“Political decisions in a war and crisis situation”

“Strategy of a Commander in Chief his vision and the charisma are vital component of a victory. Citizen patiently waited without an iota of protest on the economic and social hardships during the suppression of terrorism until the end and today blessed with a peaceful and normal life.”
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By Sarath Wijesinghe

JUST WAR CIVIL WAR AND PROXY WAR

(November 21, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) War is an armed conflict between two or more non congruous communities aimed at recognising subsequently designated geopolitical desired result. Carl Von Clausewtz described it as intercourse carried on with other means and war in general terms is aware between fractions of civilians in a crisis. Crisis situation arises when the country enters into a dangerous social economic environment. Whatever the definitions on war suppression of Terrorism recognizes as the duty of any elected government under international law and all norms of international conventions and comes within the ambit of the principles of “Just War”.

According to “Aristotal” just war should have a command, with legal authority and should be conducted with right intentions for a just cause. The west has equated the aftermath of 9/11 and the ruthless suppression of terror as “Just”. Civil war is a war between or amount fractions of the civil society and proxy war is war using third parties. Our issue was mainly terrorist activities of misguided segment of our citizens of our society leading to destruction of public property and creating large and small scale killing fields. Successive governments and leaders in Sri Lanka attempted to win the war that destroyed property, lives and good name for the last thirty years unsuccessfully, until President Rajapaksa completely wiped out terrorists and terrorism with the proper Political leadership, appointing committed and able officers to the forces and providing them with everything required for the victory.

WAR AND POLITICAL LEADERSHIP

Winning of any war depends on the political leadership and the strategy to the forces which includes army navy and Air force and supporting forces such as Police Civil Defence force and Volunteer forces, without which no war could be won in the current world trends. There are no direct examples of winning major wars in the recent past in the history apart from world war one and two, which led to billions of civilian deaths and displacements. Wars of Vietnam, Iraqi, and Afghanistan have been complete failures for the United States of America. The classic and ideal example of winning a war in the recent past is the amazing and historical victory over LTTE of thirty year war in three years which has engulfed Sri Lanka and South Asian region threatening the world peace. It is a sigh of relief to all world citizens when the world was watching in disbelief the conduct of the Commander-in-Chief Mahinda Rajapaksa who directed the three forces while meeting the resistance of the Western governments and NGO’s misguided by the strong adverse propaganda by the strong LTTE network which is ailing today. World is aware of the steps taken by the Sri Lankan forces and the political leadership by President Mahidna Rajapaksa despite the lukewarm and the discouraging attitude of the opposition which often ridiculed the forces and the political leadership discouraging the war on terror aligning with the NGO’s and the misguided West. President as Commander in Chief gave ample manpower and ammunition in addition to boosting the moral and giving them confident that the war will not be abandoned as in the past.

Strategy of a Commander in Chief his vision and the charisma are vital component of a victory. Citizen patiently waited without an iota of protest on the economic and social hardships during the suppression of terrorism until the end and today blessed with a peaceful and normal life. There was no peace or peaceful life for the lat thirty years and lives of every citizen was in danger of imminent threat of terrorism. Then who are responsible for the achievements and who should be credited for this great victory?

Certainly it can not go to one individual or a group. It is a collective effort of all of us out of sheer necessity to which President Rajapaksa gave clear guidance strategy and leadership for the victory. The three forces - police and civil defence backed by number of volunteers were on the forefront encouraged and assisted by citizens and politicians who love the nation who are loved by the peoples in this beautiful and proud nation

SIGIRI FRESCOS AND LEADERSHIP

Sigiriya one of the world heritage sites was built on the rock by King Kasssapa (AD 477-495) and it is one of the most popular and respected archaeological and artistic monuments which is admired by the world. Sri Lanka paintings (frescos) are reminders of Ajantha claves in India and the carvings are of world class. Kassappa’s name is in the history as the architect and the person led the formation of the great monument with the help of large number of artists and sculptures who implemented the vision and thinking of Kassapa who provided them with all facilities. World war one and two gives classic examples of political leaderships and also victories with the destruction of nations and billions of civilian deaths with billions displaced which led to the formation of the United Nations in place of League of Nations. One could quote numerous examples in the history on political leader and vision on war politics and governance. No agricultural instrument is of use without a farmer with a vision who is competent. Therefore what matters in a war is the political vision and leadership of the Commander in chief. These are classic examples of winning a war on the vision and political leadership of the Commander in Chief.

HISTORY IS MADE

President Rajapaks’s name is already in the history as the Commander in Chief led the war on terror and wiping out the terror regime completely using his skills in foreign relation, political manoeuvrings and leadership qualities. He has come before the people for the second term and the opposition today desperately looking for a candidate to field as opposed to the President is claiming that the former Army Commander who was picked up from the retirement and wilderness will be the joint candidate of the UNP and JVP who are politically and traditionally arch enemies. UNP is alleged to have killed over eighty thousands youth mostly JVP supporters during the ruthless suppression and wiping out of JVP whose leader Rohana Wijayaweers they still venerate. JVP too was alleged to have killed thousands civilians including Buddhist monks and destabilised and terrorised the Nation until it was brutally suppressed.

Despite the dead silence of the former commander of the Armed Services on entering the arena of dirty politics after being a soldier over forty years, opposition leader has put forward ten demands should the opportunity be given him to contest the elections as the presidential candidate. The main demand is the abolition of the Executive presidency without which Mahinda Rajapaksa could not have made the crucial appointment of the Army Commander and the appointments of all other crucial appointments including the judicial appointments. President Rajapaksa Legal Profession and the country as a whole had an uneasy time with the former Chief Justice Sarath Silva who is another contender of the Presidential election race today and who has been the most controversial Chief Justice in Sri Lanka. Toady Sarath Silva is not taken seriously by political circus and the opposition due to obvious reasons. Other demands are giving important portfolio to TNA and JVP, speedy resettlement of IDP’s, Establishment of Commissions and do away with the cross over provisions from the constitution. Apart from these demands which are not national issues and not matters of great significance, there is no political or an economic agenda except the demand that the Leader of the opposition be made the Prime Minister of a care taker government should he be elected.

MAIN COMPLAINTS

The main complaints of the former Army Commander are more personnel than professional or political. He says “I would not exaggerating to state that I was instrumental in leading the army to this historic victory, of course with Your Excellence’s Political Support which helped materialised this heroic action- with my vision and command- He further stated as “by alerting Government of India once again on the 15th of October unnecessarily placed the Indian troops on high alert”- which was flatly refused by India. This blowing the trumpet is not expected from the great solder that was amply commended by the Commander in Chief by deeds and words. Appointment of the next Army Commander is the pejorative of the President and not the outgoing Army Commander.

UNP JVP and Mangala Samaraweers group is desperately looking for a candidate to contest the presidential elections as none of the party leaders have competency or charisma to contest. They are trying to use the name of the former Army Commander who maintains dead silence on the issue. President Rajapaksa has now started the war for grow more and more food, settle the IDP’s and generally development of the road network, agriculture and other development projects. What are needed today are a clear mandate in the presidential election and two third majority in the Parliament in order to make necessary constitutional changes and bring down the number of Ministers, cost of living, and to lead the people for a crime free, Nation with prosperity and freedom. Opposition Leader’s ten conditions and JVP’s failure to register a new party to accommodate the new candidate have demoralising effects on the unholy alliance of completely different ideologies.

(The writer, senior Solicitor in England and Wales and Attorney at law in Sri Lanka . sarath8@hotmail.com )

-Sri Lanka Guardian