these colleges for better
employment opportunities in Sri Lanka and in Germany.” |