by Dr. Vickramabahu Karunaratne
Last week I was not feeling well and was unable to participate in the funeral procession of the late Maheswaran, MP, the fourth Tamil leader to be killed after Kumar Ponnambalam, Pararajasingham and Raviraj. All of them could speak in both Sinhala and English and explain the Tamil national problem, especially to the Sinhala people. That is exactly what they did. Sivajilingam and Mano Ganesan fall into the same category and both are living lives under threat. The government argument is that such people are a threat to separatism as they become friends of the Sinhala people. Hence the LTTE must have eliminated them! But the simple truth is that the government should have protected them and, at least, should have found their killers. The government has failed to do so in each of these cases. I was half asleep when a member of the media phoned me and asked me what I thought of the abrogation of the Ceasefire Agreement. I said “obviously, the government is desperately trying to satisfy the conditions laid by the JVP in order to get their continued support. The next step will be to end discussions for a political solution. The Mahinda regime will consolidate all Sinhala chauvinist forces towards the war. There will be bloody retaliation from the Tamil fighters, pushing the country towards anarchy and barbarism unless of course the struggle of the working masses manages to calm the situation down.” Then there were many more phone calls and I started to wonder whether I had said something controversial. When I listened to the evening news bulletin, I was relieved to see that I had only said something obvious. Maybe I was mistaken.
Political proposal
A news report from India states that Prime Minister Man Mohan Singh will attend Sri Lanka’s 60th Independence Day celebrations only if a political proposal is on the table by then. In addition, there are similar pressures from many global powers. On the other hand, Wimal the great, backed by his dentist guru, has said in no uncertain terms that the government will be thrown out before the Sinhala New Year, if any proposal that violates the unitary nature of the Constitution comes out. Apparently a combination of patriotic forces is going to do this. A powerful Sinhala rebellion is in the offing!
However all that may not be necessary. Minister Champika has placed his most loyal adjutant in the APRC to block any proposal that challenges the unitary nature of the state. There is no escape for Minister Tissa Vitharana. Of course, he is quite aware of this limitation. Tissa knows very well that he is a prisoner in a chauvinist government and that the APRC is only eye wash. Poor reformist; what else could he do except pretend that some reform is possible, someday, somewhere. He needs to hang on to the position.
Discontent masses
What one openly sees is the escalation of the war and the growth of anarchy and barbarism. What is not seen so well is the growth of discontent among the suffering masses: workers, peasants, fishermen, plantation workers and the youth in general. The incident that took place at the Sri Lanka Rupavahini Corporation is remarkable. It was a mini uprising against the power of the Mahinda regime. Mervin symbolised, at that instant, every unpleasant thing in the Mahinda regime. People rebelled disregarding the police and other authorities present. Is this an indication of a future national event? In any case Mahinda has taken the message seriously, and the CID is investigating the nature of the rebellion. Gayan of Lakbimanews says “.the CID has watched the video tapes of the scene of turmoil that day in order to identify the media personnel and trade union representatives who were active on that occasion.” A few weeks ago Nandana Gunathilaka, MP complained that a radical section of the JVP is preparing to take up arms and get back to the jungles. If that is a trend within the JVP youth then it must be so among the military youth already in the jungles. In fact all these youth are from the same social background. Hence similar political inclinations should be expected.
In the meantim, there are protests developing in all sections of the working masses including the plantation workers. Inflation could grow well beyond 20 % and the noise of war drums will be less and less attractive even in the deep South. That is the message for 2008.
January 14th, 2008
A Statement by the Rt Revd Duleep de Chickera, Bishop of Colombo:
The assassination of Parliamentarian T Maheswaran and one other on the first day of the New Year, tragically in the premises of a place of religious worship, and the bomb that killed four people including two children, on the second day of the New Year, must be condemned outright. They are both terrible demonstrations of the continuing hatred and revenge that has permeated our society and killed numerous political leaders, thousands of security force personnel and militant cadres and tens of thousands of civilians. They are much more a demonstration of the inability of our leaders and people to resolve our differences in a civilised non-violent way and live together with mutual dignity.
I convey the condolences and assurance of prayers of the Clergy and Congregations of our Church to the families of the bereaved. May God whose mercy endures forever, enable you to bear this unimaginable loss and give you courage and strength to be living examples of forgiveness and reconciliation.
Horrific human initiated incidents like these jolt and remind us that the promotion and justification of war through the promise of an illusive peace is immoral, misleading and counter productive. They reveal that a society saturated in violence for decades and that has lost its vision of a just peace, cannot be redeemed with more violence even in the guise of war. We simply cannot sow seeds of a war culture and expect to reap peace.
Consequently I once again plead with the political leadership of the country to harness our systems and resources and immediately put a stop to more killings and destruction. The bleeding and cries of the people cannot go unheeded and cannot be compensated with counter allegations and political rhetoric. It is your responsibility to rise above negative political rivalry and differences and serve the people. It is your responsibility to lead the people out of this culture of violence and pursue sustainable peace through negotiations. Even though time is running out it is still possible to return to and act on a consensual political will that could still save us all. Your mandate as elected leaders leaves you with no other option.
When this is done with dignity for all, the people of all ethnic communities will back you and undoubtedly judge and isolate the LTTE and other militant groups if they refuse to co-operate and remain intransigent.
The fuller challenge the country faces is to work towards sustainable development and nation building, so that the people can get on with their lives in an atmosphere of trust. Most other nations, some of them not as resourceful as ours, have forged ahead and have honoured the trust their people have placed in their leadership. We can only hope to do so when you as leaders have adequately and justly addressed this destructive trend of violence of sister and brother against sister and brother.
With Peace and Blessings
_____________________
Spiraling Violence
A Statement by the Rt Revd Duleep de Chickera, Bishop of Colombo
The assassination of Parliamentarian DM Dassanayake and his MSD bodyguard Mr Ratnayake adds to the long and unending list of utterly senseless killings that continue to engulf us and must be condemned. In today’s chaotic culture of contending power struggles this could well be the work of any one of the several armed groups that operate with impunity. Yet, the greater probability is that it is the work of the LTTE.
We offer our Churches condolences and prayers to the families of Mr Dassanayake and Mr Ratnayake. May the God of consolation share your burden of grief and deliver us all, victim and perpetrator from this brutal cycle of violence. We also offer our prayers for a speedy recovery of the several other MSD personnel and civilians who were injured.
The abrogation of the CFA, the desperation of the LTTE and imminent elections in the East will clearly lead to a further escalation of violence in the Country. We are fast heading towards the option of chaos and destruction that only the few on both sides who manipulate our political destiny do not seem to mind.
Recent events such as the assassination of Mr Mahesweran and the intimidation, now, of Media personnel connected with the State controlled media, reveal that the enemy has always been dissent, no mater from where or whom. As one source of dissent, community or group is dealt with the next will be taken on.
We must all take responsibility for this trend that threatens to swallow all that stands in its way. None, either within this culture in North or South, who imagined they could draw a line and share the spoils with clean hands, or outside this culture in North and South, who imagined they could draw a line and complain that the “others” hands are dirty and then do nothing, can be exonerated. A people receive a political culture that they have one way or the other, created.
Our strongest hope for a return to normalcy and peace is a collective people’s return to common sense. All is not well. The signs are clear. Yet, may we never give up hope for our beloved Sri Lanka. May we return to our senses and pray and work for peace through change. May the God of creation and change encourage our visions of peace and inspire and accompany us.
January 14th, 2008