A reply to The Economist:

Sri Lanka’s war - Dark victory

An article titled, ‘Sri Lanka’s War - Dark Victory’ in The Economist of April 23 paints a gloomy picture undermining the success of the Sri Lankan Government and the Army in the ongoing conflict.

If the Security Forces had not shown any consideration for civilians the war would have ended long ago.

According to the article, “...In a rush to exterminate the Tigers, the Army has shown a cruel disregard for Tamil civilians crowding the battle field...” If the Army had not shown any consideration to the civilians the war would have ended long ago. It had been dragging to avoid civilian casualties.

The writer has ignored pictures splashed in local and foreign newspapers and the clips from the Youtube where they portray the Army providing food and water to the civilians, carrying children, supporting the sick, the disabled and so on.

It adds, “...Since the breach of the earthbund hundreds more had been killed or wounded...” UAV footages show how civilians escaping to the Government controlled areas are fired by the terrorists killing or wounding them.

If as the writer says, that the Army had been cruel there would’nt be such an exodus of civilians running away from the terrorist occupied No Fire Zone. Both the Indian Prime Minister and the Foreign Minister have said, “...The LTTE should stop its barbaric acts to hold civilians from the rebel held territory...”

Human Rights Watches and other pro-LTTE research Agencies who are now shedding crocodile tears were passive onlookers when the Tiger cadres were driving 200,000 or more civilians from pillor to post as the terrorists were fleeing from the Army after the downfall of Kilinochchi. So under present conditions it is the legitimate duty of any Government to rescue hostages from terrorists.

With regard to his reference to NGOs it is an open secret that their sympathies are with the terrorists.

A VVIP who visited Kilinochchi during the traditional New Year to be with the combatting Forces was surprised to see no massive infrastructure development projects undertaken despite NGO’s and INGO’s operating in the Vanni for so many years. It is now common knowledge that there are heavily secured luxury underground concrete apartments built as safe houses for the LTTE hierarchy. The question is how did the LTTE get all the raw materials for these structures?

He comments that, “... Some members of the Rajapaksa regime and General Fonseka are Sinhala Chauvinists...” Sinhala chauvinists is a common term used by the LTTE to get support from third parties. If anti-terrorist is being chauvinist, then except pro-LTTE supporters everyone should be branded with the same label.

The writer had been critical of former senior LTTE Commander and now Minister Karuna, Minister Chandrakanthan, who was a former LTTE child soldier and Minister Douglas Devananda for joining the Government. Obviously the LTTE as well would have the same apathy towards them for giving up terrorism and toeing the democratic line. What is wrong in rewarding them for streamlining along the democratic process?

The US Secretary, Hillary Clinton’s controversial statement about ‘untold suffering caused by Sri Lanka in this conflict’ had been highlighted by the author. With regard to her comment, The Washington Times of April 26 editorialised (Tigers at Bay) that,

“...Hilary Clinton and European styled peace-makers are getting in the way of Sri Lanka’s victory. The meddlers should let Colombo finish off this menace...The Tigers deserve no amnesty nor mercy... The Sri Lankans are winning; we should let them finish the job...We can only imagine American satisfaction if we had Al Qaeda in this position...”

During the last 26 years, the Government had been spending more than US $850 million a year to crush the world’s most brutal terrorists. Now it is the end of the game with the Tigers in the jaws of defeat.

The terrorists and the pro-LTTE lobbyists who were desperately turning the No Fire Zone into a powder-keg and threatening of an impending blood bath and a humanitarian catastrophe had been boldly diffused by the Government and the Army. Learning from past experiences, the Government’s current strategy is to defeat the terrorists militarily while simultaneously pursuing a constitutional settlement for Sri Lanka.

So it is not for a reputed international Journal like The Economist to reverse Government gains and demoralise the Army and the people in favour of the world’s number one ruthless terrorists.