SRI LANKA-FROM HERE TO ETERNITY
by GOMIN DAYASRI
Sri Lanka may win the battle against Tamil Tigers but
not the war as “they have’nt got the Tamils on their side
-N.K.Narayan, National Security Advisor (India)
India neither could defeat the Tamil Tigers nor get the Tamils on their
side when the IPKF was around in the North and East. Defeated on both
fronts in despair they left. Can Sri Lanka do both or undo the gallant
work of the armed forces who have sacrificed so much?
An expression by the National Security Advisor but there is more to
it –it reflects more the hopes of India than the thoughts of India.
Yet it carries a message which needs to be addressed. The grievances
of the Tamils require responses. It is not only the Tamils but should
include other minorities together with the Sinhalese who are a provincial
minority in two provinces, all of whom have exclusive grievances. Importantly,
are they legitimate grievances? If so, it is imperative that relief
must be forthcoming without hindrance.
It is not only the Tamils who face problems, so do the Muslims and the
Sinhalese whom Narayan’s India has forgotten because they do not
have a constituency such as the Tamil Nadu which props any cause of
their brethren across the Palk Strait irrespective of the leadership
they profess whether federalism or terrorism. Politically, Narayan has
to pamper Tamil Nadu to keep the Congress in office, yet mindful that
if secession tendencies succeed in Sri Lanka, central government of
India will be in peril as it will serve as an impetus for their own
terrorist and separatist movements, which are proliferating presently.
India’s prescriptions for the neighbors are always primarily in
the interest of India yet it contains a worthwhile message. Though most
of the problems are endemic to all communities, after a 30 year war
to display good faith of a caring majority the legitimate grievances
of the minorities require priority attention in a nation building exercise.
The Sinhala majority should give leadership to achieve these objectives
to convince the Tamils of their sincerity.
It is the Sinhalese leadership that must be in the forefront of the
struggle to attend to the legitimate grievances of the minorities, after
the annihilation of the terrorists. It would be an ideal rejoinder to
the cries of federalism which can lay the seeds to futuristic secession
movements that will once again surface after the defeat of the present
terrorists to breed fresh terrorism. Grievances of the minorities can
be addressed forthwith without the tinkering of Constitution which is
an impossibility to amend with provisions dealing with 2/3 majorities
and a referendum. Therefore a pragmatic and a priority approach are
paramount.
Tamils have watched the situation sitting on the fence to see who may
win the final battle. True, many of the innocent Tamil people in the
Wanni region are captive in the hands of the LTTE who manipulate them
to suit their agenda. Majority of the Tamils preferred to live with
the Sinhalese with whom they have many common identities or seek residence
abroad, rather than under the yoke of the terrorists. Over the years
they learnt life was more secure and comfortable with the Sinhalese
than under the terrorists. They had no love for any government or terrorist
but willing to switch allegiance to which ever side that emerges triumphantly
for their own betterment. Those who went abroad desired to return triumphantly
and supported the LTTE displaying the traditional expatriate mentality
of “returning nobodies attempting to be some bodies” in their
visionary state of Elam. A telling characteristic was that the Tamils
escaped from the clutches of the LTTE wherever possible to emigrate
abroad or live with the Sinhalese. Still they cheered whenever the LTTE
defeated the predominantly Sinhala dominated armed forces from afar,
as being of common Dravidian stock (just as much as they would at the
cinema for a hero) but cared not to live beside them- understandably
it was toss up in a head or tails situation. Now that the security forces
are forging ahead, few Tamils openly support the terrorists. Colombo’s
elite society is no different; but more opportunistic. Tamils were under
an element of duress, which the decadent Colombo’s commercial interests
cannot plead in defense. Unless India’s intelligence services sourced,
that the days of Prabhakaran were numbered, Narayan would not have gone
the distance.
Our governments of the past and present - for which the Sinhalese voted
overwhelmingly - have to share the blame. With the politicization of
the administration from 1972, merit gave way to sycophancy and created
a class of administrators who worked to the dictates of the political
authority to whom priority was their electorate. They neither identified
the legitimate grievances of the minorities nor found solutions for
the identified grievances. Worse, they have not given effect to the
language provisions which are enshrined in statutes making it unquestionably
a legitimate grievance. If there was insufficient funding, surely foreign
financial and logistic assistance could have been sought and it would
have been forthcoming. The prima facie the grievances of the Tamils
can be identified but it requires attention as to their legitimacy which
must be determined so that reliefs flow to the genuinely deprived. Otherwise
as in the case of the Indian estate Tamils- the party they voted for
held Cabinet portfolio under each successive government from 1977, unique
in our political annals- but beneficiaries have been the CWC leadership
and not the estate Tamils. It is a classic case of a community under
the captivity of a monopolistic single party where relief does not percolate
down to the people.
The identified itemized minority grievances as reflected in the experts
committee report are as follows:-
1.Failure to implement language provisions enshrined in the law
2.Security Concerns
3Acquistion of Land
4.Land and Water
5.Child Recruitment
6.Lack of development
7.Multi ethnic defense and police force
8 Lack of Employment opportunities
9Rehabilitation of internally displaced persons
10 Inadequate infrastructural benefits
The majority of the grievances are common to all communities though
there are some which attract only the minorities.
It is probable that after the defeat of the LTTE militarily, all those
who opposed terrorism will have divergent views in settling the national
issue. There would be many in the ranks of those leading the fight against
terrorism with words who will desire to impose a federal solution Those
who are tacitly assisting the terrorists with foreign funding will settle
for a federal structure as a comfortable stepping stone to revive separatism.
To them if Elam is not possible today, they will look to an Elam for
the future and construct a road map that will lead to a distant Elam.
Presently knowing that Elam via Prabhakaran is a faded dream with the
terrorists losing ground on all fronts- no more homage will be paid
to the sun god and he would soon be disposable. His foreign aided local
sponsors would now maintain a temporary low profile and search for issues
in the interim such as corruption and good governance to come clean
from the muck and dirt acquired on backing losing issues and unearth
a leadership that will be amenable for their accommodation from where
they can launch a campaign to usher the seeds of federalism. The realignment
of the divergent groups may arise where common enemies will become common
friends in the name of federalism. Search has to be for a new leader
acceptable to India and the International Community knowing well the
UNP in the present form cannot win the electorate. Presently, the Leader
of the Opposition is more in peril than the Head of State in a possible
ouster by the same forces that once brought him to power. With the defeat
of the terrorists, to survive they have to strike fast and the immediate
objective is the Leader of the Opposition the softest target for dismissal.
The prime issue is to ensure whatever solution is reached on the national
issue, no legacy be kept alive for the revival of terrorism in the future.
To do that requires reasonably satisfied minorities who have reasonable
confidence in the government- basic requirement is, immediate action
by the government to win hearts and mind of the minorities on fast delivery
that brings satisfaction and not mere empty words and political fanfare
to satisfy cahoots. Terrorism is a lurking fear in every country and
can never be totally eliminated but there is an area where road blocks
can be introduced to ensure that terrorism can be halted by legitimate
means swiftly; by enabling constitutional and statutory provisions to
halt a resurrection of terrorism and such preventive methods to eliminate
terrorism if it surfaces again. J.R.Jayawardane bequeathed the Eastern
Province to the terrorists; Premadasa provided arms ammunition money
cement and shelter to the terrorists; Chandrika Kumaranatunga created
financial structures with the PTOMS to fund the terrorists; Ranil Wickremasinghe
gifted the CFA to the terrorists to strengthen themselves to launch
more terrorist attacks on the State - so it only entrenched provisions
that will stand as a guarantee to the State in a fight against terrorism
in the future. If a federal constitution was installed such as envisaged
in the 2000 Bill of Chandrika Kumaranatunga it would have been the launching
pad for Prabhakaran to usher the State of Elam. It contains the ingredients
to sow the seeds of secession.
Like it or hate it-Sri Lanka has to live with the 13th Amendment. India
has realized it more than Sri Lanka as the architects of the legislation.
With the experience of 19 years the Provincial Council system has proved
to be a colossal failure yet it cannot be jettisoned due to an unworkable
amending procedure. Still more in its reintroduction no room should
be left for the resurrection of a rebellion and harmful provisions has
to be cushioned. Nevertheless the grievances of the minorities cannot
be assuaged with constitutional or legal provisions as experienced-it
will satisfy only the political authorities or international community
or aspiring terrorists. It requires for its fulfillment political will,
necessary legislative instruments, speedy executive directives, judicial
support, administrative integrity and ingenuity, a caring majority and
a considerate minority.
The satisfaction of the grievances will directly reach the People while
devolution alone will enhance powers acquired by politicians and how
much will trickle down to the constituents is doubtful. Provincial Council
and the conduct of the candidates at elections is a sufficient illustration.
Naturally politicians will seek devolution for their own enhancement.
However if grievances are eliminated or reduced, the minorities as individuals,
will be satisfied their needs have received attention and leaves less
room for another Prabhakaran to emerge. Devolution alone can breed more
Valatharaja Perumals and his legion of Ministers with a declaration
of an independent state especially in defense related matters such as
police powers and right to state lands for defense purposes which are
necessary instruments to abort separatism. Therefore 13th Amendment
must be implemented taking into consideration time frames and security
concerns mindful that terrorism has yet not being eradicated. Grievances
must be on a faster track than devolution.
|
