I can’t comprehend how a minority of 7% of the population, pretend to take off the land, the language, culture and the life of the rest of Kosova. Kosovars have the right to live free and independent in their land where they are born, generation after generation, live and will die.

I am glad to see you continue writing and occupying a strategic position that very few can fit in!. I still keep a close tab on your articles. Keep up your good work. I hope you can still remember me! – shamohamed2001@yahoo.com

S.H.A.Mohamed, Colombo

I for one, have no “Rosy Picture” in my head of the East. I have actually been there (last April) and it is not great – Many IDPs still need to be resettled (I think 50% left), but it is also NOT the ‘Genocidal Nightmare’ the Anti-Government forces are trying to portray it as to the International Community.

I don’t see the Government portraying it to be ‘Better’ than it is, do you? Whenever there are Development initiatives (like the foreign Deals with India , or the hiring and training of Tamil & Tamil speaking Police, they do say so; when there aren’t they dont go saying that there are,…do they? I don’t know what government sources you are reading….?

You ask me what the point of fighting is,… when obviously there will be more civilian deaths? …I ask you what is the point of Negotiating with these Terrorists? And don’t get me wrong, I am not jumping on the Post Sept 11th Bandwagon in the ‘Terrorist’ Name calling and Branding but I am confident that the LTTE fit the very definition unlike some other organizations around the world that are being labeled as such to fit a political agenda. The LTTE WERE freedom fighters, somewhere along the way they lost their honor and their souls, so now they no longer fight for what they claim to fight for.

You have a very valid concern about Civilian Deaths, however you are basing your conclusion of the Negative outcome on the premise that the LTTE CANNOT be defeated. This is the problem. No one can fight forever. You say they Cannot be defeated, I say they can. It is all in how you see history on this one,…..25 years of fighting the LTTE have never been defeated,…true! But the minute they are defeated then your conclusion is no longer valid. You’re a Winner till you are no longer one… Am I making sense here? The fact is if you look at the past and say the LTTE cannot be defeated because they have not been defeated before is not a Valid argument. I will say that that does not necessarily mean they WILL be defeated but I do say they CAN be defeated. And the reason I say they CAN and WILL MOST LIKELY be defeated is that they are severely weak now, they don’t have the Freshness of the fight in them anymore…. several factors are against them that were not the case when they were at the Height of their power (circa 1991).

This war was inevitable, the LTTE wanted it. Don’t fool yourself into thinking that just because Mahinda met Force with Force that all of a sudden he bears the responsibility for the Mayhem that ensued. The government, and most Sri Lankans see the Military solution to first rid the country of the Tigers as the most viable solution in a situation full of Bad Solutions. We don’t have the sort of Choices the IC would like to see us exercise. They don’t look at the big picture in terms of the History of this conflict, or the possible circumstances and political outcomes. Most of the time they see one or two over exaggerated aspects (like the Civilian Casualties or the Lawlessness of Paramilitaries) and fail to put it into any context and begin condemning Sri Lanka in terms of those individual issues. Their solutions to our government and the conflict are merely ‘CEASE and DESIST’ orders that lack any Utilitarian or Realistic approaches to lasting peace. ‘STOP the KILLING!’ they shout… well, the killing has been going on for 25 years…it will stop when we Decisively End this battle.

My money is on the Sri Lankan Government… where is yours?

Some minor issues though
I think that you shouldn’t believe everything in the news. Just because the paper (possibly state controlled or influenced) paints a happy picture of the ‘liberated’ East doesn’t mean that this is true on the ground. In fact most of the news on both sides- Tamil Media and Sinhala media- is filled with spin and half truths that create a circle of hate where our hateful views are reinforced by the spun news we read. Didn’t somebody say that ‘Truth is the first casualty of war’

You say you wish people would give Mahinda’s policies a chance to work. But you see everybody can see the trajectory of his policies already. His policy is basically War first, Solution after. I don’t want to wait until the war re-escalates to 1997 1998 levels to condemn the policy of war. I will condemn the policy of war today, in hopes of supporting the view that there is no military solution.

For your second to last point. No. I want Sinhalese and Tamils to live together in peace and prosperity just like you do. But the War policy of MR spreads the seeds enmity and hate between the Tamils and Sinhalese. We need to be healing the wounds of war instead of spreading more hate.

You say you want me to wait until after the government fails in its promise of defeating the LTTE, to criticize their militaristic approach?
Why should we wait? We all know that it is very unlikely that the government will actually recapture the entire Vanni. The LTTE can be bled slowly and weakened, but I doubt very much that the SLA will march all the way to Mullaithivu and Puthukudiyiruppu.

Many innocent people already have and will continue to die as collateral damage in Eelam War IV. Many people will lose their homes and be displaced living in tents. They are mostly Tamils. But the Sinhalese will also suffer from terrorist attacks on Buses and other civilian / economic targets in the South. So what is the point of fighting and destroying each other if it is just going to lead to another stalemate?

I really don’t think it is wise for Rajapakse to try and impose a military solution. I could be wrong. Anything could happen in terms of the war. But I think there is a low probability of defeating the LTTE. I repeat from my previous post, that the hard-line attitude of Rajapakse is playing into the hands of the LTTE in terms of the political war.

In regards to your last point- I will take your advice and Give my fingers some rest from typing on these forums.

Mr.Murugan,

Superb analysis and a rational approach towards the ethnic issue.

Mr.Gee Sampanthan

Donot panic!!.Ambani’s,Birla’s,Mahindra’s and Tata’s are bone-tired in India having exhausted with Indian worms.

They now need fresh ,sumptuous Srilankan worms like….

According to experts, the share of the US in world GDP is expected to fall (from 21 per cent to 18 per cent) and that of India GDP to rise (from 6 per cent to 11 per cent in 2025), and hence the latter will emerge as the third pole in the global economy after the US and China.

Indian Economy experienced a GDP growth of 9.0 percent during 2005-06 to 9.4 percent during 2006-07. By 2025 the India’s economy is projected to be about 60 per cent the size of the US economy. The transformation into a tri-polar economy will be complete by 2035, with the Indian economy only a little smaller than the US economy but larger than that of Western Europe. By 2035, India is likely to be a larger growth driver than the six largest countries in the EU, though its impact will be a little over half that of the US.
India, which is now the fourth largest economy in terms of purchasing power parity, will overtake Japan and become third major economic power within 10 years.

Despite your derogatory remarks,we still wish you peace and a robust economic growth.Even if you keep us at arms length,your friend has different views.He is resolved to get Indians to invest,improve educational institutions,defence ties,….

As a matter of fact,we have a friend in Mahinda.Do you have any friends?

Response to #40

“There is many a slip between a Cup and a Lip”

I could argue Ad Infinitum with you about possible outcomes of the USA presidential race,… many factors can affect and debunk your certainty that Obama will be taking the White house; the biggest one being the fact that a Black man as President does not sit well with America’s Majority Voter-Base of Xenophobic Crackers; not to mention the change in attitude and Ra-Ra Patriotism that always seems to materialize in the American public should War with Iran mysterious materialize before Bush leaves the White House…… Long and Short, just dont assume a Democratic President in 2009,,…. so lets just leave it at that?

I will however say that your hopes in a Democratic candidate turning around and making it a Policy Priority of his administration to “Liberate” Tamil Eelam is Fantasy. You ask the average American where Sri Lanka is on the Map and you will get the Blank Stare Reaction of a Dog that’s just been shown a Card Trick.
The USA will be busy with Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan and the Proliferation of Nuclear weapons into Terrorist hands. You would be lucky if they could find more than the 1Ten already stationed Marine Corp personnel standing guard at the US embassy in Colombo in the foreseeable future… Not to mention China and Russia are opposing Kosovo now, so if they see the trend emerge in the UN with Sri Lanka they would surely use their Veto powers to prevent a NATO force pulling another Balkans Style intervention. But hey I speculate… I doubt we would even have to come to that since I’m sure these Tiger Terrorists will be a foot note in History in the year to come…. God Willing.

***Why do you think Obama brought-up Sri Lanka from no-where during his Google chat in November to illustrate the challenge of the 21st century as the “one of the other”.***

LOL! Good question! Don’t you think he brought it up just as soon as the Tamil (LTTE) Lobby in New Jersey wrote him a check for his campaign? That would seem a more likely and logical conclusion. If it was such a priority why has it only been mentioned once in his campaign and no more? You’re deluding yourself to believe what you want to beleive. Obama, like most US politicians, wouldn’t know Sri Lanka if they were Bombing it!

You tell me “Don’t be so Cynical?” I tell you: Don’t be so Naive…! Bill Gates is no Politician, he is a Philanthropist, Ultra Liberal, and the Extreme Exception to the rule. Don’t assume this about the entire popualtion of Americans. Only in America is ‘Greed’ a way of Life that is encouraged in thier society.

Not really,…in fact, Not at all….

The LTTE have wanted war from the very start. The “Percieved Legitimacy” you speak of above is merely the SPIN and PROPAGANDA you ingest on a daily basis from their News sources. If they (LTTE) wanted anything Federal or any sort of Devolution they should have simply adhered to the CFA in 2002 in the first place and allowed Tamils to vote (for Ranil) in 2005. They did neither. The fact you dont recognize the CFA as a Ruse and a Smokescreen for the LTTE to regain their strength is why you continue to think the GoSL is at fault.

Most Tamils live peacefully in the South, it is going to be an uphill battle trying to convince the World Body that a Democratic, Pluralistic country with a Constitution that represents every Race and Ethnic group fairly, while allowing for Minority culture, language, and religions to operate needs to be sectioned off and divided into two Mono-Ethnic separate states. The 1.5 to 2 Million Tamils not living in the North and East are not just going to Up and leave all their wealth and possesions and jobs and families to go to the North because some Expat Displaced Tamil populations try to lobby Foreign governments to recognize their Pipe-Dream Fantasy.

You need to read up on your news, the East is in the process of being redeveloped, the North will follow ONCE THE WAR IS OVER…………………

I wish you morons could give it a chance to work. Mahinda is 2 years in his presidency and you have condemned any and all his proposals and solutions without even giving them Realistic time frames to be implemented. This basically proves to me you people really dont want it to work because that would mean 25 years of Shouting would all be for nothing….Tamils and Sinhalese liveing together in Prosperity and Peace!

Oh NO! We cant have that can we? …as you Communalists love to shout! Give your fingers a rest people. Let the government finish what it promised, if they don’t deliver, then start your Barking and Shouting again.

People like Dyan are capable of writing non-sense without limit…and if one read what JVP leaders are talking and writing back home , it is the same thing.

At the end of the day India is a huge problem for not only the Eelam Tamils, but also for the Sinhalese. So, Sinhalese and Tamils should both keep the Indians at arms distance.. like in the early days .. nationalize Indian assets and send the beggars back to India.. but now what is happening is they are coming to Sri-Lanka. Look around Indian boarders , can any one tell me if they have friends ?. Ambani can build a billion dollar “Home”, yet India is a humongous trash can…and in the middle Ambani can sit and pick out worms like a crow.

But the Tiger’s idea that Tamil Eelam is the only way to liberate the so-called Sri Lankan Tamil nation hinges upon the notion that Sinhalese and Tamils don’t get along and that the Sinhalese who have a monopoly on power don’t treat the Tamils properly.
(I am not saying this is true, but I am just laying out the argument of the Tigers)

So basically Mahinda Rajapakse’s actions are providing the LTTE with more legitimacy for their claim that Tamil Eelam is the only political solution.

When Rajapakse:
1. Fails to produce a credible solution
2. Supports the TMVP in the east, and allows them to bare guns in the ‘elections’
3. allows the army to do whatever they like in Jaffna (including killing a few innocent people on a daily basis in Jaffna through the EPDP)
4. Then there are things like the Tamil humanitarian aid workers killed in Muttur, with a shabby investigation
5. Then there are Murders of Tamil Journalists, and MPs like Raviraj and Maheswaran.
6. The list goes on…

The LTTE also commits atrocities so this will definitely detract from their goal to get Tamil Eelam.
But then again the KLA was a ‘terrorist’ group so I mean the Western Media can focus on the atrocities of one side while neglecting to show those of the other.

The point is that Rajapakse’s actions provide evidence for the LTTE’s claim that the Sinhalese do not treat the Tamils fairly.

So yes, nobody is going to create or recognize Tamil Eelam today. But if these abuses by Rajapakse continue, then Hypothetically a Tipping point could be reached and international players will believe the LTTE’s claim that there must be a 2 state solution. And then all the LTTE has to do is play its politics right and enter into dialogue with an external power to secure that it is in the interest of a foreign power to recognize Tamil Eelam.
This is All very very hypothetical and very very unlikely. But it is worth recognizing that the actions of Rajapakse could in the Long term lead to the bifurcation of SL.

The correct way to defeat the LTTE is to conduct a war against the LTTE and not to collectively punish the Tamil people. Just respecting the rights of every citizen. Conduct the war against the LTTE while minimizing collateral damage. And offering a decent political solution will also erode the claims of the LTTE.

But in the short term, Rajapakse thinks it is best to unleash the war effort in full, and not to offer a credible political solution. Rajapakse is doing this in the short term, in a sort of gamble to greatly weaken or completely defeat the LTTE.

But if the LTTE survives, then in the long term the manner in which Rajapakse is conducting the war, could actually play into the hands of VP.

You see the hard line approach of Rajapakse actually legitimizes the claims made by the Tigers.

I hope I am making sense. Because this is important. The actions of Rajapakse are actually playing into the hands of the LTTE (In terms of the political war)
It is true the LTTE is losing the Actual War.
But as the LTTE retains the will to fight and still has its military assets intact, then it has not been defeated. Retaking the East, and even hypothetically retaking Kilinochchi before 2010 will make Rajapakse look good, but unless you totally defeat the LTTE -you have not defeated the LTTE.

So this short term gamble to gain the upper hand in the real War, actually plays into the hands of the LTTE in terms of the political war. And War is just politics by other means. So Rajapakse’s actions could actually lead to the eventual split of Sri Lanka. Not Today. But if things continue this way… and abuses keep occuring then Tamil Eelam could actually happen. I know it is crazy but there really is a slight risk that if Rajapakse keeps on conducting the war in the way he is without defeating the LTTE, then it could happen.