Winning an unwinnable war: post-war literature
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Title: Winning an Unwinnable War
Author: J F Ranjith Perera
Pages: 212
Publisher: Sarasavi Publishers
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Sri Lanka had been suffering from a war of almost 30 years. When a
war reaches an end, it leaves space for history to be written, or a new
chapter to be added. J F Ranjith Perera’s Winning an Unwinnable War, a
Sarasavi Publication launched recently, is not a mere addition to the
post-war literature of Sri Lanka.
Perera has listed eminent personalities who played a key role in
completing the war. Significantly he mentions about former Army Chief
Sarath Fonseka too. He outlines how the Fonseka played his role in
steering the war to the end, and how the very same person dug his own
grave.
In 2009 Sri Lankans flocked around the television to sight the death
body of the LTTE supremo being carried over the Lankan soldiers’
shoulders. It was such a forbidding sight, but it was what the Lankans
dreamt of: the end of the war.
Post-war period leads to varying kinds of literature. Before setting
off into novel, the square one will be to document history. 2009 triumph
will be a new chapter in the modern history. What Perera pens may seem
common knowledge, but its worth will be highlighted in the decades to
come.
Perera has employed the assistance of several newspapers to author
the book. As he mentions in the introduction, Perera has written this
book in English because it will enable us to overcome to a certain
extent the unjust and false allegations leveled against our heroic
security forces by some foreign media organizations regarding human
rights violations etc. For this purpose, the author intends circulating
copies of this book overseas for the information and edification
particularly of such media organizations.
Considering the organisational, financial and the presumed military
strength of the LTTE which was identified by the FBI of the US as the
most ruthless terrorist organisation in the world, some were strongly of
the view that they were militarily indestructible. Hence the author is
of the view that our political leadership by utilising the services of
our courageous and heroic security forces by eradicating the terrorism
of the LTTE and its leadership had in fact ‘won an unwinnable war’. The
author considers this to be the most outstanding historical achievement
of our country in the 21st century.
The book is intended to be an evaluation and an appreciation of the
determined and the unwavering political leadership inspired by a high
sense of nationalism and the incredible contributions made by heroic and
the courageous security forces, the police and the civil defence force
who made a selfless contribution to eradicate the menace of the
terrorism of the LTTE. Which ravaged our motherland for nearly 30 years
which was half the period since achieving independence from the British
colonialists.
Perera is the author of A Comprehensive Guide to Information on Sri
Lanka and Eelam. He was the Director General and Competent Authority of
the Sri Lanka Tourist Board from 1994 to 1999.
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