The UNO and its affiliated organisations including UNICEF are
expected to be unbiased institutions. Accordingly, the top hierarchy and
the operators of institutions like UNICEF and its affiliated branches
are also expected to be above board. But unfortunately, this is not
happening in the UNICEF. Allan Rock is only one recent incident.
Allan Rock (Is he worthy of calling Mr.?) who represented the branch
for children and armed conflict on an investigation mission to Sri Lanka
manifested in no uncertain terms of his totally biased attitude towards
the LTTE.
When you browse through his profile as an ex-Liberal Minister of Paul
Martin (Former PM Paul Martin himself is a LTTE terrorist supporter who
attended fund raising banquets organised by the LTTE with another
Minister Meena Myer)
(a) He attended many of the fund raising events organised by the
LTTE's dubious Fronts (it has been proved that such fund raisings were
used to swell the LTTE's war chest).
(b) He was in the forefront in Canadian politics protesting against
the banning of the LTTE as a terrorist outfit by the present Government.
(c) Although his agenda was to investigate the LTTE's child soldiers,
instead he deviated from his agenda and spent more time trying to find a
link between the Government and the Karuna Group. LTTE was conveniently
left alone other than getting an assurance from the LTTE that they will
stop recruiting children for their child brigade.
With such affiliations with the most brutal terrorist group in the
world LTTE, can one expect any unbiased investigation? It will be
dangerous to employ a person of that attitude in an organisation such as
UNICEF which having such people alone is good enough to tarnish its good
image.
If he cannot prove the allegations directed at the Government with
substantial evidence, he should be immediately sacked from UNICEF.
Radhika Coomaraswamy as head of the unit who selected him without
verifying his past affiliations should also take responsibility for the
misadventure.
Penny Burne (affectionately called by the LTTE as 'Penny amma') who
works with UNICEF - Sri Lanka in Killinochchi is also another worker who
connives with the LTTE and its Fronts.
She provided false information to UNICEF head in New York on the
Chencholai bombing incident that brought humiliation to the Government.
She is also another person who deserves the immediate sack to protect
the good name of the UNICEF.
MALIN ABEYATUNGE
Australia
via email
At the beginning, Prabhakaran may have started his military campaign
for gaining Eelam, with a genuine interest in promoting the long
neglected aspirations of the Tamil community in Sri Lanka, which since
independence was subjected to discriminatory legislation, particularly
relating to their language rights by successive Governments.
But after nearly four decades of the so called 'Eelam war', the
situation has changed considerably. Tamils in the North and the East are
now far worse off than they were in the pre-LTTE era. The conflict is in
a stalemate.
A new elite consisting of the upper echelons of the LTTE has been
created in the LTTE held areas. The new elite live in luxury, whilst
ordinary Tamils are subjected to untold hardships in day-to-day living.
The LTTE owns or controls the wholesale and retail trades in addition to
levying 'taxes' on poor people.
The high prices the poor Tamils pay for their essential consumer
items are partly due to LTTE dictates and not entirely due to scarcities
as claimed by the LTTE. The most pathetic state is the denial of
education to the children of poor families which are the majority of the
population.
School going children above the age of 15 years are being conscripted
to the LTTE military whilst the children of the LTTE elite are sent
abroad for education. Most of the Tamils who migrated to the South, did
so in the interest of the education of their children.
If LTTE manages to secure Eelam someday, they will be faced with an
insurmountable human resources problem, even to maintain essential
services.
In this scenario, it is very doubtful whether the LTTE can command
the same respect and loyalty from the Tamil population today, which they
did in the nineteen seventies and eighties.
At the beginning the LTTE was perceived by the Tamils as a liberation
force. Failure to achieve the military objective over a period of 40
years and an increasing international pressure on the LTTE to move away
from the concept of an independent Tamil State, has created doubts among
the Tamils of LTTE's ability to achieve their original objective.
This is the reality at the ground level, which Prabhakaran and the
company do not want to accept. The reason why they are reluctant to move
away from the 'military solution' is plainly obvious.
Mr. Prabhakaran is now accustomed to exercising absolute authority
over the people residing in the LTTE controlled areas. His decisions
cannot be challenged by anyone. He ruthlessly eliminates any voices of
dissension.
Will he be prepared to forego this absolute authority of his in a
democratic set up, however large the devolution of power from the centre
is ? His behaviourial patterns are very reminiscent of Polpot. His
ambition, in fact, is to become the military dictator of 'Tamil Eelam'.
Now that he has reached the middle age, it is almost certain that he
will groom his son for succession as most despotic dictators do.
Right now the preoccupation of Prabhakaran and his company must be on
how to restore the lost avenues of revenue, rather than talking peace
with the Government.
Their only objective in attending the peace discussions is to prove
to the International Community that they are open to negotiation and to
gain propaganda leverage by highlighting current military issues such as
the 'Closure of the A9'. They were not prepared to discuss core issues.
One way calling off the LTTE bluff is to ask them to provide their
proposals for devolution within a single state at the next peace
conference, assuming that the 'peace process' will be revived.
The Government can take a draft of their own proposals and then
identify common areas of agreement and start to work on them as a
starting point.
INDRASENA SAMARATUNGA
Kiribathgoda
I refer to Sujatha Pelpola's reply (DN Oct. 13) on bands at weddings
by Kesarralal Gunasekera. Here I totally agree with her that a wedding
is a private function held according to the wishes of the organisers.
If an invitee finds the band music too loud, well, he could wish the
couple and leave the hall allowing others to enjoy the great occasion of
the bride and the groom. Young people like loud music. For them there is
no 'GO' without it.
Even most of the older people like band music with singing and
dancing. However I appreciate his concern of noise pollution at
Parliament to awaken the central Environment Authority. Leaving out
private weddings there are many instances of noise pollution in public
places.
For instance political meetings often end up with musical shows till
late in the night. It disturbs the entire neighbourhood. This noise
menace is common in buses where radio cassette music dig into commuters
ears to deafen them. The lottery ticket sellers on roads are no better.
People have even begun to do various industrial work in their own
homes. Welding which affects me too makes the biggest noise.
The vehicles on the roads keep on tooting their horns for the
slightest delay. I would like to refer to one incident in Australia
where a birthday party celebration was stopped at midnight by the police
because there was a complaint from a neighbour. In Western countries
vehicles hardly toot their horns.
It is true that our culture is fast changing due to influences from
other countries. It is surprising why our people do not follow good
cultures on noise pollution from other countries.It is high time our
relevant authorities passed regulations on noise pollution before it
goes beyond control like the polythene menace.
KUMUDUNI WICKRAMARACHCHI
Dehiwela
I have drawn the attention of the President to my deposits with the
Pramuka Bank a couple of months ago. My late husband (The Manager Bank
of Ceylon City Office) was in good health and medically fit on the April
9, 1980 and the cause of his untimely death was due to the unfortunate
incident that took place on that fatal day in the course of his
employment while on duty serving VIP customers.
The medical testimony of the Consultant Neurosurgeon who attended on
my late husband was that he had a middle cerebral artery aneurysm which
had ruptured which had certainly occurred arising from and /or
consequent on that fatal incident.
In the ordinary course of events, my husband had he not come by this
untimely death, he could have been in service till his 60th year, which
meant his drawing an enhanced salary with all other emoluments and
fringe benefits resulting in my children being better provided for.
In this very special circumstance of this unfortunate incident
widowed at an early age and saddled with the responsibility, I appeal to
you to see that my investment with Pramuka Bank are paid without any
further delay for which act of kindness and sympathy, I will remain ever
grateful.
R. SEGARAJASINGAM
Colombo 6
It is very confusing how a socalled career diplomat who is a failure,
and from a country such as Canada can be appointed to a high ranking
position in a world body like the UN.
If he is a total failure as a politician, he should be stripped from
his position before he brings further disgrace to the UN and his
country.
The position of a career diplomat demands diplomacy which it appears
is the core quality that Mr. Rock lacks. In my opinion, Mr. Rock should
be grounded to dust before he makes further blunders.
Olitha Gunaratna
via email
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