Mahinda Rajapaksa:

A multi-faceted personality

S. Francis PERERA

Continued from yesterday

And now we come to the most formidable task to which Mahinda has put his shoulders. Even though it was evident that the MoU. with the LTTE was a sickening piece of duplicity, Mahinda Rajapaksa did not abrogate it lest the LTTE had made it an excuse to wreck havoc on the land.

He hoped against hope that even at that late stage, the LTTE would eschew violence and resolve to tread the path of peace. Alas, he hoped in vain. While Rajapaksa hoped that every act of atrocity they committed would be their very last, they, for their part, were emboldened to go on to commit more such acts.

Some most experienced officers of the intelligence service were gunned down. Tamil politicians who were opposed to them, and those of them who proposed a peaceful solution to the ethnic problem were their next target. Like a wild beast that had once tasted blood seeking for more, the Tiger terrorists went looking for more victims.

They saw a means of causing embarrassment to the Government by capturing the Mavil Aru anicut that, through a network of canals distributed water throughout the East, for domestic purposes as well as for irrigation.

Here, is a waterway like an artery carrying life giving water to peasant folk. To have shut the sluice was a crime against humanity which no civilized Government would tolerate. It was the beginning of their end.

It was the old tale of the pitcher that went once too often to the spring. Sooner or later it was bound to shatter. The Government began operations against the terrorists. It came as a rude shock to the terrorist who took the President for a ninny.

They announced that the supply of water would be resumed in a week, hoping that troops would now suspend operations. But the Government made it known that operations would not stop till troops captured the waterway and releazed water themselves.

In less than a week troops put the terrorists to flight, and releazed water to peasants maddened with thirst, and to revive the parched earth.

The anicut would thenceforth be taken care of by troops to ensure the uninterrupted supply of water. The campaign begun with the capture of the waterway was not brought to a halt. Our troops went on to liberate the entire Eastern Province, including the Tiger fortress at Thoppigala.

There were prophets of doom who predicted that the Tiger terrorists were too well entrenched at Thoppigala that to think of dislodging them was a dream.

When finally the terrorists were forced out and were routed, they taunted the Government for capturing a barren wilderness. While giving due credit to our soldiers for winning a mighty victory, we should not forget the vital roles played by Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa and the Army Chief Sarath Fonseka.

They are the twin pillars on which the armed might of the land rests. They masterminded the campaign in the East, and went on to give guidance and inspiration to the Forces at all subsequent campaigns.

To liberate the North, croaked the dismal prophets, would not be a cakewalk as was the liberation of the semi desolate arid East. They did not stop at prophesying doom, they went on to ask for an immediate ceasefire. But President Rajapaksa who always put the interests of the country before all else refused to accede to their demand.

As has been promised in Mahinda Chinthana, he is determined to preserve the unitary status of Sri Lanka. Rajapaksa more than any other leader understands the mentality of Prabhakaran. The only language he understands is force, says Rajapaksa, and force he shall have.

The Government Forces, with the subjugation of the East acting as a stimulant marched through LTTE held territory, capturing their bastions one after the other. Mannar, Madhu, Iranamadhu, Kilinochchi and Mulaitivu have been captured, and now the terrorists are confined to a mere strip of land, which it is only a matter of time to be wrested by our troops. It is here that they hold civilians as captives.

The main objective of the Government Forces is a humanitarian one, to liberate the civilians trapped in Vanni. The self-proclaimed saviour of the Tamils is using them as a human shield. Nowhere else in the world other than in Sri Lanka is an Army engaged in a mission of mercy of this nature.

Had there been no civilians our soldiers would have overrun the LTTE ruled region a long time ago. At the time of writing our troops have breached their last bund, and over 200,000 of civilians have fled from their clutches to freedom. Foreign powers have now no right to call for a ceasefire.

We have the assurance of impartial foreign observers and journalists that there is perfect camaraderie existing between Army personnel and Tamil civilians at the temporary set up welfare camps. Mind you, a large number of them had been brainwashed into believing that the Sinhalese are barbarians.

These people have nothing but praise for the President for enabling them to breathe the air of freedom. They are satisfied that there needs are being catered to. President Rajapaksa is pledged to send them back to their villages once the demining operations are completed, and the damaged houses repaired.

The fact that the President inspired our fighting Forces to win one scintillating victory after another does not warrant that he be branded a war monger by his opponents. One can understand the TNA a stooge of the LTTE indulging in such mischievous rhetoric.

After all, the LTTE sent these their agents to Parliament to advocate the cause of separation, and to engage themselves in exercises of filibustering. If these TNA Parliamentarians have the courage of their convictions they should refuse to take the oath of fealty and thereby forfeit their right to sit in Parliament be deprived of the fleshpots.

The late A. Amirthalingam being a man of principles, sacrificed his seat in Parliament rather than go against his convictions.

Be that as it may, what is one to say of the main opposition party? The party in waiting to take over power one day. The series of defeats it has suffered, as well as the long period of time the Parliamentarians of the party have tarried in the opposition has soured their tempers and warped their minds.

In their desperation to gain power, they disdain to observe the Queensbury rules in politics. They need to be reminded of the Sanskrit adage vinasa kale vipareethi buddhi.

As promised in his manifesto - Mahinda Chinthana - he brought legislation to revive the Provincial Council in the East.

Elections were held and a former terrorist, weaned away from the path of terror, has been elected as Chief Minister. Another ex-terrorist leader has been appointed a non-Cabinet Minister, such is the magic like quality of the Mahinda Chinthana touch.

The President who is free from ethnic prejudice, has shown that he is able to draw forth good from evil, and is able to anoint the balm of reconciliation to the wounds caused by ethnic conflict.

To be continued...