S, Akurugoda

In an article titled “War crimes: Lanka overwhelmed by Sampanthan’s unsubstantiated allegations” appeared in The Island dated March 28, 2017 , its writer described what the leader of the TNA, Sampanthan, has claimed against the Sri Lankan  security forces and  its implications against the backdrop of different figures quoted by the UN, and various other parties wanting to haul Sri Lanka up before the proposed hybrid war crimes court, in accordance with the Geneva Resolution 30/1 adopted on Oct 1, 2015,  co-sponsored by Sri- Lanka Ranil-Sirisena Administration.

As per the article, Sampanthan, while justifying the LTTE terrorism, declared that the nearly three decades long war had claimed  the lives of 150,000 Tamils. He was addressing the Counter Terrorism Conference 2017 at the Hyatt Regency, New Delhi, organized by The India Foundation, in association with the Government of Haryana, and the National Investigation Agency (NIA). It is said that, in addition to Sampanthan, Premier Ranil Wickremesinghe and Law and Order and Southern Development Minister Sagala Ratnayake also made presentations at the same Conference. (http://www.island.lk/index.php?page_cat=article-details&page=article-details&code_title=162697).

As the said article quite rightly pointed out,  the LTTE formed the TNA, in late Oct 2001. Having joined the LTTE-led formation, Sampanthan remained faithful to its cause.  He as the leader of the TNA, indirectly lead the un-armed  political wing of the terrorist LTTE. Sampanthan in his speech, aptly titled ‘ballot vs bullet’ asserted that the war could have been avoided had the government accepted the Tamils right not to be governed from Colombo.  That speech itself is a proof that Sampanthan still remained faithful to the LTTE cause.

Having received two additional years to fulfil the Oct 1, 2015 Geneva Resolution 30/1, the Ranil-Sirisena  government rejoiced and  thanked those who had brought a second resolution 34/1 to give time and space to Sri Lanka. It is well-known fact that the Eelam lobby around the world are among those who were backing the Geneva Resolutions.  Thus the government is indirectly thanking the Eelam lobby too, by issuing a  one page statement, thanking the US-UK led countries for backing the second resolution that called for judicial mechanism, comprising local and foreign judges. It is also interesting to note that  that ‘There had never been such a situation at the Geneva-based United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC), where a country welcomed punitive action proposed on the basis of unsubstantiated allegations against its own security forces’.

Sampandan was  appointed Leader of the Opposition by the Ranil- Sirisena government, interpreting the parliamentary rules, norms and procedures to their own political advantage.

Sampanthan must have already made a world  record in the parliamentary democracy by not making a single statement against the government’s economic, corruptions or any other failures, other than Tamil’s rights, since he assumed office as the leader of the Opposition.  On the other hand no government MP has made a single word against what Sapanthan has raised in the Parliament (if any) so far as the Leader of the Opposition, including  those of Tamil’s rights.

In a very recent front page news item appeared in The Island,  Sampanthan had accompanied Ranil and Sirisena  to a Hindu kovil even to receive blessings, probably as a part of their reconciliation.!

Thus, we as ordinary citizens, do not see any difference between Ranil-Sirisena Government and the so-called Opposition led by Sampanthan.  However, the government should tell us its stand on  Sambanthan’s above claim of killing of Tamils and whether the government is fulfilling his racial claim for ‘not to be governed from Colombo’ which he could not achieved via bullet.

If the government is expecting to have reconciliation, by pleasing and foregiving all LTTE cadres for their their crimes against the entire nation while paving the way to punish the security forces and the political leadership for ending the terrorism from our soil, will be a grave mistake.