US & Terrorism

By Malin Abeyatunga

(May 07, Melbourne, Sri Lanka Guardian) BBC reported this evening (6/5/2009) that American forces have killed 30 civilians in Afghanistan including women and children. The number of civilians injured is yet to be known. This killing of civilians has not occurred with direct confrontation between the American forces and the Talibans. This is a result of random searches by American forces hunting for Taliban leaders and Osama bin Laden. This is not the first time that civilians got killed (previously 75 civilians in a wedding ceremony including the bride and the groom were killed by air bombing) and there will be many more civilian deaths in Afghanistan at the hands of the NATO until Osama bin Laden is captured dead or alive but it is pardonable according to western standards. Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International will conveniently ignore these civilians deaths.

Whilst American forces are killing civilians in Afghanistan and in Iraq, USA Secretary of State Hillary Clinton says that America is very much concerned of the civilians being killed in the North of Sri Lanka by Government forces parroting what’s in LTTE websites. Here, a democratically elected Government is fighting against LTTE the most brutal terrorist organization in the world to save the civilians held as human shield by LTTE and her Government is calling the GoSL for a ceasefire. What’s the rationale of her attitude? Isn’t it double standard one for America and one for Sri Lanka when it comes to dealing with two terrorist outfits?

Then there are the Talibans in Swat Valley in Pakistan terrorizing a democratically elected Pakistani Government. The US special Envoy to Pakistan Mr. Richard Holbrooke says thus “ Washington's goal "must be unambiguously to support and help stabilize a democratic Pakistan headed by its elected president". What about Sri Lanka? Isn’t it a democratically elected government fighting a terrorist out fit?

He goes on to say “ Washington must put maximum pressure on Pakistan to ensure it fights the Taliban effectively and that Pakistan has to demonstrate its commitment to rooting out al-Quaeda and the violent extremists within its borders”.

What do they tell us?. Negotiate with terrorists. Agree for a ceasefire with LTTE.

Have USA politicians or their envoys ever asked to fight LTTE terrorists effectively? Instead they are calling the Sri Lankan Government to agree for a ceasefire with LTTE. Instead USA is trying to block the IMF Loan of $1.5 m billion in attempt to get a cease fire to LTTE to give the terrorist a last life line. Isn’t LTTE a terrorist outfit brutal than Talibans? Incidentally, it was reported that President Obama has promised a complete aid package to help Pakistan to fight off Talibans. America should be ashamed of herself of manifesting shameless double standard on Sri Lanka’s fight against LTTE terrorists?

Incidentally, Taliban has recently started following two LTTEs effective strategies. The first strategy is to hold civilians as hostage and use them as human shield. The second is that Taliban is asking the civilians to give two adult men from each family to fight with them. Only difference is LTTE never asked but was forcibly conscripting children and other adult members and there was no choice as by Talibans.

There is a humanitarian crisis developing in Pakistan/Swat Valley borders where civilians are fleeing in thousands to escape from Talibans just like in the NFZ in the north of Sri Lanka. It is expected around half a million civilians will flee from Talibans and aids have already started pouring into Pakistan from States. What have they given us? May be a few thousands of dollars worth of food items to the IDPs like handing out a few candies to a crying baby. Instead of such petty donations with demand for ceasefire, Sri Lanka would appreciate if they keep their mouth shut and also keep away from our internal affairs until the Government conclusively decimates the last LTTE terrorist. Knowing very well that LTTE is holding thousands of innocent Tamil civilians as human shield yet again America shows double standard and asking Sri Lanka for a ceasefire to give breathing space to LTTE terrorists. Suffice to reiterate the fact that countries like UK, EU countries and Canada are not goody guys when it comes to their double standards on Sri Lankas fight against the most notorious murderous LTTE.

At the moment , there are five British MPs in Sri Lanka to find out what’s going on at our door step and may be to find out ways and means of giving the last life line to LTTE, perhaps. Whatever bad or good they will say about Sri Lankan Government, GoSL will be least worried as she is doing the right thing towards her own citizens. With the killing of 30 civilians in Afghanistan yesterday, I am sure they will be mindful of what they will say as it will boomerang on them being partners of NATO.

-Sri Lanka Guardian