Stop big bullies
Posted on March 11th, 2014
S. Akurugoda
Addressing the ‘Janapathi Janahamuwa’ program telecast live last week, President Rajapaksa has said that the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay in connivance with a handful of powerful countries, based on wrong information, demanded an international investigation against Sri Lanka despite the fact that the government had eradicated three decades of terrorism and ensured the most important human right that a person can have, ‘the people’s right to live in any part of the country without fear’.
In an another piece of news item, the President added that the Government has succeeded in resettling people who were displaced by terrorist atrocities in the North and the East and the responsibility is ahead of the government to resettle thousands of Sinhalese and Muslims, who were chased out of the Jaffna peninsula by the LTTE terrorists decades ago as part of their ethnic cleansing scheme, to ensure their legitimate rights. The President also added that the Government has faced an obstacle in ensuring such rights for the Sinhalese and Muslim communities as some politicians in the North backed by some foreign forces and their NGO bandwagon who are dependent on these forces are against this move.
As we are aware, Sri Lanka is enjoying peace and harmony after three decades of brutal war waged by the Tamil Tigers, who believed only on suicide bombing techniques and power of the gun against the democratically elected government and its people irrespective of their ethnicity with an intention of carving out a separate fascist state. During the period of war against terrorism Sri Lankans had hardly a single day of peace having to suffer carnage at the hands of the suicide bombers of the LTTE. We have witnessed how the LTTE used child soldiers, launched suicide attacks, used women in suicide attacks, assassinated politicians including ethnic Tamils, government ministers, Sri Lankan President, taken hostages, and committed all kinds of crimes to finance its operations including human trafficking.
We also witnessed how Sri Lankan security forces under the political leadership of the elected government with the overwhelming support from the peace loving citizens of all communities in Sri Lanka defeated the terrorism , while freeing 21 million Sri Lankans from the yoke of the LTTE who held them to ransom for decades.
After providing the most important human right that a person can have, to live without fear of death, the government of the day had said to have spent Rs 4 billion to develop the Northern Province and all basic amenities such as pipe-borne water, electricity and houses to those affected.
Although the US, EU, Britain, Canada, India and several other countries have designated the Tigers a foreign terrorist organisation, it is a well known fact that those groups of displaced LTTE members residing in those countries, who called themselves ‘Tamis Diaspora’, are continued to raise funds and make use of the funds already collected to carryout crimes against humanity are now making use of those funds to exert pressure to the politicians of respective domicile countries under the guise of ‘human rights’ to achieve their ultimate goal of carving out a separate racial state exclusively for Tamil people (whose total population is around 14%, according to the latest Census) which they failed to get via terrorism.
The TNA, a pro- LTTE group who survived unharmed during the war against separatist since most of its leadership lived comfortably among the majority Sinhalese in Colombo while providing the necessary political support to the outfit, has strengthen its separatist campaign by making use of the ill-framed sections in the 13th Amendment, crafted under the Rajiv- JR pact signed under duress, to its fullest advantage. The government made a big blunder by not taking appropriate steps to ban TNA , knowing it past very well , or to amend the Constitution to get rid of the Provincial Council system as a matter of priority.
Soon after the elimination of the LTTE terror from our soil, we had every reason to believe that the US and their notable allies were rapidly making a case of war crimes against Sri Lanka on the basis of the conduct of her armed forces as well as political leadership. One of the motivation of this action was to cover-up their own continuing armed conflicts on large scales, involving major humanitarian catastrophes and causing the death of large numbers of innocent civilians due to military actions ranging from Hiroshima, Nagasaki, Vietnam, Laos, Iraq, Libya, Afghanistan and the like.
Soon after the appointment of infamous Ban Ki-moon panel, foreign funded NGO peace vendors, notably the so-called National Peace Council, were back in business issuing statements almost every week upholding every actions statements made by their pay masters as was usually done by them during the past. They are once again advocating solutions. The solutions they sought in the past were from outside and the solutions they seek now are also from outside including foreign intervention. It is not surprising at all to learn that those who live on foreign funding are for foreign intervention. Unfortunately a section of our local national printed media, who made a remarkable contribution during the war against terrorism, too gives wide publicity to this NGO peace vendor’s debris, probably, due to monetary benefits to their businesses.
Almost all statements released one after the other, by western politicians, diplomats, spokespersons and now the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay concerning the internal affairs of our country, reported visits and secret visits said to have been made by some of them to meet the opponents of the peace loving people of the country , including the those groups of displaced LTTE members residing outside Sri Lanka, to discuss ‘undisclosed’ matters related to internal politics of a sovereign country are typical examples of their extent of confusion over the limits of control of specific territories of these foreigners.
Although the government has made attempts, in vain, to provide details of its effort of resettlement of IDPs, rehabilitation of the Ex-LTTE Cadres, demining, re-establishing of democracy, providing basic needs, infrastructure developments etc, to those who have been determined to punish Sri Lanka, it is evident that the US and the United Kingdom are now engaged in a massive campaign to get as many votes, making use of their mighty economic and military powers, in favour of their resolution against our country remembering us the famous saying ” beehiri aliyata veena wadanya karanawa wagei”
Foreign interference, both political and economic, with the internal affairs of our country was bare minimum during the cold war. With the collapse of the Soviet Union, open economy and the short-sighted foreign policies of the government after 1977, various forms of interference started emerging, reinforcing the racial terrorism. Foreign funded NGOs found Sri Lanka a safe heaven and have grown from strength to strength opening a path for another form of colonialism. It is interesting to note that the remains of those so-called Marxist politicians who made a big motto against imperialism in the past are aligned with the imperialists and their local agents, NGOs, when justifying foreign intervention.
Sri Lanka, under the right leadership, managed to defeat terrorism within three and half years with proper planning and determination despite the pressure exerted by the so-called super/regional powers. If the government is facing obstacle from TNA politicians backed by some foreign forces and their NGO bandwagon when ensuring rights for the Sinhalese and Muslim communities, as stated above, time has now come to activate the norms, rules and regulations without giving in to the big bullies in the international politics.
March 11th, 2014 at 7:18 pm
What we need is a huge rally in Colombo against LTTE, USA, UK ,and TNA participating at least 1million people.
Why can’t MR organise this ?
March 11th, 2014 at 7:19 pm
Against India too, the main culprit.
March 12th, 2014 at 6:16 am
Mr Akurugoda has brought out a very important point re the speech given by the President : “‘the people’s right to live in any part of the country without fear’.
We sincerely hope that the TNA notes this Human Right of the People of Lanka. This means that ANY of the People of Lanka can live in any part of Lanka without fear. This includes the North and the East.
As matters stand, it appears that the TNA wants the North for Tamils ONLY and the rest of Lanka also available for Tamils. Not so for others of Lanka – they must keep out of the North whilst allowing Tamils to live among them ! TNA wants to have their cake and eat it too !
TNA : Sauce for the goose must be sauce for the gander too, eh ?
March 12th, 2014 at 6:25 am
The President, in giving tp the Tamils and others of Lanka “the people’s right to live in any part of the country without fear’, President MR has already gone BEYOND the 13-A !
The 13-A is not necessary now – so let us remove it.
March 12th, 2014 at 7:06 am
President MR has already gone BEYOND the 13-A !
We ask Pan & parruppu not Pan & butter (butter won t digest stomach).
Why can’t MR organise this ? He need extra Saram(a) in month of March !
March 12th, 2014 at 2:05 pm
Just talk no action!
Settle Sinhala and Muslims in the north NOW. Stop nonsense. Stop promises. DO IT NOW.
Muslim, Sinhala IDPs’ right to return to NP should be recognised – President
By Shamindra Ferdinando
“President Mahinda Rajapaksa early this week declared that since the vast majority of internally displaced Tamil people in the Northern Province had been resettled, it was now the responsibility of the government to resettle the Sinhalese and the Muslims chased away by the LTTE.
President Rajapaksa emphasised that the right of all those evicted by terrorists at gunpoint more than 20 years ago to return should be recognised.
The President was addressing a propaganda rally at Ratmalana Railway grounds on Monday (March 10) in support of those contesting the Colombo district on the UPFA ticket.
In an obvious reference to the ongoing attempt to haul Sri Lanka before an international war crimes tribunal, President Rajapaksa said that the release of child soldiers had been conveniently forgotten. The government hadn’t received the appreciation it deserved for the swift release of child combatants, the President said, explaining the speedy rehabilitation and release of combatants.
The President said that society would provide a conducive environment to those returning to civilian life better than detention facilities.
President Rajapaksa said no one could undermine his administration as long as the people were with it.
Jaffna Security Forces Commander, Major General Udaya Perera recently briefed Agnes Asekenye-Oonyu, Head of the United Nations Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) on the situation at open welfare centres in Jaffna and the ongoing resettlement project.
Maj. Gen. Perera told The Island that the LTTE had driven people of all three communities out of the Jaffna peninsula during the conflict. The Sinhalese were chased out in the 1980s, the Muslims in 1990 and the Tamils during Operation Riviresa, which regain Jaffna in late 1995. Although the peninsula was brought under government administration in 1996, those the LTTE had driven away had not been able to return, the Major General said.
Major General Perera assured the UN official Sri Lanka’s commitment to resettle the war displaced as soon as possible.
Defence Ministry sources told The Island that the return of about 30 Sinhala families to Navatkuly close to Jaffna had prompted the US Embassy to dispatch its political officer, Michael A. Ervin, to inquire into the circumstances under which they had arrived there. Sources said that the families residing at Navatkuly were among those forced to flee the peninsula at the onset of hostilities in the 1980s. According to the 1981 Census, there had been 19,334 Sinhalese in Northern Province, comprising the administrative districts of Jaffna, Mullaitivu, Kilinochchi, Vavuniya and Mannar. The majority of them had lived in the Jaffna peninsula and owned property at the time hostilities erupted.
Ministry sources said that the natural growth of a particular community too, should be taken into consideration before resettlement of those driven out of the Northern Province got underway.”
March 14th, 2014 at 6:36 am
Lorenzo,
The TNA has to accept that the North is part of Lanka, is dependent totally on Lanka for their needs, and that geographically and economically the North was, is, and will be part of Lanka. Till then, we have to see them as “non-cooperative”.
The TNA has to accept Democratic norms. Are they a Democratic political party ? Are they a National minded political party ? NO ! It appears to us to be political party sunk in the narrow depths of ‘I, me and myself’ being Tamil only. Yet, they are first to yowl for help from the rest of Lanka when things go awry for them due to Caste/poverty binds. When the Army goes in to quell troubles there, they are first to yell ‘genocide of Tamils’ ! Watch it with the TNA – their methods are are diabolic !
At least, they ought to allow the earlier residents (Sinhala & Muslim) to return to the North, if they so wish, and ensure their safety.
Till they widen their outlook, the TNA is in trouble with the rest of Lanka.
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Something is very wrong with the way governance is set up in Lanka. The methods of governance are set up for the country to lose through over competition, and not conducive to co-operation among the different ethnic and religious groups. We are set up to squabble and quarrel for the rest of our lives. And this of course ensures that foreign countries can have a field day at our expense. The ‘divide & rule’ principle set up by the British Empire is very much alive through misuse of Democratic norms.
To go on repeating the same experiment and expect a different result is insanity, said Einstein. That is why Lanka, from time to time, seems like a ‘pisang kotuwa’ !!
We have to have a National Government as well as only National political parties. Otherwise, we are sunk in a quagmire of infighting forever.
March 14th, 2014 at 8:46 am
What is a National Govt. ?
A national government is the government at the nation-state level. It is the political organisation that maintains control of a nation. A national government is also known as the central government.
A national government is coalition government with members of all parties in the legislature. A national government; a national unity government or a national union government is usually formed during a crisis, during a time of war or other national emergency.
In the United Kingdom the term National Government refers to a coalition of some or all major political parties. In a historical sense it usually refers primarily to the governments of Ramsay MacDonald, Stanley Baldwin and Neville Chamberlain which held office from 1931 until 1940. Today such governments are referred to as coalition governments.
What is National level government?
The government that takes care of things that need to be done state wise.
What Types of Services Do States Provide to the National Government?
Article IV, Section 4 of the U.S. Constitution describes the national government’s obligations to the states. These obligations include protecting the states from foreign and domestic threats.