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| Friday, 16 January 2004 |
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That stalled peace process by Oscar E. V. Fernando Yes. The North is waiting patiently, for the response from the South. The world is following it, and may eventually make their own conclusions on the basis there are other troubled spots needing close attention. The LTTE have craftily made this stage of the drama for the curtain call over a painstakingly long period. No one could deny the law colleges,the banks, the courts etc that were shaped up during this period. There will also be enough well trained expatriate Tamils loyal to the cause who will be ready to come and fill all vacancies open to them. Who is to stop it all? Say all this happened during the last twenty months. So what? With the truce now over and done with, presumably there is not much problem in breaking the CFA. Now they will go full throttle to develop the North with funds LTTE has acquired up to now. What with the brisk trade in currency between Sri Lankan rupees with Indian rupees in the borders of our North, nay several parts of Sri Lanka, and Tamil Nadu. These, added to the toll collections on the A9 road etc will be a quite a sizeable revenue, pending an international decision in their favor. And why not, seeing what is happening in the south? To stop this activity that is not even a war offensive, are we financially viable and also ready to do so in the gaze of the international community? What really is happening in the south? Bickering as to what Government brought them closer to an eelam. Wasting time over the violations of the CFA rules that were not even a peace agreement. Causing panic with suicide bombers hiding behind every bush. In addition to all these, rousing people as to who did what during the respective Portuguese, Dutch and British periods. Instigating riots and acts of violence among religious and ethnic groups. (No pros and cons of any of these are taken up here.) This is only to show that we are witnessing the proverbial cigar being smoked when the beard is on fire! Why at this time of all times? Is it because we are told very endearingly by a Tamil politician that what is happening to the Hindus in India will happen over here? Do we realize that in the North there is no distinction among religious or other groups where their eelam war is concerned, and where all called the LTTE "Our Boys". Why this sudden endearment towards the south by a northern politician for religious precautions. And again a learned Tamil writer to the print media talks of caste issue, taking up a case of the warrior karawa clan (one may add seafarers and navigators to boot, leaving fishing as a minor preoccupation!) of the Ariya society of Moratuwa, as against the Goigama clan!. Can we not see this as brewing an obvious concoction for the South during this deliberate stalling of the peace process? We can be sure there will be no suicide bombings etc this time, for that would be suicidal to the North where preserving good repute with the international community is concerned. What with the expected de-freezing of funds in these countries? No. The strategy is to keep the South stewing in the cauldron of religious and caste issues whilst this time they will make sure of the development of the North together with the NGO bodies, marking time perhaps to open their own Central Bank with their own currency in due course, if things go the way they are craftily planning. No one can, and will blame them as long as they go about it without brutal killings. Suicide bombings, false propaganda about Sinhalese the world over and an all out war on the South etc seem to have faded away from their lexicon. The present strategy does not demand it as their aim of full sovereignty is very well nurtured by the South, whilst they are sitting pretty, and, patiently. It is up to the North to wake up and stop their inevitable journey to full sovereignty, by getting back to the negotiating table whilst the international community has its eyes still focused on us. Thereafter we should shake off lethargy, the frog in the well mentality, and rub shoulders with them, in a federal structure. It is lofty to say that much desire begets sorrow and have peace within us, and another to be envious of the progress made by an industrious community. Due to the crafty timing of the stalling of the peace process another disaster will befall very soon. It is with anticipation of increasing the loaf of bread with the private sector that a bigger slice of the present loaf was given to the wage owners at the expense of producers. Now with the stalled peace process and the aid not forthcoming, production is bound to suffer and inflation is bound to sap off the remaining funds, and the South will rapidly go down the dumps. A pitiful sight indeed. This is what the last regime did just prior to elections and this is exactly what is inevitably happening this time around too, as that bigger slice is already given but the other part of the bargain may not be met. Is that what our enlightened politicians want? Crafty exit from the peace process indeed!! Will the South ever be satiated with that voracious appetite for the proverbial Kavun? |
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