Gotabhaya Rajapakse and Sarath Fonseka are similar to Velupillai Prabhakaran’ - (Igniters of Impunity, Praba’s Brothers and Architects of a Junta)
By Maitree de Silva
In this article, my objective is to focus on a crucial area of Sri Lankan political life, where significant developments have taken place: military successes against the LTTE coupled with the development of a culture of ruthless impunity. This can be described as the result of a mixture of very dangerous elements:
1. A military force marked by impunity and immorality.
2. A sentiment of intense ‘fear’ of the state and the military establishment
3. Rise of Sinhala Buddhist chauvinism
These three factors are complemented by acts of assault, imprisonment and murder of journalists and, and a policy of zero tolerance of any dissenting voices. These elements will be evoked.
Insights into the situation can be glimpsed from the ideologies that tend to dominate within the island nation’s defence establishment. Lieutenant General Sarath Fonseka , Sri Lanka’s Army Commander, publicly affirms that the ethnic minority groups of Sri Lanka are not citizens enjoying equal rights as the ethnic majority (the Sinhalese: http://transcurrents.com/tc/2008/11/post_76.html accessed 15 February 2009). Not a comment one can afford to ignore, as this is the man in-charge of a military force that has been continuously accused of sexual violence against Tamil women, underage girls and young boys in the war-torn areas of northern and eastern Sri Lanka. It is known fact in Sri Lanka that the military is involved in acts of sexual exploitation in the most deplorable manner, especially in camps (i.e. ‘Welfare Centres’) meant for internally displaced persons (IDPs : http://www.internal-displacement.org/8025708F004BE3B1/(httpInfoFiles)/AA00E042488E0E47C12574B20035DDAE/$file /Sri+Lanka+-+August+2008.pdf see notably pages 96, 97, while the whole report stinks of papers allegations.
Accessed 15 February 2009). Lieutenant General Sarath Fonseka is also the chief of an armed force that sent a UN Peacekeeping Force to Haiti – which was shipped back home on charges of sexual abuse and sexually motivated violence against women, including underage girls (related news reports at http://www.haitisolidarity.net/article.php?id=206 and http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=24514&Cr=sri&Cr1=haiti accessed 21 February 2009). The military has been continuously rejecting accusations of this nature, reading them as attempts by opposed forces (especially pro-Tamil Tiger terrorist forces) to discredit the army’s best practice in the northern and eastern warfront. Some people may have given a heed to this interpretation with regards to reports of sexual violence from Sri Lanka, but when the United Nations condemns Sri Lankan peacekeepers against the same humiliating offence, one can conclude with certainty that there is indeed no smoke without a fire. Most surprisingly, neither the military establishment nor the Sri Lankan government has taken any pertinent steps to address allegations of rape by the army, widely reported internationally (for telling examples, see http://www.thesouthasian.org/archives/2006/sri_lankan_combatants_rape_wom.html and http://www.tamilnation.org/indictment/rape/971123terror.htm accessed 21 February 2009).
One is painfully reminded of the Krishanthi Kumaraswamy case, and sheer brutality of the Sri Lanka Army soldiers who gang-raped Krishanthi, a 16-year-old school girl and slaughtered her and her family members (More on Krishanthi’s tragedy at http://www.tamilnation.org/indictment/rape/960907krishanthi.htm accessed 21 February 2009). Equally savage was the gang rape, murder (by strangling) of Tharshini, a 19-year-old girl from Punkudithivu in 2005 (related press reports available at http://www.tamilnation.org/indictment/rape/051218tharshini.htm and http://www.tamilcanadian.com/page.php?cat=266&id=3688 accessed 21 February 2009).One is also reminded of little Thenuka, a 10-year-old who whose childhood was robbed by Sri Lankan army soldiers who took her to an army camp and gang raped her (related news report at: http://www.tamilcanadian.com/page.php?cat=91&id=513 accessed 21 February 2009).
Moreover, I invite all readers to take a minute to view this video on youtube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jf3dkgBtLmk&feature=related Accessed 14 February 2009
It is a footage from a local TV channel’s news bulletin covering the electoral campaign for the Central and North-Western Provincial Council Elections (held on 14 February 2009). I draw your attention to the very first scene on the video, a speech made by the Hon. Ratnasiri Wickramanayake MP, Prime Minister of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka. This is an excerpt of a speech that makes any right-minded Sinhalese extremely ashamed and embarrassed. Referring to the prospect of capturing the LTTE leader alive in northern Sri Lanka, the Hon. Premier says that he should be killed- and that the one who deserves death should be doomed to death. Furthermore, this bold political leader, the incarnation of far-right wing Sinhala nationalism whose hatred and xenophobia equals those of crude Nazism, says that if he [i.e. the LTTE leader] were a ‘girl’, they [i.e. the soldiers, or war heroes of the Sri Lankan military] could have ‘touched’ or ‘fiddled with’ her body!
The most frightening factor is that the Prime Minister of the country is in a position to make comments of this nature in public, at an election rally, and that there are people who fully support views of this nature and continue to vote for the Prime Minister’s political party. This says it all. No one seems to have seen anything wrong in the Prime Minister’s remarks. Given the man’s age and longstanding career in politics, one can conclude that this stance is easily shared by the large percentage of the Sinhala electorate that supports the present government’s military campaign against the LTTE (AND extended its support to all previous governments that did nothing to address issues of sexual violence perpetrated by the military). I do not endorse the LTTE in any way, but I dare to point out that sexual violence of the Sri Lankan military against Tamil women is fully tolerated by the political leadership and those heading the defence establishment. This is impunity at its highest, and the Sinhala Buddhist majority should be rendered sensitive to the sexual violence practiced by the exclusively Sinhala military. Such a rapist force will never gain the confidence and appreciation of Sri Lankan Tamils, and ought to be viewed with due contempt by all sincere Sinhala Buddhists (and Christians for that matter). The most recent rape-related press release can be read here: http://www.tamilnet.com/art.html?catid=13&artid=28413 Accessed 15 February 2009.
Being the husband of a lady honoured by Sri Lanka’s (apparently) ‘Buddhist’ clergy with the impressively flowery title of ‘Shasanamamaka Deshabhimani Diriya Maatha’, and a father of two young ladies, one wonders what Lieutenant General Fonseka honestly thinks of the essentially sex-crazed nature of the military force he commands.
GR: The Embodiment of Fascism
Now, a word about Mr Gotabyaya Rajapakse (GR), former officer of the Sri Lanka Army, who returned home from expatriation when his brother assumed office as President of Sri Lanka. In fairness to Mr GR, he has proved to be a good manager, managing and spearheading military strategy in the war against the LTTE. The problem with Mr GR, is that despite his management skills and commitment to his official duties, there seems to be a fiercely fascist persona in him. It is this second persona of GR that poses a problem to this writer and to almost all journalists and endorsers of free speech in Sri Lanka today. Here’s a telling example: in an interview with a BBC journalist
(http://inmutiny.wordpress.com/2009/02/06/who-is-lasantha-wickramatunga/, also available at:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/news/2009/02/090203_srilanka_sl.shtml
accessed 14 February 2009), a question is raised about the murder of the Senior Editor of the Sri Lankan weekly The Sunday Leader. It has been reported in the media that Mr. GR giggles at this question, but in my view, he is only ‘trying’ to giggle. Sadly though, the effort produces no giggle, or Mr GR is one of the worst gigglers in the world. Obviously, the late Editor was known to the Rajapakses. The former was Private Secretary to the late Sirima Bandaranaike (SLFP leader, political party of the Rajapakses for decades) in the mid 1980s. Besides, the late Editor was unarguably the most controversial character in Sri Lankan journalism, turning every possible stone to divulge the truth and the ‘inside story’ at any cost. He may not have been very diplomatic a person or an exceptionally skilled public speaker, but on paper, he was as sharp as the sharpest thorn could be. People read, read and read his writings, making him a national figure in Sri Lankan journalism. As many articles by his former colleagues published after his demise affirm, he started his career in investigative journalism in the eighties, strengthening his position by producing his own broadsheet in the mid nineties (Now some have described The Sunday Leader as a ‘tabloid in the form of a broadsheet’ but that is upto the wise to determine).
Let’s pause a second and think about Mr GR and the late Editor of the Leader. Mr GR served as an army officer; left the army, lived abroad, and was appointed Secretary of Defence when his elder brother was elected President of Sri Lanka. It may not be wrong to affirm that Mr. GR would never have become Sri Lanka’s Secretary of Defence if his elder brother was not elected President. The Editor of the Leader worked hard from his late teens to reach where he was at the time of his assassination; a qualified lawyer and member of the Colombo bar, experienced investigative journalist and newspaper editor. In other words, a ‘professional’ (those who doubt his professionalism are free to do so, and enough debates have taken place on the matter. This writer firmly believes that the man was one of Sri Lanka’s most successful professional journalists). It is about such a man that Mr GR raises the most hideous question: “Who is Lasantha?” Well, the obvious answer that will instantly occur to anyone familiar with Sri Lankan politics (except the terminally braindead and those whose unquestioning, uncritical and dumb support is with the Rajapakse regime) is “Sure the world knows ‘who’ Lasantha is, and that YOU, Mr. GR, is behind his assassination”.
The discerning reader may wonder as to how this writer reached that conclusion with such conviction.
In the BBC interview, soon after the attempt at ‘giggling’, Mr GR goes on to affirm that anyone who talks or writes against the defence establishment will not be tolerated. The BBC journalist, ever so apt at coming to the point, asks if Mr. GR’s stance is similar to that of George Bush (on the war in Iraq): “Either you’re with us or not with us”. The most revealing answer follows “Exactly”. Secondly, it was an extremely carefully orchestrated murder on a major road in Colombo, a city where very tight security and constant identity checks are the norm. Here comes four masked men in motorbikes, blocks a man’s car, attacks him brutally, and once the deadly deal is done, off they fly away at swift pace – on the same Colombo roads. It was surely four Sri Lankans who committed the deed, and where can they have gone soon after? Did some supernatural force make them invisible to the world? Looking at the way the attack was carried out, it is crystal clear that the attackers came from, or were sent by, places of power, with enough power to invert and divert state defence arrangements in Colombo city. They were also a completely fearless group – who surely knew that they are only executing orders, and that they will indeed be protected by those who issued the orders.
Who, in present-day Sri Lanka, can be bold enough to issue such orders? With defence power and military might under the strict influence of one family and its close allies like the Army Commander, none other than those heading the defence establishment could have boldly issued such an order. The Sunday Leader did report that a courier was sent to the Leader office sometime before the incident, with a page from a previous edition with defence-related matter, on which the words Liyovoth maranava’ (You’ll be killed if you write) were written in red. Now who could that be I wonder? Some low-life playing a prank on a major newspaper? Or was it an informal and serious last warning against the type of journalism the Leader practised? Once again, the answer is upto the wise to determine.
Impunity and the International Dimension
In another interview with the BBC, Mr. GR affirms that no news items contradicting the work of the defence establishment will be tolerated. Later on, it was reported that he had even made threats of outright expulsion of foreign media networks including BBC and CNN on the same grounds. This may be the practice in lands such as Israel, whose cruelty in anti-Palestinian offenses is well-known to the world. In the post 9-11 context, the fight against terrorism and the concern over national and international security have resulted in detention centres, torture and sexual abuse of prisoners and many other brutal violations of basic human rights. Those very governments that tend to uphold liberal democratic values and virtually ‘preach’ human rights’ to developing nations in conflict have turned out to be shameless perpetrators of crimes against humanity and violations of human rights. In the land converted to be the worlds’ superpower, military reporting all through the Iraq war was identical to the current war reporting of Sri Lankan media (i.e. state-owned channels and private channels which have a similar reading of events and unquestioningly support the state). Any alternative voice or voice of dissent would never be tolerated.
To read, listen to or watch a balanced and objective news report on the Iraq War, the main option was non-US news reports (i.e. I am referring to news from states that practiced a policy of non-involvement such as France, where reporting on the Iraq War was quintessentially objective and multi-dimensional). In fairness to Mr GR once again, he can be graced as the Sri Lankan who best understood the ‘rash’ strategies of the War against Terrorism. One is tempted to wonder what the outcome would have been if Mr GR (a US citizen) was appointed as US National Security Adviser instead of those who held that high office when the War against Terrorism began...surely the entire world would have been in unrecoverable shambles.
The War against Terrorism entails two separate elements: Afganistan and Iraq. The former was justified due to the al-Qa'ida threat. The subsequent efforts to overthrow the Taliban regime and reestablish democratic governance in Afghanistan have reached little success, hence the Obama administration’s decision to deploy more troops in Afghanistan. It is a sore wound, which is unarguably difficult to cure. This leads to the call for both political and military efforts. A military group’s power and influence may be curtailed by military action, but the core problems that lie behind the genesis of such violent groups need to be promptly addressed, with a sense of mutual respect and magnanimity.
Iraq, on the other hand, was a different ballgame, where the Bush administration made a fatal mistake in using military pressure of such magnitude.
Over the same quarter, support for a falsely justified invasion (i.e. Iraq) prevented a one exemplary European political leader from being remembered in history books as a great peacemaker instrumental in developing the Northern Irish Peace Process. Instead, his decision to support the Iraq War continues to be reproached by a large majority, and many are those who view his current position as Special Envoy to the troubled Middle East as not so promising a choice. On the other side of the pond, a people elected a new Head of State – a man who stood against the war-against-terrorism-related malpractices of the previous administration. A long way lies ahead on the path to dealing with such malpractices and prosecuting the guilty, but one is left with the certainty that strong winds of change are in the air.
Considering the case of Sri Lanka, the above-mentioned developments in the international scene have relatively little significance. Our conflict is the creation of our own leaders’ decisions to treat a segment of our own people as ‘second class citizens’. This first led to a movement of Tamil nationalism that relied on political means of achieving equality and self-determination, and secondly, due to long inaction, led to the expression of the desire to reach that goal using arms, violence and acts of terror.
Sri Lanka: Case-Specific Particularities
As a Sri Lankan what more can I add? The Sri Lankan government views the LTTE as a terrorist organisation with a separatist agenda, and wishes to eliminate them. From the developments so far, they seem to have extensively inspired from the War against Terrorism and Israel’s war against Palestine, with most inspiration being gained from negative aspects. I once again reiterate that it is futile to compare the situation in Sri Lanka, an internal civil conflict, with the War against Terrorism, or with the Gaza question. Regarding the latter, the practices of the Israeli government against Hamas ought not to be copied by any land on earth, as no people deserve the tragedies Palestinians are enduring at this very moment. What then is the point? The point is that the Sri Lankan government, despite its military capabilities, has a mediocre understanding of the Sri Lankan conflict and the reasons behind it. They seem to understand the War against Terrorism and Israel’s military strategy way better than their own conflict.
This is the only conclusion that can be drawn from ideas such as those expressed by Sri Lanka’s Army Commander mentioned at the beginning of this article. Weakening the LTTE’s military might is commendable, as the latter has been an equally ruthless and violent organisation. Yet, such a strategy should be accompanied by a firm commitment to equality, and an equally strong fight against Sinhala nationalist forces, who are ruthlessly brainwashing the Sinhala community. The large majority of today’s Sinhala community has received an ethnically and linguistically segregated primary and secondary education with its fair share of ills (especially with history books outlining ethnic Sinhala superiority, low attention to learning Tamil, atrocious teaching of English, and deplorable teaching of Sinhala- with Sinhala and language and literature textbooks being, in the truest sense of the term, good for nothing, creating a mass of individuals reminiscent of the late Prof. Ediriweera Sarachchandra’s statement ‘Sinhala pamanak danna Sinhala vath hariyata nodani’).
Recent developments have amply shown that such a people can be easily dragged into wholeheartedly upholding an ultra-chauvinist Sinhala supremacist discourse. Some may believe that the concerns of the ethnic majority cannot be condemned and their issues should also be addressed. I agree. The majority, and especially the hardline elements, must understand and affirm that in Sri Lanka, we are all equal citizens, despite ethnic, religious and linguistic differences. I do not cast all Sinhala Buddhists as the key ‘villains’ in Sri Lanka’s ethnic question. A substantial number of Sinhala Buddhists are products of the educational system I mentioned earlier, and are easily influenced by Sinhala nationalist forces. Yet, there are Sinhala Buddhists with a better understanding of our history, and the need for a discourse based on equality and self-determination. Prior to Western colonisation, our land was governed as regional protectorates, with each region managing their own affairs. The northern people have the fullest right to manage their own administration, legal system, public security structure, have their own regional anthem and live with dignity, while being part of Sri Lanka. In other words, the one and only path ahead is a quintessentially federal solution. There is no need for allusions to Malaysia, as Sri Lanka is NOT Malaysia.
Our history is specific in its own right, and the case-specific particularities of Sri Lanka have to be taken into account when drafting a solution. In this process, it DOES NOT suffice to exchange views of this nature only within segments of the Tamil diaspora, moderate elements of the Sinhala Diaspora and the international community. The core action should take place in Sri Lanka’s ‘Sinhala South’ where a counter-movement to JHU-JNP should emerge, armed with tremendous strength to defeat nationalist and supremacist discourses, and develop popular support for a federal solution to the ethnic question. Such a movement has to be based on equality and justice to all, affirmation of the right of Tamils for self-determination, and encouraging people to ‘appreciate’ and learn from ‘the other’. Some may view this as impossible, but as a Sinhalese Buddhist born and reared in a predominantly Sinhala Buddhist region of the island, this writer is in a position to affirm with the fullest conviction that this goal is fully reachable, provided that a strong movement is developed.
Sinhala Nationalist Far Right
The Rajapakse administration has provided a fertile ground for groups such as Jathika Hela Urumaya (National Sinhala Heritage Party) and Jathika Nidahas Peramuna (National Freedom Front) to thrive, and influence public opinion. Given the views both Mr GR and the Army Commander have publicly expressed, they seem to be strong supporters of the nationalist discourses of the groups mentioned above. Any force that criticises their common agenda is silenced, and that is the fate that befell all journalists who criticized the Rajapakse administration, the military, the Defence Secretary, the Army Commander, Sinhala nationalist political parties and their leaders, proposed bills against conversion/change of one’s religion and violent attacks on non-Buddhist places of religious worship.
Praba’s Brothers and Architects of a Junta
It is crystal clear that Mr GR and the Army Commander are two figures of a political agenda that receives fullest state endorsement to ignite Sinhala Buddhist supremacist chauvinism in Sri Lanka, make the Sinhalese unquestioning admirers of the Sri Lankan military, develop a ‘second class citizen psychosis’ among members of ethnic minority groups, and use state-sponsored violence and terror against any anti-state voice. In other words, their strategies are very similar to those of the LTTE in its brashest form (i.e. zero tolerance of opposing viewpoints, eliminating anyone against its ultra-separatist ideology). This makes their ideology, tactics and objectives very similar to those of LTTE Leader Prabhakaran. The latter would have been the happiest to have a younger brother like GR and a faithful deputy like Lt Gen. Sarath Fonseka (instead of the Hon. Vinayagamurthi Muralidaran MP, alias Karuna).
Without the slightest doubt, these two gentlemen can be viewed as two personalities instrumental in creating a military-controlled Burmese-style Junta in-post 2009 Sri Lanka. Turning a thoroughly blind eye or preventing this dangerous move is up to us Sri Lankans to determine.
(An earlier and condensed version of this article was published in Groundviews, on 19 February 2009.The views expressed in this article are meant to be totally impartial. They are very strictly those of the writer, and in no way reflect the views any other organisation, group or individual.)
77 Comments
While the Author thinks the country will change into a Military style Junta and is obviously writing inflammatory Rhetoric to muster up publicity for her scribblings; one has to note that it takes a kind of man like Gotabhaya to defeat Prabhakaran. Those who tried to defeat Prabha before tried to talk peace and negotiate and paid dearly for it. You must fight fire with Fire. You cannot reason or Compromise, the only way to defeat Prabhakaran is to CRUSH him.
Congratulations! A well researched, documented and timely presentation. The second persona you are referring to could be a personality disorder in psychological terms. I’ll leave it for the experts to comment on it. But this is a general phenomenon with people who come into the type of fortune of being able to call the ‘shots’ unexpectedly. They know no bounds! Mr.G.R. is obviously overplaying his role, purely taking advantage of being is the brother of H.E. The President which we understand, more often than not, more than embarrassing the H.E to a powerless position of taking his own decisions of which we know he is capable of. So, we Sri Lankans are trapped in a vicious circle of mismanagement, corruption, impunity, abductions, and killings. A major scandal of financial fraud today always points to one direction – Mr. GR.
What in God’s name they are going to do with this amassment of wealth – cash, property, you name it! It could be okay for a while, but whereto and where after? All these are finally going to come down on MR’s head! We are hearing of the arrest warrant issued against the President of Sudan. Are we expecting the ultra-nationalist Sinhala Buddhists in defying such orders when it comes to Sri Lanka? I can only sympathize with MR as I do for CBK now! But where does that leave us? More of the same with Ranil waiting in the wings.
Reminds me of the popular saying by David Reynolds “ People deny reality. The fight against real feelings by real circumstances. They build mental worlds of should, oughts, and might- have -beens. Real changes begin with real appraisals and acceptance of what is. Then realistic action is possible”
Any one fight fire with fire never win. President Bush learned in his time.
Kandiah
The only problem, Mr. Fernando, is that the way the army and air force are currently crushing Prabhakaran is also crushing - maiming, blowing to bits, shattering, burning, murdering - thousands of innocent Tamils -- Tamils whom the mad Prabharkaran has himself been using and abusing for years. Where, I ask, is the justice in that? And where the hopes for peace, when hundreds of thousands of Tamils around the world are watching and seething and plotting their revenge? I'm afraid your approach and the approach of Gotabhaya and Sarath will have Sri Lanka dripping in blood for years to come. It's time all you Sinhala Buddhists started reading more closely what the Buddha himself -- and not just the medieval monks of the Mahavamsa or the Jatika stories -- said.
Devinda
That is what Praba is trying to do . Fight the fire with fire.
Do not limit the atrocities prformed by SriLankan Armies to Sarath and Gota.
It started during 1958. Emboldened when a Buddist monk killed his own prime minister.
When SInhala amrmy supported mob burned Jaffna Library. Then praba took fire to fight fire.
Thanks Maitree for bringing truth. We need people like you to keep the democracy and humanity alive. But your analysis has to go beyond Sarath and Gota.
I have personally witnessed more than 100 people( most of them are my friends) being killed in one NIGHT in SLA detention camp in Kalmunai in JUNE 25, 1990
Maitree de Silva,
Thanks for your writing. Indeed true
If it is a crime to salvage future generations of this curse ,all what the writer tries in telling will stick. If he found his examples from the period of time these two are at the helm it would have been bit more reasonable. isn't it a fact that the high level of professionalism SF & GR infused in to the average soldier had made them more focused and disciplined and you hear of their courage and bravery more instead of brutality. i hope you know that both of them are lucky to be alive , surviving suicide attacks. what is the implication such a devastating experience have on ones psych. Besides what do you expect from an army if they are not effective as a fighting force.
Well done & said Maitree. I lived many years equally in North and South of Srilanka and time to time harassed by both the LTTE and SL forces. Every time I see them with weapon I wonder where would they be if we don't have the ethnic problem? Either tapping toddy or sell king coconut I think!! But the tragedy is, people call them heros and patriots for killing each other and their own. As long as we have a dog park as parliament there is no way out.
all deserved to be in hague .
DEVINDA, YOU ARE IN THE IVORY TOWER ( OR SO THINKING THAT TERRORISM IS GETTING CRUSHED) NICE ILLUSION
.
Fire with Fire
Terrorism with Terrorism
This is what Prabhakaran said when he started LTTE.
Good bye to Buddha and Ghandi
:-)
Is Srilanka still a Buddist country, which practises what Gautaham Budda preached 2500 yrs ago " Nahi verena verani"?-Hatred cannot be defeated by hatred but by love. I can remember even president Premadasa reiterated it in 1990s but finally was killed by LTTE.
Their is no value for crushing LTTE militarily as we did plenty of times in last 30 years unsuccessfully, without a long lasting political solution around the corner.
The amount of polarity and desent among three main ethnic groups in Srilanka is sickening and overwhelming at this particular moment despite so called unprecedented military success.
The effects of the on going major scale war will be witness by us in the next decade to come and I am very much pessimistic about the rosy picture depicted by the current militarised regime.
I feel one day not the federalism but the seperatism is the ultimate solution to the problem, which could have been settled in a unitary country in early 1950s, if we listened carefully to the Tamil intelectual at the time without resent.
Now what we see is "masala wadai that Sinhala buddist thought to have in Dudley's badai" exploding all over not only in the motherland but beyond, where we expelled our own minority people.
Very good article, I hope that more and more people see this issues intelligently
1. I think that the big brother MR should be listed along with GR and SF as he can not escape responsibility as the president who appointed both them first place. Either he is brain dead and not fit be a president or complicit to crime.
2. " in fairness to GR that he has proved to be a good manager" sound not correct
If Praba had unleashed his lethal methods to kill so many innocents, would that make him a good manager.
World had seen so many good managers and a few I can remember Hitler, Stalin, Mussolini etc.
3 I stood in front of burning Jaffna library, Then in Colombo, we were subjected to humiliation by fellow sinhalese students who I considered friends, they defecated in our dormitory rooms, threw urine at us, threw our belongings out etc , no action taken by university authorities ( before 1983).
I was in refugee camp twice in Sri lanka, my friends were killed, people were slaughtered around me by SL army and I am lucky to be alive to leave the country. Now I do teach my children secular liberal democracy where every one can find a common ground.
THE POINT I WANT TO MAKE is, as Ravi mentioned, atrocities against tamils are not limited to MR, GR, SF. It started long before GR,MR,SF and Praba came into existence. The fact people fail to understand or in denial, inside and outside SL.
LOL! TERRORISM cannot be crushed! TERRORISM is merely a Tool. It is a Means to an end. I want to See Prabhakaran CRUSHED... and its working. I also want to See Tamil Communalism, Nationalism, and Racism CRUSHED...and guess what Commies,.... its also working!
These people, Mahinda, Fonseka, Gotabaya, George Bush have spawned a whole new generation of Terrorists by their ill conceived actions.
The Terrorist attack in Pakistan was carried out by young men in the 20-25 yr age group.
Prabakaran is old now and , due for retirement, but there is a whole young generation waiting to continue his work. Just as Terrorist are born every minute in the Refugee camps in Palestine, similiary the case will be in Sri Lanka.Its better that Sri Lanka reaalises their folly now rather than fight for another 50 yrs.
If these so called extremist chuvanist groups (Maitree de Silva's view of them) like Jathika Hela Urumaya and Jathika Nidahas Peramuna had not been in Sri Lanka, Prabha had been a king long time back and most of SL at present is under the jackboot of king Prabha. Luckily for SL, these groups emerged from nothing and changed the soft view Sri Lankans had about the agenda of LTTE which is to take the whole of SL to their control through terrorism. Like this writer, there were lot of people who are against Prabha but would not take any action to counter in tangible way due to various reasons. Their opinions are good for articles to read after dinner but not worth a pint of salt towards creating a peaceful just Sri Lanka. GR and SF are the kind of brave people who risk their lives to put the foundation towards peaceful SL by eliminating terror.
Well done. I totally agree with you sir. I don't like either party's action because they are immoral. This war is another form of racism. I was in Sri Lanka when Sri Lankan army burned Jaffna public library while Gamini, the irrigation minister was in the military camp. Why did they do so? What was the motivation? No body talked against that.
Slice it any way you want.
Gotabhaya Rajapakse and Sarath Fonseka will get the job done, the fatso will bite the dust.
That's all what matters.
Do not accept extremism from anyside.
But this lady Maithree must be all knowing and perfectly correct with every word she write. Her rhetoric can be counted but it would be worthless to do so.
Prabhakaran never understood how to be peaceful. If Karuna himself says that his disagreement was based on Prabhakarans refusal to come to peace then what is she going on about.
Lasantha's killing by whoever was wrong. But he had a big mouth and zero respect and circumspect to anything other than what he believed as right only. He was autocratic in that sense.
And looking at the commenters above. Atarai talks about Buddha and Gandhi but he is a gung-ho supporter of Prabhakaran and the LTTE.
MrFernando brings rhetoric against rhetoric and lose.
who is this Maitree de Silva ??
Well written article Maitree.
Budusaranai and Devi Pihitai.
Mr.Devinda Fernando;
Dream on, your dream is only day dream!
Zulu: Fatso biting the dust is fat chance.
Long live International Courts. Where are the perpertrators of Bosnia, Rwanda, Darfur massacres?
Even a child knows the answer!
The likes of Devinda are a typical example of how terrorists’ minds work. There are indeed terrorists among Tamils as well as Sinhalese. Devinda is one of them, not to mention MR, GR, the gems from the clergies (JHU) and from the JVP. The biggest and pioneer terrorist was JR who blatantly defied all norms of governance by calculatedly letting loose elements like Devinda on Tamils in 1983 and going underground for three days. If that was not terrorism by government we do not know what is! It is a wonder he escaped the attention of the IJC!
However, we must admit with sincerity that the majority of the Sinhalese are kind-hearted. Some of them more than proved it by coming to the fore, risking their own lives to save many a Tamils in the 1983 carnage and still there are Tamils living to tell the tale. So why and where did things go wrong for our blessed country? It is the current constitutional curse that provides for only thugs, criminals, underworld gangs, murderers to give leadership to all these innocent people. Can anyone imagine an honest, patriotic, educated person with neutral attitude getting elected under this constitution? It is as simple as that! Devinda and the likes have a great future under this constitution.
So the fight of the people should be directed against this constitution if we are to salvage our country!!
How could a person occupying the Prime minister's post speak low stooping down to that level? This one remark is enough to put 'Srilanka' on shame in the civilized world. Is it a government or a gang of lumpens?
On the otherhand, no one has heard so far any accusation of rape, molestation or misbehaviour against sinhalese women by LTTE cadres. They are well disciplined and controlled.
Even elsewhere, mainly state armed forces and police are associated with such heinous crimes. Hardly one come across such heinous crimes commited by militant forces.
And it looks like whether it is Mahinda or Gotbaya or Sarath fonseka or Wikramanayake, all are at the same wave length of perverted mindset.
Anonymous ,Maitree is Maitree. Writes under own name unlike anonymous cowards
Mr. Silva
I disagree with you. Prabakaran is not simillar Gotabaya and Sarath Fonseka. Prabakaran killed his own people (Tamils) but Gothabaya and Sarath Fonseka did not kill their own people Singhalese).
Although, I am not in fully agreement with the contents of the whole article, I like to lend my support the core contents, which is that the Sinhala-Buddhist supremacism should be challenged by a really powerful political force in the Sinhala South - that really is the long and short of it. Failing to do so has only promoted a murderous Sinhala Political Establishment - these murderers only know various ways of murdering civilians. Even able intelligent members of the Sinhala Political Establishment became nothing but the biggest murderers in the world.
A well written article, except that Maitree does not touch on why the LTTE came into existence. None of the comments above dwell on this.
The LTTE was due to the existence of bad politics and more so greedy politicians wanting to be in power of Sri Lanka. Had the politicians agreed to the Federal Party, with which three successive governments signed agreements, and soon after coming to power tore them up, would the LTTE and other groups have been formed?
The Tamils suffered immensely for many many years? Who was responsible for the attrocities? What the Tamils suffered for many years after independence is no way near harm done by the LTTE - PLEASE study the past carefully. Maitree why did you miss this on your well written article?
Good managers a few I can remember .... & Prabha
but all managers are failed at the end.
so they are not good managers?
*** Some of them more than proved it by coming to the fore, risking their own lives to save many a Tamils in the 1983 carnage and still there are Tamils living to tell the tale ***
Kinglsey,
Another shameless invocation of the memory of BLACK JULY to try and put the emotional black mail on the Sinhalese. No one is buying that ploy anymore. there were what? maybe 1000 to 3000 who died on July 23rd (depending on whom you believe), but yet after Ten to Twenty times that number of Tamils have died over this Eelam or Nothing Fantasy led by Ideologues in the Diaspora and the LTTE in Sri Lanka ....then "Geniuses" like you never stop to ask why?
Once again you fail to speak of the 800LB Gorilla in the Room (cough, cough the LTTE!!!!) and start trashing Sri Lanka... and further go on to label me a TERRORIST MIND? LOL! As if somehow my desire to See Prabhakaran CRUSHED makes me the Terrorist??? LOL! Your faulty logic is trying to infer that Prabhakaran and the LTTE are somehow "GOOD" for this country because it keeps the Sinhalese in "Check" ... because you Crybabies seem to think that the minute the LTTE are gone that it will turn into some Orwellian Police State or some Nazi Germany equivalent for Tamils. LOL! The exact opposite is true, but feel free to keep Needlessly SQWAAKING your Doom and Gloom Indoctrination to your Deluded followers (if you have any). You all sound the same, and we've heard these stories before from you people...over and over, and over again.... I won't be losing any sleep over it, that is for sure.
*** The only problem, Mr. Fernando, is that the way the army and air force are currently crushing Prabhakaran is also crushing - maiming, blowing to bits, shattering, burning, murdering - thousands of innocent Tamils -- ***
Yes Mr. Joyce, it is a very tragic circumstance of war. But what can be done? The LTTE are using every method they know to protect themselves from being destroyed, which includes dragging the Civilians to use as HUMAN SHIELDS….and ironically you seem not to utter a single word of condemnation towards the LTTE for that. So therefore the tragedy is that the death toll of civilians will continue to rise. We can only hope and pray for a SPEEDY ANIHILATION of the LTTE and this will bring an end to the civilian casualties once and for all.
zulu: "Gotabhaya Rajapakse and Sarath Fonseka will get the job done, the fatso will bite the dust.
That's all what matters."
Yes, nothing else matters. So why don't you trade places with a civlian in the conflict area in the Vanni? Shall I come to your home, get you by your ears, take you in a helicopter and drop you in the war zone? You can fight the "fatso" there. But if you or your proxies injure or kill my family, am I not entitled to kill you and your family in return? am I not entitled to even nuke the area you live? After all, nothing else matters.
I am seeing same angry chauvinistic faces I did see in Sri lanka, ready to step on minorities using any excuses. They will find some other excuses after conventional war with LTTE is over, to slaughter minorities, this time " unpatriotic enemies" within themselves as well.
They already started killing the fair minded voices among themselves ( Lasantha is equivalent to millions of fair minded sinhalese). At least some of the faces here agreeing that the state terrorism is in play but the truth is State terrorism has been in play long before Tiger terrorism started as a reprisal. One nurtures the other now. They have no idea that the dangerous road they are leading the country into. Think of the German poet "when they came for me".
Go back to the drawing board and find out the root cause of the problem. solve it. Otherwise minorities will not go down alone, they will take you along with you. Better option is respect and understand their fear and their rights and solve it, and they will uplift you as well.
Do not be preoccupied with the hollow military victory.
It will look absurd when you look back six months from now. If you fast forward to 2030, yes indian ocean is going to be whole lot different than now and SL most likely end up as military service hub for China, India, USA, Russia, may be even to Pakistan ( SL can be good at polishing military shoes, a change from exporting house maids, local industry is better).
Thank you for Sri lankan visionary leaders and their chauvinistic associates.
No doubt the most daring piece published on transcurrents.com; objective and unbiased. The so-called military success which has subjugated the civil liberty of whole Silanka is well captured. The mindless politico-military despotism and chauvinism of the politics executed by the ruling elite and the military elite has dragged the island nation's democratic setup towards a Pakistani like military regime. The task before the progressive elements is to fight them , which is daunting and daring.
First of all, I sincerely thank all the readers who left comments on this article. Whatever your political views are, I believe that it is essential to be politically conscious in the present political context. I appreciate your views, and especially your critiques and suggestions.
Secondly, a word of gratitude goes to Canaga, for reminding us of the genesis of the LTTE. I slightly alluded to this in saying that:
‘Our conflict is the creation of our own leaders’ decisions to treat a segment of our own people as ‘second class citizens’. This first led to a movement of Tamil nationalism that relied on political means of achieving equality and self-determination, and secondly, due to long inaction, led to the expression of the desire to reach that goal using arms, violence and acts of terror.’
Tamil militant nationalism, and the LTTE (its foremost component) is purely the creation of post-48 Sinhala leaders who were guided by the whirlwinds of the day, but were not concerned about long-term policies for the newly independent nation. This is where we went wrong. Majoritarian politics in the central government of a plural society have dire consequences, from which Sri Lankans are still suffering, and will continue to suffer for a good while.
I was quite intrigued by comment by ‘Bruno Umbato’. He notes that if not for JHU-JNP Sinhala nationalist forces, the LTTE leader would have gained control of most of Sri Lanka’s territory. Then, He refers to the apparently ‘soft view Sri Lankans had about the agenda of LTTE’.
That ‘agenda’ is then explained as ‘to take the whole of SL to their control through terrorism’.
With due respect to this reader and his views, I am compelled to note that this view firmly fits the notion of a ‘majority with a minority neurosis’. As a Sri Lankan, you do have a right to look at the problem this way, but I urge you to take a minute to view the problem in another perspective.
All Tamil nationalists have been and are demanding (and will continue to demand) is their ‘rights’. These entail the ‘right to live in the predominantly Tamil northern and eastern regions with dignity, managing their own regional government, legal system (Thesa Valamai), manage policing and justice powers and most importantly, giving pride of place to their rich language and socio-cultural traditions. This is what the Thamil Eelam idea (or Tamil self-determination) is all about. Sinhalese politicians have succeeded in associating words like ‘Eelam’ and ‘federal’ with outright terrorism and anti-state engagements. These words do NOT represent any ‘danger’ as such to the sovereignty of Sri Lanka. The rights of the Tamils can be accommodated by resorting to a reconfiguration of our state structure on a federal approach.
Sooner or later, this is the path to be taken, and those who sincerely consider themselves, as patriotic Sri Lankans ought to endorse such an initiative.
Mr Davinda Fernando’s comments were equally thought provoking. First, I humbly note that my sole objective of writing is to share ideas with people, and I do not have any other ulterior motive whatsoever. I harbour a deep interest in journalism of dissent, making constructive critiques and being constructively criticised.
Secondly, Mr Fernando affirms that he ‘wants to See Prabhakaran CRUSHED... and its working’. As the wise ‘OldMan’ notes, Prabhakaran is nearing retirement, and even if the LTTE were in its heyday, power would have shifted to a successor. In the weeks to come, Mr Fernando and the thousands who share similar views will probably see Prabha being ‘crushed’. But if Mr Fernando is relatively young, he will also live long enough to see the advent of a much more violent, ruthless and vociferous Tamil militant leadership, who will continue a renewed struggle for self-determination.
I kindly request all those who support the ongoing military activity in northern and eastern Sri Lanka to pause a second and put themselves in the shoes of northern and eastern Tamils:
Imagine the scene of a near-foreign army (which speaks a different language, comes from totally different parts of the country, and tends to see a ‘terrorist’ or a ‘suicide bomber’ in virtually every young native man and woman, have different socio-cultural roots and religious beliefs) going around establishing its ‘control’ over your native region, infringing your right to live there the way you like. Rules and regulations you do not appreciate are imposed upon you. You’re well aware that you remain a secondary citizen not only in your own country, but even in your own native region…
If you were an ethnic Tamil would you appreciate all that?
Families are put in so-called welfare villages, where ‘welfare’ is so rampant that young men and women are not allowed out! If you were a young Tamil man or woman living in the Vanni today, would you like that?
You belong to a modest socio-economic background and are a parent of a young daughter who is constantly vulnerable to gang rape and possibly post-rape murder by soldiers of the military force that ‘occupies’ what you consider as ‘home’. You have teenage or young adult children and irrespective of their sex, they are catalogued as ‘Tiger terrorists’.
The ‘state military apparatus’ is not composed of a single soldier from your ethnic group, but they are all over your home region; would you not be inclined to consider this as ‘occupation’ and the state military as a violent and occupying military force?
This may remind you of child soldiers, suicide bombers and related tactics of the LTTE. The LTTE is composed of ethnic Tamils, and the Sri Lankan military is NOT composed of a single Tamil. If a genuine choice is offered to Tamils of the Vanni between LTTE and SLA, what do you think they will choose? When people have nothing to cling to, when young women are constantly vulnerable to sexual abuse, what can you expect other than a terrorist outfit that ‘inverts’ that situation (by utilising the widespread trauma among the youth to engage them in acts of extreme violence)?
Rupert alludes to Karuna, in affirming that Prabhakaran is unprepared for peace. This is an interesting point: Karuna comes from the polyglot Eastern Province of Sri Lanka, while Prabha is from the northern Peninsula. This makes their upbringings, political viewpoints and conceptions of ethnic relations quite different from each other.
Besides, two men have special places in the fragmented domain of Tamil nationalism. They did not sit with Sinhala leaders for narrow profits. They are the late Hon. S.J.V. Chelvanayagam Q.C, who expected a settlement by political means, and Prabakaran, who, given the failure of political efforts, resorted to a more radical separatist discourse and military means to achieve it.
All other Tamil political and military leaders, from G.G. Ponnambalam to D. Devananda to Karuna and Pillayan, are all folks with a ‘dunnoth gannava’ approach to Tamil self-determination, a birthday present to Sinhala nationalists. They will not go in history books whereas SJVC and Prabha will.
If Colombo is sincerely concerned about a political settlement, they have to do it with main exponents of Tamil nationalism (i.e. those who have transformed Tamil nationalist discourses). Allying with those who had very little impact on Tamil nationalism (and whose only concern is political profit) is a mere facet of opportunistic politics
Dear Maitree,
Both Gotabhaya Rajapakse and Sarath Fonseka should be commended for what they have done. Only 3 years ago, LTTE were controlling 1/3rd of the state and now they have been cornered in an area less than 50SqKm's. The government forces have been engaged in a war for more than 2 decades and in a war you need to leave your "Maitree" behind at home.
Dear Maithree
You are a visionary person.
Your statement regarding leadership after Prabakaran is very true.
The person who is going to command LTTE after Praba had witnessed more bloodshed of his own comrades and own Tamil people. He/she is going to be more ruthless.
Here I would like to bring one historical event.
When Palestinian fighters were retreating, one Israel gunman/sniper got the aim for Yaser Arafat. He sought the permission from his commander Yitzhak Rabin (late prime minister), who was standing near by him. The Rabin told the sniper to leave Arafat. He justified his decision saying that, when Arafat is killed, the person who is about to lead would be more determined, ruthless and would be more difficult to deal with.
How true he was. The international community thought it was difficult to deal with more moderate Arafat. They killed him, brought Abbas into power. But people have rejected this Abbas and power has shifted to Hamas, more radicalist movement.
All these people who oppose LTTE should understand one thing. Tamil people are very sad, helpless when our own people were killed by shelling. LTTE cadres will be more committed to survive and fight later. I can still remember one analyst wrote “even if Prabakaran wants, he will not be able to go for a compromise, because of Black Tigers”. Younger LTTE generations are more committed to their cause than Prabakaran.
Imagine, what will happen after Praba, a leaderless LTTE cadres, with more pain of mind, more ruthless than Praba, not worried about death and with deadly weapons. It is relatively easy to deal with LTTE when Praba is the leader. He is now an experienced man, a father, a husband. He has witnessed ore bloodshed, all his friends died. It is easy to deal with him, than with Soosai, Vithusha, or Sornam as LTTE leader. The kids in Vanni saw nothing other than the atrocities of Army. What you are expecting from them? Olive branch?
I really do not understand the people who criticize LTTE when LTTE bomb Sinhalese areas. You guys are shouting about people being bombed one in a way. Imagine the plights of Vanni People being bombed everyday, and left without medicine. I know al Sinhalese a kind heart people. But you guys fail to imagine what Tamils civilians are going through. Tamils whole life is shattered. How many parentless kids, kid less older parents. Do not forget the JVP period, how the uprising was crushed. You have gone through this violent period.
Please read other websites too. What BBC or CNN is saying about the struggle. Read “Tamil net”. See the other side of the story. LTTE has faced direr situation than this, when they encountered the Indians. Now they are more powerful, experienced, and well equipped. They have the support of not only SriLankan Tamil, but the whole tamil people from all over the world. You may be reading analysis from DBS Jeyaraj that LTTE has moved outside of the battle field, PTK, to preserve their strengths to fight tomorrow. A day when Army relax its muscle, tries to consolidate. Remember, Army is not ubiquitous (seeming to everywhere at once). It is difficult to defend than offend/attack. LTTE will slip into jungle and comeback when Army is tired. Aware 100, 000 Indian Army were deployed in Vavunia itself and still, they could control a relatively weaker (than today’s) LTTE. I am not trying to praise LTTE. But this is the reality for any anti Guerilla warfare. LTTE is effective when they are in the Guerilla outfit than in conventional army form.
Persuade your government to engage true representatives of Tamils for political dialogue and not with Governments own puppets ( Karuna, Devananda, Sangaree). We, Tamils are proud being SriLankan too. We are not against any Sinhalese.
Over and above, please do not mud sling to any person who writes his view. But, you have all the right to put forward your counter arguments.
Thank you Maitree for not only a thoughtful progressive view but also creating a good conversation. Unfortunately, it may be happening only among English educated Sri lankans. Real change happens if you go to next level to exclusively Tamil and Sinhalese language speaking Lankans, I am not sure if you are doing it already.
( SWRD made your life challenging indeed)
Ravi put it nicely.
If I put it coldly, Tamils realizes that every Rajapakshe was worse than the one before, but Sri lanka has seen only one Prabakaran. . My assessment is that 1958, 1977,1983 created Praba I and what is happening now is going to create Praba 2. I am looking for a statesman to realize this fact for good of future generation ( if history is the guidence, I am not betting on it. Please Sri Lanka make me wrong)
Grabbing the land will not work and it will only reinforces the hatred and next generation of violence.
Tamils will be happy to coexist with progressive Sinhalese rather than friends across the Palk strait. Tamils consider themselves as Srilankans and all they want is some form of self government and respect to feel stake holders in Sri lankan prosperity and destiny. Nothing wrong with it when considering the history, culture and heritage.
Think of this, all started when Tamils started asking political rights when they felt discriminated, not Tamil Elam, it was met with state violence, counter violence, break down of law.
Finally all lost civil rights and worst to come. Not to mention the missed economic oppotunities.
I am counting on people like Maitree to help uniting the country by addressing the rights of the minorities as there is no leaders among Tamils currently and foreseeable future.
Dear Ms. Silva,
I will say this... you claim of a Military Junta is ridiculous. Example of History to prove this is when Premadasa used worse Tactics to CRUSH the (Sinhalese) JVP Armed insurrection. While there was a culture of Impunity then for Police and army that all simply went away after the crisis was over.
You speak of A "Military Junta" where the State has braod reaching powers? LOL! Don't be Silly. Nothing has changed in the Sri Lankan constitution to enable the Government to maintain an "Iron Grip" on the population. The government is simply a Coalition government where even TEMPORARY EMERGENCY POWERS have to be continuously voted for.... So tell me just how this country will suddenly become a Military Dictatorship? Once the LTTE are Dead and gone... things will return to normal.
Col. Karuna is now a minister in the SLFP. Hopefully he will use this opportunity to develop the east and make the lives of tamils, muslims and others better.
It seems that some people have crystal cookie cutter , can you lend it to Israel please.
Thank you Maitree for your understanding of the Tamil problem. Even some of the Tamil people have not understood the plight of the Tamil people. Lot of them don't think of putting themselves in their shoes. You have done it!!
If we had a leader like you among the sinhalese, Sri Lanka would have become one of the leading countries in Asia!!
Most Sinhalese leaders after independence were pre-occupied with harming the Tamils than developing the country!!
Zulu:
"Col. Karuna is now a minister in the SLFP. Hopefully he will use this opportunity to develop the east and make the lives of tamils, muslims and others better"............. True, Karuna Amman is all about betterment of himself.
Devi Fernando:
I do understand that you (Sinhala regime)want to CRUSH Tamils, but were saying with many adjectives. I.E. LTTE.
Before LTTE became a factor, it was simply Tamils in 1958, 1961, 1977, 1981.
Good luck!
Mr Liyanage’s comment represents an idea widely held by many of our countrymen. If gaining control over territory is the measurement of managing ethnic politics, yes, both RT and SF should definitely be commended. But the military strengthening its (military) control over formerly LTTE-controlled territory does nothing to positively transform ethnic relations in our land. What I am saying is that the Rajapakse administration’s all-out war strategy is not the response for Tamil militarism. We could have saved hundreds of thousands of lives (from both sides of the divide) and gone at this much more successfully if Colombo advocated a policy of ‘sincere inclusion’, i.e. a sincere agenda to consider the fundamental right of Tamils for self-determination within a united Sri Lanka.
Ravi: I’m very grateful for that very timely reiteration. This is a message that Colombo ought to clearly understand, but the euphoria over ‘military success’ is unlikely to allow any space for policymakers to think critically. People like you and me need to work hard to get the message across to our countrymen and develop a constructive debate.
A9: I sincerely appreciate your comments, and yes indeed, these ideas must go to the Sinhala and Tamil communities in both languages. At a personal level, I am currently working on this. Unlike those in charge of secretariats meant to coordinate ‘peace’, who cannot speak ten words in their mother tongue, I can speak and write good Sinhalese, which I intend to utilise to transmit a strong & progressive message of inclusiveness.
One key idea comes to light in both your comments- that Tamils of Sri Lanka are quintessential ‘Sri Lankans’, who, in Ravi’s words, are ‘proud to be Sri Lankan’. This is something many Sinhala leaders have seemingly refused to admit, and have been forcing the Sinhala electorate to not to admit. Irrespective of their political views, if Tamils are offered an ‘honourable political settlement’, even the most active LTTE cadres would begin to love Sri Lanka and contribute to the socio-economic development of our land.
Mr Fernando: Thanks a million for your comment. Yes the then government used extensive violence to suppress the insurrection. But let’s not forget that the trauma of what happened lingers on…an eternal black spot on Sri Lankan political history. The youth from rural areas, modest backgrounds, educated in the Sinhala medium and with limited professional prospects (& in a country with an ailing economy) rose in violence. They were all killed, right from the late R. Wijeweera. Was this the best response to the problem? Imagine what the situation would have been if the Head of State was a bit more compassionate towards those young men, children of his own countrymen (roughly the same age as his own children at the time). I’m reminded of two golden lines of a song:
“Aluth lovak gena sitheema danduwam dena varada nam
Kumata e-rata adhikaranaya neethiya saha vinisuran”
(Pavana, Nanda Malini)
It is our political leaders who took lowered the JVP youth to that level of violence, and an increased sensitiveness to their grievances, and a commitment to prompt action emanating from the Executive downwards would have saved all those lives, and Wijeweera and senior JVP leaders would still have been alive (despite conflicting political ideologies), making a tremendous contribution to our political culture (which badly needs a liberal democratic, secular & ethnically inclusive strong third voice).
The idea of a military junta was an allusion to the ‘repression’ going on in Sri Lanka. People are denied the right to write, criticize, engage in constructive dialogue, and support views different from those of the government. The Constitution has not changed, but the power dynamics have changed, with a government seemingly determined to hold on to the reigns of power for as long as they can. If the adjective ‘democratic’ is to remain in the official name of the state, this trend cannot afford to go on.
*** The youth from rural areas, modest backgrounds, educated in the Sinhala medium and with limited professional prospects (& in a country with an ailing economy) rose in violence. They were all killed, right from the late R. Wijeweera. Was this the best response to the problem?***
Ms. De Silva.... the answer to your question is NO... it was not the BEST RESPONSE, .... but it worked. But you are now dodging the issue of your article's original assessment that stated that such tactics would lead to a MILITARY JUNTA... and since you can articulate anything to prove your earlier assessment I would say I am right, am I not?
*** do understand that you (Sinhala regime)want to CRUSH Tamils, but were saying with many adjectives. I.E. LTTE. ***
Suresh, before trying to debate with me, please go and learn Sri Lankan History... if your are unsure as to where to find such material... I'll give you a Hint... they hide it in these things called "BOOKS".
Devinda.
They are not hiding in the books, you are denying to understand, so did all the SL Leaders since 1948 which lead to denial of well deserved prosperity and happiness to all Srlankans
The dilemma of the end game is yet to see in contrast to the euphoric patriotism currently pevailing in the batterd Island nation. It looks like the Brothers' Inc has accomplished their exceptional jobs and poor country's treasury is in shatters begging for more and more loans to pump in to the winning war budget for next 10 years rather than 10 generations.
The Brothers' Inc seems to have clear plans so that the Sinhala nation should not only be secured for the next generation from devastating terrorism but for the next ten generations to come so, that no similar harm could come upon the country.
The naive manic attitude of a despotic National leader in evolution can be seen our very fortunate eyes with warm tears of joy and jubilance.
The motto of new generation media freedom "It is the soldier, not the reporter, who has given us the freedom of press", is a new wave of blessing for the future of the country and if somebody reports incorrectly as our silly reporters always does, the current regime of Justice can definitely turn in to a military junta in disguise.
Unpatriotic people like Maitree de Silva are not tolerated and will be wiped out from Mother earth if he or she happens to touch the Motherland's blessed earth.
The euphoric Nation( as Sunil Ariyaratne wrote in 1987- Sadu Jana Gana Mana) is enjoying a long slumber of patriotism brought daily to their door steps by brave reporters sans FDLs and the hurrah is heard beyond the boarders of the
division. Insane people like us ( as Siddartha Gauthama defined - Prutagjana) are bewildered as to what's hapenning and always sceptical at killing spree unlashed on fellow countrymen.
? Whither Srilanka
I'm sure Mr Rajapakse did his homework prior to launching an all out offensive against LTTE. He has been in politics for a long time and he must have been well aware of the mistakes made by past governments. Howmany rounds of peace talks have there been since Thimpu and in every instance LTTE exploited the situation to re-group. The LTTE leader has made it clear that he will not deviate from the demand of a separate state, the so called eelam. He in fact told his colleagues to shoot himself if he did so. Therfore, it is pointless to have an agenda to consider a solution within a united framework, when it is not in LTTE's agenda. Could you please elaborate a bit more on "honourable political settlement"?
Mr Rajapakse group is worst than Prabhakaran. Mr Rajapakse is thinking , if someone have headeache, removing the head will be the solution rather giving a pain killer and let the person to relax.
kumar
If most of our politicos have done their "home work" properly, they would have been doing a totally different "job" today. There would be no reason to have so many "political refugees" in parliment and all these councils. We would have been adhered to a 20 cabinet as it was originally promised when these people came into power in nineties.
The wave of peace generated in mid nineties would not have been faded away. The "peace mongers" would not have been marginalised or killed. We could have seen a silver streak in the clouds of CFA and could have capitalised on it.
As media freedom was non negotiable with Lasantha at the gate of death and susequently he was killed, is it possible to negotiate a seperate state with Prabakaran , who is prepared to die for his cause? No, the only solution is to kill him not even to catch him alive.
Though Prabakaran is ruthless in his approach for his cause, he was mainly depicted as a monster not only by his own acts but by assymetric warfare and biased media. He is one of the Srilankans who did not change his stripes( pulli) in most dire circumstances.
The notion widely held by us as Tamils are adamant and non negotiable is a myth inculcated since Thipu talks. Only person who challenged this notion was Vijaya Kumaratunge and he was assasinated subsequently.
It was very difficult to rouse a deaf " elephant" by playing a violin.
Even the drastic killing spree unleashed by Prabakaran did not wake him. Though military crushing of LTTE and it's upper ranks makes most of us jubilant, is will not be long lasting unless we wake up from our 60 yrs of deep slumber and actively bring forward a justifiable political solution to satisfy minorities.
Their should be abundant apologies from both war waging parties leading to a national harmony or a peaceful seperation. I doubt whether there is s a value for the word unitary state.
Kumar,
Wake up from your dreamland. Who do you think has had journalists assaulted, maimed and killed? It's your precious Gota's and Sarath's who make up the murderous rajapakse regime, and like the prabhakarans are intolerant of the truth being revealed.
Kshama
The size of the government's cabinet is another debate. (Reminded me of "yanne koheda,malle pol")
Nothing could be as rediculous as the claim that there was peace in mid nineties. The central bank bombing, one of deadliest terrorist attacks occurred on 31/01/1996. More than 91 people killed and injured 1400 others. There were more than 3000 cases of cease-fire violations by the LTTE, including the killing of former foreign minister, a tamil himself, Mr Lakshman Kadirgamar. Refer to the link below for more informaiton.
The notion widely held by the government is that a compromise cannot be reached with LTTE, not tamils.
Vijaya Kumaratunga was one of the victims of Prabha's web of deceit which also includes former president Mr R Premadas who famously gave them weapons to fight the indian army.
Dear Maitree de Silva
I don't know how we can show our gratitude collectively as thamil people to express "What is Right". To all expressed against LTTE and Praba, Please understand that Thamil People are not against Sinhalese people. As people we all want to live happily without harming others. We just want to live our lives under "Thesa Valamai". Srilankan Goverments neither treating us well nor allowing us live in our own. What is your problem? Like a dog in hay stack. It is like a dominant man not fair to the wife and not allowing the wife to leave as well. In this context India, in their own selfish motive, who has more than one wife, does not support since his wives will ask for divorce. Therefore Eelam Thamils are being sacrified for all EGOs of power who happened to be majority but not RIGHT.
Let me assure all who have been mislead. By treating Thamil people fair ,
Sinhalese are not going to lose anything. Thamil people will not be a threat. it is your own insecurity that is bothering the Sinhala extremists.
Kandiah.
Dear Maitree,
Please accept my sincere gratitude for writing this article.
You have done an excellent job!
People like you is what makes Tamils like me to think that, both communities can still co-exist in harmony in united and undivided Sri-Lanka.
Please be aware that Sarath's and Gota's goons are looking for people like you to kidnap in "White Vans".
God bless!
We do understand that Tamils are not against Singhalese but the LTTE are and have been. There is a subtle distinction between the two parties and I urge every tamil to understand this. Those who attempt to portray that LTTE is the sole representative of Tamil people are nothing but fooling themselves. Howmany innocent tamils were killed by the LTTE? I have witnessed this personally. My cousin who got married to a Tamil Doctor from Tellipalai,KKS was gunned down by the LTTE simply because he chose to support a rival group. We protected him during 1983 riots but in tragic circumstances he was killed by his own people in his hometown.
Who is this Maithree Silva ????
yea you're write all three people involve with danm war in sl.. but the way they have involve with it is completly different sis,
praba is a terrorist leader kill civil people to tolarate nigotiations, he dn't care the price of blood ... but gotabaya & s. fonseka are leders of prof army they're doing a prof war,in a standerd way aren't targeting civiliances so how do you say they all are same .. like black, white , red are same because they are just colours...! when sl goverment needed to make a strong army to face LTTE they did so .. & now ltte's dreemy elam vanishing. is that the reson make you to write such an article? why don't you write an article like prabakaran, hitler & Idamiene are same? they all are pasist .. yes we can see some pasist influences in current sl government but it's better than any former governments.
sister look this civil war continuning for almost 30 years look how this bloody war effect on all of us.. even on unborn child, it made widow thousands of our womens, it disabled thousands of srilankens, killed almost 200,000 people.. not only that but also it made thousands of our al womens & mens slaves for midleeast countries & allover the world. & made a never faiding black mark on srilankens... so we have to stop it we had two ways peace nigotiations & answer by war .. we have tried first way so many times but it just made LTTE strong they use peace talks for strong their army for next war .. so we had no options other than practicing plan B, answer as they asked, by war ... doesn't matter what we hae to see an end of this war doesn't matter what's the price of it, LTTE pushed us to say blood to blood yes now we are giving what they asked ... the way of the war is cruel not like a hevan.. no rooms for huminity, kindness or dimocracy.. if you want to win have to kill & distroy ..this is how to count your success in war truth is bitter, it always does...
Yes I agree innocent Tamil people may be facing a lot of difficulties because of the war that is going on in the North.But what alternative does the Governmant have?It has to be said as far as i know that the Government is taking every possible action to minimize the effect it has on innocent Tamil people.What is that Maitree wants?For the government to step out of this war and let tarrorism win?It is the responsibility any government to protect the soverignity of a country.If the government of SL does not take any action to combat terrorism there will bo no land for any person,be it a Sinhalese,Tamil,Muslim or a Burger.What we can hope for is to defeat terrorism as quickly as possible and ensure that the North is devoleped and peaceful and prosperous life for the people lliving there,what they have been deprived for so many years.
Dear friends,
Maithree well done.It is true.These two guys have come from USA and they have no right to kill people in our country.Also both of them are US citizens.Gota is a permanent US citizen and Sarath is on green card.The American courts has filed against them on 18-02-09.They will get them their and punish.Who has a license to kill innocent civilians as they wish? The Rajapaksa family members will be on courts very soon.They ruined our nation pride.Now the whole world knows that Sinhala community is Genocide.We lost this war.It is a very good lesson to all who help them to these killings.Our fools are real donkeys.No words to tell about it.
Dear readers,
I sincerely appreciate your feedback on this article, and for taking time to read it. All all those who think that the current military offensive is 'the means of ending terrorism for good', I kindly request you to contemplate a little further. There is a deep-seated grievance behind every single act of terrorism taking place in any corner of the world. As long as you don't remedy the 'grievances' that incite people to engage in acts of terrorism, such acts will continue.
Look at the very principle of the military offensive (or humanitarian mission). It is intended at eliminating an armed 'terrorist' group. Who is it composed of? OUR OWN countrymen. It is composed of citizens of Sri Lanka, despite their total opposition to the Sri Lankan state. As the 'dragging' nature of the endgame clearly shows, this is not a black and white story. There is no 'victory' or 'loss' as such. All you will see after the current fighting and killing is an extremely fragile security situation in the entire country, a Tamil community that is cynical as ever about the predominantly Sinhala government, an extremely disillusioned community of Tamil youth, the euphoria of a short-lived victory within the Sri Lankan military forces and those who support it, and the Rajapakse government going crazy, capitalising on the 'war' at election campaigns.
We must try to raise the question 'For whose advantage is this war being fought?' Who benefits from it?
A situation of civil war allows the government to increase the defence budget and the presidential budgetary allocations. It is one family that controls this very substantial portion of the state budget. Arms deals bring home generous commissions - which is of great help for senior military officials to relocate in greener pastures, send their children abroad, buy them sports cars and have the life of Reilly...
If you think critically, it is thanks to the LTTE that MR came to power in the first place. MR is that shrewd man who has mastered all the tactics of the Sri Lankan politiking ballgame. Now that he has surrounded himself with the Sinhala nationalists (who, in turn, are very active spreading a hardcore Sinhala nationalist ideology all through our society)and a substantial portion of the Sinhala polity (i.e. his coalition partners & the considerable number of UNP dissidents in his cabinet etc), his next best bet to remain in power for a long time and make millions is by hammering the LTTE. But he will keep the endgame dragging on...for as long as he can...because 'the' major source of income for the Rajapakse dynasty and its courtiers like Sarath F will be blocked if the 'war' 'ends'.
This military offensive is definitely not meant to 'SAVE THE COUNTRY FROM TERRORISM', 'TO PROTECT FUTURE GENERATIONS FROM TERRORISM' or 'TO SAVE THE TAMILS FROM THE CRUEL HANDS OF THE LTTE'. All this is pure propaganda, and please take such statements with a fair pinch of salt.
Instead, the the military offensive has a genuinely generous impact on the Rajapakses and their secret bank accounts. This is their main source of income. Sinhalese Sri Lankans will go insane with Sinhala nationalism, and Tamils will go insane due to discriminatory practices and the ever-increasing anti-minority mindset.... This is what we are facing today. No one, simply no one in the present day Sri Lankan polity will ever want to end anything, because, as long as it lasts, it is great for their pockets.
Here's a challange for you Ms De Silva, convince your LTTE sympathisers to apply the pressure on tigers to release the civilians and let us see if the endgame actually drags on.
This article is clearly written to disgrace the humanitarian efforts
made by Lanka gov to safe gurd its own mislead civilians
the author whoever it is , clearly and intentionally turns a blind eyes to the Tamil chauvinism that patently dominates the northern region in sri lanka. it time and again proven that LTTE is the most brutal terrorist force in the world
that has blatantly violated each and every rules and practises of the law of war
and has carried out its gruesome attacks purely with the intention of achievement of its selfish motives.
what strikes me as odd is that the aurthor seems to have forgotten mass killings and suicide missions like the suicidal attacks in Colombo killing over 1000 s of innocent civilians,anuradhapura massacre of innocent devotees at sri maha bodhi,massacre of bhuddist bhikkus at Aranthalawa to mention a few.
Moreover a striking example of LTTE's cannabalism was clealy evident when they used a 12 yr old girl as a suicide bomber to save a LTTE leader.thus openly exhibiting its engagement of child soldiers in furtherance of their pessimistic and selfish objectives.
it should be borne in mind that the constitution of Sri lanka has guaranteed equal protection and status to al the races and religions that exist in Sri lanka.And if at all any race or religion that derives an undue benefit by virtue of the same it is the tamils. It is completely a baseless arguement to state that the tamils are placed at a disadvantage coz the tamils are perhaps the only ethnicity that has the absolute freedom of movement and residence virtually anywere within Sri lanka.
It is only correct the PM and the Army Chief to give a guarantee to the people of this country that it will eradicate the brutal stinking terrorism which has ravished this country for more that 3 decades.
write an article why you are so in to LTTE and why others must follow you on these thoughts, after all.. LTTE has made brutal killings on innocent civilians and abused children with raping, soldiering and all..! seriously, what are you trying to prove by saying some foolish stories...???
To Tri Sinhala, Anonymous and the last few commentators:
Please try to understand that in the Sri Lankan conflict, it was the Sinhalese political leaders who started it all first. Tamil terrorism developed as a countermovement against legislation that negatively affected the Tamils by successive Colombo governments practicing majoritarian politics.
I am no supporter of Tamil terrorism of any kind - on the contrary, I condemn all forms of terrorism, including the terrorism practiced by the Rajapakse government on the people of Vanni in the name of eradicating the LTTE. This military offensive is done at a very high human cost, and the trauma it causes to the people of that region is irreparable. Therefore, if the government does not call ceasefires, allow international aid workers, health professionals and journalists in, the war, when fully won, will leave a northern region full of physically and mentally retarded individuals, mass graves and the smell of murder.
There are limits to actions of responsible governments, especially with regards to military matter and human rights. What the Rajapakse administration is doing is extremely dangerous to the future of Sri Lanka and her people. The majority of Sinhalese are being completely blinded to this reality by the massive propaganda machine of the Rajapakse government.
'Nivan dakithva apagé jana nayaka kela'
(Nanda Malini - Pavana)
Ms de Silva
It appears that you are doing your bit for the LTTE propaganda machine as well. The government has indicated no sign of dragging the endgame and if they wanted they could have declared a ceasefire as you suggest and drag it further. The argument that "you started it all first" should not be an excuse to justify terrorism. Al-Qaeda and other terrorist organisations aired similiar sentiments to justify the so called "Jihad" on westerners. Did the western governments including US and UK give in? NO.
It is a deliberate attempt to mislead or an error of judgment by calling it "Tamil terrorism". There is no such thing as "Tamil terrorism" but LTTE Terrorism. Although LTTE is mostly comprised of tamils there have been a few Sinhala LTTE'ers as well. There were Sinhalese fishermen who helped tigers to transport bombs to Colombo. By calling it Tamil terrorism, you seem to be advocating the view that LTTE is the sole representative of tamils which is certainly not the case. Please don't ask me to send a list of tamils killed by LTTE. Aren't the members of TELO, PLOTE, EPDP, EPRLF AND TMVP tamils?
The majority of Srilankans believe that the elimination of LTTE terrorism is the way forward and the government is simply doing what any other democratically elected government would do.
Let's unite once and for all to eliminate LTTE terrorism from the country.
'Hela derana jana jayathu jaya mangalani' - Nanda Malini
There is no such thing as Tamil terrorism in Srilanka but LTTE terrorism.
So you think my comments are abusive? To whom, can you please let me know?
Death of Prabhakaran will be a one milestone to achieve Peace in Sri Lanka.This date is 30th April 2009. VP wipe out from Sri Lanka
Sam
All seem to have forgotten the sinhala insurrections of 1971 and 1987/88 when thousands of misled sinhala youth with few arms were ruthlessly gunned down/butchered and their bodies sometimes burned on tyre pyres by the roadside.Even buddhist monks were executed.
But the world watched and did not label the then governments "terrorists".
But now the President of Sudan who similarly butchered his people, is sought for trial by the World Court !
Then, the successive sinhala governments who crushed the peaceful protests of tamils who took up arms, labelled them "terrorists" !
This shows that governments can always get away with State Terrorism. Civilians - sinhalese or tamils - who rebel, become Terrorists.
"State Sponsored Terrorism" occurs in websites. "State Terrorism" does not.
Tamils are now facing the end game of State Terrorism.
Maithree
It is true that Sinhalese are racist but equally tamils are!
Where were you LTTE is killing infants. LTTE is the biggest impediment to the peace in SL. You can write articles with big words but the reality is Prbhakaran will not stop until he is killed or his tamilopia is created. Our nation and our peacefull existence have been threatened. ( sounds like Bush? did not mean to ). Sri Lankan will never support sepratism and they will fight to death. You can preach the theory of Buddhism but practically sinhala buddhists are ambushed by the Christian Maffia hell bent on destroying the Buddhism and you are cleaning the dirty linnen for them. Look at the last wave of supprot coming to LTTE. It from the catholic church and the American evangelists.
MR, GR and SM are the only heroes stood up to the meniac murderer.
If majority of tamils want to support him ( Of course they do, who else promise them a country ) and fight on. It is up to them. I think the sinhalese have compromised to the level that they are ready to treat tamils as equals. If they want more, They can have it in Canada. We can not live in north. We can not buy their land. They can live anywhere do anything. What kind of deal is that?
Terrorists do not understand the language of Maithree. They destroy our temples. Kill monks. Let there be many more Prbhakarans, we will answer them all.
Do not compare the terrorist with people like Gotabhaya and fonseka, they have done good job for our nation I think you are a tiger that’s why you criticize people like them
GR and Fonseka are not of the same order of intelligence of Prabhakaran. I'm a woman with no battle experience, but if you gave me unlimited numbers for an army, great equipment, and the impunity to kill civilians who get in the way, I too could have wiped out a small terrorist army. Intelligence is when you prevail AGAINST the odds, operate with minimum facilities and still prevail--as Prabhakaran prevailed for three decades. So I would not compare them. These two are goondas, and Prabhakaran is a terrorist or a revolutionary, depending on how you view his ethics. Listen to the hysterical way GR speaks--I don't think he can even dress himself.
Teach our children the horrors of 1983.
Teach our children the horrors of the L.T.T.E.
Teach our children the values of Democracy.
Teach our children Well.
There is an end for all. The horror ended at last after 30 years barbaric.
The tears of innocent Muslims of North is answered after 19years.
One thing I can say about this article is: There is no human to compare or equalize with the man hunter n canibal of last two centriues the LTTE terrorist chief.
a very good article
Mathree
Where were you when LTTE was violating all accepted norms in their dream of becoming the world rulers of Tamil. My dear when your fertile garden is covered with rubbish plants and you want to use your garden to plant useful crops what do you do. Destroy and burn them and their seeds also and plant your productive crop.If you start thinking - No No we must respect the rights of every plants to grow on this eatrh and and ... You will never plant useful crops.What Gotha,Sarath,Mahinda has done is exactly removing "Val Gas".
.No one is calling the leaders of those "civilized"counties criminal.So stop.
Unless we go to the causes of this problem we will never come to a solution. LTTE was a reaction to a problem that exisited from early 1950's. The desire of the politicians to use the ethnic issue as a vote catching tool and a road to power was the origin.
Bandaranayake and Jaywardene initally used this tool to divide the nation and to deny a minority race with long historical roots its due place after indepdence.If a youth is denied Univeristy entrance on merit or jobs due to his or her race or his house is burned as done in 1983 is it suprising that he or she will take to arms ?.
LTTE was given enough opportunnties to attract youth into the movement. Hence now that the dust has settled over the terrorisam issue it is time for politicians to address Tamil rights. I hope this will happen after the next round of elections.
maithree,your maithriya is very very partial.dont behave as if you are born last year.the disaster pirabaharan did to our country is no secret.such beasts and their followers should be eradicated.you also smell so.take sarath fonseka into prabha"s boat. BUT REMEMBER GOTHABHAYA IS GENUINE.YOU SMELL VERY VERY PRABHAKARANOUS.GAYATHRI.
sarath fonseka has given us a peace