Image: Serbian nationalists looted and set fire to the US embassy during riots in Belgrade on February 21. The man in the center flashes a three-fingered salute, a provocative gesture in the Balkans.(February 27, Chennai, Sri Lanka Guardian) Kosovo is no more a part of Serbia and has become a free state. Nation after nation have begun to recognize this new status. This development has become a popular news story throughout the world and questions have begun about how this would influence various liberation movements, and in the case of Sri Lanka, the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam.
Nilantha Ilangamuwa set his task to get a cross-section of views from experts in various parts of the world particularly concerned with liberation movements. How did Kosovo achieve this status?
Here we present what Dr. Rajan Hoole from UTHR(J) in Sri Lanka , Commodore RS Vasan IN Retd has rendered distinguished military service of over 34 years and Dr. Sohail Mahmood, Professor, International Islamic University, Department of Politics & International Relations, Islamabad shared with the Sri Lanka Guardian.
Dr. Rajan Hoole: There are both similarities and also crucial differences. An important difference is that the LTTE attacked the Indian Army and killed an Indian prime minister, and divided the Tamils hopelessly. I will not say much on the similarities, that is something for the Sinhalese to think about.
Dr. Sohail Mahmood : The declaration of independence by Kosovo had the support of the EU and the USA. Also, a large number of countries across the globe supported this move. Given the situation in Sri Lanka, a UDI by LTTE is not on the cards, even if and when it happens it will not have the support of the world community like the case of Kosovo. There is little comparison in the two cases. Kosovo's independence had the support of the world community while LTTE does not.
Cmde: R.S. Vasan: One has to wait and see how this declaration would affect other similar movements. The fact that US, UK, France, Germany, Taiwan and other nations are supportive.Many other nations from amongst the 192 nations approached by the new Government in Kosovo are likely to endorse the declaration. This may encourage many others who are similarly engaged in such movements.
The reservations and responses of China and Russia are along expected lines. If you are specifically looking at Eelam, there is no support to this cause from almost all nations. With out such international support, it would not be possible to support the notion and the movement in our neighbourhood.
Nilantha Ilangamuwa set his task to get a cross-section of views from experts in various parts of the world particularly concerned with liberation movements. How did Kosovo achieve this status?
Here we present what Dr. Rajan Hoole from UTHR(J) in Sri Lanka , Commodore RS Vasan IN Retd has rendered distinguished military service of over 34 years and Dr. Sohail Mahmood, Professor, International Islamic University, Department of Politics & International Relations, Islamabad shared with the Sri Lanka Guardian.Dr. Rajan Hoole: There are both similarities and also crucial differences. An important difference is that the LTTE attacked the Indian Army and killed an Indian prime minister, and divided the Tamils hopelessly. I will not say much on the similarities, that is something for the Sinhalese to think about.
Dr. Sohail Mahmood : The declaration of independence by Kosovo had the support of the EU and the USA. Also, a large number of countries across the globe supported this move. Given the situation in Sri Lanka, a UDI by LTTE is not on the cards, even if and when it happens it will not have the support of the world community like the case of Kosovo. There is little comparison in the two cases. Kosovo's independence had the support of the world community while LTTE does not.
Cmde: R.S. Vasan: One has to wait and see how this declaration would affect other similar movements. The fact that US, UK, France, Germany, Taiwan and other nations are supportive.Many other nations from amongst the 192 nations approached by the new Government in Kosovo are likely to endorse the declaration. This may encourage many others who are similarly engaged in such movements.
The reservations and responses of China and Russia are along expected lines. If you are specifically looking at Eelam, there is no support to this cause from almost all nations. With out such international support, it would not be possible to support the notion and the movement in our neighbourhood.
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