Colombo, Sri Lanka: There is a proverb that one who is in real slumber can be woken up but not the one that pretends to be asleep. The views expressed by the President regarding the incidents of violence in the north and east makes one wonder whether he is really aware of the reality or whether he pretends to be unaware.

Both parties blame one another for such acts of violence. The LTTE accepts that certain violent incidents are due to the resurgence of the Tamil people but the South accuses the LTTE orchestrating it. On the other hand, the security forces and the armed groups such as Karuna faction and the EPDP are accused of committing violence in these areas.

The Head of the Government states that there is no evidence to establish that the security forces and other armed groups are involved in them and calls upon the Tamils to produce proof for him to take necessary action.

In explaining his stand, the President has said that he could not take action against anybody without any basis or clues because, as a government, he is committed to the rule of law unlike Prabaharan. This statement has caused grave concern among the Tamil people on two counts.

Do the Tamil people need a government that shirks its responsibility of bringing to book culprits of violence such as the murders of five students in Trincomalee, the assassination of Parliamentarian Joseph Pararajasingam, the killing of Vigneswaran tipped to be TNA nominee to Parliament, the attack on Uthayan resulting in cruel deaths of its employees and the massacre of civilians in Allaipitty.?

Do the Tamils require a government that lacks courage to take firm action against the offenders and evades the responsibility by seeking the victims themselves to provide them with proof to investigate and enforce the law?

In such a context where the government of the land explicitly expresses that it lacks strength to control violence and that it needs the support of the victims of the incidents of violence to maintain law and order, then the victims will justifiably expect the aggressor to quit.

They will exercise their right to self-determination, establish a rule that can put an end to violence, that is capable of bringing the culprits to book, that honours its commitment for good governance.

The statement of the President is on the other hand perceived as encouraging the perpetrators of violence. If the government is committed to its responsibilities, then it is not an impossible task to trace the offenders. It is believed that the plight today is that the offenders are well secured.

A translation of the Editorial in Sudar Oli, a Tamil National daily, based in Colombo

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