Comments on: The shame of Menik Farm

By: Heshan

Heshan — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 05:42:44 +0000

The manner in which the latest war was fought and “won” did not pave the way for a political settlement. We cannot separate the two phases – war and post-war – because in both cases the victims were Tamils and the victor was a Sinhala dominated government. Clearly, there needs to be some kind of intermediary between “Tamil” and “Sinhala dominated government.” In the ideal scenario, that vacuum would be filled by “political solution.” Unfortunately a political solution, these days – if it is to be fair – requires that certain democratic ideals be in place beforehand. I could keep going with this argument but let me state the fundamental dynamic at work here: Sri Lanka is inherently flawed at an institutional level. Without adequate reform of such institutions, half-baked political solutions and so-called wars of liberation matter little. The inability of particular institutions to function independently – or even function at all – will forever reflect back (negatively) on the society at large, thereby perpetuating this vicious cycle of paranoia and misguided “patriotism.” You may not agree with this, but the real war of liberation should have begun with the Constitution, not against the LTTE.

By: Java Jones

Java Jones — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 04:54:27 +0000

One really has to wonder at the GOSL’s rationale – it beggars belief!

By: Robin

Robin — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 17:58:23 +0000

I agree with all you say. And this is what liberation from the ruthless tyranny that held them captive for many years (as the Government spokesmen say) actually means for these Tamil men, women and children. Surely they will consider their former life under the LTTE as better than languishing in these wretched camps. Is there no conception of winning hearts and minds among the ‘glass jawed patriots’ you refer to. What is the real reason for holding them in these camps for so long. Not land mines or the caches of arms that are being daily discovered with such publicity. Is it that they may talk or write once they are released. And the story will be difficult for any of us to stomach.

By: Talking Head

Talking Head — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 17:17:43 +0000

Ardneham,

Hey, man, I know nothing about your country, but I read on Time magazine that “modayas” are the only ones capable of defeating terrorism.

Like, man, are they using irony to call those people brilliant?

God Bless!

By: smoulderingjin

smoulderingjin — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 16:19:29 +0000

I agree – Norman Grace.

Structural violence is complicit with the more nuanced forms of injustice – ie injustice that passes for the reverse. Moreover, structural violence cannot be defined concretely and so remains “invisible”, even passing, as one can see on the forum, for a move towards peace. ie suffering, mental trauma, death, bereavement are “normal” and the IDPs should be grateful for the absence of the violence of the LTTE. I suppose the absence of pro-active violence enables people to believe that there is no “violence” being done.

A valid question – what do we name those who continue to inflict intolerable suffering by structural violence?

By: ardneham

ardneham — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 14:47:37 +0000

Sinhalaya Modaya goes a saying and this applies to the Defense Ministry for
unwittingly internationalising an internal ethnic problem, even when there
are political moves beyond their control.

By: K.Anaga

K.Anaga — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 11:11:55 +0000

Lord Buddha’s teachings have all gone down the drain with the floods into the Excreta Pits of the IDP camps.

By: dayanjohn

dayanjohn — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 11:01:21 +0000

A very well written article. It is a pity that the Sinhala reading public are not privy to this information. Is there some way these articles can be translated to sinhala and published. or maybe a sinhala version of Groundviews might help ?.

thnks SH, keep up the good work.

By: Norman Grace

Norman Grace — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 08:17:30 +0000

Peace building is more challenging than pracekeeping. We invited India to keep peace which worked just the opposite. The present regime has defeated the terrorrist by killing them to keep peace. Absence of war is not peace. Peace can be attained only when all types of violences are eradicated. There is a violence called structural violence which is hardly noticeable. The authorities in power generally prefer to use structual violence as it inflict same amount of fear and destruction as direct violence. Direct violence can be defeated by counter violence. But structural violence!

The IDPs are facing structural violence. It’s not second to direct. The fear, suffering, mental torture, physical violence, humiliation, dependency, undernourishment, epidemic, death are all equal the effects of direct violence. When someone is involved in direct violence we name them as terrorists. How are we going to name those who inflict pain and cause death by usinf structural violence?

By: Raj Gonsalkorale

Raj Gonsalkorale — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 06:45:34 +0000

While the governments position is as understood as much as the authors concern, it certainly defies belief why the government is shooting themselves in their own feet and not doing something more to address the issue of IDPs on a more urgent basis, as it is, if not it will, become a public relations disaster for the government which they could well avoid. Ignoring the rest of the world when battling the LTTE during the last stages of the war was one thing, but ignoring even friendly concern expressed by friends, both governments and individuals, is another. The job of looking after 280,000 IDPs cant be easy, as the government has to prepare something like 1million meals a day besides all other things that have to be done. Those who have visited these camps have spoken of the sorry state that most people live in, although many have acknowledged the government has and is doing a lot to improve conditions there. If that is the case, the PR machine of the government hasnt done a good job, as the general impression amongst many is that the IDPs are treated more or less as third class citizens. not even as second class ones. If the government has nothing to fear, as many government personnel are saying all the time, then the best thing would be to give access to some agencies at least to all areas but the high security zone of Menik Farm and lay to rest the concerns expressed by many well meaning individuals like the author of this article.

By: a person

a person — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 06:01:16 +0000

A commendable commentary on the current situation, but frustratingly it falls on deaf ears and brainwashed minds. The vile apathy of the south seems to be key facilitating factor in this horrendous situation. Racism is now on the surface of Sri Lankan society and this has only exposed the rotten, shameful nature of our poor island nation all too clearly. If the civilians who fled the Vanni were happy to be free of the LTTE so many months ago when this debacle started, seeing the response of their “fellow countrymen” in the south to their plight over the last few months must be astounding – what choice are we giving them? No political solution, no freedom of movement, incarceration in squalid conditions. If there is a new wave of violence in response to this, the blame for this should fall squarely on the shoulders of the south; those who turned a blind eye or falteringly cheered the government on – even in the face of so much evidence of wrong doing and injustice. Shame on all of us.