CLASSIFIED | POLITICS | TERRORISM | OPINION | VIEWS





 .
 .

 .
 .
.
 

Kosovo and Tamil Elam: A Few Similarities, Too Many Disparities

Dilrook Kannangara

After a long wait Kosovo has declared independence from Serbia. The world is once again divided into those who accept Kosovo independence and those who don’t. There is no doubt that it was a plan the US hatched a long time ago to disintegrate the Balkans in order to intimidate Russia. US troops were stationed in Kosovo for over a decade and they will have to stay for the foreseeable future. While dependant on the US for security and Albania for political trend setting; Kosovo must depend fully on the EU for its economy. Years ahead will bring a lot of surprises to the region when these dependencies become indispensable. Underlying all this is the fact that the Cold War is far from over. It has only entered a new chapter where many nations posses wide destructive powers. Whether Kosovo becomes another Pakistan which is constantly manipulated by the superpowers to advance their selfish military interests is yet to be seen.

Similarities
Supporters of Tamil Elam are jubilant about Kosovo Independence. They try to show that it strikes a chord with their predicament. There are similarities between the two. The main similarity is that the West wishes to see a free Kosovo as much as it wishes to see a free Tamil Elam. A dependant Tamil Elam (dependent on Western powers for its safety) south of India and east of China with a large stock of natural resources as a dowry would perfectly fit into military requirements of the West. The likelihood of dismantling the Diago Garcia military base (which is to the south of Sri Lanka) also prompts the Western powers to look for alternative bases around. Just as the Middle East is important for them for its huge economic worth, emerging Asian economic power houses would become more valuable. An Israel in south and south-east Asia may be what they are after.

The other similarity is that both Kosovo and a potential Tamil Elam independence are hostile moves where another party claims territorial rights over the land concerned. The ethnic disparities between Serbia and Kosovo on one hand and ethnic composition dissimilarities between Sri Lanka and a possible Tamil Elam on the other are fairly parallel to an outside observer.

However, similarities between the two ends here and a wide range of disparities emerge.

Disparities
Kosovo boarders Albania and majority of the population in Kosovo are ethnic Albanians. This issue of proximity to an replica is different in the case of ‘Tamil Elam’ (TE). The closest neighbour of TE would be Sri Lanka which will remain highly inimical towards it. India is the next closest, Tamil Nadu state in particular. However, Tamil Nadu is only a state in the nation of India and although Tamil Nadu and Tamil Elam share many things in common including a common race, culture, religion, etc. there is no room for sharing political agendas owing to its conflict with Indian interests. India is already worried about spreading separatism within and around it and hence would never tolerate any ‘independent’ TE.

The creation of TE will be marked in blood just as the India-Pakistan divide. Although the area under TE claims are characterised by a large Tamil population (approximately 70%), 54% of all Tamils living in the island of Sri Lanka live outside this area under TE claims. There is nothing that can stop a violent backlash as in 1983 from recurring against the Tamils outside the North-East if part of the country is to spin-off as a different entity. This would disturb many millions of lives for a very long time. On the other hand approximately 30% of inhabitants in the area under TE claims are not Tamils; they are Sinhalese, Muslims and local indigenous people. Secession would mean the completion of the ethnic cleansing and genocide project the LTTE commenced in 1982. Hundreds of thousands will be affected on the TE side of the boarder if Kosovo style independence is to take affect in Sri Lanka.

One major difference between Kosovo and TE is the parties involved. Kosovo has a peoples’ governance council of elected representatives. However, LTTE is merely a terrorist organisation with no people’s support whatsoever. Going by civilised standards and governance mechanisms, there is no political entity to take control over part of the island and its residents. This is a striking dissimilarity between Kosovo and TE.

Geography provides an array of other dissimilarities. TE which is a dry zone depends heavily on rivers run from the other side of its boarder. Owing to massive population density in Sri Lanka, especially outside the North-East, the water resource has gained a very important value. This is heightened by the fact that most Sri Lankans engage in farming especially close to the TE border utilising rivers and streams that flow into TE area. Any division of the island to set-up a separate nation would escalate water wars into open and consistent warfare with no end in sight. In fact water wars have already begun with the LTTE trying to displace a large number of ethnic Sinhala and Muslim farming communities. The present phase of the war commenced in 2006 with the LTTE targeting a water body called Mavil Aru.

Another big difference is the support Kosovo gets from the US security forces and the EU. Tamil Elam and the LTTE can never get that support. Any foreign troop deployment in the island of Sri Lanka would be resisted by India, Pakistan and China. There is no EU equivalent in the region that can uplift the TE economy. In fact the moment Sri Lanka withholds its massive funding for areas under TE claims, its education, public administration, hospitals and medical facilities, courts and justice resolution, banking and finance, etc. etc. would collapse in no time giving into large scale unrest and instability in the region. No amount of foreign aid can salvage it as LTTE leaders will siphon out the money into their bank accounts abroad and will get richer by the minute.

Kosovo and Tamil Elam have widely different approaches to ‘independence’. While Kosovo has always used democratic means to gain independence, TE has always used terrorism, violence, barbarianism and anti-democratic means to get there. Recognition of Tamil Elam would therefore mean the acceptance of terrorism as a viable means of achieving racial aspirations!

Lessons
However, there are some vital lessons from Kosovo that Sri Lanka must take note of. Internationalisation of the domestic conflict in Lanka has dragged the attention of many unwarranted interferers; this trend must stop immediately. The abrogation of the clinically dead CFA is therefore a step in the right direction. Any attempt by foreign parties to interfere in Sri Lanka whether it is for human rights, conflict resolution or humanitarian services must be resisted. It is certain the Kosovans were emboldened by the presence of outsiders in their territory much to the disadvantage of Serbia.

Complete annihilation of the LTTE terrorists by military means would take away the wind from the sails of the separatist movement. Although the security forces are doing a great job with this annihilation process, things may need speeding up without risking too much. Since Northern operations have not yielded any significant land gains so far whether intended or not, wiping out all the members of the LTTE becomes vitally important and urgent.

Apart from the LTTE there are other forces, armed and unarmed that also promote separatism; these groups must be negated well ahead in time using any and all effective means. Almost all democratic nations have legal provisions against disintegration and division. Sri Lanka too has similar provisions but rarely implemented with the force that is required to enforce them. It is high time available legal provisions are enforced and new stricter regulations are introduced to cripple separatist movements. Lanka has a lot to learn from Malaysia on how to handle troublemakers effectively.

Many have highlighted the need to counter LTTE propaganda abroad with better systematised approaches. However, this cannot achieve the intended outcome without totally shutting down the ‘peaceful’ separatist movement within Sri Lanka. This is the right time to initiate a complete crackdown on separatism in Sri Lanka devoid of petty political implications. Simply those who plan for the demise of Sri Lanka do not deserve to hold public office or any other capacity of importance. Big-time perpetrators of treason must be handled the same way terrorists are handled. It is equally important to bring up and sustain anti-LTTE Tamil militant groups especially in the North-East. They can be a direct threat and hindrance to the LTTE and other separatists. Adequate weapons, training, avenues of operation, finances and a higher level of tolerance of abuse of force will ensure that there is yet another barrier against separatism.

All attempts, encouragements and international influences to devolve too much power to the regions must be resisted. Regions should not have power other than mere administrative powers essential to carryout regionalised development programs as extensions of the national development plan. Empowering an ethnic-based regional governing body is the worst that can happen; such a setting will only breed further separatism and racism.

Perhaps the most important lesson to learn from the Kosovo episode is that the UN is not interested in protecting its member nations, their interests and their sovereignty. Therefore Sri Lanka must use its own devices in anyway the situation demands to protect its interests firstly from separatists and secondly from the UN. Pressures from the UN, its human rights arm, its IDP affairs arm and other divisions must be resisted vigorously. The dangerous involvement of Louise Arbour signals the nasty surprises that await Lanka if it falls to the UN trap.

A planned and large scale internal colonisation scheme must be commenced soon after the war. Establishing Palali type defence garrisons throughout the North-East encircling new settlements is the way forward. There are enough geographical incentives provided by these areas for large scale agribusiness ventures, fisheries, mining, shipping and processing industries. If the North-East can be demographically converted to represent Sri Lanka, all separatist movements will die a natural death and will never raise their ugly heads again. Malaysia very successfully implemented this scheme to frustrate race-based disintegration of its territory.

Kosovo Independence will surely spark a global sectionist and secessionist spree. Two provinces in Georgia, Chechnya, Jammu-Kashmir, Assam, parts of China, Indonesia, Iraq, Bolivia, Venezuela and Thailand would become increasingly inclined on separation. These drop-outs will become easy targets of Western and/or terrorist exploitation. Tamil tiger terrorists may also proceed with a new found valour to give birth to Tamil Elam; this illegitimate state must be killed at birth if not before along with those who toil to bring it to life.


Disclaimer: The comments contained within this website are personal reflection only and do not necessarily reflect the views of the LankaWeb. LankaWeb.com offers the contents of this website without charge, but does not necessarily endorse the views and opinions expressed within. Neither the LankaWeb nor the individual authors of any material on this Web site accept responsibility for any loss or damage, however caused (including through negligence), which you may directly or indirectly suffer arising out of your use of or reliance on information contained on or accessed through this Web site.
All views and opinions presented in this article are solely those of the surfer and do not necessarily represent those of LankaWeb.com. .

BACK TO LATEST NEWS

DISCLAIMER

Copyright © 1997-2004 www.lankaweb.Com Newspapers Ltd. All rights reserved.
Reproduction In Whole Or In Part Without Express Permission is Prohibited.