A Tamil thanks President for bringing an end to the war

by K. Navam in Australia

For decades, I grew up with the Tamil and Sinhala politics. I went through high and low emotions with the political and military events that took place in my country. I experienced people divided Tamils, Sinhalese and Muslims.

Finally, I have seen the war, violence, destruction, human loss and loss of the Tamil humanity through the Eelam wars. Always, in my inner mind, I was asking myself a question, that is, if the billions of Indian people can live together under the banner of a federated democracy as Indians within India, why cannot the Tamils, Sinhalese and Muslims live under the banner of a united Sri Lanka?

With this ploy, I would like to pose this question to the President Mahinda Rajapaksa, and this can only be and deserves to be answered by the President. I anticipate that his answer to be a moral case for political change, and optimism that the Sri Lankan can be remade again by Tamils, Sinhalese and Muslims of goodwill. In his response, Tamils and Sinhalese want to hear from the President that he has a new vision for a united Sri Lanka. Indeed, they would like to hear a powerfully expressed appeal to peace and reconciliation and lasting political resolution to the country’s political issue.

First and the most importantly, yes, thank you President for bringing the violent war to an end by defeating the “irrational rhetoric of LTTE and its evil ilk”. Thank you President for bringing the sound of war to an end, creating an opportunity for a political solution, an opportunity for the Tamil and Sinhalese people to create a political end and beginning of peace, an opportunity for Tamil people to speak out against the LTTE war conducted under the pretext of a “people mandate” without the mandate of the Tamil people. In total, thank you President for opening an opportunity for developing the ruined towns and townships of the North and East.

By destroying the LTTE in Sri Lanka, you have created history in Sri Lanka and this should be equated with a history of long lasting peace. To this end, however, the time has come to stop the LTTE front organizations overseas and their supporters, the few diasporas, not to derail the peace and political building process.

Fund-raising by the LTTE front organisations should be actively pursued and stopped by the Sri Lankan Government with the support of the international community. To win this, you need the support of the Tamil diasporas. For example, film shows are taking place even now in Brisbane and raising nearly $25,000 every two months. The Australian government did not stop this fund-raising during the past 20 some years. The fund-raisers will continue to do this because of the hidden personal benefits or commission established by LTTE for the fund-raisers.

Even after the death of Prabaharan and the LTTE, meetings are being held with LTTE flags and divided Sri Lankan Eelam and drumming up support for new Eelam war. The LTTE front organisations are reaching out the youth groups to agitate and lobby for their cause and enriching themselves financially.

There is a need to root out the LTTE opportunists around the world whose main interest now is to maintain their bank rolling every month through regular bank deductions from the innocent Tamil Diasporas.

The LTTE remnants overseas will be the greatest obstacles in finding a peaceful resolution for the legitimate rights of the Tamil people. In order to raise funds, they are agitating the new Eelam war and spend money on activities to make money. These activities will be counter productive to peace and reconciliation.

For this reason, fund-raising through intimidation, threats, and ransoms by LTTE frontrunners should be fought, rooted out from all fronts over the world. The rooting out will take time, and will be harder than defeating the LTTE in Sri Lanka. But, when the LTTE diasporas in disoriented stage, this is the good time for the Sri Lanka Government to step in to win the hearts and minds of the innocent Tamil diasporas.

President, since you have removed the “LTTE threats”, you have opened an opportunity for Tamil people to speak out against the Eelam in Sri Lanka.

Tamil people are beginning to raise their voices, slowly and slowly with cautions, against the killing of Tamils by LTTE during the past 25 years.

The 25 years of destructions caused by Prabaharan for the Tamil people has stopped now. Again, thank you President. This is the “word” that you have not heard, but is ringing from the Tamils all over the world.

President, as 2009 is moving fast, and we look to the New Year there is a piece of business which is “be past-due”. During the past few months many Tamils, international community and the section of media often portrayed your leadership and the war as being wrong at every point. In fact, you have proven them wrong. If you can steer on with the peace war faster than the rate you destroyed the LTTE, then there will be awakening among Tamils, international community and the media. This is something only you can do and I seriously hope that you will do it President.

Thank you for the primary focus you placed on protecting innocent Tamil people locked by Prabaharan in Vanni. Your pro-active war approach may have been criticised, but it worked. I am sure that your move towards a peace will be criticised and “yes you can” do it. Against the impending terrorist threats, you believed in free and open society and conducted a strong drive to the greatest protection, unity and peace for all in Sri Lanka. Thus, you have carried the battles to remote corners of the Vanni, and now you need to go beyond Vanni to win the peace for the country. You will reap the economic and political dividends from the peace process.

Yes, it is a fact that a high human and economic price has been paid as the costs of the war over the years. In spite of this setback, you determined to wipeout the LTTE, and proceeded with the surge despite the strenuous objections by the international community who called you to withdraw troops and stop the war.

After an intense war, the corner was turned and you have achieved unparalleled stability. The international community moved on. This is the good time for peace, this is the good time to reach out the international community and this is the time to reach out to the Tamil Diasporas. If you can do this and you will, then peace with justice will be all your citizens.

Perhaps one day, in a public place in Parliament house, there will be a brass plaque that reads, “Thank you President Mahinda Rajapaksa for investing in our freedom.”

President, you have the courage and mandate to drive the “peace agenda” now. Creating a public awareness of this problem is an important first step toward peace-making. President, thank you for the consistent priority you placed on developing peace and harmony. I am sure that you will seek to advance a collection of ethnically and politically feasible and responsible political strategies for a lasting peaceful Sri Lanka.

Encourage all Sri Lankans to consider Sri Lanka as a nation for Tamils, Sinhalese and Muslims who are bound by ideals and a set traditions and heritage. We do not have to consider Sri Lanka as nation of Tamils or Sinhalese. Of course, to some, this statement is controversial. But, as the driver of the nation, you will get all support from all communities to find an amicable political solution and win the hearts and minds of all the people in Sri Lanka and overseas.

So tell us, tell all Sri Lankans, how important finding a solution to the legitimate issues of the Tamil people are to this nation. And tell us how important that the Sinhalese and Tamil people extend their arms and welcome the peace to Sri Lanka. Tell us, President, not what we want to know but what we need to know so that we can move forward and help you to build a nation, a nation with multiple communities with a unity and good-will.

President, appeal to Sri Lankans that all are humans and to face the sources of tensions squarely and focus on mutual and common interests to find a new way forward, a new beginning for Sri Lanka and Sri Lankan communities around the world. President, call all Sri Lankans to make an effort to bridge their differences rather than resigning themselves to animosity, all Sri Lankans can move toward a more peaceful Sri Lanka over time.Lastly, President, thank you for the character you exhibited while you destroyed the LTTE and created peace for Tamils. This character is needed to create a peace with justice. You were timely, professional, upbeat, and people knew where you stood on this matter. You set clear goals and worked your plan. You saw the best for Sri Lanka. You had the courage to tackle the tough issues and make decisions. Personally, I am fully confident that your leadership will pave the way for peace with justice for the Tamils in Sri Lanka. Thank you in advance, President, God’s speed.

Courtesy: Asian Tribune