“Since the start of the ‘liberation struggle’, LTTE sacrificed the future of Tamils for a wholly unfruitful project. Youth and children of the early 1980s were sent to battlefields and were killed in tens of thousands. This was a double blow to the Tamil community. It lost not only these young lives but also a generation that were to be born to them. Children of early1980s have children of their own today. LTTE is recruiting them as well into the war. Similarly children of 1990s were also sent to death traps. All in all generations have been killed in the name of liberation.”
_________
by Thomas Johnpulle
(August 21, London, Sri Lanka Guardian) LTTE supremo is still pinning his hopes on war when the LTTE is at the brink of total annihilation. He wants his cadres and the Tamil Diaspora to believe that he can get away this time as well and unfortunately some readily believe it based on historical events. The past is no guide to the future. In 1999-2001 period LTTE managed to turn the tables on the Sri Lanka army.
However, this time it is going to be a different game. The Defence Secretary made it only too clear recently that he will not stop the war effort after chasing away tigers into the jungles. He vowed to seek them eradicate them. This is happening today in an unprecedented scale in Vanni. Although there is no genocide or anything close to it, pro-LTTE elements are claiming so. This only indicates one thing; LTTE is in dire straits and stands to get wiped out. Taking out even 50,000 combatants is not difficult for the giant Sri Lankan military machine. The only sensible thing for the LTTE is to agree to the conditions laid down by the government and thereby ending this war. Thereafter a solution can be sought by democratic means.
However, the LTTE leader is not going to pursue that option. He is going to continue with war. The inability and dislike of the general Tamil population to stop the LTTE leader is at the heart of the problem. For instance when the war was not going well for Sri Lanka in 2001, Sri Lankans demanded a government change and secured a change thereby ending the war at least temporarily. Tamils do not have that ability to change course of their self-proclaimed ‘sole representative’. On the other hand since there is only a single representative and no challengers, changing the destiny of the Tamil people is next to impossible as there is no alternative.
Since the start of the ‘liberation struggle’, LTTE sacrificed the future of Tamils for a wholly unfruitful project. Youth and children of the early 1980s were sent to battlefields and were killed in tens of thousands. This was a double blow to the Tamil community. It lost not only these young lives but also a generation that were to be born to them. Children of early1980s have children of their own today. LTTE is recruiting them as well into the war. Similarly children of 1990s were also sent to death traps. All in all generations have been killed in the name of liberation. However, that promised liberation is further away than ever!
By making the problems faced by Tamils a military affair LTTE has dashed all hope for a political settlement. If the war ends with a devastating impact, expecting the winners to extend political solutions thereafter is hilarious. Additionally, if the Tamil population in Sri Lanka is further reduced owing to emigration, death and internal migration that dilutes the collective Tamil democratic strength. In this context even if a political solution is given it will disappear in no time as there will not be enough stakeholders to sustain it. Obviously the LTTE supremo doesn’t understand these truths.
It is disappointing to note that some rotten sections of the Tamil Diaspora is instigating violence and war from the comfort and safety of their homes in rich developed countries. They still consider the Vanni populace as pawns that can be skillfully moved to achieve the end goal of Tamil Elam. This hate generation must stop immediately for the sake of civilians trapped in the Vanni crossfire. After 25 years of war and bogus peace, it is natural that they are against all forms of ‘liberation moves’ that seek to liberate the Diaspora at the expense of what is left with poor Vanni dwellers. It’s a great misfortune that these voiceless people don’t have what is known outside Vanni as ‘media freedom’.
Sri Lankan forces are marching to Kilinochchi and Mulaitivu and there is nothing that can be done to stop it. Besides they have a legitimate right to do so. The ruling party, the main opposition party and the third largest political force in the country are all riding high on military victories and therefore even a change of government cannot stop the military push now. This must be understood clearly as it cannot be stopped. Hence, demanding the government to stop the war is a futile exercise. Its time the LTTE is forced to give up the fight before it is too late. If we argue about who should stop first or if we continue to play the root causes game or the blame game, it will not happen at all and a very large number of people will perish in the process; guns don’t care, bombs don’t care.
- Sri Lanka Guardian
_________
by Thomas Johnpulle
(August 21, London, Sri Lanka Guardian) LTTE supremo is still pinning his hopes on war when the LTTE is at the brink of total annihilation. He wants his cadres and the Tamil Diaspora to believe that he can get away this time as well and unfortunately some readily believe it based on historical events. The past is no guide to the future. In 1999-2001 period LTTE managed to turn the tables on the Sri Lanka army.
However, this time it is going to be a different game. The Defence Secretary made it only too clear recently that he will not stop the war effort after chasing away tigers into the jungles. He vowed to seek them eradicate them. This is happening today in an unprecedented scale in Vanni. Although there is no genocide or anything close to it, pro-LTTE elements are claiming so. This only indicates one thing; LTTE is in dire straits and stands to get wiped out. Taking out even 50,000 combatants is not difficult for the giant Sri Lankan military machine. The only sensible thing for the LTTE is to agree to the conditions laid down by the government and thereby ending this war. Thereafter a solution can be sought by democratic means.
However, the LTTE leader is not going to pursue that option. He is going to continue with war. The inability and dislike of the general Tamil population to stop the LTTE leader is at the heart of the problem. For instance when the war was not going well for Sri Lanka in 2001, Sri Lankans demanded a government change and secured a change thereby ending the war at least temporarily. Tamils do not have that ability to change course of their self-proclaimed ‘sole representative’. On the other hand since there is only a single representative and no challengers, changing the destiny of the Tamil people is next to impossible as there is no alternative.
Since the start of the ‘liberation struggle’, LTTE sacrificed the future of Tamils for a wholly unfruitful project. Youth and children of the early 1980s were sent to battlefields and were killed in tens of thousands. This was a double blow to the Tamil community. It lost not only these young lives but also a generation that were to be born to them. Children of early1980s have children of their own today. LTTE is recruiting them as well into the war. Similarly children of 1990s were also sent to death traps. All in all generations have been killed in the name of liberation. However, that promised liberation is further away than ever!
By making the problems faced by Tamils a military affair LTTE has dashed all hope for a political settlement. If the war ends with a devastating impact, expecting the winners to extend political solutions thereafter is hilarious. Additionally, if the Tamil population in Sri Lanka is further reduced owing to emigration, death and internal migration that dilutes the collective Tamil democratic strength. In this context even if a political solution is given it will disappear in no time as there will not be enough stakeholders to sustain it. Obviously the LTTE supremo doesn’t understand these truths.
It is disappointing to note that some rotten sections of the Tamil Diaspora is instigating violence and war from the comfort and safety of their homes in rich developed countries. They still consider the Vanni populace as pawns that can be skillfully moved to achieve the end goal of Tamil Elam. This hate generation must stop immediately for the sake of civilians trapped in the Vanni crossfire. After 25 years of war and bogus peace, it is natural that they are against all forms of ‘liberation moves’ that seek to liberate the Diaspora at the expense of what is left with poor Vanni dwellers. It’s a great misfortune that these voiceless people don’t have what is known outside Vanni as ‘media freedom’.
Sri Lankan forces are marching to Kilinochchi and Mulaitivu and there is nothing that can be done to stop it. Besides they have a legitimate right to do so. The ruling party, the main opposition party and the third largest political force in the country are all riding high on military victories and therefore even a change of government cannot stop the military push now. This must be understood clearly as it cannot be stopped. Hence, demanding the government to stop the war is a futile exercise. Its time the LTTE is forced to give up the fight before it is too late. If we argue about who should stop first or if we continue to play the root causes game or the blame game, it will not happen at all and a very large number of people will perish in the process; guns don’t care, bombs don’t care.
- Sri Lanka Guardian
Post a Comment