Vajiragnana Warnakulasuriya, Melbourne

To:-Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Honorable Mr. Stephen Smith
Federal Government ofƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ AustraliaƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ 
Canberra

Dear Mr. Smith,

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Refugees, IDPs and Peaceful Sri Lanka

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ The civil war that destroyed the Sri LankaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s innocent Life, Economy and Property for nearly three decades is now over. There had been no suicide bombings since May 18^th 2009. The Government is working towards an everlasting Peace throughout the Island.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ There are nearly 230,000 IDPs at various camps until a suitable environment is prepared for them to be resettled. The brutal LTTE Terrorists laid landmines almost every inch of the land on their run. As a result the defense forces had to sacrifice almost 20,000 brave soldiers lives to annihilate this brutal mob.

Sri Lanka is not a developed country that has all necessary equipment to clear the landmines. Hence its no easy task to de-mine a huge area to provide a safe environment to these IDPs, once the area is cleared of these explosives, and at least minimum infrastructure has been provided the resettling will take place in great strides. Already nearly 52,000 have been resettled within this short spaceof time (Five months)!

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ It is almost a year passed since the Victorian bushfires, the displaced families are less than 700 in all, except for a very few families majority are not yet resettled. It is nearly four years since Hurricane Katrina, yet the poor America could not resettle her citizens, there are no land mines to clear, then why the delay? Whatever the reasons maybe, strangely both these countries have all the machinery, know-how, technology, expertise and richness.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ State of Victoria in Australia one could say as the Industrial hub of Australia. The clearing of land mines is not an issue here. It is due to the correct management of the Victorian Government, whose responsibility is to provide the basic infrastructure, so that the displaced could rebuild their houses once this task is over. Patience is the key word!

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ When the refugees came to the government side having escaped from the Terrorist hold, the terroristsƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ cadres too came along with them. That itself has presented a huge task of filtering the terrorists from the innocent civilians. It is for this reason Sri Lanka, while clearing the land mines they also have to find the hidden armory so that these could not be left behind for a later day resurrection of Terrorists.

Due to the vastness and ruggedness of the thick jungles and the habitable land where these are buried it takes time to finish the job. If this task is not completed, the agents of the Terrorist organizations that are still operating in the West with their blessing, may encourage the remaining LTTE cadres restart the movement! The latest being the Transnational Government Of LTTE Expatriates. They will try not rest till they get their pound of Flesh!

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ The IDPs in camps are much safer and well looked after than they were under the terrorist leaders regime. They need not fear of their children being abducted anymore to be converted to child soldiers. In fact these child soldiers are now being rehabilitated and given access to a good Education, which they lacked for three decades.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Under the prevailing conditions in Sri Lanka no country needs to entertain refugee status to any one from Sri Lanka. There is no reason to waste the taxpayersƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ money on these ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-Economic MigrantsƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ It is sad to see, while the Government of Sri Lanka is doing all these changes to absorb the misguided Citizens of her to the mainstream citizens, the West is still stubborn and believe the distorted sob stories of the LTTE agents who lobbied successfully to win the hearts and minds of the West. Unfortunately, the Sri Lankan Foreign Missions failed miserably to counter these myths.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Even though Foreign missions failed, the Patriotic Sri Lankans all over the Globe made an attempt to Educate the West of the fallacies presented to them by the LTTE agents. Is it the lucrative payroll or Party subscriptions that keeps them blind to the Truth?ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ 

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Sri Lankan administration disproved all allegations leveled at the Government and the gallant soldiers at every opportunity. Now it is time for everyone to give a helping hand to her or leave her alone to mind her Citizens to usher an everlasting Peace in the passage of time. And that wonƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢t be far off!

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Yours Sincerely,

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Vajiragnana Warnakulasuriya,
Melbourne