Will Belligerent LTTE Listen to UN"s Appeal ?

by Malin Abeyatunge

(September 11, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) For the first time United Nations has appealed to the Tamil Tigers to allow civilians to move out of the war zone and move into relief camps in government-controlled areas and allow free movement of the people wherever they wish to go. This is a clear endorsement of the UN that the ordinary Tamils are much safer and freer under the Government controlled areas than under LTTE. UN statement goes on to say “Any displaced person is entitled to freedom of movement according to international principles; they can move where and when they want, in search of safety and assistance,’’ Neil Buhne, the UN Resident representative said in a public statement.

Despite UN’s appeal (a very rare statement come by way from UN), LTTE is alleged to be stopping the innocent Tamil civilians trapped in Killinochchi from free movement with the sole intention of (a) to use them as cannon fodder when it comes to the final assault to save the lives of the top LTTE hierarchy leave out saving Eelam, (b) strategy to get a few civilians killed by Govt forces in the cross fire so that they can trumpet to the still gullible countries of international community (some only) ,dollar hungry humanitarian organizations, INGO’s and local NGO’s that Sri Lankan Government forces are killing innocent Tamil civilians and (c) another ploy to boost the gradually diminishing support of the Tamil Diaspora both in fund raising and lobbying the western countries. But I believe that majority of the International Community cannot be fooled anymore.

However, in a situation like this, there may be few causualties in crossfire. We are certain that our disciplined forces will make every effort to minimize any casualties like that of Mavil oya/Wakarai operation without a single civilian getting killed. But, the situation in the North is much tenser and it will be a miracle to avoid casualties in the manner LTTE is using the innocent Tamils as cannon fodder. However, Government would continue with the war on LTTE albeit few countries, AI, HRW, INGO’s and NGO’s would scream with pre determined statements that innocent civilians are being killed. My response to them would be to just remind what happened in Herat in Afghanistan on 22 August 2008 when the allied western forces bombed a village killing 78 innocent Afhganistan villagers and there was not a single Taliban they thought to be among them. Yet again, the allied forces this week killed another dozens of innocent civilians in another village. Amnesty International, Humans Right Watch and other INGOs with vested interest have so far not issued a statement of condemnation of the latest killings of innocent civilians in hundreds in Afghanistan by allied forces but waiting for a casualty to happen in the North of Sri Lanka to issue a pre determined hackneyed statement as was done in the past.

The UN cannot just wait by making an appeal to belligerent bestial Prabhakaran whose main objective is to become king of mythical Eelam by hook or crook. And, he will never listen to UN for that matter except may be Norway. UN should reprimand those countries and Human Rights Organizations who takes the side of LTTE and always try to white wash this terrorist outfit. The UN should brand those countries who supply arms overtly and covertly to the LTTE as pariah states. Finally, the UN should morally support the Sri Lankan Government’s effort to free the innocent Tamil civilians from the jackboots of megalomaniac Prabhakaran and extend logistic support to make the lives of the internally displace persons (IDP) better until they are settled in their own villages.- Sri Lanka Guardian