India, Mahinda’s proxy in war

by Dr. Vickramabahu Karunaratna

(December 14, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) In his hero’s day speech the LTTE leader said, “today, there are great changes taking place in India. The dormant voices in support of our struggle are re-emerging loud and clear. There are also indications of our struggle being accepted there. The positive change in environment gives us courage to seek renewal of our relationship with the Indian super power. The earlier approach and interventions of India were injurious to the people of Tamil Eelam, as well as to their struggle. The racist Sinhala state, with its intrigues, conspired to bring enmity between our freedom movement and the earlier Indian administration. The conflict arising out of this environment aggravated into a major war.

It was because we were firmly committed to our conviction and freedom for our people, that friction erupted between our movement and India. However, at no stage did we ever consider India as an enemy force. Our people always considered, India as our friend. They have great expectations that the Indian super power will take a positive stand on our national question.” It is true that great changes did take place in India in relation to the struggle of the Lankan Tamil people and that dominant voices are in support of this struggle. The real lever in this campaign is the CPI and the support given by the left forces in India. Sometime back, a statement from the CPI said:

Internal affair

“The Central Government’s argument that what is happening in Sri Lanka is an internal affair of the country is not agreeable to the Communist Party. If so, why former Prime Ministers, Nehru, Shastri, Indira and Rajiv from time to time, signed several pacts on internal matters regarding Sri Lanka?” Later, the CPI leader Pandian, stating that the CPI was unable to contact the Tigers as the LTTE was proscribed in India, welcomed the LTTE response to public request extended by the CPI on behalf of the Tamils in India. He also cited the statements issued in January 2008 by the U.N. Secretary General, the foreign ministers of the Nordic countries that had been engaged in monitoring the ceasefire, the United States and Canada, all of whom regretted the unilateral announcement by the Sri Lankan government to withdraw from the Ceasefire agreement. The veteran CPI leader in Tamil Nadu also urged all the leaders of the Tamil parties in the island of Sri Lanka to extend support to the call from Tamils in India for a negotiated settlement, stating that the Sri Lankan officials have publicly confirmed that there was no pressure from India to announce a ceasefire, the CPI leader said all the people in Tamil Nadu should unite under a common banner to voice for the rights of Eelam Tamils.

Firm stand

Both the CPI and the CPIM took this firm stand in the recent past after it severed connections with the JVP. Towards this the Nava Sama Samaja party and the associated Left alliance made a serious intervention. In addition, in the past few decades the independent Left current in Lanka made a consistent struggle to defend the right of self -determination of the Tamil people while opposing military oppression. Many trade unions supported this effort. A large number of trade unions led by Bala Tampoe, Linus and Shah continuously opposed the war and demanded devolution of power and a political solution. Many religious leaders including Buddhist monks supported this position. In this scenario it is unthoughtful of the LTTE leader to say,

“No great changes have taken place in the Sinhala political panorama. Politics has developed into a demonic war. In a country that worships the Buddha who preached love and kindness,, racist hatred and war-mongering vie with one another. We can listen only to the throbs on war-drums. “No sane voice is being raised either to abandon war or to seek a peaceful resolution to the conflict. In Sinhalam, from politicians to spiritual leaders, from journalists to ordinary people, their voice is raised only in support of the war.” It is a serious mistake to neglect the forces in the south, particularly within the Sinhala community and who can be harnessed to the struggle of the Tamil people. There are a large number of people, political leaders, journalists and organisations struggling against great odds, facing death squads, to demand justice for the Tamil people. This is in spite of the fact that Tamil leaders, Thondaman and Chandrasekaran representing over half a million Tamils are top ministers in the Mahinda regime. On the other hand, it is true that the Indian people, particularly the Dravidians support the Tamil liberation struggle. But how logical is it to expect the reactionary government of India to intervene here to save the Tamil people? The last time they intervened they murdered, raped and destroyed the Tamil nationality. Even today Delhi leaders supply arms ammunition, give money and supply military experts to the Mahinda regime. It is not an exaggeration to say that the Delhi rulers are conducting this cruel war against the Tamil people using Mahinda as their agent. In fact if the Tamil plantation workers come out on strike that will be ten times more powerful in changing the Mahinda Chinthanaya than any superpower intervention.

Violence

“The Tamil Eelam nation does not want war. It does not favour violence. It is the Sinhala nation that waged war on our nation which had earlier adopted the path of ahimsa and asked for justice through peaceful means. When the SAARC leaders of our region met in Colombo, we expressed our goodwill and declared the suspension of hostilities. On the contrary, it was the Sinhala nation that rejected our overture, ridiculed us and continued with the offensive. It is the Sinhala nation that has laid down unacceptable and insulting conditions. It is the Sinhala nation that is continuing with the war,” says the LTTE leader; this message must be taken to the international workers movement and to the leaders of the Left such as Castro, Hugo Chavez and others.

The power of the Left movement will bring a change in the world and in the Indian sub continent that will help the Tamil liberation struggle. The power of the people could change even the thinking of the Manmohan Singh regime. - Sri Lanka Guardian