SPUR's top priority:

Countering LTTE propaganda machine overseas

Manjula Fernando

Society for Peace, Unity and Human Rights for Sri Lanka (SPUR) is a non-governmental organization based in Victoria, Australia whose mission is to fight against the LTTE's international anti-Sri Lanka propaganda and lobbying. SPUR is famous for its expose's on LTTE atrocities via its electronic newsletters and constantly updated website. It was behind organizing a series of very effective protests against the LTTE's propaganda calling for a cessation of military operations during the last stage of intense battles.
The Daily News Interviewed SPUR President of Jeanne Jayasinghe who was in Sri Lanka recently on holiday.

Q: What was the need for SPUR to come into existence?

The LTTE propaganda machine was very strong in Australia.

When former Minister Gamini Dissanayake was assassinated by an LTTE suicide bomber in October 1994, a known Tiger lobbyist in Australia tried to insinuate that it

was a result of an internal dispute with the main opposition UNP. There was no proper countering by the then Government to put this distorted record straight. We strongly felt that something had to be done by ourselves to educate the uneducated on the events that take place in our country and redeem the image of our Motherland.

SPUR was basically formed to counter the propaganda by the LTTE activists and sympathizers and highlight the correct picture.

Ours was an uphill struggle. We still find it difficult to get a fair hearing by even the media. At the time the SPUR website was inaugurated there was no such tool anywhere in the world to show LTTE atrocities.

We itemized all the crimes committed by the LTTE. When the Kent, Dollar farm massacres took place, we updated the world as it happened.

Q: You say the LTTE voice is very strong in Australia. What is their support base?

LTTE sympathizers and Card carrying members maintain close links with Parliamentarians and the media.

The Australia Broadcasting Corporation was very supportive of the LTTE. A former Australian TRO branch Head and an Economic Adviser to the LTTE who took part in the Geneva Peace talks is a paid member of the State run Special Broadcasting Service.

The war here has ended but the LTTE remnants carry on the propaganda overseas. Recently a conference was convened by the University of New South Wales in one of the hired Parliamentary rooms. The topic was human rights in Sri Lanka.

When we got to know the LTTE lobby groups were behind this, our members wanted to be there to counter possible anti-Sri Lankan propaganda. But our repeated attempts for registration became futile. It was a one sided event. The danger of such events is that the Members of Parliament could drop in anytime and listen to these presentations.

Q: It is not an easy battle to counter LTTE propaganda. It had been very efficient in creating a distorted HR record of SL. What could be the effective way out?

SPUR thinks the Government should invite friends of Sri Lanka, like Parliamentarians Don Randall of Australia and Paul Harris of Canada to Sri Lanka and give them an opportunity to get a firsthand account of the true situation here on the ground.

Getting the true picture out through them will bear a greater effect than doing it through the State propaganda machinery.

We have done a remarkable job as a developing country, with the IDPs, demining, restoring infrastructure in the war torn areas. Unfortunately this has not filtered out into the international media.

On the other hand, the LTTE has a lot of outlets at their disposal, especially they have the media at their feet. This is one of the reasons why we recently revamped our website to keep up to date and let the world see what is actually happening in Sri Lanka.

Q: Other than countering LTTE adverse propaganda, what have you been doing to help Sri Lanka?

One of our first projects was to send sniffer dogs to Sri Lanka in 1995 to detect bombs. We also constructed a hostel for Ranaviru Apparel in Yakkala. This place provides overnight accommodation for families visiting the disabled soldiers employed in the factory. Many Sri Lankan families in Australia contribute for this project called 'Sapumal Project'.

In addition we have been supplying emergency packs containing essential items to injured soldiers in hospitals, we also have an artificial limbs and crutches donating campaign. During the height of the recent battles we provided items like high-energy food and drinks, tee shirts and underwear for use of frontline soldiers among a host of other projects.

We also provided funds to rebuild a school in Seenimodera destroyed by the tsunami. This was a project run by the Siri Liya Saviya organization.

Our welfare work is carried out through local organizations like the Dharma Vijaya Foundation, Thavalama, Success and the Manel Mal movement.

WAPS, World Alliance for Peace in Sri Lanka, established in 2004, is our umbrella organization.

The WAPS first Conference titled 'Roadmap to Peace in Sri Lanka' was held in Oslo on August 20, 2004. The second conference was held in Colombo in 2005, third in 2007 and fourth in 2009.

Its members include organizations established to counter LTTE propaganda by Sri Lankans in Australia, Canada, USA, UK, the Middle East, Japan, New Zealand, Sri Lanka and Germany.

Q: Although the LTTE military outfit and its leadership was wiped out in May this year by the Security Forces, 'LTTE-international' is said to be still very much active. What is the situation in Australia?

The LTTE in Australia is still very destructive. The sad thing is that they are now using the IDPs as a cover. Earlier, their target was to halt the military operation against the LTTE and the front was trapped civilians. During the last stages of military operations there were chain protests by LTTE front organizations. This has died down but their campaign is far from over. It is more shrewd and subtle now. Their target is to take the State leaders before the International Criminal Court.

Tamil Human Rights activist Dr. Sam Pari is a very effective voice in Australia. Many of these fronts have wormed themselves into the Australian Parliament and certain Media organizations, making it impossible to get an opposite view to be heard there.

The daughter of George Master (former LTTE interpreter) after visiting her father in State detention in Sri Lanka along with her family, spoke about her personal experience. How she was warned not to go to Sri Lanka by her friends and her real experience where she said the law enforcement authorities facilitated and helped her to interact with her father. This story received very poor coverage in the Australian media.

Those who cry over HR or other negative issues in Sri Lanka are some Parliamentarians, media and known figures in the society. Their voice is very strong. The LTTE could be financing these fronts. SPUR is trying its best to counter the adverse propaganda. We feel that the State machinery is far behind compared to that of the LTTE.

The newspapers keep publishing unverified articles which are full of false information about the situation in Sri Lanka. There are hardly any official clarifications to put the record straight. These reports are very damaging to the country.

Q: Have you been threatened by the LTTE?

We have been threatened by unknown people. Yes it is a risky job knowing the ruthlessness of the LTTE. That is one reason why we have established strict guidelines for our membership. SPUR has Tamil supporters as well but their identity is kept confidential. Full time membership is also restricted to known applicants to prevent infiltration.

Q: How do you feel about the international pressure on Sri Lanka to release the IDPs?

Australia carries out very vigorous screening of 'boat people' who reach their shores from Sri Lanka to nab fleeing LTTE cadres. This is the situation everywhere else.

It is irrational to ask the Sri Lankan Government to abandon their security measures and set hardcore LTTE members hiding among the civilians free to create havoc in the rest of the country.

On the other hand, Australia is still struggling to resettle the victims of a forest fire which happened on February 7, 2009 in Victoria Kings Lake. How can a developing nation fulfil their obligations faster than Australia?