Sri Lanka: Beyond The UN Drama – Analysis

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No matter what the UN report contains, it should be made available to the people of Sri Lanka and the world at large.

The United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki – Moon appointed his panel to collect facts and advise him on accountability concerns on war crimes in Sri Lanka during the final weeks of the war between the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam ( LTTE ) well known as Tamil Tigers and the Government of Sri Lanka which ended May 2009.

According to sources, the Ban’s committee had received thousands of documents from various parts of world, but some of them are said to be distorted facts and also some were absolutely falsehood to confuse and meddle with the UN effort.

What will happen in Colombo if the UN’s report comes to the public domain? Already the External Affairs Ministry has rubbished the report given to the GoSL. How far can UN go on Sri Lanka is questionable, as the UN effort will become an issue espousing nationalist feelings in Sri Lanka that will make the President Rajapakse’s government stronger and determined to play ping pong with Ban Ki-Moon’s effort.

Political climate has progressively changed after the war in Sri Lanka, where the Rajapakse regime has effectively taken over all the institutions with the expansion of the presidential power following the 18 Amendment to the Constitution of Sri Lanka.

Also in the coming years, we can expect President Rajapakse to introduce further amendments to the constitution to centralize his power base. Rajapakse will not easily give up power, as he is not the same Rajapakse when he was a parliamentarian and holding ministerial posts. He has tasted the real power of politics and his guiding guru’s are Libya, Iraq, China and Myanmar where dictates, dogmas and bigoted conduct are playing important part in the governance.

With the defeat of the Tamil Tigers, Rajapakse thinks he is an avatar of King Dutugamunu. Unfortunately, President Rajapakse has not got the good characters of King Dutugemunu who respectfully gave a rightful homage to the slain Tamil King Elhara in the battle front.

This is what Mahinda Rajapakse’s patron saint Mu’ummar Al Qaddafi said in one of his writings: “For 40 years, or was it longer, I can’t remember, I did all I could to give people houses, hospitals, schools, and when they were hungry, I gave them food, I even made Benghazi into farmland from the desert, I stood up to attacks from that cowboy Reagan, when he killed my adopted orphaned daughter, he was trying to kill me, instead he killed that poor innocent child, then I helped my brothers and sisters from Africa with money for the African Union” . It is the same methodology that is followed by Rajapakse & Co., in Sri Lanka.

Rajapakse claims that he has brought to an end South Asia’s longest terrorism and that everyone can walk free and enjoy their freedom without fear of terror. In return for his achievement, he wants the people to pay their due courtesy and gratitude to keep him prop up his power base forever.

Interestingly, Rajapakse wants all the credits for the war victory. He has forgotten the General who successfully fought the war, the international contact group headed by USA, India and the decent Tamils who stood against the violence of the Tamil Tigers. What he is doing since the victory is that he is humiliating the very people who helped him to create the conditions for his victory.

Having obtained a spurious doctorate from the Lumumba University, he is now trying to enter into the historical Mahawanse. His conduct post war has jettisoned any thought that he will turn the history and become a national leader. His national leadership is only limited to his cunning behaviour of speaking in Tamil on occasions to deceive the Tamils and the international community.

The UN report will only strengthen the hands of Mahinda in the island nation despite the international effort denting his credibility worldwide. Mahinda will survive and even thrive as there are many unprincipled pariah states who concur with his mission that is nothing new to them.

Rajapakse is a good a manipulator. He played his dirty political game so well to reduce the opposition to skeleton walkers. The opposition is dead and there are no strong enough civil rights movements and an effective and energetic media to influence the people like what now civil society in India is doing against corruption of the regime under Anna Hazare and other leaders.

According to Rajapakse, we Sri Lankans are enjoying democracy of his cocktail making. It is the “Rajapakse Democracy” that no one should say “no” to his mission and slumber vision. This is exactly what Libyan leader claimed and finally after three decades, he is struggling to cope with the pressures of multi-dimension.

There is no possibility on the ground that Middle East trend will cross over to our island nation. Unfortunately, Sri Lanka does not have a strong opposition leader to rise to the occasion. Will a situation similar to the C0te d’Ivoire develop in Sri Lanka in the future in a situation when opposition win and Rajapakse resisting to hand over power.? Will there be UN intervention like to eject Laurent Gbagbo, the former President of Cote d’Ivoire who finally surrendered to the UN forces with the international intervention?

In Sri Lanka, right to oppose has been killed by the inwardly patriotism espoused by the regime. Sri Lankan patriotism is none other than saying “yes” always to whatever Rajapakse says.

As Rumi rightly pointed out in his poem:

“Look and you will see my form whether you are looking at yourself or toward that noise and confusion.”- ( Remember me. ), This is what we are enjoying today.

In the near future, Rajapakse will claim Sri Lanka and its people are really enjoying his cocktail of one party democracy. He is strangulating the freedom in Sri Lanka and it is time for the people to decide whether he should be put in the dustbin before the country purge into a fanatical state to be regretted later.

What we are seeing is not the real freedom in Sri Lanka, but unfortunately people in the slumber will not realize their fate until issues start to bite them hard under the egalitarian dictates under the pseudo democracy of Rajapakse in the country.

Nilantha Ilangamuwa is a Sri Lankan journalist and author.

Nilantha Ilangamuwa

Nilantha Ilangamuwa is a Sri Lankan journalist and author.

15 thoughts on “Sri Lanka: Beyond The UN Drama – Analysis

  • April 15, 2011 at 11:47 am
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    This analysis is rather miopic and as miopia goes, radical.
    Sri Lankans on the ground level understand the reality and the unfolding game better than what is written here. Ending the war was Sri Lanka’s priority the way overcoming a cancer would be to the patient. Today the Sri lankans who were opposed to a division of their nation and to terrorism enjoy a level of security that is unparalleled in this entire region. Ask any Sri Lankan, and you will know the truth.
    Security is also paying off dividends. Economic activity is picking up, unfortunately slower than we would like, due to the global economic stagnation. Sri Lanka is a part of the world, and it is a very small part of it too. So what happens out there affects us.
    The unrest that is sweeping the middle east will not happen in Sri Lanka. That is not because we don’t have what it takes to fight; but because we have no reason to.
    Having eradicated terrorism, cleaned up the cities of crime and garbage, Sri Lanka is on her way to joining the rest of the world in economic growth.
    But some people don’t like to see it that way.

    Reply
    • April 16, 2011 at 12:02 am
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      Replace the words we and srilankans to sinhalese and your reply will sound correct. Your reply is ignoring the fact that Tamils are the sufferers here. After all Rajapakse thinks he will live or rule for ever. When he is gone, people like u will feel the heat.

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    • April 16, 2011 at 9:53 am
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      I agree with Rollin’Thunder. There are some people out there who do not see the reality of progress in SL. What a sad situation?

      Reply
  • April 15, 2011 at 11:57 am
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    Do not waste time….Mahinda Rajapaksha is president and hero to all world presidents.
    He is well planed succesfull leader in the world and for ever. Please shut up you guys mouth.

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  • April 15, 2011 at 1:47 pm
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    In short this is a report that the UN never wanted to get involved in but for the sake of the pressures applied by the USA that wants to be a custodian of the4 world while instigating political upheavals around the world. At the end of the day Sri Lanka will prevail. LTTE in the Diaspora should work with the GOSL rather than trying to get countries like the USA involved in sorting out problems where it cannot help.

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  • April 15, 2011 at 2:54 pm
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    What a load of codswallop. Sri Lanka is not a one party state as the writer implies. It is a thriving democracy with a sophisticated electorate that boasts of 98 percent literacy – the highest in Asia. Sri Lanka has changed its leaders more than most countries in Asia through the ballot and even during the height of the Eleam wars conducted elections. Rajapakse has brought peace and an economic growth rate that is 8 percent and a GDP per capita that is double that of its neighbours. No wonder the western supporting opposition has been decimated in parliament.

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  • April 15, 2011 at 3:48 pm
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    lol what a funny article. Sri Lankans don’t have major problem with current president, so wait until next election.

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  • April 15, 2011 at 3:59 pm
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    This the description given for SAAG:

    “SAAG is the South Asia Analysis Group, a non-profit, non-commercial think tank. The objective of SAAG is to advance strategic analysis and contribute to the expansion of knowledge of Indian and International security and promote public understanding.”

    The article seems to be bashing Mahinda Rajapaksa rather than advancing strategic analysis and expanding knowledge. The author should have focused on the specific actions by the President and then interpreted accordingly . Instead we get a generalized – Rajapaksa wants to be a dictator. Really? Analyses should be objective. The author could have made their case against Mahinda Rajapaksa but been more objective with their conclusions. Instead, this article is just a letter of complaint!

    Reply
  • April 15, 2011 at 5:26 pm
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    Looks like the writer is a benificiary of the peelam diasporas deep pockets !

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  • April 15, 2011 at 6:40 pm
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    Gentleman..If SL Army had done war crimes..if SL Government and its people had done a wrong thing hss to be a judged by the world,let us know does this monkey moon and other silly heads wanted to continue the LTTE fighting in SL for ever ?

    Reply
  • April 15, 2011 at 8:14 pm
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    Ranil Wickramasinghe is a much to blame for the erosion of democracy in SL as Rajapakse. Make no mistake. The lack of internal democracy within the UNP and Ranil’s greed for power that accounts for the failure to let a new generation that is committed to the inclusive and multi-cultural traditions and vision of the UNP take over (and I am not a Sajtih Premadasa supporter since there’s little difference between his views and those of Rajapakse inc.)is a big part of the current Sri Lankan dilemma that needs much more attention and analysis than it has received.

    Reply
  • April 16, 2011 at 2:02 am
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    It is too early you to decide such matter.let president to rule the county for next few years.let him to have direct negotiation with Tamil leaders and find reasonable solution for Tamil people to have their future with dignity and respect which they deserve after suffering many hears.they to our people and they all need to have right to be part of on going economic developments activities.if any report can help to get this done without further dividing this small country is great but president needs help and support not undue influence to make matters more complicated and divided the people as usual did in pass.if any country is willing to help we need that to end this matter and have new beginning for all the people of the country no matter who they are.

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  • April 16, 2011 at 2:10 am
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    This writer is nuts, we support Rajapakse because he is doing what we the people would like him to do. On the other hand the opposition leaders except for Premadasa are following policies that we the people will never accept or give our vote to, IT IS THAT SIMPLE. All these western leaders can go to hell, we don’t need them as long as our Asian and African friends.

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  • April 16, 2011 at 3:56 am
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    I smell a rat here. A wolf in sheep’s clothing perhaps. If this is professional journalism, God save us all!

    This is a rambling attack on the Rajapakse regime and makes little sense to the reader.
    ” Let me start by telling you and you must concede that peace is better than war.
    And some of the worst of the scare stories about
    Rajapakse ‘s intentions have proved unfounded. It was accused
    of planning to intern Tamils in the camps indefinitely. But over
    300,000 have already left. ”
    I recently returned from a visit to SL. Most enjoyable and safest trip in 30 years. Yes there is Eelam. It is called Tamil Nadu. Feel free to come on over! Visit the soil that was sanctified by the blood of Rajiv Gandhi.

    Reply
  • April 16, 2011 at 12:54 pm
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    The author of this article seem to be having something personal to grind against president Mahinda Rajapakse and he is definitely not concerned about Sri Lanka nor has its interests at heart. Based on the authors ramblings I can only assume he is a supporter of a certain failed political entity trying to ratchet up international opinion by claiming absurdities at a sensitive time (release of the UN report).Hillarious as it may be the author must be hoping for some sort of international intervention being the Cat’s paw allowing his masters direct path to presidency of Sri Lanka. The author has not shown even an ounce of care or respect for the Island nation or its people in writing this article. Hatred seem to be have been his sole motivation of this article!

    Reply

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