A magnificent triumph

by Pramod DE SILVA

All great things are simple, and many can be expressed in a single word: freedom, justice, honour, duty, mercy, hope. Courage is rightly esteemed the first of human qualities... because it is the quality which guarantees all others."

These immortal words of Sir Winston Churchill come to mind when we recall the momentous events of May 2009, when Sri Lanka finally obliterated the cancer of terrorism from its soil. Indeed, our valiant soldiers fought for freedom for the Motherland; justice and mercy for the oppressed Tamil civilians; honour for Mother Lanka and hope for a brighter future. It was their sacred duty to save the Motherland and their indomitable courage led them on the path to a magnificent victory, unparalleled anywhere else in the world.

Sri Lanka's achievement is simply remarkable because even the most developed countries are still fighting terror groups with no end in sight. Little Sri Lanka surprised the world by dominating - and defeating - a terror group that many called an 'invincible' force.

"Fighting terrorism is not unlike fighting a deadly cancer. It can't be treated only where it's visible - every diseased cell in the body must be destroyed." These words of a well-known military strategist applied equally well to Sri Lanka's own battle against LTTE terrorism. The realisation that total decimation was the key to defeating the LTTE became the turning point in the 30-year-old conflict.

The LTTE had been given plenty of opportunities to negotiate and reach a settlement, as all Presidents and Governments preferred the negotiating table to the battlefield. But the LTTE was not sincere in its commitment to peace. It claimed to stand for the liberation of the Tamil community, but did exactly the opposite. Even in the final days of the war, it used the Tamil civilians as a human shield, without letting them cross over to the Army-controlled areas.

The 2002 Ceasefire was the acid test for the LTTE. It did not take too long for the LTTE to violate the ceasefire at will. The Government tolerated the Tigers' savage attacks on unarmed civilians and Security Forces personnel in the name of peace. It was obvious that the LTTE was not interested in peace, despite attending several rounds of truce talks in various foreign capitals. Its sole goal was the establishment of Eelam, a mono-ethnic, separate independent State carved out of Sri Lanka. The Government saw through this charade and decided to answer the LTTE using the only language that it understood.

This operation to eliminate the LTTE was named a 'humanitarian mission' for one good reason. LTTE tyranny had oppressed the proud Tamil people in the North and the East to the extent that rescuing them from the iron grip of the LTTE was the only option available. This was a huge challenge - the Government made it clear that it was a battle against the LTTE, not against the Tamil people. The Security Forces had the onerous responsibility of destroying the LTTE while liberating the civilian population, without causing any casualties to the non-combatants. The campaign to wipe out terror thus began from Mavil Aru in the East and ended in Mullaitivu in May last year. In the end, they succeeded in their endeavour, liberating not just the Tamil people but the entire nation from the scourge of terrorism.

Although the road to final victory began in Mavil Aru, Sri Lanka's long and often lone struggle against terrorism began much earlier. LTTE leader Prabhakaran began his killing spree in 1975 with the cold-blooded murder of Jaffna Mayor Alfred Duraiappah. The war began in earnest in 1983. Since then, all Governments tried a mix of negotiations and fighting to contain the LTTE. They achieved commendable successes, such as Riviresa which liberated the Jaffna peninsula. Setbacks are inevitable in a war and sometimes the LTTE gained the upper hand in the battlefield. There have also been many individual stories of courage under fire, such as Hasalaka Gamini, but it was the collective will and courage of the three Forces that finally vanquished the enemy.

The LTTE could not be under-estimated by any means. It had considerable manpower, including women and children conscripted to its ranks. It possessed sophisticated weapons, some of which were not even available with the Sri Lankan Security Forces.

It had a naval wing consisting of attack boats and suicide boats, not to mention floating arms warehouses in the high seas. It was also one of the few terror groups to have a rudimentary air unit. It used trademark suicide bombers to blow up Sri Lankan and Indian leaders, political opponents including moderate Tamil politicians and of course, innocent people. Civilians, even Tamil civilians, were an easy target for the LTTE, for it had no qualms about taking innocent lives to spread the message of terror.

Global reach

The LTTE's global reach, primarily via sections of the Tamil Diaspora, was another factor. It operated a number of front organisations in several capitals which remitted millions of dollars to its war coffers in addition to funds obtained through coercion from expatriates.

It had a huge propaganda network as well, which painted a negative picture of Sri Lanka and its leaders. Once the operations began, the Tiger propaganda network went into overdrive against the Government of Sri Lanka.

In this context, the battle against LTTE terror was not a conventional war. The Government had to open several fronts locally and internationally to fight the LTTE's forces of terror. In fact, the LTTE was severely affected by the ban placed on it in many countries, as funds dried up and arms purchases came to a halt. The Government kept India and friendly nations informed of all moves in the war theatre as the Forces went ahead with their noble mission. The political leadership of President Mahinda Rajapaksa and the Government played a crucial role in the war, never flinching in the face of international criticism and pressure. This was a hallmark of the campaign to eliminate LTTE terror.

We would still be battling the LTTE if not for the brave men and women of the three Security Forces, Police and the Civil Defence Force who were determined to finish the LTTE once and for all, with the solid backing of the political establishment. They did not waver in their arduous campaign. The Forces were given everything they desired, in terms of manpower, equipment, vehicles and weapons. Moreover, in a positive response to the Api Wenuwen Api campaign, the public rallied round the Armed Forces in an unprecedented manner. Many families gifted their sons and daughters to the Forces while many others contributed in cash and kind. There were countless others who prayed for the Forces daily and others who spared a thought for them whenever they could. The whole nation, as one, was behind the Armed Forces.

At this victorious moment, we should spare a thought for the men and women of the Security Forces who paid the Supreme Sacrifice for defending the Nation's sovereignty, territorial integrity and unitary status throughout the last 30 years. They sacrificed their today, their youth for our tomorrow, our next generation. Today, their sacrifice is not in vain as we have achieved freedom. They should always be in our thoughts as we celebrate this important milestone of the Nation's history.

We should not neglect their families. Many mothers lost their sons, many wives lost their husbands, many children lost their fathers. Not only the Government, but also the public should strive to ensure their welfare in the post-war period. We can never forget the heroes of the Forces who have become disabled as a result of injuries sustained in the battlefield, and their families. They may be unsung, but they should never be forgotten. "Soldiers, when committed to a task, can't compromise. It's unrelenting devotion to the standards of duty and courage, absolute loyalty, not letting the task go until it's been done." These words of John Keegan are just as appropriate for the role played by our servicemen.

The Army generally gets the bigger credit in any war and it should. It sacrificed the biggest number of men and fought the biggest battles on the ground. But one cannot forget the role played by the Navy and the Air Force during the last 30 years and especially during the last three years. The Navy destroyed nearly 10 weapon ships of the LTTE, cutting off supply lines. Their small boats were no match for those of the Tigers. The Air Force took out many vital installations of the LTTE and killed several top leaders in air strikes. It provided ample support to ground troops by attacking LTTE defence lines.

Civil duties

The Police too had to deviate from its main civil duties to protect vital installations from terror attacks. It also had to move into newly cleared areas to establish civil administration as fast as possible. The Civil Defence Force rendered a yeoman service to protect vulnerable villages and villagers. The Forces, Police, Civil Defence Force, to a man (and a woman), were focused on one single goal: eliminating the threat of terror.

Now that victory has been achieved, Sri Lankan leaders and people have to face new challenges. The first challenge is to face renewed attempts by certain sections of the Tamil Diaspora sympathetic to the LTTE to revive the notion of Eelam, at least outside our shores. It is a futile exercise to keep the LTTE's memory alive and keep the funds flowing. We must work closely with all friendly countries to nip this problem in the bud, while having a productive dialogue with the Tamil Diaspora to ensure their contribution to the development of the country, especially the North and the East.

That is another major challenge of the post-war era. The North and the East had not seen proper development for decades and it is heartening to note that several mega development programs are under way there. Kilinochchi and Mullaitivu must be developed on par with Jaffna and Vavuniya. The resettlement of the remaining Internally Displaced Persons must be expedited. It is also essential to heal the mental trauma experienced by these civilians. The rehabilitation of LTTE combatants and child soldiers must continue. They should enter the society as useful citizens sooner or rather than later.

It would be wrong - and naive - to think that the problems of all communities had already been addressed with the end of the war. Therein lies the biggest challenge faced by post-war Sri Lanka - the challenge of achieving lasting peace and ethnic reconciliation. As the saying goes, peace is not only the absence of war, though it is one important factor. "Peace is a journey of a thousand miles and it must be taken one step at a time."

These words of Lyndon B Johnson are truly universal. We have a golden opportunity to achieve lasting peace, setting aside all differences that have kept us apart for decades. Now is the time to start on this journey, as terrorism is no more and the country has been united under one flag again. Therefore, the Government's decision to appoint a Commission on Lessons Learned and Reconciliation is a timely one. This Commission will help lay a solid foundation to rebuild trust among different communities. Peace and reconciliation go hand in hand - one cannot exist without the other.

The time has come to think of ourselves as Sri Lankans, instead of being confined to various corners along communal and religious lines. That has been the very reason for ethnic discord that has stifled this country's development all these years. Now that people from the North and the South are freely mingling with each other, they are realising how much they have in common with each other. Clearly, any perceived differences are miniscule compared to the similarities. We belong to only one race - the human race - and all other divisions have been made by Man. Ethnic harmony will take Sri Lanka to greater horizons in the future.

The greatest tribute we can pay to the heroes of our Security Forces is to think of ourselves as Sri Lankans from now on, adding greater meaning to their triumph on the shores of Mullaitivu in May 2009.
 

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