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| Sunday, 4 September 2005 |
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Features |  |
| News Business Features Editorial
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Keeping alive the Kadir issue Bull's Eye by a Special Defence Correspondent While police sleuths have been investigating the killing of Minister Kadirgamar, as we pointed out last week, the deceptive word and deed by the Norwegian brokers' "instant peace talks' accomplished their goal - that is silencing the public opinion locally and internationally on the killing. Within a spell of a fortnight, all voices were scaled down, perhaps due to their fear of any adverse effect on the 'talks'.
The issue was further overshadowed with other current issues such as the Supreme Court judgment on the date of presidential election, the scramble for minority party support by candidates and the President's official visit to China. The gradual development of such new issues outdid the Kadirgamar killing which issue the Government should have kept afresh to continue a strong international campaign against the LTTE's brutal killing spree to eliminate their opponents. It is a pity that the opportunity provided by the tragic killing of Minister Kadirgamar to fight a propaganda war against the LTTE has been abandoned. The forthcoming United Nation's 60th General Assembly is a fine opportunity for the government to lay bare the terrorist nature of the LTTE and the dangers engendered by it. Meanwhile, the LTTE is applying its usual tactics to hide their ugly face from the international community and marking time until the environment gets conducive to achieve their next target. First they proposed their paradise city - Oslo as the venue for talks, which is unacceptable to the Government. The Government's firm stand to hold it in Sri Lanka is welcome by any citizen as it could stop squandering of some millions of rupees to hold ceremonial tamashas similar to those thrown by the Ranil Wickremesinghe Government in Thailand and Oslo. The Government's refusal to accede to such round trip vacations to the LTTE cadres at the expense of the poor man in this country is another sigh of relief to the common man struggling for survival. If the concerned parties are committed to peace, the venue could not be an issue of such importance, and this attitude of the LTTE clearly proves that the LTTE, through their Norwegian buddies is trying to evade the talks, as they have already been able to recede from the heat of the Kadirgamar assassination and its aftermath. At this juncture, it is the responsibility of the Government to use the new findings of the investigations and intensify the blame on the LTTE and try to prove their guilt in the killing. The responsibility of the public as well as the media is to continue a dialogue on the new development preventing the perpetrators to escape from responsibility. Such social involvement is vital today as the Government or security forces alone would not be able to wipe out social evils such as terrorism. Absence of conceptual planning since independence hinders the formulation and implementation of vital national policies in every sphere of activity whether it is security, economy, education, industry, or foreign policy.. Forming a national think-tank, which includes the experts and spirit of each and every particular field, should be a pivotal need even at this late stage. It is the duty of new leaders who are eagerly yearning to gain power to make sincere efforts to mobilize dedicated experts who could undertake such conceptual planning.. War cannot be won through professional armies and modern weapons alone. There should be national policies, national interest, security objectives and strategies. Though new issues crop up from time to time, basic issues should not be neglected if a country is to continue good governance. While, the country is preparing for the presidential election, with the candidates waging a hot propaganda war against each other; certain media establishments seem to have undertaken agendas that suit their personal interests. But everybody should keep in mind one thing that amidst such a situation, the LTTE is determined to strengthen their hidden war to clear their way towards the Eelam by eliminating obstacles one by one. Therefore, the lives of all presidential candidates are in great danger. The JVP leaders face the same danger as their open criticism and counter propaganda adversely affect the LTTE's hidden war. All media in the country too have a responsibility to act properly in the present situation, and the political parties as well as the general public have a vital responsibility in this juncture as certain pro LTTE propaganda rag sheets come in the guise of media to gather information of targeted people. Any responsible media desk head should have his basic knowledge not to send his staffers to a wrong place at a wrong time, the incident at the JVP meeting where a suspected trainee journalist said to have been harassed could have been avoided. Wearing the accreditation documents visibly is the best medicine to avoid such untoward incidents and ethical behavior of accredited journalists would reduce the opportunity for fake ones to abuse journalism intending to play into the hands of terrorists or any other such parties with vested interests. While, condemning any form of harassment or assault on journalists or civilians, it should also be mentioned that the stiff responsibility of the public is to spot such suspected people, get them, tie their hands and hand them over to the police. Our society is lacking this responsibility thinking that it is the duty of the security forces or police. Historical records of terrorism in our country prove that such irresponsible social reaction and negligence on the part of certain security officials had led to various fatal consequences including assassinations of top leaders and to mention a few other national destructions such as explosion of oil farms and attack on Katunayake International Airport. According to media reports quoted by the LTTE, it has no interest in the coming presidential election, but who is going to believe them. They might have a separate agenda to work for the victory of those with whom they can go their Eelam journey easily. To get that particular candidate to the front, LTTE could propel their local and international propaganda mill with the full backing of pro-LTTE media houses and NGOs. Top among the methodologies could be creating a fear psychosis among the people. They could carry on bomb explosions randomly killing participants as well as candidates. Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapakse is no doubt top in their hit list though he proclaimed his readiness to meet LTTE leader Velupillai Prabhakaran. Vote rigging in the LTTE held areas could be expected and deploying independent election monitors to such areas is a vital need. The LTTE is already afraid of losing votes especially in the Eastern Province and if they poll less votes that would be a defeat for them as well as for their de facto agents in Colombo. This would further affect their struggle and few more splits are possible within the LTTE in the near future. Customarily, Prabhakaran sends a modern weapon to his provincial leaders as birthday gifts and the last gift that renegade Karuna received was a latest type of sniper gun. With that killer gift, Karuna split away. Likewise, Prabhakaran sent the latest brand of pistol to Trincomalee area leader Swarnam on his 36th birthday celebrated in Sampur recently. Onlookers said that Swarnam who was fed up with the Kilinochchi leadership refused the galore of gifts from Kilinochchi, picked up a handy pistol sent by Prabhakaran and fired three shots to the sky signaling his frustration while his disappointed wife Kalaranjanee left the function leaving their son with Swarnam. Tamils in Trincomalee say that this heralds the repetition of history and more turmoil in the LTTE's Eastern leadership. The battle would not conclude but to end up the day, the following is a statement made by late Minister Lakshman Kadirgamar during an interview with the BBC, which is worth quoting at this crucial juncture for the perusal of all those leaders, and others who want to humbly fight for national interests and democracy to build a nation where all can enjoy equal treatment irrespective of their communal or other differences and live in dignity. "I am first and foremost a citizen of Sri Lanka. I do not carry labels of race or religion, or any other label. At birth, I was given a label, the LTTE wants me to accept and approve
everything that they do, the suicide bombers, the child soldiers, the
political assassinations, the extortion of ordinary people. If being opposed
to all that makes me a traitor, which is what, they call me sometimes, I am
absolutely delighted to accept that appellation. I do it with pleasure". If
the LTTE is committed to peace, who can expect them to eliminate a man of
such calibre? |
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| Produced by Lake House |
Although the election fever is spreading, the people are alert still
waiting to know when and where the proposed talks are going to be held. 
