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Home truths on the TigersUS Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs, Nicholas Burns, pulled no punches when he said that the LTTE has brought "nothing but misery to the people of Sri Lanka as well as to the Tamil population in Sri Lanka". This is straight talk which goes to the heart of the conflict in Sri Lanka. Since the LTTE was outlawed by the US, many other states of the West have followed suit but not many of them have matched the US in its vehement opposition to the LTTE's continued terroristic identity. Burns' comment further underscores the US' unreserved abhorrence of Tiger terror and helps set the US apart as a state which does not prevaricate in its condemnation of terrorist violence. For the US there could be no double-speak and double-think on the question of terror in general and LTTE terror in particular. This policy position of the world's most powerful state should be closely emulated by the rest of the liberal democratic world. For, terror groups need to be constantly isolated and thrust into the political wilderness. There is no getting away from this most pressing need. Besides the policy implications for the rest of the world of the US' unmitigated opposition to terror, Burns' cogent comment should freshly underscore the dire consequences for Sri Lanka and the world community of the continued unleashing of Tiger terrorism. Democratic opinion would unreservedly endorse Burns' observation that the LTTE has brought nothing but misery to all Sri Lankans, including of course, the Tamil community. The intense suffering visited on the North-East and outside by the LTTE's continued loyalty to terror over the last 25 years, is conclusive evidence that this is so. We hope the LTTE would disprove this point by ending its recalcitrance at the forthcoming Government - LTTE talks in Geneva. However, the LTTE's conduct so far leaves very much to be desired. For, power over the Tamil people is continuing to prove a prime consideration for the LTTE. If this were not so, the Tigers would have cooperated with the State in bringing about a political settlement to the conflict. Rather than do this the Tigers have preferred to shun negotiations, citing the most frivolous reasons. The reason why the LTTE prefers to traverse the path of terror is plain to see. For, a negotiated settlement would end the oppressive power it is enjoying over the Tamil people. Besides, the LTTE would be compelled to end its close links with narco-terrorism which has enabled it to thrive on ill-gotten gains. Therefore, the preferred path of the Tigers is the exercising of tyrannical control over the Tamil people. The Tigers, in other words, would prefer if the Tamil community continues as a subject people under its cruel diktat. On the other hand, a negotiated settlement would oblige the Tigers to renounce this position of control and power. This is one of the reasons why the LTTE needs to be militarily weakened. |
Government's bargaining capacity on the increasePolitically, the unity arrived between the ruling SLFP and Opposition UNP and with that the emergence of 'Southern Consensus' on the ethnic conflict has brought in a sense of purpose to the Government strategy at the impending peace talks. Bangladesh vessel disaster - now it's time to look forwardThe recent mishap has already posed a severe threat to enormous amount of people who depend on the coastal resources such as fishing, hotel industry and other sea and beach related activities while resulting in the pollution of the coastal belt off Koggala and Habaraduwa. Vocational training and employability in Sri LankaFinding work is a global challenge. Access to the labour market is often complicated by sex, age, ethnicity, race, educational level and disability. Apart from such discriminations Sri Lanka, as do many developing and developed countries, suffers from unemployment caused by skills mismatch. |
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