Oh , No! Satchi Sithanandan is not a racist, he is a Democrat.

by Charles.S. Perera

(October 07, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) Satchi Sithanandan pontificating on racism is very enlightening. He pontificates on Sinhala racism. This strangely coming on the day the "non-racist" Prabhakaran had stretched his weird tentacles to explode a suicide black tiger terrorist to kill a Sinhala National hero, his wife and twenty two other innocent Sinhala and their sympathisers, is paying back to the Tamil diaspora the value for the money they contribute to Prabhakaran's terrorism.

He very cleverly extricates himself from the racial involvement, putting the blame on the government as the cause of terrorism in the territories under terrorist control, trying to defend the situation of the Tamils in those areas. A plea made not so much for the Sri Lanka public, but for the larger and powerful International Community, to come to the help of he Civil Tamil population, which would indirectly help save the terrorists. It is a well woven fabric to entice the International Community, stilted to hide their intense racial hatred of the Sinhala Community.

He praises the Army Commander, in no uncertain terms, hiding inarticulated hatred towards the Sinhala man who expressed the truth of the situation as he sees it as a man fighting to deliver the country from the clutches of a ruthless bunch of terrorists. The Government and the Government Forces are carrying out a duty they owe to its people – no matter whether they are of the majority or the minority. None who had runaway from the country need give lessons to the Government or the Army Commander as to what they should do and what they should say.

He deftly portrays himself as a democrat, perhaps having changed his views about the Sri Lankan politics after reading the excellent Editorial of the Uthayam- "Sri Lanka: Can the Tamil Tigers Save the Tamils ? " , and several other articles by Noel Nadesan, Thomas Jhonpulle, and Selva Gnanam.

But yet the wound within has not healed, and he writes wearing his democratic mask, "….If democracy really matters, Lt General Sarath Fonseka should be asked to account for his statement to The National Post or he himself should offer to resign. Neither he nor President Mahinda Rajapaksa can stay silent on an issue that has been expressed clearly as a matter of great concern ".

Of course, he wants the pound of flesh, and expects the Army Commander to resign, and says in a farewell message "…It would be too sad to lose such a good officer more so at a time he is so much wanted in his service gear but the larger interests of the country demands acceptance that his interview to the Canadian media was unfortunate ".

Two brilliant articles appeared one by the well respected journalist H.L.D.Mahindapala, in the clear lucid manner in which he only could write, in the Sri Lanka Guardian website, and the other by Raj Gonsalkorala, in his beautifully phrased English, in the Asia Tribune website, which Sithanandan sets aside with his "un racial" remark, "…..What is unfortunate with most reactions is their racist character with some of those taking sides being strong on Sinhala racism; they are positively anti-minority Tamils and therefore anti-Sri Lanka too". It is he himself who decides on the racist and anti-racist character of the articles, and his own independent non-racial point of view.

He writes that the Army Commander's interview to the Canadian journalist has generated enough heat in the country and among the Sri Lankan Diaspora overseas. And he waters down the excessive rabid racism of the writers from the Tamil diaspora, some of who did not hesitate to compare a Sinhala to a Hitler arising from the debris of World War II, or yet another refers to a hooked and blinkered Sinhala racist.

One can of course ask, if the Army Commander says that Sri Lanka belongs to Sinhala, what he is doing in Jaffna, where there are no Sinhala ? But terrorism of Prabhakaran is to break away a part of Sri Lanka to form a Tamil Eelaam, closer to DMK in India.

However, Mr. Sithanandan says, "…… The Tamil community has been devastated by the LTTE for over three decades and this contraption has rid them of all the moderates and even created a group of monkey dancers to perform the Tiger waltz, the TNA group of shameless Members of Parliament. How will the Tamil and Sinhala Diaspora know the pains and agonies and woes of the Tamils in Sri Lanka especially now in Wanni? Championing the racist cause in Sri Lanka is part of the irresponsible recreation of the Sri Lankan racists – Tamils and Sinhalese - in their new homelands", trying to blow away any misconception that Sithanandan is a racist.

Then why does he make a mountain, out of a mole hill, demanding that the Good Army Commander should withdraw what he said, or resign. If the Army Commander and his army is to withdraw from Jaffna, can the government, and the Tamil people who do not want a decapitated Sri Lanka, depend on the people in Jaffna to chase away the terrorists, with axes, knives, broomsticks, and what not ?

If the Army Commander and his Armed Forces are not their to fighting the terrorists, the poor civilians will continue to suffer, and that suffering will continue for ages even after setting up a break away Tamil Eelam. Is that what Mr.Sithanandan want ?

The Army Commander cannot deny his Sinhalaness because he is wearing the uniform of a Army Commander? If he cannot deny his Sinhalaness, he cannot deny that it is his duty belonging to the Majority Community to fight terrorism to make Sri Lanka a safe place for the Sinhala majority as well as the Minority Tamils and Muslims who are, nevertheless, his people.

That is why the Army Commander Lt.Gl. Sarath Fonseka continues his fight against the terrorist, so that you and I and our children could live in our motherland in peace and harmony.
- Sri Lanka Guardian