Time for Britain to act

Foreign Minister Mr. Lakshman Kadirgamar in an interview published in The Island today gives cogent reasons for Britain to proscribe the LTTE. Some newspapers carried this interview in yesterday’s editions. The Island too is carrying this interview not only because of its national importance but also because of its policy of providing all points of view. The Island was the only Sri Lankan newspaper that carried the interview of LTTE spokesman Anton Balasingham in the Tamil Guardian referred to by Mr. Kadirgamar in his interview. We do hope that fellow travellers of the LTTE and LTTE members themselves who are avid readers of The Island, particularly its Internet edition, who accuse us of being ‘a racist newspaper’ in their hate mail, take note of this policy of The Island.

Mr. Kadirgamar’s interview should be of special interest to western nations, especially Britain, who have continued to treat the LTTE with much indulgence and thereby contributed to the Sri Lankan conflict going on for so long. The Island in recent times has been compelled to be very much critical of western nations on their Sri Lankan policy because of this aspect, despite the continued assistance to Sri Lanka in the post Independence era and which is still continuing.

The fundamental question which foreign powers interested in the Sri Lankan conflict should ask themselves is: Why is it that this conflict has defied a solution for 18 years? Is it because of the intransigence of successive Sri Lankan governments or the intransigence of the LTTE and its ability find enough resources to militarily oppose a sovereign government? Enough and more arguments and counter arguments have been made but it is quite apparent, the reason is the determination of the LTTE to resort to armed struggle to achieve its objectives. Other Tamil militant groups have joined the democratic mainstream and are attempting to work out a solution but not the LTTE. The arguments made in the defence of an armed struggle are well known. Whether these arguments are acceptable or not, the plain fact is that no sovereign government can surrender to the military threats of a terrorist group. Thus, as long as the LTTE believes that they can bring the government to its knees by the force of arms and accept their terms, a solution will not be forthcoming. The government has made its proposals known and is willing to negotiate on them but the LTTE, having rejected these proposals, have continued with their armed struggle.

The LTTE and other militant groups were able to wage war against the Sri Lankan government till 1987, because of Indian assistance. Since then they have been able to do so mainly due to the tolerance of the LTTE by western powers. America and Canada have cracked down on the LTTE but not so other western nations. The LTTE firmly believes that western nations believe in their cause and continue to help them by turning a blind eye. The LTTE at present pose no terrorist threat to European nations. In fact migrant labour such as Asians do help to keep services such as sanitation and transport going with Europeans being reluctant to take such jobs. There are predicted labour shortages in a decade or two and such labour would be needed.

Why Sri Lanka is crying out for banning of the LTTE in western countries is because if not for the tolerance extended, LTTE’s military resolve will be no more.

Whatever the sympathies of western nations to this terrorist movement may be, can these nations committed to crack down on international terrorism look away from the crimes of the LTTE? That is what Mr. Kadirgamar is asking Britain. He is asking, as a foreign minister of a Commonwealth nation, for Britain to act firmly against the LTTE under the Terrorism Act of 2000 that will come into force shortly. There is a plethora of evidence soaked in the blood of innocents to proscribe the LTTE.

In the face of this threat faced by the LTTE in Britain, it has gone on a peace offensive. Having declared a unilateral cease-fire it has made other Tamil parties, whose leaders they have mercilessly gunned down, appeal to Britain not to ban the LTTE. These parties such as the TULF have yet not learnt the lesson of having attempted to ride the Tiger and - as the ditty says - have come back inside her.

The motives of the LTTE’s call for a cease-fire stands clear as a pikestaff. Once the cease-fire is accepted and the government prepares for negotiations, the cry in London will be: Why ban us when negotiations have commenced? If you do it you will jeopardise the process, which is what Anton Balasingham has said in so many words.

The Sri Lankan experience has been that cease-fires cannot be accepted as bolts from the blue. President Premadasa’s cease-fire ended in absolute military disaster, which was one of the worst massacres in the world in recent times - the cold blooded gunning down of over 700 policemen. This mass unprecedented murder does not appear to be much of a concern for international peace makers. The other great disaster of a cease-fire was that declared by President Chandrika Kumaratunga. While the cease-fire was called and talks commenced LTTE cadres infiltrated the Eastern Province, which had been cleared of terrorists by the military at very great cost. Those foreign powers advocating the immediate acceptance of a cease-fire should realise these grim realities involved.

Britain as the former colonial ruler knows well that its obligations and realities are not only towards one section of the community but all sections as Mr. Kadirgamar points out. The LTTE has made it quite clear, by eliminating any leader who dares cross their path, that they are the sole representatives of the Tamils. These facts are very well known to the British government. It is time that Britain took that vital decision that can end the conflict in Sri Lanka.

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