Insight By Sunil Kumar

February 17th ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ 2012

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ In ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  September 2012 U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Mr. Robert O BlakeƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  making an official visit to visit to Sri Lanka and undertaking a fact finding tour of the Northern Province then commended the work being done by the Government of Sri LankaƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ to uplift the living standards of the people.

HeƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  said that he found a different country in Sri Lanka than the country that existed at the time he left in Sri Lanka in May 2009 after serving as the Ambassador of the country as quoted from the Asian Tribune news site.
He has also said in the same quote that he was very pleased to hear from the Government Of Sri Lanka that it will resume their important dialogue on related matters. He has expressed hope that the report of the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission, appointed by President Mahinda Rajapaksa to look into the past mistakes and steps required to establish reconciliation among the Sri Lankan communities, will address the allegations being raised against Sri Lanka. Allegations which will continue Ad Infinitum as perverse and unsubstatiatable as they are, where neither Blake nor anyone else will realistically be able to justify themƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  based on the relatedƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  realities and what’s most surprising is that Blake has had enough first hand evidenceƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  which he seems to want to sweep under the carpet in favour of the Tamil Lobby perhaps!
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Mr Blake has also made references to the TNA as part of the dialogue and a representative link between the GOSLƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  and the needs of the Tamils in the North and East but needs to be cautioned that his presumption may have gone overboard where the TNA although being tolerated by the Government until they are in all probabilities officially disentitled to the privileges they seek as representatives of the Tamils, for very valid and proven reasonsƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ and not necessarily a legitimate link to the issue and that their past track record as blatantly openƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ supporters of Tamil TigerƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  terrorism , does not grant them the privilege
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Curiously when Mr. Blake revisited Colombo with Maria OteraƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  the US Under Secretary for Civilian Security and Democracy just recently, his tone of voice and mood seems to have changed for reasons best known to himƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  (albeit apparent to many who have monitored his direction for sometime now ) and done a right about turn suggesting that the US with him as representativeƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ would support a UNHRC resolution in Geneva to investigate Sri LankaƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ atƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ the forthcoming convention and seems to portray a ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”Jekyll and HydeƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ type of personality in the Ambassador and the related theme representing to all intents and purposes none but the continuedƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  bellyaching of disgruntled Global Tamil Diaspora apparently responded to by the likes ofƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  Mr.O Blake who has the audacity to prevaricate on the burning issue which has caused so much needless consternation for the GOSL.
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It needs to be emphasized as an endorsement to the observations of Government Representative and former Foreign Minister theƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  Hon. Rohith BogollagamaƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  whoseƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  scathing statement that ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ Mr. Robert Blake, in spite of being based in Colombo during the war had failed to appreciate rapid development made in the wake of the governmentƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s triumph over terrorism.ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ rings true to what many believe is a myopic as well as biased direction by the likes of Ambassador Blake and put into perspective by the Hon.fmr. Minister.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Towards greater emphasis of this, unlike US Under Secretary for Civilian Security for Democracy and Human Rights, Maria Otera, Ambassador Blake had been one of those fully aware of what was going on in Sri Lanka since 2003, as pointed out by fmr. Minister Bogollagama who has further said that.”Ambassador Blake knew how the GOSL bent backwards to appease the LTTE in spite of grave provocations, including the assassination of Foreign Minister Lakshman Kadirgamar and attempts on the lives of Defence Secretary, Gotabhaya Rajapaksa and Army Commander, Gen. Sarath Fonseka.”

It is now kbownƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  that Ambassador Blake had served the US mission in New Delhi as its Deputy (2003 to 2006) before taking over the mission in Colombo in early Sept. 2006 in the aftermath of the LTTE launching an all-out multi-pronged offensive targeting the SLN base at Trincomalee and the northern frontline extending from Kilali to Nargarkovil on the Vadamaratchchy east coast. ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ 

Confirmed reports also linked to th Bogollagama statement ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ reveal that, Ambassador Blake had also conveniently overlooked the LTTEƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s partnership with the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) during the war where, Ambassador Blake if he hadƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  truly executed his diplomatic duties and interpreted diplomatic cables originating from the US mission in Colombo during 2003-2009 accurately, he would know the TNA role, the former minister said. ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ The TNA had never publicly condemned the LTTE, which the party proudly categorized as the sole representatives of the Tamil speaking people, using children as cannon fodder, he said. But today, the TNA had been allowed to pursue an international war crimes inquiry at the expense of a government, which restored peace through defeating terrorism, he said.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ The continued statement of theƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  Fmr. Minister sums up what in terms of rationality and the entitlement of a Sovereign Democratic Nation is a travesty of justice and a miscarriage of the laws and entitlements of a Sovereign Nation! Observing how those wanting to haul Sri Lanka up before an international inquiry now, had remained silent when the LTTE fired mortars targeting a group of diplomats in late Feb. 2007. “What really surprised me is that Ambassador Blake had been among the diplomats targeted on that day. Did the TNA at least issue a statement condemning the attack? Did the TNA ever condemn a single LTTE attrocity?”ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  Never!

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Further pointing out emphatically the realities surrounding what has now become universally known as the intimidatory role the USƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  has chosen towards Sri Lanka to which neither the Ambassador nor the Under SecretaryƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ have offered anyƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ contradictions he has unequivocally said ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…- that it would be interesting to know whether the US Under Secretary for Civilian Security for Democracy and Human Rights, Otera had inquired into the circumstances, in which the LTTE held about 300,000 people hostage and how the TNA reacted to the catastrophic situation. “Those human rights champions werenƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢t interested at all about the civilians. They felt civilian hostages can impede military operations to such an extent that the government will give into efforts to evacuate Prabhakaran, his family and top commanders, including Pottu Amman.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ 

Had the LTTE leadership survived with the help of those pursuing an international inquiry targeting Sri Lanka, the TNA wouldnƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢t have had the clout it enjoyed today. Instead of thanking the government for giving it a fresh opportunity to serve the Tamil speaking people not only in the Northern and Eastern Provinces, but in the South as well, the TNA was making a despicable attempt to undermine the very government, which facilitated its return to national politics by eradicating terrorism. RealisticallyƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ the LTTE leadership would never have allowed the TNA to throw its weight behind Gen. Sarath Fonseka at the last presidential polls had it been evacuated to another country at the conclusion of ground fighting. The TNA joined the UNP and the JVP to field Gen. Fonseka against incumbent President Mahinda Rajapaksa at the Jan. 2009 polls.ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ losing ignominiously for their part!

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Unfortunately, the likes of Ambassador Blake, despite being conversant with the situation here (as observed by the Fmr. Minister) and knowing first hand the crisis for almost a decade, continue to express views injurious to US-Sri Lanka relations where the worthless cacophony of the TNA is a catalystƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  towards the injuries whichƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ abhorrently raises questions about the justifications of Sri LankaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s unprecedented victory over terrorism to which neither Blake and his team, nor the TNA have a right to question nor have any real privy to and have projected themselves as worthless participants in a stale and insipid debateƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  whose rhetoric is steepedƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  inƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  contradictory bias as well as, diabolical intentƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  and needs to be confronted towards the well being of Sri Lanka and dealt with effectively