Response to EU Concern on Blockage of Water Supplies

by M.R. Wilson, Sithankerney Road, Pandateruppu

Hon. Benita Ferrero-Waldner,
European External Relations Commission 

Honoured Madam,    

Re: “I am deeply concerned at the blockage of water supplies to thousands of families and farms”

According to a recent statement, you are concerned about blockage of water supplies to some Sinhala colonists in the East.

I wish you had been as concerned at the disruption of the peace process to nearly the extent you are concerned about the blockage of water supplies to thousands of families and farms.  

I wish you had been as concerned - at least on humanitarian grounds - when the implementation of the "Joint Mechanism" [PTOMS] agreed upon between the parties to address the damage caused in the LTTE-controlled areas by the war and tsunami was indefinitely postponed.  

I wish you had been as concerned when the North East Provincial Development Ministry announced two weeks ago that it was going to implement the ADB-financed water supply scheme only for the govt-controlled areas and not those in LTTE-controlled area .  

You were not concerned when the civilians in the LTTE-controlled areas that were excluded from the scheme decided to protest (not for the first time) to force the authorities to address their urgent water needs.  

You were not concerned when they sent a letter to the govt stipulating that (a) the Security of civilians who must travel between govt and LTTE areas should be ensured, (b) the ban on items such as milk powder and other food items imposed by the army should be removed and (c) the drinking water supply to their areas should be incorporated in the ADB-financed development.  

When they talked nobody listened and no one paid any attention. You were concerned only when the protesters chose to close the sluice gate and cut the water supply for the govt-controlled areas on 20th July, as their final resort, because all their other protests had been futile.  

It was very unfortunate that the Sri Lankan Air Force responded with bombs when the people were meeting with the SLMM officials and were just about to arrive at a solution for the grievances.  

Honoured madam, do you still believe that, the Singhalese citizens in Sri Lanka would ever accept the Tamils as co-citizens in the country?   Do you still believe that the Singhalese in Sri Lanka would ever allow the Tamils to live equal with themselves with their basic and fundamental rights cherishing their culture, language, education and religion together with the preservation of their territorial integrity?    

Do you still have not comprehended that the recruitment and fostering of the renegades and paramilitary groups to crush the Tamil struggle, while the Cease-fire Agreement of 22/02/2002 was in effect and force were the primary reasons for the disruption of the peace process?   Do you still contend to be not aware of the fact that, nowadays, theTamilcommunity in Sri Lanka is obsessed with a fear psychosis because of the dreadful terror that prevails among them by the existences of the SL government-sponsored paramilitary groups comprise Tamil renegades?   These undesirable elements in collusion with the Singhalese armed forces have gone on a killing spree when they come across any Tamil who exhibits his/or her aspirations for equal rights or do not submit to their extortions of money.   Further, they do not even hesitate to stray into the Tamil territories yearning for sexual relations under coercion or to cast lewd remarks under the guise of searching for hidden bombs. Furthermore, they indulge in abduction or killing of prominent, erudite and intellectual personnel among Tamils to subdue them and suppress their aspirations. Moreover, they have not released yet the humanitarian aid personnel of TRO whom they abducted nearly seven months ago and whose fate is still not known.  

It would be most appropriate for anyone to insist on the resumption of the peace process from where it was interrupted, in strict adherence to the Cease-Fire Agreement of 22/02/2002.

Looking forward to having an early response and thanking you,

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