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Sack Allan Rock from UNICEF

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


Prabhakaran and the peace process

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


Band music and noise pollution

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


Deposits in Pramuka Bank

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


Mr. Rock - a disgrace to the UN

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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