THE MASSES GAVE THE MANDATE TO COUNTER THE TERRORISTS AND NOT TO
CUDDLE THEM.

A.A.M.NIZAM MATARA

Terrorists, whoever they may be, should not deserve any sympathy under any circumstance, until and unless they renounce violence completely, surrender all weaponry, release all detainees, and unconditionally enter the democratic mainstream politics. Western nations that are vociferous about waging a war against the menace of terrorism, if they are truly committed to this cause should repress, reprove and stamp out all terrorists equally without getting deluded by the craftiness of those who hide under the cloak of the catchphrase liberators. Tiger terrorists of Sri Lanka are condemned by the western nations, and the whole world as the most ruthless terrorist organization in the world. Why then this condemnation has not been put into practice to wipe out these inhuman brutes? Why then it is being allowed and encouraged for the international community to cuddle and embrace these “ruthless terrorists”?

Mr. Lakshman Kadiragamar as the Foreign Minister of the 2 PA governments did a wonderful job in exposing the ferocity of these terrorists to the international community. At that time no country braved to demand Sri Lanka to make concessions or overtures to appease these terrorists. The correct approach taken by the government at that time, and to what extent it distressed the tiger terrorists is clearly denoted by Prabhakaran himself thus “In a devious strategy to alienate and marginalize our organization from our people and to destroy us the government of Chandrika Kumaratunga proscribed us as a “terrorist” organization. Following this decision, Chandrika’s government, particularly its Foreign Minister Mr. Kadiragamar, launched a sustained propaganda campaign in the international arena portraying the LTTE and our struggle as a diabolical phenomenon of terrorism. As a consequence the United States, Britain and most recently Canada have included our movement in their list of terrorist organizations. (V.Prabhakaran – 27.11.2001). In this message, delivered a few days before the 2001 general election, the tiger leader urged all forces to defeat the government.

Installation of Ranil Wickremasinghe government, on 17th December, just 3 weeks after this appeal was a major milestone in the terrorist agenda. Within a few months of installing this government the white tiger Norwegians managed to manipulate Ranil Wickremasinghe’s greed to power, lack of patriotism, and loyalty to and adoration of aliens to puppet him for salvaging the tiger terrorists from the international contempt for their ruthless terrorism, fabricate them as liberators, and reward them with a shameful MOU that surrendered a considerable portion of Sri Lankan territory to the terrorist enemies, which included 12 Divisional Secretariat areas in the Eastern Province (out of 43), and 14 Divisional Secretariat areas (out of 31) in the Northern Province including the whole districts of Kilinochchi and Mulativ. If not for the anxiety shown by countries in the region, white tiger Norwegians would have also compelled Ranil Wickremasinghe to reward them with the adjoining sea territory.

Ranil Wickremasinghe’s treachery on the other hand empowered the Vanni terrorists to bring in several arms shipments (minimum 15), establish a Police force, raise a powerful navy, build an airstrip, smuggle aircrafts, high-powered communication equipment, roam the international capitals and canvass world opinion for their separatist cause, and compelled our pilots to airlift the terrorist leaders when demanded. It also allowed them to extort millions in various forms of taxes, establish their own administrative appendages and worst of all to gun down security personnel, government officials and political opponents throughout Sri Lanka with guaranteed immunity to their gunmen within the territory surrendered by Ranil Wickremasinghe. It neither compelled them to renounce terrorism, surrender arms, and enter mainstream politics nor restrained them from recruiting child soldiers. After strengthening them internally and whitewashing them internationally, the treacherous Ranil and his cohorts were about to surrender the whole Northern and Eastern provinces to these ruthless terrorists under the despicable ISGA. It was thence the patriotic masses injected valor and vigor to the fragile and apprehensive President Chandrika Kumaratunge and forced her to dismiss the treacherous anti-national government utilizing her constitutional authority.

The masses further empowered her by conferring victory after victory for the Freedom Alliance in the General Election, and the provincial council elections that followed. The primary and the uncompromising message given by the masses to the President and the government, through these elections, was “their total rejection of the terrorist appeasement treacherous policy of Ranil Wickremasinghe and his cohorts, the need to halt the terrorist atrocities and upholding the sovereignty and the unitary status of the country”. Ranil’s cousins in the SLFP (the black sheeps) may disagree now for reasons well- known, but a neutral and serious analysis of the thumping rejection of UNP on an electorate-wise basis in these three elections would confirm the soundness of this assertion.

Sadly the reactionary forces are scuffling to defeat the people’s aspirations and change the course of government and topple it pitilessly at the right moment as they succeeded in the previous instances. The government remains not only mute to reactionary intrigues and terrorist atrocities but also prone to reactionary intimidation on conferring legitimacy to the terrorists instead of exposing them internationally. The masses anticipated the government would launch a programme to enlighten the international community about the atrocities, oppression and threats of the terrorist organization and marshal global opinion against the terrorist organization and force them to disarm and denounce terrorism. The masses expected that the Sri Lankan Missions throughout the world would become showcases exposing Vanni Terrorist atrocities.

Unfortunately, only JVP launching a solo battle is upholding the peoples’ verdict by exposing and opposing the anarchy of the Vanni Terrorists, even under the scorn of the blacksheeps in the SLFP. JVP’s relentless opposition to the moves of legitimizing the Vanni Terrorists through a crafty Joint Mechanism is laudable. It is also appreciable to find them making measures to apprise the international community against the terrorist outfit. When the U.S.Assistance Secretary of State Christina Rocca visited the island last month the JVP leadership met her to deliver a memorandum to the U.S.Governemnt and update her about the terrorist atrocities. The JVP leadership is currently on a visit to Japan and there too they have carried out a scathing attack on the terrorist atrocities.

On the other hand, the terrorists are increasing their chaos even on foreign soil. Their attempt to take hold of the Eelap Pathiewarar Aalaiyam (Hindu Temple) in Wembley, London, as it is a sound income source, and the torture meted out to the Temple leader Mr. Rajasingham Jayadevan was widely reported in the Sri Lankan press. A gang of Vanni Tigers broke into the Tamil Broadcasting Corporation in London last Sunday and destroyed its broadcasting facilities. Indian media widely publicized recently India’s apprehension about the Iranamadu Airstrip and acquisition of light aircrafts by the Vanni Tigers. Also in the Indian Home Ministry's annual report for 2004-05, tabled in Parliament last fortnight, claims that Vanni Tigers are continuing to use Tamil Nadu as a base for smuggling out petrol, diesel, drugs and other essentials. A report condemning recruitment of child soldiers is before the U.N.Security Council. The Amnesty Internaitonal, and Brad Adams, Human Rights Director for Asia of the New York based Human Rights Watch have issued reports exposing and condemning the atrocities of the Tigers. Veteran Tamil politician Mr. Anandasangaree is to launch a visit to Europe and South Africa with the objective of exposing the terrorists.

The government has a sea of information to present against the terrorists, and on their atrocities. Undoubtedly if the international community, the world leaders, and the international organizations were appropriately and distinctly acquainted with these facts the world would realize the dreadful nature of the Vanni terrorists and the concerted need to liberate the Sri Lankan Tamil population from the oppression of these monsters. The government instead of getting misled by the reactionary elements and proceeding for legitimizing the terrorists through the loathsome Joint Mechanism, should reverse its priorities and launch an extensive programme to publicize terrorist atrocities. The curse and anger of the future generations would befall on the government leaders if they fail to fulfill this national responsibility.