 The JVP, yesterday, charged that the British government was attempting to “breath life into the now defeated LTTE” and added that the British High Commission in Colombo was paying money to a certain NGO and using its members as ‘informants’, violating normal diplomatic norms through a strategic plan costing almost Rs 400 million.
JVP general secretary Tilvin Silva alleged that the United Nations, the European Union and their affiliated bodies had long been involving themselves in the internal affairs of the country under various pretexts but that the recent attempt by the British Government was more serious. “They always use flowery words like peace building, humanitarian work and human rights to get involved in the internal affairs of a country and then create more chaos.
Three official British institutions are engaged in the latest conspiracy to strengthen the LTTE --which has now been defeated both militarily and politically,” he said.
Mr. Silva said that the Britain had come up with a plan called the ‘Peace Building Strategy for Sri Lanka’ (PBS) drawn up by the British Department for International Development, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and the Ministry of Defence.
“In order to put it into action, the British High Commission in Colombo has set up a separate division called the ‘Innovative Political and Development Section’ funded by the Global Conflict Prevention Pool,” he said.
He also accused the government of turning a blind eye to the goings on, while foreign countries were engaged in conspiracies within the country.
“The LTTE has been defeated in the east in two ways: Politically with the Supreme Court ruling on the de-merger of the east from the north, and militarily with the forces capturing the east. This new move is designed to stop the armed forces from capturing other LTTE areas as well,” he said.
Mr. Silva said that the PBS had two aims: “One, to strengthen civil society and protect the human rights of which they talk, by discouraging the use of light weapons by the armed forces, while never talking about disarming the Tiger terrorists and two, to restart the so called peace process, which will only lead to the division of the country in the end. What right does another country have to disarm our forces or weaken our military strength?” he asked.
He noted that while the government was unconcerned about the foreign involvement, the UNP was trying to gain political mileage out of it.
“We welcome the friendship of the British Government, but we do not want them to back stab us by supporting terrorism. They should let Sri Lanka combat terrorism without interfering, just as they did when London was attacked” he said, noting that the British High Commission in Colombo had the same powers as ours in London, and no more.
JVP Parliamentary group leader Wimal Weerawansa said that the British High Commission should understand that Britian’s relationship with Sri Lanka today was different to that of 1815 to 1948.
“The British High Commissioner himself should keep in mind that he is only a diplomat and not the Imperial Governor. Under the limited diplomatic powers vested in them they have no right to interfere in our internal affairs. What right do they have to ‘employ’ or pay an NGO here to hire informants?” he asked.
He asked whether the Foreign Ministry and the government would remain fast asleep until everything was over.
“Doesn’t this country have a leadership or administration capable of protesting such moves? If the government does not act fast to clear things up with the British High Commission we will have to assume that the government is with them,” he said adding that they would mobilize the people not only to protest against such diplomats but against the government as well.
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