26.3.2008
The
clandestine affairs of the Global Peace Support Group
in UK masquerading as peace activists are coming to light
as their International seminar held in London recently,
had permitted only pro-LTTE people in to the premises
and prevented other participants from entering the building
at the University of East London on March 22nd.
According to Nesan Shankar Raji, Senior Leader of EROS,
British member of Parliament Stephen Timms, who was present
at the seminar saw the treatment meted out to the non-LTTE
participants and left the seminar immediately. Members
of Eelavar Democratic Front (EDF), R Jayadevan of the
Tamil Democratic Congress and several people who had tried
to be present were rudely told to go away. MP Stephen
Timms was alarmed and shocked and immediately came outside
the building to meet the people who were denied access
to the event by the pro-LTTE organizers. This event had
now exposed the treacherous activities going on under
the pretext of fighting for peace.
Here
is Nesan Shankar Raji, Senior Leader of EROS's report
to Asian Tribune:
I
am writing this article in response to the two day International
seminar on ‘Ethnic Conflict in Sri Lanka’
on 22nd and 23rdMarch 2008 held at the University of East
London organized by the Global Peace Support Group -UK.
When
I initially heard about this seminar taking place in London
after being approached by my party’s co-ordinator,
I decided to contact the organisers Global Peace Support
Group -UK and book a place representing my party the Eelavar
Democratic Front (EDF).
I
felt that as EROS has played a vital role in the politics
of Sri Lanka since 1975 and was a major player in the
implementation of the Indo-Lanka Accord in 1987, it was
necessary that I attend representing our organization.
I spoke to two of the organizers well in advance of the
seminar namely Mr K.P. Nathan and Mr S. Balasundaram.
I gave them my contact details and was informed that I
will be notified in writing as to whether I would be permitted
to attend the event or not which I believed to be unusual.
After
a couple of days having not received any invitation letter
from the Global Peace Support Group –UK, I decided
to speak with the organizers once again. I contact Mr
K.P. Nathan and was passed over to Mr S. Balasundaram
who informed me that a seat had been reserved for me to
attend the seminar on either Saturday 22nd or Sunday 23rd
March 2008.
The
organizers of “Global Peace Support Group –UK”
had initially faced serious difficulties in holding the
event as the Vice Chancellor of University of East London
which had hired out the venue intervened to cancel the
hall bookings following some serious representations to
him by the University’s Sri Lankan students, academic
staff and ordinary residents in London from the Sri Lankan
Tamil Diaspora.
After
learning about this, I spoke to a local MP Rt. Hon. Stephen
Timms, Member of Parliament for East Ham, London and was
informed by him that this event was an open-seminar for
everybody to attend, as he was assured by the event organizers
that this seminar was not pro-LTTE. I informed Mr Stephen
Timms that it was my intension to attend the seminar representing
the Eelavar Democratic Front (EDF) and I was informed
that there wouldn’t be any problems and should there
be any issues to call him immediately on his mobile.
After
my discussions with the MP, I then proceeded to inform
and ask all Sri Lankan Tamil community representatives,
including Mr R. Jayadevan of the Tamil Democratic Congress
and several others to register and attend the seminar
with me. Their initial reaction was “no” as
they all had reservations about attending the seminar
organized by the Global Peace Support Group –UK,
as the event was being seen as a pro-LTTE seminar. I assured
them after speaking to MP Stephen Timms that there should
be no problems in attending the seminar and this was an
open seminar for everyone to attend, subject to registration.
All
attendee’s that I had encouraged to attend the seminar
were either asked to register by e-mailing to the e-mail
ID published in the Uktamilnews.com website or by contacting
the event organizers and register, which I believe they
all did.
On
the 22nd of March 2008, when I arrived at the building
with Mr R Jayadevan and others we were confronted by S.
Karunalingam of Tharisanam TV, C. Sithamparapillai of
an organisation known as TRAG and S. Balasundaram, one
of the seminars main co-ordinators and unprofessional
non-SIA (Security Industry Authority) licensed security
guards and prevented us from entering into the building.
I
informed the organizers that I was an invited guest and
so were Mr R. Jayadevan and several others. I was not
permitted to speak to MP Stephen Timms who was inside
the building foyer. I had to resort to contacting MP Stephen
Timms on his mobile phone and informing him of our dilemma
in not being allowed to enter into the building and the
fact that Mr Jayadevan and several other members from
human rights and other organizations were not being permitted
to enter into the building which was contradictory to
what we were informed by him earlier.
MP
Stephen Timms was alarmed and shocked and immediately
came outside the building to meet us. I and Mr Jayadevan
explained the situation to the MP and the organizers.
The event organizers then proceeded to accuse me and others
of working for the Sri Lanka Government and being their
agents which we strenuously denied. After learning that
their false accusations were getting them no where, I
was given authorization to enter into the building as
my name, political party and details were already registered
on the guest list.
I
chose not to go inside the building as Mr R. Jayadevan
and several others were not permitted to enter the venue.
In principle, because I had asked them to register and
come to the event and the fact that they were prevented
from attending led me to believe that this seminar was
purely pro-LTTE and it therefore would have been unfair
and unjustifiable for me to attend. I informed MP Stephen
Timms and the organisers accordingly and left the building
along with Mr Jayadevan and others.
I
was informed later that MP Stephen Timms did not give
his speech at the seminar in protest and principle over
our treatment by the Global Peace Support Group –UK,
the events organizers. MP Stephen Timms was clearly mislead
by the events organizers and was clearly upset and unimpressed
with the organizers over the whole sorry episode. It is
now clear that the function was held by the intolerant
LTTE campaigners. This is the same predicament faced by
many hundreds of thousands of Tamil civilians suffering
in Sri Lanka and this is why the Sri Lankan Government
is taking effective measures to arrest the situation in
our country.
As
a result of this weekend unfortunate saga, it has attracted
various news stories and this is why I have decided to
set the record straight. I appeal to the “Global
Peace Support Group –UK” to learn from this
unfortunate episode and permit all peace loving Sri Lankan’s
regardless of whether they are Tamil, Tamil-Muslim or
Sinhalese to attend future seminars without showing any
resentment.
Only
when we all put our differences aside and have the humility
to accommodate diverse opinions, can we honestly resolve
the crisis that has plundered our country out of peace
and democracy for decades. Our people duly deserve a peaceful
life and a prosperous future and it is up to us to resolve
this diplomatically with an open heart. We owe this to
our people and to our nation.
Nesan
Shankar Raji, Senior Leader of EROS, Eelavar Democratic
Front (EDF)
Courtesy
Asian Tribune