http://www.defence.lk/new.asp?fname=No_harassment_of_returning_Tamils_Lord_Naseby_lashes_out_at_UK_distortions_20120408_02

No harassment of returning Tamils Lord Naseby lashes out at UK distortions:
Lord Naseby, PC, Baron of Sandy and chairman of the All Party
Parliamentary Group on Sri Lanka said that the allegation made by several Labour
Party MPs that Tamils who come back to Sri Lanka from UK are being harassed,
persecuted and not allowed their rights, was totally misleading.
He made this observation at a meeting with journalists at the
Colombo Hilton Hotel.
Lord Naseby toured Sri Lanka during the past few weeks.
Lord Naseby said though certain British media outlets stated
that the Tamils who come back to Sri Lanka from UK are being harassed,
persecuted and not allowed their rights; this was totally wrong considering the
ground reality in Sri Lanka.
He said British High Commission sources in Sri Lanka told him
around 400 Tamils came to Sri Lanka from UK during the recent past.
He added that each of them is given a private telephone number
to contact them in case of any need and so far none of them has complained about
any such harassments by the government. Lord Naseby further stated that the UK
has huge problems with the Diaspora specially with the British Tamil Forum,
Global Tamil Forum etc. The illegal money raising bogus charities are still in
place in the UK and all this money is channeled to the Eelam movement which is
unacceptable.
He further stated that he met the common Tamil people including
fishermen, farmers, shop keepers, people in commercial activities etc in Jaffna
and in the North and questioned if there was any investments by those forums in
Jaffna or in North for rebuilding projects. He said all their response was
negative. He added he was really disappointed and said he would raise this issue
in UK to highlight that these people are staying in the UK for different
purpose. He also stated that the common people told him those Tamil doctors
never came to those hospitals except for a very few. He added that those doctors
are being paid well in their country. He further noted he had many good Tamil
language speaking friends in Sri Lanka who also invest here and they too were
really disappointed with the behavior of these charities and forums.
Lord Naseby further said that he would write a formal letter
complaining to David Miliband when he got back to UK with a copy to the
government of UK for undermining the good work commissioned by the UN agencies,
ICRC and the government of Sri Lanka during the last stage of the war for
eliminating terrorism in 2009.
He said that the head of the ICRC told him food and other needy
items were supplied to the North until the end of the first week of May, 2009.
He said that he saw on television Miliband saying that food was sent until some
date in April 4 or 20. Lord Nesby said that he obtained the written evidence of
the ICRC documents and will take them back to the UK. He also added that he
expect to have a debate in the floor of the House of Lords in the next month or
two in this respect challenging and undermining of the good works by those
institutions. Lord Naseby further stated that he witnessed a huge infrastructure
change in the North. Electricity and water is being provided to the North.
A massive demining programme is in progress with a manpower of
700. It needs time. He added that he too was an IDP at the age of five during
the second World War. He had to travel 180 miles west of London where he stayed
for four and half years. He added that he went to Menik Farm where 300,000
people who had nothing were now settled. It was commendable that only 6,000
persons remain to be resettled after two and half years after the war.
Courtesy: Daily News