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| Sunday, 2 October 2005 |
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Tigers face total ban threat in Europe by Ranga Jayasuriya The writing was on the wall for some time. But, albeit such indications of a growing international outrage at the routine murders committed by the LTTE, the EU travel ban on the LTTE was an unexpected shock to the Tigers. And, though the government would not be implicitly cheerful at the EU decision, as evident by the remarks of Cabinet Spokesman, Nimal Siripala de Silva, still it is unexpected welcome news for the government. Even as we analyzed last week the New York Declaration of the Donor Co-Chairs to the Tokyo Donor Conference, referring to it as an indication of the growing frustration and loss of patience of the international community, it was hard to expect, at that time, that the European Union would go for a such a decisive collective decision against the Tigers. Given the nature of working in the 25 nation EU bloc, where a request by a single member for more time for deliberations on a particular issue, would virtually sweep the issue under the carpet, it is noteworthy, that the EU, at last, came together to send a stern message to the LTTE, whose fund raising operations in the EU countries plus Canada, Australia and United States were the life line of the Tigers. The message is clear and in the strongest terms. While condemning continuing violence and terrorism by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, the declaration states: "Pursuit of political goals by such totally unacceptable methods only serves to damage the LTTE standing and credibility as a negotiation partner and gravely endangers the peace process so much desired by the people of Sri Lanka" "...The EU is actually considering the formal listing of the LTTE as a terrorist organisation. In the meantime, the EU has agreed that with immediate effect, the delegations from the LTTE will no longer be received in any EU member states until further notice". Since the Tigers were shut off from India, following the assassination of Rajiv Gandhi, the LTTE was dependent on the EU nations for financial resources and propaganda, all managed by the LTTE front organisations in these countries. Indeed, money pumping from Tamils domiciled in the West, has undone any possible financial constraints the Tigers would have encountered after its operations in Thamil Nadu were closed down. Under this context, the EU travel ban will, necessarily, force the LTTE to rethink its strategy. The EU ban has reconfirmed our last week's analysis on the New York declaration that the international community would no longer be bought by the LTTE's routine denials of ceasefire violations which bore all the hallmarks of the Tigers. The EU was one of the four Co-Chairs of the Tokyo Donor Conference-other members are the United States, Norway and Japan. EU nations were the eager hosts of the LTTE delegations who travelled there on study tours on federalism. But, as it is crystal clear now such exposures to the government structures and western democratic ethics did not impact on the strategy of the LTTE which keeps on hunting its political opponents, despite the truce agreement. So the complaints by the LTTE front organisations like Geneva based International Federation of Tamils, which laments that the EU ban will deprive the Tigers of having exposure to good government structures in the West, no longer holds validity. One interesting point about the EU ban is that the European Union has, at last, accepted the importance of backing sovereign states fighting terrorism and extremism, if any meaningful solution to these prolong conflicts are to be achieved. None-state military groups wherever it be, have a proven record of taking for granted the flexibility and, perhaps, inaction of the international community. It is this inaction which enables the international spokesman of Chechan separatists, Akhmed Zakayev to live in Denmark, despite extradition orders by the Kremlin, and to carry out a diplomatic offensive against Moscow. (Zakayev, a former Chechan Vice Prime Minister is wanted by Russia for his involvement in terrorism at home, particulary the Moscow theatre seige) It is the same lethargy, that ensured the LTTE a steady source of funding in Europe, while they were bombing public places and murdering political opponents at home. What is now clear is that unless properly managed, tolerance and flexibility of the international community shown towards anti-state armed actors, would only further aggravate the conflict and make a negotiated settlement unreachable. Such tolerance could strengthen extremist organisations and weaken the posture of sovereign states. Weakened sovereign states not only create regional political instability, it also jeopardises the future of an entire population. As Peace Secretariat Chief Dr.Jayantha Dhanapala once said the root of appeasement, "carrot and more carrot approach" will not work.(The government has indeed informed the international community that it does not wish foreign diplomats other than Norwegians meeting Thamilselvan in Kilinochchi.) As for the LTTE, what really happened was the Tigers utilized the opportunities of greater international interaction, offered as incentives for its part in the peace process, for its campaign for legitimacy and recognition against the sovereignty of the Sri Lankan State. Such a situation is predictable, what is however important was that the international community should have been on alert of this dilemma and have a set of policies in place which reward the compliance of international law and vice versa. Sadly, that did not happen. But at last, the EU seems to have decided to act. The EU Declaration further states that the member states will take "additional national measures to check and curb illegal or undesirable activities (including issues of funding and propaganda) of the LTTE, its related organisations and known individual supporters". This would perhaps force the LTTE to shift its international secretariat, now located in Paris to somewhere else, perhaps to Oslo as it would be the only place which will continue to tolerate the LTTE, which it should do given its role as the peace facilitator. The international secretariat of the LTTE was shifted from London to Paris after Britain listed LTTE as a Foreign Terrorist Organisation. The EU travel ban and the veiled threat of a complete ban would, therefore, compel the Tigers to a reassessment of its strategy. Even Prabhakaran would now agree that the murder of the Foreign Minister is a blunder. It has rid the LTTE of whatever recognition it possessed and would impact on its fund raising activities. The LTTE has, for a long, looked to the West for recognition. But the mistake on the LTTE part was its inability or the reluctance to transform. That is partly due to its pursuit for supremacy in the Tamil community. It has eliminated almost all alternative voices and will continue to do so till total elimination. There are only three dissenting voices backed by a reasonable following against the Tiger supremo: the EPDP Leader Dauglas Devananda, TULF Leader V. Anandasangaree and renegade LTTE Eastern Commander Vinayagamoorthi Muralitharan alias Karuna. The International community should pressurize the Tigers to respect human rights and to allow multiparty democracy to function in the North. LTTE political chief S.P.Thamilselvan laments that the ban has shattered peace hopes. But, indeed, such tough decisions were necessitated by the LTTE's implicit reluctance to adhere to International Law and respect basic human rights. The Tigers now need to reassess their strategy and prove to the international community that they are genuinely committed to a negotiated settlement. Otherwise the travel ban would stay forever and perhaps a total ban on the Tigers would follow. |
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