For the LTTE, discretion is the better part of valour

by A.J.N. Selvadurai

(January 07, London, Sri Lanka Guardian) The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam is a creation of the state terrorism of the Sinhala majority government. The hitherto docile Tamils were forced to take up arms and demand separation, as they seemed to have no other option. The war started by Sinhala Buddhist aggression still goes on. So far over 100,000 people have lost their lives and over a million Tamils have been displaced or forced to go abroad. There are now over 250,000 internally displaced Tamil people.

The LTTE initially claimed that they were fighting a war of liberation of the Tamil people from Sinhala oppression. Now the government states the situation has reversed and that the war is really to get rid of the LTTE and to liberate the Tamils from the LTTE, who are preventing 250,000 Tamils from moving away from the war zone in the Wanni, because they are being used as a human shield.

Unfortunately for the Tamils their just struggle for freedom has been jeopardised by internal squabbles, which are being clearly exploited by the Sinhala state. Their once honourable and mighty struggle has now fizzled out. After over 25 years of warfare, exhaustion has set in.

Initially the LTTE believed that the state economy would not be able to support a war for more than five years. But foreign aid was used to purchase arms and so the war continues even after 25 years.

The time has now come for the LTTE to seriously consider the cliché "Discretion is the better part of valour" and put down their arms if necessary and seek a peaceful solution. This is the moment of truth and the end is inevitable. So why drag it on?

Flexibility is one of the important principles of war. The Tiger leadership seems not to see this. Further delays would cause further avoidable death and destruction. It could end up like ‘Hitler in the bunker!’

The accusation of human rights violations and the murder of several politicians and rivals could make the Tiger leadership think twice. But one expects a man in Pirapaharan’s position to be brave and to have thought of all these things already.

The fact that the Sinhala leadership could also be accused similarly would make it easier for him to give up and seek refuge abroad, with the hope that in the end justice would prevail.

The Sinhala state does realise that the struggle could go on even after this war is over if peace is not attainable to the Tamil minority, who claim that the Sinhalese are the descendants of Tamil Buddhists who refused to revert to Hinduism — and therefore have equal rights with the majority.

It is only if the Tamils feel happy and have a sense of belonging that the Sinhala people could be happy. Otherwise, it could lead to a Palestine like situation, with possibly the entry of other powers!

There is now reason to believe that the Sinhala leadership under President Mahinda Rajapakse would be understanding and wise, to reason out rationally with the LTTE leadership, in order to make it easy for them to accept ‘defeat with dignity.’

May the Triple Gem bless the leadership of both parties to see the futility of war. - Sri Lanka Guardian