 Return to LNP
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Marriage arranged, dowry denied
Monday, 11 July 2005 - 8:31 AM SL Time
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The decision by the US not to contribute money to the donors` fund has dealt a body blow to the P-TOMS (or JM). Making contributions to a fund administered by a council chaired by a terror outfit (LTTE) and located in its stronghold (Kilinochchi) is in contravention of the US Money Laundering Act and the Anti-Terrorist Financing Act of 2001 and Sections 148, 149 & 157 of Sri Lanka`s Constitution, it has been pointed out. On Thursday, Sri Lanka`s Parliament adopted a draft bill to give effect to the Convention on the Suppression of Terrorist Financing, with a majority of sixty votes.
Britain is also in two minds over the P-TOMS fund (The Island of July 09) and after the terror attacks on London it won`t be able to justify, to its tax payers, pumping money into a fund abroad administered by a terror group responsible for similar attacks on civilian targets. The EU will be hard put to support the fund in question in the wake of the London bombings. The stand of Japan on the matter is not yet known but it too will be faced with similar difficulties, as it is accountable to its tax payers for the utilisation of their hard earned money.
As for the controversial partnership between the government and the LTTE, the US was one of the matchmakers. Its moral support is what made President Kumaratunga risk even the survival of her government and sign the JM agreement thus forcing the JVP to leave the ruling coalition. Today, the government is dangling like a ripe jackfruit (Vela Gediya) with political crows pecking it incessantly and the US is refusing to contribute funds to the JM.
If the P-TOMS fund was no good, why on earth did Uncle Sam ask the Poor Lady to go hell for leather to implement it and get herself into the political soup in the process' The government claims that it drafted and revised the P-TOMS agreement, fifteen times over before it got it all WRONG! It is not possible that the US did support an agreement that it hadn`t set its eyes on.
US Embassy Spokesman Mr. Philp Frayne has given an explanation in answer to a question (The Island of July 08): The US had supported the P-TOMS because `it holds the prospect for efficient and equitable reconstruction assistance to those affected by the tsunami`. Wait a minute Mr. Frayne! This clarification is rather obfuscating! If the P-TOMS is going to ensure `efficient and equitable reconstruction assistance`, isn`t it enough reason for the US to support it financially' A worthy cause deserves that kind of assistance doesn`t it' What the US has done is like making a match and refusing the dowry after the wedding on the grounds that the bridegroom has a criminal track record and therefore cannot be trusted with money.
Nay, we are not faulting the US for its stand'which we consider a very principled one. Instead we ask: Why did it ever commit itself to supporting a partnership between a legitimate government and a terror outfit, which has had the audacity to ask the US State Department to go to hell, on being told to eschew violence' This happened in Oslo and in Tokyo and several times afterwards elsewhere.
What made the US think that the JM would ensure `efficient and equitable reconstruction assistance`' Doesn`t it know the LTTE and its front, TRO for what they really are' Here is an example for their sordid operations in the name of tsunami relief in the LTTE controlled areas. An independent academic of international repute had this to say in the Economic and Political Weekly, India recently about reconstruction and rehabilitation efforts on the other side of the iron curtain in Sri Lanka: ``85 Maruthenkerny refugee camp also accommodates tsunami affected as well as non-affected people, the latter receiving favourable treatment. Hence, the pattern emerging out of the foregoing examples is that people close to the LTTE are getting priority and favoured treatment whether affected by the tsunami or not in the LTTE-controlled areas of the North.` He goes on to say, `Semi permanent houses constructed by TRO in Kervil, Kattaidadu, and Maruthenkerny have a concrete floor (with no foundation) and concrete walls upto only three feet in height. Then it is elevated by slim iron bars with thatched roof. The door is made out of tin sheet. Whereas the semi permanent houses built by Sewa Lanka (southern-based national NGO) in Kallaru refugee camp have a stronger foundation, floor and concrete walls right up to the roof, which is thatched. Besides, they also have a wooden door. Needless to say, the tsunami-affected people in Kervil, Kattaikadu and Maruthenkerny refugee camps are not satisfied with their shoddy semi-permanent houses. The inmates doubt it would cost the TRO LKRs 45,000 for each house... Further, inmates have not been consulted at all before the construction of these semi-permanent houses. This lack of consultation with the affected people was also highlighted in the Report of Verification Mission to LTTE-controlled areas by a small group of bilateral donor representatives in February 2005.`
So much for equitableness and efficiency under the LTTE and the TRO! The US diplomats, we thought, monitored such reports and academic writings, read and analysed them, in other words did their homework properly before making crucial decisions. It looks as if they didn`t, for reasons known only to themselves.
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muniraj16
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Joined: May 2005
Posts: 1220
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11 Jul 2005 07:18:07 GMT Report for Abuse
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Kadiya,Muchalinda,magha,SpecialForces and other SLan patriots,
Please read the news article 'Barbarism has made us all Londoners' in this forum. You guys might have some great views on that.
Thanks.! |
muniraj16
Senior Member
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 1220
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11 Jul 2005 11:29:46 GMT Report for Abuse
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Now only the crap done by TRO is coming out...there were some dumb foreigners who fell for those tricks...any how US made our CBK akka look dumb to the whole world...
wonder what is she up to now...will she resign from the presidency????wonder how she faces the people who adviced her not to sign this damn thing...poor lady...
chao... |
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