According to Greek mythology,Icarus, the son of Daedalus, flew too near the sun and had his wings melted and fell into the sea. Ambition, brought the destruction of the prodigal. In this conflict with the LTTE, the ambition for power made the Ranil W government to consciously lose sight of the tremendous opportunities that fell to its lap after the twin-tower bombing by Al-Qaeda on September 11th 2001. It was lured by the "Sun-God" in the Wanni with his unilateral ceasefire. The then government got too close to him with assurances from his Viking godfather and rather unlike Icarus was spared the suicide but had its wings clipped under a ceasefire agreement (CFA) not only to work within its biased parameters but also made to appease at every turn even extra-legally for the sake of peace.
Sun-God Prabhakaran called the tune and strengthened himself inch by inchwhile our worthies inculcated into the minds of the people with every possible demonstrable act and rhetoric that peace has, in fact, dawned sans the sound of ambulance sirens and continuous funerals. The morale of the armed forces and the people were brought to naught. Psychologically, the appeal was to the hearts and not to the minds. Jaffna was accessible although not the Wanni. Businessmen and traders were happy as also local tourists and pilgrims to Nagadeepa, Madhu and other places of worship and interest.
Ethnic cleansing, lamp post killings and assassination of rival Tamil politicians and Sinhala leaders had been completed earlier. Killings were carefully controlled so as not to expose the thirst for complete hegemony now almost in place. That the merger of the North and East was a temporary phenomenon under the Indo-Ceylon Agreement was a forgotten factor and discussions continued to be on a political settlement based on a de facto merger. The GOSL partner to the Indo-Ceylon pact who vowed to canvass against a merger at a Referendum kept his date with his Maker without fulfilling the vow. Of course, the not-so gullible saw the tongue in the cheek.
The Sinhala and Muslim factor in the East who together form the majority, was of no consequence not until the Karuna faction broke away from the LTTE and started asserting the rights of the Muslims. That the great Mahaweli Scheme has much to do in the East and its vast unoccupied and undeveloped acres are to be surrendered against national interests, are secondary issues to those self-seeking individuals who do not choose to work in the national interest.
The King of Peace (Ranil W) was sitting pretty with no real progress in peace talks in Rose Gardens but only a show of camaraderie between G.L. Peiris and Anton Balasingham. An avowed acceptance of a federal concept was later to be denied by the latter. Most people were so intoxicated with this idea of a peace that had been declared as dawned that there was complacency written all over while arms and ammunition were smuggled andthe military strength of the LTTEincreased by leaps and bounds and its administrative tentacles extended without a whimper from the government except protests from elsewhere. Having turned a blind-eye or being helpless under their own CFA, they had the gumption to challenge successive governments to dismantle them.
On the other hand, the GOSL armed forces were consciously weakened. They argued about an "unwinnable war". If it was unwinnable,politiciansand corrupt individuals have to take the rap or put against the wall. That this kind of peace could have been brought about by any nincompoop did not unfortunately pierce the thick heads of people enamoured by the benefits acquired in self-interest. Indeed, it was a case of surrender to the enemy down the line and appease him at every turn and who knows, given some time some may have qualified to be Nobel Laureattes! The country was subjugated not only to Prabhakaran but also in a larger sense to the so-called international community through a safety net which enabled them to interfere in the internal affairs of the country – our political trustees craving and beggingfor the 4.5 million dollar aid promised. The ‘manna from heaven was dangled before a nation which had lost its self-respect and sense of sovereignty (confined to paper now) reduced by our own volition as a beggar nation. All that piffle came to naught when the LTTE suspended talks with the Ranil W government and displayed its own arrogance to the Aid donors when Armitage refused to sit with them. There is no open opposition to the LTTE from the Tamils. They are being manipulated and controlledwith a firm hand which grips the gun. It is a different story with the Tamil refugee financiers abroad. Their compulsion arises only with regard to finances and not the day-to-day living of their unfortunate brethren. Self-seekers indeed.
The initial euphoria at seeing a saviour coming forward to emancipate them from Sinhala chauvinism is no more. There is only one outspoken Anandasagaree but many more muttering to themselves and suffering in silence. Any solution to the conflict should perforce be fair by the Tamils who are now facing more hardships under a fascist regime, paying exorbitant illegal taxes and kappan. Legal sanction for them to continue under such subjugation needs to be resisted at all costs. The enforced boycott of the Presidential election is ample proof of the absence of free thought and action in those areas. Devolution of power should necessarily mean democratic ideals and that cannot be expected of the LTTE. Democratic nations should realise this plain fact and shed their duplicity. The Tamils should realise and appreciatethe air of freedom and equality they enjoy in areas outside the command of Prabhakaran notwithstanding the lies spread by the LTTE. BBC and CNN.
The 1983 episode was really unfortunate and a damnable indictment on the UNP regime at the time. Like the late Pope and President Clinton during their time, the present leader of the UNP, Ranil Wickremesinghe should make a public apology to the Tamils. But it may be asking too much considering that this country has not so far heard him condemning the vile act of the LTTE in attempting to assassinate the Army Commander at a time of ceasefire and despite promises made at Geneva. In fact, the grouse of right-thinking people was that the UNP under his leadership had failed to fault the LTTE earlier in their atrocities. He was strangely silent. It is a good omen that during his absence, the UNP has come out of its imposed silence and supports the government in condemning the dastardly acts of the LTTE.
CFA
What has to be borne in mind is the fact that the LTTE sensing the game was up after September 11th, relented with a unilateral ceasefire which was lapped up by the Ranil W government. Lost opportunities were further compounded by a completely one-sided document binding successive governments hand and foot. Puerile suggestions are being trotted out by the UNP to revoke the CFA if the present government is not pleased with it a totally irresponsible suggestion calculated to deceive the masses. A government agreement cannot easily be revoked without serious repercussions internationally and locally.
It is so even with the CFA which really can be considered as an "un-conststitutional’’ document having been signed by the then Prime Minister behind the backs of the Head of State who is solely empowered to declare war and peace and also Parliament which is supreme. He had no right to commit the country to the controversial conditions on a personal basis using his official position. The LTTE and the facilitator Norway are equally guilty of being a party to an unconstitutional and therefore illegal document. But the LTTE being a terrorist organisation is not worried about niceties and legality. It knows fully well it can go international in any attempt to challenge it. It has gone too far now and any attempt to meddle with it is impossible without the agreement of the other party. There is no reason for that party to agree to amend or rescind a document completely favourable to them.
The present government is faced with a Hobson’s choice. The most laughable idea was put across by a leading member of the UNP the other day when he found that the LTTE had suspended the second round of talks. He wanted the process to be handed over to the UNP for them to do the needful. The cheek of this member who jolly well knows that they could not get the LTTE to return to talks for so long till they went out of office in mid 2004. That the LTTEis seeking puerile excuses not to attend is very clear. Their so-called inability to congregate for a crucial meeting without government sponsored transport holds no water for a closely-knit organisationwhich cannot function unless they meet to discuss their problems and strategy.
Such transport facilities have not been spelt out in the CFA and they are banking on precedentagain a terrible indictment on the UNF government and the UNP says through its vociferous member that the request should have been acceded to. All credit to the government for not making Air Force officers to function as the ‘chauffeurs’ for their adversary in combat. The simple question that arises is how countries like USA which had listed the LTTE as a terrorist organisation and therefore refuses to sit with them, derive the right to compel a sovereign country to talk turkey with such organisation. LTTE attacks against the armed forces and civilians were accentuated before the first round of talks in Geneva.
Therefore, the wave of attacks after the first round has had nothing to do with the allegation that the government had failed to respond to the points of agreement at the first round. Violations of the CFA were by the thousands compared to a few by the armed forces. The SLMM decides that retaliatory attacks by the armed forces are also violations. This is reminiscent of the ‘Kekille’ judgments. Despite violations by one party, the other party must grin and bear. Is that the theory? If that is the case, we can do without such sanctimonious humbug. Much like the statements that the country is quite used to now from dollar boys and girls of some NGOs and other well-meaning (to the LTTE) organisations. Nowadays, politicians preach morals and Bishops talk politics! (from ‘Yes Prime Minister’).
The Oslo talks between Palestine and Israel despite an Agreement has not worked. Fighting goes on apace. Nobel prizes were, however, collected and no refunds made.
Palestine’s Arafatwas helpless and was a virtual prisoner when he died. A militant group was not interested in Agreements and continues fighting till today. That’s Hamas, who despite the animosity of America and Israel, has now come into the main-stream of politics but is refused recognition as a political outfit. The same argument for their non-recognition does not apply to the most ruthless terrorist organisation, the LTTE.
PeaceTalks
They are infiltrating in government-controlled areas under the guise of political work and organizing killings while in Parliament they are represented by its front organisation, the TNA. The theory behind the CFA and negotiations is the quest for a political settlement for them to govern the North and East under devolution of power. Whether this could be done on the basis of a Unitary or Federal Constitution is of the essence.
What is important to note is that talks with the LTTE may not achieve the goal that is contemplated. Any solution needs to pre-suppose the laying down of arms. That will indeed be a very far-fetched idea. The IRA did finally do so but the LTTE cannot do so and survive due to the atrocities it has committed against their own people. Further, the LTTE apparently is preparing the ground for a Hamas-like operation. Of late, it has not been willing to accept responsibility to many of the atrocities committed and the violations of the CFA.It has shifted the responsibility to civilians and other so-called unconnected outfits. In the circumstances, what guarantee is there that even if some settlement is arrived at these discussions in Geneva or elsewhere, we could achieve the goal of peace?
It is as elusive as ever. Having got the maximum, the LTTE will be sitting pretty governing the areas ruthlessly at the point of the gun while their clandestine organisations would be still fighting for more and more ostensibly independent of them.And then, what right has the GOSL to barter the rights of the Sinhalese and Muslims in the East to the LTTE?Can the North and East be de-merged? Can a Referendum be held as constitutionally it is required to do?Can a similar claim by Karuna Group or a Jihad group be dismissed out of hand without a fresh conflict being created? The history of the world is the triumph of the heartless over the mindless!
Sri Lanka is indeed in a very unstable sort of stability.Island-by I. P. C. Mendis
