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Ireland and Sri Lanka: Comparing
the Incomparable
Dilrook Kannangara
Similar problems have similar solutions, and, dissimilar problems have
dissimilar solutions. On a superficial sense, both SL and NI (Northern
Ireland) experienced terrorism. Both terror groups were demanding self-rule;
both instigate along racial/ethnic/religious lines; both have political
wings; both have the support from a large number of people. However,
the two rebel groups are widely different.
Cart before the horse
The IRA is ruled by Sinn Fein; a group strongly believing in democracy,
compromise and on civilised means of conflict resolution. Ceasefire
means a ceasefire to them and the IRA was ordered to decommission its
weapons for the ceasefire to hold. And of course, they did so. Under
no circumstances, did the IRA overrule the Sinn Fein. Sinn Fein members
were not hostages of the IRA; on the contrary, both had mutual respect
for each other and always upheld the force of politics over military
force.
As regards the LTTE, it is a pathetic story. LTTE has terrorised Tamil
politicians into submission. All Tamil political activists who valued
democracy and negotiations were gunned down including A Amirthalingam,
N Thiruchelvam, L Kadirgaman, etc. LTTE has nominated a group called
TNA to do their menial jobs, not to guide the LTTE. Additionally, the
LTTE has its own political wing. This ‘political wing’ has
no public support and is headed by the barber of the LTTE leader! This
political leader’s only qualification is that the terror leader
trusts him with a blade at his neck!
LTTE agreed to a cease fire (not a ceasefire) soon after the West declared
war on terror. Unlike ceasefires elsewhere, this one was flawed from
the start. It was abbreviated to CFA, which stands for Cease Fire Agreement
clearly not a ceasefire. From the day it was signed, LTTE firing increased
gradually. It had an auspicious start when the navy was confronted just
hours after it was signed. Many Tamil democratic politicians, armed
forces personnel, members of national intelligent units, civilians and
foreign nationals (Indians and Chinese) were brutally killed. Shiploads
of arms found they way to the terrorists in stark contrast to what the
IRA did. Tamil political actors were trumpeting the praises of the terrorists
instead of guiding them. Surely, the LTTE has put the cart before the
horse. There is no sense in ‘talking’ to their political agents
who have no power to make decisions and who are appointed by the terrorist
wing!
No compromise
Sinn Fein was very good at negotiations because its members knew how
to give and take. There were no absolute demands or demands that may
breed further demands. This is widely different to the LTTE, which harps
on a mono-ethnic state for Tamils, and they have made it only too clear
that they won’t settle for less. Thereby they have left nothing
to negotiate!
Mono-ethnic
Northern Ireland is home not only to Catholics, but also to Protestants,
other Christians and those professing other faiths. Sinn Fein and IRA
have never tried to create a state where only one group of people could
live. Instead, they have come to terms with other democratic leaders
who represent different ethnic groups. This is the way of the civilised,
called co-existence. Things would be even better if most NI residents
can overcome ethnic/religious limitations as in Sri Lanka. In SL the
Sinhalese, Tamils and Muslims en masse vote for Sinhalese candidates
in presidential elections. From the 1982 presidential election, through
the 1988, 1994, 1999 and 2005 presidential elections, most Tamils and
most Muslims have voted for Sinhalese candidates. However, in all presidential
elections after 1983, turnout at some electorates were low because of
JVP/LTTE terrorist activity.
However, the LTTE only want Tamils, particularly the Northern Tamils
to live in its Tamil Elam dreamland. Unthinkable brutality has been
unleashed on Muslims and Sinhalese to leave their dreamland. These include
indiscriminate firing at villagers, desecrating their places of religious
worship, killing worshipers while in prayer, slaying busloads of priests,
cutting down water supply to tens of thousands of families, massacring
villages as not seen anywhere in the modern world and other unprecedented
brutality on civilians.
Who said Northern Ireland and Sri Lanka is comparable?
Rebels fighting for the people verses people fighting for the rebels
Call it liberation; in NI, the IRA has fought the British army and bore
the brunt of it themselves. In wide contrast, in SL, the LTTE uses the
people whom they say are being liberated, in their front line defending
LTTE cadres and leaders. Whenever the SL army launches an operation
against the LTTE, its leaders go into hiding behind the civilians. The
IRA never used human shields though it is the main weapon of the LTTE.
When NI was engulfed in war, the safest places were civilian homes whereas
in SL the safest place is LTTE leader’s home!!
Liberators killing the seekers of liberation
LTTE has killed more Tamils than SL troops have. It is the exact opposite
about the IRA. The IRA was concerned about its people whereas the LTTE
would sacrifice any number of civilian lives at its disposal to get
what it wants.
Living with the insurgents and living under terrorists
Northern Ireland residents have not left their homeland in fear of IRA
oppression. However, the track record of the LTTE is just the opposite.
Tamils have fled the LTTE to live among the Sinhalese in the ‘south’
and nearly a three quarter of a million have left the country. Were
the NI residents so desperate to go live in England in such large numbers
as Tamils in Sri Lanka have done? Have they left the UK/Ireland behind
to live elsewhere as a result of IRA activity in such large numbers
as Tamils have?
The answers are in the negative.
Sinn Fein supporters are willing to live with their liberators whereas
Tamils vehemently reject to live with or under the LTTE (even with free
transport to LTTE controlled areas!).
Real IRA
The issue most would rather avoid. The armed group called the Real IRA
still engages in terrorist activity. It is a banned terrorist organisation.
They have not given up their terrorist activities in spite of Sinn Fein,
etc. joining the democratic mainstream. What about the Real IRA? When
will they stop terrorism? Why don’t the British government give
whatever they want and satisfy them hoping that it will end their terrorism?
Scholars citing Ireland as an example and ‘enlightened’ hypocrites
conveniently avoid these real issues.
Ethnic intolerance among the people
Intermittent killing of civilians based on religion continues in NI
and tensions run high during religious processions. These are enough
evidence to suggest that the fires are still burning beneath the smiling
faces of politicians. This is again different to Sri Lanka where ‘people
at conflict’ – according to the Westerners - are at peace
at each others’ religious sites. Both groups patronise Kataragama,
St Anthony’s Church-Colombo, Koneswaram, Munneswaram, Nagadeepa,
Kelaniya, Kandy, St Anne’s Shrine-Madu, etc., etc. A few dozen
Hindu religious processions take place in Colombo every year and in
other areas in the ‘south’ without any racial tensions. There
has never been any racially instigated violence, intolerance or friction
around these shrines. Are we to follow Northern Ireland? If we do, it
is simply degeneration.
The numbers
Even the numbers don’t compare; the SL conflict has taken more
than 70,000 lives whereas the NI conflict took only a fraction of it.
The number of IDPs and externally displaced people of each conflict
differ even widely. The ratio of combatants to civilians in LTTE controlled
area is hundreds of times higher than IRA/Sinn Fein to NI civilians.
Average earnings of a NI resident is at least 30 times higher than an
average SL resident. So many demographic and economic incomparables
exist between the two that demands two different solutions.
Powerful British propaganda verses media Apartheid against Sri Lanka
Propaganda is part of war and peace. Killing scores in Vietnam, Afghanistan,
Iraq, Argentina etc. is backed by the powerful British media, which
justifies such genocides. Although British Muslims have aspirations,
these aspirations are suppressed by this media. The UK government that
refuses to negotiate with terrorists even when its own citizens’
lives are at stake tells SL to negotiate with terrorists!! On one hand,
British troops go plundering civilian houses in Iraq and Afghanistan
and on the other provide refuge to terrorists from Sri Lanka, Chechnya,
Iran, Pakistan, etc. While not giving an ear to Britain’s home
grown terrorism, it professes a negotiated settlement for a terrorist
problem far away. What if Sri Lanka tells Britain to find a political
solution to its homegrown terrorism? What if SL harbours the bombers
of 7/7?
Hypocrisy meets hypocrisy
The other superpowers have learnt from the British how to preach one
thing and do another much to the detriment of British interests. When
Darfur came up at the UN, China vetoed the attempt to interfere. Russia
and China did the same on the Iran issue. Same will happen about Kosovo
independence, Israel-Palestine, North Korea, etc.
Then there is the big issue about global warming taken up by the aspiring
next British PM (after Brown). So who cares? China, India, the US and
Australia will never join Britain in this hypocritical endeavour. Having
acquired wealth from the industrial revolution (IR), now it is trying
to stop the industrial revolutions of China and India. It has been found
that carbon from the original IR still lingers in the atmosphere. If
this is not about hypocrisy or jealousy, it got to be a joke.
Nuclear superpower verses a struggling democracy
Being a superpower, UK can throw its weight around especially against
struggling democracies like SL. However, when faced with countries like
Russia, Iran and China, it surrenders like an Ostrich. As many earthlings
agree, we need a different world order led by a world superpower not
intent on poking its greedy fingers into others’ affairs.
After losing to Sunni-Muslims led Al Qaeda in Iraq and Afghanistan,
these puffed-up superpowers will have to succumb to a new emerging superpower
driven by Jihad. On the other hand, the Shiite-Muslims are also arming
themselves with nuclear weapons against western interests and there
is nothing that can be done to stop them. People in western courtiers
are exhausted of wars whereas their adversaries are only warming up!
The grand western strategy of inciting wars among different Muslim groups
has failed to spread beyond Iraq. This is the emerging world order,
right or wrong. It is unfortunate that it was brought about by the British
and other ‘crusaders’; it is even more unfortunate by them
that they don’t see the connection.
At least now, these hypocrites should realise that terrorism anywhere
is equal to terrorism at home. They should stop mass-producing and protecting
Frankenstein monsters. At the very least, they should keep quite while
we finish the butchery of one such monster. The world will be a much
better place without an armed LTTE.
Sri Lanka is rather similar to what Bolivia went through decades ago
when it was defying all free advice, threats and intimidation from hypocrites
and was cruising its way to exterminate its iconic terrorists.
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