A Different Picture

The true situation in Sri Lanka is coming to light with the visits of people who will speak the truth. I wish many of those who criticize the situation in Sri Lanka visits us to see for themselves the true picture. The LTTE has been beaten militarily, but the media vehicles are still running smoothly. The Diaspora supporting the LTTE claims should know that the LTTE kept the Tamil people in trenches, sent children to war and killed those who disobeyed them. Enough evidence is there to show displaced Tamils being shot when they were trying to escape from the LTTE clutches.

The following is from LankaNewsPapers.com

Heath Schuler, a Congress member of US North Carolina says that he saw a picture different from the widely publicized image when he visited the welfare camps in Sri Lanka and pointed out that the local and international media needed to be allowed to report the reality of these camps.

To a press briefing held in Hilton Hotel today (29) following his observation tour, Schuler said, I visited Sri Lanka for the first time. I understood that this country has a multi lingual and multi cultural population. This country is very beautiful. First of all, I congratulate the government for winning the war against terrorism. US are still in a war against terror. LTTE is banned there. This is a difficult time for Sri Lanka. I thank the authorities for giving me opportunity to visit the camps. We talked with civilians freely. Their only hope is returning to their villages immediately. Sri Lanka government and the international community can fulfill that hope. International Community can render a yeoman service especially for the people of north. A new era has dawned in Sri Lanka. The government has to face the challenge of restoring peace, development and prosperity. You experienced war for decades. Now, we have to win the next challenges. The government should be commended for providing immediate relief to the huge number of internally displaced persons. The people of south that helped the brethren in north must be appreciated.

A twenty year old young woman spoke to me in one camp. She had displaced more than 20 times during the past eight months. She was a human shield. Now she wants to go back to her village.

I report what I saw to the Congress. Then Sri Lanka can expect assistance. I believe that the people of Sri Lanka will unite to build sustainable peace, he said.

In response to a journalist s query, Schuler said that US had not blocked the IMF loan to Sri Lanka.

When a UK Guardian newspaper journalist asked from him if he was proposing an international probe regarding the killing of civilians in the last leg of the military operation, he responded that he was not to investigate but to assess what these civilians needed from his country.

He further said that the international community should aid Sri Lanka government directly to provide housing, water and other facilities to these people.

Sri Lanka ambassador of US Jaliya Wickramarathna also participated in the press conference.

Source www.lankanewspapers.com