A blinkered journalist to the Asian Tribune, does not want to give credit to the President Mahinda Rajapakse even for the capture of Kilinochchi and for writing off terrorismn at least as it had been for the last nearly three decades. She harps on the defeats and set backs, without understanding that there would never be success with out defeats and set backs. The declaration of the victory over the enemy in capturing Kilinochchi which Prabhakaran said would be the dream of Rajapakse, was reason enough to be happy and rejoice, not for the political gains that the writer emphasises , but for the victory itself.
If we do not acclaim that victory, we are failing to acknowledge the supreme sacrifice made by hundreds of young soldiers, some maimed for life, and others left with psychological scars. The joy of victory for us, is like waking after a horrible nightmare for those soldiers still on the battle front. The whole attempt of the blinkered writer is to discredit Mahinda Rajapakse, reproaching him for making political capital of the situation. Her attempt for political vengeance against the President on this issue is misplaced, and shows a shameful disregard for the heroic deeds of our brave soldiers that made the victory possible.
The President Mahinda Rajapakse, is not attempting to make political gain out of the capture of Kilinochchi. It may be the furthest from his thoughts. Mahinda Rajapakse, is a compassionate human being, which he has shown on many occasions. He is some one who feels other peoples pains and sufferings. I am sure he spent moments of sadness over the death of the youthful men on both sides of the “war”. The blinkered writer will not understand those human values, as her main object is to smear the good name of Mahinda Rajapakse.
The blinkered writer continues her intolerable attempt to divide the people, rather than bring them together. In the war against terrorism the right thinking people are not divided. The Tamil people may certainly have a sentimental attachment to the Tamil youth dying for the cause for which they have been forcefully engaged by a terrorists with a “one track mind”. But the ordinary Tamil people may not have a “devotional “attachment to Prabhakaran himself .
Those mother and fathers whose children had been taken away to fight Prabhakaran’s battle, may not see Prabhakaran as a great Tamil leader. Even if Prabhakaran declares an Eelam State there will be no Tamils from the South who will volunteer to live in Prabhkaran’s Tamil Eelam. There may perhaps be hordes of them willing to come from Tamil Nadu !
Tamil people would vote against the war as it is after all the Tamil youth that are being made to fight the war of a ruthless madman, who uses the gun to defend his cause. Life has no value for him. The Tamil people live in fear of reprisal. They cannot say, no to the “war” conducted by the Sri Lanka Army, and say, yes to the terrorists for their killing, maiming , torturing, and kidnapping. They are in a difficult situation.
The blinkered writer does not ask her self the question, who asked for the war ?
It was not the Sinhala governments who wanted a war. It was Prabhakaran who started terrorism, helped by India. Mr.Mahinda Rajapakse- the President, never wanted a war. He was doing his best to come to a peace settlement. It was the terrorists who continued their terror activities without agreeing for a peace settlement. It is of course unfortunate that the Tamils , who have to bear the brunt of the war , which Prabhakaran , and the Tamil diaspora, do not seem to understand.
The Lanka State, as pointed out was brought into to an unwanted war, by the terrorists when they closed the sluice gates at Mavil Aru. Therefore, the Sri Lanka government cannot be blamed as the party that imposed a war on the terrorists or on the Tamil people. Oh, blinkered writer ! take off your what ever coloured glass, to see the reality.
The Sinhala people wanted to continue the “war” to which they were brought into by the terrorists, for the simple reason that thy would like to have their motherland as a unitary whole, even if they do not want to go an live in Jaffna. Now the poor ordinary Tamil people in Wanni who are suffering under the terrorists being herded from one place to the other have to be rescued by the government forces. The terrorists will not leave them behind , not for the love they bear for these people, but without them the terrorists will be “sitting ducks “ for the bombs and artillery fire of the Government Forces.
The blinkered writer of the Asian tribune says, that a Sri Lankan Nation is non-existent. I do not know where she got it from, because to all evidence there is certainly a Sri Lankan Nation composed of the three main Communities, and other minor communities. There may not be agreement on many issues, like the children of a same family, nevertheless the Sri Lankan Nation exists. I am sure there are many Tamils who are quite happy that the capture of Kilinochchi marks the end of terrorism to come sooner than expected. The access to Jaffna from where many of our Tamil compatriots in South are living, is made easier after the capture of Kilinochchi. They will be happy to renew links with their homes and families.
The end of terrorism is also the beginning of new opportunities and sharing of political power, building new relations, opening new projects, but those things will have to take their proper time. One should not precipitate changes, as we are all under a psychological trauma after three decades of terrorism in which we have lost many of our religious leaders, respected citizens, and kith and kin. On the contrary to what the blinkered writer states , with the capture of Kilinochchi, the Sinhala , Tamil, Muslim and others begin to have new hopes for peace and harmony, and hope and expectations.
The blinkered writer’s continuous insults to the Sinhala Community, seem to seek the applause of the Tamil people- and perhaps the terrorists for that matter, for some reason.
War and peace are two different states. During war peace cannot be expected. Therefore, one cannot talk about devolution of political power when the country is still “simmering” in the hot pot of a “ war “. At the moment the minds are filled with different emotion, such as anger, hatred, jealousy, desire, attachment, and so on. With these mental conflicts one cannot come to solutions of peace, harmony and tolerance. Therefore, we should wait until the conflicting emotion give place to more acceptable mental states to find viable solutions to our political conflicts.
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( please see blogs: http://www.pereracharles.blogspot.com, and http://www.charlesperera.blogspot.com )
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