LTTE must stand before a mirror...
 

by Deshaputra

The LTTE played a different game in the recently concluded Geneva talks. Making no indication of their agenda prior to the departure, the LTTE delegation harped on the closure of the A-9 Road if the talks were to continue.

The Government delegation was keen to take up core issues of the Tamil population. But, the LTTE insisted that priority be given to the A9 issue. The Government quite rightly rejected the demand stating that if the road was to be opened, the Tigers should cease all hostilities. It is a known fact that due to the closure of this road, the LTTE is faced with a financial crisis. It cannot demand ransom from people and vehicles using this road due to the closure.

In a bid to cover up this dastardly action, the LTTE put forward a lame excuse that the closure had affected the normal life of the civilians living there. S. P. Tamilselvan claimed that the closure was a violation of the ceasefire agreement. The question is how could Tamilselvan talk about truce violations.

The ceasefire monitors too have accepted that it is the LTTE which had committed the most number of ceasefire violations. It is the LTTE which committed the most number of killings islandwide after signing the truce agreement. It is the LTTE which had abducted children for military training during this period.

What more? Even international organisations such as UNICEF had warned the LTTE to stop child recruitment for military purposes. All these LTTE atrocities have been witnessed not only here but, also by the international circuit.

Committed towards peace

The Government is sincerely committed towards peace. Despite these LTTE atrocities, President Mahinda Rajapaksa gave the greenlight to recommence the Geneva talks. Well, in Geneva, Tamilselvan and his men agreed with the government delegation in the presence of the Norwegians to uphold the ceasefire agreement.

This was confirmed by the statement of Norwegian International Relations Minister, Erik Solhiem who said that both sides reaffirmed their commitment to the 2002 truce agreement. Hardly forty-eight hours later what happened?

Who broke the promise made in Geneva? As soon the LTTE delegation left the soil in Geneva, LTTE cadres started to fire artillery and Rocket Propelled Grenades at the troops stationed in Batticaloa. But, the Government in keeping with the pledge in Geneva acted with restraint.

The LTTE has been constantly violating the truce agreement. Their pledges are confined to mere words. Even as the LTTE delegation landed in Colombo, the Tigers killed civilians in the North and launched provocative attacks. The international community should take serious note of these violations since the Geneva talks.

The Government on its part, ensured a safe return journey to the LTTE delegation after they landed in Colombo. Their safety was guaranteed. Now it is crystal clear that the LTTE is not genuinely interested in a peaceful solution. As TULF leader, V. Anandasangaree claimed, if a resolution is found to the problem, LTTE leader Prabhakaran will not be able to survive.

Prabhakaran is a man who claimed that successive governments ignored core issues of the Tamils at previous negotiations. The Rajapaksa government this time gave priority to the core issues facing the Tamils. What did Prabhakaran do? In a bid to evade the path for a peaceful solution, he instructed his delegation to harp on an absurd issue like the A9 Road.

Despite the closure of the A9 road, the government has been sending essential commodities to the Jaffna peninsula via other road routes, sea and air. Therefore, it was clearly evident that the LTTE wanted to evade facing realities at the table.

The LTTE has been playing this game since the Thimpu talks under the JR Jayewardene government. The Tamils have suffered enough under the terror of Prabhakaran and his armed men.

Democratic Tamil politicians have been gradually eliminated. The growth of Tamil professionals have been hindered as promising Tamil personalities have been killed. Young children are abducted for military training. If they refuse they are killed. Instances where parents objected, the parents were gunned down. Such is the brutality of the LTTE.

Need for democracy

The LTTE speaks of the need for democracy in the North and East? The question is what right does it have to call for such a need. The next question is-Who has destroyed democracy in those areas? Who killed democratic minded Tamil politicians such as Amirthalingam, Duraiappa, Yogeswaran and his wife, Neelan Thiruchelvam to name a few.

Has the LTTE allowed other democratic political parties to function in those areas? What happened to LTTE cadres who expressed democratic views within the fold? Where is LTTE deputy Leader Mahattaya alias Mahendrarajah? Can Prabhakaran disclose Mahattaya's fate even at this late hour?

Where is Yogi and Raheem? Mahattaya, Yogi and Raheem were top LTTE leaders. Only Prabhakaran knows what happened to them.

Prabhakaran and his LTTE must see themselves before a mirror prior to making a call to restore democracy in the North and East. Peace-loving Tamils of this country should not allow a group of armed men posing off as 'liberators' to decide on their fate.

A final solution should not meet the aspirations of the LTTE but, of the peace loving Tamils in this country.