By Lucien Rajakarunanayake Courtesy The Island

The hangers-on of the Eelam Tigers were there as expected; and so was Freedom there to be trod upon. ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Some of the Freedoms of Democracy were to used, manipulated, and directed to the destruction of the same freedoms that empower there users. ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ That is what happened in London last Wednesday, as the British were winding up their Regal Bash to celebrate the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II.

There is hardly a cause for surprise at what took place near Mansion House that day, and from earlier near the Hilton Plaza Hotel. No one expected the foreign based rump of the LTTE ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” the most ruthless terrorist organization in the world (courtesy US State Department) ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” to be silent on those days. They had a target and more than one purpose. The target was Mahinda Rajapaksa, President of Sri Lanka, who gave the political leadership to the defeat of the LTTEƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s terror in Sri Lanka. One of their purposes was to muzzle the Sri Lankan leader, by preventing in from addressing the Diamond Jubilee Commonwealth Business Forum at Mansion House. ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ 

Another purpose of these marauders of democratic freedom was to show the world that they still had a voice to be heard, however shrill, strident, blaring, antagonistic, and misleading it may be. ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ But democracy allows for even worse, and it is in order and keeping with democracy, even the now capitalist soiled democracy that is sought to be thrust on the world by the west, that is scared to see it work in their countries, for such voices to be heard.

But there were other purposes too, evident from what took place last Wednesday in London, and less than two years ago, in November 2010, ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ also in London UK, at the land that is known as the Mother of Parliaments, ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ but is fast losing much of its maternal guidance on the observance of parliamentary democracy. ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ A clear and undisguised purpose of the Tamil tiger mobs on the streets of London on both these occasions was also the denial of the Freedom of Speech and Expression, to one person who represents a nation. It was the denial of a core principle of Democracy to a one who had one both occasions come to the UK at the invitation of ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ responsible personalities and institutions, and the knowledge of both the Foreign and Home Offices.

On the first occasion, in November 2010, the invitation was from the prestigious Oxford Union, and the purpose to address its members on developments in Sri Lanka, which may certainly not be to the liking of the pro-LTTE demonstrators, and even may others who did not bother to demonstrate. But, it is a point of view and the substance of a policy that has succeeded in defeating terrorism and is now being discussed and debated in various fora in the world. ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ 

On this second occasion of blatant pro-tiger, anti-democratic and vengeful protest by the “Pulathup Puligal” or “Diaspora tigers” as they now describe themselves, the invitation to visit the UK was to attend the official celebrations of the Diamond Jubilee of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, and also to make the keynote address on economic affairs at the “Diamond Jubilee Commonwealth Economic Forum” organized by the Commonwealth Business Council.

The Pulathup Puligal or any other tigers, wherever they may be in the world, may be celebrating their success in this move to muzzle Mahinda Rajapaksa. There is no surprise at this joy because it is entirely in keeping with the ideology of separatist terror under which these ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢Diaspora Tigers” were nurtured up for nearly three decades, under a ruthless leader named Velupillai Prabhakaran, who did not leave room ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ for any dissent or rival voice to be heard. The protests that are aimed at ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ silencingƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  different opinion, however disagreeable it may be from what one holds, is part of the dictatorial tradition of the Eelamists, who ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ were seeking t establish a separate ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Eelam ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ or Tami state in ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ large parts of Sri Lanka.

The bigger surprise is how the organizers of the two events where the tiger muzzlers had their way, were so ready to give in to their threats, lacking any courage of conviction in the democratic right of free speech and expression involved, and the emerging threat to these freedoms by the actions of these single-minded, dissent rejecting, terrorism supporting protestors.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ 

The office bearers of the Oxford Union and the organizers of the Commonwealth Economic Forum were aware that the UK Police, the Metropolitan Police last Wednesday and the Oxford Police in November 2010, assured protection for the events, threatened by the pro-LTTErs, but thought I better to cancel them. These give genuine cause for concern whether the events were planned to serve the cause of the anti-democratic aims of the Pulathup Puligal and thereby to humiliate the Head of State of Sri Lanka. Whether they were thought of by some in these organisations to put feathers of the caps of pro-LTTE protestors, with no regard to be cost for democracy itself, is a fair question that is now being asked.

Yes, the Pulathup Puligal have won another round in their moves to muzzle Mahinda Rajapaksa in the UK. But, through their victory, they have twice badly tarnished the image of democracy, and raised many questions about the quality of democracy and its freedoms in the Mother of Parliaments. ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ 

In a society that is facing ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ major economic difficulties, just as the entire European Union does due to the prevailing euro zone crisis; ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ such threats to democracy can portend ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ much bigger dangers ahead. ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ There are already many social analysts who see dangers of social uprisings as the crisis worsens and contagion takes place. For those who remain silent in the face of the threats to the freedom of democracy, especially the right to Freedom of Speech and Expression and the Right to Dissent, it could not be long before the example of these marauders of democracy is followed by others in wider a context on ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ issues that directly affect the larger British people.

The Freedom of Assembly that is entrenched in the rights of the people in a democracy is not the only freedom with which the freedoms of speech and expression are linked or protected. This freedom should also be preserved in others contexts too, even when they are threatened to a visitor to oneƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s land. ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ The freedoms so democracy should also go with the courtesies of civilization and good thinking. The Pulathup Puligal, have soiled the Union Jack which they waved with such vigour in London, with the contempt and hatred for the Freedoms of Democracy the British standard is said to uphold.

The pro-LTTE Tamils in the UK are obviously to give Britain a new name ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” the Mother of all Muzzling ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” fully in keeping with their dreamland of Eelam. The Mother of Parliaments may have some cause for worry.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚