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AUSTRALIAN M.P. TELLS CANBERRA PARLIAMENT HOW TAMIL TIGERS KILLED, WOUNDED AND SHOT OPPOSING CANDIDATES DURING THE CAMPAIGN THAT LED TO TODAY’S ELECTIONS
Photo
Mr Don Randall MP
By Walter Jayawardhana reporting from Los Angeles

April 03, 04.45 AM: An influential Australian parliamentarian addressing the Federal House of Representatives in Canberra charged the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) of Sri Lanka had in the most undemocratic way assassinated, shot and wounded opposing candidates and election officials in an effort to scare them from electoral involvement or just simply to eliminate them during the election campaign that led to today’s general elections. .

Don Randall, Chairman of the Australia-Sri Lanka Friendship group in the Australian Federal parliament in a hard-hitting speech before the House described the recent speech of pro-Tamil terrorist Member of Parliament attacking Sri Lanka for calling the current general elections as a “sordid and obsequious grab for the extremist Tamil Tigers in his very marginal electorate.”

He was replying to pro-Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) M.P., John Murphy, who represents the electorate, Lowe in New South Wales and believed to have many pro-Tiger supporters among the registered voters in the electorate.

Murphy’s speech was blasted for making “inaccurate” and “inflammatory” statements to appease his Tamil constituents in his electorate, Lowe

Randall, addressing the Federal House of Representative , March 31 , said the “inaccurate and misleading inferences have a particular resonance because , on Friday (April 2 ) “the people of Sri lanka go to the polls in a general election.”

He said according to the pro-Tiger parliamentarian , “ unfortunately, due to a conflict between the President, who holds executive power, and the Prime Minister, the President dismissed parliament in February this year of this year and Sri Lanka will face general elections on 2 April 2004. It is vital that these elections are free and fair. It is particularly important that the Tamil people of the north-east, who have been deprived of their franchise during the last two decades, are permitted to cast their votes at the forthcoming elections.”

But Don Randall emphatically said in his speech , “The reality is that the President of Sri Lanka took her measure all but early to seek a fresh mandate from the people on a number of vital issues to the nation. National security, abolition of the executive presidency, costs of living and unemployment were just some of the pressing issues cited by the President. So why was the member referring to a personal, private or political conflict between the President and the Prime Minister of Sri Lanka? He is grossly incorrect to make such an allegation.”

Describing Murphy’s statement as “unfortunate” and “disturbing” Don Randall told the parliament, “As the chair of the Australian parliamentary friendship group, I have closely examined the tenor of the member's speech. This matter has also been brought to my attention by members of the official and wider Sri Lankan community. The member's assertion that a general election has been called by the Sri Lankan President due to a conflict with the Sri Lankan Prime Minister is very much disputed.”

Randall further addressing the parliament said the other statement of Murphy that the Tamil people had been deprived of their voting rights during the last two decades was totally inaccurate .He pointed out, “The member for Lowe's other incorrect statement is that the Tamil people of the north coast have been deprived of their voting franchise during the past two decades to vote in elections. The fact is that the Sri Lankan government since 1998 have taken all measures to see that the Tamil population, particularly in the north and eastern regions, have been given every opportunity to vote in all elections, be they general elections, provincial or local elections. It is in fact the terrorist group, the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam- LTTE-who have taken every measure to stop the local members of the Tamil community voting.Since the Norwegian sponsored ceasefire agreement between the government of Sri Lanka and the LTTE in February 2002, the torment, torture and assassination of non-LTTE Tamils and Tamil leaders under the guise of political work conferred on the LTTE since the ceasefire have continued unabated. The LTTE may be abiding by the ceasefire and not engaged in civil war, but they have taken the opportunity to further isolate and eliminate opponents of their stated goal of an independent Tamil state within Sri Lanka. For example, the Tigers continue to violate both human rights instruments and the CFA by forced conscription of children. This can be confirmed by such bodies as Amnesty International and UNICEF.”

Randall reminded the Australian parliament that the Tamil Tigers during this election campaign had acted in the most undemocratic manner preventing the Tamil people of Sri Lanka to exercise their franchise freely and fairly. Pointing out the most recent incidents that happened he said, “In the context of the coming national elections, a number of alarming developments have occurred. Candidates in the forthcoming elections, MPs and officials opposed to the LTTE have been shot, wounded or killed in an effort to scare them from electoral involvement or to just simply eliminate them. Added to the unstable situation with the Tamil Tigers is a new problem in that the eastern commander of the LTTE, Colonel Karuna, has split from the northern alliance with the Tigers. This creates a further dangerous and unstable movement in Sri Lanka's political environment.

By way of background, there is much more that could be outlined in this tinderbox of Sri Lankan politics. For this very reason, it is rather irresponsible for the member for Lowe to blame the President of Sri Lanka for calling early elections due to her conflict with the opposition Prime Minister.”

Don Randall further told the Federal parliament of Australia it was also not true for John Murphy to claim that the Tamils in the North and East had been denied their legitimate vote for decades due to Sri Lanka government

He said, “It is also dangerous for the member for Lowe to claim that the Tamils in the north and east have been denied their legitimate vote for decades due to the Sri Lankan government. If the member for Lowe wishes to be an apologist for a prescribed terrorist organisation in the form of the LTTE, then he is on very dangerous ground. In his adjournment speech, he exposed his motives for such allegations. Very simply, he admitted that there are large numbers of Tamils in his electorate. By suggesting that his constituents were concerned about the Tamils right to vote, he exposed his position that he is endorsing the position of those Tamils who accuse the Sri Lankan government of not allowing them to vote. The people who advocate this position are not the majority of Tamils but the Tamil Tiger movement or the LTTE. This is a servile act for the Tamil extremists in his electorate.This is not the position of the majority of Sri Lankan people or the Sri Lankan government. The member for Lowe is not a member of the Sri Lankan Parliamentary Friendship Group but many of his Labor colleagues are. This further illustrates his narrow and partisan focus on the Sri Lankan issue. I trust this Friday's Sri Lankan elections will be nonviolent and democratic. As for the member for Lowe, his adjournment debate will be seen for what it is: a sordid and obsequious grab for the extremist Tamil Tigers in his very marginal electorate.”

( go2lanka.com)