Saddam was hanged for killing 146, Prabhakaran who killed thousands is protected

Iraqi President Saddam Hussain was sentenced to death for ordering the assassination of 146 Shi'ite Muslims during his reign. When compared with Prabhakaran, one may wonder whether Saddam was a murderer. Nevertheless, the International Court Martial or the World Powers never entertain a similar thought where Prabhakaran is concerned. That is because the powerful countries take advantage of internal problems of poor countries like Sri Lanka to meet their own ends. The following is a recount of an interview the Sunday Divaina had with the Senior Journalist Mohan Samaranayaka.

Q: What are the crimes against humanity as defined by the international community. What is the history of punishment for such offences ?

A: In the year 1998, an International Conference was held in Rome under the patronage of the United Nations. Its aim was to establish a permanent International Court to punish criminals who commit offences against humanity. Accordingly the International Criminal Court came into force in The Hague of Royal Netherlands in June 2002 for that purpose.

In its Constitution, the International Criminal Court defines what the crimes against humanity are. Invasion of a foreign country, Genocide, Mass scale violation of human rights, Mass scale torture, and Preplanned rape are offences against humanity. Prevention of the supply of curative drugs and health services etc. as a means of war strategy are also considered as crimes against the humanity.

In spite of the absence of people who talk about human rights in our country, we have not committed such offences so far. But when America invaded Afghanistan, America pressurised Pakistan to restrain the supply of lorry loads of food to Afghanistan. Though that was a crime against humanity, the Western media did not disclose that fact. Deploying children in war activities is also a crime against humanity.

Q: The LTTE, even by now, has committed a significant number of such crimes. In addition to killing of hundreds and hundreds of human beings, they prevented the supply of water by closing the Mavilaru anicut. They conscript children. But the International Criminal Court and the democratic international community ignore these crimes. Is that not so?

A: Glaringly they have ignored. The fate of Saddam Hussain is the most glaring example of that situation. The passing of death sentence on Saddam Hussain and his execution took place because he was found guilty of ordering the assassination of 146 Shi'ite Muslims in Sujali, Iraq during his regime.

The International Democracy which invaded Iraq, killed Hussain's two sons and executed Saddam Hussain for the offence of ordering the assassination of 146 persons, forgets Prabhakaran who kills several hundreds of people at one place. No country in the world demands the summoning of Prabhakaran before the World Court Martial.

The behaviour of Spain in respect of Basques Guerillas in that country is another glaring example in this connection. The separatist Basques Guerillas in Spain declared a permanent truce two years ago but exploded a bomb last December killing three or four persons in violation of the ceasefire.

On this reason the Spanish Prime Minister suspended talks with the Basques Guerillas. The Western countries who permit the Spanish Government to suspend talks with Basques Guerillas who killed a couple of civilians insist on the Sri Lankan Government to resume talks with Tiger terrorists in the face of Tigers killing civilians and soldiers in hundreds.

Germany, who withdrew aid to Sri Lanka alleging violations of human rights and non-resumption of negotiations on the part of the Government did not adopt that attitude where Spain was concerned. The international community which reiterates the necessity to disarm the Hisbulla militants to bring about peace in Lebanon, never spoke a word to disarm the LTTE.

This double standard in respect of terrorism is taken not only the Western countries. Even the conduct of India is the same. When India suspected Pakistan responsible for the recent bomb blast in India, she declared a suspension of talks with Pakistan. But when the LTTE under the open eyes of everybody explodes bombs one after another, India wants us to talk peace with the LTTE. Our inability to understand this situation is the greatest tragedy.

Q: Why does India as well as the international community adopt this duplicity one in respect of terrorism in their own country and another where we are concerned ?

A: This is not something that they do unknowingly. Robert O' Blake, the new American Ambassador in Sri Lanka in a recent media interview stated that the LTTE, though a terrorist organisation, is battling to form a political framework within which the Tamil people can earn justice.

If his assessment is correct, the Tamil people now living in the uncleared areas ought to have earned justice.

This American Ambassador is not unaware of this myth. They hide the naked truth and speak lies. Our present Government as well as the Leftist parties in this country have not understood the double standard of the Western countries.

The modern world where we live today is controlled, economically, politically and culturally by a handful of powerful capitalist Western countries.

Their power and affluence are built not on the base of their own strength. They have accrued those fortunes by large scale exploitation of resources of the countries like ours who are subject to their domination.

The moment this exploitation ceases, the economy of these capitalist countries dwindles enormously.

Even modern India is a part of this vanguard. The Goldman Sachs Bank of America has predicted that by the year 2040 India will be one of the leading economic powers in the world. India's current annual economic value is US dollars one trillion. According to the assessment of the Bank of America, by 2040 it is likely to rise to 17 trillion.

India has built up this gigantic upward trend not by their own strength alone but by acquiring the trading resources of other countries. When you observe the amount of Indian vehicles plying on our roads today, you can just imagine the magnitude of this acquisition.

If these powerful countries want to retain their power of acquisition continuously, they have to hold the reins of poor countries to some extent. To achieve this objective they use a few instruments. Taking advantage of the internal problems of poor countries to meet their ends is one such tactic. That is why they openly adopt double standards in respect of terrorism.

That is why the powerful countries who allow Israel to attack Lebanon for the offence of abducting two Israeli soldiers by the Lebanese Hisbullah Guerillas tell our Government to enter negotiations with terrorists who attempted to assassinate our Army Commander.

The British High Commissioner in Sri Lanka a few days ago remarked that the Sri Lankan Army should act with utmost discipline. But the Army of their own country bombs even wedding receptions in Afghanistan. They shot and killed a passenger who was buying a ticket at one of London's Railway Stations, mistaking him as a terrorist.

Many are the illustrations of duplicity on the part of these powerful countries. What right does America have to bombard Somalia ? How many civilians could have been the victims of such bombardment. If by chance a civilian was to fall as a result of army action, that becomes a serious offence. It is a common occurrence for ordinary people to come by their death amidst confrontations.

Those who made a big hue and cry on public roads in the city of Colombo shouting shame on the assassination of MP Raviraj did not feel any shame when the ordinary people were killed in the bomb explosions in buses at Galle and Giriulla. The conduct of Western countries is not different. Until the Government understands this situation, the solution of the National problem will remain a far cry.

Q: The LTTE was trained in India. They are using firearms manufactured in powerful countries. Should not these countries do something more than merely proscribing the LTTE organisation ?

A: Countries including America and the United Kingdom proscribed the LTTE for their own safety.

What they really want is to keep the LTTE under control only within their territories. They are not bothered about controlling LTTE activity in Sri Lanka. In spite of LTTE proscription in the UK, LTTE offices are yet operative there.

Anton Balasingham who asked to make coffins for 40,000 soldiers in Jaffna lived in London until his death. He received a high class funeral there. He was in readiness to garland not only Sri Lankan soldiers but even Anandasangari. These statements of Balasingham did not pose any threats to Western countries and therefore he thrived in those countries quite well.

Even India proscribed the LTTE organisation not because he assassinated Rajiv Gandhi. The LTTE was proscribed because it posed a threat to the territorial integrity and unity of India.

The gazette notification the Indian Government issued in that connection states that India hoped to see LTTE strong enough to contain the Sri Lankan Government as it deemed fit.

Under such circumstances we cannot expect any rich or powerful country to come to our help. Our problem is not theirs. The challenge before the powerful countries is how to overtake each other among them. It is predicted that by 2040 China will become the World's economic giant.

Because of this reason they are keen to gain a foothold in Sri Lanka. They cannot do that without intervening in our domestic problems. This is why they resort to double standards openly.

Internal problems of our country are made use of to meet the ends of powerful countries. May wisdom dawn in the minds of our rulers to solve our internal problems by ourselves.

Q: By that do you mean that a solution to the National problem should be evolved by consensus of all parties in our country ?

A: In my view a hundred per cent Sri Lankan solution is not going to be a reality. Under the present composition, we will not be free to eliminate altogether, the influence of powerful countries in the world. By that I do not mean that we should subjugate ourselves to powerful countries. All political and religious leaders in our country must put their heads together and formulate a common solution.

They should accommodate the proposals and influence the powerful countries to a certain extent. Today our economy is dependent on foreign credit and therefore we cannot afford to ignore their influences and lose economic stability. That will not be practicable.

They are in a position to bring upon us profuse pain. As the regional power India can influence us immensely. Under the circumstances, a course of action has to be chosen with a great deal of circumspect to deal with our problem.

(Courtesy Sunday Divaina)