Action with a benevolent purpose
It was most timely of Prime Minister
Ratnasiri Wickramanayake to clarify the essentially humanitarian nature
of the limited military operations undertaken by the Sri Lanka Army in
the Trincomalee district. What is at stake is the people's right to that
most precious of natural resources, water, which, the Tigers have been
attempting to bring under their control in Mavilaru.
Those whose claims to water the LTTE is aiming at lacerating and
repressing, comprise farmer families from all of Sri Lanka's
communities. The endeavour of the Government is to ensure that this does
not happen, thereby enabling it to provide all its citizens in the area
with water for farming and other vital chores.
Therefore, considering the realities in Trincomalee the means adopted
by the State to rectify the problems which have cropped-up could be
looked upon as justified. For, the end is a noble one. That is,
restoring to the people one of their most treasured possessions - water.
Considering the vital role water plays in the lives of the people,
there could be no let-up in the efforts of the State to clear Mavilaru
of LTTE influence and machinations.
The State has done well to identify itself completely with all of Sri
Lanka's communities. This is as it should be because even-handedness is
the secret to building a coherent and united society, in which all would
have a sense of belonging and togetherness. Such policy perceptions
should continue to inform State actions and institutions if the conflict
is to prove manageable.
As we said yesterday, the international community has chosen to
remain quiet on this issue to date. This is unfortunate because the
rampaging Tigers would interpret such silence as the world assenting in
their actions. Therefore, the world should wake-up and put the correct
construct on the Trincomalee crisis - an inhuman attempt by the Tigers
to hold the people to ransom. A strong international protest against the
LTTE action would carry home to the Tigers that no one is with them in
their inhumanity.
That said, State institutions, such as our missions abroad, should
portray to the world the heinousness of the Tigers. A vibrant awareness
campaign needs to be raised in the international community on the
Tigers' destructiveness.
Generally speaking, the State needs to effectively counter the
Tigers' rumour mill which is operational "25 hours" of the day.
Accordingly, the State needs to win the information war too.
Coming back to the situation in Sri Lanka, it is quite clear that the
LTTE is also aiming at pouncing on those natural resources which are
badly needed by the people. The State and the people need to gear-up to
face this "resource war" and to completely defeat Tiger designs.
The Government is already alert to this problem but it needs to be
realised that the polity too needs to have a sharp eye on the country's
most vital resources on a round-the-clock basis. Let us not fail in this
endeavour. |
Kandy Esala Perahera - A feast of splendid pageantry
This is the Kandy Esala Perahera season during
which time Kandy's ancient story is brought back to life. In fact
the Kandy Esala Perahera is a much looked forward to an annual event
throughout the world and during this time the spirit of Lanka comes
to life.
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Kadirgamar's crime!
Former Foreign Minister Lakshman Kadirgamar PC
has posed a serious threat to national security. The government is
furious and some ruling party politicians are wondering whether a
person guilty of such a 'crime' deserves to enjoy the facilities
provided by the State.
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Sigiriya:
the most spectacular site in South Asia - Part 2
Sigiriya ladies have inspired over 685 men and
women to write poems about them, and Dr. Paranawithana has presented
those poems in two scholarly volumes as the only available Sinhala
literature for the period 8th, 9th and 10th centuries.
Full Story |