|
|
|
| Sunday, 5 February 2006 |
 |
|
 |
Features |  |
| News Business Features Editorial
|
Near normalcy in NE Bull's Eye by a Special Defence Correspondent The decline of violence in the North and the East and life returning to normalcy in the area has brought relief to many peace loving citizens particularly in this country and overseas in general.
The major incident reported last week was the kidnapping drama of five activists of the Tamil Rehabilitation Organization (TRO) described by the organization as pre schoolteachers. It is no secret that the LTTE's child conscription continues and reports reaching from Batticaloa create suspicions that these victims were not pre school teachers but those engaged in training children on Tiger war disguised as such. However, behind it is not possible to divulge the truth as no journalist except those embedded to Tigers are allowed coverage in LTTE areas. The LTTE has blamed paramilitaries for kidnapping TRO activists and asked the security forces to take responsibility for the kidnapping as it had allegedly taken place near the army camp at Welikanda. On the one hand, the Tigers demand the security forces not to disturb their 'population' when the forces do search operations to minimize such incidents and on the other hand when their secret affairs are foiled due to such operations, they accuse the forces of not giving protection to their 'population'. This double standard tactics to mislead the world have become common today and the Tigers' new strategies, such as the abduction of TRO activists seems to be their preparedness to reap a better harvest at the Geneva meeting. All such strategies would not fool the parties concerned including those of the international community and donor countries, as they are now mature enough to read the LTTE's intention and final goal. Cat's paw In this column, we divulged the reason for the LTTE to agree to Geneva talks, mainly to use the Government as cat's paw to eliminate their rival Karuna from the scene as Karuna's ambush fighters have become a big challenge to the LTTE cadres in their reign in the Vanni. Therefore, the LTTE found the abduction as a main tactic for which they want to put the blame on Karuna so that they can demand from the Government at the Geneva meeting to eliminate Karuna if talks are to continue. Similarly they can accuse paramilitaries for their continuous violence, which stand in the way of a possible resumption of peace talks. Under such circumstances, the LTTE wants to use the international community to force the Government to eliminate or disarm Karuna cadres for the Tigers to have a free run in the jungles. The previous Government of Ranil Wickremesinghe fell into this Tiger trap in 2002 but the new Government should not repeat the blunder by falling into the same pit. Going ahead of the TRO abduction, the LTTE would do much homework to justify their demand before they sit at the discussion table and, people could expect different episodes of the same drama, which would be more exciting and sentimental in the next few days. However, it is funny for the Tigers to demand from the Government to eliminate Karuna, their own faction. After all, Pirabaharan boasted of his strength to overpower Karuna at the beginning and warned outsiders not to intervene, as it was an internal issue. The Tiger Leader's demand to eliminate Karuna now bears clear testimony to the Supremo's loss of power in his reign of the jungle. Kidnap drama History records very few incidents where victims of kidnap incidents in the North and East, many probably by the LTTE returned home. But two of the TRO activists have already returned and people who hail the right to life would pray for the safe and early return of others. But who would deny that this sort of ruse is organized by the LTTE making Karuna the scapegoat. The Government has denied any involvement in it and the Karuna faction too has denied its involvement. The 'civilian forces' or 'population' have yet to deny it. However, the developments of the incident so far proves that the TRO abduction episode could be a total ruse to influence the Geneva meeting, gain lost sympathy of the international community especially the possible banning of the LTTE by the new Government of Canada where the LTTE has been running its hassle free fund raising machine in full swing for decades. No one of his own cadres would be spared if Pirabaharan wants to stand by his decision, he would not even show sympathy to the rest of the TRO activists if necessary. History proves such barbarism is the religion of Pirabaharan. It is known the world over that former Indian Premier Rajiv Gandhi nurtured and provided weapon training to Tigers in safe houses in South India. It is well known that former President Premadasa entertained them in five star hotels in Colombo and provided cement and other material to build bunkers and gifted arms to kill rivals. Having absorbed the maximum, Pirabaharan executed both leaders. He killed his close confidant Mahattaya when he (Mahattaya) realised the value of peace. Now he wants the head of his former Eastern Commander Karuna for his inclination to peace. Therefore, it is no surprise if Pirabaharan kills the kidnap victims intending to make it a point at Geneva to claim his demand. Challenge at Geneva However the negotiators in the Government side have a big challenge to prevent the LTTE quitting the discussion table while not giving in to their coveted demand. They should not as in the past play into the hands of the Tigers enabling them to strengthen their crippled arm of the separatist war. They should take more shrewd decisions giving priority to bring peace and relief to the life of the common man suffering in the Vanni enclaves for over decades. The Government delegation, to achieve this goal should do their homework and be armed with facts and figures to prove the brutality of the LTTE and the unreality of separatism before the international community. The new mandate by the people to the Rajapakse Government earnestly expects such a hard move from the new administration. Independence Day After decades, the common man was invited to participate in the Independence Day celebrations. This has conveyed several messages to the people, mainly the Government's readiness to accommodate the ordinary people. The other reason is the strength and capability of the security forces, besides their duty in the conflict areas to provide protection to the people throughout the country under any circumstances. Earlier, such occasions were confined to distinguished guests under tight security cover, which hinted to the people that Governments were scared of threats. It conveyed that there was a dearth of security forces and the perpetrators could have laughed at when elected Governments sidestepped national events for fear of terrorist threats. The 58th Independence Day is therefore significant to the common man, as he is not forgotten on this important day. It showcases the Government's ability and readiness to tackle the issues of the day. Dutugemunu Elara values We reported that a new awakening is emerging in the forces and this type of event would definitely extend such an awakening to the general public especially to the younger generation. We have passed an era in which the name of peace and the name of war were abused by local and foreign traitors. We noticed how certain betrayers who run NGOs pocketing money approached the top political leadership and made them to change the school curriculum to demote local values. They labeled the ancient Kings and warriers who sacrificed themselves to protect the unity and territorial integrity of the island as war mongers thereby deleting the historical records of Dutugemunu and Elara episode from the text books. Such cowardly acts gradually created a generation with values handicapped. It would be the easy way for Pirabaharan to clear the route to his Eelam. Therefore, with the political change, it is high time that the new leaders change such setbacks and infuse new blood to inculcate positive national values in the current young generation in order to struggle for communal unity and lasting peace. At the same time, certain foreign envoys have begun giving assurances on behalf of the LTTE that the Tigers would abstain from any violence. It is acceptable if LTTE theoretician Balasingham makes such a statement, but it is startling to notice these foreign lackeys unintentionally showing their nudity. This is one reason for the government to understand that whoever persuaded the LTTE to Geneva, there would be ulterior motives behind it rather than commitment to peace. While such groups engaged in getting maximum out of the LTTE decision to go to Geneva including international sympathy, other forces in the city are working overtime now to create rancour between the military forces and the Karuna cadres expecting military forces to retaliate against Karuna group in the East. In this backdrop, the LTTE would not hesitate to engage in violence under the Karuna label and launch attacks on the security forces. Many of these bogus peacemakers come to their own conclusions and point fingers at the Government for incidents in the North and the East. These ulterior motives should be defeated with counter propaganda to nullify their clamour at the Geneva meeting. LTTE proxies The bomb scare in parliament on Friday, though a new threat to the supreme body of legislature, scared the LTTE proxies from imminent protest they planned on the day to disturb the proceedings of the House. However, the TNA MPs who were lucky to be elected under the preferential vote system should answer one question. Do they have a right to deprive the rights of the majority?
|
|
| News | Business | Features
| Editorial | Security
| Produced by Lake House |
After the Tigers decided to keep away from crimes and terror and
onslaught on security forces to show goodwill towards the Geneva meeting,
the security forces too did not engage in counter offensives in self defence
and this situation led to a sharp decline of violence in the North and the
East. 
