Britain’s double standards over Prabhakaran commemoration
Posted on December 5th, 2015
by Rajeewa Jayaweera Courtesy Island
Shortly before 11 PM on Wednesday evening, after a debate lasting over 11 hours in the British House of Commons, the Speaker announced “397 for the Ayes and 223 for the Nays. So the Ayes have it.” Prime Minister David Cameron (DC), in his address had forcefully stated his case for the need to “use all force against the woman raping, Muslim-murdering medieval monsters of IS”, who he warned were a “death cult” that was “plotting to kill us and radicalise our children right now”. Sixty six Labour MPs voted with the government. Within 57 minutes of the announcement, the first two RAF Tornado jets of the six based in Cyprus were dropping their bomb loads over ISIL territory. DC had finally got his war. Two more Tornados and six Typhoons are due to boost RAF’s fleet in Cyprus shortly.
DC’s 36 page memo justifying his case to take Britain to war is being compared to Tony Blair’s notorious ‘dodgy dossier’ justifying Britain’s war with Iraq in 2003, when he claimed Iraq possessed WMDs capable of reaching London within 45 minutes after launch. ISIL controlled area in Iraq and Syria is similar in extent to England and Scotland. It has around 30,000 fighters. DC’s memo outlines the need to destabilize ISIL’s military and economic capabilities through aerial bombardment but falls short of a second phase of ‘boots on the ground’, so necessary in such operations. Britain and its allies have learnt its lessons in Afghanistan, Iraq and Libya. DC’s plan is to assign that part of the task to around 70,000 Syrian opposition fighters on ground, who he claims “do not belong to extremist groups”. However details were rather vague. He did not elaborate who these groups, if they could be moulded into a small but efficient fighting force and if they were up to the task of evicting ISIL’s fighting formations. It is not a secret that groups opposed to Syrian President Assad’s rule are varied and divided amongst themselves. Assuming these groups are able to take over from a defeated ISIL, there is no guarantee they would not split into different groups fighting amongst themselves similar to the current situation in Libya.
What triggered the Russian bombardment of ISIL was the downing of an aircraft full of Russian holiday makers returning to Russia from Egypt. What triggered French President François Hollande to commence a merciless campaign of aerial bombardment was the killing of 130 French citizens in Paris on 18 November. He even buried his differences with Russia’s President Putin and travelled to Moscow to obtain the latter’s support to form a grand coalition to fight ISIL. An opinion poll survey conducted in UK by ComRes confirmed that 60% in the UK after the Paris massacre favoured British military strikes in Syria, giving DC a golden opportunity to obtain parliamentary approval to send in the RAF which he failed previously.
It is relevant to compare the present blood lust of the British and French governments for ISIL in light of the non-stop mantra ‘negotiate a peaceful settlement’ preached to GoSL during its conflict with LTTE terrorists. It is relevant to question the justification for British and French refusal to sell weapons to Sri Lanka to fight terrorism. It is relevant to question the attitude of both British and French governments during days when bomb explosions resulted in more than 130 dead on several occasions. It is relevant to question the hurried visit to Sri Lanka by Foreign Secretaries of Britain and France, David Miliband and Bernard Kouchner in late April 2009 to press GoSL for a humanitarian truce and permit the LTTE leadership trapped inside a few square kilometres to be evacuated. It is relevant to question both Prime Minister Cameron and President Hollande if they would permit a humanitarian truce to evacuate ISIL leadership, should they ever be surrounded and trapped.
On Friday, 27 November, a rally was held at the Wembley Arena in London to commemorate the life of Prabhakaran. It had over 20,000 participants. From their appearance and attire containing maps of the North and East of Sri Lanka identified in yellow as Eelam, it was obvious they were members of the Tamil diaspora in UK. Cleverly designed flags depicting the Tiger head, sans rifles to overcome British law were on display.
Did not the British authorities who granted approval for the event realise the purpose of this rally? Did the British security establishment, currently in the highest state of alert forget that Prabhakaran, whose life was being commemorated was the dead leader of LTTE proscribed in UK since 2000 and one of the most ruthless terrorist organizations in the world till six years ago.
The act of permitting a rally in London to commemorate the life of Prabhakaran is similar to permitting a group of former Iraqi Baathists to commemorate the death of Saddam Hussain in London, or a group of Al Qaeda supporters to commemorate the death of Osama bin Laden in London.
Notwithstanding Britain’s claim of a tolerant, inclusive and enlightened society, needless to say approval for such events to be held in London would not have been received. One wonders if in the eyes of the British government, Prabhakaran is considered less evil than Saddam Hussain or Osama bin Laden? Or, is it the power of the block vote and political donations which makes the difference?
The present administration in Sri Lanka has de-proscribed many diaspora organizations and individuals which is essential for reconciliation. However, it is hoped de-proscription has been carried out after a thorough investigation into each organization / individual and not haphazardly to suit political agendas of individual Ministers. It is also hoped the present administration who claim to have reset relations with the west, especially with USA and UK would take up the issue with British authorities in an appropriate manner.
December 5th, 2015 at 10:26 pm
The good ole “DOUBLE STANDARD” has been in operation by the West openly for at least a few decades, and now they are not even embarrassed about it!
That said, to hope that in Sri Lanka, ” de-proscription has been carried out after a thorough investigation into each organization / individual and not haphazardly to suit political agendas of individual Ministers….. ” by this current administration that is not at all embarrassed about “double standards”, when considering what they of the UNP govt. had practiced during their previous long tenure, and now wish to be considered both pure and morally upright for NOT HAVING BEEN ABLE TO DELIVER PEACE, is a long stretch indeed.
December 6th, 2015 at 6:07 am
Sri Lanka Army Won the War as They Refrained From Eating Beef While Prabhakaran and the LTTE Perished Because They Ate Beef – Sivaloganathan Kurukkal
By Ru Kariyawasam
Kurukkal P. Sivaloganathan, Chairman of the Association of Hindu Priests of Jaffna, says that the Sri Lanka Army was blessed by gods and won the war as soldiers refrained from eating beef while the members of their counterpart, the LTTE, ate beef and perished.
Hindus venerate the cow and despise the practice of consuming beef. Kurukkal Sivaloganathan says that vegetarian Hindus were upset when LTTE members were found eating beef.
“Prabhakaran was a Hindu. But, he did not follow the path of Dharma. His father was one of the chief laymen of Ishwara Kovil of Valvettithurai. Prabhakaran did not practice his religion. But, some newspapers tried to portray him as a pious Hindu.
“Hindus are vegetarians. Some Hindus eat meat, but refrain from eating beef. Prabhakaran’s army ate beef, ignoring our pleas against it.
“We preach during our festivals not to eat beef. LTTE leaders used to participate in them. They promised to avoid the practice, but continued consuming beef. They were empty promises. But, the Army promised us to refrain from eating beef and stopped the supply of beef to the forces fighting the war.
“We could not meet Prabhakaran to make a request in person. But, other leaders knew about our appeal.
“Once there was an economic exhibition at Nallur Kovil. It was the time Jaffna was under the LTTE rule. We begged them not to display any item of beef. That time, the LTTE leaders listened to us.”
It is not possible to determine how far the policy of not consuming beef contributed to the victory of the armed forces and the role it played in the defeat of the LTTE.However, suffice to say that wisdom of Kurukkal Sivaloganathan cannot be ignored.
Most of the Hindu leaders are vegetarians. The Brahmins, who are the sub caste of priests, refrain entirely from eating meat. They comprise 20-30% of Hindus in the world.
Vedic literature written in 500 BC also highlights the policy of not eating meat. Rig Veda contains a plea from the Goddess of Fire to burn the heads of the villains who eat beef, horse meat and human flesh and also ones who steal milk. The Goddess of Fire is requested further to punish the beef eaters in other parts of Rig Veda.
But, some researchers have shown that Vedic Aryans had sacrificed cows and eaten beef. The practice had ebbed in the Maurya Period. Brahmins opposed sacrificing cows and it is mentioned in Mahabharath and Holy Scriptures. Eating beef was looked down upon and not at all part of Hindu food culture. It was limited only to the untouchables.
Bull was highly valuable as a worker in the time the vehicles were yet to be invented. The owners of cattle were considered rich. Even today, the cow is a very useful animal. It provides Pasgorasa: five products from the cow.
Cattle also give organic fertilizer free of poisonous chemicals.
Kurukkal Sivaloganathan pointed out that all these products of cattle are used in the festivities of Hindu temples. In one of the festivals, the statues of God Gana are made of cow dung and urine. Panchakavya and Prayachitha are two festivals associated with cow’s products. Cow is offered and revered at house warming ceremonies, weddings and the opening of new temples.
According to Hindu literature, cow is known as Kamadhenu or Surabidena in heaven and the cow represents those heavenly figures on Earth.
A stanza in Siddha Ayurveda says that beef brings diseases.
Kurukkal Sivaloganathan pointed out that folklore says that a fiend troubles those who shed the blood of the cow.
Mahatma Gandhi once said “The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated.”
Kurukkal P. Sivaloganathan is the chief priest of both Veera Badra and Paththini Kovils of Araly, Vaddukkoddai. He is also the Secretary of the Association for Protecting Cows of Jaffna.
Courtesy:Ceylon Today
December 6th, 2015 at 7:33 am
Ever since the TRUMPED up 1983 Riots, Tamils went West as ‘refugees’, numbering nearly a Million. The 1983 Riots were a godsend to Tamils of Lanka who wanted better monetary and other prospects in the west, and also form groups to fight the Tamil Caste Wars of Tamil Nadu in the guise of Eelam formation.
Gratitude for all deeds done for Tamils by successive governments and people of Lanka have fallen into cracks in Tamil folks hurry to get ahead and form Eeam (Dalitstan) in Lanka. It is the common ground that binds them and takes away the sting of Caste. Hating the Sinhala people and the ‘Sinhala govt’ is the common binder. Can projects based on Hate succeed ?
Some foreign govts foster these Hatreds for their own gains.
People have forgotten that the LTTE was trained in Tamil Nadu by India in the 1970s, when ultra West JRJ was in power. The 13-A was also imposed on the JRJ govt by India in 2987. These were ALL COLD WAR TIMES, when rules did not matter to the super powers – the main goal was to ‘win’ over the Other group. Small countries like Lanka got squashed to pieces over political ideology – who cares !
To maintain the ATTENTION and the Sympathy from the West, the Tamil Diaspora wants to maintain the Prabhakaran Cult. Without that, the Tamil Diaspora will not have ‘common ground’. Add the hatred of the “Sinhala govt” and support of some foreign countries on the hate run, and we have a lethal brew.
Lanka in hte current political situation: Generally speaking, the Yahap top leaders (CBK/RW) are not able people. In fact, they are damaged people with a poor record of performance as leaders in the past in Lanka. It appears that their methods of governance is not based on wisdom or real caring for the People. They seem to want to hand over the country to corporations from abroad. Ranil wants to ‘modernise the country’ in a few years time. The Economy is not planned out in a realistic manner with Security in mind. Ranil wants to deliver the 9-month gestation period baby in 9 weeks, it seems !! Will such projects be sound and successful – no. These leaders do not inspire TRUST from the People re Security or the Economy, both items which are paramount for the sense of wellbeing of the masses.
Ignorance & Hatred never won Hearts. Ignorance & Hatred never brought Prosperity or Happiness to any group. The Tamil Diaspora and today’s Lanka top leaders must bear that in mind. Then foreign govts will respect Lanka. Right now the message going out seems to be that outsiders can USE Lanka for their own purposes.
December 6th, 2015 at 9:50 am
correcting error : please read 2987 as 1987.
December 6th, 2015 at 2:34 pm
Fran,
You said , ” Generally speaking, the Yahap top leaders (CBK/RW) are not able people. In fact, they are damaged people with a poor record of performance as leaders in the past in Lanka”.
That is exactly right. But a leader who was at the top of his popularity, power and ability in whole Sri Lankan history in 2010 was defeated by these sickies in 4 years. What does that prove you ?
If you believe FACEBOOK + USA + RAW +CIA can do such thing, launch your fight against them.
December 6th, 2015 at 3:32 pm
“But a leader who was at the top of his popularity, power and ability in whole Sri Lankan history in 2010 was defeated by these sickies in 4 years. What does that prove you ?
If you believe FACEBOOK + USA + RAW +CIA can do such thing, launch your fight against them.”
EXACTLY!
But these people are TOO SCARED to launch their fight against them. They want OTHERS to do it so that they can remain CONSULTANTS.
It NEVER works.
The most FOOLISH thing to do is to blame voters, facebook, etc. UNLESS you can USE them to achieve your political goals you are DOOMED. ACCEPT it.
Fran,
Blame it on the rain!!
December 6th, 2015 at 4:01 pm
Nanda,
Exposing how things happen is to expose the truth of matters.
* We can face a lot of crap if we know why and how negative or positive things happen.
* Wisdom is to know what we can change and what we cannot change.