Sri Lanka - News and Discussion

[Tuan]

Tuan
what's your views on the LTTE leadership towards the end???
guess you were lucky not to meet Mathaya's and other fate.

What happened to the LTTE leadership towards the end is history. There have been over 150,000 lives and over 30 years lost in the conflict in Sri Lanka.
Now that the LTTE has been militarily defeated and ethnic cleansing continues in government-controlled Tamil areas and government-run secret camps, the Sri Lankan authorities must be made accountable for their actions and give the ethnic Tamil minority reasonable autonomy, perhaps within a federal system such as Canada’s.
I see now, though, that what is needed is to speak to the hearts of the people. Underdeveloped countries in states of conflict need to be rebuilt: programs are necessary to treat the innocent victims of war and displacement; the uneducated poor require means with which to earn their living.
The only way to stop terrorism and to prevent the propagation of further atrocities is to build up the infrastructure of countries in need. People who cannot feed or defend their children, much less provide them with an education and a future, people who watch powerlessly as their neighbours and kin are raped and slaughtered, are prey to anyone, be it a government hiding its acts of genocide under a blanket of legitimacy, or an underdog terrorist organization, fuelled by righteous fervour. The people must know, in their hearts and in their minds, that their governments are watching out and taking care of them. It’s not really rocket science.
The abuses of power - the kidnapping, brainwashing, extortion, blackmail and torture – to which my family and I have been treated at the hands of Sinhalese government agencies and the LTTE, resulted in my eventual and inevitable mental and emotional breakdown – a state from which I am only now recovering.
The LTTE may be relegated to history in Sri Lanka as they have been defeated militarily, but nobody can destroy the aspirations of the million-strong Sri Lankan Tamil Diaspora. Without the divisive influence of Pirabhakaran, there is a greater potential for us to be politically united. Maybe we can still achieve an independent homeland for Tamils in Sri Lanka by rethinking our strategy.
I would like to make plea to the Tamils around the world to work for an economic revival of Tamil Eelam. Let’s make it a new Singapore. In fact, there is hardly any reason for Tamils to wait for the Sri Lankan government to help us. There are so many Tamil expatriates in the West, and our people have so much sympathy in south India, especially in Tamil Nadu, that financing our revival should not be a problem.
We will require support for education programs, technology, agriculture, fishery and the rebuilding of the destroyed infrastructure throughout Northern and Eastern Sri Lanka. Once the Tamils become strong again, Colombo would be forced to rethink matters of federation, sovereignty and autonomy. Or perhaps, as one of the senior BRF member suggested in this forum, the whole of Sri Lanka could be coalesced into some sort of federation with India, gaining more leeway as a consequence for Tamil Eelam. There are many possibilities other than bloodshed.
The LTTE still has a merchant fleet, some privately owned businesses and an assortment of companies that together form a huge network and economic resource. This could either turn into a mafia-style shadow organisation or it could become a legitimate voice for the Tamil people in foreign countries. It is up to us – the Diaspora Tamils living abroad in free societies - to do whatever is in our power to ensure that future freedom fighters use legal and non-violent means to obtain basic and equal human rights for our people in Sri Lanka. No one within the country of Sri Lanka is listening to the Tamils – our only hope is to seek the compassionate support of world opinion.

[Philip]

A pro-LTTE individual once told me that "the LTTE was strong militarily ,but weak politically".This is why it was defeated.It could not -with its fuhrer as the sole the head of decision-making,garner a political settlement,at least incrementally,when pro-peace Lankan politicos like Chandrika were in power.The death of Anton Balasingham was another major factor,as he was the only LTTE ideologue whom the fuhrer trusted. Remember how the fuhrer sent all the Tamil politicos like Amarthilingam,Kadirgamar and Tiruchelvam to their pyres! Instead Prabhakaran tried to assassinate CBK with disastrous political results,which later brought in Mahinda Rajapakse as her successor (again forcing no Tamils to vote for Ranil),who did the deed in exterminating the LTTE.

Right now,the diaspora should start investing in the reconstruction of the north-east and ameliorating the lives of the affected Tamils on the ground.In this,they will gain the sympathy and support of both India and the international community.To generate and use funds for revenge-against Rajapakse and co.,would be futile-it would not serve the Tamil cause at all,and unnecessary,as he is doing enough damage to the nation and becoming increasingly unpopular within his own major votebank,the Sinhalese south,who will either vote his coterie out of power,or worse still-if he morphs into another Premadasa,do something more drastic.

[svenkat]

http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/sri-lanka-erasing-tamil-language-culture-karunanidhi/article4325716.ece

DMK president M. Karunanidhi has urged Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi to take steps to ensure that the Sri Lankan government gave up, what he called, its programme of erasing Tamil language, culture and religion. He sought their help in putting an end to alleged drive by Sri Lankan authorities to rename Tamil villages with Sinhala names.

In identical letters to Dr. Singh and Ms. Gandhi, Mr. Karunanidhi said many more such tactics were being employed by the Sri Lankan government. “Tamils in Sri Lanka are living in an oppressive environment,” he alleged.

Bringing to their notice “disturbing developments” in Sri Lanka vis-à-vis the Tamils, he said: “The Sri Lankan government is now carrying out an intensive and systematic programme of erasing the Tamil language, culture and religion and diluting the concentration of Tamils in areas where they have historically been predominant. This manifests itself in the renaming of Tamil villages, redrawing of village, district and town boundaries, demolishing Hindu temples, non-allocation of funds to resettle and rehabilitate internally displaced Tamil families.”

He said: “The Sri Lankan government is also not allocating funds to schools, hospitals and other infrastructure where the Tamils live predominantly. It is also promoting Sinhala settlements on Tamil land and Sinhalese take over of the economic life of Tamil areas, which impoverishes the Tamils, and the deployment of army camps to intimidate them.” India had a moral obligation to stop this as it involved the eradication of a great culture and ancient religion in our backyard, he said.

Giving details, Mr. Karunanidhi said 89 villages had been renamed with Sinhala terms and 367 Hindu temples had been demolished. There were 148 mini and 13 main army camps in Mullaitivu district alone.

In Amparai district, the Tamil heritage village ‘Potthuvil’ was renamed as ‘Pothuvila’, and ‘Thirukovil’ was renamed as ‘Srikovila’ and ‘Tharavaikulam’ as ‘Tharakkulam’ while ‘Vagarai’ became ‘Vagara’ in Batticalao district and Nilaveli was renamed as Nilvaella, and Alankulam as Gemburuweva in Trincomalee district.

In Jaffna district, Vaddukottaii was renamed as Battakote and Paruththiththurai as Pethuruthoduva, and Nainatheevu as Nagatheeba. With name change, Kilinochchi became Granika, Mullaitivu Mooladoova and Vavuniya, Vannimava, he said.

[Tuan]

Sri Lanka: Is Delhi Dumb?
http://www.southasiaanalysis.org/node/1140

[Philip]

Yes,on Lanka,Delhi is dumber than you think.With a scam-bag like Salman-the-Kursed at the helm of foreign affairs,it is only going to get worse.See his pro-Paki "piss in our time" rantings on the Paki military's barbarism.

A veteran of Lankan affairs,once told me that unfortunately,the "view from Delhi does not reflect the facts on the ground".

[Jarita]

Karunanidhi asks PM, Sonia to intervene and prevent Sri Lanka from destroying Tamil culture, Hindu religion

Some other religions for sure. The Sangha-Missionary conflict is shadow boxing

[svenkat]

http://www.thehindu.com/news/states/tamil-nadu/is-india-compromising-on-tamils-issue-karunanidhi/article4344745.ece

In the light of India’s announcement that it could continue to train Sri Lankan military in the country, key UPA constituent DMK on Friday said there was a ’doubt’ if India was ‘compromising’ on some issues such as Sri Lankan Tamils to show itself as a ‘neutral’ country.

In a letter to partymen, the 88-year-old leader said that since 1956, his party had been consistently voicing support for Sri Lankan Tamils, irrespective of being in power or not.

“While the Centre has assured obliging various demands put forth by us, there is a doubt in some if India is compromising on some issues to show itself as a neutral country among others,” he said.

For instance, he said it was the party’s stand that India should not train Sri Lankan military personnel in any part of the country but the central government could not “categorically” state the same.

Referring to the January 23 statement made by Defence Minister A.K. Antony, Mr. Karunanidhi said the former had noted that while keeping Sri Lankan defence men away from Tamil Nadu they will still be trained elsewhere in the country.

“There are military institutions in many parts of India and outside Tamil Nadu also. On one side, we will respect sentiments of Tamil Nadu and we will avoid that area. At the same time, in other institutions, we will complete the training (of Sri Lankans) as per our commitment,” Mr. Antony had said.

The DMK chief recalled that Mr. Antony had also rejected visiting Sri Lankan Foreign Minister G.L. Peiris’ contention that Tamil Nadu politicians were cynical in raising objections to training of its military personnel saying sentiments of the people of the state have to be respected.

Mr. Antony had also said relief and rehabilitation in the neighbouring country was not going on expected speed, Mr. Karunanidhi noted.

To highlight the plight of Sri Lankan Tamils, 14 resolutions were adopted in last year’s pro-Tamil TESO conference here which have been handed over to the UN, he said, adding, he had also taken up Tamils’ cause with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh who, he said, had recognised the need to accord priority for Tamils’ betterment.

Holding that he was “confident” that the March 2013 session of the Human Rights Council in UN will discuss the Tamils issue in detail, he aked India to take a “strong stand” in support of Lankan Tamils there.

[Tuan]

Sri Lankan Leader Seems to Reject Greater Autonomy for Tamils
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/05/world ... share&_r=0

[thusitha]

Phillip said ...

A pro-LTTE individual once told me that "the LTTE was strong militarily ,but weak politically".This is why it was defeated.It could not -with its fuhrer as the sole the head of decision-making,garner a political settlement,at least incrementally,when pro-peace Lankan politicos like Chandrika were in power.

That would be the day. VP on a peaceful agreement with Sri Lanka and on the other side Rajul running India, which will likely to happen in next couple of years. R U sure India could have handle this scenario?

[Agnimitra]

X-post from Islamism & Islamophobia thread:
Sri Lanka hardline group calls for halal boycott

A new hardline Sinhalese Buddhist group in Sri Lanka has called for the abolition of the Muslim halal system of certifying foods and other goods.

The Bodu Bala Sena, or Buddhist Strength Force, also said foreign propagators of religions should leave the country within a month.

...The calls come at a time of mounting religious tension in the country.

There have been several attacks on both mosques and Muslim-owned businesses as well as on Christian churches and the clergy, the BBC's Charles Haviland reports from Colombo.

...The group's secretary-general, Venerable Galaboda Aththe Gnanasara, told the crowds that "only monks can save this race", referring to Sinhalese.

He claimed that Christian and Muslim extremists were threatening Buddhists, and said hundreds of monks were ready to fight. "Our country is a Sinhalese one and we are its unofficial police," he said.

...one member of the group, Dilanthe Withanage, accused "some" unnamed countries of "funding Christian fundamentalists as well as Muslim fundamentalists" in Sri Lanka.

..."Any moment, the ethnic riot will start between Sinhalese and Muslims," said Mujeebur Rahuman of the opposition United National Party.

...Muslims constitute about 10% and have generally had good relations with the Sinhalese majority.

[nvishal]

^One would think that the buddhists in rural india have militant leanings but these sinhalese buddhists have taken the notch even higher compared to their dalit counterparts in rural maharashtra and andhra pradesh.

[Baikul]

Dear Members,
My name is Kagusthan Ariaratnam aka Murali. I am originally from Sri Lanka and came to Canada in 1997 as a political refugee. While I was attending high school in Jaffna during 1990s, I was forcibly recruited by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), under the demand that at least one member from each family must contribute to the war. I was the first born son, with an older sister and three younger brothers. Since I was the eldest boy I had no choice but to join, otherwise my younger brothers would have faced hardships.
Subsequently, I underwent six months of basic military training and was deployed as a child soldier. In 1993, after completing a one-year intelligence training program, I was appointed as the naval intelligence officer of the LTTE and worked closely with the LTTE leadership. At the age of 20, having broken the LTTE’s arbitrary “code of conduct” by falling in love with a female LTTE soldier, (It is prohibited to have any kind of romantic relationship within the LTTE organization and the punishment for this transgression was death.) I was blackmailed by a superior officer to work for the Research and Analysis Wing (RAW), the Indian government's foreign intelligence agency.
Fear and despair drove me to confess my betrayal to the LTTE. As punishment, the LTTE assigned me to infiltrate the Sri Lankan government. Once safely in Sri Lankan government controlled territory I began working in earnest with the intelligence services of the Sri Lankan military. As a consequence, I became implicated in the fall of the LTTE-held Jaffna peninsula into the Sri Lankan government’s hands. It was during my time with the Sri Lankan military that I studied political violence and international conflicts in detail and became familiar with and passionate about diminishing it. My personal background, history, and experiences in both Sri Lanka and Canada have inspired and motivated me to tell my story to you all.
I am a strong believer in peaceful means to peaceful ends. I helped the Sri Lankan authorities in a great deal to obliterate LTTE only to have a peaceful solution to the 30 year long conflict. But the Sri Lankan government miserably failed in all of its post war initiatives starting from the Manik farm “welfare centers” to the dismissal of the country’s Chief Justice.
It is against this back drop I read about Dr Tahirul Qadri, a Canada-based Islamic scholar of Pakistani origin, goading the public into joining his "long march" to the capital Islamabad. He thunders in his typical furious style by calling upon his people "If you fail to come out, if you fail to strengthen my arms, then [future] generations will rue this day,"
I am no scholar or have the capacity to do what Dr.Qadri is doing, but I would like to call upon my fellow countrymen to wake up and smell the roses. It is time for us, all the Sri Lankans: regardless of race, ethnicity, or religion to rise up against the Sri Lankan government’s wrong doings and make a real change towards a better Sri Lanka.
Inspired by the following:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-20998010

Dear Tuan, my name is Baikul Baikullah, aka Baikul BoseDK BR waaley.

Your story moved me to tears. Other things also moved within me, downwards.

I will watch your future career with considerable interest.

[Philip]

Over a year ago on a visit,veteran Lankans told me that the next riots in the island would be between the Sinhalese and the Muslims. I was surprised to hear this prediction.For most of the last few decades,even during the ethnic war,Sinhalese and Muslims had lived in relative peace with each other and the Muslim community was split between support for both mainstream national parties.Though the SLMC had arrived,it had not grown to be the sole voice of the community.

The pro-Buddhist faction that seems to have arrived on the scene today spouting rabid anti-Muslim rhetoric, is in my opinion an offshoot of fundamentalist pro-Buddhist ideology,that echoes much of the ideology of the ruling regime.It is not the first time that monks have taken to politics instead of remaining meditating in their monastries.From time to time they emerge to "save Buddhism and the Sinhalese"-a clarion call that evokes much sympathy from the majority community,as ironically despite it being the largest group in the island,in the regional and global perspective,it is a microscopic community, alone and unique.

The current regime after winning the war against the LTTE,has had its honeymoon period expire.It is growing very unpopular with the population,fed up with its rampant corruption allegedly due to the insatiable appetite of the huge Pakse-Raja familia.Recent events, like the sacking of the SC CJ,the murderous attack on a journalist of the Leader,whose editor was assassinated not too long ago in a killing condemned by the world,has raised the tension and outrage enormously.Prices are at an all time high,and this is in Sinhala country-forget about the north or east,which in the Rajapakse regime,despite its protestations,count for little or nothing.!

In such situations,dictatorial regimes usually resort to sideshows to divert the population's attention and focus.Ranil W is a wimp of an Opposition leader,CBK (Chandrika) is in retirement,and Herr General der Fonseka,has been defanged! A new enemy has to be found.With "bandakkai speed" the "Halal club" has been discovered! Why them and now? In the last decade,the Halal Club has prospered greatly.It has been the recipient of large sums of money from the Gulf through worker's remittances,as well as funding from many Islamic agencies ,seeking to expand their activities in the island.Our dear friends across the border have also been active,but their aim has been a sinister one,not part of helping mainstream Muslims get prosperous.Why now? In former times,the Muslims,Moors,Malays-whatever their origin,used to vote for mainstream parties and prominent Muslim leaders used to hold high office either in the UNP or SLFP..ACS Hameed was Foreign Minister during JR's time.

The late MHM Ashraf was founder of the SLMuslim Congress in 1980,upset over most Muslims joining the mainstream national parties.The fire-bombing of a mosque in Dambulla last year in central Lanka and allegations by Lankan Muslims that extremist Buddhists were behind the act,has given us a foretaste of what might happen unless the GOSL comes down heavily on religious extremism whatever the source.Whether there are other players behind the scenes,and anti-Muslim extremism would be applauded by certain western entities,is yet to be established.prognosis for the island with these latest developments head in one direction...as Lankans would say when asked about their weekend plans,"machaaan,we're heading down south".

Unfortunately,India,which has a vital stake in Lankan peace and redressal of the genuine grievances of its Tamil population,has little leverage in the island,thanks to the eunuchs in the MEA and PMO.We have allowed the Chinese and Pakis to walk all over us in the island's geo-political game of chess.Why,even right now, the bullfrog leader of the Maldives is croaking fire and thunder against India,while our FM,Salman-the-Kursed,fumbles and frets on the situ while being interviewed in his plane.If the sh*t hits the fan in Lanka ,it will be the Pakis and Chinese who will be moving "out of the blocks" long before India makes up its mind what to do.Sad.

[SaiK]

http://www.thehindu.com/opinion/op-ed/t ... epage=true



criminal terrorist sri lankan army!

[Baikul]

^^ Words fail me.

[Yayavar]

I didnt read the article but looking that three shots I dont see a sequence. There is no indication that in the first two pics the soldier is SLA and not LTTE - there is too little seen.
btw, why was he not at the front fighting like the other child soldiers of Prabhakaran? It is sad that the child is dead but didnt Prabhakaran - who himself did not take the cyanide he had others consume - make other children of the same age die by the bullet?

[Javee]

Looks like there is a video that was shot as well, as per the news reports. I doubt that LTTE would've killed Balachandran, given the fact that all the cadres with him were stripped, blindfolded and killed, SLA style.

LTTE are terrorists and so is the Srilankan Army, no difference in them.

And for all the snake oil that Rajapakse is selling to China, India and Pakistan, his country is going to see violence again and no one will be at his aide then.

[Yogi_G]

BJP has been making some noise recently in fisherman areas whenever one of ours is caught by SL navy. What do you think will be Indian diplomacy towards Sri Lanka when Modi comes to power? TN is a non entity in BJP's vote base, I foresee Sri Modi or Sri Rajnath Singh making some noises against Sri Lanka to help Amma or whoever is in NDA alliance at that time.

[Philip]

Look,the LTTE right throughout the Eelam War NEVER observed any rules of engagement,the Geneva Convention,whatever! In fact,they butchered innocent pilgrims praying at the holiest shrine in Lanka,the sacred Bo tree in Anuradhapura,similarly attacked the sacred Temple of the Tooth in Kandy,aimed at provoking mass anti-Tamil riots in the island.They failed.tens of thousands of Sinhalese,Tamils and Muslims too -anyone who resisted them were butchered,assassinated,hung from lampposts- a pregnant woman was used as a suicide bomber-captured on security TV too.Their abominable use of child soldiers too was the maximum anywhere in the world! So any attempt to paint the LTTE as saints is an outrageous perversion of the truth.

The Hindu today had a review of a book written by a firang woman UN/NGO entity,about the last days of the war and the huge human casualties.The LTTE used its own northern Tamils as human shields,forcing them like cattle to move along with them to protect themselves from Lankan artillery.Neither did the Lankan army give the LTTE any quarter."No quarter was asked and none was given".Both sides fought to the finish.However,being the military arm of a democratic state,the Lanka armed forces were expected to observe basic human rights while prosecuting the LTTE with extreme prejudice.That is the difference between a fascist terrorist outfit like the Khmer Rouge and a civilised state.One has to admit though that the Lankan armed forces knew that to finish off the LTTE to a man,they would have to accept large "collateral damage",which did happen.One cannot deny that large numbers of Tamil civilians were killed in the last stages caught in the crossfire,the numbers are in dispute,but certainly in the thousands.

Now if we look at the wars around us today,the US and NATO forces have committed far more grievous human rights abuses in the wars in Iraq,Af-Pak,etc.,than the Lankans,killing even more civilians,in lakhs! So if we condemn anyone,let's take a global look.

Coming back to the alleged killing of fuhrer Prabhakaran's son.It is either true or false.If true,condemnable-no question.A heinous crime indeed but par for the course given the most intense hatred of the LTTE and its fuhrer by the Lankan army. If the child was killed after capture as alleged,id the army receive specific orders for the same from anyone in the GOSL? That is the key question.If premeditated and carried out as such,surely a war crime.

One must at this juncture also remember that even Sinhalese enemies of the state received the same treatment.There has been no discrimination in exterminating one's enemies.The JVP chief,Rohana Wijeweera was similarly despatched,and my late friend,Richard de Zoysa,intellectual critic of the times,playwright,journalist ,thespian, celebrated member of the avant garde artistic movement of the time ,was kidnapped,tortured ,executed and dumped into the sea by Premadasa's death squads.It caused massive international outrage at the time and has never been forgotten.

However,there is NO way that the Lankan state/army would want any child of Prabhakaran to survive if found.For obvious reasons.To have another generation of the LTTE/Eelamists led by the son of fuhrer P,would be unforgivable.It was Prabhakaran's stupidity to have kept his family in Lanka instead of sending them to safety at least a month before the end.Here,he was over confident,betrayed by his parasitical camp followers in Tamilnadu,and belief that his international patrons in the west would come to his rescue.True,they did try and save him.Both the British and French foreign ministers flew to Colombo to armtwist the GOSL,they failed,and to the Americans who threatened him with dire consequences,Rajapakse showed them the "upturned finger",for which they've never forgotten or forgiven him and are doing everything in their power to unseat him.His bravado and arrogance to almighty Uncle Sam would be a rallying call to many other smaller states who do not want to accept US hegemony in international affairs.Thus the continuing attempt to show the Lankan armed forces and GOSL in the worst possible light.

There is a gameplan by the diaspora and supported by certain nations,that the CHOGM meet of the Commonwealth countries ,to be held in Lanka should be stopped-venue changed,or boycotted in full strength.As usual the western CW members are whipping up support.This would explain the timing of the expose.

That is why the Lankans were in such a hurry to "finish the job".They went after Prabhakaran as if they were playing a limited over cricket match,where bad light and dwindling overs would stop play.They had to do the business before the west saved Prabhakaran by evacuating him by helo onto a US naval warship,or before India pulled the plug ,due to intense pressure from Tamilian politicos in T'Nadu.In rushing to win the match,they couldn't care less who was killed in the stampede-they had to get the "kotiya" (tiger) chief,no matter how much collateral damage was caused.

The strange irony is that I was there when the run-up to the war began ('81),when it exploded ('83) and when it ended-was in the island for over a week during the last days.We waited expectantly for info from the tel.,giving us the news from inside sources from the front that the 'kill" had been made.When it came,our celebrations at a convivial watering hole were a few hours ahead of the official announcement,which when it came,saw wild celebrations all across the country.

If false and a propaganda trick,its nothing more to be expected from the Eelamists and the diaspora trying desperately to win through propaganda what it lost on the ground in Lanka,the entire north and east!

[rohitvats]

I saw the pics of the Prabhakaran's son on news today where they first showed him sitting having some snacks and then, the above bullet ridden body. The insinuation is that SLA killed him in cold blood. And surprise of surprises, the British newspaper published the story.

If you ask me - I have nothing against the SLA on this. His father traumatized and brutalized the entire nation for decades at end...when the moment comes, the other party in the conflict and at the receiving end of these killings, will dish out the same treatment. Secondly, last thing Sri Lanka wants is an icon around which this 'movement' can rally. Like the godfather, the bloodline needed to be ended.

I sight of that young boy's body - knowing who he was - does not move me. At all. I would have done the same, or ordered to do the same.

[nvishal]

The srilankan army executed unarmed tamil men, women and children at point blank and recorded the execution on camera as the taliban does. These videos have been appearing one by one on the internet since a long time. It's being floated around by the srilankan forces themselves.

Mark my words, someday the indian army will be forced to unleash on the srilankan army.

[Muns]

World English Dictionary
rationalize or rationalise (ˈræʃənəˌlaɪz)

— vb
1. to justify (one's actions, esp discreditable actions, or beliefs) with plausible reasons, esp after the event
2. psychol to indulge, often unchallenged, in excuses for or explanations of (behaviour about which one feels uncomfortable or guilty)

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/rationalisation

Like Father, Like Son :

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prahlada

[member_20317]

Why so rohitvats ji, the kid could have been dealt with without killing him. Or so I believe.

There are cases where people of interest have been secreted without the big nation even knowing about it ever. Hostages have been kept for long periods.

The insanity of war is a valid point. Nobody really controls war. Most winners just bumble to their victory or spend their way to victory. Had the Sri Lankans prepared well they could have avoided having to kill him. Things like these show why it is important to kill the father in time to save the kid. Had things turned against LTTE early on, perhaps the kid would have lived. But the powers that prevented that from happening will never admit to their roles.

The propaganda value is certainly there for certain quarters. They will make it look like the kid got killed in peace time. With what the Sri Lankans have gone through the last 2 decades they are sure to avoid any sort of nonsense from here on. It was their call and they took this one. I just wanted to say they had more choices then they would care to admit.

[SaiK]

rohitvats, you are wrong. he is a juvenile, unarmed and a child. your reasoning of dad committed a sin, so shoot his offspring is a reckless thought.

ever did the massan folks wants to kill OBL's children? it can only happen if you think like a terrorist.

[member_20317]

SaiK ji reckless thought it is because of the availability of options not because killing a son is bad as such. What would you rather have. A kid so cross at the people remaining that he would spend the rest of his life planning terrorist attacks or alternatively so downbeat at his inability to retaliate that he would feel neutered.

About the only thing this killing (if it was that and not a crossfire as is claimed) shows is that you NEED to kill the father in time. Instead of repenting at leisure later.

[member_20317]

For my education SaiK ji, can we be sure that the two places where the child is shown, do not belong to two different points in time, under custody of two different warring parties. I have seen the video on TV but then other things at home intervened and I could not really observe carefully.

[member_20317]

And oh never saw that about Massan folks.

No bhai ji, massan folks only do surgical strikes which never gets the babes. No intention so no crime right.

SaiK ji the whole of Massa is based on a criminal enterprise from about 200 years back after a general cull of the people of that land.

[rohitvats]

rohitvats, you are wrong. he is a juvenile, unarmed and a child. your reasoning of dad committed a sin, so shoot his offspring is a reckless thought. ever did the massan folks wants to kill OBL's children? it can only happen if you think like a terrorist.

Sir, in your opinion I may be wrong. And that might well be the case.

However, there are very few absolute truths in this world. At least I know very few of them. Most of the things are relative.

Having said that, I only gave my reason for the act - and why I would order to do the same. It is not driven by any blood-lust but a deep apathy towards LTTE - IMO, it is but a simple calculation that I would not want any rallying point for Tamil diaspora and give them an opportunity to make hi the face of their struggle. God knows which Intel agency would have whisked him away and groomed him to undertake what role. Sorry. No can do.

As for comparison with OBL, it does not stand any ground. The cult of Prabhakaran and his role in LTTE is not same as OBL's role in global jihad. Or even Al-Qeda.

[rohitvats]

World English Dictionary
rationalize or rationalise (ˈræʃənəˌlaɪz)

— vb
1. to justify (one's actions, esp discreditable actions, or beliefs) with plausible reasons, esp after the event
2. psychol to indulge, often unchallenged, in excuses for or explanations of (behaviour about which one feels uncomfortable or guilty)

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/rationalisation

Like Father, Like Son :

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prahlada

My dear good sir, you can drop these references. I'm not trying to rationalize anything. And they are out of the way, as it is.

I'm simply stating that I would order to do the same to wipe out any possible lineage of VP or any legacy of him which can bit me in the back later. Quite simple.

[rohitvats]

<SNIP>It was their call and they took this one. I just wanted to say they had more choices then they would care to admit.

And I'm sure one of the factors which led to this choice was the legacy of his father.

[nvishal]

@rohitvats
More than 10000 civilians were killed by srilankan artillery fire in the final operation. Hundreds more were executed at point blank.

You're either incapable of figuring out the crux of the situation or incredibly stupid. The srilankan buddhist society is pretty fked up, believe me.

[rohitvats]

@rohitvats
More than 10000 civilians were killed by srilankan artillery fire in the final operation. Hundreds more were executed at point blank.You're either incapable of figuring out the crux of the situation or incredibly stupid. The Srilankan buddhist society is pretty fked up, believe me.

If it pleases you, I'll keep the stupid part. Thank you.

And while you're at it, please answer this - the answer to fvcked up Sri Lankan Buddhist Society is VP and his LTTE? That man is singularly more responsible for the woes of Tamils in SL than anyone else. As for the 100K Tamils killed by SLA, well, please do add the brave LTTE fighting the SLA using these very Tamil civilians as human shields. So much for the cause.

BTW - the ultimate guarantor for the safety of Sri Lanka Tamils is India. Nothing more, nothing less. But for this ch**t, India would have settled the Tamil issue on SL long back.

[Lilo]

The boys execution is an utterly despicable act, and whoever ordered it and the officer executing those orders has to stand trial in Srilanka and made to face justice eventually by the Srilankans themselves .

That said,
The documentary by CALLUM MACRAE in spite of its crisp editing and background effects with music is basically just a western funded effort to interfere in the region's internal affairs. It is "to be released next month coinciding with the UNHRC meeting" where India is "expected" to suddenly support a "strongly worded resolution" in deference to the wishes of the "International community" as being peddled by usual suspects in our and western MSM .

The visuals as expected show the desperate plight of the tamil civilians in Mullathivu dist who haplessly found themselves in midst of a justifiably brutal assault by the Srilankan Army intent to snuff out the top leadership of LTTE before they can escape with western help. There are visuals of civilians covering under airstrikes and artillery barrage, of makeshift hospitals filled with injured and dying civilians , gruesome footage of civilians killed and maimed including women and children and of tied up LTTE combatants being summarily executed .
But one can be 100% sure that there wont be any accounts of how LTTE used civilian combatants as a cover when it was cornered and how it dragged them along their retreat like cattle serving as human shields , how they gunned down those who broke ranks and tried to escape etc - so in the end its just another onesided propagandu to target a turd world country as is the wont of the west.

The way ahead for the ethnic problem in Srilanka is through Srilanka's own justice mechanisms and at the max a regional effort including India and other SAARC nations of the region. The "International community" doesn't want any real solution to the Tamil issue in an united Srilanka - they dont want the schism formed between Sinhala and Tamil community during LTTE's brutal era to heal now with the death of Prabhakaran , they want the embers of hatred to keep on glowing until the conditions are ripe to engineer a "Timor" out of Jaffna - basically they are upto no good.

The recommendations of LLRC report if implemented in letter and spirit leading to the eventual devolution of powers along with constitutional safeguards and protection to Tamil language and culture in the spirit of the 13th amendment will one day create an united and prosperous Sri Lanka to our south which will be a net contributor to regional peace and prosperity .

For the above to happen, Srilankans must first kick out its abrasive and inept leadership - the Rajapakses in the next election. Though they were good at prosecuting a war they are utterly inept at diplomacy (both internal and external) as well as administrating their country in peacetime . The most egregious of the war criminals can be prosecuted if required at a latter date and there is time for it - ex: Hasina's govt in BDa is now doing the deed 40 years after the 1971 war. The first priority for all the regional players is to keep the "international community" and its UNHRC,ICJ hounds from getting a foothold in this process - they are upto no good. Also our media has to stop giving credibility to the overseas LTTE diaspora who prodded by their western masters are on an overdrive to muddle the process by raising humanrights issues - they are as removed from the facts and ground realities in Srilanka as the Khalistanis are when spew venom against the Indian state.

I can only hope our current US pasand PMO will be reined in by other actors in our establishment keeping this larger picture in mind and would not support any drastic wording in the UNHRC resolution being aimed at SL.

[Surya]

saik et all

all very easy to talk about but SL was fighting to the finish

when we are in a equivalent fight with lets say the Maoists then come back give lectures of piety

If you extrapolate the casualties of the SLA over the couple of decades into IA number s you will realise what a brutal fight

someone else had commented on this before - progeny not left behind is not new

[ramana]

Philip,

Time to now comment on the role of Nehru and his ideas of how Sri Lanka Tamils are Sri Lanka responsibility and how that led to the present conditions.
He basically left the Tamils to SL good graces. It was similar to the fate of Hindus in Pakistan.
And role of senior TN leaders of that time on this subject.

What was C Rajagopalachari's views? Kamaraj Nadar? Anyone else?

[hnair]

We need a road/rail bridge to SriLanka, for those guys to be fixed up and tempered down. Without that, the flow of people are neither easy to control nor predictable

Would love to drive to Colombo all the way from Goa, as part of a sea food binge trip

[pralay]

I feel same like rohitwat,
the lankans did what any ruler should do. Crush the enemy in distress and vanquish any future resistance.
Isn't it what Chanakya taught?
Only we, indians seem to be ignoring the teaching and shouting on lines of Human Rights (the western propaganda peddled so that we forgive terrorists and forget those killed by the terrorists).

[Philip]

The fundamental problem with "Ceylon" as it was then known,is that the Ceylonese never fought for themselves to gain Independence.The Queen was still head of state until the arrival of the SLFP regimes.The first PM,DS Senanayake,a visage as dark as a moonless night,took his oath of office in top hat,coat and tails! During this time,a rennaissance was taking place amongst the Sinhalese with men like Dharmapala and others revitalising the suppressed Sinhala-Buddhist culture.The northern Jaffna Tamils never wanted the Brits to leave as they dominated all the civil services.Even in the 80s,the majority of Lankan senior diplomats were from the JT community.

However,as the then ruling elite were from the land-owning gentry,where the old school tie counted enormously,British educated politicians and civil servants were expected to run the country in genteel fashion,keeping the "Commies" out! The ethnic problem owes a lot to the act of GG Ponnanbalam,a top JTamil leader who advised DS to strip the Indian plantation Tamil labour of the civic rights/nationality as in an election at that time they used their organised strength to win a few seats.GG warned that they would all become Communists.DS happily went by his advice.

One must do some research to see what the rulers of India at that time thought of the decision.Since many of the Ceylonese ruling elite went to the same universities in Britain-Oxford and Cambridge,many Indian politicos too would've known them as contemporaries.Thus sharing the old school tie would've taken care of any doubts about the future.If so,v.shortsighted fro oru intellectual leadership of the time.

[Anand K]

But for this ch**t, India would have settled the Tamil issue on SL long back.

+1001

It's mind boggling how much evil and bloodshed can result because of the megalomania of a single person. Despite the grave injustices the Sri Lankan Tamils suffered in the early 80s, there is IMO no justification for the reign of terror the dear departed leader unleashed.... and on his own kind too! Remember what he did to the other Tamil political formations?

And anyone remember this?

[Baikul]

There is no justification for killing a boy, none. The rest is flaming nonsense.

..............

And anyone remember this?
.........

I do. The picture was was in India Today, perhaps on the cover. For the first time ever, I saw a picture of IA men dead in combat. This team were ambushed by the LTTE; I think they were paras, but cannot now recall.

It was a traumatic picture for me and it haunts me still, as an Indian, as the son of a (then) serving IA officer who had grown up around men like the ones who were lying slaughtered on some Lankan street.

But all of that has nothing to do with killing a boy. Not all the pictures in the world will justify it.