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..and how we have unwittingly helped misinformation...
Brainwashed Brits sing for their thosai
by Foxwatch
Courtesy
The Island 27-05-2007
If there were any doubts that Great Britain has degenerated into Little
England, the debate of the misinformed in the House of Commons should
have laid them to rest.
Singing for Their Thosai
It was not only the sheer number of factual errors and misjudgements
ringing through the hallowed portals of the House that was surprising.
It was the growing realisation, as the proceedings went on, that the
Labour members who spoke, all of whom admitted they were speaking on
behalf of their Tamil constituents, were faithfully regurgitating LTTE
propaganda, in return for votes and possibly retainers.
Brainwashed
One of the occupational risks run by MPs pandering to well-heeled foreign
constituents who command block votes is that conscience and judgment
fly out of the window. Being ignorant of the enormity of LTTE terrorism
in Sri Lanka, and having neither the time nor the inclination to make
an independent assessment, MPs come to rely entirely on the stories
fed to them by their constituent/controllers. When these constituent/controllers
are sophisticated supporters of the LTTE, the probability of mass brainwashing
is high. Certain catch phrases and distortions, which echoed the idiom
of the LTTE, confirm the success of the brainwashing.
Action!
Batting for the LTTE, the Brit MPs ask for the moon. Specifically,
= The UK should remove the ban on the LTTE "[to remove one grievance
that contributes to the conflict" and "so that all parties
(unnamed) could discuss peace"];
= The UK should persuade all parties to re-commit to the CFA;
= The GOSL should show its commitment to peace by withdrawing to the
positions at the CFA of 2002;
=The Army should "quit people's houses" [HSZ] and pay
compensation.
= A9 must be reopened, immediately, permanently and
unconditionally;
= The UK should reconsider supplying arms to GOSL;
= The UK should stop all aid to Sri Lanka;
= the UK should press for a UN human rights monitoring mission;
= Sri Lanka should look at the Northern Ireland peace process as an
example.
Certificates
The MPs bestow certificates on the LTTE's partners in villainy. So
we hear that
= UN agencies and ICRC have done "selfless work";
= "Our Norwegian friends have done a tremendous job";
=USA, EU, UK, Japan and India also deserve praise.
Sob Stories
Some comical sob stories also surfaced:
=There was a dirty tricks campaign against the LTTE, especially about
the petrol station credit card scam.
= An MP's Tamil friends are "agonisingly hurt" by the allegations
of a terrorist funding scam through petrol stations.
Hail to the Tamil Vote Bank
Flowery tributes were paid to the Tamil diaspora on whose votes the
MPs depend:
= The TRO [LTTE front] and White Pigeon [TRO front] are doing much charitable
work.
=Tamil constituents run petrol stations, convenience shop, have roles
in the NHS, and have expertise in IT. [No mention of the petrol station
scam with IT expertise.]
Holy Cows
Some holy cows of LTTE propaganda were voiced, sometimes garbled.
= "Sri Lanka has a history of absolute discrimination with the
minority being oppressed by the majority ever since independence."
=No one can win the war.
=People can be kept happy only if they are given power and self-government.
=One man's terrorist is another man's freedom fighter.
= EU proscription will weaken monitoring mission (sic);
= The only solution for human rights problem is a UN human rights monitoring
mission.
Sources
It became clear that the primary sources of information (or misinformation)
were:
=The Tamil diaspora, who have clearly done a marvellous brainwashing
job in duping their MPs into proposing action which would facilitate
Eelam;
= The House of Commons Library. It was "an excellent paper"
from the library which induced one MP to conclude that there had been
oppression of the minorities since independence;
= The BBC, which has been supporting the LTTE from day one.
Commonsense Voices, but Outnumbered
In fairness, it must be noted that there were a handful of injections
of commonsense, all except one by Tory members, who mentioned the atrocities
of the LTTE, its record of betrayal, and doubted its interest in peace.
The sole exception was Minister Kim Howells, who said "I am much
averse to recognising the legitimacy ..of suicide bombers, murderers,
torturers and rapists." No thosai for him.
Manna From Heaven
But the overall picture would have been manna from heaven for the LTTE
diaspora, and the heroes and heroines of the debate can look forward
to plenty of thosai and other goodies in return. The total package presented
in the House was intensely damaging to Sri Lanka. Worse, the proceedings
will serve as reference material for the future.
Notorious Vaz
Fortunately for Sri Lanka, the British charge is led by Keith Vaz,
who has a colourful past and has had the honour of being investigated
by the House Standards and Privileges Committee in connection with payments
made to him for various favours. Three allegations out of eleven were
upheld, and a further two matters arose in the course of the investigation.
The Standards and Privileges Committee found he committed serious breaches
of the Code of Conduct, and contempt of the House, and recommended his
suspension from the House for one month. With Vaz's background and the
LTTE awash in funds from extortion, drug peddling, gun-running and people
smuggling, the GOSL should not hesitate to reject outright any offer
by Vaz to interfere in our affairs.
Beware Loose Cannons
Which brings us to an alarming possibility. Prospective ex-PM Blair
and ex-President Clinton will both soon have time on their hands, and
the irresistible urge to poke their noses into other people's business.
God help Sri Lanka if they thrust themselves into our imbroglio and
totally destroy whatever is left of our country.
Refutation
The distorted picture depicted to the House of Commons is easy to refute,
point by point. For instance, none of the MPs who spoke so passionately
of the CFA, A9 or the Norwegians would have set eyes on the CFA, or
known of the massive LTTE extortion on A9, or the unbelievable skulduggery
of the Norwegians.
Obstacles
Srangely, the GOSL has made matters difficult for itself by clinging
to both the CFA and the Norwegians. Any full-scale rebuttal of misperceptions
about our situation requires uninhibited exposure of the content of
the CFA and the misconduct of the Norwegians. The mystifying loyalty
to the intensely harmful CFA and the pro-LTTE Norwegians is therefore
not only wrong in itself, but also crippling when trying to counter
LTTE misinformation.
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