17.5.2008
Sri
Lankan High Commissioner in Australia K. Balapatabendi,
PC made a convincing case for proscribing the LTTE in
Australia. In a well argued brief sent to the Australian
government he stated that the recently concluded elections
to the Provincial Council in the East where the LTTE held
sway for decades showed that the people have rejected
terrorism.
He
added "The results of the elections to the Eastern
Provincial Council distinctly show the peoples endorsement
of the Government's policy of restoring democracy and
bringing normalcy to areas that were suppressed by the
terrorists during the last three decades."
He
concluded that "The Sinhalese, Muslims and the Tamils
together voted overwhelmingly for the Government despite
violent attempts by the LTTE targeting innocent civilians,
attacking ships carrying food, medicine and other essential
items to the Northern and Eastern Provinces. In spite
of all hindrances, the people have categorically rejected
separatism and terrorism. A total number of 591,676 (65.78%)
voters exercised their franchise to elect the Provincial
Council for the Eastern Province."
Here
is the full text of Ambassador Balapetabendi'd appeal
to the Australian government'
I
has have the honor to keep you informed of the significant
developments in Sri Lanka in sequel to the Provincial
Council Elections of the Eastern Province held for the
first time in accordance with the 13th Amendment to the
Constitution enacted in 1987 particularly in the context
of the on-going conflict perpetrated by the LTTE terrorists.
he added "The results of the elections to the Eastern
Provincial Council distinctly show the peoples' endorsement
of the Government's policy of restoring democracy and
bringing normalcy to areas that were suppressed by the
terrorists during the last three decades.
The
President of Sri Lanka having liberated the people of
the Eastern Province by defeating the terrorists, took
urgent steps to develop the Eastern Province rapidly to
benefit those people who suffered for over three decades
and sought to give them the democratic rights they were
denied for the last three decades and as a first step
held the Local Government elections and gave the power
to the people to elect their own representatives by ballet.
The next step was to grant the people of the Eastern Province
the right to govern their Province in accordance with
the provisions of the Constitution of the Republic of
Sri Lanka and held the Elections to the Provincial Council
of the Eastern Province covering 3 Districts, Trincomalee,
Batticaloa and Ampara, on the 10th May 2008. The results
of the elections to the Eastern Provincial Council distinctly
show the peoples endorsement of the Government's policy
of restoring democracy and bringing normalcy to areas
that were suppressed by the terrorists during the last
three decades.
President
Mahinda Rajapaksa in his statement following the successful
conclusion of this first election to the Eastern Provincial
Council said that "this election is another important
milestone in the Government" policy of restoring
democratic rights to the people in areas once dominated
by the LTTE and of ensuring democracy throughout the island".
He stated that voters of the Eastern Province who participated
in this election in a very peaceful and orderly manner
have demonstrated their interest in protecting democratic
rights. He further stated that "this election emphasizes
the policy of the Government to create an environment
in which all our people could enjoy democratic rights
and live in freedom and harmony. The people of the East
have given a clear mandate for peace through the defeat
of terrorism, the strengthening of democracy and the development
of the country" He reiterated that the representatives
of the people chosen in this peaceful election represent
the will of the people, and that he looks forward to their
cooperation in the country's march to strengthen and widen
democracy throughout the country and for assistance in
the tasks already initiated to develop the Eastern Province".
The
election to the Provincial Council was contested by the
United People's Freedom Alliance (UPFA - (Government),
the United National Party (UNP - (Opposition), the People's
Liberation Front (pro-Marxists) several Tamil political
parties and several independent groups. The UPFA (government)
recorded a historic victory in this first ever Provincial
Council Election securing 20 seats out of 37 seats on
offer, polling 51.2I% of the total votes. The UNP (Opposition)
obtained 42.38% of the total votes receiving 15 seats
while the People's Liberation Front (Pro Marxist) obtained
1.59% with one member elected, while the Tamil Democratic
National Alliance received 1.30 percent and one seat,
the Eelam People's Democratic: Paw received 0.92 percent
and did not win a single seat and all others received
less than one per cent.
The
United People's Freedom Alliance {Government) secured
308,886 votes while the UNP (Opposition) secured 250,732
votes, People's Liberation Front {Pro-Marxists) secured
9,390 votes and the Tamil Democratic National Alliance
secured 7,714 votes. A notable feature of this election
is that all the LTTE backed parties and racially oriented
political parties did not even get one per cent of the
votes.
The
large turn over for the election in a very peaceful manner
demonstrated the, keenness and interest of the people
of the Eastern Province who have been yearning for liberation
and emancipation to achieve democratic rights which they
had lost due to suppression by the LTTE terrorists. The
final results of the Eastern Provincial Council election
of 10th May 2008 is a positive mandate of the people's
will and their vision for the future as declared by H.E.
the President.
The
Sinhalese, Muslims and the Tamils together voted overwhelmingly
for the Government despite violent attempts by the LTTE
targeting innocent civilians, attacking ships carrying
food, medicine and other essential items to the Northern
and Eastern Provinces. In spite of all hindrances, the
people have categorically rejected separatism and terrorism.
A total number of 591,676 (65.78%) voters exercised their
franchise to elect the Provincial Council for the Eastern
Province.
This
election has been declared by all foreign monitoring institutions
that were on the spot as a peaceful and orderly conducted
election.
Thirty
years of terrorism perpetrated by the LTTE demanding a
separate state for themselves in the North and the East
have resulted only in the devastation of the North and
East with escalation of killing of a large number of reputed
Tamil leaders, the last in April this year, of Hon. Jeyaraj
Fernandopulle, Senior Minister of the Cabinet and Chief
Government Whip, beginning with many Tamil leaders such
as Alfred Thuraiappa, Mayor of Jaffna, Hon. Amidhalingam,
President of the Tamil United Liberation Front, M.R. for
Jaffna and Leader of the Opposition of Sri Lanka Parliament,
Dr. Neelam Thivuchelvarn, President's Counsel, Eminent
Jurist and M.P. representing the Tamils, Hon. Lakshman
Kadirgamar, prominent Tamil from Jaffna, one time President
of Oxford Union, Barrister and renowned international
figure and former Foreign Minister of Sri Lanka for nearly
10 years.
You
would recall my previous appeal addressed to Your Excellency
as to "why the Government sought to abrogate the
Ceasefire Agreement" which was a dead letter with
no benefit to the people or the country except the Terrorists
to procure arms, consolidate their strength and kill a
large number of innocent civilians and their political
opponents. The strength of the LTTE Ties not in their
man power which is around 5,000 but in the funds raised
illegally around the world. It is regrettable to note
that the Government of Sri Lanka is being sometimes criticized
by International Institutions alleging violations of human
rights for which the Government is not directly responsible,
as terrorism of LTTE is the cause of violence En Sri Lanka.
You
would also recall my reference in the previous appeal
to you that the President Mahinda Rajapaksa has already
declared, on the recommendation of the All Party Representatives
Committee, of 13 out of the 14 political parties in Parliament,
to commence negotiations based on the 13th Amendment to
the Constitution of the Republic of Sri Lanka which is
an extract from the Indian Constitution introduced after
the Indo-Sri Lanka Accord signed by Sri Rajiv Gandhi,
former Prime Minister of India, who was also assassinated
by the LTTE, for proposing a solution to end the conflict.
In
the above circumstances, it is my earnest appeal to the
Government of Australia to seriously consider banning
the LTTE in Australia as done by more than 30 other countries
including UK, US, Canada, India and EU. I believe there
is sufficient evidence to do so as the Government has
already instituted action in Courts. The Tamils of the
Eastern Province of Sri Lanka have not only rejected the
LTTE terrorists but have also rejected Separatism and
categorically declared their will far democracy and unity
with all other communities to live in harmony as one nation.
The demand of the LTTE for a separate state (EELAM) and
their continuing violence and terrorist activities are
to capture not only the two provinces Northern and Eastern
out of the nine Provinces of Sri Lanka alleging that it
is their homeland but also vast extents from other Provinces,
This demand is totally unsustainable as the majority of
the Tamil people as much as 60% now live outside the Eastern
and Northern Provinces. They live quite comfortably, in
total harmony with others, Sinhalese and Muslims, in the
South of Sri Lanka. Their struggle is to capture one third
of the land mass of the island which is in extent 65,000
sq, km. Sri Lanka has a population of 20 million people.
It is smaller than Tasmania. It is well known that of
the 11.9% Tamil population of Sri Lanka, at least one
third of them are living in foreign countries such as
US, UK, Canada, Europe, Australia etc. Of the balance
nearly 60% live outside the Northern and Eastern Provinces
and the peace loving Tamils are regularly moving out of
the North to the South, for protection and comfortable
living. Their demand for a separate state is baseless,
unreasonable and illogical. In the process of ethnic cleansing
they killed and ejected all Muslims and all the Sinhalese
who lived for decades in the Northern Province at the
very beginning of the struggle. It is therefore, our fervent
hope that the International Community will take serious
notice of this situation and enforce appropriate measures
to prevent the LlTE continuing violence and terrorist
action utilizing funds illegally raised by their front
organizations in many countries including Australia. Banning
the LlTE will help to eradicate terrorism globally and
for creation of a peaceful world. Unquote:
Yours
sincerely,
K.
Balapatabendi, PC
High
Commissioner
Courtesy -Asian
Tribune