To the sound of distant drums...

Once again we hear the sound of distant drums... far away, from far- far away. Some western nations blow the bugle as before, calling for a resumption of peace talks to find an early negotiated settlement to the island’s tragically flawed, self-induced communal problem. Terrorism is nothing new to all parts of the globe. Therefore, we as an independent sovereign nation should not panic, nor dance to the sound of distant drums which has no sense of pitch.

The ‘drummers’ of the West must realize that the three decade old shambolic conduct of Velupillai Prabhakaran and his treacherous LTTE does not merit a chapter in any part of this world, or anywhere in a civilised contemporary socio-cultural saga. The LTTE by its conduct has not assured any country of its credentials. The role it played at the open table for talks, many a time in the presence of the international community was certainly a cosmetic gesture blended with tomfoolery.

The war in Sri Lanka is not over. Suicide bombings by the LTTE continue in isolation but dreadful in execution. Those are all desperate moves in the face of defeat. Terrorism is described as terminal in nature by some analysts. The western forces too are battling with a ‘tiger’s tail’ in countries like Iraq and Afghanistan. No legally elected government could talk peace with a terrorist group which is armed. None here nor outside has a right to view Prabhakaran as a hero in this country tragically flawed by a self-induced communal problem. The LTTE leader has only built a criminal generation which has brutally stormed the citadels and bastions of the established political order, to which a Sri Lankan President and a former Indian Prime Minister fell victim.

Mooted

Prabhakaran emerged from smuggling to criminality hiding behind the curtain of the platform of the infamous `Vadukkodai Resolution’, mooted by the then TULF leaders who sought a distant dream of a separate State. In the process, the criminal Prabhakaran suppressed the views of all moderate Tamils and killed dozens of them.

He hated the elite and the Tamil elitist hold was irremediably dismantled by Prabhakaran engaging the power of the bullet. Those who nurtured the concept of separatism later realised that it was only a distant dream. When they backed out, Prabhakaran sent many of them to the land of no return.Let us now glance to the past as an oppressed people of the Third World.

Our history records that we were harassed, intimidated and driven to the wall by white races that dominated this country. There’s no doubt that they would still like to impose their old imperial hegemony on a people like us in the Third World who attempt to rise from the ashes. Such conduct of the whites in the past demonstrated deep seated feelings against the Black, Tan or the coloured, in the exercise for the white metropolis to gang up against coloured skins with illiberal instincts. In the historical paradox, the moment a coloured skinned man rose to outdo the white, history records that bells, books, candles and other hurting objects within their reach were thrown at him, in addition to wounding words, without any liberal inhibitions.

Combat

The international community must appreciate the struggle by the Sri Lankan government and the armed forces to combat the menace of terrorism, a curse experienced deadly by western nations. Therefore, the West which experienced the barbarity and brutality of Bin Laden, should not impose its will in an arbitrary manner or speak like mealy-mouthed white gods.The Sri Lankan government has acted and conducted itself in a manner most disciplined and responsible to protect the people and the destiny of the nation. The international community should take note that, in a country desperately trying to heal the wounds inflicted by an ethnic strife, victory over terrorism is the only possible unifier in sight. Sri Lanka is not waging a struggle against western hegemony. On the contrary, it is assisting the call by the west to eliminate terrorism in all its forms.

The victory over LTTE terrorism by the armed forces of Sri Lanka would be a model to follow for the other nations inflicted by terrorism.

The heart of the Sri Lankan machinery is in the right place in the battle to end the three decade old war. During the past two years of the current administration, the backbone of terrorism has been badly broken by the troops, with terrorists now confined to the thick jungles of Mullaitivu. In the wake of such a record breaking achievement, Sri Lanka very correctly feels proud but, does not rate the success higher over achievements of others.

The country wants to crush terrorism to build a better future for the people. That is authentic patriotism. For nearly three decades, we were offered much of the fake and counterfeit by several global political ‘black marketers’, who intervened in our crisis. No nation should be carried away by the crocodile tears of unconscious comedian politicos who bank on internal issues of other nations for survival.

Terrorism in Sri Lanka is a part of the global terror network. When dealing with terrorism, one nation should not look at the other with a squint eye.

Because, terrorism has no language, colour, race or religion. It is vital to strengthen democracy to defeat terrorism. The world must also accept that the dignity of human value is equal, be it a large or small nation.

That should be the noble objective of the powerful and the less powerful. Whatever the setbacks, the world must forge ahead to achieve peace. These sincere sentiments may sound improbable only to the sceptic mind. It is an undisputed fact that even divine power cannot read the style of terrorism. That is why unified manpower is essential to combat the menace.

Cherishes

Sri Lanka is a nation that recognises and cherishes the colour, language and the diversified culture of all mankind. Unfortunately, Sri Lanka is forced to battle against the legacy of racial division and a conflict, which has pierced our society almost, or from the very beginning of our country’s settlement by the European peoples. We do recognise that reality, and, we as a people are directly engaged in wining that challenge, upholding all democratic norms of a civilized society. Interference and crossing swords shall only aggravate crises.

The people of this country lost opportunity to unify or understand each other, as our society over the centuries was underwritten by the perpetuation of the racial disparity, born of a long period of colonial domination, the notion that indeed divided our people. We strongly believe that no ‘outsider’ with arrogance could assume the right to prescribe what is good and bad for our country. The international community should accept the principle of equal rights of sovereign States, be they large or small in nature. In keeping with such decent traditions and beliefs of civilized mankind, Sri Lanka as a sovereign State has the right to exercise everything in her power, to defend the gains inherited, to protect her independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity.

In the entire epoch of the history of man, the crime of unwarranted interference and domination, only created mass burial grounds in the lands of the less privileged.

Today, terrorism has attained many a horrendous acme from the bullet to suicide missions, to teach many lessons to the powerful and the less powerful in this world we live in. Both whites and blacks have fallen victim to that attainment of the horrendous acme of terrorism, that offers no discrimination to the methods of brutality, the only faith practised by terrorists.