Maya 'MIA' Arulpragasam, Varnakulasingham Murugathasan and Dayan Jayatilleke
by Kath Noble
As I stood at my bedroom window looking out at the red tracers and searchlights crisscrossing the sky on Friday night, I wondered how things had come to such a point. The LTTE hasn’t been very popular amongst its own community for a long time. After the suffering it has imposed on Tamils during all these years of fighting and the appaling number of Tamils it has felt compelled to kill for refusing to accept its leadership, the LTTE has been reduced to stealing children to despatch to the frontlines and even indoctrinate as suicide bombers. I wondered how an organisation with so little ready backing from ordinary people could have built those aeroplanes, and how it could have trained pilots to fly under the most trying of circumstances more than half the length of the country.
The main answer is of course the obsession and ruthlessness of its leader. Prabhakaran is willing to do anything that might bring him closer to his dream, as his recent antics in holding people against their will to effectively stand between him and the advancing Sri Lankan forces demonstrate. Shooting civilians in the back to prevent them escaping to a peaceful life somehow helps liberate Tamils in the warped recesses of Prabhakaran’s mind.
But another part of the explanation must lie in the diaspora. As has been noted many times before, the Tamil community outside Sri Lanka is huge, the majority in India, but with significant groups in the West and elsewhere too. It is from these sources that the LTTE has drawn its power since it lost the confidence of Sri Lankan Tamils. Eelam appeals to a fair number of them, and people living elsewhere have the luxury of working towards the success of an idea while rarely having to endure the pain of failure. Combined with a good bit of LTTE fascism, this has delivered the money and equipment to get things done and the political cover to get away with it.
The diaspora has been particularly active in the last few weeks, with protests almost worldwide. But a couple of individuals and their respective statements have caught my attention.
First there was the interview by the London-born singer Maya Arulpragasam on a talk show in Los Angeles. I must admit that when I first heard about it, I assumed her motive to be self-serving. Celebrities have become ever more engaged in speaking out on various causes in recent years, and while they probably do it with genuine concern for the issue they are pontificating about, they also clearly have at least half an eye on their record sales, sponsorship deals or whatever the currency of their fame happens to be.
When I finally watched it, I decided that she probably meant every word. The host had only just managed to get through the briefest of chatty introductions about her rather obvious pregnancy when Maya Arulpragasam launched into her diatribe on Sri Lanka, in response to his inquiring as to what she made of her success in being nominated for a Grammy and an Oscar in the same year. It was a little prepared, but why not. If I believed that a systematic genocide had been going on in the country that I’d grown up in for the last decade, and I were invited to an American talk show, I too would prepare. Not that preparing seems in her case to have involved looking into the facts of the matter, like whether there are 350,000 people simply trapped in the battle zone, whether aid, humanitarian work and reporting of the story are actually banned, and whether the Government really is 100% to blame. Perhaps she believes that she has, being a musician. If the reaction of the host is anything to go by, she probably isn’t used to having to defend her opinions with facts or even very coherent arguments.
Then came the suicide of Murugathasan Varnakulasingham outside the United Nations in Geneva. From Jaffna, he left Sri Lanka half a dozen years ago for London, where he completed a degree in Information Technology. Yet he somehow ended up setting fire to himself in protest at the situation here, blaming the United Nations for failing to intervene.
His motivation can hardly be questioned, although that of the politicians who were quoted in the British newspapers commenting on his death certainly must be. His local representative, who just happens to be the chairman of the British Tamil Councillors Association, explained that the young man was pushed to suicide because the media was refusing to publish what was going on in Sri Lanka. Whether such politicians truly believe that this is the case, the British newspapers happily printed this opinion that implied there was an unreported genocide underway without any cautionary references.
The LTTE propaganda machine has through the actions of these few individuals shown itself to be quite extraordinary in scope. It can get through to the ordinary man on the street, but is also capable of reaching global celebrities. Some politicians are either convinced by the LTTE or willing to go along with its lines for their own benefit, and most journalists don’t seem to know any better either. The result of all this is a lot of agitation in Western countries, as well as the age old problems with India.
It is very sad that these events were promptly followed by the news last weekend that what I hope it wouldn’t be too presumptuous of me to call Sri Lanka’s most effective diplomat is soon to return home. The Nation on Sunday reported that Dayan Jayatilleka, who has spent the last two years as Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the United Nations in Geneva, will not have his appointment renewed when his current term is up in June. This is despite Sri Lanka’s treatment at that body having been decidedly more reasonable since he arrived.
Dayan Jayatilleka’s most enthusiastic opponents, it would seem from the emails that have also been flying around Colombo of late, are from the Sinhala diaspora. They obviously have more in common with their Tamil brethren than they might like to think, for this demonstrates about as much wisdom as was displayed by Maya Arulpragasam and Murugathasan Varnakulasingham.
Some of the characters involved have got it into their heads that Dayan Jayatilleka is a communist, and thus anathema to the Western countries they believe it very important to pretend to suck up to while pulling faces to each other. Of course this is misguided in every way, and demonstrates not only a total lack of understanding of the world and what diplomacy is supposed to be about, but also a complete failure to grasp why their own attempts to persuade the West that the LTTE is bad haven’t worked.
Shouting terrorist might have been enough to convince George Bush, but the rest of us Westerners aren’t quite so unsophisticated. The only people who are tempted to accept that the fact that the LTTE kill civilians is enough to make it stupid to agree to down weapons and talk about an Interim Self Governing Authority for the North and East are rightwing and, in case these agitators have failed to notice, rightwingers don’t make up the majority in the West any longer. Even when they did, it wasn’t a failsafe argument. John Major, while pretending that it would turn his stomach to do so, was busy talking to the IRA, and might well recommend a similar course of action to the Government here if he didn’t know anything more about the situation.
It is noticeable that the majority of Sri Lankan diplomats think more along the lines of these misguided emailers from the Sinhala diaspora, which is perhaps why Dayan Jayatilleka has become a target. There may not be anything wrong with this per se, although it would seem wise to have as much diversity in overseas representation as there is amongst intelligent people supportive of the Government at home, but it isn’t a lot of help in getting others to understand the truth of this conflict.
Friday night’s attack on Colombo marked what is almost the end of this phase of the fighting with the LTTE. Its territory is nearly gone, and with it the capacity to hide aeroplanes. But that doesn’t mean that all problems are now solved. Whatever happens to Prabhakaran, there are people abroad who believe that the Government is committing genocide against Tamils. This feeling may not be channelled into action so effectively if the LTTE isn’t around, but it can hardly be a good idea to just let it be.
(This article by Kath Noble appeared in "The Island" of February 25th 2009 under the heading "Other battles still to be won".)
9 Comments
What the IC or Tamils outside SL refuse to believe is the fact that it is only the LTTE that can save the Tamil civilians trapped in Vanni.
NOT because they are the saviours of Tamil people but because they are the culprits of gruesome attrocities against Tamil civilians.
They just have to let the ICRC evacuate all civilians gathered in the coastal safety zone, via sea route. There is no need of a ceasefire to do this, unlike in a case of ground based evacuation. So far ICRC has evacuated thousands of patients to Trincomalee.
International community (including India) can deploy more vessels to evacate thousands of trapped civilians if the plight of the civilians is their primary concern.
But it seems that for many of the international players the civilian suffering is secondary to some other hidden agendas. Rather, they seem to be terribly worried about the plight of LTTE.
Since there is no military solution to SL problem, it is the sole responsibility of GOSL to neutralize those who terrorize SL citizens (eg LTTE). Then 50% of the problem will be over. Then comes the problem resolution phase which need a non military solution to complete the remaining 50%.
We in SL (Sinhalese/Tamils/Muslims/others) should look in to what is the best solution to our REAL problems, and implement a practical solution by ourselves.
We should not let Non SL citizens or IC or remnants of yesterdays chavnism (JHU/TNA/JNP) to decide whats best for ordinary SL citizens.
first of all if a Safron clad Monk can speak Politics, What was wrong in MAYA express her opinion of her homeland.
Secondly, if suicide bomber is terrorism, what are you going to call the self immolation? May be the Author is spliting hare to look for new word.
It is said every dog will have its own day. So here come that Dyan is having his day.
Possibly next in line would be Spin Prof. Rajiva.
Good luck Dyan, don't go out in the dark you may be one of those MIA after dark.
How said there is no genocide. Even now the British and slowly the US is talkiong about the same term.
I used to wonder in the same lines as you did more often than not. Ducking for air attacks and counter-attacks in the capital-no less, is an unacceptable situation. Isn’t it ironic that more people (at least 7 according to the press) have been killed by the counter-attack whereas there was only 2 fatal casualties by the attack itself. Does it not speak volumes?
Okay, given that the Diaspora is suffering from a disappointment syndrome in respect of the performance of the LTTE and reduced to L (I)TT(L)E, and probably hoping for something up their sleeves, what has the government achieved? Given a little more transparency, the picture is rather gloomy!
Diplomacy with the International Community has become more of a current battle-ground rather than with the LTTE while lot of people is yapping. The IC taking the issue as personal rather than a common issue.
I think VP and MR are equally poised in the scale, only VP has somehow gained a little bit of international balance as of now. Remaining days of the war will tell us the whole story.
You and I are playing the waiting game, period!
Kath Noble
Dear Noble,
I am sure you know the history of systematic eradication of tamils in Sri Lanka by succsive SL government and state sponsored pogroms and colonisation projects after chasing away Tamils to make HSZ.
The grand project continues for more than 60 years. Only the mode changes from time to time.
LTTE is not saint, it's violations are well documented. But they have given the Gvnt the perfect excuse to ethinc clensing of large areas and prepare for colonisation. Make Janakapura seccond biggest city in SL in 5 years time.
Please report the facts as you see it. Also accept the fact there are various shades between black and white.
I believe that there is a genocide going on in Sri Lanka against the tamils. But I do not support LTTE actions.
So are you suggesting the SL govnt adopt some strategy to eliminate me in UK too??
Selvan
Mr Noble,
Mr Noble,
While you are analysing the recess of Prabhaharan's mind, you seem to have forgotton the recess of all the sinhalese leaders in the last 60 years and specialy the current Rajapakse clan with genocidal intentions. Why?
Innocent tamils in Vanni are undergoing tremendous sufferings fearing elimination from the face of the earth by Rajapakse Clan. While they may have concerns for this war waged by LTTE, it appears that they may be willing to die in Vanni rather than coming under the clutches of the genocidal regime and killed, raped methodically. When there are no independent reporting from Vanni, whatever propaganda by the genocidal regime saying that the tamils are being shot at by LTTE cannot be taken as the truth. There have been reports that genocidal army planted bombs to kill innocent people who were under their guard. Which one should we believe when there are no independent reporting?
So, before you assess the recess of Prabhaharan and others look into yours and the genocidal clan to see what is actually causing this misery. It appears that the mahavamsa theory is deeply embedded in the recess of genocidal clan that it is ok to eliminate the tamils to keep the Sri Lanka for sinhalese themselves.
Jude
I really do not understand that where Mr Dayan got the impression that LTTE did not have the support of Tamil people and LTTE is forcibly recruiting.
22 democratically elected MPs are supporting LTTE and Tamil cause. They themselves were elected on the mandate that LTTE is the Tamil peoples’ sole representatives. They received some 80% of the vote.
Look at Army deserters- 25, 000 are currently deserting. Around 3000 are in prisons for deserting or refusing to go to battle front. Once their sentence is over those who were imprisoned will be sent to battle front. This is the term of the punishment. Therefore it is the SriLankan government is who forcibly sending army soldiers to slaughter house and not the LTTE.
OK if we take Mr. Dayan’s argument, how many LTTE deserters are reported? Remember majority of the LTTE soldiers are operating in the SriLankan Army controlled area. If they like they can immediately surrender to Army and go to safe heavens.
I am highly disturbed by the fact that “transcurrent” is used for spreading malicious, untrue and venomous propaganda.
This piece is structured mostly to boost up whom the Writer describes as
"Sri Lanka's most effective diplomat" - Dayan Jayatilake - who has been recalled
from his posting in Geneva. Noble is entitled to his views - but I am afraid
people familiar with the country's able diplomats will disagree. Men like
Jayantha Dhanapala, the late Shirley Amerasinghe, RSS Gunawardena, GP Malalasekera,
Raju Coomaraswamy et al would have fitted this description without the fear of contradiction. I might add Dayan was a favourite of the Sinhala diaspora and the Sinhala supremacists within the country, contrary what is noted here. As to the writer's comments on the Tamil diaspora he might remind himself it was Sinhala pseudo-nationalism that gave birth to the LTTE
and July 1983 and the pogroms against Tamils since then that bred the now powerful Tamil diaspora. Noble might as well centre his verbal missiles on those responsible for the eviction of Tamils from the Lankan family of communities. Noble is correct in noting many Tamils within and without had their own thoughts about LTTE's misadventure that was to harm Tamils later on.
But to presume the potency of the LTTE is a thing of the past might be yet another error of the writer - a conclusion not shared by those well versed with the current history of Sri Lankan politics.
ISS
This is obviously a very slandrous article againt Maya Arulapragasam yet supporting Dayan Jayatilleka.
Maya is obviously our second generation, and whoever we are, we are duty bound to support her success. I cannot for instance go against her just because her parents were anti-Tamil tigers. I have to find a way, in my own opinion, to put an end to these divisions, as best as I can. Besides, Maya is second generation to me. There is no way in which I will touch her with a barge pole of hatred of any kind. I simply cannot do that. She is a child, daughter, and a niece to us. I will only support her. With my love and affection I will try to keep her close to me and our Struggle, which is her Struggle too!
Kath Noble, sounds a European women, probably a blonde. You know what they say about blondes? Apparently, they stick their tampons behind the ear and couldn't remember where they stuck the pencil!!!
I suspect Kath Noble is somewhat envious of Maya 'MIA' Arulpragasam.
And perhaps Kath Noble also stands to lose if Dayan Jayatilleke loses his UN post.
And Varnakulasingham Murugathasan seems to have got caught up between envy and worry.