Slowly but
clearly, the global powers are turning against the military plan of the
government. This is related to the change of heart in Indraprasasthi.
According to
some reports, both during the Non Aligned Summit meeting in Havana and
at the meeting in New York last year, Mahinda has promised the Indian
premier that the political proposals to resolve the Tamil national
problem will be made public shortly.
Though India
completely backed the military policy of the government, it has always
announced that there is no military solution to the Tamil national
problem and that it should be resolved through political means.
Now they have realised that the Tamil refugees are refusing to leave the Kilinochchi-Mulaitivu area not necessarily because of pressure from the LTTE but as they are not willing to abandon their kith and kin who are fighting against the invasion by the Sinhala army.
Delhi
hanumans
On the other hand
the Delhi hanumans were exposed when it was discovered that Indian air
technicians were manning the radar at the Wanni airbase that was
directing operations against Tiger targets. Not only the Tamil radicals
in Tamil Nadu, but also the Indian Left Front has increased its
pressure against the Indian support to the chauvinist war of the
Mahinda regime.
Many world Left
leaders have participated in Tamil protest meetings throughout the
world.
In this column
of September 7, 2008 I said,
This has become
a reality with the release of the following document:
Resolution on the present condition
It is the unresolved ethnic problem and the prolonged military
conflict that have created the conditions for abhorrent human rights
violations and unbearable sufferings of the internally displaced
people.
Seeking a military solution to the national problem will completely deny peace in Sri Lanka.
Power-sharing with maximum devolution of power to the minorities within a united Sri Lanka is the way to peace.
We call for an immediate ceasefire and negotiations between the warring groups to recommence with the goal of setting up an interim administrative structure for the North-East of the country as a first step to permanent peace.
Dr
Vickramabahu Karunaratne,
Dr Selvy Thiruchandran,
Dr Nimalka Fernando,
Mr V Thirunavakkarasu,
Prof Kumar David,
Mr Chamil Jayaneththi,
Dr Jayampathy Wickramarathne PC,
Prof Sumanasiri Liyanage, Prof S Ganesan,
Dr Sarath Wickramasinghe,
Dr Gamini Kulatunga,
Prof Michael Fernando,
Mr Kuhanendran,
Mr Kugadasan,
Mr Lakhsman Gunasekara,
Mr P S Soosaithasan,
Mr Sabry,
Mr Seelan Kadirgamar,
Mr Varda Kumar.
20 September 2008, Colombo.
There were many who wanted to put their names down such as A Kandappah,
Herman Kumara, Nadarajah Shanmugaratnam, Sarath Fernando, Faizun
Zackariya, Neil Wijethilaka, Bertil Videt, Brian Seneviratne, P A
Subramaniam, S Maria Anthony S J, Anita Nesiah and Devanesan,
Sooriyasegaram Mylvaganam, Lakshan Dias, Mackwin Yogendran, Champika
Wipulasundera, Linus Jayatilake, Dharmasiri Lankapeli, Gerard Gamage, N
Janagen, Ranth Kumarasighe, G Kottegoda and Saranapala Silva.
In the
Lakbimanews of September 28 2008, Lasantha Weerakulasooriya reported:
“US Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs, Richard Boucher had informed President Mahinda Rajapaksa that he should immediately seek a political solution for the North-East conflict. Boucher conveyed this message to President Mahinda Rajapaksa when the president was in New York to attend the 63rd annual UN general assembly. Boucher told President Rajapaksa that the government should take steps to bring relief to around 200,000 Tamil civilians who have been displaced by the ongoing military operations in the North, sources said. The assistant secretary of state had also inquired about human rights abuses in the country. The president has agreed to look into these claims and had stated that the LTTE was using civilians as human shields and targeting civilians, sources said.”
This shows that
the campaign of the Left has a multiple effect in changing mass opinion
of the world against the oppression of Tamil speaking people. In this
scenario it is sad that Iran has gone out of the way to strengthen the
Sinhala chauvinist Mahinda regime.
It is the duty
of all progressive Muslims in this country to intervene to stop Iranian
leaders supporting Sinhala chauvinism. What is necessary is to not to
allow global powers to use our misery for their exploitative agenda.
If Iran or
anybody wants to help us, it should be based on equality and freedom
for all nationalities. Anger and hatred created by generations of
discrimination and humiliation cannot be erased by chauvinist military
actions.