SHEDDING CROCODILE TEARS TO GET THE ‘KAPPAN HIGHWAY’OPENED

A.A.M.NIZAM MATARA.

Tiger terrorist outfit is the world’s only terrorist organization that oppresses and tyrannizes the very people it claims to represent, primarily for the luxury and well being of its leadership. The backboneless bunch of parliamentarians ever to emerge on the surface of this globe upon getting fraudulently nominated for some of the Northern and Eastern province electorates shamelessly stand as proxies of the terrorist outfit and blindly collaborate with them to oppress and deny the rights of the people they are supposed to protect and represent. Their latest move against the Tamil masses is the sit-in protest being staged in the Parliament backing the demand of the terrorist outfit to open the A-9 (Kandy-Jaffna) road, which is well known as the “Kappan Highway” that had become a gold mine for the terrorist outfit to bleed the Tamil masses in the North, with a cruel tax structure.

The terrorist outfit is desperate for funds following its proscriptions in 29 of the world’s leading nations and freezing of some of its Bank accounts in Sri Lanka and abroad. It is to compensate this loss of financial resources they demand the opening of the “Kappan Highway” which independent sources estimate to have been providing the terrorist outfit over 10 million rupees a day in the form of various taxes it levy on the people and the vehicular traffic that pass through the terrorist check point at Muhamalai onthis highway .

The “Kappan Highway” is a gold mine bestowed on the terrorist outfit by the ignominious Ranil/Prabhakaran CFA. Article 2:10 of this ignominious CFA merely called for opening of the road for non-military traffic of goods and passengers but failed to impose necessary safeguards to protect the right of passengers or the masses resident in the North, leaving all the loopholes for the terrorist outfit to use it as a base for strengthening its coffers as well as a tool for its political and military advantages.

Fortified by the license given by the CFA the terrorist outfit converted the Muhamalai check point on the highway as its main Custom Office, and started levying taxes on all passengers and goods that crossed the road. Each passenger has to pay U.S.$ one hundred as tax and those employed overseas or foreigners required to pay this amount in foreign currency. The rates applicable for goods transported for sale in the North or taken by passengers for personal use include 25% for building materials, electronic and electrical items, lubricating oils, cigarettes, tyres and tubes, liquor, machinery and spare parts, and furniture, 20% on essential goods, beedi and cigars, household utensils, cosmetic items, and stationery items, 15% on vehicles, work- related machines, tractor spares, edible oils and coconut oils, soft drinks, confectionary, and biscuits, 12 ½% on solar panels and solar torches, 10% on fishing hooks and fishing gear, thread, asbestos, agricultural implements, sports goods and equipment, condensed milk, soaps, shampoo, toothpaste, tooth brushes, aeromatic coffee, textile and fruits, Rs.15/- per litre of petrol and diesel, Rs. 10/- per litre of kerosene and similar rates for other products. Every item that passes through this terrorist check-point is subjected to this illegal tax and there is no tax free item, or tax exemption for anyone.

It is for this reason that many independent Tamil sources have strongly called on the government to ensure that this inhuman taxation is not imposed any more by the terrorist outfit if the road is to be opened once again. The dollar vultures and the political opportunists who make hue and cry about high cost of living in the North and the purported difficulties being experienced by the Tamil masses in the North deliberately hide the fact that these innocent masses are experiencing untold difficulties merely due to the fact the prices of goods are inflated in the North in consequent to the Terrorist Tax being levied on each and every item that reach the North.

The foremost priority of the backboneless terrorist proxy MPs should be, if they are true representatives of the Tamil population in the North and the East, to stand against these inhuman taxes and struggle to bring down the inflated unrealistic prices of goods the Tamil masses are forced to accept. Prior to starting their protest in the Parliament the proxy MP Mavai Senathirajah has made a lengthy speech shedding crocodile tears and accusing the government being responsible for the difficulties being endured by the masses in the North and erroneously claiming that these difficulties have arisen due to the closure of the Muhamalai check point. By their protest against the closure of the check-point and demanding the government to open it, voicing the very demand of the terrorist outfit, this gang of shameless 22 MPs has brought ignominy to the very concept of MPs and has given it a new meaning as Marauders of People.

Steps being taken by the government to transport Jaffna bound passengers and essential food items from Trincomalee to Kankesanthurai via ships chartered by the government must receive the admiration of everyone, especially the non-terrorist Tamil masses if they are really concerned about their community living in the North and in Jaffna. The recent military actions that neutralized the threats existed in the sea-routes have made these exercises feasible. These steps clearly shows the difference between the actions of a responsible government duty bound to serve the masses without any political mileage and a ruthless terrorist outfit that does not hesitate to suck the blood of innocent masses under its own jackboot for the lavish existence of its leadership.

The latest decision taken by the government on a directive of the President to streamline the distribution of essential items in the Jaffna peninsula in collaboration with the private sector is a welcome move. Similarly early action should be taken to open an alternative route using the Jaffna-Pooneryn road and joining it to the main road at Paranthan. This would completely stop the inhuman taxes being levied by the terrorist outfit and help the masses in the North to enjoy an equitable price structure as that is prevalent in the rest of the country. It would even in the long run mobilize the masses in the North to revolt against the terrorist outfit for pauperizing them by subjecting to a cruel tax structure.