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1^st March 1999

Sri Lankan Government’s propaganda machine reaches out to South African Parliamentarians and Journalist.

In December 1998 a group of 7 Parliamentarians and in February 1999 a group of 10 South African Journalists were invited by the Sri Lankan government to visit Sri Lanka and see for themselves what the situations in Sri Lanka was like. From reports and newspaper articles in South Africa, the parliamentary group gave a balanced view of the conflict in Sri Lanka between the Tamil Eelam forces and the Sri Lankan Armed forces. They group did say that their report would be incomplete, unless they speak directly to the LTTE.

The journalist are yet to publish something of substance other then details of their fully paid holiday to Sri Lanka, and forecasting that country as a future destination for holiday makers.

Collaborators.
The Sri Lankan government refused to allow the delegations to meet the LTTE, which represents the Tamil Nation. Instead they only allowed them to speak to their puppets who collaborate with the government in oppressing the Tamil people. These groups are in the same category as the collaborators we had here in South Africa in the House of Delegates, House of Representatives and the local Councilors. Just as we had in South Africa, these people do not represent the majority of Tamil people, and were elected into their position by only a handful of friends and family. They are there as part of the Sri Lankan government’s propaganda machine, to show the world that some Tamils are in government. We in South Africa should know from our experiences how destructive these collaborators could be. In South Africa these collaborators could not be trusted, how could these collaborators be trusted or believed. 

Propaganda.
The groups were taken to the Temple of the Tooth, which was damaged in an attack by the LTTE, but were not shown or told about the number of Temples, Churches, and Mosques destroyed by the Sri Lankan Army in the Tamil Provinces. They were not shown how the Sri Lankan Army bulldozed the graves of the fallen LTTE fighters in the Tamil Provinces. They were not told how the Sri Lankan army destroyed the Library in Jaffna, destroying valuable Tamil Literature that have been collected for thousands of years.

The groups were shown the refugee camp of 15,000 Tamil Muslims (playing on the emotions of the Muslim MP of the parliamentary group) who were asked to leave Jaffna, but were not shown the refugee camps of 500,000 Tamils in the Vanni district. They were not shown the devastation and misery that the Sri Lankan army has inflicted on the Tamil Nation. They refuse to allow them to see the effects of the embargo they have placed on the Tamil Provinces. They did not show them how they use Food and Medicine as Weapons of War. They were not told of the number of mass grave of Tamils that were in the Tamil provinces. The groups were given statistics by the government, which has not been verified by any NGO in Sri Lanka stating the number of detainees, but were not allowed to speak to them and see the conditions under which they were kept. They were not told of the number of detainees who were tortured and killed in the Sri Lankan prisons.

Getting the full picture.
The parliamentary group did say that they wish to meet the LTTE to get their view on the conflict, and have a better understanding of the situation, however, the group has made no attempt thus far to make contact with the LTTE. Is there a reason for the delay? We sincerely hope that they have not fallen victims to the Sri Lankan government’s propaganda?

Journalist.
It is sad when some of our professional journalists do not rely on their investigative skills, but rather on propaganda fed to them by their hosts. From my conversations with a few of these journalists, I get the feeling that they were there on holiday and having a good time, and as the Sri Lankan government has instructed them, they are to promote tourism to Sri Lanka and convince the South African public that everything was normal there, even if they lie. One journalist mentioned that the trip was worth it, obviously, if everything is paid for, and you don’t have to do anything but publish propaganda, it has to be worth it. Did any of these professional journalist question their hosts why they are being so generous and paying for their holiday and only showing them what the LTTE has done? Did they ask about the mass graves detention without trial, and torture of Tamils?. Did they ask about the starving Tamils who were made refugees in their own land? It is really sad when some professional journalists could be bought over with a free holiday.

Conclusion
We often wonder why the world and the UN are dragging their heels in trying to find a peaceful solution to the conflict in Sri Lanka. We see the world and the UN reacting very quickly to resolve the conflicts in Europe and elsewhere in the world, why not Sri Lanka? Did the Sri Lankan government ask the world and the UN for time to wipe out the Tamil Nation before the world and the UN could get permission from the Sri Lankan government to act?, or has the Sri Lankan government’s propaganda machine managed to make the world blind to the atrocities and human right violations it commits. It is strange how the world is fooled by the Sri Lankan propaganda machine to turn a blind eye to what it is doing, even getting some governments to fund the atrocities and human rights violations in Sri Lanka.

Appeal
We appeal to all governments to stop helping the Sri Lankan government to wipe out the Tamil Nation. As they are trying to assist the people of Kosovo in finding peace and justice, they should also assist the Tamil people to find peace and justice. If the world could use force against the Serbs, why can’t the world use force against the Sri Lankans. If the Sri Lankan government believe that they can use embargo’s to force the Tamil Nation into submission, why can’t the world use sanctions and embargo’s to force the Sri Lankan government into submission. It is about time that the world and the UN treat all nations alike and stop assisting the Sri Lankan government. It is the Sri Lankan government and not the LTTE who don’t want peace. The LTTE has said that it is prepared to negotiate with third party mediations. The Sri Lankan government is refusing to negotiate. The world and the UN should force the Sri Lankan government to negotiate.

Tommy M. Padotan
Paslo News Desk.