'Let's do justice by the hero of our times'

PRESIDENT Chandrika Kumaratunga in her message to the nation following the assassination of Foreign Minister Lakshman Kadirgamar referred to him as a "hero of our times".

It was indeed an apt description of a man who was totally dedicated to peace, the eradication of all forms of terror, particularly the LTTE terror that stalks our people, and was also outspoken about his beliefs and policies.

Soon on the heels of his assassination that the LTTE stoutly denied immediately, not convincing even its best friends here and abroad about its innocence, the LTTE has reportedly announced its willingness to come for direct negotiations with the Government on proper implementing of the Cease Fire Agreement.

There are mixed signals being sent about these proposed discussions that were called for by the President to review the present CFA.

While many headlines claim LTTE has responded to the President's request through Norway for these talks, the Peace Secretariat says the LTTE has not agreed to review the existing Cease Fire Agreement but to discuss ways and means to strengthen it.

Dr. John Gunaratne spokesman for the Peace Secretariat says:" The Norwegian Ambassador told the Peace Secretariat that the LTTE had informed them that they are for the continuation of the existing agreement."

There's precious little to crow about such an agenda for the proposed talks if held sooner or later. The reason for the President to seek a review of the CFA is because it is seriously flawed, as she had shown from the time it was signed, without even letting her as Head of State even have a peep into it before it was signed by Prabhakaran and Ranil Wickremesinghe, suitably arranged by the Norwegian "facilitators".

The major flaws in the CFA are all in favour of the LTTE. It helped disarm cadres of Tamil political parties that were opposed to the LTTE, and were threatened by it. It paved the way for LTTE cadres on special missions of attack and assassination to freely penetrate all parts of the country.

This was the result of Ranil Wickremesinghe's boast of removing the road barriers within days of his becoming Prime Minister.

No war no peace

While there are no open hostilities between the forces of the two sides since the CFA was signed, it is also necessary to realize that it has given the LTTE the opportunity to continue with the war at its own decided level of intensity and range of operations.

There can be no cease-fire anywhere in the world where one side to it, carries on a campaign of killing off the personnel in the intelligence units of the police and armed services of the other side.

This is an attack on the Armed Forces and therefore a blatant violation of the CFA, giving sufficient cause for the Security Forces to retaliate. But, they have been bound into inaction by the CFA, and as the political leadership tell them too.

From the failed attack on Douglas Devananda to the successful attack on Lakshman Kadirgamar the LTTE has targeted two and killed one Cabinet Minister of the Government with which the CFA was signed.

This is a clear violation of the CFA, and no amount of denial or pretensions of innocence can prevent them being considered guilty and also acting in gross violation of the CFA.

Although the President may consider it necessary to review the CFA, especially after the assassination of Lakshman Kadirgamar, there is a serious question as to whether there is a Cease Fire Agreement to be reviewed in any an manner or to any extent. It is an undeniable fact that the CFA is in tatters.

More strength to the Tiger

In this context the LTTE's desire to have talks to strengthen the CFA can only be understood as a means of further strengthening its own position through the new round of talks.

It is necessary, therefore, for the Government to act with the greatest caution in what it talks with the LTTE and what it agrees to, in the absence of suitable guarantees, (and certainly not by Norway) of the proper observance of a genuine Cease Fire Agreement.

The time of appeasement is over. The time for confidence building has gone long beyond its validity, if ever there was one. One cannot again repeat the shibboleths of G. L. Peiris of how the Tiger was tamed at Oslo. One also should not make the same acts of omission and commission of Ranil Wickremesinghe in favour of the Tigers.

There is no purpose in paying verbal commitment to a CFA that is in shreds, torn up by the LTTE. Any review of it must produce a document that is different in content from the pusillanimous agreement that is still talked about.

The LTTE, while stating it is for continuing the present agreement indicates what it will seek by way of strengthening it.

These include the removal of all security forces from the High Security Zones, particularly in the North; agreement on easier movement of armed LTTE cadres inside Government controlled areas, implementation of the ISGA, and Government action to rein in the Karuna faction as an armed Tamil militia.

This is their idea of review of the CFA, and such review cannot be consistent with what the President seeks in the current context.

The guarantees needed

It will be necessary in any review of this all but dead CFA for the Government to be very firm on two areas of highest concern, which will certainly put more pressure on the international community to stop mouthing pleas to both sides to observe the tattered cease fire, but be certainly firm with the LTTE on this matter.

The first of this is an agreement to end all political assassinations of those who they hate most or even less. The other is to stop the recruitment of children to its armed cadres. These are two issues on which the Government should not make concessions in any manner.

It should not be satisfied by mere pledges on these, but suitably verifiable pledges, with countries other than Norway doing the verifying. To agree to anything that does not include these two major requirements, will be an act that will go against all what Lakshman Kadirgamar wanted, worked and gave his life for.

In what was his last important speech, Lakshman Kadirgamar possibly accelerated his killing when he said: "The movement for democracy in certain districts of the North and East must begin to roll. If the Government of Norway is unable to plead this cause with the conviction and determination that it deserves, it should stand aside and yield to other parties who could carry the flag of democracy into areas where darkness presently prevails."

These words of Lakshman Kadirgamar, the Hero of our times, should be the guiding principle of all those who seek a genuine review of the CFA.