Sri Lanka: "General Douglas" and His Deeds

Who is this man who now declares himself to be a "self-confident idealist, who is a unique fighter against fascism."EditorialIt is no secret that there are plenty of Tamil politicians who follow a double standard regarding the political and social rights of the Tamil people.

Many of them do not even dream of serving the Tamil people. But they are born to oppress the Tamil people and use those persecutions to fulfil their desires.

They have no hesitation in seeking ministerial posts in any government that comes to power and have turned the problems of the Tamil people into a treasure trove for themselves and their henchmen.Such was the case with the strange politician who some time ago introduced himself as "General Douglas.

" Who is this man who now declares himself to be a "self-confident idealist, who is a unique fighter against fascism." According to recent news published on one of Tamil news websites, Douglas, who uses state resources at his will, has to pay close to Rs.

10 million for electricity bills to the Ceylon Electricity Board alone. Alas, no one is questioning his deliberate default on payments to state institutions.

He is the master in the art of dealing. He knows how to handle whatever government comes to power.

Mohandas, who wrote a book about MGR, who was the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, described a peculiar incident that took place in Jaffna many years ago. There he unmasked the "General Douglas" as follows; "Mention must be made of an extraneous episode, when the electioneering was in full swing, which attracted world attention.

American nationals, Stanley Allen and his wife Mary Allen, who were working as water-resource experts under the UN Aid programme in Jaffna (Sri Lanka), were kidnapped by unidentified persons who sent a message to President Jayawardene, demanding a ransom of gold worth 50 million dollars and release of 20 of their colleagues who were under detention. The message also served an ultimatum that, if their demands were not met within three days, the couple would be shot dead.

It was the U.S.

Consul General in Madras who first broke the news to me at about 11:00pm one night and appealed for my help. When I wondered what I could possibly do about an incident in Sri Lanka, he said that since I had been dealing with the Tamil militants' problem, he thought that I could use my expertise.

I told him that I would try to do what I could, but, in the meanwhile, the names of detainees (whose release the kidnappers had demanded)...