Peace: whose business is it anyway?
Posted on May 18th, 2012
Written byƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ The Nation
It has been reported that US Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton and Indian Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh have ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”agreed to work closely in expediting the Sri Lankan peace process (sic)ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ That ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”decisionƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ had been taken when the former visited the latter in New Delhi on Tuesday.
Interesting
First of all, neither Clinton nor Singh are representatives elected by the people of Sri Lanka.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Nor were these individuals mandated to ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”expediteƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ any process that concerns Sri Lanka.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Neither of them have bothered to explain what ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”peace processƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ means.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Most importantly, neither of them has the moral authority to pass judgment, forward proposal or even comment on things Sri Lankan.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Let us explain.
In March this year, the USA sponsored a resolution on Sri Lanka at the UN Human Rights Council.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ It was a resolution that Sri Lanka objected to, vehemently, and perforce was one roundly seen as an unfriendly move on the part of the USA.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ It was a resolution that India supported, thereby dispelling all illusions about that countryƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s friendship claims.
If one were to go back further in history, then we can talk of how India ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”expeditedƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ the ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”peace processƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ in Sri Lanka by funding, arming, training and giving refuge to terrorists.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ We can talk of how India PREVENTED the vanquishing of the fascist LTTE organization in 1987, postponing that eventuality by 22 years and thereby facilitating that many years worth of carnage. That act of thuggery also helped unleash an insurrection that left 60,000 dead in less than 2 years.
The USA, for all its anti-terrorist rhetoric, actively sought (through its local representative, Robert O Blake) to throw a lifeline to the fascists in the last days of the conflict, showing generosity of a kind that was and is patently absent in how that country dealt with its armed detractors in Afghanistan, most notably al Qaeda and Taliban operatives including Osama bin Laden.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚
Both countries were very active in supporting a largely pro-terrorist Ceasefire Agreement signed in 2002.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ There was no ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”expeditingƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ of anything other than destabilization, chaos, anarchy and separatist drives.
Despite all these spokes in the wheels, Sri Lanka did defeat fascism.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Sri Lanka opened the doors that the LTTE had closed to peace, normalcy and reconciliation.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Singh and Clinton may have their own definitions of ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”peaceƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢, and they are more than welcome to apply them to themselves, Singh in Kashmir and Clinton in Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya and other places where massive crimes against humanity are perpetrated in the name of democracy.
Sri Lanka, however, is not another state of either India or the USA. Guns, bucks and inflated egos do prompt people to be presumptuous, thatƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s human of course.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ But this without-any-by-your-leave attitude will not help heal strained relations between these countries and Sri Lanka.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚
There is reference to a ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”stalled peace processƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ The wording is telling.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ There was a stumbling block to peace in Sri Lanka: the LTTE fascists.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ That obstacle was removed.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ There are unresolved grievances, yes.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Not all of them are Tamil-specific.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Not all of the articulated ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”grievancesƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ are myth-free.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Neither are they un-tainted by ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”aspirationƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ThereƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s nothing among these ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”grievancesƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ that come even close to the suffering of certain communities in India and the USA.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Indeed if there has been ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”stallingƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ it is because of the TNAƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s intransigence, its long history of supporting LTTE fascism and its absolute reluctance to come to terms with political realities and historical facts.
In May 2009, Sri Lanka closed a chapter, the long and bloody story of fascism, spawned by chauvinism of all kinds but especially that of the likes of Ponnambalam Ramanathan, S.J.V. Chelvanayakam and G.G. Ponnambalam, and nurtured by the evil designs of Indira Gandhi and her son Rajiv.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ The meddling of the likes of Blake didnƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢t help at all.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Singh and Clinton can walk that path.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ They have the power to push Sri Lanka back into those terrible times.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ThatƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s not helping ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”peaceƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚
Given their histories and their abilities to rupture old wounds, if they really want to help, itƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s best they keep their distance.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Rebuilding is easy and is happening. Curing a nation of old suspicions and animosities that are naturally birthed by conflict takes longer.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ If Singh and Clinton are impatient, hard luck! They can look at their own examples if they really want to know about ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”inability to resolveƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ and ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”insufferable delaysƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ This is Sri Lanka.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ It is a country that has its own pace.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Own way.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Those who prescribed, dished out bad medicine.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ When that happens, such physicians are not re-visited.
Dr. Singh and Ms. Clinton are not citizens of ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”peacefulƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ countries.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ They are both leaders of countries at war; at war with other countries and peoples and at war with their own people.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ They are hardly in a position to prescribe solutions to others.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚
Peace in Sri Lanka is the business of people who live in Sri Lanka.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ They canƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢t find fault with anyone who says ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”Thank you, but no!ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚
http://www.nation.lk/edition/editorial/item/5885-peace-whose-business-is-it-anyway?.html
May 19th, 2012 at 2:38 am
Dear Editor the Nation
You have written a real reply to world’s highest human right violator U.S.A and world’s highest domestic human right violator India. As Editor says we have not appointed Barak Obama or Hillary Clinton or Manmohan Singh to interfere our internal matters. They don’t have any mandate or request from Sri Lankan’s to do.
The other reason India supported U.S.A resolution to get Jayalalitha’s support. Tamil Country’s (tamil nadu) Jayalalitha wanted Manmohan Singh to vote against Sri Lanka in UNHR on conditions for Kudankulam Nuclear Power Project (KKNPP) to built in Tamil Country.
Why both of them so much worry to implement U.N.H.R resolution they managed to pass under heavy pressure to member state. They should know that out of four resolutions only one they managed to get approved. First three were rejected by the same U.N.H.R members. Can’t they remember 2009/2010 and 2011 resolutions against Sri Lanka were rejected? Specially soon after 2009 Velupillai’s terrorists gang eliminated by Sri Lankan war heroes, U.S.A, Norway and European LTTE terrorist supported countries tried to pass a resolution in U.N.H.R against Sri Lanka and majority of members rejected it.
How come they ask us to implement only one they managed to get through? Then what about the 2009/2010/ and 2011 resolutions? As most says and it is well proved that U.N.O and U.N.H.R became the present day East Indian Trading company.
U.N.H.R’s Navinathan Pillai and her mate Sooka are tamil tribal and originally from Tamil Nadu (tamil country) but now living in South Africa. They have connections with LTTE members and they do everything to suit LTTE agenda now. Those resolutions were brought to U.N.H.R agenda by tamils to take revenge from Sri Lanka government.