Ahh… the “Buddhist” nation in its triumphal moment of glory! More like, the “Sinhala-Buddhist” nation at the height of its 2500 year DECLINE. Let me add to the list: the use of chemical/phosphorous bombs, the mowing down in cold blood of any LTTE leadership who surrendered, the days long victory celebrations exclusively in the South while tens of thousands of IDP’s, many separated from families, wallowed in dusty refugee camps, and finally, Mahinda Rajapakse’s failure to meet even a single IDP personally.

Ahh… the “Buddhist” nation in its triumphal moment of glory! More like, the “Sinhala-Buddhist” nation at the height of its 2500 year DECLINE. Let me add to the list: the use of chemical/phosphorous bombs, the mowing down in cold blood of any LTTE leadership who surrendered, the days long victory celebrations exclusively in the South while tens of thousands of IDP’s, many separated from families, wallowed in dusty refugee camps, and finally, Mahinda Rajapakse’s failure to meet even a single IDP personally.

(Dr. Nadesan is the Editor of UTHAYAM, the Tamil community newspaper in
Australia. He led the recent delegation of Tamil expatriates to open a
dialogue with the Govt.of Sri Lanka)

Dr. Noel Nadesan-, Australia

The Sri Lankan President, Mahinda Rajapaksa, deserves the congratulations
of all Sir Lankan regardless of their ethnicity. More than any other
community, the Sri Lankan Tamils owe him their thanks for ending their
misery. As every body knows Tamils in Sri Lanka were under the delusion
of Tamil Eelam. His victory should at last cure this mental illness of the
Tamils. Sri Lanka has at last found the leader who can act above the
pressures of communal forces that had beveled Sri Lankan politics for the
last 60 years.

President Rajapaksa arrived on the political scene at a time when all the
communities were sick of this war. All communities wanted an end to the
futile war. He arrived at the correct time to win the backing of all
peace-loving people.

His political leadership was strengthened by his brothers Basil Rajapaksa
who played a key role in the political field and Gotabaya Rajapaksa in the
military field. He was ably assisted by a talented military commander,
Gen. Sarath Fonseka. This is the first time in last thirty years
political leadership did not interfere in military matters. Nor did they
use military successes to their political advantage though the advantages
fell into their lap automatically. .

LTTE performed pathetically by rejecting Norway mediation, demanding
parity of status with the Sri Lankan government and by sending imbeciles
for the negotiation with Sri Lankan government. A look at the list of the
Tamil negotiators made it clear to me that LTTE was not interested in
negotiating peace. Most of them are from Australia where I live. I will
not even send them even to buy a packet of cigarettes from the corner
shop, let alone bargaining for Eelam. Prabakaran dream was shattered when
the Eastern commander Karuna split with the Wanni leadership on genuine
grievances. Predictably LTTE leadership sent a team to kill him so. He had
no option but to defect to the government.

LTTE killed the Sri Lankan foreign minister Lakshman Kadirgamar during the
ceasefire with Sri Lanka. The government maintained commendable restraint.
LTTE, however, overstepped its mark when it attempted to assassinate the
military commander. War was inevitable as LTTE increased tensions and
violence.

In Mavil Aru and Mutur, LTTE gave legitimate reasons for the Sri Lankan
government to counter-attack which ended on the beaches of the Jaffna
lagoon. These are some reasons that led to Eelam War IV. But there are
also deeper and intrinsically ingrained reasons for the war. It is little
known that Veluppilai Prapaharan’s personality was not conducive for
peace. He revealed his sadistic tendencies from a young age. As a young
boy he was given to killing garden lizards and birds with his catapult. He
is a school drop out who quit school at the age of 10. It was during this
time that the Jaffna student agitated on the language issue and admission
to university. Prabhakaran was engaged more in internal and personal power
struggles even during this time killing his opponents. In 1979 April he
killed his comrade-in-arms, called Suthumali Pattkunam, when he was fast
asleep. By this time he was addicted to killing. The internecine warfare
among Tamil militants began in the seventies. All these happed before
1983. We cannot blame the Sri Lankan government or Sinhala community for
the crimes committed by Tamil militants. . Tamils were killed even for
petty thefts. Early in 1982, when I was passing Columbagam and Kachcheri
Road in Jaffna, I saw the body of one petty thief left to rot on the road.
I was told that he was killed by Tigers and he was left there as a lesson
for others. This is the first time I realized that Jaffna was breeding a
fascist outfit. What most do not know is that he was born with sadism in
his bones. As a young boy he was once playing marbles with another young
Tamil boy. He soon found that he was losing to his friend. Angered by this
he took a stick and poked in his friend’s eyes, blinding him forever. That
is Prabahakaran.

That cruelty turned me off the LTTE. I also made it a point to study his
tactics more closely. His cruelty was also predictable. But it is sad to
note that his fascist cult attracted many intelligent people. And some of
them even became victims of his fascist cult.

When I was in India helping refugees during 84-87, I had opportunity to
learn more about him.I had the opportunity to listen to his order to
liquidate TELO issued through the wireless set up in Chennai. I was also
getting first hand information about LTTE massacring other Tamils in
Kanthankarunai in Nallur. After I received the news of the massacre news,
I felt sick in my stomach. I can still remember the feeling even after 22
years…

After coming to Australia I was disappointed that the Sri Lankan
governments allowed it to be hoodwinked by the Tigers. My fellows Tamils
too supported this “pathological serial killer” (Prof. James Jupp) in the
name of Tamil Rights. .

Tragically, some Tamil writers and NGO groups built a halo around him and
created the myth of Prabahakaran as a mighty warrior. He basically used
expatriates’ money and Jaffna Tamils ingenuity to build a human fortress
around himself, using Tamil civilians as stones for his walls..
Interesting thing is he believed in his invincibility. He had a grand ride
until the Sri Lankan army commander Sarath Fonseka took him on. His
determined effort to continue the war relentlessly until the Tiger outfit
is crushed has paid dividends. He has liberated not only Sri Lanka but
also Tamil community at last.

Vasuki your words say it all. The ability to celebrate death exposes what we have failed as humans; we have failed to seek what’s left of the good in us. VP’s death undoubtedly marks a huge moment in history but it is also starkly symbolic of the fact that the Tamil community is now a broken one; the absolutely tragic end to what began as a genuine aspiration of a community which was subsequently led to follow the wrong path, plagued with ambivalence and abuse of power; it is symbolic of the bitterness of the Tiger cadres who have surrendered to a future of uncertainty and disappointment? What is there left? How do we infuse this community with a renewed hope?

While those of the diaspora remain divided in terms of the reality, how will the reality in itself affect those still physically and mentally scarred by the decades long conflict that has now ended. The Tamil diaspora is truly symbolic of those who did not have the gall to fight it out in the battle fields nor have enough guts to stomach the reality of the truth that violence is not the means to the end. The challenges indeed are of unbelievable proportions… and a celebration now, premature and inhumane…

There is no way a decent human been can glorify death nor support terrorism regardless of who is committing the atrocities. As a Sinhalese, I would have liked to see an unequivocal apology to the Tamil community in the Presidents victory speech for at least the well recorded, repeated, organized and often state sanctioned atrocities committed against the tamils in 1956, 1958, 1977, 1981 and 1983 in a spirit of reconciliation. I believe such a public apology will go a long way in convincing the Tamils that a better, equitable, fear-free future has a chance. We the Sinhalese majority has a special duty to go out of our way to make the Tamil (and other minorities) feel secure and welcome in a truly united Sri Lanka.