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 dont. 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 peoples
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.
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