Statement by The Media Centre for National Security (MCNS) The MCNS was established by the Sri Lankan government for the specific purpose of disseminating all national security and defence-related information and data to the Media and the public from one co-coordinated centre.
Human Rights and terrorism are incompatible. But the irony is that there are subtle moves by pseudo - intellectuals to blend the two and confuse the public. The immediate objective is to sugar-coat terrorism and to provide protective shield to terrorists to counter the democratic forces who are out to eliminate them.
Terrorism is a vicious social evil while human rights movement is based on virtuous human concepts. Unfortunately, the two concepts have given birth to two conflicting interpretations. Thus the invasion by the USA of sovereign nation states, several thousand kilometers away is not considered a violation of human rights in contrast, military action by the governments of sovereign nation states to eliminate terrorism by armed separatist guerilla movements are accused of violating human rights. The glaring example of such a biased approach is the attitude of Norway authorities. According to them. Al Qaeda is a terrorist movement while LTTE a liberation organization.
Human rights are sacred and are not negotiable. Every democratic government is bound to safeguard them and to take all effective steps to prevent the violation. In Sri Lanka, the terrorist outfit, the LTTE has reveled in massacre of the innocent Sinhalese civilians blasting public vehicles packed with passengers. The LTTE has also killed thousands who expressed dissent among Tamils. Among them were such brilliant intellectuals and Tamil leaders as Mr. Amisthalingam and Dr. Thamilchelvan. By conscripting Tamil children the LTTE has robbed their innocence. As a result, the Tamil community will suffer due to the loss of its cream the youth. In this context the LTTE's claim to be the sole representative of the Tamil community rings hollow.
It is high time the Tamils who yearn for peace and harmony and the end of armed conflict, urged the LTTE to give up terrorism and start negotiations forthwith with the Sri Lanka government.
