(The writer states that these are strictly his private views)
(March 21, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) Elections, per se, does not define Democracy. The Sri Lankan Government conducted Elections in the Eastern Province, holding guns to the heads of voters, literally. It installed quislings to take charge of various Departments in the Provincial body, still carefully making sure that all important aspects are handled by its own henchmen from the majority community. Of course, this does not bother the quislings who care least about the real welfare of the people. They are there for the crumbs. But to the outside world to which just the big picture is grandiosely exposed while concealing real truth with unprecedented media black-out, everything is Hunky dory.
To the world at large these quislings are “moderates” of the Tamil community with which the majority community is supposed to be willing to do business. And what is this business? It is the business of hoodwinking the world into pouring more funds ostensibly for “development” of the region but in reality to fight the LTTE and annihilate the Tamil Majority claiming their rights.
Just the other day I was intrigued by an Indian gentleman coming on air on a talk show to enunciate his recipe for peace in the war torn areas of Sri Lanka. In a matter of fact way he said “after the LTTE is routed the ”moderates” among the Tamils will embrace main stream politics and the Tamils will live happily ever after.” Does this gentleman have any idea what the majority of the Tamils are fighting for? Is he aware that the Eelam Tamils are fighting for nothing but their basic rights as enunciated in the U.N. charter.
This fight has now perversed to one for mere existence as the Sri Lankan Government is raining bombs on hapless Tamil civilians killing hundreds and maiming several hundreds on a daily basis as though a tally has to be reached by a given date. All this while the world is watching in silence; some of them with irate reference to conscription of child soldiers by the LTTE, once upon a time, while being totally mute about the daily ritualistic killing of children by the Sri Lankan forces. Even the UNICEF remains deaf and dumb, a matter of utter consternation to the Tamils all over the world.
It is time that the Tamils of Sri Lanka accept realities. I do not think that we have yet to await proof that the International community, to serve its own interests, has decided to swallow hook, line and sinker the Sri Lankan Government’s ploy of characterizing their conflict with the Liberation tigers as that with Terrorists.
Strengthened by the unqualified success of this ploy the Sri Lankan Government and its Ministers never thought twice even declaring anyone who expressed the truth about happenings in the country as terrorists or LTTE sympathisers. Canada’s Allan Rock was one of them and with many others so christened the latest is Navaneetham Pillay, for the actual Tamil civilian casualty figures she has bared to the world. Not that these figures have made anyone uncomfortable to be prodded to act in any meaningful manner.
Indira Gandhi armed the Tamil militants to rattle Jeyawardene and destabilize the neighboring Island showing signs of becoming another Singapore in the region. She was ably assisted by the S.L. Dictator who is principally responsible for the escalation of the conflict, letting slip every opportunity he had for a fair resolution of the Tamils’ problem that could have made the country the envy of others in the region. That was not to be.
Well Indira Gandhi has more than succeeded in destroying every aspect of life in this beautiful Island in the Indian ocean. The good work was continued by her son Rajiv and now by her daughter in law Sonia. Any positive interference from the new American Administration, much to the disillusionment of the Tamils, has been thwarted by the Indian Emissary Shivshankar Menon with his one on one with Hillary Clinton.
Unwilling to close on a pessimistic note I would like to say that Right has a way of manifesting and truth will ultimately prevail. We have to count on the continuation of the struggle by the LTTE, our saviors, with the unflinching support of our brethren across the Palk Strait and indeed the Tamils living all over the globe. -Sri Lanka Guardian
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