Unholy Alliance

Anti-Peace Elements Work in Concert Against Peace Process

By: Prem Sivasamy

The latest efforts by the Norwegian, and goodwill gestures from the LTTE and the UNF government have brought new hopes for peace in the island. Both the Tamils and the majority of the Sinhalese are eager to see an end to the war, which has claimed more than 80,000 lives; so is the International community. But, not everyone is happy to end this bloody war.

There are many who don’t want to see the war to end that soon. Arms dealers are making billions. The chauvinistic political parties like PA, Sinhala Urumaya and JVP are very much dependent on this war. Any peace move would threaten the very existence of the quisling group like EPDP, and bogus human right groups like UTHR(J).

These anti-peace elements have formed a tacit and an unholy alliance to scuttle the peace process. Accusation against the LTTE on recruitment is the latest move of this [anti-peace] alliance. There’s a broader agenda here, and that is about the destabilization of the Peace process. As soon as the UTHR(J) issued its bulletin, the President issued a statement saying “The president of Sri Lanka is deeply concerned regarding reports that the LTTE is continuing the large-scale forcible recruitment of children.”

Tamil National Alliance (TNA) contested democratically the last parliamentary election on the basis of a well-defined and definite policy in relation to the representatives of Tamils. The overwhelming victory of the TNA has very substantially endorsed LTTE being the sole representative of Tamils. These new developments are not to their liking. Anti-peace elements know very well that human rights allegations against the LTTE by Tamils [UTHR] would damage the opinion of the international community about the LTTE and the peace process.

The University Teachers for Human Rights (UTHR(J)), is a small group of anti-LTTE activists long shunned by their former colleagues at their university. The group does not visit the conflict area. They have taken up residence, with the blessing of President Kumaratunge, in Colombo and have no first hand knowledge of the conditions in the area. The information contained in their reports is based on hearsay and authenticity of the sources from which they are supposed to have been obtained is open to question. The information does not give a true or complete picture of the events and seems to be intended to serve only one goal, namely to discredit the LTTE. Whatever they publish has to be based on information supplied to them by the government, military or quisling groups. Therefore, anyone quoting information from UTHR(J) reports should first assess the credibility of this organization, as well as the relevance and accuracy of the information.

In replying to the President’s accusation, LTTE theoretician Dr. Balasingham said, “President Kumaratunga has consistently sought to undermine Norway’s peace initiative, seeking a military confrontation instead of reasoned dialogue… Amid substantial progress with regards to formulating a mutual ceasefire between the two sides, [the President] is now seeking to create new apprehensions and controversy by casting aspersions on [the LTTE] bone fides”.

He accused the President of “deliberately distorting facts to slander the LTTE with the ultimate objective of scuttling the peace process”. Mr. Balasingham pointed out in an interview, “It was her fanatical opposition to peace which led to her government being thrown out by the people last December”.

On the contrary, there has not been a single complaint received by the ICRC in the North Eastern Sri Lanka. There is no reporting about these recruitments in the Tamil media, which has first hand information. Reports reaching us from Tamil areas say a different story.

In an interview with the BBC Sandeshaya, Batticaloa district MP Joseph Pararajasingham, denied receiving any complaints of abduction, extortion or forced recruitment of child soldiers by the LTTE.

In the mean time, the Sri Lanka Human Rights Commission says no human rights violations of a serious nature have been reported since the cessation of hostilities between the government and the LTTE. During his visit to the conflict area, the President of the Commission, President’s Counsel Faiz Mustaffa, said members of the commission in their tour observed the situation. The Commission met religious leaders, members of non-governmental organizations, security authorities and leaders of human rights organizations during their tour. The Bishop of Mannar, Rt. Rev. Rayappu Joseph, in an interview with the government-controlled Sunday Observer said that the allegations were exaggerated and the truth of such rumors should be reviewed and authenticity ascertained.

Sr Lankan Defence Minister Tilak Marapana said to a question on recruitment during an interview with The Sunday Times (Sri Lanka) as follows:

Q: There have been complaints of LTTE recruitment, re-training and re-arming. What is your response?

A: Our intelligence reports certainly do not show that they are training on such a large scale. They also must be training their cadres the same way we impart normal training. They may continue that. The recruitment may be because there are vacancies in their ranks. They may be doing what we are doing to maintain the forces at the present level.

The deputy leader of the political wing of the Liberation Tigers, Mr. Karikalan, addressing a press conference Sunday in Kokkaddicholai, 14 kilometers southwest of Batticaloa said “Corrupt elements in the Sri Lanka army and paramilitary groups operating with it are making covert attempts in the east to scuttle the peace negotiations between the Tigers and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesighe’s government”.

There are nearly 30,000 deserters in the Sr Lankan armed forces; but there are no absconders and deserters from LTTE, which shows the voluntary nature of their army. The Tamil Tiger forces are highly disciplined, and dedicated cadres. Each regular member of the Tigers carries a cyanide pill and is pledged to committing suicide rather than being captured by the enemy. They cannot be forced to fight with this dedication and discipline.

In 1998, the LTTE assured the UN special envoy that they would not recruit anyone under the age of 17. The last democratic election has given the LTTE a mandate to represent Tamils.