http://www.sundayobserver.lk/2013/04/28/new21.asp

Pro-LTTE Tamil diaspora ignorant of N-E ground situation

by Uditha Kumarasinghe

Deputy Minister of Resettlement Vinayagamoorthy Muralitharan said the pro-LTTE Tamil diaspora which spread disinformation against Sri Lanka have not properly realised the ground situation in the North and the East. Some of the Tamil diaspora members had left the country 40 years ago and most of their children have been born after they went to those countries. These children don't know anything about the North and the East. They are only getting wrong disinformation spread by the pro-LTTE diaspora, the Deputy Minister told the Sunday Observer yesterday.

At the same time, the pro-LTTE diaspora wants to create some issues for their survival. Since they are living in European countries, they are scared that they would be sent back to Sri Lanka. Hence they are carrying out false propaganda campaigns against the Sri Lankan Government by levelling baseless allegations on human rights, he said.

"Nothing is happening in Sri Lanka as claimed by them. At present the Government is doing a lot of development work with the help of the Army. The Government has effectively utilised their manpower in the country's development drive. A housing project has been launched in Mullaitivu with the help of the Army. The Army is assisting people in the North and the East in several ways. Nevertheless the pro-LTTE Tamil diaspora is attempting to create unnecessary problems there."

Muralitharan stressed the need of clarifying Sri Lanka's position properly to the world through our ambassadors and diplomatic missions. Those who spread wrong information against Sri Lanka should realise that, when they go to London or any other foreign country, they should preserve Sri Lanka's identity. They don't ask whether we are Sinhalese, Tamils or Muslims. The Tamil diaspora is living all over Europe with a Sri Lankan identity.

The Deputy Minister said that at present the situation is improving and many members of the diaspora have changed their mindset. Only a handful of people are attempting to create unnecessary problems there. When the LTTE war active they had to pay money to the LTTE, else they could not live in those countries, he said.