Home Archives for December 2007

Will New Year give new hope for the beleaguered people of Sri Lanka?

Though we hope for
promising years,
after shedding a
thousand tears.
Yesterday's sorrows
constantly nears.
And while the moon,
still shines blue,
by dawn,
it will turn
to a scarlet hue.

[December, 31, 2007, Sri Lanka Guardian]

With lungs full of air and gigantic yawns Sri Lankan’s will enter the 2008 shortly. When peaceful countries in the world are merry making, in Sri Lanka, only few will be cheerful and celebrating at the expense of those who have lost all hope.

Year 2007 has given all the signs that the emerging 2008 is not going to be an easy one. War drums are beating loudly and the guns, war planes and gun ships are well placed to pound. The terror machinery of the LTTE too is in preparedness to retaliate in kind to maintain its survival.

2007 has revealed the ugly face of the government, which is not playing its due role to improve the quality of life of the nation’s people. Extremism, cronyism, corruption, highhandedness, war mongering, inaptitude, goony culture etc. are underline governance in Sri Lanka. The government has proved that it is vengeful, deceitful and determinedly taking a hostile attitude against anyone questioning its irregular and obnoxious way of governance.

For the past 30 years, the Sri Lankan’s have undergone the daunting experience of the war and terrorism. Every government during this time has engaged in wars without addressing the root causes of the war. The government forces have advanced with all the resources at its disposal and memories of victories and defeats (when reversals are faced) are not vivid memories of the people.

The war that the present government is pursuing is hyped up so much and it is undermining the very basic survival of the people. The sky rocketing costs of living and government money printers working overtime to print stock of money to plug the gaping hole in the government finances are sidelined to avoid public outcry.

Whatever the government victory against the LTTE in the forgoing year could not have been achieved without the support of Tamil people who have walked away and are still walking away from the LTTE. Karuna leaving the LTTE and his contribution to help the forces to score victories in the East and the international effort to control the LTTE activities in the Tamil Diaspora and the strength of the campaign of the Tamil Diaspora against the LTTE are undermined by the government and is propagated as its sole war efforts that is weakening the LTTE.

War drums are beating heavily on the government side and no one knows what are the human, material and financial costs involved to conclude this war. In the past, we have seen the self made General Anurudha Ratwatte having presided over the rout of the LTTE in Jaffna rousing upbeat claims of making inroads to takeover the LTTE’s nerve centre Vanni. We have not forgotten the reversals and retreats by the forces when they were hit in the back by the LTTE.

If the government of Premadasa had the vision to allow the Indian Peace Keeping Force (IPKF) to accomplish the final task of eliminating the LTTE without expelling them by going on the merry go round with the LTTE, Sri Lanka would have saved valuable human lives we lost within the past 18 years. IPKF effort would have paved the way for the real progress of the country.

Can the psyche of the Sri Lankan forces face any major reversals in the upbeat forward march to Vanni. What is the human cost of this war effort? Who are there to ensure the innocent and the vulnerable are spared in this nasty war.

The forecast for 2008 is not hopeless. Few candles are reflecting some light of hope and are struggling to stay lit amidst gigantic cloud of evil that pervading Sri Lanka. At last, we hear some assurance that All Party Representative Committee (APRC) report on proposals to devolve powers will be handed over to the President at the end January 2008. This will be the starting point all are waiting for.

Sri Lanka has proved that it cannot on its own solve its pestering problems. Post independence history of Sri Lanka has proved that the country has embraced the path of progressive decay on every front. When world is changing into a global village, Sri Lanka is still does not want to be part of it and wish to remain as a hotbed for hatred and crony culture curtailing its progress. Compared to yesteryears, the international community has taken keen interest in Sri Lanka, and no doubt the country is progressing to enter the working agenda of the international community.

The doors of the United Nations are being tapped and some loud noises are coming against Sri Lanka. With the way Sri Lanka is progressing by giving scant values for human rights, it will become impossible for the country to escape its subscription to the Rome Treaty on Human Rights. Sri Lanka and the parties involved in the human rights abuses must be made accountable to their conduct. Gone are the days when nations could take the self righteous path to do everything they wish in the name of sovereignty and non interference in the internal affairs of their countries. The speeches of the British High Commissioner and his counterpart the US Ambassador and the statements of United Nations and the European Union cannot be taken lightly.

Having maintained a non interference policy in Sri Lanka until recently, there are strong signs India is no longer going to sit and wait without playing its due role. With the emerging international pressures, India too is indicating the right signals to Sri Lanka to find a political resolution to the festering conflict. India must play its due role with the international community as the problems in Sri Lanka cannot be solved by the constrained abilities of the politicians of the country. A peaceful Sri Lanka is strength to India and before it reaches an anarchic state, something well intended must be done to arrest the problems.

It is opportune time when we are about to enter the New Year, to reflect our thoughts with an appeal to our nations President Mahinda Rajapakse.

Dear Hon President,

You gave us hope when you became the President of Sri Lanka in November 2005 that you will be fair-minded in your dealings to redress the problems the country is going through. Your initial years showed subtle approaches and you were seen as someone who will listen to voices of diverse opinion.

Unfortunately, the year 2007 had proved that you are only capable of engaging in manipulative politics rather than playing a laudatory role as the leader of the nation.

Since your election as President, you have turned the country into your family rule and doing everything to undermine democracy and fair-play in politics. Having consolidated your power to turn the country into Sri Lanka Ltd (A Private Limited Company) you have gone further to tamper with opposition party by buying them over with monetary rewards and offering positions.

Good governance and democracy can thrive only when separation of powers between the executive, legislature and the judiciary are allowed to run with the high degree of independence. You have used the egalitarian constitution to interfere in every aspect of the government machinery.

As a legal person and involved in politics for such a long time, you will understand what is governance is all about. We appeal to you on behalf of the nations people to do the following to establish a vibrant socio-economic-political culture in Sri Lanka.

You are a democratically elected leader of the country and is responsible to carryout the executive functions designed in the constitution. The constitution also recognizes you as the head of the armed forces. These are very important roles, if solely concentrated, could reward tremendous return for the nation.

The people who believe in good governance, transparency and decent democracy ask you to remove all your family members and life long friends from ministerial and government positions and find ways to work with people who are unconnected with you.

It is also important that you relinquish your position as Minister of Finance of the country. It untenable all important positions are held by one person and even many world hated dictators did not hold so many positions to run the state as a family concern.

Your interference in the judiciary is something worse one could contemplate. There were reports that you and your family members are tampering the judiciary to obtain favoured judgments and also have expressed displeasure when unfavourable judgments are given.

A democracy will be healthy when a vibrant opposition is allowed to function without undue pressures and interference. What we have seen in 2007 was your leadership played a heavy role to weaken the opposition.

The government is run by an unprecedented 105 ministers who have been pulled together from all walks of life to sustain your family control of the running of the state. The fighting at Rupavahini TV station on 27 December 2007 involving your trusted Labour Minister Mervyn Silva confirms the appalling state of persons holding ministerial positions in your government. It is essential significant amends are made to reduce the number of ministers and give extended responsibilities to knowledgeable, responsible and valued elected representatives to govern the country.

May we ask you to put all your resources in concentrating on the burgeoning issue of inter racial conflict that is plaguing the country. What we see is by playing petty parochial politics with the extreme parties like JVP and JHU, you are deliberately sidelining the national crisis being honourably resolved. In order to maintain your family control, you are going out of the way to align with these extreme parties.

It is time that legislature is allowed to function without undue day to day executive interference. In order to dismantle the muddle that has been created, a general election must be called and the newly elected legislature must be allowed to find its own destiny without your undue interference.

These are fundamental concerns about your style of governance amongst the right thinking and passionate people of the nation of Sri Lanka and we trust that you will take board of the comments herein seriously.

We take this opportunity to wish a happy New Year.

Yours sincerely

Editorial Board

Sri Lanka Guardian

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(December, 31, Chennai, Sri Lanka Guardian) In December, 2007, As-Sahab, the propaganda-cum-PSYWAR wing of Al Qaeda, had disseminated a four-part interview with Ayman al-Zawahiri, No.2 to Osama bin Laden in Al Qaeda, on the state of the global jihad towards the end of 2007. In the interview, he made a severe attack on Iran and accused it of stabbing the Ummah in the back in Afghanistan and Iraq. The text of the relevant portion of the interview is given below:

_______________________________

"Is American occupation of Iranian territories prohibited but permissible in Iraq and in Afghanistan? And is Tehran more important to them than Karbala and Najaf? Why does Khamene'i threaten America with a multifold retaliation if Iran is struck but didn't move a finger when American rockets pierced the tomb of Imam Ali (Allah bless him) in Najaf?" -Zawari

_______________________________

As-Sahab: The Americans are threatening Iran with an imminent strike. Dose Iran expect from the Muslim Ummah to help it to repel the American aggression against it?

Zawahiri: Iran stabbed the Muslim Ummah in its back, and recorded a historic mark of shame against itself and all of the Shiites who followed it. And the effects of this stab will stay in the memory of the Muslims for a long time to come. And the strange contradiction to which I would like to call attention is that despite the fact that Iran allowed the Crusader forces into Iraq, recognized the puppet government there and motivated its militias to participate in its army, security and police, and despite its recognition of the puppet government in Afghanistan, it warns America of a multitude response against its interests worldwide should it attack Iran. Is American occupation of Iranian territories prohibited but permissible in Iraq and in Afghanistan? And is Tehran more important to them than Karbala and Najaf? Why does Khamene'i threaten America with a multifold retaliation if Iran is struck but didn't move a finger when American rockets pierced the tomb of Imam Ali (Allah bless him) in Najaf? Don't all of these errors and contradictions require that everyone with a remnant of intelligence and conscience review many things, and reread many more things?

As-Sahab: But Iran considered itself to be the winner politically through its cooperation with the Crusader invasion in Iraq and Afghanistan in that it freed itself from two regimes hostile to it and its influence spread east and west.

Zawahiri: Iran embroiled itself in its evil deeds, and it is now besieged from the east and the west.

In this connection, reference is invited to my power-point presentation on International Jihadi Terrorism of December 13,2007, in which I had highlighted the following characteristics of Al Qaeda

SUNNI A-BOMB VS SHIA A-BOMB. SUPPORT FOR SUNNI A-BOMB. SILENCE ON IRAN’S RIGHT TO ACQUIRE AN A-BOMB.

LOUD CONDEMNATION OF US INTERVENTION IN AFGHANISTAN & IRAQ. MUTED REACTIONS TO REPORTED US PLANS TO INTERVENE IN IRAN.

BIN LADEN’S SO-CALLED INTERNATIONAL ISLAMIC FRONT IS, IN FACT, AN INTERNATIONAL WAHABI FRONT AGAINST CHRISTIANS, JEWISH PEOPLE, HINDUS & SHIAS AND THEIR MUSLIM STATE SUPPORTERS .

(B.Raman is Additional Secretary (retired) Cabinet Secretariat, Govt. of India, New Delhi, and, presently, Director, Institute For Topical Studies, Chennai. E-mail: seventyone2@gmail.com )

( December, 31, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) A discussion was held at the EPDP office in the East on the last 29th by the EPDP, PLOTE, EPRLF (Pathmabha Group) and TMVP (Pillain Group) to setup an alliance for contesting the Local Government elections in the East to be held recently.

As the first step in the process, the said parties decided to form an alliance for contesting the Local Government elections in the East. The other actions to be resorted to would be discussed at the next meeting to be ensued, for arriving at a decision on the selection of candidates and other problems that might crop up in the run up to the elections.

A Steering Committee was setup comprising of the members of these parties to oversee the entire exercise. There are three more parties wishing to join this alliance, the detail of which will be divulged in due course.

"We are not only fighting for our lives and the area but also for the sovereignty of our country.We are fighting the international war against terrorism on our borders by shedding our blood but, instead of helping us, everyone is creating trouble for us by trying to stop us from defending our area."

(To be read in continuation of my earlier article titled "Fresh Flare-Up of Taliban--Shia Clashes in Kurram)

(December, 31, Chennai, Sri Lanka Guardian) Shia-Sunni clashes continue unabated in the Kurram Agency of the Federally-Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) of Pakistan. There were 15 fatalities on both sides on December 29,2007. Leaders of the local Shia community have alleged that the Kurram Agency has been invaded by members of Al Qaeda and the Taliban based in South and North Waziristan in the FATA and in the Swat Valley in the North-West Frontier Province (NWFP) and accused the Pakistan Army of failing to act against the invaders.

_______________________________________

The "Post", a Pakistani daily, has reported as follows on December 31,2007:

ISLAMABAD: A delegation of notables from Kurram Agency has appealed to President Pervez Musharraf and Chief of Army Staff Gen Ashfaq Pervez Kiyani to stop the ongoing violence that has resulted in the loss of more than 100 lives and billions of rupees' worth of property.

Haji Latif Hussain, President, Kurram Welfare Society, said the residents had been fighting the Taliban infiltrating from Afghanistan, North and South Waziristan and Al Qaeda operatives in the area who were thousands in number. He added over 70 people had been killed in furious clashes during the last 45 days. "The armed forces of Pakistan are playing the role of silent spectators instead of countering the attackers and protecting the residents under attack," he said.

Latif Hussain said Al Qaeda fighters had occupied various areas of Kurram Agency and blocked the main road from Peshawar to Parachinar, resulting in a shortage of basic commodities. "There is an acute shortage of medicines, food, electricity and water," he added.

The Kurram Welfare Society President said that as a result of the war, hundreds of women, children and the elderly had taken refuge in Peshawar while over a hundred students who were unable to move to their native areas because of the war had been forced to stay in Islamabad.

Mehdi Ghulam from Kurram Agency said Alizai, Balyamin, Tangi Amro Khail, Arravali, Santikot, Singk, Burqi and Pevar were under Taliban and Al Qaeda attacks while dozens of injured were waiting for their death in the Parachinar hospital owing to a shortage of medicines.

He said that although the current confrontation was not sectarian, shrines and mosques of both Sunni and Shiite sects were being damaged by Taliban and Al Qaeda forces.

Mehdi said that in Pevar firing from the other side of the border was causing multiple deaths daily.

Muhammad Hussain Turri, secretary, Ittehad-e-Ummat Committee, said: "We are not only fighting for our lives and the area but also for the sovereignty of our country.We are fighting the international war against terrorism on our borders by shedding our blood but, instead of helping us, everyone is creating trouble for us by trying to stop us from defending our area."

Turri appealed to the President and the Chief of the Army Staff to issue a directive to the army to intervene to save the lives of thousands of people.

Gull Ishrat, member, Kurram Welfare Society, said: "We are fighting the battle of the Pakistan Army against those who managed to escape from Swat, Bajaur, North and South Waziristan and Afghanistan and are involved in furious attacks on the Pakistan Army."

( B.Raman is Additional Secretary (retd), Cabinet Secretariat, Govt. of India, New Delhi, and, presently, Director, Institute For Topical Studies, Chennai. E-mail: seventyone2@gmail.com )

(December, 31, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) “There is not even the slightest reflection of revelry and happiness in the faces of our people, we imperceptibly, though pass on to yet another New Year on the horizon to be dawned, with hope of content and happiness,”according to the New Messege by Douglas Devananda a Minister of Social Services and Social Welfare.

“The New Year that is dawning is expected to bring with it a change for better in our lives. But the years that have come and gone have not brought anything tangible at all to our people only misery and untold sufferings beyond expression,’he said.

“In the gloomy past we could only observe fear for life, hostility to peace, human rights violations and lack of dignity to humanity,” he added.

The Minster say, “ death, maiming, destitution, displacement, destruction; the fall outs of war and disastrous consequences of natural disasters have piled upon tons and tons of sufferings pressing down people so pathetically. The continuance of destructive war has proved to be a stumbling block for the freedom for political rights, peace and harmony and equity of Tamil Speaking People in this country, stifling them from celebrating the New Year that is just around the corner.”

The Tamil Speaking People have realized that they are cast upon with the responsibility of working hard towards achieving a change that would bring happiness to their lives in the ensuing New Year, according to the messege.

“Our desire is to see that every house hold of our people is filled with happiness and prosperity inviting all that is conducive and ridding of all that is hostile towards this end.”

“A New Year is dawning amidst the sound of guns. We are bound with the duty of putting a full stop to the sufferings of our people in this New Year.”

“I wish, in the ensuing New Year emergence of a situation where there is no fear for life, no meaningless blood-shed, protection of human rights, respect for humanity and honour to our mother country.”

“In our journey towards fulfilling our objective it is necessary we start from the place where it is practical to do so.”

Unity among communities, equity, etc, should be re-awakened so that Tamil Speaking People could live with dignity as free citizens in this country.

“All the people in Sri Lanka belonging to different ethnic denominations should co-exist with peace and harmony.

“We, the EPDP and all the Tamil Speaking People in our country wish to work towards achieving these goals in our lives. I wish happiness and prosperity to all the people in this country living under the burdens of disastrous effects of war and natural calamities in the ensuing the New Year.”

(December, 31, Colombo/Tokio, Sri Lanka Guardian) Mahinda Rajapaksa, President of Sri Lanka was on a State visit to Japan and he participated at a Business and Investment Forum as well. H.E. was in Japan from 08th to 11th December 2007.

A highly successful and productive Business and Investment Forum was held at the Imperial Hotel to project and accentuate Sri Lanka’s favourable investment environment as well as a destination for Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) and Joint Ventures. Over 250 potential Japanese investors attended the said event.

Associated with the President’s visit were 45 leading Sri Lankan businesspersons for whom one-to-one business meetings were arranged with their Japanese counterparts by the Sri Lankan Embassy.

At this Forum, the Government of Japan pledged to assist Sri Lanka with an economic and financial grant package worth Yen 1,900 million.

President Rajapaksa, in discussion with the Japanese Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda and Foreign Minister Masahiko Komura, extended the country's gratitude to the Japanese Government for extending assistance on several mega development projects. Further, the President broached to the Japanese delegation the need for more international assistance in launching several of the proposed projects.

These include the setting up of a National Workers' Hospital, which is a budget hospital for the working class, the Moragahakanda hydroelectric project, the construction of a modern training school for nurses and a Liquid Nitrogen Gas (LNG) project among others. An MoU between Japan and Sri Lanka was signed for the establishment of a Liquid Nitrogen Gas (LNG) project.

Sri Lanka also sought more employment opportunities in Japan for skilled workers and professionals.

President also expounded to the delegation the measures taken by the Government to bring normalcy to the people in the recently liberated Eastern Province. He further elaborated the much ambitious program of Negenahira Reawakening, the comprehensive development programme for the Province.

Minister of Foreign Affairs, Rohitha Bogollagama, Additional Secretary to the President, Mr. Gamini Senerath, Finance Secretary Dr. P.B. Jayasundara and Sri Lanka Ambassador in Japan accompanied the President on his discussions and bilateral talks during his visit to Japan.

According to the Secretary to the Ministry of Power and Energy, the Japanese Government has assured its maximum support to upgrade the power generation in Sri Lanka.

The Japanese Government would address the Liquefied Nitrogen Gas (LNG) project with a grant of US$ 400 million out of a total cost of US$ 610 million.

The Japanese Government extended their support to upgrade the LNG system, as an initial step, and a Memorandum of Understanding was also signed between the two countries in which Japan would extend technical assistance to Sri Lanka.

The MoU was signed between the Secretary of the Power and Energy of Sri Lanka and Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism of the Japanese Government.

The annual grant Japan extends to Sri Lanka was USD 320 million, through the Japanese Overseas Development Assistance programme, has been increased to USD 400 million, as a result of the visit of H.E. the President Rajapaksa to Japan.

(December, 31, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) The bilateral trade between the Government of India and the Government of Sri Lanka is envisaged to grow to USD 5 billion by 2010.

This was stated at a meeting of visiting delegation from India with the Minister of Enterprise Development and Investment Promotion of Sri Lanka. The Minister met a 12 member visiting delegation from the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), India's leading and principal Chamber of Commerce. The members expressed keen interest to commit investments in Sri Lanka.

According to the Minister, the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) signed with India had markedly boosted bilateral trade between the two countries. India’s exports to Sri Lanka were currently valued at USD 2.25 billion while Sri Lanka’s exports were USD 470 million respectively.

Indian investors are to benefit from provisions and privileges available to them under the Indo-Sri Lanka Free Trade Agreement (FTA).

The delegation expressed their interest in investing in sectors, particularly in steel, education, healthcare, IT and BPOs, construction and ceramics production among others.

The Minister also emphasized the advantages Sri Lanka offers to investors, notably a comprehensive regime of incentives existing under the BOI regime that encompasses a myriad of sectors and economic activities.

(December, 31, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) An Indian trade delegation would be in Sri Lanka from January 2-4, 2008 with expectation to conclude discussions on the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA). The two countries have been working for 2 years to finalise the said Agreement.

The Director General of the Department of Commerce stated that issues pertaining to trade in goods and the service sector have to be discussed in a manner that would benefit both the countries. The Director General also expressed optimism and sanguinity that the talks in January would be fruitful and the text of the CEPA could be finalised.

The discussions have so far focused on trading in goods and services and on the contents of the Agreement. The issues pertaining to the implementation of the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) such as Vanaspathi and apparel would be discussed, in detail.

Secretary, Ministry of Export Development and International Trade, stated that the issues related to service sector would have to be negotiated in a mutually beneficial manner to the two countries, given the increasing opptunities.

The discussions would focus on customs co-operation, Mutual Recognition Agreement (MRA), co-operation in the Ayurveda sector and export of Vanaspathi as well as different sectors under the Agreement. The discussions would be headed by the Director General of the Department of Commerce and her Indian counterpart, the Joint Secretary to the Ministry of Commerce and Industry of India.

(December, 31, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) The Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA) has implemented a Window Berthing Policy to increase the efficiency of services between the Port of Colombo and the Indian Subcontinent.

According to the SLPA sources, a vessel would be given a specific time window to be berthed, upon arrival, and any delays would be penalized. This policy is implemented in most ports around the world and also the general policy of the privately owned South Asia Gateway Terminal.

The SLPA’s new window berthing scheme would initially cover Chennai and Tuticorin sectors, with two berths being reserved for this purpose at Jaya Container Terminal (JCT) and Unity Container Terminal (UCT).

(December, 31, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) Valvettithurai was one of the important Northern ports during the period of the Jaffna and even before. It served as a bridge between northern of the Sri Lanka and the port of Kodikkarai in Thamil Nadu. The people of Valvettithurai are brave sailors who traveled the stormy seas and amassed great wealth through trade. This sea-port has earned an indelible fame in the annals of Sri Lanka. This is because it is the birthplace of Prabhakaran, Co- founder of the Liberation Tigers of Thamil Liberation (LTTE), who is leading the Thamil Eelam , separate sate for Tamils. He was born in this historic village on 26th, November 1954.

“Thirumeniyar family” is one of the reputed families in Valvettithurai. Thirumeniyar is one of 4 sons born to Iyampillai Velayuthar. His brothers are Gnanamoorthiyar, Puniyamoorthiyar and Arumugathaar. Thirumeniyar’s maternal uncle Ponnambalam was a successful businessman and was conferred with the title of Mudali during the Dutch period. Thirumeniyar Venkadasalam alias Thirumeniyar Periyathambiyar erected the famous Vaitheeswaran Sivan temple of Valvai according to the wish of his father. The temple construction commenced in 1867 and was consecrated in 1883. He renovated two more temples viz Vaikunthap Pillayar and Puddanip Pilaiyar temples. He also built many Madams for the use of pilgrims at Mullaithivu. The family also built two more temples. Valvai Muthu Mariamman temple and Nediyakadu Pillaiyar temple. Another family called Methaiveedu Nagalingam lived in the adjoining town of Point Pedro. This family was also reputed for building many temples in this area. These two families were joined together through marriage. Thiruvenkadam Velupillai of Thirumeniyar family married Paarvathy of Nagalingam family.

Prabhakaran is the youngest child born in that family. Prabhakaran has one elder brother and two elder sisters. All of them are happily married and settled down in life. One of his sister Vinothini Rajendram is in Canada. The other sister are brother are living in Denmark.

Prabhakaran's father served under the government as a District Land Officer for several years. Prabhakaran’s father and mother are domiciled in Tiruchi, Thamil Nadu at present.

Prabhakaran had his education up to 10th grade at Sithamparam Vidyalayam in Oorikkadu, Valvettithurai.

In those days the sole ambition of children from affluent and middle class families was to receive good English education and then seek employment abroad or secure employment in the government. But from his childhood days Prabhakaran's way of thinking was completely different.

When he travelled with his father to the other parts of Sri Lankahe saw for himself how the Sinhalese policemen ill-treated innocent Tamil people by kicking and beating them. Such incidents caused shock and pain and left deep scars in his psyche.

Especially, the first major attack against the Tamils during 1958 affected his mind profoundly. Still in his teens, he heard numerous heart-aching stories of inhuman and brutal murders of Tamils by Sinhalese goon squads and thugs.

He heard at first hand from a widowed mother who is well known to his parents the anguish and pain she suffered. How Tamil children were killed by heartless mobs by throwing them into cauldrons of boiling tar. How a Hindu priest was burnt alive at a temple in Panadura. So when he came to know how the unfortunate Tamils have been at the receiving end of horrible attacks at the hands of Sinhalese goons, he developed deep sympathy, love and a firm resolve to defend the defenseless the Tamil people.

So he perfected an irresistible urge in his mind to free the Tamil people from the clutches of the oppressive Sinhalese government. He came to the firm and resolute conclusion that the only way to confront the racist Sinhalese government which used military might against the defenseless and innocent Tamil people is through armed struggle.

So during his student days, he and his friends learnt the art of making improvised hand grenades. On one such occasion a grenade exploded accidentally and he received burnt marks on his leg. After medical treatment the burnt area became black. This earned him the nickname 'Karikalan' (person with a blackened leg) when he was still a young lad.

The standardization system introduced by the government in 1971 acted as a stumbling block against Tamil students gaining entry to Universities after finishing high school. Prabhakaran who studied up to 10th grade could not continue his studies because of his involvement as a liberation fighter.

Prabhakaran parents were completely unaware of his clandestine activities. But the opportunity for the parents to know of his clandestine revolutionary activities came knocking at the door on its own.

One day a posse of policemen came in search of Prabhakaran. They knocked at the front door of his house at the unholy hour of 3 a.m. in the morning. Immediately on hearing the knocks, Prabhakaran immediately knew it is the Police had come in search of him. Sensing trouble, he vanished through the back door into the darkness of the night without anyone's knowledge.

Prabhakaran’s mother opened the door and was startled to see several policemen in khaki uniform standing in front of the house. She was shocked because at that time she was unaware of Prabhakaran’s involvement in any ‘clandestine movement’. Finally, after a thorough search of the house a disappointed Police went back empty handed failing to apprehend Prabhakaran. He was only 19 years old at that time and he never returned home thereafter.

When his father came to know of his involvement in revolutionary activities, he went to Prabhakaran’s hide- out and brought him back home.

Prabhakaran told his parents "I will never be of any use to you or to other members of the family. Let there be no trouble for you because of me. Please allow me to go my own way. In future never expect anything from me." So saying he left the house. Then he plunged himself fully in the clandestine activities of the movement. He became a full time activist living under ground and moving from place to place to escape arrest by the Police.

by Dhanya Rajendran

(December, 31, Colombo- Chennai, Sri Lanka Guardian) In what could spell the beginning of the end for the LTTE in Srilanka, the country's army chief has warned that LTTE supremo Prabhakaran could be eliminated within the next 6 months. Speaking to state run media, General Fonseka has said the Tigers are trapped in a small radius in the north and north-western part of the Sri Lanka.

The twenty-year-old ethnic strife in the tiny island nation of Sri Lanka has seen many ups and downs - but will this one be the proverbial beginning of the end for the LTTE? With the Sri Lankan army pumping up its offensive, Tigers are definitely on the backfoot.

The dreaded LTTE have lost many of their strongholds. Their writ runs now only along a narrow strip between Wanni to Elephant Pass just south of Jaffna.

Another major cause of worry for the Tigers is loss their top leadership - the death of theoritician Anton Balasingham a year back, and recently the killing of their political head S P Thamilselvan in an air raid has come as a major blow.

A supremely confident army chief now says LTTE chief V Prabhakaran may not even survive the next six months clearly indicating they are hunting his head.

"The LTTE may not be able to prevent losing their remaining 3,000 cadres and there is no assurance that outfit leader V Prabhakaran would survive for the next six months as the Sri Lankan Air Force plans to attack all the LTTE bases," said Sri Lankan army chief Gen Sarath Fonseka.

And as the stage is set for what seems to be an end game in Sri Lanka, back home political temparatures are already on the rise especially in Tamil Nadu, where most political parties sympathise with LTTE.

AIADMK supremo J Jayalalithaa, who has always taken on LTTE has alleged that this open support by political parties is a dangerous proposition, as wounded LTTE will be further encouraged to make Tamil Nadu a safe haven.

"Every political party is ready to roll a red carpet for the LTTE. This is a dangerous situation... And considering the stand taken by even the Centre, only God can save Tamil Nadu," Jayalalithaa has said recently.

The war in Sri Lanka is intensifying with each passing day and with the Lankan army now saying that they will kill Prabhakaran in a matter of months - the conflict in the island nation is sure to have its repurcussions on Tamil Nadu and its politics.

(December, 31, Chennai, Sri Lanka Guardian) In December, 2007, As-Sahab, the propaganda-cum-PSYWAR wing of Al Qaeda, had disseminated a four-part interview with Ayman al-Zawahiri, No.2 to Osama bin Laden in Al Qaeda, on the state of the global jihad towards the end of 2007. In the interview, he made a severe attack on Pakistan, Iran and the Hizbollah. In the fourth and last part of the interview, disseminated on December 17,2007. this is what he had to say on Pakistan:

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"This army, in view of its feebleness, its digression from fighting the real enemy, its deviation from its theoretical duty and its collapsed morale, cannot possibly defend Pakistan, and in fact, doesn't deserve that honor. This army must move against Musharraf if it wants to rescue Pakistan from the dark future towards which Musharraf is driving it"-Zawari

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"Musharraf and his regime are reeling in their final days (Allah permitting), and their failure is a part of one of the prerequisites of American failure in the region. What actually defeated Musharraf is the Jihadi Intifada and awakening which covered the tribal regions and spread to the middle of Pakistan, through the blessings of the Afghan Jihad against the Crusaders in Afghanistan.

"Everything that is going on in Pakistan, from the arrangement for the return of Benazir to the declaration of the state of emergency to the consecutive detentions and repressive measures, is a desperate American attempt to remedy the deteriorating situation in Afghanistan and Pakistan. And the head of the American central command was present in Islamabad at the time of the declaration of the state of emergency.

"Thus, I call on everyone in whose heart is ardour for Islam in Pakistan to join the mujahideen and back and support them, because they are the key to deliverance from the rotten, corrupt government in Islamabad, that government which has humiliated the Pakistani army and turned it into a pack of hunting dogs for America, and at whose hands the army has suffered the worst of defeats at the hands of the mujahideen in Waziristan and Swat and its morale has fallen to rock bottom and so hundreds of its troops surrendered at the first threat from the mujahideen.

"This army, in view of its feebleness, its digression from fighting the real enemy, its deviation from its theoretical duty and its collapsed morale, cannot possibly defend Pakistan, and in fact, doesn't deserve that honor. This army must move against Musharraf if it wants to rescue Pakistan from the dark future towards which Musharraf is driving it.

"The Pakistani army must place its allegiance first and before anything else in Islam, Allah and the Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), instead of its allegiance being to salary, position and the crumbs of this world, which won't be of any use to it at the first encounter with the mujahideen and will be a plague for it in the hereafter. The Pakistani army must take action, and the Muslims in Pakistan must back the Jihad, because Pakistan has turned into Americastan, and they must save it before it turns into Indiastan or Israelistan”

(B.Raman , a Additional Secretary (retd), Cabinet Secretariat, Govt. of India, New Delhi, and, presently, Director, Institute For Topical Studies, Chennai. E-mail: seventyone2@gmail.com )

Somawanse Amarasinghe leader of JVP at the 2007 Hero’s Day Celebrations

by Podi Malli and Sinna Thamby

(December, 31, London, Sri Lanka Guardian) The Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) carried out two major terror campaigns in Sri Lanka i.e. one in 1971 and the other during 1987-1992.

It is worth comparing the summary information of JVP terrorism during 1987-1992 with the brutal LTTE and considerable similarities in their terror campaign can be easily assessed.

Both JVP and the LTTE killed untold number of civilians for being informants, government supporters, educationalists and politicians to take exclusive control of the civil society by violent means.

To achieve their exclusive control of the civil society, both have killed hundreds of thousands of service personals consisting of security forces, police personnel and home guards.

In 1989 alone, JVP murdered 24 Buddhist clergies for refusing to bow to its Marxists principles. On its part, the LTTE has killed hundred odd Buddhist clergies so far. The worst of their attack was when they ambushed a bus load of Buddhist monks in the mid 1980’s.

Tilvin Silva, General Secretary of the JVP, addressing at this years Hero’s Day event.

In 1987 and 1988 two Catholic priests were killed by the JVP. Though LTTE did not carryout any acts against the Christian clergies, to this date, it had killed 21 Hindu priests for various reasons. JVP on its part has spared the Hindu priests for some reasons.

Both terrorists have proven record of engaging in vandalism and sabotage. They have caused collateral and colossal damage to state economic infrastructures. Banks, foreign construction projects and centres and social and community centres were destroyed or damaged by these self seeking terrorist groups.

LTTE was responsible for killing the President Ranasinghe Premadasa in 1992 and many government ministers. JVP too equally did their part and killed leading politicians including the former President Chandrika Kumaratunga Bandaranayake’s husband.

In 1987, a JVP sympathizing Air force man rifle-butted the Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi at guard of honour parade. LTTE went further by killing Rajiv Gandhi in a suicide bomb attack in Sri Perumputhoor in Tamil Nadu, India.

During the period 1987-1992, the JVP murdered hundreds of members of the working class in the South of the island in order to force people to join anti-government strikes. The LTTE on its part forced the Tamil school children to participate in its demonstrations and forced government offices to close down. They also conscripted child soldiers and forced them to march to the death gallows i.e. the war front and also suicide missions.

Just 18 year ago, the JVP attacked the holiest of Buddhist shrines, the sacred Sri Dalada Maligawa in Kandy. The LTTE did a copycat job of ramming the sacred Sri Dalada Maligawa with bomb laden vehicle subsequently.

Both JVP and LTTE also attacked the Katunayake International airport. Since LTTE’s operations are spanning for many years, it had carried many attacks on airports and have targeted the Colombo, Tricomalee and Galle harbours.

Surprisingly, both these terrorist outfits have some common brotherly understanding. They had never killed each other or engaged in any violent acts between them so far. On this, they both always maintain their Sahotharaya (brotherly) feelings.

But come what may be, the former shotgun terrorist want the state forces to defeat the machine gun terrorists at all costs.

Modern Dutugemunu

Cardboard Dutugemunu

Dutugemunu’s son

Underworld goon

Criminal

Third grade ruffian

Hooligan

Local Napoleon

Rowdy

Goon

Maggot Minister

Thug

Brute Minister

All these titles combined together, can we call him an ‘uncivilised and barbaric buffoon?’

(December, 31, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian)

"It seems as if many citizens of Sri Lanka are so fed up with the crimes being committed with impunity by politicians in league with the underworld that they have begun to intervene directly to deal with such situations as they arise. People power is being increasingly exercised to curb the excesses of our crooked politicians."

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by Dr. K. de Alwis

(December, 31, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) A news item in a newspaper yesterday (28) under the title "President orders tough action" says that he had instructed Colombo DIG Nimal Mediwake to take necessary legal action against the persons involved in the incident at the Rupavahini Corporation.

My question is why the police have to wait for instructions from the President to take legal action against those who break the law? What were all those high-ranking police officers at the scene of the crime doing except protecting the criminals against those who were defending the victim of the ministerial assault? What was the IGP doing? Was he waiting for the President’s "instructions" without giving his deputies on the scene orders to arrest the wrongdoers – an act that would have defused the situation immediately? Or was he shielding the sharks, like he did when he transferred the police officer who was conducting investigations into the ill-gotten assets of VIPs in the government to the Eastern Province?

Then we hear the Chief Justice Sarath N. Silva saying, quite rightly, that we must not take the law into our own hands. But what are people expected to do when "the arm of the law", represented in this case by a large posse of high ranking police officers appointed to uphold the laws of the land, stands idly by while these same laws are being brazenly flouted by a set of notorious thugs, ministerial or otherwise? To meekly give in and not resist the criminal attack? I submit that citizens have a right to protect themselves, especially when the police appear to be siding with the lawbreakers, and they also have the right to make a citizens’ arrest as sanctioned by the criminal code. The public spirited employees of Rupavahini did both of these things with great bravery (considering that the minister and his bodyguards were probably armed) and with gusto.

It seems as if many citizens of Sri Lanka are so fed up with the crimes being committed with impunity by politicians in league with the underworld that they have begun to intervene directly to deal with such situations as they arise. People power is being increasingly exercised to curb the excesses of our crooked politicians. Politicians who patronise and shield such criminals (no matter what skeletons may exist in their cupboards that they are trying to hide), will find that the people will sooner or later exercise their sovereignty and get rid of them lock stock and barrel, as they did with Marcos in the Philippines and Milosovich in Yugoslavia. People power can be a mighty force.

I say, "More power to the people". Congratulations you brave and public spirited staff of Rupavahini!

"It is true that there are not enough masters or centres for such an amount to meet the needs of those people who like to practice Buddhism. Still, those who have an interest do read a significant number of books & articles on Buddhist philosophy. The most important thing is that the texts inscribed in Pali, Sanskrit & Tibetan are directly translated into French. "
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(December, 31,Paris, France, Sri Lanka Guardian) Today I purposely chose a Buddhist teaching & a scientific teaching which are really parallel.

Before moving into the topic I would like to share that in this hemisphere there is a growing interest in Buddhism observed among the general population.

Some years ago two prestigious magazines Le Nouvel Observateur & La Psychologie conducted an opinion poll on Buddhism in France.
The conclusion is astounding!

5 million French people say:

“We prefer to consider ourselves Buddhist!”

It is true that there are not enough masters or centres for such an amount to meet the needs of those people who like to practice Buddhism. Still, those who have an interest do read a significant number of books & articles on Buddhist philosophy. The most important thing is that the texts inscribed in Pali, Sanskrit & Tibetan are directly translated into French.

Some of the sociologists forecast:
Il y aura un bouddhisme à la française!
(There will be a French style Buddhism)

The role played by His Holiness Dalai Lama relative to Buddhism in the West is comparable only with that of the Great Emperor Ashoka.

(unfortunately most of our monks do not like to consider this great personality as a Buddhist monk! When talking of himself he says: “I am a simple Buddhist monk”)

Nevertheless, the present article will not focus on this Great Tibetan Spiritual Leader.

In the Great Mahayana teaching found in the Prajnaparamita Sutra we can read the following saying:
“Shariputra, all dharma are of the nature of SUNYATA or Emptiness, they are neither created nor destroyed”

In this context dharma are the things. All dharma are all things, psychophysical things. They are of the nature of EMPTINESS. It means that all dharma are interrelated & they do not have their own intrinsic existence. EMPTINESS is the approximate translation of the Sanskrit word SUNYATA. It is important to draw your attention to the word ZERO, which is derived from Sanskrit SUNYA! (SUNYA-ZERO) Zero does not mean empty. When you add 1 before zero it becomes 10!

According to SUNYATA philosophy of Buddhism nothing has its own separate, intrinsic existence. Every thing is empty of a separate existence. Every thing is interrelated. If we pose the question: “Empty of what?” then it makes easier for our comprehension. It is empty of a separate existence. In order to denote this deep teaching of the Buddha the Great contemporary Buddhist master based in France Venerable Thich Nhat Hanh coins a new Verb:

“TO INTER-BE.”

We can say “Mr Bush & Mr Sadam Hussein INTER-ARE!” Mr Bush can not be separated from Mr Sadam Hussein & vice-versa. Man & nature inter-are! Etc.

The 18th century French chemist Antoine Laurent de Lavoisier made the following declaration:

“RIEN NE SE CREE & RIEN NE SE PERD”

Nothing is created & nothing is destroyed!

He has repeated exactly what Buddha taught us 2500 years ago!

“THEY ARE NEITHER CREATED NOR DESTROYED”

Our Readers are acquainted with the theory of energy. It can manifest in different forms but it can not be destroyed. When some one attains the bliss of Nirvana he does not go to nihilism.

(Bhikkhu Mandawala Pannawansa Thero is well known Buddhist monk born in Sri Lanka, currently lives in France. Contact Email- pannawansa@aol.com)

Bhutto's husband Asif Ali Zardari was arrested on corruption charges. Bhutto is pictured here visiting him in Karachi central prison with her children Bilawal (L), Asifa and Bakhtawar (R). He spent eight years in jail.

(December, 30, Rawalpindi, Sri Lanka Guardian) Bailawal Bhutto, 19-year-old son of Benazir Bhutto, read mother's will in a party meeting attended by senior officials.

After the meeting, Bailwal Bhutto has been named as the new chairman of the Pakistan people's party.

PPP has also decided to participate in upcoming general elections in Pakistan.

Bhutto's husband Asif Ali Zardari will be the co-chairman of the party.

"The JVP, like the LTTE, did not want to share power with anyone; it wanted to rule alone. It would have tolerated the existence of other political parties and organisations only on condition of uncritical obedience. Even the SLFP was attacked, and attacked mercilessly, when it proved itself unwilling to abide by all the JVP’s rules."

by Tisaranee Gunasekara

Link to Part V

VI. ANATOMY OF A FAILURE

There is a picture of Daya Pathirana in death, the first casualty of the Second JVP Insurgency and the JVP first victim; the leader of the ISU of the University of Colombo is shown lying on his back at the murder scene, stripped to his underwear, his eyes staring unseeingly, the mark of the murderers’ blade visible around his neck, a thin red ring. That picture is symbolic of the senseless bloodletting that was the Second JVP Insurgency, its brutality, its indiscriminate nature and its inability to tolerate or compromise.

The JVP failed partly – some would say mainly - because of its own errors. Maximalism was its signature error. It prevented the JVP from entering into a successful compromise solution with the Premadasa administration. It also prevented the JVP from agreeing to play the junior partner with the SLFP. The JVP, like the LTTE, did not want to share power with anyone; it wanted to rule alone. It would have tolerated the existence of other political parties and organisations only on condition of uncritical obedience. Even the SLFP was attacked, and attacked mercilessly, when it proved itself unwilling to abide by all the JVP’s rules.

The other major error on the part of the JVP was its incorrect handling of contradictions. Instead of building alliances with those forces and entities which were anti-government to varying degrees, the JVP launched a merciless assault on many of them, forcing them reluctantly to build alliances with the government instead. Its policy of targeting what it called the ‘unpatriotic’ elements commencing, it must be noted, prior to the Indo-Lanka Accord of 1987, provided the beleaguered state with badly needed political allies, thereby ending its isolation. Instead of ‘uniting the many’ to overthrow the state, the JVP by its actions united the many against itself.

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"The JVP with its indiscriminate and deadly assault on any other person/organisation which dared to disagree with it (this eventually included its one time ally Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) and with its arbitrary dictates concerning every aspect of the day to day life of the populace, eventually played into the hands of the state. In the short term the fear psychosis it created was extremely effective. But in the medium term the JVP terror enabled the state/regime to occupy the moral high ground."

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The JVP’s failure was not due to its Marxism, as some analysts have argued but to its insufficient Marxism, its inability to have a correct, Marxian understanding of contradictions. The JVP’s problem was not that it was Marxist, but that it was quasi-Marxist. The JVP’s mistake therefore was that it turned its back on both Mao and Ché—on the lessons of national liberation struggles (the Chinese war against Japanese invaders, and the Vietcong’s resistance to the US) and revolutionary struggles (Cuba and Nicaragua). According to Mao “the object of the war is specifically to preserve oneself and destroy the enemy to destroy the enemy means to disarm him or deprive him of the power to resist and does not mean to destroy every member of his force physically” (On Protracted War, Selected Works, Vol. II - emphasis mine).

Discussing the tasks of the Eighth Route Army in the war of resistance against Japan, Mao identified “giving lenient treatment to prisoners of war” as an important component of the political work of the Chinese Communists. “We shall not change it if even the Japanese army carries out its declared intention of using poison gas against the Eighth Route Army. We shall go on giving lenient treatment to captured Japanese soldiers… We shall not insult or abuse them but shall set them free after explaining to them the identity of the interests of the two countries” (ibid, Interview with James Bertram - emphasis mine).

Ché Guevara was similarly unequivocal. “There are always laggards who remain behind but our function is not to liquidate them—to crush them and force them to bow to an armed vanguard— but to educate them by leading them forward and getting them to follow us because of our example, or as Fidel called it moral compulsion” (Venceramos: The Speeches and Writings of Ché Guevara, edited by John Gerassi - emphasis mine). The JVP with its indiscriminate and deadly assault on any other person/organisation which dared to disagree with it (this eventually included its one time ally Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) and with its arbitrary dictates concerning every aspect of the day to day life of the populace, eventually played into the hands of the state. In the short term the fear psychosis it created was extremely effective. But in the medium term the JVP terror enabled the state/regime to occupy the moral high ground. Still as long as the legitimacy of its main theme—opposition to the presence of the Indian Peace Keeping Force (IPKF) on Sri Lankan soil remained—the JVP was able to retain the initiative, despite its other mistakes. This changed when President Premadasa publicly demanded the immediate withdrawal of the IPKF in June 1989. And sans both the political initiative and the moral high ground, the end was not far away.

With his demand for the withdrawal of the IPKF Premadasa stole the JVP’s thunder. On the economic front too Premadasa took a number of measures which left the JVP politically bereft. Premadasa who came from the ‘wrong side’ of the socio-economic track understood the frustration, discontent and anger of the poor and the powerless. In the heady early 1980’s he warned against the dangers of increasing inequality, the only government leader to do so. He understood the mutually sustaining relationship between the anti-people economic policies and the growth of extremist ideologies of all sorts. He knew that the JVP’s challenge could not be faced successfully without dealing with these issues, immediately and effectively.

Subsequent to winning the Presidency Premadasa concentrated on dealing with the socio-economic causes of political unrest. The Premadasa Risorgimento was aimed at breaking the destructive symbiosis between poverty, alienation, discrimination and extremism. As the insurgency raged he unveiled the Janasaviya programme (JSP) and pressed ahead with the Housing programme because he understood that moderation and democracy could not be fostered without such ameliorative measures. It was not accidental that Hambantota was one of the areas chosen for the first round of the JSP and the 1989 Gamudawa was held in Mahiyangana – both considered to be bastions of the JVP. The following comment by Tarzie Vittachchi, Sri Lanka’s most pre-eminent journalist and a former director of the UNICEF provides an excellent into the political impact of the JSP on the communities which was the natural support base of the JVP:

“I have seen the Janasaviya programme at work in the Southern province, in the fortress so to say of the JVP. I have been quite staggered by what I saw. I expected to see perhaps a hostile community who was resentful of the government’s offensive against the JVP. At the best I expected to see a cynical and demoralised community, but what I saw was something quite unexpected. For the first time I have seen a village community of Sri Lanka fired and energised and putting their hands to their development work. They were not waiting merely for government assistance. They had taken the initiative, they were organising their work, they were allocating resources. In fact they had taken charge of their affairs…. This was democracy at work” (Sri Lanka: Towards a Multi Ethnic Democratic Society? Report on a Fact Finding Mission – Neville Jayaweera)

Extremism of any one sort encourages and fosters extremisms of other sorts. The corollary between market fundamentalism and racial/religious fundamentalism has been commented on by many. Similarly the de-prioritisation of man in the economic process can undermine democracy itself, as the Sri Lankan experiences demonstrate. An unbalanced economy cannot invoke balanced responses from the people and such imbalanced responses cannot but undermine democracy and the rule of law. As Premadasa put it “the best defenders of our democracy are an enlightened people” (A Charter for Democracy) and a populace beset by falling living standards with malnourished children cannot by definition develop the logic and reason needed for enlightened thinking. If man is downgraded in development, that development will be threatened by man, and, as history shows, the rage of man is far more destructive than the ill effects of any economic crisis can ever be.

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"What was different about the Premadasa response to the JVP was not his willingness to negotiate because even his predecessor was willing to negotiate; what was different was his willingness to address the political and socio-economic issues raised by the JVP. That was why Premadasa succeeded where Jayewardene failed."

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Despite his rhetoric about ‘murgayo’ and ‘sarpayo’, what was lacking in President Jayewardene’s response to the JVP was not a willingness to negotiate; what was lacking was an ability to address those political issues which enabled the JVP win the support or sympathy of a sizeable section of the Southern society. Jayewardene’s approach swung back and for the between military assaults and attempts at negotiations. Neither worked. The pure militarist approach did not work because, quite apart from the JVP’s hunger for power, there were real political and socio-economic issues which kept the fires of the insurgency raging. Negotiations were impossible because of the maximalist nature of the JVP. Jayewardene would have been willing to make considerable political and socio-economic concessions but only as part of a deal with the JVP. Given his ideological predispositions it was impossible for him to make unilateral concessions to the poor and marginalised Sinhalese – the main support base of the insurgency - as a way of isolating the JVP. What was different about the Premadasa response to the JVP was not his willingness to negotiate because even his predecessor was willing to negotiate; what was different was his willingness to address the political and socio-economic issues raised by the JVP. That was why Premadasa succeeded where Jayewardene failed.

It would not have been possible for the state to defeat the second insurgency without the JVP’s maximalism which rendered impossible any compromise and without its incorrect handling of contradictions which turned neutrals, potential sympathisers and former members into diehard enemies. Even so, the critical factor which paved the way for the crushing of the insurgency was the willingness and ability of the Premadasa administration to address the socio-political issues which enabled and justified the insurgency. With the setting up of the Joint Operations Command under the political direction of Sirisena Cooray, the focus of the state’s military counteroffensive shifted from the periphery to the very heart of the JVP. Instead of abducting and killing poster-pasters and unimportant functionaries, the armed forces and the police concentrated on tracking the top leadership. As its slogans were rendered ineffective, one by one, the JVP found itself devoid of all socio-political camouflage, and thus vulnerable to the military assault of the state. Sans its attractive liberator’s façade, the bloody tragedy that was the Second JVP Insurgency came to an abrupt end in November 1989.

Concluded

"After Benazir's assassination, Pakistan faces a situation in which there is a looming disaster if Musharraf continues in power and an equal disaster without Musharraf. With Al Qaeda and the pro-Al Qaeda organisations spreading their influence into the vitals of the security establishment, it will be dangerous to jettison Musharraf abruptly."

(December, 30, Chennai, Sri Lanka Guardian) The Pakistani Election Commissions seems to be diffident whether it would be able to hold the general elections on January 8,2008, as scheduled. This is because much of the public anger in Sindh over the assassination of Mrs.Benazir Bhutto has been directed against the local offices of the Election Commission and their officials. Mobs have set fire to at least eight offices of the Election Commission and burnt down their records, including the ballot papers.

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"A much embarrassed and chastised Musharraf has also been sending assurances to the parties opposed to him that the elections would be free and fair and that he would have no difficulty in working with the new PPP leadership, if it won the elections. He has, however, been silent on his position if the PML of Nawaz Sharif wins the elections."

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President Pervez Musharraf has wisely indicated that he would go by the advice of Benazir's Pakistan People's Party (PPP) as to whether he should postpone the elections and , if so, by how many weeks. Mr.Nawaz Sharif of the Pakistan Muslim League (PML), who initially indicated in the moments after her assassination that his party would not contest the elections so long as Musharraf was the President, now seems to be having second thoughts under American prodding. His supporters have been saying that they will go by the advice of the new PPP leadership. If the new leadership decides to participate in the postponed elections, so will the PML, they say.

A much embarrassed and chastised Musharraf has also been sending assurances to the parties opposed to him that the elections would be free and fair and that he would have no difficulty in working with the new PPP leadership, if it won the elections. He has, however, been silent on his position if the PML of Nawaz Sharif wins the elections.

The credibility of the Musharraf Government, which was already weakened due to its failure to protect Benazir, has been further damaged by the shockingly inept manner in which the Ministry of the Interior, which was responsible for her protection, handled the sequel to the assassination. They first planted stories in the media that the Interior Ministry had recommended security for Benazir at the same level as provided for a serving Prime Minister, but the Prime Minister's office did not act on the Interior Ministry's recommendation. Thus, a clumsy attempt was made to pass on the blame to Mr.Shaukat Aziz, the former Prime Minister, and Mr.Mohammadmian Soomro, the present caretaker Prime Minister.

Then, a totally unwarranted story was given to the media that while she was the target of a terrorist attack involving the use of a revolver and an improvised explosive device (IED), her death was not caused by either the bullets fired or by the suicide bomber. According to its version, the death was caused by a skull fracture which she sustained when her head struck the lever of the vehicle due to the impact of the explosion.

The Interior Ministry's version has been strongly repudiated by those in the entourage of Benazir when she was killed as well as by media personnel. According to Benazir's associates, when she stood up to greet her supporters, an unidentified person among the by-standers opened fire on her from close range with a revolver. The bullets struck her neck and head. She collapsed inside the car. Only after she collapsed, did the explosion take place. According to one media account, someone fired at her. She collapsed bleeding heavily. The driver immediately drove the car away and then only the explosion took place. That is how neither her car nor any of its occupants sustained any damage due to the explosion.

In an editorial, the "Daily Times" of Lahore (December 30,2007) said: "Originally, there was a statement from the interior minister that Ms Bhutto was hit in the neck and head by a shrapnel from the bomb explosion and she bled to death in hospital. There was no mention of any gunman or bullets fired at Ms Bhutto. However, this was contradicted by Mr Amin Fahim who was sitting next to Ms Bhutto when she first stood up and waved to the crowd from the sunroof of the bullet proof car and later slumped to her seat, following which there was a bomb explosion a minute or two later. In Mr Amin’s version, the explosion happened after she had already slumped in her seat and not before. Later, when eye-witness reports came in, including one from a foreign photographer who was twenty yards from the slow moving car when he heard the shots and ducked, followed by an explosion after the car had passed, the government admitted that a gunman had been present and fired at her from short range before detonating himself and unleashing an explosion."

Talking to the media separately after the Interior Ministry's briefing, some of the doctors, who attended to Benazir after she was brought to a Rawalpindi hospital, said that in their joint report they had merely said that her death was caused by an "open head injury with depressed skull fracture, leading to cardiopulmonary arrest." The inference that this head injury must have been caused by her head striking against the lever of the vehicle was that of the Interior Ministry and not of the doctors. The doctors said that since they did not have an opportunity to perform an autopsy, they were not in a position to say what might have caused the injury.

Embarrassed by this, officials of the Interior Ministry have been claiming that autopsy was not performed since Benazir's family was against it and that now to remove the suspicions, they would be prepared to have the body exhumed in order to permit an autopsy.

Similarly, Baitullah Mehsud's reported denial of the Interior Ministry's claim that two of his followers had killed her has added to the embarrassment of the Government. Close associates of Benazir have revealed that after the October 18,2007, attack on her at Karachi, Baitullah had sent her a message denying any involvement in the attempt and assuring her that he did not pose any threat to her.

The panic and confusion in the Interior Ministry after the assassination have given rise to a flood of rumours, with some alleging that the man who fired at Benazir with a revolver was a retired commando of the US-trained Special Services Group, of which Musharraf himself used to be a member, and that in an attempt to cover this up, the Interior Ministry fabricated an alleged intercept of a telephone conversation between Baitullah and one of his associates regarding the assassination.

There are three possible political scenarios in the aftermath of Benazir's assassination:

SCENARIO NO.1: The PPP elects either Mr.Asif Zardari, Benazir's husband, or Bilawal, her son, as the new President and goes to the polls under the new leadership. Profiting from the sympathy wave, it would emerge as the largest single party, if not as a party with an absolute majority. Musharraf would invite it to form the Government. It is unlikely to last long and would, most probably, be ineffective. While Musharraf and his senior officers would not oppose it in the circumstances after Benazir's assassination, they would feel uncomfortable with it because of their dislike for Zardari. Moreover, Nawaz Sharif's PML would find it difficult to co-operate with it. There could also be a sharpening of the differences inside the PPP between the Zardari loyalists and the traditional party loyalists, who do not like Zardari.

SCENARIO No.2: Zardari and the family decide not to push forward their claim for leadership and propose Maqdoom Amin Fahim, the present No. 2 in the party, as the leader. The PPP comes to power under Amin's leadership. This is a scenario which both Musharraf and the US would prefer. Musharraf and the senior Army officers feel comfortable with Amin. After the 2002 elections, Musharraf had tried to wean him away from Benazir by offering him the post of Prime Minister. Amin declined and remained loyal to her. During Benazir's second tenure as the Prime Minister (1993 to 96), Amin was her Oil Minister. He played a key role in the negotiations involving the Unocal, the US oil company, and the Governments of Pakistan, Afghanistan and Turkmenistan for the construction of oil and gas pipelines from Turkmenistan to Pakistan. In 1995, during a visit of the then President of Turkmenistan to New York, Unocal had hosted a high-profile reception for him. Benazir had asked Amin to represent her Government in the reception. Amin is fairly well known to the US oil companies and to the officials of the US State Department who held office during the Clinton Administration. Nawaz too may not be averse to supporting Amin in the short term.

SCENARIO No.3: Despite the sympathy wave for the PPP, the PML of Nawaz, secretly or openly supported by the pro-Musharraf PML (Qaide Azam), might emerge as the largest single party or even as a party with an absolute majority. Since Nawaz Sharif is legally barred from contesting the elections and holding office as Prime Minister, his party elects Mr.Shabaz Sharif, his younger brother, as the leader to stake claim as the Prime Minister. His nomination papers have been rejected on the ground that he was an accused in a criminal case, but he is not a convict. Musharraf should not have difficulty in finding a way for him to contest the elections. After the Amin scenario, the Shabaz scenario will be the second preference for Musharraf and the US. The senior Army officers feel comfortable with him. While they would be opposed to Nawaz becoming the Prime Minister, they are unlikely to oppose Shahbaz becoming the Prime Minister. He was the Chief Minister of Punjab when Nawaz was the Prime Minister between 1996 and 99 and Nawaz was using him as his back channel with the US State Department and the Pentagon for secret discussions on various issues such as action against Osama bin Laden and the Taliban, threats to Nawaz from Musharraf after the Kargil conflict etc. Shahbaz was in regular touch with Mr.Strobe Talbot and Mr.Karl Inderfurth in the State Department on behalf of Nawaz. The US bureaucracy used to feel comfortable with him and there is no reason why they should not feel comfortable with him in future too.

However, a problem, which cannot be avoided, is that after the death of Benazir, Nawaz is the only leader with a national stature, but he and Musharraf cannot get along. Amin and Shahbaz can get along with Musharraf and the US, but neither of them has a national stature.

After Benazir's assassination, Pakistan faces a situation in which there is a looming disaster if Musharraf continues in power and an equal disaster without Musharraf. With Al Qaeda and the pro-Al Qaeda organisations spreading their influence into the vitals of the security establishment, it will be dangerous to jettison Musharraf abruptly. He has to continue at least for the time being, but the longer he lasts the greater will be the anger against him among the tribals thereby further exacerbating the problem of jihadi terrorism.

While seemingly getting along with him, the US policy-makers should covertly, but energetically facilitate the emergence of a new military leadership, which would vigorously act against Al Qaeda and Taliban while , at the same time, not coming in the way of the restoration of democravy under the pretext of fighting against terrorism.

( B. Raman is Additional Secretary (retd), Cabinet Secretariat, Govt. of India, New Delhi, and, presently, Director, Institute For Topical Studies. Chennai. E-mail: seventyone2@gmail.com )

Four Tamils arrested with false passports

(December, 30, Philipsburg, Sri Lanka Guardian) Four men from Sri Lanka, claiming to be asylum seekers, launched an injunction Thursday against the Lt. Governor on Philipsburg the capital of Dutch St. Maarten in a bid to obtain their freedom.

The four men were arrested at Princess Juliana International Airport on November 24 because they were travelling with false passports. The men came from England and France and were attempting to travel to Canada via Guadeloupe and St. Maarten.

The men, one aged 55, the others in their 30s, all belong to the Tamil minority, said their lawyer Denicio Brison.

According to news reports, “Many Tamils in Sri Lanka feel they are being discriminated against by the Singhalese majority in their country. This resulted in a demand for federalism, which in the 1970s grew into a movement for an autonomous Tamil country. The situation deteriorated into civil war in the early 1980s. A ceasefire in effect since 2002 broke down in August 2006 amid shelling and bombing from both sides.”

“The four Tamils applied for asylum in England and France, one as early as 2004. However, they were afraid their requests would be turned down. Fearing that they would be persecuted in their home country they attempted to travel to Canada”, the report added.

According to their lawyer, they fell in the hands of professional human smugglers who provided them with falsified passports, but their efforts stranded in St. Maarten.

Brison said it was not the first time the four were arrested here. They were also arrested on July 25 for the same crime. They were then released from detention after eight weeks, pending a temporary solution for their problems.

According to Brison, this solution was never found and the injunction filed was in an effort to find some kind of arrangement for his clients.

He explained that under international law, rejected refugees are to be returned to the country they came from, in this case to France.

This is also the position taken by the Lt. Governor in this case. Government lawyer in this case, Richard Gibson Jr., told Judge Willem Jan Noordhuizen that the Lt. Governor wants the four Tamils to be sent back to France.

Brison said there was an easier solution than to send the four back to France. “France is only a ten-minute drive away. However, up till now the authorities here have not tried to involve the authorities in St. Martin in this case. This injunction was intended to force the Lt. Governor’s Office to do something for my clients.”

Brison said the Tamils are currently being held at the Police Station. “But they are no criminals. Their detention is a violation of international human rights,” said Brison. The judge will give his decision on January 7

"Born in beautiful Kadugannawa, as a kid Victor was attracted by the songs in films of yesteryear and started learning and playing music under the guidance of the great Cyril Perera. At the age of 15 with a Japanese violin bought for Rs. 112 by his father A. Don James, Victor mastered the instrument and performed to the music direction of distinguished musicians like Amaradeva, Somadasa Elvitigala and D. R. Peiris."

________________________

by Susitha R. Feranando

(December, 30, Negombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) Pop, reggae, rock and hippop and what not. Different music cultures have come and gone making no impression in the hearts nor ears of their audiences. Yet even after more than four decades a voice and songs so dear to our ears and hearts remain victoriously unchanged. The legendary Victor Ratnayake has recorded and rerecorded his soothing songs and his audience has not changed but become even more attached to him.

A collection of golden songs of Victor recorded once more to a Compact Disc under the title 'Gehanu Lamai Ne' is to be released soon. The 18 song collection contains his everlasting hits like 'Ithin Eeta Passe', 'Maliniye', 'Mal Pokuru Pokuru', 'Sanda Ken Wesila', 'Kohe Sita Oba Peminiyeda' and ' Ahimi Wunath Numba Nage' and will definitely enable much loved fans walk down memory lane once more. Reproduced in to cassettes and tapes and almost destroyed, the CD will help protect Victor's wonderful voice for eternity and this worthy endeavour is done in collaboration with 'Siyatha FM' (Voice of Asia Network Pvt Ltd) and CIFL (Central Industries and Finance Limited) and the support of his fans.

Born in beautiful Kadugannawa, as a kid Victor was attracted by the songs in films of yesteryear and started learning and playing music under the guidance of the great Cyril Perera. At the age of 15 with a Japanese violin bought for Rs. 112 by his father A. Don James, Victor mastered the instrument and performed to the music direction of distinguished musicians like Amaradeva, Somadasa Elvitigala and D. R. Peiris.

Having taking up music direction himself this talented musician has always been fascinated with every genre of music. This was amply proved with the melodies he set for the songs in films 'Mathara Achchi', 'Siribo Aiya','Podi Malli', 'Sri Madara', 'Anupama' and 'Sarungale' which were sung by Nanda Malani, Sunil Edirisinghe, H. R. Jothipala, M. S. Fernando and Freddy Silva. Victor came to the summit of his popularity with 'Sa', the first ever solo performance by a Sri Lankan singer and inaugurated on July 20, 1973, at the Lumbini Theatre, Havelock Town. Even after 1500 renditions over the last 35 years the show is still much in demand. According to Victor a fitting fusion of Western music with Ragadari classical music without being critical of any single music style was the success behind "Sa".

While wishing him all the best for his new release on behalf of TV Times readers we hope that he will reign in the Sri Lankan music scene many more years to come. Literal tribute to the master singer A book based on veteran musician Victor Ratnayake, 'Sulakal Miyuru Geyum' written by lyricist and film journalist Yapa Bandara Seneviratne was launched recently.The book contains the descriptions on Victor Ratnayake's handling of music and descriptions on his songs.

Victor invites his listeners with BOC's Aradhana. Victor Ratnayake will be the first artiste to perform for the video version of 'Aradhana' musical programme which was aired over the SLBC Sinhala channel for a number of years.

Sponsored by the Bank of Ceylon (BOC), the popular programme will be telecast every Monday at 9.30 pm on ITN starting from January 7. Victor will be featured on four programmes through out the month of January and he will be followed by Sunil Edirisinghe, Neela Wickremasinghe, T. M. Jayaratne etc. The full programme was recently filmed at Bishop's College Colombo. TV presenter and writer Sarathchandra Pathdanduwana compered this programme in a novel manner and was conducted to a packed audience.

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