Situation in Sri Lanka: Who is our real enemy?A question we need to ask ourselves is who really is our enemy?

Shenali Waduge

The recent escalation in violence is viewed by many from different angles. Tragically people are not thinking as Sri Lankan’s. As always political jibes surfaces. The UNP is quick to remark that the period of cease fire signed by them created a “no war”, “no violence” and “no checkpoints” situation. True… but it did also pave the way for the terrorists to nicely travel throughout the country and carefully plan how they would strike next. Now with the likelihood of rough times ahead the decision to enter into a war situation lies in the hands of the Government – the men in saffron robes or any other party should not feel the need to have to force the Government to take up such action.

For the ordinary people, we wonder where all this will actually end. We have gone through 3 wars & each war was followed with a “return to the negotiation table” and another stalemate situation creating puppets out of our armed forces. Negotiations are good so long as both sides want to negotiate and reach a compromised solution. But when the perpetrator is resolved in his bid to create a separate homeland wherein he is to reign supreme what purpose does negotiations hold and most importantly for whom. Negotiations have provided only an interim period of “volatile peace” despite any proclamations made by the Nordic peace monitors. For various reasons many feel satisfied with this volatile and unpredictable set up but one is led to question its time duration.

A simple point that everyone needs to clearly comprehend is that in a war situation people will die. There have been no wars without deaths. The armed forces cannot possibly carry out bombing on Tiger targets when the LTTE does not engage in conventional warfare. They are in guerilla clothing, often using the public as human shields and no one really knows what the tiger looks like. Thus, it is rather childish to find fault with the armed forces when civilians loose lives as a result of aerial bombings. LTTE media channels are making hue and cry over the deaths of a large number of children in an orphanage. But does it not seem strange that this orphanage is housing children in the age group of 15 to 18. This is surely something questionable.

Prior to any ceasefire throughout the previous 3 wars we have had plenty of deaths & each time we suddenly find the weakened side quickly calling for a cessation of hostilities and then once more tete-a-tetes with the very men who have killed innocent people. Therefore, any Government should realize that there is a limit to people’s patience & the tango’s of the past Governments cannot be continuously repeated. Thus, one thing that the Government should realize is that the people will be backing the Government so long as the Government is steadfast in its resolve. Once and for all the Government must decide whether they can and are equipped militarily to completely annihilate the Tamil tigers and free the North and East & relieve the people from the misery and fear. The people do not want to see people die in vain if we are once again to enter into a period of “make believe peace” & then to once more enter a period of uncertainty. Thus all Governmental machinery must quickly align itself to this goal and also get the support of the public for this purpose.

No one wants to advocate war but then we have come to a period wherein we need to really question who are enemy is. Political parties should realize the dangers in sleeping with the enemy! The LTTE is never likely to request party followers that are faithful to them to steer clear of areas they are likely to bomb. All parties that should realize that when the LTTE strikes it strikes it will never tell before hand any of its political allies to keep away.

We now come to the question of the fear factor amongst the Tamils as well as the question of feeling that these terrorists are of Tamil blood. True, but they need to also accept that these people are satans of society. The 1988-89 period that saw the surface of the JVP revolt was answered with a simple strategy by late Ranjan Wijerante. Identify the enemy and destroy it. No foreign nation ever stopped and even the Sinhalese wanted these rebels of society completely annihilated. The task done, years later the JVP had to change its stance and give up the strategy of forcibly coming into governance.

Another thing that we need to also remember is that there must surely be a great difference in what the LTTE supremo Prabakaran wants and want the men domiciled in the Western world holding foreign passports want. We are more than aware that Prabakaran has corrected the infamous theoretician about some matter of fact remarks made without prior consultation with the LTTE supreme. The LTTE living in foreign shores have a different agenda and it is definitely different to that propagated by Prabakaran. But both cannot do without the other & find themselves complimenting each other.

But, having gone through over 20 years of a very dangerous game of give and take it has only led to thousands sacrificing their lives in vain and enough is enough. It is time for the Government to tell its people what it plans to do.

An all out war if it must happen means that the people are in for some rough times ahead. People must be prepared for this. However, the Government and its Ministers must realize first that whatever happens it should not mean rough times for the people and luxuries still for them. The Government must first show leadership through example then they will surely receive the respect of the masses.