CLASSIFIED | POLITICS | TERRORISM | OPINION | VIEWS

LTTE should learn from the JVP

Shenali Waduge

The first home-grown revolt in Sri Lanka took place in April 1971. Infamously refered to as the JVP insurrection of 1971 it was led by Rohana Wijeweera propagating Maoist ideology. The insurgents managed to seize major areas in the Southern & Central provinces before they were eventually defeated by the security forces. An estimated 15,000 insurgents many in their teens were thought to have needlessly sacrificed their lives to satisfy the lust for a Maoist-styled revolution by its leader.

These insurgents were young, poorly armed and inadequately trained men and women. They were unemployed from rural areas and belonged to the lower caste. To Wijeweera’s credit was his ability to work with the youth, his popularity as a public speaker & the ease with which he was able to entrap innocent followers towards his cause. He was quick to set up “education camps” in remote areas of the south & to provide training in Marxism-Leninism & basic military skills. Wijeweera was captured and jailed ahead of the insurrection in a Jaffna prison but released following the victory by the United National Party in 1977. Wijeweera went on to contest the 1982 Presidential Election finishing 4th with 250,000 votes gaining 4% of the votes (J.R. Jayawardena obtained 3.2m)

The JVP became the scapegoat for the 1983 riots resulting in the JVP’s proscription. Security forces came down hard on its followers. Rohana Wijeweera changed his name to Nimal Kithsiri Attanayake, disguised himself as a planter and went to live in Ulapane, Kandy. The signing of the Indo-Lanka Peace Accord took place on 29th July 1987 despite protest marches and ultimate deaths of over 150 protestors. Anti-Indian imperialism commenced by an offshoot of the JVP – the Patriotic Liberation Organization (Deshapremi Janatha Viyaparaya) which launched a campaign of intimidation against the UNP killing more than 70 members of Parliament between July & November 1987.

Maj. Gen. Cecil Waidyaratne was tasked with heading an operation code named “Operation Combine” in November 1987 to take over the security of Colombo district. The arrests of JVP members eventually resulted in the capture of Rohana Wijeweera on 12 November 1989 & death the following day. It is estimated that 50,000 youths would have been killed to restore normalcy to the island nation.

There is a lesson to be learnt from the JVP insurrections which has surprising similarities with the LTTE. Both Wijeweera and Prabakaran are charismatic leaders. Both are able to attract the innocent to follow their “cause”. The followers of both were innocent boys and girls, poor, unemployed and from low castes. Both Wijeweera and Prabakaran resorted to guerilla warfare – hit and run strategies. The latter of course taking up the most deadly tactic of suicides.

The insurrection of 1971 was immediately dealt with severely by the then Prime Minister – Mrs. Sirimavo Bandaranaike. It took over 15 years for them to once more recuperate as a rebellious outfit but of course changing its strategy and its focus to suit the changing times politically. The fact that Mrs. Bandaranaike took swift and stern action resulted only in the deaths of 15,000 youth. Had she allowed it to continue the deaths would have been much more. However, the 1987-89 JVP rebellion was somewhat different. The approach by the armed forces was also different and this resulted in the large number of deaths.

What of the LTTE? The LTTE was borne of a notion in 1976 by the Tamil United Liberation Front for a separate state. Prabakaran was quick to pick up on the notion & commence his terror campaign by attracting the innocent low caste Tamil boys and girls into his spell of creating a separate state called Eelam. The carefully orchestrated 1983 racial riots by the UNP Government was enough to seal the fate of Sri Lanka. It became Prabakaran’s propaganda wagon & a means to take forward his agenda for a separate state wherein he would become its eternal ruler. Migration of Tamils to foreign climes only furthered Prabakaran’s means to build up his treasury with compulsory monthly deposits to tiger accounts opened globally to commence an armed struggle with the Sri Lankan Government. With systems quickly set in place a steady flow of cash to LTTE accounts was assured. Any Tamil civilian not complying to the wishes of Prabakaran was severely dealt with. Alfred Duraiyappah(1975) A.Amirthalingam(1989), T. Ganeshalingam (1990), Mr. & Mrs. Thambimuttu (1990) Mrs. Sarojini Yogeshwaran (1998), Dr. Neelan Thiruchelvam (1999), Dr (Mrs) Rajini Thiranagama, & Foreign Minister Lakshman Kadiragamar were all Tamil leaders assassinated by the LTTE the very establishment that is seeking to protect the Tamil people from the Sri Lankan Government. Anyone who dares speak against the LTTE will also face a similar fate – this guarantees that all Tamil civilians and even leaders keep mum about what they really feel about the LTTE.

Though we see a new surge in violence and escalation of guerilla attacks by the LTTE viewing it positively it will reveal that they themselves are fighting for sheer existence. The old brigade that fought during the 80s and 90s are now in no fit condition to take on a military which leaves the LTTE with a baby brigade and a strategy that attempts to drag the “peace settlement” issue fooling the Government of Sri Lanka and the International Community until such time they are able to return to the deadly heights that the men & women of the 80s and 90s were able to inflict upon society. It is also noteworthy that LTTE communication itself is also falling apart after the “apology” fiasco by the LTTE theoretician to India & the Wanni directive that LTTE does not regret killing Rajiv Gandhi and would even kill another Indian premier. All this goes to show that the LTTE is in disarray. Their carefully camouflaged outfit is falling into shambles and the President should continue to hand out the laurel of peace because that is what will eventually save Prabakaran from the very men & women he is espousing to save. More and more people (Tamil) are raising their voice against the violence of LTTE. Naturally the people have had enough they are the ones who are suffering. History has been kind to Prabakaran and his cabinet. A guerilla organization, pumped by foreign funds, illegal flow of cash that purchases arms and ammunition, children of tiger leaders all obtaining “foreign degrees” save and sound & living in foreign climes, then VVIP treatment for tiger leaders, handshakes with foreign dignitaries….holding an legitimate Government at ransom and handing gullible carrots….. What more could any guerilla outfit really ask for?

Coming back to the JVP they have much to feel proud about. With two horrible insurgencies behind them they have realized that rebellion will get them no where. The Sinhalese people during both insurgencies did not for a moment question that these men and women were Sinhalese and that death should not be an option when the armed forces were given the directive to crush them. The public wanted the movement crushed and the rulers of the time ensured that both insurrections were brought to a grounding halt. JVP then opted wisely to come forward to contest and enter the mainstream of politics in a democratic framework. Today, the JVP has members in Parliament and even the members of their politburo have shown depth in the manner they are able to argue in public political debates. Thus, the LTTE should take note of these achievements as it should encourage them to feel that there is a means to represent the people – by entering the democratic process & not by blowing up their own people for a false cause. They would never have to deny any of the privileges they presently hold as well. After all, parliamentarians are the most privileged lot in society.

The JVP learnt its lesson and has moved away from the violence that they were party to during the 70s and late 80s. It is prudent to note that the JVP changed face only after its leader was silenced once and for all. Perhaps the LTTE may change if the same fate occurs to its leader. We can then look forward to a better tomorrow and the men and women that make up the tiger brigades can also be rehabilitated and reintroduced to society as proper human beings who should value their lives and not be brainwashed into blowing it up just to satisfy the power-lust of its leader & the existence of its other leaders.

BACK TO LATEST NEWS

DISCLAIMER