Can the UN Secretary General be so irrational?

A.R.M.T.B. Ratnayake

The idea of a forum of nations is universally admitted as an excellent one for guaranteeing peace and sovereignty of nations. There could be failures on the part of it but no country can overlook its very considerable successes and the fact that things might be very much worse if it did not exist. Its secretary should however be mindful that it derives its authority from a collection of member nations and that he should not therefore bring his sectional or private interest into conflict with its duty by its member nations.

The whole world admits that the LTTE was one of the most untamable terrorist organizations that had been troubling not only Sri Lanka but even the neighbouring countries like India for over three decades. Few people of international standing know that it had not only killed thousands of Sinhalese people and destroyed much of this country’s valuable assets but had annihilated almost all the Tamil politicians and the innocent Tamil people who did not toe its line. Many failed to admit that the Tamil people were an integral part of this nation and were able, law-abiding citizens of the country. This country therefore got rid of this terrorist organization totally and with great cost, in the interest of all the races that form this nation.

It is regrettable that the UN has permanent voting patterns. However much excesses israel may commit, the US will vote for it while the Islamic world will vote against it. However much damaged the US has done to the natural existence of Iraq, the voting pattern remains the same. They are more or less permanent voting patterns and are not issue-dependent. In the case of smaller nations, such as non-aligned nations, suddenly the pattern changes according to the play of the music by the major power interests.

It is left to the UN Secretary General and others of international concern to look at the smiling faces of the people of all the races that form our nation. That smile is more prominent among the Tamil people who had all these years feared to cry for their liberation from the clutches of the this terrific organization and who are now welcomed as people of potential value to the nation as any other of this country. The few Tamil political parties that managed to coexist with the LTTE on pretentious love with it have now joined the main streams of democratic politics in the country, admitting its sovereignty.

Now everybody admits that this country’s policy respects the right of all the races to maintain their ethnic identity and the right to manage their affairs under its Constitution. What else does the UN Secretary General want the administration of this country to do? Does he want peace and annihilation of terrorism only if they satisfy somebody else’s interests?

We have a heavy junkyard of broken promises and treaties, a long record of failures at various negotiating tables, costly toats and solemn signing ceremonies with the LTTE, during the past three decades that would interest the Secretary General if he likes to take a look at them. However, there won’t be another bomb blast for some international groups to be awakened to the reality of the LTTE.

The United Nations and the major powers very often call for a concerted effort to annihilate terrorism totally from the world. This country has annihilated the LTTE that was rated as one of the world’s most powerful terrorist organizations. Instead of appreciating that great success, why should the Secretary General of it pull our leg unnecessarily and discouragingly?

We respect the UN as a paragon of objectivity, trustworthiness, impartiality and independence. This is best substantiated by the unambiguity of the actions and utterances of its Secretary General. He is not supposed to act in the manner of some international organizations whose existence is based on lies and they exist as watchdogs of interested groups. They talk loudly of allegation on human rights on the part of small nations while condoning blatant violation of human rights by powerful nations.

We have made every effort to convince - patiently, persistently, and in a well substantiated manner that the Secretary General has got his information from the murky springs of falsehood of interest groups. However, the Secretary General cannot be separated from the organization itself although he may have certain mediation functions. However he is not the UN. Therefore he should not undermine the sacrifices this country has made in its successful fight against terrorism.