LTTE’s Exclusive Territorial Claim Shattered by Resolve of Rajapaksa Government

By Philip Fernando for Sri Lanka Guardian

(January 18, Los Angeles, Sri Lanka Guardian) A disciplined and motivated armed force backed to the hilt President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s assertion that the military assault was on the ruthless Tigers and not the Tamil people. With that the Rajapaksa government easily debunked the EELAM strategy vigorously pushed by Prabhakaran for over two decades, amidst incessant propaganda blitz by the Tamilnet. The battle-ready forces did the rest. President Rajapaksa never stated that the majority ethnic or ethno religious community has superior claim over or ownership of a given territory-as shown in the liberated East. That completely shattered the EELAM claim for an exclusive hold on any part of the Sri Lankan territory. Ruthless insensitivity was Prabhakaran’s answer to all that and ultimately his downfall.

Tamil Nadu politicians also helped with their preposterous pronouncements. Agitational outbursts in Tamil Nadu involved unjustified threats to cross the waters in support of their Tamil co-ethnics, the very outcry they had against the Sinhalese. It was matched by the hate speech in the cyber spaces of the Tamil Diaspora. Suddenly chauvinistic behavior came across the Palk straight. The so-called Southern terrorism never showed its ugly head. Prabhakaran’s utter disdain about the resolve of the people contemptuously dubbed “short Sinhala memory of two weeks” and Rajapaksa’s day dream became the rallying cry that broke Velu’s back.

All that strengthened President Rajapaksa’s hand. Even to international observers, Sri Lanka faced real threats from powerful enemies with aggressive, expansionist impulses-the so called enormous horde across the waters-seemingly the lackey of Prabhakaran. Lack of any sympathy from those across the seas to the notion that Sri Lankans have no other country to go back to made the solidarity of the people stronger They believed as stated clearly by many, this is where for better or worse, they belong. It is who they are. They must protect it at all costs, for no one else will. Rajapaksa’s war became Sri Lanka’s war. Something Presidents R Premadasa or Chandrika Kumaratunga could not achieve.

Karunanidhi, Vaiko, Ramdoss and the gang of film makers reminded everyone so often that Sri Lanka’s destiny faced a major threat. Their memory suddenly stretched back to centuries of invasion and more recently, imperialistic intervention etched solidly in the collective psyche of the people. International observers like Blakes and Chillcotts never understood that Sri Lanka’s autonomy will have to be cautiously calculated so that it makes the Tamil people sufficiently comfortable to be integrated into Sri Lanka but is not overtly excessive as to permit interference by Tamil Nadu. Within that Sinhalese and Tamils are equal partners. Ranil Wickremesinghe’s Cease Fire Agreement with Prabhakaran spelt such a peril hence its total rejection by the people.

Devolution is needed but it must be centripetal not centrifugal. Even in USA, the fifty states cannot even hope to leave the union and even the slightest sign of secession becomes treasonous activity. Too much devolution if granted may act in a centrifugal rather than a centripetal fashion. The selection of leaders under the Provincial Council elections in the East proved that the Sinhalese, Tamils and Muslims could work together.

Prabhakaran lost his fight rather rapidly. Army Commander Sarath Fonseka stated last year “We can bring the war against the LTTE to a turning point once we are able to destroy the LTTE capabilities to operate in bunkers and FDLs.” The assault on the bunkers went on very well as planned during the last few weeks and is continuing as we speak. Prabhakaran can run but he has no where to hide in the Wanni.

The writing on the wall became clear few months ago. Army commander Sarath Fonseka had predicted clearly then that it would be difficult for Tiger leader Velupillai Prabhakaran to engage in a game of hide and seek for long since the Air Force is taking each and every hideout of the LTTE in the Wanni. Air Force Commander Air Vice Marshal Roshan Gunatilleke also expressed confidence that the task of totally defeating the LTTE in 2008 was high. “We are quite confident the Air Force would be able to completely breakdown the military capabilities of the LTTE in the Wanni by destroying their military bases, training bases, sea capabilities, armories and their leadership,” he added. Navy Commander Vice Admiral Wasantha Karannagoda said it was quite possible to defeat the LTTE in 2008. “We have broken their backbone by destroying their ships and we are hopeful they will be further weakened,” the Navy Commander added.

Prabhakaran made the EELAM the center piece of his strategy instead of striving for a grievance-driven or agitational front. Prabha never believed in any liaisons with the political leadership and systematically decimated the Tamil community leaders starting with Jaffna Mayor Alfred Duraiappah in 1975 ending with Minister Jeyaraj Fernandopulle in 2008. Over 35 parliamentarians and local leaders were ruthlessly killed. He subjugated the North to a ruthless dictatorship from which he could not escape himself. - Sri Lanka Guardian