Ranil and Chandrika declare war on Security Forces
The global war on terrorism has taken an unexpected turn. In Iraq,
for instance, the light of optimism is breaking through the clouds of
pessimism that darkened the skies of President George Bush.
The London Economist, which is no friend of Bush or his war in Iraq,
wrote under the heading, Iraq starts to fix itself: “The people are
still suffering monstrously, but Iraq is doing far better than it was a
few months ago.” (June 16, 2008).
Its analysis paints a positive scenario despite the fragile nature of
Iraqi political equation. France and Britain too have thrown their full
weight behind President George Bush. After the initial scepticism there
is a growing consensus that the war against terrorism is winnable.
This was confirmed by British Prime Minister Gordon Brown at a joint
media conference in London (June 16, 2008). He assured Bush that he
would increase the current number of troops (4280) in Iraq. Reason: “We
are making progress with training and elections. We are moving from
combat to overseeing.”
It is not known whether Brown picked this line after meeting
President Mahinda Rajapakse at No: 10 Downing Street last month. But it
is certainly what President Rajapakse has been demonstrating amply in
his battle against terrorism: 1. His forces are making progress. 2. He
is holding elections. 3. And in the east he has moved from major combats
to overseeing.
Even as Brown was speaking five paratroopers killed in Afghanistan
were given a ceremonial burial in UK. But that was not going to dampen
his commitment to fight terrorism. In fact, he added quite
categorically: “In Iraq there is a job to be done and we will continue
to do the job and there is going to be no artificial timetable and the
reason is that we are making progress.”
Without mincing his words he said bluntly: “Taliban must be tackled
or Afghanistan would come to us.” Brown also praised Bush for his
“steadfastness and resolution in rooting out terrorism in all parts of
the world...”
The West has defined the crisis facing them as a necessary war waged
by democracies against terrorism. Brown went further and said that “the
war on terror was a struggle for the soul of the 21st century.” And he
summed up the nature of the global crisis when he said tersely:
“Terrorism is not a cause but a crime against humanity.” For his part,
Bush said: “The march to democracy is never smooth”.
While the world leaders are collectively marching to crush terrorism,
emboldened by their successes, Ranil Wickremesinghe, Chandrika
Kumaratunga and Mangala Samaraweera (WIKUSAs) have declared war not on
the Tiger terrorists but on the Security Forces advancing slowly but
surely into Vanni.
While Brown and Bush are declaring that they will not insist on
“artificial timetables” the WIKUSAs are demanding a timetable to end the
march to Vanni. WIKUSAs are stepping in at this critical time when the
Security Forces, fighting against all odds, are winning the battles that
the WIKUSAs said could not be won.
Not surprisingly, the WIKUSAs have launched their counter-attack on
the Security Forces just at the time that Prabhakaran needs a life line
to be saved from the advancing onslaught.
This is not the first time that WIKUSAs have bent over backwards to
shore up Prabhakaran. Wickremesinghe lifted him to the peak of his power
when he signed the Ceasefire Agreement (CFA) which handed over the north
and the east to him without the Tigers having to fire a single bullet.
Is there a method in the political madness of Wickremesinghe who
either alienates his own rank and file or runs after the anti-national
enemies of the nation like Prabhakaran?
Though his own UNPers have many reservations about his leadership
qualities they are ever ready to concede that Wickremesinghe possess the
unrivalled qualifications of being the most skilled digger of his own
grave.
His cheap (“juck-muck-toot-toot”) politics has not enhanced his image
either. His latest attack on the Security Forces is the classic example
of his total incapacity to give leadership at any level - not even to
run a hole-in-the-wall suruttu kaday.
In aiming at the Security Forces he is trying to beat the criminal
record of Kudu Naufer who was instrumental in the assassination of a
judge of the highest court - a civil protector of the nation. The
criminal elements of any society invariably target the guardians of the
nation. Besides, what has he, as the leader of the Grand Old Party,
contributed to the present or the future of the nation?
There’s no point in asking as to what “KU” in the WIKUSAs has
contributed to the nation. But Wickremesinghe parades as if he has the
magic wand to solve the crises of the nation.
In these critical times when the nation is facing the gravest threat
to it sovereignty and territorial integrity the only valid criterion to
gauge the quality of leadership is by assessing the solid contributions
made to protect the nation from its external and internal enemies.
What has Wickremesinghe contributed whether as Leader of the
Opposition or during his brief stint as Prime Minister? The answer is
appalling: as Leader of the Opposition he burnt the Chandrika-Neelan
formula presented to Parliament and then, as Prime Minister he goes in
the opposite direction to sign a Ceasefire Agreement with the fascist
enemy of democracy, going way beyond the boundaries of the formula he
burnt.
As Prime Minister he berated the Navy Commander for confronting Tiger
boats in defence of the territorial integrity and sovereignty of the
nation. Now he is back again on the job of weakening and destroying the
protectors of the nation. Apart from any political skills his record
questions whether he has the testostoronic fortitude to be a man. Not a
political leader but a plain simple man
There is no earthly reason for him and his WIKUSAs to undermine the
heroic efforts of the Security Forces who have no security unlike him
and his WIKUSAs to protect themselves. On the contrary, he and his
WIKUSAs are entirely dependent on the Security Force for their survival.
But he and his WIKUSAs are turning their guns on the very forces that
protect them. The Security Forces are the guardians and protectors of
the nation.
So when the WIKUSAs are firing at the Security Forces the nation has
a right to ask whether their taxes should be diverted to protect these
traitors.
Defence Secretary, Gotabaya Rajapakse might as well send those
commandos to protect Prabhakaran. Most likely, he would be more grateful
to “the Sinhala government” than the treacherous WIKUSAs.
The irony is that if Gotabaya decides to remove even one Security
guard or a vehicle given to the WIKUSAs they and their claque in the
media would raise a howl crying that their security is in danger. But
they have no qualms in putting the security of the nation in danger by
sniping at the Security Forces from behind.
It is perfectly legitimate to ask why the nation should waste its
resources in protecting these enemies of the nation.
Some neurosurgeon or psychiatrist must dig into his head (not that
there is much depth in it) to figure out whether it is identical to that
of a prawn - you know the one filled with all the bodily muck.
His failure can be attributed partly to hangers-on like Lasantha
Wickrematunga, the failed Municipal Council candidate of the SLFP, (and
an anti-Buddhist Christian fundamentalist to boot) telling him what to
do. His other partner in crime is “KU” in the WIKUSAs.
This “Queen of Thieves” (as stated by Victor Ivan who was close to
her at one time) has been an equal disaster to the nation.Her friend
Lasantha Wickrematunga has exposed her as a fraud who claimed
qualification which she failed to obtain from Sorbonne. If you add the
basket case of the baila-dancing Samaraweera to this lot you have the
perfect concoction for anther political tsunami.
The WIKUSAs are a bunch of no-hopers who cannot distinguish between
their friends and enemies. Sir. John Kotelawela used to say: “I can look
after my enemies but save me from my friends.”
It is time that the nation is reminded of this adage if it is to find
its way into peace, stability and progress. |