Sinhala extremists condemn Norwegian involvement

[TamilNet, Friday, 18 February 2000, 12:52 GMT]
Sinhala extremists issued a statement today condemning the Norwegian government for attempting to interfere in an internal matter. The fifteen movements, including five Bikku associations, which signed the statement, also protested the 'aspersions' cast upon the Sinhala organisations by Norwegian officials in Colombo.

The statement follows:

We the undersigned representing the responsible national organizations of Sri Lanka note with deep concern and total disapproval of your involvement in the above issue.

Also, we do hereby jointly lodge our strongest protest against most undiplomatic aspersions made by your Embassy officials in Colombo regarding our Constitutions and the patriotic Sinhala organizations (as reported in Divayina, daily Sinhala paper of Sunday the 13th February). The said statement is reproduced below.

• 1. The rights of the Tamil people in Sri Lanka have not been protected by the Constitution.
• 2. A Political package is necessary to fulfil the aspirations of the Tamil people and to prevent the country being broken up into two.
• 3. A ceasefire should be declared as a pre-condition for negotiations.
• 4. A U.N. peace corps has to be stationed to monitor atrocities after the cease fire pact.
• 5. Sinhala organizations are in agreement with a political solution.
• 6. Although, diverse Sinhala organizations have protested against a political solution, we do not consider that to be a protest from the Sinhala populace.
  
  We unanimously condemn and deplore these aspersions as a blatant violation of all accepted diplomatic procedures and ethics of international relations. We also deem this to be a serious and unwarranted interference with the internal affairs of an independent nation by a foreign government.
  
  Furthermore,
  
  
• 1. The so called Tamil problem is entirely and exclusively an internal issue of Sri Lanka where no outside interference of any sort is called for.
• 2. It is a treasonous terrorist problem which has to be resolved only by the democratically elected government of the people of this country.
• 3. Your country being the no.1 sympathizer and the benefactor of the LTTE separatist movement in the world has the least moral or ethical right to mediate in this issue.
• 4. In view of your open bias towards the LTTE we consider your government to be an enemy of the people and the government of this country.
  
  In view of the above circumstance we would like to request your government to take the following steps immediately as we still wish to maintain friendly relations between our two countries.
• 1. Advise your Colombo officials who are responsible for the above undiplomatic aspersions to tender an open apology to the people of Sri Lanka.
• 2. Also advise them to refrain from all such unwarranted interferences with our domestic matters in future and confine their activities to normal diplomatic matters only.
• 3. Recall your foreign Minister dispatched to Colombo immediately and withdraw your government from all official and unofficial mediations in this issue.
• 4. Also please ban all LTTE activities within your country, withdraw all direct and indirect support and assistance to the LTTE, declare them as a terrorist movement as already done by the USA and deport all LTTE cadres from your country.
  
  We wish you take immediate action as requested and heal the wounds already inflicted by your Colombo representatives on this island nation.
  
  We would also like to inform you that we have already lodged our protest with the Sri Lankan government against your involvement in this issue.
  
  

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