Opinion:

INGOs should never be allowed to 'buy' evidence

By K.M.H.C.B. Kulatunga

The Tamil Diaspora, the LTTE rump and some of the Western countries which conspire against Sri Lanka have their own ways of putting their agendas in motion. They try out different strategies from time to time to achieve their goals at any cost.

They have often used our own people to take their message across, tarnish our own image and bring our motherland in to disrepute.

The Tamil Diaspora, the LTTE rump and those Western countries know that there is more weight in using a Sri Lankan to echo their voice than doing by themselves.

When a Sri Lankan says that there is no freedom and human rights, there is more credibility.

If they could use a prominent local figure to make that voice, it is even more credible. Imagine the credibility if they could use a former President of the country to pamper the Western agenda and make a sweeping statement on the eve of the Geneva vote!

Timing

Perhaps, the motive behind the sweeping statement made by former President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga could well be such pampering on the eve of the Geneva vote for the US-led resolution against Sri Lanka at the UNHRC.

What baffles all of us and makes it an obvious move to cushion the Geneva move is the timing of Kumaratunga's letter.

The timing of her letter, with an abundance of generalisation, is intended to synchronise with the wholly unfair allegations against Sri Lanka being levelled by international forces in Geneva and elsewhere in the West today.

Her allegations of harassment through illegal surveillance are just the stuff the godfathers of the UNHRC resolution against Sri Lanka have dreamt of. Many allegations made by her in the letter against the Government, the Police and Intelligence Services of this country, are lacking in even a shred of proof to justify such charges of a serious nature.

None of these accusations stands the test of authenticity for lack of evidence regarding both persons and places, as well as date and time.

During the decades of LTTE terrorism several irrigation tanks in the North and the East were destroyed. Here a tank in the North being reconstructed by the Government. (File photo)

It is regrettable that the absence of such necessary details to substantiate the allegations she makes, gives the impression that these are more imaginary than actual, raising concerns about the seriousness of her complaints.

Allegations

Although the former President makes a number of allegations about the violation of her privacy, causing harassment to her, raising concerns about her personal safety, as well as, violation of her fundamental rights and impinging on her freedom of movement and association, there is a total lack of substance to warrant such allegations.

In short, what is set out is seen as a litany of generalities, marked for being vague and unauthenticated.

The patriotic and peace-loving people of the country would never think even in their wildest dreams that there is any truth whatsoever in the charges made by her about violation of her fundamental rights to movement and association, as well as the charges of violation of her your privacy.

It is the bounden duty of the Government to ensure these freedoms to all citizens, including Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga who is a former Executive President of the country.

Her allegations are mere imaginations. If not, she would have sent a script written in the West. There is no need for the Government to surveillance of her telephone and e-mail communications, and of her residences in Colombo and Horagolla. Even if a nation-wide surveillance will be made in the best interests of national security, she could be exempted as a VVIP.

Even if she is not exempted as nobody is above the law, she need not worry as far as she doesn't have any raw deals with INGOs. A few weeks ago, Kumaratunga began making a big hue and cry over religious reconciliation under the patronage of a NGO she heads.

Doubt

We all know that these ideas have been injected by the interested parties in the West through their INGOs. Kumaratunga could not be any exception. There is a reasonable doubt that she is playing into the hands of the anti-Sri Lankan elements in the West. If not she would never have made such allegation at this juncture - a week away from the UNHRC vote for the US-led Resolution against Sri Lanka.

She had made sweeping statements about NIB officers visiting and interrogating the management of hotels she has visited, reporting on who attends such meetings with her, and the alleged fear among hotel managements to the point of her being unable to arrange personal events at hotels. Unfortunately, those are wild allegations which have not been supported by any evidence of time, place or persons.

None of those accusations stands the test of authenticity for lack of evidence regarding both persons and places, as well as date and time. It is regrettable that the absence of such necessary details to substantiate the allegations she make, gives the impression that these are more imaginary than actual, raising concerns about the seriousness of her complaints.

Kumaratunga would never have thought some of the allegations would boomerang on her. We could well remember who she ran the country for 11 long years - the worst since independence! She seems to be eating her own words in making wild allegations on so-called white vans - a term which the self-appointed gold fathers of human rights have often used.

Image

The most surprising is her reference to the "context of a culture of white vans". Being the Head of State in that miserable era which took the country's economy to a near collapse, Kumaratunga should know better that such a "culture" arose before her presidency, and even continued during her entire tenure as the President until November 2005.

Is she blind to see the landmark achievements since terrorism was defeated five years ago? President Mahinda Rajapaksa's political leadership was the key to Sri Lanka's success in defeating terrorism though the immense sacrifices of the Security Forces. It was during her time that thousands of soldiers and policemen perished as there was no clear political leadership to the Security Forces. The Government has defeated the terrorism that caused so much violence and bloodshed and as a result, the white vans too are not any part of the political culture of the country. Only those who are keen to tarnish the image of this country abroad to suit the agenda of forces abroad that are ranged against this country could now talk about those white vans. We wonder Kumaranatunga is one of them.

Unlike during her time, political and other social leaders who oppose the policies of the present Government are clearly seen to be active today. The masses are enjoying the rich dividends of peace and all communities are living in perfect peace and harmony.

We now observe Catholic priests serving alms to Maha Sanga or making Vesak decorations. Similarly we often come across Bhikkus taking part in Hindu, Islamic and Christian religious events. We don't need Kumaratunga's NGO or her pontification on religious coexistence.

That was a mere Western conspiracy to rob our hard-earned peace. As a former President of the country, Kumaratunga has been detailed with an official security unit. It remains the duty of the Police Service to ensure her safety at public places. This is a standard rule both here and abroad. Hence, it is unwise to be overly sensitive to what she describes as a "calculated strategy of surveillance" directed at her and her associates.

Needless to state that the Government is acutely aware of the legal provisions under the Police Ordinance with regard to the prevention of crime, and therefore assures her that these provisions are and will be fully implemented against anyone found to be violating the provisions of the law.

Letter

Could any patriotic person make such wild allegations without any concrete evidence, especially at a time the sinister international elements are targeting Sri Lanka? All what we could observe is that the timing of her letter, with an abundance of generalisation, is intended to synchronize with the wholly unfair allegations against Sri Lanka being leveled by international forces in Geneva and elsewhere in the West today.

It is still fresh in our memories how Kumaratunga made every attempt to hang on to the power by even offering PETOMs after tsunami devastation in December 2004. She was even prepared to share power with the LTTE terrorist outfit in those areas.

Only the soldiers who had served in the battlefront would know the heavy prices the Security Forces had to pay due to wrong political calculations of the Kumaratunga regime. Many camps were completely overrun by the LTTE, losing lives of thousands of soldiers and military logistics, including heavy weapons worth billions of rupees.

As a person who had experienced the bitterness of the ruthless terrorism, Kumaratunga should be grateful to President Rajapaksa for his illustrious political leadership that defeated the world's most ruthless terrorist outfit. At least, Kumaratunga should feel proud that these achievements have been experienced under a SLFP-led Government.

If she is sincere with her expressions, she should not be lavish in recognising and appreciating the landmark achievements under President Rajapaksa.

We earnestly hope that Kumaratunga would realise the bitter truth and would refrain from descending to such low ebb and tarnish our county's image in the eyes of the world. One's lust for power should never be compromised with the country's sovereignty and territorial integrity.

We should never play into the hand of our enemies. If we have a score to settle, political or otherwise, let us do among ourselves without playing into the hands of the vicious forces which are roaring to harm our motherland.

It is the duty of all Sri Lankans to show our unity to beat international conspiracies.

The INGOs should never be allowed to 'buy' evidence from here though concocted stories by spending a few bundles of dollars.