Unite to beat all odds

Sarath Fonseka, who fell from grace to disgrace after his recent outbursts, has again proved beyond any doubt and unmasked the real traitors and the people who are behind the greatest betrayal.

The ulterior motives of Fonseka and the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP), which has offered him political patronage, have been starkly exposed after the retired General gave a shameful interview to the controversial Channel 4.

The UK-based TV channel has been extremely sympathetic towards the LTTE, which was once considered the most ruthless terrorist outfit in the world, which is still banned in the US, UK, Canada and the European Union. Channel 4 aired concocted stories on Sri Lanka and telecast controversial video footage which attempted to display atrocities alleged to have been committed by Sri Lanka’s Security Forces against Tamils.

The controversial video footage produced to appease the West and discredit Sri Lanka’s valiant Security Forces was craftily fabricated. It was tendentiously put together to bring the Government of Sri Lanka into disrepute and denigrate the worldwide reputation of the Security Forces in combatting the deadly Tiger terrorists.

The Channel 4 distorted the ‘picture’ to woo support for the LTTE and discredit Sri Lanka. The unsubstantiated and admittedly unverifiable video footage was an attempt by elements opposed to the success of the reconciliation process under way in Sri Lanka and the ongoing efforts to rebuild the country after nearly three decades of LTTE terror.

People are acutely aware how the Channel 4 projected terrorist leader Velupillai Prabhakaran as the hero of the Tamils during Sri Lanka’s battle against terror. Strangely enough, the very same Channel 4 is now attempting to portray Fonseka as the hero of the Sinhalese.

Fonseka made a vain attempt to discredit the Forces he once commanded when he said that the Defence Secretary had ordered to kill the LTTE leaders who tried to surrender waving white flags. Fonseka’s statement during his recent unsuccessful presidential election campaign had been fabricated to gain the support of the West and attract funds from the Tamil Diaspora.

Fonseka ‘smuggled out’ a hand-written interview to Channel 4, apparently through his lawyers in a sinister manner. What is important is not the manner in which Channel 4 had obtained the interview, but how Fonseka had abused certain facilities provided to him on humanitarian grounds by the President.

Moreover, the Channel 4 interview raises another question of breach of discipline on the part of the former Army Commander.

It is important to ascertain the stance the JVP would take on this deplorable situation. After the United National Party and Mangala Samaraweera isolated Fonseka following the presidential election defeat, the JVP has been ‘using’ Fonseka to cover its political nudity at the forthcoming general elections.

In the backdrop of the general election, many interested elements, both local and international, are working round the clock to achieve their objectives. Having failed in such attempts at the presidential election, they are again hoping against hope for a regime change and to empower pro-Western puppets who would dance the fandango round Uncle Sam.

The UN Secretary General Ban-Ki Moon’s controversial stand to appoint a panel to advise him on Sri Lanka too has coincidentally surfaced. It is not up to us to ascertain the nexus to this campaign against Sri Lanka and a fearless leader whose sole concern is for the people of the land he belongs to.

The Government has reiterated its stand that the proposed move by the UN Secretary General to appoint a Panel of Experts to advise him on accountability issues relating to Sri Lanka is an infringement of the sovereignty of an independent Member State, without prejudice to the application of enforcement measures under Chapter VII.

The UN chief should facilitate the proposed visit to Sri Lanka by the UN Under-Secretary General for Political Affairs Lynn Pascoe. Such a visit after next month’s general elections would enable him to assess first hand, the progress made on key fronts and work out details of the proposed domestic mechanism to be set up by the Government.

Sri Lanka can deal with such a mechanism as it has already full-fledged local mechanisms such as the judiciary and commissions of inquiry. Moon should take note that the situation in Sri Lanka is not on the agenda of the UN Security Council, the General Assembly or the UN Human Rights Council.

Hence, Moon’s proposed action can only be construed as an intrusive unilateral initiative. On the other hand, the timing of the proposed initiative coincides with the elections in Sri Lanka. Is it a deliberate attempt to gain political mileage for the Opposition?

A move of this nature would also either directly or indirectly support local and international apologists of the LTTE, especially the remnants of the LTTE who are still active outside Sri Lanka.

Meanwhile, the International Crisis Group (ICG) has also published an unfavourable report on Sri Lanka and the human rights situation in the country. That could be expected as the two members of the ICG who were the main architects of the report were Louise Arbour, the former UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, and the other member being Gareth Evans, a former Foreign Affairs Minister of Australia.

The ICG report does not represent the views or aspirations of the Tamils living in Sri Lanka but only fulfils the aspirations and the demand for a Tamil homeland by the Tamil Diaspora.

All Sri Lankans, irrespective of their ethnic, religious or political affiliations, should stand as one against all international conspiracies that would undermine the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the country. If we are united, we could defeat all odds.