The Island newspaper recently carried a most interesting report under the caption Sri Lanka responds to International Crisis Group criticism at European Parliament. The EU Parliament’s Sub-Committee on Human Rights had been used as a platform by LTTE apologists to discredit Sri Lanka by launching scurrilous unsubstantiated attacks on our country at meetings of the Sub-Committee. The last meeting of the Sub-Committee had been no different from those before and when the Ambassador had sought the Right of Reply, this right has been denied by the acting Chairperson of the Sub Committee. This alone shows their prejudice and exposes how partial they are.
The Ambassador has not taken this lying down and had lodged a strong protest and re-canvassed the decision of the Chair. He had been permitted to circulate a statement in response to the comments made at meetings of the Sub Committee. Had he not lodged his strong protest, they would have ridden rough shod over us and the diabolical lies would not have been refuted. The LTTE Diaspora would have used the minutes of the Sub-Committee to propagate untruths and half truths to damage the image of our country.