Shenali D Waduge

Is it because the British British don’t go to vote that all these British MPs go wooing immigrants for votes? Or is there some other reasons not made public! Hot on the heels of the Labor Leaders pro-terrorist sponsored speech is one delivered by former PM David Cameron. He has been careful to omit mullaivaikkal” tens of thousands dead” and the usual mumbo jumbo in prepared scripts given to foreign MPs. Nevertheless, Cameron who has visited Sri Lanka on personal & business visits during the past few years has unceremoniously omitted mention of the Sinhalese community in Sri Lanka who have also contributed to the British economy. This is a major affront even for a sponsored speech!

Cut the Bull on Human Rights” Song by Rukshan Perera / late Sunil Perera & Sohan (a must listen song)

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Clearly the team that prepared David Cameron’s sponsored script & the team that prepared the Labor Leaders sponsored script differ in many ways. While the former showed restraint in use of words & facts, those who wrote the Labor Leaders script were like bulls in a China shop and left nothing to the imagination but openly showed empathy for LTTE dead. Cameron’s speech on the other hand was well thought out, careful marshalling of words & left arguments only in interpretation. So bravo to team Cameron’s script writers!

We certainly agree. Give the devil his due they say. But, what about the Sinhala community living in the UK, have they not qualified for these golden sentiments expressed above?

For what purpose was this speech made?

Does it mean the Sinhala community have to chip in & sponsor a speech praising them along the same lines too?

Is this all part of election campaign democracy”?

Nothing to be surprised about sponsored scripts as it targets only a particular audience. It is noteworthy that aspirations” are mentioned. Aspirations are like promises – never fulfilled and differ from person to person. Similarly, aspirations are not rights & just to reiterate separating Sri Lanka is an aspiration but not a right!

We must highlight this part of his speech. Notice no mention of genocide” war crimes” mullaivaikkal” tens of thousands of deaths” and more importantly he states ‘armed conflict”. This is a far cry from the bogus use of ethnic conflict” as the national army was fighting with a non-state armed group. By virtue of LTTE killing even Tamils, it disqualifies the use of ethnic conflict”. It is unfortunate that no post-LTTE government has thought fit to correct this simple fact. If his thoughts are also with the killed & disappeared it would and should also include the 5000 missing soldiers of the national army who have names & IDs unlike the numbers being plucked from the air as being killed. Also David Cameron may like to get the UK police to filter all the asylum seekers and refugees & investigate how many of them fled to UK from Sri Lanka to qualify as missing” or disappeared” some of these end up on international reports with new names & living in the UK & contributing no doubt to the British economy! Mr. Cameron may also like to ask Scotland Yard to investigate that nurse called Adele living in the UK & personal trainer of child soldiers from 1980s to late 1990s. She not only trained children to kill but also trained them to commit suicide. How about some accountability for these crimes too!

Oh we remember this trip very well. Maybe he also remembers refusing to sign the nation’s guest book or accept the welcome on arrival & then dashing off to Jaffna. Camerons behavior was a stark contrast to then Prince Charles now King of England. Prince Charles was happy to be greeted by the traditional ayubowan” welcome and was polite enough to speak to all present. While mourning all those killed, Cameron didn’t even remember the names of the 3 Britishers LTTE killed in 1986. Many were to say that 2013 visit was of a Prince (Charles) & a Punk (Cameron). Just to jog Camerons memory!

Britain’s moral audit doesn’t give much scope to be pointing fingers! From colonial crimes to becoming America’s poodle in illegal invasions is nothing to really brag about. Exactly what is this transitional justice, another hobby horse so a bunch of people can get jobs & go poking fingers into other nations! When these so-called human rights champions cannot even define terrorism or a terrorist and one’s terrorist becomes another freedom fighter – what transitional justice!

Speaking of diplomatic breakthroughs we can recall UK envoy Gladstone being unceremoniously packed back to London by President Premadasa for interfereing in local elections and successive UK envoys have all been interfering in the internal affairs of Sri Lanka too.

David Cameron since his departure as PM has visited Sri Lanka several times. He arrived in 2023 on a personal visit. He was also in Sri Lanka to promote the Colombo Port City – no wonder he says Sri Lanka’s extraordinary potential”, its big business for him!

Shenali D Waduge