Why Sri Lanka Does Not Need Western Development Aid
by Neville Ladduwahetty
Cuts in aid are being considered by the Co-chairs to pressure the Sri Lankan Government to halt its military offensive against the LTTE and take effective steps to curb the associated human rights violations. Paradoxically this is being considered in the background of a war that is being vigorously waged in Iraq and Afghanistan by some Co-chair members themselves (e.g. United States and NATO, the military arm of the European Union) in which thousands are dying and violations of every kind are being committed daily. Evidently, the contemplated action against Sri Lanka is because recipients of aid are expected to live up to higher standards than those practiced by Donors.
Sri Lanka is engaged in a war of liberation, evidence of which is clearly visible in the Eastern Province. The removal of the LTTE threat from the province has liberated hundreds of thousands from the oppression of the LTTE. With the resettlement of the temporarily displaced there is renewed hope that the people of the Eastern Province can resume normal lives, unlike the Peoples of Iraq and Afghanistan who have no such hope of leading normal lives for decades to come.
The entire Sri Lankan nation has been destabilized by the LTTE resulting in the denial of fundamental freedoms and the rights of the whole nation to better lives. A Government engaged in the pursuit of liberating such a nation cannot be faulted for the unintended consequences of its actions. That said, the Government should act in a manner to minimize human rights violations in order to prevent its own dehumanization, knowing full well that violations are unavoidable in zones of conflict. This was amply demonstrated in the strategies adopted by the Sri Lankan security forces in the liberation of Vakarai.
The motivation for a Government to conform to accepted norms of conduct during war should be to protect the honour and self respect of the society it represents; not for the sake of “qualifying” for aid. Using aid to pressure a country to conform to accepted norms is to “buy” accepted behaviour. Such an approach may work in countries that have to depend on aid for survival. This is not the case with Sri Lanka because the quantum of aid today, particularly from the West, is relatively insignificant. Consequently, Donor nations are not in a position to dictate norms of conduct. Furthermore, the fact that Japan, one of the Co-chairs is committed to continue aiding Sri Lanka means that Japan’s assessment of the situation is different to that of the West. This underscores the need to maintain standards for their very own sake, and not for any other, such as aid.
It is reported that the International Crisis Group (ICG) based in Brussels is urging Sri Lanka’s donors to “reassess” their aid to Sri Lanka in the light of human rights violations by the Government, the LTTE and other armed groups (The Sunday Times, June 17, 2007). The fact that a group in Brussels considers it necessary to “reassess” the human rights situation in Sri Lanka for future aid, notwithstanding the decision by Japan, reflects how subjective these assessments can be despite the contribution from the West being much smaller than that from Japan.
For instance, according to the Annual Report (2006) of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka, while the total for the Major Projects Financed by Foreign Lending during 2006 was $743million the contributions from the United States and the Republic of Germany were $100million and $55million respectively. These contributions amounted to 13.5% and 6.75%, respectively, of the total finance for Major Projects. The remaining 80% of the finances needed for major projects was funded by the ADB, Japan and syndicated loans from the Citicorp and HSBC. In terms of Sri Lanka’s GDP of $28billion, the funding for major projects by the United States and the Republic of Germany amount only to 0.36% and 0.18%, respectively. It must be noted however, that assistance from the United States and the Republic of Germany is not limited only to funding major projects. Aid is also being channeled to their favoured NGOs for the implementation of undeclared agendas of the Donors.
The entirety of Foreign Capital in the form of grants and loans in 2006 was $1.2 billion, which in terms of GDP is only 4.3%. This is only about one half of the total of Foreign Remittances of $2.33billion. With the likelihood of increased income from remittances, the impact of Foreign Aid on Sri Lanka would be insignificant to a point that its withdrawal could readily be made up by commercial loans or even aid from sources that do not have demands of compliance that are tantamount to interference in internal matters.
Despite the insignificance of the Foreign aid received by Sri Lanka as stated above, the popular perception is that Sri Lanka cannot survive without it. This myth is perpetuated mostly by the Western donors and by the NGOs set up by them to propagate their interests. By giving publicity to the myth of the importance of aid, donors and their agents have acquired the license to interfere in internal affairs and make an issue of violations of Human Rights despite the fact that every country without exception can be faulted for Human Rights violations of one sort or another because of the vastness of its scope. Foreign Governments have come to use Human Rights violations as an instrument to extend their agendas despite their own inability to live up to the required standards.
If Sri Lanka is to be free of such pressures the Government has to take a hard look at the scope and relevance of Foreign Aid in today’s context. If 80% of the funding for major projects is currently through sources that do not have preconditions, Sri Lanka should explore ways and means of funding of all major projects through such sources or devise means to attract local capital or capital of expatriates to fund its development activities. Another approach would be to use Public-Private Participation arrangements to develop infrastructure projects.
The need to explore such sources is of vital importance because aid is the carrot that is used to further the self interests of Donor countries. Consequently, aid comes at a price. Even grant monies are required to be directed to areas of interest identified by the Donor. This is the real world because the prime motive of aid in any form is to serve the self interest of the Donor. The most recent example of this was India’s gift of 2D Radar to Sri Lanka with disastrous consequences.
Why are the Co-chairs, with the exception of Japan, interested in halting the war on the pretext of curbing Human Rights violations? Spokespersons of the Co-chairs have stated that they want the violence to stop, but do not want the neutralization of the LTTE. Whose interests would be served by maintaining the capabilities of LTTE? And would the LTTE not be tempted to resort to violence if they retain their capabilities? Without wasting time to unscramble these contradictions or to explore the depths of Donor motivations, Sri Lanka should go ahead and plan its strategies with prudence, and pursue its own self interests with diligence.
Such a plan would envisage measures to secure and develop the Eastern Province to its full potential and to ensure political representation for the Peoples of the province by holding elections on a priority basis. The economic development of the Eastern Province in terms of its agricultural and industrial potential would add considerably to economic growth of the country. Furthermore, the uniqueness of its multiethnic character would serve to dispel images of intolerance and the province could become a model of coexistence. In the meantime, the Government strategy for the Northern Province should be not to focus on territory but to focus on measures to minimize the capabilities of the LTTE to commit violence to a point that either decommissioning becomes a natural precondition for negotiations, or the LTTE’s personal safety takes priority over their political agenda.
The commonly-held belief that Sri Lanka cannot survive without Foreign Aid has to be recognized as false. Despite the current Foreign Aid component for major Project Funding being insignificant, aid has given Donors the license to influence the direction of outcomes and define priorities relating to Sri Lanka’s internal issues including security issues that are of interest to the Donors both directly and indirectly through their agents – the NGOs. Therefore, Sri Lanka must explore fresh and innovative arrangements to raise capital for development in order to be free to pursue what is best for Sri Lanka.
What is best for Sri Lanka is to be guided by Napoleon’s dictat that “The policy of a state is decided by its geography”. Thus, securing the Eastern Province and consolidating the Government of Sri Lanka’s writ by developing the economic potential of the province and empowering it politically by holding elections at all levels are in the nation’s best interest. By consolidating the separateness of the Eastern Province the current Government would be positioned to direct the solution to Sri Lanka’s national question in a form that would be acceptable to the overwhelming majority of the country.
Aid has given license for the Co-chairs to call on the Government to halt the war and for violence to stop without neutralizing the LTTE’s capabilities. With the realization that aid by itself does not carry sufficient clout to influence Government action, Donors have picked on Human Rights violations as the weapon to persuade the Government to carry out its dictates, undeterred by conscience regarding their own violations in this regard. However, the quantum of aid to Sri Lanka is not significant, and the country has reached a development threshold where it is now in a position to negotiate arrangements more beneficial to itself than has been possible in the past. One key requirement during such negotiations should be the freedom to fashion the “self” of the nation in the image determined by the nation, and not in the image ordained by others.
In a column to the Washington Post (June 24, 2007), David Ignatius writes that three of America’s Foreign Policy gurus, Henry Kissinger, Zbigniew Brzezinski and Brent Scowcroft have a collective message: “In a radically changing world, America needs to be less arrogant about its use of power and more willing to talk to other nations…They all argue that this is a time when America needs to be out in the world – talking, yes, but even more, listening”. Over the last several decades, America has listened to the LTTE and the Tamil Diaspora. It is time that America listened to Sri Lanka.
Suresh M said,
June 27, 2007 @ 10:50 pm
Dear Neville,
I never heard anywhere in the world a Liberating Army, forces the ‘liberated’ to settle without any basic facilities, that they have destroyed in the first place. Also, liberating Army doesn’t use the ‘liberated’ as human shield.
As part of continues Sinhala policy of ethnic cleansing, Sampoor, and Muttur became high security zones, as in the Pallai in the North. I am sure soon there will be Sinhala thugs brought in to colonize these areas, and there will be a permanent Sinhala Army post guarding them as in Manalaru.
Tamils know very well their last line of defense is LTTE. They may have flows in their methods, but at this time, they are the only force keep the 99.99% Sinhala army in check.
Your comments about American foreign policy Gurus are misplaced. They were talking about Iraq, Iran, North Korea, and Russia where U.S is directly involved. America doesn’t have that level of strategic/economic interest in Sri Lanka.
At last, beggars can’t be choosers.
Dan said,
June 28, 2007 @ 12:22 am
Just when I thought there no voice for the truth ,,,,,there you are …thank you thank you thnak you
Jim said,
June 28, 2007 @ 12:35 am
Wow how appropriate !!!
Wish this article can reach the President & those other patriotis who are around him, so anyone can see how Sri-Lanka outgh to chart its own course, & RID itself of this curse of the vicious so called “foreign-aid” debt trap.
Malaysia certainly did not need it, neither did Singapore.
So if we can finish this War, this Country will not need a begging bowl, nor its so-called “donors or Co-Chairs’. Sri-Lankans led by its President are MORE than qualified to occupy the “Chair”
As the Ambassador of Pakistan so appropriately termed ……..”so Sri-Lanka can FIGHT to regain its place in the World”. It will certainly be a Fight, but it will be a worthy fight that will give this Country back to the future generations, after all the LTTE planned this whole course – from so-called “human-rghts violations” to the new term “Abductions” over 30 Years ago.
After all, who sent those so-called “refugees” – to those specific countries ??, so they could get the return on their “Investment” 30 yrs later, by forcing them to contribute back to the LTTE – it was not the government.
Thank You again, for articulating a position, from a standpoint of facts & that of Patriotism.
FishStation250@Gmail.Com
Jim said,
June 28, 2007 @ 12:38 am
Mr. Laduwahetty,
Pls. send me your e-mail address.
Thanks.
Sumangala said,
June 28, 2007 @ 1:45 am
This is an extremely good article and the article has the right deceptive and picture of the Donors. In the meantime the article talks about the real situation in Sri Lanka and what should do Sri Lanka for her own freedom.
Saba said,
June 28, 2007 @ 1:49 am
What you written are B Shit. Lot of lies. Open you mind. Use a bit of you brain.
The opressed are Tamils. The opressor is singala gov and people like you. You will never win. You people are dragging the whole SL to deep.
Good luck.
Saba said,
June 28, 2007 @ 2:59 am
When western power’s fight against terrorists they are telling no discuss with terrorists. Whenever GOSL about to wipe out LTTE these western powers come to rescue LTTE and forcing GOSL to start peace talks with terrorists. Eventough west ban LTTE as a terrorist group, now world knows western power has double stand on terrorist. Now they show aid carrot to safeguard the terrorists.
Garvin Karunaratne said,
June 28, 2007 @ 3:06 am
Nevile Laduwahetty has to be congratulated for this writing.
The Western Powers have throughout the past centuries subjugated the Third World countries, ruled them with an iron fist, without any human rights considerations. For the smallest uprising the British rounded up patriots like Captain William Pedris and summarily killed them. When the British Army repeatedly killed the IRA that fought for the rights of the inhabitants of Northern Ireland, there was no question of human rights. In Afghanistan and Iraq both the US and Britain do not follow any human rights considerations whatsoever. The Sri Lankan Government need not bother about Aid. We have to get back to make all what we need and in that self reliance process we will be able to stabilize our economy which has been shattered by the Western Powers imposing their draconian Structural Adjustment Programme on us, giving us loans liberally and making our country indebted so that we have to depend more and more on them. It would behove of the Western Powers to discard their colonialism cloak and help our countries to defeat terrorism and regain our lost economies.
Thanks Neville
Garvin Karunaratne
Anonymous said,
June 28, 2007 @ 3:19 am
what crap you war lover
JS said,
June 28, 2007 @ 3:27 am
LTTE is fighting a loosing battle. Sri Lankan government should continue the good work they have done so far by chasing the terrorists out of the Eastern province. Furthermore, they should continue the same in the North and rescue the innocent people from the ruthless LTTE, one and for all.
Then, Let the development begin!
We do not need ‘aid’ from these double-headed countries, which support LTTE’s existence for their own good. Amazingly, these countries only want to fight Muslim Terrorism.
JS said,
June 28, 2007 @ 3:30 am
LTTE is fighting a loosing battle. Sri Lankan government should continue the good work they have done so far by chasing the terrorists out of the Eastern province. Furthermore, they should continue the same in the North and rescue the innocent people from the ruthless LTTE, once and for all.
Then, Let the development begin!
We do not need ‘aid’ from these double-headed countries, which support LTTE’s existence for their own good. Amazingly, these countries only want to fight Muslim Terrorism.
Ajith said,
June 28, 2007 @ 3:56 am
Please translate this into Sinhala and publish in a widely circulated Sri Lankan Sunday newspaper to educate and convince our people about the fact that we can survive without foreign aids. Reality of these so-called aids should be revealed.
Brian said,
June 28, 2007 @ 4:12 am
It is important to have freedom for all nations in Srilanka. However, at present the sinhala Government take care of only sinhaleses’ freedom. The present Srilankan Government violates of the minorities freedom such as Moslim and Tamils. Lets Both parties Sinhalese and Tamil decide what they want war or talks. The other Governments such as India, pakistan and other Government around the world not to supply arms and financial assistance to Sinhala Government or LTTE. Srilanka is a beautiful country; it soon become as Somalia because of interferance by other Governments around the world including India and and Pakistan.. If the United Nations involve only we expect peace in Srilanka. in my opinion, if the the sinhalaese Government and LTTE agree for the ferderal solution as Germany, Canada or USA there will be peace in Srilanka in future. When the peace exit s in Srilanka she will develops very fast and compete with India and Pakistan resemble Singapore conomically indeed
Lionel Hettiarachchi said,
June 28, 2007 @ 4:29 am
Absolutely Correct content. But as a person who has seen things in SL and following what is happening now, I beieve SL Govt need to do more to win hearts of Local Tamil People if it needs to end this misery.
The Issue is Tamils do not belive SL governments or Sihalese. It is time that the govt to prepare genuine plans to develop north and east and honestly implement them. I mean vigorously and openly. Has the govt done any thing after so many decades? This problem cannot be solved without wining hearts & minds of tamils who are living in those areas. At least Govt can do it in the liberated areas. It’s a slow process but definitely this useless war will definitely be finished when general Tamil population begins to understand extinction of of their people because of this futile war and when they see a better alternative under a one one country one nation.
Senevi said,
June 28, 2007 @ 5:05 am
Not many would be able to put it better than this writer. What a succinct analysis of the myth perpetuated by western powers and an excellent expose of western double standards. Hope the SL Govt would heed his sound proposals.Well done.
Arjan Beaman said,
June 28, 2007 @ 5:05 am
An excellent artice.
These donors are hoping that by screaming loudly for human rights elsewhere in the world the focus will be taken of the abuses in Afghansitan and Iraq.
Psam said,
June 28, 2007 @ 5:13 am
This is a very good article. Those big donors were talking about donating 4billion aid for the next 4 years after tsunami. All our politicians also talk big of getting big aid. In actual fact it is only 1 billion aid for a country with 28 billion income. But that 1 billion comes with unacceptable terms that even the right to rule the country has to be sacrificed to receive the aid. In other words this aid is like an outsider offering Rs.357.00 to a family having RS10,000.00 income. By giving just Rs 357.00 the outsider wants to teach the head of family how he should spend his Rs10,357.00 and subjecting the head of family to agree whatever the outsider says. He will not be able to behave his children or argue with his wife unless the outsider allows him. Looks very funny, but it is the truth. Why dont our leaders ask the donors to take their one billion and get loss.
nilame said,
June 28, 2007 @ 5:35 am
Congratulations author! How many Sri Lankans know these facts? Please make sure this goes in Singhalese to Sinhala media. i have been thinking how stupid the Singhala governments are not to explore the telants of Sri Lanka expat community by opening up something for them to contribute their ideas which are invaluable. I myself am frustrated for not having an opportunity to get what I can write published for people to read. Please tell the stupid government to start something for people to contribute to. That would be a powerful counter LTTE propaganda tool. Thanks
nilame
Walter Rajaratne said,
June 28, 2007 @ 6:27 am
Most timely assessment of the myth of foreign aid(s) to SriLanka. Will the government have the courage to go the whole hog in the proposed direction is the million dollar question. Yet undoubtedly a vision par excellence.
Sinhalese said,
June 28, 2007 @ 6:32 am
Well done. That’s what should be done. Eastern province is least developed and East should be the main focus from now on. People living in East should get more aid than any other province because they have suffered enough. Cheif minister of Eastern Provincial Council shoul allow to sign contracts for financial aid directly with foriegn donors so they can assist directly to the east. Should declare some part as free economic zone as well. Let’s develop East to match Western province or more.
As for foriegn ministry they should talk to other smaller countries and other Arabic countries and should bring a motion in UN condeming human right abueses by EU and US in Afghanisthan. Recently they have bombed children and women in Afghanisthan. Then bring a motion asking US and allies to leave Iraq and free the Iraq. Sri Lanka shoul spearhead that campaign. Get help from Chavez too.
Vinasithamby said,
June 28, 2007 @ 7:14 am
This writers statistical figures are just imagination and not the actual .Sri Lanka is already a bankrupt country with bandit form of governement.Political analysis and the attitude towards the problem of its own citizens are wrong
and legally flawed.This type of writers are called half educated idiots.Reality is different and you should analyse the pros and cons mathematically and scientifically rathe than writing this type of bogus statistcs to substantiate their own ideas.In statistics if you do sampling inference test is important to test the sample from the population.
Please go back to school and study the basics before writing this type of stupid articles in the news papers.
Roger said,
June 28, 2007 @ 9:45 am
Have you taken any drug before writing this crap. What a load of nonsense crap you are reporting which is totally misleading. How Sri Lanka could afford to loose the aid.
The Central Bank Reserves are laready emptied by the so called chintana karayas and his useless jumbo cabinets. I feel sory for the people who are betrayed by the goverments for decades should be atleast gven a chance to receive the true colors of Sri Lanka.
thanabal said,
June 28, 2007 @ 12:42 pm
Nice day dream man.
one shot said,
June 28, 2007 @ 2:27 pm
very nice article…100% true
bloody LTTE supporters ve got pissed off it seems..
soon sri lanka will be free for all …also for our real tamil brithers
JS said,
June 28, 2007 @ 7:37 pm
[1. Suresh M | June 27th, 2007 at 10:50 pm
?As part of continues Sinhala policy of ethnic cleansing, Sampoor, and Muttur became high security zones, as in the Pallai in the North. I am sure soon there will be Sinhala thugs brought in to colonize these areas, and there will be a permanent Sinhala Army post guarding them as in Manalaru.?]
——————–
Dear Mr. Suresh M,
Please do not talk about ethnic cleansing. You LTTE people are the culprits of ethnic cleansing. There is no Sinhalese living in the North. Yet there are 400,000 Tamils live in Colombo and surrounding areas. So, don?t talk bullshit!
Nam said,
June 29, 2007 @ 2:30 am
The Author completly missed the bus and stranded in a place where he pretend he knows the directions.
May I Ask the Author,
1) Who are the ADB, IMF and World bank
2) Who finance those instituitions
IF you know the answer to the above, you wouldn’t have written such a monumental mistake and expose yourself that you have no knowledge in the financial industry.
I hope you have a home work to do before you next writting.
Christy Antony said,
June 29, 2007 @ 9:03 am
you are a great Sri Lankan. Not a Sinhalee not a Tamil. True Sri Lankans love you and your article.
United Srilankan said,
June 29, 2007 @ 9:18 am
Neville Ladduwahetty,
In my opinion you have tried to white wash the SL government and their army.
I agree that under LTTE’s control people had no freedom and LTTE violated human rights and that is why they are a banned organization in many countries.
But on the other hand SL army too to did not care any human values. They helped their paramilitaries to recruit under age children . That was reported much before Allan Rock of UN, in electronic medias including Anti LTTE University Teachers for Human Rights(Jaffna) web site.
SL Army fully cooperated and helped their paramilitaries to kill the MP Joseph Para.and to abduct and kill the TRO staff. Do you think US or British Army induldge in that type of crimes in Iraq or Afghan?
If the Army want to liberate the Tamils, why the Tamils are not allowed to resettle in the liberated villages of Sampur and Muthur east? If the govenment want to have an econmic zone there, then this not the way. Here purpose of this extremist govt. is to plant Sinhalese people there, having chased the Tamils away under the pretext of chasing LTTE.
How can the Tamils in Trinco pardon the SL security forces who have on many occasions killed them without any provocations and burnt their properties.
During the Muthur and Sampur war SL army did not allow the tamils injured due to artilary fire to go to hospital for treatment. At Army check points they were chased back to suffer with their injuries and die. These all were reported on electronic media .
I advise the writer to get the opinion of people of Sampur who are suffering in refugee camps. Good proportion of refugees who fled to India in last year are from Trinco. Pl go and get their opinion on SL armed forces. All those refugees are not the supporters of LTTE.
In last April there was a planned attack against the Tamil shops near Trinco bazzar area with supervision of Navy men. That was widely reported in all the media including NewYork Times. Many Tamils’ shops were burnt within about 20 mins and many were killed by thugs organized by extremist Sinhalese groups. Few escaping tamils were apprehended by Navy and handed over to the thugs to be slaughtered. It was reported that then Indian High Commisioner Nirupama Sen phoned Mahinda Rjapahshe to control the situation in Trinco.
In early 80 s under the Weli Oya scheme, Tamils villages in North of Trinco and South of Mullaitheevus were destroyed by the SL government and colonized with Sinhalese.
You might crush the LTTE. But can not crush the Tamils struggle for thier justice.
If you want to liberate the Tamils, first resettle the displaced refugees in their land and deploy Tamil speaking Police men.
Tamils have had enough, and if correct measures are taken still govt. can still win their hearts.
Amnesty International and other HR organization are having the first hand info. about the participation of SL security forces in several abduction of Tamils in Colombo and North & East and killing of journalists. That is why they have been pressing the Donor countries to cut the aid to SL.
In my opinion that is not enough. Donor countries should send their Army to control the situation and deliver the justice.
Now even Muslims are complaining about the abductions.
I am not a LTTE supporter. I have many Sinhalese friends and appreciate many good qualities of Sinhalese.
Suresh M said,
June 29, 2007 @ 3:28 pm
# (25) JS
When every house in the North is ‘guarded’ by Sinhala occupying army, what you expect the Tamils to do. Every ten Tamils, there is a Sinhala occupying army in the North alone. Continues curfew under Sinhala direct army rule, with abouductions, killing of Tamils in the North/East, and confiscating of farm land for ‘high security zones’ in Jaffna, Sampoor, Muttur made them jobless. Also, Sinhala Navy had banned fishing. For the safety reasons, a lot of remaining Tamils temporarily staying in Colombo. Even that is in danger now, ‘Brothers’ are trying to expel them from Colombo.
Thamilan said,
June 29, 2007 @ 4:16 pm
The Sri Lankan governement needs Aid because they need to pay the all the politician in the cabinet and the biggest employers need to pay the employee (Sri Lankan Armed Forces). Sri Lanka was given allowence, now that it is stopped they are at the stage of demanding it giving poor excuse. They are acting like a Kid. Tamil people don’t need to be liberated from LTTE they need to liberated from the SInhalese elements. Soon as the Sri Lankan government declares bankruptcy, Tamils will start a new life in Tamil Eelam.
TK said,
June 29, 2007 @ 4:42 pm
I think what the author really means is that 60 years of ‘development’ money never ‘developed’ Sri Lanka. It just made the bellies of both the politicians and the poor masses bigger, of course for wrong reasons.
Sri Lanka could become a country just for the rich, just like those ‘banana republics’ of Central and South America. And those diasporas hailing this author as ‘true Sri Lankan’ are clueless. What makes them live in the West and condemn its ideals and role of West in the ‘larger world’.
They seem to like it to take the benefits of good economy, freedom and all else in the West, but always want to claim ‘home is where the heart is’ what they do is always right.
Underlying question is how the fellow minorities are to be treated today, tomorrow into the future. Enough talking about history.
Let the truth and reconciliation begin in earnest.
Baptist, UAE said,
June 30, 2007 @ 2:36 pm
Mr . Ladduwahetty
It is because of people like you, hell bent on imposing a sinhala hegemony over tamils and muslims, there is war in Sri Lanka.
It will never suceed.
The Noth and the East are traditional Tamil speaking lands. For over 2000 years, no foriegn army have ever been able to conquer it for long. Don’t dream on…history will repeat it self. Remember Operation Jeyasikiru…or the 1990s when the Premadasa goverenment also cleared the East from the LTTE?!…
Unless the Sinhalese are ready to address the Tamil question and ready to share power, Sri Lanka’s breakup is inevitable.
Instead of presenting statistics, just take a look around you…East Timor, Bosnia, Croatia, Slovenia, Macedonia, Montenegro, and perhaps Kosovo? Do you think all these countries achieved independence by outright military victory? think again…
I have nothing against the Sinhalese…They are generally nice people…My dad had lots of Sinhalese friends
But Sinhala people have stood silent and even encouraging the destruction and occupation of Tamil land and the people…
The question is why can’t you let us live in peace with equal rights without prejudices and discrimination? We are one-fith of the size of the sinhalese who have no desire to threaten the sinhalese or Buddism. We just want to live peacefully with dignity and have reasonable control over our own affairs and land.
Sri Lanka is in the last chance saloon…I hope Sinhala people grab it while they still can.
Remember: Two nations One Country. One Nation Two Countries
This is not a quote from Prabha; This was q quote from a Ahimasavathy: Thanthai Selva.
It is a pity one has to quote this thirty years on.
Bernard said,
June 30, 2007 @ 3:05 pm
Dear Nevil,
I am agreed with you in one point that we can survive without these so called foriegn aids. Enough of black mailing.I am sure with less ministers and their extravagant spending
we can develop our country.
thank you nevil
Ilaya seran senguttuvan said,
July 1, 2007 @ 2:47 pm
Neville Ladduwahetty (NL) is a commentator on Sri Lankan socio-political affairs whose views are read and listened to with interest. His views cannot be dismissed easily as those of half-baked politicians such as of the JHU/JVP type. At the sametime, retired administrators and senior government servants et al do their best to please the government in power to realise their own agendas.
Some fine and intelligent talent capable of providing a balance in our search for peace is lost as a result. The case of Dayan Jayatilake, son of the late legendary journalist Mervyn de Silva,
who (Dayan) sacrificed all principles and toed the government line to accept a government position is one case. Mervyn refused to be seduced by many such carrots that were thrown his way during his time by JRJ and others. Rajiv Wijesinghe, Oxford-educated son of Sam Wijesinghe is the other. Rajiv’s issue may well not be the attraction of government office but more to level scores with his cousin Ranil Wickramasinghe against whom he nurses a congenital dislike. And so the Sri Lankan politcal band-wagon moves in its own peculiar way.
NL, I regret to say, has left little room for doubt in his regular comments he has little sympathy with the Tamil struggle for equality, the Federal option or devolution of power. On the guise of attacking the LTTE, with whose policies many of us Tamils disagree, he refuses to recognise the justice and accomodation that is due to Lankan Tamils.
For NL to say “GoSL is engaged in a war of liberation” is totally unacceptable. The “War” started in recent times while the Tamil peaceful liberation has been on from early 1950s. If NL by “War” means the aerial and sea bombing of civilian targets, the killing of innocent men, women, children, students and the destruction of schools, hospitals and churches then there is little point in a debate with him. Where can there be a reasonable war when GoSL forces are around 225,000 fully armed to the teeth on the ground, in the air and the sea and the LTTE is below 8,000 shoeless soldiers – according to Army Chief Fonseka’s estimate.
Incidentally, what was the necessity of Mrs B sending thousands of army men under Udugama way back in 1962 (when Prabhakaran was a toddler) for a job that could have been easily handled by the multi-ethnic Police at that time – in the hands of capable IGPs, DIGs and so on at that time? Clearly, the germs of communal hatred were very active at that time – the raison d’etre for the eventual emergence of the LTTE.
NL will have very few takers for his comments “the entire S/Lanka was destablised by the LTTE.” As we all know, the “destabilisation” was largely as a result of wholesale
corruption in the purchase of arms and other forms of terrible corruption in the Army and the forces. An entire generation of millionaires emerged as a result of this corruption – Agents of Arms suppliers with Access to the highest in the land, Suppliers to the Army and, of course,
Ministers and uniformed officials – some of whom caught with several unaccountable millions in Safe Vaults in Banks. It is worse now with several “Mr. Ten percents” running the show.
One respected Columnist used the expression “Kleptomaniac Cabinet.” The Tamil people do not see the “liberation” of Vakarai and Sampur the way NL does. They see this as a continuing saga
to rob them of their land and reduce them as minorities in their own environs. The saga began in Gal Oya in 1954 when thousands of Tamils in South Batticoloa were assaulted, killed and thrown out of their homes and properties where they lived for generations – merely to make way for Sinhala thugs from the South to come as settlers. Manalaru is now Weli Oya
and many dozens of examples such as this.
The present design to throw out Tamils in the Sampur area on the pretext of a HSZ is in the same trajectory. And so now you want to hold a Referendum in the Eastern Province – after physically and brutally throwing out the Tamils?
Well, if Aid is “insignificant” as NL argues why has GL Peiris, a new Minister from the Parachute regiment, rushed to Washington said to be tasked with the purpose of using his influence there to stop even “curtaiingl” of aid on well-documented grounds of HR abuse.
The thought of a totally cut in aid by GoSL today is unthinkable. NL is well known for his anti-Indian tirades and therefore the reference to the 2 Indian Radar systems and blaming India for the recent Airport debacle can be understood. As we all know, India made it clear the Radars did not function efficiently because we did not provide the required number of technicians to man them and the system was turned off when the attack took place. So how can one blame India for this? India says it has the same Radar systems in all her airports and that they are all functioning well.
NL further hopes USA – that he says has so far listened to the LTTE – must now listen to Sri Lanka. Well! Sir, the USA has been listening to Sri Lanka for sometime now. Why is Ambassador Robert Blake under attack so much by Sinhala hardliners – merely for telling out what he has seen? Have you heard over 50 US Senators – both Democrat and Republicans – have written to President Bush about serious violations of HR abuses on the Tamils, their lack of confidence in the GoSL handling her current serious problems?
rk said,
July 1, 2007 @ 7:11 pm
Looking at efforts to track down and nail Mr Radovan Karadazic the Bosnian Serb as a War criminal some ten years after the fact gives pause to wonder whether persons in office in nations like Shree Lanka between 1983 to present may be held accountable
and share a similar fate as Chemical Ali, Sloboden, Mladic etc.
Eventually.
What about writers who mislead by portraying a genocide as mere domestic misunderstanding and thereby help to shed the blood. Are there any presedents set like in the Hutui/Tutsi, Sinhala/Tamil whereby apart from the Politicos also the Clergy and those media rabble rousers might eventually be held accountable.Just because no lankan has faced a Nurenberg type trial for the longest while does not mean such a trial will not happen. May be this is what should be broadcast in Lka and mentioned to the politicos and the military types.
mjv said,
July 16, 2007 @ 2:03 pm
IF THE SL DON T NEED AID WHY SLG TALK OF “PEACE TALK” WITH LTTE WHEN THE CO-CHAIRS OF DONER COUNTRIES MEET.INSTEAD OF PURSUING A FUTILE WAR,WHICH KILLS INNOCENT PRECIOUS LIVES, LET SLG DECLARE PEACE ,RECOGNIZE ALL LANGUAGES, EQUAL OPPORTUNITY ALL COMMUNITIES. BUT THIS CANNOT AND WILL NOT BE DONE WITH THE COMPANY OF JVP. ONLY GOD CAN SAVE SRILANKA.
Lucky said,
October 20, 2007 @ 11:23 am
I think war shld be carried forward until Prabhakaran dies
then we have peace in sri lanka