Insight By Sunil Kumar

July 12th 2010Indeed thereƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ breathes some patriotic men who ever to themselves are conscious about their native land in response to the famous proverb and go toƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ great lengths to prove it.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ 
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National Freedom Front (NFF) Leader and Construction, Engineering Services, Housing and Common Amenities Minister Wimal WeerawansaƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  seems one such who needs to be acolladed for his recent protest against UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moons attempted intimidation of Sri Lanka through appointing a panel into war crimes investigations in the aftermath of Sri Lanka’s resoundingly precedent setting annihilation of the Tamil Tiger terrorist group and those who openly villify Minister Weerawansa fail to see the noble objective behind the action despite perhaps the questionable nature of theƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ modus operandi resorted to as he might have organized a large scale protest to which many patriotic Sri Lankans would more than likely have responded as death fasts these days are in bad taste and portray a personal aspect to the action oftenƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ made capital ofƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ by the blinkered critics who haveƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ chosen somewhat disparaginglyƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ to ridicule him.
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Mr Weerawansa’s idealogy that as patriotic citizens who love the Motherland, Lankans should vehemently oppose the move taken by UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon to appoint an ‘expert panel’ with the intention of bringingƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ SriƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Lanka’sƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ President, Defence Secretary and war heroes to the International War Crimes Tribunal if one were to read between the lines cannot be ridiculed regardless of what transpired during his three day fast if it was viewed as an act of sincere and dedicated patriotism.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ 
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The pointers he gives to justify hisƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ reasons towards protest cannot simply be shoved under the carpet and it seems shameful that there are certainƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ pundits who view his actions from a negative perspective which suggests bowing down to UN pressure simply because of what Sri Lanka may stand to lose by way of cut backs and withdrawal of aid packages.ThisƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  simply bastardizes the principle of positive patriotism making Sri Lanka appear as a pushoverƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ subjected toƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ the indiscretions of a namby pamby UN Secretary GeneralƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ and the response to some of theƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  Weerawansa critics refered to by certain astute observers as well as qualified analysts who have aired their viewsƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ alluding to them asƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ mangy and visionless despite the satirical intonations seem quite justified.
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While the reality is stark thatƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ many ofƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Sri Lanka’sƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ war heroes made the supreme sacrifice to defeat three-decades of terrorism and bring lasting peace to the countryƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ it would be a total disrespect and disregard to permit the affront of a unilateral Ban Ki Moon appointed investigative panel with no sanctions from either the Security Council or the UN Human Rights CouncilƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ where it really should be Moon that needs berating as opposed to the so called “hard hitting attacks on the Minister’s actions by certain rabid editorial writers of local newsmedia who have chosen to smugly dispenseƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  scathing barbs almost in a manner of sujbjugation and intended capitulation to the UN whom they seem to believe needs homage paying while dragging down the Minister whose intentions at least were honorable towards his patriotic disposition.
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While Minister Weerawansa’s, fast-unto-deathƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ may not have been the right approach toƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ confrontƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ the UN Secretary GeneralƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ and his so calledƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  ‘expert panel’ it has surely drawn attention to the transparencies and vagaries of Ban Ki Moon’s call which is subsequent to the President’s stance on the same issue where heƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ in no uncertain terms also vehemently opposed theƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Moon panel where the extended action of Minister Weerawansa may have been unnecessary and invited all the wrong attention to himself despite the nobility of his principle.
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This has been pellucidly emphasizedƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ by him that what the world should do is to honour and present awards to our leaders who brought this historic victory to the nation, setting a perfect example to the entire world on how to defeat terrorism and not let the wayward as well as biased mindset of the likes of Moon and his consorts within the UN get away with unjustifiable investigations into the internal affairs of a Sovereign Nation particularly when there seemed to be a visible underhand agenda to appease Tamil Tiger sympathisers and create a false impression of the need to bring under investigation the President,ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Defense Secretary and the commanders of the Armed Forces with no mandate to do so through any jurisdiction the UN Secretary GeneralƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ might have which certainlyƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ does not extend to matters concerning a Sovereign Nation’s fight against terrorismƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ which is what Mr Weerasinghe was trying to illustrate albeit through his self chosen stringent means which has merely caused anxieties within his family circle which he should in hindsight have let the President attend to with the appropriate response which he in fact has done already!!
To put it mildly Mr Weerawansa’s objectives nonetheless need to be deemedƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ worthy by way of principleƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ and his critics need to be asked to take a hike!