‘View military success with pride sans contempt’

PRASAD GUNEWARDENE

“As the Head of State I will ensure with responsibility that the people of the North and also their children will be soon liberated from the clutches of LTTE terrorists to enjoy the fruits of freedom” - President Mahinda Rajapaksa (Address to the Nation after the recapture of Kilinochchi - January 2009).

“I will not pass this cruel war to the future generations of this country. Our brave security forces are quite capable of defeating the common enemy, the LTTE. We want to establish permanent peace in this country,” - Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa (Military passing-out parade at Galkiriyagama - August 2007)

Sri Lanka can now see the light at the end of the tunnel with the recapture of the so-called LTTE stronghold - Kilinochchi, which fell into the hands of the valiant troops with the dawn of the new year.

As President Mahinda Rajapaksa who is also the Commander-in-Chief of all the Forces wound up his Address to the Nation to mark that historic victory, the people rejoiced countrywide and taking to the streets lighting crackers. People from all races in this country yearn for peace.

President Mahinda Rajapaksa

Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa

They’ve been waiting for that glorious day for three long decades, generation to be more exact. To the people, country comes first and life next. The manner in which they rejoiced following that historic victory in Kilinochchi is ample testimony to prove that the majority in this country are patriotic citizens who love their motherland.

It was arduous and hectic journey for our security forces from the year 2006. They were directed by their Commander-in-Chief, President Rajapaksa to liberate this country. The troops were strictly advised by the President to embark on that mission to ensure the safety of civilians in the battle against terrorism.

With that in mind, the security forces led by the three able Service Commanders set out to accomplish their mission. Blessed by the virtue of the correct military leadership of President Rajapaksa, in the liberation battle that began from the East, the troops finally wended its way to the last bastion of the LTTE enemy in the East - the Thoppigala jungle. It was a resounding victory for the people and the nation. The East was finally liberated and democracy restored.

It is opportune to stress the fact, that war and politics are two different entities in a nation that battles to save democracy. The nation stands above politics.

The role of all responsible politicians should be to rally round the people to boost the morale of the armed forces when they bring victory to the people and the nation. In the hour of victory at Thoppigala, it was unfortunate that some Opposition politicians resumed their ‘dirty games’ to humiliate the commitment of the troops by making unwarranted statements detrimental to the very value of that victory.

The Thoppigala victory did not come easy. Troop casualties were minimised due to correct leadership. However, we lost some brave men.

Let us all, people and politicians respect those valiant men who laid down their lives for us and the nation. They died for our today and the tomorrow of our children. Political leaders must act and comment in a responsible manner on national issues. When Thoppigala was captured, Opposition Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe claimed that Thoppigala was only a jungle devoid of human beings.

Certainly, it was an unwarranted and irresponsible statement that could have affected the morale of the valiant forces. Thoppigala is correctly a jungle which housed both animals and the two legged Tigers. The security forces were no fools to launch attacks on innocent four legged animals in that jungle. Guerilla battles, according to history are often fought from thick jungles by terrorists.

Mr. Wickremesinghe in the same breath claimed that the troops captured Thoppigala in 1992 under the UNP administration. If that statement was correct, the Opposition Leader must tell the people why such an offensive was launched to take Thoppigala in 1992 if there happened to be only animals in that jungle as Mr. Wickremesinghe had claimed.

Be that as it may, politicians must be guided by a Sri Lankan reality, inspiration and patriotism to look towards a bright future to the nation. Political groups should not challenge each other on national issues like safeguarding the sovereignty of this nation. For a government to embark on a mission to establish peace for the people and the nation, it needs the support and cooperation of all sections of the society.

People yearn for peace and that was why they rejoiced over victories at Thoppigala and Kilinochchi. The butchery and barbarity of the LTTE has destroyed thousands of lives and valuable property. This country has bled enough and more in the face of terrorism. We should not dredge up the past all the time. Instead we must now focus on the need to end this protracted war to establish peace.

Irresponsible politicians or their parties cannot decide the destiny of the people and the nation. Nor do they enjoy the right or privilege to decide who should live and who should die.

The ascending and descending order of political parties conducting themselves in a manner most detrimental to national interests will be decided by the people. A victory against this protracted terrorist war is paramount in national context to restore permanent peace. Because peace talks with a terror outfit like the LTTE will not yield fruitful results. Our experience of the past had proved beyond reasonable doubt that the LTTE was never interested in peace. It used the peace process to re-arm itself to launch attacks.

President Rajapaksa in his address to the Nation last Friday correctly outlined that the victory achieved at Kilinochchi was not a victory by the South over North or by one race over the other. He stressed the need for a common vision to build a non-racist society, a stable nation with peace and normalcy.

That is the only base to strengthen democracy where divergent trends of politics could survive. As the Head of State had outlined, it is time that we extricate ourselves from racial and other differences to take this nation forward to meet prosperity early.

That is the paramount responsibility of those who represent the people in parliament as elected members.

As the President pointed out, it is the disadvantaged sections of our society that have become the unfortunate classes of people to be at the receiving end at times of this protracted war.

The time has now come for all politicians to decide between self and the nation. The nation calls for a balance of sacrifices if it is to survive.

Those who are leaders of political parties and those who sit in the hallowed chamber at Sri Jayawardhanapura Kotte should now concentrate and move towards the creation of a sustainable process of a change for the better as the brave security forces clear the dark to see the light at the end of the tunnel. To achieve that, all political parties should depart from selfish attitudes and petty agendas.

It must be recalled that President Mahinda Rajapaksa in November 2008 addressing the convocation ceremony of Sir John Kotalawala Defence University said he was determined to find a lasting political solution to the ethnic crisis and clearly spelt out - “We do not have narrow or short term agendas with regard to the settlement of the ethnic crisis.”

A day earlier addressing the ‘Soorya Sinha’ awards ceremony, a national programme of the Maubima Lanka Foundation, the President appealed to all political parties to rally round to re-unite this nation by crushing terrorism. There he urged the LTTE to give up violence and return to the negotiating table.

It is sad that all those clarion calls happened to fall on deaf ears of many of our political leaders and that of Velupillai Prabakaran, whose days appear to be numbered with the fall of Kilinochchi.

Despite the reluctance of many political party leaders to extend the hand of friendship at a time of national crisis, President Rajapaksa and the security forces gallantly moved ahead to crush terrorism. Prabakaran who believed he was almighty in terrorist warfare is now confined to the Mullaitivu jungles.

The President assured the nation that he would pursue the enemy in those jungles to wipe out terrorism. Hence, Prabakaran will have no other place in the near future to hide or seek refuge. Today, more than two thirds of the country is free from fear and terror.

Now, all political party leaders must work towards eliminating despair that gripped this nation over three decades.

The terrorist war escalated defence expenditure many a fold causing harm and disparity in social welfare. The days of - ‘If you wrong us. Shall we not revenge’ - as said in Shakespeare’s Merchant of Venice now seems to fade away fast.

Let us now turn our backs on racism and wipe out racial domination. The security forces continue to wipe out brutal terrorism to confront all challenges as one people of one country.

It is only then we would not leave the war to our next generation as stated by Defence Secretary, Gotabhaya Rajapaksa. President Mahinda Rajapaksa looks forward to embark on a noble mission to establish permanent peace and that responsibility lies in the hands of all political party leaders and parties that represent the people, irrespective race, religion or political colour.