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Featured Article: Action in Lanka Meeting Reaction in India

Friday, 01 December 2006

The Indian government has totally turned down President Rajapakse’s requests for arms and joint naval patrolling. Although President Rajapakse tells the world that he is for a political solution, he is inclined towards a military solution.

India has rejected his requests because he stands exposed. If there is a sincere commitment to resolve the ethnic problem through peaceful means, why does one need weapons?

That Sri Lanka talks about peace only to seek foreign aid is now exposed to the world. It is generally believed that it was due to the pressure exerted by India that President Rajapakse went there on a 5 day visit.

Tamils in the North-East have fled to Tamil Nadu as refugees following the outburst of violence and harassment by the security forces. It is estimated that 3000 persons including innocent civilians have died this year alone. It was this exodus of Tamils as refugees to Tamil Nadu and the waves of sympathy that were evoked there consequent to the violence by the government that compelled the central government to invite the President Rajapakse and opposition leader Ranil Wicremasinghe to express India’s concern directly to them.

They were told to their face, to find a political settlement rather than moving towards a military solution.

The Lankan government, it is said, has cautioned India that the Sea Tigers have become a powerful sea fleet to be reckoned with in the region. It was on this basis that the Lankan President sought joint patrolling with the Indian along the Palk Strait but even this proposal by Lankan President was rebuffed.

Having declined both propositions made by the visiting Lankan President- military help and joint naval patrolling –India advised Sri Lanka to reveal the basis of the proposed political solution and to restart negotiations expeditiously. The Lankan President has responded that the proposed political solution will be ready by the middle of December.

In his inaugural address at Asian Mayors’ Conference, President Rajapakse stated his country was considering power sharing similar to Indian Panchayat system in a unitary set up. This proposal is totally unacceptable to the Tamils and it cannot in any way meet the legitimate aspirations of the Tamil people.

These are the inevitable consequences of President Rajapakse’s acceptance of the advice by his political and military advisors.

An English translation of the Editorial in Uthayan, a Tamil daily, based in Jaffna

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A Well Wisher said:

The panchayat system is totally not acceptable to the Tamils as this outdated system does not at all accomodate the aspirations of the tamils and power sharing will only remain in name only with the Srilankan government keeping all the control over the fate of the tamils.

The Srilankan government is also fully aware that such a system will not work and they have been told of it accordingly. Yet Rajapakse says he is considering power sharing through this system. What nonsense!

This man obviously is not for peace or not for finding a just solution to the conflict. As it is, the President stands exposed to the world as a state terrorist. In the eyes of the world, his hidden military agenda to suppress the tamil people has now become an open secret. How foolish can a President be, if he still wants to try to hoodwink the world.

With such a man at the helm of the government, it seems highly unlikely for anyone to expect the ethnic conflict to come to an end with a just solution for the affected party. In character and calibre, he seems to fit in the shoes of the former dethroned dictator of Uganda, the idiot Idi Amin.

The government side certainly needs a practical man with greater understanding of the problem to resolve the issue.

2006-12-01 15:46:58

Thambiraja said:

"The government side certainly needs a practical man with greater understanding of the problem to resolve the issue." This is again like 'searching for a black cat in a dark room'!

2006-12-01 16:48:22

Eelath Thamil Raj said:

So long the brothers Rajapakse' are there in SL there will be no solution to the Tamils' rights. India first must stop military assistance it is performing for the GoSL. It is then in a position to tell GoSL to seek negotiated solution.

2006-12-01 18:33:33

Colombo said:

If there is a sincere commitment to resolve the ethnic problem through peaceful means, why does one need weapons?

Well you all know after signing 2002 peace agreement, what LTTE did. Did they stop using weapens. They continoulsy killed intellegent officers , dissident Tamils. also they build up millitory strenghth, attack millitory if they come out of camps. killed score of soldeirs. etc..
So you know who used the weapons.

As democratically elected goverment , they have to protect 20 million people , for sure 19 million people living outside North. So they need weapons.

Since Ltte used weapons during 2002-2006 March, GoSl start using weapons. If Govt to stop using weapons then we know who should stop using weapons. Instead LTTE used millions euros/Dollors collected from Tamil Diaporsa to buy weapons ( And sink them in Mulathiv see for next generation)

2006-12-01 20:37:48

Colombo said:

This man obviously is not for peace or not for finding a just solution to the conflict.

I do not what solution Rajapaksha has in his shef. But for sure he has one thing in agenda. Not to give into Terrorist. Like Bush. ( yes we hate bush , but we appreciate his courage not to give into Terrorism. It's same as robbing. Fine someone might poor , or have problem. But if he comes with a gun & ask for solution only a coward will give in. Not Rajapakha.

Second thing, it was very clear from beginning what solution LTTE /VP wants. It's Eelam nothing but Eelam. That's why GoSL could not satisfys demand.

Will they agree for unitary country with all has same humon rights -( new constitution to protect it ). No they want . Of course they could say Sinha idiots do not know how to give same Human rights for all. Even for Sinhaleese. I agree. But still that the solution we sinhallese need. Country with equal right , where Tamils , Sinhaleese , Muslims need. For that we could fight with you together.

2006-12-01 20:48:44

A Well Wisher said:

It is amazing that Colombo is talking of human rights now. For almost 50 years, the Tamils were denied the very same rights, he is talking of, be it in the field of education, in government,in the defence portfolio, in business practices, and in any category that one can name. The standards set for Tamils are much steeper and much more difficult than those which are designed for the Singhalese.

If only the Singhalese governments had treated the Tamils the same way they treat the Singhalese, if only the double standards were not observed between the different races, the problem would not have surfaced in the first place. Colombo does not even know what was the root cause of the problem. Doen't he realize that denial of the very same things he is talking about, (in his own words, we Singhalese need country with equal rights to all races) is the root cause of the whole problem. Even now, when the two parties attended the Oslo talks, the question was put forward to the GoSL team to state what proposals the government had in their coffers to accomodate the aspirations of the Tamils, the team responded that the government was now studying the proposal and will come out with one soon. Can one imagine the stupidity, the insincerity of the government - the audacity of the team to say such a thing. Doesn't 50 years not enough for the government to come up with a proposal for a just solution.

And this Colombo is talking cock now.

2006-12-02 07:26:09

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