JVP Supports UN’s R2P Intervention in Haiti with Sri Lankan Army

February 17th, 2008

by Dr. Vickramabahu Karunaratne

An avatar is haunting the country. It is the avatar of foreign military intervention. In the aftermath of the unilateral withdrawal of the Ceasefire Agreement by the Rajapaksa regime and the growing civilian massacres, destruction and absence of the rule of law, there can be little doubt that the Government’s intention of a military victory is bringing grief and suffering to huge numbers of civilians of all communities of the people of Sri Lanka. In order to get out of this barbaric situation the Government should halt air bombardments, artillery shelling on civilian settlements that negates any political solution based on self-determination, end hostilities and restore the Ceasefire. Only then will pressure bear on the LTTE to stop their attacks spread throughout the country.

Escalation of terror

The escalation of terror by the Government will only enhance counter-terror of the Tamil militants. Even the British Foreign Minister says, ‘I urge all in Sri Lanka to take steps to safeguard the civilian population and find ways to reduce violence. Violence can never provide an answer to Sri Lanka’s problems. People in Sri Lanka need to find space to realise their many similarities, rather than becoming further polarised by their differences. A sustainable solution to Sri Lanka’s conflict can only emerge through a just political process involving all communities.’ This is a point on which we Marxists can agree with a leader of global capitalism.

Since 1974, we have been campaigning for the recognition of Tamil nationality, autonomy for their homeland and the right of self-determination, as a basis for the resolution for the deteriorating conflict in Sri Lanka. As one of the leaders of the United Socialist Alliance I have participated in a large number of well attended public meetings and demonstrations, on the Tamil national question, amongst threats, intimidation, and severe hardship. I have also taken this campaign outside Sri Lanka with the help of my socialist friends and Fourth International of which I am a member. We have participated in many anti-war meetings and seminars in India, the UK, Canada, Australia, Norway, South Africa and Honk Kong. No doubt the majority of this country supports peace and settlement, though it is spread in different directions. On the basis of this experience I believe that the Left in Sri Lanka has an important role to play at this moment.

Collective duty

The Left has a collective duty of solidarity towards subjugated people of oppressive regimes, and thus to defend the cause of the Tamil people and to demand justice and peace in their homeland. Perpetual uncertainty of natural life and absence of productive life are condemning hundreds of thousands of Tamils in their own homeland to refugees without shelter, with shortages of food, fuel, medical supplies and electricity with untold suffering to women and children. Whilst the Left campaigns for the just cause of the Tamil people, it must also campaign vehemently to end the untold suffering of the Sinhala and Muslim masses due to globalisation, inflation, economic mismanagement, corruption, despotism and cronyism. In addition, the Left should demand to end emergency regulations, to bring an end to attacks on media and media people, death squad killings, disappearances, illegal arrests and detentions. This the Left has done in the past and it will be doing so in the future as well. However in the absence of political negotiation and the reneging on every agreement, the growing number of internally displaced people, the economic embargo on the Jaffna peninsula and increasing death rates in addition to the war of oppression, the Mahinda regime is thrusting the only option of separation on the Tamil people.

Western intervention

A letter by B. Nadesan, LTTE political wing leader to the UN General Secretary requesting the UN to recognise the sovereignty of the Tamil nation, is the consequence of this situation. The JVP was a prominent actor in creating this situation and has been seeking western intervention to curb the Tamil liberation struggle. Recently it has started a campaign against Radhika and Rama Mani, claiming they were conspiring to erode the sovereignty of Sri Lanka by invoking R2P, the UN principle of Responsibility to Protect. Strangely enough, the same JVP vehemently supports the Sri Lankan involvement in the R2P intervention in Haiti. They do not see that as an imperialist project!

At this time of trial, the Left should stand in solidarity with the Tamil people, their right for liberation and with their legitimate elected parliament representatives, the Tamil National Alliance. It is the duty of the Left in this country to appeal to Left organisations, trade unions, socialist intellectuals and progressive media in India and the world over, to join us in our campaign to arrive at a united solution on the basis of the recognition of the Tamil homeland, their nationhood, autonomy and the right of self determination. If the Left fails at this juncture the vacuum will be filled by the global capitalist policemen. Rama Mani has admitted, ‘the R2P is for those who are desperate,’ and added, ‘The military corps of this country has a proud, strong tradition. There are countries that do not have that.’ So it is clear when and for what purpose they would come!

The Left especially should appeal to the leaders of Cuba, Venezuela, Socialist leaders, and the leaders of the Left Front of India, including the Indian Marxist Communist Party and the Indian Communist Party, to help us by joining our campaign, to expose the realities of the war in Sri Lanka and to support the cause of voluntary union of all communities.

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