Joining this discussion belatedly on account of only just getting to Channa Wikremesekera’s thoughful review of Major General Gunaratne’s new book. Dayan Jayatilleke insists on characterizing Prabakharan as an evil fascist: and on this he has plenty who would agree with him. But this, I think, rather misses a key point of Wickremesekera’s review, which is to highlight the way dominant assumptions about the ‘essential’ character or nature of the two sides in Sri Lanka’s civil war leads towards a sanitized, and thus in many senses unenlightening account of the conflict i.e. one in which the cruelties and atrocities of one side – the LTTE – are emphasized in tandem with little if any account of similar outrages committed on the other side i.e. government forces.

Yet as the very example quoted by Dayan in defence of the ‘evil fascist’ characterization – Hitler – demonstrates, this is in no sense a necessary error or omission. In the aftermath of World War II was it, for example, deemed necessary either to play down or attempt to cover up the gruesome story of the Allied firebombing of Dresden? No, as Kurt Vonnegut’s semi-autobiographical novel ‘Slaughterhouse Five’ memorably attests. Was it considered politic to pass over the appalling suffering visited on the German civilian population of East Prussia and beyond by the advancing Red Army in silence? No, as Solzhenitsyn’s extraordinary – and again, first-hand experience derived – prose poem Prussian Nights amply demonstrates.

All in all,arguments about or assumptions concerning the character of the protagonists in a conflict can only take us so far in writing history, military or otherwise. A willingness to acknowledge – and report – all the known facts is a vital next step: however uncomfortable that may prove to be for some – or indeed most – of the audience.

I recently finished reading “A Long Watch”, the account of Adm Ajith Boyagoda, and earlier this year, “Echo Group”, by Maj Sha Hamid, and again, as the reviewer says, nothing new is added to the narrative beyond giving us the details. however, in the case of “The Road to Nandikadal”, i find the most interesting aspect of the book is its view of the thinking and perspective of the senior military officers that won this war, individuals we know little about, unlike their predecessors who failed. I also disagree with the reviewer that Gunaratne glosses over the military’s failings; to the contrary, the author is scathing of both his subordinates and contemporaries who he views as not maintaining the standards expected, often calling them “cowards”. he is also often critical of his superiors who he accuses of incompetence and lack of understanding.

i think, however, it will take a long time before there is a permissible space available for accounts that are critical of, or contrary to, the official narrative, particularly from our side of the firing line. it will also only come through an outpouring of accounts by the junior officers and soldiers who perhaps have less reason to toe the line. so far, the only accounts by juniors has been from the Tiger side. from the SL military, they have all been by senior officers, with the exception of Maj Sha Hamid who was a company-grade officer.

Yes, the war was brought to an end by military means.
But there has been no change in governance after that.
Causes of armed rebellion are yet to be addressed.

Simply the struggle to exist between a series of oppressive gernments and a terribly dazzled rebel.
The rebel was killed (= war was brought to an end by military means) but the oppression goes on unabatedly.

Who created Hitler? Though obviously the Treat of Versailles bore responsibility for hurting Germany’s national feelings, and the economic depression of the 1930s contributed mightily to what resulted, no one in his/her right senses asks “who created Nazi fascism or Hitler?” That’s because fascism and Hitler, like the LTTE and Prabhakaran cannot be read off from or reduced to the causative factors, but must be recognized for what they are: totalitarian fascist entities. In a word, Evil.

…” What created the LTTE? “….yes of course we can extend your argument further and conclude that Nazi were created by Jews…

There was a very enlightening article from Rajan Hoole and let me quote part of it:

“The war being over, farce has assumed the dominant role in puruda. Why do our leaders who had the best of education and held responsible public office, feel impelled to praise the LTTE leader as a great man of genius and commitment, who failed to liberate the Tamils only because of traitors in our midst? Why not tell the truth that the ‘genocide’ at Mullivaykkal owed as much to the missiles of the Sri Lankan forces as to senior Tamil leaders lying to the world that the people held hostage by the LTTE were staying with them of their own free will and devotion?Why do these bankrupts lie about Thileepan who, under the watchful eye of the Leader’s men,thirsted to an excruciating death, as showing most nobly the Gandhian way of Ahimsa; when many ordinary members of the public who witnessed the event spontaneously exclaimed, ‘They killed him’? ” – “The Rajasingam Legacy: A Quest for Quality” – Rajan Hooole

LTTE’s attacks on dissenters was most repugnant. What created the LTTE? Racial discrimination from independence till today. When will SriLanka get Sinhala leaders who can end racial discrimination?