Terrorism in Sri Lanka
Is The Government to Merely Watch and Wait Till The Nation Is Annihilated?

By Darmitha-Kotte

Terrorism is shunned by the western world especially when it becomes a threat to their cultures and survival. They have instigated terrorism in the world for their imperialistic agendas to continue to keep the developing world destabilized and beholden to them, but when the guns are targeted in their direction, they take no chances whatsoever as we have seen in Iraq, or Afghanistan in recent times. However, those very same countries take a different stand when countries like Sri Lanka are faced with decades of terrorism at the hands of LTTE terrorists- how come there are two or three different yardsticks to measure this menace?Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan and many other countries are thousands of miles away from countries like UK and USA but they have the audacity "to invade" those countries and attack them mercilessly "all in the name of peace and justice."

When Sri Lanka is faced with terrorism within the territorial waters of our own country, our government is advised " to be conciliatory and accommodating" - our government is expected not to attack even if the entire nation is annihilated! Our Armed Forces are expected to confine themselves to barracks and look the other side-why? Isn't it obvious that foreigners together with their paid agents who most unfortunately happen to be sons and daughters of this soil want the terrorists to have their way and destroy this country?

In this whole war on terrorism, there is absolutely no doubt that innocent civilians (targeted or not) will become unfortunate victims of cross-fires. Other than terrorists, a government elected democratically, will not resort to using "human shields." Do we forget that a government elected by us has a beholden duty to protect the nation and her sovereignty? Do we forget that Armed Forces are trained to protect government and the nation against terror, invasions and conspiracies? Do we expect every citizen of this country to become a law unto themselves, get themselves "armed" and destroy each other? Is the government expected to stand back and watch while national institutions and resources are being bombed for terrorist agendas?

Reading through some of the news items which appeared in the print media in the aftermath of the Vakarai incident, we wonder whether so called respected individuals and sons of this soil have any feelings of "affection" towards their Motherland? They have the audacity to point fingers at the government, for the mere fact that they are making every effort to push back and curtail terrorist attacks! One article in the Daily Mirror of 10th November 2006 titled "Bahu: Is Govt. Sinhala terrist group-LTTE a terror group but government can't terror tactics" is an example where Dr.Wickremabahu Karunaratne who happens to be the Patron of The Committee investigating disappearances levels accusations at the government for retaliating to terrorist attacks! Does he expect LTTE terrorism in this country to be met with the GOSL "hoisting a white flag", stand back and wait till the entire nation is annihilated?

He seems to be twisting the realities to insult and ridicule the government by implicating that the government was a Sinhala terrorist group! What are the lame excuses he talks about? It has been proven time and time again that the LTTE uses humans to protect them from government attacks- this is not a lame excuse but stark reality. In any country who is held responsible for civil security if not the police?

What does he implicate by saying "..the members of the committee should be empowered with appropriate tools to carry out their duties effectively, so that it could succeed in its mission. He claimed it was not the IGP who should be vested with the responsibility of dealing with extra judicial killings, as the finger of guilt was pointed at those holding top posts in the government." Dr. Karunaratne, why don't you join The Forces and go out into the battle field and see how easily you can " isolate an ant, bullock cart or human being from the midst of terrorists" when you are shooting an army of terrorists?

What does the word "extra-judicial" mean in the context of a terrorist war against civilians, state property and the government? Have you made any attempt to go and meet Prabhakaran or Thamilselvam to question they directly as to why they are "using human shields" for them to hide behind and attack the government forces, Dr. Karunaratne? Have you tried to talk them into laying down their weapons and stopping their bloody war because all citizens want peace in this country? Who are you serving anyway- the nation or a well funded INGO/NGO bent on destabilizing Sri Lanka? Which "Red" group do you represent- socialist, communist or the blood-thirsty LTTE terrorists? Who every it may be, you are still a son of " this soil" Dr. Karunaratne-your allegiance must be to "The Nation!"

Another news item in the same paper titled "Vakarai massacre- Govt accountable, whatever the provocations: Bishop Chickera " also needs to be taken note of, coming from a highly respected Bishop of the Anglican Church of Sri Lanka. With all due to respects to the Reverend Bishop and his concerns, we look at what is stated in the article " While condemning the incident, Bishop Chickera said that even as arguments and explanations are offered from all sides, reports received seem to indicate that the armed forces must be held accountable, whatever the provocations. These persons affected were civilians, amongst whom there are several children and elderly persons. This community fled the violence in Mutur/Sampur a few months ago.

They are always in situations of war and violence, the poor and several times displaced, who have nowhere to rest their heads. I offer the condolences and prayers of our Church to the injured and the families of the bereaved. The Bishop says the Government must take not of the continuing human suffering caused by violent aggression and make a deliberate shift to a non-violent dialogical approach as the best chance of resolving this sad and bitter conflict." While his words implicate a seemingly harsh tone when pointing the finger at the government, his attitude when referring to the LTTE terrorists is far more conciliatory as we see in this article which states "The Anglican Bishop also said that the LTTE must change its illusive stance and reciprocate, as the people are weary of war and tired of excuses, with the parties rejecting strategies of talking peace and pursuing violence by all sides. The religions of our country demand this shift and provide a spirituality to facilitate it…………………"

There is no doubt that in a environment of terrorism, untold of miseries are faced by civilians who become "sandwiched" between the " terrorist aggressors" and "the protectors of the nation" which is not in the least an admirable or comfortable situation to be in. What the Reverend Bishop as well as the Catholic Church fails to reconcile to, is the fact that the original aggressors were not the government BUT the LTTE terrorists who chose to go on a bloody war to achieve " their mythical homeland." In this bloody operation, the terrorists have right through got the fullest support from the Christian Churches to wage war against an entire nation.

The suffering faced by the "innocent and suffering civilians" is due to the terror wreaked on them by the terrorists who are no sympathizers of any human being if they are able to heartlessly use "human shields" for their own purpose! Buddhism does not extol the virtues of torture or terrorism but the Christian history has evidence of torture and terror tactics for them to convert and gain power. The LTTE movement being a Church backed operation, the finger should be pointed at the Church for the terror that LTTE has wreaked against Buddhists, Buddhist temples, Hindu Temples and Hindu Pusaris as well as Muslims and their Mosques which have all been attacked by them!

What "spirituality" is the Reverend Bishop talking about in his statement? When the Church backs terrorists in a war against The State which is sovereign and independent, then it is they who must be held responsible for all the untold of suffering that the entire country has been facing for 25 odd years. It is also the Church and not other religions that can demand of the LTTE, to stop their bloody war against a nation.

Instead of making life difficult for the GOSL by anti-national forces pointing fingers at the government for trying to curtail terrorist activities, it is the duty of every "peace loving citizen" or organization or "peace promoters" to meet the terrorists face to face, explain to them of the untold suffering they are wreaking out on "innocent civilians" AND demand that they lay down their weapons. That will help the government, to negotiate and discuss decent methods of solving the problem.

There is no point in anyone dictating terms on "solutions" without getting the agreement from the terrorists that they truly want peace and normalcy. One cannot clap with one hand, isn't it so? At the same time, the territorial boundaries cannot be surrendered because of uncivilized and indecent behavior of the terrorists! Does the Church have an account of how many arms and legs of innocent civilians have been mutilated (as punishment) by the terrorists during two and half decades? What has the Church done so far to stop it? Is it only the government that is causing suffering?

All those born and bred in this country, whether clergy or civilian has an allegiance towards this country called Sri Lanka and are expected to help to protect it from terrorism- let us not be hypocrites or " katin bathale kole hituwane" strategists who think they know the recipes and answers to all ills!