LTTE-EU delegation disappointed

“The EU delegation led by Evans was as expected, critical of the Sri Lankan governments human rights record, and spoke in support of the LTTE proxy the TNA.”
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by Dushy Ranetunge in London

(July 27, London, Sri Lanka Guardian) A EU delegation led by a Robert Evans MEP concluded its visit to Sri Lanka this week, on a highly critical note. This was expected as Mr Evans has a long history of association with the LTTE, a banned terrorist organization in the United Kingdom.

Mr Evans primary constituency in London covers the areas of Brent, Ealing, Hammersmith & Fulham, Harrow, Hillingdon, Hounslow, Kingston, Merton, Richmond and Sutton. These have significant expatriate Tamil populations and LTTE lobby groups operating in these areas have cultivated Evans over the years. He is one of the LTTE’s standing MEP’s mobilized for their rally’s and propaganda events in the United Kingdom and Europe and has appeared on innumerable LTTE platforms championing the LTTE’s point of view.

One of Evans’ points of contact with the LTTE is their front organization, TCHR or the Tamil Centre for Human Rights operated by the husband and wife team, Kirubakaran and Deidre McConnell. On May 18, 2000, the UN Committee of Non-Governmental organizations published a press release (NGO/345), stating that the Tamil Centre for Human Rights had been refused consultative status because of "concerns raised about its connections with terrorist activities." The concerns were raised by the representative of the United States.

Most listed terrorist organizations have their representation and human rights wings based in Geneva and the LTTE operates in Geneva under the name of TCHR. Kirubakaran and McConnell were married a few years ago in London with the blessing of the late Anton Balasingham, the LTTE’s self appointed theoretician.

With the LTTE under severe military pressure in Sri Lanka, the organization is initiating and supporting various political initiatives overseas to damage the Sri Lankan state and to generate western pressure against the Sri Lankan state to stop the military onslaught and to influence the political developments in Sri Lanka in its favour.

This action is similar to the IRA mobilizing Irish-American and pro-IRA American politicians to make statements against the British establishment to counter British security crackdowns against the IRA.

As Britain ignored these strategies in relation to Northern Ireland, the Sri Lankan state is expected to ignore these Western initiatives in relation to the North and the East.

The EU delegation led by Evans was as expected, critical of the Sri Lankan governments human rights record, and spoke in support of the LTTE proxy the TNA.

Although Mr Evans spoke in favour of the TNA a proxy of the LTTE, it is doubtful if he would speak in favour of any proxies of Al Qaeda or Hezbollah operating in Britain and encourage his British labour government led by the beleaguered Gordon Brown to engage with them and include them.

Hezbollah, Al Qaeda and the LTTE are listed terrorist organizations under the Terrorism Act 2000 of the United Kingdom. The hypocrisy of these European politicians only contributes to further damage and diminish Western influence and credibility in the developing world, creating diplomatic opportunities to the new emerging giants such as China and India.

The EU delegation this week also demanded the disarming of the TVMP, but not the LTTE.

In order to restore some credibility, the EU delegation has attempted to add the odd paragraph critical of the LTTE in order to maintain some semblance of balance and credibility. Whether a EU delegation led by someone who frequents the platforms of the LTTE, a listed terrorist organization, could ever be objective and credible is open to debate.

Mr Evans represents the Labour Party and the recent rout of Labour at the London Mayoral polls bringing the formidable Etonian BO-JO (Boris Johnson) to power, brings Mr Evans’ political fortunes in London in to question, requiring him to work harder for his constituents including the LTTE, via its many front organizations, who claim to have a certain influence over the London Tamil vote.

The EU delegation was not allowed access to Trincomalee and complained about it. The British authorities too denied access to various delegations into Northern Ireland, during the conflict and others complained about it.
- Sri Lanka Guardian