EU ban unfair, effect on expatriate support marginal- Prof. Plate
[TamilNet, Sunday, 18 June 2006, 02:50 GMT]
"The European ban of the Liberation Tigers is unfair in one sense, but some one had to crack the ice; the situation cannot go on like this. However, the impact on the expatriate support is uncertain but probably marginal; the expatriates are loyal to a fault," Prof Tom Plate of University of California, Los Angeles, said Saturday when asked to comment on the EU ban.
On Colombo's unconciliatory stand on unitary constitution and refusal to disarm paramilitaries, Prof.Plate said, "More flexibility and understanding on both these issues must be forthcoming from Colombo for the peace process to make progress." Commenting on the Liberation Tigers and the violence Prof Plate said, "It's a terrible tragedy to endless evil, all in what appears to be a good cause. I have almost never seen more trouble created by forces believing they are doing the right thing." On the alleged extra-judicial killings the Government of Sri Lanka is accused of he said, "Violence begets violence and in Sri Lanka this truism is no exception." He expressed surprise at the "silence of country's transcendent peacemakers" while unprecedented acts of violence were perpetrated against civilians on both sides. Prof Plate said that he fears that very soon it will be like "20 years ago all over again." But he will pray for a miracle, he said. Mediation by people such as Kissinger, Mandela or South Korea's Kim Dae Jung may stand a chance of achieving some success, he added.
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