LTTE’s butchery and barbarity

Prasad Gunawardene

LTTE’s butchery and barbarity, over the past two years have come a long way from Kebithigollawa to Buttala costing lives of innocent people with destruction to property. The latest heinous crime was committed in Buttala Wednesday when the LTTE exploded a claymore mine on a passenger bus.

Twenty seven were killed and over 60 wounded, reports said. Displaying barbarism to the hilt, the murderous Tiger cadres sprayed bullets on the dead and the wounded after the explosion.

The situation in Sri Lanka is serious. The world or the international community should not view this serious situation wearing dark glasses or with a white cane in hand.

Where on earth do ‘fighters’ spray bullets on the dead? This proves the butchery and barbaric attitude of the ruthless LTTE cadres trained for it by Velupillai Prabhakaran. Over the past three decades, Prabhakaran and his men have taken away thousands of innocent lives in this island nation.

In December 2006, Defence Secretary, Gotabhaya Rajapaksa had a miraculous escape in the heart of Colombo when a suicide LTTE cadre failed in an attempt. But, the explosion killed two others.

Condemnation of LTTE atrocities by the world community would not help Colombo. That has been a part of the world practice every time the LTTE killed innocent civilians or politicians.

The international community should take more serious note of these brutal acts of terrorism if the world wants to crush terrorism. Those who scream for human rights in Sri Lanka should open their eyes and see these human rights violations committed by the LTTE, under the guise of being ‘freedom fighters’.

Freedom fighters and terrorists are two different categories. The LTTE is a terrorist organisation. That is why it has been banned in many Western countries. Therefore, atrocities committed by a deadly terrorist group like the LTTE cannot be ignored at any level.

The international community which cries for peace in Sri Lanka should act swiftly to stop this barbarism by the LTTE. The United Nations time and again screams about child recruitment here and accuses the legitimately and democratically elected Government of supporting groups involved in such activities.

Was not Olara Otunu taken for a ride by Prabhakaran on the pledge made by the latter that he would halt child recruitment and release all child soldiers? What action did the former UN Chief Kofi Annan take against Prabhakaran at that time for breaching trust?

Did those international bodies which cry for justice and fair play here, take follow up action to ensure that the LTTE stopped child recruitment? Surely, these international bodies don’t visit trouble hit countries carrying white canes or wearing dark glasses? Who exploded claymore mines within three weeks after Mahinda Rajapaksa taking office as President?

Is it not the LTTE? The President upon assuming office said he was prepared to walk that extra mile to achieve peace with the LTTE. Is it not the LTTE which violated the Norway brokered Cease Fire Agreement over 5000 times?

Surely, the world cannot be ignorant of these facts. The Scandinavian and other monitors who were here for six long years have recorded those facts which cannot be denied.

One cannot expect a legally and legitimately elected Government to turn a blind eye, when barbaric terrorists threaten to take the lives of the legislators and the people.

This country has lost many promising leaders, be they Sinhalese, Muslims or Tamils at the hands of the LTTE. What Colombo needs is practical help from the international community to crush terrorism to ensure the safety of its people and the region.

Issuing statements condemning LTTE atrocities is like pouring water on a duck’s back as Prabhakaran is a man who does not value human life. Prabhakaran is a deadly terrorist who even killed Rajiv Gandhi, a Indian Premier of neighbouring India which has the fourth largest Army in the world.

The LTTE also killed over a thousand soldiers from the IPKF and maimed another four thousand or more. Having committed all these deadly terrorist acts, this culprit wanted by India and here, continues to hide in the thick jungles of the Wanni.

The Indian bandit Veerappan hid in larger jungles but was captured and killed by the Indian police. If India needs to try Prabhakaran, Colombo should open the doors.

Prabhakaran has proved to the world that he is one of the deadliest terrorist leaders in the world. Perhaps, no other terrorist leader in the globe would have killed the number, this ruthless man has killed over the past three decades.

The world too has been witnessing all these deadly acts perpetrated on human life for 30 long years. Prabhakaran’s acts of terror cost the lives of many men, women and children. How many religious devotees were gunned down in cold blood inside Mosques and Temples?

What about Tamil politicians gunned down inside Kovils and Churches? Why not recall to memory the slashing of innocent children at the Dollar and Kent farms? What about the 200 Muslims and Sinhalese killed and buried in two graves in 1992 ?

Can one count the number of bomb explosions over the past thirty years which cost several thousands of lives? If Prabhakaran and his murderous cadres are allowed to act in this manner, is there any purpose in the call of world leaders to unite to end terrorism? The time has come for world leaders to adopt a pragmatic approach and a practical effort to crush terrorism.

Issuing statements condemning terrorism or sympathising with the affected governments and the people is not the remedy to the crisis that deepens day by day.

Sri Lanka is a developing country in the Third World and its’ resources are limited. The international community is aware that a protracted terrorist war affects this small nation.

The world cannot continue to blame successive Governments in this country. All Governments in the past and present have made sincere efforts to resolve the ethnic crisis. Many Tamil groups gave up arms and entered the democratic process because they understood the sincere efforts of all Governments to resolve the crisis.

The present Government too moved in that direction to seek and establish peace. But, who exploded claymore mines to disturb peace? Is it not the LTTE? Who moved away from the negotiating table in Geneva? Is it not the LTTE?

Despite all these set backs, did not the President continue to call the LTTE to the negotiating table? The Government had conducted itself with discipline and decorum in contrast to the vulgarity of Prabhakaran and his LTTE.

The world must urge the LTTE to stop violence because Colombo is ready for peace at all times. This country has bled enough. It still bleeds. Let it not bleed unnecessarily.