Dilrook Kannangara

Apart from old school communists and their admirers, none is promoting the 13A. Their fascination of the 13A is understandable. However, there is a deeper, more sinister reason for the 13A at this stage. IndiaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s help to crush the Liberation Terrorists of Tamil Elam (LTTE) was conditional upon the full implementation of the 13A; it was never based on genuine concern for Sri Lanka. It was never based on the understanding that LTTE terrorists must be put out of business. There was a time, not so long ago, when India threatened Sri Lanka over weapons purchases from Pakistan and China. It many times interfered with the war. India backed down only after getting convinced that,

1. Sri Lanka is dead serious about wiping out the LTTE
2. The Military campaign had popular support
3. Another July 1987 was impossible due to very close Chinese and Pakistani connections
4. The impact on Tamil Nadu will be manageable as the Karunanidhi faction can be easily driven to toe the government line with the promise of enforcing a political solution on Sri Lanka after the LTTE.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Bringing in the 13A at this stage is aimed at putting patriots against patriotism. Sri LankansƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ patriotism was the main driving force behind the military campaign. Had the majority backed down, the government would never have carried out a successful military campaign. People put up with many hardships while supporting the war. In this climate, the only way to impose Tamil Elam, or anything close to Tamil Elam or anything that can be used to get to Tamil Elam is by dividing the Sri Lankan nationalist camp. What better way is there to divide the Sri Lankan nationalist camp than by driving a wedge between them called the 13A.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Already the large group of Sri Lankans who supported the victorious war is divided right from the middle about 13A. This gives enough room for separatists to bring in the 13A or even worse 13A-Plus. Admirers of old communists living in extreme luxury in Geneva ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” Geneva is considered a topmost luxurious city in the world ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” obviously want to extend their stay. For this purpose they want to please India. They also want to pay back to India the support they received at the recent United Nations Human Rights Council resolution. However, among the nations that supported the Sri Lankan resolution, India is just one country. Only India is keen on the 13A; not any other.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ However, Sri Lankan nationalists want a political solution that addresses legitimate grievances of Tamils, Muslims, Sinhalese and everyone else. 13A is a very good distraction not to give such a political solution. The All Party Representative Committee (APRC) sat on the so called political solution like a constipation sufferer would sit on a toilet bowl and after years of effort dropped the matter completely! What were they doing? Where is their home-grown solution? How many hours, how much money did they waste on the APRC? What was their contribution to the 13A? Nothing at all. That is why the 13A and the APRC are two grand frauds on the people of this country. ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ 

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Dayan Jayathilaka says Tamils need political space and he is right. Tamils have political space in Sri Lanka, London, Toronto and throughout the democratic world. Then he says space requires a reference point in land which is absurd. What prevents Tamils in London or Toronto from having political space with no reference to land? Nothing! They have all the political space they want without any reference to land. So why only in Sri Lanka they need a land demarcated reference point?

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Name calling is another talent Dayan Jayathilaka is endowed with just like the group of ideologists who called people names centuries ago after failing to impose their impoverished ideologies on them.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Relying on PresidentƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s statements to justify the implementation of 13A is also absurd. The President himself is confused and makes contradictory statements about 13A! There is no way, other than by magic, 13A can bring people together. It can only separate people based on race which will lead to another round of Elam war from a more advantageous position. 13A is a plan to win the same thing LTTE failed to win militarily.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Imagine the situation of a Northern Provincial Council (NPC) with all 13A powers. There is nothing to stop the old Vadukoddai school separatists winning the election and taking control of the NPC. They are still there and their party is still very active, may be more active now. The NPC will be the platform on which they will start building the Tamil Elam. Then comes the fun. The President or the parliament can dissolve the NPC in such an eventuality. This simply means no sustainable 13A to the north. The absence of a NPC is equal to not implementing the 13A at all in the north. If another election is held, the same thing will happen again and again. ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚