Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2006-09-07-Speech-4-155"
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"en.20060907.23.4-155"2
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"Mr President, this is not the first time we have addressed this issue, and we are aware that Sri Lanka has frequently been the subject of debate in the House.
We have already referred to historical matters, and I have certainly spoken recently on the difficulties related to our need to take a stand on the situation of the parties to the conflict. On the one hand there is the continuing harm befalling all those who are victims of these conflicts, while on the other hand we cannot forget that specific past circumstances are affecting the present. We cannot automatically assume that these people are simply unfortunate and cursed by blind fate.
It is necessary to accept a particular definition as to who in Sri Lanka – and I hesitate to resort to such controversial terms, but here goes – is the original host there, and who is the guest who has become too big for his boots, and whose activity is detrimental to the host. I do not wish to name individuals or refer to any particular side or party, but I would like point out that the present situation cannot be judged without a specific analysis and judgment of earlier events and without some basis for dividing people into aggressors and victims. After all, you cannot just simply label every victim as innocent and anyone who is on top as guilty at that particular moment. Of course, we as an international organisation should obviously ensure first and foremost that the sufferings of ordinary people stop as soon as possible, but we cannot do so without taking account of the historical context, and of a certain understanding of who are the goodies and who are the baddies. It seems to me this House needs to take considerably more action than it has hitherto."@en1
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