Opinion:

Power-hungry lady plays dirty games

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

The fifth anniversary of capturing the LTTE's dream capital Killinochchi by the Security Forces was celebrated last Friday. Two days later, on a day like today in 2009, the Security Forces began their forward march towards the Mullativu jungle hideout of LTTE leader Velupillai Prabhakaran before the Tiger leadership was finally wanquished by the Security Forces on May 18, 2009.

I was compelled to recall this story as some of our people have forgotten how we had achieved the current peaceful atmosphere. The peace which one and all enjoy today did not come in a platter. It was achieved through immense sacrifices made by the true sons of our soil. A total of 27,000 soldiers have perished during three decades of terror.

That included over 12,000 soldiers killed by the LTTE during former President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga's tenure as the Head of State. Thousands of soldiers were killed by the Tiger terrorists due the poor and inefficient administration during her time as the LTTE overran Army camps in quick succession.

No fools

But the shameless woman now comes out to claim that 75 percent of the battle had been won during her time. Does she trying to give an impression that her successor - President Mahinda Rajapaksa had achieved little success in providing the political leadership to the Security Forces whereas she should get the lion's share?

The masses are no fools although she regularly opens her mouth as a foolish woman. She exposed her political and mental nudity when she called the moribund terrorist leader "Mr. Prabhakaran". In other words, Chandrika had made a disgraceful attempt to portray Prabhakaran as a gentleman while she insulted President Rajapaksa. Her unbecoming conduct gave an indication of what is in store under a so-called Maithri administration. Seconds after Chandrika called the late LTTE leader Mr. Prabhakaran, there was an overwhelming response from the Tiger sympathers and the LTTE supporters present at Jaffna venue, jeering and warming responding to Chandrika's disgraceful act.

Chandrika had acted in such manner purely to woo the votes of the TNA supporters and LTTE sympathisers. She is the woman who had previously attempted to hand over the administration of the Northern and the Eastern Provinces to Prabhakaran and his merciless terrorist outfit without any election for ten years.

She is the power-greedy lady who even went to the extent of granting PTOMS to the LTTE after the tsunami devastation in December 2004 and agreed to give extensive self-governing power to the LTTE.

Daydream

She does not have an iota of shame when it comes to enjoying power at any cost. She has now joined hands with the Western godfathers and opportunistic Opposition politicians to try her dirty games for a regime change in Sri Lanka - a daydream of the LTTE rump for many years.

But the masses will never forget the brave efforts of the soldiers who had perished during the battle against terrorism. They had sacrificed their future to provide a peaceful environment for us. If Chandrika, Maithripala or Ranil, in their lust for power, attempts to undermine the efforts of the Security Forces by granting all what the TNA wants, it will be the greatest betrayal for which the nation would never pardon them.

It is still fresh in our minds who the Security Forces battled bravely to destroy the so-called capital of Prabhakaran's dream separate state five years ago. On January 2, 2009, people began celebrating the recapture of Kilinochchi by hoisting national flags and lighting crackers just minutes after President Rajapaksa's address to the nation telecast live over the national television.

The Colombo city rejoiced with people from all walks of life rising in support of the Armed Forces, Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa and President Rajapaksa. People were on the street in almost all townships in honour of the armed forces striving to protect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of their motherland by displaying banners and shouting slogans.

Fifty-seventh division

The national flag fluttered in the air of Kilinochchi, the then de-facto capital of the LTTE, after the Security Forces liberated the highly strategic town which was under the Tiger grip for the past 10 years.

Major General Jagath Dias, General Officer Commanding of the 57 Division of the Sri Lanka Army, who led the troops to liberate this town, hoisted the national flag in the heart of Kilinochchi around 6 p.m, hours after President Rajapaksa in an address to the Nation, saluted the valiant Security Forces for liberating this town.

Soldiers cheered as the national flag fluttered in the air along with their regimental flags which were hoisted in the centre of the city, celebrating their victory, as armoured vehicles drove through the streets of Kilinochchi town where many buildings were destroyed by fleeing Tiger cadres.

With the huge victory achieved by the 57 Division commanded by Major General Jagath Dias with the assistance of Task Force I under the command of Brigadier Shavendra Silva who reached the town from the Paranthan direction, troops took control over the strategically important A-9 road from Omanthai to South of Elephant Pass.

Challenges

"This is a victory of the country and the entire Nation. The troops achieved this victory with the correct leadership given by the President and the Defence Secretary," Major General Jagath Dias was quoted as saying after hoisting the national flag.

"We faced numerous challenges in our journey to reach this victory but our valiant soldiers overcame all of them to make this victory a reality," Major General Jagath Dias had said after the victory. "It is because of the sacrifices and the dedication of our troops we could make this victory a reality," he added.

"It is after 10 years we have recaptured this town and we are now in a position to advance towards Jaffna in the North and Mullaitivu in the East with the liberation of Kilinochchi," General Dias added.

Having captured Killinochchi on January 2, 2009, the Security Forces began their battle to liberate Mullaitivu on the very next day. Air Force MI24 gunships had carried out air sorties, first on LTTE positions Northeast of Oddusuddan on LTTE defences 2.5km South of Mullaitivu.

Those were some of the landmark achievements in Sri Lanka's relentless battle against terrorism. Should Chandrika or Maithripala Sirisena has any right to undermine those efforts and allow the TNA to democratically win the land which the LTTE had failed after three-decade-old armed struggle?

It is unfortunate that Chandrika doesn't care two hoots for the country in her lust for power. A couple of Western nations are backing her with lavish funding as the LTTE rump is working day and night for a regime change in Sri Lanka. Maithripala is being used as a scapegoat to achieve that dream.

Unpardonable

Tiger sympathisers such as R. Sambanthan and Mano Ganeshan are overjoyed that they could win all what they want if Maithripala wins Thursday's Presidential election. Hence, the Tiger cohorts are making every effort to defeat President Rajapaksa and are actively involved in Maithripala's election campaign in the North and the East, while having a last laugh on the power-greedy Sinhalese leaders such as Ranil Wickremesinghe, Chandrika Kumaratunga, Mangala Samaraweera, Rajitha Senaratne and Maithripala Sirisena.

It would be an unpardonable sin if they team up with Sambandan, Mano Ganeshan and SLMC leader Rauf Hakeem to divide the country. The presence of Hakeem makes the situation even more complicated, pushing the Sinhalese in the East from pillar to post. They are the people who had been most affected due to the LTTE terror.

But the Sinhalese in the East would be further pressed if Maithripala wins as the former Health Minister had agreed to grand a separate administrative district for the Muslims in the East. With Sambandan and Hakeen sharing the East, the Sinhalese in Trincomalee and Ampara would definitely be forced to abandon their hometowns under a so-called Maithri era.

Hence, the duty of all peace-loving and patriotic citizens is to destroy the unholy Opposition alliance which is roaring to exchange land with the Tami and Muslim vote in the North and the East. When casting vote at Thursday's Presidential election, all you have to decide is whether you want the country's hard-earned peace to sustain or not.

It is not just a political battle but an election that would determine the future of the country.

If power goes into wrong hands, the LTTE rump will get into action in next to no time. In a few years' time, we could experience the very same situation the country was in 2005 before President Rajapaksa assumed duties as the first citizen.

Hence, the voters must decide whether they want to go back to that dark era or not. It's not just a matter of retaining President Rajapaksa for another term but a dangerous battle which plays with the future of the country.

If we have a political score to settle, that could be done later. But definitely not at this juncture when the sinister forces are yearning to rob Sri Lanka of its hard-earned peace.

We all must put our country before self and work hard to protect the peace that had been given us by the 27,000 soldiers who had perished.