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Exhibition targeting LTTE well received in Norway – Ambassador

May 29, 2012, 12:00 pm


By Shamindra Ferdinando

Sri Lankan Ambassador in Oslo, Rodney Perera said that an exhibition highlighting LTTE atrocities and military operations to clear the Northern and Eastern Provinces of terrorism had been well received by the expatriate Tamil community.


"We were pleasantly surprised by their reaction. Although some felt uncomfortable with the decision to display photographs of LTTE atrocities, as there hadn’t been any such exhibitions in Oslo previously, we believed the Tamil community would appreciate our efforts," Perera told The Island. Fearing possible protests at the venue of the exhibition, the embassy had asked for the deployment of Norwegian police as well as private security personnel, but there hadn’t been any untoward incidents, the ambassador said.


Responding to a query, Perera said some Tamils went to the extent of supporting the event by volunteering to provide local food varieties like ‘kadala’, ‘vadai’ and manioc and even transport to move display panels. The exhibition wouldn’t have been a success without the support from the Tamil Diaspora, he said. "There were several ladies who cried openly and expressed their utter dismay at the atrocities committed by the LTTE," Ambassador Perera said.


He said that the exhibition was held on Friday (25), at the Embassy premises, for Norwegians and the diplomatic community. Among those present were several parliamentarians, senior officials from foreign and defence ministries, businessmen and NGO representatives. Former Norwegian peace envoy in Sri Lanka, Erik Solheim hadn’t accepted the invitation, as he was on vacation.


The newly established Diaspora group, ‘Friends of Sri Lanka’ comprising Sinhalese, Tamils and Muslims helped the diplomatic mission hold the exhibition on May 26 for the benefit of ordinary people, the envoy said. Among those who had attended the event were LTTE sympathizers, he said, adding that the new documentary film ‘Officers & Gentlemen-Sri Lanka’s Military heroes’ was also shown. "No one objected to anything we displayed. As a matter of fact, we sold a large number of ‘Gota’s War’ authored by The Island columnist C. A. Chandraprema.