'Let not the Tigers fool the world about a joint mechanism'

THE LTTE is ratcheting up their worldwide propaganda machinery to lay the blame on the South in advance for any breakdown in the setting up of the proposed Joint Mechanism for tsunami relief in Tiger held areas of the North and East.

Solheim's 99% completion of the JM was obviously wishful thinking. That's why the LTTE did not hold its scheduled media conference last week to discuss the issue.

It is now increasingly clear that the current behaviour of the LTTE, makes it difficult or even hazardous to market the joint mechanism to the discerning public in the South, and not the "majoritarian chauvinists" as repeated ad nauseam in the editorial pages of most Tamil print media.

P. Ariyanenthiran TNA MP said last week "if the Government backs off from forming the joint mechanism on the threats of the JVP, we may have to face another war".

One is curious to know of the clause even in the small print of the Cease Fire Agreement (CFA), which states that the failure to form a joint mechanism for relief in the event of a future natural disaster, would amount to a violation of the CFA leading to war. If not how come this proxy of the LTTE makes such a threat?

According Ariyanenthiran the LTTE is also concerned about the South in its need for a JM. He says: "The Southern Government will lose international assistance if they fail to form this mechanism. This is important, not only to the North and East but to the entire country." One can't help thinking it a joke when a proxy of the Tigers, speaks of the "entire country", when their usual concern is only about Thamil Eelam.

Towards a joint mechanism

At the time the UNF and the LTTE were carrying on their globetrotting negotiations for peace the UNF spokesman on the talks, always stressed on the need to create the proper conditions conducive for the talks to proceed.

In pursuance of this policy the UNF Government gave the LTTE a powerful transmitter smuggled through DPL assistance to strengthen the Voice of Tiger Radio, and in general carried on a policy of continued appeasement of the LTTE in all that it sought.

However, it now appears that with regard to the JM, it is the task of the LTTE to create the proper conditions in which it can be established, instead of readily blaming the Government for any delay or failure.

This is a responsibility shared both by the LTTE and the international community, or more particularly those who pledged post-tsunami aid to the country who are also pressing for this mechanism.

What needs to be done

Emotional as some of the objections and concerns about the Government's intended partner in this joint mechanism may be, the fact is that it can never be a starter, or have any measure of success without the confidence of the majority of the people of this country.

This is not confined to "majoritarian chauvinists" in the South, but also to minority Muslims, minority Sinhalese in the East and also the silenced Tamils in the North & East.

This confidence can only be built by the LTTE and not by the Government. If there are differences of opinion within the Government, it is because the LTTE is making no effort to build this vital confidence among the people, which will in turn bring pressure on the political parties now divided over its very composition, apart from its aims and objectives.

The first is for the LTTE to demonstrate to the people of Sri Lanka, and to the world, that it is an organization in which some measure of trust could be placed.

One cannot expect the people or political parties of Sri Lanka to trust the LTTE, with its record of violations of the CFA; the continued abduction and recruitment of child soldiers; and, its increased belligerence just now.

There are increasing reports of the LTTE shooting over and even at military checkpoints in obviously provocative action, even when negotiations are on for the proposed joint mechanism. This cannot help in confidence building of any sort.

Similarly, the international community or the donor countries or organizations should also consider the LTTE both on its past behaviour and present conduct.

How can these donors be honest in seeking to pressurize the Government to form a JM with an organization that has repeatedly broken its pledges given to the United Nations that it would stop the recruitment of child soldiers?

How can they expect the Government to have no trepidation about, forming a JM with an organization that rejects international calls even for the renunciation of violence, however committed to immediate relief and reconstruction, and a final peace the President or Government may be?

The US Assistant Secretary of State for South Asia, Christina Rocca, went to the core issue of peace and resumption of negotiations. She said the US would engage the LTTE if it renounced violence both in word and deed; stopped its build up of arms, and also stopped child recruitment and other acts of terrorism.

This is the position the international community should take instead of hectoring the Sri Lankan Government that the absence of a JM would mean the withholding of promised aid. This is playing right into the jaws of the Tiger.

The issue today is not that the Sri Lanka Government does not want a joint mechanism, but that it has major problems about the main partner in this mechanism. It is not a partner that engenders trust. Rather it is a partner that gives good cause for mistrust, by its current behaviour too.

It is not a partner that has kept to its word on key issues. It is one that has reneged on pledges made both to the Sri Lanka Government and its people, as well as to the United Nations and the world. It is an organization that gives every indication that it will continue to engage in terrorism to achieve its narrow objective of a separate state or the armed suppression of the Tamil people and their voice.

In such a situation it is not for the LTTE, to say that actions to set up the JM should be taken without imposing conditions and that threats would not bring any fruitful results. No conditions are being imposed on the LTTE to achieve this.

All that is sought of it is behaviour as an organization that would not hi-jack the mechanism when established. It should engender confidence in their honesty and genuine concern for the plight of the Tamil people, with equal concern for the Muslims and Sinhalese too.

Doing this can only help the Government in its own task of marketing the JM to others than the LTTE and its subordinate voices, who need convincing. This is the need of the hour and not increasing the decibel level of international propaganda against "majoritarian chauvinists" who remain a distinct minority here today.