President Kumaratunga's UN Address

by M.Nadarajan

The headline in the Daily News reporting the President's speech quoted her as saying "My government has got a clear mandate for peace."  She said that at numerous elections her government had obtained that mandate.  She did not say whether that included the last elections of April 2004, when her party contested the elections in coalition with the Marxist JVP, which had opposed peace talks, and was hell-bent on defeating the LTTE militarily.  I do not think the question of peace was brought up in their mandate, or in their propaganda. 

The President did get that mandate at previous elections as she said she would end the war and negotiate a settlement.   What did she do about it?  After the 1994 elections the LTTE declared a unilateral ceasefire and she did try to negotiate, but was not serious about it.  While she sent negotiators who had no political acumen and were her personal friends and bureaucrats, and who could not take decisions, had to rush back to her for instructions and sometimes changed decisions taken after discussions with her, her Foreign Minister traversed the world demonizing the LTTE and canvassing countries to proscribe them as terrorists.  As a sage once said, terrorists are not born, but created.  The LTTE are freedom fighters.  Freedom fighters who were called terrorists often became "His Excellencies" later.   We do not have to go farther than the founding fathers of the US, Nelson Mandela, Jomo Kenyatta, Begin and numerous other examples.

Naturally talks broke down in 1995.  The President then unleashed a "War for Peace" which was the most ferocious combat till that time, and brought about the greatest amount of death and destruction.  After the 2001 elections, when a unilateral cease-fire was declared by the LTTE and reciprocated by the UNF government, followed by the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) and the commencement of talk between the UNF government and LTTE, she kept on criticizing the MOU, as well as the government, and the facilitator Norway, saying that they were too partial to the LTTE.  Her coalition partners burnt the Norwegian flag and wanted Norway to withdraw.  She asked her Prime Minister not to go for an appointment already made with the Norwegian peace envoy.

In her speech the President also spoke of the need to establish the rule of Law, Justice and Equality.  Paying lip service to such sentiments are not going to solve anything.  The LTTE also wants the same things.  The rule of law in LTTE-controlled areas is accepted as very efficient and without corruption.  Equality and Justice are what the current government seeks.  If that is so, why cannot both parties in the coalition government come to any agreement? 

In the view of the Sinhalese politicians, the Buddhist priests and the Sinhalese public, who have been brain washed by politicians, the Sinhalese being in the majority should be the rulers, and the country belongs to them.  The minorities are there under Sinhalese sufferance and there is no way they, the chosen race, would concede equality to the minorities.  Hence, the choice of religion, language, flag, national anthem of the country, access to education, jobs and areas for development belong to the chosen race.  Even monies meant for development of war-devastated areas of the Northeast are sometimes diverted to the rest of the country.  The entire problem would be solved if the concept of equality were sincerely and fully accepted.

The President said she understands the root cause of the national question. She has elaborated and blamed it all on the opposition.  She said that her government has implemented serious programs to engage the LTTE for ten long years. What rubbish? What programs? Can she list them?

Talks never took place with anybody for almost ten long years!  Talks took place only for a few months in 1994 during the time her party was in power, and for an year and two months with the UNF government recently.  She has said that the LTTE has refused to return to the negotiating table.  Another bit of rubbish!  After having a long-held position of demanding a separate state, in December 2002 the LTTE agreed to give up that position in exchange for meeting Tamil aspirations.  It agreed to explore an alternative within a federal structure with internal self-determination.  It then went about seeking the advice of international legal experts and Tamil expatriate legal experts for several months and submitted, for the first time, a set of proposals for an Interim Administration (ISGA) to administer the Tamil homeland and bring normalcy to the lives of the Tamil people who had been badly affected by war.  It has requested that talks begin on the basis of the ISGA, and the political leader of LTTE, Tamilselvan has said, "We are prepared to talk even tomorrow."  He has also said that the proposals could be negotiable.

The President also shed crocodile tears on the question of "child soldiers." If she was so concerned about children, why did her armed forces kill thousands of children and bomb schools, playgrounds and even churches where refugees were asked to take refuge by the armed forces themselves.  On the question of child soldiers, as in the case of terrorists, one should look at the reasons why children become soldiers.  Few would do so due to bravado and excitement.  Most join for one or more of several reasons.  Some because all members of the family have been killed in the war and they have nowhere to go, others out of anger when members of their families have been killed or attacked in front of them, yet others join to get at least a square meal a day and clothes to wear, yet others because their schools have been destroyed and they do not have anything to do.  The government can figure out how many of these categories are the creations of the armed forces and therefore, the government.  The LTTE has said that it does not send children to the battlefront till they are 18 years of age.  Till then they are given training and schooling.  In any case, after the interference of UNICEF, the LTTE has co-operated with it and released over 1,500 children to their parents.  We read about many instances of children being handed over to their parents when they come to join the movement. UNICEF and the Red Cross are witnesses of this.

The President said further "a comprehensive development strategy has been launched in the North and East affected by the conflict."  We have not seen any such strategy.  We are aware some appointments were made to government positions for Northeast development.  All appointees were Sinhalese, just as most policemen in Tamil areas are Sinhalese, who do not understand the language of the local people.  Unfortunately, in the scheme of things Tamils have no faith that such appointees would consciously develop Tamil areas.  No funds have actually been allocated for this alleged 'development' out of the government budget.

The President has thanked the international community for the strong support they give.  When lies are repeated often enough they appear to be the truth.  Most of her statements made are for the consumption of the IC without any regard for the truth.

The President has spoken eloquently on rule of law, justice and equality, and referred to the prince of peace, Buddha.  We totally agree with the President, but rather than stop at words, let us look at deeds. 

It suits the President to join in "the global, endeavor to fight terrorism."  She also generously praised the UN and its institutions for what they represent and what they do for world peace and order.

Gracious words indeed, obviously with ulterior motives. This is the same UN that her Foreign Minister said was only fit enough to eradicate mosquitoes!  He is, however, reported to be eyeing the position of Secretary General of the same organization.