Herold Leelawardena

Kuldip Nayar is known to be great journalist and a pundit. No matter how erudite he is; I think he has got his wires crossed with regards to his opinion on Tamil aspirations.

In a write-up that appeared in transcurrent.com dateline 30^thƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ may 2010, Nayar inter alia insisted that India should have imposed Federalism to Sri Lanka before allowing Sri Lanka to decimate LTTE. And thatƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s a diabolical lie. The truth is; in 1997, Rajeev had forced Federalism to Sri Lanka. He has done so by forcing JRJ to ram the 13^thƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ amendment to our constitution.

13A has all the hallmarks of a federal amendment. Suffix to say; 13A was approved at the Supreme Court only by default, not unanimously or even by the majority. Out of all the proposals only con-federal ISGA could have been more federal than 13A. If that is so, India gave federal to Tamils. All the so-called moderate Tamils seemed to have been over the moon. LTTE even handed over their arms and ammunitions to IPKF. But Nayar doesnƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢t seem to have forgotten this episode.

But Tamil happiness for 13A was only the face value. Tamil aspiration was not federal – 13A. Their goal was Eelam. Only pundit journalists like Nayar deem not to understand it. Tamils only differ on how to reach their goal. Some wanted to follow a short road map, some others a medium road map, yet others a long road map. Piripaharan was on the short road map. ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ LetƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s face the truth; PiripaharanƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s view was popular among Tamils. And it still is; that is why they voted for SF. Anyway, that is why JRJ couldnƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢t implement federal – 13A in either North or the East. And that is why IPKF couldnƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢t tame LTTE to accept it.

LTTE hated Rajeev so much for forcing federal (13A) on them, they blasted him to pieces. Tamils never repent for that ghastly crime. And that is the truth. Take it from me Mr.Nayar, if new Piripaharans were to show up they will do the same thing again to you Indians. So, you should not have written; ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-If he (Rajapakse) does not do anything to win them (Tamils) over, some other LTTE would emergeƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ and given hopes for extremists.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ It is amazing that some Indian peaceniks like Nayar never seemed to learn from their stupid acts of the past. Nayar must have forgotten what Rajeev got when he tried to impose on us the things that we donƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢t like. Nayar shouldnƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢t have encouraged India to try big brother tactics on us again. He should not have written;ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-Colombo should have been made to give Tamils concrete concessions at that time and it would have done so because it wanted to finish the LTTE once and for allƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚. Surely Nayar should have known that India has learned its greatest lesson ever trying to impose its will on Sri Lanka. No doubt its current leaders are brainier than the once of the bygone era.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ When LTTE started to show their dislike to 13A, we Sinhalese were told that once moderates were satisfied the hardcore (LTTE) would fell by the wayside. Is that what we have seen since 1987 Mr.Nayar? No. LTTE send their suicide bombers on us for the another twenty two years. Husbands and wives travelled in different mode of transport to avoid their children losing both parents.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Mr. Nayar; I live in a village hamlet near Padukka where 99.5% of the population are Sinhalese. There are few Tamils and Muslims as well. Pray, tell us Mr. Nayar; what right Tamils do not have that I (Sinhalese) do. Tell us; what new concession that India should have demand before India allowed us to finish LTTE for once and for all. Be specific for heaven sake.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Mr.Nayar; you cannot cow us with new Piripaharans or with their new mode of vicious acts.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Local NGO dollar sharks like Thisaranee had been doing this sort of things relentlessly for the last two years. Mr.Nayar, we have gone through the mill. We all know that whether they are new or old, Piripaharans are plain killers and if they show up, weƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ll kill them all. We know that Indians have saved old Piripaharan many a time. We also know that they will not do the same for new Piripaharans; not for our good bur for their own good. As I said; India is once bitten twice shy.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ The so-called international community, Tamil Diaspora, NGOs, Christian Evangelists strived hard to help Piripaharan and his lieutenants live another day to carry on their enterprise. For thirty years, we struggled with their terrorist enterprise. LTTE suicide bombers threatened us every day. They carried their bombs in their bosoms and blasted our buses, trains and public places. But, no ICG or HRW (human rights watch) had ever demanded LTTE to stop killing civilians. They had never spoken in Geneva for the rights of the dead and maimed. They only issued public condemnation and condolences. Nothing like what they are doing today. We had two other insurgencies and thousand were killed yet we hadnƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢t heard a hum by that lot either.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ In spite of JRJ being called Yankee Dickey the US never helped him to rid of the LTTE terrorism. Before 9/11, the LTTE murderous clique wasnƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢t called even terrorists.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ No matter how, our forces had killed Piripaharan and company en masse on May 18th 2009. And, there had been no blasting in Sri Lanka since. People are happy for they can roam freely anywhere without fear. Peace and tranquillity prevail in this country. But the so-called peace clique is not happy. Why?

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ The so called peace brokers, Norway and company were happy while LTTE was active. Because, they had a job to do. They were the arbiters, peace monitors, mediators or at times acted as advisors. And they put their fingers in every pie. Our leaders were gullible enough to fall pray. During the so-called RanilWƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s peace period, they were the busybodies. They dwelled in luxury hotels and traversed from north to south in expensive Land Cursers.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Now those jobs are gone for good. They are not welcome in other trouble spots; in short they are jobless. No wonder they scheme against Sri Lanka. No wonder they hate Rajapakses. But for us, Rajapakses are our heroes. We love them for what they did. We elected them for another six years for what they did.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Arbour and co says; there had been ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”war crimesƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ towards the end of the war, and they must be investigated and the culprits must be punished. They donƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢t care that the biggest culprit Piripaharan and all his lieutenants are in hell, pray; tell us how they propose to punish the biggest scum for his crimes?

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Arbour and co are not happy with our Presidential commission. They wanted their own clique to man a commission of their own. They forget their wild allegations were rejected by the UN human rights commission in Geneva. Any fool can see where Arbour and co trying to drag us? As Mr Nayar says we have very powerful friends. I am telling you Mr Nayar, India cannot opt out to be our friend.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Arbour and co keep yapping about the IDUs. Could they not have prevented LTTE kept driving those hapless humans to the shores of Nandikadal to be their shields? If we start to hark back where would it all end? We could ask: Why start at Nandikadal, why not go back to Mavil Aru. Why not investigate the cause for the failure of Ranil- Praba peace agreement 2001-2006. Why not they propose to go a further back and investigate massacres in places like Aranthalawa, Sri Maha Bodhi, Karthunkudy and etc.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Do you think Arbour and co want to heal the wounds or swirl the wounds? I believe they donƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢t like we end our war and the terrorists. They and their local NGO cohorts do not like we live in peace and tranquillity. They wanted us to continue with our rift because they thrive on human misery. Human suffering is their business.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Are you Mr. Kuldip Nayar a part of that clique?