Opinion:

Unity will dispel hostile forces

by K.M.H.C.B. Kulatunga

No one even in their wildest dreams ever thought that Sri Lanka could ever get rid of the LTTE terrorism that had plagued the country for nearly three decades. Since the late President J.R. Jayewardene successive Executive Presidents tried to put an end to Velupillai Prabhakaran and his blood-thirsty goons cruel acts of terrorism but none of them could give that much needed political leadership to crush Tiger terrorism.

All those previous executive Presidents made desperate attempts to bring LTTE terrorists to the negotiating table and find a peaceful solution. The LTTE used all those sincere efforts by past Presidents to strengthen their military capability under the guise of peace talks.

Some past Presidents even went to the extent of providing cement to the Tigers to build their bunkers and even gave millions of cash in a desperate bid to get into Prabhakaran's good books and settle the problem.

There were several notable military operations during President Jayewardene's and President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga's regimes. But they succumbed to international pressure and abandoned those military operations after thousands of soldiers had lost their lives. Such actions of past Presidents made the supreme sacrifices of brave soldiers a futile exercise as orders came from the then Commander-in-Chief to stop military operations.

Ceasefire agreements

When UNP leader Ranil Wickremesainghe was the Prime Minister in 2001-2004 he went a step further by signing a controversial Ceasefire Agreement (CFA) which confined the Security Forces to their barracks while Tiger terrorists were given a free hand in the name of peace.

The Norwegian-brokered CFA gave legitimacy to the areas forcibly held by the LTTE and the Security Forces were debarred from stepping into those areas. None of the police officers were able to enter the LTTE held areas even to maintain law and order as the Tigers maintained their own administration in those areas. Yet, Wickremesinghe turned a blind eye and was merely satisfied in being the Prime Minister to other areas in the South.

It is no secret that the LTTE had its humble beginning in South India as they had sympathy of the Tamil Nadu State government. It was only after it boomeranged and the LTTE killed that great Indian leader - former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, that India found the true colours of the LTTE which ultimately turned out to be the world's largest terrorist outfit.

The LTTE terrorism was at its best when President Mahinda Rajapaksa first assumed office on November 18, 2005. Prabhakaran and his goons signalled his elevation as the Head of State with a series of bomb attacks. Prabhakaran was well and truly aware that President Rajapaksa would be totally different from the past Presidents and he would have a tough time.

However, the Tiger leader adopted same tactics to mislead President Rajapaksa too. But the successor to President Kumaratunga was smarter than all other previous leaders of our country and was determined that he could liberate the country from the clutches of the LTTE terror.

Peace

Similar to all other previous Presidents, President Rajapaksa too believed in peace and having peace talks with the LTTE. But the peace he was talking was far from all previous Presidents. President Rajapaksa strongly belied in an honourable peace and not a peace at any cost which appeared to be the motto of his predecessors.

He too demonstrated his sincere desire to have peace talks with the LTTE. But when the Tigers unilaterally walked out of the peace talks without any valid reason, he thought there is no point in talking peace with a gang of barbaric terrorists who only belied in the power of the bullet.

Mavil Aru

The turning point in Sri Lanka's battle against terrorism was when the LTTE terrorists closed the Mavil Aru anicut, depriving around 15,000 farmers and villagers their basic need of water. It was at this point that the President Rajapaksa firmly decided enough is enough and that he must respond to the LTTE in the language they know the best.

That led to Sri Lanka's great humanitarian operation which ultimately went from strength to strength, demolishing the Tiger power in all areas that they had been forcibly holding. By the time the humanitarian operation finally ended at the Nandikadal lagoon with the vanquishing of the top LTTE leaders including Prabhakaran on May 18, 2009, the Security Forces were able to liberate over half a million people in the world's largest human rescue mission.

Incidentally, the seventh anniversary of the launch of the Mavil Aru operation and the 38th death anniversary of former Mayor and MP for Jaffna Alfred Duraiyappah falls on successive days this week.

On July 26, 2006: LTTE blocked Mavil Aru anicut, depriving over 15,000 civilians their basic need of water. President Rajapaksa, as the Commander-in-Chief, promptly ordered the Security Forces to embark on a humanitarian operation to take control of the gates.

It took almost two weeks for the Security Forces to clear the areas and liberate the sluice gates, thereby providing water that was needed for consumption and cultivation for the farmer families in the area. On August 11, 2006, the Security Forces announced that they had gained full control of the sluice gates of the reservoir.

The 38th death anniversary of Alfred Duraiyappah falls on Saturday. Way back on July 27, 1975, the Tiger terrorists committed their first murder when Duraiyappah, a popular and well respected figure among the people in the North, was brutally assassinated by none other than Prabhakaran himself. Duraiyappah was on his way to a nearby Hindu temple for prayers, although he himself was a Christian.

The closure of the Mavil Aru anicut was probably the only blunder Prabhakaran had made in his near four-decade long career as a terrorist leader of international class. He would never have thought that this would eventually turn out to be such a costly move that would not only demolish his terror outfit but would also claim his own life.

The Security Forces never looked back since the Mavil Aru operation and continued their advancement to gain territory. In a little over three years, the Humanitarian Operation was successfully completed under the right military strategies of Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa.

Unlike previous military operations, the Humanitarian Operation did not have a premature death because it had the right political leadership as a shield of the extraneous international elements.

Like all other previous leaders of Sri Lanka. President Rajapaksa too faced tremendous international pressure to stop the military offensive against the LTTE. But he was not prepared to undermine the great sacrifices of the Security Forces and abandon the Humanitarian Operation. He had courage and determination not to bow down to international pressure.

Political sagacity

In fact, President Rajapaksa faced a greater volume of international pressure to stop military operations than former Presidents Jayewardene and Kumaratunga. But he was not prepared to change his mind after thousands of soldiers had sacrificed their lives. His political sagacity was such that the President was ambitious to battle till the end until every inch of land was liberated from the clutches of the LTTE terror.

Even during the final battle at Wellamulliwaikal and then at Nandikadal lagoon, many Western countries exerted tremendous amount of pressure on Sri Lanka to stop the battle and begin fresh peace talks. Those Western countries made their level best to give the last drop of oxygen to Prabhakaran and his moribund gang of terrorists.

Thanks to President Rajapaksa's strong international relations with sincere friends the world over, there were several friendly countries that strongly supported Sri Lanka. Those Western countries which preach on the need to crush terrorism not only were willing to sell arms for Sri Lanka but also lobbied heavily to stop the military advancement.

Fullest support

Nevertheless, Sri Lanka had its friendly countries which fully endorsed President Rajapaksa's decision to liberate the country though a military offensive as the LTTE was not interested in peace talks. Several moves to take Sri Lanka to task at the UN Security Council were effectively shot down by China and Russia. There were several other customary friendly countries and 'new friends' which extended their fullest support to Sri Lanka during the Humanitarian Operation.

While the godfathers of human rights turned a Nelsonian eye when over half a million civilians were forcibly held as a human shield by Tiger terrorists, it was these friendly countries which shielded Sri Lanka from all extraneous Western elements.

Although Sri Lanka has eradicated terrorism four years ago and accomplished demining and resettlement programs successfully reaching new world standards, certain Western countries still make attempts to discredit Sri Lanka. That too is understandable as Sri Lanka is the only country to defeat terrorism. When Western Forces still struggle to crush terrorism and their countries are not safe enough, these countries are reluctant to accept the fact that Sri Lanka has achieved something even the so-called strongest armies in the world could not achieve.

None could deny the fact that Sri Lanka has set a shining example in crushing terrorism. If the world leaders who speak regularly on the need to crush international terrorism are sincere with their calls, they should make use of Sri Lanka's experience and expertise.

Harmony

Sri Lanka has showed a marked advancement in its reconciliation process and the elections to the Northern Provincial Council would be held in September as promised, giving an opportunity to the resettled people in the North to elect leaders of their choice to run the provincial administration.

Unity among communities and religious harmony are vital factors in the country's progress. As President Rajapaksa has stated recently, divisions among these groups will only strengthen various hostile forces seeking to derail the nation's development and tarnish its image.

When all people rise in unity sans differences, the forces hostile to the country will be weakened and development and peace further strengthened. The government has always acted to ensure religious co-existence with firm determination and a clear commitment to national unity.

Despite all these efforts, there were some hostile forces who were trying to create the impression that there was religious tensions and violence in the country through some foreign media and news websites. There are certain elements that trying to create unrest within the country at times using false propaganda to create a wrong impression in the minds of the people.

Even during the Humanitarian Operation, the Government had not allowed any damage to occur to religious places and added that now with peace firmly established. There would be no room for racism and extremism to surface again.

After a long drawn struggle against terrorism, Sri Lanka today is a nation where all communities can live together, enjoying equal rights. The government has ensured that all people get equal opportunities and facilities irrespective of where they live. Disgraceful attempts to take Sri Lanka before war crimes tribunal would only foster global terrorism. Sri Lanka is a sovereign state and its democratically elected leaders have every right to protect the country and its people against terrorism. Taking President and the Defence Secretary before an international war crimes tribunal will only be a daydream of Channel 4's Callum Macrae and local opportunistic politicians such as Mangala Samaraweera.