SRI LANK AFTER LTTE

WAR BRINGS DESTRUCTIONS ONLY;HELP HUMANITY TO SURVIVE

Sri Lanka has won the war against the Tamil Tigers with unflinching resolve. The 26 years of bloody, devastating and ruinous war hopefully has come to an end; though after paying a heavy cost in terms of life, property and sentiments. The kind of transformation which the tiny Island Nation underwent over few years is spectacular. An Army which was hopelessly nothing more than a police force, ill-equipped and ill trained had been fighting a suicidal war at least in the initial period after the Indo- Sri Lankan accord was raven and LTTE went in intense rancour over the entire issue.
The seemingly unending war did not obliterate Sri Lankan resolve to fight back and the government did show stoic courage to reorganise and annihilate the demons. Astoundingly they did and ensconced LTTE were not only uprooted but finished. The whole world Including India watched some howled but Sri Lankans were crowing over victory. Sri Lanka has won the war but it has to win hearts and minds of Tamils now.
The victory however does not mean end of problems and hostilities. The demography of this sea locked nation is heavily slated toward Singhalese which constitute 74% of the total population. Sri Lankan Tamil constitute 12.6% whereas Indian Tamils and Muslims are 5.5% and 5% respectively. The war is definitely over, but the issue is still unresolved.
The ethnic issue was very much alive but was in hibernation even before Sri Lank became independent in February, 1948। After Independence the issue came to fore and non-Redressal led to reopening and ripening of this issue. The Tamil sentiments got inured due to persistence of an idea in which hardliner Singhalese group believed that there should be a Singhalese hegemony over the Tamil minorities. Gradually the counter theory germinated that Tamils should have a separate Tamil Eelam state. In this backdrop, the concept of peaceful coexistence got gradually blurred and seeds of hatred gradually germinated.

POST WAR TASKS- The war has left Sri Lank with scars of economic destruction, emotional trauma, ruined hopes and shattered dreams. The Government has how a huge, if not insurmountable responsibilities of picking the rubbles and debris, knitting the nest and rehabilitating the Tamils. There are more than 2, 50,000 internal displace persons, the IDP who is to be fed and attended. The numbers of seriously physically injured persons are uncountable who have to be hospitalised and medical treatment have to be given. The northern and eastern part of Sri Lanka is in rubbles, roads, hospitals, houses, churches, temples, schools and everything have been ruined and turned into debris. It has to be reconstructed without any inordinate delay. The Government can no longer afford euphoria and recalcitrant attitude towards it.
The tattered Island is in desperate need of huge international aid both in terms of cash and kind. Hopefully the international community especially USA and Western countries would extend generous helping hand to see that Sri Lanka is taken out this catastrophe. The magnitude of destruction would probably be not less than those in Iraq and Afghanistan; therefore it requires assistance of that magnitude. The western hypocrisy is also under watch in the sense that whether it really is concerned or it is nothing but a drawing room ideology of crying howl for human rights violations. It is high time for the West to show that it really cares.
Mahindra Rajapaksha may make start from where the recompilation effort was shunned, yes it is the 13th Amendment to the Sri Lanka Constitution made in 1987। This was a landmark in the history of Tamil ethnic agitation in Sri Lanka. For the first time, a serious effort was sought to be made through this amendment which got President’s nod on 14/11/87. Tamil language was given status of official language and English language was made a link language. It also provided for establishment of Provincial Councils and devolution of some powers into them. Although it was not a big and heartening constitutional package for the Tamils because by now the concept of a separate Tamil Eelam had crystallised and Tamil tiger had taken to jungles, the importance of this step cannot be trivialised. Mahindra had to pick up the thread from here itself and proceed further. Only constitutional package is not going to do and work. The wounds of Tamil civilians have to be healed by application of ointment of oneness blended with emotional tinge. The relief, rehabilitation and reconstruction work have to be started with utmost precision and fineness. Any apathy or lackesaidial approach would mar the entire process of healing touch.

BRINGING TAMILS IN THE POLITICAL MAINSTREAM- The defeat of Tamil tigers may be pushing hardliners to corners but complacency on part of the political leadership in this regard may give time to the hardliners to realign and spread discontent among the Tamil population which is already passing through a period of unprecedented social, economic, psychic and political turmoil. The process of economic reconstruction and political solution should go side by side; or else the initial euphoria may burst like bubbles. The sky soaring confidence of the government and the Sri Lankan Army should be channelized to positive and constructive direction.
Fortunately the Tamil hardliners in India have also been marginalised in the just concluded general parliamentary elections and Sonia, the widow of Rajiv Gandhi, who was mercilessly killed by LTTE suicidal women cadre, has emerged all pervasive and unquestioned leader of the UPA Government at centre. It was a happy coincident that when Sonia and congress were celebrating victory after the announcement of poll results, the death of V. Prabhakaran broke on TV and other electronic media. The emphatic victory of congress led by Dr Man Mohan Singh has fuelled the political environment with optimism and hope.
This historic opportunity may be properly utilised so that lasting solution and lasting peace are resorted in the strife torn island. India has pledged to give Rs/500 crore to Sri Lanka for undertaking reconstruction work. This good will gesture could be utilised with mutual consultation and India should very attentively and cautiously extend helping hand to Sri Lanka; otherwise any mishandling or overly action on part of India may be interpreted as an undue interference in the in internal matters of Sri Lanka. Hopefully at least one country of among our neighbours returns to peace and tranquillity.

SRI LANKA'S VICTORY;LESSON FOR WORLD

                            END OF LTTE AND ADVENT OF NEW

                                         DAWN IN SRILANKA

 LTTE Chief’s death marked the end of 26 years long war of Sri Lankan Army with LTTE. In other words we can say that Sri Lanka has won the Military war against world’s more powerful, organized and deadly terrorist organization, the LTTE. The dead body of LTTE Chief Virupillai Prabhakaran has been identified by the Lankan Army, the video footage of which has been shown on the electronic media to the world giving a message that they have the caliber to win and courage to fight unto death.

 

The victory has unfolded many success stories of Sri Lankan army and many such stories would be authored in the years to come in their glory. The last couple of months had been particularly very tough and challenging for the Sri Lanka in view of the growing concerns of international community about the alleged gross human rights violations by the army. The huge exodus of Tamil civilians from the war zones had has been a matter of serious concern for the government as well as international aid agencies like UNHCR and International Red Cross Society. The exact number of causalities during the 26 years of incessant war including deaths in the fresh offensive from January, 2009 would never be known, but time would help heal this wound soon, provided the Tamil problem is solved within the frame work of Sri Lankan territorial integrity and sovereignty.

 

The war fought by the Lankan army is a lesson for every Nation which is facing the problem of Terrorism including India. It is also a lesson for West and particularly America who is still to win and bring the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan-Pakistan to a logical conclusion.

 

The 2^nd Gulf war started   some ten years back by Barrack Obama’s predecessor George Bush is yet to be won even when Saddam is dead and the country is ruined. 9/11 humiliated America and it fought back with skirmish. Afghanistan under Taliban was attacked by USA under the false banner of NATO and forcibly retrieved consent of UN. The Taliban were deposed and Mullah Md Omar was dethroned. Initially USA thought that the war is over and it would show to the world that the America cares for the third world. It started so called reconstruction of Afghanistan, a task that will never be finished. The war against Omar and Osama-bin-Laden, the Al-Qaeda chief was termed as ‘Global War against Terror’. The USA undoubtedly the best and most powerful armed forces in the world with unmatched fighter planes, most lethal artilleries, heavily protected armored vehicles most sophisticated anti-terror equipments and other weapons blended with world’s best trained marines have yet to kill either Osama or Mullah Muhammad Omar. The ongoing seemingly unending war in Afpak territory is being fought with following military strengths-

There are 38,000 U.S. troops in Afghanistan, including three combat brigades and non-combat troops. Their numbers were bolstered by the recent arrival of the 3rd Brigade Combat Team of the Army's 10th Mountain Division, which has begun operating in eastern part of Afghanistan. There shall be additional deployment of 17,000 troops, as assured by Obama in his maiden Presidential speech. A force of 8,000 Marines, consisting of the 2nd Marine Expeditionary Brigade was further reinforced in Afghanistan. All the NATO countries are engaged in this war in one way or the other but What to talk of victory, Americans have yet to see Osama and Omar physically. They have so far failed to trace their hideouts and movements. The American army has been thoroughly demoralized when Taliban took Swat, Buner in Malakhand, Mingora etc under its suzerainty and posed an existential threat to Pakistan. 

One the other hand, Sri Lanka, with a meager total numerical strength of 1, 70,000 troops has been fighting against LTTE, one of the most organized and well trained terrorist organization which has been banned in as many as 32 countries for the last 26 years without any moral and material support of International community. In fact the international community including America influenced UN has always castigated and demoralized Sri Lanka on this issue. If the comparison is drawn between Al-Qaeda and Taliban on the one hand and LTTE on the other, it can be easily understood that LTTE is the most modern, well organized and hierarchical on lines of Military structure of modern state, disciplined and most committed, whereas; Al-Qaeda and Taliban are ill trained, less organized and ill disciplined. In fact the duo is more a militia that anything else inculcated with medieval cultural and military ethos.

Is it not very surprising to see that the world’s best army is not able to defeat the medieval band of mercenary militia?

The victory of Sri Lankan army over LTTE has necessitated USA to rethink over its war techniques and strategy of military operation against Al-Qaeda and Taliban. It is well said that success has many fathers and failures have only orphans. The international community which had been criticizing the Sri Lankan government over alleged human rights violations have now extending congratulations on the killing of Prabhakaran. The public jubilations in Sri Lanka is such that when Miliband, the Foreign Minister of UK criticized Sri Lanka for its alleged atrocities, he was burn in effigies. The international communities especially the West including American have to understand that protecting sovereignty and territorial integrity are the inalienable and non negotiable rights of and Independent Nation.  India must learn a lesson that a half hearted fight against Terrorism is like injuring a poisonous snake and letting it prepare to a fresh offensive, obviously which is more lethal and dangerous. We will have to re-think our Kashmir Policy and our strategy of fight against Terrorism. The political commitment and unshaken rocky resolve to uproot terrorism is the unfinished task of our successive governments. Amongst the priorities of the new UPA government should also be to crush the terrorists and terrorism in all its form. Let the world shed its crocodile tears, after all if the Nation itself is at stake who and why does one talk about diplomacy, human rights and international communities’ criticism and pressure. If Sri Lankan why not me .