May Day rebuff to Darusman cacophony

On May 21, 2009, just days after the final rout of the LTTE, the Wall Street Journal in an editorial comment observed that ‘The war on terror scored a big victory this weekend with the Sri Lankan Army’s battlefield defeat of the terrorist Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam. The event ends one of the world’s longest running civil wars. It also vindicates one of the major lessons of September 11: Most of the time, terrorists have to be defeated militarily before political accommodation is possible’.

It was taking the wider view of the reality and impact of Sri Lanka’s success in defeating the forces of terror, in the face of determined opposition to this move, even by the United States, which, has since September 11, 2001 led a ‘War on Terror’ of its own, drawing NATO also into the attack. The WSJ made an assessment of the service that Sri Lanka had done to the world in showing the necessity and ability to defeat terrorism militarily.

Tamil Diaspora

The WSJ comment of that day also observed that: ‘Colombo also learned lessons from its earlier failures against the Tigers. The military improved its training in counterinsurgency tactics, and Colombo invested the resources to enable the army to hold territory it won. Moves by the United States, Britain, Canada and other countries to freeze Tiger fundraising among the Tamil Diaspora helped weaken the Tigers. President Rajapaksa wisely ignored international calls for a ceasefire as he got closer to victory, including threats from the Obama administration to block $1.9 billion in International Monetary Fund aid money.

Its conclusion was that: 'As Colombo starts to grapple with those post-conflict problems, everyone else can take note: Thanks to a strategy of defeating the insurgency, Sri Lanka is now in a position to talk seriously about peace and economic growth.

When negotiating with terrorists doesn’t work, beating them does’.

As a journal of in-depth analysis and reporting, the WSJ had made a clear assessment for the need to defeat LTTE terror and rightly concluded that in the search for peace, where negotiation and ceasefires with terrorists do not work, defeating this was necessary and as Sri Lanka had shown the way, decidedly possible.

International community

Today, while the so-called ‘international community’ that keeps out the most populous of nations in the world community, including its emerging powers, is seeking to avenge Sri Lanka for its rout of the LTTE on alleged grounds of ‘accountability’, the WSJ remains firmly of the view that the defeat of LTTE terror was a necessity.

It goes further and states, ‘there is a real danger that an international war-crimes investigation on Sri Lanka would do more harm than good.’ It is not ready to be a cheer leader for the Darusman Committee, appointed by the UN Secretary General to advice him, going on an international witch- hunt against Sri Lanka and its political leadership, to please those who are still pushing the LTTE’s separatist-terrorist agenda through the purchase of Western politicians and manipulation of the media.

In what appears to be a world full of cheer leaders for the Darusman Committee and its wholly flawed findings, the WSJ has come out with the hardly stated reality that in the call for an international probe and punitive action against Sri Lanka, the UN and other international parties are in danger of running off the rails. The WSJ states the (Darusman) report’s calls for a more formal UN investigation, perhaps culminating in a war crimes tribunal, which has been echoed by various human rights groups and may find a sympathetic hearing among some governments, could prove to be the wrong approach for Sri Lanka.’

Military effort

Moving away from the clutter and roar of the well-manipulated opinion builders in the West, seeking revenge for their collective failure to save Prabhakaran and the LTTE from the inevitability of defeat after three decades of ruthless terror - the bloody likes of which none of the Western countries braying against Sri Lanka have faced so far - the WSJ makes a very reasoned assessment of how the situation in Sri Lanka should be dealt with: In its comment of April 26, 11 the WSJ states: 'The international community already is deeply discredited in many Sri Lankan eyes for its failure to stand against the neo-Marxist Tigers as they waged bloody battle on Sinhalese and Tamil civilians alike.

As the war neared its conclusion, foreign powers criticized the military effort without ever offering a plausible alternative.

‘The international community’ would do better to focus on building the institutions that will eventually allow Sri Lankans to grapple with their own war history. That might mean, for now, focusing less on the end of the war and more on issues such as demanding greater press freedom and a more open political process.

Unique experience

‘Sri Lanka is at a critical moment as it emerges from a decades-long war and rebuilds its politics and economy. Leaders abroad have to tread carefully, lest they inadvertently push the country back into sectarian strife.’

Unmoved by the ‘popular’ views of some Western governments and leaders, as well as organizations such as Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch, whatever their observations on other situations could be, the WSJ takes up the position that terrorism, especially of the type and scale of the LTTE has to be defeated, for peace and democracy to survive and grow, and what is most important is not how a battle against such terror was ended, but that it has in fact been ended.

The meeting that the Editorial Board of the WSJ had with President Mahinda Rajapaksa, on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly sessions last September in New York, where tough and probing questions were asked from the President on a wide range of issues from the defeat of the LTTE to reconciliation and rehabilitation of former terrorists, would have given the WSJ a better understanding of reality in Sri Lanka.

It would have strengthened the WSJ’s view on Sri Lanka’s unique experience in defeating terror, that is evading so many other countries and leaders, with much more economic and fire power to use, with scant regard for Human Rights, crimes against humanity or war crimes, which is the current chorus of the Darusman Committee and those singing from the Hymn Sheet of Accountability of the UNSG’s Office.

In a situation where the ‘International Community’ is willingly missing the wood for the trees on Sri Lanka’s defeat of terrorism, it is necessary to repeatedly pose the question as to how Prabhakaran and his forces of terror could have been routed, but for the way it was done.

Battles that involve arms do have bloody endings. The pain for those seeking peace would certainly be more when those carrying arms for terror-driven separation, uses its own people as human shields; it must be worse when those calling for ceasefires and respect for the rules of combat do not offer a suitable alternative, other than subjugation to terror.

UN should not interfere

It is necessary here to recall the post-conflict observations of the Japanese diplomat Yasushi Akashi, who repeatedly visited Sri Lanka in the search for peace as a member of the Co-Chairs for the Peace Process.

The seasoned diplomat was very clear in his comments on the role of the UN in the post-conflict situation in Sri Lanka.

Here is what is said in June 2010: ‘The United Nations should not interfere in Sri Lanka but only offer suggestions and ideas in dialogue with the Government.’

He added that the proposed panel to advise Secretary General Ban ki-Moon should be to offer insights and views to the Sri Lankan government if needed, which has also created its own Commission of Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation.

Akashi made these statements at a press briefing ending his 20th visit to the country. Welcoming the appointment of the Commission as a positive step towards peace building and reconciliation, Akashi pledged Japan’s support in these efforts. Akashi also expressed optimism of the positive changes taking place in the post-conflict Sri Lanka, adding that it was a great opportunity for national and ethnic reconciliation.

The current cacophony of hosannas for the Darusman Committee coming from wholly expected sources, with considerable links to the pro-LTTE expatriate Tamils in the West aka Tamil Diaspora, will be heard for some time.

May Day has in the past been a rallying point for important national and political struggles, as in the struggle against colonialism and imperialism. It is the true strength of the working people, transcending the barriers of ethnicity, religion, caste and narrow politics that can surely defeat the machinations of foreign and allied forces that seek to manipulate the United Nations and its institutions, human rights organizations and sections of the international media in the current campaign against Sri Lanka. Such unity is the rallying cry for Sri Lanka today, and the best message to the world on our commitment to peace and reconciliation.