Hands off Sri Lanka

by General S.C. Ranatunga (retd)

For many centuries Sri Lanka was ruled by foreign invaders and at long last we gained independence in 1948 and became a Republic, ending colonial rule. Since 1971, we have struggled with many forms of internal strife, with limited assistance from foreign countries. The LTTE menace which commenced in the late 70s continued for three decades taking the country to the brink of bankruptcy as well as causing the deaths of many local and foreign leaders. In 2009 saw the end of the war, where the LTTE was militarily defeated by:

(a) Disciplined armed forces

(b) Dedicated leaders committed to the ending of terrorism in the political and military hierarchy.

(c) A few neighbouring countries such as China, Pakistan, India and a few others who lent their assistance to our cause.

After three decades when finally the dream of United Sri Lanka - free of war and terrorism - is just over the horizon, the so called "International Policeman" - the US and EU seek to make their dominance known by trying to solve an already - solved problem. We have rehabilitated most of the LTTE fighters and released them to society. The government has commenced the development of North and East, which were the most affected areas greatly in need of development, to bring the former war torn areas to normalcy. Past segregation within Sri Lanka was overcome with the elimination of the LTTE, an effort in which the EU and USA played no definite part.

During President J. R. Jayewardene's tenure, when the government of Sri Lanka wanted to purchase Cadillac gauge armed cars and unused reconnaissance aircraft parked in the Majavi Desert, answer was a firm "NO" as it was an 'internal affair.' If wanted we could have purchased the armed tanks without the gun turrets, which is precisely the military equivalent of playing baseball without a bat.

If ours was an internal conflict what was Libya, Egypt and Tunisia? What business did the EU and USA have, in supporting "militias" in these countries who had taken the law into their own hands? What is the status of these countries now? The law still does not prevail, where there is still civil unrest and political turmoil even after the so-called beneficial regime change. Does this not warrant and investigation by the UNHRC to find the hidden hand behind all of this? Have the atrocities committed by the foreign forces - such as the dispersion of agent orange freely over Vietnam, the effect of which are still being felt by new born children - in Iraq, Afghanistan and numerous other nations being probed by UNHRC? Weapons of Mass destruction? Who is accountable for over two million displaced Iraqis and countless deaths? Who is responsible for the uncertainty and disturbance of civilian lives in Afghanistan, Egypt, Libya and Tunisia? EU and the USA would do well to learn from the Sri Lankan armed forces on how to defeat the most ruthless terrorist organisation in the world and apply the same principle in countries such as Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya etc.

There is a saying in our country, "Clean up the dirt in your backyard before looking at the dirt in your neighbours."