Silencing the opponents
THROUGH the slaying of the EPDP leader's
coordinating secretary, Saravanamuttu Mahakanapathipillai, the LTTE is,
once again, underscoring its resentment for everything democratic.
As has time and again been projected by the LTTE, it would tolerate
no alternative voice to that of its enraged, demented growl in the
North-East. Hence, the attempt to crush groups such as the EPDP, which
challenge its cruel diktat.
By continuing with its bizarre killing spree, the LTTE is making
plain its intention of spurning all efforts at negotiating an end to the
conflict, besides underlining its unquenchable thirst for terror.
Seeing an end to political rivals through the use of force, is not at
all in keeping with democratic norms and values and we are left to
conclude that the Tigers are not even remotely associating themselves
with legal and political approaches to conflict resolution. Accordingly,
the inference is inescapable that the LTTE would not cooperate easily in
efforts to see a negotiated end to the conflict. Its continued
application of terror proves that peace-making would remain stalled for
the foreseeable future.
We need hardly say that the State has done its utmost to spur the
peace-process back to life. It has indeed gone the proverbial extra mile
only to be rudely rebuffed by the Tigers who clearly and unsettlingly
have underscored their aim of continuing to traverse the path of terror.
We hope all this is not lost on the international community,
inclusive of the Co-Chairs. Clearly, exceptionally firm means should be
used to impress on the LTTE, the world community's disapproval of its
continued indulgence in the ways of the brute. Ideally, all liberal
democracies should go the way of the EU and other major states of the
West which have hitherto outlawed the Tigers and clearly impress on them
the need to cooperate fully in negotiating an end to the conflict.
The Tigers' killing splurge also establishes afresh the need to
envisage a democratic solution to the North-East conflict.
Apparently, it would not be merely a question of meeting the
legitimate aspirations of the disaffected parties. It would be necessary
to also evolve the solution within a pronouncedly democratic framework,
so that the democratic aspirations of all relevant groups in the
North-East would be met.
In other words, the LTTE should in no way be allowed to live under
the illusion that it and it alone would matter in the North-East. It
would need, for instance, to respect the rights of all communities and
democratic political forces in the North-East and imbibe the values of a
tolerant polity.
That these are vital considerations is underscored by the LTTE's
continued recalcitrance and intolerance. Rather than be discouraged by
the LTTE's continued bloodletting the world community would need to make
a fresh resolve to not only bring pressure on the LTTE to negotiate but
to also impress on it the need to recognize democratic values.
In other words, a fresh effort should be made to break the Tigers'
recalcitrant spirit. |
Proposed 18th Amendment to the Constitution: 'Help deliver
justice without delay'
The proposed 18th amendment to the Constitution
is designed to strengthen the justice system, says Attorney-at-Law
Koggala Wellala Bandula, Chairman of Sri Lanka Foundation Institute.
Wellala said, the proposed 18th Amendment is the result of years of
arguments, researches and discussions among legal scholars on the
law's delays.
Full Story
Discussions on CEB crisis
There are several discussions on CEB crisis with
so called experts but none of them appear to have even read the CEB
Act but discussing some vague reasons for breaking up CEB into
several companies.
Full Story
RCMP exposes Tiger terror activities in Canada
Last April, the RCMP raided WTM's headquarters
in Scarborough, known as Little Jaffna as part of a four-year terror
financing investigation under the code name Project Osaluki,
whatever that name signifies. It appears more than a thousand items
were seized which indicated that this organisation has been raising
money for arms.
Full Story
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