By Shenali Waduge
The assassinations of Minister Jeyraj Fernandopulle & Minister Lakshman Kadiragamar are important for several reasons. Had both been Sinhalese or Buddhists one could have understood the LTTE’s decision to assassinate in the light of their argument that Sinhalese Buddhists are against the Tamils & are denying them their right to self-determination. Then, why would the LTTE wish to carry out the coldblooded killings of two individuals who were Tamil? Minister Kadiragamar was a Hindu but Minister Fernandopulle was a Catholic. Given the present Madhu controversy & the rumors of LTTE links with the Catholic Church the death of Minister Fernandopulle is most intriguing. However, the LTTE’s past history of killings is too large to mention but have included Tamils, Hindus, Sinhalese, Buddhists, Christians as well as Catholics. Their only “friends” are those who contribute to their killing machine. They have so far only kidnapped foreigners but perhaps it may be only a matter of time given their capabilities that they may enter international contract killings as well.
It then baffles any simpleton why powerful nations like the US, UK, EU, Canada & India choose to designate the LTTE as a terrorist outfit in their country, accuse it of forceful recruitment of child soldiers, prepare countless dossiers on their illicit dealings, declare the outfit to be the most dangerous more so than the Al Qaeda but continue to use direct & indirect means to pressure the Government of Sri Lanka into indulging in futile peace talks for negotiated settlement –with a terrorist movement that exists because of their power to kill?
It becomes all the more puzzling when distinguished & respected Tamil leaders like Mr. Anandasangaree repeatedly tells the international community that the LTTE are not the sole representative or even the representative of the Tamil people & urge the international community to help liberate the Tamil people who are presently confined to areas that the LTTE have illegally & unconstitutionally declared their territory.
Let us look at some statistics. The Tamil population in Sri Lanka is said to be 12% of the total population (2.4 million), out of this over 600,000 are presently living in foreign shores, leaving 1.6million Tamils in Sri Lanka. The Eastern province comprises a Tamil population of 674,411 & almost 60% (555353 Tamils) are living amongst the Sinhalese outside of the North & East of Sri Lanka (Almost one third of Colombo Municipal population accounts for Tamils) It then leaves a mere 370236 Tamils in the Northern province where presently the LTTE has a dwindling stronghold. The LTTE is in fact demanding a separate state called Tamil Eelaam to rule these 370236 or so people. Following the North East demerger their demand for the North & East has been nullified & they have to make do with insisting only for the Northern part of Sri Lanka. Thus, it is these 370236 that are in need of liberation from the LTTE (as the East was liberated from the LTTE) who will not permit anyone from leaving the area.
Let it also be noted that according to the 1981 census there were 6659, 3992 & 8683 Sinhalese living in the Districts of Jaffna, Mullaitivu & Mannar, while the same census noted that 12958, 3651 & 27,717 Muslims were living in the Districts of Jaffna, Mullaitivu & Mannar. What happened to the 19334 Sinhalese & the 44326 Muslims who were living in the Northern Province prior to the LTTE reign? Was this not ethnic cleansing of both the Sinhalese & the Muslims by the LTTE? Has any international authority questioned the LTTE for ethnic cleansing?
Given that there are only 370236 Tamils living amongst an exclusively self-declared Tamil area by the LTTE, it doesn’t give any weight to any argument that bases itself on the premise that the Sinhalese are discriminating the Tamils especially when over 555353 are living amongst the Sinhalese. If there were any reason for these Tamils to feel discriminated they should be scurrying to the North to join the LTTE. Not one has so far packed their bags to live with Prabakaran in the Wanni jungles.
It is estimated that the strength of the LTTE is around 10,000 (likely to be far less following the military onslaughts) however, it is begs to question why the international community should continue to project the LTTE as the representative of the Tamil people (2.4million). The LTTE’s existence without arms is also a questionable feature & the LTTE is well aware of what is likely to become of them if they do in fact lay down their arms. If unarmed the LTTE is likely to be more fearful of the Tamil people & not the Sinhalese. It is perhaps for this reason that even Prabakaran has to protect himself from his own cadres with a body guard contingent of over 200 personally picked tigers.
We hear echoes of international conspiracies in public forums. Powerful nations that make up the UN Security Council use issues like human rights, genocide, ethnic cleansing etc as a tool to justify their actions upon less powerful countries. Iraq, East Timor, Serbia, Afghanistan are a few examples. Terrorists like the LTTE feel comfortable in attracting foreign nations to intervene on behalf of them using these same issues to force the Government to halt any offensives against their outfit. However, if the argument that we are seeing a new neocolonialism taking place is true, then terrorists like the LTTE should know better than to think that the international community are likely to offer their demands on a golden platter & walk away. Presidential candidate McCain has echoed that the US presence is likely to remain in Iraq for 100 years more…. An experienced terrorist outfit like the LTTE must surely realize the dangers of attracting too much of foreign involvement.
Both Ministers Jeyraj Fernandopulle & Minister Lakshman Kadiragamar were clear in their messages to the world – the LTTE is nothing but a ruthless organization interested in no one but its own existence & merely riding on the bandwagon of Tamil rights to secure international support & propaganda for its fund raising. Let not the deaths of these great men be in vain. If the world must accept that the reason for US troops in Iraq & Afghanistan is to annihilate the terrorists & free the people, then the world also needs to accept that the LTTE must be annihilated first & disarmed completely to get on to the next stage of arriving at a consensus of solving any grievances that the Tamil people may have.
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