November 16, 2007

Chandrika must spell out the reality!

Former President Chandrika Kumaratunga has expressed patriotism when she addressed the ‘Universal Forum of Culture’ in Mexico this week. She has called upon the Government of Sri Lanka to come up with an alternative to terrorism and the demand for a separate state. She had also reiterated the need to defeat terrorism. In the form of expression, these sentiments look quite patriotic as she had also proposed that effective power sharing was the only option to resolve the crisis.

The former President held office for a long period of eleven years. She made several attempts to bring the LTTE to the negotiating table. Her battle against terrorism looked quite ineffective analysing the heavy military setbacks suffered during that regime. She too was a victim of terrorism and was made blind in one eye. The armed forces lost the most numbers of men during her rule of eleven years. Damage caused to state property was extensive.

All leaders of the past, including Kumaratunga have been boasting of the need of a process of confidence building between different communities. In practice, it had not achieved any results. Former President Kumaratunga is well aware of the ground situation in her country, though she lived outside the country for a considerable length of time after retirement. Surely, she would have monitored the political developments here.
The incumbent President Mahinda Rajapaksa, upon assuming office rushed to recommence peace talks with the LTTE. Was it not the LTTE which unleashed violence on innocent civilians while peace moves were on? Kebithigollawa was the worst massacre of the innocent in recent times. Well, Kumaratunga is aware of those dastardly acts of terrorism. Then, who pulled out from the peace process? Was it not the late S.P. Thamilselvan who led the LTTE delegation? Did not the LTTE treat Kumaratunga in a similar manner with regard to peace talks?

Patriotism cannot be confined to words. It must be displayed in practice. When leaders address forums abroad, it is their duty to spell out the truth. Any proposal on any national issue before the International Community should be done according to the reality. If one speaks of the need to defeat terrorism, then he or she should tell that audience what terrorists have done during her time and now. Just making proposals to gain credit will not help neither the country nor its people.

To be fair, late President J.R. Jayewardene during his eleven year rule at least went ahead with the Indo-Lanka Accord to create Provincial Councils as an answer to the problem. The LTTE is an entity never satisfied even if you offer the entire country. It will then ask for a part of Tamilnadu claiming that Tamilnadu is also a part of their traditional homeland. The reality is that, the LTTE cannot survive when there is peace. When weakened, it moves for peace talks. Did not the LTTE take all former Presidents except President D.B. Wijetunga for a ride under the pretext of finding a solution at the table? Didn’t it deceive the incumbent President Mahinda Rajapaksa and revert to violence?
When our leaders go overseas to attend important functions, it is their bounden duty to recall the past and tell the world about our problem of terrorism. Reiterating for the sake of reiterating the need to defeat terrorism at forums overseas will not help the people and the country.

What you preach must be displayed in practice. It’s not too late for former President Kumaratunga to carry the correct message against LTTE terrorism abroad if she is really patriotic. Also, she could extend her hand of friendship to the incumbent President in the bid to crush terrorism. Confidence building must begin at home and not be confined to just mere words uttered to satisfy an audience overseas.

Friday Magazine

No comments: