Rt. Hon. Joan Ryan (a former Home Minister) filed an application on behalf of the Global Tamil Forum (GTF) in the City of Westminister Magistrate’s Court.

December 13, 2010

Tamil Forum law suit

Courtesy: Times of Ceylon.

On December 3, Rt. Hon. John Ryan (a former Home Minister) filed an application on behalf of the Global Tamil Forum (GTF) in the City of Westminister Magistrate’s Court for the issue of a warrant for the arrest of Maj. Gen. Gallage. The application alleged that he had committed “war crimes”– a charge repeatedly dismissed by both the Sri Lanka military and the Ministry of Defence. Manjit Gill, Queen’s Counsel represented the GTF. The Magistrate directed the Scotland Yard Police to ascertain whether Maj. Gen. Gallage was still in the United Kingdom. They later reported that the senior Army officer had left at 11.10 p.m. the previous (Thursday) night. Hence, the Magistrate made no order in keeping with the provisions of the British law. It came a little too close for comfort.

http://www.tamildaily.net/2010/11/09/the-global-tamil-forum-establishes-a-fully-staffed-secretariat-in-london-and-moves-into-action-against-sri-lanka-leaving-them-shocked/

The Sunday Times learnt that Dilan Fernando, President of the Sri Lanka Society at Oxford, was responsible in having the Oxford Union invite President Rajapaksa, for a second time. He has been in close touch with Kshenuka Seneviratne, a former High Commissioner to London and now Permanent Representative at the UN in Geneva, UPFA parliamentarian Sajin Vaas Gunawardena and P.M. Amza, Sri Lanka Deputy High Commissioner in Britain. The two-page invitation letter from Kingston to Rajapaksa dated September 8, 2010 said “….we shall be working closely with the Sri Lankan Society of Oxford” to host him as well as to invite the “international diplomatic community resident in the United Kingdom for this talk.”

In fact, heads of UK missions from India, Pakistan, Argentina, Algeria, Belize, Mongolia, Barbados, Indonesia, Bahamas, St. Lucia, Papua New Guinea and Sierra Leone had agreed to attend. China, Poland, the Philippines, South Africa and Bhutan had agreed to send their diplomats. John Goddard, the Mayor of Oxford, was also to attend.

A statement from the Oxford University Sri Lanka Society said:

“… The public statement issued by the Oxford Union citing security fears is belied by a statement issued by the Thames Valley Police stating that it did not advice the Union to cancel the event and it was completely the decision of the Union (attachment 3). In fact, Oxford Commander Supt. Amanda Pearson had stated several times that measures had been put into place and the Police were very confident about handling the situation, despite some expected disruptions. Thus, one can infer that there was an unseen force behind the cancellation

“It is fair to say that the cancellation was not a collective decision by the Oxford Union but rather, by its president. The decision has caused ripples within the organisation. Although a joint organizer, the Oxford University Sri Lanka Society was completely helpless in this matter as the right of cancellation lay only with the President of the Oxford Union. Our strong objections were simply not considered.

“It is highly commendable that James Langman (President-Hilary Term of the Oxford Union) visited President Rajapaksa on the 2nd of December and offered his sincere apologies to President Rajapaksa. Representatives of the Oxford University Sri Lanka Society were also present. A very cordial discussion followed with the President. He talked about President’s address in 2008 being one of the highlights of the Term and how Oxford Union members were eagerly waiting to hear him again. James Langman invited the President to address the Oxford Union on 5th December 2010. HE the President Rajapaksa politely turned it down citing commitments back home. The President then hosted the delegation to lunch…….”

Foreign policy weaknesses

The Oxford fiasco, though now history, lays bare a number of inherent weaknesses in the conduct of Sri Lanka’s foreign policy. It took millions of rupees for the President and a 40-member delegation to travel to Britain for the non-event. Though technically he was addressing the Oxford Union, much of the audience would not be Oxford undergrads but Sri Lankans transported by the High Commission; at least 40 of them having travelled from Colombo with the President. Despite the presence of a key Sri Lanka diplomatic mission in London, supported by Bell Pottinger, a public relations firm receiving more than a million Sterling Pounds a year, a sovereign government could not counter the antics of a few hundred pro-Tiger guerrilla supporters.

The Diaspora pressure groups appear to be working even if the guerrillas were militarily defeated in their strongholds in the North and East. Last week we gave details of their ability for rapid deployment and to assemble a team to demonstrate even in freezing cold conditions. Faulting the opposition or for that matter the British, who undoubtedly have their own faults, and launching officially backed protests therefore have long term implications. Blaming the opposition for the fiasco is also crediting it with far too much importance and capability when it cannot even get its act together at home. Those diversions could boomerang.

http://www.tamildaily.net/2010/12/13/rt-hon-joan-ryan-a-former-home-minister-filed-an-application-on-behalf-of-the-global-tamil-forum-gtf-in-the-city-of-westminister-magistrates-court-court/