Exit the "old" western masters: Enter the "new" eastern mandarins
by Dushy Ranetunge in London
An article published last week by Gomin Dayasri commences with the three following paragraphs, which represent a populist view of apologists of the present regime. The three paragraphs are a misrepresentation of facts and need to be addressed in order to understand the hostility of the West, the UN and some NGO’s not to Sri Lanka, but the present Sri Lankan regime.
"The spectre of war crimes will haunt Sri Lanka until the triumvirate consisting of the Diaspora, anti-Sri Lanka NGO’s and the Western Powers abandon their relentless struggle to punish Sri Lanka for defeating terrorism which still continues to torment those countries which did not desire the LTTE to be vanquished.
These countries continue to be plagued by terrorism with which they have been grappling for years but yet has failed to comprehensively defeat notwithstanding the superior fire power possessed, sophisticated equipment at their disposal and the economic strength to combat terrorism.
They never expected Sri Lanka with its limited resources to defeat the LTTE of which they were supportive, because of its "master-sir" approach to the West and Sri Lanka’s geo-strategic placement in the Indian Ocean."
To accuse the West and the UN for trying to punish Sri Lanka for defeating terrorism is a gross misrepresentation of the facts, misleading the citizens of Sri Lanka in taking the focus away from the real issues.
It was the United States which first listed the LTTE as a terrorist organisation.
Western governments have consistently armed and trained our security forces against the LTTE. Our most effective military commanders including Generals Janaka Perera and Sarath Fonseka received training abroad including in the United Kingdom where they graduated from the Royal College of Defence` Studies (RCDS) and even The Royal Military
Academy Sandhurst in the case of Perera. There have been considerable intelligence sharing and the prosecution and incarceration of LTTE operatives in the West. LTTE fund raising has been curtailed and front organizations such as the TRO de-listed. Even during the present regime our military officials travelled to the United States for training.
The United States and the European powers consistently assisted in the enhancement of Sri Lanka’s military capability in training and identifying areas for improvement. The Sri Lankan military performed poorly during the early phases of the conflict and it was foreign training which enhanced Sri Lanka’s military capability to a point where it was able the defeat the LTTE. South African, Israeli and Pakistani military assistance was indirectly sanctioned by the United States from the very early days.
Therefore the Western powers, the UN and some NGO’s are not trying to punish Sri Lanka for defeating terrorism, but demand accountability, particularly for war crimes committed by a few individuals who have betrayed the Sri Lankan republic in abusing their powers.
There has been a long tradition in our republic to investigate war crimes and to bring about accountability for the actions of those in power.
The Manamperi case during the Sirima Bandaranaike regime prosecuted those who blatantly abused power during the military crackdown against the first JVP terrorism. There was the very public investigation into the Chemmani mass grave allegations with the participation of organizations such as Amnesty International which diffused that incident.
All the Western powers and the UN are demanding is consistency on our part in investigating war crimes allegations as we have done in the past.
The present regime has so far deviated from our past traditions and democratic norms for political reasons.
These are short sighted manoeuvrings by the Rajapakse regime because it is inevitable that at some point down the road, it will have to bite the bullet. The World has moved on from the old days of complacency. International legal and accountability standards have changeIs Obama d to make it more difficult for tyrants to get away with it in the 21st century.
Chandrika
The Chandrika Kumaratunge regime with the able guidance of Foreign Minister Kadirgamar realized that to delay or cover up the Chemmani incident would be damaging to Sri Lanka and initiated an investigation with the participation of foreign NGO’s such as Amnesty International. This exercise addressed the outstanding issues and defused it.
By delaying a war crimes investigation in Sri Lanka, the Rajapakse regime is causing grave damage to the Sri Lankan republic, locally and internationally.
Locally, the war in Sri Lanka was not against a foreign power, but our own citizens. Our republic has since independence mobilized our military capabilities exclusively against our own citizens. We need to move on, heal wounds, reconcile and build our nation. Aid and soft loans funded construction of concrete roads, bridges, airports, ports and power plants without addressing the political issues, is like pasting wallpaper over serious structural cracks.Aid alone cannot build Sri Lanka.
The second and third of the three paragraphs relates to another simplistic Sinhala nationalist fallacy that terrorism was defeated in Sri Lanka, but not in the West.
The slogan of "defeating terrorism" in Sri Lanka is a political slogan of the Rajapakse regime to garner votes. Reality is that we have been continuously defeating terrorism since independence.
Since independence in 1948, our army, navy and air force have been used exclusively against our own citizens with the demise of approximately 100,000 Sinhalese citizens labelled JVP and approximately 100,000 Tamil citizens labelled LTTE and other militant groups.
So we defeated terrorism in 1971, in 1989 and in 2009 and going by the past record there is every possibility we will defeat terrorism again and someone else will take credit for it and want your votes for "gratitude".
When your own citizens are involved, the method of defeating terrorism is somewhat different in the West, where they appreciate a peace that is durable and could be sustained. That’s why the quest for peace is one of such great patience and tolerance in Northern Ireland and in the Basque region.
The "master Sir" approach of Sri Lanka has been consistent to those who dole out aid to Sri Lanka. As we traded the Dutch for the Portuguese and the British for the Dutch, we are today trading China for the United States and Pakistan for India?
"Master Sir" is still very much around, but the Rajapakse regime has directed our attention only at the old "master sir" in the West in order to mislead us from noticing the new Chinese galleons quietly parking in our harbours.
16 Comments
This man lives in London and talks. Why doesn't he ask the leaders of the country, that he is currently living, to get out of Iraq and Afghanistan as it would improve their credibility of those protectors of human rights, and thus the clean image of this Sri Lankan immigrant boy in London.
If he is so concerned about human rights, which I believe is universal, he should encourage the British and American forces to stop killing civilians in Afghanistan and Pakistan. Or, perhaps to conduct an inquiry on bloody-Sunday massacre by the British troops in northern Ireland. These guys are trying to stir up more problems to please their Western masters rather than helping Sri Lanka solve its national problems and reach political reconciliation with all its people.
I am sick of these bogus human rights spokespersons working as foreign agents.
Bravo bravo! Mr. Ranetunge, your article puts everything in a nut shell. It the West who was responsible for choking the money supply to the LTTE. It was western logistic support that sent LTTE freighters to the bottom. However, there is a thing called human decency.
If Srilanka is to bask in the glory of vanquishing the LTTE then it has to be open to the world. Current politicians forget that a Srilankan diplomat received a Knighthood for promoting the UN and getting other countries to join the body.
Hi Anonymous,
For your information there has already been an inquiry into the Bloody Sunday incident and we have been waiting for your "solve its national problems and reach political reconciliation with all its people." for a very long time.
As for afghanistan and Iran, they are waiting for your champions to come and advise them on how to defeat terrorism by designating a no fire zone for civilians and then bombing the hell out of it----and walla--we have defeated terrorism.
Who said white flags?
regards
Dushy
Dushy, you live in London, not Colombo. So let us deal with it way we see fit. For starters you can convince your Government into looking into atrocities in Afghanistan & Iraq. Why should we dance to their tunes?
James Seeya /or holloa,
Dushy has given a small dose of Joe Abeywickrma's " Honthata honthai, narakata narakai " to Gomin Dayasiri. When I read Gomin Dayasiri's mahavamsa like one sided writing it reminded me of KMB Rajaratna, RG Senanayke, SWRD, Cyril Mathew, MR regime's top mandarins.
James can you post the bank balances of the likes of Palitha Kohena, Milinda Morogoda, Gothapaya Rajapakse, Sarath Fonseka, Dayan Jayatilleke, Rohan Gunaratne ? Then you have the moral right to say " So let us deal with it the way we see it ".
James, What are those who stayed back in SL like Professor Vitharane, DEW Gunasekaera, Professor GL Peries, Professor Wijeysinghe and the likes contributing to the soverignty, political freedom, safety, peace, and socio- econmic welfare of the Tamils and other minorities ?
Even your one time admirer Dayan Jayatilleke has changed for the better and talking about humanity as a whole and moving away from his existency theory of the Sinhalese BVuddhist in SL.
Dushy is a real deciple of Lord Buddha. " Sathya Usas Dharmayai "
quote,"By delaying a war crimes investigation in Sri Lanka, the Rajapakse regime is causing grave damage to the Sri Lankan republic, locally and internationally." by Dushy Ranetunge in London.
Why do you need it such rush?
No other country (like US, UK) do not conduct them in such a haste.
It wasn't that long ago, no one dare to go to busy places without fear of a sucide bomber in SriLanka. Of course in London, you wouldn't understand that. War crime investigation is not on the top of list of priorites, but eventually had to be dealt with. You people have joined the western band wagon and beating the war crimes drum driven by the ex-LTTE supporters to paralize the SriLankan gov.
Well, that is when {Exit the "old" western masters: Enter the "new" eastern mandarins} comes handy.
Perhaps, you, Mr. Dushy Ranetunge should consider changing your citizenship to China!!!
Your thesis would be much more believable if those NGOs that are hell bent on getting "justice" in Sri Lanka would apply same level of pressure to other places and other governments like US and Allied actions in Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan. Till that is shown, any West based NGO's credibility on this will be very suspect. Those in the West calling for war crimes trials for GOSL leadership are utterly silent on war crimes charges for the remnants of the LTTE leadership living in the West. Good example is Adalee Balasingham. Why is she allowed to go free when there is enough evidence to show that she was active participant in fostering the suicide bomber programme?
Hi
Every one who talks about western atrocities when you see the film Green Zone which was screened last week they show the mistake thier government made and it has become public but the begging bowl minions think they can play the Indians against chineese and continue to hood wink the west The deal the sri lankan governmnet made in 2007 that once the LTTE is defeated a solution for the North East
The LTTE has been defeated with the help of the west and India and Et all now the second part the government is thinking can fool all the people all the the time that is where they are going to be fooled by the west
Nathen
While some arrogantly believe it is “the in thing” – particularly those deep in the political system – to place on the British paternity for all our ills, it will be the ignorant and the ungrateful who will deny them the good their presence gave us that made all of us (Sinhalese, Tamils, Burghers, Muslims and others) what we became as a leading and respected society in the region until we inflicted self-destruction on us post-1950s. If not for the roads, railway, education, health and other systems, the cash-crop economy that still sustains us in a system of republican governance, many of us will be like those half-animals one finds today in the nearby Andaman and Nicobar Islands who were remembered by the world when that giant Tsunami struck us all a few years ago. I recall a few years ago I was an official in a State body entrusted with the development of the Coconut industry when we had as guest David Gladstone – the then British High Commissioner. In a long conversation we discussed the events of the day. When I mentioned Lankans also appreciate what the British had done for us the great grandson of the former and immortal British PM smiled and said “at least you cannot blame the British for inventing the coconut” In that process of history when they colonized us there certainly was harm to culture, religion and other but let us also show some balance without berating and insulting the Brits and the West for everything 24x7.
ISS
Excellent article.
Too bad that some of our guy don't have the intellect to understand the contents.
We do expect a lot more from you.
An excellent article Dushy.
Cheers.
Dushi
You are brave and bold enough to come out with the truth.It is a bitter pill to " Boru Sinhal Baudda Jathi Alaya" nincompoop wasalayas.
Bit of caution to you Dushi. Gotabhaya is haunting after dissent voices. Be careful.
Reference to Mr ISS's comment,of course the Tamils and the Sinhalese who were Christians and sucked up to the colonial masters big time, must be ever grateful to them for putting them in their comfortable and well off privileged positions with free land in juicy parts of the country, at a great cost to the majority Buddhist rural poor .who are still behind the eight ball.
It is only in recent times that the rural poor have started to gather pace. The privileged are still trying their hardest to prevent the progress of the poor rural Sinhala Buddhist majority and there are no prizes to guess who are in the fore front of this campaign.
Ex-Lankan:
If you see my comments in perspective, you will see you and I travel on the same trajectory. That said, please remember most Tamils and Sinhalese during colonial times did not convert for filthy lucre or upward social mobility. Curiously, some "distinguished" families of today crossed the divide more than once since the Portugese set foot and the Brits left - a trait that they also carried contemporarily in that musical chairs that now goes as our democratic politics. The truth is even the better informed in the community are confused if your MP/Minister is green, blue, red. Opaque - they all are in more ways than one.
ISS
Hi Ex Lankan,
Your comment about Christians have to be examined in the proper perspective. The phenomena you highlight is one which is repeated throughout history. The same complaints were heard when we had South Indian rulers in Kandy that the Malabars were getting plum jobs in the administration.
It was the same with Vijaya, whose 700 took over.
Your logic does not make sense as its like saying plum jobs going to vijaya's lot is unacceptable so we have to bring back the Vaddah's and re-establish their rightful place, now that the Vaddahs have got the vote with one man one vote?
You cannot roll back history, which the Sinhalese nationalist are trying to do, making a general mess of it all. We have to move on, not try to recapture past perceived glory's which are in reality full of tyrants and savages. All it does is empower savages and reduce our country into tyranny.
We have had democracy for over 60 years and in the 21st century we cannot be looking back at the 19th century and making complaints.....a bit like listening to Jim Reeves and Englebert.....popular in the mau- bima.....