CLASSIFIED | POLITICS | TERRORISM | OPINION | VIEWS

Open letter to US Ambassador Jeffrey Lunstead

Vish Dias Abeygunawardena

Dear Ambassador:

It is incredible that you want Sri Lanka to radically change its form of governance so that we could accommodate known terrorists. Coming from a high ranking officer of the US government, that is indeed laughable.

Yours’ is a country that invaded a sovereign nation – Iraq – in the guise of eliminating a terrorist threat to your own country, but will not help Sri Lanka respond adequately to terrorism that originates within its own borders and threatens its territorial integrity.

If this is not hypocrisy I do not know what else it could mean. It is true that Sri Lanka needs to find a peaceful method to accommodate all of its citizens within a constitution that respects the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the country.

However, as your President George Bush has demonstrated nobody should cower to terrorists and pull their pants down to accommodate their every wish. Sri Lanka needs the help of the US in dealing effectively with Tamil Tiger terrorists who are indiscriminately killing and maiming people of all nationalities to satisfy their narrow agendas.

As a country that incessantly talks about democracy and the need to stamp out all forms of terrorism, your country has failed miserably in helping an impoverished nation get back to implementing its democratic ideals in a way that would satisfy the constitutional rights of all citizens.

The US is in a unique situation to help Sri Lanka stamp out terrorism for ever and to help us reform our democratic institutions to respond to the legitimate grievances of some minorities. Rather than play a constructive role in a future of peace and prosperity for all in Sri Lanka, you have failed miserably during your tenure by being grandiloquent in rhetoric but anemic in response to the problems of this country.

It is quite ironic that you say that your stay in Colombo has been disappointing. I and many others would completely agree. You have been a complete disappointment to this country.

BACK TO LATEST NEWS

DISCLAIMER