Cut the blaze, Mr. Blake

Mano Ratwatte

The July 25 issue of the respected Economist magazine comments about the US-Pakistan efforts to combat Islamic militants in South Asia. In a commentary about the recent Pakistani military offensive in SWAT valley and NW province of Pakistan, it refers to the movement of refugees fleeing the war zone (civilians) as the largest involuntary movement of humans since Rwanda’s genocide in 1994.

Over two million refugees had to move out and Pakistan with US help was able to regain Central Government control over some areas of the NWP region of Pakistan. Only 300,000 have returned since major combat operations ended. This was an offensive Pakistan had no choice but to launch. This offensive was launched at US behest with active support, because Pakistan’s national security interests are inexorably linked with US national security interests and its military operations in Afghanistan against Taleban, Al-Qaeda terrorists and Insurgents.

Now will Assistant Secretary of State, Robert O Blake insist that Pakistan send those two million refugees back to an area before it is cleared of all rebels, mines and weapons caches? Will he discuss with Taleban Americans and urge the Pakistan Government to resettle the two million minus 300,000 people ? or will it first assess the impact on its national security interests? How are these people living because of the war you wanted Mr. Blake?

Secondly, who are these Tiger diaspora representatives that Robert O Blake talked to? Has he talked to non-Tiger Sinhala and Tamil American citizens as well who may not have donated money to the Secretary of State? Are some of these people still associated with the LTTE, which is a banned organization in the US?

Can he under the Freedom of Information Act(FOIA, 1966) reveal to us if some of these Tiger lobbyists contributed to Hillary Clinton’s campaign for President and if so how much? Can he assure us that they do not feel an obligation to the Tiger lobbyists because of such? Can he tell us that no Tiger lobbyists paid into the Hillary Obama campaigns during the primaries?

I can tell you from personal experience, that when my cousin former President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunge was nearly blown to pieces by the Tigers, the Tiger diaspora in the US exulted(not the non Tiger Tamils but the pro Tiger tamil organizations). Even before the news hit the cable channels, the telephones rang from Dubai to Toronto to many locations in the US with a “we got Chandrika” jubilance!

Yes believe it or not, some top notch wealthy Tiger supporters in New England were pleased. And the records showed that Chandrika tried to appease Vellupillai Prabkaran by even offering him the North and East for 10 years.

Such was some American Tamil’s hunger for their absurd obdurate demand for a racist racially exclusive separate state consisting of 45 percent of the land mass and 60 percent of the coastline for a small minority based on dubious claims that they did not stop at anything to use their massive wealthy diaspora from funding their murderous mayhem while the diaspora lived comfortably. Most of the Tiger diaspora were not even victims of the heinous violence of 1983 which understandably could lead to wanting revenge. Most of them migrated to the US (like a lot of us Sinhalese) in search of wealth long before that.

To demand that Sri Lanka, which has to look after its national security interests, to listen to American citizens just because they lobbied the Obama Administration and spent money on Hillary Clinton is absurd. He should talk to Sri Lankan Tamils who had to suffer 30 years of misery at the hands of Tigers. What did the Diaspora money bring to Tamil people ? Houses? Hospitals? nothing but weapons and brainwashed child suicide bombers with their yankee dollars. Can the diaspora show one post tsunami Tiger built house for innocent Tamils?

Robert O Blake should be more honest with all American tax paying citizens including those of us who are against terrorism of any form. Mr. Blake in his new role should urge Pakistan to immediately send back the two million refugees even if it threatens Pakistan’s and USA’s security interests.