B.Raman of the Sri Lanka Guardian website writing from Chennai speaks of understandable scenes of jubilation in Colombo and other Sinhala majority areas over the occupation of Kilinochchi. He makes it clear that the “jubilation” is only of the Sinhala majority. Without stopping at that he goes on to speak of similar scenes witnessed after US Army moved without resistance into Baghdad. And he says significantly violence still continues in Iraq, despite “ Mission Accomplished “ proclaimed by Bush.
Raman leaves unsaid the imprudence of the President Rajapakse’s declaration of the capture of Kilinochchi from the terrorists. Raman says that he had said before, that the US Army’s entry into Baghdad marked the end of one phase of the war and the beginning of another. He indirectly warns Sri Lanka Government of what is to come.
Then he adds that it was so in Afghanistan, and that the Talibans who were proclaimed dead, rose from its proclaimed grave and staged a come bake, and fighting still continues. Raman still has hope for the terrorists of the LTTE.
Of course Raman rises to the occasion and says , “….to mention all this is not to under-estimate the significance of the LTTE's loss of control over Kilinochchi after remaining in occupation of it for 12 years, but to stress the inadvisability of premature claims of victory in unconventional conflicts between a State actor and a non-State actor.”. That is to say that the Government of Sri Lanka should not have proclaimed the capture of Kilinochchi from the terrorists, because it was triumphalism.
Raman says that the capture of Kilinochchi may add to the pride of the Sri Lanka Army, but it does not undermine the moral of the terrorists( he calls them the LTTE), because that defeat in Kilinochchi was expected. He warns that the capture of Kilinochchi is not the end of the “LTTE’s” campaign of “insurgency-cum-terrorism”. He says that , it is not the loss of an important piece of territory, that signifies defeat, but it is when it loses the support of the people in the areas still controlled by the terrorists, and the Tamil diaspora, that they-the terrorists, will really be defeated.
Raman’s analysis is based on what he presumes is the good relationship that prevails between the terrorists and the Tamil people in the areas still under their control. The other side of the same coin should be the presumption, that the support of the Tamil people in the areas still under terrorist control have not volunteered their support to the terrorists. But those poor Tamil people had no alternative, but obey the gun toting terrorists. They may be happier without the burden of having to be herded by the terrorists, from place to place to keep themselves alive.
The fact, Raman refuses to understand is, that the local civil Tamil population have had enough of terrorism and wants to finish, and be over with it. The Sri Lankan army is not an army of outsiders, and the Tamil people know the difference between the terrorists, even if they are of their own stock, and the Army who are not terrorists. It is quite evident in Jaffna that the people if not “happy” are at least satisfied that they are not intimidated by the terrorists.
Indians react differently from the Sri Lankans. That is because we the Sri Lankans are a small nation living in a small space, and there is an unseen link that binds all of us, the Sinhala, Tamil and the Muslims together. The Sri Lankans showed their happiness, when its army had triumphed over an enemy, that made them suffer for more than a quarter of a century. In that jubilation they showed their happiness over the victory, for which some of their children had given their lives, while others continue to risk theirs. They were mostly the dear children of the Sinhala majority, who gave their lives, or are continuing to risk their lives to allow the people, and their own families live happily and in peace.
India is a vast country. Sri Lanka is much smaller both in territory, and in population. There was reason for the people of Sri Lanka to express their joy, even if you would call it triumphalism. It is the Sri Lanka Tamil diaspora who are with the terrorists, and it will be a long time before the Tamil diaspora will, or if ever accept the Sinhala majority as part of their people, different from the terrorists, even if the terrorists are Tamils. Therefore Raman’s being proud of his political leader’s in India is different, from the pride we have of our own political leaders who gave the leadership for a successful “war” against terrorism..
The Indians not showing their jubilation, over Mizos agreeing for a peace accord, do not mean we should not be joyous of our small army chasing away a ruthless group of terrorists armed to their teeth with sophisticated war material, bought by the 300 million dollar annual contribution by the Tamil diaspora for a free for all terrorism in my little country of 64 740 square kilometres of land, and a population of 21 million people. And India which is 2 973 190 sq km land and 1,027,015,247 people cannot be compared to Sri Lanka.
Mizo is a far away place in Assam, with only 900,000 Sq.Km of land. The people are of Mongolian characteristics , and the average Indian may even not know about them. Mizos were not ruthless terrorists like the LTTE terrorist, for the Indian leaders to be triumphant when Laldenga signed a peace accord. There was also no reason for jubilation when the Khalistan movement withered away as they too did not terrorise India, like the LTTE terrorists in Sri Lanka.
They are two weak examples Raman had cited to condemn our jubilation over the capture of Kilinochchi from the ruthless murderous LTTE terrorists.
Our leadership, that is the President Mahinda Rajapakse and his government , the
Army Commanders, and the Defence Secretary, are wise people. They acted with wisdom. The regular air strikes in Kilinochchi was a remarkable proof of the capability of the Sri Lanka Air Force, as they struck the targets avoiding the civilians. Happiness, jubilation and being triumphant over the defeat of an enemy are all human qualities. It is the indifference that makes people less human.
But India is not acting very wisely at the moment, with regard to terrorist attack in Mumbai and confrontation with Pakistan. Indian Leaders have much to learn from Sri Lankan President Mr. Mahinda Rajapakse a simple man with a big heart and a wise head.
We sure keep our fingers crossed as Raman requested, but our Political Leaders and the Army have lot of experience, and we will be able to see an end to terrorism , without allowing Prabhkaran to rise from defeat like the Talibans, or start the second phase of terrorism like in Iraq. The Sri Lanka army is not what it was in 1998, and the terrorists are not what they were then. Therefore, there is a very little chance, if at all, for them to make a come back as they did in 1998.
Raman, disclosing his pro-terroists sympathies, says”….. The counter-terrorism strategy of the Mahinda Rajapakse Government lacks the kind of sophistication and nuances we have. It treats the Sri Lankan Tamils as if they are foreigners while paying lip service to their being citizens with equal rights. This has made the conflict in Sri Lanka not only between the Government and aggrieved sections of the Tamils, but also between the majority Sinhalese and the minority Tamil communities. How many Sinhalese moulders of public opinion have come forward to support the human rights of the Tamils? How many of them have criticised the use of the Air Force against the civilian Tamil population? Even if the SLA is able to defeat the LTTE, it will take years for the SL society to heal the divide between the Sinhalese and the Tamils caused by the policies of the Rajapakse Government and the intemperate pronouncements of Lt.Gen. Sarath Fonseka, the Commander of the SLA.”
Raman resorts to the self same rhetoric of Mano Ganeshan, many of the Tamil diaspora ,Narapalasingham, and the Tamil week. He says the government treats the Tamils like foregners. He knows perhaps some of these Colombo Tamils ,who are politically interested or sympathetic for the cause of the terrorists. The ordinary Tamil people living with the ordinary Sinhala people have nothing against the government or the Sinhala people . They are all equal as Sri Lankans.
What exactly do these people, who say that the Sri Lanka Tamils are treated differently by the government and the Sinhala people, complain are the privileges enjoyed by the Sinhala people , that have been deprived to the Tamils ? Please name them without being vague. Raman continues about violation of the human rights of the Tamil population, but does not say what are these violations.
Neither Iraq, nor Afghanistan is comparable to North and East of Sri Lanka. Afghanistan has a land space of 647 500 Sq.Km, and a population of 32,000,000, where as whole of Sri Lanka has a land space of 64,740 Sq.Km, and a population of 20,743,000. Our country and the land space in the north east is far too small for Prbhakaran to hide. Our army is not a foreign army and they are experienced, and now know the possible areas where the terrorist may hide, and it will not be long before the terrorists will be dragged out of their hiding places in the jungles of Wanni.
B.Raman acknowledges receipt of above article:
BAHUKUTUMBI RAMAN
to me 4.11.2009
Many thanks.Read with interest. Regards. Raman
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment