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Wisdom In The Saying, "Give Karuna A Chance " As A Viable Alternative !

With a recent emphasis on what may be construed as either the ludicrous attitude on the part of the Sri Lankan Administration to pander to a globally condemned terrorist organization or an inadvertent capitulation as some see it, by way of "necessity being the mother of invention", there seems to be an aberration of the general norm of acceptance relative to terrorism that the LTTE in Sri Lanka have no more rights to their existences than Al Queida to theirs! This has been endorsed time and time again recently with the increasing concerns expressed against LTTE activities by the British Authorities in England, the Canadian Authorities constantly monitoring their activities together with Interpol and the Indian Authorities in their related pursuits to name a few of the prominent sources involved but strangely enough in Sri Lanka now dubbed 'a safe haven for the LTTE' by many discerning observers, their activities continue unabated and perplexingly so! To add to the bewildering attitude of the Sri Lankan Authorities all of this seems to be unfolding while there is a viable alternative to the impure means of the mainstream Wanni LTTE in the form of breakaway rebel leader Col.Karuna as he is popularly known ! Someone whose credentials towards true leadership of the Tamil community is becoming more and more acceptable by the day!

This somewhat unacceptable phenomenon in the minds of many, has been emphatically explained through the recent submissions of many analysts and visionaries often wondering what motivates the status quo in Sri Lanka to adopt an approach short of being conciliatory to the impure objectives of the Tamil Tigers. Curiously and almost coincidentally, this is a very similar attitude displayed by the previous administration which was purported to have had a hidden agenda with the LTTE albeit the implications by way of consequences which could prove to be identical should the Tigers not be quelled, their objectives thwarted and sent packing. They are slowly but surely inching towards their goals and objectives, thanks to Governmental indifference and the catalystic support of their champions Norway whom many view as LTTE friendly and with justifiable reason!

Already there seem to be dark clouds looming on the not too distant horizon testifying to the stark reality that the LTTE true to their image are re-grouping emphasized by their recent spate of blatant violations of the ceasefire through attacks on Naval vessels, capture of soldiers and the various killings and attempted killings of any of their critics and rivals, the creation of a strike capable aircraft complete with an airstrip and a recent entry into the world of official broadcasting, of their carefully orchestrated propaganda, and perhaps about time for another phase of soul searching for the UPFA Administration as to whether they are doing it right in permitting the LTTE to continue unabated with no pre-emptive action even this late in the game!

Where the normal expectations of the contributions towards a Peace Process and a ceasefire as a positive move on the part of the insurgents would involve decommissioning of weapons, denouncing terrorist objectives and merging into mainstream politics, what is transpiring within Sri Lanka relative to the LTTE appears to be somewhat of a reversible joke as they continue their operations in gay abandon, proclaiming territory belonging to the State as their own and in short making a general mockery of the Sri Lankan Administration and Armed Forces which consists of the majority Sinhalese to a greater proportion while they themselves are of a visible minority. There seems to be no limit to the indiscretions they take liberties to with aplomb to match where the Administration thus far has scarcely batted an eyelid in a relative perspective! To add insult to injury there is presently an all out red alert that the LTTE are preparing for lightning strikes against Naval facilities around the Island and a consideration needed towards either a suppression of the speculations in a public perspective towards governmental dignity and national security based on rumor mongering or immediate affirmative action towards correcting the problem if the realities are established rather than wait for the lightning to strike given the broadcast cognizances !

All things considered, perhaps the climate is right in Sri Lanka to start looking at options towards resolution of the ethnic crisis and a means to dispell any doubts that the mainstream LTTE of the Wanni faction needs to be overcome and disbanded towards peace and prosperity and that the breakaway rebel Tamil faction of Muralitharan alias Karuna may well deserve a closer look at recognition as an alternative. Karuna has always maintained that he wants to give up fighting against the establishment. He has unequivocally been quoted that "His fight is against LTTE for making the Batticaloa Tamils “gun fodder” to protect the Jaffna Tamil tiger leadership and wants to form a political party and fight for the rights of his people in keeping with democratic principles" and a point and case perhaps for consideration towards acceptance of a more moderate stance than that of the mendacious Wanni LTTE!! A menace and a threat towards the well being of Sri Lanka where even an ounce of good being extracted towards correcting the woes of the nation seems a near impossibility!


The logical implications which weigh favourably towards the merits of this hypothesis must surely rest on the reality that Karuna was once a terrorists but to-day, has been visibly transformed to greater moderation as a 'Nation friendly' entity if the assumption precludes presumption. Someone who wants to be recognized as a force against terrorism, abhors recruitment of children as soldiers, condemns black tigers and suicide bombs. But somewhat curiously given all the favourabilities indicated by his dogma, Karuna is hardly given much credibility from an official standpoint while they continue to palaverer to the licentious and homicidal minded LTTE.

As suggested in a recent testimonial to Lankaweb by one of its prominent contributors there has been great wisdom in the question asked " Isn’t it the wish of every one who fights terrorism that the terrorists eventually stop being terrorists and become peace loving ordinary people, who will fight for their political rights and civil liberties through available democratic means ?" and a question which certainly seems approporiate in being addressed to the UPFA Administration towards the posterity of Sri Lanka where a general consensus in accepting Karuna might also be in order within manageable parameters as a National leader of the Tamil Community! Soemthing which would also totally shatter the puerile egos of the misguided LTTE and their miserable trend which has disrupted the normal order of Sri Lanka for decades!


The late great songwriter and Beatle John Lennon once wrote and sang these words of one of his most meaningful songs "All We Are Saying, Is Give Peace A Chance"

Perhaps these words ring true towards giving Peace A Real Chance in viewing Karuna as a viable alternative to Pirapaharan's LTTE!



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