From terrible...

(Continued from May 16)

What was an evil yesterday may have become relatively good today. What was good and hopeful yesterday may have become intolerably bad and hopeless today. What was right yesterday may be wrong today and vice-versa.

The world is changing fast and as a result ground realities are changing fast. There is very little a human being can cling onto during the duration of his/her lifetime, in the world of today. When Mahatma Gandhi was asked why he changed his mind so often, he had replied that he knew more today than yesterday. Consistency is not a virtue, when it comes to human thoughts.

Thoughts have to evolve with time, knowledge and experience. Our political affiliations and loyalties have to also change according to current realities and future possibilities. It is my firm contention and belief the LTTE should be immediately exorcized from the lives of the Tamils.

Vijay Shukla of the Observer Research Institute has reported the maritime division of the LTTE is engaged in addition to normal maritime trade, in gun running and, drug and human smuggling. He further reports the LTTE maritime assets are quite capable and can compete with the maritime facilities of a small island state, and that they include a fleet of merchant ships, a large number of fishing trawlers, high speed motor launches and professionally trained crews.

Another report pinpoints the existence of 'Internet Black Tigers' as a unit within the LTTE (MIPT Terrorism knowledge base- A comprehensive Data bank of Global Terrorist incidents and organisations). Those of us who have been branded as traitors by the LTTE have experienced the cyber terrorism being unleashed by this unit in full measure.

The 'Black Tigers' and the associated suicide squads , the International Wing of 'Castro' and the Intelligence Wing of 'Pottu Amman' being what they are, one need not imagine the potential danger inherent in the new tentacles of the LTTE now being identified.

The LTTE has almost become a nebulous state that transcends known boundaries or borders. What can we do, at this point in our history, when a conflict has been almost re-thrust on us? 1. We have no alternative but to give up thoughts of an independent Tamil Ealam, once and for all and make no bones about proclaiming it to other Sri Lankans and the world at large. We have to also loudly proclaim to the other peoples in Sri Lanka and the world the LTTE and its ways are not acceptable to us. We have to convince the world to clamp down on the LTTE and its activities, as these are detrimental to us as a people. We have to collectively, actively and non-violently oppose the LTTE according to our individual abilities and the tools available to us.

This will be the most potent weapon against the LTTE. We have to encourage all the anti-LTTE political forces to come together to formulate an acceptable, clear and common agenda, to negotiate political solutions based on wide devolution of powers with the Sri Lankan Government. We have to let it be known to the other people in Sri Lanka and the world that all Tamils are not Tigers and that we want their help to resolve our problems within the context of a united Sri Lanka.

We should demand that all Tamil Para-military groups operating in Sri Lanka be incorporated within the Sri Lankan Armed Forces and be engaged to legally and legitimately oppose the LTTE. This will also prevent the emergence of these groups as additional oppressors of the Tamils in future. Para-military forces should not be permitted to exist or operate in Sri Lanka. We should demand the United Nations to deploy a Peace Keeping-Peace enforcing force in Sri Lanka immediately as suggested by the Japanese peace envoy, Yasushi Akashi, a few days back.

The LTTE has become an unwieldy albatross around our necks and has to be cast aside immediately. It has to go as a deciding factor in our lives. The time is now. The resumption of a civil war has to be prevented at any cost.

War should not be an option in Sri Lankan affairs any more. Let us talk, talk, talk, and talk and scream to the high heavens for freedom, justice ,equality and political rights as a people in Sri Lanka.

The world has heard us already. Let us make sure they hear enough to act. But let us demand the LTTE and the Sri Lankan government let us live in peace and get on with our lives as best as we could in the mean time.

(Tamilweek)