http://www.sundayobserver.lk/2012/03/18/fea03.asp


Let’s protect the President and war heroes
by Ayurveda Dr. Visharada Pandith Mahaelagamuwe Lankananda
Thera (Kuswala Vedahimi)
It was May 18, 2009, Sri Lankans as a nation did not even
dream that a day of such great significance in the annals of the country would
ever dawn. But, the unexpected happened. Nobody imagined that day would be a
reality in a country caught in the vicious grip of terrorism for 30 long years.
The world was jolted by the news which spread fast. It travelled far and wide
and reached all corners of the globe. Irrespective of caste, creed and race,
jubilant Sri Lankans stood united under one banner to hail the momentous
occasion. In the true sense of the word, it was a historic achievement.
LTTE terrorism which plagued the nation for three decades was decimated.
Darkness was dispelled and there was light. Under the political leadership of
President Mahinda Rajapaksa, valiant security forces wiped out the LTTE and
freed the nation from the reign of terror.
The end of LTTE leader Velupillai Prabhakaran’s brutality which saw thousands
of innocents being massacred in a three-decade long reign of terror and violence
came on the banks of the Wellamulliwaikkal lagoon.
When the news of Prabhakaran’s killing by the army reached the people, there
were celebrations. Sri Lankans were joyous not because a human life had been
lost but for the reason that they no longer need to live in morbid fear because
the terrorist leader responsible for killing thousands of people in cold blood
had been wiped out.
Amidst the sound of fire crackers, overjoyed Sri Lankans rallied round the
President waving the national flags in towns and villages. There was a carnival
atmosphere as people poured on to the streets to celebrate. Groups went about in
vehicles waving the national flag. Milk rice was served by groups of youth who
gathered at various points in streets across the country. Without any
differences and sans any prior notice or an auspicious time, the nation
celebrated the great victory in unison.
End of terrorism
As Sri Lankans joined hands and stood united to celebrate the end of LTTE
terrorism, there were certain countries and leaders in the world who were
saddened and very disappointed by the news that terrorism in Sri Lanka has been
rooted out. The war was like a beggar’s wound for the USA and a few European
countries subservient to it. The countries believed in adding fuel to fire by
covertly nourishing conflicts in other nations and using such wars to expand
their superiority and fortify their interests in the world. The USA has already
spread its tentacles to subjugate many other nations.
The countries which were promoting wars and conflicts in other countries to
serve their own interests were perturbed by Sri Lanka’s spectacular victory
against a vicious terrorist outfit. They could not stand to see our nation reach
the apex as a prosperous country which had defeated the brutish LTTE.
The USA which behaves like the global policeman faced a devastating attack
from Osama Bin Laden on its home soil and for years struggled to track down the
terrorist leader deploying its mighty modern security apparatus. (Later Bin
Laden was tracked down and killed in Pakistan). The US and other countries
backing it could not bear to see tiny Sri Lanka emerge victorious by wiping out
the world’s most powerful terrorist outfit and its leader.
During the height of the battle with the LTTE, the USA in collaboration with
its coterie of supportive countries and organisations exerted enormous pressure
in a bid to stop the war and save the LTTE, but President Rajapaksa ignored the
noises made by powerful countries and saw to the conclusion of the war within a
short time. Sri Lanka is indeed fortunate to have a patriotic leader of the
calibre of President Mahinda Rajapaksa to guide the nation to prosperity after
ending terrorism.
As the President refused to be a puppet and dance to the tune of powerful
countries with vested interests, the USA and its lackeys harbour a grudge and
resentment towards him and the country.
The developments marked the ‘battle’ against Sri Lanka. The only weapon they
have at their disposal to accuse us is the issue of human rights. They accuse
Sri Lanka of violating human rights during its battle with the LTTE and not
satisfied with that, they insist that we even transgressed international war
rules during the final phase of the battle.
Tamil diaspora
The Tamil diaspora has also joined hands in an attempt to put Sri Lanka in
the dock. It was the Tamil diaspora which misled Tamil people and held them
virtual hostage to plunder huge amounts of money to lead comfortable lives
overseas.
The Tamil diaspora used the dollars of the innocent Tamils to ensure their
comforts and live in luxury in capitals of the world. With the end of the war
the lucrative source of funding stopped and as their stomach needs and comforts
were badly hit they have teamed up with the USA and other nations to sow the
seeds of dissent in Sri Lanka again.
This sleazy group fired their first salvo no sooner the war ended. They were
behind the resolution moved in the UNHRC accusing Sri Lanka of violating human
rights during the conflict.
They sought drastic action against the country, but with Sri Lanka placing
the factual position before the international community, our friends in the
world rallied around us to defeat the move.
Not stopping at that, the group next attempted to move the United Nations
against Sri Lanka. Using a so-called Darusman Report, Ban Ki-moon, a puppet of
the USA, tried to interfere with the nation’s sovereignty by claiming that there
had been grave lapses and violations during the humanitarian operation
undertaken by the government during the final stage of the war. But, the attempt
to use the UN to exert pressure and twist the arm of Sri Lanka failed to
succeed.
Not prepared to give up, the slimy group then accused the Sri Lankan military
of torturing and killing captured LTTE members. They fabricated videos and
publicised them all over the world in a bid to prove their point. But, Sri Lanka
countered the canard effectively and proved to the world that it was nothing but
a total fabrication.
Information has emerged that they are now trying to enact the second drama in
the series. Again, noises are being made about Sri Lanka violating human rights.
At the ongoing 2012 UNHCR Sessions in Geneva, they are trying to move a
resolution against Sri Lanka. This time also, the USA is playing the lead role
and it is evident that there is a lot of eagerness and haste on the part of the
US to push through the action.
Geneva sessions
Forty-seven countries are participating in the 2012 UNHRC sessions in Geneva.
The sessions commenced on February 27 and towards the end of the deliberations a
resolution against Sri Lanka is expected to be moved by the USA and some
countries.
The USA is trying to secure the support of other nations to push through the
resolution. It is even resorting to deception by briefing foreign participants
that the action also has the concurrence of Sri Lanka! This is the way they are
trying to mislead other countries.
Did Sri Lanka violate human rights as claimed by the USA? If so, rather than
appointing international committees to look into the allegation, inquiries can
be made from hardcore LTTE members who were either captured or surrendered to
the security forces.
There are LTTE activists who are still under rehabilitation and also those
who are under detention as their court cases are pending. The LTTE members
definitely know whether the army violated human rights or not.
Daya Master who was the LTTE media spokesman during the war also surrendered
to the army. He was subsequently released and now serves as a director of a
media outlet in Jaffna.
He had recently made a statement to a newspaper about the circumstances of
his surrender and how he was humanely treated by the army.
As soon as President Mahinda Rajapaksa was elected, he didn’t opt for a
military solution.
He opened fresh talks with the LTTE but as history has it, the LTTE let down
the Government as well the way it had done during the talks with previous
administrations. But, this was where Prabhakaran blundered. President Rajapaksa
took a firm decision and gave leadership to the thrust to wipe out the LTTE and
save the Tamil people through the humanitarian mission.
LTTE proxy
Tamil MP Raviraj who was at one time a LTTE proxy later informed the USA
about the suffering and agony the people had to endure under Prabhakaran’s reign
of terror.
He had stressed the importance of crushing any move to revive the LTTE
because the people had suffered enormously during that time. What more evidence
is necessary of LTTE atrocities when a one-time proxy had himself said this?
Is rescuing thousands of trapped Tamil civilians including women and children
and restoring their freedom a violation of human rights?
We saw on television how the LTTE shot dead innocent Tamils who tried to flee
to army held areas during the final phase of the war.
They were held hostage and at the first opportunity thousands were seen
crossing the lagoon carrying children and their meagre belongings into the army
controlled areas. They fled the LTTE and sought refuge with the army.Karuna
Amman and Pillaiyan who were senior LTTE leaders at one time are now active
mainstream politicians. Karuna is a deputy minister in the Government while
Pillaiyan is the Chief Minister of the Eastern Province. They have been absorbed
into the political firmament.
Today, Sri Lanka has been reunited under one banner. After a span of 30
years, people in the South visit friends and relatives in the North and vice
versa. School children from the North come to Colombo on trips. Northern women
marry soldiers from the South.
The dark era when the gun was the determining factor has been brought to an
end. With the restoration of civil administration, there is enormous development
in the North.
New super highways are being built and a luxury bus service from Colombo to
Jaffna has been launched. New houses are coming up.
The re-linking of the South to the North has paved the way for new businesses
creating enormous employment opportunities. All the key factors have impacted
positively on economic development. The USA and its cronies cannot bear to see
this upsurge in economic activity.
Today, the people in the North are enjoying freedom in the true sense of the
word. This is why Sri Lankans and the world at large are questioning the USA how
all the positive developments constitute a “violation of human rights”.
Sri Lanka’s sovereignty and integrity should not be meddled with under the
guise of “human rights violations”.
Russian Ambassador Vladimir P. Mikhaylov had recently said Sri Lanka’s
internal affairs should not be taken to the world.
He has pledged Russia’s full support to Sri Lanka. China has also adopted
this supportive stand. Neighbouring India, the most powerful country in the
region, is also supportive of Sri Lanka.
Many countries in the world are in ruins because of US action. With lakhs of
civilians killed, Iraq, Afghanistan, Syria, Egypt and Libya are still burning
because of arbitrary US intervention. Nobody is raising concerns over human
rights violations despite the widespread death and destruction caused to the
countries.
Bin Laden was unarmed and watching television when the US forces killed him
by forcibly entering a sovereign state. When Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva
asked about Bin Laden’s human rights, Human Rights High Commissioner Navi Pillay
was dumbfounded.The Maha Sangha and the people of Sri Lanka are with President
Mahinda Rajapaksa. We will support the President to the hilt to defeat insidious
moves by the US and its cronies to interfere in our country’s internal affairs
and install a puppet regime in Sri Lanka.At the Geneva Summit, the countries in
favour of Sri Lanka have decided to question the US President’s right to order
the assassination of terrorists.
The ambassadors of participating countries have received a statement of the
Attorney-General Eric Nolter saying that the American President has the right to
order such assassinations. The American ambassador of Geneva will be questioned
at the debate against Sri Lanka.
The Cuban ambassador of Geneva has also challenged America to bring a
resolution on Guantanamo Bay detainees. In addition China also has planned to
bring a resolution against the American claim about Sri Lanka.