Palestinians say ‘Hands off Sri Lanka’

YARA ABDULHADI-RAMALLAH

“Hands off Sri Lanka” say the Palestinians in unison angered and dismayed by the sinister manipulations and arm bending tactics of some self centered politicians of the West against Sri Lanka, one of the friendliest nations of Palestine.

Palestinians, are fully aware of the struggle of Sri Lanka against the terrorist group called the LTTE who are trying to divide this small island nation on ethnic grounds. It is a well known fact that this terrorist group is engaged in trafficking of arms, drugs and humans.

It also has child soldiers in its army taken in forcibly. Many countries in the world had proscribed this group but their money appears to have bought over a number of politicians of the West.

As a result of an intensive awareness campaign launched last year by the diplomatic representative of Sri Lanka in Palestine Dr. T. Jayasinghe, the Sri Lanka Mission is receiving a stream of friends who are keen to know about the latest developments and to express their solidarity.

While the Palestinian National Authority has taken action to brief the members of the Arab League through its Ambassador to the league, Islamic, Orthodox Christian and Catholic communities are conducting regular prayer meetings to bless Sri Lanka. Dr. Jayasinghe personally met the religious leaders and briefed them on the correct position with regard to the ongoing humanitarian effort to save the trapped civilians.

Palestine is one country that is highly concerned about the welfare of Sri Lanka and are worried about the interventions of the West to save the terrorist leaders. Palestinians strongly feel that the West is going beyond their limits with no respect or regard for the sovereignty of Sri Lanka or their right to defend its territory.

The West has still failed to realise that Sri Lanka is no more a colony of the UK or any other European country. That is past history and no more valid.

Palestinians are also surprised to note that when Israel bombed Gaza for 22 days killing over 1500 including more than 500 children and injuring thousands these compassionate politicians of the West failed to intervene inspite of the fact that it was very clear that Palestinians are no match for the Israeli Army.

Even now Gaza is a virtual prison for 1.5 million people without basic amenities like food, water, medicine, fuel etc. Over 10,000 families are without shelter after their homes were demolished by Israeli bombs. Building materials are not allowed into Gaza. Politicians of the West go all the way to Sri Lanka to save a terrorist but fail to visit the innocent suffering masses in Gaza.

Palestinians also feel that the West has no moral right to accuse Sri Lanka, fighting the world’s most ruthless terrorists while they bomb and kill hundreds of Iraqi, Pakistani and Afghanistan civilians on the pretext of fighting the Taliban, Al Queda etc.

Palestinians, therefore, want the West to leave Sri Lanka alone allowing them it settle its internal problems. Tamils are Sri Lankan and not British or French. If their concerns are humane then why ignore the Palestinians in Gaza who are suffering a thousand times more.

As far as the Palestinians are concerned, President Mahinda Rajapaksa is a genuine friend of Palestine. He had been with the Palestinian cause from 1970 and as such Palestinians feel that it is their duty to be with Sri Lanka at all times.