Shenali Waduge
Whether the UN releases the full report or decides to make amendments to it, what has resulted is nothing that the UN or Western interests would have desired. Their strategies may have worked in countries like Iraq, Afghanistan, Kosovo, Egypt & now Libya but these gameplans have not worked in Sri Lanka. What these controversial reports, international pressures in reality have done is to make a Government they are attempting to destroy more powerful in the eyes of the public who are backing its leadership to ensure that the country remains United. Ironically, these reports are working favorably for the Government which is likely to win sweeping election victories as a result!
From the time the decision was taking to militarily eliminate the LTTE, Sri Lanka knew what was in store. When foreign governments, foreign lobbies, global institutions & local stooges put the survival of a terrorist organization over the concerns they should voice for civilians it clearly spells their hypocrisy & should determine under what context they voice their views. Let all these forces not forget that it was they who branded LTTE as a terrorist organization, this definition remains in tact even today, countries like Canada, Switzerland and even Australia are beginning to see foreign LTTE in action in their countries. Be that as it may, the conventions that the UN & other world bodies hold up against a democratic Government should first ask whether Geneva Conventions are applicable to terrorists? LTTE is a brute force, a terrorist outfit that has killed their own people, turned innocent children into child soldiers & ironically one of UN own special representative tasked to take action to protect children, herself a Tamil did little or nothing against the LTTE except release numerous reports. Reports have done little to save thousands of lives that the LTTE have destroyed over the years. Many of these deaths were as a result of bomb attacks, suicide bombings on innocent civilians in public places. Where has been the justice for the families of these people who lost their lives? What have the UN Secretary Generals since 1983 done about LTTE atrocities against the public of Sri Lanka? Was there any committee appointed to look into these atrocities & give feedback to the Secretary General?
What world bodies, foreign governments & local stooges need to realize is that a dark period in Sri Lanka is now over. People are beginning to pick up the pieces and start to rebuild their lives. They must be given space to forget 30 years of misery that the LTTE has created helped by western forces. The people do not want to be taken back to the past for it is one that has too much bloodshed to recall. We have memories where many of us would still wonder why the international community stood silent & watched the LTTE massacre villages, kill pregnant women & children, send suicide missions to public venues & all that the world did was to publish the customary diplomatic statement.
If genocide is what the Sri Lankan military is being accused of it cannot be seasonal genocide. How silly it sounds when reports praise some actions of the military while rebuking it for systematically bombing civilians? If the Sri Lankan military had been given orders to kill Tamils then the military must be carrying on this exercise even today it should be similar to Hitler wish to completely destroy Jews! Halfway genocide accusations is rather laughable!. These accusations without proof purely an accusation without date, time & witnesses does not hold any water. Besides, in a battlefield there are bound to be casualties. Did not the LTTE send a suicide cadre amongst civilians that were coming towards the Sri Lankan military for safety? What actions have the UN taken against US forces that simply apologize for drone attacks on civilians in Afghanistan, Pakistan & Iraq? What actions against NATO has the UN taken when it shells indiscriminately & when civilians perish as a result?
When UN panels have not been appointed to properly investigate what the US have done in Iraq, Afghanistan & now Libya it merely tells us the people of Sri Lanka that these reports & lobbies are merely witch hunts against a nation that boldly decided to completely eliminate a brute force that had been reigning all these years purely on the backing it had been getting internationally, this backing solely because of its Diaspora ability to buy over people, politicians & those holding international portfolios who would do anything for money.
It is not difficult for the people of Sri Lanka to understand from the strategic political decisions that are being taken in countries that are presently being destroyed. In the middle east we can clearly see the gameplan of the US. The US burnt its fingers by sending its troops to Iraq, the alternate decisions have been to arm oppositions in countries. Libya is a good example where countries like UK & France are openly declaring that it is arming people to dislodge the Gaddafi government. We can see how well the US has managed to coyly put the UK & France into taking action against Libya while it must be doing behind the scenes deals. Ultimately all these gameplans are to secure economic benefits for their own countries & their own survival. Therefore, Governments of countries as small as Sri Lanka need to realize that we must get our own local act together before they bring alternate plans against us. A proper agricultural plan is a must.
What the present Government must realize is that if the public is backing the Government it is not because it has any love for its politicians, it is purely on the grounds that the people of Sri Lanka do not want foreign interference, foreign interventions of any kind especially India & whatever courtship Sri Lankan Governments play towards India, they should realize that the people will never forgive India for its role in allowing the LTTE to prevail all these years.
Whether the UN publishes the report in full or not, the Sri Lankan public are already resolute about the hypocrisy of the UN & a Secretary General who is playing his cards to satisfy the US & perhaps thinking he will secure himself a second term in office!
The UN as a peace body has lost its credibility well before treatment towards Sri Lanka came into play. UN has failed in many ways & it has nothing to be proud of diseases prevail, hunger & malnutrition prevails, there are 65million dalits still, harassment to women prevail, more wars & conflicts have increased than ever, UN sits silent allowing powerful nations to secure national budgets by selling international arms while creating conflicts to sell these arms, UN stooges are only happy to authorize false reports that completely destroys nations & people & with such a bleak record can the UN & its officials even sleep at night?
Nevertheless, the power of the people is something neither the UN nor western powers will attempt to underestimate & in Sri Lanka case even the opposition has realized its previous folly & are coming together to portray a united Sri Lanka. This would certainly leave little room & if the present strategy is applied the US will only be arming stooges who write to the English dailies & a handful of others who have no clout whatsoever amongst the rural populace.
Whatever international pressures take place in the forthcoming days, Sri Lanka needs to be cautious at all times. Sri Lankan Government especially its politicians should first start putting country before self for a change when the public are showing great patriotism & providing the shield necessary to ensure Sri Lanka remains united.
Let Sri Lanka enter history for its united stand against elements out to destroy and let our nation not fall into the abyss that other nations have fallen into by foolishly believing & accepting the carrots given by western governments.