Are monitors on holiday?

LTTE shells on schools

Commonsense by Y. King

The SLMM, ICRC and even a UNICEF representative had rushed through the jungle terrain after the Air Force bombed a LTTE child soldier training camp in Mullaitivu. In next to no time they arrived on the scene, and gave eye witness account of the drama to bring sympathy towards the LTTE and blame the Government. It is shocking to note that the so-called independent bodies were in deep slumber when the LTTE deliberately shelled students at Somadevi Vidyalaya in Seruwila.

The bias on the part of international agencies that have a mandate to intervene in the conflict is now very clear and their behaviour has now become questionable as to whether they are here to mediate the conflict on or to support the LTTE terrorists.

It seems that they have abused their mandate for acting partial in the conflict situation and taking the law into their hands. That's why the SLMM took UN especial envoy Allan Rock to Tiger held areas in spite of the repeated warnings by the security forces not to do so. Under the new regulations proclaimed by the President under the Prevention and Prohibition of Terrorism Act, it is indeed worthwhile to ascertain whether these agencies could walk into the Tiger held areas without Government approval and engage in secret missions to propagate the separatist terrorist agendas in the international scene.

Anti-war front

A few politicians who failed in their political arena for many years have joined a bandwagon of NGOs to form the Anti-war front to protest against the security forces retaliations. Ordinary peace-loving people do not condone war as anybody knows its consequences - agony and destruction.

But these peace merchants who sniff foreign donations as well as LTTE blood money used the peaceful environment in Colombo and other cities to display their episodes of the so-called anti-war, but dared not stage the same protests in the LTTE held areas or even in any part of the North and the East.It is said when they used former MP Raviraj's body in their promotional parade in Colombo, but they were crest-fallen when they offered to do so in Jaffna.

When incidents develop in the North and the East after the Government forces engage in retaliation operations in self-defence, the Anti-war front gets perturbed but when the LTTE attack students in Seruwila or launch attacks on VIPs such as the Defence Secretary, this group prefers to avoid issuing at least communique to condemn the brutality of the LTTE terrorists. Shame on you many doctors in the herd (not referred to any practising doctors).

Opposition Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe too flew to India a few days after the President left for India last month.

His speech which appeared in the Hindu has raised many questions whether the contents of his speech are his personal view or the views of the party.

At a time his party has signed a MoU with the Government to find a solution to the national conflict, his speech which tried to justify the LTTE violence is quite bizarre as why this gentleman made such a comment in a foreign land. Duplicity is the hallmark of politicians of the calibre of Mr. Wickremesinghe and at a time his leadership has been challenged the majority of humble UNPers who get perturbed over such irresponsible acts by their leader could quit confining him to his headquarters.

However, the Government has not responded towards this, probably it is not the policy of President Mahinda Rajapaksa to take tit for tat action.

National pride

It is known fact that a few top rankers with full political patronage used the war to earn billions of blood money in the past and the conflict in the country had been a blessing in disguise for them to swell their coffers.

A few arms dealers who follow these politicians also made hay while the sun shone. To their dismay, the situation has been gradually and drastically changing on the directives of the President who as the Defence Minister to check this national crime.

The initiative to eliminate corruption has been working with amazing results after the Government set up a state company to do arms procurement.

The new research and development unit of the Defence Ministry is also performing well. It is our pride that local engineers have manufactured UAVs, sea craft, guns and other equipment used in hostile situations.

The country could save millions of rupees in foreign exchange as a result of these productions, which were earlier drained to foreign countries with large commissions to politicians, security top rankers and middlemen.

Character assassination begins

The disappointed traitors have now started a character assassination campaign against Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa and other officials who support Rajapaksa's national task. Certain newspaper reports last week were evidence of the beginning of such a mud slinging campaign and is probably funded by those who lost their money making mills in the arms trade.

The danger to the life of these officials including Gotabhaya Rajapaksa is two pronged.

Measures could also be taken to protect them from the known enemy, the LTTE but what is difficult is to protect them from the enemies within appearing in various forms of avatar. History has it that there were many saboteurs and national traitors.

However rulers of great calibre who were intelligent enough to identify such evils had done away with them in their efforts to win battles and unite the country.

Any down to earth person including the Rajapaksas would learn lessons from our history to shape things our way whether they are personal or national matters. In this backdrop, it is the common man's wish that the Rajapaksas, who have a sufficient knowledge of local history, would identify these mischievous elements in their efforts to continue the task of salvaging the nation.

IFJ misled

The latest organisation in the fray against Sri Lanka is the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ). It is probably a movement which runs on the shoulders of unsuspecting journalists around the world which issue press notices on matters which are quite unclear and unknown to them.

A few persons who called themselves media pundits, whose job is to organise protests for the so-called free media to attract foreign funds are the local representatives of the IFJ. The IFJ should know that these proxy journalists are misleading the IFJ and abusing its mandate, which consequently brings discredits to the good institution. The blind remarks on certain issues such as the arrest and detention of a Tamil woman journalist allegedly harboured by a LTTE terrorist suicide cadre in Colombo is one example.

IFJ's President Christopher Warren has to answer one question. That is whether an elected government cannot arrest and detain a journalist who allegedly aided and abetted a terrorist suspect.

Mr. Warren might know that journalists are not a clan who landed on earth with a mandate to violate the laws of any land and joining the elements which pose a threat to national security while discharging their duty.

It is ironical that in Sri Lanka where obtaining accreditation for journalists has become so cheap and many abuse the opportunity to achieve many personal goals. The impending danger is that the loophole has extended up to shelter suicide cadres.

The imminent threat of a suicide cadre is no longer a secret, and what's the guarantee that the IFJ would give if any Sri Lankan member of his organisation commit any crime here. Wake up Mr. Warren.

Many escaped death as the LTTE missed their targets.